Author Archives: Justin Deitchman

I don’t keep up with celebrity gossip, at least not on purpose. Still, somehow the stupid antics of “celebutantes” always seem to slip into the collective consciousness, and I become unintentionally privy to the fact that Britney Spears is reportedly trying to have another baby with K-Fed to “strengthen her marriage,” and that Paris Hilton […]

My recent acquisition of an iPod Nano has officially turned me into an anti-social music-monger. With my headphones in my ears and my eyes on the pavement in front of me, I can completely block out the world and meander from class to class, creating my own personal soundtrack as I go. I am willing […]

Yule logs are flaming, chestnuts are roasting, and reindeer hooves are pitter-pattering all over the free-exercise Claus of the First Amendment, which happens to guarantee the right to practice one’s religion without government interference. Christmas is the only religious holiday in America that is also a federal holiday, which might be a bit unsettling for […]

Faces: we see them constantly, wherever we go. There are familiar faces passing by on campus, friendly faces smiling at the grocery store, and the faces of your friends and family that you feel connected to and can match with personalities and memories. Then there is your own face, inextricably linked with your self-concept and […]

A blue bandanna, the flash of a seemingly innocuous hand gesture, some unfamiliar slang words, and even a dance move. Believe it or not, these are all aspects of gang life and they have become commonplace in the world in which we live. Perhaps one of the most well”“known gangs in the United States is […]

Home for the holidays ““ it’s a nice idea, at least in theory. It’s a quick vacation from school and work and all the stresses of your real life. You get to go back to the place where you grew up and where you have so many fond memories. Still, to some this trip can […]

You never forget your first time, no matter how blurred your vision was by the end of the night. It kind of sticks with you among all those other firsts and lasts burned into your memory banks. The first college party I went to was in the UCSB-adjacent party town of Isla Vista. I remember […]