David Letterman has always been known to push buttons. Part of his appeal has been that fact that he happens to do it very well. While Johnny Carson had his distinct niche during his hallowed “Tonight Show” reign and became the classic late night host, Letterman went the other way.

RAP: The New University talks with rapper Shwayze, a 2009 Shocktoberfest headliner.

Irving Penn, one of the most influential and recognized photographers in the world of fashion, died Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the age of 92. Penn was an expert in combining the worlds of fashion and celebrity with his signature minimalistic style and grace. He has gained recognition and respect in the art world since his first published cover of Vogue in 1943.

The wars of the future will be fought using viruses not guns. Governments and civilians should beware.

Some of you may have heard about the Chancellor’s office hours this week. The idea behind this new initiative is respectable, and in theory, honorable. The campus is home to “individuals who represent a wide variety of backgrounds, opinions and perspectives.” It only makes sense that the Chancellor would be interested in engaging in a dialogue with these individuals.

Writer Alex Roth debates the intentions and flawed ethics behind digitally altered images.

Last week, the winners of the five Nobel Prizes were announced. Most of the laureates earned the prize by introducing something extraordinary. Willard Boyle and George Smith, who were among the four winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics, invented an imaging semiconductor circuit that is the basis of digital photography. Herta Muller won the literature prize for her outstanding literary work “depict[ing] the landscape of the dispossessed.” Carol Greider, Elizabeth Blackburn and Jack Szostak won the Prize for Medicine. They discovered how “telomeres are protected from progressive shortening by the enzyme telomerase,” a contribution that has increased our understanding of and our ability to cure cancer.

Even though surrounding the New York Stock Exchange building with crime scene tape was classic, Michael Moore’s latest release, “Capitalism: a Love Story,” was not one of his best. However, to attack Michael Moore’s critique of capitalism by calling him a socialist is a tired, old Republican name-calling game. His argument for bringing a new economic system that fits the needs of the 21st Century, as oppose to 19th century capitalism and 16th Century socialism, is actually quite reasonable.

The people who talk around campus concerning the budget cuts tend to fall into one of two categories: those who feel the University of California should not endure any budget cuts or those who feel the cuts should be made as long as they are confined to specific places, such as the salaries of the University’s overpaid senior management.

The Supreme Court looks at the Mojave Cross. Does it violates the Establishment Clause?

Twitter, the ubiquitous micro-blogging service, appears to be a harmless, lighthearted Web site that helps people stay connected through 140 character or less status updates that can be sent from a computer or cell phone. While not particularly revolutionary, it seemed like an interesting idea.

Per your reader requests, I made a stop at Langson Library to investigate the history behind everyone’s favorite contraceptive. I decided to approach the help desk for, you guessed it, help on researching condoms. Once we got past the giggles, we got right down to business.

Lonely, abandoned, untouched. Due to cutbacks in janitorial staff, more and more trash cans all over campus are left to their own devices. The...

Who says men don’t care about fashion? This fall, the male fashion scene is turning to dark rich colors like blacks, deep reds, and navy as seen at Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Givenchy, Richard Chai, and at many other fashion labels. These colors are accompanied by bold block colors paired with darker colors to give a pop twist for the fall and winter seasons as displayed at Gucci, Etro, and Marc by Marc Jacobs.