In The News: Department of Communication Studies

There’s now an easy way to turn any aspect of life into something to optimize — just add “-maxxing.” Gymmaxxing is about getting ripped. Moneymaxxing means accumulating wealth as fast as possible. Over the past couple of years, this social media-driven wellness fad has spread to more and more activities: Tanning is sunmaxxing; drinking plenty of water is watermaxxing. Even at night, the grind for self-improvement continues, with sleepmaxxing hacks designed to help you achieve peak rest.
There’s now an easy way to turn any aspect of life into something to optimize — just add “-maxxing.” Gymmaxxing is about getting ripped. Moneymaxxing means accumulating wealth as fast as possible. Over the past couple of years, this social media-driven wellness fad has spread to more and more activities: Tanning is sunmaxxing; drinking plenty of water is watermaxxing. Even at night, the grind for self-improvement continues, with sleepmaxxing hacks designed to help you achieve peak rest.

The rituals of European caviar service have changed little over centuries: mother-of-pearl spoons, champagne pairings, and precise instructions for savoring each briny pearl. Yet, while Europe maintains these traditions, scroll through TikTok today, and you'll find Americans creating their own traditions—most notably, taking “caviar bumps,” small portions of fish roe eaten off the back of the hand.

Dayna Galbreath and her husband had just months ago finished a renovation on their Altadena bungalow when the Eaton Fire tore through their neighborhood on January 8. Around 3:30 a.m., her phone rang out with a notification. “It basically said an evacuation order has been initiated for your area, and in big capital letters, it said, ‘GET OUT NOW.’”
Sports fans are gearing up for not just the Super Bowl and halftime show, but also the food associated with the annual event. Hot wings, pizza and multi-layered dip are among the country's favorite Super Bowl foods, new research has shown.
A state-by-state analysis of Super Bowl food by Coffeeness highlights the country's favorite game-day eats, revealing a mix of traditional comfort foods and regional specialties based on Google search data.
Football fans are gearing up for one of the biggest sporting events of the year, the Super Bowl, next month. However it is not the game nor the halftime show that people are most excited about—but rather the food, new research has shown.

Experts say that, depending on your viewpoint, last week’s election might have greatly impacted your mental and physical health. It’s not that unusual, especially in these times.

Harrison Jones, 13, was approached by his history teacher at Thurman White Middle School in Henderson on Wednesday with a message: “It passed.”

Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on “Saturday Night Live” in the final days before the election, playing herself as the mirror-image double of Maya Rudolph’s version of her in the show's cold open. Former President Donald Trump was seen riding around in a campaign-themed garbage truck in Green Bay on Wednesday. This comes after President Joe Biden was accused of calling Trump supporters "garbage."
“Freedom” is often a Republican talking point, but Vice President Kamala Harris is trying to reclaim the concept for Democrats as part of her campaign for the presidency. In a speech at the Democratic National Convention last month, she declared that “fundamental freedoms” were at stake in the November election, including “the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water and live free from the pollution that fuels the climate crisis.”
“Freedom” is often a Republican talking point, but Vice President Kamala Harris is trying to reclaim the concept for Democrats as part of her campaign for the presidency. In a speech at the Democratic National Convention last month, she declared that “fundamental freedoms” were at stake in the November election, including “the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water and live free from the pollution that fuels the climate crisis.”