In order to avoid gaining any more weight during her freshman year in college, 17-year-old Claire Rice went down to Mexico to have gastric bypass surgery. Read more...

“Y The Last Man” #49 By Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra Vertigo Comics Alas, poor Yorick! The unfortunately named Yorick Brown is the last man on Earth, with all that it entails: sexual entanglements, post-apocalyptic biker gangs and a monkey named Ampersand who holds the fate of humanity in his poop-stained paws. Read more...

When you’re as stubborn as I am, 5,731 songs can get old in a hurry. That’s how many songs I have on my iPod. I’ve got a diverse selection ranging from college favorites like Radiohead and Kanye West all the way to far-out wackiness like Wesley Willis and Optimus Rhyme. Read more...

The Decemberists “The Crane Wife” Capitol Records (Out Of 5) When the Decemberists, indie music’s most beloved group of raucous balladeers, announced their decision to leave Kill Rock Stars for a major label last year, few believed they had sold out. Read more...

Blind Guardian “A Twist in the Myth” Nuclear Blast Records (Out Of 5) To judge from their musical exports, the Germans have had it tough. Ever since the ’80s, the only way they’ve been able to rock is like a hurricane, which, ironically enough, is something they probably had little experience with until the Scorpions’ 1984 hit. Read more...

It pays to be honest. Ever since Art Brut formed in 2004 and released its first single, “Formed a Band,” the down-to-earth London-based quintet has become an unstoppable machine of indie rock. Read more...

Correction Appended For the fourth year in a row, UCLA students can look forward to two well-known musical acts playing for free during Bruin Bash tonight at the Los Angeles Tennis Center. Read more...