Eric Martin
Eric Martin is an artist and writer. Look for more of his work in The Stone Hobo, the Antelope Valley Anthology, The Open Doors Poetry Zine, Failure of Theory, Euclid s Negatives and on stage. He is an owner-operator of a coffee & art house in California s Antelope Valley and author of the Quick Prep: AP English Test Prep Series.
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- Contributor since
- 8/10/2009
Education/Experience
BA English & Education, Small Business OwnerInterests
Literature, coffee, art, film, pro basketball, small business, philosophy & psychology, novels & fiction, society, phrases beginning with meta , culture, mythology, under-appreciated artists, reading.Motto
Who owns himself is free.
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Why Robert DeNiro is a Great Actor (no Matter What Movies He Makes)Robert DeNiro has climbed to the mountain-top of film and stardom. Yet despite the great actor’s achievements, DeNiro has become a target for new derision.
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TV Fan Suggestion: 3 Improvements for NBA Half-time BroadcastsErnie, Chuck, Kennie, Shaq, Magic, Jalen, and the rest of the guys on TNT and ESPN do a good job. They’re entertaining. But I can’t be the only one tired of the practical jokes and the segments about how to tie a necktie.
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Over-Rated: One Novel and One Play with Unjustified ReputationsSomewhere along the line, a few champions literature have risen through the ranks to achieve reputations that they do not deserve. After all the top 100 lists and all the talk, at least two works have been regrettably over-rated.
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3 Important Novels that Fall Short of Being GreatIs it surprising to think that some of the most famous and important books of the last 150 years are not great works of literature? Moby Dick, To Kill a Mockingbird and 1984 are each very important, but fall short of being great works of literature.
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To Kill a Mockingbird - Just a Kid’s Book?In her ornery wisdom, short-story writer Flannery O’Connor once characterized To Kill a Mockingbird as a book for children. Was she right? If she was right, does it matter? -
Vinegar: A Green All Purpose Cleaner?Vinegar spray is a cheap and eco-friendly alternative to store-bought cleaning sprays with many uses and some surprising potency as an all-purpose cleaner.
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3 Must Read Writers You’ve Never Heard OfThe names West, Fante and Warren don’t strike a chord like, say the name of a writer like Hemingway, but these three must-read American writers helped to shape the voice of American fiction.
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Fan’s View: Note to Los Angeles Lakers – Change is GoodRecent changes in the line-up have led to a change in mentality for the Lakers. This trend should continue if the Lakers want to be successful and another change should be made. Kobe Bryant should help Dwight Howard become the centerpiece of this team. -
Los Angeles Lakers Destined for Great Things?There is no reason to expect that the Lakers will suddenly dominate. There is reason, however, to expect that Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol will find a way to win together. -
Most Successful Members of the Brat Pack TodayWhile most of the young actors from “The Brat Pack” have faded from view since the 1980s, Penn and Sutherland, along with one other “Brat Pack” icon, have polished their image and solidified their place on the American screen. -
Steve Nash Set to Be Number 3 in All-Time Assists: Fan’s PredictionAs my fellow stats junkies probably know, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Steve Nash begins the NBA season at number five on the all-time total assists list.
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Kurt Vonnegut and the Complexity of HopeLike a pointillist painter, Vonnegut creates a complex expression out of simple elements. It’s genius because it works and it’s genius because no one else has done it. -
Dwight Howard is Not the Good Guy Anymore: Fan’s PerspectiveIt’s time for Dwight Howard to realize that his jokes and his smile cannot undo a sullied reputation. Only solid play and a level head can do that.
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Fan's View: Hard as They Try, LA Clippers Still Have Catching Up to Do with LakersThis might seem obvious to most of you, but the Los Angeles Lakers are the most interesting basketball team in town.
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Fan’s View: Kobe Bryant is the Second Best Shooting Guard EverWithout doing anything more in his NBA career, Kobe Bryant is already the second best shooting guard of all-time. -
Shared in a WhisperA brief story about the moment when the single person opens up and becomes part of a larger being: a couple.
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Fan’s Take: Los Angeles Lakers Missing a Playmaker Off the BenchWhat the Lakers seem to lack most is a playmaker coming off the bench, who can help create offense for the second unit. -
Fan’s Take – Why the Lakers Were Right to Choose Kobe Bryant Over Shaquille O’NealWhat if Kobe Bryant had been traded instead of Shaquille O’Neal? Would the Lakers have more banners hanging in the rafters of Staples Center ? Could Bryant have lifted another team to the championship between then and now?
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The Four Days On, Three Days Off Weekly Exercise PlanMy routine is driven by a two central ideas. I make sure that my goals are both achievable and sustainable. -
Why Coffee Shop Prices Are So HighCoffee shop prices seem high these days and many people wonder how a cup of coffee can be so darn expensive. -
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant Not Finished Breaking RecordsThere are two reasons we shouldn't take Kobe Bryant's current rank on the all-time scoring list for granted.Also published on:
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Fan's Take: Andrew Bynum Next Franchise Player for Los Angeles LakersIs it time to stop talking about Andrew Bynum’s potential to anchor an NBA team, time to stop talking about his bright future, time to recognize that it’s Bynum’s time right now?
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Why I Quit TeachingMy story is rather simple. I quit teaching to open a coffee shop because I didn’t feel like a teacher. The compromises to the educational side of the job were simply too deep to overcome. -
Allen Iverson - Then and NowIt seems that Iverson's basketball journey is coming closer to its close as it comes closer to home for the 36 year old star. The thing is, he’s still a star. -
The Five Jerseys of Baron Davis (How Many More?)The talented point guard came into the league with the Charlotte Hornets in 1999 and had his best years with that franchise, moving with the team to New Orleans then being traded in 2005 to Golden State. The rest of the story is still fairly recent. -
A Few Questions for Hannah Wilson and Darla Dear PhotographyHearing that Wilson, aka Darla Dear, had started up a blog, I tracked her down to ask her about her projects and to try to get some insight into her views on art in general. -
A Paycheck While You Wait for Full-Time Work?If you find yourself with a lot of pent up energy and anxiety about where your next paycheck is going to come from, it may be worthwhile to take some action and start a small business. At least you'll have a project.
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Looking Past Nursing SchoolWith a nationally narrowing vision of “what’s out there” in terms of work opportunities, nursing seems like a beacon, a light in an otherwise very dark landscape. But there may already be too many nursing school graduates out there.
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Kobe vs. HistoryIt’s worth pointing out where Kobe Bryant stands now in the all-time rankings. The last years of his career could see Kobe Bryant enter even more rarified ranks than he has already reached…Also published on:
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Game Changers: Shaq and the Shaq-Proof BackboardIt’s no surprise then that when Shaquille O’Neal came into the league his name was shortened to something elemental in keeping with his force-of-nature style of play. But who expected that they’d be Shaq-proofing the rims and reinforcing the backboards?Also published on:
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Graffiti and the Difference Between Street Art and VandalismMy views of spray-painted expression have changed over the years. I have met graffiti artists making street art with great skill and with the approach to the craft that a legitimate artist brings. That doesn't mean it's all art though.
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John Stockton - Respected and ReviledThere have always been players who we love to root against and John Stockton must be right up there with Kobe Bryant for the highest ranking player in this category in the last 30 years.Also published on:
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Eric Gordon and the NBA Shooting Guard SceneIf you were an NBA general manager with Eric Gordon on your team, pushing for a contract extension, what would be going through your mind?Also published on:
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Fan's Perspective: Best Power Forward in the NBA?With this on his resume, you’d think Dirk Nowitzki would be the automatic popular selection for “best power forward” in the NBA. Despite Dirk’s resume, commentators like to talk about the up-and-coming power-forwards as being on par with Nowitzki.Also published on:
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Top 2 Challenges for Young EmployeesYoung employees sometimes don't understand that they are not being paid to hold a title but are being paid to fulfill the obligations of a role.
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Pau Gasol Vs. Carlos Boozer - Who is More Over-rated and More Under-rated?Boozer played well in his first season in Chicago, but not as well as many fans would have liked. Pau Gasol did not completely meet his expectations either, but he received accolades instead of derision.Also published on:
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The 4 Best #1 Picks of the NBA Draft of the CenturyThe #1 draft picks from this still-new century have been some of the most individually successful, marketable and exciting players in the NBA. Two of them have already won an MVP trophy.Also published on:
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Top 3 NBA Western Conference Teams of the 00sThe 00s were dominated by a handful of teams with only 5 teams claiming championship titles over the ten year span. Half of those championships went to the Los Angeles Lakers.Also published on:
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Top 4 NBA Eastern Conference Teams of the 00s - Fan's RankingWhich eastern conference NBA franchises had the most success in the last decade?Also published on:
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Kobe's Most Challenging YearIn the Kobe Bryant era, the Los Angeles Lakers have made the playoffs every year…with one exception. To me this exceptional year, though a losing one ultimately, is one of the most interesting years in recent memory.Also published on:
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An Employer's 3 Tips for Writing a Resume for Your First JobI run a small coffee shop, and I see resumes on a monthly basis, if not weekly. Hopefully, this article will help you avoid making some of the common mistakes I see in those resumes.
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Digital Underground (A Sci-Fi Short)Short fiction in the sci-fi genre: Forty years in the future, the world has become a more peaceful place, governments have united in expansive commercial federations, but in the absence of foreign enemies censorship laws cast writers as the enemy.
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Shaquille O’Neal vs. Dwight Howard in OrlandoWas Shaquille O’Neal a better center in his time with the Magic than Dwight Howard has been?Also published on:
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The Best Clippers Team Ever?Headed into the off-season, Clippers fans will be asking the same question they always ask – will this be the best Clippers team ever?
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How Long Does it Take to Establish a Small Business?How long it takes to establish a small business is something every business owner would like to know.
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How I Got a (Much) Better Rate on My Auto InsuranceFor me, getting a better rate on my auto insurance was actually as easy as making a phone call. I didn't switch insurance companies to get a better rate on my insurance. I just changed the details associated with my account.
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How Will the NBA Lockout Affect Free Agency? Fan's BreakdownBetween December 9 and December 25, teams will need to reconnect, get in shape and prepare for a 66 game season. Teams will also need to make all their trades and free agent acquisitions in this 16 day period.Also published on:
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Structures in SpaceThis collage show is made of pieces from a series I am calling "The Jazz Mashed Potato".
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An Interview with Writer Steven HutsonIn Search of Clarity is a new book by Steven Hutson, a southern California writer, addressing some key issues regarding the history and texts of Christianity that are often overlooked by “casual” believers.
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Green Practices in My Small BusinessThe most obvious green practices in the coffee business are organic and fair trade products, but there are many more ways that a small business can be green while selling coffee.
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A Late SpringWhen we weren’t in Illinois, we hired a family friend to look after our house. She was a part-time house wife without any children who wanted more than just dinners and family success. She wanted something personal out of life.
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4 Ways to Get Through Christmas on a Small BudgetHere are four practical ways to get through Christmas on a small budget and find gifts that won’t come from the discount bin.
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Easy Ways to Be Green and Save MoneyWhat are some easy ways to be green and save money? Here are a few ideas.
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Michael Jordan vs. Bill Russell: Fan's LookWilt Chamberlain's two rings are more than most players achieve, but compared to the number of championships Russell and Jordan grabbed, two championship rings don't seem to cut it.
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D-League Awake While NBA SleepsWhile the NBA remains stuck in lockout mode the NBA’s D-League is quietly preparing to open its season and warming up at the Pan American games.
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The Kobe-Lebron Superstar Tour?The notion of a traveling All-Star game is intriguing, especially if there will be nightly dunk contests and skill contests, but there are a number of potential downsides.
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76ers Continuing a Storied Franchise HistoryOne of the very first teams in the NBA, the 76ers have seen success and failure in over 60 years of Philadelphia basketball.
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4 Novel-Writing Tips for NaNoWriMoThere are no short-cuts to the 50,000 word goal, but there are strategies that can vastly improve your chances of sticking to the task and for helping you organize, generate, and develop your plot ideas as you go along.
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Could a Shortened Season Help the Lakers? Fan's ViewFor veteran teams like the Lakers, Celtics and Mavericks, a lockout-shortened season could be just what the doctor ordered.
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Spending on Pets in America at All Time HighAmericans' spending on pets is at an all time high, having essentially tripled the amount of money spent annually on caring for domestic animals in the last 17 years.
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US Leads the World in Dog OwnershipPet ownership is on the rise in the United States, the UK and in Russia, to name a few spots on the globe. But nowhere in the world are dogs more popular than in the United States.
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Dry as a BoneThis is a song, a poem, about love and desolation.
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European Fans the Only Winners in the NBA LockoutEuropean fans stand to gain what American fans stand to lose: a season of basketball featuring NBA stars.Also published on:
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Stars Shunning the Spotlight? Dave Chappelle and Lauryn HillDespite the consensus on their talent, neither Dave Chappelle nor Lauryn Hill has made much of an impact on the popular scene for years.
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3 Rules of Successful StaycationThese are some very simple rules to making your next “staycation” as real and as successful as you want it to be.
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Fan's take: International player migration and the NBA lockoutPlayers opting to go abroad may give foreign spectators something to cheer for and may make space for some new faces in the NBA.
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The Nature of Evil in the Novels of William FaulknerDepravity and evil, in Faulkner's work, are marked by the attempt to sever the cords of history that bind a person to the past. The Faulkner characters who are most fully evil are the ones who to their backs on history.
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I Own an Independent Coffee ShopThis is a very brief profile of my small business, its history, its challenges, and what I do as an independent coffee shop owner.
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Lessons From a Small Business OwnerSmall business owners all have an answer to the question, what would you do differently if you could start over? This is true because being a small business owner requires an analytic mindset, a problem solving attitude and a dash of honesty.
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Distant Relatives by June Marie MilhamIn her ongoing mixed media series, Distant Relatives, artist June Marie Milham explores (and creates) a world of unexpected connections.
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The American Bard - Walt WhitmanWalt Whitman has come to represent many of the positive qualities that Americans associate with America: expansiveness, open-mindedness, youth and dynamism.
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Meals for $5 in 10 MinutesThese meal ideas can come in handy when you're crunched for time, low on energy or trying to save a few bucks.
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Dignity as the Central Theme in Tolstoy's War and PeaceLeo Tolstoy's War and Peace is a novel with many dimensions and layers of interest, but perhaps the most central thematic concern in this epic work relates to an idea of dignity.
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Where Are They Now? the 2001 Chicago BullsThough the 2001 Chicago Bulls team was disappointing at the time and not winning games, the scouts clearly knew what they were doing, and the roster was filled with talent.
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Ottawa, Illinois: Things to DoWith the Illinois and Fox Rivers meeting in its midst, an abundance of county and state parks nearby and a revamped downtown showing big signs of renewed life, Ottawa is like -- a new Ottawa.
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Desert Destinations: Sagebrush CafeWhether you live in the Antelope Valley or you're looking for something to do on while visiting this sprawling desert region north of Los Angeles, a nice place to start your day is at Sagebrush Cafe.
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The 2 Most Successful Films of Steven SpielbergBetween '..."Jaws,' '..."Jurassic Park,' '..."Raiders of the Lost Ark' and '..."E.T.', it may be difficult to guess which Spielberg movie has risen above the rest to perform best at the box office and with critics.
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Iverson deserves one more chance: Fan's takeYao Ming has given up on his attempts at yet another comeback from injury ("RetiredBut Not Forgotten") but Allen Iverson is still itching to play NBA basketball. You couldn't find two more opposite NBA careers than those of Yao Ming and Allen Iverson.
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Greatest comeback careers in the NBA since 1995The news of Allen Iverson eyeing an NBA comeback and Yao Ming retiring for good has got me thinking about the great comeback careers in the NBA.
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The Two Most Successful Martin Scorsese FilmsMartin Scorsese's filmography reads like a film history guidebook with numerous must see films from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. Of all Scorsese's great films, which has earned the most at the box office? Which has received the most critical acclaim?
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Novel Similarities in the Grapes of Wrath & War and PeaceBefore you even read The Grapes of Wrath or War and Peace, you know that both are rather big books - big as in famous and big as in long - but the novels' similarities go deeper.
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All the King's Men... One of the Greatest American NovelsRobert Penn Warren's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, All the King's Men, has been adapted to film twice in two completely different American eras, first in 1949 and more recently in 2006.
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The 2 Most Successful Stephen King Movies - Critically and FinanciallyOut of all Stephen King's film work, which movie has grossed the most at the box office and been the biggest financial success? Which of his films has had the most critical success?
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Fan's take: What should the Bulls look for this offseason?The Chicago Bulls had an incredible season in 2010-2011, surpassing expectations at every turn. But when the Bulls run in the playoffs ended, thoughts turned immediately to what went wrong. What was the team missing?
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The Antelope Valley - Is It Really Just Tumbleweeds and Trailer Parks?Does the Antelope Valley deserve to be treated as the dimwitted and unwanted stepchild of L.A. County?
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The 99 Cents Only Store & the Real Reason You Love ItAt the 99 Cents Only Store, the shopping experience is different than at a grocery store or a department store. It's not just the price. The difference is predictability.
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Getting Iguadala would be a great move for the Clippers: Fan's takeAndre Iguodala seems to be exactly what the young Los Angeles Clippers need.
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Big changes in 2010-2011 altered the NBA's balance of power: Fan's takeWhy was the season so odd this year? Why were the playoffs so unpredictable? Because the league has changed, that's why. The landscape of talent has shifted in some big ways.
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Fan's view: Is the Kobe Bryant era over?Shaq and Kobe once reigned supreme in this league of all-stars, but we can't say that any more.
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Why Teach Virginia Woolf?The English novelist Virginia Woolf remains a towering name in literature, yet her works are not taught as widely as those of other Modernists. Woolf's have quite a bit to offer, however, and fit well in upper-level literature courses.
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Has Hysteria Vanished as a Medical Condition? Well, Kind OfWhat is the condition we call hysteria and where did it go? How could hysteria have been a widespread medical condition 100 years ago then just disappear? Well, in a way it didn't.
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James Baldwin & Trouble with Moral Doctrine in EducationSome racial terminology in a James Baldwin essay set off an immediate reaction in the moral brains of my students. Because the essay mentioned race, for them it had to be about race. But it wasn't. It was about class. They'd been over-moralized.
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Tutoring High School English: Moving Students Beyond Basic LiteracyGuiding students toward accurate and focused reading is the job of the English Lit teacher, and sometimes the tutor, and the task can be greatly helped along by posing questions that model the behavior of good, interpretive reading.
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American Migrations - The Dust Bowl MigrationAs American culture has changed, so has the geography of its population.
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Chicago's Taj Gibson for Sixth Man of the Year: Local fan's takeOn the first place team in the eastern conference, Taj Gibson has been the bench player with the greatest impact throughout the season for the Bulls, playing a key role in the absences of both Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah.
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Meeting Michael JordanGiven the chance to meet any athlete, past or present, I'd most like to sit down with Michael Jordan. What questions would I ask him? What questions would you ask him?
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Did You Know Prince is a Jehovah's Witness?Some part of me resists imagining the purple clad musician knocking on my door, telling me about salvation and handing me a crappy magazine.
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The best of a generation: The top seven all-time scorers playing in the NBAKobe Bryant has the best chance of making it into the top 3 of all-time scorers in history. Yet his legacy is less secure than that of Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan. It remains to be seen who will go down as the greatest player of this generation.
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3 Things You Didn't Know About Aretha FranklinEveryone knows one Aretha Franklin song, "Respect", but if you are like most people, you may not know these 3 things about the soul singer.
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Elizabeth Taylor at Her Best - Taylor's Best Film PerformanceThe intensity and the exceptional complexity of Elizabeth Taylor's performance in this film makes 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' my favorite film in the Taylor archives.Also published on:
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Active players destined for the NBA Hall of FameA handful of players active in the NBA are locks for the Hall of Fame. Most of the active players destined for a first ballot trip to the Hall of Fame have won at least one championship, but not all of them.Also published on:
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Fan take: Which Lakers loss to the Miami Heat is more important?The Los Angeles Lakers have lost each of two games to the Miami Heat this season, once on Christmas Day and again on March 10. The Christmas loss was shrugged off by Lakers fans as unimportant. What will fans say about the more recent loss to the Heat?Also published on:
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Jimi Hendrix TriviaJimi Hendrix is one of the most widely recognized figures of the American 60s and 70s. Like many pop stars, there are one or two things that everyone knows about Jimi Hendrix and there are half a dozen lesser known facts that only the fans are aware of.
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Kobe catching and soon passing Shaq? The rivalry heats upThe unofficial rivalry between former teammates Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal is perhaps the only one of its kind in the NBA today.
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Belize: Summer in the TropicsThese photos were taken during the summer in Belize in Central America.
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George Lucas' Off-Camera Project: EdutopiaGeorge Lucas, film luminary and creator the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films, has established an educational foundation that goes by the name Edutopia.
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Which position most dominates today's NBA?Many fans and NBA commentators have said that we are witnessing a point guard revolution. Certainly there are a number of dominant and extremely talented point guards in the league today. Do the numbers bear out this claim?
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Why is Bruce Lee so Popular?How did Bruce Lee go from humble, kick-ass side-kick to being pinned up in posters around the world as the planet's premier kicker of ass?
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Fan opinion: The 4 most exciting NBA teamsIf you could choose a mini-league pass and get watch the games of any four NBA teams, which teams would you sign up to watch?
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The Greatest Success Stories in Self-PublishingIf it weren't for the DIY spirits of these two men, none of us would have encountered "O Captain, My Captain!" in school or had the phrase "Tyger, tyger burning bright/in the forests of the night" engraved into our memories like an unforgettable dream.
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Local fan reaction: Should the Lakers be worried about Pau Gasol?If there is a worry for the Los Angeles Lakers going down the stretch of this season it is Pau Gasol.
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Local fan: Blake Griffin's All-Star argumentBlake Griffin is exciting and he is new. Most importantly Griffin has the potential to be marquee player in the NBA and the league can use as many big names and big smiles as it can get.
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Walt Whitman's Influence on Allen GinsbergThe voice that shaped Leaves of Grass has also shaped the work of Allen Ginsberg, the Beat poet whose most famous work is directly reminiscent of Walt Whitman.
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Palmdale RhapsodyA short story exploring ideas of familial separation, death and the experience of time and consciousness. It's not quite as dark as the above makes it sound, but the story is on the "dark side."
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Trumpets of HeavenA short story about family and auditory hallucinations.
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T.S. Eliot - British or American Poet?Biographically, T.S. Eliot lived a divided life that bears up claims on the poet from both sides of the Atlantic. Poetically, there is an argument to be made that Eliot's career and his poetry were more English and European than American.
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Movies About PoetsThe writers who gave us some of the great works of history have been immortalized in legend, outside of their own works, presented to the 21st century as characters in many works of biography and fiction. Some of them have even made it into the movies.
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Bob Marley: A Musical and Spiritual IconBob Marley is known foremost as the reggae musician who took a niche musical style from Jamaica and brought it to a global audience. Marley was also a great proponent of spiritual ideas (and of Rasta ideas in particular).
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3 reasons Clippers fans should be happyThis season, though the record may not show it, things have changed for the better for the Los Angeles Clippers.
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Antelope Valley Sports: Pro, Semi-Pro, AmateurCalifornia's Antelope Valley is not known for its sports teams, professional or otherwise. However, for fans of live sports and AV residents looking for some local success stories, there are a surprising number of options.
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Wahlberg's Water- Mark Wahlberg Joins Forces with AquaHydrateOnce upon a time, Mark Wahlberg was ultra-hydrated in "The Perfect Storm". Back then Wahlberg was just coming into his own as a Hollywood actor. Now the former underwear model is a respected actor and, apparently, a business man.
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Local buzz: Professional football in Los Angeles? Bring it, Magic!For years people have speculated about professional football returning to the city of angels. Many fans would welcome the NFL to LA with open arms, yet the certain problems have to be overcome.
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A Desperate MagnetismA story about a one-sided break-up.
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A New Reason to Admire Pro AtheletesIncreasingly, sports fans and our communities at large are coming to understand the pressures that athletes face beyond the playing field.
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Ali on Film: The Best Muhammad Ali MoviesThere is so much Ali footage in existence sorting the good from the bad has become a challenge.
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Local buzz: Do the Lakers have the best bench in the NBA?I'd go so far as to guess that you can name more players on the Lakers bench than you can name in the starting line-ups of a few NBA teams. (Think New Jersey or Minnesota or the ever-squalid LA Clippers.)
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New Year's Resolutions for Movie WatchersThis year dedicate yourself to writing a few lists.
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What Happened to American Poetry?Poetry, alive and thriving so recently, seems to have suddenly lost its relevance and its potency. Why?
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The Short List of Essential ReadingIf we narrow down the list of important and relevant literary novels in history to less than a dozen, here is what it might look like --
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Antelope Valley's Best Pizza ShopsThe top four pizza shops in California's Antelope Valley are...
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Bob Marley: 5 Facts Contrary to the LegendMarley's biography is interesting in the way it explains his music and even more interesting in the surprises it offers when viewed in relation to his legend and reputation.
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Antelope Valley Art GalleriesCalifornia's Antelope Valley is home to a handful of art galleries. These venues are each distinct from one another, each presenting art in a different context.
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Best nicknames in the NBAAs much as we don't want to face up to this fact, it's time to recognize that we are living through an impoverished era in sports nicknames.
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How to Speed Up the Essay-Grading Process, Minimize SubjectivityThis simple rubric focuses on essay structure and offers clarity of the scoring process for both the teacher and the student.
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Fan reaction: Should Allen Iverson be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer?He never won a championship, but Iverson achieved some really great things in his time in the NBA
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Images of the Antelope Valley & Mojave DesertThe Antelope Valley is at the southern end of the Mojave Desert. The upper desert of Southern California is one of the few places on earth where Joshua Trees grow widely and naturally.
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Bob Marley's Top 3 AlbumsThree Bob Marley albums manage to stand out in a repertory of truly stellar music. Each album here represents a particular stage of Marley's development as an artist, social thinker, and performer.
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Fan reaction: Why Wilt Chamberlain is not considered the greatest of all time (and Jordan is)Considering his unmatched accomplishments, why isn't Wilt Chamberlain known as the greatest NBA basketball player of all time?
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What Are the Best Works of Literature to Recommend to Someone Entering College?The goal of recommending a good piece of literature to a young person is double. You want to recommend something they will like and also learn from.
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Global Warming: Why Disbelieve?The environmental phenomenon known as global warming has been around for two decades now. Global warming is still referred to as a "theory" of human-caused climate change and there are many voices crying that the theory is bogus.
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Left Alone at NightFiction exploring the stickiness of personal history and how the past can get in the way of the future.
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A Major NBA Record Set to Be BrokenHow likely is it that Ray Allen will become the player to make the most three point baskets in the history of the NBA? Let's take a look at the numbers.
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Muhammad Ali: The Greatest American AthleteMuhammad Ali is a very special person. A famous man who was once the most renowned athlete on the planet, who stood firm by his beliefs and risked his career in doing so, Muhammad Ali remains today one of America's most admirable athletes and citizens.
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iPhone Apps They Should Create: The Money-Saving, Green App for iPhoneThis iPhone app would allow energy consumers to save money while strategically reducing usage of electricity, gas, and other energy commodities.
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The Road that Pavement Forgot: A Driving Nightmare in BelizeIn 2008 I took a trip to Belize with my girlfriend. We planned a trip from the Placencia peninsula to the interior of the country to visit the rain forest...things didn't go our way.
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Movies that Are Better Than the BookEvery once in a while the unexpected happens and a film adaptation of a book ends up being better than the book itself.
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The NBA's most unbreakable recordRecords are made to be broken and from year to year we can expect that many of the most coveted NBA records can and will be broken. But are there any records that are truly impossible to break?
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Novelists Succeeding in HollywoodBefore Dan Brown hit the scene, three writers in particular stood out as writers of adaptable fiction. Stephen King, Michael Crichton and John Grisham are responsible for penning many hits (and a few flops too) that were adapted from novel to film.
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The most unbreakable NBA recordsWith one major NBA record set to be broken this season (by Ray Allen), it is interesting to look at some of achievements that will stand the test of time for years to come, unbroken and possibly unbreakable.
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What is a Film Auteur?In the simplest terms, a film auteur is the "author" of a film, someone who both writes and directs. However, the term "auteur" also carries certain connotations of artistic vision and personal expression.
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How to Help Your Teen Prepare for the SATGenerally speaking a parent's role is to provide opportunities for your child to practice the skills that will be tested on the SAT exam and to familiarize your child with the test.
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Great Short NovelsNot all great novels are big. Some of the world's best works of fiction are less than two hundred pages, such as...
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Novels on PsychiatryThe Bell Jar and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest take us inside American psychiatric wards as they existed in our country until the 1960's, a time when lobotomies and shock therapy were common place.
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Does Science Fiction Belong in the Fantasy Category?When it comes to books and films, the fantasy and science fiction genres stand side by side, sharing many attributes and a nearly unified fan-base. In fact, the two genres are so closely related that we might ask if they are really just one genre.
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First person fan opinion: Learning to love Kobe BryantThe NBA has never belonged to Kobe Bryant as it once belonged to Michael Jordan. Bryant is less of a darling, more of an enigma. And his path to "greatness" has been a rocky one.
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What is the Top National Pizza Chain?Ranking the national pizza chains: One chain offers zucchini as a topping, but another offers stuffed crust pizza and yet another is cheaper...
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Medical Television Shows and the Subtle Innovations that Make Them SpecialThe most resonant medical shows on television do more than tell stories of doctors and their patients. The medical shows we love take us somewhere or tweak the medical drama genre and bring something new to it.
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What is a Concept Television Show?When it comes to "concept shows", it is only the premise that structures the show.
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America's Beer RevolutionFor beer drinkers, the last decade has been an exciting one. It wasn't long ago that the only beers available nation-wide were the macro-brews of the Miller and Anheuser-Busch companies. Today's average grocery store selection has expanded immensely.
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Wallace Stevens & the 3 Planes of RealityIn years of reading Wallace Stevens, his poetry has gone from being about the power and significance of words to being about a consuming effort to both express and escape the trappings of language.
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The Most Hopeless NBA Teams - from a Fan's PerspectiveIn a league of quickly changing fortunes, what NBA teams offer the least hope to their fans because they failed to make necessary changes in the off-season?
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The Diversity of Woody AllenWoody Allen has written 64 movies and television shows and of those 64, many of them have been nothing like 'Annie Hall.'
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Antelope Valley Arts EventsRecent, Upcoming and Ongoing Gallery and Museum Exhibits and Theatre Performances in the Antelope Valley.
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Is Allen Iverson Done with Basketball?Many fans would like to see Allen Iverson get a chance at a swan song season, one last opportunity to shine, or at least a graceful exit from the league...but his last NBA game may have already been played.
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Lancaster Museum/Art Gallery Takes on a New Director and a New DirectionRecent exhibits at Lancaster Museum/Art Gallery include a traveling show from the Weisman Art Foundation of Los Angeles called "Elements of Nature and an exhibit of paintings and drawings by artist Tom Miller in a show titled "A Fool's Paradise".
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The "Fresh Start" Los Angeles ClippersThe old wine and beer metaphors usually picture the Los Angeles Clippers as the dregs at the bottom of the NBA barrel. All that was supposed to change this summer ... it didn't, but there is reason for hope.
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Most Influential People in Movies: Composer John WilliamsOne might argue that composer John Williams is as influential as any figure in cinema today ... or ever.
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What is the Difference Between a Film Score and a Soundtrack?Music has a profound impact on the tone of a film and it can come in one of two forms: a score and a soundtrack. Which is which? How can you tell the difference?
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Not Gothic, Just Dark: Flannery O'Connor & Everything that Rises Must ConvergeAs a writer of short stories, Flannery O'Connor is unsurpassed. With a wit and a skill for both precision and brevity, she manages to address large themes in small spaces. Her masterpiece of short fiction: Everything That Rises Must Converge.
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Top 5 Film Series & FranchisesWhat are the most enduring and popular film franchises in cinema history? You might be surprised to see what makes the list...and what doesn't.
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Jason Statham - Not Your Average Action HeroThough his use of profanity remains top-notch and his accent is uber-entertaining, Statham's characters have become less so. Do Statham's talents lend themselves to traditional action hero roles?
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Is the Ninja Movie Back? A Spate of Recent Ninja Releases Raises the QuestionNinjas movies have fascinated American audiences for decades. When the Kung Fu boom of the 1970's began to die out, the ninja movie quickly stepped in as the next wave of martial arts film. But that was then...are Ninja's making a come back?
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1990s Film Guide: Top Films by GenreThe decade in film began with Ghost as the No. 1 box-office hit of the year in 1990, but audiences would soon move on to more action-oriented films and dramas of a larger scale.
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Sugar - a Baseball MovieSUGAR is a surprising film, taking many unexpected turns and ultimately showing us just how difficult it is to get to the big leagues.
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Mythology in 1990's Cinema: Jurassic Park, Titanic, & Terminator 2These films suggest that when mankind replaces god and claims the power of creation for himself, he invites his own destruction.
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Stallone Weighs in on Movie Violence, Inducted into Action Hero Hall of FameAt his induction into the action hero pantheon, Stallone is reported to have drawn the line at serial killers, saying that serial killers were "insidious". Movie violence is ok, by Stallone's standards, as long is it is "heroic".
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Hating LeBron - the New National Pastime?Though it is true that LeBron James may have broken some rules of decorum with his television special to announce his free agency decision, he is not responsible for all the hoopla surrounding that decision.
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Greatest American PlaywrightsTheatre in America has acted as a crucible, a melting pot, a mirror, and a voice for American attitudes, breaking down race and gender barriers and paving the way for changes in how we think, as a country and as a culture.
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The Best and Worst of Spike LeeFrom Do the Right Thing to When the Levees Broke, Spike Lee has been waking people up to the complex realities of inequity and conflict in America through the power of cinema.
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The Chicago Bulls 2010 Free Agency OptionsThe Chicago Bulls are among the most interesting teams to watch in this year's NBA off-season. With Derrick Rose and Jaokim Noah, and additional talent, the Bulls are on the verge of being able to compete for the division title.
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Wondering About Stevie Wonder: Where is He Now?A virtuoso of pop & soul, Stevie Wonder mastered the keyboard and harmonica at a very young age, recording his first top 40 hit when he was only 13 years old and eventually winning 22 Grammy Awards. After all that, where is he now?
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Philip Roth's Indignation and the Question of Literary ArtPhilip Roth writes with what can be called a "counter aesthetic," often choosing prurient subject matter and writing with great verve and attitude but not about ideas as such. Can we call his writing art?
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Antelope Valley Thespians Perform "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt"With a second act that just sizzles with emotional intensity, the Antelope Valley Thespians presented a memorable performance in their Quartz Hill black box theatre space.
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Dread & Hard Shell TacosA short story about the childhood friend who was always on the verge of becoming the enemy. Going to his house was torturous as often as it was fun. And his mom made hard shell tacos.
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The Masks of Christian BaleChristian Bale made his reputation as a character actor starring in several mind-bending films in the early 2000's. Now a big star, has Bale left become a different type of actor?
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Themes, Texts, Context of Modernist Literature"Literary modernism" describes a specific period of time as well as a formally, thematically oriented artistic movement. The writers we know as "modernists" are some of the 20th century's most renowned authors from James Joyce to William Faulkner.
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Heart of Darkness and Modernist Literature - Blurring the Lines of DistinctionJoseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness presupposed the modernism movement in literature in form and theme, if not in style, setting the stage and inspiring the writers who would work in the last days of global imperialism.
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The Villian's Call-Sign: A Peculiar Similarity in Today's Movie VilliansWhy the trend of villains with mouth wounds? And what does it mean? From The Dark Knight and Pan's Labyrinth to Robin Hood, villains with scarred mouths are taking center stage.
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Stop Getting Rejection Letters in the Mail - Submit OnlineAre you a creative writer tired of getting rejection letters in the mail? Tired of seeing your own handwriting on the SASE and being filled by that familiar sinking feeling that accompanies the "better luck next time"?
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Michael Jackson - No Sympathy for the KingMichael Jackson, celebrated as if he were super-human, was also berated and mocked as if he had no human feelings. He deserved some sympathy at least. He got none.
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Independent Film Recommendations: George Washington & BallastEach of these independent films brings a fresh perspective to movie-making. With exceptionally honest and intimate portraits of unusual yet quintessentially American situations, GEORGE WASHINGTON and BALLAST create poetic cinema experiences.
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20th Century Musical Icons - the Greatest 3The 20th century was full of upheaval, discovery, achievement and war, but it was also a time of great cultural life that produced enormous talents who remain popular icons today.
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Cell Phone Conundrums - Public vs. Private SpacesAs we learn to take technology for granted in our daily lives, we forget the way things used to be. There is a mad rush ahead. We live on the cutting edge, cut off from the recent past by a series of technological innovations.
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Arts & Cultural Venues in the Antelope Valley, CaliforniaCultural events are all around us but we don't always know it. It helps to know where to look.
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Existentialism Made EasyFollowing Nietzsche's presumption that "God is dead" and that man must therefore create his own morality and his own meaning, Existentialism explores the intellectual and emotional challenges man faces in the absence of a relationship with the divine.
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NBA Playoffs - 2010 - What Predictions Were Right, Wrong, and What Will Happen Next?The 2010 NBA Playoffs have been exception, exciting, and suprising. There are five teams remaining. Which of those teams match the pre-season predictions made here and elsewhere?
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The Art of Relevance: 2 Films of the 1970s Still Very Relevant TodayWhat cultural products from our past remain relevant today? To pick a time period, what social issues from, say, the 1970's are with us today, decades later?
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From Book to Box Office: 3 Classic Fictions Fit for FilmA wealth of classic American literature remains untapped by screen writers as only the most popular works of American letters have been brought to the screen. Here are a few books from Pulitzer Prize winners that are waiting in the wings.
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Is Muhammad Ali a National Hero?He was an athlete who superseded his sport and all sports. He traveled abroad as an unofficial ambassador. He stood up for his religious beliefs and his political beliefs. Does that make Ali a hero?
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A Species of Blindness - J.M. Coetzee's Vision of EmpireThe false narratives of power, the blindness of conquerors to the humanity of the conquered, and the choice between ignorance and outrage are the central themes of J.M. Coetzee's novel Waiting for the Barbarians.