J. M. Pressley
J. M. Pressley is an occasional writer in Illinois. He has been editor of the Shakespeare Resource Center, an educational website, since its inception in 1997. He holds degrees in theater and writing from DePaul University.
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- 7/20/2007
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DePaul University, BFA Theatre Arts/MA WritingAffiliations
Independent Writers of Chicago, American Society of Composers and Publishers, Shakespeare Resource Center
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Displaying Results 1 - 75 (of 75) for Yahoo! Voices
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2011-12 NC State Men's Basketball PreviewNorth Carolina State basketball is looking for a reversal of fortune with new coach Mark Gottfried.
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Casino Review: Rivers Casino, Des Plaines, ILRivers Casino in Des Plaines is well-designed casino and worth the visit. But come prepared for high prices and wait times. -
Death by Creative Differences: Sitcom Character AssassinationsOver the years, creative differences and contract disputes have resulted in several historic sitcom deaths to explain missing characters.
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Nolan Ryan, King of the No-HittersNolan Ryan pitched an amazing seven no-hitters in his Hall of Fame career. Each one was a highlight moment. -
Shakespeare's Source MaterialWilliam Shakespeare was a gifted writer who made a career out of borrowing from a variety of sources. -
Chicago's Haunted CemeteriesChicago has a rich history of ghost stories. Several of the city's most notable hauntings emanate directly from its historic cemeteries. -
History Lesson: Baseball's Last Spitball PitcherBurleigh Grimes retired in 1934 as the last pitcher in baseball who could legally throw a spitball. It was 14 years after the pitch had been banned from the game.
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Vanished! History's Famous DisappearancesWhen people go missing, the most sensational cases generate long-term interest and speculation. -
World War II Museum Ships: The DestroyersThe destroyer was the versatile workhorse ship of the U.S. Navy during World War II. Today, seven are left as museum ships around the United States. -
Shakespeare's King John: Drama Versus HistoryA look at how Shakespeare's play King John compares with English history. -
North Carolina's U-Boat WrecksDuring World War II, Germany brought the war in the Atlantic to American shores. Sunken U-boats off the North Carolina coast are a grim testament to the cost of that strategy. -
Five Major Civil War Battlefield BlundersThe Civil War featured several prominent battlefield blunders. The resulting casualties have made these battles case studies in bad military judgment. -
Three Object Lessons in Playing BlackjackMistakes in blackjack can cost you. Here are some lessons in making your bankroll last longer.
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Top 10 Worst NFL Quarterback Draft PicksA look through history at the worst first-round draft picks wasted on NFL quarterbacks.
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2010-11 NC State Men's Basketball PreviewNorth Carolina State's new recruiting class arrives with high expectations.
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A Quick Guide to Reading ShakespeareShakespeare's works are remarkably accessible once you know what to expect when reading them. This quick guide can help you make a little more sense of what his characters are saying.
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The Strange Tale of the USS MurphyDivers in 2002 uncovered a mystery wreck off the coast of New Jersey. What they found was a ship that officially never sank. -
Seven Unbreakable Baseball RecordsBaseball has had a rich history of seemingly unattainable records. Here are seven all but guaranteed to remain unbroken. -
North Carolina's Historic Military SitesIf you're a fan of military history planning a trip into North Carolina, here are some places you won't want to miss. -
Mrs. Shakespeare: Anne HathawayWhat we don't know about Anne Shakespeare could fill a book. Or several, judging from the published speculation focused on her life and marriage. -
10 Popular Cocktail RecipesMix drinks like a pro with these popular cocktail recipes. -
Demise of History Well Ahead of ScheduleNancy Dubuc continues to transform History (formerly the History Channel) into yet another reality network.
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The Beale TreasureMysterious ciphers tell of a fortune allegedly buried in Bedford County, Virginia. -
A Bass Player's Tribute: Five InfluencesMy salute to the players who have meant the most to me. -
Shakespeare's Peers: English Renaissance PlaywrightsShakespeare was hardly the only working playwright in London back in the day. Here's a quick guide to his competition. -
Ten Great TV Comedy SidekicksThere's a handful of supporting television characters that I've found consistently and hilariously funny through the years. Which ones do you enjoy?
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Greenland: The Lost Viking ColonyWhat happened to the Norse settlers of Greenland? A millennium later, we can still only guess. -
Five Tips for Guarding Against Identity TheftIdentity theft can be costly and time-consuming to clear up. Here are some tips to make your life easier--and a potential thief's job a lot harder. -
The Southern Revolution: The Battle of Guilford CourthouseThe Battle of Guilford Courthouse proved a victory that Lord Cornwallis could not afford and ultimately led to his abandonment of the Carolinas. -
Shakespeare's Richard III: Portrait of a VillainThe real Richard III probably wasn't as wicked, deformed, or witty as the villain we know from Shakespeare. -
How to Write a Pop Rock SongThere's a lot of competition in commercial songwriting. Understanding what makes a good pop song is essential to success. -
Shakespeare's Worst Speaking RolesSome are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em. Then there are these roles. -
Forms in Poetry: The Rhyme RoyaleThe rhyme royale is a bound verse form originating in Middle English, rhyming ababbcc and traditionally composed in iambic pentameter.
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2008 NC State Basketball PreviewQuestions abound for a Wolfpack team that will be fortunate to make it into the NIT this season.
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The Southern Revolution: The Battle of CowpensThe Battle of Cowpens marked the successful beginning of an unconventional but effective campaign against the British in the southern colonies. -
History Channel Abandons History in Favor of RatingsUnder the leadership of Nancy Dubuc, the programming at History (formerly known as The History Channel) is trading its reputation for a new audience. -
Top Castles of the British IslesThe British Isles are home to many magnificent castles. If you're visiting, don't miss the top attractions among them. -
The Southern Revolution: The Battle of King's MountainKing's Mountain proved to be an unlikely--but crucial--turning point in the American Revolution. -
Chicago's Lost Graveyard: Lincoln ParkLincoln Park wasn't first intended as a park. In the nineteenth century, it was the Chicago City Cemetery. -
A Primer of Major League PitchesEver wondered how Major League pitchers make a baseball do what they want it to? Over the years, pitches have been passed down and named for their unique characteristics. -
Visiting Fort Fisher, NCOn our last trip to Wilmington, my wife and I finally made the time to take a sightseeing detour to Fort Fisher State Historic Site. What's left of the "Gibraltar of the South" is well worth the visit. -
The Southern Revolution: The Battle of CamdenIn the summer of 1780, Horatio Gates took command of Continental forces in the southern colonies. It proved to be a costly choice. The Battle of Camden decimated both an army and a reputation.
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The Southern Revolution: The Fight for CharlestonCharleston was the site of major defeats for both the British and Continental armies during the American Revolution.
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History's Unsolved Heists: The Ones That Got AwayAn unsolved mystery remains timeless. Here are eight unsolved heists to pique any armchair sleuth's interest. -
NCSU Wolfpack in Review: 2008After imploding over the second half of the ACC schedule, North Carolina State ended their season as a last-place team that has to rank as the biggest disappointment the ACC has seen in years.
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Starved Rock State ParkStarved Rock is one of the oldest state parks in Illinois, a series of forested, sandstone bluffs and canyons winding along he south bank of the Illinois River Valley. -
The Simple Case for ShakespeareThe issue is complex, fraught with logic pitfalls even for those who defend the orthodoxy, but Shakespeare remains the easiest of any authorship candidate to defend. -
Fat Facts About the McDonald's Big MacAs the Big Mac celebrates forty-plus years of sales, it remains a multi-faceted symbol of America: capitalism, commercialism, and cholesterol.
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Down Payments for First-Time Home BuyersPrices and rates may be dropping, but it's still daunting for the first-time home buyer trying to find money for a down payment. There are a number strategies or programs designed specifically to help them.
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NFL Quarterback Drafts More Bust Than BoomWith three picks in Canton, the 1983 draft ranks as one of the best first rounds for quarterbacks in NFL history. How have first-rounders fared since? Not so well.
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Guide to World War II Museum Ships: The BattleshipsWorld War II marked the end of the battleship's dominance on the high seas. Once the pride of the fleet, a handful of these ships survive as floating museums across America.
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World War II Museum Ships: The Aircraft CarriersWorld War II made the carrier into the backbone of the U.S. Navy. Today, only five war-era vessels remain preserved as monuments to American sea power. -
World War II Submarine Museum Ships in the U.SA select few WWII-era submarines remain preserved today for posterity. In museums across America, these fascinating ships are popular attractions that continue to highlight the valor and sacrifices of the sailors who manned them. -
What Happened to the Guitar Soloist? Has Music Died?Heard any good guitar solos lately? No? I'm disappointed, but hardly surprised.
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The Southern Revolution: The Battle of Moore's Creek BridgeThe battle at Moore's Creek in 1776 may seem like a local skirmish. To the British, however, it signified the end of royal authority in the Carolina's. -
2007 NC State Basketball PreviewIf experience in the front court can overcome questions in the back court, North Carolina State should be able to succeed in a competitive Atlantic Coast Conference. -
A Quick Guide to the Card Game Caribbean StudIt's like a friendly game of five-card stud against the house, if you don't mind the prohibitive house advantages. -
A Sense of ReligionAs Jonathan Swift once said, "We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another." -
Preventive Health Screenings for MenMen need to get regular checkups as they get older. With some illnesses, that ounce of prevention is the only real cure. -
Favorite Alternate Shakespeare CandidatesSince the 1700s, people have been voicing doubts about whether or not William Shakespeare actually wrote the works attributed to him. Now it's all the rage. -
Edward Hopper's Nighthawks (1942)Edward Hopper's masterpiece, "Nighthawks," is a paragon of American Realism that still conjures compelling, if often bleak, fits of the imagination. -
The Cooperstown Myth - Abner Doubleday's Legend Strikes OutThe late Major General Abner Doubleday was being lauded as the inventor of baseball at the turn of the century. Doubleday himself, however, would have known as well as anyone that the story was an utter fabrication. -
Shakespeare's "Lost Years"William Shakespeare may be the most famous writer in Western literature, but his whereabouts from 1585 to 1592 are a mystery. The ensuing speculation has spawned many interesting theories without producing much hard evidence. -
Ten Very Guilty Movie PleasuresWe all have our guilty pleasure movies, the ones that we can't seem to quit watching. -
Anticipation and AnxietyWe get older because time passes. We age because of anticipation and anxiety while time passes. -
Take Advantage of 401(k) MatchingWith traditional pensions on the decline and Social Security raising concerns, it's more important than ever to take advantage of every retirement savings opportunity afforded us. Missing out on the full employer contribution is a mistake in the long run.
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Five Tips for Improving Your SavingsFinancial crisis can strike anyone. There's no better remedy for it than savings. It really pays to be prepared, and here's a few helpful tips.
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Don't Overreact to Short-Term Retirement LossesShort-term dips in your retirement portfolio are to be expected. Take the long-term view of your investments to avoid making the situation worse.
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Phishing for DollarsThe price we all pay for the convenience of e-mail is the relative ease with which criminals perpetrate e-mail scams on unsuspecting users. Don't take the bait if it's offered.
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Time to Ditch the Wrigley Celebrity StretchWith all due respect to the spirit of Harry Caray, the time has come to eliminate the celebrity "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" bit during the seventh inning stretch.
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Five Pillars of Fantasy LiteratureWhether you want to catch up on your fantasy reading or you want to be a fantasy writer, there are five names with which you should be intimately familiar. These masters have indelibly shaped the direction of popular contemporary fantasy.
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Gag Reflexive - the Basic Rule of Reflexive PronounsThere are rules to using reflexive pronouns. You wouldn't know that, however, by listening to most people talk. It may seem more formal, but the word "myself" is quickly becoming one of the most misused words in English.
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How to Write a Blues SongThe blues may look and sound simple, but it takes feeling, a gift for wordplay, and an understanding of the rules to write a good blues tune.
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Ron Santo, Hall of FamerHe was a nine-time All Star with five consecutive Gold Gloves. He was a captain on a team that had three future Hall of Famers on it. And he did all that as a diabetic. Not only should Ron Santo be in the Hall of Fame, he should have been there years ago. -
A Beginner Guide to BlackjackBlackjack is one of the most popular table games on the casino floor. Players like it for its simplicity and player-friendly odds, and the house likes it because it's a huge moneymaker. Relying on strategy instead of hunches can turn a casual player into a smart player.