94Apprenticeship Alum
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9 DC Universe Superheroes With "Star" in Their Name
You can't throw a stone in the DC Universe without hitting someone with "star" in their name: Starman, Star Girl, Star Boy, the Star-Spangled Kid—there are so many. Here is what they're all about.
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Superhero Academy 101: Secret Societies—AIM and MODOK
Where would the Marvel Universe be without its seedy underbelly of evil scientists bent on world domination? Today, we are going to focus on a specific group of criminal scientists: Advanced Idea Mechanics, aka A.I.M., and its leader, MODOK.
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Fighting the Fog
We all know what mental fog is. It’s that ever-so-wonderful feeling of feeling like a concussed duckling doing calculus. It’s when you become aware that something isn’t quite right with your own brain wiring and you feel your mental processes move with the glacial speed of molasses in winter.
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The Pleasure of Nothing
Some people live their lives in quiet desperation. Most of the time we are happy to see that nothing's wrong when we can't see if anything is right. Sometimes we need to understand the pleasure of nothing.
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My Process on Writing
I don't want to be one of those bloviating idiots who tell people how to write their novels, but I do want to share my process with others and share some recommended tips. Here's what works for me.
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Why We Should Embrace Discomfort
Through the Brownian process of living, we have ironically found that comfort is not a good state of being. We only grow through sacrifice and discomfort. Here is why you should embrace discomfort in your life.
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My Wife's Fiendish Plot to Kill Me
It's surprising what kind of recipes a vegan will slip to her carnivore husband. I took this for being an experiment in slow cooking, which turned into a robust tasting meal with very cheap ingredients. All you need is a crockpot that will cook low and slow for eight hours. This is not health food.
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To Have a Friend is to be a Friend
To have a friend is to be a friend. Social distancing in a pandemic is one thing, but the ties of friendship bind for a long time. Keep good friends and cut off the ones that are toxic to you. Life is too short for fair-weather friends.
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Geek Viewing and Reading Suggestions for Riding-Out the Coronavirus Pandemic
I'm in quarantine and you probably are too. Have no fear. I have book, movie, and comic recommendations for you to help ride out this terrible time. If you've already binged The Witcher ten times, perhaps you'll take some of my geek suggestions.
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Superhero Academy 101: Renaissance Men - Heroes without Powers
Does it really matter if Batman can't juggle cars or if Green Arrow doesn't have heat vision? Heroes are the guys who can't do those things but get the job done anyway. In this class, we'll talk about renaissance men who get good at everything and make comics great.
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Reviewing John Boorman's "Excalibur": True Magic
When it comes to movies about the Arthurian mythos, it's hard to outdo John Boorman's 1981 classic, "Excalibur."
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Superhero Academy 101: Vampirism—Science, Magic, and Psychology
The Marvel Universe has kept the spirit of vampires alive through new stories using classic monsters as well as making new kinds of vampires based in science. Here we learn more about these blood-sucking monsters like Dracula and Morbius.
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Poisoned Pens: In Defense of the Story
I promised myself I wouldn't rant. I'm ranting. Social Justice Warriors have infiltrated the world of writing. Should social inclusion be a mandatory thing or should the writer be free to create? SJWs harass authors for not being ideally PC. Do they have the right to dictate this?
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Superhero Academy 101: Imps, Thunderbolts, and the 5th Dimension
While superheroes do their best to not only save the world and fight crime, one of the few nuisances in their lives is the plague of omniscient imps, thunderbolts and djinns. Here's more about the ones from DC.
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Superhero Academy 101: Celestials, Eternals, and Deviants
One of the many epic potential character lines to come from the mind of Jack Kirby was The Eternals. Within that mythology, he works in Celestials, Eternals, and Deviants. Here's your primer.
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Superheroes 101: The Artificial Lives of the Marvel Universe
Robots and androids play an important role in the Marvel Universe. Artificial intelligence does not necessarily mean artificial life. Learn more about these synthetic super beings.
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Superhero Academy 101: Six Captain Marvels for the Price of One
The name Captain Marvel has been taken by at least 15 heroes. Here's the skinny on six of them.
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A Closer Look at 2017's "Murder on the Orient Express"
The Agatha Christie novel "Murder on the Orient Express" has been adapted several times for the screen. The 2017 version, directed by Kenneth Branagh, may bring us a new experience.
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Luke Cage Season Two: Taking Harlem Justice to a New Level
Luke Cage is back. He cannot be burned, blasted, or broken. He the new protector of Harlem and he's fighting a war against the crime lords in power and the ones looking to take over. Season two is better action, better music, and better fighting.
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Superhero Academy 101: Artifacts (The Infinity Gauntlet)
With "Avengers: Infinity War," there are lots of questions about the Infinity Gauntlet: how does it work, what does it do, and why does it make Thanos such a menace? In this article, I try to connect the dots and explain what can only be guessed at by an average audience viewer.
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Super Geniuses of the Marvel Universe
Knowledge is power. Super knowledge is superpower. The Marvel Universe has its share of smarty-pants wearing heroes and villains. Here I list many of the big brains of the MU.
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Why Marvel’s Monsters Are Awesome
One of the reasons why we have great comic books today is because of men like William Gaines and the editors of Marvel Comics. This is the story of how monsters saved comic books from real monsters.
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Supernatural – Thirteen Seasons and Still Going Strong
"Dad's given us a job to do. He wants us to pick up where he left off - saving people, hunting things, the family business." Sam and Dean mixing it up with angels, demons, and the dark for 13 years.
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A Study of the Star Wars Prequels
Now that we are eight episodes in (with one Rogue One), I think it's important to view Star Wars as a whole saga rather than one or two movies. With that, let's re-examine the prequels.
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Rating Another Five Actors Who Played Sherlock Holmes
In my last article I wrote about five actors who played the great detective, Sherlock Holmes. Others have played him - some better than most, others, not so much. Here are another five.
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Rating Five Actors Who Have Played Sherlock Holmes
Within the last 100 years, many actors have portrayed Sherlock Holmes in film; here are five of the most memorable.
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Who is THAT?! Seven Marvel Characters Who Are Way Too Obscure
You asked for this. I gave you obscure Marvel characters in the past and you poo-pooed them. Now I had to really search for these really obscure characters. You've been warned.
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6 Obese Marvel Characters
While this article is in no way, shape, or form intended for body-shaming, there are characters within the Marvel Universe who are morbidly obese. For them, their size defines them.
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Superhero Academy 101: Geography (11 Places to Avoid in the Marvel Universe)
The Marvel Universe is a big place full of horribly dangerous pitfalls. For our next lesson, here are 11 places that should be avoided.
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Marvel’s Softer Side to Bad Guys
Not all of Marvel's bad guys are completely evil. Some of the worst villains in the MU have a silver lining to their black hearts. Here's how some manage to do their good deeds while being bastards.
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Superhero Academy 101: Mutations (Mutants, Mutates, and Other Transformations)
The Marvel Universe is a big place with lots of strange and unusual characters. Today we'll look at what makes mutants, mutates, genetically contaminated characters, and magically transformed beings.
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An Evening With John Cleese and the Holy Grail
Last year, a dear friend treated my wife and me to a screening of Monty Python and The Holy Grail. I did not realize Cleese was still touring. If you can still catch him, don't miss out.
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5 Ways to Be a Comic Book Superhero Geek on a Low Budget
Comic book geeks are some of the most dedicatedly obsessed hobbyists around. Our disposable cash goes to our passion—it's enough to make Sir Richard Branson weep. Here's how you can save a few bucks.
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8 Stupid Ways Comic Book Villains Were Defeated
We all love superhero stories. However, sometimes the hero gets lucky when his antagonist makes an epic blunder. Some are so bad you have to ask what the hell they were thinking.
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Comic Review: "The Saga of the Super Sons" Is Super Lame
Some comic book stories are not only terrible, but distinctly lame. "The Saga of the Super Sons", featuring the spawn of Superman and Batman, is a new level of suck.
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Small Addictions Normal People Have
We all have our little addictions. Some are more serious than others. Others come with just living and knowing the devil on your shoulder is a bored imp with a sadistic streak. Written in 2006
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The Problem With Superhero Pets in the DC Universe
The animal kingdom of the DC Universe is a strange and sometimes dangerous thing. Come as we explore the problems and perils of some of the animal companions. Tread carefully.
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Superhero Academy 101: Sociology ("The Defenders": A Non-Team)
The Marvel super-team "The Defenders" has a new roster on Netflix. Find out why and how a non-team that started in the seventies can be reborn in this new millennia.
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Superhero Academy 101: History (The Quest for the Supersoldier Formula)
A secret formula and a bombardment of mysterious vita-rays changed a sickly weak 4F reject into Captain America. The formula died with its creator. Now others look to recreate it. Read on to learn more about the supersoldier formula.
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A Quick Guide to Battling Vampires
To hear a vampire lament on his loneliness is to know the true meaning of nausea. How can a woman hear the perpetual whining of immortality and the simpering crap of their painful existence?
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Count Olaf: A Challenge to Act Badly
Olaf, villain of 'A Series of Unfortunate Events,' is wretched. Plus he's a bad actor. He's a perpetual menace to the protagonists, the Baudelaire orphans, and the possible murderer of their parents.
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"Kolchak: The Night Stalker": The DNA of Horror Shows
The "Kolchak" TV show starred Darren McGavin and ran for one season in 1974 with 20 one-hour episodes.
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Superhero Academy 101: Metaphysics (The Green, The Red, The Clear, The Grey, The Black, and The Speed Force)
Characters like The Swamp Thing, Animal Man, Aquaman, and The Flash have simplistic origins that evolve into sophisticated backstories. In them, we find a new wrinkle in how their powers work.
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Superhero Academy 101: Metallurgy (Vibranium, Adamantium, and Uru)
The use of metals within every universe is important regardless of whether they’re used for good or for evil. The same blacksmith that shoes a horse is usually the same one that makes chainmail.
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Superhero Academy 101
You want to know about Marvel and DC? Here at the Superhero Academy, I'm here to walk you through the basics all for the low, low, price of nothing. Classes begin soon.
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What Do We Expect From Our President?
The POTUS is the leader of the free world. He is expected to be responsible, eloquent, intelligent, stable, and ethical. Fundamentally, this difficult job requires our trust. He can't violate that.
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Grieving for Esme
Finding your cat dead first thing in the morning can crush you. Here is the first stage of my grieving.
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6 Positive DC Character Role Models for Young Girls
In today's world, people need role models where they can get them. Sometimes they come from the characters they see in comic books. Here are my top six role models from DC Comics.
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Five Screwed-Up Classic Marvel Plots
The incredible juggernaut that is the Marvel Universe has an awesome array of stories. However, like everyone, the writers can have off days. Here are six examples of screwed up Marvel stories.
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My Day with the Oompa Loompas
The lessons we learn as children come from unusual places. Some from our parents, some from stories, some from the movies we watch. It's terrifying when Oompa Loompas arrive at your door.
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6 DC Heroes Who Had to Overcome Addiction
Being a hero is hard. Enemies attack from every direction. But the hardest enemy to defeat is the one that comes from within. Here are six heroes who had to overcome addiction.
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Six of DC's Female Characters Who Are NOT Good Role Models
When we look for role models for our children we look to our heroes. While we have Supergirl and Wonder Woman, there are many characters in the DC Universe that are not the best role models for girls.
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6 Forgotten Women of the Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is a vibrant living thing with new characters coming out every day. Today, I want to talk about six of the forgotten women in their cast of characters. Each has a story.
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Obscure Legacies: 6 People Who Took the Mantles of Spider-Man Villains
Among all the villains in the Marvel Universe, Spider-Man has the most colorful. When the first bad guys fought Spidey, they broke the mold. The second guys were as dangerous as bathroom mold.
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Classic Marvel Monsters: Frankenstein, Werewolves, and More!
Marvel gave us our superhero fix with the Avengers and other heroes. Their catalog also includes the legendary monsters of the silver screen: Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, and the Werewolf by Night.
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Marvel's Elders of the Universe: What You Need to Know
Marvel has all kinds of strange beings in its collective universe. With the MCU digging into the mythology, we should talk about the immortals called "The Elders of the Universe."
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Why Captain America Is Not (And Will Never Be) Part of Hydra
Marvel Comics has boldly begun a new Steve Rogers storyline—the writers state that Captain America has been a Nazi since the beginning. Here's why they're wrong.
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Who in the Marvel Universe Is That?!
The Marvel Universe is an awesome, ever-expanding presence. We've seen a lot of characters making their debut. Here are some really obscure characters that probably won't see daylight again.
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What You Need to Know about Doctor Strange
The character of Doctor Strange has been around since 1963. He is the brainchild of Steve Ditko with Stan Lee. This is a primer on the Marvel's Sorcerer Supreme and what you need to know about him.
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Mr. Holmes' Last Bow: A Story of Completion
The film "Mr. Holmes" is a story of the great detective, Sherlock Holmes in the decline of his years. It's more than just Sherlock Holmes solving an old mystery, it's about putting things right.
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Will I Be Saved? A Question of Faith
The question of salvation is one that we all will eventually need to face - even atheists. A Christian had asked how would she know her soul was saved. A simple question. The answer is like an onion.
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12 Facts About Superman for Superman Day (June 12)
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman Day! Yes, this is a real holiday. Celebrate the Man of Steel on June 12th with these fun facts.
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Where's the Fire? 12 Flame-Based Marvel Characters
Ever since the Human Torch entered the public consciousness in the golden age of comics, we've been fascinated with fire-based characters. Here are 12 from Marvel Comics for your consideration.
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Five (to Eight) Forgotten Marvel Characters You Know Nothing About
You like reading these and I like writing them. Here's five more characters from Marvel that I'm pretty sure you've never heard of. They're obscure and lame which makes great reading for you.
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Why Do We Celebrate "Hallmark Holidays"?
Okay, I'm a big coward. I decided to post this four days after Mother's Day. Why? I'm afraid of the onslaught of "mommies" and the lightning bolts from the sky. Here's my take on Hallmark Holidays.
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How I Almost Became a Hermit
Few people understand the liberation of a true hermit. While this may not be the ideal lifestyle choice, we recognize that this path is waiting for some of us who wish to leave everything behind.
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Who is the Scarlet Witch?
Avengers: Age of Ultron is upon us. To finish off my mini-series of character analysis, we have The Scarlet Witch. She has been a supporting character, android lover, mother, and goddess.
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Who is Quicksilver?
You've seen in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Now, it's we're going to see him in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Who is this speedster who has the patience of a mayfly and creepy brother/sister relationship?
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One Thousand Words A Day
The brain is a muscle. If you plan on being a writer, you need to exercise it daily with being a good wordsmith. Write a thousand words a day and the words may come to you easier.
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What You Need to Know About Ultron
The movie "Avengers: Age of Ultron" is almost upon us. Here's what you need to know about our new AI bad guy.
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Should You Rejoice in Someone's Misfortune?
We all know it's terrible when bad thing happen to good people. We also feel crummy when good things happen to bad people. But is it okay to laugh when bad things happen to bad people?
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What Should You Do When You Begin a New Job?
Beginning a new job is a lot like your first day of school. You have new people to meet, new rules to learn, and new ways to behave. The first impression you make to your new bosses is critical.
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How to Survive Christmas When You're Out of Work and Broke
Tis the season to be stressed out. If you are without a job and have run out of money, you'll need to know how to survive it. Here is a quick summary survival guide to being broke on Christmas.
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Why Are We Fascinated With Monsters?
I’m going to write more of the creatures that scare us. Why? Well, because the veils of this living world and the next are thin‚ it gets the blood pumping.
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Why is a Good Memory Important in Business?
The techniques that I’ve been teaching myself have been in practice for over three thousand years. Anyone can have a great memory. You don't need to be a super genius.
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Who are The Guardians of the Galaxy?
At the San Diego Con geeks get to experience are sneak previews. Along with Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and the Avengers, Marvel will introduce an obscure team – The Guardians of the Galaxy.
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What is the Downside of Invisibility?
Do you really want to be invisible? There’s only so much spying you can do. Unless you’re a psychotic, the appeal of being an invisible assassin takes a bit of mental fortification.
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Who Are The Native American Heroes of the DC Universe?
There weren’t many characters to draw from. I was leery from the start that DC could invent a good Native American character after coming up with embarrassing concepts like ”Pow Wow” Smith. Here is a list of some Native American characters in the DC universe.
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How To Be Truly Evil
To the layman, being evil is a very overt thing. One contemplates wearing black and donning a cape with sharp spikes at the collar. Some men may grow a handlebar mustache and twirl it by the corners.
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Who Are the Native American Heroes of Marvel Comics?
The Marvel Universe, while being quite progressive to the plight of Native Americans, still has plenty of ridiculous stereotypes that don't belong in any publication.
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Making Sharon's Perfect Baked Potato
This entire piece is on my wife’s expertise on her ability to make baked potatoes. Damn! She’s good at this.
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Why Does Losing Suck?
Nobody likes to lose. You set your goals and through events that may or may not be beyond your control you fall short.
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How Do You Appreciate a Good Scotch?
My first scotch experience was not good. I blame myself. What else can I say? I was young and stupid.
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How Do You Get Out of a Funk?
When you're depressed or stressed, it's impossible to concentrate or enjoy anything. Whether it’s real or imagined, feeling bad will affect you just the same.
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How to Find the Creep Factor in Writing
As writers, we find a whole spectrum of feelings or things that can make the reader feel any emotion under the sun. The writer has to find some way to draw these experiences he has and make them real.
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Cannibalism: The Other, "Other" White Meat
You’re having a nice party and for munchies you’ve made a great salsa to go with those little soylent green crackers. It’s good to have people over to have people.
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How to Be a Huge Pain to Your Health Coach
There are several things in your wardrobe that should tell you that weight loss in a necessity. When the number of pants you have gets low and finding your pant size is problematic – it’s that time.
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Why Are Cartoons Effective?
Cartoons are our oldest form of visual storytelling. While it is true natives danced by the fireside reenacting a hunt, that story was good for people who were present. A cave painting lasts longer.
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: Zombie Apocalypse Attire
If you are going to survive in this environment, you have to be prepared. Just having an axe or a bat isn’t enough. You will need to have some amount of protection for every exposed body part.
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Sherlock Holmes: The Detective and his Disguises
Sherlock Holmes was a master of disguise. Ordinarily he was a lean man approximately six foot who could add weight or drop height at will. Combining this with acting, made him a human chameleon.
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Why Having Doctor Jekyll as a Roommate is a Bad Idea
Avoid this ad. Roommate wanted: Medical man seeking understanding roommate to share an apartment while dissecting the human soul. No pets, nonsmoker. Email at 234562@playinGodsDomain.com.
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The Top 12 Rich Guys in the Marvel Universe
Did you know that the Marvel Universe has a surprising amount of financially rich characters beyond Iron Man and Black Panther? Here are 12 of them that made the list.
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Why Americans Don't Deserve the Rights and Freedoms They Have Now
I have learned that being part of a movement of faux patriotism solves nothing. There is something to be said about the quote “those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
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The Top Seven Rich Guys in the DC Universe
Part of what makes a character a character is the economical means of earning a buck. What does he do for a living? Is he smart or stupid? Does he even need to work at all? These are the rich guys.
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The Fear of Getting Older
This is a list of the things you can no longer do and don’t do. Things like drinking all night and going to work the next morning, and not going to the doctor when you’re clearly sick or injured.
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How to Make a Good Spaghetti Sauce from Scratch
Good cooking can feed your soul. You need to cook something really good correctly. Trust me, this simple recipe takes a small effort, a long cooking time, and a minute to serve.
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The Asbury Park Comicon: A Bright Light amongst the Ruins
Perhaps one of the best experiences a comic book fan can have is going to a convention; The Asbury Park Comicon was no exception. It isn't New York or San Diego, but it had intimacy and comfort.
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5 Obscure DC Characters: Big Brain Edition
Most big-brained DC characters are well known, and only a few live in obscurity. Here are five you likely haven't heard of or could use a little brushing up on.
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Italian Style Chickenloaf
For a good alternative to a beef meatloaf recipe, I have a good chicken loaf that can be prepared Italian style with a bit of pizza flair. It's good for lunch, dinner, and leftovers.
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Obscure Marvel Characters: Big Brain Edition
The criminal evil mastermind with the fantastic mental powers was always picked last in gym class. I’m continuing my series on obscure Marvel characters - specifically ones with mental powers.
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The Art of Being Sick
There is an intimate relationship we have with our own body. We understand the natural ebbs and flows of our specific biorhythms. Sometimes we need to take a bit of a break from reality and shut down.
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Who in the DC Universe is That? More Obscure Characters
DC has more than its share of obscure characters. It draws on these characters and with DC reboot, they bring back many of these characters to be rewritten better, stronger, and more vibrant.
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What Constitutes a Real Apology?
We do bad things. When we realize that we’ve done something we regret, it's only right we apologize for it. We're imperfect beings who are subject to doing really stupid things every now and then.
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Should You Ever Write Angry or Is It Best to Cool Down?
I write when I’m insane and it’s to let the demons out to frolic on my screen. It’s a cheap therapy that works for me and in the end it saves time, money, and a multiple homicide conviction.
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: A Cure for the Zombie Virus?
We realize people are turning into zombies. Depending upon the myth or story you’re following, we can say a zombie bite will either cause someone’s death or cause someone to die and become a zombie.
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Slow Cooked Chai for the Winter Cold
Chai is made from black tea which packs a punch. The black tea is combined with other spices such as cinnamon, star anise, fennel, peppercorn, cloves, and allspice. Truly an experience.
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Awesome Apple Cider for the Cold Weather
This drink is perfect for that December through February season. There’s the power of apples. They are “apple-icious”. Seriously though, they’re really good for you. Cider over caffeine this time.
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5 Obscure Characters From the Marvel Universe
Here are five of the most obscure, unknown characters from the Marvel Universe.
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Why Witches Should Not Have Their Own Cooking Shows
While the demand for many of these eclectic meals has gone unnoticed, I think we can surmise that there might be other reasons why occult cuisine hasn’t caught on. Witch cooking's serious business.
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What Is The Role of The Fool?
World leaders and politicians mostly don't have the true power of persuasive influence and clever repartee. The fool speaks irreverently, yet his words are as welcome as forbidden fruit.
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What Does It Mean to Cherish?
Those who are married or have someone special in your life need to remember that you spent serious time planning, primping, and making yourself desirable enough to con someone to be in your life.
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Why Having a Romantic Relationship with a Zombie Won't Work
Necromancers are just not right in the head. I will not even pretend to know what could go through the mind of a person wanting a relationship with a zombie. Don't date zombies.
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Why Vampires Make Terrible Co-Workers
When you really look at logistical problems of working with one of the Nosferatu, you really need to do a lot more prep before going to work on the night shift. You need complex survival techniques.
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How Today’s Adults Make Intellectualism a Four Letter Word
Having a complex vocabulary is a good thing. Although, I will admit keeping things simple for maximum communication does have some merit when it is vital to be understood.
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Want a Job? Connect with People You Know
When you read a nonsensical article on a job hunting site that essentially blames the applicant for rules that he could not possibly know– you have every right to question their sanity.
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The Importance of Your Final Arrangements
You are going to die. It may not be today. It may not be tomorrow. It may not even be next week, next month, or next year. However, eventually, you are going to die. When we have to take a good long look at our own mortality, we need to face it with a cold solemnity that only you can only do when...
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Rites of Passage: Important Steps to Living
Rites of Passage. We are brought into life with the first sensation of being cold and then being slapped by a giant. Our first step forward? Breathing. It is such an important step in our lives that we celebrate it every year of our lives. We have learned that breathing is important and we need to...
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What is Time Travel?
It is difficult to define what time is. There are several theories – especially in science fiction. And before I go further, I should explain that sometimes the line between science fiction and science fact is just a matter of testing.When we look at time we look at it as almost a living thing. It...
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What's the Point in Having a Process in Project Management?
Anyone who has spent any time managing a project for a company knows that there are several different ways to run a project successfully. However, there are certain projects that require the same goal over and over again. No project manager, once they find a project that they have to repeat, takes...
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Coffee: The Venti-Sized Love in My Cup
Those of us who are true caffeine addicts know the true bliss that comes when freshly roasted and ground coffee beans have hot water poured on them and have their product run through a proper filter. It is liquid euphoria when done properly. The taste buds awaken and sing praise to Caffeina,...
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Understanding Superstition
Superstition is a belief that somehow, supernaturally, one act or event despite there being no real logical explanation causes a good or bad effect on your life. Superstition, from the Latin superstitio, is rooted in meaning as excessive fear of the gods or unreasonable religious belief. It is also...
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Sherlock Holmes: The Detective and His Drugs
We look at drugs differently. When we look at the character of Sherlock Holmes, we recognize that he is not only a brilliant mind but also the sum of his addictions. He’s a smoker. He’s a cocaine addict. He has taken opium and morphine on more than one occasion. And he has not given an apology for...
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How Do I Keep My New Year's Resolutions?
Every year it’s the same thing. December 31st comes and we all get a little loopy and decide to break our personal vicious circle of self-destruction and make a resolution for the new year. And why not? This exercise is actually psychologically healthy. You’ve seen a problem and acknowledged it....
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: The Worst Weather for a Zombie Apocalypse
Zombies have no sense of timing. Those of you who have long term plans like an anniversary party or a wedding can never account for the contingency of a zombie apocalypse. It’s not like you can go to the head of the zombies and explain that this week is not a good time for the damned to wander...
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: Getting in Shape
Zombie apocalypse movies make it look so easy. One moment we see the movie’s protagonist watching television while eating a bag of Doritos and after all hell breaks loose and the undead are wandering the streets, he’s able to perform physically challenging feats that would make any Olympic...
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Forgotten DC Comics Villains: The Sand Superman
The Sand Superman was born from the atomic kryptonite explosion that hit Superman, which was so powerful that it left an inter-dimensional doorway at the impact site where Superman hit the sand.
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A Very Krampus Christmas
It was only through my fascination of mythology and horror that I stumbled across the story of Krampus. Before I go on, I would like you to know that this tradition has been resurrected in Austria recently. The Catholic Church had a very definite opinion of Krampus and had done their very best to...
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Who is Bizarro?
A Bizarro is an imperfect opposite that is an odd reflection of the original. You can tell whose duplicate the Bizarro was made from. It will have several attributes of the original. It will have the same height, weight, hair color, eye shape and clothes of the original, but reversed in some way. ...
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Five Dead DC Comics Villains that Are NOT Coming Back
The really bad guys don’t stay dead for long. In the DC Universe, this is almost law. I’ve been trying to gather and distill a collection of DC Comics villains that have not only died but have no chance on coming back. It’s almost impossible. However, there are some definite villains that have...
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What Can You Do about Snoring?
Picture this: The woman or man that has agreed to sleep with you for the rest of your life has told you something that you’ve only suspected – you snore. Oh, and it’s not the “really cute, barely noticeable, little buzz that is usually made by baby chipmunks". It’s the horrible cross mutation of a...
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Five Dead Marvel Villains Who Are NOT Coming Back
While there are some comic book characters who come back from the dead so often that their coffins should have a revolving door, here are five that won't be coming back to the land of the living.
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Five Dead DC Comics Heroes that Are NOT Coming Back
Once you kill off a character, he stayed dead. The problem is that in comic book literature for some titles characters are killed off and then are brought back to life.
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What exactly is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing is computer resources on demand charged as a service (or without charge depending on the service). Many of the applications you use every day are part of a cloud computing model – Facebook, Amazon.com, and Google all use a cloud computing model. We usually look at cloud computing...
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Five Dead Marvel Heroes Who Won't Be Coming Back
You can’t keep a good guy down – unless he’s dead. Here’s the thing; comic book villains get resurrected all of the time – heroes, not so much. I’ve come to the conclusion that there are only one or two Marvel Heroes that are going to stay dead. One of them is Captain Mar-Vell, who I will talk...
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What Does It Mean To Be An Adult?
Adults do adult things. Adults act like adults. They have their priorities in order and have goals that they strive to accomplish. They make their place in this world. They take everything seriously. They work hard. They play hard. They talk hard.
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: Will Zombie Guts Kill me?
In point of fact, it really won’t matter how they came about. None of us will have the necessary grey matter to connect the dots or be able to extrapolate some kind of cure from the zombies that will plague us. What will matter is that we’ll have to deal with them.It won’t matter if these...
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How Do I Snow Shovel Safely and Correctly?
Those of us who are like me are too poor to make the investment and look at their one hundred foot driveway with fear and dread the moment a snowflake lands on their asphalt have to make due with a shovel and a whole lot of self-motivation to get out there and work. Those of us who go through this...
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What to do in a Power Outage: Putting My Money Where My Mouth Is
The storm came and the storm went. In between all of that was utter confusion and chaos. When the high winds of Hurricane Sandy came during the last week of October 2012, I had already written several contingency articles about what to do during a Zombie Apocalypse, a summer blackout, and how to...
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What Are the Pros and Cons of Working from Home?
It’s nice to dream. Picture this: You wake up in the morning half an hour before you start your work day. You are able to shower, dress, and have enough time to have a nice hot cup of coffee before getting down to business. Twenty years ago a corporate employee would not be able to do this without...
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Why Quality Assurance Testing is Important in Web Development
But what happens if that code doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do? What happens if the site doesn’t render properly across different browsers? Things go wrong. Money is lost. A bad perception of the company is made and the website’s company may lose customers. All of this could have been prevented...
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How Do I Prepare for a Hurricane?
The local weather man has used the word “hurricane”. He did not use the words “tropical storm”, “nor’easter”, or “inclimate weather”. He said the magic word: Hurricane. What does that mean? That means your area is going to host something called “a tropical cyclone” and if it were up to you, you’d...
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Relaxation Techniques for Less Stress
This is the stress that occurs when we worry about things that might not happen but we think will. Our mind drives our emotions and our bodies and when it does, it causes specific physiological havoc. However sometimes all you need to do is physically relax your body and convince your mind to slow...
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What is Lycanthopy?
In these days of zombie bashing and vampire worship we’ve ignored the fascinating monster-beast known as the lycanthrope or common werewolf. While they may not be as sexually provocative to women as vampires, the dichotomy of man and monster. The traditional story of the werewolf has always been...
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: How Do I Know I'm In a Severe Zombie Outbreak?
It's Just Another Day. Like most people you wake up, shower, brush your teeth, and go to work. It’s a normal day. If you’re like me, you walk the dogs before the sun comes up and eat breakfast. How is this type of day different from any day of the zombie apocalypse? The short answer? It isn’t....
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How to Use a Rug Doctor Steam Cleaner
My recommendation for big, deep cleans is The Rug Doctor. You can rent one in most US supermarkets. They’ll have all the necessary supplies.
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What is Malarkey?
Certain words get bandied about by old people – malarkey is one of them. But what is this word that became so popular during the 2012 Vice Presidential Debate? It comes in bulk as in “a load of malarkey”. Malarkey also known as “stuff” also known as “bull s#*t” is a good clean way of calling...
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Why Applying Honey to Small Hand Injuries is Practical
My wife, who is now numb to this by now, walked me over to the sink and began to run the cold tap water on the wound. She has the special “Oh-God-I’ve-Married-A-Clumsy-Idiot-And-I-Need-To-Know-How-To-Make-A-Tournequette-Out-Of-Toothpicks” knowledge of healing that comes with every wedding ring. She...
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What Are The Elements of Sherlock Holmes?
I felt a need to write this article after watching the premiere of the less than stellar Elementary series on CBS. Some… liberties… were taken. And while this hub could quite easily become a severe critique of the series, I will limit this to the actual elements of what makes Sherlock Holmes,...
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Oscar Wilde's Fairy Tales: Stories of a Beautiful Tragedian
We all know Oscar Wilde from his adult stories like, The Portrait of Dorian Gray, The Importance of Being Earnest, and An Ideal Husband. It’s sad that his children’s stories are not more popular. Those of you who have been following my hubs on other fairy tale authors – like the Brothers Grimm and...
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Anderson's Fairy Tales: Depressing Children for Decades
Once again, we have a situation where kids of today only know what they see through Disney and think that some of these fairy tales are just the best. Before I go off on this, you should know that as a writer, I think Anderson was a creative genius. It takes a true talent to plumb the depths of the...
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How to Work with Customer Service Representatives
People need things. We live in a capitalistic society in the United States. When we exchange money for goods and services we have an expectation of a level of quality from that good or service. So we have to deal with customer service. If we take it from a different point of view sometimes we need...
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: How to Make the Best Use of a Tree House
If you don’t already have some booby traps set up on your perimeter, you may wish to try this. An open tree house accessible by rope or pull up ladder is excellent to set up a live bait trap. Lure the zombie or zombies, provided that there are no more than ten by ringing a bell or by making a loud...
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How to Store Your Vintage Comic Books
There is some part of our personality that accepted this as our mild mannered secret identity and we go off to fight for justice on internet posting boards and chat rooms showing off our knowledge and cleverness to whomever would have the time to read it. We accept the burden of nerdom and sally...
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What is Jingoism?
Jingoism is “extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by belligerent foreign policy.” It is sabre rattling. It is war mongering. It is the cry of the ignorant that the way to resolve our problems is through the path of war and violence. And if you’re not careful, in the midst of a...
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What is a Blue Moon and What Does It Mean?
But what of real blue moons? What’s that all about? I’ve always envisioned this event to fall about as often as a full lunar eclipse. I’ve thought that when blue moons happen, I can expect the seas to part and leprechauns to come out from under their little mushrooms and sing songs to the children...
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Five DC Characters You've Probably Never Heard Of
This article takes a look at DC characters that you may not have heard of.
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: Immobilize First, Then Go For the Kill
I am not the first person to propose zombie combat techniques and I’m certainly not going to be the last, but any reasonable plan in the event of a zombie apocalypse is certainly something you should store in your mind, provided that there is a reasonable, logical action behind it. For example,...
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What Are the Best Things to Do When You're Hung Over
Okay, you’ve done it again, haven’t you?In a moment of recklessness, you decided that you’d drink with your old college drinking buddy and have woken up the next day with a hangover. The hangover you have is one of those that you would not wish on the bully who took your milk money when you were in...
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Five Icons Every Person Under Thirty Needs to Know
What I can’t understand are the ones that can’t identify John Wayne or Albert Einstein on sight. Okay, John Wayne doesn’t get the same amount of play that he used to get ten or twenty years ago. However, there have been enough caricatures made of the man to be known well enough. And it’s a crime...
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What are the Levels of Vegetarianism?
This is the hub you’ve been waiting for. I promised readers who hate dieting, working out, and the plain nonsense that this world gives you on a daily basis that they were in the right place. Well, as my responsibility as a web ranter, I’m giving you a bit of dietary nonsense.
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5 More Obscure Marvel Villains You've Probably Never Heard Of
Learn about the lesser-known Marvel villains, including the Taskmaster and Grizzley.
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Who is the Red Skull?
The Red Skull, aka Johann Schmidt, according to S.H.I.E.L.D., is one of the greatest threats to humanity. He is completely evil. His strategic genius has been compared to Napoleon. His political manipulations are works of art. He will maim or kill people with absolutely no regret or compunction in...
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Six Marvel Power Objects that You Should Know About
Oh, there are objects just lying around the Marvel Universe that will bring great power with zero responsibility. Depending on the wielder, these objects have been used to create great good or great evil. I’ll introduce some of these things in a bit, however, what you should know is that they are...
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5 Marvel Villains You've Probably Never Heard Of
Not every Marvel villain is a superstar. While some of them deserve more attention, others are just your average bad guys.
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5 Great Marvel Heroes You've Probably Never Heard Of
We all know the major comic book characters—the Hulk, Spider-man, Iron Man, Thor, and the like. Here are five forgotten or lesser-known characters to learn about.
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: To Eat or NOT To Eat - That is the Digestion
With zombies there is no real requirement for nourishment. The majority of their corpse is dead. There is only one real part of a zombie that is biologically functioning. It’s the brain. Of the parts of the brain that are still working, the cerebral cortex, where the higher thought processing...
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What's the Big Deal about Comic Conventions?
A comic convention is a huge city money maker that is held many times for multiple days where scifi fans (some say SyFy but I’m of the opinion that that abbreviation was a marketing ploy from an empty suit that just didn’t “get it”), comic book aficionados, horror, zombie, vampire, fantasy book...
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What to do During a Summer Blackout
I am a home owner. I own a house. When blackouts happen in New Jersey either due to weather, excessive power use, or any local natural disaster, you need to know what you’re going to do without the power to run the things you’ve grown addicted to.
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Why Your Cell Phone is NOT a Blessing
Practically every cellphone has a camera and practically everyone owns a cellphone. Do you know what that means? If anything ordinary or extraordinary happens to you (or in your immediate area), people will photograph it or video it (depending on the quality of your friend's cellphone). That means...
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: Don't Trust the CDC
When a society faces a contagion which is, in essence, “beyond belief”, the first thing we do as human beings is try to get more data and make a decision. This is natural behavior and part of the human condition.Don’t believe me? Watch yourself when you hear about a celebrity death. The same can be...
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How to Make Lemon Detox Diet
The lemon detox diet has been promoted primarily by Beyoncé. She has used this as a cleanse and has lost 20 lbs. within two weeks of the program. I will underline it with this, she did it while fasting. This was all she would put into her body. That being said, take this for what it’s worth. For...
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Sherlock Holmes Tours in London
In itself, London is one of the oldest and most historically rich cities on the planet – home to Shakespeare, the crowns of England, Big Ben, and Jack the Ripper. No tour of England is complete without a visit to the city. As Sherlock Holmes fans, we all must make the pilgrimage to his fictional...
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What is the Water Diet?
We’ve all been thirsty from time to time. Our bodies will let us know that we need to replenish our supply of water and put some more in our body. When we don’t drink water our mouths get dry and our lips crack from dehydration. From what I’ve been told we need to drink water at least once a day....
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How to Learn Web Design Fast
Years ago web design was a neat way to create a web presence on the internet, today it's a fundamental job skill for anyone who does work within information technology. Here's a road map to learning quickly.
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How to Assume a Horse Stance in Karate
This brings us to the horse stance in karate and kung fu. To this day, I still don’t see a practical reason to assume the horse stance in combat. It does not provide mobility or real maneuverability. Yet it is a staple to every version of karate out there. Why? Well, there is value. It’s just very...
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How to Improve Business Writing Skills
In this new environment of offshore resources and communication with people from the PacRim, you have to convey the virtual equivalent of a handshake by being a professional in your email correspondence with enough personalization and courtesy to get your message across effectively and...
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Facts About Web Design
A real web designer starts simply. His tools are a pen, pencil, markers, ruler, graphing paper, a set of requirements, and the piece of gray matter that is conveniently located between his two ears and behind his eyes. The field of web design is one that is constantly being made over and redefined...
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How to Break a Board Karate Chop Style
In reality, the shuto or “knife hand” is rarely used in practical application. However, the breaking of boards is still used as an exercise of focus and strength – hence the second reason for doing it.
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How to Lower Cholesterol Through Diet
I do have some good news. You can do something about it. All it takes is a bit of knowledge, a healthy helping of commitment, twelve weeks of your time, and some new habits that might just save your life.
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Sherlock Holmes: Faking His Death Is Part of the Myth
Outside of being born in the Victorian era, now is the best time to discover Sherlock Holmes.
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11 Most Powerful Villains and Threats in the DC Universe
DC's "52" tells us that Earth is the keystone keeping the Multiverse together; take a look at some of the most powerful villains threatening it.
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The 10 Most Powerful Threats in the Marvel Universe
Who are the biggest threats in the Marvel Universe? Learn about the major players in the game and their threat levels.
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Marvel Villain: Thanos the Titan
"The Avengers" was a box-office smash! Those of you who decided to stick around after the initial credits saw one more scene. The majority of you are wondering who that purple guy was who caused all of your geeky friends to gasp. This is your introduction to Thanos, the baddest of the bad.
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Captain America: The Men Who Sling the Shield
There have been many men who have taken Captain America's red, white, and blue uniform and fought for the ideals of this country. This is an article about them and their character.
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: Getting Ready for the Turn
Part of surviving a zombie apocalypse is knowing when one of your party is about to turn. Except, many of us are not prepared to take a life that in many respects has already ended. Zombies are dead automations. Whether that automation is the body of a loved one or a stranger, we all need to be...
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A Close Look at Kryptonite
In common parlance, the term "kryptonite" is used to describe a substance or event that will lead to a person's downfall. For example, some dieters say that chocolate is their kryptonite. And chocolate is something that they are powerless against. In the comics, kryptonite is something very...
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Romancing the Undead: Why Women Shouldn't Love Dead Things
True Blood will be coming back to HBO in about a month or two - which I think is awesome. However, this brings some issues back that kind of bother me about vampires and their attraction to 90% per cent of the women out there. How is it that a walking corpse with a bit of dash and style can lure...
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Watchers, Monitors, Observers, and Guardians: Science Fiction Characters That Oversee Humanity
There is a growing literary device that's being used in several different science fiction anthologies. What we are seeing is the development of a group of individuals who have either been appointed or have appointed themselves to be our watchers, observers, monitors, guardians, or babysitters.
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My Top Three Recommended Graphic Novel Reads for Week Ending April 21
Ultimate universe, Elseworlds, What If?, 52, Infinite Earths... These are stories that are not from the main continuity of both Marvel and DC stories. This week I picked three alternate stories that most people haven't read. You might want to read "Son of Superman", "Ultimate Fantastic Four"...
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Money is NOT the Root of All Evil
A few days ago I read a hub question asking if money brings unhappiness. I've always maintained that people who say "money can't buy happiness" don't know where to shop. What I can't understand is this mentality that states "money brings unhappiness". No, it doesn't. Stupidity brings unhappiness.
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My Top Three Recommended Graphic Novel Reads for Week Ending April 14
There's nothing better than a regular hero. Sure, we can amuse ourselves with stories about Superman and Green Lantern and watch the human condition evolve through extraordinary powers, but when it comes to a good story and good reading, you can't beat a guy who has to work with normal limitations...
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: Zombies Don't Swim
What you have to be worried about is if a zombie, while under water can grab at your legs while you're trying to stay afloat. If the water is deep, this isn't an issue. However, if the water is shallow (under 20 feet deep - taking the average height of a human being as six foot tall add the length...
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The Zen of Lawn Mowing
Few people realize the opportunity lawn cutting presents for those who wish to meditate. Mowing can be a zen experience—an "in the moment" semi-spiritual treat that we get to engage in any time the grass gets too long.
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Sherlock Holmes: Three of His Key Adventures
Sherlockians will always argue what cases of Sherlock Holmes stand out the most. This is understandable. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created a character so rich that he's endured for over a century. in that time, the great detective's novels and short stories have become legend. Let's start with the...
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Grimm's Fairy Tales: A Look at Dark Stories for Children
I recalled that some of the most horrific stories ever told came from Grimm's Fairy Tales. Most people don't think that because they've gotten the scrubbed Disney version of most of them. Disney made Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. We see these movies and know that the princess falls...
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Sherlock Holmes: Things to Know About Doctor John Watson
Many people believe that the character of Sherlock Holmes was based on one of Doyle's medical teacher's Doctor Joseph Bell. Bell was a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh and was a student of observation and deduction. To illustrate this, he would often pick a stranger and, by observing him,...
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Sherlock Holmes: A Primer on the Great Detective
As the producers of both the latest movies as well as the BBC show have made both incarnations of Sherlock Holmes quite digestible for every new comer, many would debate whether or not further reading is required. To be honest, it isn't necessary. Should you wish to discover the character through...
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Zombie Warfare Preparation: Out in the Open
Well, you have a definite problem on your hands. Zombies are everywhere. You have left your sanctuary for lack of food or you've found that too many zombies are getting into your fortification. You've had to leave and now you're exposed. What do you do? I have some suggestions when you're on...
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My Top Three Recommended Graphic Novel Reads for Week Ending April 6
When a story, filled with startling concepts and characters that grab the reader like a long lost lover, is combined with the impeccable art work of artists like Alex Ross and Rags Morales, today's adults can safely tell children to "run along." This isn't for them. This week I've found three gems....
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Six (Seven Actually) Really Lame DC Villains
Just when I thought it was a herculean task to find and comment about five of the lamest Marvel villains, I found something even more difficult - DC Villains. While Marvel has had more than its fair share of lame villains, I really had to check all of my resources to find them.