Snippets:
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Art: Giclée, pronounced "zhee-clay": High-quality ink-jet print
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Art: Create your own Jackson Pollock -like painting on screen.
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Art: The famous violinist Joshua Bell played more or less unrecognized in the subway in Washington D.C. and earned $32.17 in 43 minutes, as described by the Washington Post. Art seems to determined by its statement, claim, and frame. Deutschlandfunk: "Seit rund hundert Jahren wissen wir, dass Kunst zu einem wesentlichen Teil in ihrer Behauptung besteht. Die Konzertkarte ist der Garantieschein für das Musikerlebnis, das Museum macht die ausgestellten Werke erst bedeutsam. Daraus folgt umgekehrt, Dass große Kunst zur Straßenmusik wird, wenn sie auf der Straße oder in einer U-Bahn-Station dargeboten wird."
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Philosophy: Rhetoric (from Greek rhetor, orator, teacher) is generally understood to be the art or technique of persuasion through the use of oral and/or written language. Classical rhetoric can be defined as the art, technique or practice of persuasion. Derived from Pre-Socratic philosophers known as Sophists. Later taught as one of the three original liberal arts or trivium (next to dialectic and grammar) in Western culture.
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Art: Discover Islamic Art: Online museum on Islamic art. Numerous photos with explanations.
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Humor: Says-it: Generator for stickers and refrigerator magnets. Church signs, badges, cassette labels etc. Can be customized.
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Music: Alan Ferber Nonet, Saturday, May 5, 2007 at The Neighborhood Church of Greenwich Village, 269 Bleecker St, NYC, 8:00 PM; w/ David Smith / TRUMPET, Alan Ferber / TROMBONE, Jon Gordon / ALTO SAX, Jason Rigby / TENOR SAX, Douglas Yates / BASS CLARINET, Nate Radley / GUITAR, Bryn Roberts / PIANO, Gary Wang / BASS, Mark Ferber / DRUMS. New CD: The Compass.
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DVD: The Living Daylights (1987). 130 min. w/ Timothy Dalton (James Bond), Maryam d'Abo (Kara Milovy). Director: John Glen. Story: Ian Fleming. James Bond falls in love with one woman while fighting arms dealers and other evil. Standard Bond movie with good action sceenes. Overall rating: 6 out of 10.
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DVD: Kingdom of Heaven (2005). 145 min. w/ Orlando Bloom (Balian; Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Carribean), Eva Green (Sibylla; Casino Royale), Jeremy Irons (Tiberias), Liam Neeson (Godfrey). During the time of the 3rd Crusade, a man follows his father to the Holy Land to find forgiveness for his sins. As he is drawn into war, hemerges as a leader and defends Jerusalem from the Arabs. Colorful epic, but overall flat story. Great cast. Overall rating: 6 out of 10.
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DVD: An Inconvenient Truth (2006). 100 min. Director: Davis Guggenheim. w/ Al Gore. Documentary by Ex-Vice President on causes and consequences of global warming. Eye-opener. Contains some impressive long-term statistics. Must see. The entertaining autobiographical notes are expendable. Overall rating: 7 out of 10.
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DVD: Belle De Jour (1967). 101 min. Director: Luis Bunuel. w/ Catherine Deneuve (Séverine Serizy aka Belle de Jour), Jean Sorel (Pierre Serizy). Frigid wife of a wealthy man fullfills her fantasies by working as a prostitute. Dream and reality alternate, but eventually become indistinguishable. Daring for its time. Overall rating: 7 out off 10.
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Literature: Tolkien Gateway. J.R.R. Tolkien encyclopedia in Wiki form. Good source of information on characters from 'Lord of the Rings'
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DVD: La Strada (1954). 108 min. Director: Federico Fellini. w/ Anthony Quinn (Zampano), Giulietta Masina (Gelsomina), Richard Basehart (Il 'Matto', The 'Fool'). Girl (Masina) is sold by her poor mother to a street artist (Quinn). Together, they go on the road, but he treats her badly. She falls in love with him, but looses her mind when Zampano kills a handsome tightrope artist, 'The Fool'. Poetic fable of love and cruelty. A classic Fellini film. Masina was Fellinis wife. Overall rating: 7 out of 10.
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DVD: Rashomon (1950). 88 min. Director: Akira Kurosawa. w/ Toshiro Mifune (Tajômaru). In 12th century Japan, a samurai and his wife are attacked in the woods, the woman raped and the man killed. The notorious bandit Tajomaru is captured and brought to trial. But the defendant and each witness give completely different accounts of what they saw. Which version, if any, is the truth?. Great plot despite the simple story. Overall rating: 7 out of 10.
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Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, 1988): Director: Pedro Almodovar. w/ Carmen Maura (Pepa Antonio), Antonio Banderas (Carlos). Woman is left by her lover, and while trying to find him finds out that he is married, has a son and another girlfriend. At the same time, one of her friends flees from the police because she got involved with terrorists. In the end, all stories come together. Turbulent comedy, partly grotesque. Characteristic faces. Overall rating: 7 out of 10.
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Food: Gazpacho soup (gazpacho): cold, Spanish soup, popular in warmer areas and during the summer. Contains tomato juice and bell peppers. Also: stale bread, garlic, onion, olive oil, salt and vinegar.
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DVD: The Departed (2006). Director: Martin Scorsese. w/ Leonardo DiCaprio (Billy), Matt Damon (Colin), Jack Nicholson (Costello), Vera Farmiga (Madolyn). Nicholson is great, Damon and DiCaprio mediocre. Farmiga too shallow. Story too superficial and ending disappointing. Makes little sense. Overall rating 5 out of 10.
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DVD: North by Northwest (1959). 136 min. Director: Alfred Hitchcock. Cary Grant (Roger O. Thornhill), Eva Marie Saint (Eve Kendall), James Mason (Phillip Vandamm). New York advertising executive is kidnapped because he is taken to be a secret agent. While on the run and trying to find the real man, he falls in love with a double agent. Ahead of his time regarding sexual directness. Famous scene on top of Mt. Rushmoore (although actually filmed in a back lot). Good story. Good pace. Good acting. Overall rating 8 out of 10.
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Cars: Used Car Dealer on WWW: Carmax. Makes written offer good for 7 days.
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