Flip-flops: It's always hot at Duke, and more often than not, you'll be falling into your bed [or...um...someone else's] in the wee hours of the morning--and you will be in no shape to untie laces.
In April, an NBC executive distributed a copy of an exceptionally violent episode of The Sopranos to other television executives along with a memo.
My purple L.L. Bean backpack was sitting next to me when I got my Duke acceptance letter.
Fifteen years ago, Jane's Addiction were the ultimate rock stars. Born out of the mid-80s post-punk scene in L.A.
in ancient times, all roads led to Rome. One could be traveling the Goth Turnpike, heading due north toward Finland, and he would miraculously find himself back in the capitol city.
Not long ago, "two-step garage" would have meant a country jitterdance in the shed behind the John Deere. Times have changed.
In the economy of pop music, nothing holds more currency than the image.
Summer means trips to the beach, county fairs, outdoor cookin' and 16 weeks of movies so utterly predictable that there's almost no point in heading to the multiplex--at least for film critics.
Recess is about arts and entertainment. It's more than a crafty collection of zingers or a lampoon for the crazy and contemporary. It's about commentary, criticism and cultural literacy.
A month ago, The Wall Street Journal granted Duke the dubious attention of a profile on the vast lifestyle disparities among students of varying socioeconomic backgrounds.
Once upon a time there was a movie critic named David Manning.
Hollywood Postulate: Fuse the creative genius of two successful filmmakers and the resulting product's appeal, intrigue, and bankability will double (no matter how incompatible they actually are).
Not long ago, films were creative, television was inspired and music was consistently innovative.
Tricky, Blowback.
If Hollywood were an island, then John Travolta shouldn't just be voted off--he should be drowned and his body eaten by all of the starving celebrities.
"Finally, a video-game-based movie that is better than Street Fighter or Super Mario Bros."--David Manning. That's the kind of back-handed compliment that Tomb Raider deserves.
