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WORDPLAY  

Wordplay profiles New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz and the annual tournament he started in 1978, the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament

For a year and a half WordPlay staff have worked hard to empower young people in Baton Rouge by supplying them with the knowledge and resources they need to create art, community, and social change through literacy.

From April 26th through April 28th teens from throughout Baton Rouge, youth educators, and a mass of spectators will take over the Shaw Center Manship Theater for the first annual WordPlay Teen Poetry Slam Festival.

Humor can be created by the placement of same-sounding or same-spelled words with different meanings in close proximity and/or in the same context, a technique often referred to as "punning." This paper discusses how this kind of humor works and what it can accomplish.

An estimated 50 million Americans do crossword puzzles every week. Why is it so popular? Who are these people? It is certainly an odd passion to those who do not partake in the weekly (or sometimes or with some people daily) hobby.

Commentary on the Rolling Stones album review and the authority they have in the mainstream music culture, a look at the antithesis of Lil' Wayne's success, Soulja Boy and other goodies.

In her latest book, Sam Horn's describes some great creative business marketing wordplay techniques for getting your product or service to be noticed and stand out from the crowd.

In his latest CD, "Werewolves and Lollipops", Oswalt brings his own brand of sarcastic comedy to life with clever wordplay and surreal imagery.

The stage is bohemian basic-two standing house lights, a mic stand, some patterned cloth, and a lava lamp. Behind the stage area tacked up to one of the wooden cabinets, a sign reads "This is a WordPlay safe space."

The Tom Swifty is a form of wordplay that pokes fun at the excessive use of adverbial dialog attribution. Tom Swifties originated in the 1960s, as a humorous reference to the writing style of the Tom Swift juvenile adventure novels.

Wellerisms are an idiosyncratic genre of wordplay: hard to define, at times impossible to interpret, silly, sardonic, and irreverent. They have been around for almost 50 centuries, but their allure, although somewhat faded, is far from extinct.

The Secret is out! The "Law of Attraction" is a new-age philosophy is wrapped in King James English speech with a pinch of Proverbs 23 for good measure.

An overview at the upcoming week in television.

Good Luck Chuck is a smart and entertaining romantic comedy starring comedian Dane Cook, and Jessica Alba.

Episodes which fit in these three categories.

Whenever somebody says the word "documentary" many people will begin to think of a boring movie, but the documentary film genre produces some of the best movies.

I was surprised when I didn't see Dane Cook listed among Radar Magazine's recent Overrated List.

I am death metal. I eat death metal, I drink death metal, I type death metal, I drywall death metal...you get the idea. In my opinion, it's the most underrated genre of music on the planet.

This was my exhaustive attempt to evaluate the use of sexuality in advertising and its history, as well as the effects on women and society. I explore theory and expose an industry getting rich on women's suffering and semi-starvation.

I wouldn't be as critical of this record if the artist himself weren't so overconfident in his work; really surprising given how interesting his interviews are.

This is a review of Lupe Fiasco's The Cool.

Memento...remember?

Breaks down the greatest and most creative story tellers in Hip-Hop music, ever!

Words, when used as weapons, have the ability to deal great damage. When proper ammunition is lacking however, the end result is laughable.

Two-CD Rhino Records set with bonus DVD works well to present the music of the Traveling Wilburys in all of its original glory, finally resurrecting the band's magnificent sound for a new generation.

In the face of total boredom, you can suggest some books that are in the mode of summer that middle school and high school kids might just pick up and read....for fun!

Sharon Cohen confronts an insidious habit that infiltrates our conversations and harms our relationships. In the exchange of dialogue between people - friend or foe - an underpinning of intellectual combat is waged like a war between the lines.

Don't miss Hotel Peccadillo at this summer's Shaw Festival in Niagara on the Lake.

What the JNSC will be like and why it is important for Japan.

There was a time in hip hop music that women could vibe with it and not worry about being insulted. But those days are over now that rap has taken over. When will hip hop come back?

Having a blank page for a songwriter can be frustrating at times, especially when the flow of words is great and then all of a sudden your mind goes blank. Here are a few tips and tricks to get your mind writing those future No. 1 hits!

Dennis Ross, Middle East envoy and chief negotiator for both the George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton presidencies, suggests that to elevate ourselves, the United States must embrace a more diplomatic, multilateral, and less dictatorial role in its diplomatic missions.

Why anything less than true marriage equality just doesn't work.

Do you have a basement or a storage locker filled with unused items? You could list it online, but you might rather unload it more quickly and conveniently. Why not run a classified ad?

Some long forgotten musicals and plays that had long runs on Broadway

The last album I bought was Common's Be and that was a lot different than his new album entitled Finding Forever. Released on GOOD/Geffen Records, it is still primarily produced by Kanye West. The album is scheduled to be released on July 31st, 2007.

This paper was submitted for my English course's final project in spring of 2006. There were minor alterations from the submitted piece to this version, at most 10 words. For context, the teacher was straight out of college and Korean.

A look at some works by the English poet, William Blake - and how they differ/are alike.

With the recent release of the trailer for the forthcoming parody film, Disaster Movie, one has to wonder how much longer Hollywood and keep recycling the same bad jokes.

The paper gives a brief overview of the Haiku scene in the Tamil language today.

A look at some of the best underground hip-hop musicians.

Meaningful rap when everything else seems meaningless

AC Riddles: Can You Guess the AC Content Producer? "Here's a riddle for you to try. It's all about A-C. Catch the clues without a sigh, and shortly, you will see."

Book review of the winner of the 2007 Walt Whitman Award given by the Academy of American Poets. Sally Van Doren, Sex At Noon Taxes: Poems,(Louisianna State University Press, 2008) 70 pages, poetry, $17.95 U.S.

To discuss and breakdown the hottest remixes in Hip-Hop ever!

Again, Soulja Boy is the hottest MC right about now? Does anyone else see the irony in that statement?

This is an analysis of the themes and technique employed in Tom Robbins contemporary fiction novel, Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas.

Steve Carell fits his capable comedic feet into Maxwell Smart's shoe phones in the remake of the famed spy comedy series. But does the rest of the film miss by- well, you know.

How prevalent is hip-hop in music these days? Is it crucial for hip-hop to be good?

GLBT authors benefit from a community of support. Here are gay and lesbian writing conferences for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender authors to consider.

George Carlin was more than a comedian: he was a philosopher of language.

The title says it all! Some general pointers for anyone starting out as a freelance writer.

A look at the best Hip-Hop love songs ever made!

If people want to feel as though rap is dead perhaps we should let them; it may not be that bad of a sentiment to have, particularly if it inspires some artists to produce better music.

A look at reality's place in modern poetry.

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London has an exciting season ahead.

Hip Hop is going platinum, and in the process it's losing the voice that drew many Hip Hop lovers to the culture. You could write a book about the worst of Hip Hop lines, but this article details only ten... for the sake of saving time.

CHICAGO - Diablo Cody fittingly ushered in her Chicago "Juno" junket in classic Diablo Cody style: The night prior, she blogged with brevity where she'd be kicking back and when.

Another year, another Mavericks first round elimination. This season if officially over for Dirk Nowitzki. While many may be disappointed and surprised by the team's failure, I am not .I am however surprised at Dirk's lack of backbone.

My top ten classic rock and pop songs about rain are a good tonic to listen to when you're down.

Saints and Sinners is an annual literary festival for authors, publishers and readers of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender literature. The festival presents panel discussions and master classes, along with readings and other entertainment.

What it's like to live with a spouse who has Asperger's Syndrome...

Robert Downey Jr. channels his energy into playing Tony Stark, weapons dealer turned superhero. But does Iron Man have what it takes to jumpstart the 2008 summer movie season or does it fall short into popcorn flick mediocrity?

New York isn't expensive if you know where to look or are willing to think creatively. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

The Wilkinsons? Who are they? Unless you're a country music fan, specifically a Canadian country music fan, it's likely you've not heard of this trio, even though their debut album was released in 1998.

Your average reader thinks of only one descriptor when it comes to Crime & Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov: long. Close reads, however, reveal complexity in the novels at a deeply atomic level.

Solid R&B from a wordsmith with a voice as potent as his melodies. Grade-A R&B.

As the record industry continues to be reeling from both legal and illegal downloads, it seems they have a new facet to worry about; especially in the hip-hop genre, where mixtapes have become better buys than studio-released albums.

In this day and age...who doesn't love a joke? But sometimes its hard to find a good, clean joke - one that you can tell when the whole family is present and that's a real shame. Here are some great family-friendly joke websites.

The late, great Douglas Adams weaves a comical tapestry full of puns, zany characters and loopy situations in this sci fi satire. Don't Panic...read The Guide.

Are The Format the best thing ever to come from Phoenix? Maybe.

Which is better, solving on paper or on a computer screen? Plus, a guide to some of the best crosswords available online.

Dan Fogelberg is my favorite songwriter. Here are my favorite songs, and a summary of each.

In the years following the Mexican Revolution, various powers took hold in Mexico as it faced struggle from within and abroad. These forces helped shape Mexico throughout the course of the 20th century.

A look at the top ten songs by Ben Folds Five.

Jason got a little older, a little wiser, and a little better. But Jason's music thinks it's better than it is (at times).

It's hard to say 'punk retrospective' in regards to SCAC, because this excellent Denver band is so very in the now. They are simply groundbreaking in their American country take on punk.

Some of the songs sound as if they could have been recorded by Alan Lomax sixty-odd years ago in the deep South by old sharecroppers. At the same time the sounds are very modern.

Face it, the one thing kids love more than having fun is having fun with you. So take those boring spelling lists from school and show your child just how much fun learning can be when you do it together.

Umberto Eco is a master of language. His new novel falls short, nevertheless.

After a long and bumpy ride, Fiona Apple's new album is finally here. And it proves to be worth the wait.

The French literary critic playfully explodes the genre of autobiography and offers complex vignettes of his thought processes and tastes.

In this e-age with the electronic media taking over our lives, teachers, parents and caregivers are looking for books that will appeal to reluctant readers. Here are some questions you can ask yourself before you choose such a book or even write one.

Back on the wrong side of the tracks, Obie Trice has been penning his rhyme and recording it with a little help from Slim Shady, aka Eminem.

n an era of radical censorship, teen angst must be delivered under the radar. That's where Radio Disney comes in. An extremely tongue-in-cheek look at what really lies beneath the mass-marketed "Disney" pop stars.

Renaissance England was a hierarchical and oppressive environment for women. In this paper, I'll uncover the layers of female gender-role resistance as represented in Thomas Middleton's and Thomas Dekker's The Roaring Girl.

The latest edition of "Film Comment Selects" offers a varied selection from many diverse countries, with as many different approaches to style and subject matter.

Notes on William Miller's discussion about the theory and practice of screenwriting for comedies.

Just a silly poem written in the sestina style.

These three essays on multiculturalism discuss ways in which diversity in writing can be improved and the faults of literature in the past; how multiculturalism is practiced, interpreted, and criticized; and the act of writing.

if we had to throw into the sea all but fifteen Dylan songs, which would they be? If someone had never heard him before and you got fifteen songs to highlight his legacy, which would you choose?

Who hasn't heard of the Beatles? With a prolific catalogue of songs spanning the 60's, here are ten tracks that best capture the evolution of the boys from breakthrough pop act to revolutionary artists.

Norbit, Eddie Murphy's latest movie vehicle supporting his multi-cast appearances, is a puzzlingly lack-luster, predictable tale of failed marriage, half-baked romance and overdone scripts.

I know in my bones that a writing career is the path that's meant for me. Writing, you see, is the love of my life, and as with any love affair, ups and downs are inevitable.

Eight of rock and roll's best power trios square off in a single elimination tournament to determine who is best. Factors being considered include: Guitar, drums, bass, singing, songwriting, and more.

The five best albums of 2006 in my humble opinion. Includes reviews of Gnarls Barkley, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Killers, and approximtely two more.

These are the best toys to give to a one year old child.

A Preview of the end of the Caribbean pirates saga

The liberating power of love is a central theme in romantic comedies. The audience experiences the cathartic power of the genre by empathising with the lovers and their predicaments.

Call me old fashioned, but there are certain jewels in our cultural and literary heritage that you just do not take liberties with. William Wordsworth's 'Daffodils' has been 'updated' for the 21st century by being turned into a rap song.