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Back before Covid-19 shuttered theaters, courtroom dramas were a cinema staple. In Twelve Angry Men, Henry Fonda shines as Juror 8, trying to convince his fellow jurors the case they were considering wasn't so clear-cut. In A Few Good Men, Tom Cruise proves he could handle the truth while baiting Jack...

Thirty-five years ago, cartoonist Bill Watterson published the very first "Calvin and Hobbes" strip. Calvin, an irrepressible six-year-old who's surely destined for a therapist's couch or an orange jumpsuit (or both), tells his dad he's off to check his tiger trap: "I rigged a tuna...

The world of law enforcement lost a pioneer last week with the death of Gerald Shur. As a young prosecutor targeting what one member described as "a certain Italian-American subculture," he realized his informants would be more likely to testify on Monday morning if they...

Ambitious musicians have always looked for ways to monetize their name and fame. Sometimes the results fall short of a mic drop — usually half-baked restaurant "concepts." (Remember Kenny Rogers Roasters?) But today's artists — especially in the rap community — can be just as...

Coronavirus has upended nearly every aspect of American life, including of course sports. First was the chaos of interrupting leagues mid-season with no idea when, or if, they would ever return. Next was the oddity of playing games in arenas filled with cardboard cutouts of fans...

In 2004, Stephanie Meyer sparked a bona fide cultural phenomenon with her debut novel, Twilight, recounting the romance between 17-year-old schoolgirl Bella Swan and 109-year-old "vegetarian" vampire Edward Cullen. (He only drinks animal blood, not human.) The story spawned four books, five movies (because you've gotta...

One of the delights of living in America is the variety of local delicacies that different places champion as their own. Maine's lobster rolls serve up a briny mouthful of golden summer tucked into a lightly-toasted bun. Wisconsin is home to amazing cheeses: milk's bid...

Forty years ago this weekend, Orion Pictures released a comedy producers pitched as "Animal House on a golf course." The movie featured a scrappy bunch of misfit locals battling a group of rich snobs played by ad-libbing comedy legends. And while reviews were underwhelming, it went...

Coronavirus has millions of Americans rethinking where they choose to live, especially crowded cities. Back in February and March, New Yorkers led the charge, fleeing the petri dish that Manhattan had become to vacation homes in places like the Hamptons and Martha's Vineyard. Silicon Valley...

Colleges looking to compete for students have added new fields like cybersecurity, political campaign management, and even beer fermentation. (That last one seems a bit indulgent, given how many college students pursue rigorous self-study programs in malt beverages with no promise of academic credit at...