Ealasaid's Columns and Essays

I often think better when I'm writing - probably because writing forces me to structure my thoughts into coherent form - and as a result, I sometimes will sit myself down and write a column or essay about something that's on my mind. Or, more commonly, I'll use an assignment for a class to work through something. The results of both processes may be found here. Enjoy!

Note: there are also some columns of mine in the Travel section.

Opinion Writing Written for my course in Opinion Writing, these columns are, I feel, the best I wrote all quarter. Blame Canada? A meditation on the jailing of an author in Canada. Child Pornography How's that for a topic? Faith in the Separation of Church and State Bush's Faith-Based Charaties initative is dangerous. Ick! Thoughts on gore in movies. What did Costner do? Did Kevin Costner do something horrible to the film critics in the US? I am a Fan. Yes, it's true. Find out why. (also linked from my Fan pages)

Essays and Academic Writing Various subjects, some for school, some not. The Earl of Rochester (Spring 2000) My Honors Thesis on my favorite poet of all time. Part of my Rochester Fansite. Film Reviewing (Spring 2001) My Masters' Project, a magazine-style article examining the nature of film reviewing. Blind Biographers: The Invention of Erich von Stroheim (Winter 2000) My term paper for History of Film, Part I. An examination of director/actor Erich von Stroheim's creation of his past.