Articles written by Michael Lane

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About me - Michael Lane

Happily coupled, middle-aged, recently transplanted to New York City, back in school, under-employed, lost and found, warring with myself at all times.

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Politics, News & Issues > News Industry Journalism: Craft or profession?: 3 of 13

The importance of the telling detail cannot be underestimated. In it lies the difference between merely telling a story and bringing a story to life. It can illustrate a scene as clearly as a photograph, and in so doing it propels the reader into the event, coloring his imagination with sensory experiences; the sights and sou... More..
Arts & Humanities > Artists & Artwork Robert Henri and the eight "apostles of ugliness": 1 of 3

Although viewed by hundreds of thousands of Americans, the Armory Show of 1913 created a backlash against the modernist movements in art and stirred a jingoistic response for a return to realism, theretofore the dominant form, in the US. Edward Hopper is one of the better-known artists who emerged from the Ashcan School, "a r... More..
Politics, News & Issues > News Industry The bias of mainstream media: 30 of 71

There has been no shortage of comparisons between America's war with Vietnam and its current war with Iraq. But while similarities exist in the political arena, the differences in media coverage of the wars are many. Journalists during the Vietnam era offered honest, unflattering accounts of US diplomatic and military activit... More..
Arts & Humanities > Colonial & Early American History Assessing America's founders and their values: 3 of 7

A great debate continues in America, one that was launched even before the states were truly united. In those days, the founding fathers often argued amongst themselves about the advantages and disadvantages of sanctioning a state religion. Many of those distinguished gentlemen were of the opinion that religious freedom, incl... More..
Politics, News & Issues > News Industry Commentary: The media's obligation to the public: 5 of 11

"What is the social responsibility of a media company? Surely, to tell the truth. To accord people a general expectation of privacy and dignity. To expose wrongs, but equally to allow that no-one is perfect. To entertain, for sure, but also to inform. And also to avoid conflicts of interest." These words were written in the o... More..
Local Guides > New York City Hotel reviews: The Chelsea Hotel, New York City: 1 of 1

The neighborhood known as Chelsea, like the rest of New York City, is home to a hodgepodge of architectural styles. No specific examples dominate the streets of Chelsea, although there are probably a greater number of Art Deco and Greek Revivalist buildings than anything else. There exists at least one instance of the Queen A... More..
Arts & Humanities > Art Appreciation Art interpretation: Terror and tragedy, by Graydon Parris: 1 of 1

Many artists have tackled the difficult subject of the attacks of September 11th, and more often than not their reasons were likely to express a personal response to the tragedy, as artists are wont to do. In Graydon Parrish's "The Cycle of Terror and Tragedy: September 11, 2001," we are given the opportunity to view a commis... More..
Entertainment > Movie Analysis Movie analysis: Once Upon a Time in America (1984): 1 of 1

Time moves in a forward motion, and because of that, every decision carries consequences that cannot be undone. The best one can do is to examine the resulting available options and make still another choice in an attempt to improve his circumstances. 1984's Once Upon a Time in America bears out the truth of how choices infor... More..
Arts & Humanities > 19th Century US History Style differences in the early history of American journalism: 1 of 1

When reviewing notable journalistic works, it is always prudent for the reader to keep in mind the era in which each piece was written. Professional practices and writing styles have experienced considerable changes over the years. Journalists of the modern era give greater credence to objectivity, sourcing, and facts and sta... More..
Entertainment > Movie Analysis Movie analysis: The Pawnbroker: 1 of 1

The casualties of war are not limited to the deaths it causes; they extend to the ruined lives of its survivors. In the 1965 film entitled The Pawnbroker, director Sidney Lumet tackles the dramatic subject of the holocaust and introduces his audience to Sol Nazerman, the personification of a 20th century tragedy a concentrati... More..