Articles written by Michael Strauss

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About me - Michael Strauss

I am looking forward to the day that I can say to myself, "I am a writer". At this point in my life, I have a single credit in the Sword & Sorcery published product "Relics and Rituals". I have also sold a single stock article on Helium. That is a start.

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Hobbies & Games > Card Games Best collectible card games: 1 of 8
In terms of worldwide popularity, yearly sales figures, name recognition and longevity of product line, only one collectible card game (CCG) can possibly claim the title of best collectible card game. Magic: The Gathering, created by Richard Garfield, and published by Wizards of the Coast is clearly the overall best collecti... More..
Health & Fitness > Healthy Living & Wellness Ten reasons you're sick of sex: 5 of 37
Sex is not necessary in every relationship. But a healthy sex life can often strengthen a healthy relationship. Similarly, if you sex life suffers, you relationship is likely to suffer with it. All too often people get sick of sex, even when they are enjoying it and enjoying their relationship. Here are ten things that ma... More..
Creative Writing > Novel Excerpts Novel excerpts: A mystery in NYC: 3 of 19
Kevin Stern had been to Paris seven times in his life. The first time was at the age of fourteen. As an immature teenager, he had been much more interested in the rumors his schoolyard buddies spread about French brothels than exploring the rich history of the venerable city. But surprisingly, he left the ci... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: The Goonies: 1 of 6
More of a cult classic than high art, The Goonies is responsible for a surprising number of iconic references and helped jump start the career of three well known actors. Written by Steven Spielberg and directed by Richard Donner, this 1985 comedy is a coming of age story filled with over the top action and adventure, and tha... More..
Hobbies & Games > Role Playing & War Games Gaming conventions: Tips for attending Gen Con: 1 of 6
The reason people attend a gaming convention is to have a good time. But, all too often, convention attendees discover that fatigue, poor scheduling, or unexpected costs spoiling that good time. As the largest gaming convention in the world, Gen Con has the potential to be incredibly fun, but also due to its size, standard ... More..
Hobbies & Games > Video Game Consoles & Accessories Does the unique control method for the Nintendo Wii make it a niche gaming system?: 1 of 5
The Nintendo Wii is probably the most unique gaming system released since the original Atari 2600. By the gaming market standards of even a few years ago, the Wii would be a niche gaming system. But, standards have changed rapidly in the gaming market, in part due to the introduction of the Wii. The immense increase of non... More..
Business > Starting a Business Ten franchises you can buy for less than $25k: 3 of 13
Owning and operating your own business can be a refreshing change from wage or salary work. But, it can also be difficult and expensive to get started. Franchises solve both problems by providing experienced help with starting a business and can be purchased for under $25,000. If you are currently planning to start your own f... More..
Education > College Study Tips What to do if you're failing a class in college: 4 of 16
"Everyone in this room was in the top ten percent of their class in high school. Ninety percent of you will not be in the top ten percent of this class." Those were the first words that my college advisor said to my incoming freshman class. The point of his declaration is that college is hard, much harder than high school. An... More..
Hobbies & Games > Role Playing & War Games Dungeons and Dragons character creation: Dice roll vs point buys: 1 of 4
When Dungeons & Dragons was first released in 1974, the rules provided for a single means to determine character attribute scores. Players were instructed to roll a normal 6-sided die three times in row, sum the results, and assign the value of the results, in order, to strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wi... More..
Hobbies & Games > Role Playing & War Games Dungeons and Dragons classes: The Rogue: 1 of 4
The rogue is a class that has evolved through the various editions of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). From basic D&D to 2nd edition AD&D, it was called the thief class and was primarily designed to fulfill specific non-combat duties. Unlike any other class in the game, a thief could climb, pick locks, pick pockets... More..