Entries by Jeffrey Ian Ross

On the importance of Ted Robert Gurr’s WHY MEN REBEL

I periodically ask myself what are the top 10 books, movies, songs, pieces of visual art, television series, etc. that have influenced me and why? This exercise forces me to reexamine these items more closely, critically answer why I thought they were important, and why they may be better or worse than other creative works […]

Questioning graffiti and street art as acts of resistance

Over the past half century, not only has there been an increase in the amount and types of graffiti and street art appearing in large urban centers, but so too has attention paid to this type of urban public art. One of dominant questions, however, that pervades this activity is why do people and groups […]

Pasta, Pappardelle, and the Perils of Overconfidence

One of the earliest dishes I learned to prepare was spaghetti. My efforts involved opening up a can of Chef Boyardee, and heating it up in a sauce pot. Soon I gravitated to boiling supermarket bought packaged dried pasta, warming up a can or jar of spaghetti sauce, placing it on top of the drained […]

The importance of earning a certification, degree, diploma, and education from a respected accredited school or organization

Numerous organizations offer skills certification, practical training, or undergraduate or graduate level degrees. Undoubtedly some of these entities are better than others. But how does one determine which school, instructor, or trainer best suits their needs to receive appropriate instruction or a respectable education from without having to fork over lots of resources (i.e., money, […]