Hello, I'm glad you stopped by.

My name is Mona, but Helium members call me Pii.

I'm a freelance writer just venturing out into the world at large. My first newspaper article came about when I was in the fifth grade and I've been writing ever since, but up until recently, in a limited capacity for nine-to-five organizations.

In the time that I've been with Helium I've seen some wonderful and positive changes. The quality of writing has improved and the word count has been raised to the present 400 to 1500 word standard article length.

The better part of my career was in manufacturing as a planner, engineer, project manager and materials manager where the bulk of my writing revolved around business reports, procedural, and instructional manuals. Writing was a byproduct and not the centerpiece of my efforts.

Switching gears, my last four years of work was in the health care industry, then I took early retirement as it seemed a good time to leave the nine-to-five work world and participate in my own life.

I joined Helium the first week in March in 2007 for the opportunity to write and be read and rated by peers and for a new kind of audience on the Internet.

Members often ask if you can earn money on Helium. Helium contests are a great source of income building and also the driving force that allowed me to build a bank of over 800 articles here. Marketplace is another excellent source of income when topics meet up with your knowledge.

Publications:

I have one published work, a book of short stories and poetry co-authored with online friends. Marketplace publishers have also selected eleven of my articles for publication. Unfortunately, only those from a certain date in 2008 are listed on my Marketplace Badge.

As writers, we give voice to our perspective as we look at life and the world around us. These are the things we share from the heart in our articles, poetry, and short stories. We hope they inform, or touch someone with hope or laughter.

You may contact me through this site by the contact a writer button if you have questions or comments.

Words to live by:

"Potential was meant to be spent. The worst thing you can do is die with potential." Henry Cloud Ph.D.

My passion is ...

family and beliefs

I know too much about ...

nothing

My parents always told me ...

time doesn't wait for you

My childhood ambition ...

looking for more time

My favorite memory ...

as a child, wandering the countryside without a care

Why I write ...

I'm passionate about my writing

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

Reading, "The Secret Things of God" by Henry Cloud PhD

My first job ...

caregiver for an elderly woman, while in High School

My best moment ...

hasn't arrived as yet

My inspiration ...

the love of my Creator, my history, my heritage.

Business > Business News & Issues How ethanol and biofuels threaten our economy

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Ethanol is billed as the answer to a clean environment with fewer carbon emissions with burning fuel, but it's more expensive to manufacture and government subsidies are necessary to keep the industry afloat. Land, normally used for growing crops, is currentlu used for growing crops for ethanol production in a global meltdown economy where food shortages are predicted worldwide.

Ethanol is bleeding the struggling economy and the payback is questionable. It doesn't increase gas mileage and since there's not as much energy in ethanol, it actually deceases energy efficiency. Ethanol is more ...

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Writing:

Rating:

• Marketplace Premier Writer
• 8Writing Contest Winner
• 7Marketplace Articles Sold