Articles written by Mark Hopkins

What is Helium

About me - Mark Hopkins

I live in Devon in the beautiful south west of England. I have an Honours Degree in Ancient and Medieval History from Birmingham University (UK) and 30 years teaching experience.

I've always been a bit unconventional. I tend to go my own way and try not to

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Arts & Humanities > Who & What is Helium Write a 60-second radio spot for Helium: 1 of 42
This to be done after the style of 'Wolfman Jack'.'A word now to all you writers and publishers out there. I'm talking about Helium. Not the gas, but Helium, 'the place where knowledge rules'. Writers, do you want your face in cyberspace? Check out Helium on www.helium.com and see how easy it is to become a published writer. ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Death Penalty Is the death penalty an effective crime deterrent?: 2 of 55
There does seem to be evidence that the death penalty acts as a deterrent to some people and for that reason it should be available to judges. In the UK the death penalty for murder was abolished early in the 1960s. Since then, murder has gone from being almost unheard of to being a daily affair, so routine as to be hardly ne... More..
Politics, News & Issues > International Politics (Other) Should the US continue to be the leader in world politics?: 4 of 57
To be a leader, one has to have followers. Since the disastrous Presidency of G.W.Bush began, the USA has shed 'followers' at a spectacular rate of knots, as traditional allies have distanced themselves from the agenda of the extreme group deciding policy in the States.Mr Bush himself must bear much of the responsibility. As ... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Childhood dreams: 2 of 27
The World was so much bigger then,And each day lasted longer,My dad was wise, my mom was kind,My brother was much stronger.I dreamed I would be happy once,With lots of friends around me,And pets and plants and flowers,No terrors to confound me.My childhood dream was of a WorldWhere no one starved or cried,I hoped we'd had eno... More..
Arts & Humanities > Middle Ages Biography: Elizabeth I of England: 1 of 11
'There was never a woman born, for all respects, as Queen Elizabeth, for she spoke and understood all languages, knew all estates and dispositions of princes and particularly was so expert in the knowledge of her realm and estate as no councillors she had could tell her what she knew not before'. So said William Cecil, Lord B... More..
Arts & Humanities > Political Philosophy The problems with Communism: 3 of 30
Karl Marx's analysis of History led him to conclude that all societies would evolve through various stages, from monarchy to aristocracy to oligarchy to industrial, at which point the downtrodden masses would rise up and seize control of the 'means of production'.Much of his research was done in Britain during the world's fi... More..
Arts & Humanities > African History The role of the chariot in Egypt's rise to power: 1 of 10
The Ancient Egyptian civilization extends over three thousand years and did not have a single 'rise to power'. The Old Kingdom and the Middle Kingdom periods were already over and the great pyramids were ancient before the chariot was known in Egypt.A period of instability known to Egyptologists as the 'Second Intermediate Pe... More..
Arts & Humanities > African History The role of Nelson Mandela in the fight against apartheid in South Africa: 1 of 9
''I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die''. On trial for high treason, this was Nelson Mandela's eloquent and d... More..
Sciences > Astronomy The history of the V-2 rocket: 1 of 9
The development of the V2 rocket carried with it the genesis of intercontinental ballistic missiles and space flight, yet it all began as an attempt to evade the limits imposed on Germany's heavy artillery after World War One.In the late 1920s Colonel Karl Becker of the German Army's Ordinance Office began to investigate the ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Politics in Latin America Biography: Che Guevara: 1 of 9
It is 50 years since Ernesto 'Che'Guevara was shot to death in the Bolivian jungle yet his face is recognized today by people in many countries. He has acquired iconic status. So who was he?He was born in Rosario Argentina in 1928, to a well to do family. In 1948 he went to Buenos Aires university to study Medicine. Whilst a ... More..