Articles written by Harry Lamer

What is Helium

About me - Harry Lamer

Writer, philosopher, rebel without due cause - that is what I am. I hail from the little island of Singapore. I think, ergo, I write, ergo, I am.

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Religion & Spirituality > Atheism & Agnosticism Atheism as a religion: 1 of 34
Imagine if one day atheism is to be officially declared a religion. It will mean that technically, every single person in this world is religious!Atheism is not a religion, simply because no one really considers it as such. The idea of atheism as a religion is just that - an idea; a thought; a hypothetical question of maybe, ... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Religion & Spirituality (Other) Should one's faith influence a citizen's vote?: 10 of 307
The crux to this entire debate, I suspect, lies in the difference between faith and religion.Certainly, what one believes in should have some influence on the choices in life, including something as secular as voting. The problem arises when members of a certain faith, or should I say religion, will only vote for someone of t... More..
Sports & Recreation > English Soccer Soccer: Comparing Liverpool and Manchester United: 1 of 29
Comparing Manchester United and Liverpool is a little like comparing Glamour & Glory with Heart & Soul.Here are two of the biggest and most popular clubs in England, and certainly the most successful in the history of English football. Yet the ideologies behind these two clubs - from the fans, players to the managers,... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Politics in Asia The enduring crisis with China and Taiwan: 1 of 17
If there is to be one China, which China should it be? Unfortunately, in the current political climate, there can be no question as to what the answer will be. And yet, strangely enough, the course of history somehow sees fit to throw up an altogether different and compelling answer.In the years following WWII, a titanic stru... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US News Reflections: Virginia Tech school shooting: 7 of 106
I look at the accounts of all the writers who have contributed to this title, and I feel an overwhelming sadness that accompanies most of these writers in the wake of the 33 deaths at Virginia Tech.But worse than that, I feel both sick and sorry that there are actually those here who advocate gun ownership like they would hav... More..
Arts & Humanities > Ethics Is committing suicide wrong: 10 of 107
Life is one great adventure. Would anyone ever want to give it up without finding out what will happen in the end? When the alternative is nothingness, why not stick it out and hope for the best? Life is full of hope, isn't it?When someone decides to put an end to his or her life, no one can truly understand how he or she is ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Ethics Is honesty really the best policy?: 9 of 76
I don't know about honesty being the best policy, but it would certainly be a general rule of thumb, though not necessarily the golden rule.The reality though is that honesty can sometimes be very taxing. Sometimes we find it better to deviate a little from the truth. These are the proverbial little white lies no real harm do... More..
Food & Drink > Dining Etiquette Different styles of Japanese food and restaurants: 1 of 8
Dining in a Japanese restaurant can be an out of the world experience, especially if you are not familiar with Japanese culture. The sight alone of sliced raw fish accompanied only with Japanese soy sauce and this green pasty wasabi will be something bordering on the exotic, if it doesn't actually eject you from your seat. If... More..
Politics, News & Issues > International Politics (Other) Should England have granted knighthood to Salman Rushdie, given his troubled reputation in the Muslim world?: 3 of 22
Somehow, it seems that the question concerning Salman Rushdie's knighthood should always hinge on the fortunes and controversy surrounding just one book. That should not be the case, but sadly is.In order to understand why Rushdie has been conferred this title, one must recognise his literary contributions as a whole, and not... More..
Relationships & Family > Humor & Laughter Joke-telling 101: Timing is crucial: 1 of 7
Joke-telling is an art. It is. It takes showmanship - the ability to draw your audience into the story, to make them want to listen for more, to find out what happens next. Then you deliver the punchline.That's what timing is all about. It is about knowing when to drop the bombshell, whether your audience is ready for it or n... More..