Articles written by Michael Collins

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About me - Michael Collins

Michael Collins had no idea what he was going to do with his life until he was dragged, kicking and screaming and at the behest of his educators, until the wild and wooly lifestyle of the freelance writer. Cocktail parties followed; fountains of champagne

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Politics, News & Issues > News Industry Should the government control talk radio to make it more "balanced"?: 2 of 110
The question is: should the government control talk radio to make it more balanced?The answer is: unequivocally, no.The key word in the question is control. Before the onset of digital satellite radio, there were only so many frequencies on the dial that could be tuned into, and it was seen that at least some regulation was n... More..
Health & Fitness > Mental Health (Other) Is suicide a personal right?: 2 of 69
One of the most often-abused terms in our language, legal or otherwise, is the concept of a "right." Many people confuse a right with a whim, or an "is" with an "ought." Before anyone can ask whether anything is a "personal right" (as if there were any other kind!), one must make sure that they recognize what a right is, and ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Comic Books & Graphic Novels Superman versus Spiderman: The superior superhero: 1 of 22
Superman is more than Nieztche's ideal man, he's also the originator of the entire superhero culture. Before there was Batman's motivation to avenge his parents, and before Spiderman let guilt enslave him to sacrificing his time, education, sleep, and even girlfriend, there was Superman - doing what was right simply because i... More..
Entertainment > Celebrity Gossip & News Should Don Imus be allowed back on the air?: 1 of 18
Don Imus: a man who made a poor decision to make fun of a group of people by performing a terrible, stereotypical impression of a "nappy headed ho." The man has all the wit and sophistication of Beavis and/or Butthead. But since when did we forbid people with bad taste or despicable opinions from voicing them?There is no ques... More..
Politics, News & Issues > War & Peace Commentary: The effectiveness of the United Nations: 2 of 33
The United Nations is a schizophrenic organization that is about as effective as "The League of Nations" was. Every day in the United Nations building in New York, the UN officials are hard at work appeasing dictators, crippling economies and limiting freedoms.The Soviet Union, at the height of its totalitarian communist regi... More..
Food & Drink > Dining & Restaurants (Other) Should restaurants be required to list calories and fat grams on their menus?: 10 of 163
The idea that a restaurant should be forced to provide accurate and specific information about everything on their menu is ludicrous at best.How many of us actually look at the nutritional information on our meals, even ones that are pre-packaged and purchased by ourselves? Not many, I'll tell you, and the ones among us that ... More..
Home & Garden > Houseplants Beginner's guide to growing orchids: 1 of 12
Orchids are one of the most popular plants around, and with good reason: consisting of over 20,000 different species, the orchid family has countless options for the home gardener, and their ease of hybridization means that there are almost an infinite number of variations possible. Naturally, orchids tend to be a big draw fo... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Government & Policies Are gun control laws compatible with the Constitution's right to bear arms provisions?: 3 of 32
The second amendment is not only essential to allow those who cannot adequately defend themselves prevent their rights from being violated, but also to prevent the government from over-stepping their boundaries - a duty that, I don't have to tell you, many have neglected.The spirit of the second amendment was to keep the popu... More..
Hobbies & Games > Video Game Reviews Downloadable game reviews: Warbands: 1 of 10
Game Rating: 1/5Who would have thought a game about war could be so utterly boring?In "Warbands," by Stimulus Response Games, the player is a fresh-faced commanding officer in the rebel army fighting against the dastardly Muntu, who has conquered the country of Wardonia and enslaved its people. It sounds like a subject fit fo... More..
Hobbies & Games > Video Game Reviews Downloadable game reviews: Skin and Bones: 1 of 9
In "Skin and Bones," you play as both of the titular characters, "Skin," the young human, and "Bones," some sort of mixed-up skeletal zombie.The story, insofar as there is one, is that Skin and his inexplicably skinny buddy are both the pawns of a wizard who wants them to gather up all of the gems throughout a series of level... More..