Articles written by Paul Schingle

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About me - Paul Schingle

Music, travel and friends. Anything beyond that is gravy.

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Entertainment > Musicians & Bands What is your favorite band and why?: 2 of 219
While I do have a favorite band of all time, it's kind of unfair to have to answer a question like this. I'd like to think I have pretty eclectic tastes in music. I grew up in the "classic rock" era and, in fact, the band I'm going to name is from there, but my tastes have expanded. I've become a blues fan and, especially in ... More..
Pets & Animals > Animal Rights & Issues Is euthanasia of cats and dogs sometimes the most compassionate option?: 1 of 64
I really can't believe that anyone who claims to be a pet lover would write for the other side. I suppose you could say that animal lovers who care wouldn't want to see an animal put down, but I believe that to be selfish. I guess one could take the stance that putting your pet down may make you feel better and seem compassio... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Christian Holidays & Celebrations Jesus vs. Santa: Give back its true meaning to Christmas: 1 of 55
I like to start this argument the same way, whether debating with a friend verbally, or writing in the abstract-I'm not a very religious guy. Anyone who's read any of my other stuff for helium would know that. That said, I think Santa Claus has been consistently defeating Jesus at Christmas time for at least three generations... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues Racial inequality or oppression: Do they truly exist in today's society?: 1 of 50
While I agree with the notion that everyone shows prejudice, and probably shows it on a regular basis, I disagree with the notion that everyone is a racist. Perhaps I'm making too fine a distinction but there is a difference. Prejudice, from the Latin (to pre-judge), means to make assumptions based on appearances. The assumpt... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues Are high taxes on cigarettes fair?: 1 of 49
My reasoning on this one is a bit different than many of the others who support a higher cigarette tax. It so happens that I smoke. I don't particularly want the cost to go up, but I do support a higher tax-if the tax is used for a specific purpose. (For instance, I support higher taxes on the price of gasoline as long as the... More..
Pets & Animals > Dog Psychology What is your dog thinking about?: 1 of 44
I've owned a number of dogs over the years. I think one thing you can say about dogs in general is, they're pretty much just thinking about their own needs. On Maslow's hierarchy of needs, not many dogs make it past level two-okay, to be fair, maybe level three. Dogs do tend toward the affectionate. All in all, dogs are real... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Christian Beliefs & Culture Judas Iscariot: Good guy vs. bad guy?: 1 of 37
Ever since I was a little kid I always thought that Judas got kind of a raw deal. I don't really know that Judas was necessarily a good guy, but I write for this side because I definitely don't believe that he's a bad guy. If the mythology is true, then Jesus had to die on the cross "for our sins." If you read the interaction... More..
Politics, News & Issues > News (Other) Should women who are arrested for prostitution have their names and addresses published in a local newspaper?: 1 of 37
Let's start this debate from a legal standpoint. You can't stop a newspaper from publishing names of persons accused of committing crimes. I know of towns that are small enough where they publish the names of people accused of petit larceny (shoplifting). You can't stop the papers from doing it, but is it right? I try to look... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues What are civil liberties?: 1 of 34
Simply put, civil liberties are freedoms that are supposed to be afforded everyone, just by virtue of being a member of the human race. We all know it doesn't necessarily work out that way. There are countries who would deprive their citizenry of some basic human rights, but the definition of civil liberties is just that-free... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Heaven, Hell & Afterlife Concepts of Heaven and Hell: 2 of 60
The concepts of Heaven and Hell are pretty similar from one religion to another. The goal, for most, is to get into Heaven and the other goal, for all presumably, is to avoid Hell. How one gets to where they're going is what divides the religions. Having grown up in Western culture, it's easiest to define the Christian concep... More..