Articles written by Maxwell Hammer

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What is Helium

About me - Maxwell Hammer

I don't write because I love it or even like it. It's more like an addiction that I have no control over. I've tried to stop, but can't seem to do it.

Fame is bad so I don't want people to know too much about me.

I do, however, welcome comments. You can email

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Society & Lifestyle > Racism Racism in America: 25 of 130
When I was young, I didn't know I was white. My Mom was a single mother in the south in the early 70's. We didn't have any place to live for awhile so my Aunt took us in. They were poor and the neighborhood they lived in had been a lower class white area but it was rapidly becoming a lower class black area. So it was filled ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Political Philosophy The relationship between violence and political power: 4 of 13
I don't believe that sociopaths exist. Everyone has to have emotions deep down. They may be actors and liars and horrible people. But they all feel deep down inside. If they are evil it's because they cause others pain. I believe that evil is more likely to exist than a sociopath. Because it's all outside isn't it? We see th... More..
Entertainment > TV Genres & Trends The history and evolution of television: The 1960s and 1970s: 6 of 16
The 60's and 70's were the true golden age of television. Sure, some old folks will say it was the 50's, but how could that be? They hadn't even invented reruns yet. Did you know that the entire cast of The Beverly Hillbillies made almost nothing off the show? They got paid their salary, but when the show was over that's all... More..
Politics, News & Issues > International Politics (Other) The decline of the US as a world power: 19 of 47
20 Billion dollars for an upgrade to air traffic control that would make all the planes run on time? Why, we can't do that, that's almost 6 more months in Iraq! And what about all the money we need to spend on roads and bridges? Having all the bridges checked would cost as much as a day in Iraq. We need to subdue them so we ... More..
Entertainment > TV Genres & Trends Is television worth watching?: 23 of 49
Television: There's always something on. What's the point of TV? Marshall McLuhan said "The medium is the message." But what's the message? I've been watching for years and never figured it out. It always seems like any minute something will emerge. Some pattern will be made clear. That somehow there was some deeper meaning ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Fantasy & Science Fiction Book reviews: The Dune series, by Frank Herbert: 3 of 5
I might have been as old as 12 when I read Frank Herbert's Dune. I think it was after the movie came out, but I didn't see the movie until years later, when it came out on VHS. It wasn't like today. Now the dvd comes out the same week the movie isn't showing in the theaters, but not then. Even though I hadn't seen the movie ... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Asian Culture A guide to modern Japanese culture: 7 of 11
Some of the J-pop you should hear. I'm a fan of the Shibuya style that was big a few years ago. I understand that's not the big thing in Nippon now, but I'm not sure what's replaced it. But just a quick note on some of the things I think you should hear. Later maybe an article with more detail. This music is pop from an alte... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Theories of Spirituality Mind and body connection: Do we have a soul: 27 of 34
I had a cat die tonight, about an hour ago. We noticed it was sick and listless today, but after the vet had closed, unfortunately. We thought we would take it to the vet the first thing in the morning. That didn't work out. We kept him by the bed on an old pillow tonight. He's normally an outside cat but it's cold out in ad... More..
Entertainment > Music Business How the music industry is killing itself: 9 of 11
How the music industry cut it's own throat. Throughout most of the 80's the Major Labels were all about consolidation. Top 40 was their invention. What they wanted was everything neat and divided up easily. They wanted to be able to tell people that these are the top R&B songs. These are the top country songs. These are the ... More..
Entertainment > Movie Remakes & Adaptations Best movie adaptations of books: 41 of 49
I saw the movie first. I didn't even know that About a Boy had been a book. The story in both is almost the same. Mostly it's almost the same. The movie is set in current times, but the book is set in the early 90's, just before Kurt Cobain died. A major plot point hinges on Cobain's death. The character of Toyah is much mor... More..