Articles written by Ian W.

What is Helium

About me - Ian W.

I have finished my BA in English and am now looking forward to using that degree. Where it will take me, I do not know, so if anyone has any suggestions they are welcome.

I am also interested in politics and current events, and am apalled by the state of the

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Entertainment > Celebrity Gossip & News Should Paris Hilton get one million dollars to tell her jailhouse story on NBC?: 1 of 26
I feel kind of dirty even writing about Paris Hilton, let alone arguing for why she should receive one million dollars to tell her story to NBC, but the reason is simple; this is America, and in America anyone can make money off of fabricated celebrity. It's becoming one of the fastest growing professions.Seriously, NBC is wi... More..
Politics, News & Issues > War in Iraq Reflections: War in Iraq: 1 of 18
After one of the bloodiest weekends ever in Iraq, in which over 220 people were killed as the result of car bombings, suicide bombings, and shootings, Iraqi civilians have decided that they've had enough. They have lost confidence in the ability of Iraq's security forces to protect them and bring peace to the shattered countr... More..
Politics, News & Issues > People in the News Michael Vick: Is he a criminal for promoting dog fighting?: 21 of 111
Of course Michael Vick is a criminal for promoting dog fighting. The last time I checked, dog fighting was illegal, and anyone involved in the promotion of illegal activities is a criminal. By using his celebrity and influence to get people to come to the atrocious spectacle that is dog fighting, Vick committed a crime. He br... More..
Arts & Humanities > Poets & Poetry Can 'bad' poetry have value?: 2 of 10
It is tempting to answer yes to this question, as it does appear that "bad" poetry can have some value, but I question the validity of that so called value. Those who answer yes to this question will say things like: "there is no bad poetry, only badly written poetry;" and "bad poetry allows us to see what good poetry is;" an... More..
Politics, News & Issues > News Industry Should the media be giving Paris Hilton so much attention?: 14 of 56
Paris Hilton is not a celebrity. She is in fact, a celebutante, which means that she gained fame due to Internet porn tapes and family recognition. True, the Hiltons could not have hoped to get as much media attention on their own (after all, how juicy is the legacy of hotel moguls without the "youthful indiscretions of their... More..
Business > Business News & Issues The US 7-11 convenience store chain adopts the Kwik-E-Mart name and products from the Simpson's TV show: Good business or a new low for American culture?: 1 of 4
Ever since Star Wars, and maybe Planet of the Apes (the original one with Heston, baby) movie merchandising has become a part of the American summer blockbuster culture. Big Hits like Tim Burton's Batman and flops like The Hulk all had deals with fast food restaurants, branding their image on innumerable cups and happy meal t... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Bush Administration Dick Cheney: the fourth branch of government?: 1 of 4
Dick Cheney has come under increased scrutiny lately because he refuses to submit to an independent oversight committee on the handling of classified information. This refusal is in direct opposition to an executive order President Bush issued in March, 2003. The order was made to enable the tracking of classified information... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Elections (Other) Should photo identification be required to vote?: 3 of 11
Requiring photo id for voting sounds like a good idea on the surface level. For one, it seems like it should help abolish voter fraud. After all, if we require a government issued photo id for voting, it will be that much harder to commit voter fraud. Also, it seems like just a small inconvenience that would not really matter... More..
Entertainment > Movie Genres Do adult TV cartoons, like the Simpsons, undermine cultural values?: 6 of 21
Adult cartoon shows do not undermine cultural values. What they do, however, is expose a lot of inappropriate cultural values in a satirizing and important way. Good comedy, like the Simpsons and to a lesser extent Family Guy, takes the ridiculousness of the real world, and uses that information to make a statement within a f... More..
Politics, News & Issues > War in Iraq The Pentagon reports rising violence throughout Iraq: Who's to blame?: 11 of 38
It is clear to see that the United States is the responsible party for the increase in violence in Iraq over the past few months. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first reason is the troop surge. We have deployed almost 30,000 additional troops to Iraq in an attempt to stem the violence and create some stability fo... More..