Articles written by Stanley W. Shura - Page 24

What is Helium

About me - Stanley W. Shura

I am very much enjoying writing again. I seem to gravitate toward the short form, which makes online writing a very good fit. I am primarily a poet and essayist, and dabble occasionally with the short story. I am verbose in my non-writing life as well, but

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Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Feeling like an outsider: 5 of 6

I do not merely feel like an outsider. I am an outsider. Well, to put it more literally, and alas, ironically, I am an "insider". This makes me rather different than the "top of the bell-curve" norm, as most people, in the context of their social interactions (which context is implied in this piece's title), are focused outwa... More..
Other Useless (but interesting) facts: 44 of 50
Did you know that...Koalas sleep an average of 22 hours a day?Bullfrogs never sleep?No frog of any kind drinks?Whiptail lizards are all female?Any number, squared, plus that number, plus the next sequential number, equals that next sequential number squared?Zero has no Roman Numeral?Odors have weight (mass)?"Look out below" o... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Constitutional & Contract Law California's Proposition 8: Negating the Constitution and the Bill of Rights: 8 of 9
Now that the 2008 presidential campaign season is over, and its corollary but no less significant processes of democracy in national, state and local politics having also concluded another season of reinforcing (or redefining!) the will of the majority, I am compelled, at least more consciously than usual, to ponder the impli... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Behavior & Discipline (Other) How to teach children compassion: 23 of 25

Before they ever acquire the verbal skills to express their thoughts, feelings, and *observations*, children are able to make sense of the world and judge what they see beyond what many adults may instincively predict. While they are not yet experienced or confident enough to have meta-awareness of their world - that is, a se... More..
Education > Educational Philosophy Differentiation of instruction in the classroom: 3 of 3
The ultimate goal of education is to nurture the process of learning how to learn. It is as simple and as complicated as that. The profession of formal education, especially in the "free and public" (read: taxpayer funded) stage that is K-12, ebbs and flows, waxes and wanes between the same extrema to and from which the pendu... More..
Business > Finance & Insurance The legality of paying using only pennies: 2 of 2
The matter of paying for something using pennies alone is not really one of legality. A penny is in fact legal tender. It's as legal and legitimate as a dollar, or a twenty dollar bill, or your credit card. One could argue, however, that it is rather discourteous, and not only a huge inconvenience for the recipient of your pa... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Your disrespect: 2 of 2
A FAITH AFFRONTED A face forgotten and feeling forlorn about faded fortune. Any future forboding as fairness forbidden at fickle fancy. All faith foresaken - another failure foregone. Again, fate is forejudged. Am I taken for granted? Are favors for sale ? Alas! For what? More..