Articles written by Elaine Arthur

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About me - Elaine Arthur

I am a native of Long Island, NY, where I came of age somewhere between Sputnik and the first Space Shuttle. After studying Marketing and Advertising at Hofstra University and the City U. of New York, I relocated to the South. I am a Unitarian Universalist

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Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms What it means to be a woman over 40 in the new millennium: 7 of 133
"Over 40" what a nice, open-ended phrase. I am, indeed, over 40, but in just over a year, I'll be 50. Ten years ago, if you'd asked me about any of this, I would have been unable to answer. Up to about age 40, I drifted, believing that good things would simply come my way. That was the mindset I was raised with, by loving blu... More..
Jobs & Careers > Office Politics Dealing with abusive bosses: 2 of 31
Approximately ten years ago, I worked for a small insurance agency, with a president who could best be described as Southern-Fried Taliban. He was a strong-willed, old-fashioned, opinionated chap, who eternally suspected my motives, because I was, as he termed it, "a divorcee." Once the job as office manager became permanent,... More..
Sciences > Disease & Illness Could the AIDS virus be viewed as a natural way to stabilize population growth?: 2 of 24
Overpopulation? The scourge of the modern age. As a person who came of age in the 1970s, I can look back with a fair amount of perspective on the subject of overpopulation. Nearly every social ill, from crime, to pollution, to factory farming, stems from unchecked population growth. So any time someone makes even a "modest pr... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: 2 of 18
"You can be as mad as a mad dog at the way things went. You could swear, curse the fates, but when it comes to the end, you have to let go." "You never know what's coming for you." If these lines sound like something Forrest Gump might have said, it's probably because Eric Roth, screenwriter for the 1993 film that won Tom Ha... More..
Arts & Humanities > Horror, Mystery & Suspense The best mystery novel series for adults: 2 of 16

My nominee for best mystery novel series for adults would be Rex Stout's collection of Nero Wolfe stories. This extensive series of 33 novels and 39 short stories was nominated Best Mystery Series of the Century at Bouchercon 2000, the world's largest mystery convention. Rex Stout was nominated Best Mystery Writer of the Cent... More..
Sciences > Atmosphere & Weather Lightning conductors and thunderclouds: 1 of 8
Most of us understand, at the most basic level, that being struck by lightning is something to be avoided. In the first place, we know that the massive concentration of electrical energy (125,000,000 volts in a single stroke) can fry us as surely as "Old Sparky" at the state prison.But the person who manages to survive a ligh... More..
Business > Advertising Do ads that use sex to sell their products degrade women?: 7 of 48
Sy Syms, of his self-named clothing chain, says "An educated consumer is my best customer." Anyone who stares at an ad, and believes its promises to transform your life and self-image with the swipe of a credit card, needs to get educated! In an ideal world, a TV viewer can watch the cavorting actors and actresses, cruising ... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Religion & Spirituality (Other) Should one's faith influence a citizen's vote?: 24 of 126
The intelligent voter should be able to look past the facade of faith. Nowadays, there are few political candidates who can resist the urge to don the cloak of piety (or "spirituality") in an attempt to make the opposition look like an amoral heathen. George W. Bush may be the first president ever to openly push his administr... More..
Relationships & Family > Friendship Drama & Issues When and how to end a friendship: 22 of 113
One issue in the matter of friendship that is often overlooked is change. If you can be objective, sit back and analyze the different degrees to which people tolerate change in their relationships. One pair of friends, since age 10. One is passionately interested in current affairs, and her socio-political views are set in st... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Stress: 1 of 5
I have never been a technical wizard. My two younger daughters have a computer, and aside from asking them to print out recipes and e-mails from family, I steer clear of it. My talents don't extend far beyond turning on a light switch and handling the remote control. This is why one day in late July of 1999, I impatiently wai... More..