Articles written by Patrick Sills

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About me - Patrick Sills

I stumbled onto Helium by pure chance as I was browsing My Space in an attempt to promote my two novels. It didn't take long for me to become addicted to this site. To say that I have not enjoyed success as a novelist would be a gross understatement. I have

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Religion & Spirituality > Heaven, Hell & Afterlife Is Hell a real place or a metaphor to deter evil-doers?: 2 of 105
Hell is a metaphor created by man to deter evildoers. Conversely, Heaven is also a man-made metaphor to encourage righteousness. Religion is a defense mechanism created by humans to alleviate a fear of physical death. In essence, it is a form of organized behavioral modification designed to differentiate inherently good pe... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Lifestyles Is it better to live in the city or the country?: 1 of 41
While there are many who prefer the relative peace and solitude of country living, I prefer the city. I'll explain my reasons momentarily, but first I will present my definition of "'the country," for it may not be the same as yours.In my opinion, the country can include any small town classified as a village. We're talking a... More..
Relationships & Family > Divorce Psychology Why so many marriages end in divorce: 2 of 80
It is estimated that about half of all marriages today will end in divorce. You are reading correctly. When tying the knot, the statistical odds of staying together until death do you part are about 50/50. Why is this so? Should we be surprised? As a whole, our sense of morals has changed drastically in the past 40 years or... More..
Autos > Driving & Safety Driving in snow, ice and rain: 1 of 33
Driving in winter weather conditions takes a special skill, and if you live anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon line, it is essential to be educated in the ways of safely accomplishing this task. Unlike a clear, dry pavement found on a warm, sunny day, the season of winter in northern regions will bring snow, ice, or a combinat... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Constitutional & Contract Law Do mandatory seat belt laws violate individual rights?: 1 of 30
Mandatory seat belt laws violate one's right of privacy. This especially holds true when police officers randomly stop motorists to check for seat belt usage. This could be compared to entering a private dwelling without a search warrant and checking for illegal substances or copying someone's hard drive. It's just not eth... More..
Sciences > Astronomy Space exploration in the future: 1 of 27
The original Star Trek, which aired from 1966-1969, was and still is one of my favorite television shows of all time. Notwithstanding some corny special-effects and overacting on the part of the cast at times, this program provided our society with a positive vision of the future. A massive Starship capable of warping the tim... More..
Entertainment > Hollywood & Movie Industry Movie ratings: Should smoking be considered R-rated in films?: 2 of 42
It is simply ridiculous to suggest that motion pictures depicting smoking should be given an "R" rating. Whether you like to hear it or not, approximately 20% of the U.S. adult population is made up of smokers. A vain attempt to prevent those under 17 or 18 years of age from seeing people light up in the movies isn't going to... More..
Entertainment > TV News & Commentary What do we expect from an American Idol?: 1 of 20
American Idol is perhaps the most popular program within the landscape of reality television. Unlike Star Search, an earlier show with a somewhat similar yet simpler format featuring an eclectic variety of talent in many different disciplines, the sole objective of American Idol is to find the next new pop singer. Well, at le... More..
Relationships & Family > Crisis Support (Other) Reasons for choosing cremation instead of burial: 4 of 78
I lost both of my parents within a span of a year and a half. They were both cremated, and it is my wish for the same treatment of my body upon death. For centuries, graves have been a popular means of internment for the dead, yet there is no logic in spending obscene sums of money to put a deceased person into a casket which... More..
Sciences > Psychology Why some people are afraid of dying, and some aren't: 2 of 38
Death happens. We may be able to postpone it with healthy habits and by resisting risky or reckless behaviors, but ultimately, it can't be stopped. One day, each and every one of our lives will end, and there is nothing we can do about it. That's just the way it is. Our bodies were designed to last for a finite amount of tim... More..