Articles written by Nathan Hook - Page 2

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What is Helium

About me - Nathan Hook

I am a 36 year old New Zealander living in Minnesota USA and am happily married. I've been in the USA for 18 months and saw helium as another vehicle for expressing my ideas and opinions.

I've been expressing my thoughts for some years now and was a regular

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Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: War in Afghanistan: 1 of 8
"I owe you a beer, bro." One of the first things I noticed about Afghanistan was the terrain; in particular the numerous mountain chains which loomed over the populated areas like silent sentries. There was a permanent air of austere beauty within the barren mountains. They sat in defiance against the summer sun and winds, w... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Learning to play the guitar: 3 of 23
Learning to play the guitar can be one of the most rewarding experience, especially when you start to get a modicum of proficiency and can play well enough to strum along with your favorite artists or to entertain others. I have always found playing highly therapeutic and enjoyable. I picked up the guitar relatively late, at... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Justice System Would legalized dueling be a benefit to modern societies?: 2 of 15
At last, a topic worth debating! The answer, quite obviously is, yes. Indeed, let's dispense with the overly paid super stars of wrestling, football and the choreographed grappling in cage fighting - the gentleman's art of dueling is where it's at folks. Not since Hamilton and Burr has America truly and appropriately been ab... More..
Entertainment > Album Reviews Album reviews: 1984, by Van Halen: 1 of 7
1984 by Van Halen, borrowing the orwellian title of the same name saw the group rise in popularity but surprisingly was the last album from the groups original line up. The album combines more of their hard rock and metal sounds but also delivers their most successful single giving them popularity to a wider audience. The ba... More..
Entertainment > Musicians & Bands World's best guitarists: 8 of 50
Defining the world's best guitarist is a pretty challenging affair, since there are so many genre's and styles. From classical master Julian Breem to rock virtuoso Eddie Van Halen the number of guitarists who could make a top ten list is phenomenal. So, to make things a little easier I'll stick with popular' music, even thou... More..
Education > High School Humanities British English vs. American English: Spelling issues and beyond: 3 of 18
As a New Zealander living in the United States I am continually fumbling about with American versus British spelling since my home country is a former colony of Her Majesty's Government - the Queen that is, for the American audience. It may seem hard to believe that despite the similarities in spoken language there can be so... More..
Computers & Technology > Computer Maintenance Reasons not to try to rebuild old computers yourself: 1 of 6
Be very careful fixing up old computers as there are a large number of hidden traps which will cost you time and money. As mentioned in previous articles, if it is a label brand PC, you won't be able to swing down to your local computer retailer and pick out the parts you need and simply slot them in. Manufactured PC's will ... More..
Entertainment > Musicians & Bands Top 20 favorite singers of all time: 9 of 49
The ability to distinguish between the world's top pop singers is no easy task today, since so much electronic jiggery-pokery is a part of the final production. In a documentary I saw a few years ago a commentator observed that for every "boy-band" voice, there were 20-30 session musician voices over sampled in the final rec... More..
Sports & Recreation > NASCAR NASCAR vs. Formula One: 2 of 10
Nascar and Formula One, two of the world's most lucrative racing leagues. One, rather Euro-centric, yet with broad appeal throughout the world, and the other a rather grass roots American based form of racing with hordes of loyal fans. There are some similarities: the huge cash earnings by the sports owners and promoters, th... More..
Entertainment > Musical Instruments Guide to the best acoustic guitar brands: 1 of 5
Nestled amongst the crowded acoustic guitar racks of any respectable music or guitar shop you will find a few manufacturers names which really stand out from the ordinary. These aren't just guitars, they are hand crafted works which embody years of guitar technology and craftsman's manufacturing history to bring an unmistaka... More..