Articles written by Janet Pieterse

What is Helium

About me - Janet Pieterse

There are no boring subjects, only boring writers.

In my 25-odd years as an advertising copywriter, that little maxim was drilled into me. Likewise, I drilled it into writers who worked under my supervision.

And now, I'm passing that little gem onto you.

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Computers & Technology > Computer Maintenance Computer performance: Why a paid-for registry cleaner is better than a free one: 1 of 13
There are many excellent programs that are entirely free. Why should a registry cleaner be any different? The short answer is, most of the excellent free programs are for Linux, which is in itself free. Linux doesn't use a registry. The registry is exclusively Windows, and is probably the most important reason why Windows ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Guide to general improvement of your writing: 4 of 42
Writing is as much a craft as it is an art. If you're a novice, you can improve your writing dramatically by learning the skills of the craft. Just as you wouldn't sit down and dash off a quick quilt and expect to get something beautiful, so too you shouldn't dash off a quick article. You need to spend time with it, plann... More..
Health & Fitness > Emotional Health & Wellbeing Tips on confronting stress: 2 of 11
Stress is as old as the human race. Our bodies prove it: we have an in-built stress reaction. In the face of danger, an instant flood of adrenaline and energy gives us almost superhuman powers. It's stress that gives mothers the strength to lift cars off trapped babies; stress that gives people the agility to leap over impos... More..
Food & Drink > Food & Drink (Other) How foodies use the Internet: 7 of 30
The one single important reason foodies use the Internet, is to find - and mingle with - other foodies. The Internet is about communities, after all. Before the Internet, being a foodie could be quite lonely. While friends and family would happily queue up for meals at your home, who was there to "talk food" to? Especially... More..
Health & Fitness > Sleep Disorders Common sleep disorders and how you can get a good night's rest: 4 of 16
Dr. Rudolph Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy, predicted in 1920 that we would see an epidemic of sleep disorders by the end of the century. He was right. About a third of the population of the United States suffers from insomnia in any one year, and more than 10 million people take prescription medicine to help them slee... More..
Health & Fitness > Diet Programs What is a low-carb diet?: 1 of 4
When people think of low-carb diets, their first thoughts run to any of the popular commercial diets from best-selling books, designed to sell you low-carb products. Low-carb protein bars packed with artificial sweeteners particularly spring to mind. A true low-carb diet, one designed by an experienced dietician, is nothin... More..
Computers & Technology > Spyware & Adware How to prevent your PC from being infected with spyware: 11 of 42
Sometimes, the Internet can be like a shark-infested sea. On the outside, it looks cool, attractive and inviting. But when you dive in... oops! The world is full of con artists and fraudsters. They've found ways to exploit the innocent everywhere, and the Internet is no different. It doesn't take much to get a secret progr... More..
Computers & Technology > Computer Buying Tips How to choose a computer: 10 of 37
Choosing a computer is much like buying shoes: you have to know what you want them for. You're going to be very uncomfortable trying to dance in running shoes, for example, or go long-distance hiking in your office brogues. Computers aren't quite as specific, luckily, so you don't need a collection of them. Also, you can u... More..
Computers & Technology > Internet Access & Providers Using broadband effectively: Are you up to speed?: 10 of 36
Broadband has changed the way we live. Want a movie or music? Download it. Want to talk to someone on the other side of the world? Use internet telephony. Want to play a game with real people? Log into a game site. Want to see the house where your friend lives? Mouse on over. And you do it all for a fixed monthly fee. Broadb... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Advice for new writers: 26 of 88
If you're new to writing, there's no reason why your work can't be as good as - or better than - the work of someone who's been writing for years.All the reader sees is the written word. It speaks for itself. In my days of working in a large advertising agency, we often had junior copywriters joining us. I can't think of a... More..