Articles written by Frances Laing

What is Helium

About me - Frances Laing

I'm a freelance writer, journalist and blogger. My focus is people and the environment.

I write challenging, investigative features and articles as well as the ones about people enjoying themselves with travel, tourism, nature and their gardens. I try to

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Politics, News & Issues > News Industry Making informed decisions on whether to trust the media: 2 of 56
Can you trust the 'media'? I've got some pointers here for you:1. The first thing to remember, is actually, there is no such thing as 'the media' as a faceless, blanket entity. There are journalists, reporters, photographers, multi-media specialists, press officers, investigative reporters, celebrity columnists...and they're ... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Feeding & Breastfeeding Breastfeeding tips: 1 of 23
I breastfed my daughter successfully full-time for six months. At that point when she started solids I breastfed her morning and night for the following eighteen months. During that time she was hardly ever ill and now, aged three she has the most amazing attitude to food - she really enjoys it. Here are my top breastfeeding ... More..
Computers & Technology > Computers & Technology (Other) Does technology impoverish the mind?: 3 of 53
Far from it. Technologies, especially complex technologies like the Internet and computers can serve as a hugely important mental stimulus for us all.Monotony is not good for the brain or the soul. Repetitive tasks when taken to extremes can prove to be exhausting and even depressing. Working on a production line or a conveyo... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Being a German: 1 of 16
I've spent ten years of my life in Germany and I speak fluent German (although perhaps now a little slower than I used to). I first went to Germany when I was sixteen, spent holidays on and off there and then worked there and returned to the U.K. fifteen years later. I also studied German Studies as my first degree. I feel th... More..
Arts & Humanities > Internet Writing & Blogging How to get more comments on your blog: 1 of 15
I now have four blogs and I've been blogging for over a year.The challenges concerned with getting more comments can be divided into two groups: First - The technical challenges and second: how to communicate with your readers(the tone of your writing) Bear in mind though, that both communication and technical issues are inev... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Personal Morals & Values Why we make mistakes: 19 of 236
We make mistakes for two reasons. One, because we're human. And two, because making mistakes is a fundamental part of any learning process - and we're all still learning all the time.If you have children, or work with them you get a chance to see this process at close quarters. Watch a small child learning to walk and maybe y... More..
Computers & Technology > Internet Trends Getting started with podcasting: 1 of 12
Prepare and define your subject area carefully A pod cast is usually fairly short (for a beginner - five or ten minutes is plenty). It may sound like an obvious point but - don't expect yourself to be able to analyse the complete works of Shakespeare. Find a subject area which you can comfortably cover in the time you have a... More..
Business > Marketing Using blogs as PR tools: 1 of 11
Blogs hold tremendous and exciting potential as PR tools. The U.K. is way behind the States in thinking about this - (and I'm speaking as a Brit, here). I've found the biggest hurdle you're going to face initially if you're a PR person is persuading your senior management that creating a blog is the way to go.And the next one... More..
Computers & Technology > Website Reviews Website reviews: Youtube.com: 3 of 28
Youtube.com encapsulates everything that is good (or bad) about the Internet.It's a simple idea and a good design for a site. On the one hand, I love Youtube. I'm a retro music freak. Where else can you get access to those rarely seen and beautiful blasts from the past like Gwen Guthrie's 'Nothing going on but the rent'? Or t... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Food & Agriculture Assessing the success of the organic food movement: 2 of 17
This title is really the stuff of a doctorate thesis! It is difficult to chart the progress of any social movement. Take the suffragettes for example. Were they successful because women now have the vote? Or because Equal Opportunities legislation is now enshrined in law? Violence against women is now rearing it's head again ... More..