Articles written by Jasmine Starr

What is Helium

About me - Jasmine Starr

I am a thirty-five year old father of two and a registered professional engineer. I read several books at a time, enjoy cooking and making homemade wine, and hunting. I like to learn from others, and share what I have learned in life.

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Relationships & Family > Gay & Lesbian Issues Do gay relationships place too much importance on sex?: 1 of 10
The question of whether or not gay relationships place too much emphasis on sex is a tricky and perhaps flawed question from the outset. The tricky part would be the unstated basis of comparison: "Too much compared to what?" Most would assume that the baseline is the average heterosexual relationship. That would also seem to ... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Gender Issues Does biology or society have a stronger influence on the development of our gender identity?: 2 of 16
Biology is entirely responsible for gender identity. This is being supported more and more by scientific evidence. With regard to biology, there is increasing evidence that hormonal effects on fetal development play a significant role in development of gender identity.Melissa Hines postulated three models of action of hormona... More..
Food & Drink > Wine Best wine regions in the world: 2 of 9
The best wine region is a matter of personal preference. I personally like very little that France has to offer. Chile and Australia are great, as is California. If I want Pinot Noir or Riesling, I look to Oregon and Washington State.My favorite is Virginia wines. I admit some prejudice as I was born and raised in Virginia, a... More..
Politics, News & Issues > News Industry Commentary: The media's obligation to the public: 4 of 11
This commentary can be subdivided into a three-pronged discussion of what the media's obligation is to the public, what the media's obligation should be to the public, and what the public expects the media's obligation to be.To establish the cold hard truth at the outset, it should be understood that the vast majority of the ... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Personal Morals & Values Personal values and their importance: 7 of 17
My thesis on this subject, "Personal Values and Their Importance" revolves around the first word, which to me qualifies and frames the entire issue. That word is, of course, personal'. I submit that my personal values are important to me (or I would not hold them), but my values are not and should not necessarily be identical... More..
Relationships & Family > Children & Divorce Custody challenges for divorced fathers: 3 of 7
The first challenge is to realize and accept that, regardless of what the law states, fathers have virtually no rights in the eyes of most judges.I did not accept that at first, and I tried to use the system, expecting justice. I was terribly disappointed.My wife left me twelve days after we closed on a house we built; a hous... More..
Education > College Search Things to look for in prospective colleges: 3 of 6
The most important thing to look for in a college or university is the degree programs offered. If you have selected a major or several possibilities, which you should before you begin, the school you select should offer most if not all of what you plan to study. Transferring from one school to another is undesirable as not a... More..
Relationships & Family > Transgender The effects on relationships because of Gender Identity Disorder: 2 of 4
The effects on relationships because of Gender Identity Disorder (GID) are, in a word, ubiquitous. I cannot think of one relationship that has not been affected at some level by my own GID. I offer my humble opinion on this topic as a thirty-seven year old male-to-female (M2F) transsexual that is just over a year into transit... More..
Sciences > Sociology Gender identity: Family as the most important influence: 2 of 4
Gender identity, as any transgender person can attest to, is inherently biological. It is not chosen by the individual or instilled in any way by family or society. It is important to understand the distinction between gender identity and gender expression. Gender is largely a social construct, however, the inherent gender id... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Do individuals have a greater obligation to themselves or society?: 7 of 13
Individuals will, by nature, serve themselves. Human beings are selfish and self serving. This cannot be changed by philosophical argument or force of law. It has always been this way and always will be this way. Socialist philosophies ignore or marginalize this reality.Many attempts to forge a society that puts the wellbeing... More..