Articles written by Jackie Ballway

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About me - Jackie Ballway

I'm a full-time mother and a full-time worker who somehow has found the time to write two books (unpublished as of yet) and review for a wonderful paranormal book review site called Bitten By Books.

Everything I do, I do with passion, including procrasting

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Relationships & Family > Gay & Lesbian Issues Should homosexuals receive all the rights and benefits of marriage?: 14 of 93

I am so tired of hearing "It's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve". Really, could we be a tiny bit more juvenile? This subject shouldn't even be up for debate. Why? Because I no more have the right to tell another person who they can or can not love than I have the right to tell the grass to stop being green. Somethings are no...
Pets & Animals > Pet Ownership Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat?: 22 of 127

My husband calls me the Crazy Cat Lady. I am just as likely to regale my co-workers with stories of Bitty and Tina, my furry girls, as I am with stories of my son. The girls were my saving grace when I was younger, and I will always love them with all of my heart. But even so, I must say that dogs make better pets than cats....
Hobbies & Games > Video Games (Other) Does violence in video games contribute to real life violence?: 35 of 167

Poor parenting is the cause of the increase in violent acts by children, not video games or other forms of pop culture. That said, the opposition has made valiant points: video games do show people how to shoot guns and kill aliens and poor old ladies walking down the street; songs are vulgar and abusive; movies are full of ...
Entertainment > TV Show Reviews TV show reviews: Rock of Love: 4 of 16

When I first saw the advertisements for Rock of Love with Bret Michaels, I thought it was a joke. Certainly the lead singer of Poison would not stoop to the level of a reality love show. When I was younger, Poison's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" was the ultimate break-up song. It was played during school dances, recorded on a m...
Arts & Humanities > Literature (Other) Should books have ratings like movies to warn parents about inappropriate content?: 18 of 65

When I was in the fourth grade, I picked up a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird from my school's library. The book was fascinating to my young mind, speaking of issues (racial and otherwise) that I had never before encountered, including a curse word that stared me straight in the face. I'd heard curse words before from my famil...
Relationships & Family > Marital Conflicts Should spousal consent be required before a married woman has an abortion?: 10 of 34

"A woman's body, a woman's choice." The phrase has become a tired cliche in the post-feminist world. Instead of embodying independence and self-worth, it has come to be synonymous with self-righteousness, especially regarding the subject of abortion. Happily married woman are having abortions without consulting their husband...
Society & Lifestyle > Gender Issues Working outside the home and traditional family gender roles: Is it time to reconsider?: 1 of 3

At first glance, the debate can be interpreted in different ways: should working outside the home be reconsidered, or should the "traditional" Donna Reed lifestyle be reconsidered? Either way, my answer would be the same: a loud, resounding, "No!" I have nothing but respect for stay-at-home mothers/fathers. We live in a time...
Society & Lifestyle > Feminism & Women's Rights Is feminism outdated?: 10 of 26

Modern Feminism is an oxymoron. One does not coincide with the other. The feminist movement began to give women equal rights: the right to vote, the right to a fair wage, the right to be their own person. Women have all of that! Now the redundancy of the situation is causing a backlash; women want more rights than men, a hig...
Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes The best 90s alternative songs: 3 of 7

The 90s acted as a melting pot for musical genres. A new movement, Alternative Rock, surfaced, combining elements of punk, metal, and industrial sounds to create a rock subculture that is still thriving over a decade later. It wasn't metal, it wasn't punk, it just was. Due to this meshing of styles, however, it's very diffic...
Arts & Humanities > Horror, Mystery & Suspense Book reviews: The Outlaw Demon Wails, by Kim Harrison: 1 of 2

The Outlaw Demon Wails, Book 6 in the Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison, hit bookshelves February 26, 2008. Set in Cincinnati, Ohio and its fictional counterpart called The Hollows, this installment follows Rachel as she gets herself into a whole new batch of trouble. Rachel Morgan, witch, runner, and alleged demon summon...