Articles written by Shanna Riley

What is Helium

About me - Shanna Riley

After the book - and main character - of the same name, I'm a feisty, strong-willed, and passionate woman. Born and raised in southern Louisiana, I'm infinitely proud of my Cajun heritage and am pleased to say I was, quite literally, "raised on the bayou".

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Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Living with alcoholism: 1 of 14
It's no secret; in fact, everyone that knows me knows it. So I'm certainly not stepping out of the family-member-of-an-alcoholic closet or anything here. The reason I'm even writing about it at all is to help others who might be in a similar situation and feel alone, distraught, and confused.I learned, from the handful of Al-... More..
Computers & Technology > Phone Technologies & Issues Should cell phone use be banned while driving?: 23 of 270
Every day on the way to and from work more than half of the people I see are talking and driving. And they are the ones swerving, getting dangerously close to other vehicles or the shoulder, hitting their brakes for no apparent reason, and driving slowly and obviously not paying attention. I've had people on the phone pull ou... More..
Health & Fitness > Mental Illness Self injury explained: 1 of 8
Self Injury (or "SI"), also known as self-mutilation, is the act of harming one's self to cope with extreme emotions or other overwhelming feelings.People injure themselves in many ways: cutting, which seems to be the most popular, burning, or beating/bruising. Some individuals have even been known to break their own limbs in... More..
Computers & Technology > Computer Maintenance Useful tips for keeping your PC clean: 5 of 22
These are some basic tips and rules to follow to keep your computer safe and clean and running most efficiently that I have learned in over eight years of work as a professional i.t. tech.Virus Protection:In the vast lawlessness of cyberspace and with the number of new viruses being sent out every day you should never be onli... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Living with an alcoholic: 7 of 29
On Saturday, March 19, 1977, my parents - Johnnie and Pam - were wed in a small, quiet ceremony. To say the wedding was rushed and hardly prepared for would be an understatement; the decision to marry had been decided on the preceding Wednesday, the 16th. They were both nineteen, soon to be twenty in that same year.It was a u... More..
Hobbies & Games > Video Game Culture & Community World of Warcraft: Harmless fun, or an addictive replacement for real life?: 13 of 42
The truth of the matter is that anything - anything at all - can be an "addictive replacement for real life". If someone is obsessively fixated on any activity or subject to the exclusion of all else (especially daily life and health), they are "addicted".Are some people addicted to playing World of Warcraft? Most assuredly t... More..
Relationships & Family > Gay & Lesbian Issues The case for gay marriage: 16 of 51
I always have to stop and ask myself why in the face of our nation's many real and pressing problems we waste so much time worrying about the issue of gay marriage. In a "free" country, how is the decision to love and make a life with someone of the same sex even an issue for the political leaders of our government? If this c... More..
Hobbies & Games > Video Game Reviews Video game reviews: The Sims 2: FreeTime (PC): 2 of 5
On February 26, 2008, Electronic Arts released its seventh expansion pack in "The Sims 2" universe, adding on to the already extensive Sims world and its playable features. Dubbed "FreeTime", the new expansion pack enhances the lives of your Sims by giving them more to do (and work towards) than family-building and career-gri... More..
Society & Lifestyle > African-American Issues Should America pay restitution to the descendants of slaves?: 64 of 131
I'm not saying that I condone slavery or that I'm happy about what happened. I think it was horrible and unjust and disgusting. Just as I think what was done to the Indians, to Jews, to supposed witches, and every other human being that has been persecuted by their fellow man for who they are is sickeningly barbaric and utter... More..
Health & Fitness > Allergies The dangers of mold to health: 9 of 18
Nearly everyone remembers the pet food-caused deaths of dozens of family dogs in the United States due to contaminated pet food sent out by Diamond Pet Foods in 2005. Yet many people do not realize the lethal agent in the contaminated food was a type of mold; one known as aflatoxin, which Dianond Pet Food's corn shipments had... More..