Articles written by Jeff Axelrod

What is Helium

About me - Jeff Axelrod

Sadly, I think Helium's grown pretty lame lately. The way they're tying money to ratings has very obviously encouraged people to rate without reading, favoring quantity over quality.

So I doubt I'll be posting much here anymore. But if you still want to know

+ more bio information

RSS Feed

Parenting & Pregnancy > Baby Accessories Play yards and playpens: Too confining or safe play?: 1 of 19
Let's call it the Law of Human Territorial Expansion:"The size of a person's surroundings grows in direct proportion to his or her ability to handle those surroundings."A small child will start off in a playpen, then learn to climb out. At that point, playpens give way to play rooms and backyards. As kids' games get more comp... More..
Sports & Recreation > Sports Celebrities Should Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban be allowed to purchase the Chicago Cubs?: 1 of 12
Chicago Cubs fans are among the most passionate fans in all of sports, and they deserve an equally passionate owner. Based on his track record, Mark Cuban certainly qualifies. And actually, the more you think about it, the more baseball needs a character like Mark Cuban around. Baseball's upper echelon is dominated by faceles... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US News Should the parents who "prayed" their daughter to death be prosecuted?: 3 of 15
When your car breaks down, do you get it repaired? Or do you pray for the engine to somehow start working again?When your home's pipes burst, do you call a plumber? Or do you pray it will somehow fix itself?When your daughter becomes mysteriously and seriously ill, do you call a doctor? Or do you pray that she'll somehow get ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Sports News & Opinion (Other) Should gambling on professional sports get an athlete banned for life?: 1 of 5
Dwight Gooden. Darryl Strawberry. Leon Durham. Vida Blue. Keith Hernandez. Ferguson Jenkins. Steve Howe. Otis Nixon. Each of these well-known baseball players has two things in common: They were all suspended by Major League Baseball because of criminal drug use, and they're all eligible for the Hall of Fame.In fact, Fergie J... More..
Entertainment > Entertainment (Other) Which genre is the most useful: Radio or television?: 7 of 32
In a way, comparing television and radio is like comparing apples and oranges. They've become different enough that each should be judged on its own merits. But if we're focusing solely on the "usefulness" of each medium, I believe radio still has an edge, even if it's a slim one.One of the historically great arguments in fav... More..
Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes Should the music industry do more to improve the moral content in song lyrics?: 11 of 44
Why not just ask the question the way it was intended: "Should the music industry censor its artists?"But as it turns out, the music industry already has a form of censorship.It's called commerce.The marketplace ultimately decides what is and isn't acceptable by either buying or not buying the music. If the great majority of ... More..
Relationships & Family > Marriage & Divorce (Other) Why do relationships fail: 13 of 50
Trying to find a single answer to the question "Why do relationships fail?" is about as easy as finding a specific snowflake in a blizzard, a particular grain of sand in the Sahara desert, or evidence that Paris Hilton has any discernible talent. In other words, it's not easy at all.Why? Because every relationship is built up... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: They don't make music like they used to: 4 of 15
True, they don't make music like they used to.They also don't make movies like they used to, or television shows like they used to.They also don't make cars like they used to, or frozen dinners, or telephones, or computers.Technology evolves, society evolves, and very little remains the same.The question is: Will we evolve al... More..
Autos > SUVs Is it time for SUV restrictions?: 4 of 10
Has the time come to place restrictions on SUVs? I believe it has.Of course, in this day of nearly $4 gas prices, fuel economy is a major part of the argument. Quite simply, the American public needs to be weaned off of these fuel-inefficient machines.When SUV owners complain that they're already being penalized - "I already ... More..
Relationships & Family > Coping with Divorce Considering divorce: How to deal with doubt: 9 of 21
My parents started down the road to divorce when I was 13 years old. And I swore that I would never, ever follow them down that road.Yet there I was, just nine years later. I thought I'd gone down the path marked "Marital Bliss," but as I kept walking, I found myself plagued by painful "marital blisters" infecting every inch ... More..