Articles written by Mary Fonvielle

Where Knowledge Rules

What is Helium

About me - Mary Fonvielle

I am a college student majoring in English/Creative Writing who happens to have a lot of seemingly random knowledge. I recently decided to both expand my writing experiences and perhaps make a little rent money on the side by getting my opinions and tips

+ more bio information

RSS Feed

Religion & Spirituality > Religion & Spirituality (Other) The Golden Compass: Is religious criticism warranted?: 2 of 22
I saw the movie, I read the books. In the end I wasn't an atheist, nor did I feel any desire to relinquish my faith on the basis of a fictional story. If you feel your personal beliefs are jeopardized by this kids' movie, then you ought to question the strength of your beliefs. If anything, The Golden Compass was in fact "to... More..
Food & Drink > Dining Etiquette Should cell phones be banned in restaurants?: 13 of 115
The world has become such an impersonal place. Between the Internet and its on-line "reality games" and cell phones with which you don't even have to use your voice to communicate anymore- whatever happened to talking, connecting? It seems we cannot even tear ourselves away from those little boxes for an hour- not even to sh... More..
Sciences > Atmosphere & Weather Preparing for a hurricane: 8 of 34
I've lost count of the number of hurricanes I have experienced in my life- upwards of twenty. As a kid, I saw them as both a blessing and a curse. Hurricane days meant no school, but of course there were the inevitable days of no electricity and endless amounts of yard cleanup for a good half a week afterward. My family's ho... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Presidential Elections 2008 Obama or McCain? The choice gets more difficult as election day nears: 6 of 15
This will be my first presidential election in which I am able to participate, and while I do not consider myself a very political person I have certainly not been taking it lightly. Though I am resolved to keeping an open mind until Election Day and will not block out what one candidate has to say just because I disagreed w... More..
Education > Secondary School Issues Public schools should impose mandatory drug testing on students: 16 of 36
"Guilty until proven innocent" is the message our children would perceive if mandatory drug testing were to be imposed on students. Such a law being passed would be another step down the slippery slope of living in a world of suspicion and fear. Why not cut to the chase and give everyone a tattooed bar-code and embedded surv... More..
Creative Writing > Novel Excerpts Novel excerpts: High fantasy: 2 of 4
Chapter One If nothing else, Ankenar thought, the city of Asantir was never dull. Beige, maybe, but not dull. He chuckled at his internal joke. The sandstone walls and buildings of the city barely stood out against the endless ocean of desert that stretched in all directions around it and if not for the gold and silver spire... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs My funniest garden experience: Anecdotes: 12 of 19
The Persistence of Squirrels Tree rats, my father called them, but squirrels are different from rats in one main aspect. You rarely see a rat; they strike at night, taking what they can and leaving only a few small mementos to mark their passing. Squirrels on the other hand will boast their antics in broad daylight. Those fu... More..
Pets & Animals > Dog Psychology What is your dog thinking about?: 31 of 43
It is well known that we as humans do not always say what we are thinking. An important thing to remember when dealing with dogs is that they aren't able to tell us through words! So how do you have any idea what might be going on in our best friend's mind? The same often overlooked way that humans and other animals communic... More..