Articles written by B. B. James - Page 2

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About me - B. B. James

I'm a male college graduate in my 40's, and I work full-time. I'm married and have two young children. Hobbies and interests are reading, writing, running, travel. My reading (and, thus, my postings on Helium) includes current events, US history, sports,

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Autos > Fuel Economy The ethanol revolution: Fueling up with corn instead of just oil: 1 of 16
I have tracked the ethanol industry since the mid-1980s, and I have to laugh at the recent groundswell of interest it has generated. It's the same old story cycle that I've seen many times in the past. And there probably isn't an industry that's benefited from its political connections on both the Democratic and Republican s... More..
Education > Reading & Writing Skills How to hook the reluctant reader: 1 of 15
Reading is fundamental to achievement in our modern world. It's also a source of enjoyment, entertainment, consolation, inspiration, and much more. Yet, sadly, many people are not regular readers. The statistics show that youngsters and young adults read far less than older generations, especially challenging newspapers, mag... More..
Relationships & Family > Divorce & Legal Issues How to plan an amicable divorce: 1 of 15
The key word in the phrase "How to plan an amicable divorce" is "plan." If you have the opportunity to plan for your separation and divorce, you have a chance of creating a relatively amicable situation. If the divorce is a surprise to one of the parties - ie., it comes without a plan - then it surely will be very unpleasant... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Democratic Leaders Assessing Hillary Clinton's public-speaking style: 1 of 14
Hillary seems to me to be uncomfortable in the public eye and a mediocre public speaker. She can competently make her points, but she lacks emotion and especially lacks humor. She seems to treat speechmaking and meet-and-greet as obligations. She seems like a policy wonk in her core. And that's not a criticism - I think Hill... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Elections Archives Evaluating Hillary Clinton's plan for ending oil dependency: 1 of 13
While I fully support the idea of improving the US's energy balance, I'm angered by the ignorant comments that accuse oil companies of raising prices, generating unfair profits, and ruining the economy. The oil companies don't set the conditions for energy use - they merely provide the hydrocarbons that we demand. Their goal... More..
Entertainment > TV Networks & Industry Evaluating the worth of Netflix: Readers share their experiences: 4 of 47
It sounds almost silly to say that something as simple as Netflix can transform your life, but it's true. I'm not a couch potato, nor shy, nor a person who spends much time watching media. I don't even have any type of cable television service. But I love Netflix. In the two years that my family has had a subscription. we've... More..
Health & Fitness > Fitness Basics Exposing fitness myths: 2 of 23
Some of the biggest fitness myths surround lifting weights. Ironically, the myths both offer hype in favor of and in opposition to weightlifting. So let's blow some myths out of the water. 1. Women should not lift weights. Women probably need weightlifting more than men. Women are at serious risk of osteoporosis (basically, ... More..
Arts & Humanities > European History Napoleon Bonaparte: French revolutionary or military dictator?: 1 of 11
Clearly, Napoleon was both a dictator and a revolutionary. He was also a liberator and an enslavor, a libertine and an intellectual, a brave man and a fool. Napoleon was many things all wrapped up in one package, and his genius and inexhaustible energy drove him from humble origins to extraordinary power and authority, as we... More..
Sports & Recreation > College Football The greatest college football coaches: 1 of 10
Ah, how quickly people forget. In April 2007, the man who's arguably the greatest football coach in history died, and he's already being ignored. I'm talking about Eddie Robinson, coach at Grambling University for more than 4 decades. Not only was he great on the field, where he teams won, and won, and won (408 wins, 165 los... More..
Personal Finance > Taxes The tax advantages of owning your own home: 1 of 10
Home ownership is one of the few ways that a typical American can have his or her money "work for you" to achieve significant financial gains. Home ownership receives very favorable tax treatment through three factors: 1. The deduction for mortgage interest. It is simple to take advantage of this tax break, as it basically a... More..