Archive for the ‘Arts & Humanities’ Category
The first millionaire in the world
Who was the first millionaire in the world?
Let us define “millionaire”: “a millionaire is an individual who lives in a household
whose net worth or wealth exceeds one million units of any currency.” (Wikipedia)
Under this definition many people over the course of documented world history have been
millionaires. The kings of Europe, Africa and the Mid-East certainly fit this realm of money
masters. The Popes of the Vatican, perhaps fit this definition as they have reigned over millions of dollars (and millions of dollars in art, plus millions in real estate holdings).
The Khans of Asia and the Emperors of Japan sat on coffers worth millions during the days Read the rest of this entry »
To flag or not to flag at Helium: Guidelines on using the flagging tool
Having been an active member of Helium for the past 2 years, I would like to share some insight and experience, with both appropriate and inappropriate uses of the flagging tool.
While there may be some authors on Helium who will tell you that flagging another writer’s work can help to improve your own ratings, I believe firmly that this tool is not meant to be used as a way to help you move an article up in the ranks. Deliberately flagging other authors, for your own gain, is actually a very poor practice, which can get you banned from this site.
Appropriate use of the flagging tool consists of constructive criticism for the Read the rest of this entry »
Jesus as a political figure
three ideas need to be considered here: jesus, politics and the notion of a ‘figure’. let’s start with the last.
a figure in this sense is not just the person who has the job, but someone who represents publicly the position he or she holds and acts as a symbol for its significant features. the ‘figure’ of jesus is built up from what is known, surmised, guessed at, and believed, whether erroneously or not, about jesus. the ‘person’ behind the ‘figure’ remains veiled behind this ‘figure’ image, hidden forever in the mists of time. jesus is certainly now a figure in this sense, and there can be little doubt that he was so in his time, since anyone Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsLiterary analysis: The Tempest, by William Shakespeare
“King Kong is Caliban on Skull Island when a Storm much like a Tornado or Tempest Strikes!” ANON, Daily Hurricane, (April 23 1623).
Symbols are the objects, characters, figures or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts in a piece of work. I have chosen the severe TEMPEST storm itself to analyze, other anecdotes, plus some wider implications of Shakespeare’s valedictory play.
THUNDERSTORM
The play begins with a huge storm in the opening scene, an incident that actually happened in 1609. The “Sea Adventurer” was part of a fleet sailing from Plymouth to a plantation in Virginia in the New World. On July 25, a hurricane separated them, stranding the boat near the Bermuda Islands.
Survivors spoke personally with William Shakespeare on their Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsWhat are core democratic values of the United States?
The United States is one of the most powerful nations in the history of the world. When you think of how big and how much influence our nation has, one thinks of Rome, or the British empire to find a frame of reference. Our nation was also one of the first democracies to thrive in modern times. Not since Greece has a democracy truly taken hold, and flourished as ours has.
Our consititution is a grand document, and has survived as the guide to our nations laws for the last 225 plus years. It has guided our country not only though good times, but bad as well. It has been a flexible document, with the ability to change as the nation Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsHow joining a writing group will improve your motivation to write – Part 1
Hello, Helium!
Discovering a local “think tank” for writers is vital. We toil in a lonely field.
Any convivial meeting place (a comforting, connecting writer’s group) offered us in this big, sometimes overly judgmental world is exactly what is needed to flourish as writer/poet.
I seem at a loss for words at the moment, a rare condition indeed!
Let me gaze out my window into the continual beauty of nature. Peace envelopes me, reminding me not to TRY too hard but just flow in this place, this space, processing and sharing that process. My writer’s group continues to challenge me this way, freeing me to create!
It never ceases to amaze me that beginning with “A”, which is “three Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsFree software for writers – Part 3
I am sure that most writers are aware of the availability of software for their profession. All you have to do is google search on writing and you will get many hits. A lot of the hits will be on sites selling software to help you become a writer, to help you in all the writing techniques which you feel you should practice on, or to provide some kind of tool to ease your plotting, characterization, or even to prevent writer’s block. But they all cost quite a packet. Not to mention future updates that will continue to drain your bank account. I myself never spend a single penny on them. What I have done for Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsMuseum reviews: The National Gallery, London
I recently decided that a visit to The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square was long overdue. A few minutes walk from Charing Cross tube, the able bodied can climb the front steps of the Portico Enterance of the National Gallery and get good views of Trafalgar Square and Big Ben. Alternatively you can enter by the low level Getty Entrance nearby or the Sainsbury Wing entrance more to the left .
I personally prefer to wander around a gallery of my own free will but you can get a variety of audio tours (highlights or themed tours, or choose whichever commentary you wish to listen to from over 1000 paintings) or free guided tours. A voluntary donation is suggested. However, Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsWhy the spelling and grammar on internet postings is so poor – Part 1
I am a professional proofreader so this is a problem that is frustrating to me. Helium is full of articles that have poor grammar, punctuation, and spelling. I am amazed at the number of articles I read that hardly make any sense at all. The biggest surprise to me is how often words are left out entirely. The number of sentence fragments that make no sense is appalling. I find it funny that this very article title is written incorrectly.
The reason the postings are so poor is because anyone can post them at any time without any editors. When we read newspaper or magazine articles, we (usually) see well polished pieces of Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsShould the Allied powers in World War II have bombed Auschwitz? – Part 1
By the time the Allied powers arrived in Germany, Auschwitz was a well established death camp with thousands of prisoners – the question is mute whether Auschwitz should have been bombed. Allied forces would have murdered thousands to target a few. If Auschwitz was to be bombed why not the hundred or more other death camps that existed – Auschwitz was only one of many. Of course, before the Allied powers arrived on the scene the death camps were a well guarded secret from the people of Germany, Poland and even to actual prisoners. However, England had deciphered the German air-way codes but could not divulge death camp knowledge because that information alone would have Read the rest of this entry »
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