So, are you afraid that you might be a Star Trek crew member?

What type of sex education should students receive and at what age?  Can teachers be trusted to handle this sort of thing appropriately?  If not, can parents?  What do you think of Tennessee’s law and of George Takei’s response?  What should be done about prejudice against homosexual students or students that are labeled as such?

Please base your replies on the text rather than the videos. 

Carrying the child that is and isn’t yours

A rather long and detailed account, but so much to talk about here.  Because of career and other demands (more men are also postponing marriage or not marrying at all), more women are becoming mothers or wanting to become mothers later in life.  What should they do about "the ticking clock"?  What would you do if you were in this woman’s situation?  Is this option better or worse than adoption?  Should egg and sperm donors be able to protect their anonymity?  Does it surprise you that the Czech Republic has such a good reputation for this type of procedure?  Finally, how important is it that parents and children share genes?

Doctors on strike or taking a hike

What can Slovakia do to keep doctors from heading west in search of better salaries and conditions?  Are their demands reasonable and are they right in threatening to strike?  What has been your experience of medical care and doctors here?  The article does not seem to report the doctors' side of the argument completely.  For instance, the Health Ministry claims there is no reason why doctors should be against the privatization of hospitals.  Any ideas as to why doctors may oppose this measure?

Another magic word

What has been your experience when you have a run-in with authority?  Is saying you are sorry as effective as this article claims?  Why is it that some people seem to have so much trouble saying it?  What do you think of Ross and Day’s idea and the validity of their study?  How much are the results that they found culture-specific?

Lying down on the job? You’re fired!

Here’s one from down under for a change.  Is planking dangerous, or is it a healthy way to combat the boredom of monotonous jobs?  Is it creative or conformist?  Should employers have the right to fire you for this sort of thing?

Digging in your heels

This is the last post you can comment on for the second half of May.

Do you agree that people have a tendency to follow their emotional commitment when it comes to controversial issues and stick to their guns even in the face of contrary evidence?  If becoming more informed only means that you have more arguments to support your own biased opinion, what hope do democracy, dialogue and compromise have?  What are some ways to try to keep an open mind?   How can we effectively change the minds of others, or at least get them to listen to what we have to say?