101 things to do with a fake baby

There is a lot to comment on in this article, so feel free to skim around and focus on certain parts.  Is there something wrong with making dolls that are so realistic, or paying so much for them?  Which uses for the dolls are more understandable for you than others?  How do you think you would react if a Reborn was put in your arms?

When to say you’re sorry

When should governments apologise?  Is apology a sign of weakness or a sign of strength?  Did Obama act appropriately in this situation in terms of waiting until all the information was in? Is Pakistan’s reaction understandable, or are they shooting themselves in the foot? Finally, what can be done to minimise friendly fire incidents like this one supposedly was?

The family that eats together....

This article claims that family meals are on a steep decline in America.  Do you agree that this has to do with the economy or are there other reasons?  What about Slovakia?  How often does your family sit together to eat?   Do you agree with the benefits which this article claims are connected to eating together as a family?  What about trying to create “family meals” when those involved are not related to each other?

When plain old art isn’t good enough

Would you be interested in seeing some of the “art” exhibits described here?  Do you think it is a good idea for museums to cater to a larger crowd by making art more popular and interactive?  Is the writer correct that these things do not belong in a museum, or is he being a bit of a snob?  Is part of the problem that modern art is trying too hard to be orginal and shocking when nothing is original or shocking anymore?

Why is America still great? Because of the non-Americans there.

Do you agree that immigration is a positive phenomenon for the health of American science?  Is science a good measure of economic health in general?  How does this compare to the situation in Slovakia? (Don’t forget to click on “continue reading” to get the full article.)

Fighting back against the bullies

This is the last entry you can comment on for December.

What do you think of this mother’s reaction?  Is her excuse that it was instinct reasonable?  Do you think mothers can become more violent than fathers when they feel that their children are threatened?  Did the police react in an appropriate manner?  What should be done about bullying?

Give me my green

As a child, how important was access to natural areas to you?  How important is it to you now?  Do you think access to green areas should be listed as one of the rights which every child should have?  What are the practical difficulties which make access difficult?  What implications would this have for public policy (such as educational programs or city planning)?

The woes of modern journalism

This is an interview with an award-winning journalist before he came to Bratislava to give a talk (which it is now too late to catch unfortunately).  What do you think of his assessment of the current state of journalism?  What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of the digital age in terms of information gathering.  Is modern technology causing people to have shorter attention spans and be shocked less easily?  How can we encourage quality journalism and in-depth coverage so that the public can be better informed?

Black Friday creeping into Thanksgiving Thursday

Shouldn’t a holiday be a holiday for everyone? Is convenience for shoppers going too far in terms of infringing upon the rights of store employees?  Have you ever gone shopping on a holiday and felt sorry for the shop assistant?  How much would you be willing to sacrifice to get good deals and get your Christmas shopping done early?  Do you notice that shops in Slovakia are making the Christmas season start too early?  Is Christmas becoming too commercial, or was it always like this?

Hip Hop Hyderabad

Do you think “soft” diplomacy like this can work?  How could you measure its success?  If you were a musician, would such a gig appeal to you?  What else can the US do to improve their image abroad?

Dissing science

Do you agree that science does not get the respect that it deserves these days?  With all of the various theories being argued about on the internet and in other media, how can we know what is scientifically accurate?  If scientists findings have an effect on public policy, how should science become involved in the democratic process?  Should politicians be better informed about science?  Should we try to limit the influence of big business on government and science?

Benetton does it again

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

How do you feel about shocking  advertising?  What do you think about using public figures’ images in this fashion?  Do they have the right to protect themselves, or is this just what one can expect if one becomes famous?  Is the writer correct in her opinion that the public is too jaded to fall for this sort of ad anymore?  Do you like these Benetton ads, or the famous ones the company has made in the past?  What messages are these ads trying to convey?

How a grave can be made less grave, or putting the fun back in the funeral

This is a very timely article since plenty of Slovaks will have spent lots of money on flowers and candles over the holiday.  Is buying a personalized coffin wasting money on something that will just end up disintegrating in the ground?  Should death be made less somber and scary, and more familiar, like the Ghanaians managed to do with this custom?  What is the effect of Slovak customs around death and dying?  Finally, what shape would you choose for a coffin?  Or would cremation be your preference? (The article is a bit longer than some, so make sure you go through all three pages, but feel free to skim some parts.)

Should phones be used as pacifiers?

What are the dangers and the advantages of letting small children play with mobile phones, ipads and other electronic devices?  Should such devices be designed and marketed for young children?  Would you give your child something like this?  What should parents do when a child becomes bored in a public place?

Reviewing Radicova

What do you think is important about Radicova and how she will be remembered?  Had she the chance to accomplish anything important?  Was she (and the coalition she headed) weak and unstable, or simply more democratic than the opposition?  What could she have done differently?  Finally, you may feel that she is down but far from out.  Is the Spectator jumping the gun in terms of looking back already?

Why grass does not make a slope slippery

What do you think about the Dutch policy on marijuana use?  Is it hypocritical to make something illegal but to not enforce the law?  Or to enforce it only for tourists and not citizens?  Or to disallow advertizing for this product and not others?  Do you think the author is right when she claims that the slippery slope argument does not hold in this case?  That making marijuana more easily available does not lead users toward experimenting with harder drugs?  Would such a policy work in Slovakia?

In the face of opposition

What do you think causes racist extremism and what can be done to counter it, both around the world and in Slovakia?  Under what circumstances can people make a 180 degree turn in their opinions like this man did?  How common do you think such “conversions” are?  What keeps people trapped in their status in the eyes of others like this man’s tatoos?  Do we believe someone when he/she says that he/she has “really changed”?   Did this man deserve his second chance?