Testing (no) testing

Perhaps this would be a more appropriate article for you a year from now, when you will be taking standardized tests, such as the SAT.  What criteria do you think universities should use to select prospective students?  What role should tests play in this process?  What role should tests play in assessment in general?  Is there too much emphasis put on testing in the IB programme or too little?  What about in Slovak high schools and universities?

Dolls or rocket ships?

This was something we started to discuss in class, so here is more fodder if you would like to continue.  So, should parents accept the natural inclinations of their children or try to get them to be more flexible and develop other parts of their personalities?  What would you do if you were a toy manufacturer/marketer?

Shelling it out for blockbusters and penny-pinching for indies

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

How important is going to the cinema to you?  If it is, what can be done to save cinemas in the age of DVD's and downloading from the net?  Are cheaper prices a way to get people coming back to see films?  What would be good criteria for deciding which films would be cheaper?  Feel free to follow the links to the articles which this article is responding to.

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?