All you need is love?

Do you have a hard time saying these three words?  If a stranger said them to you, would you respond in kind?  Would the world be a better place if people could say them more often, or at least feel less awkard about expressing their affection towards each other?  Or is there too much touchy-feeliness and too many free hugs going around these days?

The unUN Canadian 

What do you think about the UN?  Is it as ineffectual as the Canadian Foreign Minister claims?  And should he say this publicly?  Is the UN the best existing option, or is it better to ignore it and pursue policies in other ways?  Is the UN good or bad for Canada and other big countries?  Is it good or bad for Slovakia?

Taking our kids away

 Is Slovakia right to get involved when Slovaks lose their children to British social services, or should they mind their own business?  What constitutes a good reason for social services to take children away from their parents?  Is poverty enough?

Throwing rotten tomatoes at public food gardens

This is the last post you can comment on for the month of October.

Is it a good idea to promote gardening?  Is the author right that publicly available vegetable gardens are going too far?  Is his glowing view of industrial agriculture on target, or is his analysis not taking some important aspects into account?

Through the nose

Why do you think so many American soldiers are depressed/suicidal?  Is this something unique to them, or something common among military personnel no matter what country they are from?  What can be done to prevent depression and suicide among service members?  What can be done for soldiers and the families of soldiers who are depressive or have suicidal thoughts?   Are chemicals a good solution or does the problem lie elsewhere?

Job insecurity

Don’t forget to click on “continue reading” for the full article.

Do you feel that this article provides a good description of how the job market and working conditions are changing?  What can be done (if anything) to make sure that companies do their fair share in terms of taking care of their workers?  How can individuals make sure that they do not end up in a precarious position?

Malaysians like molasses

Do you agree that an active lifestyle starts with family activities?  How active is your family?  Is it more difficult to be active as one gets older?  Is it more difficult now as compared to the past?  Or has exercising become too trendy?  How do you think Malaysia compares to Slovakia?  Are Slovaks (and Slovak families) active?

White coat,white envelope

Do you think this anti-bribery campaign will work? Are there other measures which should be taken?  Do you think the distinction between a gift and a bribe given in the article is accurate and clear, or is it likely that the line between these two will be blurred?  What has your experience been of bribery (and especially bribing doctors) in Slovakia?

Clean out the fridge,empty the trashcan

 Why do you think so much food gets thrown in the trash (especially in America)?  What can government organizations do to improve the situation?  Are actions by the European Parliament and the UK a step in the right direction?  What can we do about the problem as individuals?  Is your household good at not wasting food?

Unequal rates 

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

Once upon a time, Slovaks, like Thais, paid less than foreigners for certain things, and perhaps they still do in some cases, although this has largely gone by the wayside I think.  Does this system have its merits?  Should the citizens of a country have cheaper or easier access to its natural resources (such as parks) or cultural resources (such as national theatre productions)?  Is it a good idea for private business owners to have a differentiated pricing system?  If something like this hurts tourism, should the government interfere?