Evil is live backwards

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Should people be allowed to own guns in order to protect themselves and their property?  Or does more guns simply mean more innocent people dead?  Is part of the problem our conception of evil or our fear of it?   Where does this idea/fear come from?  Movies and television?  Religion? 

This writer is obviously for gun control.  Can you find any holes in his arguments?

Me? A Feminist? NOOOO!

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Do you consider yourself a feminist?  Can men be feminists too?  If the word has got a bad reputation, why do you think this is true?  Do you admire Emma Watson for speaking up about it?  If these are the false definitions of feminism, what is your definition?

Going up in smoke

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Why do you think people are afraid to talk about death?  Should people talk about it more openly?  Would you rather be cremated than buried?   How does your idea of your funeral differ from Caitlin’s?   What do you think would be the advantages and disadvantages of having a job like hers?

A flood of apples and pears

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Will sanctions against Russia help to change Putin’s course of action in Ukraine?  Do sanctions tend to hurt innocent people such as small business owners and farmers more than the politicians that they target?  Is Russia’s ban on Western agricultural goods an understandable response to the sanctions he is facing?  What do you think about the EU’s reaction to this situation?

An anti-English Englishman

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Do you have as negative a view of English culture as this man?  As a citizen of a country which has been rated as the least patriotic in Europe, can you understand what it feels like not to be proud of your national identity?  Do you consider yourself a typical Slovak?  Would you like it better if you were considered Czechoslovak (or European? or an Earthling?) than Slovak?  Is it good to be strongly critical of your own culture, or should you try to look more on the bright side?

Watch out for cars!

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How safe do you feel as a pedestrian or cyclist in Bratislava?  Would the changes made in Sweden and in my home state (Minnesota) work here?   How can cities encourage more people to walk or bicycle?

Kicking God out of school?

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Should religious schools receive funding from the state like secular schools?  Would parents be wise to send their children to schools of a different religion to broaden their horizons?  Should every student have to learn about religion?  What should the content of religious instruction classes look like?  Should there be more education about Christianity in Christian countries for example? What do you think about Slovakia’s solutions to these problems as compared to South Africa’s?

A turn of the wheel and a roll of the dice

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Is gambling a good way to generate money for state projects and charities, or is it just taxes with another name, or even stealing?  Does it prey on people’s addictions?  How does it affect tourism and a town or city’s reputation?  Would Bratislava be a better place with fewer casinos, or are they an important part of the economy? 

Yum. I shouldn’t be doing this. Yum.

 This is the last article you can comment on for this month.

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Does feeling guilty about what you eat lead to better eating habits or just make you feel bad?  Is this more of a problem with women than with men? Is food guilt as common in Slovakia as it seems to be in New Zealand?

Here’s something to put in that cup

What do you do when you see someone begging on the streets?  Is it a bad idea to give them money in case they spend it on (legal) drugs, or do they have a right to these simple luxuries like everyone else?  Is suspended coffee a way to solve this problem or is it also an unnecessary and perhaps even harmful luxury?  Or is it a good idea because it takes away an excuse from those who could afford to help the homeless but do not?

Back from the dead

Is resurrecting extinct species a good idea, or more trouble than it is worth?  Can two wrongs make a right in terms of interfering with nature?  If we decide to resurrect species, which ones make the best candidates?

What?  Can’t fix it yourself, you wimp?

In a world of specialization, should men be unduly concerned about their lack of handyman skills, or is being self-sufficient in this regard still important?  What expectations (if any) should be put on sons or husbands?  Should gender have anything to do with it at all?  How does Slovakia compare to America on this issue?

Humanity, Security and Freedom: Mission Accomplished 

It is the anniversary of the War in Iraq and one can hear quite a few comments about it these days.  Most seem negative, but here is a positive view of the intervention from an Australian perspective.   Do you see any holes in the writer’s arguments?  What good points does he make?

Dating to drinking to dropping out

This is surely an article that hits home.  Does an active romantic life hurt study habits and academic performance, or is this article making the wrong links?  Does it also lead to more substance abuse as this article claims?  What do you think about the study’s validity (follow the link to find out more)?

When we click on the share button

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

Do you agree with this writer’s position that the “going viral” trend on the internet should be viewed more critically?  Can websites and social networks be a tool for positive activism, or are they more likely to cause manipulation, distraction, complacency and a mob mentality?