MORE TOPICS

1501. What do Argentine children think about parents who cherish a self-sacrificial           love?

1502. Can we be tolerant of diverse lifestyles while still preserving the family           institutions that are under threat?

1503. Alternative weapons to fight crime

1504. Announcing economic measures without any strategic plan plays hell with the          Economy

1505. Society does not respect the rules as long as governments do not respect the           rules. Do our politicians understand that?

1506. Creating unpredictability. Is it always wrong?

1507. How can we explain having high support but a bad image and how to explain           having low support and a good image?

1508. Hidden cameras. When are they justified and when are they not?

1509. Urgent environmental blights facing Argentina at present. How can we           increase our environmental awareness? What can we learn from the           international experience?

1510. Kyoto Protocol. Which will cost the world more, the cure or the disease?

1511. Some people relate Christmas to stress. Why can Christmas time be stressful?

1512. Cultural empathy: the skill to understand the inner logic and coherence of           other ways of life, plus the restraint not to judge them as bad because they are           different from our own ways. Are Argentines fond of cultural empathy?

1513. The system that has made more people richer has always been capitalism

1514. Confronting, offending and dividing seem to be politically correct nowadays in           Argentina. Why?

1515. Changing the mentality / Changing the institutions . What should come first?

1516. That was the year that was: 2004

1517. The question with which European countries are grappling is how to balance           tolerance with assimilation. How accepting of cultural differences should           nations be? To what extent are newcomers obliged to accept the core values of           the countries into which they move?

1518. There is more to life than economic growth. Like what?

1519. Government and Public Opinion. Should the former just follow the latter or           rather transform the latter?

1520. The need to stage marches, rallies and protests throughout the country to mark           the anniversary of past marches, rallies and protests. Why?

1521. Person of 2004: who had the greatest impact, good or bad, over the year?

1522. The economic, political and philosophical asymmetries between Argentina and           Brazil

1523. Is it okay to essentially lie to kids growing up, telling them that Santa Claus is           real? On one hand, one could argue that we are just encouraging kids           imaginations and playing a fun game with them. However on the other hand,           kids take things seriously; what kind of example are parents and society setting           by misleading their kids?

1524. How to avoid that Talk Time becomes a big-brother organization?

1525. People (and not only athletes) are taking more and more performance           enhancing drugs. Why?

1526. What should we answer to those who say: "If you meet the future, ask him not           to come"?

1527. Who Are Argentina's partners at present?

1528. Are we confusing reality with the image of reality?

1529. Why are ideological coincidences not often ending up in political agreements?

1530. Love and sexuality

1531. From a win-win situation to a no-win situation

1532. Symphonic orchestras in shantytowns

1533. Involuntary leaders in Argentina today

1534. Growth and distribution. Should we first grow and only then distribute or vice           versa?

1535. Have Argentines lived believing they are what they wish to be?

1536. Who sows bitterness reaps winds of destruction

1537. Tolerance has a limit called offence. Where is the limit?

1538. Crime and punishment

1539. Moving from rhetoric to action

1540. Why is there such a high demand for drugs like Viagra? Are we in the middle of           some massive attempt to manipulate the biological clock (and even Mother           Nature) to fit the new social clock?

1541. How to end with political feudalism?

1542. Is Argentina returning to normal?

1543. Argentina is being influenced by outside trends. For better or for worse?

1544. When doesn' t litigation offer much solution?

1545. Are heavy fines on electricity and water distributors fine? What about revoking           concessions?

1546. Constitutional reforms. What for?

1547. What's the height of bad taste in our society today?

1548. Why is politics so volatile?

1549. Should businessmen who hike basic food basket products be punished?

1550. From supplicants to partners: the new deal between the richest countries and           the poorest countries

1551. The fight between rural interests, urban interests and industrial interests

1552. Argentina embraces sports. How can we explain the increase in crowds at local           sports events over the last years? Is Argentina having a sports policy?

1553. Resisting market laws in the name of socially progressive ideals. Should the           governments sponsor talks between businessmen and consumers?

1554. It' s better to be very cautious ... than to be afraid of being made fun of

1555. Is it good to have a guilty conscience?

1556. Digital lifestyle. Does it work anytime, anywhere?

1557. Should tourists avoid destinations run by a dictatorship our should they simply           shrug their shoulders and get on with enjoying their holiday in blissful           ignorance of the allegations of repression and abuse?

1558. There is nothing more unpleasant than learning things the hard way. True or            false?

1559. When things get hot, some make huge concessions. Is it applicable in Argentina           today?

1560. Private property is a right, but not absolute. When must collective interest be           considered?

1561. The importance of lobbying groups in Argentina

1562. Anti-corruption crusaders in Argentina today. Who are they?

1563. When does an offer become an indecent proposal?

1564. Should we fear the pens of the yellow press?

1565. Striking a judicious balance between selfish passivity and arrogant activism

1566. Should the UNITED NATIONS be limited to democracies?

1567. Should we ignore or try to understand others' prejudices about us?

1568. Small government, low taxes and little social support vs. big government, high           taxes and generous support

1569. There are events that confront people with their own fragility

1570. Celebrities may not be the prophets of our age but they have a strong grip on           our imaginations, and on our wallets too. They even provide a moral           example for us. Isn' t that silly and even dangerous?

1571. Beliefs. Can we ever really justify our beliefs ? What constitutes a belief and           how does it influence our knowledge and our existence ? What are our           judgments based upon: beliefs or reason ? Are beliefs relegated to faith ? What           does it mean to believe in something ? What is this belief grounded in ?

1572. Punta del Este. Why is the top Argentine beach area in Uruguay? Argentina is           not lacking in coastline. Is it OK that the beaches are divided   between middle           classes (Costa Atlántica) and upper classes (Punta el Este)?

1573. What Greeks called "Doxa" are considered now as ‘opinions’. Is the Argentine           Doxa (representing general opinion) tending to hide and distort the truth?

1574. Are tragedies inevitable?

1575. Argentina seems like a post-modern aristocracy. The wealthy get the education,          the jobs and the business opportunities. The rest are isolated from the game.          Can we change the trend?

1576. The relationship of the brain to learning. In the 20th century Humanistic           psychology, Behaviourist, Cognitive and Constructivist models of pedagogy           have developed and attempted to explain the process of learning ...

1577. River for rich. Boca for poor. Why?

1578. Do Argentines love to be international travelers? Is it sophisticated to spend           time outside the country? If so, isn't that a peculiar characteristic of Argentine           schizophrenic culture: that which is foreign is better but isn't at the same time?

1579. If insurgents' biggest weapon is their ability to instil fear, how can fear be           overcome?

1580. Should one feel slightly guilty and / or uncomfortable and / or shallow when           consuming a luxury product or service ?

1581. People create a shrine / sanctuary in the site of a tragedy. Why?

1582. Argentines' collective guilty conscience? Is there such a phenomenon? If so, is           such a collective conscience lasting or fleeting?

1583. Changing hostility into friendship and opposition into cooperation

1584. Pain needs to happen before there is change

1585. Playing poker game with politics

1586. How to avoid that the "win-win" strategy turns "lose-lose"?

1587. Anti-americanism is morphing from a purely political phenomenon into a much           broader attitude. Why?

1588. By playing the statist card, the prevailing trend in Latin America is toward           greater state intervention. For better or worse?

1589. In Argentina knowledge has little prestige. Why?

1590. The relation between the unabated search for power, prestige and money and           the necessity of approval and love

1591. Meritocracy: an impossible dream?

1592. Our anxiety for status. How do Argentines achieve status?

1593. A high I.Q. hampers a woman's chance to get married, while it is a plus for           men. The more women achieve, the less desirable they are. So was the feminist           movement some sort of cruel hoax?

1594. Express diets. Are they effective or dangerous?

1595. If we make politicians happy with our vote why don't politicians make us happy           with their action?

1596. Education: Is using reward and punishment the best way of educating?

1597. Masqueraded lambs in Argentina today. How to recognize them? Should we           fear them?

1598. Do we feel ill-informed? What to do to be better informed?

1599. Should democracy ever take hold around the world? Assuming freedom is a           Western concept, wouldn't it be foolish to export it to countries with their own           traditions which are as splendid as our own?

1600. How should the city administration crack down on people occupying public           spaces?

1601. How has world public opinion shifted since the end of the Cold War?

1602. Political alliances in Argentina. Why don't they succeed?

1603. How to create unqualified job opportunities in Argentina?

1604. Some loves could kill

1605. Why is local artfulness / local canniness (=viveza criolla) an issue that more           often than not prompts a smile more than scorn?

1606. Shape up or die!

1607. Memory is important. But forgetting is also good

1608. Daring to question the way the day and the week is ordered in Argentina.           Shouldn't we start thinking a new schedule with productivity in mind?

1609. Do animals know something we don't?

1610. It is on the answer to this question that Argentina's future will hinge. What           question?

1611. Aid programmes, whether they are designed for minorities in well-off countries           or for the entire planet, are by their nature leftwing. Why?

1612. Isn't it weird that a country can just say I don't want to pay you back and get           away with it?

1613. Romances between equals or unequals. Do men prefer women who are their           subordinates than women who might be their bosses?

1614. The difference between a good politician and a statesman

1615. Is spiritualism marking the failure and end of materialism or rather materialism           marking the failure and end of spiritualism?

1616. Should we forego part of our liberty in order to gain security?

1617. Do Argentines understand that sustainable help means help for self-help?

1618. What makes that an event changes from memory to history?

1619. Nothing exceeds like excess

1620. Great and terrifying natural disasters give pause for reflection. What sort of           reflection?

1621. What world events will unfold in 2005 and how will they affect Argentina?

1622. Differences in how US nationals, Europeans and Argentines see the world

1623. Different ways of "punishing" politicians

1624. Argentine hidden treasures

1625. In these days of the knowledge economy , economic growth is fuelled by           research and development. How to reverse the brain drain in Argentina?

1626. Sometimes good luck can be bad

1627. The word "histérica" in porteño slang describes people - often women- that are           extremely difficult, unpredictable, capricious and changing their minds every           other second. Is the Argentine culture as 'histerica' as that of other  countries or           on  the contrary this word offers a fantastic insight into the Argentine reality?

1628. What´s Argentina´s main cultural obstacle hindering development?

1629. Trash: now it´s art

1630. Dating in the workplace. Should it be allowed or banned?

1631. Crackdown on off-shore firms. Good or bad?

1632. The dangers of scepticism

1633. Success without achievement. What´s that?

1634. The boomerang effect of making politics out of a tragedy

1635. How to explain to an unsuccessful person that he/she is wrong?

1636. Should education and instruction be ideologized?

1637. Can we learn to be happy with small things?

1638. The new sexuality

1639. When you rule you must act "pour la galerie"

1640. Fascist leftwingery. A contradiction?

1641. To read or not to read? That is the question

1642 Cable TV vs. Air TV. Who will prevail?

1643. Pseudo-forms of art

1644. Is marxism "malum in se" (=bad in itself)?

1645. Economic and political ups and downs breed mistrust, short-term mindedness           and instinct-driven decision-making. Bearing that in mind, how can we achieve           organization and cooperation in our country?

1646. Life is full of surprises. Every day brings something new, and in the most           unlikely of circumstances, you may be faced with the unexpected

1647. Ideologized politics vs. non-ideologized politics

1649. Are Argentines prone to a stigmatizing/marginalizing language?

1650. Desperate survival alternatives. How much is too much?

1651. Assuming that a united Europe would serve as a counterbalance to the USA,          would a united South America serve as a counterbalance to Europe and USA?

1652. How to crackdown on environmental crimes?

1653. Assuming that less jails mean less freedom, why don´t we build an adequate           prison capacity?

1654. In what case is it acceptable to use reparations as a political tool in order to           shut  people´s mouth?

1655. New types of exclusion

1656. Is "dreams of making peace through war" a failed policy?

1657. Let´s be tolerant vs. let´s defend our identity

1658. Synthetic uproar, diversionary tactics. What all this fuss seeks to distract us           from?

1659. Wrong solutions to the wrong problems at the wrong time

1660. What makes people turn to the esoteric and occult?

1661. Is the drive toward European unity good for the USA?

1662. How was World War III prevented during the second half of the XXth century?

1663. When the cost of the "solution" vastly outweighs any purported benefits

1664. As consumers we are often running the risk of being duped as if we were idiots.           How can we avoid being betrayed by a clear intent to swindle us?

1665. An interpretation of our petty social corruption reveals that it stems from a           delightful trait of Argentines: our inclination to arrange and fix things           pleasantly, to  personalize exchanges, to prefer friendship over order and           warmth over efficiency. Isn´t that in the end making us more human?

1666. What´s the meaning of "responsible parenthood"?

1667. Metamorphosis that have taken place in our society during the last few years

1668. The future of agribusiness in Argentina

1669. Will China´s development pose a threat to other countries?

1670. What would have happened had the Nazis been left to conquer the planet?

1671. What would have happened had the Communists been left to conquer the           planet among themselves?

1672. What do we mean when we assert that we should congratulate ourselves on our           own human quality?

1673. Do governments have the right/obligation to safeguard, promote and even           protect their cultures from outside competition even if the local culture faces           market´s contradictions?

1674. Utilities´ privatization review: should we leave privatized property with its           present owners regardless of how they acquired it?

1675. Will there be an islamization of Europe? If so, what will be the effects on us ?

1676. We often see people not getting around to doing their job - not because they are           lazy or inept but for other reasons like they are doing too many other things, or           have family problems or because they have a toothache. Even if we don't know           the reason behind we do see the consequence: unexplainable chaos! What to do           in this type of situation?

1677. Balancing peace and justice is not an easy task

1678. What is endangering the prestige of our country?

1679. Are we making stupid mistakes or bad choices?

1680. Shouldn´t we think about building a system of justice that prepares our society           for the future, and no longer absorbed by the past?

1681. Do our leaders resemble us? Do our leaders reassemble us?

1682. Can freedom of speech justify providing a tribune to terrorists with the blood           of innocent victims?

1683. Why have talktimers with a penchant for provocative statements won some            enemies? If our methodology provides good results, why do we have enemies?

1684. Is "intelligence design" a religious doctrine?

1685. Assuming that the international community expects us to live up to our           obligations, what are our obligations?

1686. Taking the bull by the horns only after tragedies happen, is it a good strategy?

1687. Profits from the free flow of ideas, words and images

1688. Fallacious arguments held by the Argentine public opinion today

1689. Should we do away with the export tax on commodities?

1690. Economic sanctions. Are they effective?

1691. Evolution vs. creationism. Does evolution explain the origins of life or was           nature designed by an all-powerful force?

1692. How to improve gender equality?

1693. Should dictatorships be isolated and stifled?

1694. Too much money that should stay in soccer is leaving the game and going into           the hands of players´agents. What to do?

1695. Let´s debate our weekly megascandal

1696. Antidotes to cultural homogeneity

1697. The positive role of secularism as a way to balance power

1698. How can we tell the difference between someone who is possessed and needs an           exorcism and someone  who simply has psychological problems?

1699. Can Argentines understand that globalization is a challenge rather than a           threat?

1700. Except a few cases like France, we notice that it´s not easy to resist to the           imperial reach of foreign cultures. Are we at present creating a new  cultural           identity that will be an essential part of our next political identity?

1701. Ideology and Aids

1702. In many countries people and political leadership are moving westward.           Democracy if flitting around the world like a thought contagion. What is           leading some countries to ask "Why not here?", Are they feeling that the rules           have changed, Are they seeing that new possibilities have opened up?

1703. Life after debt

1704. Until recently, dating services were thought to be for ''desperadoes.'' But the           rise of Internet dating made the dating business sexy, respectable and           ubiquitous. Pros and cons of dating through Internet

1705. Extra-linguistic skills, attitudes, strategies, beliefs and practices that facilitate           the communication and interaction and understanding between people working           together across diverse cultures.

1706. Can we say that Europeans are struck in their traditions, want to have the           world from yesterday and have trouble imagining the world beyond whereas           Americans are striving for the world of tomorrow?

1707. Can Argentines develop and modify their -cultural model through observation           and experience?

1708. Are there strict rules in the preparation of food or should we always adapt           ourselves to the circumstances, using ingenuity, inspiration and common sense?

1709. We know whos´s in the driver´s seat, but we´re not always sure whose hand is           on the steering wheel

1710. Argentina and Spain have an overlapping set of interests. What does it include?

1711. The cultural factor contributes to international business success or failure but is           often an ‘invisible’ problem

1712. In which fields is Argentina needing the help of well qualified foreign trainers?

1713. Are Global Call Centers based in Argentina training our people to provide           world-class customer serviceskills in a global environment and thus           contributing to the integration of our country in a globalized world?

1714. The flippancy with which strikes are called in Argentina. Are workers abusing           their right to call strikes?

1715. Being respectful of differences even when not understood

1716. Is morality absolute or relative?

1717. How do dreams & illusions affect us in our daily lives?

1718. Why don´t the biggest foreign aid donors suspend their aid to highly corrupt           countries in protest against corruption?

1719. When does confrontational style become effective ?

1720. Playing Truco: To go outside the traditional cheating methods is downright           unthinkable and borderline morally reprehensible. Cheating is relieved of its           malicious baggage in Truco, as long as you do it within the confines of the           previously-agreed-upon system. How would a foreigner interpret the philosophy           behind our national card game?

1721. Can we condemn someone who refers to biblical figures of speech?

1722. Should we stop democracy on the grounds that vote could exacerbate religious           and ethnic tensions?

1723. More investment creates jobs. Is it always true?

1724. Adopting confrontational styles when battling with powerful groups. Is it the           best style to defend a country´s interests? Important lessons to be learned from           the Argentine experience

1725. God and evolution

1726. Assuming that Argentina is up to its neck in political resentment, what should           our politicians do in order to stop breeding further unnecessary resentment?

1727. Should the clout of international arbitration tribunals be limited?

1728. Around 70% of violent deeds committed in Argentina are the result of addiction           to drugs and alcohol. How to cope with growing drug trafficking in Argentina?

1729. Women who conquered Argentines with their wit

1730 . Will Argentina´s successful debt swap lead other countries to think differently            and modify their negotiating strategy to reduce their debt burden? If so, will            the world come to terms with this alternative to reduce the great weight?

1731. Lie and lie hoping that some of those lies will stick!

1732. Economists, predictions, gurus, oracles, prophecies, gloom and doom           forecasts ... who should we trust?

1733. Oscars analysis. Should the Oscar people shake things up and escape the aura           of deja vu or on the contrary the ceremony should remain stuck in the past,           clinging to its former glory?

1734. Can show-business members lead a tabloid-free existence?

1735. The obsession of our modern culture with freezing the clock - and the face -           with lifestyle drugs and medical treatments will make that in the future there           will be only one generic look, too much cloning and not enough originality.           Living in a society where women will rather be conventional than individual

1736. 21st century infidels and apostates

1737. Should we give a green light to the use of electronic tagging to crack down on           terrorism and criminality?

1738. Individuals that have had a major influence on the musical life of Argentina

1739. Will post-industrial society leave religion behind? / Will faith be directed           toward  meditation or yoga ? / Will faith appear within us as a profound part           of human existence, as inextricable as the way we love and laugh?    

1740. We know that Argentina has to wage a battle internationally to rebuild           confidence and credibility. What´s the best strategy to adopt?

1741. What is there behind terrorism: ideology or power?

1742. Subsidies. For or against?

1743. Too much sincerity can destroy

1744. When a country´s integration aspirations are held hostage by an obligation it           cannot fulfil

1745. New human rights

1746. Many words and concepts in Argentina have been devalued and don´t mean           what they mean in the rest of the world

1747. World´s biggest destabilizer

1748. Inventing the socialism of the 21st century

1749. Get-rich-quick schemes

1750. When the short-term gain is outweighed by the long-term damage

1751. How can we explain that in the space of a few years Argentina went from           emerging market poster child to problem child in the family of nations?

1752. Was default a smart move?

1753. Useful idiots in Argentina today. Who are they?

1754. When published opinion becomes public opinion

1755. Stunts that allow cornered politicians to turn a political problem into an           institutional one

1756. Progress requires realism, not wishful thinking

1757. What are the determining factors of madness? Who determines them? How is           ‘madness’ defined? Is it in relation to normality? What is abnormal?

1758. The new phenomenon of imported festivities: St Patrick´s day, Halloween, etc

1759. Who should be considered a journalist?

1760. Can we claim that the U.N. is in crisis because of passiveness?

1761. I like films as entertainment vs. I like the type of cinema with a commitment

1762. Is there a need for a state-run airline?

1763. Does Argentine rugby continue to be amateur by option or obligation?

1764. Is the slow pace of change in Argentina due to external or internal hurdles?

1765. The Da Vinci Code. A gross and absurd distortion of history and cheap lies?

1766. Argentina´s key to growth: creating wealth or distributing wealth?

1767. Should the government implement price controls?

1768. Are Argentine businesses risk-averse? If so, is it due to state intervention that           has sapped the initiative out of the business class?

1769. Redrawing the map of Argentina: shaping province boundaries so that they           make demographic sense

1770. What has to be done to make Argentina a "normal" country?

1771. Can we oblige a company to invest more while continuing to operate at a loss?

1772. Some people have a tendency to look down on material success. Nevertheless           propsperity is the key to social justice   

1773. How can we defuse the "claims culture" and the "trial industry" ?

1774. Fighting for democracy to prevent a dictatorship of the market.

1775. Job hoppers are those who keep changing jobs after working for a short period          of time. Why do employers and recruiters look down on them in Argentina while          they are usually appealing in the USA?

1776. Smear campaigns in Argentina today. Are they effective? Are they dangerous?

1777. Argentina has one of the highest death tolls per capita due to road accidents.          How can we reverse this situation?     

1778. What differentiates a terrorist from someone fighting a cause legitimately?

1779. Is cumbia villera ideologically inspiring young people to choose a life of crime           or just a music that speaks for the people, whatever moralists may think of it?

1780. Not abandoning the ship just because everyone else is jumping

1781. What does the phrase "civil rights" really mean?  

1782. Are Argentines increasingly losing their religious faith?

1783. Customer retention

1784. What should Tourist authorities do to reach a better quality of reception for the           individual tourists?

1785. Is it good to have an economic model based on high exports and low wages?

1786. The role of religion in political affairs

1787. Are businessmen insensitive?

1788. If utilities pull out of Argentina, should they be renationalized or reprivatized?

1789. Is there such a thing as a good populism and a bad populism?

1790. Technology remains the key to the prosperity without which any talk of social           justice is wishful thinking. True or false?

1791. Explaining the Argentine tradition to prepare huge amounts of food on           occasions in which people come together for a meal

1792. If we avoid outbursts things will get better. Is it always applicable?

1793. Keeping a person alive tampering with the process of death. For or against?

1794. It has been said that if there is one thing worse than being exploited, it is not           being exploited. Who sees the problem that way?

1795. In a world that values youth and beauty, do we have to fear to show ourselves           with grief?

1796. Is it naive to believe that there is no theory of conflict with our neighbour           countries?

1797. Latin America would be rich if only foreigners would stop looting it. True or           false?

1798. UN responsibility to act when nations don´t protect their citizens. New rules           for intervention?

1799. The takeover of factories by workers

1800. Providing security in the absence of state authorities

1801. Many Argentines enjoy toying with their body clocks by succumbing to the           temptations of 24-hour living and turning night into day with stimulants and           sedatives: The dangers of light pollution and the virtues of darkness

1802. Price controls, for good or for bad?

1803. Who is "castrating" our economic recovery?

1804. How is the developing of genetics affecting us?

1805. When does the policy "don´t ask , don´t tell" make sense?

1806. Being a modern parent. How does life change once children are born?

1807. Wiping out reality and replacing it with fiction

1808. Sometimes during a talktime a topic gets drifted and there is no problem. But if           private life problems are plopped down willy-nilly it becomes dangerous. Why?

1809. On the expression "politically correct/incorrect"

1810. Inhumanity towards our fellow human beings is what really should be                     improved; not ways to oppress those disagreeing with us

1811. Nah, I’ll let it go. Who cares whether the kid gets a decent education? He’d           rather play computer games anyway!

1812. Governing by fear seems to be gaining momentum all over the world. It is           no longer just a tyrant’s or a despot’s tool

1813. Does the school today actually have an obligation to make sure every child           reaches full potential or a minimum amount of education?

1814. People, regardless of intelligence, do not always choose well. They often prefer           to let inertia take over, unable or unwilling to choose for  themselves. To be           able to choose is fine. Yes, no, or maybe?

1815. In the US 25% opt to become organ donors. Nearly all Austrians, French, and           Portuguese consent (by default) to donate theirs. What about us?

1816. From aggressiveness to affected humbleness

1817. The papal legacy

1818. Culture, Politics or Economics, what´s the real mover and shaker of history?

1819. "Noblesse oblige" Do we care in Argentina?

1820. Is the defence of Human Rights ideologized?

1821. Who do we think best represents Argentina in the world?

1822. The breakdown of traditional family values. Can we roll back the trend?

1823. Argentina´s educational tragedy. The discourse on education follows one road           and reality another. Parents are more interested in the graduation than the           education of their offspring. They value schools as babysitters. Why is           education valued here for reasons which have nothing to do with education?

1824. The cult of youth. Youth is no longer a step on the road...because we all want           to be young. Isn´t it silly?

1825. How to deal with the lack of scientific vocation?

1826. What´s the new geopolitical map that is taking shape?

1827. The Rise and Decline of nations. Why do some nations succeed and others fail?

1828. In Argentina, what should be a simple transaction (for instance registering a           business) is time-consuming and costly. Getting things done often requires           paying a bribe. Is that mindset showing sign of ending?

1829. Is it good having past and present living side by side?

1830. There is nothing worse than a pacifist that sells arms. However...

1831. Group travel isn´t easy

1832. To what degree are we ourselves or rather the expectations of others ?

1833. Suffering from being in a culture where it is not cool to be clever

1834. What should have been black and white is seen as grey, which is finally used to           turn black into white

1835. If veteran political chiefs do not contemplate retirement and even gear to           reclaim party leadership, should we worry?

1836. Is there a reason why a country should meddle in another country´s sovereing           decisions?

1837. What should be Argentina´s foreign policy agenda?

1838. The impact of the clash between Latin and Anglo-saxon culture

1839. Why do some humanitarian crisis make the front pages while others wait in           vain for their turn in the media coverage?

1840. Do Argentines feel weary after decades of cronyism or are they rather           cherishing it in the hope of some day benefiting ?

1841. "Intersubjectivity, The Other”: What are the relationships with others that           helps us to understand our daily lives? How do our relationships with others           condition the way we think about and act in the world we live in?

1842. What is strategically extremely important for Argentina?

1843. Thanks to communication and information technology man has created a                     platform where intellectual work and intellectual capital can be delivered                from anywhere. It can be disaggregated, delivered, distributed, produced and          put back together again. This gives a new degree of freedom to the way we          do work. The playing field is being  leveled. We can chop up any piece of work          and send one part to USA, one part to India, one part to Spain, one part to          China...But what part will be sent to Argentina?

1844. Does Europe hate the USA?

1845. As bioscience becomes more computational and less about laboratories and as          all the genomic data becomes easily available on the Internet, at some point we          might soon be able to design vaccines on our laptops. Will that represent the          end of traditional chemistry?

1846. Can brainy Argentines innovate without having to emigrate?

1847. The Berlin Wall was not only a symbol of keeping people inside East Germany;           it was a way of preventing a kind of global view of the future. Its destruction           allowed us to think of the world as a single space. Recent opinion polls show                     that many Germans are nowadays missing the Berlin Wall. Why?

1848. Can someone be revolutionary and conservative at the same time?

1849. Internet drove down the cost of transmitting voices, data and images to           practically zero, which in turn accidentally make Boston, Bucharest, Bangalore           or Beijing, Argentines´next-door neighbors overnight. But are Argentines           willing to learn the suitable etiquette to interact with these new neighbors?

1850. Why is France trying to persuade the rest of the world to close ranks against            what it calls Anglo-Saxon culture?

1851. Some assert that the last 25 years in technology have just been ''the warm-up           act". Now we are going into the main event, and by the main event, they mean           an era in which technology will truly transform every aspect of business, of           government, of society, of life. How will this affect the Argentine society?

1852. "Sold to the World"-''Made in Argentina''-''Designed in Argentina"-''Dreamed           up in Argentina''. What´s necessary to make it true?

1853. What has remained from the educational Argentine heritage?

1854. Assuming that many jobs are lost worldwide because they go to that corner of           the world where there is the least resistance and the most opportunity, how           should Argentina capitalize on the phenomenon?

1855. We can make a Web site and have an e-mail address. If people are comfortable           giving work to us and if we are diligent and clean in our transactions, then we           are in business. Is it that easy?

1856. Argentines´ability to get by doing things the way they've been doing them --          which is to say not always enriching our secret sauce -- do not suffice any more.          It would be a nice coincidence if all the things that were true before were still          true now, but there are quite a few things we actually need to do differently. We          need to have a much more thoughtful national discussion. Will it happen?

1857. Is high-school education obsolete?

1858. Some say that parents should, throw away children´s videogames, turn off the           television and get their kids to work...

1859. American movies, television, popular music, digitized books, google..The risk           of a crushing domination by America in the definition of the idea that future           generations will have of the world

1860. But where there is a will, is there a way?

1861. Can talktimes bring people-to-people connectivity to a whole new level?

1862. Vertical collaboration / Horizontal collaboration. Which of both notions is            more familiar to us? Why? How can we develop new processes for  horizontal            collaboration?

1863. Some years ago parents used to say to their children "Finish your dinner --           people in China are starving.'' Should they  now tell their children "Finish your           homework -- people in China and India are  starving for your jobs'' ?

1864. If we all play a different note, harmony is created. If we all played the same           note, it would just be noise. Thus the need to defend linguistic and cultural           diversity

1865. Piercing and Tattooing: what is there behind adorning bodies with piercing           and tattoos?

1866. Is it always convenient to convey ideas as a proposal rather than an           imposition?

1867. Adoption is particularly problematic in Argentina even if foster families often           have plenty of love to offer. Why?

1868. Sociological roots of the current Argentine anomie

1869. Force is sometimes necessary to establish hope

1870. There being close to 200 countries in the world to choose from, why investing           in Argentina?

1872. Everlasting loyalties. When?, Where? Why?

1873. Passion+Dogma=Explosive cocktail

1874. Privacy and the law. The unconstitutional character of a law that does not           guarantee the privacy of everybody´s confidential personal information

1875. Hope dies last

1876. Are politicians divorced from reality?

1877. Reopening bond restructuring for holdouts. In which cases is it healthy to           backtrack on one´s own steps?

1878. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it

1879. After companies go , is it OK that workers take over the firms and even           demand the expropriation of buildings ?

1880. Do presidential visits to foreign nations help garner the support of the           international community?

1881. If ''masses'' want dumb and simple pleasures should big media companies try to           give those masses what they want? Must society remain passive under the           assumption that mass culture follows a path declining steadily toward           lowest-common-denominator standards?

1882. Is irrationality an indication of madness? Is madness a part of daily life?

1883. What do Argentines fear most?

1884. The search for one’s authenticity in an inauthentic world

1885. Fighting apathy and disillusionment

1887. The dialectic between the innate and acquired (nature/nurture)

1888. Why isn't it good to put the personal good ahead of the common good?

1889. In spite of the crisis, are Argentine shoppers loyal to brand names?

1890. Freedom. Does it have the same meaning to all ? or is it defined in a cultural           context and therefore has different meaning to all? Is it a word/concept we           even find in all languages? Is it something to be valued? Why? For whom ?

1891. Collectivism vs. individualism; dualism vs. monism

1892. The source of most conflicts in the world are based on differing perceptions of           values. The question of values emanating from diverse cultures

1893. Talktimers have talents in various domains. Are talktimes an opportunity to           share some of those talents with others or on the contrary, our decalogue is           acting as a strait jacket preventing any talents exchange?

1894. When exhilaration is followed by disappointment

1895. Cultural unity necessarily implies a vision of a "world community". But what           about when it comes to sharing world resources?

1896. How is Talk Time contributing to Global Team Building?

1897. Too many scandals have eroded the public´s faith in the judiciary. How to           revert the situation?

1898. Are Argentine schools teaching/indoctrinating their students with an           unbalanced vision on the past?

1899. A good story doesn´t make a good movie in itself. No matter how appealing a           subject is, a film must be well crafted, otherwise the films sucks. True or false?

1900. ‘Be yourself’, ‘Be natural’, ‘Find the authentic you’, What does all that mean?

1901. David-and-Goliath situations. Having the audacity to battle the giant     

1902. How to explain the boom of Book Fairs when we hear so much about the           functional illiteracy besetting our times?

1903. If you need to unite a community, give it an enemy. But would Argentines gain           anything by portraying foreigners as enemies?

1904. Is Latin America becoming an exotically illogical part of the world?

1905. The effect the media´s development can have on people´s consciences and           their spiritual outlook and in forming public opinion

1906. Being authentic when we are born into a society already established. Is it           possible?

1907. The value of the concept "irreversible" in our society

1908. Centuries-old traditions and rites. What for?

1909. The right to privacy. Is it an absolute right?

1910. The word " alliance" brings Argentines bad political memories. Nevertheless            all democracies need  electoral agreements

1911. Core values needed to promote a strong nation

1912. "By their fruits you shall judge them". Gauging others through this biblical           quotation?

1913. Societies are prone to have an image of themselves that is more flattering than           reality. Is our flattering self-image stronger of weaker than elsewhere?

1914. 78% of Argentines say they favour returning privatized public service          companies to state hands and 77% said the state should own an airline.          Collective amnesia or the need to believe that the state can solve all problems?

1915. Values in a time of upheavals

1916. Traditionalists vs. Modernists

1917. Searching  for an "Argentine brand" as an image of our state that will counter           the "brand" of unpredictability, unreliability and non credibility

1918. Modern techniques used to whip up nationalist fervour

1919. Assuming that we are in a transition period. What is coming next?

1920. Economics is not like war. It can be win-win but you need to be at a certain           level. How shall we acquire that level?

1921. Evolution vs. Creationism

1922. There may be clashes or harmony between diverse cultures, however there may           also be some universal principles underlying cultural unity/diversity

1923. The dictatorship of relativism that fights the idea of absolute truths

1924. How much are we ourselves or the expectations/projections of others?

1925. Only someone who knows tradition is able to shape the future. True or false?

1926. In some countries political campaigns are becoming reality shows where           politicians disclose their  sexual lives. Is it a good strategy?

1927. Labour unrest can be turned into an election-winner. What´s the imagination           and courage needed to implement this strategy?

1928. Is there such a thing as a "gay lobby"?

1929. Is it true that the domestic business class is looking to the government for a           handout, in one form or another?

1930. Movies that try to be instructive or enlightening clearly and simply divide           things into good and bad, which is a lie. True or false?

1931. Reserve funds: can they be used arbitrarily and unaccountably?

1932. Is there a finite time for political leaders or on the contrary they should stay           active if they want to carry reforms forward?

1933. Do tax cuts spur growth?

1934. Appearance is one thing, reality another

1935. Argentina would be better governed by rich public-minded philanthropists.           True or false?

1936. The power of freedom to overcome tyranny and terror

1937. Comparative advantages in a globalized world are moving from natural           resources to distinctive talents for innovation and entrepreneurship. What are           we doing to catch up in talent-building?

1940. Assuming that certain democracies are prisoners of political leaderships that           refuse to quit their privileges, wouldn´t it be naif to expect that those           same leaderships could introduce reforms that would become self-destructive           hara-kiri?

1941. A beautiful death to uplift a whole life. What would be a "beautiful death"?

1942. How to keep the prices of basic food products at bay?

1943. The social iceberg that we don´t see

1944. Is it possible to implement anti-fraud laws in Argentina?

1945. A learning environment that opens the doors to freedom of thought and           criticism vs. a learning environment that instil submissiveness

1946. People don´t change when you tell them they should, but when they tell           themselves they must

1947. Rich nations are rigging international trade by providing heavy farm subsidies           while also pushing for developing countries to lower protective tariffs. What to           do?

1948. Meditation: its forms and benefits

1949. Sharpness vs. Intelligence

1950. The unspoken made audible

1951. The impact of protest songs

1952. Argentina opened what may be the first Museum of Foreign Debt to teach           people ther perils of borrowing abroad. Will this museum become important?

1953. If we all play a different note, harmony is created. If we all played the same           note, it would just be noise

1954. Every now and then, insurgents want to plot against Talk Time. Why?

1955. Is the hole left by the drying up of the old faith being filled up with too much           garbage?

1956. Principled positions vs. Matter-of-fact positions

1957. Doing business the German way vs. doing business the Argentine way

1958. Are men more irritable than women?

1959. The dangers of seeing democracy as nothing sacred but something which can           be taken back to the shop at will

1960. Do European roots run deep in Argentina today?

1961. What should children be taught at school about the origin of life: natural           evolution or God´s creation?

1962. Does Brazil have long-term policies which may end up damaging Argentina´s           interests?

1963. The advance of Communication and Information Technology in hands of the           political power makes that there is no place to hide

1964. That choice between obeying tradition and saving lives

1965. Should we be obedient to authority even if it is clearly immoral and unethical?

1966. Cultural messages penetrate the human brain and shape personal preferences.           Neuromarketing (relies on a brain scanning device) is probing the human           psyche to influence it. At its best neuromarketing would make advertising           more  effective. At its worst, neuromarketing could make propaganda more          effective,  potentially leading to wrong ends. Orwellian?

1967. How to get an anti-drug message across ?

1968. Communication campaigns that cover up the non-communication

1969. Internet access entails risks. Should we fear that Internet porno skews           attitudes  about sex?

1970. When is a terrorist not a terrorist? When is he just a freedom fighter?

1971. Important messages the Argentine society should be receiving now

1972. Should a politician remain in power despite calls for his resignation coming           from public opinion?

1973. How should we be dumping trash?

1974. Distinguishing depression from transitory moodiness

1975. Should society give, or withhold, drugs that seem to change their personalities?

1976. Recent writing trends in Argentina

1977. Why is inequality growing in Argentina?

1978. Regarding people's incomes, should we worry if everyone is moving up the           ladder, but the top rungs are moving faster?

1979. What is posing a quandary in Argentina today?

1980. Conditions for small and medium-sized business to flourish

1981. Should entrepreneurs be trailed by hidden cameras ready to reveal any           encounter with corrupt bureaucrats?

1982. Health and Wealth sects are luring Latin Americans. Repercussions in our           society

1983. Why be obsessed about gathering more and more money? What can we do with           ten millions that we cannot do with one?

1984. A lot of the real pleasures of eating have been lost. Why?

1985. The independent art scene in Argentina. Can our artists take the risk and work           independently to the aesthetic criteria of the domestic art market?

1986. Pricing the priceless

1987. Nationalistic bravados: Political benefits and economical costs

1988. Applying the law and applying justice is not the same

1989. Western allies after World War II excused tyranny and sacrificed freedom in           Eastern Europe. Needless?

1990. The 7 factors that destroy a marriage

1991. How can we define a "light" person?

1992. Man and Machine

1993. Is Argentine law too liberal and soft on criminals?

1994. Utopia + Fanaticism = Explosive cocktail

1995. Capitalistic in terms of production and socialist in terms of distribution: a good           model ?

1996. Do Argentines idealize too much the past of their country?

1997. School takeover fashion spreads. A protest for better conditions in the schools           or a sort of political contagion?

1998. Should we turn a deaf ear to economic gurus?

1999. Mental zapping: an Argentine hobby?

2000. Victimocracy vs. Democracy

2001. Hedonism, consumerism, permissiveness, relativism: an explosive bomb? If so,           how to defuse it?

2002. The dangers of dramatizing a situation

2003. 21st century's epidemic of non-military coups in Latin America

2004. Some court decisions seem ill-timed or out of place even if grounded in legal           texts

2005. Are we becoming a country of picketers?

2006. Why do Argentina and Brazil clash?

2007. If a man does not know what port he is steering toward, no wind is favourable           to him

2008. Are Argentines willing to emulate their Chinese contemporaries?

2009. How will future historians explain our current crisis?

2010.When consensus is more important than truth

2011.When forgiveness becomes a political instrument

2012. The excessive zeal for civil liberties

2013. The take-over of local failures by foreign companies

2014. Variants of leftism in Latin America

2015. The best way to establish credibility

2016. A travesty is Argentines´ sexual icon. What do women think about that?

2017. Stopping hooliganism by the discounting of points from clubs for incidents           caused by their hooligan fans at matches. A useless measure?

2018. If someone remains neutral on religion he is attacked as hostile to religion.           Why?

2019. Buying silence

2020. Some talktimers enjoy straying from strictly debates to drag in chit chatting.           Why?

2021. Studying or vacationing? The educational lobby vs. the tourist lobby

2022. When common sense is the less common sense

2023. The multiplication of artificial paradises

2024. Orthodoxy vs. Heterodoxy

2025. What is today the place of tango in our society?

2026. Are explosive disclosures in Argentina really explosive?

2027. The peril of crossing business and pleasure. When working in close proximity            to people it is hard to know where to draw the line. Is a code of conduct            necessary when professional relationships throw people into physical intimacy            (i.e. personal trainers) ?

2028. Finding problems to every solution

2029. Politically correct is not necessarily politically useful

2030. If we all play a different note, harmony is created. If we all played the same           note, it would just be noise. The need to defend linguistic and cultural diversity

2031. Conveying ideas as a proposal rather than an imposition. A good strategy?

2032. Sociological roots of anomie

2033. Is there a good and a bad terrorism?

2034. The Tinellization, Roldanization and Gimenezation of the Argentine society

2035. The greatest wrongs of history

2036. The right of an indicted person to remain free prior to conviction creates            problems in the form of the release of potentially dangerous criminals

2037. Should compulsory conscription be reintroduced?

2038. Erroneous interpretations of freedom

2039. The connection between the nobility of a cause and a willingness to fight           bravely and die for it

2040. Underestimating a totalitarian threat is a mistake. Why accusing then those           who overreact to what may, or may not, be a threat to democracy?

2041. The use of anonymous sources by journalists. Can we say that reporters who            invoke unidentified sources are lazy or, far worse, dishonest?

2042. Modern techniques to find the road to electoral success

2043. Providing children with better tools for their education. What sort of tools?

2044. What´s the best recipe to remain objective in front of an issue?

2045. History is like a car´s rear-view mirror: you can´t drive without looking at           what´s behind and you can´t drive only looking at the mirror

2046. Dictatorship of relativism. What´s that?

2047. "Here I am, you have to take me as I am"

2048. Competition is a powerful force in our daily lives in business, in sport, in the           arts and the social round

2049. Sex and morals through tango history

2050. Trying to extend public control to private matters

2051. Fear of dissenting

2052. Judges: should they take into consideration the social repercussion of their           ruling or on the contrary social repercussion is not a factor to be reckoned           with  when making a decision

2053. The excessive and noticeable increase of sex scenes on Argentine TV . Should           authorities try to control that?

2054. How to get through an over-growing flood of information?

2055. The question of whether we see the future of energy development in state or           private hands

2056. Can a self-respecting private investor accept putting up the capital and paying           the costs while being subjected to political decisions?

2057. Reconciliation requires truth and justice

2058. The more impunity the less honesty

2059. Mediation requires more moral than economical or political power. Is that           always  taken into account?

2060. By accelerating contradictions we accelerate solutions

2061. All people are the same. It's only their habits that are different

2062. When the absence of evidence is taken to be evidence of absence

2063. Can ethics be taught and learnt or is it something which develops in the           individual by living in society?

2064. Healing emotional scars

2065. Building issues out of ghosts from the past. What for?

2066. Poetry in times of crisis

2067. Is U.S. politics working?

2068. Social recovery has not matched yet economic recovery in Argentina. Why?

2069. Is there an important policy improvement in the field of human rights?

2070. Sometimes an aggressive and confrontational style causing tensions is better           than dialogue. When does this apply?

2071. Assuming that the U.S. invented the modern world, why are there so many           people that antagonize whatever is tainted of U.S. philosophy?

2072. Useless rebelliousness

2073. European Union Constitution: "anglo-saxon" and "ultraliberal"?, an open           door  to liberal abuse, wild adjustments and unemployment? fear of lower
          living  standards and losing national identity? public concern that the EU is           moving too far, too  fast? Another 1789 French revolution against authority?

2074. The terms "progressive" and "conservative" have ceased to be of any use as           meaningful descriptive labels. Their misusage is impeding public discourse           rather than facilitating it.

2075. Believing that the "news" is objective is naive. News broadcasts are filled with           press releases created by Public Relations experts on behalf of politicians and           interest groups. Can we conclude that the term "Public Relations" is nowadays           an euphemism for propaganda on behalf of anyone willing to pay for it?

2076. One of the best things about getting older is the occasional "I knew it!"

2077. Is there a new rightist trend behind governments masked as leftists?

2078. In France and Germany it seems very difficult to reform something without the           consent of the citizenry. Will European leaders be able to adapt the cherished           but pricey welfare state to the  pressures of a globalized market economy?

2079. Secret laws. If it is secret it cannot be a law. If it is a law it cannot be secret

2080. Why would some judges like to do away with the criminal code?

2081. The choice between popularity and reform

2082. The origin of poverty

2083. "We have to have balls to tolerate the Argentines" What does that mean?

2084. National unity in Argentina can only be achieved if the citizens vote en masse           for the same candidate. True or false?

2085. Is the Chilean experience transferable to Argentina?

2086. Is creativity more powerful than knowledge?

2087. Has history come to a satisfactory end because liberal democracy shows itself           to be the best conceivable way of arranging matters and therefore will be           adopted by everyone?

2089. Being an entrepreneur in Argentina. A heroic task?

2090. How to fight against discretionality and patronage in the distribution of social           plans?

2091. Tips. In most consumer activities people try to pay less for goods and services.           However with the tip, people are ready to pay more for what they receive. A           reward for the waiters´ charm? A recognition of good service? To insure           promptness next time we return? The anxiety of a customer not to feel mean in           dealing with a person financially inferior? A form of ostentation of power,           wealth, status?

2092. Argentines appear lazy when it comes to demonstrate for any cause on a rainy           day. But is bad weather the main factor behind the reduced number of people           attending rallies?

2093. "Pueblada" vs. "Pueblo". The greatest trick of the sponsors of "puebladas"            (mobs) is to make us believe that they truly represent the "pueblo" (people)

2094. Wherever a free society is in retreat, a fear society is on the offensive

2095. How should developed countries act to strengthen weak democracies without           being accused of intruding sovereign mechanisms?

2096. Welfare state cannot be competitive with globalization. True or false?

2097. We should not talk of models. Evolution is needed. True or false?

2098. Too many politicians in Argentina come from the show business and sports           scene. Aren´t we trivializing politics by pushing for actors and sportsmen           candidacies on grounds that they stand better in public opinion polls and thus           subordinating party service to frivolity?

2099. Positive thinking as a tool to increase the quality of our lives

2100. Science, Philosophy, Religion and Yoga

2111. China has concocted a potent blend of neoliberalism and good old-fashioned           dictatorship. Will China have to expand civil rights and liberties to maintain           economic growth and influence? Will greater freedom destabilize the country?

2112. Why does media blow isolated incidents out of proportion?

2113. Similarities and differences between Argentines and the rest of the countries           that are also from Spanish descent

2114. Laws that breach natural order

2115. Does Argentina have a mafia culture inheritance? If so, is there any local           mafia ethics?

2116. Argentine roads are among the deadliest in the world. Cultural reasons behind           high road death toll

2117. If authority is widely perceived as illegitimate, denouncing is seen as socially           incorrect

2118. Peronism is not just a cause but also the result of previous factors. Which are           the factors that hatched peronism?

2119. The natural tendency of youths to violate norms in a deceiving effort to assert           a weak identity

2120. Now it is the parents who want to resemble their children. As a result, youths           either don´t have models to follow or they plainly follow the wrong example

2121. Suicide in disguise: the actual incidence of the Argentine self-destructive factor           that some call a suicide in disguise

2122. Talk Time is growing. But will Talk Time ever run out of steam and eventually            founder? If so, why?

2123. What differentiates the underground from the mainstream rock scene?

2124. Mementos. What for?

2125. Opposition leaders denounce unfair distribution of official advertising funds,           as a form of influencing news content in the press, radio and TV. Are there           other forms of pressuring some journalists and favouring others?

2126. Is Argentine public opinion superficial and moody ?

2127. In free market the government must not interfere in business decisions. True or           false?

2128. Is the rejection of EU charter salutary for Argentina?

2129. Poverty and inequality cannot be tackled only through short term palliative           measures

2130. "Leaderships by default". Can we state that in current world politics            leaderships are actually leaderships by default resulting from the lack of a            strong opposition?

2131. We are living in a Darwinian planet in which any person, country or region           that refuses to adapt will be left behind. How to cope with a threatening           modern world?

2132. Do we need a regionwide TV station aiming to counteract the media           dictatorship of the big international news networks?

2133. Should news media put out reports that endanger national security, incite           disruption of public order and insult or show disrespect for government           authorities?

2134. Is it a "must" that Argentina gets an international leading role?

2135. Are media degrading women by focusing too much on sex and beauty ideals?           IF so should the government pass laws to regulate what material can be           displayed in newspapers, magazines and advertising?

2136. The present is unimportant. What really matters is the past and the future.           True or false?

2137. Some human rights groups have gone beyond condemning abuses to           expressing sympathies with terrorism. What´s the balance we could make           between human rights and anti-terrorism today?

2138. Does moving from the private to the public sector imply changing values and           even principles? What about moving from the public to the private sector?

2139. Resilience makes us more resistant to persist in the face of adversity, with           motivation to struggle with hardship and to deal constructively with the daily           challenges. How can we manage to improve resilience?

2140. The relationship between reason and faith throughout history

2141. Are spending patterns changing in Argentina?

2142. Though economies move in cycles, Argentines generally think lineally. When           times are bad, it seems like they´ll never get better. When times are good, it           seems like they´ll never stop. Can this be attributed to something peculiar to           the Argentine temperament?

2143. Sporting events are just bread and circuses which should not distract anybody           from the fundamental political and economic realities

2144. Do not live celebrating victories, but overcoming defeats

2145. Guerrilla philosophy: Hatred as an element of struggle or Love as an element           of struggle?

2146. Succumbing to the temptation of the power offered by whoever is in charge. Is           political opportunism damnable?

2147. Football is not a matter of life and death: it is much more important than that.           Only joking?

2148. How therapies of the Here and Now cure?

2149. Becoming tough without becoming unkind

2150. Young people are loath to read books or newspapers but take everything that            interests them from a TV screen, a computer screen or a cell phone screen.            How can we explain this phenomenon of "screenagers"?

2151. The chimpanzee culture: I don´t see, I don´t hear, I don´t speak ... but I lie

2152. What differentiates women in power from men in power?

2153. The fight between hope and fear

2154. Trial marriages and free-style unions. Are these practices dangerous for the           family as an institution?

2155. The lack of meritocracy in public service, the lack of civic sense in private life,           the destructive effects of militarism and populism, a business class placing           political contacts above an entrepreneurial ethos... Assuming that Latin          Americans have the governments they deserve, how can we revert this          situation?

2156. Should we promote "politically correct" education even if standards are           reduced dramatically?

2157. The same way a good mechanic can handle several tools and will choose the           most appropriate ones in each case, an economist should choose a policy           according to the circumstances. Free market, competition, etc. are just tools,           very powerful tools indeed, but all tools are useless if the mechanic is                    incompetent. The risk of being fundamentalistic in economy or in politics

2158. Addiction to opinion polls in Argentina

2159. Is marriage as a solution to poverty?

2160. The weight of charlatans, pseudo-intellectuals, rock stars, TV celebrities and           the like in shaping public opinion

2161. Do Argentines know how to differentiate competition from attack, humility           from poverty, ambition from greed, risk from danger...?

2162. To what extent can we consider that strikes and protests are a sign of life and           health expressing citizens´ participation in the distribution of wealth?  

2163. Ways to improve chances for a good marriage after cohabitation 

2164. The notion of Overlapping Consensus is formed by the main substantive           ethico-political doctrines current in a community. The consensus is not a           modus vivendi but a principled basis for collective life and it depends on there           being a morally significant core of commitments common to that community.           Is there an Overlapping Consensus in the Argentine society? Was there one in           the past? Will there be one in the near future?

2165. Can unadulterated primitivism (i.e."indigenismo") be held as a new model in           some Latin American countries?

2166. What to answer to those who advocate that marriage is a plot by men to           perpetuate an evil system of domination over women and children?

2167. What happens when the great historical symbols of a nation's past, including           great presidents, soldiers and thinkers are shown to have been unforgivably            flawed and therefore basically evil ?

2168. Traditional culture is a bastion supporting the integrity of the national heritage            vs. traditional culture is repressive and thus unworthy of continued devotion

2169. When people are not married, or at least in a relationship, others may assume           there's something wrong with them , that their life is incomplete. However a           single person may feel entirely whole and fulfilled

2170. Is it risky to constantly invigorate the notions of egalitarianism?

2171. When news become trivialized entertainment...

2172. Working with two modest tools (an internet connection and a computer),            it's possible to set up Joint Venture activities that can rake in plenty of cash.            Right or wrong?

2173. Assuming that morality, decency, and old virtues are ridiculed without respite           by TV programs, how could the state intervene without breaching freedom of           expresssion?

2174. Have Argentines become non-believers?

2175. The word family is slowly being superseded by the word household. Why?

2176. The Good Fight. What´s that?

2177. How can we calmly resist mind-control techniques and strive to be independent           thinkers?

2178. Do unmarried people have more fun?

2179. Advocating  for a revamp of the Argentine tax system

2180. Is Argentina paving the way for the Gramscian transformation of society?   

2181. Are some talktimes becoming ideology-driven political clubs?

2182. Polyamory means "many loves". This could take the form of an "open"           relationship (sometimes called polyfidelity) or a limitless set of other situations.           Skills for successfully managing polyamorous relationships

2183. Is nationality an important part of ones identity?

2184. Political scientists hold that people's upbringing and experience determine           their political views. A child raised on peace protests generally tracks left                   as an adult, unless derailed by some powerful life experience. One reared                     on tax protests usually lists to the right. But a new research indicates that           people's general approach to social issues - more conservative or more           progressive - is influenced by genes

2185. Argentines often mistake one thing for another or get two things mixed up i.e.           State and Government

2186. Does the policy of a low peso carry the seeds of long-term growth?

2187. Assuming that our business class is rarely independent, competitive or           internationally-minded, would crony capitalism be the only way to shape up           Argentina or have we still any chance to replace it in the next future with a           more genuinely entrepreneurial ethos?

2188. Why are there so many economists that are posing stumbling blocks on   the            way of our buoyant economy?

2189. Does a long-term dominance by a political machine lead to corruption?

2190. When does war become a nationalistic force that gives meaning to people?

2191. Have we taken administration dishonesty for granted?

2192. Argentina, once a showpiece for the new world order, quickly became a           byword for economic catastrophe. Should other nations be afraid of           argentinizing themselves? If so, what antibodies should they create?

2193. Little girls watch and learn; little boys play around. Why?

2194. Is it possible to de-politicize economic development?

2195. Failure Is Part of Success. There are things we can learn from failure that we           can´t from success

2196. Self-doubt. All of the biggest hurdles are internal.

2197. Is Argentine decadence due to a problem of ideas or to a problem of mafias?

2198. Liberalism starts with individual rights as its central premise and seeks to           balance the rights and liberties of all people equally. Social democracy starts           with group welfare as its central premise and seeks to make people act for the           good of all. What´s better?

2199. Vegetarian, organic. The pleasure of eating naturally or a new fashion with           which to lure customers?

2200. How to explain the unexplainable?

2201. Argentine fiscal greed while the world trends to lower taxation.           Consequences?

2202. Growing sex trade snares many women. What to do?

2203. Is it important for women the way men express masculinity outside the           bedroom?

2204. Is there such a thing as the problems of success?

2205. The importance of the press to be diverse in its way of reporting and recording            events

2206. What have first world countries done to deserve such people? Where do they           come from people of such resilience and grace?

2207. History can be dangerous. That´s why the Argentine administration should be           concerned about how its policies will be treated by history. But do our           politicians care about that? Did they care in the past?

2208. Resiliency means the ability to spring back from and successfully adapt to           adversity. Is resiliency an Argentine asset?

2209. How to overcome the stress provoked by airline traveling?

2210. When communication becomes non-communication

2211. Assuming that inequality, rather than poverty, most determines instability, how           should we avoid becoming once more an at-risk country?

2212. The syndrome of doing things at the last minute. Pros and cons

2213. Countering rising consumption of drugs: Many times, the consequences of           penalization are worse than drug use. Looking for new solutions to old           problems

2214. The value of life

2215. What do people most value in a president, the ability to solve problems or the           actions to favour general interests?

2216. Making concessions to terrorists often encourage future hostage-takings.           Should concessions to terrorists be still made in some cases?

2217. Illusion and disappointment characterize Argentine history

2218. The U.S. leads the world in putting criminals in jail. Any comments?

2219. Are movies the way we have understood them for several generations in their           end stage?

2220. How to face children discrimination and teasing at school?

2221. A love affair is an unusual but effective way to promote an actor. How to           recognize real love from just a publicity stunt?

2222. Politicians are not expected to come clean on sensitive matters during an           election campaign. Is this making most candidates the beneficiaries of voter           indifference in Argentina today?

2223. It seems that Latin America has finally arrived at a clear anti-coup position.           But what about this new phenomenon of overthrow by popular protest?

2224. Pragmatism against ideology

2225. The protectionist fear of competition in a world without walls

2226. Why is Argentina not investing as it should in the next generation of            technology in order to create the jobs of tomorrow?

2227. Power ends up in the hands of those who hold the purse strings. A universal           truth?

2228. Are politicians turning the back on us?

2229. Will the XXIst century be the hostage of religion?

2230. Do we need a redefinition of marriage?

2231. Even when splashing about in the mud we must keep on dreaming

2232. Are politicians more interested in being obeyed by their subjects than in           winning their affection?

2233. Zombie ideas can enjoy a long and mischievous afterlife

2234. The current priority given to money and light entertainment over intellectual            pursuit

2235. When politics defies logics

2236. The effect that the great events of a country´s social life have on individual           destinies

2237. The cultural shift in the way we entertain ourselves

2238. Should successful businesswomen leave everything to bring up the perfect           child?

2239. Even when splashing about in the mud we must keep on dreaming

2240. Why are there so many economists that are posing some stumbling blocks on           the way of a buoyant economy?           

2241. The cult of death in the XXIst century

2242. The Intercultural Aspect of Ethical Decision Making. Which side are Argentines on ?           Which side are other Latin American nations on? Which side are Northamericans           on? Which side are Europeans on? Which side are Chinese on? Which side are           Japanese on?

2243. Cultural convergence: Will Globalisation create, or at least lead to a common culture            world-wide? Can´t we consider McDonalds or Coca-Cola as examples of tastes,            markets or even cultures becoming similar everywhere?

2244. The difference between anarchy and a tolerable degree of chaos

2245. What is 'Culture' and why are there such vast cultural differences between people           and the way they do things?

2246. Reality is what we think it is. Is it true in physics? And in everyday life?

2247. When people don´t want to swim against the tide, even if people don`t know where            the tide goes           

2248. "All or nothing" responses. When are they justified?

2249. Which are the laws that if passed could rock the foundations of traditional family?

2250. There are many products and services becoming common to world markets. What is           important however, is less that they are everywhere than what they might signify in           each culture. In the US a Big Mac is a fast snack but in Moscow it signifies that you           are part of a privileged elite. When the Big Mac was transferred out of the culture           that created it the new culture attributed it with a different meaning - a meaning that           can be very puzzling to the culture that invented it.

2251. Fashion designers overseas embrace "ethnic" hues and styles. Are Argentines fond           of that type of fashion?

2252. The coalition of environmentalists, anti-poverty campaigners, trade unionists and            anti-capitalist groups see the growth of global companies as raising more problems            than it solves. Are they right or wrong?

2253. The "mañana" mania. How does it have a detrimental effect in our economy?

2254. Dreams & illusions are often representations of reality, though relegated to a less           important level than that of rational thinking. What are their impact on "rational           thinking" ?

2255. Internet allows everybody to be a protagonist and not only an spectator, therefore           allowing to take part on things. So it comes as a sort of a virtual democracy. The fact           Latinamericans don´t like to use forums speaks volumes about our incapacity to           adapt to democracy. Is it due to the fact that we were not educated in trying to           change things? Or due to the fact that in Latin America decisions are made under           closed doors by people who had made alliances among them in order to keep                    their power and keep away others who try to participate in the taking of           decisions?          

2256. In Talk Time just a few talktimers want to take responsability. Most of talktimers           consider themselves mere guests or freeloaders and try just to take advantage of the           opportunity. They prefer the comfort. Why?

2257. The feared factor of being considered unpopular: In some countries if people           denounce apparently harmfull attitudes, they´d risk the posibility to be unpopular.           Does it often happen in Argentina?

2258. In order to change our mentality, do we need to change our culture, our behaviour or           our institutions?

2259. When the language becomes a mechanism of ethnic, cultural and linguistic resistance

2260. The demand for perfumes, soaps, balms and scented candles has skyrocketed in            recent years. Why?

2261. The need of concrete proposals instead of running the risk of losing oneself in the           words or in an illusion

2262. Should the Argentine constitution be rewritten along socialist lines?

2263. Flaunting the lack of honesty, fairness, decency and modesty. Is it acceptable even if           done by a football star?

2264. Electoral opportunism. What´s that?

2265. Human rights record is acknowledged both at home and abroad. Where do we           notice Argentina´s progress on human rights?

2266. Should taxes be paid if  taxpayers are not offered any return in the form of           good public education, health and security?

2267. Is Argentina facing an opportunity?

2268. The freedoms granted by globalisation are leading to increased insecurity in the           workplace. Manual workers in particular are under threat as companies shift their           production lines overseas to low-wage economies. Shall we benefit from that trend           or on the contrary shall we be victims of it?

2269. In many countries the grievance industry is thriving. How much can a government do           to help people who have no inclination to help themselves?

2270. Some 350 veterans have committed suicide since the Malvinas war. Sparking the           debate about the debt Argentina owes its veterans, most of whom never received           decent pensions nor assistance for postcombat disorders

2271. When traditions, beliefs, maxims and rules which we hold sacred, suddenly turnout to            be false or at least flawed, with a frequency which is sometimes difficult to foresee            and anticipate

2272. There´s more than one Argentina

2273. A publicity reads: "You may not do your homework. But you may not be left without           your (...) - and here the name of one of the cell-phone companies active in our           country. Isn´t the ad telling children to be immoral and to forego their duties?           Should this kind of publicity aiming at perverting children be forbidden?

2274. For the people who get hit by them, catastrophes are terrible, but others find           them highly enjoyable because they give them a chance to rant against the iniquities of           the world we live and deplore the sheer viciousness of the governments they dislike           most

2275. The grievance industry is thriving all over the world. Challenging it is not only            politically incorrect but politically dangerous          

2276. As things stand in the world today, some visualize a future in which half of mankind           will be unemployed, or turned into the cheapest of "cheap labour". In such a case           should we forget the idea that employment proves us useful for others and justifies           our very existence?

2277. Sigmund Freud: no matter if his psychonalytical method continues being successful or           not, we can no longer view reality without Freud´s contribution. Why?

2278. Shoot-to-kill orders to stop looting?

2279. The government pretends it opposes the IMF, some Peronist groups pretend they           are divided, many Radicals pretend they are the opposition. Doesn´t Argentina need           a sincerity boost?

2280. The mortal effect of silence

2281. How to avoid a war of words?

2282. Assuming that Argentina has entered a virtuous circle with tradeand fiscal surpluses,           how long will it last?

2283. Decentralization: What´s the real intention when we speak about decentralizing?

2284. Some talktimers object that Talk Time´s topics deal too often with Argentina´s           problems. But isn´t that something that as a society we have to acknowledge and           grapple with?

2285. Non-conformist beliefs and the desire to reach happiness in contemporary society

2286. Why is it that, despite a strong sex attraction, some much-desired mettings never            materialize?

2287. The reconstruction of memory as a way of understanding how things are now

2288. How appearances and prejudices may cause people to see reality differently

2289. Is it possible to love without believing in love?

2290. Should the pit bull breed be banned?

2291. Should governments be always organized along party lines? What about if they are           organized as a product of consensus and in response to world issues?

2292. On the train if you read the Herald, passengers look at you as if you were an alien. In           San Telmo dealers who work with tourists either don´t speak English or are not           interested in learning. Is there a lack of interest in Argentina in the English language?

2293. How did the object of gossip change with the time?

2294. When is onscreen sex going too far?

2295. Should we change our presidential system for a parliamentary one?

2296. Argentines appear to share the view that industry is good while farming and most           services are bad. Why?

2297. What about the old saying that everything enjoyable in this world is either illegal,            immoral or fattening?

2298. Securlarism as an answer to religious extremism?

2299. What´s Mafalda´s message for future generations?

2300. The tug-of-war between pragmatism and tradition

2301. Why is the Argentine media increasingly prone to focus on the spectacular rather            than the relevant, a pair that rarely coincide? 

2302. Is it true that in France the economy, politics and society have sunk into paralysis           because leaders have self-destructively resisted change and refused to accept the           realities of a modernising, globalising world? Is it true that France has carried out a           "euthanasia of production and work"? If so, will political, economic, social,  intellectual           and moral immobility plunge France into decline?

2303. What about more morality and less psychoanalisis? What about if Freud=Fraud?

2304. If a candidate promises us toil, blood, sweat and tears, would any Argentine vote for           him?

2305. Truth, absolute or relative?

2306. Colón Theatre: An elitist luxury of the idle rich? A national pride? A national cultural           heritage belonging to everyone? A national disgrace victim of sabotage?

2307. France´s activist secularism which demands that newcomers assimilate to the French           way of life vs. the liberal multiculturalism of Britain and the Netherlands which           teaches that society is enriched when immigrants preserve their traditions

2308. Should we fight against temptations or surrender to temptations?                

2309. Will there be a generational change in Argentina ?

2310. Carrot-and-stick mechanisms for exerting pressure in Argentina today

2311. Success depends on how policies are adopted and carried out. It's not what you do, but           how you do it. Most of the privatizations have worked in Chile, for example, which has           strong regulatory institutions, but not in Argentina

2312. Had Kirchner arrived in the Pink House four years earlier (before the world-wide           boom) would he have lasted longer than did De la Rúa? And had the world-wide boom           started in 1998 or thereabouts, would De la Rúa be still in office after a reelection?

2313. How can we explain that thousands of pension schemes are being paid to bogus           vererans of the Malvinas war?

2314. Many Argentines are becoming "virtual homeless" due to the increase in house           rental prices. How can we revert the situation?

2315. The reform of the Council of Magistrates. Will reforms become the object of political           speculation? What to do to restore the independence of Argentine justice?

2316. Should it come as surprise that foreign newspapers often mention the seemingly           dangerous tilt to leftwing populism of Latin America?

2317. The word peronism has for the better or worse dominated Argentine politics since this           political movement started in 1945. This word sparked multiple ideas in the past but at           present it has become a cliche devoid of any political substance. How can we explain           peronism to foreigners visiting Argentina?

2318. Unorthodox wisdom. Low wages, crass inequality, a cheap peso, crony           capitalism, protectionist obbstacles designed to make most foreign imports too           expensive. How can we explain that so many Argentines approve the current           unorthodox wisdom ?

2319. Is oil obsession destroying the world?

2320. Is China´s interest in Latin America purely commercial or are the Chinese seeking also           political and military interest in the region?

2321. It is very bad for the government not to listen to the opposition. True or false?

2322. Assuming that everything in the Argentine economy is decided by a few dozen men like           Coto and that the price problem stems from monopolistic tendencies, wouldn´t it be           better then to strive for a more competitive economy?

2323. How to crack down on unregistered employment?

2324. Argentina paid off its last debt to the IMF. Have we gained political sovereignty           and economic independence?

2325. Populism is nothing but just one way of doing politics in a democratic society. There is           nothing wrong with being populist. Populist language brings the People (el pueblo) back           into the political arena

2326. "France is Falling" a 135-page bestseller. The author´s thesis: the economy, politics and           society have sunk into paralysis because leaders have self-destructively resisted change           and refused to accept the realities of a modernising, globalising world. The political,           economic and social immobility, which is also intellectual and moral, has plunged France           into decline. The autism of a political class moored to the models of the 1960s and           1970s has degraded the nation. The author states that France has carried out a           "euthanasia of production and work". Reminiscent of what is happening in Argentina?

2327. Will there be a generational change in Argentina?

2328. Why did Argentines try to replace Congress with spontaneous neighbourhood           assemblies? Why did it fail?

2329. What are the relationships with others that help us to understand our daily lives? How           do our relationships with others condition the way we think about and act in the world           we live in?

2330. "Transcendence means to "leap over", "to go beyond", "to surpass." However,            transcendence may bear one meaning when applied to philosophy and another when            applied to religion or art. For some, transcendence takes on a mystical meaning, as in            "transcendental meditation". Are we capable of moving beyond the boundaries of our            being, i.e. limits imposed by our past or natural limits of sense experience? How might            we "transcend" into new possibilities of being? Is there a "transcendent reality"?

2331. "Uncertainty". Living in a rapidly changing world with the speed of information exceeding           the speed of light, uncertainty reigns. How do we live with this uncertainty ? What can           we be certain of ? Scientific discoveries? Faith in God? What is the relationship between           reason and certainty? Between belief and certainty ?

2332. Poverty in Argentina grew tenfold between 1974 (4,5%) and 2004 (43%) even though           GDP per capita was roughly the same in both years. A surprising situation when           compared with the international experience

2333. New Zeland can serve Argentina as a "halfway house" to Asia while Argentina - midway           to Europe - could give Kiwis a stepping-stone to Europe. What to do so that distance           between Argentina and New Zeland coul be more properly understood as a bridge?

2334. Venezuela´s president has become Argentina´s main creditor and lender. Is it beneficial           for us? Is this friendship free of conditions and pressure?

2335. Nations have got the right to control their borders. But those people who cannot           support themselves, haven´t they got the right to find work in another country for their           survival?

2336. The events (and non-events) suggest that foreign policy in Argentina runs a distinct           danger of  falling between two stools. We are loosing ground in Washington without            making any progress elsewhere. A lack of definition could be optimistically viewed as            open-ended but might well end up closing options

2337. The energy bottleneck looms bigger than ever. What to do?

2338. Anti-imperialist leftwingery is popular. Nevertheless its practical uses are limited: it is at           best an anaesthetic that makes self-inflicted pain more bearable

2339. The world is changing...So are we... So are we?

2340. Our government prefers to let protesters run in the hope that time will wear them down.           It worked with the piqueters. But is this recipee advisable for use across the labour           spectrum?

2341. Should we limit the right to strike?

2342. The "cute" factor: Fashions nowadays opt for the cute over the glamorous. Cuteness is           distinct from beauty. Cuteness attracts affection, beauty attracts admiration. Cuteness is           used to soften up the vertical society, to soften power relations and to present authority           without being threatening

2343. Is astronomy important in our lives?

2344. Does the weather influence a country's history or lifestyle?

2345. How can we achieve happiness?

2346. Do stressful interviews give a good idea of how a candidate will perform in a stressful           job?

2347. How important is it to understand our country's history?

2348. Which are the typical faux-pas made by foreigners in our country?

2349. How has the position of women changed in our society in the last 100 years?

2350. How are salaries determined? Is the process a fair one?

2351. Have historical places of our country changed in the last decade? Why?

2352. Will the Internet make postal services obsolete in the end?

2353. Which could be the solutions to international terrorism?

2354. How can we prevent children from using swearwords?

2355. Is the film industry racist?

2356 Do animal have inalienable rights?

2357. Should the railway system be publicly or privately owned/managed?

2358. Does our country have a love-hate relationship with other countries? Why?

2359. Is it a tragedy that half of the languages are going to disappear in our lifetime?

2360. Are people who were dismissed of a previous job less likely to get a new one?

2361. Are graffitis a way of art?

2362. Is globalisation an unstoppable process that has been a feature throughout human           history? Is it favourable for everybody?

2363. Do complaints lead to something good?

2364. Does outsourcing create or destroy jobs?

2365 Does success depend on luck? or skills?

2366. Are we improving our language?

2367. Which are the writers that have significantly influenced our language? How?

2368. Do sports help a society to be successful?

2369. Is Latin America's leftist 'unity' largely a mirage?

2370. According to some intellectuals, the European economy, politics and society have sunk           into paralysis because leaders have self-destructively resisted change and refused to           accept the realities of a modernising, globalising world. Assuming that the political,           economic and social immobility (which according to some is also intellectual and moral)           has plunged Western Europe into decline, what´s the lesson we Argentines have to learn           from such experience?

2371. When winning appears to be all that matters

2372. Will there be a generational change in Argentina?

2373. The autism of a political class moored to outdated models is carrying out a "euthanasia           of production and work"

2374. Transcendence means to "leap over", "to go beyond", "to surpass". Transcendence may           bear one meaning when applied to philosophy and another when applied to religion or           art

2375. Do we respect people for their status and title or is respect related to other factors i.e. a           proven track record of on-time project delivery?

2376. What can we be certain of ? Scientific discoveries? Faith in God? What is the           relationship between reason and certainty? Between belief and certainty ?

2377. Success depends on how policies are adopted and carried out. It's not what you do, but           how you do it

2378. What is efficiency - and how do we measure it? Must it be completely related to time,           i.e. the quicker the more efficient - or might there be other culturally-based criteria that           take priority?

2379. In the UK and a number of other countries the norm is to keep separate the personal           f rom the professional. Being curious can be interpreted as being 'nosey'. However           outside of these cultures the norm in a large number of countries is that you need to get           to know people well in order to work with them. Is being respectfully curious and           interested in someone a good approach when making business in Argentina? Does it           always generate a positive response?. By being curious, do we send out 'respect'           signals?

2380. Some warn us to be careful of the question "Why?" in any cultural context. It usually           generates a defensive response - because behaviours need to be justified. Should we           conclude: "Never ask why" ?

2381. Risks of the strategy of producing fissures and cracks in the social picture so that the           good guys are being defended by the government and the bad guys are the common           people's enemies

2382. Never say never

2383. Values. Is there a hierarchy of them? How does one measure the importance of one           value over another ? Do values differ from culture to culture? Are there gender           considerations as well (women vs. men values) In the case of a conflict in values, how           does one resolve?

2384. Eavesdropping is the intercepting of conversations by unintended recipients. President           Bush secretly ordered the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans with           suspected ties to terrorists because it was "critical to saving American lives". Knowing           that governments are spying phone calls and emails sends a chilling message to all of us.

2385. How have cultural, religious and social institutions shaped the economic destinies of           North America and Latin America over the last five hundred years? 

2386. DNA tests provide useful information but what about the dangers of misuse of DNA           testing?

2387. Blogs, Websites, Internet and Us. There are an enormous number of websites out there           that aren't doing anything or getting traffic. Let´s talk about simple methods employed to           make a site work and about how Blogs can work for us.

2388. Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury that provokes it

2389. First they came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a           Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a           Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up, because I was a           Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up           for me.

2390. Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest           lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the           slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn´t matter if you are a lion or a gazelle.           When the sun comes up, you better start running. Let´s define our run faster concept

2391. USA in the past have tolerated divisions between rich and poor because they           believed that anyone could get ahead, given enough talent and determination. But           nowadays family background has a larger impact on people's prospects. How are           Americans dealing with the fact that the talent of people born into poor families goes           wasted? Are the USA becoming less socially mobile than European nations?

2392. The rich are entitled to the fruits of their labor: These reflect talent, hard work,
           risk-taking and innovation, and only an economy that rewards such things can be            dynamic. This is true up to a point: In Argentina big rewards for high achievers are not            producing an economy that helps ordinary folk. Why?

2393. Wealth and poverty are partly relative concepts

2394. Inequality. Trends in the global economy may make some rise in inequality inevitable.           Should reducing it become the sole priority for economic policy? In Argentina some
          popular remedies for inequality are backfiring, stifling growth or wasting money. Which           are the policies that would reduce inequality in our society without damaging growth; in           fact, policies that might boost it?

2395. "Class Warfare" in Argentina today

2396. China´s cheaper exports are mostly controlled by foreign companies, according to           Chinese Custom data. Multinational corporations, including retailers, are the largely           invisible hands behind the factories pumping out these inexpensive goods. And they are           reaping the bulk of profits from the trade. Globalization, who benefits?

2397. "The dissident does not operate in the realm of genuine power at all. He is not seeking           power. He has no desire for office and does not gather votes. He does not attempt to           charm the public, he offers nothing and promises nothing. He can offer, if anything, only           his own skin—and he offers it solely because he has no other way of affirming the truth           he stands for. His actions simply articulate his dignity as a citizen, regardless of the cost"           Václav Havel . Are there any dissidents in Argentina today?

2398. How can we explain France´s frequent calls for greater democracy in Africa and           France's track record of dealing with despots and leaders-for-life in many African           countries over the years?

2399. Government should wage war on poverty through taxation, regulation, welfare, public           housing, subsidies and price controls. A welfare state and a regulated economy are the           way to attain wealth and prosperity.           True or false?

2400. Many Argentines assume that “the street”, meaning everything that is not related to           theories or effort, is what shapes knowledge.They give a significant amount of status to           casual opinions and have little respect for academic knowledge as a source of           improvement. Where does this fantasy come from?

2401. Foreigners have the feeling that in Argentina everything is still left to be developed, and           that at some point here anyone can rise up. A reality or a fantasy?

2402. How can we explain the ease with which Argentines generate internal and external           powerful enemies?

2403. The enthusiastic, systematic, and disciplined way in which Argentines talk about thier           defects. Is that normal?

2404. How should we construe Argentines casual and egalitarian relationship with the elderly,           their parents, teachers, and other important people?

2405. How should we construe the increasing and authentic independence of Argentine           women that invite, decide, ask to dance, show, exhibit, demand and pick up men?

2406. How should we construe the direct way in which Argentines gaze at each other in           public?

2407. How should we construe Argentines´ ability to be hospitable, warm and kind with           people they just met ? Foreigners are surprised by Argentines´ familiarity when they           haven’t even met before and by the fact that everybody greets others with a kiss on the           cheek. Shouldn´t Argentines change such behaviours when dealing with foreigners?

2408. Buenos Aires has a large variety of free of charge shows, more than any other big city.           How come?

2409. Average Argentines do not feel Europeans since they live in South America, but they           feel that they are also not South Americans since they supposedly moved Europe to           Argentina. Instead of being expatriated away from their fatherland, they feel expatriated           inside their own country. Will they ever find a solution to the quandary?

2410. Anti-American populism is in vogue again in Latin America.What has the United States           done to provoke this? Some say that it´s not so much what the US have done, but what           they haven't done.

2411. Given that NorthAmerican companies generally require transparency and a strong           institutional framework  for doing business, should we priorize them in order to build           better institutions that are essential for our country´s long-term political health? Would           deep U.S. economic engagement provide a bulwark against corruption and weak rule of           law ?

2412. Our cousins, the charming chimpanzees, methodically disembowel any outsiders of their           own species who approach their group. Sometimes human beings display a similar           conduct. How can we stop that?                

2413. Is U.S. policy contrary to the interests of  Latin America?

2414. Argentina’s present seems to be sinking in the deep, troubled waters of an  exhausting           cult to the past. For good or for bad?       

2415.  The world has changed now. There has been new wars, scientific discoveries, space            voyages, amazing technological developments, alterations of the planet’s political map,            a growth of new industries, a narrowing of the world due to the explosion of            communication, and yet we Argentines are often quoting Sarmiento and Alberdi. Why?

2416. Conflict and Courtesy in multicultural exchanges: Conflicts arise from differences in           values and perspectives.Courtesies are created when bridging cultural gaps. Let´s look           at variables in thinking, decision making, cooperation and relationships in our society and           let´s identify   how disagreements bud and boil over

2417. Should the state show mercy or continue punishing terrorists who have neither           apologized nor credibly and seriously distanced themselves from their deeds and not           even shown any sign of remorse ?   Should the fact that they no longer pose a           danger to society count for their release ?    

2418. Being suspicious of whoever dresses, speaks, eats, prays or gesticulates in a different           manner seems to be a cultural or genetically codified reaction in all societies.Why?

2419. Several countries throughout the Americas have shown themselves to be vulnerable to           populist demagoguery. How can we revert the situation? 

2420. It´s being said that Argentines are being charmingly opportunistic. Is that an accurate           description?

2421. Will Cuba's system survive Fidel Castro's demise?

2422. How to foster goodwill toward the USA?

2423. Is it possible to have a dynamic capitalism like Chile, but with more emphasis on equality           or are we obliged to choose between dynamism and egalitarianism ?

2424. While Latinamerican “nationalists” —as they define themselves— “fight against” external           influences and are champions of the national identity and other abstractions, Americans           from the USA don’t waste time trying to “define” their own identity. Why?

2425. As Argentina digs whimsically (and selectively) into its past, mounting challenges and           dilemmas of today are pushed to the sidelines. Why?

2426. Venezuela plans the creation of 18,000 "communal councils" – self-managing           communities that will replace municipal governments and city councils, as well as
          some functions of the federal government. Is communal power worth experiencing?

2427. How can we explain that foreign governments, intellectuals and journalists who fought           ferociously against the unspeakable violations of human rights by right-wing           dictatorships, yet applaud Fidel Castro ?

2428. We live in a world where simulated feelings and experiences have replaced the real           thing, where illusion reigns (shopping malls, amusement parks and  mass-produced         
           images), where everything is drained of authenticity and meaning. Since this            "hyperreality" is so seductive, shouldn´t we give up the search for reality?

2429. Do we buy objects out of genuine need or because of the status and meaning they           bestow?

2430. Better rough justice than another 9/11?

2431. Does the rise of China spell the decline of the West?

2432. Is it true that a man seems more fascinating and sexy the more intelligent he is?

2433. Is it true that a woman seems more fascinating and sexy the more intelligent she is?

2434. The essential art of Internet etiquette

2435. The modern meaning of feminism

2436. Was the 20th Century a Mistake?

2437. Are talktimes a chance to impress a potential date by flexing a body part that has lost           ground in recent years to biceps and pecs — the brain?

2438. Should freedom of expression include the license to offend ?

2439. Has Hollywood fueled anti-Americanism abroad ?

2440. Rep. Tom Tancredo, a candidate for president in the USA says the United States must           avoid at all costs becoming bilingual or bicultural because that duality would weaken the          American identity and sow the seeds of disunity and conflict. Is Mr Tancredo right?

2441. “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve           neither liberty nor safety” Benjamin Franklin

2442. “It's all about what you believe, not what you know” Claus Malzahn

2443. Literature, Music and Politics. How do they interact?

2444. The progress generated by the freedom system (misnamed capitalism) vis-à-vis the           servitude system (misnamed socialism) versus the progress generated by socialism           (misnamed servitude system) vis-à-vis capitalism (misnamed freedom system)

2445. “Nothing is worse than active ignorance” Goethe. (Active ignorance=common           ignorance+beliefs that are plain wrong giving way to)

2446. "Loyalty is something that refers to domestic animals. Men and women decide on            projects" former Human Rights Minister of the city of Buenos Aires after jumping ships

2447. Is democracy losing against marketing that turns everything into publicity and           merchandising? How does this afftect the democratic process?

2448. Ignorance, Envy and Greed. How do they interact?

2449. In Argentina there is a shortage of scientists well below advisable levels. Why our social structure doesn’t allow for scientific development? How to lure young people into science? Is CONICET (National Council of Scientific Research) up to a modern scientific development? Are researchers offered an adequate social and cultural environment? Do academic and university structures offer equal opportunities for everybody without discrimination due to social, religious, economic and even scientific background? Is there adequate scientific journalism?

2450. Is the world indebted to the US for the fight against terrorism the same way the Western world is indebted to Great Britain for its stand against the Nazi onslaught in Europe in the years 1940/41?

2451. Expats in Argentina: Dreams. Aspirations. Hopes

2452. USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada are eager to leave the past behind. Those are the only nations in the world who have been able to shrug off the past, and build anew. Everybody else is constantly struggling against their own tyrannical history. True or false?

2453. One of the marvels of Argentina is the way it places such luxuries as taxi travel, domestic maid service and even world-class theatre within reach of lower middle-class incomes.But can we avoid joining the rest of the world forever?

2454. How to explain the Kirchners´simultaneous flirtation with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and the Council of Americas (a Rockefeller foundation if not the Rockefeller Foundation) ? Are pendular politics a good choice?

2455. In a press statement to conclude the 2nd Language Congress in Buenos Aires, representatives of native peoples in Latin America asked governments of the Americas for a differentiated judicial treatment to their peoples. Would that be something laudable?

2456. "We are moving towards a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as for certain and which has as its highest goal one's own ego and one's own desires." - Pope Benedict XVI

2457. Sweatshops and Globalization. Amidst globalization, the debate on the rights and wrongs of this phenomenon are many. What are sweatshops role in the labor market?

2458. Genetically Modified Food: Some say that genetically modified organisms represent a scientific advancement that could allow the poor to produce the nutritious food they need to survive. But others worry that by manipulating DNA, we could be creating crops that could harm our health or the environment. GMF: An Environmental Risk, or Millions' Best Hope for Survival?

2459. Ethics, Morality & Globalization. As nations become connected economically, socially and culturally, can they remain separate and distinct ethically and morally? How does globalization affect efforts to end human rights abuses around the world and to bring peace and prosperity to suffering people?

2460. Free Trade Versus Fair Trade. Free trade refers to a general openness to exchange goods and information between and among nations with few or no barriers to trade. But some believe that free trade is unfair, especially to poorer countries, and call for rules that would limit trade in order to meet the demands of justice. Is free trade fair? Can we make effective rules to limit unfair trade while promoting economic growth?

2461. Globalization & Religion. Globalization presents an opportunity for people to learn about the moral and spiritual beliefs held by people of other cultures. But some believe that globalization may dilute and corrupt religious beliefs. How does globalization affect religion? How might religion change in a globalized world?

2462. Globalization & Culture: Americanization or Cultural Diversity? Globalization allows people around the world to be exposed to the diverse cultures of people far away and to trade goods and services in international markets. But some fear that globalization leads to homogenization as traditional cultural practices are replaced by Westernized ideas and products. What effect does globalization have on culture, and should we limit global trade to protect traditional culture?

2463. Free Trade and the Environment. What effects do trade agreements like NAFTA, GATT and the WTO have on the environment? What effects do they have on the environments of already developed countries versus the environmental integrity of the third world? If liberalized trade does indeed create wealth, does wealth and added industrialization better or worsen the developing world? Is there any way to have both—environmental protection and the benefits of free trade?

2464. Globalization and Democracy. Democracy is spreading, with more and more people around the world demanding, and gaining, the right to choose how they are governed. Can globalization help to spread democracy? What role, if any, should democratic nations play in helping to encourage democracy in other nations?

2465. Protectionism: Tariffs, Subsidies, and Trade Policy. Protectionist policies erect barriers to trade among nations. These barriers are intended to bolster a nation's economy by insulating domestic industries from international competition that could hurt them and by fostering economic independence. But is economic interdependence really harmful to a nation's economy? Can nations benefit by lowering barriers to trade, either unilaterally or by international agreement?

2466. Are nations morally and ethically distinct entities, or do the circumstances of morality and rightness apply for all humans regardless of origin?

2467. Self-Government versus World Governance. Should nations be held accountable to universal, transnational legal standards? Would an expanded United Nations or an International Criminal Court that enforces such standards help or hinder the cause of liberty? Does the seemingly liberalizing move toward “global governance” pose a threat to limited government, individual autonomy, and consent-based politics? Are efforts to enforce international human-rights agreements, as well as the edicts of the World Trade Organization and the European Union, inept and invasive? What´s the answer to those who clamor for supranational governance? Conversely, what´s the answer to those who are skeptical about the normative commitments underlying appeals to transnational legal standards ?

2468. " When a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them (the People) under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government." The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America

2469. We are free to spend our money however we choose. But why do we feel compelled to spend it? Is advertising just the free market at work, or is it the ultimate form of brainwashing to part us from our hard-earned cash? How come we are pre-approved for so many credit cards? Isn't debt just another form of servitude?

2470. "In a time of revolution, political power has the right to decide, at the end of the day, whether or not judicial decisions correspond with the higher goals and historical necessities of social transformation, which should take absolute precedence over any other consideration; consequently, the Executive has the right to decide whether or not to carry out the verdicts of the Judicial Branch." Salvador Allende, President of Chile, 1973

2471. Assuming that international agreements will only be successfully brokered if they also result in domestic benefits, is Argentina on the right path?

2472. Assuming that the success of democracies depends in large part on new forms of social capital (=the product of communal activity and community sharing), are the horizontal bonds generated by our talktimes making up social capital? Should such fledgling social capital become a bonding capital, a bridging capital or both? Bonding occurs when we are talktiming with people who are like us (same orientation). Bridging occurs when we are talktiming with people who think differently. “Bonding” social capital are links among people who are similar in ideology, age, social class, or whatever – and “bridging” social capital are links that cut across various lines of social cleavage. Bonding and bridging, do strengthen each other, therefore a blend of them would be the best. In Argentina we have experienced the decline of both capitals these last few years. Advocates of the “social capital” lens have reported many robust correlations between vibrant social networks and outcomes like better school performance, lower crime rates, better public health, reduced political corruption, improved market performance, and so on. Can talktimes assign themselves a far-reaching mission i.e. help to reconnect Argentines through a new form of social capital building? Can our brand new political talktimes help Argentina civicly reinvent itself ? If so, how to spread our talktimes all over our nation? What can we actually do about talktimes in general and political talktimes in particular assuming that we have some evidence that they are contributing to social connectedness and maybe social cohesion? Should we contact policy-makers and ask them whether attentiveness to TalkTime as a social capital builder might be worth their while? Our talktimes can encourage social capital formation, and social capital itself can enhance the effectiveness of government action. Participation in political talktimes may have long-term effects on the civic engagement of talktimers.Talktimes are encouraging easy, casual connections among people who might otherwise find themselves in isolated niches

2473. The very idea that the U.S. could invade Iraq and establish a viable liberal democracy, initiating a cascade of similar political transformations across the Middle East, ranks among the greatest delusions of modern history. Has anyone got the magic sword to slay the dragons of ethnic, tribal, religious, and ideological hatred and conflict that suffuse Iraqi society?

2474. In recent times, many people forgot that in order to consume and invest, one needs to save. People take credit cards and live beyond their means. Are we going to pay any inevitable new price for behaving irresponsibly?

2475. President Bush has recently warned that leaving Iraq would result in massive carnage, citing the supposedly premature withdrawal from Vietnam as an example of the chaos we should expect. Is such an outcome virtually unavoidable? Can we expect a wider regional war, a safe haven for al-Qaeda in Iraq, or a disruption to oil supplies? What can the United States do to minimize the risks of withdrawal? Is diplomacy with Syria, Iran, and other nations the answer? Could Iraq benefit from political decentralization or even gerrymandering for the equitable distribution of oil resources?

2476. "Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude". Alexis de Tocqueville

2477. US-Americans today are increasingly disengaged, not only from the public sphere, but from informal and private social relations. For example, they spend about 35% less time visiting with friends than they did thirty years ago, and American families have dinner together only two-thirds as often as they did a generation ago. Equally striking is the fraying of ties with relatives. In 1975 the average American entertained friends at home 15 times per year; the equivalent figure is now barely half that. Virtually all leisure activities that involve doing something with someone else, from playing volleyball to playing chamber music, are declining. The change is most obvious in the sphere of politics - voting, political knowledge, political trust, and grassroots political activism are all down. Americans sign 30% fewer petitions and are 40% less likely to join a consumer boycott, as compared to just a decade or two ago. But the declines are equally visible in non-political community life: membership and activity in all sorts of local clubs and civic and religious organizations have been falling at an accelerating pace. In the mid-1970s the average American attended some club meeting every month, but by 1998 that rate of attendance had been cut by nearly 60%. USA has lost much of the social glue that once allowed their society to cohere. Are the USA in danger of becoming a nation of strangers to one another without adequate social bonds? Is such a phenomenon also occurring in Argentina?

2478. Can we say that in politics shared hatreds are almost always the basis of friendships?

2479. Internet: Will its primary effect be to reinforce existing social networks, as the telephone has done, or will it become a virtual substitute for them?

2480. Although we are more tolerant of one another than were previous generations, we trust one another less. How can we explain such a connection of a striking rise of tolerance and libertarian views in our time and a decline of trust ?

2481. “The present crisis is not the result of market failure. Rather, it is the result of governments intervening in or seeking to supersede the market, both internally via loans, subsidies, or taxes and other handicaps, and externally via the IMF, the World Bank and other international agencies." Milton Friedman

2482. Is the decision to have Iran’s president speak at Columbia University simply the latest in a long line of Leftist thought put to action in academe or is it that academic freedom may have gone too far? What is more frightening: inviting the president of a nation that supports terror to speak at a prominent American university, or the “polarity” surrounding the event?

2483. When should intellect override common sense and when should commmon sense overide intellect? How the presence of one has any possible detrimental effect on the other?

2484. Is there an ideology behind political Islam?

2485. Is litigation surrounding the practice of medicine contributing mightily to doctor shortage and thus a narrowing of medical care?

2486. There was plenty of outrage about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s speech at Columbia University but certain voices were silent. Where was the outcry? Where was it not?

2487. Can the Argentine government put a more selective stamp on relations with Venezuela given Argentina's financial dependence?.

2488. Is foreign aid the solution to global poverty?

2489. "Blind hate against the enemy creates a forceful impulse that cracks the boundaries of natural human limitations, transforming the soldier in an effective, selective and cold killing machine. A people without hate cannot triumph against the adversary." Che Guevara

2490. "Science is the light, and scientists must be pure and pious. If humanity achieves the highest level of physical and spiritual knowledge but its scholars and scientists are not pure, then this knowledge cannot serve the interests of humanity." Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad .

2491.The libertarian perspective: Can we dissociate all goods and services from the government and conceive of a world in which the free market provides them?

2492. Should experimentation with cloning be banished if we ever discover that it can lead to human-animal hybrids creation?

2493. Northern European countries and the U.S. developed only when they abandoned the mercantilism that was practiced in Europe since the Middle Ages and that was not based on the recognition of individual rights but on political connections. Then why is it that Argentines stick so much to corporativism and state-mercantilism under which the citizen must serve the government and not the other way around? What to do in order to end with the oppression represented by privilege, political law and wealth transfer from the poor to the rich? What kind of transformation do we need?

2494. Exporting democracy with military force has a dismal success rate. Nation-building efforts often produce truces with gangs and warlords as well as weak puppet governments that can give way to new dictatorships. Why then do such endeavors continue in Afghanistan and Iraq, with U.S. officials now seeking to extend military operations to Iran?

2495. “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety,” Benjamin Franklin in 1755. Can we be that sure about a false trade-off between freedom and security? Can we say that government’s economic and military interventions always reduce the civil and economic liberties, prosperity, and genuine security?

2496. Can we compare communism's "class genocide" with nazism's "race genocide"?

2497. Peter Bauer in 1972 wrote: "If all conditions for development other than capital are present, capital will soon be generated locally or will be available . . . from abroad. . . . If, however, the conditions for development are not present, then aid . . . will be necessarily unproductive and therefore ineffective. Thus, if the mainsprings of development are present, material progress will occur even without foreign aid. If they are absent, it will not occur even with aid." Do we agree?

2498. Many have decided to neglect the attention the marriage institution requires. What are the tips for a happy marriage?

2499. Milton Friedman's advice: Do not do what the rich countries are doing now that they are rich, but what they did to become rich. Should we heed Milton Friedman´s advice?

2500." Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” ~ Ronald Reagan

2501. The Status of Religion around the World. Is religion a dying institution in an increasingly secularized world?

2502. In what way are poor leaders like poor teachers, and how are they affecting the state of our planet?

2503. What common ground could there be between a leftist, populist leader like Hugo Chávez of Venezuela and a radically conservative religious leader like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran?

2504. Is a "freedom fighter" one who fights against tyranny and oppression or against freedom?

2505. Should certain individuals with the intent and, perhaps, the means to destroy ten cities with ten suitcases be treated legally different than those without such intent. If it is morally permissible to take a life to save lives – i.e. a hostage situation – why isn´t it morally permissible to inflict pain to save lives?

2506. The world is filled with problems-disease, pollution, poverty, ignorance, religious confusion, war, terrorism, crime, violence, hunger, immorality, slavery, oppression, political upheaval and much more. Why? With the passing of time come more problems, not less. Why? Also, existing problems grow collectively worse instead of better. Why? Why, at every turn, has man bungled and botched all efforts to solve his truly great problems?

2507. The Coming War for Earth’s Resources. How will it change the world?

2508. Is Going Green the Answer? Or Is It Too Little, Too Late?

2509. Some in the scientific community question the theory of evolution; others believe it is fact. What is the truth behind the evidence?

2510. "We are moving towards a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as for certain and which has as its highest goal one's own ego and one's own desires." - Pope Benedict XVI

2511. Will Proof of Terrorist Ties Hurt Hugo Chavez?

2512. Prizing image over substance. Pros and cons

2513. "The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out, the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough," Randy Pausch. Considering that brick walls are roadblocks to our dreams, is it worthy in today´s Argentina to view brick walls as challenges rather than obstacles?

2514. “Socialism may have failed as an economic theory but global warming alarmism, with its dire warnings about the consequences of industry and consumerism, is equally a rebuke to capitalism.” Bret Stephens, writing in The Wall Street Journal. Is global warming a mass hysteria phenomenon, a hoax that has never been about the climate but about competing economic theories?

2515. Can Western Europe survive multiculturalism?

2516. "When there's an elephant in the room, introduce it. That is what it is. We can't change it. We just have to decide how we're going to respond to that. We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand" . Randy Pausch

2517. "The mightiest soldiers in the war on poverty are poor people themselves. As governments remove obstacles to entrepreneurship, there is much potential for the poor to lift themselves out of poverty". What do we need to do in Argentina in order to implement this theory?

2518. Beyond the gossip columns, tabloid messages, peering paparazzi, unceasing rumors—who is French President Nicolas Sarkozy? Where will his ambitions take France?

2519. Do we have a realistic idea of the potential challenges that China poses, militarily and economically?

2520. What is the single best thing America can do to prevent the next generation of terrorists and to stop extremism in its tracks?

2521. What are the key strategic interests which drive American foreign policy ?

2522. The world is in the midst of great geopolitical change. Old superpowers are waning, new ones are rising, alliances are shifting. - What lies ahead?

2523. "People who start and grow businesses don't need a government's help; they need assurances that government will not destroy their efforts through taxation or regulation or--worse and most common of all--by bestowing favors on their competitors." Alvaro Vargas Llosa