Saturday 28 December 2013

Presentation on monday

Hello folks, Bruno here

I'd like to introduce and explain about "tech addicts" or tech heads, idk for sure how it's called in english.

Cya

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Student topic (Wednesday)

Hey people, Bruno here 

Please read this article: http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/google-buys-eight-robot-companies-including-military-contractor-1.1596455

It's a simple and direct topic, so please watch the videos and dig about AI, robots and Google.

Google is getting in AI and robo business. Including they have a military contractor especialized in building robots and software for human simulation.

So, my questions are:

1) What do you think Google wants with such technology?

2) It's possible that Google is financing future weapons?

3) In the future, robots could help? Or could be a threat?

4) if they suceed someday, they are combining AI tech, with robots and human software. That means they are creating non-biological humans. Their software will problably be able to simulate feelings. So, if in the future a robot kills someone, it will be considered murder or accident, malfunction?

5) A personal last question. Do you think human beings are advancing in technology fast or slow?

Sunday 15 December 2013

Thurs, Dec 19 2013 Vote!

The topics up for vote today are:

1) Is depression real? Should it be viewed as a weakness or a medical problem? If people seek medical treatment, how should we view this? What is your opinion of depression?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/stigmatizing-depression-a-dangerous-trend-andrew-solomon-1.2462816


2) Is it the governments or the private companies responsibility to supply defibrillators in public places? First it was fire hoses, then sprinkler systems, then fire extinguishers, then first aid kids, then carbon monoxide detectors, then suicide prevention phones, now defibrillators.

Read this article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/defibrillators-may-be-hard-to-find-in-emergencies-cbc-investigation-1.2443853 and decide for yourself.

Also, you could read http://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2011/10/13/bystanders_have_an_obligation_to_perform_cpr_physicians_say.html

We will be talking about this too (if it is voted for).

Wed, Dec 18 2013 Student Chosen Topic

Bruno!

Yes, it is Bruno who gets to choose the topic for today!

Please choose a topic, post the article, and ask us some questions.
The topic is totally up to you. Pick something that interests you!

Matthew

Tuesday, Dec 17 2013

Topics: Age and Family Discrimination

Article 1


-       Do you think it is fair to fire an employee for the reasons described in the article?
-       Do you think that Denise Seeley had a good reason for not moving?
-       Do you think that Denise is just greedy and wanted as much money as she could get so that she could stay away from work?
-       What would you do in Denise’s and her husband’s situation?
-       Do you thin 15 days is enough time to move and report to a new job?
-       Would this type of situation happen in your home country?

-       Do you think she should have won the court case?


    Article 2


-        “Mature professionals are too old to keep up with the times (eg. they do not know how to use computers properly) and may cost a company more in terms of benefits (eg. They get sick more often).” Do you agree with this statement?
-       “One-half (57 per cent) of mature workers want to stay in the workforce — but on their own terms (choose their own hours, etc).” Do you think this is fair? Are younger workers able to choose their own hours, set their own schedule, or have extended holidays?
-       What are the negative points of allowing older workers to stay in the workplace longer? What are the positive points?
-       In your home country, how are older workers treated? Are they respected or ignored?

Saturday 14 December 2013

Monday Presentation (Bruno)

Hello everyone,

My presentation on monday it's about "Newer protests in Brazil"

See ya guys. Have a nice weekend.

OBS: Me and Mika r alive, idk the others.

Monday Presentation Topic :Shun

Hi! Everyone!
How are you doing?

This is Shun.
I'm going to talk about  "Vicious business" on Monday.

Have a good weekend!


Presentation on Monday

Hi, it's Ryo.

I'd like to talk about,,,
"3 things that I've learned in Canada"

Have a nice weekend without hangover! (I already have)

Monday 9 December 2013

Student topic for Wednesday

Hi, it's Ryo.
We're going to talk about this.

"Patient's right vs Doctor's power"

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/dr-c-i-m-cheating-on-my-cancer-doctor-1.2453571

It says,
"we don't see the person we're treating."   "That person has free will"

My questions are like this.

"Which should be more respected, doctor's medical opinion or patient's free will??"

"Should doctors care every single patient's personality, feeling and other stuff?? Is that too much??"

"If someone is diagnosed with cancer, he or she is going to die anyway. Should we treat them even though we take their freedom away??"

"In Japan, we sign a lot of documents before surgeries to make sure that we're not going to sue doctors if something happens. Is that fair?? How about your country??"


I hope we'll have a good time!

Sunday 8 December 2013

Topic for presentation

It's Ryo.
Sorry it's late, cuz I came back Toronto now!

My topic is ,,,"Ohenro"

See u tmrw!

Friday, Dec 13 2013 Presentation Topics

Don't forget that on Friday the following are your choices for presentation topics. These need to be researched and prepared ahead of time, so don't wait until the last minute.
The topics will change for next Friday. The new topics will be given to you on Monday.

Friday
Formal Student Presentations:
-       Topic: 1)Technology or 2)Travel
-       Students will stand at the front of the room.
-       Length: 10-15min
-       1) Students will research a piece of technology (e.g. cellphone, satellite, video game console, etc.). Where was it developed? Where is it most popular? What is it used for? Why do we need it? Do we need it? Do you think it will be helpful or harmful over the long term? How does it affect the privacy or the lives of regular citizens?

-       2) Students will research a place they would like to travel and make a plan. Where is this place? What is the political/social situation there? Why would you want to go there (to vacation, to volunteer, etc.)? How much would it cost? How would you get there (airline, ship)? Are there Visa/passport requirements? What is the weather like? Is this a popular place for travel?

See you in class tomorrow for the debate!

Matthew

Thursday, Dec 12 2013 Vote!

1) Is it the governments or the private companies responsibility to supply defibrillators in public places? First it was fire hoses, then sprinkler systems, then fire extinguishers, then first aid kids, then carbon monoxide detectors, then suicide prevention phones, now defibrillators.

Read this article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/defibrillators-may-be-hard-to-find-in-emergencies-cbc-investigation-1.2443853 and decide for yourself.

Also, you could read http://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2011/10/13/bystanders_have_an_obligation_to_perform_cpr_physicians_say.html

We will be talking about this too (if it is voted for).

OR


2) Unfair employer practices

Do you think that what the employer in this article does is illegal?
Does this sort of thing happen in your home country?
Did you know that this happens when someone doesn't pay their bill?
Can you think of other illegal employer practices that employees do not complain about because they would probably get fired? (I can, and it happened to me once.)

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2013/12/suzanne_parratt_servers_being_forced_to_pay_for_walkouts_is_surprisingly.html

If you vote for this topic, please come to class with a short list of illegal company practices.


Happy Voting!

Wed, Dec 11 2013 Student Chosen Topic

We are back around to the start...

Ryo!

Please choose a topic for discussion. There are many good ones out there right now!

The class says, "Thanks!"

Matthew

Tuesday, Dec 10 2013 Discussion Topic

Creativity

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/12/creativity_is_rejected_teachers_and_bosses_don_t_value_out_of_the_box_thinking.html

You will need to look up some vocabulary.

1) In your home country, how is creative thinking viewed? Think about artists, musicians, and even workplaces. Is creativity accepted or rejected?
2) Do you think creativity is encouraged in school? Do you think it should be encouraged in school? How should it be encouraged?
3) The end of the article says "To live creatively is a choice. You must make a commitment to your own mind and the possibility that you will not be accepted. You have to let go of satisfying people, often even yourself."  Do you agree with this statement?
4) Please make a list of your favourite creative people. These could be artists, designers, business people, athletes, etc.

5) Do you have an experience when your creativity was rejected, either by someone else, or by your own brain?

Check out this video on YouTube:


Tuesday 3 December 2013

Dec 3 Discussion Topic Naoko

Hi, I would talk about “poverty”.

Please read this article:


I’m afraid but I’ll put some questions this evening.
See you later.

Naoko

Sunday 1 December 2013

Thurs, Dec 5 2013 Topic Vote

1) X-ray scanners at airports?! Do we need them? Are they keeping us safe or are they an invasion of our privacy?

Read up on the topic at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2204422/Controversial-naked-airport-body-scanners-scrapped-failing-receive-European-approval.html

Yup, this article is long. Nope, you do not have to read the whole thing. Read enough to get a couple of arguments and to understand the topic.

OR

2) Is it the governments or the private companies responsibility to supply defibrillators in public places? First it was fire hoses, then sprinkler systems, then fire extinguishers, then first aid kids, then carbon monoxide detectors, then suicide prevention phones, now defibrillators.

Read this article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/defibrillators-may-be-hard-to-find-in-emergencies-cbc-investigation-1.2443853 and decide for yourself.

Also, you could read http://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2011/10/13/bystanders_have_an_obligation_to_perform_cpr_physicians_say.html

We will be talking about this too (if it is voted for).

Wed, Dec 4 2013 Student Chosen Topic

The student with the wonderful responsibility for this week is...

Naoko

Please choose a topic for us to discuss, post a link to the article (ask me if you don't know how), and create some questions for us to discuss.

Please do this by Tuesday morning.

Thanks and we look forward to the topic!

Matthew

Tuesday, Dec 3 2013 Discussion Question

Hello all!

Usually, I post a topic and an article. This time, however, I will post a topic, but not an article. Instead, i would like you to Google "Is recycling worth it?" or "Does recycling really help?".

Obviously, we are going to be talking about garbage and recycling. I have done some reading, but I would like you to choose an article that interests you the most and that you enjoy reading (at least a little).

So, please do a Google search using the above questions (or other you think of), choose an article and read it, and come to class with an opinion, some facts, and maybe even some questions.

See you Monday!

Matthew

Saturday 30 November 2013

Presentation topic on Monday

Hi, I'm a garbage can or a recycling man.
I'm gonna tell you about "Sigiria in Sri Lanka"

See you on Monday.

Ryo

Tuesday 26 November 2013

Friday, Nov 29th, 2013 Presentation Topics

This is a day to go back and check some of the past topics. I've listed so many these past weeks. I will, however, add some more here.

Canadian healthcare compared to your home country healthcare

Long distance relationships

Professional sports and politics (eg. Russia's anti-gay policy and the olympics)

Enjoy! I may add more as I think of them.

Matthew

Nov 28, 2013 Debate (vote?)

First off, I am sorry, but there will be no vote this week. I know. I can hear the cries of unhappiness from here...

The topic will be 'violence in the media'

I will tell you more about it on Wednesday.

Thanks and look forward to voting next week!

Matthew

Monday 25 November 2013

Wed,Nov 27 2013 Student Chosen Topic ・・・Shun

Hi, Everyone!
How are you doing?

Here is my topic : Domestic Violence
http://lethbridgeherald.com/commentary/opinions/2013/11/domestic-violence-all-too-common/

Pls post your response after reading!

1) Do you think that increasing family domestic violence rate is related to all other crime decreasing?
    You can see 20th line on the article.

2) Can't the family start all over if domestic violence happens in the family?

3) Have you ever seen or heard domestic violence around you?

4) Are there community support services which intervene in the DV near by your home?

Have a good night !

Shun

Sunday 24 November 2013

Wed, Nov 27 2013 Student Chosen Topic

Today is the day when you, one student of the class, has the power to choose the discussion topic! Who is the lucky one?

Shun!

Please post a link to an article and post some questions for us to consider. The topic is totally up to you. Choose something that interests you, if you like.

Matthew

Tue, Nov 26, 2013 Discussion Topic

We will consider soft drink companies.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/soft-drink-makers-accused-of-using-big-tobacco-playbook-1.1362598

This article is a bit long, but it's a good chance to practice your reading. The comments are very good, so maybe, if you don't totally understand the article, you can read the comments.

Please think about:

1) Is this another case of a 'nanny-state' or is this actually a problem?
2) What other things do we consume (put in our bodies) or do that have 'no benefit for our bodies or minds'? Should we stop doing these?
3) Should the government limit the sizes of soft drinks?
4) Should there be an age restriction for soft drinks? (Like cigarettes and alcohol.)
5) Are soft drink commonly consumed with meals instead of water, milk, tea, etc. in Japan and Korea?
6) If soft drink companies are allowed to advertise how great their products are, should health organizations be allowed to advertise how unhealthy soft drinks are?
7) In Canada, as you know, there is government health care. Does this mean that the government should be allowed to limit the populations intake of unhealthy food?
8) Are cigarettes, soft drinks, and alcohol comparable (are they the same in many ways)?

See you on Monday!
Matthew

Just for interest (and a little Canadian culture)


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/police-make-marijuana-bust-worth-350k-1.2438031

The article is very short. If you're interested, read some of the comments. Some of them are very untrusting toward the police and government.

Saturday 23 November 2013

shoes insert - topic on Nov 25th, Monday

Hello I am lana:)
I was sick last week so i had to take a rest...
I feel so sorry and I hope I would not sick again!
Have a good weekend and see you on Monday!
P.S. wrap up ur body!!! So freezzzzzz:0

Topic on Monday

Hi, it's Ryo.
I'm still alive so far with him lol!

I'd like to talk about "Naska in Peru".

Have a good weekend.

Wednesday 20 November 2013

Friday, Nov 22 2013 Presentation topics

Here are some possibilities:

Does weapons development increase or decrease the chance of war?

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Dolphin fishing (killing)

Should governments force people to move out of areas that have reoccurring natural disasters?

Invasive and non-native animals and plants and their effect on the environment

Fashion (or image) and its effects on personal success

The cultural history of alcohol


I hope some of these are fun. I think they are!

Matthew

PS Please post your choice in the comment section so that others do not choose the same thing.




Tuesday 19 November 2013

Nov 20th Wendseday Topic - Lana

Manitoba kids given Ritz Crackers to balance ‘unhealthy’ lunch; mom fined $10

http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/857843/manitoba-mom-fined-10-for-not-sending-ritz-crackers-to-school-with-kids-lunches/

1. Is it fair the mother to fine?
- If you agreed, do you think 10$ is enough?
- If you disagreed, why?

2. What if the kid can't eat grains? should they pack this for health?

3. What is the problem by bring lunch?
(ex: working mom, quality of food...)

4. What's the way of lunch in the school in your country?
- Does it have problem in this system?

5. Is there other ways to provide food for children in school?

Monday 18 November 2013

Thurs, Nov 21 2013 Debate Vote!

Vote now for the topic!

1) X-ray scanners at airports?! Do we need them? Are they keeping us safe or are they an invasion of our privacy?

Read up on the topic at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2204422/Controversial-naked-airport-body-scanners-scrapped-failing-receive-European-approval.html

Yup, this article is long. Nope, you do not have to read the whole thing. Read enough to get a couple of arguments and to understand the topic.


2) Chemicals in our water. Beneficial or harmful?




Maybe tap water has some chemicals in it, but do these chemicals keep us healthier?
Also, you might want to consider this...

This one is a very short article.

If your super interested (or just want to practice and be informed), this one is a longer article.

Vote now! Vote 1 or 2!

Sunday 17 November 2013

Wednesday, Nov 20 2013 Student Chosen Topic

The student who has the power to make the choice this week is...

Lana!


Please post an article for us to read and some questions for us to consider.

Matthew

Tue, Nov 19 Discussion Topic

Flavoured tobacco in Ontario

Please read
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/ontario-bill-to-ban-sales-of-flavoured-cigarellos-chewing-tobacco-1.2424861

Also, please make sure to browse through (read) the comments. Please click the 'show more' button at the bottom of the comments. There are some very interesting ones there.

Specifically, please consider:
1) What is a 'Nanny State' and do you want to live in one?
2) Why does the government want to protect children so much now, but did not seem to care in the past?
3) Why is the government making access to tobacco so difficult, but not toughening laws on things like marijuanna?
4) Are there flavoured tobacco products in your native country?
5) Can people under 19 make informed choices about their health, or should the government do it for them?
6) When my dad found out that I smoked (I was 21 and yes, I have since quit), he just said to me, "It's your body. Be careful." Do you think this was a good message, or should he have been angry and threatening?
7) What would your parents do (or what did they do) if they found out you smoked?

See you tomorrow.
Matthew

Friday 15 November 2013

Presentation topic on Monday

It's Ryo.
I'm going to talk about "Injuries in soccer"

Have a good weekend and see you Monday!!

Tuesday 12 November 2013

Monday 11 November 2013

Thursday, Nov 14 Topic Vote

There are two possibilities for today!

1) Should your child attend public or private school?

http://www.toronto4kids.com/October-2013/Private-Schools-Vs-Public-Schools/

http://jdmoyer.com/2013/10/29/why-im-sending-my-child-to-an-underperforming-public-school/

This last article is a bit long, but there is a good summary down near the bottom that you can read.


2) Chemicals in our water. Beneficial or harmful?

http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/food-and-nutrition-articles/bottled-water-causes-cavities?subid=DISQUS


Happy voting!

Matthew

Polar Bear Migration in Manitoba!

This may be a little boring to watch, but I'm putting it here just in case you're interested.

This is a camera, in real time, filming a section of Northern Manitoba that the Polar Bears use to migrate.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/the-annual-polar-bear-migration-in-real-time-1.2350310

Wed, November 13 Student chosen debate topic

I really did flip a coin to choose between Lana and Sunny. Lana was head and Sunny was tails. I used a quarter. The coin chose Sunny.

So, Sunny, please choose a topic that the class can debate. This topic must have two clear sides. I suggest you have a look at the CBC website, or any other news source that interests you. Please post a link to the article or video so we can read or watch it too.

Thanks! We look forward to the debate!

Everyone else, please remember to watch for the posting and remember to reply with your opinion. A short on or two sentences will be perfect.

Matthew

Tuesday, Nov 12 2013 Discussion

As discussed on Friday, we will be talking about how the average amount of disposable income a family has has dropped drastically (quickly and by a lot).

The video is here:


Some of the questions we'll be discussing are here:

Should the government control wages?
Should education costs come down?
Should globalization be stopped? (Globalization, basically, means that companies now have to compete with other companies from around the world, instead of just in their local area or local country.)
Should free trade be stopped? (Countries with this agreement can sell products across their borders with no extra tax added.)
In your home country, has disposable income dropped also?
What effects does this drop in disposable income have on society? On large businesses? On small businesses?

It would also be a good idea if you looked up the word 'inflation'.

See you tomorrow!
Matthew
- 

Sunday 3 November 2013

November 8th, 2013 Presentation Topics

There's a lot going on in the world right now, so I think it will be most exciting or all if I leave the topic open for this week. So, it is your choice. Teach us something we might not know!

Matthew

P.S. If you are really stuck, let me know and I'll help you out.

Thurs, Nov 7, 2013 Topic Vote

Here are the candidates for this coming Thursday.

1) Chemicals in our water. Beneficial or harmful?

http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/food-and-nutrition-articles/bottled-water-causes-cavities?subid=DISQUS


2) Rob Ford. Should he finally step down as mayor?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/rob-ford-apologizes-for-mistakes-but-won-t-step-down-1.2335939



Whichever topic is chosen, we will be having a debate style class, as both topics have a clear 'yes/no' solution.

Happy voting!

Matthew

P.S. Wow! It gets dark out very early now. At least it will be a little bit brighter in the morning.

Saturday 2 November 2013

The student topic on Wednesday

Hi,everyone. It's Ryo.
I chose this topic for Wednesday.

"Technology vs Law"'

Please read this article about Google Glass.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/california-driver-to-fight-ticket-for-wearing-google-glass-1.2304463

"Which do you think is stronger, developing technology or law??"
"In this article, do we need to follow the law??"
"Should we change the law for the new technology if the law is outdated??
If yes, how about the clone technology??"

I hope you're interested in this topic.
See you later!

Wed, Nov 6 2013 Student chosen topic

Welcome back, Ryo!

As it is after your vacation, I'm hoping that you have ideas for a good topic for Wednesday...

Anyway, you are the lucky student who gets to choose!


Tue Nov 5 2013 Discussion Topic

First, remember that the time changed from 2am to 1am on Saturday night/Monday morning. Strange, but true.

Second, here is the topic and article for discussion. It is a little bit long, but I think it is a decently manageable read.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/09/25/u_of_t_instructor_david_gilmour_under_fire_for_shinning_female_writers.html

After reading, please think about the following questions (and an others that you think of). If you think of additional questions, please post them in the comments section.

1) Should university professors be allowed to choose their own subject material, even if it offends some other people?
2) Can white middle-aged heterosexual male professors properly teach about women, homosexual, or asian (and other) authors?
3) Is society becoming too sensitive about equality?
4) Should the journalist mentioned in the article be punished for interpreting and changing the meaning of David Gilmour?
5) In your opinion, is David Gilmour actually sexist and racist?
6) In your experience, do professors in Japan or Korea teach mostly Asian authors, or do they also teach Western, etc. authors?

See you on Monday!
Matthew

Friday 1 November 2013

Topic on Monday

Hi, it's Ryoooooooooo!
How was your class?? Do you need me lol??

My topic on Monday is gonna be,,,,
"Tengu"

Tengu is a,,,,,, see you Monday hahaha!

Wednesday 30 October 2013

Friday, Nov 1 2013 Presentations

This Friday is another 'choose your own adventure' presentation day!

However, may I suggest the topic of the upcoming olympics in Russia, new almost cures for Cancer (one in Russia and one in Canada using Dandelions), the Russian vodka boycott, the best city to live in, or even why cats should be kept inside (and how so many birds are now dying in the world).

Have fun!

Matthew

Tuesday 29 October 2013

Wednesday! Topic!

Matthew I`m so sorry!!!

I didn`t know that ㅜㅜ

Stupid computer....

Anyway~ my topic was `should we cheer  up woman who gives up having a baby in order to achieve what she wants such as promotion in a work place or blaim her because of abandoning her natural accountability?

I want you guys to think that it`s happened to your best female friends or wife or even yourself!!

Here`s a couple of articles to help unterstand.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/women-outnumber-men-in-canadian-workforce-1.431861

http://money.cnn.com/2013/09/06/news/economy/birth-rate-low/index.html

Again I`m so sorry I was late to post my presentation contents...

Then see you! good night!!!

Sunday 27 October 2013

Thursday, October 31 2013 Topic

1) Childhood

Do you think todays' children have better lives than yesterdays' children? Do they truly have brighter futures than yesterdays' kids? Is it possible that, at least in some areas, our grandparents and great grandparents just might have had much better priorities than we do? Has childhood itself been devalued to the same degree as parenting and marriage has? ..and if so, then why would anyone have children in the first place?

Please read

http://gla1.hubpages.com/hub/Full-time-Parenting-a-Career



2) Coming back for a fourth chance is the topic of National Anthems!

1) Politically Correct Language in National Anthems

Read this one first:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/group-seeks-to-make-o-canada-s-english-lyrics-gender-neutral-1.1874782

Read this one second:
http://www.cbc.ca/day6/blog/2013/10/03/listed-five-politically-incorrect-national-anthems/


Should the anthem be changed? Is the Canadian anthem as bad as the anthems in the second article? Are there any things about your national anthem that could be offensive? How important is it that a country has a proper national anthem? Do we need them anymore? Is this an unimportant issue that should not be discussed?