Talking Points: 16 April

Is it ever too late to pursue a dream? Blogger Mark Daniels thinks not. At what age is it too late to quit chasing a dream? Susan Boyle is a 47 year old singer from Scotland who has turned into an overnight sensation after appearing on a British talent spotting TV show. She refused to give up…here’s why dreams matter.

On-air: What’s wrong with living with your parents?

It could be economics. It could be cultural. But is it healthy? We’re talking about living at home with your parents as an adult. Doesn’t there come a stage and age when we should all flee the nest?

Talking Points: 15 April

20 years ago today, 96 football fans were crushed to death and hundreds more injured during a match at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield, England.

Before that, 66 Scottish fans died in a crush at the Ibrox Stadium in 1971, and a stampede killed 39 mostly Italian supporters at the European Cup final in the Heysel Stadium in Brussels in 1985.

Only last month at least 19 people died and more than 130 were injured in a stampede entering a FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. It was the ninth time in ten years that fans have died in a soccer stadium disaster in Africa, and the second during qualifications for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

During the 2010 World Cup, South Africa will host games in Johannesburg’s Ellis Park, where 43 people were killed after being crushed against barbed wire during a stampede.

Why do so many people die at football games? Should stadiums be made safer? Or is it a problem with the sport and its fans?

On air: Do we all need to slow down?

We ask because we’ve been watching a debate growing in many parts of the world about the speed at which we all live, and whether it’s good for us. Do you like living quickly, getting things done and staying in touch with as many people as possible? Do mobile phones, Blackberries, fast food and improved transport all improve things for you?

Talking Points: 14 April

Can a state survive in isolation? North Korea seems happy to do so, whilst Cuba is making long awaited moves away from isolation.

It’s been an “unbearable insult” and today North Korea has threatened to withdraw from nuclear disarmament talks following UN Security Council condemnation. Even Russia is calling on North Korea to return to the talks whilst China is urging calm. But North Korea isn’t having any of it. Enough is enough it seems for this country – can the world afford to upset countries considered dangerous?

Please keep it brief

Just a quick reminder that we’d like all our comments on this blog to be a contribution to a conversation, not an essay on a particular subject. I’ve just been approving comments for the past hour and a fair amount got deleted because of their length. Our blog guidelines are here. If we all stick to them, the discussions we have will be all the better for it. Thanks.

On air: Are the Somali pirates the real heroes?

The capture and rescue of Captain Richard Phillips has been around about the top story in the world for days. And now he’s free there’s been even more handsome praise for the bravery, selflessness and heroism of a man who put his life at risk to protect his crew.

Talking points: 13 April 2009

Tension remains high in Thailand with The Thai soldiers firing hundreds of live rounds to clear them from a major road junction.Demonstrators responded by hurling at least one gasoline bomb and 70 people were reported injured, most by tear gas.

On air: Is it the world’s responsibility to bail out Pakistan?

Pakistan seems to be waging a war on two fronts these days. One, against the insurgents doing so much damage to the country’s stability. The other is a sustained PR assault on the international stage in search of money.

Talking Points for April 10

In your experience, is democracy a fantasy or a reality? In Algeria, elections are being held, but how likely is it that one of the “little-known” candidates would be able to oust the incumbent President? What kind of democracy is this?