Computer Viruses: What can you do to protect yourself?

Computer viruses can be a real problem for business and home computer users. So, what techniques to virus creators do to try to infect your computers? What can people do to protect themselves? Has your computer ever been infected with a virus? If so, what happened? Share your experiences.

Randall

Driver's License: A right or a privledge?

Many people have different thoughts on whether getting a driver's license is a personal right of society or a privilege that should be earned, and not just given.

Furthermore, if teenagers have a driver's license, what are they family expectations for how and when the person should drive, and what they are expected to pay for.

Watch this video of Randall explaining the rules in his own family:

http://www.esl-lab.com/driverslicense/driverslicense-video.htm

Do you think such rules would work in your own family? Why or why not? Please share your ideas.

Randall

Randall's Culture Videos

One of my newest projects at my Web site is the development of language and culture videos on aspects of US culture, including family, pets, movies, and education. Now, you can not only hear language, but you can also see me talk about it and life in the US.

Each video comes with practice questions and the transcript:

• http://esl-lab.com/videoclips.htm

Let me know if you have an idea for a new video.

Best,

Randall

School Lunches: Something from home or eat out?

For most high school students in your country, do they eat lunch prepared for them in a lunchroom at school, do they bring something from home, or are they allowed to leave school to get something near by at a store or restaurant? Also, how have food choices and tastes changed over the years? Please share your ideas.

Randall

Household Chores: Who does them in your house?

Right now, it's Saturday morning at a 7:00 a.m. and my kids will be getting out of bed soon. For us, Saturday is a time when we do our major household chores for the week. Actually, our kids have to do a smaller chore everyday except for Sunday, but this is the day when they are assigned a chore inside our outside the house. These chores might include cleaning the bathrooms or pulling weeds around the house. My wife and I feel that this helps them learn responsibility and how to take care of themselves once they move out of the house.

So what about in your country or family? What are your family or cultural expectations on who is responsible for cleaning around your house? Do you feel it is important for children to do such work? Why or why not? Please share your ideas.

Randall

Valentine's Day: How do people celebrate this day?

Many cultures around the world celebrate Valentine's Day in one form or another. How do people celebrate in your country? Do men and women exchange gifts on this day? Do people participate in any special activities? Please share your ideas.

Randall

Family Size: How many children are ideal?

We sometimes hear in the news about couples who have very large families of ten or more children, but is there an ideal number of children a family can and should have? What factors (emotional, spiritual, financial) should help determine whether a family should have one or more children?

How many children are in your family and what have your parents done to raise you successfully? Share your ideas.

Randall