Presentations

Background information:

Germany has one of the strictest weapon laws of the world. The bigger part of all types of weapons, are forbidden for normal commoners in Germany, an exception are weapon-like items for self-defence. Are the firearms specifications agreeable in modern times or should they be mitigated?

Forbidden weapons in Germany:

-         Firearms

-         Switchblade, knifes longer than 8,5 cm

-         Knucks, cudgel, steel rod

-         Nun-Chaku

-         Throwing star

-         Slingshot

-         Stun gun

-         Tracer bullet

-         Atomizer with unhealthy substances

Allowed weapons in Germany:

-         Crossbow

-         Bow

-         Airgun (< 7,5 Joule)

-         Alarm pistol

-         Normal knifes shorter than 8,5 cm

-         Atomizer

-         Certified stun gun

People, who want to own forbidden weapons, have to earn a firearm certificate. The only way to get this is the delivery of the following prerequisites: Reliability, personal qualification, general knowledge and requirement. If you can account for this, it is possible to make an exam, to get a firearm certificate.

Statement:

The weapon law is important, but unfortunately it can’t prevent criminals from using weapons for crimes.

Pro:

     -         Weapons could be used for protection against criminals.

-         Criminals get weapons anyway; the law is without effect.

-         Bordering countries with mitigated firearms specifications have fewer deaths by weapons.

Contra:

-         Police will lose the control because of vigilante justice.

-         Much more deaths by weapons.

-         Easier for criminals to get a weapon, as a result more serious crimes.

Conclusion:

I think the firearms specifications in Germany are agreeable. Weapons are very dangerous in the wrong hands, and if everyone could get a gun, many will die through accidents and acts of violence. Also it is allowed to own particular weapons for self-defence. People who need to use a weapon, for example in a sport, can get a membership in a gun club and attain a firearm certificate.

Vocabulary:

mitigation – Entschärfung

exception – Ausnahme

weapon-like – waffenähnlich

knucks – Schlagring

cudgel – Knüppel

steel rod – Stahlrute

requirement – Anforderung

throwing star – Wurfstern

slingshot – Schleuder

stun gun – Elektroschocker

atomizer – Sprühgerät

tracer bullet – Leuchtpistole

alarm pistol – Schreckschusswaffe

vigilante justice – Selbstjustiz

firearm certificate – Waffenbesitzkarte

delivery – Erfüllung

prerequisite – Voraussetzung

reliability – Zuverlässigkeit

personal qualification – persönliche Eignung

knowledge – Fachkenntnis

particular – speziell

Warhammer is a tabletop strategy fantasy battle game. You play this game with plastic- or metal figures. You can buy these figures at Gamesworkshops. This is the company that invented and sold this hobby. More and more people – older and younger people – play this game. The first edition of Warhammer came 25 years ago into the market. Many people think that this hobby is better than the games of strategy for the PC. It’s a very voluminous Hobby: you must build and paint the figures before you can play this game. There are many groups that accumulate a guild for this game and play this in this group.

Pro

-         You meet many other hobbyists

-         You have a good pastime

-         It’s good for you fantasy

Contra

-         The figures are very expensive

-         You need the ability for pain and build the figures

-         It’s very time-consuming

I think this hobby is a good alternative to PC-games. I can identify myself with this hobby and I found many friends through this hobby. It’s a better pastime than alcohol or criminal activities.

Vocabulary

tabletop strategy fantasy battle game – Tabletop-Strategiekriegsspiel

hobbyist – Bastler und Spieler

pastime – Zeitvertreib

ability – das Können

time-consuming – zeitaufwändig

Background information:

• As chemical technician you work shift.
• A shift is 12h long.
• You work in 3 or 4 shift system.
• You work either at day or in the night.
• Day shift is from 6 am to 6 pm.
• Night shift from 6 pm to 6 am.

Contra:

• Shift work is not god for health.
• You have not regularly time for family and friends.
• Maybe you are short of sleep.
• You have no regular working week.
• You have no free weekends.

Pro:

• You earn more money than an ordinary workman.
• You have free time when other people work.
• You have more free time as other workmen.

My opinion:

Shift work is good for young people because they need money for a flat or a car. If you are older, shift working is not appropriate for everyone. You must ponder between your health and the extra money.

Vocabulary:
chemical technician – Chemikant

shift work – Schichtarbeit

to be short of sleep – an Schlafmangel leiden

Information:

• Gene technology is a biotechnology method to mutate the genome so that we can control the processes of all living things.
• It exists since 8000 years as the Americans where breeding corn out of cereal.
• It comprises the mutation and new composition of the DNA as well as to bring it artificially into living organisms.
• There are three applications:
• • Green genetic engineering
  • Red genetic engineering
  • White/grey engineering

Pro:

- New jobs

- Better health

- More food

Contra:

- Allergies

- Harmful for the environment

- Genetic manipulation could get out of control

Conclusion:        

I think the whole gene technology can be good for us, if it is enough researched.

Quality must be checked permanently. People have to be aware of the consequences, what could happen.

Vocabulary:

genome – Erbgut

to comprise – umfassen

composition – Zusammensetzung

artificial – künstlich

applications – Anwendungen

breeding – Züchtung

harmful – schädlich

A tattoo is a permanent marking made by inserting ink into the deeper layers of skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons. Tattoos on humans are a type of decorative body modification, while tattoos on animals are most commonly used for identification or branding.

Tattooing has been practiced worldwide. Along time tattoos have been frowned upon. If anybody had a tattoo he was directly pigeonholed or was classified as a rocker. Then in the mid-90s there was a real boom. The motives were developed and tribal signs were invented. People have tattooed little suns or something else. All men or women wanted a tattoo, partly on the strangest places, for example a lower back tattoo. In my opinion everybody who wants a tattoo can get it.

Now I will write down some arguments:

Against tattoos:

- Tattoos cost a lot of money.

- In advanced years the tattoo becomes paler.

- To remove tattoos is very expensive.

For tattoos:

- Tattoos personify the soul of one’s self on the body.

- Many people tattooed themselves because they want a memory of persons or times

- To primp the body with tattoos.

Volcabulary:

inserting – Einbringung

layers – Schichten

commonly – üblich

to be frowned upon – verpönt

pigeonholed -  „in eine Schublade stecken“

lower back tattoo – ornamentales Tattoo über dem Steißbein

to remove -  entfernen

Using the example of the TV Show “The Simpsons”

I chose the theme due to the often discussed opinions about violence in games. I thought aggressiveness must not necessarily be supported by computer games. It can also be done by TV shows. Every time there is a rampage every guy says the games are the cause. But I think also the TV shows are to be blamed for the violence among teenagers. The Simpsons was one of the first shows I have thought it of. No other show has so many viewers in the world. But this show shows so many aspects of a family that is not normal.

Pro:

• The father “Homer” is very aggressive in every episode.
• Many times disputes are solved by violence instead of the normal way.
• In the “Krusty the Clown” show there is a little movie called Itchy and Scratchy that shows lots of blood and more violence.

Contra: 

• It’s only an animated show.
• It shows also good moments like conciliation.
• News and other broadcasts are often more realistic and show more brute violence.

My opinon is that the parents have to looks after their children and what they watch on TV even better. If it is possible the parents can sit near the children and watch the show with them.

Vocabulary

conciliation – Versöhnung

solution – Lösung

violence – Gewalt

It began in 2000 with Pop stars, where the “No Angels” saw the light of day. After that came from abroad DSDS (Germany is seeking a superstar) on the German goggle box. But do we really need something like that?

When a total audience watched ” Germany is seeking a superstar ” on a Saturday evening, in the average 5.15 million viewers, a good market share of 17.3 percent corresponded. DSDS for example, makes the awards to the often downright criminal offence. The private channels have not only withdrawn the appeals against the fines for four episodes in January and February in the aired day programme, but also promised to submit future “DSDS” episodes to a voluntary control before broadcasting. That stated the Commission for Youth Media Protection (KJM) on Monday.

There is a maximum dump down of viewers, a humiliation of the candidates and a ripping off.

Surely some speaks for such shows: The candidates thus get a large chance. They can win much money and fame as we have seen in the former “No Angels”, or currently at “Monrose”.

It is further seen because of the candidates (inclusively family) and the viewers’ experience. So they are happy with their favourites and are mourning with them. Thus they go along the ordeal of the candidates.

Another point is the entertainment the live broadcast offers. There are nevertheless some funny things like for example Dieter Bohlen’s funny verdicts for his candidates.

Fair enough, however we should not forget the mental consequences for the candidates. They are standing daily under huge pressure. The candidates must bring a maximum of power and are constantly criticised by so-called stars that control this live broadcast.

The next point is the viewers’ stultification that this kind of live broadcast brings to them – as if there were no better or more interesting things than to listen each weekend to these crying or cheeky persons for hours in the evening; and this for months.

Finally the “rip-off” of the TV organizations is to mention as well as cheating the candidates by signing a contract where a majority of their honorarium is to be delivered to the broadcast station. As if that would be not bad enough the viewer must pay for his voting, so that his favourite can take part in the next turn.

It astonishes that, despite already sustained criticism, DSDS will proceed. Why does it take just as long?

Already in the last season it was more than obvious that the entire casting show represents a stage for gloating on television. That the exposure of individual candidates caused problems for many participants after broadcasting was also known. Where is the punishment for those who are responsible?

I believe that such a live broadcast like “Big Brother” is not what Germany really needs!

In summary you should really consider whether you really need shows like that or if the TV already has a bad reputation and that it thus, in many eyes as well as in mine, is not really strengthened. Does it really make sense to put money into it from the outset? Perhaps we should enjoy our well-deserved evening instead of watching such shows and simply read a good book.

Pro

- Change for the candidates

- Sympathy for the candidates

- Entertainment

Contra

- Psychological consequences for the candidates

- Bad reputation

- Ripping off candidates and audience

Background information:

The smoking prohibition is in force in Germany for a year and it’s still discussed. Since then smoking isn’t allowed in public buildings. But there are still some differences in the federal states in Germany. In some federal states you can smoke in a shopping mall in another federal state it’s a crime. There are different points like fire protection or economic causes and so on. Also it was temporarily allowed to smoke in some pubs in Rhineland-Palatinate because some bar owners’ survival was threatened. One bar owner even killed himself because he thought he was ruined. Since the smoking prohibition you have to be 18 years old to smoke legally. Even at cigarette automats you have to prove that you are 18 with your driving licence.

Pro:

• Non-smokers are protected of diseases that they can get because of passive smoking for example lung cancer.
• The furnishing in buildings would be polluted less than before.
• The air in public buildings is much better and not so stuffy.

Contra:

• Owners of pubs and restaurants earn less than before.
• Customers of pubs and restaurants have to go outside to smoke.
• The environment outside of bars and restaurants is polluted more because cigarettes are dropped down onto the ground.

In my opinion a smoking prohibition is good because the air is much better in bars and restaurants. It is disgusting if your clothes smell like an ashtray three days after you visited the bar.

Since the last stock market crash, the world is lying down. Banks going insolvent, the economy is going down the drain and there is no hope for better times. So the question is, is it good to buy or deal with shares for persons like you and me?

Pro:

l        You make more money

l        You have money if you need it

l        You can be the main owner of a company

Contra:

• You lose a lot of money
• If you really need money you don’t get the money you paid for it
• You spend a lot of time

Stock dealing is called „The Fast Money“ because you can buy a stock when it’s cheap and sell it when it’s high. For example you can double your money in a short time. (Get rich….)

But it can go the other way, too. You buy a stock and the stock is falling and falling and falling and in the end you have less than before so you lost a lot of money in a short time. (…or die trying)

Another point is, that if you want to buy a new car or you have to pay for a repair and need money you can sell some stocks to get the money you need.

The other side is, if you need the money to buy a car or something it could be that you don’t get the money you paid for the stocks, so you have to sell more stocks to get the money you want.

If you have a lot of money and buy stocks, so that you have more than 50% of a company, you can be the main owner of a company. So you can say what should happen with the employee or the company. (Play big boss J)

To earn money with stocks, you have to spend a lot of time. You always will have to look what happens with your stocks – are the falling or climbing. You neglect your family and friends, because if you don’t check the stock price all the time you don’t make a lot of money.

In the end I think that it’s good to deal with stocks. You can make fast money and the stocks can help you, if you really need money for things you don’t see coming. Stocks have a risk, that’s true, but what happens if your bank can’t pay the money you want, because they lost your money at the stock market? You have it in your own hands!

Everyone of you has heard about weapon policy in America. You’ve all heard of the shockingly high criminal rate and the many deaths caused by firearms. But I’m sure only few of you know just how many people die every year in America. Only few of you know how bad the problems through criminal acts are. I’d like to bring this problem a little closer to you and make you aware which terrible things can and do happen, because of America’s weapon policy. Hopefully some of you will also recognize, that such weapon policies would only harm other countries, if they were to follow America’s bad example.

Small children do not know how dangerous weapons can be and harm themselves very often. In one year, firearms killed no children in Japan, 19 in Great Britain, 57 in Germany, 109 in France, 153 in Canada, and 5,285 in the United States. From 1984-94 the firearm death rate for 15-19 year olds in the US increased 222%. Over 3,500 students were expelled in 1998-99 for bringing guns to school. 43% were in elementary or junior high school and during 1999, 52% of all murder victims under 18 in the U.S. were killed by guns. This shows us, that the loose attitude that parents bring forth to firearms does nothing to protect their children, even if that is one of the many reasons for the possession of a lethal weapon.

·         On April 8, 2002 a 4-year-old boy died after unintentionally shooting himself, while playing with his grandfather’s gun while the rest of the family was sleeping.

·         On March 28, 2002, 15-year-old Quinton Bridges was shot and critically injured by his 15-year-old friend, Derek Scott Oaks. Oaks loaded his father’s rifle and aimed it at his friend’s head while the teen sat at a computer playing a game. According to police, the boys were not arguing; Oaks didn’t think the firearm worked because he tried to pull the trigger before he went in the room and it didn’t fire.

Death rate of every citizen of the US (and other countries)

(Numbers multiplied with 100.000)

Due to its weapon policies, over 1000.000 American citizens died in the year 2001. Barely any other country has ever lost as many people to suicide, as America. Mental health is an issue to every 10^th person on earth; however, Americans with mental health issues are a much greater threat to themselves and others than in any other country, because of the loose weapon policies. However, America’s homicide rate, is by far the highest. No other country has ever lost as many lives as America, through shootings. Most Americans do not see weapons as dangerous objects. They see them as household objects, which are sometimes even used on a daily basis. I believe that this is also the reason why many US citizens are very aggressive, when it comes to conflicts and act more violently, instead of taking care of conflicts verbally.

As you can see, the criminal rate in America is much higher than in any other country, because people have easy access to firearms.

Robberies, homicide and other criminal acts are committed more often, especially in poor areas (ghettos, and so on). Because of this, it’s no wonder, that gangs and other criminal organizations have no trouble committing crimes. Also, the conflict, between gangs becomes more dangerous, even to innocent bystanders.

In 2005 there were 3,812 homicides, the highest figure in seven years. This is an average of ten to 12 murders a day in a county of some 6.7 million people. According to the Legal Medical Institute, over 80% of those killed were shot in the head (Gang members as well as civilians).

My own opinion reflects what I have described to you today. I am glad, that Germany possesses no such weapon policy, for my own sake and that of my friends and loved ones. I believe that laws for the possession of firearms do very little to protect me or other citizens. I hope some of you understand, just how dangerous weapons can be, when carried in the wrong hands and that you are as grateful as I am, that we do live in a fairly safe environment.