There are 1,000 people currently shortlisted for the trip of a lifetime, from which they will never return!  They want to be the first stage in the human habitation of the red planet.  But do humans have a right to inhabit other planets, and which humans specifically?  Would colonizing Mars be a chance to create a better world from scratch, or will it become an environmental and ethical nightmare?  Would you want to go?
 
Josh Richards - Mars One candidate from Australia
http://www.themightyginge.com/blog/
Students: Shaan, Vanessa, Rishi Grace, Celeste, Natalia, Jaxon

Should you move to Mars?

He is wise and old and learned and kind, but the Principal of Hogwarts is not perfect.  He deceives, he holds back really important information about issues of life and death, and is willing to sacrifice Harry Potter for the good of the many, leading him (as Professor Snape says) “like a pig to slaughter”.  So, is Dumbledore an ethical person?  How flawed are we allowed to be and still be counted as “good”?

Adelaide Auguries Quiddich team
http://www.quidditch.org.au/portfolio/the-adelaide-augureys/

Students: Rishi, Shaan, Grace, Kristie, Natalia, Celeste, Vanessa, Jason, Roman

Is Dumbledore as great as he seems?

Unless you’re a vegetarian, there are some animals you probably eat regularly.  But how would you cope if your next dinner was some stir-fried dog?  Why is it okay to eat a baby cow (veal) or sheep (lamb) and not a cute little puppy?  Are our ideas about eating animals a bit of a mess?  And does this matter?
 
Tim O’Connor - dog eater
Ali Huveneer - owner of Bacon the pig
Students: Shaan, Vanessa, Rishi Grace, Celeste, Natalia, Jaxon
Reporter: Brett Williamson (ABC)

Should you eat your pet?

We’re often told we have a special responsibility to our brothers and sisters just because they are family. But, do we really? And what kind of duty is it?  What if you found out the annoying new kid at school was your long lost brother or sister?  Would you feel any differently about them? And, if you really didn’t like them, is it somehow worse to kill a sibling than to kill anyone else? Yep, some murderously tricky questions!

Do you have to love your sibling?

For professional fire and rescue workers, it’s not all sirens, cool trucks and running red lights. They often have to make really hard and terrible decisions in moments of heat, smoke and danger. Their job is to be there to help on the worst day of your life. So, if you were a firefighter, who would you save first?

Who gets saved first in a fire?

Images of movie stars and pop singers are everywhere we look – album covers, concert posters, t-shirts, instagram feeds and other social media. Photos and videos are a big part of how famous people present themselves. But, how honest and accurate are they? Do they look anything like they do in real life… and should they? When do small changes to an image turn it into a lie? And does it even matter?

Should celebrities keep it real?

Walked into any traffic lights lately as you stare manically at a screen? Maybe you’re one of the millions of people playing Pokemon Go, the augmented reality game which sends its players out into the streets to catch weird little imaginary creatures. Is it an annoying disruption of public spaces? And, because it’s cleverly designed so you never want to stop playing, we ask: Are you playing the game or is the game playing you?

Is Pokemon Go playing you?

Lollies are a colourful and magical and very sweet part of many children’s lives. But can you say no when faced with a bowl of jelly beans or sour worms or other types of candy? With so much concern nowadays about the amount of sugar in our diets, this show looks at self control and what we should do if people don’t have any.

Should we ban lollies?

SHORT & CURLY is a fast-paced fun-filled ethics podcast for kids and their parents, with questions and ideas to really get you thinking. It asks curly questions like about animals, technology, school, pop culture and the future. 

Thanks to our two fabulous hosts, there’s lots of time for silliness too. We are also helped out by resident ethicist Matt Beard (from The Ethics Centre), a brainstrust of school children and some special high-profile guests like sporting stars and famous musicians.

SHORT & CURLY is especially designed to be listened to alone or as a family, with questions to think about and time to discuss it together.   


Short & Curly

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