# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=359 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 360 --- ## [Is being non-diligent in a medical crisis morally similar to suicide?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-being-non-diligent-in-a-medical-crisis-morally-similar-to-suicide/601206)
**Author:** [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [November 2, 2011, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-being-non-diligent-in-a-medical-crisis-morally-similar-to-suicide/601206 "2011-11-02T13:09:06Z")
…in the eyes of those who moralize everything? By “non-diligent”, I mean not pursuing life-saving procedures and throwing in the towel without exhausting all reasonable avenues. For instance, say you are diagnosed with… --- ## [What happens to Williston, ND when the oil deposits run out?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-williston-nd-when-the-oil-deposits-run-out/601472)
**Author:** [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [November 2, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-williston-nd-when-the-oil-deposits-run-out/601472 "2011-11-02T13:01:27Z")
Rock Center with Brian Williams did a segment on Williston, ND this evening, and the town is at the beginning of an oil boom that has doubled the population and drawn people looking for work from every corner of the coun… --- ## [some weapon's question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-weapons-question/600354)
**Author:** [@y7xzh1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/y7xzh1)\ **Replies:** 69\ **Last updated:** [November 2, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-weapons-question/600354 "2011-11-02T01:46:52Z")
in our homeland(china) ,law do not allow anyone have a gun unless you are police or some army. i want use my dumb english to ask you these question why are you american people be allowed have a gun with legitimacy?and… --- ## [For-profit prisons](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-profit-prisons/576154)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 120\ **Last updated:** [November 1, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-profit-prisons/576154 "2011-11-01T23:20:25Z")
I was listening to a story on NPR Friday, about a for-profit juvenile detention facility. I don’t remember the point of the story, but I do remember that they said that to make an acceptable profit the maximum age of in… --- ## [Does Arnold Toynbee have our number?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-arnold-toynbee-have-our-number/601401)
**Author:** [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [November 1, 2011, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-arnold-toynbee-have-our-number/601401 "2011-11-01T23:11:03Z")
I recently reread an essay containing the following summary of Arnold Toynbee’s argument in his \* Study of History\*. It’s been a while since I read or thought about this, but now that I look at it, it seems like a remar… --- ## [Ask the Militia Guy!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-militia-guy/143916)
**Author:** [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Replies:** 146\ **Last updated:** [November 1, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-militia-guy/143916 "2011-11-01T19:57:17Z")
There seems to be an abundance of “Ask the XXX” threads lately, so I thought I’d throw my hat in the ring. Yes, militia. You know, the plaid-shirted, gun-toting good ‘ol boys\[sup\]1\[/sup\] training for the day the balloo… --- ## [Should a Rich Speeder Pay More?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-rich-speeder-pay-more/600311)
**Author:** [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Replies:** 187\ **Last updated:** [November 1, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-rich-speeder-pay-more/600311 "2011-11-01T17:23:21Z")
From this article: I am against this system, and I rather suspect there will be at least some support for this scheme here. Why? --- ## [In a libertarian society...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-libertarian-society/599458)
**Author:** [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Replies:** 1021\ **Last updated:** [November 1, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-libertarian-society/599458 "2011-11-01T16:56:31Z")
(I think this has been discussed in a variety of ways, but let’s do it again!) I know libertarianism is not anarchy- I know that law enforcement and the military would still exist. But I have a few other questions: Who… --- ## [Did Frank Finkel survive the Battle Of Little Big Horn?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-frank-finkel-survive-the-battle-of-little-big-horn/601477)
**Author:** [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [November 1, 2011, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-frank-finkel-survive-the-battle-of-little-big-horn/601477 "2011-11-01T12:36:03Z")
Okay, I’m pretty sure I know how the answer will go. However, there was a program on the History Channel a few nights back claiming that he was a survivor (I know there were quite a few, just not any white guys from Cus… --- ## [Libya after Gaddafi?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-after-gaddafi/588541)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 108\ **Last updated:** [November 1, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libya-after-gaddafi/588541 "2011-11-01T04:53:44Z")
IMO, the Gaddafi government will be gone in no more than six months. If nothing else, Tripoli will be starved into surrendering, eventually. What then? Whatever the Libyans want, presumably. But what do they want? I… --- ## [Not dating women with kids? Am I being stupid?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dating-women-with-kids-am-i-being-stupid/213727)
**Author:** [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Replies:** 64\ **Last updated:** [October 31, 2011, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dating-women-with-kids-am-i-being-stupid/213727 "2011-10-31T20:50:32Z")
Seems like lately, a fairly high proportion of the women I’ve met either online or in real life have kids. I dont’ want to date them- it’s not a rational feeling; something about it just makes me uncomfortable and screa… --- ## [Any Mithraists out there?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-mithraists-out-there/601390)
**Author:** [@Hold\_Fast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hold_Fast)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [October 31, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-mithraists-out-there/601390 "2011-10-31T19:21:22Z")
Hey guys I can’t recall seeing this as a thread anywhere, though I feel it surely has come up at some point, so if it has, I apologize for the redundancy. Having said that, I’m in search of some folks who know a thing … --- ## [Alternate Europe: 1901](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternate-europe-1901/601218)
**Author:** [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [October 31, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternate-europe-1901/601218 "2011-10-31T18:40:30Z")
British Parliament has changed the rules of succession. Women may now inherit the throne ending a 300 year old tradition. What if this law had been passed at the turn of the 20th century, perhaps to celebrate Queen Vic… --- ## [The racist Tea Party is in love with Herman Cain](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-racist-tea-party-is-in-love-with-herman-cain/600876)
**Author:** [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Replies:** 267\ **Last updated:** [October 31, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-racist-tea-party-is-in-love-with-herman-cain/600876 "2011-10-31T13:40:48Z")
From Slate. Given the high frequency of accusations of racism against the Tea Party’s membership from this board and elsewhere, how do those people who claimed the Tea Party’s animus was due to the fact that there was … --- ## [Funeral Protocol Changed](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funeral-protocol-changed/600740)
**Author:** [@Sarge6thCav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarge6thCav)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [October 30, 2011, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funeral-protocol-changed/600740 "2011-10-30T22:50:39Z")
Has anyone run into this at a military funeral? http://www.theconservativenews.com/reader\_submissions --- ## [How many planets would there be if Pluto were still a planet?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-planets-would-there-be-if-pluto-were-still-a-planet/600600)
**Author:** [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Replies:** 61\ **Last updated:** [October 30, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-planets-would-there-be-if-pluto-were-still-a-planet/600600 "2011-10-30T22:09:22Z")
The question’s in the thread title, and the answer’s not nine. As I understand it, a large part of the reason why we stopped thinking of Pluto as a planet was that we started discovering a lot of stuff in the outer sola… --- ## [What would be a good strategy for American progressives?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 113\ **Last updated:** [October 30, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-a-good-strategy-for-american-progressives/598818 "2011-10-30T21:19:07Z")
Inspired by this thread about a strategy to get the Democratic Party’s attention by registering Green (but only if you never vote in the primaries anyway). Sounds pretty meh. But what would work? As I stated the probl… --- ## [Alternate WWII History: The US Has a Balanced Budget Amendment](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternate-wwii-history-the-us-has-a-balanced-budget-amendment/601029)
**Author:** [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [October 30, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternate-wwii-history-the-us-has-a-balanced-budget-amendment/601029 "2011-10-30T17:04:10Z")
Let’s suppose that sometime in the late 1930’s the US adopted a balanced budget amendment similar to the ones proposed today, namely that Congress is barred from spending more than 103% of revenues in any given year. Som… --- ## [Was the US founded on Judeo-Christian values? If so, which ones?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-us-founded-on-judeo-christian-values-if-so-which-ones/600808)
**Author:** [@Linden\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linden_Arden)\ **Replies:** 48\ **Last updated:** [October 30, 2011, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-us-founded-on-judeo-christian-values-if-so-which-ones/600808 "2011-10-30T12:47:53Z")
I often hear pundits make this claim yet they never attempt to back it up. Is it true? I cannot find any uniquely Judeo-Christian values in the Constitution or the Declaration. The values in the latter tend to be hed… --- ## [My Solution to the Mortgage Crisis](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-solution-to-the-mortgage-crisis/590466)
**Author:** [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [October 29, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-solution-to-the-mortgage-crisis/590466 "2011-10-29T22:01:51Z")
Or maybe not. It’s just a theoretical idea I’ve been kicking around, and I wanted to see if anyone has any insights. I’m primarily interested in the economics of this, but I suppose political analysis is fair. So, we … --- ## ["The rich have no right to money as long as the poor are starving."](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rich-have-no-right-to-money-as-long-as-the-poor-are-starving/601004)
**Author:** [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Replies:** 39\ **Last updated:** [October 29, 2011, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rich-have-no-right-to-money-as-long-as-the-poor-are-starving/601004 "2011-10-29T08:24:47Z")
I heard a Christian say this on the BBC today. Is this paraphrased from a bible verse? And whether it is or not, could a society thrive while embracing this view? --- ## [Seems like the Occupy protests have lost steam this week (10/19/11). Did they jump the shark?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-the-occupy-protests-have-lost-steam-this-week-10-19-11-did-they-jump-the-shark/600155)
**Author:** [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Replies:** 93\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seems-like-the-occupy-protests-have-lost-steam-this-week-10-19-11-did-they-jump-the-shark/600155 "2011-10-28T17:57:19Z")
Media attention was at full frenzy last week, as people were surprised that it was still going on for a month…but not too many mentions this week. Has the Occupy protests jumped the shark? It’s not like the issues rais… --- ## [Liberal administration denies FEMA assistance to conservative locale: Ethical?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-administration-denies-fema-assistance-to-conservative-locale-ethical/600727)
**Author:** [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Replies:** 46\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberal-administration-denies-fema-assistance-to-conservative-locale-ethical/600727 "2011-10-28T17:39:34Z")
This is a hypothetical inspired by what is happening here in VA. Louisa County, the epicenter of that East coast earthquake that happened this summer, has been turned down for requested FEMA assistance. It’s hypothetic… --- ## [Portland, Oregon schools to allow anti-war groups in addition to military recruiters](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portland-oregon-schools-to-allow-anti-war-groups-in-addition-to-military-recruiters/600762)
**Author:** [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/portland-oregon-schools-to-allow-anti-war-groups-in-addition-to-military-recruiters/600762 "2011-10-28T17:24:32Z")
From the Army Times: I wholeheartedly concur with this decision. Military service is a job you can’t just quit, and it also involves killing human beings. It’s a very weighty decision. There are also some pretty well r… --- ## [Would inflation hurt or help the economy? (And other questions)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-inflation-hurt-or-help-the-economy-and-other-questions/600785)
**Author:** [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2011, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-inflation-hurt-or-help-the-economy-and-other-questions/600785 "2011-10-28T14:09:36Z")
I’m going to start the OP with a confession of ignorance: I know only enough about national and international economics to embarrass myself. However, unlike many of whom this is true I freely admit it, so my purpose is … --- ## [Pope prefers Occupy to Tea Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-prefers-occupy-to-tea-party/600542)
**Author:** [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Replies:** 58\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2011, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pope-prefers-occupy-to-tea-party/600542 "2011-10-28T12:58:05Z")
Being reported on MSNBC right now, along with the banner “Pope doesn’t but into trickle down economics”. Some people won’t like my lack of an stance here, but I know a good topic for argument when I see it. Argue whatev… --- ## [Cash banned in Louisiana](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-banned-in-louisiana/600250)
**Author:** [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Replies:** 59\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-banned-in-louisiana/600250 "2011-10-28T02:50:18Z")
Going to a garage sale in Louisiana? Take your credit card or checkbook. It’s now illegal to use cash to buy used stuff. Maybe bartering will get a boost. While it seems to be government and Big Brother at its most i… --- ## [Would military geniuses of the past do well today?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-military-geniuses-of-the-past-do-well-today/599689)
**Author:** [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Replies:** 93\ **Last updated:** [October 27, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-military-geniuses-of-the-past-do-well-today/599689 "2011-10-27T22:53:16Z")
A criticism I’ve read of some WW2 leaders is that they had gained all of their experience in WW1, a very different type of war, and so were somewhat unfamiliar with the advances in tactics and technology they encountered… --- ## [U. S. Debt/Deficit Solution?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-debt-deficit-solution/600998)
**Author:** [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [October 27, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-debt-deficit-solution/600998 "2011-10-27T22:37:14Z")
Given that those on the right and the left can’t agree on a solution to this problem, as a starting point who would object to a simple 1% funding reduction to all spending/programs? --- ## [The Gadhafi conundrum: Trial for his killers?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gadhafi-conundrum-trial-for-his-killers/600741)
**Author:** [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Replies:** 97\ **Last updated:** [October 27, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gadhafi-conundrum-trial-for-his-killers/600741 "2011-10-27T21:18:44Z")
Should the people who killed Gadhafi be put on trial, and if found guilty face the full force of the law? I’m torn by this. I can certainly understand the reaction of those who found him, but I cannot condone it. OTOH… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=358) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=360)