# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=431 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 432 --- ## [Hard drive compatibility question...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-compatibility-question/556414)
**Author:** [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [October 7, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-compatibility-question/556414 "2010-10-07T22:10:54Z")
I have an HP media center pc running windows xp (PCM7350N). The hard drive is starting to grind and get noisy so I’m wondering which of the hard drive specs need to be the same to replace it. It now has a Samsung SP2504… --- ## [What's the difference between morals and ethics?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-morals-and-ethics/556205)
**Author:** [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [October 7, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-morals-and-ethics/556205 "2010-10-07T20:57:33Z")
And why does it matter? --- ## [When the music stops in 2012, have Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton switched chairs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-music-stops-in-2012-have-joe-biden-and-hillary-clinton-switched-chairs/556271)
**Author:** [@Aswan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aswan)\ **Replies:** 59\ **Last updated:** [October 7, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-music-stops-in-2012-have-joe-biden-and-hillary-clinton-switched-chairs/556271 "2010-10-07T20:20:07Z")
I am seeing more and more discussion of the potential in 2012 for putting Hillary Clinton in the number two spot with Obama and moving Joe Biden to Secretary of State. The argument seems to be that Clinton would bring al… --- ## [Boundary between seduction and rape?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boundary-between-seduction-and-rape/555728)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 52\ **Last updated:** [October 7, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boundary-between-seduction-and-rape/555728 "2010-10-07T20:01:39Z")
Inspired by, of all things, a web comic- (Warning! Utterly NSFW!) This page and the one that follows it: \[noparse\]Home Page - “Book For You” \[noparse\]Home Page - “Book For You” Now let me make myself clear: I believe… --- ## [Ok who still buys what the Republicans are selling?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-who-still-buys-what-the-republicans-are-selling/555738)
**Author:** [@Le\_Jacquelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Jacquelope)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [October 7, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-who-still-buys-what-the-republicans-are-selling/555738 "2010-10-07T17:22:46Z")
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/budgetcomparison.jpg.gif If the Republicans make good on their “Pledge to America”, the deficit will go up in comparison to staying the course with the Democrats. Debate ques… --- ## [Is our concept of cause and effect in error](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-our-concept-of-cause-and-effect-in-error/555644)
**Author:** [@Dcypher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dcypher)\ **Replies:** 48\ **Last updated:** [October 7, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-our-concept-of-cause-and-effect-in-error/555644 "2010-10-07T16:54:34Z")
Whether one examines the various religious beliefs of the beginning of the universe or the scientific theory, is there not always an issue that if you go far enough back, something had to come from nothing? This has alw… --- ## [Should political parties have more control over who can be members? If so, how?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-political-parties-have-more-control-over-who-can-be-members-if-so-how/556285)
**Author:** [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [October 7, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-political-parties-have-more-control-over-who-can-be-members-if-so-how/556285 "2010-10-07T16:48:39Z")
I’ thinking of this thread in terms of American party politics, but mostly because I know nothing about party politics. Come to think of it, I also don’t know much about the internal workings of so-called “fringe” Ameri… --- ## [Set Karzai up as Czar and get out.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/set-karzai-up-as-czar-and-get-out/556307)
**Author:** [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [October 7, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/set-karzai-up-as-czar-and-get-out/556307 "2010-10-07T00:14:52Z")
Karzai is a corrupt ahole. I’m not going to say anything good about him. However, it seems to me that the best course for the US is to set him up as a brutal dictator and let him do his thing. Turn a blind eye. The GWBu… --- ## [The blind, fanatical nature of support for Israel](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990)
**Author:** [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Replies:** 74\ **Last updated:** [October 6, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-blind-fanatical-nature-of-support-for-israel/555990 "2010-10-06T20:42:26Z")
I’m wearing flame-proof underwear. And flame-proof overwear. Right. Most of you have seen this. This was being discussed on another board, and the usual suspects came into defend Israel’s actions against Palestinian… --- ## [the trade war is here](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trade-war-is-here/555980)
**Author:** [@BayouHazard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BayouHazard)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [October 6, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trade-war-is-here/555980 "2010-10-06T04:32:39Z")
And…we’ve disarmed: I’m actually sort of reassured to find someone else out there agreeing with what I’ve been saying for awhile now. The economic orthodoxy of the day-free trade-does not appear to be working for an… --- ## [Cancel manned space exploration, use budget for energy development instead?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-manned-space-exploration-use-budget-for-energy-development-instead/556063)
**Author:** [@Posaune\_Pat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Posaune_Pat)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [October 6, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-manned-space-exploration-use-budget-for-energy-development-instead/556063 "2010-10-06T02:19:10Z")
The interstellar probe thread got me thinking. It seems clear that, at minimum, we are decades or centuries away from technology that would allow us to probe other stars. And the only feasible way to do it with actual pe… --- ## [Is the Tea Party movement generationally time-limited?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-tea-party-movement-generationally-time-limited/554769)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 53\ **Last updated:** [October 5, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-tea-party-movement-generationally-time-limited/554769 "2010-10-05T18:14:31Z")
Spinoff from this thread. There are at least two schools of thought on the demographic composition of the Tea Party Movement: I think the key differentiating factor is age – other polls find the Tea Partiers are mostl… --- ## [Is there an actual military challenge posed by terrorist targets?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-actual-military-challenge-posed-by-terrorist-targets/556023)
**Author:** [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [October 5, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-actual-military-challenge-posed-by-terrorist-targets/556023 "2010-10-05T15:29:02Z")
In my mind I see the difficulties on the war on “terror”, or to be more specific: operations against the taliban, mostly in the intelligence front. Where is group A? Who is supporting them? Who are group B’s leaders and … --- ## [If $ =/= important explain capitalism](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-important-explain-capitalism/555165)
**Author:** [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [October 5, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-important-explain-capitalism/555165 "2010-10-05T14:25:23Z")
People in the “team building” threads in MPSIMS and the Pit seem to be under the impression you work for fun and fulfillment. While it’d be nice if you get that from work, what you’re mainly looking for is $ so you can b… --- ## [Rights of Children to Life\>Religious Freedom](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rights-of-children-to-life-religious-freedom/555788)
**Author:** [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [October 5, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rights-of-children-to-life-religious-freedom/555788 "2010-10-05T01:57:49Z")
No this thread is not about abortion. In fact I suspect many of our atheists here will agree with me. The question is supposing some religious sect forbids certain medical treatments or otherwise results in less than id… --- ## [Ethics of Israeli settlements](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethics-of-israeli-settlements/554116)
**Author:** [@yelimS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yelimS)\ **Replies:** 303\ **Last updated:** [October 5, 2010, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethics-of-israeli-settlements/554116 "2010-10-05T01:14:40Z")
The question was raised in this thread, and partly continued in this one, but it seems to me that the discussion drowned in all the name-calling and fuss about legalities. Diogenes claims that the settlements are clear-… --- ## [Killing the Campaign to restore sanity to US politics](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-the-campaign-to-restore-sanity-to-us-politics/555994)
**Author:** [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Replies:** 41\ **Last updated:** [October 4, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killing-the-campaign-to-restore-sanity-to-us-politics/555994 "2010-10-04T23:54:49Z")
I had a thought the other night and would like to see what you guys think of it. Nearly all the real partisan division seems to be campaign and media driven. When you actually start comparing platforms you find differen… --- ## [How is the tea party a "revolution"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-tea-party-a-revolution/556033)
**Author:** [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [October 4, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-tea-party-a-revolution/556033 "2010-10-04T23:13:00Z")
My mom is an avowed Tea Party and luckily for the other Tea Party members out there I don’t judge you all based on how crazy she is. But during one of her many tirades on the evil of the government and the hidden Muslim… --- ## [Obama administration arguing they can assassinate anyone without oversight](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-administration-arguing-they-can-assassinate-anyone-without-oversight/555325)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 160\ **Last updated:** [October 4, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-administration-arguing-they-can-assassinate-anyone-without-oversight/555325 "2010-10-04T19:58:29Z")
That, at least, is how Glenn Greenwald and libertarian blogger Radley Balko interpret their (the administration’s) arguments as reported in this Washington Post article. Any thoughts, legal/political eagles, on how I s… --- ## [Fox News deliberately destroying America](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256)
**Author:** [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Replies:** 102\ **Last updated:** [October 4, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256 "2010-10-04T18:40:48Z")
So I’m watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart this evening, and he does yet another take down of the evil idiots on Fox News, pointing out how the guy funding the two blocks from ground zero mosque is the same guy who … --- ## [Who is getting rich from health issurance?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-getting-rich-from-health-issurance/554834)
**Author:** [@Jonie\_Kipling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonie_Kipling)\ **Replies:** 47\ **Last updated:** [October 4, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-getting-rich-from-health-issurance/554834 "2010-10-04T16:51:58Z")
I just moved to California and I’m trying to find health insurance for our family here on th west coast. I couldn’t believe the cost of the premiums from all of the different insurance companies. Now I’m hearing that i… --- ## [Would A Republican landslide =Stock Market boom?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-republican-landslide-stock-market-boom/553976)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [October 4, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-republican-landslide-stock-market-boom/553976 "2010-10-04T14:58:21Z")
I think so-I am planning to be 100% in stocks by November 1st. I think that the Republicans taking back the House (and hopefully, the Senate), will make Obama reconsider some of his crazier ideas. What does history sa… --- ## [What would a post-Prop 19 California look like?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-post-prop-19-california-look-like/555372)
**Author:** [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [October 4, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-post-prop-19-california-look-like/555372 "2010-10-04T14:16:57Z")
It looks at least somewhat likely now that the nation’s largest state will legalize marijuana this year. Wikipedia has a good summary of the law and what exactly its passage means in a legal sense here: 2010 California … --- ## [What would be the effect of a US sovereign debt crisis?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-the-effect-of-a-us-sovereign-debt-crisis/555017)
**Author:** [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [October 4, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-the-effect-of-a-us-sovereign-debt-crisis/555017 "2010-10-04T14:09:52Z")
From the blog of an economics professor who’s usually pretty conservative about his prognostications: I’m inclined to agree: every government program has a huge entrenched interest behind it. Seniors want Medicare and… --- ## [Babri Masjid - Hindus have no nexus with Justice](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babri-masjid-hindus-have-no-nexus-with-justice/555620)
**Author:** [@Abisafyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abisafyan)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [October 4, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babri-masjid-hindus-have-no-nexus-with-justice/555620 "2010-10-04T06:50:43Z")
Babri Masjid - Hindus have no nexus with Justice The Allahabad High Court judgment is ridiculous on the face of it. If 1/3 of the premises were declared as Masjid then how the integral remaining premises was held to be … --- ## [Are Republicans in Congress feeding the Blue Beast, too?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-republicans-in-congress-feeding-the-blue-beast-too/555743)
**Author:** [@Le\_Jacquelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Jacquelope)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [October 4, 2010, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-republicans-in-congress-feeding-the-blue-beast-too/555743 "2010-10-04T01:00:06Z")
Republicans in Congress and running for Congress keep talking about their great opposition to ObamaCare and especially the idea of a Public Option. They oppose the growth of Government jobs and the high salaries being pa… --- ## ["If the Tea Party Was Black" music video... do you think they're right or wrong?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-tea-party-was-black-music-video-do-you-think-theyre-right-or-wrong/555635)
**Author:** [@Le\_Jacquelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Jacquelope)\ **Replies:** 70\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-tea-party-was-black-music-video-do-you-think-theyre-right-or-wrong/555635 "2010-10-03T20:08:06Z")
The lyrics can be found on that page. True? Not true? --- ## [Why do a significant number of people hold poorly-thought-out positions on major topics?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-a-significant-number-of-people-hold-poorly-thought-out-positions-on-major-topics/555544)
**Author:** [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Replies:** 53\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-a-significant-number-of-people-hold-poorly-thought-out-positions-on-major-topics/555544 "2010-10-03T19:52:43Z")
Ok, I am not as eloquent in my writing ability as many in this forum, so please bare with me while I attempt to explain this adequately: The thread title is the best I can come up with for this phenomenon. It seems whe… --- ## [Need help with Holocaust question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-holocaust-question/555417)
**Author:** [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-holocaust-question/555417 "2010-10-03T19:17:43Z")
Please feel free to move this to general questions if you think its more appropriate. I have an acquaintance that has started hanging out with the wrong people and he is starting to say crazy stuff like “the holocaust O… --- ## [Why do people see the world in black and white?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-see-the-world-in-black-and-white/555799)
**Author:** [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-see-the-world-in-black-and-white/555799 "2010-10-03T17:59:41Z")
This has probably come up before but couldn’t think of a good way to search for it. Whenever I see a post expressing an opinion, it always seems to be in absolutist terms that imply no other position could have any meri… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=430) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=432)