# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=434 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 435 --- ## [Did the BP oil spill screw up the ocean conveyor belt system](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-bp-oil-spill-screw-up-the-ocean-conveyor-belt-system/554187)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [September 21, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-bp-oil-spill-screw-up-the-ocean-conveyor-belt-system/554187 "2010-09-21T03:21:41Z")
I remember in an inconvenient truth Al Gore said that flooding from Greenland could totally screw up the conveyor belt system in the Atlantic and as a result change the climate in Europe. I found this website claiming t… --- ## [Is Positive Thinking a Disease in the US?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-positive-thinking-a-disease-in-the-us/554213)
**Author:** [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Replies:** 66\ **Last updated:** [September 20, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-positive-thinking-a-disease-in-the-us/554213 "2010-09-20T23:43:04Z")
I’m reading Barbara Ehrenreich’s book Bright-Sided: How The Relentlessness Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermind America. I picked it up from the library reluctantly. I read her book Nickle and Dimed, and while … --- ## [Instead of higher unemployment, why not shorter work weeks?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instead-of-higher-unemployment-why-not-shorter-work-weeks/554091)
**Author:** [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Replies:** 41\ **Last updated:** [September 20, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instead-of-higher-unemployment-why-not-shorter-work-weeks/554091 "2010-09-20T22:43:26Z")
Let me use a hypothetical to illustrate my point. Let’s say we’ve got a factory with 100 full time workers. Demand is enough to support them all getting 40 hour work weeks. Then a recession hits, and sales are down 10%.… --- ## [Is fervent anti-Islamicism a fad?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fervent-anti-islamicism-a-fad/554281)
**Author:** [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Replies:** 60\ **Last updated:** [September 20, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fervent-anti-islamicism-a-fad/554281 "2010-09-20T20:18:10Z")
Recently an old and respected friend sent me a video link to one Dr Robert Jeffress, a Baptist preacher expounding on Islam from an apparently learned position and in a very reasonable tone of voice, concluding that anyo… --- ## [Supply Side Economists: how does this affect your view?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supply-side-economists-how-does-this-affect-your-view/553645)
**Author:** [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Replies:** 96\ **Last updated:** [September 20, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supply-side-economists-how-does-this-affect-your-view/553645 "2010-09-20T17:06:54Z")
A supply side economics cornerstone is that the rich will spend tax cuts and lead to direct and/or indirect job creation. I cherry picked these bullets from a Bloomberg News report on Moody’s Analytics. \[ul\] \[li\]Tax c… --- ## [Anyone notice something in the news?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-notice-something-in-the-news/554249)
**Author:** [@Mozart1220](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mozart1220)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 20, 2010, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-notice-something-in-the-news/554249 "2010-09-20T06:26:59Z")
That right when California is about to vote on the full legalisation of marijuana, a “study” comes out in all the media about the “increased use of drugs”. And it always starts with someone smoking a joint, or the pictu… --- ## [Are Middle Eastern Military Forces Incompetant](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-middle-eastern-military-forces-incompetant/554168)
**Author:** [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [September 19, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-middle-eastern-military-forces-incompetant/554168 "2010-09-19T20:06:34Z")
The other day I was listening to NPR and the host was interviewing a high ranking military officer who was involved in the first Gulf War. This officer said that the U.S. Military overestimated the capabilities of the m… --- ## [Should we move to a progressive pension age](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-move-to-a-progressive-pension-age/553037)
**Author:** [@qpw3141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qpw3141)\ **Replies:** 48\ **Last updated:** [September 19, 2010, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-move-to-a-progressive-pension-age/553037 "2010-09-19T11:17:16Z")
There seems to be an ever increasing number of news articles about pension deficits and the fact that people will no longer be able to retire at the ages they traditionally could. France is having problems at the moment… --- ## [The Adoption Loophole. Good Friends, Unite!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adoption-loophole-good-friends-unite/554236)
**Author:** [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [September 19, 2010, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-adoption-loophole-good-friends-unite/554236 "2010-09-19T05:37:23Z")
Anyone can legally adopt a locally legally competent and consensual anyone else. Just sayin’, gays. Thru the adoption process, two or more good friends who fully share expenses and are willing to share a bank account c… --- ## [Invented (or Inventive) Spelling](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invented-or-inventive-spelling/553908)
**Author:** [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [September 19, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invented-or-inventive-spelling/553908 "2010-09-19T03:00:03Z")
Let’s talking about Invented Spelling. This site describes it like this: Proponents seem to think that it is a good intermediate step in a child’s cognitive development, one that comes before and while a child is memo… --- ## [Would society be better off without Tobacco?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-society-be-better-off-without-tobacco/553416)
**Author:** [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Replies:** 52\ **Last updated:** [September 18, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-society-be-better-off-without-tobacco/553416 "2010-09-18T18:26:11Z")
I’d have to say yes. Unlike alcohol, which we have unsuccessfully tried to ban before and which appears to have some benefits to counterbalance the harm (drinkers have a longer life expectancy than nondrinkers), tobacco … --- ## [Fat Tax](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-tax/553852)
**Author:** [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Replies:** 72\ **Last updated:** [September 18, 2010, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-tax/553852 "2010-09-18T12:03:00Z")
Our business is planning on charging employees and extra $10 per month for health insurance if they have a BMI over 40. They are also talking about an additional $10 for smokers. I find this both personally invasive an… --- ## [Do Americans REALLY think their governments have been acting against their interests](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-really-think-their-governments-have-been-acting-against-their-interests/553302)
**Author:** [@qpw3141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qpw3141)\ **Replies:** 39\ **Last updated:** [September 18, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-really-think-their-governments-have-been-acting-against-their-interests/553302 "2010-09-18T00:08:43Z")
In this thread the question is asked: “What if the U.S. practiced economic isolationism” It seems that there are a fair few Americans who really, truly, believe that the US would not, in the long term, be much worse off… --- ## [Iraqi Military Capabilities](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraqi-military-capabilities/554117)
**Author:** [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraqi-military-capabilities/554117 "2010-09-17T20:42:08Z")
How is Iraqs military now that most of American combat troops left the country? Most of the US forces have the right to go out of bases and take pre-emptive strikes against insurgents they think are attacking them, and … --- ## [Would a Communist Revolution be legally OK in the States?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-communist-revolution-be-legally-ok-in-the-states/553593)
**Author:** [@komolono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/komolono)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-communist-revolution-be-legally-ok-in-the-states/553593 "2010-09-17T17:24:34Z")
I know that Communists are OK, but I cannot recall whether socializing all wealth, would be legal if the majority of citizens agreed on it. --- ## [Islam, the religion of peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894)
**Author:** [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/islam-the-religion-of-peace/553894 "2010-09-17T16:48:27Z")
In the media, Islam is sometimes referred as the “religion of peace”. Not well versed in neither the Koran or the Hadith, but Muhammad himself was not exactly a pacifist from what I could gather. What is the rationale f… --- ## [What Koran verses can peace loving muslims use to support their beliefs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-koran-verses-can-peace-loving-muslims-use-to-support-their-beliefs/554002)
**Author:** [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-koran-verses-can-peace-loving-muslims-use-to-support-their-beliefs/554002 "2010-09-17T16:39:23Z")
I’ve seen plenty of quotes from the Koran that appear, at least on the surface, to support violence against unbelievers and enemies of Islam. As a person who truly wants there to be peace between the West and the Islami… --- ## [Altaf Hussain's Crocodile Teers](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altaf-hussains-crocodile-teers/554061)
**Author:** [@Abisafyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abisafyan)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altaf-hussains-crocodile-teers/554061 "2010-09-17T13:49:43Z")
Altaf Hussain’s Crocodile Teers; indicate, he is the murderer of Dr Imran Farooq, because MQM sensible leaders are fed up with Altaf Hussain’s drunken donkey types daily ridiculous speeches, were trying to replace Altaf… --- ## [Questions on Christianity (Again...)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-on-christianity-again/551952)
**Author:** [@MatthewGerlach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MatthewGerlach)\ **Replies:** 1104\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2010, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-on-christianity-again/551952 "2010-09-17T12:07:37Z")
Not trying to spark turmoil, I’m just a bit confused. Before Jesus was born, before Moses, the bible and Christianity’s role in people’s lives was inexistant, right? What happened to the Ancient Greek, the Ancient Roman… --- ## [Is Islamic violence the real winner in the Koran-burning incident?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-islamic-violence-the-real-winner-in-the-koran-burning-incident/553906)
**Author:** [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2010, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-islamic-violence-the-real-winner-in-the-koran-burning-incident/553906 "2010-09-17T11:17:43Z")
Now that the dust has settled on Terry Jones’ planned but cancelled Koran cook-out, it is interesting to analyse who really came out best in this ridiculous incident. What I noticed the most, in studying the reactions a… --- ## [Electric Sun](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-sun/363586)
**Author:** [@TheFonz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFonz)\ **Replies:** 438\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2010, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-sun/363586 "2010-09-17T03:24:48Z")
The most detailed pictures ever taken of the Sun reveal the insides of striking snake-like filaments that reach from bright portions of the solar surface into the dark hearts of sunspots. … --- ## [Breathalyzer test challenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breathalyzer-test-challenge/553551)
**Author:** [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Replies:** 112\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breathalyzer-test-challenge/553551 "2010-09-16T18:45:25Z")
If the state determines that alcohol impairs judgment so much that you can’t consent to sex, why is the state allowed to accept the consent to a breathalyzer test? It would seem that if you are drunk you can’\[t give you… --- ## [What if the U.S. practiced economic isolationism?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-u-s-practiced-economic-isolationism/553201)
**Author:** [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Replies:** 111\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2010, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-u-s-practiced-economic-isolationism/553201 "2010-09-16T13:20:28Z")
From THIS thread: Not withstanding other diplomatic problems it could cause, what would the American economy be like if nobody traded with us? What if we bought no foreign products, and allowed no foreign companies in… --- ## [Jerry Brown v. G.H.W. Bush in general election: Chances?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-brown-v-g-h-w-bush-in-general-election-chances/553913)
**Author:** [@No\_Wikipedia\_Cites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Wikipedia_Cites)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2010, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-brown-v-g-h-w-bush-in-general-election-chances/553913 "2010-09-16T09:20:37Z")
IT IS EARLY SUMMER, 1992! Ok you are now Jerry Brown’s campaign manager and you pulled off an upset win late in the primary season against Bill Clinton. Now your candidate is the nominee; Chances against Daddy Bush? W… --- ## [Religious Education](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-education/552218)
**Author:** [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Replies:** 69\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2010, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-education/552218 "2010-09-16T08:51:32Z")
OK, all you nonreligious dopers, how much religious knowledge ought a well-educated person in the modern era have? Any literate American ought to know who ‘Paul Revere’ was. Everyone should understand who “Leonardo Da V… --- ## [Early Christian Church Views On Euthanasia.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-christian-church-views-on-euthanasia/553927)
**Author:** [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2010, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-christian-church-views-on-euthanasia/553927 "2010-09-16T05:57:49Z")
I remembered reading a historical piece on the Coup de grâce. In case you don’t know, it was the final “stroke of mercy” given to the mortally wounded knight in times past. But all I could find on the Coup de grâce was t… --- ## [Lower the Drinking Age?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-the-drinking-age/552341)
**Author:** [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Replies:** 149\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-the-drinking-age/552341 "2010-09-16T03:53:12Z")
This is something that I have felt strongly about for some time now. Should the drinking age in the US be lowered to 18? I certainly think so. You can smoke at 18 (and smoking is far more harmful than drinking, it would… --- ## [An angle of the WTC collapse I'd never seen](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-angle-of-the-wtc-collapse-id-never-seen/547182)
**Author:** [@BlakeTyner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlakeTyner)\ **Replies:** 833\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-angle-of-the-wtc-collapse-id-never-seen/547182 "2010-09-15T20:25:01Z")
I debated on what section of the board to put this, but since there’s no question involved, I decided on MPSIMS, even if the subject matter is not mundane. This amateur video got released onto the net in 2006, but I’d n… --- ## [Hypothetical: Would it really be wise to kill Young Hitler?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-would-it-really-be-wise-to-kill-young-hitler/553602)
**Author:** [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Replies:** 39\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2010, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-would-it-really-be-wise-to-kill-young-hitler/553602 "2010-09-15T12:19:54Z")
Assume for the sake of argument that you have no qualms about doing the deed as such; you’re only concerned about the best consequences. The potential benefits to killing Young Hitler are obvious: maybe there’s no WWII,… --- ## [This One's for The Obama Loyalists, Pay Attention.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-ones-for-the-obama-loyalists-pay-attention/550784)
**Author:** [@jrodefeld](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrodefeld)\ **Replies:** 1013\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-ones-for-the-obama-loyalists-pay-attention/550784 "2010-09-15T00:09:33Z")
Page 1/3 I haven’t posted on here in a while, yet I have been reading through some of the threads on this site and some of the comments have left me quite discouraged for the future of our nation. I am directing this th… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=433) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=435)