# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=493 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 494 --- ## [Why not use embedded computer chips to lower corruption and crime?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-use-embedded-computer-chips-to-lower-corruption-and-crime/519261)
**Author:** [@The\_Cleveland\_Steamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Cleveland_Steamer)\ **Replies:** 70\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-use-embedded-computer-chips-to-lower-corruption-and-crime/519261 "2009-12-01T20:46:06Z")
End the use of physical money. All transactions involve embedded computer chips. The transactions can be tracked. Try cheating on your taxes now. Or dealing drugs. Or taking a bribe as a public official. Try to jump bai… --- ## [Are the boomers going to keep the stock market low?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-boomers-going-to-keep-the-stock-market-low/519595)
**Author:** [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-boomers-going-to-keep-the-stock-market-low/519595 "2009-12-01T17:39:00Z")
Millions upon millions of baby boomers are invested in the stock market, and most of them are just now coming into retirement. They will be either cashing out their 401(k)s, and/or moving the funds into bonds and other … --- ## [What is the biggest exposed conspiracy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-biggest-exposed-conspiracy/518204)
**Author:** [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-biggest-exposed-conspiracy/518204 "2009-12-01T15:21:40Z")
Not sure if it belongs on this board or not so if mods need to move it then please do. I’m curious about what the biggest exposed conspiracy is. These days, with extremists left and right shouting about conspiracies, t… --- ## [Can anyone game out how health care gets 60 votes?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-game-out-how-health-care-gets-60-votes/519326)
**Author:** [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-game-out-how-health-care-gets-60-votes/519326 "2009-12-01T13:52:36Z")
This one is for the armchair political strategists. A bit of background for those who don’t already know the details of what’s going on in the Senate. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091129/ap\_on\_bi\_ge/us\_health\_care\_overh… --- ## [Is it wrong to pray for your football team to win?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-wrong-to-pray-for-your-football-team-to-win/519391)
**Author:** [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Replies:** 49\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2009, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-wrong-to-pray-for-your-football-team-to-win/519391 "2009-12-01T09:36:10Z")
"Hi God, I know I don’t call very often, but this Sunday the Steelers are in big trouble. You know already that they’ve lost Aaron Smith for the season, and last week they lost Charlie Batch and Troy, and Ben has a conc… --- ## [Sarah Palin on This hour has 22 minutes](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-on-this-hour-has-22-minutes/518866)
**Author:** [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-on-this-hour-has-22-minutes/518866 "2009-11-30T23:47:59Z")
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/091124/entertainment/palin\_marg\_delahunty So Marg Delahunty, Warrior Princess talks to Sarah Palin about Canada’s health care and Palin says we need to dismantle our health care system… --- ## [What DOES happen with the pollution?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-happen-with-the-pollution/519512)
**Author:** [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-happen-with-the-pollution/519512 "2009-11-30T23:02:40Z")
The AGW-debate seems most alive in the US currently. In most of the rest of the world (afaik) the majority seems to believe that human activities has and will influence out climate and enviroment. I’m one of those. I’ve… --- ## [Ultra-far Right: wankers or serious?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultra-far-right-wankers-or-serious/519081)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultra-far-right-wankers-or-serious/519081 "2009-11-30T22:49:19Z")
That is to say, are they just posturing like a bunch of teen punks talking tough? Or would they really carry out a totalitarian revision of society if they only had the power to do so? I ask because of the current thread… --- ## [Wherefore Dubai?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-dubai/492330)
**Author:** [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Replies:** 101\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-dubai/492330 "2009-11-30T18:28:23Z")
Wow. Just…wow. I, as an ignorant American, only knew the surface facts of this city, held up by many as the shining light in the desert. Now I understand that all large cities have their seedy underbelly, but some o… --- ## [Carbon Tax v. Cap and Trade](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carbon-tax-v-cap-and-trade/518069)
**Author:** [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carbon-tax-v-cap-and-trade/518069 "2009-11-30T18:13:21Z")
Since a good part of the discussion in this thread has devolved into a debate over which of those two alternatives would be superior, I thought it deserved a thread of its own. Assumptions/ground rules: \[ul\] \[li\]We’re… --- ## [Lou Dobbs for President](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-dobbs-for-president/517306)
**Author:** [@haymarketmartyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/haymarketmartyr)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-dobbs-for-president/517306 "2009-11-30T17:40:27Z")
Lou Dobbs waves bye-bye to his job with CNN from the NY Times Here is one suggestion for Mr. Dobbs - run for President of the USA on a third party ticket. There are three years between now and that election and that w… --- ## [How does a President ever get bills passed in Congress?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-president-ever-get-bills-passed-in-congress/519275)
**Author:** [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Philosopher)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-president-ever-get-bills-passed-in-congress/519275 "2009-11-30T14:54:41Z")
I’m not an American but I’ve been trying to follow the proposed healthcare bills making their way through congress at the moment. The process sounds so arduous: votes to open debate, votes for cloture, votes to send to c… --- ## [Obama wants expanded computer search rules](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-wants-expanded-computer-search-rules/518994)
**Author:** [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2009, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-wants-expanded-computer-search-rules/518994 "2009-11-30T11:26:25Z")
Link here. Basically the issue was that federal prosecutors had a warrant to find information about 10 baseball players from a computer. The prosecutors copied a spreadsheet and took it to their office. They then found … --- ## [Who was the first Pacific President?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-pacific-president/517879)
**Author:** [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2009, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-pacific-president/517879 "2009-11-30T02:26:13Z")
President Obama recently closed a speech in Japan with the claim that he is the first “Pacific President.” Now, it is clear that this claim is hyperbolic and that other men have a better claim on that title - the questi… --- ## [AGW Revealed as a Hoax?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agw-revealed-as-a-hoax/518854)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 96\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/agw-revealed-as-a-hoax/518854 "2009-11-29T22:31:29Z")
Read it and weep: WWW.DRUDGEREPORT.COM The extent of this fraud is amazing-we have evidence of outright destruction of data, evidence of collusion (in suppressing acdemic data), and conspiracy. So, do the revelations e… --- ## [T/F: Misinformation, ignorance, and fallacy is the bread and butter of the Republican party](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-f-misinformation-ignorance-and-fallacy-is-the-bread-and-butter-of-the-republican-party/509070)
**Author:** [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Replies:** 62\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-f-misinformation-ignorance-and-fallacy-is-the-bread-and-butter-of-the-republican-party/509070 "2009-11-29T21:31:20Z")
I don’t typically like extreme views, and so I don’t usually paint with a broad brush; but as I think about the Republican party, particularly in recent years, I realize that almost their entire method of propagating ide… --- ## [Why Don't Fundies Like John MacArthur?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-fundies-like-john-macarthur/518869)
**Author:** [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-fundies-like-john-macarthur/518869 "2009-11-29T01:56:13Z")
John MacArthur is a conservative Protestant Baptist theologian so why don’t fundies support him? Some of them at Amazing Grace Baptist Church even burnt his books. --- ## [universal healthcare will bankrupt this country, I call BS.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-healthcare-will-bankrupt-this-country-i-call-bs/518806)
**Author:** [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Replies:** 42\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2009, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-healthcare-will-bankrupt-this-country-i-call-bs/518806 "2009-11-29T00:23:14Z")
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/11/americas-health-is-americas-business.html and that blog pretty much sums up why. the short version. According to this silly thing called research, a company concludes that the lac… --- ## [The Rationale for Quitting Smoking](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rationale-for-quitting-smoking/518434)
**Author:** [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Replies:** 97\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rationale-for-quitting-smoking/518434 "2009-11-28T18:37:20Z")
I’ve been smoking for over 20 years now. Smoking runs in my family. All the males do it, and my father is currently in his 80’s with no adverse health effects. Imho, once you take health reasons out of the equation, is t… --- ## [the 'Ten Conservative Principles': worth debating?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-conservative-principles-worth-debating/518861)
**Author:** [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Replies:** 66\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2009, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-conservative-principles-worth-debating/518861 "2009-11-28T06:29:53Z")
Cruising by the AP feed this evening, I noticed this article on an attempt by several Republican National Committee members to put forward a resolution demanding a test of ideological purity for candidates. Dubbed “The P… --- ## [Tire Tread Design: Science or Hi-Tech Hokum?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-tread-design-science-or-hi-tech-hokum/518525)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-tread-design-science-or-hi-tech-hokum/518525 "2009-11-28T05:48:35Z")
Michelin makes a big fuss about their computer-designed tread designs-they claim that their advanced tread design makes their tires better than everybody elses. Is this true? I don’t see how (after almost 100 years of au… --- ## [Polanski released on $4.5 million bail](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polanski-released-on-4-5-million-bail/518936)
**Author:** [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2009, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polanski-released-on-4-5-million-bail/518936 "2009-11-28T05:17:13Z")
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091125/ap\_on\_en\_mo/eu\_switzerland\_polanski So running for 30 years doesn’t deserve a remand to custody? I guess not if you win an academy award… --- ## [Did Obama actually accomplish anything in the recent Asia trip?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-obama-actually-accomplish-anything-in-the-recent-asia-trip/518642)
**Author:** [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Replies:** 122\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-obama-actually-accomplish-anything-in-the-recent-asia-trip/518642 "2009-11-28T00:13:42Z")
Obama recently completed a well-publicized diplomatic trip to several major Asian countries, met their leaders, and engaged in talks. What, of significance, did he accomplish? Anything? --- ## [Would Jesus be Christian?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980)
**Author:** [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Replies:** 52\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-jesus-be-christian/515980 "2009-11-27T23:13:26Z")
If I’m not mistaken, in the Book of Revelation it says that Jesus comes back right before and/or during the End Times. Right? Jesus was Jewish, according to the Bible, right? But he was also directly responsible for Chr… --- ## [Why Won't The USA Join The Landmine Ban?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-usa-join-the-landmine-ban/518909)
**Author:** [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-usa-join-the-landmine-ban/518909 "2009-11-27T23:08:45Z")
According to this CNN article here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/24/us.landmines/index.html …the USA will not be joining many, many other nations (including every other member of NATO) in this ban. From the arti… --- ## [Karzai Officially President! What Will Obama Do?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karzai-officially-president-what-will-obama-do/516066)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 68\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karzai-officially-president-what-will-obama-do/516066 "2009-11-27T22:10:01Z")
The news is in…and Karzai is officially president of Afghanistan.It seems to me that Obama now has a problem-he was wavering on sending more troops, and (I think) having Karzai thrown out would have given him cover to om… --- ## [100 Chihuahuas in a room](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-chihuahuas-in-a-room/517327)
**Author:** [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2009, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/100-chihuahuas-in-a-room/517327 "2009-11-27T19:04:42Z")
Please help settle this dispute. Let’s assume I have 100 hypothetical Chihuahuas that don’t need to eat or sleep, urinate, etc., and that are all about the same age and size. Let’s also assume an even mixture of males a… --- ## [Ray Kurzweil's 'Law of Accelerating Returns'](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-kurzweils-law-of-accelerating-returns/518774)
**Author:** [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Replies:** 100\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ray-kurzweils-law-of-accelerating-returns/518774 "2009-11-27T15:59:26Z")
The Law of Accelerating Returns Yesterday I had a meeting with Michael Vassar the President of the Singularity Institute where Ray Kurzweil is the Director. It was a real meeting of the minds and got my intellectual j… --- ## [Does Universal Thrift Cause Recessions?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-universal-thrift-cause-recessions/519117)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-universal-thrift-cause-recessions/519117 "2009-11-27T14:47:57Z")
J.M. Keynes talked about the “paradox of thrift”-meaning that, if everybody saved a big percentage of their incomes (and bough very little), the economy would go into recession. This was because as demand dropped, prices… --- ## [I want less information (about calories on fast food menus)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-less-information-about-calories-on-fast-food-menus/518145)
**Author:** [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Replies:** 142\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2009, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-less-information-about-calories-on-fast-food-menus/518145 "2009-11-27T06:52:15Z")
Government nannyism may soon be going nationwide. One version of the health care overhaul moving through Congress would require fast food restaurants to list calorie counts next to items on their menus. The justificati… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=492) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=494)