# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=507 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 508 --- ## [Ethical and Legal Questions of the Case of the Savage Embryo](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethical-and-legal-questions-of-the-case-of-the-savage-embryo/511871)
**Author:** [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethical-and-legal-questions-of-the-case-of-the-savage-embryo/511871 "2009-09-28T21:43:27Z")
For those not familiar with “the Savage embryo” case, you can find it all over the Internet but here’s the nutshell: Shannon and Paul Morell (of Michigan) were a couple with fertility problems that they solved through f… --- ## [If you had the power to remake the Republican Party, what would you do?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-the-power-to-remake-the-republican-party-what-would-you-do/511729)
**Author:** [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-the-power-to-remake-the-republican-party-what-would-you-do/511729 "2009-09-28T20:40:41Z")
So the GOP imploded tomorrow and you were given the duty of rebuilding it, what would you do? You can’t change their basic political platform - no making them pro-choice, pro-gun control, advocates for big government or… --- ## [Question about feminism](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-feminism/511637)
**Author:** [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Replies:** 52\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-feminism/511637 "2009-09-28T19:50:47Z")
Two questions: If feminism is about equality, should women carry their own heavy packages? Imho, it seems to me that women are having their cake and eating it too in this regard. When it benefits them, they either wan… --- ## [Questions on Institutionalization](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-on-institutionalization/511108)
**Author:** [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Replies:** 148\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-on-institutionalization/511108 "2009-09-28T19:18:19Z")
This question is inspired, in part, by this thread as well a Pit thread that I’m not able to find right now. How difficult is it to get someone committed to a mental health facility? Once in, how difficult is it to get… --- ## [Who is the face of the Republican party?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622)
**Author:** [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Replies:** 79\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-face-of-the-republican-party/506622 "2009-09-28T18:22:30Z")
In the Pit there are a few threads about people who cashed in on their fifteen minutes and made it to YouTube and the news (e.g., Nut With Gun at Town Hall, Death Panelist threatens the lives of Michelle, Malia and Sasha,… --- ## [Soaking the rich. What's the problem?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-the-rich-whats-the-problem/509588)
**Author:** [@Never\_Say\_Dice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_Say_Dice)\ **Replies:** 179\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-the-rich-whats-the-problem/509588 "2009-09-28T18:21:27Z")
Do we really believe that if the rich are taxed at the older higher rates that anything bad will happen? If those foolish bankers that ruined their banks hadn’t collected their ungodly bonuses, would they really live any… --- ## [Health Care And Pennies](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-and-pennies/511819)
**Author:** [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-and-pennies/511819 "2009-09-28T17:45:05Z")
I was talking with a co-worker about eliminating pennies. She was against it because “they would just round the price up” and use it as an opportunity to raise prices. Then she was concerned about the machines that calcu… --- ## [Suprise energy transfer from Sun- Global Warming implications?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suprise-energy-transfer-from-sun-global-warming-implications/509927)
**Author:** [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suprise-energy-transfer-from-sun-global-warming-implications/509927 "2009-09-28T16:00:11Z")
I just ran across thisarticle which covers a new discovery by a couple atmospheric scientists. A quote from the article. So, apparently there is another large mechanism for heat transfer that we knew nothing about. I c… --- ## [is materialism incompatible with "me"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-materialism-incompatible-with-me/508621)
**Author:** [@Ramanujan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramanujan)\ **Replies:** 120\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-materialism-incompatible-with-me/508621 "2009-09-28T15:41:30Z")
searching for a method by which to make sense of the world around me, i have found that, personally, the best method available is physicalism. that the things i perceive can be measured and that by using these measureme… --- ## [Why the Hell are we still in Afghanistan?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-are-we-still-in-afghanistan/510416)
**Author:** [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Replies:** 161\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2009, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-are-we-still-in-afghanistan/510416 "2009-09-28T04:35:46Z")
Seriously. What, exactly, are we seeking to accomplish there, and how will we know when we’ve done it? As I understand the situation, we invaded largely because we wanted to kick some ass after 9/11 and the folks that … --- ## [Who will we invade next?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-invade-next/511176)
**Author:** [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-we-invade-next/511176 "2009-09-28T01:15:31Z")
In my misspent youth, I believed the US had learned its lesson from Korea and Vietnam. Anti-war protesters, too young to vote then, would come into power and never want to initiate another war. They might even resist t… --- ## [Kirk takes over for Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kirk-takes-over-for-kennedy/511585)
**Author:** [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [September 27, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kirk-takes-over-for-kennedy/511585 "2009-09-27T20:08:50Z")
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us\_kennedy\_successor\_gop It is my understand that it takes 90 days for a Mass. law to become effective except in the case of an “emergency”. What was the emergency here? “Help! Help! We need… --- ## [Huge corruption story about to come out](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-corruption-story-about-to-come-out/511196)
**Author:** [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [September 27, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-corruption-story-about-to-come-out/511196 "2009-09-27T19:45:24Z")
http://amconmag.com/article/2009/nov/01/00006/ Sibel Edmonds was a Turkish/Farsi translator for the US. While she was translating she discovered one of her co workers was named as an agent for Turkey in the documents sh… --- ## [A Second Execution Attempt?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-second-execution-attempt/511208)
**Author:** [@BomTek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BomTek)\ **Replies:** 70\ **Last updated:** [September 27, 2009, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-second-execution-attempt/511208 "2009-09-27T04:42:11Z")
This storyfrom Newsweek talks about the botched execution attempt of an Ohio inmate convicted of the rape/murder of a 14-year-old girl. The debate now is whether or not another execution attempt would be considered a cru… --- ## [How big of a threat are independent trade unions to authoritarian regimes](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-of-a-threat-are-independent-trade-unions-to-authoritarian-regimes/511200)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [September 27, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-of-a-threat-are-independent-trade-unions-to-authoritarian-regimes/511200 "2009-09-27T01:33:04Z")
Today I was talking to a man from Argentina who grew up during the military Junta. He told me that before the reestablishment of democracy, there was a massive organization campaign where trade unions and students played… --- ## [Obama Cancels Missile Shield: Putin to Reciprocate?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-cancels-missile-shield-putin-to-reciprocate/510514)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 70\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-cancels-missile-shield-putin-to-reciprocate/510514 "2009-09-26T21:19:42Z")
The NY Times reported that President Obama has decided to stop work on the missiles, which were to be placed in Poland, intended to protect Eastern Europe from attack. The Poles and Czechs are furious-but the Russians a… --- ## [O Brave New World! \ Is this really a good idea?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-brave-new-world-or-is-this-really-a-good-idea/511382)
**Author:** [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-brave-new-world-or-is-this-really-a-good-idea/511382 "2009-09-26T19:02:57Z")
Information clearinghouse Intellius has announced that they will now have an iPhone app (coming soon to Android & Blackberry) that will allow people to do instant public records searches on potential dating partners. ci… --- ## [Free Market...No... Wait a minute...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-market-no-wait-a-minute/510541)
**Author:** [@lurking\_guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurking_guest)\ **Replies:** 72\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-market-no-wait-a-minute/510541 "2009-09-26T18:55:50Z")
Is the “Free Market” the highest moral order? How about a man and a woman ( a husband and a wife) with an “average” IQ working their hearts out. Both work. At least forty hours a week. But they can’t afford to buy a … --- ## [Does This Scare You? \[Life histories as they occur stored electronically forever. ed. title\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-scare-you-life-histories-as-they-occur-stored-electronically-forever-ed-title/511536)
**Author:** [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2009, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-scare-you-life-histories-as-they-occur-stored-electronically-forever-ed-title/511536 "2009-09-26T13:42:34Z")
Here’s a link to a CNN article about a Microsoft researcher that has been steadily building up an “e-memory” of all his life events, including everything he experiences, buys, does, etc. What I found a little worrisom… --- ## [Obama viewed as the Antichrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-viewed-as-the-antichrist/510959)
**Author:** [@Captain\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Awesome)\ **Replies:** 129\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2009, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-viewed-as-the-antichrist/510959 "2009-09-26T07:14:20Z")
Polling results from New Jersey indicate that 8% of the population think Barack Obama is the Antichrist, whilst 13% aren’t sure. Purely Republicans respondents poll marginally higher, with 14% answering ‘yes’ and 15% ‘n… --- ## [Is there a double standard in this Obama school address controversy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-double-standard-in-this-obama-school-address-controversy/509104)
**Author:** [@CyclopticXander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyclopticXander)\ **Replies:** 279\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-double-standard-in-this-obama-school-address-controversy/509104 "2009-09-26T01:03:37Z")
The dust up over the president giving a good and simple message to students this week just strikes me as the most bizarre thing I’ve seen in a summer of pretty bizarre political behavior. The fact the so many people are … --- ## [Church and State in schools](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-and-state-in-schools/511545)
**Author:** [@ajb867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajb867)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-and-state-in-schools/511545 "2009-09-25T22:53:17Z")
Never a good idea… There is not enough :eek:'s in the world for this nonsense. Don’t watch the youtube video on the site. The Press my local news paper for some reason choose to find a version with “scary” background … --- ## [Intelligent Design is just the "God Of The Gaps" / "Argument from Ignorance" fallacy, right?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-design-is-just-the-god-of-the-gaps-argument-from-ignorance-fallacy-right/511155)
**Author:** [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Replies:** 74\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-design-is-just-the-god-of-the-gaps-argument-from-ignorance-fallacy-right/511155 "2009-09-25T20:09:50Z")
I know I’m pretty much preaching to the choir here, I don’t recall any ID advocates here, but maybe I’m wrong. My understanding of ID is that its central premise is that some biological features, such as the blood clott… --- ## [Is Secession Treason?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-secession-treason/511405)
**Author:** [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Replies:** 62\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-secession-treason/511405 "2009-09-25T19:39:51Z")
On its face, Secession certainly seems to be as treasonous as it gets. In legal circles, however, allegiance to a foreign power is necessary for treason. What say you all? Were Washington and Jeff Davis traitors, or d… --- ## [Shades of: "What do you mean by is?"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shades-of-what-do-you-mean-by-is/510911)
**Author:** [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shades-of-what-do-you-mean-by-is/510911 "2009-09-25T17:13:51Z")
Regarding the “When is a tax a tax” spar between Obama and George Stephanopoulos (link) Are mandated health care costs to the individual in effect a tax? Was George out of line for pushing the issue? Is Obama tr… --- ## [Questioning the sneezing guidelines](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questioning-the-sneezing-guidelines/511450)
**Author:** [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questioning-the-sneezing-guidelines/511450 "2009-09-25T16:26:10Z")
There was a minor to-do in the news the other day when Kathleen Sebelius, Secreatary for Health and Human Services, told a reporter at a press conference that he had sneezed wrong. Swine Flu, you know. HHS is telling pe… --- ## [Caster Semenya and Gender Tests in Sports](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caster-semenya-and-gender-tests-in-sports/507088)
**Author:** [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Replies:** 245\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caster-semenya-and-gender-tests-in-sports/507088 "2009-09-25T16:23:42Z")
I caught this news story at the top of my Gmail. Semenya’s father dismisses speculation Something about the idea of forcing an athlete (always female, never male) to submit to a humiliating barrage of tests to prove t… --- ## [3rd parties in the US become viable. How does this effect the two main parties?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3rd-parties-in-the-us-become-viable-how-does-this-effect-the-two-main-parties/511057)
**Author:** [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2009, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3rd-parties-in-the-us-become-viable-how-does-this-effect-the-two-main-parties/511057 "2009-09-25T05:08:51Z")
Specifically I’m interested in which groups, if any, would leave the umbrella of the Republican and Democratic parties and either form their own, or join up with already established third parties. So, for example, would… --- ## [What would happen if we brought all the troops home?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-brought-all-the-troops-home/511334)
**Author:** [@Enuma\_Elish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enuma_Elish)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-brought-all-the-troops-home/511334 "2009-09-25T00:40:48Z")
Why does the USA NEED to have so many troops in so many countries? (Other than to protect embassies.) What would happen if in the next 12 months, all United States non-embassy military personnel were removed from all f… --- ## [What is this free will I keep hearing about?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-free-will-i-keep-hearing-about/509574)
**Author:** [@Mojo\_Pin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo_Pin)\ **Replies:** 138\ **Last updated:** [September 24, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-free-will-i-keep-hearing-about/509574 "2009-09-24T23:37:04Z")
It sounds very American and empowering, but what the hell is it? Does it mean my cognitive ability to decide between white or rye bread? Cause that ain’t free–surely it’s predetermined by my likes and dislikes (innate or… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=506) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=508)