# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=510 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 511 --- ## [U.S.-Iran talks begin October 1](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-iran-talks-begin-october-1/510115)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-iran-talks-begin-october-1/510115 "2009-09-16T17:32:37Z")
Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany will also be participating. Story here and here. From the latter link: “Squealing”?! In what sense is this not a good idea?! --- ## [The human race nears extinction--is forcing a woman to give birth acceptable?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671)
**Author:** [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Replies:** 352\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671 "2009-09-16T14:19:39Z")
In another thread that I didn’t want to hijack too badly, Bryan Ekers posted: A few people objected to that, and I figured I’d take it to another thread. My opinion was that it’s not worth it. If the human race has to… --- ## [Censure for Rep. Joe Wilson?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censure-for-rep-joe-wilson/509546)
**Author:** [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Replies:** 130\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2009, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censure-for-rep-joe-wilson/509546 "2009-09-16T12:54:53Z")
If you will look at my posting history, you will see that there is no bigger critic of Obama’s healthcare plan, but the actions by several Republicans, especially Joe Wilson were beyond the pale last night. Checking Bla… --- ## [The Way to Stop Whaling is Changing Japanese Minds](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056)
**Author:** [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2009, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056 "2009-09-16T08:55:20Z")
Assuming a goal of stopping the harvesting of whales by Japan, what’s the best way to go about it? The strategy of getting Japan to agree to an international ban basically doesn’t work. The loophole for scientific resea… --- ## [The minimal universe](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-minimal-universe/510012)
**Author:** [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2009, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-minimal-universe/510012 "2009-09-16T05:00:50Z")
So this post is necessarily going to be a bit abstract, speculative & vague but I’m hoping it’ll move to somewhere productive. It also has a lot of both physics & philosophy in it. Imagine the set of all possible univer… --- ## [Why do people decline to discuss hypotheticals?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-decline-to-discuss-hypotheticals/510217)
**Author:** [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2009, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-decline-to-discuss-hypotheticals/510217 "2009-09-16T02:38:32Z")
In this thread, a Mod declines to discuss a hypothetical situation on the grounds that, well, I’m not really clear on Twickster’s grounds, but typically (as I say there) politicians refuse to discuss hypotheticals becaus… --- ## [Okay, does or does not the current health care bill cover illegal immigrants?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-does-or-does-not-the-current-health-care-bill-cover-illegal-immigrants/509526)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 148\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-does-or-does-not-the-current-health-care-bill-cover-illegal-immigrants/509526 "2009-09-16T00:28:52Z")
As we saw tonight, Joe Wilson certainly thinks it does. So does Cardinal: So let’s hash this out right now. Does the bill do so, or does it not? --- ## [Why is Demonic Posession So Rare?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-demonic-posession-so-rare/510100)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-demonic-posession-so-rare/510100 "2009-09-16T00:07:45Z")
If we accept the phenomenon as genuine, then why is posession by evil spirits so rare? After all, there are plenty of demons (“my name is legion, for we are many”), and there are more humans around than ever. So, there … --- ## [I'm hard pressed to consider 20-50 year old American women as having been culturally oppressed](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-hard-pressed-to-consider-20-50-year-old-american-women-as-having-been-culturally-oppressed/508842)
**Author:** [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Replies:** 178\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-hard-pressed-to-consider-20-50-year-old-american-women-as-having-been-culturally-oppressed/508842 "2009-09-15T23:31:02Z")
I keep bumping into the assertion by some female journalists and authors, that is obviously mean to be taken as a non-debatable hard fact, that American women 50 and younger have been raised in an oppressive cultural an… --- ## [Why Isn't non profit co-op health care as good as a public option?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-non-profit-co-op-health-care-as-good-as-a-public-option/507024)
**Author:** [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-non-profit-co-op-health-care-as-good-as-a-public-option/507024 "2009-09-15T22:40:23Z")
I hear Howard Dean and others saying that a co-op is crap and we must have a public option, but I’m wondering why a non profit co-op isn’t as good or isn’t the right step in the right direction at this time. Sure, blue c… --- ## [What specific laws were broken in the ACORN 'prostitution' flap?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-laws-were-broken-in-the-acorn-prostitution-flap/510064)
**Author:** [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Replies:** 59\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-laws-were-broken-in-the-acorn-prostitution-flap/510064 "2009-09-15T21:34:28Z")
I’m asking because I honestly don’t know, but it seems to this layman’s mind that the answer would be ‘none’. I’m asking in GD rather than GQ because there is some scope for interpretive discussion. As I understand the … --- ## [We are not going to Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-not-going-to-mars/509438)
**Author:** [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Replies:** 140\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-not-going-to-mars/509438 "2009-09-15T20:12:17Z")
So the big commission has released its report. At the presumed US$100 billion a year, we cannot go to Mars, we cannot even return to the moon. Damn. Making the space program operate under a tight limit is a Good Thing. … --- ## [Another Federal election - Canada](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-federal-election-canada/508550)
**Author:** [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-federal-election-canada/508550 "2009-09-15T18:56:04Z")
So, Iggy says he’s ready to pull the plug on the Conservatives by defeating Harper in a confidence vote this fall. What do the rest of you hosers think of this? They’re (Grits and Conservatives) practically tied in the… --- ## [Rational healthcare debate - politics free zone](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rational-healthcare-debate-politics-free-zone/509690)
**Author:** [@Dioptre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dioptre)\ **Replies:** 82\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rational-healthcare-debate-politics-free-zone/509690 "2009-09-15T18:34:53Z")
Most healthcare debates degenerate into people accusing one system or another of having properties (like rationing) that are true for all systems, or attacking policies based on success/failure of systems that don’t impl… --- ## [Understanding Tu Quoque](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-tu-quoque/509737)
**Author:** [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Replies:** 59\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-tu-quoque/509737 "2009-09-15T18:06:51Z")
There are more than a few people here that apparently don’t understand the tu quoque fallacy, and reflexively label a response as tu quoque when it isn’t. There are legitimate instances of logical argument that involve … --- ## [Does Israel have nuclear weapons?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-israel-have-nuclear-weapons/347007)
**Author:** [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Replies:** 41\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-israel-have-nuclear-weapons/347007 "2009-09-15T14:40:12Z")
I am posting this here because I am not sure it has a GQ style answer. If wrong feel free to move it. I hear it commonly thrown out the Israel has nuclear weapons. While Israel admits to no such thing (that I am aware… --- ## [Were we feminists wrong? Rape is down 85 % while porn use is up and up.....](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-we-feminists-wrong-rape-is-down-85-while-porn-use-is-up-and-up/509151)
**Author:** [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Replies:** 137\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-we-feminists-wrong-rape-is-down-85-while-porn-use-is-up-and-up/509151 "2009-09-15T12:12:10Z")
Research says: I remember, in my feminist phase in my early twenties, all these women studies in the social sciences saying how porn would objectify women, leading to all sorts of wrongs, including rape. Now it seems t… --- ## [Get Ready to Pay More for Your Tires](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-ready-to-pay-more-for-your-tires/509852)
**Author:** [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Replies:** 62\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-ready-to-pay-more-for-your-tires/509852 "2009-09-15T08:05:40Z")
The Obama administration in its infinite wisdom has decided to slap a 35% tariff on Chinese tires. So much for Obama’s rhetoric about free trade. This was a bone thrown to the United Steelworkers. American car buyers … --- ## [Would You Use This Power](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-use-this-power/508432)
**Author:** [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Replies:** 79\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-use-this-power/508432 "2009-09-15T05:07:46Z")
Note these questions are derived from The Book of Questions by Gregory Stock, PH.D (New York: Workman), 1988. You are given the power to kill people simply by thinking of their deaths and twice repeating the word “good-… --- ## [Vegetarians Are Intolerant Jerks \[Moved from BBQ Pit\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetarians-are-intolerant-jerks-moved-from-bbq-pit/507967)
**Author:** [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Replies:** 407\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetarians-are-intolerant-jerks-moved-from-bbq-pit/507967 "2009-09-15T03:49:37Z")
At least the vegetarians and animal rights folks over here: http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/: I was banned just for not being vegetarian. I couldn’t even attempt to debate them. At least the commies at RevLeft restr… --- ## [What do free-market capitalism's advocates say about the importance of education?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-free-market-capitalisms-advocates-say-about-the-importance-of-education/507315)
**Author:** [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Replies:** 82\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-free-market-capitalisms-advocates-say-about-the-importance-of-education/507315 "2009-09-15T02:51:01Z")
I’ve been thinking about this for quite some time. The more I get to reading about fast food marketing, tobacco industry lobbying, or any other actions by a major corporation to obscure what many would consider the less… --- ## [Does Abortion Contradict the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-abortion-contradict-the-declaration-of-independence-and-the-constitution/507961)
**Author:** [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Replies:** 312\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-abortion-contradict-the-declaration-of-independence-and-the-constitution/507961 "2009-09-15T01:29:53Z")
The Declaration of Independence states: and the 10th Amendment to the US Constitution states: Both of these state that people have the right to live and not be aborted. Much like slavery does abortion contradict thes… --- ## [Am I crazy for feeling there's suddenly a lot more TV infomercials than usual?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-crazy-for-feeling-theres-suddenly-a-lot-more-tv-infomercials-than-usual/509098)
**Author:** [@CyclopticXander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyclopticXander)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2009, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-crazy-for-feeling-theres-suddenly-a-lot-more-tv-infomercials-than-usual/509098 "2009-09-15T00:42:30Z")
It’s struck me lately how frequently I’m seeing these infomercials all of a sudden, I don’t recall such a bombardment in recent history. I don’t know if there is any truth to this or if my memory is skewed by the crazine… --- ## [Are you for the death penalty or not?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-for-the-death-penalty-or-not/506686)
**Author:** [@Sometimes\_Sober\_Sometimes\_Not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sometimes_Sober_Sometimes_Not)\ **Replies:** 357\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-for-the-death-penalty-or-not/506686 "2009-09-14T22:30:22Z")
I’m a firm believer if there isn’t a “top pillar of justice”, then you have no justice at all. --- ## [Federal Pay Continues Rapid Ascent - Is this a problem?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-pay-continues-rapid-ascent-is-this-a-problem/509448)
**Author:** [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-pay-continues-rapid-ascent-is-this-a-problem/509448 "2009-09-14T21:31:25Z")
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/08/24/federal-pay-continues-rapid-ascent/ The above link takes you to the Cato Institute, so if you’re squeamish, here’s an excerpt: The blog post also contains the data tables rele… --- ## [How did the Glenn Becks and Rush Limbaughs come to take over the conservative movement?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-glenn-becks-and-rush-limbaughs-come-to-take-over-the-conservative-movement/508857)
**Author:** [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Replies:** 66\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-glenn-becks-and-rush-limbaughs-come-to-take-over-the-conservative-movement/508857 "2009-09-14T21:05:46Z")
When I was growing up the GOP still had respectable spokespeople. Even if you disagreed with George Will or William F. Buckley, you couldn’t deny that they were smart men, based their opinions in fact and (for the most p… --- ## [If a public option fails, how can we fix the insurance industry?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-public-option-fails-how-can-we-fix-the-insurance-industry/509721)
**Author:** [@Never\_Say\_Dice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_Say_Dice)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-public-option-fails-how-can-we-fix-the-insurance-industry/509721 "2009-09-14T19:50:36Z")
In Alabama 95% of insurance is done by one company. Something fishy there. In every state the insurance policies get fatter and fatter every year, making it less and less likely anybody knows what they are buying, if in… --- ## [Will nationalized health care save the economy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-nationalized-health-care-save-the-economy/490703)
**Author:** [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-nationalized-health-care-save-the-economy/490703 "2009-09-14T18:49:24Z")
From a reader at NRO, via instapundit.com: http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YzMxMzY3NDUxMTAxN2RhNDkyOGI4NzgwNmQ0YTk1NTU= Can we debate this point? Is the NRO reader correct? Can a government takeover of heal… --- ## [Does the first amendment really let corporations buy elections?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-first-amendment-really-let-corporations-buy-elections/507690)
**Author:** [@Brainiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac)\ **Replies:** 101\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-first-amendment-really-let-corporations-buy-elections/507690 "2009-09-14T17:44:55Z")
In fact, do corporations have any constitutional rights? I don’t see it. Yet there they are, finding one method and then another, gaming the system to sway voters, and all done with other people’s money, the money of in… --- ## [Scientology infomercial](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientology-infomercial/509801)
**Author:** [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientology-infomercial/509801 "2009-09-14T17:08:14Z")
I just ran to my puter to post this. There is a new Infomercial for said bullshit and the tagline is… “know yourself, know future”. I read this as “no yourself, no future” WTF? Any love for L Ron Hubbard here? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=509) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=511)