# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=691 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 692 --- ## [National identity card for US](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-identity-card-for-us/417136)
**Author:** [@Micro\_Dot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Micro_Dot)\ **Replies:** 87\ **Last updated:** [September 4, 2007, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-identity-card-for-us/417136 "2007-09-04T06:48:00Z")
What would be harmed by admitting the fait accompli of having a national identity system, the social security number, and issuing national identity cards like most other developed (and undeveloped) countries? What are w… --- ## [Is ennui an inevitable consequence of eternal life?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ennui-an-inevitable-consequence-of-eternal-life/417606)
**Author:** [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [September 4, 2007, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ennui-an-inevitable-consequence-of-eternal-life/417606 "2007-09-04T06:10:27Z")
I’ve often heard it said that granted true immortality, humans would eventually run out of new things to do and would become desperately bored, but does that really make sense? Doesn’t it assume that the pleasure in any… --- ## [Should Sen. Craig lose his job/committee posts for restroom cruising?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-sen-craig-lose-his-job-committee-posts-for-restroom-cruising/417486)
**Author:** [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Replies:** 47\ **Last updated:** [September 4, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-sen-craig-lose-his-job-committee-posts-for-restroom-cruising/417486 "2007-09-04T01:49:10Z")
Now I’m no particular fan of solicitation of anonymous sex in public restrooms, and I’m even less of a fan of hypocritical, closeted fag-bashing politicians, but what Senator Larry Craig has plead guilty to just isn’t al… --- ## [Does China have any legitimate claim over Taiwan?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-china-have-any-legitimate-claim-over-taiwan/416040)
**Author:** [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Replies:** 53\ **Last updated:** [September 3, 2007, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-china-have-any-legitimate-claim-over-taiwan/416040 "2007-09-03T23:09:14Z")
The more I try to learn about the whole China Taiwan relationship, the more it seems that any really believes that China has any legitimate claim over the island. It seems than China’s right to try to wrangle it in is l… --- ## [Pub lobbying firm with close WH ties is working to undermine Maliki's government](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pub-lobbying-firm-with-close-wh-ties-is-working-to-undermine-malikis-government/416777)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [September 3, 2007, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pub-lobbying-firm-with-close-wh-ties-is-working-to-undermine-malikis-government/416777 "2007-09-03T22:53:59Z")
Story here. What the fuck?! :eek: Who’s behind this (really), and why? --- ## [Are we developing the wrong new weapons?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-developing-the-wrong-new-weapons/417841)
**Author:** [@The\_Cosmople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Cosmople)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [September 3, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-developing-the-wrong-new-weapons/417841 "2007-09-03T19:43:53Z")
Seems like all the development is for long range warfare. Missiles, drones, bunker-buster bombs, stealth planes. All great against other armies using the same things. While they’re making a remote control drone, they c… --- ## [Rape Babies deserve to die?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rape-babies-deserve-to-die/417056)
**Author:** [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Replies:** 360\ **Last updated:** [September 3, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rape-babies-deserve-to-die/417056 "2007-09-03T16:55:40Z")
First of all, I should point out by saying that I am not opposed to abortion in any form. I was reading the political agenda for Mike Huckabee, and noted his views on abortion: \*Mike Huckabee is an outspoken opponent o… --- ## [Offshore accounts - why are wire transfers to them permitted?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offshore-accounts-why-are-wire-transfers-to-them-permitted/417638)
**Author:** [@Micro\_Dot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Micro_Dot)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [September 3, 2007, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offshore-accounts-why-are-wire-transfers-to-them-permitted/417638 "2007-09-03T14:54:27Z")
Here we have in the news a string of extortions agains chain stores in New England, where somebody calls up and demands money be sent to an off shore account or the store will be blown up. The money is paid. Presumably t… --- ## [Fired U.S. attorney says the orders came from Bush himself. (But how does he know?)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-u-s-attorney-says-the-orders-came-from-bush-himself-but-how-does-he-know/417430)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [September 3, 2007, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-u-s-attorney-says-the-orders-came-from-bush-himself-but-how-does-he-know/417430 "2007-09-03T13:43:57Z")
Journalist Greg Palast recently interviewed David Iglesias, one of the U.S. attorneys fired during Gonzales’ tenure as AG. From that interview: If this is true we’re definitely into impeachable-offense territory, in f… --- ## [Robert E. Lee- Brilliant tactician or traitor?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-e-lee-brilliant-tactician-or-traitor/417470)
**Author:** [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [September 3, 2007, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-e-lee-brilliant-tactician-or-traitor/417470 "2007-09-03T13:12:15Z")
I’ve been kinda torn since my sweetie denounced him as just that, a traitor. I see him as one of the top of his class at West Point. One who took his stock military training and took it to the next level. Took an inferio… --- ## [How America might have avoided - part of - the current wave of Anti-Americanism?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-america-might-have-avoided-part-of-the-current-wave-of-anti-americanism/417569)
**Author:** [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Replies:** 48\ **Last updated:** [September 3, 2007, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-america-might-have-avoided-part-of-the-current-wave-of-anti-americanism/417569 "2007-09-03T09:19:18Z")
This is how America handled a barbaric opponent over 200 years ago (my emphasis): That’s how to win hearts and minds; be better than the evil you are fighting, not excuse your own descent into barbaric practices by say… --- ## [Should Bush bail out mortage holders?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-bush-bail-out-mortage-holders/417621)
**Author:** [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Replies:** 52\ **Last updated:** [September 3, 2007, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-bush-bail-out-mortage-holders/417621 "2007-09-03T04:30:10Z")
This article says that Bush is going to outline a plan to help mortgage holders, maybe later today. My question is WTF? Can I please turn the clock back and but those homes I was looking at but decided not to because I… --- ## [War](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war/416879)
**Author:** [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Replies:** 71\ **Last updated:** [September 3, 2007, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war/416879 "2007-09-03T02:18:31Z")
I think it’s safe to say that we all agree that war is a terrible thing and cannot be justified, WW2 excepted. But it is Civil war that I find perplexing…what drives a man to take up arms against his own countrymen, his… --- ## [Democrats: Please Don Not Nominate Hillary!!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-please-don-not-nominate-hillary/415389)
**Author:** [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Replies:** 235\ **Last updated:** [September 2, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-please-don-not-nominate-hillary/415389 "2007-09-02T20:14:12Z")
I have expressed the opinion in various threads that there is no way in hell that Hillary Clinton can win the White House. I still believe this to be the case. I ran across this article on CNN.com today and even though… --- ## [Female-on-male rape and pregnancy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-on-male-rape-and-pregnancy/417434)
**Author:** [@Dilton\_Doiley\_Philosopher\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dilton_Doiley_Philosopher_King)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [September 2, 2007, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-on-male-rape-and-pregnancy/417434 "2007-09-02T19:56:54Z")
Let us disregard our presuppositions regarding the logistics of female-on-male rape and assume that it is possible (perhaps by imagining the strange case of a loyal and happily married man, an ex-girlfriend, handcuffs, a… --- ## [MEXICA TRUCKS in USA-Possible Internationa Incident?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexica-trucks-in-usa-possible-internationa-incident/417759)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [September 2, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexica-trucks-in-usa-possible-internationa-incident/417759 "2007-09-02T19:54:00Z")
I don’t know if mexican-registered trucks in the USA are required to have insurance with an American company-but what happens if a Mexican owned truck is involved in a fatal accident? Suppose a mexican truck plows into a… --- ## [Are there examples of powerful nations that did not become expansionist?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-examples-of-powerful-nations-that-did-not-become-expansionist/416519)
**Author:** [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Replies:** 66\ **Last updated:** [September 2, 2007, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-examples-of-powerful-nations-that-did-not-become-expansionist/416519 "2007-09-02T19:24:51Z")
I suppose more generally I want to know, when a people has the means to overpower or control another group do they always opt to do it? In Europe most nations were either dominant over other European nations or had colon… --- ## [What's up with the states so eager to change their primary dates?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-states-so-eager-to-change-their-primary-dates/417597)
**Author:** [@ambushed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ambushed)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [September 2, 2007, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-states-so-eager-to-change-their-primary-dates/417597 "2007-09-02T10:56:28Z")
Why are various states so eager to move up their primary dates? Is this some kind of “king of the hill” contest to try to get ahead of everyone else? Do they want whatever alleged “goodies” Iowa and New Hampshire seem … --- ## [Does anyone have a NCCAF game that is](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-nccaf-game-that-is/417748)
**Author:** [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 2, 2007, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-nccaf-game-that-is/417748 "2007-09-02T03:33:27Z")
a bigger upset than todays Appalachian St.'s win over Michigan? --- ## [Teamsters seek injunction to bar Mexican trucks from the U.S.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teamsters-seek-injunction-to-bar-mexican-trucks-from-the-u-s/417513)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [September 1, 2007, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teamsters-seek-injunction-to-bar-mexican-trucks-from-the-u-s/417513 "2007-09-01T22:50:21Z")
Story here: Who’s right? What’s more important – protecting Americans’ jobs and the environment, or maximizing economic efficiency via globalization? And how dangerous/polluting are these Mexican trucks, anyway? --- ## [Senator Larry Craig: how long before he's history?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-larry-craig-how-long-before-hes-history/417594)
**Author:** [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [September 1, 2007, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-larry-craig-how-long-before-hes-history/417594 "2007-09-01T18:54:44Z")
So how long before Sen. Larry Craig resigns from the Senate so he can devote more time to his restroom recreational activities? I give him no more than eight days with a very good possibility he’ll be gone before Labor … --- ## [The slaughter of WWI...America's fault?!?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-slaughter-of-wwi-americas-fault/413631)
**Author:** [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Replies:** 143\ **Last updated:** [September 1, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-slaughter-of-wwi-americas-fault/413631 "2007-09-01T16:14:52Z")
It might come as a surprise to a few 'dopers who are familiar with me that I have quite a few friends who live in Europe. This weekend one of them visited me and my wife and we got into an interesting discussion over so… --- ## [...the Prime Directive](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prime-directive/416226)
**Author:** [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Replies:** 60\ **Last updated:** [September 1, 2007, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prime-directive/416226 "2007-09-01T10:40:45Z")
http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Prime\_Directive …the Prime Directive was an important part of the founding principals of the Federation, formulated in 2160 in part to help protect the natural development of pre-warp ci… --- ## [Erasing History - Who? When? How?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/erasing-history-who-when-how/415422)
**Author:** [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [September 1, 2007, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/erasing-history-who-when-how/415422 "2007-09-01T10:06:21Z")
In a thread about a controversial Intel ad (featuring black sprinters “bowing” to a white office worker), Walloon argued that noticing racism perpetuates its existence, and Derleth asserted that it’s possible to erase… --- ## [A very specific question about Randi's million-dollar challenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-specific-question-about-randis-million-dollar-challenge/417677)
**Author:** [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Replies:** 41\ **Last updated:** [September 1, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-very-specific-question-about-randis-million-dollar-challenge/417677 "2007-09-01T03:44:09Z")
Is there any evidence to support the notion that Randi (or his organisation) would purposely move the goalposts to exclude a person who earnestly claimed to have empirically-testable paranormal powers? - i.e. that he wou… --- ## [The New Cold War appears to be just around the corner](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-cold-war-appears-to-be-just-around-the-corner/413706)
**Author:** [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Replies:** 41\ **Last updated:** [September 1, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-cold-war-appears-to-be-just-around-the-corner/413706 "2007-09-01T01:53:18Z")
…only this time with even more nation alistic zealotry. This article speaks of, among many other things, the Russian state-sponsored “Nashi” movement. This youth program goes the Hitler Youth one better. It has all th… --- ## ["Rolling Stone" exposes "The Great Iraq Swindle"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stone-exposes-the-great-iraq-swindle/417007)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [September 1, 2007, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stone-exposes-the-great-iraq-swindle/417007 "2007-09-01T00:06:16Z")
Article here. The title refers not to false premises proffered for the invasion, but to the ways American corporations have been allowed to take advantage of the situation. Strong stuff! Does this, well, overstate th… --- ## [A Question for Atheists concerning ignorance](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-atheists-concerning-ignorance/415078)
**Author:** [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Replies:** 175\ **Last updated:** [August 31, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-atheists-concerning-ignorance/415078 "2007-08-31T17:39:16Z")
I notice that many atheists on this board and elsewhere are fond of declaring that some or all religious people are ignorant. What, in your opinion, must a person do in order to avoid being ignorant? Must they have a c… --- ## [Gonzalez to resign, be replaced by Chertoff?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonzalez-to-resign-be-replaced-by-chertoff/416890)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [August 31, 2007, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gonzalez-to-resign-be-replaced-by-chertoff/416890 "2007-08-31T15:07:22Z")
Story here, but at present there’s nothing to go on but “the buzz among top Bushies.” If it happened, could Chertoff get confirmed easily? And who would replace him at Homeland Security? I don’t suppose it would affec… --- ## [US Troops will not attend inquests into british 'Friendly Fire' deaths](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-troops-will-not-attend-inquests-into-british-friendly-fire-deaths/417342)
**Author:** [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [August 31, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-troops-will-not-attend-inquests-into-british-friendly-fire-deaths/417342 "2007-08-31T14:45:19Z")
Apologies if this has been done before, or if this is the wrong forum. I tried searching GD and GQ, but couldn’t find anything. From this article here , I note that: I’m a little puzzled as to the reasoning behind th… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=690) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=692)