# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=712 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 713 --- ## ["Prom babies": coupla' questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prom-babies-coupla-questions/404774)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [May 21, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prom-babies-coupla-questions/404774 "2007-05-21T17:31:32Z")
The supposed phenomenon of high school girls making a radical choice of motherhood over career. LINKY. Two questions: first, is this real or UL? Secondly, and why I’ve posted this in GD is, assuming this is real, what… --- ## [Protecting captured US troops](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protecting-captured-us-troops/403887)
**Author:** [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Replies:** 49\ **Last updated:** [May 21, 2007, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protecting-captured-us-troops/403887 "2007-05-21T13:51:23Z")
… and 3 Missing in Iraq Mysteriously, the modern Major General is silent on how the soldiers should be treated in captivity. Doubtless the captured men (and/or women) have useful information that their probably captor… --- ## [Feeding others' parking meters](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeding-others-parking-meters/404588)
**Author:** [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [May 21, 2007, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feeding-others-parking-meters/404588 "2007-05-21T12:54:25Z")
I remember an Ohio case not long ago in which a court found a woman guilty of obstructing a police officer in the performance of his duties. She was feeding parking meters for other motorists just ahead of the officer w… --- ## [Should Prince Harry be deployed to Iraq?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prince-harry-be-deployed-to-iraq/402187)
**Author:** [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Replies:** 78\ **Last updated:** [May 21, 2007, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prince-harry-be-deployed-to-iraq/402187 "2007-05-21T10:11:31Z")
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/30/iraq.harry.ap/index.html On the one hand, his unit is deploying and he wants to be with his men. Duty calls, and he understandably doesn’t want to be a toffee-nosed git and rec… --- ## [Debating debate techniques](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debating-debate-techniques/404339)
**Author:** [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [May 21, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debating-debate-techniques/404339 "2007-05-21T01:25:01Z")
Perhaps a mod will decide to move this but since the thread that brought up the issue is here … In this thread about the value of faith begbert2 in post 181 on page 4 brought something up and I responded in post # 181.… --- ## [Missed Opportunities in Iraq and Afghanistan](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-opportunities-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/404756)
**Author:** [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [May 20, 2007, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-opportunities-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/404756 "2007-05-20T20:23:54Z")
No, this is not about how we can’t find Osama, didn’t send enough troops, enough equipment, or any of the other common complaints about what’s gone wrong. It’s about some fairly simple things that we could have done whi… --- ## [Army PT Standards](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-pt-standards/404401)
**Author:** [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [May 20, 2007, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-pt-standards/404401 "2007-05-20T15:45:52Z")
Since I’m apparently resuming my Army career shortly, I thought I’d bring up an old issue I never quite got resolved to my satisfaction. Why do the US Army PT standards vary by age and sex? Here’s a link which lays out… --- ## [Technology and Us in the Future](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technology-and-us-in-the-future/404788)
**Author:** [@crazyface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyface)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [May 20, 2007, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technology-and-us-in-the-future/404788 "2007-05-20T05:39:46Z")
Hey guys… I’ve been reading up lately on the impact of technology on society in the future, and how a lot of scientists are predicting that humans and technology will essentially merge. Artificial intelligence will beco… --- ## [What Will Cerberus DO With Chrysler?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-cerberus-do-with-chrysler/404219)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [May 20, 2007, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-cerberus-do-with-chrysler/404219 "2007-05-20T03:30:25Z")
Well, moustachioed Dr. Z sold off Chrysler-for $7.4 billion-to an investment group (which carries the name of the 3-headed dog which guards the gates of hell). Not bad-considering they paid $36 billion for it. Now what? … --- ## [Does it actually matter what the specs of a non-gaming Laptop are?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-actually-matter-what-the-specs-of-a-non-gaming-laptop-are/404705)
**Author:** [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [May 20, 2007, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-actually-matter-what-the-specs-of-a-non-gaming-laptop-are/404705 "2007-05-20T01:45:15Z")
One of the things I’ve noticed in the course of my job is that, for your average computer user, the only things they ever plan to do with their PC are Surf Teh Intarweb Send E-Mails/Chat Type stuff for work I had a ph… --- ## [Why I am an abigfootist!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-am-an-abigfootist/404342)
**Author:** [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Replies:** 73\ **Last updated:** [May 19, 2007, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-am-an-abigfootist/404342 "2007-05-19T14:29:28Z")
I am an abigfootist, a non-believer in the existence of Bigfoot (aka Sasquatch). I do not belong to any organization of people who do not believe Bigfoot exists (nor to my knowledge is there such an organization). I do … --- ## [Politicizing Memorial Day.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politicizing-memorial-day/404171)
**Author:** [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Replies:** 39\ **Last updated:** [May 19, 2007, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politicizing-memorial-day/404171 "2007-05-19T13:19:32Z")
John Edwards is encouraging people to use the occasion of Memorial Day as a event to pressure lawmakers to end the current conflict in Iraq and bring the troops home quickly. Without going into whether this is a good pr… --- ## [Robot or Computer Sapience](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robot-or-computer-sapience/404542)
**Author:** [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [May 19, 2007, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robot-or-computer-sapience/404542 "2007-05-19T09:06:52Z")
Awhile back, there was a thread on whether sapient robots should be given the vote, and at what point it would be determined that a robot could be determined to be sapient, and thereby get the vote. At the time, I was al… --- ## [School Prayer: Needs of the One outweigh Needs of the Many?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-prayer-needs-of-the-one-outweigh-needs-of-the-many/404188)
**Author:** [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Replies:** 118\ **Last updated:** [May 18, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-prayer-needs-of-the-one-outweigh-needs-of-the-many/404188 "2007-05-18T21:05:21Z")
This thread is inspired by this thread, the basic story of which is that an athiest family was having a hard time in a middle-of-nowhere Oklahoma town when the daughter ran into fairly open and community/institutionally … --- ## [Bipartisan group of senators wants to force CIA to release its 9/11 report](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bipartisan-group-of-senators-wants-to-force-cia-to-release-its-9-11-report/404640)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [May 18, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bipartisan-group-of-senators-wants-to-force-cia-to-release-its-9-11-report/404640 "2007-05-18T19:53:21Z")
Story here. Why has the CIA not released at least a redacted version of its report up to now? Will the bill pass? Should it? If the report is released, will there be anything in it we don’t already know? Anyt… --- ## [What is an "artificial deadline"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-artificial-deadline/404466)
**Author:** [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [May 18, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-artificial-deadline/404466 "2007-05-18T19:42:28Z")
I just heard Bush refer to “artificial deadlines” again with regards to troop pull-outs from Iraq. While I’ll concede that trying to figure out anything Bush says is a fool’s errand, I wonder if anyone understands what … --- ## [Luis Posada Carriles released from jail](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luis-posada-carriles-released-from-jail/401181)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [May 18, 2007, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luis-posada-carriles-released-from-jail/401181 "2007-05-18T13:04:35Z")
Followup on this thread, which I expect to be locked soon for reasons explained therein. After more than two years in jail on immigration-fraud charges, Luis Posada Carriles has been released and returned to Miami, unde… --- ## [On Voltaire and "Laws against morals"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-voltaire-and-laws-against-morals/404224)
**Author:** [@Zoomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoomer)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [May 18, 2007, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-voltaire-and-laws-against-morals/404224 "2007-05-18T08:25:45Z")
Voltaire, writing on the general subject of cuissage (The right of first night), says the following: link It seems to me (the avg. Joe) that he is essentially saying that it is impossible to have a law which mandates… --- ## [Did Jesus have any claim to the throne of Israel?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-have-any-claim-to-the-throne-of-israel/403273)
**Author:** [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Replies:** 52\ **Last updated:** [May 18, 2007, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesus-have-any-claim-to-the-throne-of-israel/403273 "2007-05-18T02:42:50Z")
In his book, The Jesus Dynasty, Dr James Tabor, one of the key sources of information for Discovery’s recent documentary on the so-called “lost tomb of Jesus,” expands on the biblical geneology that Jesus was a descendan… --- ## [Do Lots of People Own Guns?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-lots-of-people-own-guns/403882)
**Author:** [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Replies:** 129\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-lots-of-people-own-guns/403882 "2007-05-17T20:50:27Z")
Just wondering how common it is for people to have a gun (or guns) in the house, and whether it’s perceived as “normal”. --- ## [Jerry Falwell dies -- let's debate his legacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-falwell-dies-lets-debate-his-legacy/404260)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-falwell-dies-lets-debate-his-legacy/404260 "2007-05-17T18:26:07Z")
We’ve already got a Pit thread and a MPSIMS thread going, but a public-political figure like the founder of the Moral Majority deserves a GD thread upon his demise. Was Falwell’s public career good or bad for America? W… --- ## [How long would Nazism have survived after Hitler?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-nazism-have-survived-after-hitler/404170)
**Author:** [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2007, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-nazism-have-survived-after-hitler/404170 "2007-05-17T14:04:14Z")
If you’ve ever read Robert Harris’ excellent novel Fatherland (set in an alternate 1964 where Nazi Germany won WWII), then you’re probably inclined to agree that Harris has created a disturbingly believable setting for t… --- ## [War Czar? What The Hell Is That?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737)
**Author:** [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Replies:** 104\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2007, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737 "2007-05-17T03:25:37Z")
Reports are that GW is looking for someone to run the Iraq operation. Does this make sense? We have a whole military command structure established to run military operations, what’s the point of an excrescence added on… --- ## [Senate to vote this week on Feingold-Reid Bill (troops must leave Iraq by 3/31/08)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-to-vote-this-week-on-feingold-reid-bill-troops-must-leave-iraq-by-3-31-08/404108)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2007, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-to-vote-this-week-on-feingold-reid-bill-troops-must-leave-iraq-by-3-31-08/404108 "2007-05-17T01:02:52Z")
Story here. The bill would cut off all war funding after that date. There will also be a vote on a softer measure that, while providing $120 billion in funding, would require troops to start leaving by 10/1/07, but all… --- ## [What happens when the US converts to the gold standard?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-when-the-us-converts-to-the-gold-standard/404050)
**Author:** [@LinusK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LinusK)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [May 16, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-when-the-us-converts-to-the-gold-standard/404050 "2007-05-16T18:36:07Z")
Conservatives and gold-bugs often advocate returning to the gold standard. My question is what happens after the anarchocapitalists take over and put us all on the gold standard? I’m making a couple of assumptions here… --- ## [Mooted: Customer Service Is A Privilege, Not A Right](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mooted-customer-service-is-a-privilege-not-a-right/403082)
**Author:** [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [May 16, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mooted-customer-service-is-a-privilege-not-a-right/403082 "2007-05-16T18:17:27Z")
One of the many recurring themes on these message-boards seems to be that Customer Service is an inviolable right of everyone who deigns to enter a business establishment. The (equally) recurring theme is that customers … --- ## [Why do they go after the "intelligentsia" in revolutions?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-go-after-the-intelligentsia-in-revolutions/403955)
**Author:** [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [May 16, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-go-after-the-intelligentsia-in-revolutions/403955 "2007-05-16T18:14:15Z")
So I’m reading the centerpiece article in this week’s NY Times Magazine. It’s about the refugee problem the Iraqi war has created, and this paragraph arouses my curiosity: “In some ways, despite the ethnic and religious… --- ## [American's...what do you think of Europe and Europeans?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-what-do-you-think-of-europe-and-europeans/403310)
**Author:** [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Replies:** 122\ **Last updated:** [May 16, 2007, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-what-do-you-think-of-europe-and-europeans/403310 "2007-05-16T12:27:47Z")
This is a spin off thread from What is Europes opinion on Americans?. As its an American message board (mostly), I thought our Euro buddies might like our perspective on ‘Europe’…or maybe not. :stuck\_out\_tongue: Som… --- ## [Padilla trial opens; "dirty bomb" not mentioned in opening arguments](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/padilla-trial-opens-dirty-bomb-not-mentioned-in-opening-arguments/404102)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [May 15, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/padilla-trial-opens-dirty-bomb-not-mentioned-in-opening-arguments/404102 "2007-05-15T21:45:46Z")
Story here. Is Padilla guilty or not? Was he ever a member of al-Qaeda or any similar organization? Did he actually plot to “murder, kidnap and maim persons in a foreign country,” as the prosecutors alleged in their o… --- ## [What is the value of faith?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-value-of-faith/401355)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 311\ **Last updated:** [May 15, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-value-of-faith/401355 "2007-05-15T20:05:51Z")
In our American culture, so heavily permeated with the ethics and sensibilities of Protestant Christianity (“by faith alone are we saved”), we tend to respect a person “having faith” even when we disgree with the content… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=711) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=713)