# Great Debaters my ass. Master Baters is more like it. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 29, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850 "2003-11-29T04:13:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![eli\_the\_fanatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ccd318/32.png) [@eli\_the\_fanatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eli_the_fanatic)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/1 "2003-11-29T04:13:10Z")
You can’t have a great debate about angels, psychic powers, or any other dumb nonexistent phenom. It’s the kind of crap indulged in by uneducated rubes who buy tabloids and watch 12 hours of network television a day. I’ve had better debates with my cat. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/2 "2003-11-29T04:15:07Z")
My cat’s breath would smell like cat food, if I had a cat. ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/3 "2003-11-29T04:15:31Z")
Are you saying that these subjects are not valid for debate? I agree that such phenomena are non-existent, but not everyone shares that view. Since the purpose of this board is ostensibly to fight ignorance, it’s I think it’s worth it to debate these topics. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/4 "2003-11-29T04:18:03Z")
Read the board descriptions on the SDMB home page. “Great Debates: For long-running discussions of the great questions of our time. This is also the place for religious debates and (if you feel you must) witnessing.” Any questions? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/5 "2003-11-29T04:18:10Z")
Why can’t you debate things you claim don’t exist? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/6 "2003-11-29T04:26:36Z")
Well, that’s great. Thanks for stopping by. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/7 "2003-11-29T04:36:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Airman Doors, USAF \* > \*\*My cat’s breath would smell like cat food, if I had a cat. \*\* Ralph Wiggum’s greatest line ever!😃 ---
**Author:** ![eli\_the\_fanatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ccd318/32.png) [@eli\_the\_fanatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eli_the_fanatic)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/8 "2003-11-29T04:42:18Z")
Ralph’s Wiggums best line would make a better debate. I vote for “… and the doctor told me I wouldn’t get so many nosebleeds if I would just keep my finger out of there,” the humor of which relies on knowing he’s trying to chat up a girl. “You bent my wookie,” always wins in the Internet polls. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/9 "2003-11-29T04:44:20Z")
This classic line was just on this evening. Chief Wiggum: Ralphie, why aren’t you in school? Ralph: Teacher says she’s tired of trying. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/10 "2003-11-29T04:46:09Z")
Many folks here don’t debate, anyway. They scream at each other. ---
**Author:** ![eli\_the\_fanatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ccd318/32.png) [@eli\_the\_fanatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eli_the_fanatic)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/11 "2003-11-29T04:47:51Z")
I love it when the teacher says, “Ralph, put your head on your desk and take a nap while the other children are learning.” Screaming is at least honest emotion. It’s better than sophistry. ---
**Author:** ![Gairloch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d2c977/32.png) [@Gairloch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gairloch)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/12 "2003-11-29T04:53:44Z")
The OP is right. I say we debate the existence of those who would dare to question my goldfish, who says without any hint of satire that he is not the one who is in a bowl. Gairloch ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/13 "2003-11-29T04:56:47Z")
Master Baters? Flogging the ontological weasel? Debating cats? Are you related to the [Philly Fanatic](http://www.chrismilian.com/baseb12.jpg) Eli? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/14 "2003-11-29T05:01:51Z")
\*\*Eli[/]: Of course there is no such thing as psychics, angels, etc, but the GD forum gives us a chance to debunk that crap and dispel the ignorance about it. I think you’ll notice that such threads usually involve a total dissection and shredding of such supernatural claims. I believe that people have learned some useful things from those threads about critical thinking and how not to get taken in by such flummery as cold reading. It’s not like there’s a strong contingent of angel believers around here but if somebody asks, w’re going to give them the straight dope. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/15 "2003-11-29T05:04:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by eli\_the\_fanatic \* > \*\*It’s better than sophistry. \*\* I dunno. I had to look up “sophist” and then I had to look up “specious”. They are both, Sir, odious. Thanks for not yelling. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gairloch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d2c977/32.png) [@Gairloch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gairloch)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/16 "2003-11-29T05:05:21Z")
I’m sorry. I have to clarify that – I didn’t mean to call my goldfish a he out of any desire to offend – it is just that it is very hard to tell, and it always goes into that little castle thing to change, because it is a shy goldfish and knows nothing at all about politics. It might be a transgendered goldfish, which would be a debate unto itself, great or otherwise, but you would have to ask him/her yourself, because I am suddenly frightened. Gairloch ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/17 "2003-11-29T05:10:10Z")
Do you let Carassius auratus read Kant, or what? ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/18 "2003-11-29T05:14:14Z")
But reality is in the eye and mind of the beholder, no? It is all very well to rant about angels/psychic phenomena etc as being ‘unreal’, but for those who DO believe in the existence of these things, isn’t a healthy debate against the believers better than a mere rant? Or am I missing some irony-genes here?? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![eli\_the\_fanatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ccd318/32.png) [@eli\_the\_fanatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eli_the_fanatic)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/19 "2003-11-29T05:16:32Z")
I think the great Roman philosopher Carassius Auratus lived a long time before Kant, carnivorousplant/ As for Gairloch’s issue, I asked Jeeves the web valet “How do you sex a goldfish?” I didn’t get an answer, but the vice squad just pulled up outside. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850/20 "2003-11-29T05:19:49Z")
Boy goldfish (Carassius auratus, smart guy) have white bumps on their face during Spring romance. Lady goldfish may or may not be rather plump during this period. Boy goldfish tend to smack the ladies around during this period. Thanks for not screaming. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-debaters-my-ass-master-baters-is-more-like-it/215850.md?page=2)