[quote]
Who did Alexander Hamilton fight a duel with? What were the issues that
caused it?
[quote]
Aaron Burr. Hamilton made sladerous statements which may have cost Burr the 1804 New York gubernatorial race. Despite being indicted for murder in NY and NJ, Burr finished his term as VP, and went on to lead a life of notorious scoundrelry
{\¶/}
Ok, so how do we find out if any of our suggestions are under consideration by the powers that be?
“It’s a very dangerous thing to believe in nonsense.” – James Randi
[quote]
[quote]
Who did Alexander Hamilton fight a duel with? What were the issues that
caused it?
“Awwon Buww! Awwon Buww!”
(sorry, you just reminded me of my favorite “Got Milk” commercial)
However, if you read curious george’s question carefully, you’ll find that he wasn’t looking for an answer. He was asking whether it was an appropriate question for General Questions, or whether it is too political to be asked there. Not that it matters, anyway. If anyone asked that question, I’d think they were just trying to get homework help. That’s probably just a kneejerk reaction brought on from too many years on the AOL board, though.
–The Evil, Vicious Slut Who Enjoys Ruining Lives 
“I enjoy legitimate questions and debates about religious issues, but it seems none of the original posters of these topics were really looking for answers. They just want a soapbox to spout their personal beliefs. Is it possible to create a seperate forum so these topics can be moved over to it when they turn into endless flame wars? If not, can they be moved from General Questions to the BBQ Pit?”
Lynn the Packrat
I’m all for another forum like this as long as I don’t
have to moderate it.
------------------
Lynn the Packrat]]]]]]]]]]
But you moderate so well…
Since there has still been no action taken on this, has anyone tried emailing Little Ed?
PS–
That’s all a bunch of nonsense. You have no right to post things like that without any proof. I refuse to believe anything so offensive and contrary to my preconcieved notions! 
I just wanted to add my vote for a seperate debate-type forum. I won’t bother explaining why, since everyone else has pretty much covered the reasons =)
Speaking as one of the (very) guilty parties, might I suggest the title “NO ANSWERS”?
“When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.”
Hunter Thompson
C’mon, the Teeming Millions can do better than that! How about Did Jesus Bogart With The Respectful Gun-Toting Children of Self-Absorbed Parents During School Prayer With the Wiccans, And Is It Different In Canada?
I bow before the Master-KittyCarrier
“When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.”
Hunter Thompson
I’d like to add my vote for a separate “debate/discussion” forum.
I don’t want to step on anyone’s right to ask any question or make any comment they’d like; it seems that having such a board would allow folks to air and discuss their ‘beliefs’ and leave the GQ board to matters of ‘fact’.
BTW, I’ll happily go with felinecare’s title!
Since 6 out of the top 10 threads on the General Questions board are subjective in nature, I feel it necessary to move this thread to the top of the stack. Yeah, you’ve read this before, but let me gripe. The General Questions board should be a forum for factual questions with factual answers, a la the Straight Dope columns (hence the name of this web site). Personally, I have no interest in debate and discussion (well, maybe that’s not entirely true) at this particular website, but the demand does warrant a separate Debate and Discussion board. That would definitely make the General Questions much more easy to browse, and therefore more enjoyable, for me.
“I wept because I had no shoes, then I met a man with no feet. So I took his shoes” - Dave Barry
Ah! Idealistic youth (or newbies).
While I will add a tepid “yea” vote to the request for a debate/discussion forum, I will also point out that there are several serious discussions going on in MPSIMS and in the BBQ Pit (even polite ones), there are one or two flame wars smoldering and flaring in the General Questions, the Grovel-at-the-Master’s-Feet, and the Take-cheap-shots-at-the-SDSTaff fora, and there have been several mindless, pointless, sh- stuff postings in all the threads other than MPSIMS. My point is that people will tend to post things where and when they will. Having a discussion forum may, indeed, gather together many opinion-only posts (hence my “yea” vote), but no one should be fooled into believing that the “fact” fora will thus be purified (hence the tepid nature of my assent).
(For one thing, one person’s fact–creation? evolution? guns make us safe? guns threaten us all?–is another person’s opinion.)
Tom~
You’re probably right, Tom. It only takes one person to S**t all over the board and ruin what should be an entertaining and enlightening experience. No doubt many of these people wouldn’t limit themselves to a debate/discusion forum. The trolls (or is it just one? Thor=Hoe?) have been shaking the bridge a lot lately, and I for one am going to have to leave many topics unread, simply by noting who the OP is.
I’ve probably grown overly fond of this message board and take an irrational propriatory interest in it. I’ve only been at this for a couple months and I don’t know if problems like this resolve themselves or if they eventually suck all the enjoyment out of a site.
Any other suggestions?
I’m with PapaBear. As inviting as this message board is, it has become somewhat laborious wading through the “brick wall” topics. Debates/Discussions is a fine idea.
tomndebb wrote:
I agree even if the Debates & Discussions area is created, some will continue to post in other areas. But that’s what the moderators are for. Right now, they can’t say, “Take it elsewhere,” because there is no “elsewhere” to take it. If D&D is created, they can point people in that direction.
So again I have to ask, how do we get the people in charge here to acknowledge this thread, let alone creating the new area?
“It’s a very dangerous thing to believe in nonsense.” – James Randi
Well, since no one listened to me, sigh I went ahead and emailed Little Ed to alert him to this thread. So now if he doesn’t like the idea, I get the blame. I guess if anyone wants I could post a copy of my message to him here, of forward you a copy. I tried to polite and reasonably succinct.
Please do post your e-mail to Ed here. I meant to e-mail him myself but, as with so many other things I ‘mean to do’, it didn’t get done! Thanks for doing it! Post it here and I’ll line up behind you on it, ok?
Jess
Full of 'satiable curtiosity
A Debates and Discussions board? This is The Straight Dope!! Come on!! Sorry, BIMHO religion and political discussions have nothing to do with this site at ALL. I Want Facts!