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Forum: The Crucible

The serious stuff. Debates and discussions on politics, religion, etc.

  1. Sticky thread Sticky: About the Crucible

    These are just general guidelines and may be added to or changed if and when the need arises. The forum is a place for serious debate, discussion of news and current events, and also witnessing, if you must. Whether it's the deep discussion on...

    Started by Zuul‎, 15 Nov 2009 07:38 PM
    • Replies: 0
    • Views: 32,527
    15 Nov 2009 07:38 PM Go to last post
  1. "Beheader 'not criminally responsible' for murder"

    http://www.theage.com.au/world/beheader ... -8qok.html This was bound to make headlines, but was there ever a shred of doubt that this man was criminally insane?

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 06 Mar 2009 06:16 PM
    • Replies: 32
    • Views: 2,751
    30 Mar 2009 09:53 AM Go to last post
  2. "Buy land, they're not making it anymore"

    First who really said this? I have seen it attributed to both Twain and Will Rodgers. Second, why do people still not understand this? I talk to people and they do not understand ballot issues for states to spend money buying up land for parks,...

    Started by What Exit?‎, 04 Nov 2009 08:37 AM
    • Replies: 2
    • Views: 1,428
    04 Nov 2009 03:08 PM Go to last post
  3. "Cybersecurity Act would give president power to 'shut down' Internet"

    http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Cybersecu ... _0413.html A recently proposed but little-noticed Senate bill would allow the federal government to shut down the Internet in times of declared emergency, and enables unprecedented federal oversight of...

    Started by Exy‎, 22 Apr 2009 11:48 AM
    • Replies: 26
    • Views: 3,085
    29 Apr 2009 11:09 AM Go to last post
  4. "Joe" the "Plumber" is right outside my door

    Pardon my use of dickfingers in the title here, but this guy is just symbolic of the fakeness of the GOP these days -- as part of their little April 15 protests, Sam Wurzelbacher is speaking at the state capitol here today. I went down to watch for...

    Started by Exy‎, 15 Apr 2009 11:34 AM
    • Replies: 13
    • Views: 1,679
    20 Apr 2009 07:23 PM Go to last post
  5. "Photo Op" gone wrong, terrifies NY - Guess the next one!!!

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_ ... ne_obama_2 The short story, an official in the white house authorized a photo moment wherin Air Force One flys over Staten Island with a fighter jet escort. New Yorkers look up, see the 747 comin' out...

    Started by Dangerously Unqualified‎, 28 Apr 2009 12:03 PM
    • Replies: 10
    • Views: 1,720
    01 May 2009 06:08 AM Go to last post
  6. "Sexting" - Menace or Threat?

    "Sexting" is the stupid word du jour I just discovered in this NPR report. It means young teens sending each other nekkid photos of themselves on their cell phones. These photos may or may not be intended to be sexually arousing; in this story, it...

    Started by WhyNot‎, 14 Mar 2009 11:18 AM
    • Replies: 34
    • Views: 7,170
    05 May 2009 05:23 PM Go to last post
  7. 'Distraction-free shopping'

    I wandered by a Target today and saw a guy sitting outside, registering people to vote. Target hasa policy for a while to provide what they call "distraction-free shopping" to their customers. Basically no person or group, regardless of reason or...

    Started by RabbitMage‎, 14 Aug 2010 12:50 AM
    • Replies: 32
    • Views: 18,009
    16 Aug 2010 01:10 PM Go to last post
  8. (Male) Circumcision: Harmless cultural tradition or horrific genital mutilation?

    I read another message board from time to time that is somewhat obsessed with crunchy-granola style naturalism, and the members are anti-circumcision in the extreme. I certainly understand the logic that if there's no good reason to surgically...

    Started by Sarahfeena‎, 07 Dec 2009 02:30 PM
    2 Pages
    1 2
    • Replies: 55
    • Views: 8,293
    17 Apr 2010 01:45 PM Go to last post
  9. (Potentially) Controversial Opinions

    Mellodome seems to be a fairly homogeneous place, so I'm not sure how a thread like this will work. But let's give it a shot - post an (honestly held) opinion that you think is an unpopular one, on Mellophant in particular or to the wider world. And...

    Started by Myrnalene‎, 12 Feb 2010 02:28 PM
    5 Pages
    1 2 3 ... 5
    • Replies: 201
    • Views: 23,330
    05 Mar 2010 05:44 AM Go to last post
  10. 10-10 or Cutting Carbon Emissions the Richard Curtis Way

    Richard Curtis, the comic writer of Blackadder was commissioned to create a movie short about global warning, called 10-10. It had a host of stars and celebrated everyone who is tackling Carbon Emissions... ...by blowing up those who don't. ...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 07 Oct 2010 07:42 AM
    • Replies: 3
    • Views: 1,805
    10 Oct 2010 09:59 AM Go to last post
  11. 20 states weighing the benefits of secession

    OK, not really. But.... Primarily “Red States,” right? The article cites Virginia, Arizona, Oklahoma and Montana, South Carolina, as harboring some dissidents willing to wield the legal shears that would carve their silhouette out of the map. ...

    Started by Inigo Montoya‎, 06 Mar 2009 06:40 PM
    • Replies: 7
    • Views: 6,036
    07 Mar 2009 11:33 AM Go to last post
  12. 2010 Census aka MAH PRIVACY

    It's census time again folks. My 'friends' over at the Tinfoil Hat Forum are very much up in arms over not filling it out for an assortment of reasons that strike me as, well, the kind of reasons people wearing tinfoil hats would come up with. ...

    Started by RabbitMage‎, 17 Mar 2010 02:56 AM
    • Replies: 8
    • Views: 3,240
    31 Mar 2010 04:46 PM Go to last post
  13. 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

    Twenty years ago the Berlin Wall fell. For obvious reasons that is big news here. Unfortunately I was only nine years old at the time. That mean that while I remember it I couldn't tell you where exactly I was when I got the news. During the more...

    Started by Feirefiz‎, 09 Nov 2009 03:03 PM
    • Replies: 13
    • Views: 1,777
    11 Nov 2009 11:50 AM Go to last post
  14. 3 main UK political parties to hold televised debates.

    As reported here. I think we are stealing this of youse American's, aren't we? Are you happy with this as a way of determining who runs your country? Is this style of debate ever capable of producing anything more than theatre and image, rather...

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 21 Dec 2009 03:38 PM
    • Replies: 3
    • Views: 1,556
    31 Dec 2009 01:42 PM Go to last post
  15. 43 children in Florida shot with stun guns for educational purposes

    http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/05/16/florida-officials-43-children-zapped-by-stun-gun-during-prison-tour/ At least, that's the story of Prison Officer Walter Schmidt. This happened during a "Bring Your Children to Work Day", so most of the...

    Started by Taumpy‎, 17 May 2009 12:30 PM
    • Replies: 19
    • Views: 3,174
    18 May 2009 12:49 PM Go to last post
  16. 83 Year Old Gets Life for Pot

    Hey, at least he doesn't have to worry about being in a nursing home, now!Faulkner, who is suffering from cancer, was handed a 20-year sentence last month and is to head to prison in August. "Twenty years, that is a death sentence," said Giles...

    Started by Tuckerfan‎, 21 May 2009 07:41 PM
    • Replies: 8
    • Views: 2,110
    08 Jun 2009 10:31 AM Go to last post
  17. A Brand New W

    W. It's a beautiful letter, don't you think? It is the star attraction in any attempt to gain information (who, what when, where, how). We need it for everything from Free Will to Free Willy. Whatever. It's a good letter. A good letter...

    Started by AllWalker‎, 19 Mar 2010 06:54 PM
    • Replies: 24
    • Views: 6,019
    29 Oct 2010 10:18 PM Go to last post
  18. Poll Poll: A Change in Election process

    On 5th May, the UK goes to the polls to determine if it wants to change the election process currently used to something different. The current process is First Past the Post (FPTP), the suggested amendment is to change the process to Alternative...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 05 Apr 2011 08:02 AM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 3,203
    13 Apr 2011 03:06 AM Go to last post
  19. A Crisis in Public Education

    Locally, we're having a pretty appalling time with the city school district. Despite perennial promises of reform and improvements, the four-year graduation rate has dropped to 46%. Not all of the other 54% will have been drop outs. According to...

    Started by OtakuLoki‎, 12 Mar 2010 09:54 AM
    • Replies: 9
    • Views: 5,506
    13 Mar 2010 10:54 AM Go to last post
  20. A followup to the right to have children thread

    Inspired by http://www.mellophant.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10671 I feel that part of the requirement for having children is the ability to provide a stable home environment with both parents pulling their share of the load. The child should...

    Started by Clothahump‎, 11 May 2010 05:04 PM
    2 Pages
    1 2
    • Replies: 74
    • Views: 15,541
    18 Jun 2010 01:21 PM Go to last post
  21. A Hypothetical Offer of Longevity

    Two men in black show up at your house or place of business, with NSA, CIA or FBI Identification. They usher you into another room and present the following offer; Three years ago, we perfected, if you can call it that, a drug that appears to...

    Started by Chimera‎, 26 Jun 2009 06:56 PM
    • Replies: 7
    • Views: 1,284
    27 Jun 2009 10:33 AM Go to last post
  22. A Nuclear Capable Iran

    According to Western Intelligance services, all that's stopping Iran from building a nuclear bomb is the agreement of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. About a year after that, they will have the capacity to drop it on anywhere in the...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 03 Aug 2009 04:03 AM
    • Replies: 4
    • Views: 1,172
    03 Aug 2009 11:11 PM Go to last post
  23. A question for all meat-eaters.

    Say it was discovered that our planet had been visited by beings with a vastly superior intellect that were considering inviting us into a Galactic Federation, but only if we stopped eating meat - Would that be enough to make you give up your...

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 26 Apr 2009 01:01 PM
    • Replies: 46
    • Views: 5,285
    07 May 2009 04:38 PM Go to last post
  24. A Spin Doctor slur too far.

    Well, one of the PM's closet aides, Damian McBride has resigned for some very inappropriate emails containing unsubstantiated rumour and innuendo to be used against opposition politicians. As far as Damian McBride was concerned anything was fair...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 12 Apr 2009 09:58 AM
    • Replies: 16
    • Views: 2,165
    16 Apr 2009 05:35 AM Go to last post
  25. A splintered world wide web

    ICANN has now approved a huge increase to what can be considered as a TLD, so that not only will .com and .net be joined by thousands of other variations, but that non-latin characters will also be allowed so that domain names will be available in...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 21 Jun 2011 10:15 AM
    • Replies: 3
    • Views: 19,608
    23 Jun 2011 12:38 AM Go to last post
  26. Poll Poll: A test for how long you will live?

    A new test has been developed and about to be marketed which would hope to give a rough estimate of the time left remaining in your life through a simepl blood test. It works by testing telomeres, which sit on the end of chromosones and wear away...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 16 May 2011 04:21 AM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 5,657
    16 May 2011 11:56 PM Go to last post
  27. A Thought Experiment About Elections

    A hypothetical for the good people of domebo: Suppose the state of Wisconsin recently held an election for dog-catcher. It was a heated battle. Many first-time voters were registered. Among the instructions given to first-time voters was this:...

    Started by The Hyena‎, 05 Mar 2009 10:08 PM
    • Replies: 7
    • Views: 2,691
    09 Mar 2009 09:15 AM Go to last post
  28. A way we can reduce costs of medical care

    Dr. Ernest Madu Dr. Ernest Madu runs the Heart Institute of the Caribbean in Kingston, Jamaica, where he proves that -- with careful design, smart technical choices, and a true desire to serve -- it's possible to offer world-class healthcare in...

    Started by Xan‎, 25 Sep 2009 12:35 PM
    • Replies: 0
    • Views: 1,079
    25 Sep 2009 12:35 PM Go to last post
  29. A world without planes

    The volcano in Iceland had stopped all air traffic in Europe for the last six days. The only things flying were birds and insects, unaffected by the volcanic ash in the air which was floating around. The impact on a day to day basis has been minor,...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 21 Apr 2010 03:05 AM
    • Replies: 8
    • Views: 2,546
    22 Apr 2010 04:24 AM Go to last post
  30. Ableism

    Ableism is a central concept in disability rights. The term was originally popularized by Thomas Hehir, a special education scholar who defined it as “'the devaluation of disability' that 'results in societal attitudes that uncritically assert that...

    Started by Peeta Mellark‎, 02 Apr 2011 11:08 AM
    • Replies: 21
    • Views: 14,599
    04 Apr 2011 08:27 PM Go to last post
  31. Abolish Money!

    Protesters of the G-20 in London today are chanting "Abolish Money". This boggles the mind. No mater what your beef is with the G-20 or the WMF or the World Bank. No one is going to listen to anything you have to say after hearing this chant. This...

    Started by Glazer‎, 01 Apr 2009 07:01 PM
    • Replies: 38
    • Views: 3,248
    11 Apr 2009 05:40 PM Go to last post
  32. Abortion Doctor Killed

    AP is reporting Dr. George TIler has been murdered at his church in Wichita, Kansas. Link. He had been repeatedly hauled into court by the local prosecutor. No further details.

    Started by Paul in Qatar‎, 31 May 2009 12:47 PM
    • Replies: 29
    • Views: 4,189
    03 Jun 2009 08:15 AM Go to last post
  33. Abortion not seen linked with depression

    This is a few months old, but I don't remember seeing any chatter about it. No high-quality study done to date can document that having an abortion causes psychological distress, or a "post-abortion syndrome," and efforts to show it does occur...

    Started by Julie‎, 06 Mar 2009 07:23 PM
    • Replies: 16
    • Views: 2,712
    13 Mar 2009 01:53 PM Go to last post
  34. Ads that will make the future cringe

    We've all seen those ads from way back when that make you want to laugh and hurt someone at the same time. The ads that imply women are helpless, fragile creatures, the ads that say you should give your baby soft drink instead of breast milk, the...

    Started by AllWalker‎, 29 Jun 2010 11:58 PM
    • Replies: 7
    • Views: 3,083
    01 Jul 2010 01:23 AM Go to last post
  35. Air France Jet missing over Atlantic

    It is presumed to have crashed and they are searching the ocean for it. It went through an area with thunderstorms, and fourteen minutes later reported electrical problems. Story here and here. :( Reuters: Air France said the Airbus...

    Started by Zabigail‎, 01 Jun 2009 09:46 AM
    • Replies: 18
    • Views: 3,664
    07 Jun 2009 10:33 PM Go to last post
  36. Alberta Passes Contorversial Human Rights Law

    Site After hours of debate, members of the Alberta legislature passed human rights legislation allowing parents to pull their children out of classes dealing with sex, religion or sexual orientation.... The groups in opposition said the issue...

    Started by dread pirate jimbo‎, 04 Jun 2009 11:48 AM
    • Replies: 4
    • Views: 1,627
    20 Jun 2009 06:47 PM Go to last post
  37. Alien Civilisations - Necessarily Omnivores?

    For the purposes of this discusson, assume that Earth-like life is common throughout the universe and intelligent life is also common. Just to exclude robots, sentient hydrogen clusters and other truly "alien" aliens. Could a herbivorous species...

    Started by AllWalker‎, 22 Aug 2009 11:35 PM
    • Replies: 29
    • Views: 2,651
    01 Oct 2009 09:32 AM Go to last post
  38. Alive in a vegetative state - would you stay that way?

    A new groundbreaking experiment has shown that a man locked in vegetative state for the last 5 years is not only aware and capable of understanding people, but also communicating answers as well. Apparently, they can do this by using MRI scans to...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 04 Feb 2010 09:40 AM
    • Replies: 10
    • Views: 2,443
    04 Feb 2010 07:35 PM Go to last post
  39. American Socialism

    Where does the US stand in terms of word ranking of socialist states? Have the recent economic troubles and gov't intervention materially increased our leaning in that direction? As I understand it, socialism and democracy exist on a continuum, and...

    Started by Winston Smith‎, 03 Mar 2009 10:38 AM
    • Replies: 6
    • Views: 2,009
    11 Mar 2009 05:48 PM Go to last post
  40. Americans: your impressions of Obama's first few months in office

    Americans, is Obama living up to the hype? Are you generally pleased with his time in office, so far (with the caveat that he can't really get that much done in such a short time)? Has he made any wrong decisions in your opinion?

    Started by CRSP‎, 28 May 2009 11:28 AM
    • Replies: 40
    • Views: 3,152
    05 Jun 2009 03:17 PM Go to last post
  41. An Absence of Abortion

    A pro-life group is putting forward the idea that abortion should not be a "right" granted to women as part of law. Part of the reasoning about it is the number of abortions carried out each year is too high and that women are using it as a...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 10 Oct 2011 09:36 AM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 30,999
    11 Oct 2011 12:11 PM Go to last post
  42. An attempt at a non-offensive generalization of gender differences

    I absolutely hate discussing gender differences, as I am easily offended by such generalizations, and, while I fit the conclusion that I reach, I am anything but 'masculine' in the societal sense. However, I believe I know why the topic is so...

    Started by pedescribe‎, 10 Mar 2009 01:27 PM
    • Replies: 25
    • Views: 13,908
    13 Mar 2009 02:33 PM Go to last post
  43. An Eye for an Eye

    Pretty literally in this case. Iranian woman Ameneh Bahrami was blinded when she had acid thrown over her by a stalker Majid Movahedi after his appraaches were repeatedly rebuffed. She was not dressed provocatively and was a model citizen. Now...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 18 May 2011 07:23 AM
    • Replies: 6
    • Views: 2,647
    20 May 2011 11:37 AM Go to last post
  44. An Open and transparent Govenrment?

    The UK Government toady released their accounts. Details of all the spending they have carried out over the last 5 months since coming to power. It shows, warts and all, all the expediture from team building days to renovations to consultancies....

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 19 Nov 2010 05:54 AM
    • Replies: 2
    • Views: 1,984
    20 Nov 2010 12:00 AM Go to last post
  45. ANC on course to win SA Elections

    It looks like the ANC lead by Jacob Zuma are on course to lead the next South African government with approx 65%-70% of the vote. Given the sex and corruption scandals that plagued him earlier, that is quite a showing for him. So what does this...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 24 Apr 2009 04:36 AM
    • Replies: 0
    • Views: 3,871
    24 Apr 2009 04:36 AM Go to last post
  46. Question Anchor babies

    Watching a series on the Constitution, with one episode focusing on the 14th amendment. One issue they briefly allude to is "anchor babies". I wonder how widespread the phenomenon is?

    Started by Erictelevision‎, 09 Aug 2015 12:22 AM
    • Replies: 4
    • Views: 8,132
    08 Sep 2015 10:56 PM Go to last post
  47. And miniature American flags for others: The Abortion Megathread

    So, surprisingly, it turns out many of my Fellowphants have strong opinions on abortion, and really I don't care what your opinions are but you should all hear mine because it's awesome. Plus, since this is the biggest topic in the controversial...

    Started by Exy‎, 19 Feb 2010 12:06 PM
    • Replies: 11
    • Views: 4,321
    20 Feb 2010 07:07 PM Go to last post
  48. And off he goes...

    I'm watching the Pope leave Vatican City. Can't say I'll miss him...hope they do a better job picking the next guy.

    Started by Sarah‎, 28 Feb 2013 11:02 AM
    • Replies: 23
    • Views: 32,503
    17 Mar 2013 10:08 PM Go to last post
  49. Animal animism?

    Alligators are fascinating creatures. Survivors from the age of dinosaurs, they and their crocodilian kin are the closest living relatives to birds. The mother alligator fiercely defends her nest, and protects her hatchlings for up to three years....

    Started by terrifel‎, 17 May 2010 11:34 AM
    • Replies: 7
    • Views: 4,751
    17 May 2010 08:08 PM Go to last post
  50. Animals have no rights, and their suffering is morally irrelevant.

    As some of you may know, I have argued this position before as an aside in other threads, but I think it deserves its own topic. Increasingly, there have been calls for more "humane" farming and scientific research—calls to avoid causing animal...

    Started by Vox Imperatoris‎, 05 May 2009 10:50 PM
    3 Pages
    1 2 3
    • Replies: 103
    • Views: 15,830
    10 May 2009 12:11 PM Go to last post

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