+ Post new thread
Page 4 of 14 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... LastLast
Threads 151 to 200 of 697

Forum: The Crucible

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

  1. 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: 1,806
    10 Oct 2010 09:59 AM Go to last post
  2. Was there ever a US President who was universally liked?

    Presidents in the US seem to be very divisive individuals. IIRC Reagan won re-election by a landslide in '84 but he always had vociferous critics. Has any US President ever come close to being universally liked, that is by the majority of...

    Started by The Original An Gadaí‎, 07 Oct 2010 03:18 PM
    • Replies: 7
    • Views: 2,204
    07 Oct 2010 06:58 PM Go to last post
  3. Atheists Know More About Religion Than Believers

    So who's surprised? The results of this poll synch up nicely with my real-life experiences. Not to say that there aren't religiously-knowledgeable believers in the world, but I can recall a number of times I've referenced a bible story in a...

    Started by Orual‎, 28 Sep 2010 01:34 PM
    • Replies: 3
    • Views: 1,677
    28 Sep 2010 03:18 PM Go to last post
  4. How far should the paparazzi be allowed to go?

    Russell Brand was recently arrested at the airport after a hitting paparazzi who decided to try and get upskirt shots of his fiancee Katy Perry. Now I don't like Russell Brand much, but can quite happily sympathise with his actions and would say...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 20 Sep 2010 08:59 AM
    • Replies: 14
    • Views: 10,218
    27 Sep 2010 02:00 PM Go to last post
  5. If a sportsman kept winning, could we ignore any behaviour?

    Following on from the current revelations about Tiger Woods or the England Football team, something was pointed out. As long as they perform and keep winning, the fans would probably forgive any behaviour, no matter how sordid they were. So how...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 08 Sep 2010 07:21 AM
    • Replies: 12
    • Views: 3,016
    27 Sep 2010 11:07 AM Go to last post
  6. Teresa Lewis executed - Right or Wrong?

    41 Year old Teresa Lewis pleaded guilty and was convicted of getting two men to kill her husband and stepson to cash in on their life insurance policy. The two hitman have both been jailed for life, but were not sentenced to death. The main...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 24 Sep 2010 06:50 AM
    • Replies: 22
    • Views: 13,598
    26 Sep 2010 04:28 PM Go to last post
  7. US soldier gives police force in Iraq verbal beat-down.

    I came upon this on one of my usual Youtube tangent-hopping forays and couldn't help but wondering what went on afterwards? (For those unable to watch, the video shows a US soldier giving a motivational speech to a group of Iraqi policeman, and...

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 29 Aug 2010 06:45 AM
    • Replies: 10
    • Views: 2,569
    23 Sep 2010 02:13 PM Go to last post
  8. Why is the US more religious than Western Europe?

    While it varies regionally within both the US and Western Europe it seems overall that the United States has a more religious society than Western Europe's. Curiously, the US has the separation of church and state enshrined constitutionally yet...

    Started by The Original An Gadaí‎, 22 Sep 2010 08:18 AM
    • Replies: 13
    • Views: 5,328
    22 Sep 2010 11:29 PM Go to last post
  9. The Tea Party: Republican help or hindrance

    Judging from the newspapers it appears that the Tea Party candidates did a lot better than expected than the conventional Republican candidates in the primaries. How much of an impact is that going to have. Will the Republican Party swing behind...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 15 Sep 2010 07:11 AM
    • Replies: 4
    • Views: 2,299
    15 Sep 2010 06:36 PM Go to last post
  10. Metric Time

    For most weights and measures there are both Imperial and Metric equivalents, pounds and kilos, litres and gallons, but I can't think of an equivalent for time itself. Seconds may get divided into milliseconds and nanoseconds as orders of ten,...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 06 Sep 2010 08:16 AM
    • Replies: 8
    • Views: 2,517
    10 Sep 2010 04:40 PM Go to last post
  11. The social construction of mixed race

    I have a question I was pondering earlier today -- what makes someone "mixed race"? The easiest comparison is between Colin Powell and Barack Obama. I'm so used to hearing about Obama being "mixed race" (often by people with a race-baiting agenda)...

    Started by Exy‎, 08 Sep 2010 09:21 PM
    • Replies: 3
    • Views: 2,160
    09 Sep 2010 07:08 AM Go to last post
  12. Should art be judged according to the character of the artist?

    When evaluating a work of art, should the character or backstory of the artist be taken into account, or should the work itself stand on its own merit? For instance, take a piece of music, which, on its own, seems a mediocre work (the question of...

    Started by fachverwirrt‎, 30 Aug 2010 05:23 PM
    • Replies: 8
    • Views: 2,515
    03 Sep 2010 05:58 PM Go to last post
  13. What counts as a sexual orientation?

    The way most of us think of this term is in regards to what gender(s) we're romantically interested in. But of course anyone who has been on the internet for more than 5 minutes knows there are more "lifestyles" (for lack of a better term) than you...

    Started by Sarahfeena‎, 30 Aug 2010 10:30 AM
    • Replies: 9
    • Views: 2,421
    30 Aug 2010 06:57 PM Go to last post
  14. We all agree, the climate's fucked up, right?

    Not a global warming debate, just a "What the fuck is going on?" thread. Something's wrong, we can agree on that, right?

    Started by Oliveloaf‎, 17 Aug 2010 04:39 PM
    • Replies: 41
    • Views: 5,991
    30 Aug 2010 03:57 PM Go to last post
  15. Is it judgmental to say "I support the right to choose, but I personally would never have an abortion?"

    I was reading a pro-life vs. pro-choice discussion on another board, and a couple different posters said basically what I said in the quotes in my thread title. Another couple posters protested that you never know if the person you are talking to...

    Started by Sarahfeena‎, 25 Aug 2010 04:27 PM
    • Replies: 16
    • Views: 4,709
    26 Aug 2010 07:44 AM Go to last post
  16. Is atheism an act of faith in itself?

    Read off the back of a newspaper today. There is no proof either way that a god does or does not exist. So you cannot say for certain that a god does or does not exist. Seeing as it is an act of faith to say that a god exists, it means that...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 25 Aug 2010 08:41 AM
    • Replies: 22
    • Views: 4,038
    26 Aug 2010 02:03 AM Go to last post
  17. US Combat Troops leaving Iraq.

    The last US combat troops in Iraq have finally left with the remaining troops limited to an advisory or training capacity in assisting the local Iraqi police and army. The Second Gulf war is effectively over, although the work in Iraq still...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 20 Aug 2010 08:49 AM
    • Replies: 4
    • Views: 1,724
    21 Aug 2010 01:11 PM Go to last post
  18. Wake Up, American People In Support Of Decency And Honour.

    Over on messageboards like the Straightdope and the James Randi Educational Forum, if you want to comment on 9/11, you are immediately referred to a 10,000 page NIST Bible and other important works that you are meant to have read, in order for your...

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 10 Aug 2010 03:45 PM
    3 Pages
    1 2 3
    • Replies: 129
    • Views: 16,068
    20 Aug 2010 10:40 AM Go to last post
  19. Dietary restrictions and guests

    It seems to be fairly commonly accepted that when serving dinner to someone with dietary restrictions you should try to have an option that they can eat. But what about the other way around? If vegetarians are going to be hosting a party, should...

    Started by Zuul‎, 18 Aug 2010 09:16 AM
    • Replies: 17
    • Views: 3,212
    18 Aug 2010 04:26 PM Go to last post
  20. Will strong AI ever be achieved?

    Loki had suggested I do something on AI theory. I wasn't really sure where to go with this, especially since I don't know how all up in this everybody else is, so I figured I'd go with something fairly basic. Strong AI is an artificial...

    Started by Nrblex‎, 17 Aug 2010 08:30 PM
    • Replies: 1
    • Views: 1,916
    17 Aug 2010 10:11 PM Go to last post
  21. Should people who don't disclose STDs be legally punished?

    This rather comely looking German pop star* is being charged with aggravated assault for having unprotected sex with three men without disclosing that she is HIV positive. Ok now look, I'm not going to say this isn't a morally dubious thing to...

    Started by Myrnalene‎, 17 Aug 2010 12:56 PM
    • Replies: 8
    • Views: 4,544
    17 Aug 2010 09:34 PM Go to last post
  22. When China becomes the biggest economy

    China has recently overtaken Japan to become the world's second largest economy and is predicted to overtake the USA in 20 years or so at the same rate of growth. What is the impact on the world likely to be if/when China does become the World's...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 17 Aug 2010 08:06 AM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 1,822
    17 Aug 2010 08:55 AM Go to last post
  23. '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: 18,039
    16 Aug 2010 01:10 PM Go to last post
  24. Are paper books really going to disappear? How do you feel about it?

    There's an interesting article in the New York Times today about Barnes and Noble, and whether or not they can survive the onslaught of e-books. Now personally, I have to hand it to them for developing a good e-reader, and highlighting it in their...

    Started by Sarahfeena‎, 12 Aug 2010 10:17 AM
    • Replies: 39
    • Views: 12,703
    13 Aug 2010 11:25 AM Go to last post
  25. Finally, we are 100% crime-free!

    Calm down, all you lawyer-types; it's only a hypothetical. Anyhoo, wat do now? We have a legal system to dismantle, law enforcement officers to re-employ and a lot of judges to keep in hookers and blow. You are wondering how this happened?...

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 09 Aug 2010 11:27 AM
    • Replies: 16
    • Views: 5,754
    13 Aug 2010 04:11 AM Go to last post
  26. LGB people and allies denigrating effeminacy & trans people

    This is something I've been thinking about for a while, but Stephen Fry's recent blog post really brought it to the forefront of my mind (scroll down to "The Pink List"). The Independent on Sunday posted "The Pink List", which was a celebration...

    Started by Zuul‎, 09 Aug 2010 01:28 PM
    • Replies: 31
    • Views: 5,818
    12 Aug 2010 05:18 PM Go to last post
  27. Atheists: Would you be sad if your child turned out to be religious?

    I was in a discussion about raising children without a particular religion, with the thought that they should be allowed to choose when they are old enough. There was some discussion about the difference between raising them neutral and raising...

    Started by Sarahfeena‎, 10 Aug 2010 06:30 PM
    • Replies: 21
    • Views: 6,911
    12 Aug 2010 03:26 PM Go to last post
  28. Wyclef Jean to run for president of Haiti

    TIME article WUT. I don't understand why people think being politically aware and active gives someone the qualifications necessary to actually RUN a country. Especially one in a dire crisis.

    Started by Panther Squad‎, 04 Aug 2010 11:35 AM
    • Replies: 14
    • Views: 2,957
    12 Aug 2010 07:34 AM Go to last post
  29. Filthy rich but stuck in the past - yea or nay?

    Summary of debate: Booster Gold - smart type guy or stupid idea guy? So for those of you with "lives" and "friends" and who enjoy going "outside", I should explain: Booster Gold is a DC superhero from the future who steals future tech, travels...

    Started by AllWalker‎, 27 Apr 2010 02:19 AM
    • Replies: 14
    • Views: 3,072
    09 Aug 2010 01:01 PM Go to last post
  30. When is it permissible for the state to interfere to protect an infant?

    In a heart-breaking case in Seattle a criminal court refused to issue an injunction that would have removed an infant from her mother as soon as she was born. No matter how draconian that may sound, at first glance, I can't help but feel that...

    Started by OtakuLoki‎, 30 Jul 2010 03:29 PM
    • Replies: 3
    • Views: 2,058
    09 Aug 2010 04:17 AM Go to last post
  31. How important is perfect teeth in America?

    It always seems to be something that really really mattered to all Americans that they had to have pristine perfectly straight pearly white teeth. We get plenty of imported shows showing kids going through all kinds of operations to make sure they...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 03 Aug 2010 09:39 AM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 7,250
    08 Aug 2010 12:42 PM Go to last post
  32. Wikileaks and Afghanistan

    Wikileaks has released several thousand documents from the war in Afghanistan showing what occured from 2004 - 2009. They were released to three newspapers at once, The New York Times in the USA, The Guardian in the UK and Der Spiegel in Germany,...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 27 Jul 2010 01:19 AM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 1,880
    07 Aug 2010 09:35 AM Go to last post
  33. Should net neutrality be sacred?

    Net neutrality in its most basic form means that all internet traffic is equal no matter where it comes from. No request has any greater priority over any other request. However, talks are being held between Google and Verizon to discuss how...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 06 Aug 2010 08:29 AM
    • Replies: 4
    • Views: 1,930
    06 Aug 2010 01:17 PM Go to last post
  34. Soul

    I've often wondered about that 'je ne sais quoi' aspect, commonly referred to as the 'soul'. And the synomyms: mind, heart, spirit, psyche... A song I like has the lyric: '... rise and fix my BROKEN soul'. Another song I like features: '...your...

    Started by Trojan Man‎, 01 Aug 2010 09:20 PM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 1,801
    02 Aug 2010 01:04 AM Go to last post
  35. How important is history (and knowledge thereof)?

    I'm somewhat of an amateur history buff, specifically the tumult of Irish history but also other places. Several things fascinate me, how much there is always left to know, even of events you thought yourself perfectly familiar with, and also the...

    Started by The Original An Gadaí‎, 27 Jul 2010 10:00 AM
    • Replies: 14
    • Views: 6,340
    29 Jul 2010 09:29 PM Go to last post
  36. Would a lack of anonymity make the Internet a better place?

    This follows on from the new that World of Warcraft will be forcing people to use their real names when posting into any of their forums. The idea being that because you cannot hide who you are, you are more likely to be polite and constructive. One...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 08 Jul 2010 08:39 AM
    • Replies: 22
    • Views: 6,610
    29 Jul 2010 04:39 PM Go to last post
  37. CSPI's Happy Meal toys lawsuit

    So the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a lobbying group that aims to encourage healthy eating -- and for laws to support it -- is suing McDonalds. As background information, the CSPI has lobbied for soda taxes, better disclosure of...

    Started by Exy‎, 29 Jul 2010 03:10 PM
    • Replies: 4
    • Views: 2,444
    29 Jul 2010 04:15 PM Go to last post
  38. The ethics of Caesar's assassins

    The Roman Republic was broken in many ways by the time that Gaius Julius Caesar came along, but it was based on a constitution, checks and balances of power, and the votes of the people of Rome. If someone took on the role of dictator--a sort of...

    Started by Zuul‎, 20 Jul 2010 07:58 AM
    • Replies: 32
    • Views: 20,786
    23 Jul 2010 04:41 PM Go to last post
  39. Withholding donations to a political party because they are "not doing enough" for your cause.

    On one LGBT-related blog that I regularly read, there is currently a debate about whether people in that community should withhold donations from the DNC and HRC due to the relative lack of progress on queer issue since Obama took office with a...

    Started by Taumpy‎, 14 Jul 2010 03:49 PM
    • Replies: 17
    • Views: 3,811
    23 Jul 2010 10:12 AM Go to last post
  40. Dowsing/divining

    I recently had a conversation with some friends, when the topic turned to dowsing. I explained how I'd (with a very cynical outlook) tried this, and suceeded, and had it backed up empirically. One guy agreed that it works. The rest just scoffed and...

    Started by Trojan Man‎, 15 Jul 2010 01:07 AM
    • Replies: 21
    • Views: 3,708
    22 Jul 2010 11:33 PM Go to last post
  41. Otto von Hapsburg Marches on Mogadishu (Monarchy vs. Other Gov'ts)

    Fed up with the obstructionism facing his family in his native Austria. Otto von Hapsburg, the current heir to the Hapsburg* titles and lands, has decided that instead of continuing to work towards being allowed in his own person (or that of his...

    Started by OtakuLoki‎, 20 Jul 2010 08:59 AM
    • Replies: 14
    • Views: 2,655
    21 Jul 2010 02:15 AM Go to last post
  42. I Will Survive; Dancing in Auschwitz

    On a recent trip to Europe, a family of three generations (a Holocaust survivor, his daughter and his grandchildren) dance to Gloria Gaynor's pop song - 'I Will Survive' at concentration camps and memorials throughout Europe. ... This dance is...

    Started by Zuul‎, 19 Jul 2010 01:41 PM
    • Replies: 11
    • Views: 2,495
    19 Jul 2010 03:28 PM Go to last post
  43. Democracy Village cleared

    The peace protesters campaigning on Parliament Square have lost their legal challenge against eviction. Their camp was set up to protest against the various wars and called for World Peace and was based in Parliament Square right outside the Houses...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 16 Jul 2010 07:04 AM
    • Replies: 7
    • Views: 2,760
    16 Jul 2010 12:56 PM Go to last post
  44. France bans full face veils for Muslims

    The French parliament has recommended a partial ban on women wearing full face veils. This ban will be in effect in hospitals, schools and public transport. Effectively, if you wear a full face veil, don't go out into public. The French are saying...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 26 Jan 2010 08:17 AM
    2 Pages
    1 2
    • Replies: 55
    • Views: 7,966
    14 Jul 2010 01:03 PM Go to last post
  45. Parents Taking Advantage of Their Children`

    This thread is a bit of a continuation of a topic I'd discussed in chat a couple of days ago, when it first appeared that Abby Sunderland's Wild Eyes had gone down in heavy seas east of Madagascar. While I don't feel that it's quite proper to...

    Started by OtakuLoki‎, 14 Jun 2010 02:29 PM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 11,287
    14 Jul 2010 03:34 AM Go to last post
  46. Roman Polanski not to be extradited

    It looks as though having rich, powerful and influential friends is always a bonus. The Swiss have decided against extraditing Roman Polanski to the US and turned down their request on technical grounds, so he is now free to do what ever he...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 12 Jul 2010 08:33 AM
    • Replies: 13
    • Views: 2,794
    12 Jul 2010 05:19 PM Go to last post
  47. US District Court: DOMA violates equal protection.

    Yesterday there was a significant victory for gay marriage advocates. As some of you may be aware, the state of Massachusetts (led by our Attorney General, Martha Coakley) sued the US government last year over the constitutionality of DOMA (The...

    Started by Taumpy‎, 09 Jul 2010 04:54 AM
    • Replies: 2
    • Views: 1,590
    09 Jul 2010 08:34 AM Go to last post
  48. Which was a bigger world changing thing, World War One or World War Two?

    In other words, did the world change more between 1914 and 1918 or between 1939 and 1945?

    Started by The Original An Gadaí‎, 25 Jun 2010 04:54 AM
    • Replies: 30
    • Views: 11,313
    08 Jul 2010 01:30 PM Go to last post
  49. Will The Times paywall work?

    In the UK, the Times newspaper has thrown a paywall around its online presence. If you want to read any of its articles of comment pieces, you need to subscribe. You can visit the front page, but if you click on any of the links it takes you to a...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 06 Jul 2010 08:04 AM
    • Replies: 9
    • Views: 2,429
    07 Jul 2010 06:01 PM Go to last post
  50. Is parole a right?

    A simple question, really. When someone is sentenced to a jail term, especially something with an indeterminate sentence, like 25-to-life, is paroling the offender a requirement, provided they meet the requirements to be eligible for parole? ...

    Started by OtakuLoki‎, 06 Jul 2010 09:51 PM
    • Replies: 10
    • Views: 5,784
    07 Jul 2010 03:22 PM Go to last post

+ Post new thread

Thread Display Options

Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.

Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.

Order threads in...

Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.

Icon Legend

New posts
New posts
Contains no unread posts
Contains no unread posts
Closed thread
Thread closed
You have posted in this thread
You have posted in this thread

Posting rules

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts