Quick! Say something controversial!

[Edric O]

I was just looking through old debates between myself and Emprworm, and couldn't help noticing that they were so much more involved, and more fun, than the discussions we have here now. Part of it was due to Emprworm's... *ahem* unique character, but part of it was due to the fact that we were discussing controversial issues that people felt strongly about.

Let's try to revive that spirit. Say something controversial! Say something you feel strongly about!

(preferably something that hasn't really been discussed in PRP before; I'd kick things off myself with a new round of communism topics, but some old timers might object that it has all been debated before... even though it hasn't, and we haven't had a good communism debate in years... *ahem*)

[Dante]

Hmm... Abortion, check; homosexuality, check; euthanasia, check; Bush, double check; evolution, check; communism, check... We may be running out of subjects. Of course there are plenty of small ideas untouched (the workability of political systems just as technocracy or plutocracy for example), but a lot of debates tend to move into similar blanket areas such as morality (partly my fault) or non/existence of god. I think it might be interesting to pick a point of view and argue it, even if you don't believe in it. We might get some fresh material that way at least.

Death penalty maybe? It should be abolished because it's expensive! Nah...

Kyoto, isn't being enforced nearly strictly enough. No, that won't work either...

Oo, I know. Whether the Dune prequels (and specifically the Legends series) are any good or not. I'll bring my vitriol. :)

[gunner154]

Freedom VS Security.

Journalism having too much influence on our perception.

[Andrew]

The conservative party of canada is going to turn canada into a US state. Thus they will send us into Iraq (they would have if in power before). They will also shit on atlantic canada, take away gay rights and put Canada into a huge deficit like they did in the late 1980's early 1990's.

If you think the liberals are corrupt and wont vote for them, vota for someone else, anyone but crazy Harper.

I'll make a thread about the election sometime this week. Biggest one in decades.

Oh and Duceppe said that quebec should separate from canada and join the US, or maybe it was that canada should join the US, eithor way he is stupid (said so in the second english debate).

[erjin999]

Freedom VS Security.

Journalism having too much influence on our perception.

Thats a good one, but how many people would argue the other side ?

[Andrew]

As Bush would say about the constitution.

"Stop throwing the Constitution in my face! It's just a goddamned piece of paper!"

You can have both security and freedom, but removing freedoms to have security is stupid.

[Davidu]

Has anyone read Pandora by Frank Herbert and Bill Ransom?

I started browsong it and I can't let it go. I started it about 3 hours ago...

( I'd better print it... my monitor is killing my eyes)

[ps501]

I was just looking through old debates between myself and Emprworm, and couldn't help noticing that they were so much more involved, and more fun, than the discussions we have here now. Part of it was due to Emprworm's... *ahem* unique character, but part of it was due to the fact that we were discussing controversial issues that people felt strongly about.

So what were the chain of topics that were the most interesting??  (can you identify one or two of your favorites?)

I agree, listening to gunwounds thump his "all that don't believe like me are going to hell" preach'in is old

Further it would appear that there is little interest in debating business/economics and the like.

we haven't had a good communism debate in years... *ahem*

Well since there has never been a truly communistic state - how could you have a debate on that?  Aside from that little issue, communism is a great theory, but man being what man is prevents communism from ever happening  (Also prevents democracy from happening).

It is also interesting to watch what US corporations are doing to ultimately undermine US power in the world through economic actions.  (AKA WAL-MART effect)  Wal-Mart?  Satan incorporated?

Its also curious to see places like the Dominican Republic where the line beween the proletariat and the bourgeois are so well defined.  (Ever want to see the amazingly poor live just a bit from the amazingly wealthy, Where the wealthy are driving inflation up at such a rate that the working (and non-working) poor can't afford a common chair.  I know of no other place in the world that can come close to showing it like you can see it there) 

[GhostHunter]

America should be just as free as previous 9/11 levels. The Patriot Act is treason against the morals of freedom and liberty. The potential to fight off terror lies solely with fending them in their originating countries. I believe America should have unlimited boundries by which to fight terror. Additionally, Israel should be utilized in our attempt to keep ourself safe in the Middle East and homebound.

Second, I'm under the impression WW3 is about to occur. The Iranian president massing means to create nuclear arms then publically proclaiming that it is 'un-just' for the West to have them and not Iran is insane. But so is the fact they're allied to Syria. Oh, Russia? Ha. They recently signed a one billion dollar weapons agreement to sell Iran advanced surface-to-air-missile systems. Who surronding them has an air force of that caliber threat? America and Israel. They're preparing for war. That and the fact Russia is additionally selling them means to progress their nuclear program. Oh, China? Ha. 15% of their oil exports come from Iran so they're playing a supporting role as well. WWIII is coming: Israel-US-UK-Germany-France vs. Iran-Syria-Russia-China-Arab world.

Welcome to the end.

[Andrew]

Also, Irans president said the holocaust never occured, and they are holding an investigation to find proof that it did occur.

[Acriku]

Fundies in Kansas are ignorant dicks, fucking their children's education up.

There, I said it.

[Caid Ivik]

I could use this thread as an example of postmodernist development of society  ;D

[nemafakei]

War? Hardly.

Iran wants a deterrent - an arab country with nukes to match Israel.

"Who surronding them has an air force of that caliber threat? America and Israel."

Since when has the US been anywhere near Iran?

Unless you count Iraq as part of your territory now?

Look at the economies of the countries you mention. None are gearing for a proper war. China's busy turning into a standard western satate capitalist model, Russia certainly doesn't need a war. The US has enough on its hands already, and the UK isn't much better off dealing with Iraq. France and Germany have vigorously pursued peace, and this is also a bad time militarily - they don't want to fight until the EU has a better understanding of its agreements on military cooperation. Israel are probably the readiest for war - but they've never really been unready. The Iranians aren't busy readying their people for war - they've just implemented a programme for all children to play darts for three hours a week to help their maths!

"I believe America should have unlimited boundries by which to fight terror"

Should everyone else have unlimited boundaries to fight US terrorism? If your government is happy to imprison and torture, and implement the Pattriot Act, is it responsible enough that other countries should allow US troops to occupy them and seek out 'terrorists'?

"Additionally, Israel should be utilized in our attempt to keep ourself safe in the Middle East and homebound."

If Israel's going to be your ally in this, I do hope you'll clear them out first.

[gunner154]

Welcome to the end.

I take this as an indication of sarcasm in his entire post.

[Edric O]

Fundies in Kansas are ignorant dicks, fucking their children's education up.

There, I said it.

I said something controversial, Acriku, not something obvious that everyone knows. ;)

[Andrew]

'Intelligent design' gets little class time

In his speech last week, Fletcher, an ordained Baptist minister, said intelligent design isn't a religious doctrine. "This is not a question about faith or religion. It's about self-evident truth," he said.

Self evident truth eh?

So because you believe in something with no proof, it has to be correct and therefor should be taught in a science class and not in a philosophy class?

What a douchebag.

Last year, Hughes e-mailed 176 school districts across the state and asked them to let him know if they were teaching intelligent design or creationism in their classrooms.

Nobody responded, he said.

OWNED

Intelligent design isn't mentioned in the state's core curriculum, it isn't spelled out in the state-approved textbooks and it isn't taught in college-level biology courses, teachers said.

Plus, it's hard to prove the existence of God with test tubes or the periodic table of elements.

Woodford County High School teacher Mary Beth Rouse said science deals "with things that are testable, that are measurable, that are observable."

So many good points there. Especially the last part.

[Caid Ivik]

Koreans are fascists!

(recommended to look at all from 1 to 3 ;) )

http://epoxid.sk/download/pics/1.jpg

http://epoxid.sk/download/pics/2.jpg

http://epoxid.sk/download/pics/3.jpg

[Andrew]

Nothing suspicious there. It's just worded different here.

Nice urinals, look slightly different than here. (over here there is usually enough room to set a drink on top of the urinal. I take it the water comes out of the silver thing near top?)

[Anathema]

War? Hardly.

Iran wants a deterrent - an arab country with nukes to match Israel

Iran is not an Arab country :P

I'm generally against more nuclear powers coming up, but in Iran I'm not so sure actually. In Iran's vicinity there are multiple nuclear powers- Israel, India and Pakistan. Why are they allowed to have them, and Iran not? (Pakistan is just about as authoritarian as Iran is)

And perhaps more importantly, Iran has been the target of WMD, Iraqi's chemical weapons. The world didn't lift a finger. Give me one good reason why Iran should give a **** what the UN security council and especially the US thinks. I can't blame them for wanting some insurance policy in the form of MAD deterence.

[Anathema]

Also, what do you think of this?

A Dutch company is producing these for the upcoming WC soccer in Germany. It's supposed to mimic a stahlhelm that was used by the German Wehrmacht during WW2, highly offensive IMO.

[hide]and of course, I did order one[/hide]

[Andrew]

One thing that has not been discussed extensivly is the patent system. The EU seems to be against patenting.

In the US patenting is rampant where anything and everything is patented.

  Seasonal multicultural hat

  Method of swinging on a swing

  Method of exercising a cat

[Kiyouta]

A Dutch company is producing these for the upcoming WC soccer in Germany. It's supposed to mimic a stahlhelm that was used by the German Wehrmacht during WW2, highly offensive IMO.

It is! But of course, people don't have the right to not be offended, so I think it's hilarious. Sieg Heil! ;D

[Andrew]

OMG

He came out of hiding.

It's a bit late to stop the power grab.

[Davidu]

1. Iran is NOT and arab country. Tell an iranian he is an arab and he might hit you. Their language is not "iranian" but farsi. And if you want to make them feel good just reffer to them as persians, Persia, persian language. Trust me, I have one at the university. Nice fella'.

2. Orange German helmets. LOL that's funny. The problem is the germans might bring their own. :D

[nemafakei]

Quite true, of course. I'd just had a conversation about the Israeli conflict of 1967, and I meant to put Muslim.