[Debatewise RRT] Debates
- From: "Alex Helling" <alex@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <debatewiserrt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:08:43 +0100
Hi everyone,
I don't think I have anything to say this week
except a reminder that if you are more interested in improving debates you
may wish to switch groups. Email me if you do.
Alex
Debates:
Can big oil survive?
BP one of the big oil companies has been in serious difficulties with its
leak from the Deep Horizon rig and BP is now also facing criticism for its
dealings in Libya where it is now accused of lobbying the UK government to
persuade the Scottish Justice Secretary to release Abdul Baset Ali
al-Megrahi. Despite us entering a period of historically very high oil
prices the big private companies are being squeezed. Their oil reserves are
running out and they have to find new reserves in ever more difficult
conditions, such as the very deep water where Deep Horizon was. In these new
conditions smaller companies are likely to nimbler and more likely to find
oil. The age of the big oil companies seems to be coming to an end.
http://oilandglory.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/07/19/is_there_a_place_for_b
ig_oil_in_the_post_bp_spill_world
<http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http%3A%2F%2Foilandglory.foreignpolicy.com
%2Fposts%2F2010%2F07%2F19%2Fis_there_a_place_for_big_oil_in_the_post_bp_spil
l_world>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2005/apr/21/oilandpetrol.news
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_20/b3984001.htm
Republicans should endorse the strategic arms treaty with Russia.
The Republicans are intent on opposing Obama's treaty on nuclear weapons
with the Russians in the senate where the treaty needs to be ratified. They
are however worried that it is a bad deal for America and that it will limit
missile defence. But does the threat from Russia even matter anymore? We are
no longer in the cold war and the big worries are about terrorism. It may
indeed be a 'bad' deal for the US in that it accepts parity with a power
that is now obviously militarily inferior. Without the treaty the US could
produce many more nuclear weapons than Russia if it wanted to. So should the
Russians endorse the treaty?
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/07/19/take_reagans_word_for_it
<http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foreignpolicy.com%2Fartic
les%2F2010%2F07%2F19%2Ftake_reagans_word_for_it>
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/05/AR2010070502
657.html
<http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-d
yn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F07%2F05%2FAR2010070502657.html>
Should the Ministry of Defence have to pay for Trident?
Everything is about money. The Conservatives may have said that Trident will
not be on the review of defence spending and so not be open for debate on
whether it should exist but this does not mean it is settled how it will be
paid for. The MoD says that it is an issue of national security so it should
not come out of its budget and the Treasury should pay. Not surprisingly for
a department that is trying to reduce spending the Treasury is having none
of it.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/johnmcternan1/100047548/are-ministry-of-de
fence-sources-having-a-laugh-about-trident/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jul/20/uk-defence-policy-unaffordabl
e-liam-fox
The protests in Parliament Square should have been allowed to remain?
The protesters camping in Parliament Square have finally been cleared after
Boris Johnson's legal action to have them removed. Boris considered the
protests 'nauseating' and many others will not have enjoyed the sight of the
camp. But if we are a free society should we not be able to protest at the
mother of parliaments?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-10693138
<http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuk-eng
land-london-10693138>
http://parliamentprotest.org.uk/
<http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http%3A%2F%2Fparliamentprotest.org.uk%2F>
Correct spelling and grammar are not important.
All languages undeniably change over the years, and these changes reflect
how the words are used. The most important thing about written communication
is that it is understood, not that it follows an arcane set of rules that
benefit nobody.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1296126/Ideologues-illiteracy-MAX-
HASTINGS-terrible-damage-wrought-schools-Left-wing-educationalists.html
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2010/07/19/is-sarah-palin-the-heir-to-shakesp
eare/
FA discipline needs an overhaul.
A survey of the leading figures in English football has shown that many
believe that the FA's disciplinary body is inconsistent. It is obviously
difficult to uphold rules if no one knows what the penalty will be for
breaking them or whether it will be consistently applied. If this is the
case then the best way is to overhaul the disciplinary system and look again
at the rules and reissue them. When this happens they should be applied as
consistently as possible. However might it just be leading figures in
football seeing themselves as being discriminated against. If everyone is
against the body perhaps it is doing something right!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/7584849/Bung
-buster-Graham-Bean-wants-to-overhaul-FAs-dysfunctional-disciplinary-body.ht
ml
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/19/alex-ferguson-fa-steven-gerra
rd
Is the Active Denial System ray gun the future of riot control?
The active denial system which has been around for a few years has yet to be
used. It has potential application in suppressing riots without having to
use deadly force or involving the armed services having to be brought in
with rubber bullets or worse to control the riot. Instead the ADS could be
used to engage at range with its heat ray forcing people to run for cover.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/v-mads.htm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/7900117/The-Active-Denial-System-the-weap
on-thats-a-hot-topic.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6300985.stm
On the site:
Is Cameron's Big Society all about the money?
Cameron may have had his idea about the big society to solve the problem of
our broken society since before the beginning of the recession but now it is
likely to be seen by everyone as a cost cutting measure. Cameron's idea
being about citizens doing things themselves and not relying on the state
does seem like something that can be used to reduce spending. Now that
Cameron has to reduce spending whether or not the big society is about
reducing costs the policy will inevitably be tarred with cuts. Is it
justified?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/camerons-big-society-attacked-
as-a-cover-for-spending-cuts-2030334.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/steve-richards/steve-richa
rds-but-what-if-the-big-society-doesnt-work-2030413.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-10687446
Was the invasion of Iraq worthwhile?
The former chief of MI5 today said that the terror threat was "undoubtedly
increased" by the invasion of Iraq. We have known for some time that the
initial cause for the invasion of Iraq, the possibility of Saddam having
WMD, has been wrong. As the war was after the September 11th attacks another
possible reason was terrorism. This too is now being acknowledged as being a
false reason behind the invasion. However could the invasion still have been
worthwhile? The Iraqis have gained freedom from tyranny and a sort of
democracy, oil flows again and the economy and quality of life are slowly
improving.
h
<http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuk-pol
itics-10693001> ttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-10693001
<http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuk-pol
itics-10693001>
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2809-iraq-invasion-could-worsen-terror
ist-threat.html
http://www.e-ir.info/?p=4344
http://web.mit.edu/humancostiraq/
Is new gel a breakthrough in the fight against AIDS?
Unfortunately no cure yet but researchers have invented a vaginal gel that
cuts infection rate by up to 50%. It may not be a vaccine or a cure but it
is a big step forward. Using condoms is the most effective of combating the
spread of HIV and AIDS however this is reliant upon the men rather than
women. This means that this gel is the first time women have had a chance to
prevent infection without needing men to be involved. Is this a
breakthrough?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/austria/7899518/Medicated-g
el-gives-hope-in-fight-against-Aids.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-10691353
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i4btht5S9A6BF0UuIEGz5QoQu
WCQ
Health and safety regulations have gone too far.
Local councils and businesses have become so risk averse in recent years
that they refuse to let their employees or the public do the most basic of
tasks. In Dudley, England, local people were warned off cutting the grass
verge outside their homes because they did not have the correct insurance.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1293508/Ill-end-health-n-safety-farc
e-PM-vows-cure-Labour-neurosis.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jun/30/judith-hackitt-health-safety-w
ork
http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/restoring-civil-liberties/end-health-and-safet
y-madness-healthy-attitude-to-risk
Other related posts:
