[Debatewise RRT] Re: Holiday debates
- From: nadia siddiqi <nadshi@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: debatewiserrt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 1 Jan 2010 07:36:55 +0200
I think Alex should put up debates directly on debate-wise(seeing that
people hardly alter his debate-motion/topic definitions), share links to
them on the RRT mailing list and tell/ask the R.R.T to comment/vote on them.
So that no one can annex a debate topic all for her/himself.
R.R.T and debatewise members should also retain/reserve/exercise the
discretion to create and comment on their/our own debates and share them
with the R.R.T.
So if there are more than enough points on a topic added by Alex, people can
always add more points to topics created by other R.R.T members or
themselves.
Nadia
On Fri, Jan 1, 2010 at 1:22 AM, Daniel Strong <danielstrong52@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
> I'll take "*We should focus more on the thousands who are executed in
> China rather than an individual British citizen." *to start off 2010 ;).
> Happy new year everyone!
>
> 2009/12/31 nadia siddiqi <nadshi@xxxxxxxxx>
>
> sorry took that you can add to it. I didn't use one of the links.
>>
>> On Wed, Dec 30, 2009 at 1:20 PM, Viraj Modha <virajmodha@xxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Alex,
>>>
>>> I'll take: *Avatar will kill off big earning movie stars?*
>>>
>>> *Avatar will kill off big earning movie stars?*
>>>
>>> There have been numerous films this year that have made large amounts of
>>> money but have not had big stars attached. Avatar in particular shows that
>>> there are other ways of engaging audiences rather than paying immense pay
>>> checks to a few faces that everyone recognises. Avatar does it with its 3D
>>> graphics.
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/08/film-celebrity-wilting
>>>
>>> http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/11/16/is-the-hollywood-movie-star-dead/
>>>
>>>
>>> http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article6969880.ece
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>> From: alex@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> To: debatewiserrt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> Subject: [Debatewise RRT] Holiday debates
>>> Date: Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:59:12 +0000
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I hope you enjoyed Christmas, and have a happy new year. I am sure you
>>> are all relaxing, possibly thinking of how to burn off some of those
>>> calories and the new year’s resolutions you will never keep. I hope that the
>>> RRT is as successful next year as it has been this year. In the mean time
>>> some debates for you to be doing while you are indoors on hogmanay... or
>>> not!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Alex
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Debates:*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Cut generals not soldiers.*
>>>
>>> The British Army has one general for every 400 soldiers. Considering that
>>> generals are only the top few ranks and we are not including the many more
>>> majors, captains etc does Britain have too many generals? It would seem that
>>> the obvious place to start making cuts into the military is to reduce the
>>> size of the officer corps.
>>>
>>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6969921.ece
>>>
>>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6544223.ece
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Yemen: America’s next war?*
>>>
>>> While very few people are talking about Yemen being America’s next war it
>>> is obvious that something needs to be done to prevent Yemen becoming a
>>> failed state and to reduce any Al Qaeda presence there. Afghanistan has
>>> shown how difficult it would be to fight a war in Yemen, there is similar
>>> terrain, though not the ethnic divisions. However the reason behind the war
>>> in Afghanistan is essentially what is happening in Yemen, a country that is
>>> becoming a base for al Qaeda and Islamic fundamentalism. Is this sufficient
>>> cause to take action?
>>>
>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8429843.stm
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/6898945/Detroit-terror-attack-Yemen-is-the-true-home-of-Al-Qaeda.html
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Literacy targets for toddlers are a waste of time.*
>>>
>>> There is a gender gap between boys and girls even before they enter
>>> school. To the government this must mean more targets. To the rest of us a
>>> more sensible approach might be to let children below school age learn at
>>> their own pace. Does a gender gap at this stage matter or should we have
>>> targets and try to teach boys better?
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article4387301.ece
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/boys-aged-three-must-work-more-1852087.html
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Is Iran nearing a tipping point?*
>>>
>>> Once demonstrations get to a certain size, or the government is unwilling
>>> to cause too much bloodshed protests can topple a government. The overthrow
>>> of the Shah demonstrated this, as did the rolling back of communism in 1989.
>>> Unfortunately it is very difficult to measure when or if the protesters will
>>> gain the upper hand or the willingness of the authorities to be brutal in
>>> putting down protests. It may depend partially on how big the change would
>>> be; in this case the tipping point may be quite low as the likely change in
>>> regime is simply from the more radical elements to more moderate elements
>>> within the current elite rather than a full scale revolution.
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6969863.ece
>>>
>>>
>>> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703278604574624302036557422.html
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Avatar will kill off big earning movie stars?*
>>>
>>> There have been numerous films this year that have made large amounts of
>>> money but have not had big stars attached. Avatar in particular shows that
>>> there are other ways of engaging audiences rather than paying immense pay
>>> checks to a few faces that everyone recognises. Avatar does it with its 3D
>>> graphics.
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/08/film-celebrity-wilting
>>>
>>> http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/11/16/is-the-hollywood-movie-star-dead/
>>>
>>>
>>> http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article6969880.ece
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Return/resell unwanted gifts.*
>>>
>>> Many charities are encouraging us to give our unwanted gifts to them so
>>> that they can be put to good use. Alternatively we might want to go and
>>> demand a refund, or get a replacement. We may even take to selling them
>>> online. However should we really be disposing of gifts that others have
>>> bought for us, should the solution not simply be that we buy less presents
>>> that are better chosen rather than get a load of presents that are then not
>>> wanted.
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/6873912/How-to-recycle-your-unwanted-Christmas-presents.html
>>>
>>> http://www.itnewsonline.com/showrwstory.php?storyid=1718
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Throw the kids out.*
>>>
>>> The scope of Peter Mandelson in government has been steadily advancing as
>>> his department swallows others. He is now publishing advice for parents on
>>> how to persuade their children to move out and stop being dependents. In
>>> some cases persuading children to move out may be a good idea but in the
>>> middle of a recession it seems like a waste of effort. Those who have
>>> returned home would not have the resources to make their own home while
>>> burdened with student debt and without a job. So kick the kids out of the
>>> house to sink or swim?
>>>
>>>
>>> http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article6969872.ece
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/dec/29/tough-love-parents-graduate-unemployment
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Government theft or sensible use of funds.*
>>>
>>> The government wants to effectively nationalise charitable funds for
>>> hospitals. New accounting rules will bring these funds raised onto the
>>> hospitals balance sheet. This has advantages, transparency, and areas that
>>> can support themselves with charitable donations can take less from the
>>> overall pot for the NHS so these government resources can go to areas that
>>> do not have successful charitable funds. In a recession bringing these funds
>>> onto the books makes sense as they can help plug gaps as funding is falling.
>>> There are however problems. Who is going to donate to a charity that is
>>> effectively the Department of Health? This would break down the barrier
>>> between the charities and the NHS harming both. The opposition also argues
>>> it will allow stealth cuts with charity making up the shortfall.
>>>
>>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6969955.ece
>>>
>>> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1118821/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *We should focus more on the thousands who are executed in China rather
>>> than an individual British citizen.*
>>>
>>> There may well be good reasons for why the Chinese government has chosen
>>> to ignore the representations of the British government for Akmal Shaikh. In
>>> the case of the British Government it has to act in this case because Akmal
>>> was a British citizen. However China would probably be more cooperative, or
>>> at least more inclined to listen if we did not rave about one person and
>>> attempt to show the holes in their legal system. Instead we should be
>>> working with China to improve its legal system and at the same time reduce
>>> the number of executions.
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2009/dec/29/china-akmal-shaikh-execution
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.cfr.org/publication/10063/chinas_legal_reform_at_the_crossroads.html
>>>
>>> http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/JF18Ad01.html
>>>
>>> http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1446976
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Use Revisewise @ http://revisewise.debatewise.com/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Work done with anxiety about results is far inferior to work done without
>> such anxiety, in the calm of self-surrender. Seek refuge in the knowledge of
>> Brahman. They who work selfishly for results are miserable. --"Bhagavad
>> Gita."
>>
>
>
--
Work done with anxiety about results is far inferior to work done without
such anxiety, in the calm of self-surrender. Seek refuge in the knowledge of
Brahman. They who work selfishly for results are miserable. --"Bhagavad
Gita."
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