[Debatewise RRT] Re: Holiday debates
- From: nadia siddiqi <nadshi@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: debatewiserrt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 1 Jan 2010 20:29:09 +0500
I keep seeing empty/unfilled debates on the website all the time, anyway. I
think we do get points for commenting on non-Alex-defined-debates as well.
I guess Alex should just only share links for articles he deems
interesting(to make this exercise less pedagogical(we make the
topics/definitions he motivates us. BTW if you get a BBC add-on it gives you
a list of links to all the articles on the website so you can choose what to
read) and we should all create our 'own' debates sharing our topics on the
mailing list(so other people can also add points.).
Nadia
On Fri, Jan 1, 2010 at 8:17 PM, Harriet Lowe <tehexile@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> is agree this is a pretty good idea, but i'm not sure what the risk is of
> there being periods of time with lots of empty debates because nobody has
> taken them/they haven't been noticed yet. it might look bad on the site.
> also, don't you get points for actually creating the debate on the Debater
> of the Month system?
>
>
> On Fri, Jan 1, 2010 at 5:36 AM, nadia siddiqi <nadshi@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> 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/
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>> Add other email accounts to Hotmail in 3 easy steps. Find out
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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."
>>
>
>
--
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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