[debatewiserrt] Re: Rapid Response Team Questions
- From: Richard Speight <rspeight@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: debatewiserrt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:33:28 +0200
Hi,
I'd quite like to take on the *Africa powering Europe* one, if no-one else
gets in before me!
Thanks,
Richard
2009/8/26 Alex Helling <alex@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Hello Everyone on the Rapid Response Team,
>
> This is debatewise’s new list for the Rapid Response Team. As it is an
> email group if you email debatewiseRRT@xxxxxxxxxxxxx saying which topic
> you wish to do everyone will get it so avoiding RRT members treading on each
> other’s toes. N.B. you need to use the email that is registered on the list
> (the one you get this email from ;))
>
> I am taking over charge of sending out our weekly list of possible debate
> titles from David. I intend to keep sending them out on Tuesdays (usually
> around 5:30-6 just before I head home). As I have been in charge of deciding
> the debate titles for a few weeks the style will not change i.e. I give you
> a title and a short background to the debate (that you can use for the
> introduction/background if you wish but don’t have to) and then some links
> to the relevant story and anything else relevant I have come across.
>
> As always please don’t feel constrained by the topics we send out, they are
> merely the big topics of the week or more interesting questions we have
> noticed.
>
> Any questions, complaints or suggestions can be sent either to the group or
> to me directly at alex@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> I hope you enjoy writing our debates.
>
>
>
> Regards
>
> Alex Helling
>
> * *
>
> *Questions/Topics for the week*
>
> *Illegal downloaders should be cut off from the internet*
>
> The UK is considering a crackdown on internet file sharing. File sharing
> damages the creative industries that Britain has a lead in. However cutting
> off people who download is an extreme reaction that will limit freedom of
> expression.
>
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/aug/25/internet-file-sharing-digitalbritain
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/aug/25/file-sharing-internet
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8219652.stm
>
>
>
> *Will the conservatives win the next election*
>
> A new ICM poll in the Guardian is putting the conservatives 16 points ahead
> of labour. Labour is also losing ground on the issues. The British people no
> longer think the conservatives will destroy the NHS. Can labour fight back
> or are the conservatives a shoo in for the next election.
>
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/aug/24/labour-icm-poll-summer-fightback
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/mar/17/labour-general-election-poll
>
>
> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/5240568/William-Hague-Conservatives-will-win-the-next-election.html
>
>
>
> *Tourism is a curse*
>
> Tourism is one of the world’s biggest industries, it brings much needed
> money into the third world and poorer areas of the developed world. However
> in an age of mass tourism too many people are drawn to the ‘must see’ sights
> that then get many more visitors than they can manage. Ancient heritage is
> put at risk by this honeypot effect. Elsewhere many picturesque places get
> swamped by development to cater for tourists thereby destroying the beauty
> they are coming to see.
>
>
> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/6082363/Pharaohs-tombs-commentary-tourists-take-their-toll.html
>
> http://www.cdnn.info/news/eco/e080712.html
>
>
>
> *Africa should power Europe*
>
> Africa needs investment to boost its poor economies while Europe needs
> power, particularly green power. Africa is potentially a massive supplier of
> solar power from the sahara and hydro electricity from the Congo rives. Can
> such gigantic infrastructure projects really work?
>
>
> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/the-big-question-should-africa-be-generating-much-of-europes-power-1776802.html
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7232328.stm
>
> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5887597.ece
>
>
>
> *A Marshall Plan for Pakistan*
>
> While Afghanistan and Iraq have received all the attention in the war
> against terror Pakistan has had the main burden of fighting the war. The
> Pakistani army has launched campaigns on its own soil but is a poor country.
> Should the west pay for rebuilding a country whose destruction we had little
> to do with?
>
>
> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/6082365/Britain-and-US-back-Marshall-Plan-for-Pakistan.html
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/world/asia/20clinton.html
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/27/pakistan.usa
>
>
>
> *Does exercise help us to lose weight?*
>
> We all assume that one sure way to lose weight is to exercise more. After
> all you burn those calories off. However this may not be the case. Diet (in
> terms of what you eat rather than dieting) could mean more than exercise.
>
>
> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/6083234/Health-warning-exercise-makes-you-fat.html
>
> http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857,00.html
>
>
>
> *should there be prosecutions of CIA interrogators?*
>
> As more information about CIA interrogation techniques comes out there is
> increased pressure on the attorney general Eric Holder to reopen the
> possibility of launching criminal investigations against CIA interrogators
> who used tactics that could be torture. But is it time to keep the line that
> was drawn earlier this year by Obama to avoid allegations of partisanship
> taken to extremes
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8217414.stm
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8006597.stm
>
>
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/23/AR2009082302038.html
>
>
>
> *Do Science and Religion need a Truce?*
>
> A letter published originally in the LA Times has found it's way into the
> Guardian. Written by the co authors of the book Unscientific America it
> calls for a truce over evolution between Christians and atheists but is a
> truce necessary or should it be survival of the fittest where there can only
> be one theory at the top of the tree?
>
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/aug/24/atheism-dawkins-science-evolution
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/28/science/28essa.html
>
>
>
> *Is the widespread use of CCTV justified?*
>
> Closed Circuit Television is something that is omnipresent in a lot of UK
> town centres but only one crime is solved for every 1000 camera's each year
> in areas that fall under the metropolitan police’s remit. Is this a case of
> value for lost privacy or should there be more limitations on closed circuit
> cameras?
>
>
> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cctv-cameras-help-to-solve-one-in-every-1000-crimes-1776678.html
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7384843.stm
>
> http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/hors252.pdf
>
>
>
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