The Debate Hall Social Thread

[Dragoon Fighter]

What? There goes algebra and all the knowledge that would of been killed along with the dark ages if it were not for Islam.

 

[KrazyGlue]

Just remembered a little something.

I know it's a sensitive subject, but what the **** happened to the Debaters' postbit? I know people said it would take a while, but it's been over 14 months since the poll ended. One would think there would at least be a status update by now. I'm starting to get worried that MLG has completely forgotten the project.

For those of you who weren't around then and have no idea what I'm talking about:

Debate Hall Postbit Discussion: http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=238317
Debate Hall Postbit Poll: http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=239064

 

[#HBC | Dark Horse]

@Krazyglue

Nobody cares about debaters.

Also, it seems like everyone forgot about it.

 

[KrazyGlue]

@Krazyglue

Nobody cares about debaters.

You honestly think more people care about smash writers than smash debaters? (Also it's just fun to have. )

Also, it seems like everyone forgot about it.

Unfortunately, this is probably true. Which is exactly why I'm bringing it up. I might post a thread too, to make sure that everyone sees this. But all I really need is a response from EE or CK.

 

[Budget Player Cadet_]

Here is an interesting question to pose, more of a self-reflective idea than something to debate over, but how do you know you're competent at knowing you're competent?

Enter the Dunning-Kruger effect.

Here's a nice short video by TheraminTrees explaining it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyOHJa5Vj5Y

I <3 TT. His work is very, very good.

Have you guys ever heard of QualiaSoup? His vids are great.

So, apparently Texas is removing "pro-Islamic" content from textbooks.

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/09/16/texas-education-pro-islamic

Does this mean that they will have to skip all the pages with 0 in the page number?

God dammit texas. God dammit.

Seriously, when do people step in on this ****? Like, is there a federal board of education that can step in when a state starts blatantly mistreating the truth and say "that's enough, you will teach the students in a way that is factually correct"? If not, WHY THE HELL NOT?

 

[Evil Eye]

It took two and a half eternities, but we very recently were given the ability to upload our own content and stuff like that. An ability we had before MLG took over so I'm not sure why we ceased to have it, but that's of course neither here nor there.

We aren't the only subgroup waiting to "get ours". Hopefully ours will be coming along shortly, as it's not all that complex or customized -- member of the group = can have scale.

I'll keep you posted.

 

[#HBC | Dark Horse]

@EE

HYEZ!

 

[Sieguest]

God dammit texas. God dammit.

Seriously, when do people step in on this ****? Like, is there a federal board of education that can step in when a state starts blatantly mistreating the truth and say "that's enough, you will teach the students in a way that is factually correct"? If not, WHY THE HELL NOT?

.__________.

There is a federal board of education. However the board mandates only things on a very broad scale. For example, students must take a U.S. History course and stuff like that. They don't really delve into things such as censorship, they leave that to the states' discretion.

Rephrasing: Texas is really making me uncomfortable living here. As much as it hurts to say that.

 

[KrazyGlue]

God dammit texas. God dammit.

My first thoughts exactly when I read the article.

It took two and a half eternities, but we very recently were given the ability to upload our own content and stuff like that. An ability we had before MLG took over so I'm not sure why we ceased to have it, but that's of course neither here nor there.

We aren't the only subgroup waiting to "get ours". Hopefully ours will be coming along shortly, as it's not all that complex or customized -- member of the group = can have scale.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for the update EE!

 

[#HBC | Acrostic]

Anyone remember this piece of news from four years ago on purchasing "alternative use" textbooks?

Bill Crozier, a Union City Republican going against incumbent Democrat Sandy Garrett, said he believes old textbooks could be used to stop bullets shot from weapons wielded by school intruders. If elected, he said he would put thick used textbooks under every desk for students to use in self-defense.

 

[KrazyGlue]

Anyone remember this piece of news from four years ago on purchasing "alternative use" textbooks?

LOL. It almost sound like some Saturday Night Live skit.

Well, at least he's got student safety at the top of his priority list, and you can't take that away from him!

 

[#HBC | Dark Horse]

@acrostic

Why didn't that guy become president, I would finally have a reason to hit people with the dictionary...

 

[Lore]

Bill Crozier, a Union City Republican going against incumbent Democrat Sandy Garrett, said he believes old textbooks could be used to stop bullets shot from weapons wielded by school intruders. If elected, he said he would put thick used textbooks under every desk for students to use in self-defense.

This is a great idea! A large book can definitely protect every single part of someone's body from a close-range blast from a shotgun or a pistol! I bet it can even protect people from pipe bombs like the ones used in the Columbine shootings!

I'm sure that everyone can instantly put up a book to their face before a shooter unexpectedly shoots his/her gun! All they have to do is use their spidey-senses!

School shootings are not common enough to warrant something like this, and like I sarcastically implied, they wouldn't be effective anyway.

 

[Namaste]

Did you guys see the recent videos of Christine O'Donnel in the 1990s talking about going on a date with a witch, practicing witchcraft, and being by a blood covered satanic altar?

Hurray Tea party

 

[KrazyGlue]

I believe this is the video Namaste was talking about (correct me if I'm wrong): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iWRw3oZdg4

 

[Namaste]

I believe this is the video Namaste was talking about (correct me if I'm wrong): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iWRw3oZdg4

Honestly that persuaded me, I always thought Hermione would be a good senator

 

[#HBC | Dark Horse]

First youtube comment on that vid:

"****ing republicans"

 

[Bob Jane T-Mart]

This is a great idea! A large book can definitely protect every single part of someone's body from a close-range blast from a shotgun or a pistol! I bet it can even protect people from pipe bombs like the ones used in the Columbine shootings!

I'm sure that everyone can instantly put up a book to their face before a shooter unexpectedly shoots his/her gun! All they have to do is use their spidey-senses!

School shootings are not common enough to warrant something like this, and like I sarcastically implied, they wouldn't be effective anyway.

You'd be better off making bullet-resistant armour part of the school uniform. At least that way, the kids get plenty of exercise (it's pretty heavy), and it'll protect them from knives and bullets, depending on what grade you get them.

 

[Aesir]

Democrats are gonna lose the House, and barely hold onto the senate.

You heard it here first.

 

[Lore]

You'd be better off making bullet-resistant armour part of the school uniform. At least that way, the kids get plenty of exercise (it's pretty heavy), and it'll protect them from knives and bullets, depending on what grade you get them.

The sad thing is that that idea is more reasonable than the "old books shall protect us!" plan. XD

Democrats are gonna lose the House and the senate.

You heard it from Glenn Beck and all the other conservatives first.

There we go, now it's right. :/

I really don't want the dems to lose everything, but since so many people hate health care for some reason, I think that they're going to get the boot.

They might hold on to the Senate, but it really depends on what kind of lead they already have. What are the current numbers?

 

[Namaste]

Democrats are gonna lose the House, and barely hold onto the senate.

You heard it here first.

Nah I actually heard it here first (http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/)

 

[Budget Player Cadet_]

USA = ****ed.

One party is actively trying to sabotage the country, and will do everything in its power to do so.
One party is half apathetic, and the other half is being blocked by the party trying to sabotage the country.

 

[Aesir]

They're not gonna lose the senate, to many dumb tea party folk have republican nominations. Republicans went from winning the Delaware seat to completely losing it.

 

[Reaver197]

We really need more than two viable political parties in this country.

 

[Lore]

USA = ****ed.

One party is actively trying to sabotage the country, and will do everything in its power to do so.
One party is half apathetic, and the other half is being blocked by the party trying to sabotage the country.

Unfortunately, this is true.

I almost feel like sigging that.

We really need more than two viable political parties in this country.

Agreed. This whole situation is just one of the many problems of what is essentially a two-party system. :/

 

[KrazyGlue]

We really need more than two viable political parties in this country.

Agreed. But most Americans are too ignorant to realize that not every independent party is some insane fundamentalist fringe group that deserves no attention.

 

[thegreatkazoo]

We really need more than two viable political parties in this country.

So this.

Or, we need to have shades that aren't just of the right wing.

Democrats: Center right.

Repubs: Right right.

Tea Party: Fascist right. J/k.

 

[Namaste]

Can't work in the way our elections go. If only the winner gets elected then there's no real way a third party can work it's way in. Even in most countries with multiple parties they're dominated by two.

 

[Evil Eye]

Can't work in the way our elections go. If only the winner gets elected then there's no real way a third party can work it's way in. Even in most countries with multiple parties they're dominated by two.

Yep. It's only the Conservatives or the Liberals up here in Canada despite us having four major parties and a fifth one in its infancy.

Even when the Liberals were blatantly corrupt and exposed as the thieves of unbelievable amounts of money, people would vote them just to vote against the Conservatives. Rather than vote for the NDP or something.

That's how much of an essential two party system it is up here.

 

[KrazyGlue]

Wow, that sound really bleak and disappointing.

Maybe an interesting question to consider is "What can we do to lower the dependence on the two party systems?"

 

[rvkevin]

"What can we do to lower the dependence on the two party systems?"

Allow people to vote for more than one party. Many people don't vote for 3rd parties because they don't have a realistic chance of winning. If you allow them to vote for more than one party, they can vote for the main party that they prefer as well as the third party. This would give us a more representative look at how viable the 3rd parties are.

You then have the option of giving those votes different weights. For example, the person will rank their preference and additional weight will be given to the first. If they vote 1. 3rd Party, 2. Democrat, then you can count it as two votes for the 3rd party and one vote for the Democratic party. With this system, people can still only vote for one party without any loss; in this scenario, a single vote would count as two, equivalent to the first ranked vote of someone who voted for more than one party.

 

[Aesir]

Electoral reform.

I made a thread on it. srsly guyz

 

[KrazyGlue]

Allow people to vote for more than one party. Many people don't vote for 3rd parties because they don't have a realistic chance of winning. If you allow them to vote for more than one party, they can vote for the main party that they prefer as well as the third party. This would give us a more representative look at how viable the 3rd parties are.

You then have the option of giving those votes different weights. For example, the person will rank their preference and additional weight will be given to the first. If they vote 1. 3rd Party, 2. Democrat, then you can count it as two votes for the 3rd party and one vote for the Democratic party. With this system, people can still only vote for one party without any loss; in this scenario, a single vote would count as two, equivalent to the first ranked vote of someone who voted for more than one party.

Right, I think a system similar to the one you're describing would be good.

Electoral reform.

I made a thread on it. srsly guyz

Yeah, I remember that.

 

[Aesir]

Popular elections with instant run off voting would be nice.

I would say a parliamentary system would be great for the US but, on second thought the presidential system is the best way to run a government. Considering how much misinformation there is out there.

 

[Budget Player Cadet_]

So this.

Or, we need to have shades that aren't just of the right wing.

Democrats: Center right.

Repubs: Fat cat right.

Tea Party: Fascist right.

Fix'd
10fixd

 

[Deleted member]

Yep. It's only the Conservatives or the Liberals up here in Canada despite us having four major parties and a fifth one in its infancy.

Even when the Liberals were blatantly corrupt and exposed as the thieves of unbelievable amounts of money, people would vote them just to vote against the Conservatives. Rather than vote for the NDP or something.

That's how much of an essential two party system it is up here.

What? You're crazy. The Bloq has a large share of seats, and the both the Bloq and NDP were crucial in gaining a minority government. Green is also looking more viable.

 

[manhunter098]

Popular elections with instant run off voting would be nice.

I would say a parliamentary system would be great for the US but, on second thought the presidential system is the best way to run a government. Considering how much misinformation there is out there.

IRV (in the case of the house of reps) with just one district, the state. As long as we have districts like we do it is going to favor the major parties. Duvergers Law has a little bit to say on this, though it isn't an always the case kind of law.

 

[Budget Player Cadet_]

So guys. I just finished reading "Brave New World" and I can say with no shred of doubt in my mind that I see that world as completely utopic. Why it's supposed to be a warning, I can't fathom.

 

[Evil Eye]

What? You're crazy. The Bloq has a large share of seats, and the both the Bloq and NDP were crucial in gaining a minority government. Green is also looking more viable.

You misunderstand. What I meant is that Canada's multi-party system is functional in terms of more layered representation, but if you as a voter want the NDP or even the Bloc to govern the nation from the top, you're SOL.

And yeah, the Green Party might start mattering... in about sixty years.

 

[Crimson King]

USA = ****ed.

One party is actively trying to sabotage the country, and will do everything in its power to do so.
One party is half apathetic, and the other half is being blocked by the party trying to sabotage the country.

You act like Democrats are doing anything other than pushing plans that will get them re-elected.

Career politicians are what is wrong with the system. As long as someone can possibly not be re-elected, they will never do anything drastic.