Bigthink - User Ideas Feed

What businesses are at risk?

Bigthink — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:31:50 +0100

: In the very recent past, there has been quite a few companies filing for bankruptcy or have taken over by a former rival. What businesses are at risk? Will many restaurants go out of business because people have less money to spend? Hotels? Airlines? It hasn't been too long since Sharper Image closed their retail stores. Are other retail stores in danger?

Re: Issues in the gay community

Bigthink — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:48:59 +0100

We need to realize that the different communities within the LGBT communities are interwoven. Rules and laws that effect transgender people also have an effect on gay males, lesbians, and any other community.

If a city or state passes a law restricting discrimination in the workplace and housing based on sexual orientation - that can be limited to employer, landlords, and mortgage lenders cannot ask a person if they are gay, straight, or bisexual. That does not mean that the prospective employer, landlord, or lender can make assumptions on how an individual talks, dresses, or behaves. So, if an effeminate gay man applies for a job and doesn't get it, there is the potential that that person does not get the job because of the way this hypothetical man behaves, not because he is gay.

Is it possible to be a spiritual person and be either agnostic or an athiest?

Bigthink — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:58:10 +0100

: Some people believe that spirituality is exclusively in the realm of religious beliefs. Others feel that one can be spiritual and not believe in some deity or deities.

President Obama?

Bigthink — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:47:38 +0100

: What changes do you think could happen if Barack Obama is elected President? Will this improve race relations? Will the US focus more on Afghanistan than Iraq? Will relations with the United Nations and the rest of the world be better or worse?

Re: Rating Democrats and Republicans on LGBT Issues

Bigthink — Mon, 19 May 2008 08:15:41 +0100

: I am glad that several of the Democratic candidates were willing to go on LOGO earlier this year to discuss LGBT issues, but there are aspects of the LGBT community that many people within the community do not want to either discuss or understand. This is often more true in regards to the transgender community and the unique challenges we present - especially when trying to define lives that do not conform to the traditional male and female roles. The people who need the most legal protections are not those people who look and act "straight" - they are the people who, for whatever reasons, live outside what most might believe is the "norm".

Re: Untying the Gay Marriage Knot

Bigthink — Mon, 19 May 2008 06:57:36 +0100

: I don't know how accurate the statistics are, but the Rabbi is correct - we should not let these issues divide our society as much as we do. "Gay" or "same-sex" marriage does not lessen heterosexual marriage - it should elevate marriage as a desired expression of love between two adults, regardless of genitals.

Is this a fundamental problem with American Government?

Bigthink — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:23:17 +0100

Many people who work for the federal government of the United States earn little to nothing (interns) as far as a salary. For example, for my Congressman has staff members who make less than US$20,000 per year. I don't know how easy it would be to live in Washington, D.C. on an income that is that low.

For someone to be a summer intern, for example, that person needs to have the financial support of his or her family. Many working people do not earn enough money to support a child spending the summer in Washington, D.C., even if it is for educational credits. The same would be true for students working their way through college.

So, the people who are able to intern for members of the Senate and the House have to come from relatively well-off families. The same is most likely true for those people working as legislative aides for relatively low pay.

It seems that this prevents people from lower economic levels from getting into the staff positions in the federal government.

Also, with the people who are helping members of the Senate and House determine policies making so little money, it seems, at least to me, these people might be more easily to lobbyist efforts. A lobbyist taking a legislative aide to lunch at a nicer restaurant (at least a restaurant that doesn't frequent ask if you want fries with that?) is going to have some influence.

U.S. Voting

Bigthink — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:21:26 +0100

: After the controversies of the 2000 and 2004 presidential election, do you have faith in the accuracy of the American voting process?

Paper or plastic?

Bigthink — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:37:20 +0100

: Why do we use so much plastic?

The Privatization of Government Services

Bigthink — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:47:52 +0100

: Is the privatization of government services a good idea? I recently tried to order something online from the Smithsonian Museums and it is currently not possible because their vendor closed without notice.

Is a sense of humor vital to life?

Bigthink — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:19:58 +0100

One of the things that I have to remind myself every so often is that life is to be serious to be taken that way. Laughter has been shown to have health benefits.

Where do you find humor in your daily life?

Re: Will war between nations ever end?

Bigthink — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:11:40 +0100

: As long as there is inequality in access to resources, there will be war. As long as someone feels that he or she deserves better than others and is willing to force the issue, there will be war.

Are we living up to Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address"

Bigthink — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:55:30 +0100

Abraham Lincoln finished his "Gettysburg Address" with the following:

"- that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

How well is the United States living up to Lincoln's statement?

Will Iraq cause major changes to the United States?

Bigthink — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:20:32 +0100

: We appear to be in this open-ended war in Iraq and depending on who is elected President, we could have troops there for years, if not decades. Since we also have troops in Afghanistan, I'm reminded of what happened to the Soviet Union after spending a large amount of money in Afghanistan. Does the United States face something similar by remaining in Iraq with borrowing money from other nations (i.e., China) and by not having a set goal that equates victory?

Hate Crimes

Bigthink — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 07:55:50 +0100

: In certain cases, acts of violence can be considered "Hate Crimes" depending on where the violent act occurs and who is the victim of the violent act. Usually Hate Crimes have an additional penalty, such as additional time to the sentence. Is this a good idea?

The United States and the Metric System

Bigthink — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:56:08 +0100

: Why is the United States just about the only nation that hasn't converted to the metric system?

War on Drugs

Bigthink — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 06:58:44 +0100

: Before the War on Terror, there was/is the war on drugs. Are we winning or losing? Are we even fighting the war fairly? Are whites treated differently than racial minorities? Wealthy treated differently than the poor? Celebrities treated better than the average person?

Stray Animals

Bigthink — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:58:50 +0100

Animal shelters often have to kill animals because they were considered "stray pets". I know that this might be considered a horrible idea, but why don't zoos use those animals that are about to be killed to feed zoo animals? I know that for some animals are fed live animals, such as mice or rats. Wouldn't large cats, hyenas, wolves, etc. prefer a fresh kill, which allows these animals a chance to respond to their natural instincts?

I saw something recently about obesity in zoo animals because they don't get enough exercise. One zoo (possibly more) is weighing the amount of food for each animal. If a large cat has enough room, wouldn't it be more beneficial for the animal to chase and attack a meal instead of throwing hunks of meat?

4000 U.S. Soldiers have now died in Iraq.

Bigthink — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:34:28 +0100

: Does this "milestone" make any difference?

News Broadcasts

Bigthink — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:08:05 +0100

This is by no means scientific, but here were the news stories reported on MSNBC from 11:00am Central. I'm not tracking the scrolling news at the bottom of the screen or the length of time devoted to the story.

Detroit mayor about to have a press conference regarding indictments
Condos under construction in Los Angeles on fire
James Carville referring to NM Governor Richardson as Judas
Sen. Clinton unveils a 4-point plan to help homeowners
L.A. Condo fire
4000 Combat dead in Iraq
Iowa manhunt for suspected multiple murderer (woman and 4 children)
Detroit mayor pending press conference
{Commercial break 11:14CT-11:17CT}
Detroit Mayor charges
L.A. Condo fire
Presidential candidate passport scandal
Housing market stats
Detroit mayor scandal
{Commercial break 11:20CT-11:23CT}
L.A. Condo fire
Warning issued by Ayman al-Zawahiri (al Qaeda)
6 Iraq War protesters arrested during Easter mass in Chicago
Detroit mayor still expected to give a press conference
{Commercial break 11:26CT-11:29CT}
Iraq War milestone of 4000 deaths, 29,451 wounded
NM Gov. Richardson called "Judas", Bill Clinton compared to "Sen. Joe McCarthy" - Democrat infighting
L.A. Condo fire
{Commercial break 11:37CT-11:40CT}
L.A. Condo fire
Weather (flooding)
Clinton plan to help homeowners
Detroit mayor scandal
{Commercial break 11:48CT-11:51CT}
Detroit mayor (Attorney speaking)

If someone were to look at this, it would appear that the biggest news stories are the Detroit mayor and a fire in Los Angeles. Please feel free to comment.