BabagaNewz Message Boards With Friends Like These... (2 messages) Last Posting: Presidential candidates Senators Barack Obama and John McCain have each had an association with a spiritual leader that has caused political trouble. How should Obama’s and McCain’s associations with Wright and Hagee affect how we judge the candidates? Lethal Injection (5 messages) Last Posting: 09/24/08 Read the news story and sound off! Should the three-drug cocktail be outlawed in the United States? Mideast Peace Talks (2 messages) Last Posting: What do you think about the Mideast peace process? Read the news story, watch the news flash, and sound off. Body Worlds exhibit (2 messages) Last Posting: 07/30/08 Read the news story here and sound off. Is "Body Worlds" a valuable educational tool or a violation of human dignity? Shemittah (3 messages) Last Posting: 12/19/07 Read the news story here and sound off. Is Rabbi Kook’s lenient approach to shemittah applicable today? Facebook (6 messages) Last Posting: 06/12/08 Can moral sanctions be effective in business today? Free Speech (18 messages) Last Posting: Frederick challenged the limits of free speech rights in schools. How would you apply marit ayin to Frederick's behavior? Global Warming (26 messages) Last Posting: 05/29/08 Two choices dominate public policy discussions: mitigate (reduce) CO2 emissions, or adapt to environmental consequences. Governments usually favor one and devote more resources to it. What choice should the U.S. make about global warming? Support your opinion with Jewish values. Time for an Oil Change? (19 messages) Last Posting: New York City recently banned the use of trans fats in restaurants, after years of research showed that trans fats cause up to 100,000 extra coronary deaths per year. What do you think? Should trans fats be banned from restaurants? Dress Codes; Pro or Con? (69 messages) Last Posting: Do you think that school dress codes are reasonable or ridiculous? What fashion rules does your school enforce? Ethics of Donating Human Organs (23 messages) Last Posting: 08/09/08 Should donors be paid for their organs? Does this payment destory the sanctity of human life? Implanted Devices Stir Debate (4 messages) Last Posting: 09/29/07 When, if ever, should RFID tags be implanted in humans? Celebrating Jewish Heritage (13 messages) Last Posting: 08/30/07 How do you draw upon your Judaism for strength? How do you celebrate your Jewish heritage? Jonathan Pollard (20 messages) Last Posting: 11/11/07 Did you read the news article about Jonathan Pollard, the American Jew who is serving a life sentence for spying for Israel? You can read it here. Do you think that pidyon shvuyim (the obligation to redeem captives) applies to Pollard? Internet Parental Controls (60 messages) Last Posting: 09/24/08 Do your parents monitor your Internet activities or use software to prevent you from visiting certain sites? Do you think they should? Or should parents trust their kids to do the right thing online? Immigration Debate (17 messages) Last Posting: 06/18/08 Did you watch the video newscast about the immigration debate? Do you support strict measures to capture and deport illegal immigrants or a temporary worker program that makes a path towards citizenship? Sound off here! Cartoon Intifada (87 messages) Last Posting: 09/24/08 In September 2005, 12 caricatures of Muhammad, Islam's holiest prophet, were published in a Danish newspaper, setting off a firestorm of controversy. Should the Jewish concept of l'toelet (speaking negatively for a productive purpose) be applied to the cartoon controversy because the cartoons convey the truthful message that radical Islamic terrorists want to destroy the U.S. and Israel? Or are the cartoons lashon hara (negative speech) because they are offensive to Muslims? Special Board >> Abby Mudd (61 messages) Last Posting: 11/09/07 Do you have questions or comments for Abby Mudd, the "Kid Power" kid who stood up to antisemitism in her school? Read about Abby Mudd here. Post your message to Abby and she will try to write back to you. Check back often for more posts and replies! ID - Intelligent Design (7 messages) Last Posting: 03/20/07 How can a single religious tradition support both evolution and Intelligent Design (ID)? (To see the Bobby GaNewz news video on this subject, click here. Protecting Anonymous Sources (9 messages) Last Posting: 10/15/06 Would a federal shield law (shielding reporters and their confidential sources) protect or harm the nation? The Other Side of the Story (16 messages) Last Posting: 12/26/07 It is often said that there are two sides to every story. The problem is, sometimes people only see the side they want to see. Was your side of the story ever hard for others to see? Share your stories here. Military Recruiting (26 messages) Last Posting: 06/05/07 Should military recruiters have access to students' private information? (For more information, click here.) Sports Salaries (48 messages) Last Posting: 10/07/07 Are professional athletes overpaid? Gaza Disengagement (62 messages) Last Posting: 07/20/07 Do you think that Israel's disengagement from Gaza is a good thing? Will it bring peace? Will it compromise Israel's security? Obesity (66 messages) Last Posting: 12/07/07 In 2002, two obese sisters filed a lawsuit against McDonald's, claiming that the restaurant chain served them unhealthy food, causing them to gain weight and develop serious medical problems. Some argue that it is McDonald's duty to inform the public about the potential ill-health effects of eating its food. Others say that we must assume personal responsibility; we all have free will and must decide for ourselves what we eat. While Jewish tradition supports the concept of personal responsibility, there is also the Biblical principle of lifnei iver, which requires more than just telling the truth. It prohibits selling something that is harmful. What do you think? Does the principle of lifnei iver extend to this case, even though eating fast food in moderation is safe? Barry Bonds and Steroids (29 messages) Last Posting: 06/18/08 Do you believe Barry Bonds knowingly used steroids? If so, what has he stolen from his fans, his fellow athletes, and history? Ten Commandments (27 messages) Last Posting: Is the Ten Commandments monument a threat to religious liberty or a symbol that might inspire citizens to embrace their own religious values? (For more information, click here.) National Poetry Month (124 messages) Last Posting: 12/25/07 April is National Poetry Month! Please use this message board to share any poems you have written. Falash Mura of Ethiopia (23 messages) Last Posting: 09/16/07 Do you think that the Falash Mura of Ethiopia should be allowed to make aliyah to Israel? Do you think that the cost of absorbing them into Israeli society should be a factor in that decision? (For more information, click here.) Environmental Footprint (5 messages) Last Posting: 11/16/06 After you use the environmental footprint calculator in the Activities section of Baba's Vault, tell us how you did! Do you use a lot of resources or not that many? To see the calculator, click here. Genetically Modified Organisms (17 messages) Last Posting: 11/16/06 Do you think that the benefits of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) outweigh the risks? Do you think genetically modified foods sold in stores should be labeled? Cosmetic Surgery (62 messages) Last Posting: 12/03/07 Many teens consider plastic surgery as a way to make themselves feel more beautiful. Judaism recognizes that physical beauty is appealing, but also encourages us to recognize that we have been created in the image of God, with the variety of human appearances all being a reflection of the Creator. Do you think that cosmetic surgery is ever appropriate? Labor Outsourcing (13 messages) Last Posting: 11/16/06 Do today’s circumstances warrant applying hasagat g’vul to the outsourcing dilemma? The Gaza Dilemma (30 messages) Last Posting: 10/13/07 Do you think that Prime Minister Sharon's plan to evacuate all Jews from the Gaza Strip will advance the peace process OR will it threaten Israel's security? The Coolest Coaster Ever (27 messages) Last Posting: 07/30/08 What was the coolest roller coaster you ever rode? Was it scary, fun or both? What made it the best? Summer Sports (47 messages) Last Posting: 03/24/08 What are your favorite summer sports? What are you doing this summer? (45 messages) Last Posting: 05/27/08 Do you have plans for the summer? Are you going on a trip, to camp or taking on a special project? Israel's Security Fence (15 messages) Last Posting: 11/16/06 What do you think about Israel's security fence? Does it inspire more hope for peace in the future or present a new obstacle to peace? Jokes Jokes Jokes (262 messages) Last Posting: 06/25/08 Are you funny? Post your jokes and riddles! Tell Us Your Mitzvah Projects (46 messages) Last Posting: 12/02/07 Have you done any mitzvah projects lately? Tell us how you helped make the world a better place! Commemorating September 11th (50 messages) Last Posting: 09/21/07 How are you commemorating the anniversary of the tragedies that occurred on September 11? Share your thoughts and read what others are doing.