Debate.org | RoyLatham

RoyLatham

62-year old male in Fremont, California, United States.

Online:	Right Now	Name:	Roy Latham
Updated:	2 Months Ago	Gender:	Male
Joined:	1 Year Ago	Birthday:	- Private -
President:	John McCain (R)	Email:	- Private -
Ideology:	Conservative	Education:	Graduate Degree
Party:	Not Saying	Ethnicity:	Not Saying
Relationship:	Married	Income:	Not Saying
Interested:	- Private -	Occupation:	Self-Employed
Looking:	- Private -	Religion:	Atheist

About Me:	I am an engineer in Silicon Valley. My career has been in aircraft navigation and in computer graphics, including graphics for flight simulators. My degrees are in Aero & Astro, Electrical Engineering, Applied Math & Statistics, and Computer Science.
Activities:	Photography, being one of the world's oldest anime fans, travel, blogging. Recently I have been trying to learn how to do video.
Beliefs:	Many. Gravity and the laws of thermodynamics are high on the list.
Books:	This is a tough one. I have lots of favorites. "Good Cheap Food" by Miriam Ungerer "Mark Twain and Hawaii" by Walter Frear Recently, Ian Plimer's book on global warming, "Heaven and Earth." Not books, but I like the DVD lectures put out by "The Teaching Company," for example the one on "The Dark Side of the Universe," which is about the physics of dark matter and dark energy.
Movies:	Blazing Saddles, Kung Fu Hustle, Star Wars VI. Inexplicably, anime does not have a category of its own here. Some of my favorites are Haibane Renmei, Rurouni Kenshin, Kino's Journey, Witch Hunter Robin, Chobits, and Mahoromatic.
Music:	Hawaiian: Israel Kamakawewo'ole, Darlene Ahuna, Willie K, Amy Gilliiom; some J-Pop; Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi
Quotes:	"I'm not afraid to die," I said. "I'm not afraid to live. I'm not afraid to fail. I'm not afraid to succeed. I'm not afraid to fall in love. I'm not afraid to be alone. I'm just afraid I might have to stop talking about myself for five minutes." -- Kinky Friedman; "If there are no cigars in heaven, I won't go." --Mark Twain "An idealist is one who, on noticing that roses smell better than a cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup. " - H.L. Mencken
Sports Teams:	none, no interest
TV Shows:	I've gotten to like some of the recent "on-the-job reality" series like "Deadliest Catch." I watch a lot of C-SPAN and the cable news channels. Old favorites: Monty Python's Flying Circus; Have Gun, Will Travel; The Red Green Show; Police Squad

Websites:	Roy's Facebook Roy's photo blog: Quick Shot Artist Roy's political blog: Facts Plus Logic

College:	Santa Clara University, Graduate Class of 1983 Santa Clara, California, United States Stony Brook University, Graduate Class of 1974 Stony Brook, New York, United States Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Undergraduate Class of 1969 Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

85 Debates

Debate should be considered a recreational activity, rather than educational

There is alot of dispute on whether debate in itself should be considered educational rather than recreational. I will be arguing on the PRO side of this debate. DEFINITIONS Recreational: 1. Refreshment by means of some pastime, agreeable exercise, or the like. 2. A pastime, diversion, exercise, or other resource affording relaxation and enjoyment. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Recreational Educational: 1. Pertaining to education. 2. Tending or intended to educate, in...

Voting Period

9 Comments

Updated 1 Week Ago

WTC 7 was a controlled demolition

I am here to scientifically prove the world trade center seven was a controlled demolition. Here are the forces that destroy buildings; Fires Controlled demolition earthquake or an explosion http://www.ae911truth.org/ppt_web/2hour/slideshow.php?i=25 A typical controlled demolition has several characteristics 1. A sudden onset of destruction at base of structure 2. strait down, symmetrical collapse into footprint 3. Demolition waves remove column support 4. Free-fall speed...

Voting Period

82 Comments

Updated 1 Week Ago

Health insurance profits are not a major part of health care costs in the U.S.

Advocates of increased government involvement in health care frequently cite the profits of private health care providers as a major part of the costs of health care. An example of the criticism is that of Representative Anthony Weiner (D-NY), speaking on the Rachel Maddow show, who said, speaking of proposed legislation that would heavily tax the health insurance industry: "Well, the one behavioral change we are clearly not going to see is the insurance companies aren't going to suddenly...

Voting Period

9 Comments

Updated 2 Weeks Ago

Resolved: All but the nihilist shares an operative form of faith.

Faith is a decision to act as if something were true. Faith accepts its subject's existence as an axiom. Faith holds essential truths to be self-evident. Faith is fiat of the will. The axiom accepted by Christians is that God exists, loves us and has accepted us as part of His exquisite designs. If this is true, faith in humanities' importance logically matters. How we treat each other matters. The difficult part is accepting as axiomatic that a loving God exists. Many atheists call this acc...

Voting Period

25 Comments

Updated 3 Weeks Ago

Enterprising young Americans should prepare to leave.

Definitions In this debate, by "prepare to leave" I mean take positive steps that would support temporary emigration to another country. These might include learning a foreign language, studying the customs and laws of another country, spending a year or s summer in another country, following foreign blogs and online news sources, and in general contemplating the ramifications of a move. By "enterprising" I mean, "desirous of substantial accomplishment." That includes making a fortune, but it...

Voting Period

2 Comments

Updated 3 Weeks Ago

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Debate Statistics
Debates:	85
Lost:	10
Tied:	1
Won:	74
Win Ratio:	88.10%
Percentile:	99.68%

Statistics based on completed debates.

88 Friends

wjmelement	Chrysippus	I-am-a-pan
tBoonePick	dogparktom	crackofdaw

1 Album

Spliced Panoramas

Updated 8 Months Ago

The BIG Issues
This list identifies where RoyLatham stands on popular issues. The choices are limited to the following:

N/O - No Opinion
N/S - Not Saying
Und - Undecided
Con - Against
Pro - In Favor

If you are logged in, you will also see green or red bullets next to each issue, which indicate whether you agree or disagree with RoyLatham on that particular issue.

You can also click each issue to find other members that agree with RoyLatham's position on the issue.

Disagree: 0.00%

Agree: 0.00%

•	Abortion	ProComments Pro-choice for first term abortions, opposed to second and third term unless the life of the mother is threatened.
•	Affirmative Action	ConComments Per Justice roberts: "The way to end discrimination in the United States is to end discrimination."
•	Border Fence	ProComments Most useful in preventing truck traffic, but generally discourages illegal immigration.
•	Campaign Finance Reform	ConComments Spending restrictions are contrary to free speech, but there should be more disclosure of contribution sources.
•	Civil Unions	ProComments Provide equal rights without use of the word "marriage," Same position as Obama, Bush.
•	Death Penalty	ProComments The death penalty is required to restore an overall sense of justice. For the death penality, a higher standard of certainty should be required.
•	Drug Legalization	UndComments Depends what drug. Isn't that obvious?
•	Environmental Protection	ProComments Sure, protect the environment. It shouldn't be absolute, however, as reasonable tradeoffs are required.
•	Estate Tax	ConComments The main effect is to require family businesses to be liquidated. Ordinary rich people avoid the tax,
•	Euthanasia	ConComments It is too subject to abuse by greedy heirs who would urge elders to depart. Might craft an exception for painful illness.
•	Flag Burning	ConComments It should be legal, but people shouldn't do it. Is that for or against?
•	Flat Tax	ProComments Generally favorable to the idea, but it seems there are problems with having absolutely no deductions.
•	Gay Marriage	ConComments Civil unions should convey all rights, but not use of the word "marriage."
•	Global Warming Exists	ProComments Global warming exists, but most of the cause is natural.
•	Gun Rights	ProComments Even the Supreme court seems to have figured out that the 2nd Amendment means what it says. Self-defense must be allowed because the government cannot guarantee protection.
•	Labor Unions	ProComments Yes on the right to form or join a union, no on being compelled to.
•	Late Term Abortion	Con
•	Medicaid & Medicare	ProComments It's fair to force people to save for their retirement expenses, but government run health care is disastrously inefficient.
•	Medical Marijuana	ProComments OK if prescribed by a real physician, not the California self-proclaimed healthcare provider.
•	Minimum Wage	ConComments Encourages replacing jobs with automation; the government should provide welfare, not employers.
•	Missile Defense System	Pro
•	NAFTA	ProComments Free trade is always beneficial.
•	National Health Care	ConComments Government healthcare is too inefficient. Provide welfare to the poor to allow purchase of care.
•	National Retail Sales Tax	ProComments Taxes on consumption encourage savings, but not just one more tax on top of all the others.
•	Patriotism	ProComments Patriotism is caring about the future of your country and wanting it to succeed.
•	PETA	ConComments They are nuts; join People Eating Tasty Animals.
•	Police Profiling	Con
•	President George W. Bush	UndComments He seems a mixed bag. Bad on spending, good on protecting the country from terrorist attacks. It's too soon to judge Iraq.
•	Progressive Tax	ConComments Flat tax is better. Depends somewhat on the nature of the whole tax system.
•	School Vouchers	ProComments Great idea for improving the quality of education, lowering cost, and increasing parental choice.
•	Social Programs	ProComments There should be a minimum social safety net.
•	Social Security	ProComments Forced savings for retirement is fine, but the welfare aspects should be separated and funded by general revenues.
•	Term Limits	ConComments The problem with term limits is that it puts more power in the hands of unelected bureaucrats who become the only ones who know how to work the system.
•	Tobacco Rights	ProComments People should have the right to make dangerous choices.
•	United Nations	ConComments For some aspects and against others. It is good for passing out aid to the Third World, but is corrupt and accomplishes little else.
•	United States	Pro
•	War in Afghanistan	ProComments It's better to fight terrorism overseas than at home.
•	War in Iran	UndComments There isn't any war in Iran, so the question is nonsensical. Action should be taken to prevent them from acquiring nuclear weapons, if that what the question is.
•	War in Iraq	UndComments If it sparks democracy in the Arab world it will have been worthwhile. It's too soon to tell.
•	War on Terrorism	ProComments Terrorists are not going to be charmed out of it. It's a war.
•	Water Boarding	ProComments Appropriate for "ticking time bomb" situations. Should be authorized case-by-case by the President, or perhaps an independent judiciary.
•	Welfare	ProComments Limited to a minimum social safety net. Negative income tax is a good idea.
•	World Trade Organization	ProComments A mixed bag, but more positive than negative.