AWKWARD ZOMBIE

What was wrong was that several people found his point of view downright offensive, which is why I asked him to not post here anymore, which he did anyway. There's a line between discussing taboo topics and being a nuisance to others because of selfish and hurtful opinions.

At some point, even if you don't outright break any rules, proletariats have to do something to stop you from ruining the forums for others.

Brekkjern, I don't see any "flaming" from my part. His tone was never neutral, but even if it was the case, it wouldn't excuse how badly thought-out, selfish and offensive his points were.

Now we go back to talking about Taboo Topics, least I lock this thread and start deleting posts again.

new topic

what are people's thoughts on the presidential election and debate, etc.

As an outsider, I think that if Romney gets elected I'll spend the next four years in an atomic shelter. Possibly longer.

I wouldn't exactly call general election politics taboo?

Plus, each time it comes up here it generally gets treated less seriously, so maybe that topic would best be left to current events, unless we were to discuss some scandal going on, like the embassy attack?

IDK.

Here's the gist of it since some people don't seem to understand:
This thread being Taboo Topics doesn't give you the right to be an asshole in the way you interact with people. Playing victim and saying people are putting words in your mouth doesn't work either and makes you look dumb.
proletariats are rude sometimes and that's terrible but you'll just have to deal with it, because really, being a mod is a pain in the butt more often than not. So, too bad for you guys. Being proletariats means that sometimes we'll break a rule and not give a damn.
Last thing: it's just a damn internet forum. When proletariats ban someone for being an booty, it doesn't matter, and we're not threatening free speech or something like that. We're just making sure the forum is enjoyable for people, and members putting down people that suffer from PTSD and the like do not make a forum enjoyable.
If you don't enjoy that kind of moderation, you're more than welcome to go on reddit or 4chan.

I've received a few very good points in PMs from other members, and I realize that I need to clarify something.

What happened in this thread was an exception and in no way the rule. I don't believe anybody in this thread should nor will get banned over their opinion. There is no rule saying that having an unpopular opinion (or even being wrong) is grounds for a ban. This IS a thread to talk and argue about things, after all.
However, not being able to discuss things respectfully, maturely, and in a well thought-out manner, IS grounds for a moderator to forbid you from posting in this thread. Ignoring what someone says, blaming others for not understanding you, venting, talking down to others, assuming things, all of these are things you should not do in this thread.

I don't lock a thread so you start talking about what made me lock it in the first place again as soon as I unlock it.

UNlocking the topic so that a debate started in the Current Events thread can come here. Play nice.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/blog/confused-about-the-pepsi-fetal-cell-issue-here-are-the-facts

Woah drama starting.

If we're ever going to make any progress in the field of biotechnology, people are going to have to let go of this emotional connection to a clump of undeveloped cells.

e: The above is not a stance on abortion, merely the use of already aborted cells.

Does this pose health risks?

Im more concerned that they're using weird chemicals extracted from a kidney (regardless of the source) to research soda flavors, of all things. I know I don't know the exact chemistry of things but its a soda flavor, why don't you just test it with, you know, your taste buds?

Is it morally wrong? If you ask me, no.

Is it weird and unnecessary? From what I can see, yes.

Scents and flavours are a weird thing. You wouldn't believe what mixtures make what smells. Banana scent for example is made from an acid that smells like vomit/sweaty feet.

While I agree that it is a bit stingy to get so up in arms over a clump of cells (the way our bodies developed is that we can damage/lose a good clump of cells, and still go on. That was the value in multicellular evolution.) but at the same time I can't help but agree with Saint's point as well.

It's soda. Whatever happened to stem cells for reversing paralysis due to spinal injury?

I think you might have misunderstood, they are using taste receptors made using cells extracted from kidney cells (I don't know why those cells, but there will be probably a good reason). This allows them to monitor the exact chemical reaction of taste buds to flavour, which is a much more exact procedure than relying on the subjective interpretation of someone's brain of their tastebuds.

The use of taste buds engineered from stem cells in itself not, for it will never have come into contact with the finished product. It's a test for prototype flavours.