BIRT a slug is more dangerous than a cricket.

[Katzaniel]

Specific Rules can be found here.

 

Judge Katzaniel presiding.

 

The resolution is: "Be it resolved that a slug is more dangerous than a cricket."

 

Arguing for the Negative (against the resolution) is the long-lived Black. Arguing for the Affirmative (for the resolution) is Patrick, shapechanger extraordinaire. Well, he's getting better, anyway. Patrick will start us off. Let the debate begin!

 

Katzaniel starts her watch and settles down to listen.

 

EDIT: Big oops!

Edited September 14, 2005 by Katzaniel

[Patrick]

Patham smiled at Katzaniel. The debate was finally starting. He had to pause for a moment before starting as it took him some time to gather his arguments together again. He stood up.

 

"Dear audience, and most especially dear Judge and fellow debater." - he said. "I am here today to argue for the argument, which is 'a slug is more dangerous than a cricket'. You might think that the definition of dangerous might be ambigous or even have more than two meanings. I shall not try and give you a definition of dangerous, as in my arguments I might use it in different meanings. I hope I don't have to define either slug nor cricket. Just in case, I shall do so however."

 

He paused surveying the reaction to his words. Everyone in the audience was quiet, waiting for him to continue.

 

"For cricket I shall use the definition of the animal and not that of the sport, as that would be a totally different debate. Crickets are Gryllidae, with long antennae and streamlined bodies, related to grasshoppers."

 

"Slug is also a name used to describe a category of animals. To be more precise, slugs are gastropods with no or very small shells, very similar to a snail. Their bodies are streamlined and wormlike."

 

"My point of argument is that a slug is more dangerous than a cricket." - he said voicing it again, trying to hammer the point home. "You might ask why we compare the two animals. To start with, they are both small animals. Now they might not be dangerous for humans, but danger can not only be towards humans."

 

"To start the comparison. Slugs are known to be predators, while crickets only eat plants. Plants can fight back much less than animals can, so in being able to take down harder opponents, the slug clearly shows that it is more dangerous."

 

"Now to reproductive capabilities. A single slug can lay hundreds of eggs. For the case of this simulation lets suppose that a slug lays two hundred eggs. That means that after four generations theoretically from one slug we can get 1.6 billion slugs, which is a quantity which could even overrun smaller human settlements. Even supposing that each generation 75% of the slugs die to various causes (a dead slug is not lost however as slugs are known to eat their own dead) we still have 6,25 million specimen."

 

"Another strong point for slugs is that they can easily move across any surface thanks to the mucus they produce. And heights do not daunt them either. They can lower themselves down using slimecords. And what is more they are capable of doing this silently, while crickets with their incessant chirping alert their enemies to their presence, giving them time to prepare."

 

"Slugs are known to be garden pests. This means that they kill possibly hundreds of smaller insects in one day. What can be more dangerous than a mass murderer, who kills not caring whether the victims are young, old, male or female?"

 

Several people in the audience nodded. He had grabbed their attention. Time to give his opponent his chance.

 

"Now, I wouldn't want to ruin my estimated fellow debaters chances by mentioning all of my points now, so I'll let him mention a few of his." - he said and sat down.

[Black9]

Black-"If you want to speak of war, Patham, I wont stop you...but it's just fair to warn you that I have some experience in the matter. I am a Vampire Lord of 4,509 years and have earned my title of the Warlord of Death. Do I know war? I know war! You speak of murder? What warlord goes through life without the fun of slaying his enemy without remorse or compassion? Murder I am quite in touch with as well." The audiece began to chatter as to why one would just come out and say such things so openly, but then realized just who they were talking to and returned their attention to the debate.

 

Black-"You said before that slugs are known to be predators, but what kind of predator is it? Slugs are slow, they couldn't catch the train if it was running late...much less arriving on time! A slow predator is about as useful as cat with no claws...sure it can bite...but it loses much of it's force." Black then took a second to recall Patham second point and once again began to speak.

 

Black-"You also spoke of the slugs reproductive capabilities. Yes, it can lay an impessive number of eggs...I'll give you that, but also as you have stated...75% of the slugs die before ever gain life. Through countless generations this may seem like a lot, but I would once again point out that these eggs...every last one of them are too slow to matter. Take the zombie for instance...It looks mean and scary, but in reality it is slow and stupid! Even a large number of these things could easily be taken down." Stopping once again to take a breather and compile his thoughts...Black continued.

 

Black-"Again...I hate to repeat myself here, but the fact that slugs can be sneaky doesn't mean a thing if you don't move anywhere in the process. A cricket can just as easily leap away from the fight before it even begins. In battle all that matters is speed and skill. I can't count the times my little vanishing act saved me from a fate worse then death and yet I stride into war armorless! I'd weigh a crickets amazing speed over a slugs sneaky nature any day of the week. I think I've said enough...for now." Black stated with a bow, before taking a seat.

[Patrick]

Patham nodded to his opponent's arguments. They had some merit, but he felt that he could pick them apart bit by bit.

 

"Before I counter your arguments, Black, let me introduce a few more points of my own."

 

"Firstly." - he said taking a deep breath. "Slugs might be slow as you said, but that can also be an advantage. Take crickets for example. They rush too much and give off chirping sounds before you even see them and thus you can easily detect them from far away. With slugs you can only spot them when you get really close and once you're there it is not their speed which matters the most."

 

"Second. Slugs can come back from defeat. When they lose their smell or light sensors they can regrow them in a short period of time. A slug once defeated is not defeated for good, however the same thing is not true of crickets, who I'm afraid don't have these regeneratory capabilities."

 

"Also, when slugs are attacked, they are capable of contracting their body. They also produce mucus the taste of which is repulsive. Having a good defense is the best start to an attack. If the enemy can't defeat you during his attack, it is only a question of time while you achieve victory. And believe me, slugs keep trying until they succeed, or success becomes impossible."

 

"Now about the points you made. You said that in battle only speed and skill matter. You can be a lightning fast warrior, but you shall not be able to defeat an archer on open terrain, because an arrow moves faster than any human can. Your vanishing attack, you said saved you many times. Slugs can also vanish much more easily than crickets, who as I just pointed out have that unfortunate chirping, which gives away their presence."

 

He opened his mouth, then closed it, rather keeping what he wanted to say for his conclusion. He motioned to Black, that it was his turn.