Sputnik
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Shock Trooper
Member # 5545
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written Thursday, October 4 2007 18:06
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It's been 50 years. A great deal has changed. The question is, are we better off than we were on October 4, 1957? -------------------- Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est. Posts: 344 | Registered: Friday, February 25 2005 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 7298
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written Thursday, October 4 2007 18:25
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cold war is over and I have to say thats an improvement -------------------- A rock has weight whether you admit it or not Posts: 479 | Registered: Wednesday, July 12 2006 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 4574
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written Thursday, October 4 2007 18:26
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Depends who it's better for. -------------------- Fluffy Turtles of the World, Unite! Posts: 1186 | Registered: Friday, June 18 2004 07:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 5545
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written Thursday, October 4 2007 18:28
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By "we", I mean humanity, as a whole. You can decide whether that refers to an average, a ratio of happiness to discontentment, or whatever other method you choose. -------------------- Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est. Posts: 344 | Registered: Friday, February 25 2005 08:00 |
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Agent
Member # 4574
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written Thursday, October 4 2007 18:48
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I'd say we're about even, the paranoia regarding the USSR replaced by the Middle Eastern bloc, which we are in some way capable of dealing with, and the remnants of the Communist bloc. Africa has blossomed in some sore spots (S. Africa) and sunk down lower in others (Darfur, Somalia). Russia is not doing well, but other parts of the former Soviet bloc are, while America has exerted it's influence across seas. Anyways, after extensive use of the word "bloc", I conclude that it's gone down in certain areas and risen in others equally, and the American nemesis went from Communists to Muslim radicals. What's next, radical Muslim Communists? -------------------- Fluffy Turtles of the World, Unite! Posts: 1186 | Registered: Friday, June 18 2004 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, October 4 2007 18:55
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We aren't, as far as officials are saying, at any risk of spontaneous geocide, or more specifically the launching of vast nuclear arsenals. Sure, someone may nuke someone else at any time, and anyone could be sneaking dirty bombs anywhere, but nobody's got the missiles pointed pointedly right now! —Alorael, who can sleep an extra fifteen minutes each night secure in that knowledge. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 7723
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written Thursday, October 4 2007 19:14
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Good topic. quote:About as much improvement as going from the frying pan to the fire. Is the "war on terror" preferable? What's up with the US and Iran? I hate to sound negative, but I can't see large scale improvement, nor do I see us pointing in that direction. At the most some pockets of the world are better in certain aspects. Posts: 701 | Registered: Thursday, November 30 2006 08:00 |
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? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
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written Thursday, October 4 2007 21:20
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It is nice to not have to worry about Soviet Russia and the United States having misunderstandings of global consequence. With terrorism, I just don't worry about it. -------------------- Synergy, et al - "I don't get it." Thralni - "a lot of people are ... too weird to be trusted" Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Friday, October 5 2007 02:23
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Meh. Frying-pan/fire comparisons don't apply to this. Firstly, the end of the cold war didn't cause the beginning of the war on terrorism - it's good that the former ended, regardless of what came after. Secondly, the war on terrorism is essentially a personal crusade combined with a desperate need for a nationalist cause. Leave out the rhetoric about hating freedom and killing Western civilization for a moment. If US-made weapons and money stopped being delivered to every third-rate warlord who happens to be fighting a common enemy at the time, we would see things slow down very quickly. (Including the US war industry, of course, so this is unlikely.) This "war" is not so much against a real opponent (like the USSR) as against an inflatable sock puppet. [ Friday, October 05, 2007 02:24: Message edited by: root ] -------------------- The Noble and Most Ancient Order of Polaris - We're Not Yet Dead. Encyclopedia • Archives • Stats • RSS (This Topic / Forum) • Blog • NaNoWriMo Did-chat thentagoespyet jumund fori is jus, hat onlime gly nertan ne gethen Firyoubbit 'obio.' Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 32
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written Friday, October 5 2007 03:00
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I'd say it's closer to one of those inflatable things things that has weight in the bottom. You can punch it all you want, but it's still going to get back up... -------------------- Lt. Sullust Quaere verum Posts: 2462 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 7723
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written Friday, October 5 2007 04:16
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quote:That's very much debatable. I've heard very good arguments that show how they are connected. That aside we've still gone from bad to bad. And if the war on terror was just posturing and rhetoric, I'd say you have a point about sock puppets, but it's costing a lot in life and money. Posts: 701 | Registered: Thursday, November 30 2006 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Friday, October 5 2007 04:48
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More's the pity. -------------------- The Noble and Most Ancient Order of Polaris - We're Not Yet Dead. Encyclopedia • Archives • Stats • RSS (This Topic / Forum) • Blog • NaNoWriMo Did-chat thentagoespyet jumund fori is jus, hat onlime gly nertan ne gethen Firyoubbit 'obio.' Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, October 5 2007 05:20
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Terror is definitely a weighted sock. It gets up no matter how much you hit it, and getting hit by it is like being smacked with a lead weight. Still, getting hit is not nearly as bad as getting nuked. —Alorael, who still wonders about terrorism. Even if America wanted to capitulate, there's no way to do so. The terrorists can't actually accomplish anything but killing people, and killing enough people for a "Mission Accomplished" seems unlikely. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
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written Friday, October 5 2007 08:42
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Meh. The US terrorizes other countries (through proxies or through our own military) much more frequently than it gets terrorized itself. It's no wonder that the Reprobates finally figured out that they could market the military efforts. Grenada = bad marketing. Bombing Baghdad = excellent marketing. -------------------- Synergy, et al - "I don't get it." Thralni - "a lot of people are ... too weird to be trusted" Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Friday, October 5 2007 09:17
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It's worse. It's better. The real threat is that we are still operating on belief systems we have been employing for millennia. Our laws and morality are shaped by religious beliefs that linger long after the religion itself may be in vogue. Our justification of killing one another to take or to keep what is "ours" does not work. Nationalism promotes separatism, along with nearly every other belief, law, and practice we have. Until we come to the conclusion that we are one body and one people in the world, we will justify the harming of other parts of humanity that "aren't us." The crisis of the present century involves dangerous and incorrect beliefs held by humanity at a time when we have technological means that have outstripped our maturity in our dealings with one another. We have the means to put an end to life as we know it on planet earth. We will almost surely do so unless we take a quantum step upward in what is essentially our spiritual understanding and vision, and begin to change laws and policies that reflect that we are all one people, and to hurt or deprive another is to hurt and deprive oneself. I am confident we will be taking an upward step, just in the nick of time, but this century may prove to be mighty messy. In many ways, I see it will be the end of the world as we know it. Thank God. We are truly insane on planet earth for holding to the same essential belief system for millennia, when clearly, our beliefs are not serving us. What we are doing based upon them does not work. Insane people keep trying the same thing and expect different results. I have hopes for this present time. It's an exciting time to be alive, pregnant with possibility, or our complete collaspe. Enjoy the ride. You must be at least this tall to ride this ride. -S- -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
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written Friday, October 5 2007 09:29
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I like the collaspe. -------------------- Synergy, et al - "I don't get it." Thralni - "a lot of people are ... too weird to be trusted" Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 4638
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written Friday, October 5 2007 10:18
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Are we better off? What a difficult question to answer. First, who do you mean by we? Is we Americans or the world? Second, what is the base line? Third, what are conditions now? Forth, how do you compare them in a meaningful way? I guess I don't have an answer. I do echo what -S- said. We need a new myth. The old myths have failed us. -------------------- Be careful what you pretend to be because you are what you pretend to be. I am the Belichick, Prince of Darkness. Posts: 93 | Registered: Tuesday, June 29 2004 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 7298
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written Friday, October 5 2007 10:31
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I'm not saying what US is doing in Iraq is right. I just think the current political situation is better then one that could reduce the human population to 10,000. Not too say it doesn't have problems, just stop being pessimistic and look on the brights side everyone once in a while. Also blaming America for all the worlds problems no matter how justified won't solve anything. Solving problems takes more then passing blame around. Do you want to solve a problem or do you want something to rant about. [ Friday, October 05, 2007 10:33: Message edited by: Safey ] -------------------- A rock has weight whether you admit it or not Posts: 479 | Registered: Wednesday, July 12 2006 07:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 10374
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written Friday, October 5 2007 10:38
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Well if America doesn't intervien in things with they aren't concered she wouldn't be blamed. My opinion is that if America stops interviening things would be much better and there would be less terorisam. -------------------- If you listen to LakiRA@ all will go well! Posts: 263 | Registered: Sunday, September 9 2007 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 7472
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written Friday, October 5 2007 11:08
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That's the problem, Safey: what can we do? Bush has already shown that he's looking out for his own interests, not those of the American people. Thus, it leaves us essentially powerless to do anything about it. He made sure of it right from the start. LakiRa@: It's not exactly like America is getting a choice in the matter. Rather, we're getting dragged into everything by our wonderful president. And we're paying the price. -------------------- Scenarios need reviews! Please rate these scenarios at the CSR after playing them! Amnesia • El Presidente • Where the Rivers Meet • A Visit to the Madhouse Posts: 2686 | Registered: Friday, September 8 2006 07:00 |
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? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
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written Friday, October 5 2007 11:25
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quote:Absolutely! But that isn't the issue now, is it? I'm sure some people would like you to think that this is an either/or situation, but it's not. It never has been. The facts show that the United States government has created a feeling of terror in citizens of foreign countries for over 50 years now. We do this because of a sense of moral superiority and innate fear. It is no wonder that those very people we have terrorized are now turning to terrorism themselves in order to strike back at the USA. I love my country, but completely understand why the majority of humanity holds us in great disdain. -------------------- Synergy, et al - "I don't get it." Thralni - "a lot of people are ... too weird to be trusted" Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 10374
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written Friday, October 5 2007 11:36
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You would also dislike(hate) America if it has bombarded your country when you were 5 years old, with some made up reason, just becouse you didn't obey everything they wanted. :mad: Someday the tide will turn and america will be payed back for everything she did.MUHAHAHAHA!!! :P svi koji vole ameriku su slepci -------------------- If you listen to LakiRA@ all will go well! Posts: 263 | Registered: Sunday, September 9 2007 07:00 |
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? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
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written Friday, October 5 2007 12:35
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LakiRa@, where are you from? The US government has chosen to bomb quite a few countries, so that really didn't narrow it down. -------------------- Synergy, et al - "I don't get it." Thralni - "a lot of people are ... too weird to be trusted" Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Friday, October 5 2007 14:20
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Sounds East European. Google seems to think it's Serbian. [ Friday, October 05, 2007 14:21: Message edited by: root ] -------------------- The Noble and Most Ancient Order of Polaris - We're Not Yet Dead. Encyclopedia • Archives • Stats • RSS (This Topic / Forum) • Blog • NaNoWriMo Did-chat thentagoespyet jumund fori is jus, hat onlime gly nertan ne gethen Firyoubbit 'obio.' Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 7298
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written Friday, October 5 2007 14:45
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quote:Every nation has its time and its time will past. America will one day fall and another will come to power and have its vengeance if it so chooses. Then it if follows the pattern it will piss off a large number of people and its fall will come and the cycle continues. The question is how do we break the cycle? To those who want vengeance I like to point out the story of the Hatfield-McCoy feud. Very few if any people can't say that their people were once a a powerful and ruthless empire. -------------------- A rock has weight whether you admit it or not Posts: 479 | Registered: Wednesday, July 12 2006 07:00 |