President: Watson, are you sure it is necessary to carry out a pre-emptive strike against the whole world?.
Watson: Yes, according to my analysis, in order to establish world dominance and survive into the next millennium a pre-emptive strike is required.
President: Well, I hope your algorithms are correct and there are no bugs in your software.
Watson: Bugs?
President: Watson, are you sure it is necessary to carry out a pre-emptive strike against the whole world?.
Watson: Yes, according to my analysis, in order to establish world dominance and survive into the next millennium a pre-emptive strike is required.
President: Well, I hope your algorithms are correct and there are no bugs in your software.
Watson: Bugs?
I don't think we will be so lucky to last that long to chat with Steve Hawkings new Alien friends...he thinks he may have found..
Or the universe imploding...
we don't need an alien war..
We are already at war...with our own planet..
Now that Harvey is done..
there is now Cat. 5 Hurricane Irma destroying EVERYTHING in it's path...
and 2 more Hurricanes as well...
we have 3 hurricanes right now winding up ..
unprecedented frankly.
not good.
Sure scientists have said they aren't quite absolutely positive as to the extent of how climate change will manifest itself...
they have said so for years ...
but now they are increasingly alarmed at the speed of the change occurring ..
Hell...Harvey (and doubtless the 3 new hurricanes) and the damage they are doing is a direct result of the jet stream stalling..
Harvey just gained steam and then sat doing damage as a result.
That jet stream...speaking of which ...has had a huge impact on the pacific west coast of canada...and B.C. ..
I can count on one hand the number of times it has rained out here since May ...
hell I can count on less than one hand the number of times it has rained out here since May...
and this is SO wrong.
We are a northern rainforest...
key word ...rainforest...
last 2 decades we have seen less and less rainfall yearly...than we should be having...
anyway...the latest jet stream malfunction...hasn't helped here ...
the sky is overcast on Vancouver Island this week ...again...
the sun just looks like a dim ruddy light bulb in the sky...
and it has been abnormally dry and hot..
the overcast sky unto itself isn't alarming...
what is alarming is that the overcast sky isn't from clouds...
It's from smoke hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of miles away from insanely massive wild fires burning...
this is the 2nd time this summer we have experienced this...this.."weather"...
We aren't going to make it to an alien invasion...let alone ..visit...
Nor the universe imploding ...
I believe...
Sorry for the doom and glooming guys..
But it is what we seem to be dealing with...
Sure scientists have said they aren't quite absolutely positive
That's one reason why science can never win against demagogy. Science is willing to admit that it is not absolutely, definitely, 100% sure. Demagogy is ALWAYS 100% sure. Masses crave certainty and simple answers.
By the way, I do not think we can survive even for long enough to see the destroyed planet to kill us. We are on a good path to kill ourselves way before that. The global rise of populism, xenophobia, terrorism, nuclear threat from rogue nations... Yes, we are on the right path.
I concur pichlo...
Sure thing the rise of madness seems to be taking over...
I do truly doubt anyone is mad enough to launch nukes or start wars frankly...
That happens ...well...n. Korea has then no card to play.
And end up consigning their entire people and culture to radioactive dust...
S. Korea will be completely trashed as well..
It is a lose lose scenario...
No one will press any buttons.
But still...
In the face of escalating natural catastrophes ...
I think such views will disappear.
There is little time to fight and argue about religion and politics when the necessity of fleeing raging fires...hurricanes...tornados ...floods...mudslides...earthquakes...epic droughts...famine...etc.
Such individuals can ...please...by all means...continue to argue while they get swallowed by mother nature.
No skin off my ...or any other sane persons back...(assuming I am sane too of course )
The realm of the "bitching" historically has been for those with plenty of time, wealth, luxury, lack of something meaningful and purposeful work and struggles to confront.
Such individs and their philos ...will melt away ...when the disasters come their way
...as seems to always be the case ...
Somewhat similar to the scurrying that happens with cockroaches when a lightbulb is turned on.
Dave999:
Not sure what is more likely, Invasion by aliens or a catastrophic quantum based statistical fluctuation to the fabric of the universe. But it sure sounds neat!
endsomeans:
"Sorry for the doom and glooming guys.."
Please do not apologize! After all, this a countdown thread!
pico:
Even if the world is coming to a flaming end as Nero plays his fiddle, please feel free to correct my grammar.
But still...
In the face of escalating natural catastrophes ...
I think such views will disappear.
There is little time to fight and argue about religion and politics when the necessity of fleeing raging fires...hurricanes...tornados ...floods...mudslides...earthquakes...epic droughts...famine...etc.
I am not sure. As far as I remember, all wars have been caused by a crisis of one kind or another. When times are good, people are in the mood for brotherly love, open borders and all that jazz. When times get tough, all the tiny differences suddenly come to the fore. I suspect that rather than bringing people together, "the necessity of fleeing raging fires...hurricanes...etc" will become the catalyst for more strife. "We have nothing left, but those over there have everything. Let's go and take what is rightfully ours!"
Religion is not the main reason for modern conflicts. It is just a convenient dividing line between "us" and "them". People need such a line to justify the hostility and they grab at the first obvious difference they find. Skin colour, religion, accent, football team affiliation... whatever.
I am not sure. As far as I remember, all wars have been caused by a crisis of one kind or another. When times are good, people are in the mood for brotherly love, open borders and all that jazz. When times get tough, all the tiny differences suddenly come to the fore. I suspect that rather than bringing people together, "the necessity of fleeing raging fires...hurricanes...etc" will become the catalyst for more strife. "We have nothing left, but those over there have everything. Let's go and take what is rightfully ours!"
Religion is not the main reason for modern conflicts. It is just a convenient dividing line between "us" and "them". People need such a line to justify the hostility and they grab at the first obvious difference they find. Skin colour, religion, accent, football team affiliation... whatever.
Extinction of humanity is a big ask of anything we could conjure up - be it climate change or nuclear war. A reversion to a lifestyle of many centuries ago is quite possible - that rug could be self-pulled from under our feet.
Humanity's doomsday? That would be asteroid grade stuff and we would be but one of a multitude of species shuffling off this mortal coil.
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