World is Falling Apart Thread (Locked forever)

[marurun]

Wake me up when someone offers something substantive.

*zzzZZZzzz*

[marurun]

OK, rather than talking about the horrors of American politics (beaten to death), let's talk about the horrors of the Olympics. I think there will be more commiseration and agreement over these kinds of issues. There's the accusations of state-sponsored doping in Russian athletics, the trouble Brazil has had with water quality, facilities, and Zika, and the general BS of the business side of the Olympics and the way the IOC heavily commercializes their operations but then clamps down hard on the athletes and their sponsors and uses treaties to enforce Olympic trademarks at a more restrictive level than most countries allow for their normal trademarks.

Note that I think most of the athletes from most countries are great. But the operational end of things with the IOC raises lots of questionable practices. IOC, FIFA, NCAA, what is it about money and sports that leads to such problems? (Yeah, it's the money, I know.)

[CRTGAMER]

Philippines Duterte calls Obama "*****"


The U.S. in some countries has been considered the bully and dictating policy, interesting on some of the latest events. In Laos, a stairway was not even brought out for Air Force One, President Obama had to come down in the airplane service ladder; geez some welcome!

In watching the video you can see Duterte getting more and more angry. I side with the Philippines President, who states he answers only to the Filipino people. Good for him, but could have been maybe a little more tactful to his U.S. ally!
Love the guy just like Trump, entertaining and pulls no punches!

[ElkinFencer10]

We do know the Clintons are as corrupt as they come, though.

In the US alone, New Jersey and Louisiana would argue otherwise. Let's not get into Africa, the Middle East, and large portions of Asia...

Louisiana had a governor whose supporters made bumper stickers that said "Vote for the crook. It's important." because the prevailing feeling was that the openly crooked politician was better than his opponent. Not saying I agree or disagree, but yeah, Louisiana at the very least definitely has the Clintons beat for maximum corruption.

[Sarge]

I don't think it's definite, but you won't get any argument from me about governmental corruption in certain states.

[prfsnl_gmr]

We do know the Clintons are as corrupt as they come, though.

In the US alone, New Jersey and Louisiana would argue otherwise. Let's not get into Africa, the Middle East, and large portions of Asia...

Louisiana had a governor whose supporters made bumper stickers that said "Vote for the crook. It's important." because the prevailing feeling was that the openly crooked politician was better than his opponent. Not saying I agree or disagree, but yeah, Louisiana at the very least definitely has the Clintons beat for maximum corruption.

I am not Hillary Clinton's biggest fan - and I think she has made some wretched decisions during her career in politics - but I do get a little upset with her portrayal as a "crooked" politician. The e-mail "scandal" has blown over, with the FBI's director admitting that the decision not to pursue charges was by no means a close call. Nonetheless, I am certain that, if she is elected, we will be subject to at least four years of endless investigations into her private e-mail server or the details of her communications about Benghazi or some other non-issue. I am also quite certain that the tinfoil hat crowd will continue to insist that she murdered Vince Foster, smothered Antonin Scalia, or committed some other grievous misdeed. (BTW, anyone claiming that someone like Hillary Clinton could exercise her "influence" to cover up a scandal or prevent an investigation has no clue how either law enforcement or large organizations operate.)

Meanwhile, no one seems to care that Donald Trump's family foundation basically bribed the Florida AG not to investigate Trump University...which, by the way, is also a complete disgrace.

My point is, I think that there is a bit of a double-standard regarding "crooked" Hillary. Specifically, I think that many people hold her to this standard where every perceived indiscretion or questionable decision disqualifies her from public office while, on the other hand, giving Donald Trump a complete pass regarding his decisions because unethical behavior is, to a certain extent, expected of him.

[Ack]

"Curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias as it fell was 'Oh no, not again'. Many people have speculated that if we knew exactly why the bowl of petunias had thought that we would know a lot more about the nature of the Universe than we do now."

[Exhuminator]

“O Deep Thought computer," he said, "the task we have designed you to perform is this. We want you to tell us...." he paused, "The Answer."
"The Answer?" said Deep Thought. "The Answer to what?"
"Life!" urged Fook.
"The Universe!" said Lunkwill.
"Everything!" they said in chorus.
Deep Thought paused for a moment's reflection.
"Tricky," he said finally.
"But can you do it?"
Again, a significant pause.
"Yes," said Deep Thought, "I can do it."
"There is an answer?" said Fook with breathless excitement.
"Yes," said Deep Thought. "Life, the Universe, and Everything. There is an answer. But, I'll have to think about it."
...
Fook glanced impatiently at his watch.
“How long?” he said.
“Seven and a half million years,” said Deep Thought.
Lunkwill and Fook blinked at each other.
“Seven and a half million years...!” they cried in chorus.
“Yes,” declaimed Deep Thought, “I said I’d have to think about it, didn’t I?"

[Seven and a half million years later.... Fook and Lunkwill are long gone, but their ancestors continue what they started]

"Forty-two," said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm.

[prfsnl_gmr]

"Forty-two," said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm.

I love that book, but despite owning copies for years, I have never read the sequels. Should I get on that?

Also, thanks for cutting this off. I really shouldn't use this forum to rant about anything other than video games.

[Exhuminator]

The sequels are good, but none best the original.

Books by Adams I loved but not enough people read:

We now return you to your regularly scheduled chicken little thread.