Ok, so between Russo-Ukrainian war, the ISIL/ISIS menace, uncontained Ebola outbreaks, Hong Kong protests, the Arab Spring being a long forgotten memory, Turkey going authoritarian, etc. are we experienced the shittiest year in decades or is this no worse than usual?
Not as bad as next year will be. :ph34r:
What do you mean? The Arab Spring is still going on. :lol:
During the Cold War we lived in constant fear of nuclear war and millions lived under the oppression of Soviet domination. But it did give some stability to the world. When the Wall came down in '89 all things seemed possible. It was going to be a new prosperous peaceful world. Hasnt worked out so well. It would be an interesting discussion as to whether the current state of things was inevitable or whether, with better policy decision, a peaceful world really was possible.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 01, 2014, 02:22:23 PM
Not as bad as next year will be. :ph34r:
:lol:
I sat in on a leadership meeting not too long ago, and got to listen to Suit From Downtown
tm pontificate on how the world has become a more dangerous place. Really? And when, exactly, was it ever a less dangerous place?
Quote from: crazy canuck on October 01, 2014, 02:26:24 PM
During the Cold War we lived in constant fear of nuclear war and millions lived under the oppression of Soviet domination. But it did give some stability to the world. When the Wall came down in '89 all things seemed possible. It was going to be a new prosperous peaceful world. Hasnt worked out so well. It would be an interesting discussion as to whether the current state of things was inevitable or whether, with better policy decision, a peaceful world really was possible.
Yeah it seems to me we are entering into a new cold war era, with slightly differently drawn lines. In a sense it does lend a certain stability to the world - people tend to forget fighting over lesser things.
I'm really struggling to see how 2014 is any worse than any other year.
Seriously. Pick a year - any year, since 1991, and it has more or less the same levels of violence and mayhem going on.
Let's pick... 2004. Ten years ago.
http://www.infoplease.com/year/2004.html
Highlights included terrorist attacks in Spain, and the Beslan shoolchild massacre in Russia. Unrest and massacres in Darfur, Sudan. US troops go on the offensive in Falluja, Iraq. Protests over fraudulent election in Ukraine. Oh yeah, and a massive tsunami killed 200,000 people.
It's not really that bad.
Quote from: Barrister on October 01, 2014, 02:39:22 PM
I'm really struggling to see how 2014 is any worse than any other year.
Seriously. Pick a year - any year, since 1991, and it has more or less the same levels of violence and mayhem going on.
Let's pick... 2004. Ten years ago.
http://www.infoplease.com/year/2004.html
Highlights included terrorist attacks in Spain, and the Beslan shoolchild massacre in Russia. Unrest and massacres in Darfur, Sudan. US troops go on the offensive in Falluja, Iraq. Protests over fraudulent election in Ukraine. Oh yeah, and a massive tsunami killed 200,000 people.
Please. In the 90s the worst thing that happened was the POTUS having sex.
More dangerous than 1919?
Quote from: The Brain on October 01, 2014, 02:51:24 PM
Quote from: Barrister on October 01, 2014, 02:39:22 PM
I'm really struggling to see how 2014 is any worse than any other year.
Seriously. Pick a year - any year, since 1991, and it has more or less the same levels of violence and mayhem going on.
Let's pick... 2004. Ten years ago.
http://www.infoplease.com/year/2004.html
Highlights included terrorist attacks in Spain, and the Beslan shoolchild massacre in Russia. Unrest and massacres in Darfur, Sudan. US troops go on the offensive in Falluja, Iraq. Protests over fraudulent election in Ukraine. Oh yeah, and a massive tsunami killed 200,000 people.
Please. In the 90s the worst thing that happened was the POTUS having sex.
Let's go back another 10 years. 1994.
-genocide in Rwanda, killing 100s of thousands
-Serbs shelling Sarjevo
-Russia attacks Chechnya
-OJ kills his wife
Quote from: Barrister on October 01, 2014, 02:59:46 PM
Quote from: The Brain on October 01, 2014, 02:51:24 PM
Quote from: Barrister on October 01, 2014, 02:39:22 PM
I'm really struggling to see how 2014 is any worse than any other year.
Seriously. Pick a year - any year, since 1991, and it has more or less the same levels of violence and mayhem going on.
Let's pick... 2004. Ten years ago.
http://www.infoplease.com/year/2004.html
Highlights included terrorist attacks in Spain, and the Beslan shoolchild massacre in Russia. Unrest and massacres in Darfur, Sudan. US troops go on the offensive in Falluja, Iraq. Protests over fraudulent election in Ukraine. Oh yeah, and a massive tsunami killed 200,000 people.
Please. In the 90s the worst thing that happened was the POTUS having sex.
Let's go back another 10 years. 1994.
-genocide in Rwanda, killing 100s of thousands
-Serbs shelling Sarjevo
-Russia attacks Chechnya
-OJ kills his wife
BUT Sweden finished third in the World Cup.
Quote from: Barrister on October 01, 2014, 02:59:46 PM
-OJ kills his wife
:rolleyes: typical prosecutorial bias.
Quote from: The Brain on October 01, 2014, 03:00:35 PM
Quote from: Barrister on October 01, 2014, 02:59:46 PM
Quote from: The Brain on October 01, 2014, 02:51:24 PM
Quote from: Barrister on October 01, 2014, 02:39:22 PM
I'm really struggling to see how 2014 is any worse than any other year.
Seriously. Pick a year - any year, since 1991, and it has more or less the same levels of violence and mayhem going on.
Let's pick... 2004. Ten years ago.
http://www.infoplease.com/year/2004.html
Highlights included terrorist attacks in Spain, and the Beslan shoolchild massacre in Russia. Unrest and massacres in Darfur, Sudan. US troops go on the offensive in Falluja, Iraq. Protests over fraudulent election in Ukraine. Oh yeah, and a massive tsunami killed 200,000 people.
Please. In the 90s the worst thing that happened was the POTUS having sex.
Let's go back another 10 years. 1994.
-genocide in Rwanda, killing 100s of thousands
-Serbs shelling Sarjevo
-Russia attacks Chechnya
-OJ kills his wife
BUT Sweden finished third in the World Cup.
Brolin easily outweighs OJ on that list. :yes:
Quote from: Martinus on October 01, 2014, 02:30:53 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on October 01, 2014, 02:26:24 PM
During the Cold War we lived in constant fear of nuclear war and millions lived under the oppression of Soviet domination. But it did give some stability to the world. When the Wall came down in '89 all things seemed possible. It was going to be a new prosperous peaceful world. Hasnt worked out so well. It would be an interesting discussion as to whether the current state of things was inevitable or whether, with better policy decision, a peaceful world really was possible.
Yeah it seems to me we are entering into a new cold war era, with slightly differently drawn lines. In a sense it does lend a certain stability to the world - people tend to forget fighting over lesser things.
This time you guys will be on the right side of the battlelines. Welcome to the winning team.
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Quote from: Martinus on October 01, 2014, 02:18:38 PM
Ok, so between Russo-Ukrainian war, the ISIL/ISIS menace, uncontained Ebola outbreaks, Hong Kong protests, the Arab Spring being a long forgotten memory, Turkey going authoritarian, etc. are we experienced the shittiest year in decades or is this no worse than usual?
No, take the first year I can really remember 1967 - Arab-Israeli war, Vietnam, unrest in America, ending of Malay emergency, Yemen, something in Africa etc. Oh and the next year was fairly dramatic too, and the one after that.
I think in part what you might be experiencing is the both the immediacy and the breadth that modern news information affords us, which to some extent is both good and bad.
Remember 2001?
Quote from: Warspite on October 01, 2014, 03:52:29 PM
Remember 2001?
Remember the Maine!
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