nethawk on 5/9/2001 at 05:46

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Mr. X, ever taken a bunch of hardcore city people out camping for the first time? It's a sight (both pathetic and hilarious at the same time), believe me. The poor on the other hand, already have near nothing, and are quick to adapt - even in the most dire conditions. What usually happens in such circumstances where affluent and less affluent folk are forced to get together is that the TEAM SPIRITED individuals are the new backbone of the group and looked up to. Any lone wolves and/or renegades are usually either eliminated, ignored, or voted out. This isn't "Survivor", it takes time for the seeds of corruption to take root and give birth to societies' tyrants - simply for the fact that these people usually need armies to back them up. In fact however, none of the endings are truly morally "correct". The ultimate ending in my opinion, would have been for J.C. to have access to Area 51's core router and upload every single bit of data he'd come across since the first mission and make it all completely known to the public. Then the masses could have brought Page, Everett - and even Tong to judgement and deal out the reprimands themselves. Entire world governments, caught with their pants down, would have been scrutinized and revamped to the utmost by the populace. JC's role in this case, would simply have been one of the messenger rather than a saviour - truly a beneficial act. If you want to save people, make them aware - don't just neutralize what threatens them. In the end, the only real threat to life itself is ignorance...

X on 5/9/2001 at 17:19

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The public wouldn't care. They don't care about most things now, unless the media tell them to care, so I can't see another 50 years of existance making a difference. We are selfish and ignorant by design. Blame god if you must.

The Everetts, Pages and Tongs of this world got to their positions by being intelligent and resourcful. They would not be able to manipulate people and sources of power as easily if they were not. These supposed qualities are applicable to a leader.

Even if one of them did not get back into power after an Apocalypse, do you honestly believe that their replacements would be incorruptable.

View my sig.

Nethawk on 5/9/2001 at 18:17

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Curious about the Helios ending? Check out what an internationally reknowned astrophysicist has to say about humanity's path with computer AI:
(http://www.rense.com/general13/alterourDNA.htm) http://www.rense.com/general13/alterourDNA.htm

kostoffj on 5/9/2001 at 18:49

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Impeached by whom? The people? Or his political enemies? Maybe your memory of that time is different than mine, but I can distinctly recall poll after poll after poll of public opinion registering majorities with opinions like "so what?" and "not our concern, if he's doing a good job" and so on (this is one case where public apathy was warranted). The whole stupid circus was driven on by a Springer-esque press (Jerry, not Axel) and revenge-minded Republicans, not by public concern over the president's fitness for office. CNN got its viewership from the same place the network soap operas do, because they showed the same damn thing: soap operas to entertain the prurient public. And the "outrage" over the contested election? Explain to me what form this "care" by the public took, please. I would cite this as a perfect example to back up what I said in my last post; the likely loser of an election, with a minority of votes, staged what was in effect a coup d'etat via the judiciary, with plenty of dirty tricks on the side, like sending in thug mobs to intimidate electoral workers involved in the recount, or the shenanigans the Florida State Police performed at polling places in predominantly black districts, or the scandal involving the private (GOP-sympathizer-owned) contractor that "cleansed" voting rolls of "suspected felons" whom they knew never did commit felonies and coincidentally did not get reinstated until after the election - tens of thousands of minority votes disenfranchised there . The whole thing transpired before the cameras, and what did the public do about it? Not a damn thing. In other countries, people would have taken to the streets and the tanks would have rolled. Here, mild entertainment interest followed by apathy.

<STRONG> Imagine what might further happen IF people found out that the AIDS, Ebola and West Nile viruses were manmade diseases and purposely put out into the public? There would be riots and major upheaval. I agree with you that when it comes to issues indirectly affecting them that the masses might prefer Barney episodes rather then CNN, but please - to say that they wouldn't care about the ones directly affecting them...well... maybe all the southern Alabama beer guzzling barroom rednecks and their cerebrally challenged comrades wouldn't...but the rest certainly would. I guarantee it. </STRONG>

Which gets me to the second point I made: how in the hell are you going to prove it? Charges like that would be ridiculously easy to discredit or "prove" that the evidence that a JC would present is a hoax.

(Thank you for the link to the Hawking quote, that was interesting, Nethawk)

[ September 05, 2001: Message edited by: Felonious Punk ]

[ September 05, 2001: Message edited by: Felonious Punk ]

nethawk on 6/9/2001 at 08:16

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brother <IMG SRC="shake.gif" border="0">