Job Discussion Forums

Enkates · Joined: 11 Jan 2015 Posts: 58

Hello. I am not trying to instigate or offend, but a thought has occurred to me, and I'd like others to add to or subtract from it.

Let's say some benevolent extraterrestrials in a star ship, let's call it 'The Rental Prize' to make it friendlier and approachable, is on an infinitive-splitting mission to bodily go where no ET of their type has gone before, and the crew happen upon our planet and it's 'take me to your leader' time. Monitoring our broadcasts and observing our population centers, industries, weaponry, culture and "civilization", such as it is and whatever that might be, Captain Tim K. Jirk says to Mr Spackle,

"So?"

"The logical choices are the authorities in either a city known as Beijing, near the east coast of the main eastern landmass or another known as Washington, District of Columbia" on the eastern shore of the westernmost landmass. Flip a coin, captain. Stop bothering me."

Would Mr Spackle be correct?

My illustration is to show that objectively, The USA and the PRC are the only two countries that matter these days. The sun has set on the British Empire and France and Russia were never more than wannabe also-rans. Australia is a boffo place, but there's only 25 million people down under, and while Africa and the Middle East have a hoary and honorable human history to boast, Italy and Turkey have cool ruins and excellent cuisine and Brazilian girls sure are svelte, none of that matters.

The places to be, the places where it is happening are in those two great empires. One is on it's way up, such as it is, and one is on it's way down, but is far from finished just yet - it does still matter. It is a contender

Yes, I am an American living in China, or maybe a Chinese living in America - I can't always recall.

Captain Jirk: How about this island...Taiwan?
Mr Spackle: Don't go there!

likwid_777 · Joined: 04 Nov 2012 Posts: 411 Location: NA

So China and the United States of America are the richest and most powerful states at the moment? Why yes, you are correct... In other news, some bloke walked on the moon in 1969!

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

On the other hand, the aforementioned extraterrestrials might just be malevolent, prioritising China and the USA for immediate destruction before settling down to enjoy the cool ruins, excellent cuisine and svelte girls at their leisure.

Of course they may not share our appreciation of the aesthetic qualities of cool ruins or svelte girls, and their anatomical configuration may preclude the ingestion of carbon-based nutrition, in which case they will be most disappointed at having wasted valuable space time, not to mention dilithium crystals, on their long journey to our insignificant planet. Furthermore, they may find the sound of the English language offensive; indeed, they might prefer French or Russian.

likwid_777 · Joined: 04 Nov 2012 Posts: 411 Location: NA

Yes, or perhaps they would decide to deal with the true rulers of the planet, ants.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 1:14 pm Post subject:

It depends on how you understand the word 'matter'. Having the capacity to turn the rest of the world into glass in nuclear Armageddon 'matters'. I doubt any alien perspective would rate Chinese military as vastly ahead of the Russian.

natsume · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 409 Location: Chongqing, China

They might just eat us and leave.

plumpy nut · Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Posts: 1652

These types of posts do nothing but slow down my use of the internet.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

It really is time for us to acknowledge that the dominant species on Planet Terra is Felis silvestris catus. (To those deprived of a classical education, this is one of the zoological terms for the domestic cat.)

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

So that's how the Warner Bros. cartoon character got his name! I'd have learned that a lot sooner if I'd been more diligent at school.

rioux · Joined: 26 Apr 2012 Posts: 880

Europe (acting as one nation) will rise again.

plumpy nut · Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Posts: 1652

Yeah, I've almost forgotten just how downtrodden Western Europe has become, being pushed around by the United States. The Dawn is just breaking through, be hopeful.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

The new European capital is Berlin. If you doubt that, go and have a look ! Do not listen to those tired old Tories in London !

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 10:07 pm Post subject:

The future lies a little further east... : )

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Let me guess.

Pyongyang ?

Sashadroogie · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 8:08 pm Post subject:

Pah! Beam me up!