Events you hope you'll live long enough to see

[chempop]

- reform of educational system
- reform of political system
- reform of legal system
- espgaluda 3

[Observer]

-Proof of extra-terrestrial life.

This. I want to believe. People think E.T. or something, I'm thinking something closer to a digital lifeform or simpler organisms. Even if it's a freaking microscopic worm it would do it. Just picture the repercussions. "It came from another world", Eldrich abominations, Titan in Saturn supports life... Oh, boy.

And the one about going to the moon. Later (once everyone involved is dead and buried for sure) they reveal that conspiracy theory that the '69 one was all staged, they found some mysterious monoliths, giant human skeletons and it's Super Dimensional Fortress Macross all over again.

[Michaelm]

-The public lynching of extreme capitalists
-Getting rid of money completely
-The massive suicide of all monotheists or more nicely said the emigration of all monotheists to the promised land
-Getting rid of all laws that somehow mention religion or failing that, explicitly include freedom of terrorism as a human right, just to keep things fair
-Getting rid of elitism completely
-Getting rid of most of those so called 'good cause' organizations
-That people finally learn that working together gets us further in less time
-That focusing on personal gain only will be classified as a crime against humanity
-That people are able to focus on the message instead of just the tone the message was delivered

[CMoon]

Color me confused. Are we running out of electricity sometime soon? Starvation is essentially a non-issue in industrialized countries. Food is cheap, and I haven't noticed a particular lack of lebensraum.

1) The generation of electricity is a major pollutant (whether we are talking coal or nuclear). It is worth reading things like 'Collapse' by Jared Diamond and considering what happens when a society leverages its population on the availability of a resource (hint, the title of the book gives it away.)

2) Food is being kept artificially cheap through food subsidies. This hasn't prevented starvation in some areas, but it has driven independent farmers out of business. That food is being held at low prices in developed nations like the US, does not itself imply there is enough food to feed 7 billion people. Keep in mind that the world has added over 800 million people in just the last 10 years. Again, strip away petroleum, and the ability to keep food cheap and available (through industrialized agriculture, and the transport of food) vanishes overnight.

[Moniker]

2) Food is being kept artificially cheap through food subsidies. This hasn't prevented starvation in some areas, but it has driven independent farmers out of business. That food is being held at low prices in developed nations like the US, does not itself imply there is enough food to feed 7 billion people.

Farming subsidies aren't for keeping the price of food down; they're used to keep domestic farmers in the US, EU and elsewhere competitive with imported goods. Some commodities, such as sugar, would actually be cheaper if the subsidies were withdrawn. Just take a look at any sweetened food product in the US and note that it uses high fructose corn syrup rather than sugar. In America, taxpayers essentially pay for domestic farmers to make food that no one will ever eat.

Insufficient quantities of food in some areas isn't due to a lack of arable land - it's due to the fact that these countries are insufficiently industrialized. It isn't profitable, for example, for foreign food distributors to sell to those in need to sub-saharan africa. If it were, they would. Those countries are simply too underdeveloped industrially to produce enough capital to make large-scale trade worthwhile.

And while I know we probably won't get anywhere on the topic of energy, I'd like to express my opinion. Everything, including environmental hygiene, is driven by the market. And environmental hygiene is fairly low on the list of basic human wants and needs (behind food, shelter, electricity, safety, education, etc). It can therefore be considered a luxury commodity. In the US, these more basic needs are sufficiently met to allow a growing demand for environmental cleanliness. In countries like China, you'll have a period of pollution (and authoritarianism, for that matter) until the per capita income is high enough to desire investment in cleaner infrastructure. Likewise, we will burn fossil fuel until it's either a) more expensive than clean energy or b) we are wealthy enough to value clean energy over cheap energy. Energy is a fundamental human demand and therefore will be available so long as there are people to use it.

In other words, I think your point about sustainability is moot. Humans value their lives more than environmental health. And why shouldn't they? Without humans, there's no earth to be enjoyed. My relatively uninformed opinion is that the health of the planet isn't in sufficient jeopardy to suggest it will become uninhabitable anytime soon.

I'll check out "Collapse," but in the meantime, what examples does he give of over-leveraged societies that fell?

-The public lynching of extreme capitalists

Please don't lynch me. I don't consider capitalism to be an unqualified good; it just strikes me as having that same feeling of self-evident truth as natural selection.

[Phoenix]

- life on another planet, i prefer a hostile encounter with shooting space ships

- holland wins the world cup football

- mario world on all console's

- peace all over the world

- end of all religeons

- Phoenix HD on ps vita + alot of new levels

- man on mars

- the dead of sepp blatter.

[dcharlie]

-Proof of extra-terrestrial life.

this - i really hope this happens in my life time just to see the worlds reaction.

Doesn't have to be bipedal humanoids coming out of a ship, just has to be confirmed living creature. And for maximum wtf-ness for it to be on Mars or a moon within our solar system.

Fake edit: Oh, i see Observer is on the same page .

[Vyxx]

- My children become parents
- Atheist president
- The end of religion
- Mushi 3
- Pizza is declared not a vegetable
- Proof of extraterrestrial life.
- the USA congress is wiped clean

[mesh control]

I hope that all extraterrestrial life is homosexual.

[JBC]

-Proof of extra-terrestrial life.

this - i really hope this happens in my life time just to see the worlds reaction.

Doesn't have to be bipedal humanoids coming out of a ship, just has to be confirmed living creature.

Ditto. This will give meaning to my entire life. I already know for sure, but I'll die happy seeing with my own two eyes.

[Blackbird]

There is actually a pretty good chance that life of some kind already exists on one of Jupiter's moons (or is it Saturn?). I think it might have been Europa, it's pretty much an ice moon with (scientists speculate) a huge, briny ocean under the surface glaciers. If there's water, there's a good chance there might be life of some kind. If we could decide to fund our space program for once instead of our political kickbacks program, we could get out there and verify this a lot sooner.

[Leader Bee]

There is actually a pretty good chance that life of some kind already exists on one of Jupiter's moons (or is it Saturn?). I think it might have been Europa, it's pretty much an ice moon with (scientists speculate) a huge, briny ocean under the surface glaciers. If there's water, there's a good chance there might be life of some kind. If we could decide to fund our space program for once instead of our political kickbacks program, we could get out there and verify this a lot sooner.

I think you'll find one of Saturns 60 moons; Titan, which is one of the most geologically active bodies within our solar system outside of Earth is a good candidate for life.

However, there are many other candidates for life within our solar system, Europa is one of Jupiters Galilean moons with the possibility of life and with the possibility of liquid water under the surface, Callisto could produce life, though less so than Europa.

[CMoon]

I'll check out "Collapse," but in the meantime, what examples does he give of over-leveraged societies that fell?

Easter Island, Myans are the first two that come to mind as they're easy to remember. The book has eight chapters on past societies that have collapsed due to--for the most part--resource mismanagement.

The rest or your post deserves a response, but I have to go to work.

[RGC]

"intelligence",consciousness and thoughts are an awfull thing.

I want to argue that a universe without consciousness would be an utter tragedy, but of course tragedy requires a conscious audience. Still, it would be a real shame (to me here, now) if no one was around to appreciate all that majestic grandeur, and those mind-boggling, intricately functioning parts. Intelligence may be awful, but the universe is friggin' awesome, and we need minds to appreciate that. Your life might be insufferable, but the fact of life alone should be enough to prevent you ending it prematurely. That's a general statement, btw, not aimed at anyone in particular. :)

-Proof of extra-terrestrial life.

this - i really hope this happens in my life time just to see the worlds reaction.

Same here. Hopefully after the initial shock we'd feel collectively humbled, and decide to grow the hell up and stop squabbling over territory, wealth, and power. Totally unrealistic hope though, as these are founded on very basic human behavioural tendencies.

On the subject of over-population: The idea of controlled breeding comes with so much moral baggage, I cannot think of any reasonable justification for permitting one couple to reproduce while denying another (except in the case where parenting ability is very obviously lacking, and where procreating would almost certainly lead to neglect or harm inflicted on the child -- okay, that's not very watertight either, but that's my point!). A more reasonable solution would be to try to find somewhere else for people to live, rather than try to curtail breeding. Let's face it, having offspring is the raison d'etre for many, as is the prospect of living to see one's offspring reproduce.

Here's a few more suggestions:

-Government legislates against all forms of cold calling. As well as traditional door-to-door, email, and phone-call varieties, this should prevent anyone (charity chuggers included), being allowed to stop members of the public in the street to obtain their bank details.
-Critical thinking becomes a compulsory subject in secondary/high schools, along with other 'life skill' subjects. (Perhaps a parenting class would dissuade one or two from becoming young mums. Or, it could backfire massively, making even more teenagers feel 'ready' for parenthood).
-Adults learn to stop demonizing children, and children learn some respect and stop being such little fucks. :p

[Krimzon Kitzune]

*

[Acid King]

I hope I live long enough to see Nicolas Cage make another good movie.

Farming subsidies aren't for keeping the price of food down; they're used to keep domestic farmers in the US, EU and elsewhere competitive with imported goods. Some commodities, such as sugar, would actually be cheaper if the subsidies were withdrawn. Just take a look at any sweetened food product in the US and note that it uses high fructose corn syrup rather than sugar. In America, taxpayers essentially pay for domestic farmers to make food that no one will ever eat.

Well, it does both lower and raise the price. Price supports with sugar keep the price higher than world prices, but corn and dairy subsidies encourage overproduction and the subsidies/price supports are the only reason those products are profitable for farmers. If they sold them at actual market price, no one would make money from it because they are grossly oversupplied. We dump our excess corn production into Mexico, where it effectively undercuts locally produced corn.

[Mero]

]
-Government legislates against all forms of cold calling. [/b][/b] :p

Yes, I had some tosser from N-Power trying to twist my arm into changing suppliers the other day, I really hate that

[RGC]

At least if it's a person calling you can ask them to hold, then play Rick Astley at them 'til they hang up. Can't do anything to exact revenge on automated callers. Seriously, it's so intrusive I can't believe we let organisations get away with it.

[GaijinPunch]

-Adults learn to stop demonizing children, and children learn some respect and stop being such little fucks. :p

Good luck w/ that one.

[Matsunaga]

- the USA elects our first openly atheist president

Happens right before:

-God is scientifically proven to exist

[Matsunaga]

-The public lynching of extreme capitalists
-Getting rid of money completely
-The massive suicide of all monotheists or more nicely said the emigration of all monotheists to the promised land
-Getting rid of all laws that somehow mention religion or failing that, explicitly include freedom of terrorism as a human right, just to keep things fair
-Getting rid of elitism completely
-Getting rid of most of those so called 'good cause' organizations
-That people finally learn that working together gets us further in less time
-That focusing on personal gain only will be classified as a crime against humanity
-That people are able to focus on the message instead of just the tone the message was delivered

Communist.

[Moniker]

- Mario shaves his stache, gets on an ab workout regimen, and styles his hair with frosted tips.
- Link grows a soul patch, starts wearing topsiders and polo shirts.
- Samus learns her proper place, quits bounty hunting and headlines the a DoA beach ball game.
- Sonic has a teen growth spurt, amasses a group of cool bros, and starts listening to metal.

[Michaelm]

Happens right before:

-God is scientifically proven to exist

Lunatic.

[xbl0x180]

- the USA elects our first openly atheist president

Happens right before:

-God is scientifically proven to exist

Unicorns and dragons are scientifically proven to exist along with God

[AeroCityMayor]

When I was 8 years old I remember thinking that I'll be 32 years old when the next total solar eclipse is visible in the UK.

This remained important to me for upwards of two decades but when the time came, I couldn't afford to get to the ass end of the country to see it!!!

24 years in the planning and I still bloody missed it - I guess life's just like that!!!

Cheers,

Ralph.

[JBC]

dragons

[Super Laydock]

Mentioned before but:

- the unmasking of all religions as scams.
And getting the time to tell everyone I argued about it: "TOLD YOU SO!!!"
for about a million times.

- Humanity getting in balance with nature instead of destroying it and the animal's natural habitats.

- Beer becoming a human right.



Edit: spelling

[CMoon]

- Beer becoming a human right.

Jimmy Carter made homebrewing legal, that's about is close as you are going to get, unless you mean beer coming out of public drinking fountains, etc.

[xbl0x180]

Mentioned before but:

- the unmasking of all religions as scams.
And getting the time to tell everyone I argued about it: "TOLD YOU SO!!!"
for about a million times.

- Humanity getting in balance with nature instead of destroying it and the animal's natural habitats.

- Beer becoming at human right.

Religions have already been proven as scams, but deprogramming people from the cult mentality they instill in them is really hard, if not impossible, to change. They'll keep "believing" and having "faith." I figure just as long as they remain somewhat harmless, I'm not going to contest their beliefs in fairy tales That humanity will ever gain a balance with nature is even tougher; it's better to ask for a mass epidemic to wipe out half the human population in order to achieve some of this balance.

I'm all for the legal age of beer/alcohol to be lowered back to 18 again - and for the legalisation of drugs

[Arcade Legends 3]

Here is my four:
- the dead of Schwarzenegger (everyone knows him - Arnold);
- the death sentence of "The Serial Killer";
- the rebirth of Sega Genesis (my favourite console - and more definetely the all time favourite);
- in fact I do not like consoles in general, so - and the rebirth of the arcade halls.
There are such halls in California, I know - because of this forum.
And Oklahoma also is a fine state.