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Author Topic:   Will Humans survive the next major catastrophic event.
jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 1 of 22 (122385)
07-06-2004 12:59 PM


and if so, what changes might we see?
We are at a time when it is becoming increasingly likely that we might see one, or even a series of catastrophic events. Two particularly likely candidates are:
  • Global Warming.
  • A major eruption at the Yellowstone Caldera.
If either of those occured, what would be the effect on civilization? On humans?

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

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AdminAsgara
Administrator (Idle past 2302 days)
Posts: 2073
From: The Universe
Joined: 10-11-2003


Message 2 of 22 (122386)
07-06-2004 1:02 PM


Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

  
coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 3 of 22 (122391)
07-06-2004 1:17 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by jar
07-06-2004 12:59 PM


Well, global warming isn't exactly a confirmed fact. Even if global warming is going to cause a major catastrophy, I suspect that it's going to be so gradual that people won't even notice and will naturally adjust to whatever that comes.
I think that the danger of some kind of catastrophic event has always been there and always will be there. The difference is we are more aware of its presence now than ever before, probably due to all those doomsday movies that have been cranked out by movie producers the last few years.
Anyway, to answer your question, we might see changes such as the rid of an outdated morality, the need to cover oneself's nakedness, widespread use of coop bathrooms, and the acceptance of cannibalism as morally necessary.
By the way, I got all of this from a science fiction book I read a few years ago. The name and the author of the book escapes me for now.

The Laminator

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PecosGeorge
Member (Idle past 6872 days)
Posts: 863
From: Texas
Joined: 04-09-2004


Message 4 of 22 (122397)
07-06-2004 1:45 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by jar
07-06-2004 12:59 PM


Armageddon
will have a profound effect on humanity. The two you mention are too iffy for me.

"In that day I will also make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds of the sky and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land, and will make them lie down in safety. I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in lovingkindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the LORD."
-the prophet Hosea (8th century B.C.) in Hosea 2:18-20

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Mespo
Member (Idle past 2885 days)
Posts: 158
From: Mesopotamia, Ohio, USA
Joined: 09-19-2002


Message 5 of 22 (122401)
07-06-2004 2:10 PM


I agree with LAM in that the effects of global warming will be gradual. But, methinks we will see
1. The spread of tropical diseases northward into what were once temperate climatic zones.
2. The severe reduction if not disappearance of polar ice caps and the extinction of many artic species of flora and fauna.
3. Real estate prices on Greenland will skyrocket. It will once again become "green" and extensively habitable.
4. Same goes for Siberia and the Northwest Territories in Canada.
5. The construction of extensive dike systems to protect coastal cities such as those in use in New Orleans.
6. Global wet t-shirt contests in real time in an effort to stay cool.
************************************
As far as the Yellowstone Caldera goes...
1. A run on "I survived the Yellowstone Caldera Extinction Event" t-shirts.
2. Congress will need to appropriate additional money for road repair in Yellowstone National Park, with a few extra dollars to replace the states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. They will also declare the Yellowstone Caldera the new National Land Fill.
3. The U.S. Border Patrol will be unable to stem the flood of Americans running into Mexico. President Fox of Mexico will declare Americans "illegal aliens" and die laughing as he complains to Bush.
4. Al Qadea will take credit for the blast.
(:raig

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coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 6 of 22 (122552)
07-07-2004 1:05 AM
Reply to: Message 5 by Mespo
07-06-2004 2:10 PM


At this moment in history, I believe that there are more chances for a manmade catastrophe than a natural one. If anything, we might see another Chornobyl in the near future, probably somewhere in the middle east.
Let me tell you all a secret. I think life is too boring right now. I would celebrate like crazy if there is some kind of disaster happening. I know, I have a classical view of disaster, where heroes are made by unfortunate sequences of events.

The Laminator

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sidelined
Member (Idle past 5908 days)
Posts: 3435
From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
Joined: 08-30-2003


Message 7 of 22 (122556)
07-07-2004 1:32 AM
Reply to: Message 6 by coffee_addict
07-07-2004 1:05 AM


Lam
I know, I have a classical view of disaster, where heroes are made by unfortunate sequences of events.
I am curious, you state you are bored yet from what I have heard from you in your posts I cannot fathom that you would find the need for a disaster to happen to people in order to to see heroes in action.What is it you find boring about life that you would celebrate disaster?

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Andya Primanda
Inactive Member


Message 8 of 22 (122575)
07-07-2004 3:47 AM


The manmade catastrophe
I believe that we are in a catastrophe right now. A global flood of humans. I live nearby a maternity hospital and the faces of the happy couples with their newborn sons and daughters now seem frightening... we are adding more people than we could aspire to feed sustainably. God knows what will happen if we exceed the Earth's carrying capacity.

  
coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 9 of 22 (122579)
07-07-2004 4:10 AM
Reply to: Message 7 by sidelined
07-07-2004 1:32 AM


sidelined writes:
I am curious, you state you are bored yet from what I have heard from you in your posts I cannot fathom that you would find the need for a disaster to happen to people in order to to see heroes in action.What is it you find boring about life that you would celebrate disaster?
You are right about me. In real life, I am a very enthusiastic person who is always interested in learning, meeting people, and getting close to people. In fact, and I swear I am not exaggerating this, I'm having trouble remembering all of my friends' names. Too many to keep track of.
What I find boring about life is that everything in my life seems to be written in stone... cold and hard. I've tried so many things to get myself out of my semi-depressive state. I've driven 6 hours to another state just so I could meet someone for the first time. I've joined every philosophical club and every sport group I could spare time for. I've switched major twice. I've driven to New Mexico to help build a house for Habitat for humanity. I've switched from being straight to being gay. I have pretended to be an illegal immigrant and worked with illegal immigrants in sweat shops and other undesirable places (which I wanted to skin the bosses alive because of the way they treated us). Heck, I've even just transfered out of a top notched school (university of chicago) just so I could transfer to a state institution. Those are just a few of the things that I have tried to make my life a little less boring. Too bad I only had a knee injury in my recent car accident.
The point is I'm having trouble finding a purpose for myself. If this latest stunt I pulled (transfering to a school that my parents objected to) doesn't make my days a little brighter, I'm joining the army.
Give me plague, give me alien invasion, give me earthquake, give me flood, give me dawn of the dead, give me a big ass asteroid smashing into earth, give me anything but this mechanical uninteresting lifestyle that I am trapped in.
I know that this is outright selfish of me to wish for disaster. Most people want a stable unchanging lifestyle. They want to be secured in their everyday duties without interruption. They want to have as many chances as possible to have sex (at least that's what the guys seem to be after all the time).
Anyway, perhaps being responsible for the destruction of every organized religion in the world will cheer me up a bit.

The Laminator

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Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.7


Message 10 of 22 (122587)
07-07-2004 7:11 AM
Reply to: Message 3 by coffee_addict
07-06-2004 1:17 PM


Well, global warming isn't exactly a confirmed fact.
Er.... Yes it is. There is widespread agreement among scientists in the field.

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Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.7


Message 11 of 22 (122588)
07-07-2004 7:12 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by jar
07-06-2004 12:59 PM


Western civilisation will collapse within fifty years, I quite confidently predict, however humanity itself will pull through.

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Mespo
Member (Idle past 2885 days)
Posts: 158
From: Mesopotamia, Ohio, USA
Joined: 09-19-2002


Message 12 of 22 (122710)
07-07-2004 12:44 PM


The Yellowstone Caldera Event
As a slightly more serious reply to Jar, as opposed to my last one, I don't think an eruption of the Yellowstone Caldera will be the be-all-to-end-all.
Most major volcanic eruptions announce themselves weeks or months in advance. I can't see anything as cataclysmic as the Caldera blowing it's lid, just sneaking up on everyone. Having said that, then I see major, but not mortal, economic, social and environmental displacements. Unlike a killer asteroid that happens all at once, the ash fallout from the Caldera will continue for days, weeks or months. But not in such volumes as to kill everything downwind. Anything with legs or wings will endeavor to get out of the way. Lava flows will follow valley courses Westward(?) to the ocean. And when all is said and done, you will be left with...
Lavastone National Park.
(:raig

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Mespo
Member (Idle past 2885 days)
Posts: 158
From: Mesopotamia, Ohio, USA
Joined: 09-19-2002


Message 13 of 22 (122711)
07-07-2004 12:55 PM


The End of Western Civilization for Mr. Jack
Western civilisation will collapse within fifty years, I quite confidently predict, however humanity itself will pull through.
Western civilization will not collapse until Great Britain has won Wimbledon. Then you may safely retreat to some musty castle ruin and lay down and die a happy man.
(:raig

  
jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 14 of 22 (122713)
07-07-2004 12:57 PM
Reply to: Message 12 by Mespo
07-07-2004 12:44 PM


Re: The Yellowstone Caldera Event
How big was the last event?
How far did ash travel?
How deep were the ash layers?
Have there been any comparable events within the last 100,00 years or so and what were the results of those events?

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

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Amlodhi
Inactive Member


Message 15 of 22 (122722)
07-07-2004 1:16 PM
Reply to: Message 9 by coffee_addict
07-07-2004 4:10 AM


quote:
Originally posted by Lam
. . . give me anything but this mechanical uninteresting lifestyle . . .
chuckle . . You sound a bit like my father. He once said to me, "You know, the world is not improving fast enough to be comfortable; neither is it deteriorating fast enough to be interesting".
C'est la vie,
Amlodhi

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