CRISPR: A Gene-Editing Superpower has been added as a related post - related requested by Mordhaus on that post.

I've largely opted out of this one. I'm not an economist or an expert in european law, so I haven't the knowledge to make an intelligent choice.

I am somewhat naturally inclined toward remaining: there was never a trace of patriotism in my soul, and the european courts at least have done some service toward protecting british freedoms, both from our government and from those corporations who'd like to own it. The common market's a good principle, and I don't have anything but admiration for the idea of a european superpower to oppose the twin fascisms of the US and China.

I never thought I'd grow up to care about immigration, but it turns out I don't like seeing millions of social conservatives marching into western europe from lesser cultures, pushing back against the progress we've made in recent decades.

There's another dimension to that question in the UK, which I don't think is well understood externally: where absolutely anyone with a european passport is allowed permanent residence here, the government keeps the figures down to appease its more xenophobic voters by making it practically impossible for those outside the EU. So, every year we tell thousands of highly skilled, highly intelligent prospective immigrants to just fuck off. Good policy.

In any event, I don't endorse unjust systems like democracy, and wouldn't vote in any referendum.

When you veer into talking about changing the Geneva Conventions I think your argument loses logic. Without getting into whether military action is actually justified in the first place, maybe it's worth admitting that there are some thing the US military simply can't do and therefore shouldn't try to?

To suggest that the US should forego international norms to achieve its goals feels like it's channeling the neo-conservative myth of the US as this omnipotent superpower that it never was, and certainly isn't now. What evidence is there that acting like the terrorists (which once you give up international norms you will eventually get to) would actually help achieve its objectives in the first place?

The Bush administration basically took that approach with torture (the "well they did it to us!" approach). When the news of secret rendition, Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo broke (as it inevitably would), we know that almost certainly recruited a whole bunch of new terrorists. Meanwhile torture confessions led to a whole bunch of wild goose hunts.

Civilian resistance has been around since the dawn of armies invading foreign lands. International norms geared around state v. state warfare don't really address them, not because they didn't envisage them but because occupying and pacifying foreigners was never a good idea in the first place. Drone strikes, surgical strikes on the likes of Bin Laden should be a rare exception but once you start 'normalizing' them, and giving occupying soldiers wider latitude with civilians that's when you start getting into serious trouble.

Interesting concept: the Unnecessariat

"Here’s the thing: from where I live, the world has drifted away. We aren’t precarious, we’re unnecessary. The money has gone to the top. The wages have gone to the top. The recovery has gone to the top. And what’s worst of all, everybody who matters seems basically pretty okay with that. The new bright sparks, cheerfully referred to as “Young Gods” believe themselves to be the honest winners in a new invent-or-die economy, and are busily planning to escape into space or acquire superpowers, and instead of worrying about this, the talking heads on TV tell you its all a good thing- don’t worry, the recession’s over and everything’s better now, and technology is TOTES AMAZEBALLS!"

watching him climb, and climb, and climb in that slow-mo just looks wrong. Physics defied. Superpowers detected.

Oh, Im sorry for calling out his bullshit. PC is much more important than the truth, right? No. PC creates taboos, and taboos have no place in a real democracy by definition.
And thats not opinions, that actually facts. There are even psychological studies about this. But the biggest bully of the world of course wont accept those facts and call them opinions, not only because he doesnt know anything else and would never admit he caused all this crap, but also because people like those would lose their power instantly. Funny how the first concern was about blame, he was afraid of being exposed, like they all are. And here I am putting out blame to the ignorant people who dont want to accept reality and being attacked because of it. Also something learned from history. We had to fight a world war to make people realize what a piece of shit they voted. Again, nothing learned from history. "But I didnt vote for them" instead.

These people are mentally ill, always have been for thousands of years. And they rule THE superpower nowadays. Normally history would have taught us about people like those very well, yet they are still being elected into power, if that history would be taught in schools. Well, it is, but there is no connection being made. "People today are completely different. We are hard working, honest, freedom loving democratic people who love all that lives, no comparison from the Romans or medieval times!!111eleven". BULLSHIT. Humanity hasnt changed a bit. And everyone knows that who knows just a bit of actual history. FACTS.

And now ridicule me for semi-ticking out with things you dont understand, and thus they must be stupid.

Well according to the clip of Stallone's arm wrestling show, apparently drinking automobile oil before a match does NOT make you stronger or better at it (much like Popeye and a can of spinach). BUT, it does seem to show that it has the ability to induce a superpower allowing a seemingly normal person to become schizophrenic...

BTW, I said superpower rather than mental illness, because from the schizophrenic individual's perspective he is surely battling Hell's most dangerous beasts, demons, and devils. Merely with the power of his arm wrestling techniques backed up by the miniature fission based nuclear reactor in his gut. It also leaves him in a perpetual manic state, where much like the Lego Movie, "Everything Is Awesome"...

I imagine that he may upgrade to a mixture of anti-freeze and power steering fluids; absolutely logical.

/insanity
//off-topic

For which one? Certainly not the gay ones. Maybe you mean Jesus. I can totally see how a guy with metaphysical superpowers needs the help of a intolerant adulteress. Or maybe you mean her 4th husband and their holy bond of 3-times-divorced-marriage.

http://videosift.com/video/How-Things-Bjrk

There we are. I have no superpowers. But hell, you can't have enough young Bjork.

But seriously, maybe we need a new superpower for Bronzies...

Hmm...

Jeez, I had no idea. I took off a full week, paid, for my daughter's birth here in Thailand, and could easily have taken two weeks. As the father.

For mothers themselves here, a google search says:
* 90 days of maternity leave
* Full pay: 45 days paid by the employer and 45 days paid from the Social Welfare Fund
* With a doctor's certificate a temporary change of duties either before and/or after the child's birth is allowed
* Protection from termination of employment due to pregnancy


Guess I can add that to the list of things that this corrupt, shady, and highly unstable government does better than my "world's primary superpower" homeland. (not saying it is a very long list, but it is more than a handful of items!)

Hello Shinyblurry,

Out of curiosity, I would like to ask you something, as I don't really know that many religious people.

If we were to find out the absolute proof that life had indeed been created by a greater being (e.g. one day we find a message incrypted into our DNA that spells out "God did it"), and even that Jesus had real superpowers and was some kind of scout sent to see how things were going at some point. Then, what if it was revealed that this great creator was actually a group of Creator beings from, say, Antares-42. And life on earth was just an experiment. Would you still feel the need to worship this god ?? That's my question.

Thanks in advance!

As superpowers go, the ability to throw your face at someone could catch the bad guys by surprise...

Climate change-The hot-topic for a new age of ineffectuals...something for the insects to rally-around and discuss which produces nay but fodder for the same passive-aggressive types who are being seduced by their desire to trade practical action (whatever that could be) for polemic intercourse with themselves and others like them on the internet....

....people who are passionate to a fault and use forums like this to espouse their anger and frustration with tomes of keystrokes AT and not WITH others they deem unworthy, those ignorant and simpering few with opinions or observations dissimilar to theirs (and lower than 130 I.Q.'s....*cough), who know they are helpless to act to stop the high-speed train of planet-fucking (wage-slave-required and dutifully induced through the programming by adepts of semantic mind-fucking).This delusional empowerment, with all the invisible superpowers of new 'information' gives them the license and ability to do absolutely nothing to correct or marginally disrupt the pace of the so-labeled change while becomming better dicks in doing-so.

This fan-driven subject of climate change they use not only to deride those with any dissenting opinion and doubt regarding the mechanics and unfolding of what our big, blue marble is handing the creatures onnit, but also and most evidently obvious, to bolster their own superiority and self-satisfaction in their ability to process the distraction of disinformation/information/datum-ad-nauseum, and then condense it into how clever they can be in being complete assholes without breaking rules of accepted decorum so they can hear themselves bark, howl, and foment.

Smug, helpless, and irritatingly predictable in their helplessness to do anything more effectual than to add more used motor oil to the bonfire of their own vanity.

I would ask these irritating bugs what ARE you prepared to do to alter the course of the 'changes' in the 'terminal climate' described above? Recycle and drive a hybrid? Sacrifice anything but another trip to a polling-station? Oh I know, sit at your computer keyboard and grow more incensed while going-on with your business of spouting and shouting from a mountain of trash that you add-to daily by converting oxygen to more life-giving C02 and buying shit you don't need with paper you are forced to trade for 'bads and disservices??'

Thought so.

Fuck global warming in it's ass and let the planet shake and quiver with change as humans and/or their own slave-like actions continue to feed the earth-furnace. The bigger fish to fry and serve head-on have you by the short and curlies and we're all bio-fuel for future generations

America expanded NATO and rearmed Germany a country that and invaded and nearly destroyed Russia twice in that century. We didn't keep to our treaties and we rarely ever do.

Russia was a weak superpower in the Cold War actually, they had been under rapid industrialization but were basically moving from being mostly farmland so it was superficial. The amount of power they had was greatly exaggerated. The thing is when you have the two LARGEST propaganda systems on Earth saying that Russia is indeed a very significant threat and that they are Socialist you can't really fight that with facts because people are too emotional about the situation.

If history says anything we will likely overstate Russias power and influence. Our "Containment" of them will really be more of a power grab to increase our influence all over the world.

What's interesting is the American public is kind of sick of this shit. You see the media and the administration and tons of people on the Hill talking about how awful Putin and Russia is. How they're going to take over places bit by bit and everything is going to hell, how terrible this is, but many in the public don't believe them and don't give a shit. We're sick of this lying crap, we don't believe the President when he says we have to invade a new place anymore and he looks like an idiot when everyone shuts him down.

So my prediction is the media will do more screaming, more wringing of hands and yelling at people about why don't they care about this or that. They'll make things up, sensationalize conflicts and basically use propaganda all while ignoring our crimes and situations we're responsible for.

This was long and pointless with no citations but I've decided I don't care, take this as my opinion and shove a salt lick down your throat.