The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

This is a heavy topic to drop on a sports board of Americans.. but then a few of you may actually use a brain cell to think about it.

I was born very late 1960s, I grew up in the cold war through my teens (I missed the bay of pigs incident, but was there on the next edge of WW3 in the early Reagan '80s)

There has been a lull since the fall of the Berlin Wall & Communism in the late 80s, a time of relative global stability - apart from 9/11 there hasn't been a lot to brown your shorts about. But in that space, a building tsunami of corruption, manipulation and inequity (fueling the former two) have grown.   

This is a really concerning time right now. War in Eastern Europe. War in the Middle East. Dictators to the left, Dictators to the right... a wanna be Dictator on your doorstep there in the USA, and the only thing stopping it is a senile old fart. Not ideal.

As per the title, how close are we to a global war and everything being totally fucked? As a hypothetical, China sees the USA over stretched to the middle east and decides to take Taiwan. Trump gets elected and pulls the funding to defend Ukraine (and presumably Poland, and anywhere else in Europe his mate Vlad decides to invade to reclaim the old Soviet Union)

After the fall of the Berlin Wall and Communism, I never thought I would ever bring this up to anyone. The situations in Ukraine, Gaza and the middle east, the USA election... how can you not think about any of this unless you are (or choose to be) an absolute idiot? Or just don't care... in which case if your world collapses, you have it coming to you.

 

When I think about World Destruction type of stuff, it seems that we wouldn't get there from war, but from a zealot or someone mentally ill or a martyr in a dictator position.

If Biden goes totally off his rocker crazy and woke up tomorrow and wanted to nuke the whole world, I don't think he could do it.  There are too many checks in place, both in his own circle, but in other parts of government, that theoretically would be able and willing to stop that.  And we, as a society, wouldn't be putting people in jail or executing them that stopped him from doing it.

I fear fully dictatorial governments, specifically those where there is some thinking by either the dictator or their people, that they are somehow agents of God and are in their position through divine means.  I think it's much more easy for that person to hit the red button without pushback.

But yeah -- death cult.  Like if David Koresh had the power of Kim Jong Un.  Anytime there aren't checks on power, that person could have a psychotic break and launch all the nukes.

Religion is also a problem -- by and large, I think that people like power and they use religion as a tool to gain support, but they themselves are not ABSOLUTE true believers.  This is true in the USA, but also in these Middle Eastern countries run by Muslim extremists.  I don't think that many of them practice or truly believe what they preach.  But not always.  You start to get the absolute true believers who think they are God's messengers and would be happy to kill themselves and the rest of you to send the right people to heaven or hell, respectively.  That shit is scary.

I was born in 1966, so went through the end cold war stuff also, but never thought anything would lead to an Armageddon; of course I was young then.  Like Dave said I think there would have to be a really crazy zealot or mentally ill person for it to happen.  Iran has some nuts but they know better.  Putin is a bit of a zealot but He knows better, and hopefully people around him would stop him if he went to launch nuclear weapons.  N. Korea has had some crazy leaders, and they keep their citizens so isolated from the outside world, and feed them misinformation about the world; so they are the most worrisome to me.  China is the most powerful country, besides the US, but they seem content to just occupy their part of the world; other than they want total control of Taiwan.

I think for it to happen it would be some small issue that would snowball from retaliations, and then other countries would think they could take advantage of the situation.

The US could be destroyed from the inside out. Currently 43.4 million acres of the US are foreign owned. China has 400,000 acres with some right next to some of our military institutes. I don't think we do enough to protect our own interests.

Secondly, 3 companies basically own everything and control what we see and hear.  BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street. Whenever they decide to screw us they will and there is nothing we can do about it. The US gives billions to Ukraine and who does the Ukraine give it to? Yep, Blackrock, Vanguard, and State Street. They also control our media so we will do it again and again.

For context, the total acreage of the United States is approximately 2.26 billion.  If your 43.4 million stat is accurate, this would put the foreign-owned area of the US at 1.92%, with the China-owned area weighing in at 0.017%.

I don't know how far you live from the nearest military base, but I live a little under 4 miles from the Air Force's west coast hub at Travis AFB, and I can tell you that local government is VERY restrictive of any land use that might encroach upon the base's future ability to expand.  This is not even a national security issue; more like a "You don't mess with the hand that feeds you" issue (especially after NorCal had 3 nearby bases closed in the '90s).  So I don't think encroaching on military institutes is as much of a concern as you imply.

I live a few miles from both the US Submarine base in Groton and the coast guard academy. You don't just waltz into those places, there's access controls upon access controls to get in.

This sounds like some of the happy horseshit pushed by Q-anon...

There is a major decay in what we call democracy - in the old Westminster system, there was a key thing about the separation of powers allowing real democracy to exist. Religion, Politics and the Judiciary/Police all have to act independently so every voice could be allowed to exist in a free society. When one is allowed to contaminate and/or control the other parts, any minority voices are silenced and effectively snuffed out. That allows tyranny to happen.

That's what's happening in one form or another right now: Politics and or religion (or specifically someone adapt at manipulating both those in their interest) with the legal/police system being compromised in the process and eroding any kind of checks and balances. Media has a massive part in this too, especially when it is not truly independent and tied into/dictated to by political and religious factions. A lack of any kind of real independent voice is a quick way to snuff out any kind of resistance to overwhelming power.

Early this week here in Australia the former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull openly questioned if the USA was drifting away from a genuine democracy towards and Autocracy - and noted that Trump (while in his presence as a world leader) seemed to be in awe of the likes of Putin, Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping. Dictators, War Criminals and Butchers. Democracy via eliminating their opponents, and collecting votes via gunpoint at the doorstep of voters.

It's the sort of thing that would be thought of as insane and impossible years ago... but it's somehow plausible now.

Democracy is like a marriage.  You have to want it and always work to justify its existence.  You can't just set it and forget it.

My biggest concern right now is that not enough people actually want a Democracy.  So much of how this country has worked for the last 200+ years is that we just sorta assumed that these things like checks and balances and the rule of law were set.  But they're not.  Laws don't matter if those who have to uphold them don't.  Checks and balances don't work if they aren't used.

So, we have some work to do in terms of solidifying these norms if we are to get this thing back and working again.

Demographic change is leading to the dominant group in American society losing their political clout; they don't always get what they want anymore.  The tipping point seems to have been Obama's re-election: his election could be explained by a Great Recession fluke, but when Standard Republican Mitt Romney lost to him in 2012, sirens went off.  It was a so-called "Flight 93 moment," justifying the use of any and all tactics to maintain dominance in our society.  The guardrails are long gone; they now openly cheer a candidate's direct promises to be a dictator.  Power is all that matters.

That's a huge concern globally. People want fairness, and something representing their values - and when left with a total vacuum of choice, they either give up or pick the least worst option.

It leaves a space for populists to occupy no matter their honesty or real motives. In Europe (and increasingly here in Australia) minor parties are given an increasing proportion of the vote - and that's not necessarily a bad thing, because that's the way a real democracy representing a wide range of voices fairly should work. But when one extreme position (particularly one based on religion or privilege) takes control of not only Government, but also the media, legal and police/military, then that's not democracy. It's something to be worried about.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-08/north-korea-rhetoric-change-south-russia-vladimir-putin/103558314

Another bit of global instability to throw into the pot... it may be a reaction to the (genuinely democratically elected) South Korea Govt backing away from the idea of any unification. Or it could be one of the Dictators seeing signs of global instability, and going on to a war footing while the rest of the West is stretched between Ukraine and the Middle East.

If the latter is true, look for China making plans for Taiwan... if they are not already (spoiler alert... they are).

The point has to be when the separation of powers are compromised. That's when democracy dies. When politicians stack/influence the legal system to their advantage and take advantage of it, then it's compromised, bordering knackered. When the media is compromised or part of the whole process, then that's another layer that's stripped away from what a real democracy should have. The USA is a lot closer to that edge than what you guys want to think.

We have compulsory voting here in Australia which I think is a good thing. Everyone has to vote and has a reason to care for how they do it... if you don't like who gets elected, at least you know everyone got off their ass to do it, so it really will be the majority vote that you have to respect.

What really pisses me off is when people who do have the chance to vote, they don't do it, and then bitch about a Govt that got in who they don't like. Guess what? You're not in a country like Russia where troops go to your apartment, literally stick a gun against a temple and tell you to vote for Putin... so get off your ass and do something about it while you have privilege to do it. Or don't bitch about it because you're too lazy, or too stupid to care.

Two things wrong with this assessment. 1 is that it doesn't take quantity of land but quality of land. Being in the right place has everything to do with it. The second thing is our military is eat up with foreign agents and even "Americans" who hate America so there's always inside help available to them.

Congrats to sticking to the liberal script. You don't agree so you all me crazy names as if that does anything. Hell... you guys destroyed more "bad" labels than the actual racists, bigots, and misogynists, could have ever hoped for. It means absolutely nothing to be called any of them .. all thanks to you guys who have no argument. For the record my personal favorite is watching liberal whites call black republicans white supremist. I really do laugh out loud every time.  

I know you don't want to hear it but this is Biblical in what's going down. I know how you love these stories I tell so I will indulge you. As we were drinking at the Cabbage Patch during Bike Week one of my atheist friends came up to me. I've known him since Elementary school. He said buddy, yo know I'm not religious but I know you are. I just have to say that you may be right because there is no way what is going on in today's world is not influenced by demonic power. He then went on to tell me all the crazy things he's been noticing. For instance, there is no way you can seriously call a man a women except by some demonic power and so on. So it's nice to see not only us "Q-anons" are seeing it.

Your statistics about the amount of "foreign-owned land" offer no assessment on the quality of the land they own.  And I'm not ready to accept "it's the best land, trust me" as granted.

If our military is already "eat up" with double agents and traitors, I don't see why the amount of land owned by the Chinese is even relevant.  If they already have people on the inside, what does it matter how much land they've legally purchased?

I just heard a brutally abrupt question that focuses everything:

Has WW III already begun?

What is the basis for that question?  Russia's failed invasion of Afghanistan Ukraine. 

The ongoing, expanding war in Ukraine is one reason.

The ongoing, expanding war in the middle east is another reason.

China's war-gaming of a potential invasion of Taiwan for a number of years now (the moment they sense any kind of weakness in a USA response, they will go ahead and do it) is another. Plus their expansion of influence through the smaller Pacific islands, claims to South China sea that potentially threaten vital shipping routes.

North Korea and Russia signing a NATO-like pact they will go to war together if one decides to. North Korea is already supplying arms to Russia (along with Iran), and also increasing their rhetoric about the conflict with South Korea never really being over...

There are significant wars already in progress as well as tensions, dialogues are breaking down, and in their place lines are being drawn.

Perhaps the seeds have already been sown?

^^^ With respect, my Aussie brother:

*1) There is always an "expanding" war going on somewhere
*2) Life in the middle east can usually be described as an "ongoing expanding war"
*3) China is always playing situational military wargames...as are we...as are most governments.
*4) We should fear an attack from N. Korea about as much as we fear an attack by Madagascar...and Russia can barely handle the Ukraine.
*5) There are always wars of some level of significance, and tension is a normal human condition.
*6) Perhaps they look like seeds...perhaps they look like normal pieces of dirt. Perhaps they look like little m&m's...I suppose it all depends how hungry you are.   ;)

Yeah I get all of that - but it's more to do with the intensity and the web that's forming which is more of a concern.

When was the last time that Israel had to fight a war simultaneously on four different fronts? (Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen and Iran)

Iran and North Korea supplying weapons to Russia - when did that ever happen? There's the possibility of Russia assisting their nuclear and ballistic programs in return.

Russia and North Korea has never officially signed a pact like that before. It sounds like Russia is trying to strike the same arrangement with China. If China start supplying 5th generation arms to Russia (who's dependence on outdated technology has been exposed in the Ukraine War), that's a massive shift in play.

This is a escalation over anything we have seen over the last 40 plus years (including both Gulf wars and Afghanistan).

It’s a tough time in the world man for sure

Are closer now to extinction than at any other point?


Things will go on as they always have, getting weirder all the time

We are getting closer and closer to extinction but not because of any of the reasons listed.

We won't survive an ice free planet.  Human life will go extinct by 2200, possibly 2100.

Doomsday Clock moves closer to midnight than ever before:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-29/doomsday-clock-89-seconds/104864754

Atomic scientists have moved their Doomsday Clock closer to midnight than ever before, citing Russian nuclear threats amid the war in Ukraine, the military use of AI and climate change.

It was reset on Wednesday to 89 seconds to midnight, making humanity one second closer to the theoretical point of annihilation than it was in 2024, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said.

The Chicago-based nonprofit created the clock in 1947 during the Cold War tensions that followed World War Two to warn the public about how close humankind was to destroying the world.

So, in the last we week we've heard from the USA that:

China plans to invade Taiwan in the next two years, so everyone else in the Pacific region should spend up on armaments (because the USA will do fuck all about it).

Putin said to Trump in a phone call that after targeting indiscriminately mainly civilian targets himself, and being embarrassed that with no other assistance Ukraine took out some major military targets with no civilian casualties, that he has to strike back (because he's embarrassed). Trump passed that on, but said nothing about stopping him from doing that, nothing about that it was justified payback to because of all of the evil shit his good friend Vlad had done leading up to this.

It's another excuse for him to be a TACO. Trump Always Chicken Out. He was a coward who dodged the Vietnam draft five times, and a pantomime bully, and that's the direction he has taken your country. Putin sees through it and doesn't give a fuck. Neither does Xi Jinping, or anyone else with balls.

You guys and your President are as weak as the beer that you drink. Defenders of democracy, freedom and decency, you are not. You are weak as piss. Corrupt as hell.

The moment that it was mentioned you would switch off electronic aids in the Joint Strike Fighters you sold to Denmark if the USA seeks to take over Greenland said a lot. As did the similar disabling of other equipment supplied to other "Allies" if they got involved with Ukraine's fight for survival.

You want us to boost our military spending budget? We should look doing it with France, the UK, Canada, or someone else. You can't be trusted anymore.

I've sensed your posts becoming more directed the United States citizens rather than our government. I have not said anything until now thinking I might be misinterpreting. That was until this post from you. Saying "you guys" are as weak as the beer we drink is a direct shot at our people in general as well as the specific people who visit this site..if you dislike us as a people so much feel free to stop watching our football and coming on to our fan sites. You seem to be going out of your way to follow the pastimes and news of a group of people you obviously have a dislike of.

His posts SHOULD be directed at US citizens.  It is the actions (or lack of action, by non-voters) of US citizens that put us in this position.  After decades of machinations to become the world's lone hyperpower, suddenly we've decided to throw everything in the trash, attack our allies while playing footsie with dictatorships, etc.

Don't get sore because someone from outside the country is stating the obvious.

It's not stating the obvious to say a group of people (which includes you by the way) is "weak as piss". That is an insult and personal. If you don't want to address it and actually want to defend it, maybe it applies.

And the German people were ALL just victims of the Nazi government including those who voted for Hitler. 

#notallAmericans

We all bear responsibility for the actions of our government.  To build on what Hoodie said, not many people are wasting their breath defending the "good Germans" in Nazi Germany who voted against Hitler.

Not many  are spending time talking about Nazi Germany at all.  Do you know how much I think about ancient Rome. Usually none.

The point is that I'm not sure why you're getting all huffy about someone assigning blame to Americans as a group for the actions of our government.
We deserve the blame for the behavior of our "shithole country."

30% of our country are loud-and-proud fascists and another 40% doesn't care either way.  A bag that is 70% garbage is a bag of garbage.

I can best explain it like having a brother or sister. I can fight and argue with them as I want but someone outside better tread lightly.

I mean, it's one thing if we were talking about, say, the Miami Dolphins.  I don't want to hear anything from a Jets fan about Miami's shortcomings.

But everyone on this planet is impacted significantly by our insane clown government, on account of the financial and military power we wield.  So they have a stake in being pissed at our shitty electorate.

Of course, because American's are famous for not getting involved in the politics of other countries.  Just ask any Iraqi, Afgan, Korean, Vietnamese,  etc. 

This isn't political it is a personal comment about the American people. You don't mind being personally called "weak as piss" that's fine. I don't care for his tone and said my peace.

I'm with you Phish. It's a bit ironic to say we are "weak as piss" because they can't do it for themselves. You won't do our bidding so you are weak as piss!!! Haha

CF, 1 year ago you would have been saying it louder than anyone.

We can fight our own wars... and have a long a history of assisting others with theirs.

The UK, France, USA, whenever we've been called up, we are there. When the call up as peacekeepers came, we are there. We have backed the USA to the hilt when required.

Which is why it's such an insult that the current USA Foreign liaison says to us that China will invade Taiwan in two years, and we have to look after ourselves from now on.

It's an insult when your VP dismissed the UK saying it has "not fought a war in 30-40 years" when the reality is that the UK and Australia were the very first to go into fight with the USA in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I'd love to see a MMA fight between Prince Harry and JD Vance in a cage, because Vance deserves to have his fucking head ripped off by someone who has actually fought in a combat zone, put his own life on the line and killed people (for the UK on behalf of the USA). This is an absolute betrayal of trust. A slap in the face. Which deserves a full on punch or shirtfront in response.

Yeah I'm angry. This is personal. Get used to it. Americans are a lot less popular than they used to be.   

I may not appreciate other countries talking shit about America, but I also really can't blame them one bit for doing so. This administration - and a good chunk of the population, seems to have forgotten that the world does not exist within America...America exists within the world.

That's my two copper coins, stacked neatly on the table...

Where did you get copper coins?  Mine are mostly zinc

You might also want to check your news sources. While Hegseth said Asain countries should step up defense spending (consistent with what they have said to Europe also) I don't see any quote about it being because they are on their own. In fact he says that we won't be pushed out of the region and that we will stand with our allies. I saw this from the BBC and not from American news sources. Please let me know where your source is from so I can see it.