Words have meanings. These are not my narrow definitions, these are simply the definitions of the word. Some people don't have a firm enough grasp of the language to understand that. When confronted with the fact that they're wrong, they often make the excuse that they're really correct, just in some incomprehensibly advanced way. 2+3=9. You think I'm wrong? You obviously haven't learned much about highly theoretical post-modern relativistic physics.
When someone asks a question in a specific tense, the tense is determined by whether the event has happened yet or not.
If I ask you, "Are you going to the party?", that can only mean that the party has not taken place yet. If it had taken place, the question would've been "Did you go to the party?".
The OP asked, "What was the most hyped up disaster that never happened?"
This can only mean that it hasn't happened yet.
Just another one of lesser note, 15-20 years ago (don't remember exactly when) geologists were predicting a massive earthquake to hit Southern Illinois soon, going to hit like a 7 or 8 on the Richter scale. Never happened.
Vic
Elite Member
- Jun 12, 2001
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Yes, but the fact still remains that nothing actually happened. No one was even injured. The hype comes from that the fact the while it is used as a symbol of the dangers of nuclear power, and literally decimated nuclear power in the US, the incident is actually evidence of how safe US reactor designs are.
If we were talking about C++, sure, words have set and unchangeable meanings.
We're talking about English. Meanings change according to common usage. Lots of meaningless words have been given meaning, some words have changed in meaning, and some meaningful words are now lost to us, as culture has shifted. You can never pin a word down 100%--this is not a "pure" language. Why do you think the phrase "reading between the lines" exists? What about allegories, metaphors, imagery? Strict literalists, ironically enough, miss out on most of literature. If you want exact meanings, stick to technical journals and instruction manuals.
Perhaps the OP was vague and misled you, but most of us understood what was actually being said. Communication took place. Just because the tool was imperfect and inexpertly wielded doesn't mean that the intentions of the user has changed. If you can't extract what was intended in a message from the fairly straightforward OP, then I really pity you when you get a job and recieve all manner of cryptic emails from your superiors. You really need to read between the lines in those cases.
Vic
Elite Member
- Jun 12, 2001
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Anyway, on topic, a new hyped and unrealized disaster comes out every year or so. This is actually a pop culture interest of mine, because whatever hype the media is selling for copy inevitably ends up in pop culture, especially movies. So a quick look back at popular disaster films is a good way to see what the disaster hype du jour was at the time.
For example, in the 90s, following Shoemaker-Levy 9, a meteor/comet hitting the earth was the big disaster hype, hence the movie Armageddon. And numerous others coming out every year. That one always stands out in my mind because it was about the same time that internet message boards like this one were reaching the sizes they are today, and for the first time I realized that there really are very large numbers of people who actually fall in for and believe completely the latest disaster hype as though the last one never NOT happened. That was a real realization moment in my understanding of other people.
BTW, the Mayans did NOT predict that Winter Solstice 2012 will be the end of the world. That is a purely observational event (like watching the sun "rise" and "set" everyday) caused by the earth's 26,000 year precession. Oh, I can't wait for this one....
For example, in the 90s, following Shoemaker-Levy 9, a meteor/comet hitting the earth was the big disaster hype, hence the movie Armageddon. And numerous others coming out every year. That one always stands out in my mind because it was about the same time that internet message boards like this one were reaching the sizes they are today, and for the first time I realized that there really are very large numbers of people who actually fall in for and believe completely the latest disaster hype as though the last one never NOT happened. That was a real realization moment in my understanding of other people.
BTW, the Mayans did NOT predict that Winter Solstice 2012 will be the end of the world. That is a purely observational event (like watching the sun "rise" and "set" everyday) caused by the earth's 26,000 year precession. Oh, I can't wait for this one....
The invasion of killer bees coming north from Mexico was another big media hype that never happened.
Modelworks
Lifer
- Feb 22, 2007
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Has to be the 'Atomic bomb threat' of the 60's.
You had people building fallout shelters in the basements.
Children practicing duck and cover drills in school.
Hoarding of food in cellars and anyone could be a Kgb spy.
I read a lot of the other replies, but I think the bomb threat was the best example.
Its the only one I can think of that actually forced people to change what they do daily.
You had people building fallout shelters in the basements.
Children practicing duck and cover drills in school.
Hoarding of food in cellars and anyone could be a Kgb spy.
I read a lot of the other replies, but I think the bomb threat was the best example.
Its the only one I can think of that actually forced people to change what they do daily.
Did you use to write long diatribes like this to defend your wrong answers in English class? He used the past tense. In what alternate universe can past tense mean future tense?
You seem like you're more of an emotional thinker than a logical thinker. Facts don't have much meaning in that touchy-feely world of yours. Probably a liberal.
- Jan 3, 2005
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Lol I remember the killer bee thing, it was on the news lots of times. I also remember some of my friends parents going to Costco before 2000 and stocking up on water and canned food etc. But being younger I actually felt scared and jealous that my family did not stack up on shit haha.
What about that huge shelf of land that is supposed to slide down in African and create a giant tsunami on the Atlantic that is supposed to wash away the east coast? Or the earthquake that shakes the ground which is in the NYC area every 10,000 years and is bound to happen any day now.
What about that huge shelf of land that is supposed to slide down in African and create a giant tsunami on the Atlantic that is supposed to wash away the east coast? Or the earthquake that shakes the ground which is in the NYC area every 10,000 years and is bound to happen any day now.
Captante
Lifer
- Oct 20, 2003
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The only "hype" surrounding home bomb shelters in basements was that having one would have led to anything more then short-term survival of all-out nuclear war for the owners.
While it may be hard to accept, again I feel the need to point out that the possibility of a major exchange of Atomic weapons was a very real threat then & still continues to be until this very day.
The scary & 100% truth is that both the former USSR & the USA still have more then enough nuclear warheads aimed at each other to end mankind's existance as we know it, plus our respective European allies have substantial nuclear firepower of their own along with the means to effectively deliver them.
B.S. in Chem E, U of Washington, currently working in a mineral physics lab doing high-pressure viscosity experiments, and applying to a Biochem PhD program for this fall. So far I've made the first cut, I'll find out next week if I'm in.
Trust me, I am MUCH more of a logical than an emotional thinker. However, applying my advanced logic skills to language yields some interesting results. English follows its own rules.
Consider the possibility that I might actually know what I'm talking about.
IAteYourMother
Lifer
- Nov 3, 2004
- 10,491
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Captante
Lifer
- Oct 20, 2003
- 30,354
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Bird flu specifically may well turn out to be hype, but a worldwide influenze pandemic is another example of somthing thats happened more then once in the past & will without question happen again.
The Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918
The Hong Kong Flu Pandemic of 1968-70
Edit: The HK flu in particular is somthing to be aware of because it was originally found only in poultry, but mutated to infect humans.
You're really stroking your e-penis hardcore on this one. Hey- do you argue with people on dating sites?
"I drive a convertible BMW!" "I went to the top college!" "I had dinner with the secretary of state!" " I bench/leg press 1200 lbs!" "I was in 20 major motion pictures!"
oiprocs
Diamond Member
- Jun 20, 2001
- 3,780
- 2
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You're an asshole. He was counteracting your "emotional thinker" label, not bragging off.
Besides, who fuckin' cares whether the terms were used correctly or not? Everyone seems to understand what he was implying, and it's a MESSAGE BOARD, not BOARDING SCHOOL, so relax and let the grammar slide.
Anyone remember SpaceLab crashing into Earth. Were you wearing your helmet? I wonder how much money Donald Rumsfeld has made off te bird flu scare?
Just so you know that quake will hit, it's just a matter of time. Anytime anything in nature is predicted to happen in a given time frame, it most likely will not happen. Nature is unpredictable and chaotic, so anytime something predicted about when something in nature will happen its just a sheer guess. If you research it that quake did hit in the early 1800's and caused a tremendous amount of damage. That quake will hit, just give it time.
So ruling out nature based events I would say Y2K, SARS, "life on mars" type stuff.
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