They put the deer down with a bolt gun, like the guy with the bowl haircut in No County for Old Men.
inevitable chocolate shortage
What, no marshmallows?
It's a good thing the electorates of the major, wealthy democracies are in a mature, healthy place right now, and are up to tackling these complex, global challenges.
If the drug-resistant strain of plague was discovered in 2007 and you're just now hearing about it, I think the risk is minimal.
marshmallows
Ew, no. Assorted nuts, dried fruit, chocolate. Just like the bible says.
Chocolate in the Bible? Maybe the Book of Mormon.
3
In rural China, when I was sitting around on my stool peasants would come up to me and say, "Buttercup, tell us that story again of how Americans have the best education system in the world but still don't believe in global warming or evolution." And I would say, "Unfortunately, that is not a story I made up to make America sound more exotic." Then everyone would laugh and exclaim to themselves, "Imagine that! They all go to school but don't believe in global warming! Or evolution! And they shut their government down!"
When I was in China in 2003, people would ask me, "what's the point of having democracy if you're just going to elect George Bush?"
In 2009 a professor died of the plague here, something that didn't get much fanfare in the alumni magazine.
"what's the point of having democracy if you're just going to elect George Busha responsible, qualified person?"
It's not a democracy unless you're allowed to elect George Bush.
Huh. The rest of 11 was eaten. But I think it's self-explanatory anyway.
Uhhhh George W. Bush may be bad, but their political system elected Mao Zedong.
Buttercup, if you're around, can you recommend an introduction to Chinese mythology/folktales?
You guys should read that wikipedia page though. "Researchers experience difficulty in studying near human extinction directly, since humanity has never been destroyed before."
"Researchers experience difficulty in studying near human extinction directly, since humanity has never been destroyed before."
Can I be of any assistance here?
Sorry, we wanted near (human extinction), not (near human) extinction.
One hates to say it, but any species with such poor parsing really wasn't long for this world.
15: Perhaps these researchers didn't get very far in their bible reading?
13: but he wasn't elected. The system works!
"Researchers experience difficulty in studying near human extinction directly, since humanity has never been destroyed before."
The Toba catastrophe came close.
Actually, I suspect that direct experiments in near human extinction would have trouble getting past the research ethics committee.
7
In rural China, when I was sitting around on my stool
Is this a specifically Chinese custom, or something that is common in places that lack indoor plumbing, outhouses and even primitive latrines? My son used to do that when he wore a diaper, but not since.
Reminds me of this scene from Blazing Saddles
Only the best-selling fantasy anthology of all time. You might have trouble getting it in Arrakis though.
14
The Ode to Hua Mulan is a good place to start, because lots of them have some familiarity with with movie. I like this version: "Mulan : five versions of a classic Chinese legend with related texts." The fox ghost tales from the Ming Dynasty are a good entry point too, e.g. Pu Songling's "Strange tales from a Chinese studio." "Journey to the West" could be a possibility. There's also some of the early shamanic poetry in the Songs of Chu, which I personally really like.
Thanks Buttercup, looking into it. I bounced right off Journey to the West though, so.
25: Global Catastrophic Risks. A chapter a day and your optimism surplus is cured!
28: The problem is that you're not watching the essential updated version for modern audiences, Dragon Ball Z.
JTTW did indeed strike me as something a six-year old would came up with.
RE: the trial mix barter economy, this was also very unfair because older people (adults and older children) always found it far easier to hoard their stupid candy and then lord it over the little kids in a shameful display of hubris later on, shirking chores and driving up prices like crazy. "Yesterday you could get 5 m&ms for doing the dishes, but today you have to do the dishes AND let me have the good air pad."
Luckily I was among the oldest and also among the least-sweet-toothed.
28
I had trouble with Xi You Ji as well. There's a cartoon version that all Chinese kids watch, and I've been meaning to watch that. I read excerpts of Romance of the Three Kingdoms in a classical Chinese class, and I imagine that would be a more engaging read.
Also, for some reason I had the impression you were working with students, so disregard the justification for Hua Mulan, but I still recommend it!
34
A bit, I studied it for a year in grad school, but I'm quite rusty now.
I've been to two, if you count Smackharbour airport.
I've been to Chyna.