Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.

Rapture Analysis

by Crazy Horse Thu May 19th, 2011 at 03:38:53 PM EST

Making fun of the Rapture appears in comments on several recent threads, if not throughout the known internet. In fact, there's a facecrack site which has hundreds of thousands of people signing up for "looting," which of course is why these small minded idiots will not be doing much flying. Check it out, the group is awaiting the reply from 387,445 lost souls.

I've learned a great deal about global economics by being here, which has made me a worser person. Not particularly devilish, exactly, but even evil eye recoil at the mocking laughter heaped on those privy to insider tips. Perhaps the prejudging is premature.

Perhaps you should consider some of the results from the series of test runs we performed at the behest of the Old Trinity.


Of course, we named the commission the New Trinity; in all, three dry runs were performed. Eye was present at one of the tests, but have reviewed and analyzed the data from all three.

First, let me be clear, Old Trinity completely mitigated 7 of the 9 risk areas we identified, and we were all in agreement, subject to minor, virtually inconsequential variances in data interpretation. The commission debated the other two, and opinions were split evenly, not counting coercion and fear.

Half of us wanted to run further tests, while the other third felt the data already showed conclusive trends. In the end we were both overruled, as the Old Trinity let us know in rather harsh terms that under conditions of austerity and forced sterilizations, there simply wasn't enough shekels for further tests.

The Viking (that's what we called the Horned One on the Commission) went so far as question our very methodology, and thundered against the request for more tests, stating, "God Damn It, we all know where the data is pointing." In any case this executive summary does not reflect data from the tests we did not perform.

There was also debate about whether we should release the data, and if so, in what form. Especially as this project was commissioned by The Formless, it was decided upon us that we should present the data only in discussion form, with a side order of take it or leave it.

Data Review 1.01

  •  The Rapture tests did not produce 100% "lift-off" as we were led to believe.

  •  The Vast Majority of test life forms were indeed raptured durting the first test, in fact, well over 51.7%. (Asterisk: there remains discussion on defining successful rapture.)

  •  The Commission is at a loss to describe why there were declining results in each subsequent test, though several mitigating factors were identified. After the 2nd test, the instruments were recalibrated, and were found to be within tolerance. (The Viking stated that with our primitive analysis programs, we could not detect the actual result.)

  •  The third and final test was conclusive in that all of the test subjects were no longer there. However, the data was inconclusive on where they went. (Footnote: Upon review of the tapes, there were exclamations outside normal trend lines, even under regression. The Commission decided to ignore the outliers. We provide two examples to help you understand the decision: "Woo Hoo, I can still drive my Ferrari," and, "Shit, I owe Deutsche Bank my first born.")

  •  There were zero data points from the successes, which was to be expected.

  •  It was the considered opinion of the Commission that with enough of the mitigation measures in place,  the first of the actual planned Rapture events would be likely to achieve its targets, with a high enough confidence level to approve its use.

  •  For a full discussion of the mitigation measures, refer to a full compendium in the appendicitus.

In the Spirit of Openness, the Commission has decided to release a preliminary version of the Final Report, which we're told will never be finished, but will certainly, given the prevailing definition of certainty, lead to later revisions.

This is the first release of Old Trinity Commission Engineering Analysis report 1.03 v.5. It is not dependent upon your belief structure, nor your your ignorance. Genuflect, mofuckah.

DISCLAIMER:  No Caol Ila was harmed in the process of drafting this Analysis, and the subsequent Diary. Further, the one One-Horned Goat sacrificed has transmigrated to a better place.

DISCLAIMER ZWEI: There are no photographs, tables, or whatever you call those squiggly line things, for obvious reasons. The Commission stands by the data anyways, know what eye mean?

Display:
According to our contract, there remain a few hours until the final First Draft Executive Summary is due to be presented, or pasted. It was felt that the circumstances warranted this premature leak.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
by Crazy Horse on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 03:57:27 PM EST
In the interests of mitigating the mitigations enumerated within the report, The Commission will attempt to get approval for this further mitigation, from the serene economist Pablo Neruda, and the more data relevant, at least to the number of keys, keyboardist, E. Satie.

This is not to imply, and in no way infers, or even decidualates, that any members of The Commission were in any way impaired in their analysis.

(Not appearing in the Final Draft were some minority opinions which extolled certain wet flesh and otherwise human experience, without discounting that we might have to do with that sexless Trinity shit for ever and ever and if we follow the data trail, perhaps even longer. ED: that's not what we said, your privileges are revoked.)

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 04:13:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]


Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Sun May 22nd, 2011 at 05:16:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Before I got to debate creationists on the internet, I never heard of this "Rapture". I wonder what the Vatican and all the other state or semi-state Christian churches in Europe think of it.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 05:00:00 PM EST
As per command, they will remain silent. We're told Plan B is still in development.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
by Crazy Horse on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 05:07:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
that's because the idea has never taken off (sic) in yurp. not enough wide open spaces here... the air traffic couldn't stand it, besides we already have our central bank acting as chief raptor, while we watch and applaud their cosmic rapt in ecstasy.

americans do rap better than us too, though this is correlation, not causation.

variants of wrapture also include heavenly salads in tortillas, a practice observed in s.and c. america which is presently finding greater favor in el norte.

euphoric eaters report states of vagus bliss, transported by manna-like texture and ambrosial flavour to empyrian heights of sensuous delight.

the adorable notion of all godde's favourites being transubstantiated into divine vapour has found enthused acolytes agog with the pleasure of checking out of this vale of tears, with vertical take-off an attractive option while driving. (magog will entail a small surcharge, payable in easy rates, for a custom turbo jetpack/parachute).

convertibles are recommended, indeed mandatory for some of our more comfortably well-padded apostles of apocalypse, (supersized with devotion,) as sunrooves have been judged insufficiently wide to accommodate frictionless exit for these giants of spiritual girth, festooned as they are with jellylike spare tyres of unfettered cellu-heavy blessings and accumulated massy merit.

see ya @ saint pete's bar and grill! where the livin' is soft'n'squeasy, and everyone is happy happy happy all the rest of time.

coz nothing says god loves you best than abandoning the rest of the yuman race to its merry hell, and hying forth to never-never land early, so to get the front row seats for watching the torments of the sinners left in their deranged debauchery... :)

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 06:43:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The Commission is appreciative of all public comment, and is especially receptive to dissertations on wraps, because while we're waiting, we get hungry. Not hungry enough to call it wrapture.

We also find references to the archaic (not that that matters anymore) Incredible String Band forbidden, if not innocuous. (Happy, Happy, und noch mal, Happy, all the rest of the time. leading of course to "Dust be water, something something, Happy Hapyy all the time time time.)

Despite our former presence as Serious, we request in the interest of accuracy, that you do not debauch debauchery, which the Commission has found to be pushed into a corner.


sunrooves have been judged insufficiently wide to accommodate frictionless exit for these giants of spiritual girth, festooned as they are with jellylike spare tyres of unfettered cellu-heavy blessings and accumulated massy merit.

cite needed.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 07:01:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
hmm, i see a fast food franchise in these lizard entrails the cat drug in.
its name, according to these gutsy prophecies, and corroborated by chrism-rich cardinals in high places, will be 'wrapture', (the feast for those left behind).

i thinks a lot of these folks begging for redemption-through-non-being are more likely to be heading for a Rupture, (as in Hernia, sorry no link...

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Fri May 20th, 2011 at 10:37:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]
this moment

is different

from any before it

this moment is different, it's now...

and if i don't kiss you

that kiss goes untasted

forgot the rest

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Tue May 24th, 2011 at 08:26:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Had a friend in the 80's who was firmly of the opinion that the rapture was the working part of Ronnies star wars defence system, when armageddon occurred, and the two sides fired  all of their missiles at each other, then the ones heading for the USA would impact rapturing fanatics as their paths crossed, saving america.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 08:48:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The Commision has with 2 S's has always believed there might be alternatives to the experiment we were commisioned with 2 S's to investigate.

For example, acclaimed mediagnat Peter Coyote


In retrospect, the Diggers were probably a four-year performance art piece designed to trigger a fundamental dialogue about power and money and class and status and who owned what in American society.

Which dialogue of course we can now put to rest.

I'b getting antsy enough to not be able to figure out what time it is in New Zealand. I remain secure in the knowledge that our engineering analysis is spot on. I remember throwing wishes on paper into a fire at peter's house, for some occasion not as, as, umh, what a fine evening, please excuse me, ti's really hard writing while New Zealanders are flying past my window.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 07:26:10 PM EST
Reading a Rapture Analysis from a fellow named Crazy Horse, even without the brilliant analysis, has in itself put me in a state of rapture.

As for The Rapture (TM), there are going to be a lot of disappointed folks in the Confederacy tomorrow. Nothing left for them but floodwaters and tornadoes, but yahweh loves them still.

by US Blues on Fri May 20th, 2011 at 10:09:00 AM EST
Last I heard this all originated in the land of fruit and nuts way out West, unless of course that too has finally decided to join the rest of the Confederacy - typical.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears
by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Fri May 20th, 2011 at 05:53:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Make My Bed? But You Say the World's Ending - NYT
...Abby Haddad Carson, left her job as a nurse to "sound the trumpet" on mission trips with her husband, Robert, handing out tracts. They stopped working on their house and saving for college.

Last weekend, the family traveled to New York, the parents dragging their reluctant children through a Manhattan street fair in a final effort to spread the word.

...
Kino Douglas, 31, a self-described agnostic, said it was hard to be with his sister Stacey, 33, who "doesn't want to talk about anything else."

 "I'll say, `Oh, what are we going to do this summer?' She's going to say, `The world is going to end on May 21, so I don't know why you're planning for summer,' and then everyone goes, `Oh, boy,' " he said.

...In 1992 Mr. Camping said the rapture would probably be in 1994, but he now says newer evidence makes the prophecy for this year certain.

...
Gary Daniels, 27, said he planned to spend Saturday like other believers, "glued to our TV sets, waiting for the Resurrection and earthquake from nation to nation." But he acknowledged that his family was not entirely behind him.

 "At first there was a bit of anger and tension, not really listening to one another and just shouting out ideas," Mr. Daniels said.

 But his family has come around to respect -- if not endorse -- his views, and he drove from his home in Newark, Del., on Monday night in a van covered in Judgment Day messages to say goodbye to relatives in Brooklyn. "I know I'm not going to see them again, but they are very certain they are going to see me, and that's where I feel so sad," he said. "I weep to know that they don't have any idea that this overwhelming thing is coming right at them, pummeling toward them like a meteor."

...
While Ms. Haddad Carson has quit her job, her husband still works as an engineer for the federal Energy Department. But the children worry that there may not be enough money for college. They also have typical teenage angst -- embarrassing parents -- only amplified.

 "People look at my family and think I'm like that," said Joseph, their 14-year-old, as his parents walked through the street fair on Ninth Avenue, giving out Bibles. "I keep my friends as far away from them as possible."

 "I don't really have any motivation to try to figure out what I want to do anymore," he said, "because my main support line, my parents, don't care."

...
The children, however, have found something to giggle over. "She'll say, `You need to clean up your room,' " Grace said. "And I'll say, `Mom, it doesn't matter, if the world's going to end!' "

 She and her twin, Faith, have a friend's birthday party Saturday night, around the time their parents believe the rapture will occur.

 "So if the world doesn't end, I'd really like to attend," Grace said before adding, "Though I don't know how emotionally able my family will be at that time."



Schengen is toast!
by epochepoque on Fri May 20th, 2011 at 05:08:12 PM EST
I really want to read the article in which all of these people are interviewed again on 22 March...

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Fri May 20th, 2011 at 05:25:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Plus the people in the comments (I hope the following is a prank):
"From studying the Bible, we have come to the understanding, through God's mercy, that May 21, 2011 is the date of Christ's return. Knowing this, I ask you, would you continue business as usual?" --Abby H. Carson, MD

The more disturbing thing is that the calculator/prophet person has received donations of $100 million in total over the last years! Is a refund possible? I think the Eternal earth bound pets, USA have a more trustworthy business proposition:

You've committed your life to Jesus. You know you're saved. But when the Rapture comes what's to become of your loving pets who are left behind? Eternal Earth-Bound Pets takes that burden off your mind.

We are a group of dedicated animal lovers, and atheists. Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you've received your reward. Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus.



Schengen is toast!
by epochepoque on Fri May 20th, 2011 at 08:22:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Camping is a Grade A creep.

I wouldn't be even slightly surprised to learn that he doesn't believe his own nonsense and is only doing it for the money.

At least at 89 it's unlikely we'll see a repeat in another 15 years.

And let's not forget we're going to be waiting for the Mayan Filofax Apocalypse for all of 2012 - so there's that to look forward to.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Fri May 20th, 2011 at 08:31:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I wouldn't be even slightly surprised to learn that he doesn't believe his own nonsense and is only doing it for the money.

Suckers will be separated from their wealth under any economic system - at least this guy is doing it in a way that doesn't threaten to crash the payment clearing infrastructure of an entire subcontinent.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 08:17:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]
It's also a narrative that can work for people who are unable to assert themselves and/or are emotionally un-self aware. When there is such intense social pressure to work hard in this country and that life gives back so little, knowing that the world is going to end can be a massive emotional relief. Now that other narrative can be chucked and you can spend time with your family before the end comes.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Sun May 22nd, 2011 at 01:17:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I used to have suit like that.

IIRC, during a hot summer day in downtown LA I forgot I was wearing it and leaned against a building.  The polyester melted and it took 3 men and a small dog to pry me away.  

The suit was ruined during the rescue operation.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 09:01:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I wonder how many murder/suicides there will be this weekend.

Economics is politics by other means
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri May 20th, 2011 at 05:38:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Rapture prank: Leave clothes and shoes around town
Desdemona readers outside of the failing U.S. industrial deathkulture may not be aware of the latest doomsday prediction from one of the degenerate branches of American Christianity. It seems that the Holy Bible predicts precisely the date and time of Judgment Day: 21 May 2011, at 6:00 PM local time. Desdemona likes that Yahweh has chosen to stage the event by time zone; presumably there are queueing issues in Heaven's intake process.

Direct action is always a fun, although often futile, effort to highlight bizarre issues in the Anthropocene, and this action tickles Desdemona's inner Cosmic Trickster:

Many pranksters plan to leave sets of shoes and clothes here and there on Saturday afternoon, so that fundamentalist Christians might see these abandoned garments and think the real Christians got sucked up to meet the Lord already. This is a very mean prank. Plus, would American Jesus actually allow naked people into His Kingdom? American Jesus is pretty uptight!


Schengen is toast!
by epochepoque on Fri May 20th, 2011 at 05:29:22 PM EST
The first data confirming our analysis has already been reported.

Helium Filled Inflatable Doll Rapture Party!

In one of the appendicitai of the unreleased report, we made mention of the possibility that flying inflatable sex toys, not necessarily helium filled,  would be used to discredit the data. Schon passiert.

According to the logs we've gotten from various ISPs, even some ET'ers have been guilty. We of course are taking steps to...

Despite the overarching cynicism of the various so-called commenters here in this very important deal-going-down diary, and despite the well-known science that data-doesn't-matter-anymore, we stand by the data.

Subject to the mitigations and risk analysis we preformed, and despite the fact that our sensors could not distinguish between helium-filled sex dolls and true New Zealanders, and according to all data with which we have in hand had geanalyzed, and while both short term and long-term whatevers remains subject to something, the existing data demands a serious review of previous preconceptions, if not outright analysis.

We have therefore urgently requested that within the remaining potential time for analysis, that secondary funding be initiated such that we could then have a better understanding of the factors in play.

While we expect this request to be shived, we remain confident that funding prevarications will remain predominant, such that the Commision team with 2 S's will be unable to requite the final solution.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Fri May 20th, 2011 at 07:35:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Help! Paging Lars von Trier.

Entschuldigung

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 05:37:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Anybody taken the lift yet?

Schengen is toast!
by epochepoque on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 02:29:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]
At the wife's request I checked the New Zeeland Herald. It is Sunday morning and there is no news about a rapture. I didn't realize they were so godless down there.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 03:36:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]
It's now past 6 pm in all of Europe, too... though I guess 99.9% of Christians here are heretics.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 04:22:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]
6pm East Coast time. Whoooosh?

Schengen is toast!
by epochepoque on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 06:01:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Crazy Horse:
our sensors could not distinguish between helium-filled sex dolls and true New Zealanders

Your sensors are not alone in this.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Mon May 23rd, 2011 at 11:49:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Our sensors are showing that so far, only the German city of Gelsenkirchen has been raptured. En Mass.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
by Crazy Horse on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 04:35:10 PM EST
I saw a guy on the train today with a Gelsenkirchen t-shirt...

Economics is politics by other means
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 04:37:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]
synchronicity. did the Trikot also say Gazprom?

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
by Crazy Horse on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 05:14:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Failed May 21, 2011 Doomsday prophet Harold Camping gone into hiding? - International Business Times
In a few hours May 21, 2011 6 p.m., the appointed time for Doomsday, will have passed, irrespective of whichever time zone we are in, thereby proving that the prediction made by Harold Camping is false. No wonder Camping has gone into hiding and it is improbable that he will be showing himself to the public anytime soon without a good excuse.


Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 08:52:05 PM EST
5 minutes to "Crunch Time!"

Will thousands of redulous assholes Fundamentalists float off the planet or will we be stuck with 'em for the rest of their useless, purposeless, existence?

3 minutes and counting down.
 

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 08:57:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I take it they're still there?

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 09:00:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Damn!

They're still here.

I haz a sad.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 09:08:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Krystyn Heide (krystynheide) on Twitter
This is why The Rapture didn't happen: yfrog.com/h0bwdjej


Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 08:55:28 PM EST
Reverend Camping made a prophecy.  That prophecy didn't pan out.  The Bible is clear: we have to drag him outside of the city walls and stone him.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre
by ATinNM on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 09:20:28 PM EST
From his PR photos, he looks pretty damn stoned already.
by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 09:22:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Never trust anyone whose ears are bigger than their head.

(He looks like he comes pre-stoned, does he?)


She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 09:34:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Our sensors state that we've detected the required perturbations, and while the Campster may have gotten the timing wrong, we suspect

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
by Crazy Horse on Sat May 21st, 2011 at 09:50:35 PM EST
... that it is not 05/21/11, in the American style, but 05/11/21 in the European style, 5 November, 2021.

The proof:
(1) 21 cannot be a month. So it must be a day or a year.
(2) November 21st leaves 05, and November 21, 2005 has already passed.
(3) So 21 must be the year.
(4) It can't be May 11, 2021, since May 11th was Salvador Dali's birthday. Enough said.
(5) God is a mathematician, and would not use any date as disorderly as Month, Day, Year ~ it will certainly either be from longer period to shorter or shorter period to longer. Since in the end time, the time will come when the year is redundant, clearly it will be shorter period to longer so that in the last year, the year can be dispensed with.

Ergo, 5/11/21, 5 November, 2021, qed


I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Sun May 22nd, 2011 at 01:45:36 PM EST
As the Duke of Ellington once said, "All god's chilluns got music, even the damn mathematicians."

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
by Crazy Horse on Sun May 22nd, 2011 at 04:09:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
... well, I'll be happy to bet you a beer that there will not be a rapture on 11 May 2012.

I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.
by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Sun May 22nd, 2011 at 04:17:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Will be a pleasure to lose this bet, and in fact, cover the entire evening. You handle travel, and i'm there.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
by Crazy Horse on Sun May 22nd, 2011 at 04:47:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Oops, that's 11 May 2021.

Anyway, I may be able to save enough for a trip to Europe by 2021, though maybe I should save it in RMB¥.

I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Mon May 23rd, 2011 at 02:14:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Save in grain. Or grain alcohol.

The RMB¥ may well have been de-pegged from the US$ by then, making it fairly useless for US/EU travel.

I'd say "save in €," since the BuBa will ensure that the currency is sound, even if it has to kill the Union to do so. But exchanging those € for D-Mark when Europe goes to shit due to that attitude would be a hassle.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Tue May 24th, 2011 at 05:09:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Save in Bunds, then.

Economics is politics by other means
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue May 24th, 2011 at 05:10:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Depegging only hurts if it drops as a result. Since the effect of the basket peg is to discount the RMB¥, unpegging would seem likely to increase its US$ or € value.

Of more concern would be a loss of the existing warlords and mandarins of China of the mandate of heaven.

I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Tue May 24th, 2011 at 02:47:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Depegging only hurts if it drops as a result. Since the effect of the basket peg is to discount the RMB¥, unpegging would seem likely to increase its US$ or € value.

Depends. If they de-peg because domestic inflation has turned their previously undervalued peg into an overvalued peg, you might be in for a rude surprise.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Tue May 24th, 2011 at 04:09:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
why would that cause them to depeg? they have a hidden basket peg, so they can adjust peg incrementally as they go.

if you mean, maybe they'll have runaway inflation and negative real interest rates ~ well, yeah, but since us$ is from an economy actively pursuing deindustrialization and the development of underdevelopment, the us$ risk of runaway inflation is more severe.

I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Tue May 24th, 2011 at 08:36:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Rapture: In the end, believers in the rapture weren't going anywhere - latimes.com
Sue Espinoza was planted before the television, awaiting news of her father's now infamous prediction: cataclysmic earthquakes auguring the end of humanity.

God's wrath was supposed to begin in New Zealand and then race across the globe, leaving millions of bodies wherever the clock struck 6 p.m. But the hours ticked by, and New Zealand survived. Time zone by time zone, the apocalypse failed to materialize.

On Saturday morning, Espinoza, 60, received a phone call from her father, Harold Camping, the 89-year-old Oakland preacher who has spent some $100 million -- and countless hours on his radio and TV show -- announcing May 21 as Judgment Day. "He just said, 'I'm a little bewildered that it didn't happen, but it's still May 21 [in the United States],'" Espinoza said, standing in the doorway of her Alameda home. "It's going to be May 21 from now until midnight."

By the way, where in the Bible is there a prediction of the establishment of 1/24th-day hours and timezones?

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Sun May 22nd, 2011 at 04:51:59 PM EST
God's wrath was supposed to begin in New Zealand

<facepalm>

where in the Bible is there a prediction of the establishment of 1/24th-day hours and timezones?

LOL, exactly.

Economics is politics by other means

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sun May 22nd, 2011 at 06:22:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I assume the world has ended, and this discussion is an illusion.
by das monde on Mon May 23rd, 2011 at 03:51:44 AM EST
‎"I didn't say rapture, I said Rap Tour. Look for the Tupac second coming tour in a city near you. Sorry again for the confusion," -God


"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
by Crazy Horse on Mon May 23rd, 2011 at 11:28:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]


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