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World's Greatest Draft (2 Viewers)

Does a monster not seem far worse in a civilized world than an uncivilized one? It is almost an illusion when you think about it. The deeds look far worse than they would have in previous centuries but I believe it is only looks, smoke and mirrors if you wish. It is only the divide between the monster and the general populous that is greater not the actual acts or monsters themselves.
It depends, Billy. If you're arrogant or delusional enough to impose an absolute sense of good and evil on all of recorded history, then sure, I guess it's all "smoke and mirrors" as you put it (note: I'm not saying you're arrogant or delusional. I'm just saying absolutist claims like this are).I happen to think good, evil, righteousness and monstrosity are cultural constructs. What is monstrous in one culture and era isn't necessarily so in another. Or the magnitude of that monstrosity isn't as terrible. To some times and cultures, cutting someone's arm cut off is an acceptable form of justice. To the present day Americans, it's monstrous. Context plays a great deal in the magnitude of horror and villainy.
:kicksrock:
 
I mean, think about it... On one hand we're saying the modern world sucks and nothing good comes out of it...

But on the other hand we're saying that the most evil, vile men ever to live come out of the modern world...

But... the modern world sucks and is, obviously devoid of good, decent men worthy of being considered the greatest of all time, so of course we'd have evil? right?

But that isn't what you all think. You think that our modern world is the greatest, the smartest, the most accepting world that has ever existed on earth... While at the same time down-grading out art, our literature, our leaders, our military minds, etc because nothing modern is any good...

while at the same time saying that villains in the modern world are somehow more villainous solely because they exist in the supposedly civilized modern world...

You are all having it both ways. You are saying the modern world sucks and isn't worthy to be considered on par with the rest of history... But then saying the modern world is great and that's why our villains are the worst...

You can't have both... Either we are good or we're evil... Our evil can't be more evil because we're good when we have no good...
First of all, that kind of black & white view of the situation is extremely short-sighted. "Either we're good or we're evil" is simplification to the extreme. You're taking changes and cultural developments that happened over several millenia and boiling it down to A or B, with no middle ground.Second, no one said the modern world sucks. That is mere assumption on your part. It is much more reasonable to try to understand why so many of the non-villains come from older times. I'd reckon that the benefit of hindsight is of tremendous importance, since it gives us a much clearer idea of each figure's historical significance. We've had centuries (or millenia, even) to appreciate and understand the sociocultural contributions of the figures in the distant past. No matter what, it's impossible for contemporary figures to be seen in the same light, and that has a lot more to do with the relative shortage in modern positive figures than simply saying that the world is less good nowadays, or that we just take everything for granted.
I'm not saying either we're good or we're evil to try and simplify things...I'm saying you can't say that we have no good in order to justify the ignoring of almost everything modern in this draft... and then use how great the modern world is to justify all our villains coming from the last 100 years...

I'm not even saying there is anything wrong with downplaying the importance of modern greats, that's human nature... We always think the past is better even when its impossible for it to have been...

I'm saying that claiming that our evil is the most evil because of how good we are makes no sense when we turn around and act like we don't have any good...

 
AOD, I really like your team. You and MadSweeney are going to be tough to beat.
 
Even if Van Gogh is not as influential on others in the art world (according to Bobby), he's certainly the most influential man who ever lived for those who choose to slice off part of their own ears.

 
Does a monster not seem far worse in a civilized world than an uncivilized one? It is almost an illusion when you think about it. The deeds look far worse than they would have in previous centuries but I believe it is only looks, smoke and mirrors if you wish. It is only the divide between the monster and the general populous that is greater not the actual acts or monsters themselves.
It depends, Billy. If you're arrogant or delusional enough to impose an absolute sense of good and evil on all of recorded history, then sure, I guess it's all "smoke and mirrors" as you put it (note: I'm not saying you're arrogant or delusional. I'm just saying absolutist claims like this are).I happen to think good, evil, righteousness and monstrosity are cultural constructs. What is monstrous in one culture and era isn't necessarily so in another. Or the magnitude of that monstrosity isn't as terrible. To some times and cultures, cutting someone's arm cut off is an acceptable form of justice. To the present day Americans, it's monstrous. Context plays a great deal in the magnitude of horror and villainy.
What I was saying is don't be fooled by the gap or how much society has evolved. I do not think today's villain's are nearly as bad as people think I believe it is the context they are in so what you are saying is what I said or was getting at.
 
You have no villain, we cannot discuss your team until then.
 
You have no villain, we cannot discuss your team until then.
Martin Luther, who made my ancestors live in ghettos and wear yellow stars, would make a fine villain as far as I'm concerned.
 
You have no villain, we cannot discuss your team until then.
Martin Luther, who made my ancestors live in ghettos and wear yellow stars, would make a fine villain as far as I'm concerned.
really?you honestly think that Martin Luther is one of the 20 most villainous people ever just because he hated Jews?

Over people who actually wiped out civilizations and races?

Really?

wearing a yellow star is WAY better than being dead...

and that isn't even taking into account all the good that Martin Luther did...

 
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You have no villain, we cannot discuss your team until then.
Martin Luther, who made my ancestors live in ghettos and wear yellow stars, would make a fine villain as far as I'm concerned.
How bout this ASSIGN a villain and we can talk of your team. I do think Martin is a wee bit o a stretch at top 20 villain's.(I would seriously suggest you DO NOT move him to villain)
 
You have no villain, we cannot discuss your team until then.
Martin Luther, who made my ancestors live in ghettos and wear yellow stars, would make a fine villain as far as I'm concerned.
How bout this ASSIGN a villain and we can talk of your team. I do think Martin is a wee bit o a stretch at top 20 villain's.(I would seriously suggest you DO NOT move him to villain)
It's not my team.
 
You have no villain, we cannot discuss your team until then.
Martin Luther, who made my ancestors live in ghettos and wear yellow stars, would make a fine villain as far as I'm concerned.
really?you honestly think that Martin Luther is one of the 20 most villainous people ever just because he hated Jews?

Over people who actually wiped out civilizations and races?

Really?

wearing a yellow star is WAY better than being dead...

and that isn't even taking into account all the good that Martin Luther did...
Actually no. In fact, he's not the worst anti-Semite even in the age in which he lived. I was just looking on that list for who I could consider villainous.
 
You have no villain, we cannot discuss your team until then.
Martin Luther, who made my ancestors live in ghettos and wear yellow stars, would make a fine villain as far as I'm concerned.
really?you honestly think that Martin Luther is one of the 20 most villainous people ever just because he hated Jews?

Over people who actually wiped out civilizations and races?

Really?

wearing a yellow star is WAY better than being dead...

and that isn't even taking into account all the good that Martin Luther did...
Actually no. In fact, he's not the worst anti-Semite even in the age in which he lived. I was just looking on that list for who I could consider villainous.
but in the scope of human history, disliking and even hating a group of people for their race or religion really isn't that villainous...It isn't good, but simply disliking/hating and even to a point persecuting/making life difficult for a group isn't that bad in comparison...

 
You have no villain, we cannot discuss your team until then.
Martin Luther, who made my ancestors live in ghettos and wear yellow stars, would make a fine villain as far as I'm concerned.
How bout this ASSIGN a villain and we can talk of your team. I do think Martin is a wee bit o a stretch at top 20 villain's.(I would seriously suggest you DO NOT move him to villain)
It's not my team.
Smart ### you know what I meant.
 
You have no villain, we cannot discuss your team until then.
Martin Luther, who made my ancestors live in ghettos and wear yellow stars, would make a fine villain as far as I'm concerned.
:pickle: So much for my satirical attempt to change the subject.

 
Mao, Stalin, & Hitler built empires, too...Heck, Hitler was a few errors and some incredible luck away from literally taking over the entire earth (rather than just the entire "known world")...my point still stands that we are overrating the evil of the modern world and massively underrating the good of it...
As I said you are comparing different eras. Hitler, Stalin and Mao operated in what we like to refer to as the civilized age, so their atrocities stand out in comparison. Look back though history and you will find countless stories of what you would probably classify as cruelty and rapacity. Hitler was a very skilled leader, who built a torn down country into a superpower. That is all overlooked because of what else he did. Last I checked Attila did not kill 6 million plus people of a certain ethnicity. This whole draft people has been focused on the ancient history with modern history as almost an afterthought. That should tell you all you need to know about these guys coming off the board as early as they did.
no, Attila didn't, he just killed everyone in his path...and nothing you said invalidates what I said about how we are over-valuing modern evil and under-valuing modern good... If anything what you just said is actually agreeing with my premise...
What I said is that almost every single category in this draft has been dominated by people from before the modern era. Yet villian is almost completely modern era. That tells you all you need to know, and it does not support your premise.
yes it does...EVERY CATEGORY is almost devoid of modern era people... and the categories most likely to have modern people (athlete, musical performer, celebrity) are almost void of picks...except villain...We had 2 villains from the modern era picked in round 1... another person considered truly evil and a "definite top 5 villain" drafted in round 2...in all the other categories combined we have Einstein, Ghandi, and maybe Tesla drafted in round 1 who lived after 1900...The Beatles and Mother Theresa in round 2...Himmler (another villain who was actually secondary to one of the prior villains) in round 3...Armstrong, Ali, Lee, Lenin (ANOTHER villain) and Gagarin in round 4... (note: not sure about Hugo, Voltaire, or Van Gogh)so AT BEST through 4 rounds we had 5 villains drafted who lived after 1900... and 11 people in every other category combined drafted who lived after 1900...and 2 of the 5 villains were secondary villains to 2 of the other villains drafted... (note: I realize that Mao and Lenin weren't put in Villain, but everyone reacted like they should have been when they were drafted)Sorry, but the evidence shows us absolutely that we think our evil is the worst the world has ever seen and that our good just doesn't measure up...
Two of my picks, Tolstoy and Schweitzer, lived in the 1900's. That's more than a quarter of my team so far, and we're picking people from as far back as 1000 BC. Just sayin'.
 
You have no villain, we cannot discuss your team until then.
Martin Luther, who made my ancestors live in ghettos and wear yellow stars, would make a fine villain as far as I'm concerned.
really?you honestly think that Martin Luther is one of the 20 most villainous people ever just because he hated Jews?

Over people who actually wiped out civilizations and races?

Really?

wearing a yellow star is WAY better than being dead...

and that isn't even taking into account all the good that Martin Luther did...
Actually no. In fact, he's not the worst anti-Semite even in the age in which he lived. I was just looking on that list for who I could consider villainous.
I bet there are a lot of 9th graders in the U.S. who consider Cervantes villainous.
 
My intention was to go BPA for the villain category late in the draft, but when there's a guy on the board responsible for possibly one million deaths in round eight, the value is too great to pass up.

8.02 - Pol Pot - Villain

Wiki

Saloth Sar (May 19, 1928– April 15, 1998), widely known as Pol Pot, was the leader of the Cambodian communist movement known as the Khmer Rouge and was Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea from 1976–1979.

Pol Pot became the de facto leader of Cambodia in mid-1975. During his time in power, Pol Pot imposed a version of agrarian collectivization, forcing city dwellers to relocate to the countryside to work in collective farms and forced labour projects, toward a goal of "restarting civilization" in "Year Zero". The combined effects of slave labour, malnutrition, poor medical care, and executions resulted in the deaths of an estimated 750,000 to 1.7 million people, approximately 26% of the Cambodian population.

In 1979, after the invasion of Cambodia by neighboring Vietnam in the Cambodian–Vietnamese War, Pol Pot fled into the jungles of southwest Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge government collapsed. From 1979 – 1997 he and a remnant of the old Khmer Rouge operated from the border region of Cambodia and Thailand, where they clung to power and United Nations recognition as the rightful government of Cambodia.

Pol Pot died in 1998 while held under house arrest by the Ta Mok faction of the Khmer Rouge. Since his death, rumours that he was poisoned have persisted.
I was in Cambodia in July, and you notice something amazing there--you rarely see someone older than 50 or so. Almost an entire generation was wiped out, either killed by the Khmer Rouge or having died from the ensuing famine. 60% of Cambodia's population is 18 or younger. It's insane and horribly sad. Pol Pot was a more than worthy choice and good value at this point.
 
but in the scope of human history, disliking and even hating a group of people for their race or religion really isn't that villainous...It isn't good, but simply disliking/hating and even to a point persecuting/making life difficult for a group isn't that bad in comparison...
Look, given the nature of some of the bad guys who SHOULD be chosen, I don't really think Luther belongs on the list. But that doesn't mean he's a good guy. He didn't just "dislike" the Jews or "even to a point persecuting/making life difficult" for them. Let's be clear: what he did is set in motion a German anti-Semitism based, not on religious anti-Semitism, but on nationalistic anti-Semitism. Without Luther, there is no Hitler. Luther is also arguably the man most responsible for the Thirty Years War, which devestated Central Europe and set back European civilization by centuries.
 
Just made it through that four pages of villain discussion. :shrug:

I recommended this in the movies thread, but wanted to mention here that there is a fascinating documentary about the S-21 called "S-21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine". I don't know if this was in the write-up above, but of the 17,000 or so prisoners at Tuol Sleng, there are only 12 known survivors. This documentary reunites two of the survivors with some of their former captors there. It's not easy to watch this movie but is an amazing account of what happened at the prison from the people who were there. A little more info about the film: S-21.

 
My intention was to go BPA for the villain category late in the draft, but when there's a guy on the board responsible for possibly one million deaths in round eight, the value is too great to pass up.

8.02 - Pol Pot - Villain

Wiki

Saloth Sar (May 19, 1928– April 15, 1998), widely known as Pol Pot, was the leader of the Cambodian communist movement known as the Khmer Rouge and was Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea from 1976–1979.

Pol Pot became the de facto leader of Cambodia in mid-1975. During his time in power, Pol Pot imposed a version of agrarian collectivization, forcing city dwellers to relocate to the countryside to work in collective farms and forced labour projects, toward a goal of "restarting civilization" in "Year Zero". The combined effects of slave labour, malnutrition, poor medical care, and executions resulted in the deaths of an estimated 750,000 to 1.7 million people, approximately 26% of the Cambodian population.

In 1979, after the invasion of Cambodia by neighboring Vietnam in the Cambodian–Vietnamese War, Pol Pot fled into the jungles of southwest Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge government collapsed. From 1979 – 1997 he and a remnant of the old Khmer Rouge operated from the border region of Cambodia and Thailand, where they clung to power and United Nations recognition as the rightful government of Cambodia.

Pol Pot died in 1998 while held under house arrest by the Ta Mok faction of the Khmer Rouge. Since his death, rumours that he was poisoned have persisted.
I was in Cambodia in July, and you notice something amazing there--you rarely see someone older than 50 or so. Almost an entire generation was wiped out, either killed by the Khmer Rouge or having died from the ensuing famine. 60% of Cambodia's population is 18 or younger. It's insane and horribly sad. Pol Pot was a more than worthy choice and good value at this point.
Not sure which I want to ask more:1) Why were you in Cambodia?

2) Why were you in Cambodia in July?

 
I was in Cambodia in July, and you notice something amazing there--you rarely see someone older than 50 or so. Almost an entire generation was wiped out, either killed by the Khmer Rouge or having died from the ensuing famine. 60% of Cambodia's population is 18 or younger. It's insane and horribly sad. Pol Pot was a more than worthy choice and good value at this point.
Maybe we shouldn't have made villains a category....anybody reading this who doesn't know what's going on here has to think we've all gone nuts.
 
My intention was to go BPA for the villain category late in the draft, but when there's a guy on the board responsible for possibly one million deaths in round eight, the value is too great to pass up.

8.02 - Pol Pot - Villain

Wiki

Saloth Sar (May 19, 1928– April 15, 1998), widely known as Pol Pot, was the leader of the Cambodian communist movement known as the Khmer Rouge and was Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea from 1976–1979.

Pol Pot became the de facto leader of Cambodia in mid-1975. During his time in power, Pol Pot imposed a version of agrarian collectivization, forcing city dwellers to relocate to the countryside to work in collective farms and forced labour projects, toward a goal of "restarting civilization" in "Year Zero". The combined effects of slave labour, malnutrition, poor medical care, and executions resulted in the deaths of an estimated 750,000 to 1.7 million people, approximately 26% of the Cambodian population.

In 1979, after the invasion of Cambodia by neighboring Vietnam in the Cambodian–Vietnamese War, Pol Pot fled into the jungles of southwest Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge government collapsed. From 1979 – 1997 he and a remnant of the old Khmer Rouge operated from the border region of Cambodia and Thailand, where they clung to power and United Nations recognition as the rightful government of Cambodia.

Pol Pot died in 1998 while held under house arrest by the Ta Mok faction of the Khmer Rouge. Since his death, rumours that he was poisoned have persisted.
I was in Cambodia in July, and you notice something amazing there--you rarely see someone older than 50 or so. Almost an entire generation was wiped out, either killed by the Khmer Rouge or having died from the ensuing famine. 60% of Cambodia's population is 18 or younger. It's insane and horribly sad. Pol Pot was a more than worthy choice and good value at this point.
Not sure which I want to ask more:1) Why were you in Cambodia?

2) Why were you in Cambodia in July?
Cambodia is by far my favorite place I've ever been. :shrug: As for July, I don't know if you're referring to the fact it would be hot or that it was the rainy season. As for the temperature, yeah, it was miserable, but it's not like it's ever pleasant there. Even in their "cool season", highs are around 85 degrees. As for the rain, we were very lucky--no monsoons. :)

To answer the question, though, had to go in July because of an obligation one of my traveling companions had in Singapore in mid-July.

 
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Does a monster not seem far worse in a civilized world than an uncivilized one? It is almost an illusion when you think about it. The deeds look far worse than they would have in previous centuries but I believe it is only looks, smoke and mirrors if you wish. It is only the divide between the monster and the general populous that is greater not the actual acts or monsters themselves.
It depends, Billy. If you're arrogant or delusional enough to impose an absolute sense of good and evil on all of recorded history, then sure, I guess it's all "smoke and mirrors" as you put it (note: I'm not saying you're arrogant or delusional. I'm just saying absolutist claims like this are).I happen to think good, evil, righteousness and monstrosity are cultural constructs. What is monstrous in one culture and era isn't necessarily so in another. Or the magnitude of that monstrosity isn't as terrible. To some times and cultures, cutting someone's arm cut off is an acceptable form of justice. To the present day Americans, it's monstrous. Context plays a great deal in the magnitude of horror and villainy.
Exactly. For instance, a man that many will argue is our greatest philosopher made a philosophical argument for when and why it is moral for men to take part in sexual relations with young boys. This man was Plato.
 
My intention was to go BPA for the villain category late in the draft, but when there's a guy on the board responsible for possibly one million deaths in round eight, the value is too great to pass up.

8.02 - Pol Pot - Villain

Wiki

Saloth Sar (May 19, 1928– April 15, 1998), widely known as Pol Pot, was the leader of the Cambodian communist movement known as the Khmer Rouge and was Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea from 1976–1979.

Pol Pot became the de facto leader of Cambodia in mid-1975. During his time in power, Pol Pot imposed a version of agrarian collectivization, forcing city dwellers to relocate to the countryside to work in collective farms and forced labour projects, toward a goal of "restarting civilization" in "Year Zero". The combined effects of slave labour, malnutrition, poor medical care, and executions resulted in the deaths of an estimated 750,000 to 1.7 million people, approximately 26% of the Cambodian population.

In 1979, after the invasion of Cambodia by neighboring Vietnam in the Cambodian–Vietnamese War, Pol Pot fled into the jungles of southwest Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge government collapsed. From 1979 – 1997 he and a remnant of the old Khmer Rouge operated from the border region of Cambodia and Thailand, where they clung to power and United Nations recognition as the rightful government of Cambodia.

Pol Pot died in 1998 while held under house arrest by the Ta Mok faction of the Khmer Rouge. Since his death, rumours that he was poisoned have persisted.
I was in Cambodia in July, and you notice something amazing there--you rarely see someone older than 50 or so. Almost an entire generation was wiped out, either killed by the Khmer Rouge or having died from the ensuing famine. 60% of Cambodia's population is 18 or younger. It's insane and horribly sad. Pol Pot was a more than worthy choice and good value at this point.
Not sure which I want to ask more:1) Why were you in Cambodia?

2) Why were you in Cambodia in July?
Cambodia is by far my favorite place I've ever been. :shrug: As for July, I don't know if you're referring to the fact it would be hot or that it was the rainy season. As for the temperature, yeah, it was miserable, but it's not like it's ever pleasant there. Even in their "cool season", highs are around 85 degrees. As for the rain, we were very lucky--no monsoons. :)
Well c'mon play tourist board of Cambodia. Why was it your favorite place? And I was asking the July question due to rainy season.
 
I was in Cambodia in July, and you notice something amazing there--you rarely see someone older than 50 or so. Almost an entire generation was wiped out, either killed by the Khmer Rouge or having died from the ensuing famine. 60% of Cambodia's population is 18 or younger. It's insane and horribly sad. Pol Pot was a more than worthy choice and good value at this point.
Not sure which I want to ask more:1) Why were you in Cambodia?

2) Why were you in Cambodia in July?
Cambodia is by far my favorite place I've ever been. :shrug: As for July, I don't know if you're referring to the fact it would be hot or that it was the rainy season. As for the temperature, yeah, it was miserable, but it's not like it's ever pleasant there. Even in their "cool season", highs are around 85 degrees. As for the rain, we were very lucky--no monsoons. :)
Well c'mon play tourist board of Cambodia. Why was it your favorite place? And I was asking the July question due to rainy season.
BTW, I edited above because I realized I didn't answer your question. :) As for why, it's hard to describe. There are the obvious answers, like the sheer beauty of the places such as the Angkor temples--Angkor Wat and the other 100 or so (my favorite is Bayon)--and Tonle Sap. There is the food, which is among the best (and yes, cheapest) I've ever had. But even more than that, there is something about the people--you read about Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, and the incredible suffering the people have endured, and yet they are kind and happy and beautiful. Again I don't know how to describe it.

As an example, our guide there was in his early 40s, did not begin school until he was 13 years old because no one was allowed to go to school while the Khmer Rouge were in power. He initially had eight brothers and sisters, but lost one to being killed by the Khmer Rouge and two to famine. He told us that during the famine they would eat anything they could find--spiders, crickets, leaves, anything. And yet, after this beginning to his life, he was incredibly positive and didn't complain--in fact, he said of his lost siblings, "Is OK, we still have five." That wasn't said in a flippant or unkind way, but in an accepting, making the best of life way. He has used the money from being a tour guide (one of the best-paying jobs available) to do two things: (1) a well project in which he builds wells for safe drinking water (the vast majority of Cambodians do not have access to clean water, with 74% of Cambodian deaths estimated to be attributable to water-borne illnesses), and (2) built a small school/dormitory where about 15 children from his village are brought to "the city" (Siem Reap) to continue their education, since education outside the city ends at 6th grade. One day I asked if we could forgo a couple of temples and see the school instead. I can't describe adequately how wonderful these kids (12-19 years old) were, and I generally don't like kids! It just really touched me in a way I haven't been touched by anywhere else I've visited. Beautiful people, beautiful country, often heartbreakingly sad.

 
but in the scope of human history, disliking and even hating a group of people for their race or religion really isn't that villainous...It isn't good, but simply disliking/hating and even to a point persecuting/making life difficult for a group isn't that bad in comparison...
Look, given the nature of some of the bad guys who SHOULD be chosen, I don't really think Luther belongs on the list. But that doesn't mean he's a good guy. He didn't just "dislike" the Jews or "even to a point persecuting/making life difficult" for them. Let's be clear: what he did is set in motion a German anti-Semitism based, not on religious anti-Semitism, but on nationalistic anti-Semitism. Without Luther, there is no Hitler. Luther is also arguably the man most responsible for the Thirty Years War, which devestated Central Europe and set back European civilization by centuries.
do you consider all people who were racist the same way or is hating Jews worse than hating other ethnicities/cultures/religions?Just curious...
 
I was in Cambodia in July, and you notice something amazing there--you rarely see someone older than 50 or so. Almost an entire generation was wiped out, either killed by the Khmer Rouge or having died from the ensuing famine. 60% of Cambodia's population is 18 or younger. It's insane and horribly sad. Pol Pot was a more than worthy choice and good value at this point.
Not sure which I want to ask more:1) Why were you in Cambodia?

2) Why were you in Cambodia in July?
Cambodia is by far my favorite place I've ever been. :) As for July, I don't know if you're referring to the fact it would be hot or that it was the rainy season. As for the temperature, yeah, it was miserable, but it's not like it's ever pleasant there. Even in their "cool season", highs are around 85 degrees. As for the rain, we were very lucky--no monsoons. :)
Well c'mon play tourist board of Cambodia. Why was it your favorite place? And I was asking the July question due to rainy season.
BTW, I edited above because I realized I didn't answer your question. :) As for why, it's hard to describe. There are the obvious answers, like the sheer beauty of the places such as the Angkor temples--Angkor Wat and the other 100 or so (my favorite is Bayon)--and Tonle Sap. There is the food, which is among the best (and yes, cheapest) I've ever had. But even more than that, there is something about the people--you read about Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, and the incredible suffering the people have endured, and yet they are kind and happy and beautiful. Again I don't know how to describe it.

As an example, our guide there was in his early 40s, did not begin school until he was 13 years old because no one was allowed to go to school while the Khmer Rouge were in power. He initially had eight brothers and sisters, but lost one to being killed by the Khmer Rouge and two to famine. He told us that during the famine they would eat anything they could find--spiders, crickets, leaves, anything. And yet, after this beginning to his life, he was incredibly positive and didn't complain--in fact, he said of his lost siblings, "Is OK, we still have five." That wasn't said in a flippant or unkind way, but in an accepting, making the best of life way. He has used the money from being a tour guide (one of the best-paying jobs available) to do two things: (1) a well project in which he builds wells for safe drinking water (the vast majority of Cambodians do not have access to clean water, with 74% of Cambodian deaths estimated to be attributable to water-borne illnesses), and (2) built a small school/dormitory where about 15 children from his village are brought to "the city" (Siem Reap) to continue their education, since education outside the city ends at 6th grade. One day I asked if we could forgo a couple of temples and see the school instead. I can't describe adequately how wonderful these kids (12-19 years old) were, and I generally don't like kids! It just really touched me in a way I haven't been touched by anywhere else I've visited. Beautiful people, beautiful country, often heartbreakingly sad.
Wow. Incredible story about the guide. Thanks. It does sound like a unique and amazing experience. :shrug:
 
So I decided to do a little WGD travelogue for my current trip. Actually I was just going to take a few pictures of Bernini statues for Larry, since he chose him but didn't really know his work, but then realized I had pictures already that also fit the draft.

So, from Istanbul:

For Arsenal of Doom: Column of Constantine, constructed on the orders of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great in 330 AD.

For FUBAR: Although Muhammad is obviously a huge part of life in Istanbul, you aren't allowed to take pictures of most of the stuff associated with him. So I give you instead a picture of a portion of Topkapi Palace, which houses his cloak, his sword, one tooth, a hair of his beard, his battle sabres, an autographed letter and other relics which are known as the Sacred Trusts.

From Rome so far:

For Larry: the three fountains in Piazza Navona, all by Bernini.

Also for Larry: the tomb of Raphael, located in the Pantheon.

More to come!

 
I see Andy D is here now... Maybe he'll pick. You gonna pick Andy D? If not I'm going to bed.
Sorry. I didn't check to see if anyone was in here and I logged off to think. 8.5: Elvis Aaron Presley - Celebrity
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977; middle name sometimes written Aron)a was an American singer, actor, and musician. A cultural icon, he is commonly known simply as "Elvis", and is also sometimes referred to as "The King of Rock 'n' Roll" or "The King".In 1954, Presley began his career as one of the first performers of rockabilly, an uptempo fusion of country and rhythm and blues with a strong back beat. His novel versions of existing songs, mixing "black" and "white" sounds, made him popular—and controversial—as did his uninhibited stage and television performances. He recorded songs in the rock and roll genre, with tracks like "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock" later embodying the style. Presley had a versatile voice and had unusually wide success encompassing other genres, including gospel, blues, ballads and pop. To date, he has been inducted into four music halls of fame.In the 1960s, Presley made the majority of his 31 movies—mainly poorly reviewed, but financially successful, musicals. In 1968, he returned to live music in a television special, and performed across the U.S., notably in Las Vegas. Throughout his career, he set records for concert attendance, television ratings and recordings sales. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in the history of music. Health problems, drug dependency and other factors led to his death at age 42.In the late 1960s, composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein remarked: "Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century. He introduced the beat to everything, music, language, clothes, it's a whole new social revolution... the 60's comes from it."Other celebrated pop and rock musicians have acknowledged that the young Presley inspired them. The Beatles were all big Presley fans. John Lennon said: "Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis. If there hadn't been an Elvis, there wouldn't have been a Beatles."
I reserve the right to change his category to "performer".
 
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It depends, Billy. If you're arrogant or delusional enough to impose an absolute sense of good and evil on all of recorded history, then sure, I guess it's all "smoke and mirrors" as you put it (note: I'm not saying you're arrogant or delusional. I'm just saying absolutist claims like this are).

I happen to think good, evil, righteousness and monstrosity are cultural constructs. What is monstrous in one culture and era isn't necessarily so in another. Or the magnitude of that monstrosity isn't as terrible. To some times and cultures, cutting someone's arm cut off is an acceptable form of justice. To the present day Americans, it's monstrous. Context plays a great deal in the magnitude of horror and villainy.
What I was saying is don't be fooled by the gap or how much society has evolved. I do not think today's villain's are nearly as bad as people think I believe it is the context they are in so what you are saying is what I said or was getting at.
Billy, you seem like a good bloke and I like you, but you need to learn the wonders of punctuation. Hell, at this point I'd take a comma splice and be happy. Reading your posts feels like running with scissors. Secondly, I do think the ideology of National Socialism, combined with Hitler's need to create an extremely fast and efficient war machine, demanded a scapegoat and thus led to genocide.

Genocides don't happen too often. Did the ancients attempt genocide? I'm referring to the attempt to systematically wipe out an entire group of people (whether they are nationally or ethnically defined).

The oldest one that comes to mind is the U.S. attempt to wipe out the Native Americans.

Edit: after that, almost all of them occur in the 19th century, and mostly 20 century.

- Australia's treatment of the aborigines has been classified as attempted genocide.

- XXXXX's attempt to wipe out the Serbs

- The current atrocity in Darfur

- Hitler's treatment of the Jews

It's possible I'm glossing over history or don't know the ancients well enough.

 
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I'll be home near 3:00 central time today. Just letting you all know. Still give me my hour if my pick comes up in the 1:30 - 2:00 range though.

 
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I see Andy D is here now... Maybe he'll pick. You gonna pick Andy D? If not I'm going to bed.
Sorry. I didn't check to see if anyone was in here and I logged off to think. 8.5: Elvis Aaron Presley - Celebrity
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977; middle name sometimes written Aron)a was an American singer, actor, and musician. A cultural icon, he is commonly known simply as "Elvis", and is also sometimes referred to as "The King of Rock 'n' Roll" or "The King".In 1954, Presley began his career as one of the first performers of rockabilly, an uptempo fusion of country and rhythm and blues with a strong back beat. His novel versions of existing songs, mixing "black" and "white" sounds, made him popular—and controversial—as did his uninhibited stage and television performances. He recorded songs in the rock and roll genre, with tracks like "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock" later embodying the style. Presley had a versatile voice and had unusually wide success encompassing other genres, including gospel, blues, ballads and pop. To date, he has been inducted into four music halls of fame.In the 1960s, Presley made the majority of his 31 movies—mainly poorly reviewed, but financially successful, musicals. In 1968, he returned to live music in a television special, and performed across the U.S., notably in Las Vegas. Throughout his career, he set records for concert attendance, television ratings and recordings sales. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in the history of music. Health problems, drug dependency and other factors led to his death at age 42.In the late 1960s, composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein remarked: "Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century. He introduced the beat to everything, music, language, clothes, it's a whole new social revolution... the 60's comes from it."Other celebrated pop and rock musicians have acknowledged that the young Presley inspired them. The Beatles were all big Presley fans. John Lennon said: "Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis. If there hadn't been an Elvis, there wouldn't have been a Beatles."
I reserve the right to change his category to "performer".
For what it's worth, I had Elvis ranked as my #1 celebrity. To this day, some 30 years after his death, people still say they see him alive. People dress up like him everywhere. There's an entire industry built around imitating this man. You see him in football stadiums. Wackos like Jerry Glanville purchased season tickets for Elvis at Falcons games (true story). People see him in cookies and try to sell it on ebay. It's insane. He's practically a god.
 
So, basically nothing got done because everyone is arguing over who is the #2 villain after my guy? Ok.....
Villain is a highly competitive category. If we'd had a World's Greatest B-hole, however, it might have been even more competitive. (this is brought to you by the letter A, which is banned in that context).
 
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People dress up like him everywhere. There's an entire industry built around imitating this man. You see him in football stadiums. Wackos like Jerry Glanville purchased season tickets for Elvis at Falcons games (true story). People see him in cookies and try to sell it on ebay. It's insane. He's practically a god.
But he is "merely" an American celebrity.IMO, this is going to be a very tough category because of that fact.I think the greatest celebrities are going to be tough to assign to that category, because they will already be near the top of other categories (performer, athlete, politician, etc). I think Ali is the best example of that. He would be a top celebrity (perhaps the top), but he is also a top athlete.
 
but in the scope of human history, disliking and even hating a group of people for their race or religion really isn't that villainous...

It isn't good, but simply disliking/hating and even to a point persecuting/making life difficult for a group isn't that bad in comparison...
Look, given the nature of some of the bad guys who SHOULD be chosen, I don't really think Luther belongs on the list. But that doesn't mean he's a good guy. He didn't just "dislike" the Jews or "even to a point persecuting/making life difficult" for them. Let's be clear: what he did is set in motion a German anti-Semitism based, not on religious anti-Semitism, but on nationalistic anti-Semitism. Without Luther, there is no Hitler. Luther is also arguably the man most responsible for the Thirty Years War, which devestated Central Europe and set back European civilization by centuries.
do you consider all people who were racist the same way or is hating Jews worse than hating other ethnicities/cultures/religions?[/b]Just curious...
The more I think about this question, Larry, the more offensive I find it. Are you really expecting me to tell you that hating Jews is worse than hating other people? I happen to know a lot about the terrible mistreatment of Jews in Europe throughout the centuries because it involves my ancestry and it's something I've read a lot about. All racism is abhorrent. If my answer to your question was yes, that would make me racist as well. My answer is no.

 

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