Things that look like alternate history, but aren't

[Thande]

Originally Posted by Victor Hatherley

There is a passage in the Mahabharata, a ancient Hindu epic poem, which seems to describe a nuclear war.

There are also bits in the Bible with similar references that seem to suggest nuclear war:

Originally Posted by Mark

But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:
And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.
But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

Originally Posted by Revelation

And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Originally Posted by Color-Copycat

Inb4 Oppenheimer paraphrase.

A friend of mine met Oppenheimer's wife recently, I was surprised she was still living.

[metastasis_d]

Originally Posted by Thande

There are also bits in the Bible with similar references that seem to suggest nuclear war:

A friend of mine met Oppenheimer's wife recently, I was surprised she was still living.

"Woe to... them that give suck..."

What the hell does that mean?

[Thande]

Originally Posted by metastasis_d

"Woe to... them that give suck..."

What the hell does that mean?

Mothers with young children breast-feeding them. It's clearer in the NIV, but I was quoting from the KJV because it sounds more 'bibley'.

[Dom Jao II]

Originally Posted by Thande

It's clearer in the NIV, but I was quoting from the KJV because it sounds more 'bibley'.

New Quote for the Sig

[BillyShears]

Originally Posted by Dom Jao II

And Miss Gibraltar won Miss World in 2009.

I suppose to Gibraltarians (I looked that up) Gibraltar is the world

*60s English accent* Nobody leaves the island

[metastasis_d]

Something strange I just learned in the Map Thread...

From Wikipedia:

During Macías Nguema's regime, the country had neither a development plan nor an accounting system for government funds. After killing the governor of the Central Bank, he carried everything that remained in the national treasury to his house in a rural village. During Christmas of 1975 he ordered about 150 of his opponents killed. Soldiers dressed up in Santa Claus costumes executed them by shooting at the football stadium in Malabo, while amplifiers were playing Mary Hopkin's "Those Were the Days".

[President Lenin]

Ladies and gentlemen, real-life Kryptonite.

[metastasis_d]

Originally Posted by President Lenin

Ladies and gentlemen, real-life Kryptonite.

Wow.

It looks like something you would cut up with a razor blade on a mirror.

[Life In Black]

Originally Posted by metastasis_d

Wow.

It looks like something you would cut up with a razor blade on a mirror.

Speaking from experience?

[metastasis_d]

Originally Posted by Life In Black

Speaking from experience?

Yes, actually.

[Iori]

The below is a map of places where Death by Elephant was practiced as a form of Capital Punishment;

NOTE: It was also practiced by the Byzantines as well, but they're not shown.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by President Lenin

Ladies and gentlemen, real-life Kryptonite.

Wait, Kryptonite lacks Krypton?

[Marc Pasquin]

Originally Posted by Iori

The below is a map of places where Death by Elephant was practiced as a form of Capital Punishment;

as in trampling or quartering ?

[Color-Copycat]

Crushing with one foot. Elephants are pretty smart animals, so they used to be trained to either slowly and tortuously crush a condemned man's rib cage in gradual increments, or they could be ordered to do a quick bashing in of the head.

[Iori]

Originally Posted by Marc Pasquin

as in trampling or quartering ?

Originally Posted by Color-Copycat

Crushing with one foot. Elephants are pretty smart animals, so they used to be trained to either slowly and tortuously crush a condemned man's rib cage in gradual increments, or they could be ordered to do a quick bashing in of the head.

Yes, Tampling, crushing, pulling parts off.

Much as I like Elephants, they really do seem to be capable of being living Torture devices more-so than Humans ever could be.

[Xhavnak]

Originally Posted by Iori

Much as I like Elephants, they really do seem to be capable of being living Torture devices more-so than Humans ever could be.

Well the fault there has to lie with the human trainers who teach them what to do. I know that it was probably efficient and easy for those countries shown but I feel it is quite cruel to the elephants involved.

[Iori]

Originally Posted by Xhavnak

Well the fault there has to lie with the human trainers who teach them what to do. I know that it was probably efficient and easy for those countries shown but I feel it is quite cruel to the elephants involved.

Well yes, of course, I mean I doubt Elephants spend their time thinking of new grotesque ways they can kill, though at the same time I'd not want to make an Elephant angry.

[Xhavnak]

Originally Posted by Iori

at the same time I'd not want to make an Elephant angry.

Would anyone ?

[Kuld von Reyn]

Hardly surprising to see this sort of thing on Yahoo Answers, but I still found it amusing and AH-ish:



That a map based on a game of Crusader Kings* could ever be considered even remotely factual also makes me scratch my head.

*The one linked to at the bottom. It's one of mine from last Spring.

[Marc Pasquin]

Originally Posted by Iori

I mean I doubt Elephants spend their time thinking of new grotesque ways they can kill,

Have you ever seen that mad glint in there eyes ? they are just biding their time mate, just biding their time......