Deep Impact 1998
- Thread starter NomadicSky
- Start date
Based on the Situation...
Based on the events of 9/11, the most likely place for the new placement of the U.S. government would be at the Strategic Command Center, which is located near Lincoln, Nebraska. This was where President Bush was tranfered to during the first 48 hours of the crisis. This is also most likely where the Congress and the Supreme Court would be relocated until a proper reconstruction of the capital could be made.
A frightening detail that would also happen in light of the disaster is the fact that North Korea under Kim Jong Il might invade South Korea with the intent to secure its borders. They also might have nuclear weapons used on Seoul and/or Tokyo in an effort to secure those boundaries....
Wendell said:
Based on the events of 9/11, the most likely place for the new placement of the U.S. government would be at the Strategic Command Center, which is located near Lincoln, Nebraska. This was where President Bush was tranfered to during the first 48 hours of the crisis. This is also most likely where the Congress and the Supreme Court would be relocated until a proper reconstruction of the capital could be made.
A frightening detail that would also happen in light of the disaster is the fact that North Korea under Kim Jong Il might invade South Korea with the intent to secure its borders. They also might have nuclear weapons used on Seoul and/or Tokyo in an effort to secure those boundaries....
North Korea didn't have nukes in 1998, but a move to take advantage of the crisis definitely seems plausible.
Although I just realised something: Asia was in the grip of a major financial crisis in 1998. Assuming the comet hit on the date that Deep Impact premiered (guessing) was the crisis going on during this time? If so, the destruction may just make a bad situation worse (or alternatively the loss of New York could so boost the surge of relocated capital to the east that it brings the crisis to a complete halt...I took Economics at A-level, what does it tell me? *ponders*).
What other events were current in 1998? There was some stuff about Iraq impeding inspectors that brought about air-strikes later that year (even though we now know that nothing was ever there, silly Saddam). And the Kosovan Crisis was just starting to creep onto the front pages.
There'd presumably be a big burst of funds towards space weaponry to defend Earth against 'the asteroid threat'. Not sure how far it would go before the political will dries up, though.
The world keeps turning, doesn't it? Unless it was a really big comet...
Although I just realised something: Asia was in the grip of a major financial crisis in 1998. Assuming the comet hit on the date that Deep Impact premiered (guessing) was the crisis going on during this time? If so, the destruction may just make a bad situation worse (or alternatively the loss of New York could so boost the surge of relocated capital to the east that it brings the crisis to a complete halt...I took Economics at A-level, what does it tell me? *ponders*).
What other events were current in 1998? There was some stuff about Iraq impeding inspectors that brought about air-strikes later that year (even though we now know that nothing was ever there, silly Saddam). And the Kosovan Crisis was just starting to creep onto the front pages.
There'd presumably be a big burst of funds towards space weaponry to defend Earth against 'the asteroid threat'. Not sure how far it would go before the political will dries up, though.
The world keeps turning, doesn't it? Unless it was a really big comet...
When It Happened...
-Consider that the film Deep Impact was released on 5/6/1998. This is just less than 4 months after President Bill Clinton denied publicly his sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky. The bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Africa will not take place until 8/7/1998. The main pop culture item is the issue of Titanic and its major wins at the Academy Awards. Another pop culture item is the introduction in 3/27/1998 of a drug called "Viagra" which has received FDA approval....
Rasputin said:
-Consider that the film Deep Impact was released on 5/6/1998. This is just less than 4 months after President Bill Clinton denied publicly his sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky. The bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Africa will not take place until 8/7/1998. The main pop culture item is the issue of Titanic and its major wins at the Academy Awards. Another pop culture item is the introduction in 3/27/1998 of a drug called "Viagra" which has received FDA approval....
Mr_ Bondoc said:
Even if Pat Robertson experiences a major surge in popularity as a result of this, there's no guarantee he'd be able to establish a theocratic regime. The Religious Right faction might become more dominant in the GOP, but that doesn't spell "theocracy" either.
Pat Robertson might well have been killed in the comet strike.
Consider This...
My guess is that , based on his character, upon the initial announcement of the asteroid impact, he would be one of the first people hiding in the fallout shelter. If anything, his sense of self-preservation would demand that as "God's self-appointed prophet" he must lead his flock in the aftermath of the "Great Tribulation"...
Also considering that a majority of the Bible Belt would remain relatively intact, his largest constituencies are relative safe. Consider that the liberal and moderate bastions of New England, New York/NJ, et al. have been completely devastated. The only major liberal bastions are California, Washington and Oregon. As such, by sheer elimination, the Christian fundamentalists now make up a majority of the votes...
MerryPrankster said:
My guess is that , based on his character, upon the initial announcement of the asteroid impact, he would be one of the first people hiding in the fallout shelter. If anything, his sense of self-preservation would demand that as "God's self-appointed prophet" he must lead his flock in the aftermath of the "Great Tribulation"...
Also considering that a majority of the Bible Belt would remain relatively intact, his largest constituencies are relative safe. Consider that the liberal and moderate bastions of New England, New York/NJ, et al. have been completely devastated. The only major liberal bastions are California, Washington and Oregon. As such, by sheer elimination, the Christian fundamentalists now make up a majority of the votes...
Mr_ Bondoc said:
Just because you think Pat is an idiot doesn't mean he's a coward.
And even if he gets into a fallout shelter, what if that shelter floods? Or he cannot run fast enough?
And even though a more conservative sort of Christianity is strong in the South, that doesn't mean that every Christian, Southerner, or combination thereof is a Pat Robertson fan. I'm from Georgia, I'm a Christian, I grew up in a conservative suburb, and I think Pat Robertson is an idiot. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but New England is not the only thing stopping the US from turning into some sort of theocratic regime.
What about the Midwest? Though they may be "Red states," the sort of hyper-Protestantism Pat Robertson practices is largely a southern phenomenon. I somehow doubt "Midwestern Presby-Lutheranism" will line up easily with "Southern Intense Protestantism" (which is largely Baptist, Church of Christ, or Pentecostal/Assemblies of God). The Midwest might think Pat mad and not support him.
And even if Washington, Oregon, and California aren't enough to keep a more GOP out of the White House, they're probably enough to stop them from amending the Constitution and turning the US into the Baptist Caliphate. It takes a lot to overturn our form of government.
luakel said:
Well, in Lucifer's Hammer, a very amount of seawater is put into the atmosphere by the asteroid impact. This comes down as rain in various places on Earth.
Among other things, the Aswan High Dam bursts, which wipes out most of Egypt. Lots of rain falls in the glaciers and thus they move south.
I think Australia would survive nicely, as would New Zealand and the Southern Cone of South America.
MerryPrankster said:
True Enough...I certainly am not saying that Pat Robertson isn't a coward, but he is certainly a lot more pragmatic than we are often led to believe. Consider that he would certainly, boost up police powers and executive branch capabilities if he was elected to the U.S. Presidency.
As for the rest of the country going fundamentalist Christian, he may not have to ban other religions. One platform he would try to enact might be to have Christianity declared the "official national religion", much in the same way many countries declare "an official language". While there would be no laws banning practice of other religions, it would certainly be discouraged.
i would be dead because i would be on the Messiah and piloting the shuttle in the final kamikazeattack
Hey, its fiction, let me have this one guys
I saw someone picturing Brazil as a world leader, wouldnt they be heavliy affected by the wave since they have a big coastline to the Atlantic?
Iceland is gone
Hey, its fiction, let me have this one guys
I saw someone picturing Brazil as a world leader, wouldnt they be heavliy affected by the wave since they have a big coastline to the Atlantic?
Iceland is gone
mattep74 said:i would be dead because i would be on the Messiah and piloting the shuttle in the final kamikazeattack
Hey, its fiction, let me have this one guys
I saw someone picturing Brazil as a world leader, wouldnt they be heavliy affected by the wave since they have a big coastline to the Atlantic?
Iceland is gone
In regards to Brazil, consider that they are blocked from the main blastwave by the massive South American coastline which includes Colombia, Guiana, Venezuela, et al. As such, Brazil would remain relatively intact....
It bears mentioning that the Lucifer's Hammer impact was rather larger than the piece that hit in Deep Impact. It also came down in little fragments from the eastern Mediterranean-Moscow to just of the US Pacific Coast. Meaning Tidal waves wiped out a lot more than would have occured in the movie.
Except...
Ah, but also it would include all members of the Congress, the Supreme Court, selected members of the military (including the Joint Chiefs of Staff), and the members of the Cabinet. I certainly remember that part of the movie as well. As such, you can certainly bet that Pat Robertson and/or Jerry Falwell claiming that the lottery was rigged to include members of the "New World Order" if they don't get a space in the shelter. As such, on the political right, consider that you would have people claiming that such a measure would hurt people primarily in the Heartland because the lottery would favor the placement of people from urban areas. They would also claim that such a lottery would act as a government plan to register Americans. On the political left, you would have people claim that the lottery would discriminate against people of color and/or the homeless. This would be coupled with complaints that such measures would discriminate against women, especially since the military and political leadership are primarily male and white...
Wendell said:
Ah, but also it would include all members of the Congress, the Supreme Court, selected members of the military (including the Joint Chiefs of Staff), and the members of the Cabinet. I certainly remember that part of the movie as well. As such, you can certainly bet that Pat Robertson and/or Jerry Falwell claiming that the lottery was rigged to include members of the "New World Order" if they don't get a space in the shelter. As such, on the political right, consider that you would have people claiming that such a measure would hurt people primarily in the Heartland because the lottery would favor the placement of people from urban areas. They would also claim that such a lottery would act as a government plan to register Americans. On the political left, you would have people claim that the lottery would discriminate against people of color and/or the homeless. This would be coupled with complaints that such measures would discriminate against women, especially since the military and political leadership are primarily male and white...
There was also a financial meltdown in Russia around this time. I suppose with the Asian markets down the crapper, and New York currently a giant iron swamp, things ain't gonna get any better fast.Rasputin said:
MerryPrankster, I'd be careful with using Lucifer's Hammer as a reference. It was, after all, written in the late 1970's, and plenty of stuff in there doesn't jive with recent impact theories. Of course, it's starting to look like the only way we'll know for sure what'll happen will be when it actually does happen.
Mr_ Bondoc said:
There's also nothing preventing people from setting up their own shelters as well. You can bet that anybody with money/resources who didn't get selected for the lottery will start building their own the very next day. Plus, it was established in the movie that people knew about this comet coming for at least a year beforehand.
Some Quick Thoughts...
In that case, one thing someone like Pat Robertson and/or Jerry Falwell would certainly do is the statment of ,"The American government has abandoned you, but like Moses I shall lead my flock away from this great Tribulation!!" Imagine the riots that break out as people try to get a space inside Falwell's fallout shelter..not knowing whether or not the fallout shelter will actually work!!
Doctor What said:
In that case, one thing someone like Pat Robertson and/or Jerry Falwell would certainly do is the statment of ,"The American government has abandoned you, but like Moses I shall lead my flock away from this great Tribulation!!" Imagine the riots that break out as people try to get a space inside Falwell's fallout shelter..not knowing whether or not the fallout shelter will actually work!!