If you could choose, what city would you like to see crushed by a giant monster?

[photo2u]

London! That is a town in which Godzilla can go Rambo at any time.

 

[Zombie_61]

I missed the redacted comments, but I'm sitting here wondering how anyone could take anything seriously in a thread titled, "If you could choose, what city would you like to see crushed by a giant monster?"

My choice, by the way: Vegas baby! Burn it, drown it, blow it up, crush it beneath giant feet, whatever. No particular reason, really, I just think it would be visually interesting.

 

[ChiTownScion]

I think there are probably very few people left here who remember what the place was like in the 2005-2006 era just before the political ban was instituted. For its first several years, the Lounge was dominated by a particular political mindset which felt free to denigrate, mock, and ridicule those with whom it disagreed under the guise of "old buddies shootin' the breeze on the front porch." But when the place began to attract more members, and the political landscape suddenly diversified, the friendly breeze-shooting got openly hostile. Those of us who disagreed with the Established Mindset gave as well as we got, and it became very unpleasant in the Observation Bar, especially during the runup to the 2006 midterm election. That's when, and why, the political ban was established, and it was the only thing that kept the Lounge from turning into an ugly, vicious spitstorm. God only knows what kind of a monstrosity it would be today if free political discussion was permitted.

In those days I was haunting AOL chatrooms- particularly those supposedly dealing with religious topics.... and it always got political. I honed a lot of debate/ verbal parley skills back then, and it was, as you say, " an ugly, vicious spitstorm" in every sense. A good 3-4 hour stretch did the same for me as a good boxing ring sparring session: I'd sustain a few bruises, landed a few myself, and would walk away tired but invigorated. I still find that to a lesser extent on Facebook, and I find it all to be quite fun.


Here, however, it's a different venue. I encounter people whom I like and respect, and I want to relax, learn, and have fun with them. The No Politics rule may be flawed in that it will never be enforced to everyone's complete satisfaction, because bartenders are human. But it's worth maintaining, because the FL is an oasis for so many of us amid a desert infested with madmen. If I want to kick sand in the face of those madmen, I can go elsewhere. But please: preserve this oasis, and keep it politics- free. The better angels of our natures- even those of us who may be objectively weighed as demons- really do need it for our own good.

 

[green papaya]

any city in NORTH KOREA with nuclear weapons

 

[Edward]

I don't understand though why post #2 was not redacted as well. Explain the diff.

In life, both real and cyber, it is very difficult to iron out politics entirely. Hey, even a discussion on here about buying local, buying sustainable and buying durabled could be interpreted as political. There have been plenty of accusations slung about 'being political' over the years if someone challenges a particular orthodoxy, say, for example, a critical opinion of Churchill. Given that politics inevitably seeps into every area of life in some way, shape or form, to completely and utterly band everything which might smell political in some way is simply impractical. So the bartendrs in thse parts need to exercise a level of judgement, which largely boils down to 'what's going to cause trouble less we get shot of it?' While, frankly, tedious and lazy, a comment to the effect of "oh, politicians, they're all the same" is unlikely to raise controversy, so will often be left alone, a comment - such as the one redacted above - which expresses a preference for one side of the aisle over another - will typically be redacted on sight. A comment which promotes a particular political angle or politician over another, even where clearly in jest, has the potential to cause significant trouble in this town; Bartenders wish to avoid such trouble. Often any comments (of any sort, not just politics) which are edited have been singled out for such treatment less because of the comment itself, more for the potential to cause trouble. The Lounge as it is is too valuable a resource by far to lose to the sort of petty bickering that can be found anywhere else onlined if that's what people want to get into.

God only knows what kind of a monstrosity it would be today if free political discussion was permitted.

Very nasty indeed! In my experience, there are two types of people get into vintage: those with an appreciation for the past in certain aspects, and who wish to preserve those aspects on the one hand, and on the other those whose interest in the past is less purely aesthetic, more about nostalgia for a perceived lost Golden Age which was politically and socially much preferable to the present. I've seen things get very nasty indeed elsewhere when these divisions are given free reign.

We have our fun with our veiled barbs now and then, but we all know where the line is, and the functioning of the Lounge depends on all of us remembering where it has to be drawn.

Exactly.

And as for cities due for a stompin', Reykjavik, Iceland. As a reptile, Godzilla was most likely ectothermic, so it would be interesting watching him go on a rampage in slow motion.

Interesting point. This could transfer well to a Canadian setting too - The Tortoise Who Ate Toronto.

 

[Fading Fast]

I missed the redacted comments, but I'm sitting here wondering how anyone could take anything seriously in a thread titled, "If you could choose, what city would you like to see crushed by a giant monster?"

My choice, by the way: Vegas baby! Burn it, drown it, blow it up, crush it beneath giant feet, whatever. No particular reason, really, I just think it would be visually interesting.

I went to Vegas once in my life in the mid '90s for a day and came away over stimulated the way a kid who eats too much sugar feels.

I have no interest in casino gambling besides for an hour or so, at most, for its very modest entertainment value (the house takes ~18 cents of every dollar and one must lose if they play enough - that construct doesn't interest me), but did enjoy, again for a day, the crazy that is Vegas.

Without exaggeration, I saw Elvis and Marilyn impersonators walking the streets, I assume, between gigs; a very elaborate mock 1800s pirate ship fight; two stunning white tigers; a pretty darn good old car museum and "Old Vegas" which had a '60s Rat Pac vibe that was fun.

It's been twenty years and from what I've seen on TV and read, it seems like Vegas has been built up a lot since I was there; so, maybe, the kinda cheesy, quirky, throwback vibe I enjoyed has become more corporate and homogenized.

While I wouldn't go back unless the opportunity fell into my lap, I'm really glad Vegas is there. It's part of America in the way a crazy uncle is part of your family.

Fully appreciating the spirit of this thread, my only quibble with having monsters squash Vegas is that there's nothing (or almost nothing) iconic to see being destroyed. How impactful would it be to see even the iconic Flamingo Hotel destroyed versus the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty or the Golden Gate Bridge. And how boring would it be to see a glitzy but generic hotel-casino smashed down. It would kinda be a waste of the monsters' time.

 

[Frunobulax]

London! That is a town in which Godzilla can go Rambo at any time.

LOL. Love the mixed pop culture references.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Frunobulax]

My choice, by the way: Vegas baby! Burn it, drown it, blow it up, crush it beneath giant feet, whatever. No particular reason, really, I just think it would be visually interesting.[/SIZE]

I have yet to see it, but didn't Godzilla do Vegas in the last movie?


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Merthyr Tydfil......that's in Wales. Happened upon it decades ago on a backpacking trip in Wales. I have never felt such a feeling of gloom as I did when passing through it & desperately looked for a bus stop. I'm sure the town had/has other attractions other than the bus out of there but I doubt they would be missed should a giant monster raise it to the ground. My apologies to any unfortunate inhabitants reading this, no harm intended.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

.And how boring would it be to see a glitzy but generic hotel-casino smashed down.

Boring ? I bet it wouldn't be..

 

[MisterCairo]

I was haunting AOL chatrooms

I transported back in time upon reading that! If you'd said you were listening to The Jam on your Walkman, I wouldn't have been transported back any further!

This could transfer well to a Canadian setting too - The Tortoise Who Ate Toronto.

I would pay money to see that on Imax... and I was born in T.O.!

 

[Edward]

London! That is a town in which Godzilla can go Rambo at any time.

That would be fun to see.... I love seeing places I know on screen; there's something funny about seeing them trashed too, at least while it's harmless pretence!

Fully appreciating the spirit of this thread, my only quibble with having monsters squash Vegas is that there's nothing (or almost nothing) iconic to see being destroyed. How impactful would it be to see even the iconic Flamingo Hotel destroyed versus the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty or the Golden Gate Bridge. And how boring would it be to see a glitzy but generic hotel-casino smashed down. It would kinda be a waste of the monsters' time.

Au contraire - Vegas, like Disney, has the world in microcosm. It's *all* there to be trashed....

 

[Worf]

Welp, near as I know London's been done three times by dinosaurs, once in the silent era, once in the 50's and once in the 60's, not counting anything Dr. Who or Professor Quatermass might have gotten up to. Vegas, twice that I know of... "Mars Attacks" and the last Godzilla flick. London, I'd like to see it only if Benny Hill or Black Adder were leading the defense! That would be gold! As for Vegas..., show girls runnin' hither in yon in various states of "distress", a squad of Elvis' taking up the fight karate style or dropping in by parachute. The inevitable shot of oxygen tanked grandma or grandpa pullin on the nickel slots oblivious to the destruction behind them. Of course granny hits after years of playing only to be flattened 1 second later... I'd pay good money to see dat!

Worf

In case you're wondering I've been to Vegas about 4 times, London once....

 

[Zombie_61]

I went to Vegas once in my life in the mid '90s for a day and came away over stimulated the way a kid who eats too much sugar feels.

I have no interest in casino gambling besides for an hour or so, at most, for its very modest entertainment value (the house takes ~18 cents of every dollar and one must lose if they play enough - that construct doesn't interest me), but did enjoy, again for a day, the crazy that is Vegas...

If a person is into "people watching" I can't think of too many places that would be better than Las Vegas for providing that kind of entertainment. I don't know if it's preconceived notions about Vegas, or if it's simply the desert heat getting to them, but a lot of people seem to consider it a "free for all" town where any type of behavior is not only acceptable, but welcome. On a scale from 1 to 10, Vegas turns the "crazy" factor up to 11.

I've been there maybe five or six times myself. I had some fun, not because of the gambling, drinking, or shows, in which I have zero interest, but because of the things I did and the people I encountered away from "The Strip".

I have yet to see it, but didn't Godzilla do Vegas in the last movie?

I don't know. That movie was so boring that I fell asleep both times I tried to watch it.

 

[Stearmen]

a squad of Elvis' taking up the fight karate style or dropping in by parachute.
Worf

In case you're wondering I've been to Vegas about 4 times, London once....

 

[Nobert]

Warren, OH (Well, maybe just St. Mary's middle school).
Monroeville, PA (One of those towns that's nothing but Malaria...excuse me, mall area).
Saugus, MA (Has a lot of gimmicky outfits like a Chinese restaurant built to look like a giant pagoda, and the Leaning Tower of Pizza. Would make for colorful destruction).
Pretty much any major city, FL.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Saugus, MA (Has a lot of gimmicky outfits like a Chinese restaurant built to look like a giant pagoda, and the Leaning Tower of Pizza. Would make for colorful destruction).

And he could use the Giant Cactus for a toothpick.

 

[Worf]

Speakin' of Giant Monster's crushing a city... (pregnant pause).... I just got back from watching one in the Theatre. There's an indie film called "Colossal" playing at the local art house. It stars Ann Hathaway and it's good.. really good. I can't explain any of the story because it's sooooo different from any other giant monster flick you've ever seen. And when I say different I mean different. Probably gone from most theatres already with the summer rush coming on... so check it out on stream when you can. As for which city, Seoul Korea takes a pounding!

Worf

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

This is very poor Latin structure. There is no such word as "Elvi." First declension Latin nouns ending in -us form the plural by dropping the -us and adding -i. Those ending in -is (I forget the declension) form the plural with -es. Thus, it should be "the flying Elves" (pronounced el-veez).

 

[Zombie_61]

This is very poor Latin structure. There is no such word as "Elvi." First declension Latin nouns ending in -us form the plural by dropping the -us and adding -i. Those ending in -is (I forget the declension) form the plural with -es. Thus, it should be "the flying Elves" (pronounced el-veez).