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View Full Version : Who is more prescient: The Onion or The Pythia?



Metaphysicist
08-26-2013, 01:35 AM
The Onion, January 2001 (http://www.theonion.com/articles/bush-our-long-national-nightmare-of-peace-and-pros,464/):


During the 40-minute speech, Bush also promised to bring an end to the severe war drought that plagued the nation under Clinton, assuring citizens that the U.S. will engage in at least one Gulf War-level armed conflict in the next four years.

"You better believe we're going to mix it up with somebody at some point during my administration," said Bush, who plans a 250 percent boost in military spending. "Unlike my predecessor, I am fully committed to putting soldiers in battle situations. Otherwise, what is the point of even having a military?"

On the economic side, Bush vowed to bring back economic stagnation by implementing substantial tax cuts, which would lead to a recession, which would necessitate a tax hike, which would lead to a drop in consumer spending, which would lead to layoffs, which would deepen the recession even further.

vs.

The Pythia, 560 BC:


οἶδα δ᾽ ἐγὼ ψάμμου τ᾽ ἀριθμὸν καὶ μέτρα θαλάσσης, καὶ κωφοῦ συνίημι, καὶ οὐ φωνεῦντος ἀκούω. ὀδμή μ᾽ ἐς φρένας ἦλθε κραταιρίνοιο χελώνης ἑψομένης ἐν χαλκῷ ἅμ᾽ ἀρνείοισι κρέεσσιν, ᾗ χαλκὸς μὲν ὑπέστρωται, χαλκὸν δ᾽ ἐπιέσται.

You decide.

50PoundHead
08-26-2013, 09:31 AM
The Onion, January 2001 (http://www.theonion.com/articles/bush-our-long-national-nightmare-of-peace-and-pros,464/):



vs.

The Pythia, 560 BC:



You decide.

Tough call. They look equally prescient to me.

weso1
08-26-2013, 10:57 AM
The Pythia. Tax rate decrease did not cause a recession. It helped us recover from the Clinton recession.

Julio3000
08-26-2013, 11:16 AM
1) Defend the Bush tax cuts.

2) Whine about deficits.

3) Repeat.

weso1
08-26-2013, 11:29 AM
1) Defend the Bush tax cuts.

2) Whine about deficits.

3) Repeat.
:catfight: