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Didn't someone once say something like (I am quoting from memory, may not be correct to the letter): "USA is the only nation that has gone from barbarism to decadence without passing through a stage of culture"?
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I'd imagine the quote came from some European Far West Asian snob who thinks they have a monopoly on culture. Some sort of squatter's rights mentality where they define the vestigial remnants of the past as "cultural" instead of abandoning them and moving on.
And as for decadence? Damn - just look at their "premier" cuisine - a great big plate with next to nothing on it. How many courses in a meal equates to decadence? Or, in a world with starvation, having tomato fights on a city-wide scale. Celebrate Viking plunder, murder, rape, and pillage! You can draw up your own list (or pretend it doesn't exist). Those lovely cultures have brought us two world wars (so far . . . ).
BOTTOM LINE: Apparently, when it comes to a royal stink, you guys can't smell your own.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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That's cause we're efficient.
I’ve given up trying to be calm. However, I am open to feeling slightly less agitated.
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What, England is not in America? and all this time I thought... 
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Slacker007 wrote: England is not in America
Only the new[^] part.
:rim-shot:
Software Zen: delete this;
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I was curious and found it in Quora ...  , but, nobody knows who asked it.
It seems that everyone has some fun with this question ... , good so,
as it cannot be taken seriously ...
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OK, but did it originate there ? Asking for a friend.
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It reminds me of the people here who think indigenous people from mexico speak a dialect of spanish, as though they were silent before the Spaniards came.
These are "educated" folks, like doctors. My hubby interprets in the medical field and runs into this all the time. Even has tried to educate people about it when they've persisted and it just doesn't stick.
It's like, really?
Real programmers use butterflies
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English originated in Germany. It originated in the Netherlands/Germany.
OriginalGriff wrote: You'd think the name alone would give them a clue, wouldn't you? 
The name isn't relevant. We, as Dutch people know. Americans have Pennysilvanian Dutch that speak German (Deutsch), and the Dutch don't speak German.
The Dutch aren't Deutsch, and the English simply aren't; they a mixture of Anglo Saxons and Vikings. There's no native "English".
Even in the time of Rome, when those were wailing about you barbarians, you weren't English but Kelts. Guess where those originally lived?
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
"If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.
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As a follow up to Glenn's post below, what would be your best SciFi book ?
To me it is a hard choice, there are so many, but here a few that are important to me:
- The Ice People by Barjavel, that I read when I was 8, and that probably gave me the taste for sciFi
- I, Robot, that got me into robotics, computer science, logical thinking, ...
- Another small book I cannot remember the name, talking about astronauts trapped in a spaceship (kind of Apollo 13) that my English teacher gave me and that was the first book I have read in English language.
- A brave new world, because of that dystopian but maybe not so wrong description of our future.
- Ubik, because ... Ubik.
- Jurassic Parc, not because of the story, but for the chaos theory developed over 40 pages by Crichton. The movie was awesome in its time, but the book is on another level - I know it is cliché to say the book is better than the movie. Same for Terminator, the book/screenplay explains so much better the overall atmosphere, the character of Sarah Connor, and helps understanding a few shortcuts that were hard to follow in the movie.
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i think the three body problem trilogy is very good, as is the bobiverse series
"mostly watching the human race is like watching dogs watch tv ... they see the pictures move but the meaning escapes them"
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Gawd ... very hard to pick "just one" ...
"Ender's Game" and sequels
Any of "The Expanse" books
"Oath of Fealty"
The Ringworld / Tales of Known Space series
Anything by Iain M Banks, ditto William Gibson, Philip Jose Farmer (especially Riverworld), the Late Great DNA,
Haldeman's "Forever War" series
"The Stainless Steel Rat" series.
Then there is Heinlein, Vonnegut, some of Philip K Dick's stuff was amazing.
Zelazny's tales of Corwin, prince of Amber.
Nah. There is no "Best ever SF book" - there is just "Best right at this moment" when you are in the mood and reading it ...
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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OriginalGriff wrote: Nah. There is no "Best ever SF book" - there is just "Best right at this moment" when you are in the mood and reading it ...
I say more or less the same for music.
Every moment has its music and every music has its moment
M.D.V. 
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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Oath of Fealty is on my list, posted below. Zelazny's Roadmarks is also one of my favorites.
Software Zen: delete this;
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Grunt - by Mary Gentle
This crosses a boundary between SciFi and D&D Fantasy. Told from the perspective of the Goblins who happen across a stash of rather unique weaponry and other "influences". That stash and the influences link the SciFi in.
How can you not help cheer when a knighy in shining armor gets taken out by a goblin?
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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There are three books in the "Orcs" series[^] - where the humans are not the heroes. Hadn't thought about them for years!
[edit]
And another three in the "Bad Blood" series I just found out - not tried them!
[/edit]
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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I may give them a try.
One thing about the one I posted (only one like it I read, anyway) is that it broaches into SciFi, as well. Trying to stick with the thread on a first-level response. Reading Grunt was just a lot of fun. Found by accident: whilst I used to start to work on a commuter rail they had a waiting room. Within the room was a book-rack (instituted by the near-by library) for books to just take with you. I loaned it to my son (the now-adult to whom I read Hobbit and Lord of the Rings aloud) when he was a wee lad.
Like "Lord of the Rings", Grunt ended too soon.
| Ravings en masse^ |
|---|
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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I'd forgotten about this gem!
Must re-read it
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Ender's Game and Hitchhiker's Guide are both brilliant. My favourite is the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown, it's a dystopian novel with the good old "topple the hierarchy" thing, but it's really well written and combines both space-exploration and Greek mythology.
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Rage wrote: what would be your best SciFi book ?
I like the one's from Steve Alten. I've read all but the (government) conspiracy ones.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." - James D. Miles
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As have already been said, there is a lot of good SciFi out there.
- Pohl: The heechees series, Merchant wars...
- Heinlein: The moon is a bad mistress, Friday...
- Crichton: Jurasic parc, State of fear
- Asimov: Foundation serie
- Herbert: Dune serie (although some are not that good)
- Schätzing: Limit
- I don't know how it is called in english but the plot is that every human being that reached more than 5 years old is resurrected all at once in a world were basic needs are automatically covered by some allien technology. 5 or 6 books
-...
-...
M.D.V. 
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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Riverworld is what you are looking for: Riverworld - Wikipedia[^] - I mentioned it above, good stuff!
Just watch out when searching for P.J.Farmer books at work: some of his stuff was pr0n with a SF / Fantasy setting - "Image of the Beast" and "Blown" for example ... 
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Nelek wrote: - Heinlein: The moon is a bad harsh mistress,
FTFY
That is where Mycroft comes from 
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity -
RAH
I'm old. I know stuff - JSOP
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