[mLuby]

Yeah I know (thanks for the link). I mean using a clock as the way to communicate how likely nuclear war is happens to be a terrible way of communicating to a public that knows clocks only, and naturally, move forward. Having seen a clock and reading this news, it would be reasonable for children to expect us to reach nuclear war very soon, which is not at all accurate.

[labster]

It's pretty accurate. Presidents of two countries have been declaring that they will use nuclear weapons against the other. They have been provoking each other, and each interprets the provocation as an act of war. It's pretty bad. The only reason no one is reacting is because there's nothing we can do. Might as well live your life while there's still time, and hope rationality will win out.

[mLuby]

The reason people aren't reacting is because they don't believe the bluster, not because they're resigned to a slow death in an inevitable nuclear winter.

If the US military seriously thought the North Koreans were about to nuke an ally, it'd pre-empt that with conventional and/or nuclear means. And if POTUS were serious about nuking another country, I don't think he'd last long in office, let alone manage to carry out the act.

I'd be happy to bet as much money as I can muster as an indication of my confidence in our continued existence. Any takers? :P

[labster]

Sure. I'll bet you one million dollars that we're all going to die. Zimbabwe dollars, of course.