the new 7 wonders -- an exercise in dumbness

[Marlowe]

http://www.new7wonders.com/

yeah so the "new 7 wonders" just came out after a global vote took place.

you know, the more i think about it, the more retarded this really is.

i mean, yeah we have some awesome stuff in the world... the taj mahal, st peter's basilica, and a few other things. but what's the purpose of having an internet vote for the 'wonders of the world', other than to serve as an exercise in jingoism, as evinced by the fact that 3 of the 7 come from latin america. nothing personal to our friends south of the border, but there is just no way in fuck that 42.85% of the world's wonders reside in your part of the world.

[Smoker29]

The original 7 Wonders were chosen by one man, why can't several million decide this time around? If it sticks, it sticks. :D

[skidminix]

I like how they say "the following will always remain 7 world wonder finalists"...

Clearly, that means a lot, when they've already just revised history. :rolleyes:

[akip]

cheer up. at least the statue of liberty didn't make it.

[Chespo]

there is just no way in fuck that 42.85% of the world's wonders reside in your part of the world.As Smoker mentions, the well-known list of 7 wonders of the ancient world was compiled by one scholar/engineering-enthusiast, Philo of Byzantium. Most of the items on his list were found in his own realm of the Hellenic cities around the eastern Mediterranean. So, in terms of a certain percentage in a single geographic region, yes way in fuck.

But that argument doesn't change the fact that this new list is borne of nothing but marketing (like everything else nowadays). Encouraging tourism wasn't Philo's purpose.

[akip]

i have a hard time seeing how an admittedly well placed but fairly pedestrian statue of christ is more "wonderful" than angkor wat, but that's voting for you.

[SheepNutz]

The fact that the great pyramids didn't make the cut is appalling.

[akip]

The fact that the great pyramids didn't make the cut is appalling.

maybe 'cause they're surrounded by fast food franchises and other urban crap now. sort of wrecks the atmosphere.

[rocketman70]

i have a hard time seeing how an admittedly well placed but fairly pedestrian statue of christ is more "wonderful" than angkor wat, but that's voting for you.

I thought of exactly the same thing. That statue is the most ridiculous thing on the list. And the fact that Angkor didn't even make it even moreso.



But that argument doesn't change the fact that this new list is borne of nothing but marketing (like everything else nowadays). Encouraging tourism wasn't Philo's purpose.

Yep-that's all this is.

Marlowe is right. This whole vote was retarded.

[daemon]

why did they stay with 7? given inflation, seems like we should be up to 50 or so by now.

[markalot]

Captain Obvious must be on vacation.

[monkey neck]

The fact that the great pyramids didn't make the cut is appalling.

I thought the same thing. That's lists for you, though.

[lutz]

The fact that the great pyramids didn't make the cut is appalling.Quoted for emphasis.

[The Sheck]

Quoted for emphasis.

No, no the Great Pyramids were exempt from voting because they were the only 'wonder' that remained from the original seven. There was a big controversy over this because they were going to be removed from the list, and tso they were granted honorary status.

If you're really looking for something to complain about, how can you have a statue of Christ in the final cut especially when you consider the Acropolis in Greece and the statues on Easter Island didn't make it?

[DLDude]

Christ Redeemer is hardly a wonder of anything...

Completely worthless :mad:

[The Sheck]

Plus, when the focus of the contest shifts from 'natural wonders' to 'man-made,' there are always going to be problems.

[the_birds]

Out of the 3 south of the border winners, only Christ the Reedmer (Sorry Motti) DIDN'T deserve it.

Give me a break, Latin America certainly has a LOT fewer computers than a lot of the other homes of potential wonders. Brazil certainly has the most computers and it showed by them winning with an unimpressive wonder.

There is no doubt that Chichen Itza deserved it. If you understand the way it was built and its alignment to the stars and all of the astrological significance, its a homerun for sure. Not even mentioning that the Mayans didn't even have pack animals. Macchu Pichu is a bit behind it, but its also remarkable, because it was built at an elevation of 12,000 feet in the middle of nowhere, with a lot of its stone being brought up that entire elevation, much of it a very steep climb.

Like it was said, the Pyramids were exempt, they were one of the originals, they are Hall of Famers.

You could certainly make a point for the Colosseum and Petra not deserving their status, either.

The Colosseum is just iconic, there are more significant buildings than it, like the Pantheon, just around the corner. Petra, carved from rock in the middle of nowhere, is it just a series of caves or does it have significant engineering?

Best of the rest? There's only one significant oversight and that's Ankgor Wat. You could make cases for all the rest, but basically the list is pretty solid. Christ the Redeemer doesn't belong, its not a wonder, its merely iconic.

[bestlaidplans]

Petra, carved from rock in the middle of nowhere, is it just a series of caves or does it have significant engineering?
Petra is more than a bunch of caves, it's a bit like Mesa Verde on steroids and it's insanely old.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/PetraTreasury.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/Jordan-Petra.jpg

[Mr. Mystery]

There is no doubt that Chichen Itza deserved it. If you understand the way it was built and its alignment to the stars and all of the astrological significance, its a homerun for sure. Not even mentioning that the Mayans didn't even have pack animals. Macchu Pichu is a bit behind it, but its also remarkable, because it was built at an elevation of 12,000 feet in the middle of nowhere, with a lot of its stone being brought up that entire elevation, much of it a very steep climb.

If someone ever gets a chance to see this in person, do it. It's a bus ride from Cancun, and it's awe-inspiring.

[Motti]

Dude's in Sampa - he hates Rio anyway. :p

No fucking way, I love Rio!!! Really, I do.

But the Christ didn't deserve to make it. That's a joke. We did have some massive campaigning for it, the President mentioned the contest every chance he had. Of course I voted for something else, I don't even remember what. It's weird. How come the Eiffel Tower didn't make it? And the Opera House in Sydney? What's the definition of "new"? :confused:

Anyway, leave it to public voting to screw everything up.

That said, the Christ is not as pedestrian as it seems. Aside from what suntzu mentioned, the most important thing is (i) you can see the Christ from anywhere in Rio, it almost gives you goosebumps (I AM an agnostic); and (ii) the view from up there is simply fantastic -- probably the most beautiful view from anywhere I have ever been in the world. But it is definitely NOT a Top7 touristic sight in the world. Top50 is more like it.

It's good for Brazil, anyway. We need tourists.

[Motti]

Anyway, here's my list of (Actually) New Wonders of the World (criteria: at most 2000 years old):

-- Eiffel Tower
-- The Leaning Tower of Pisa
-- Opera House in Sydney
-- Kremlin
-- Taj Mahal
-- Great Wall of China
-- Chichen Itza or Machu Picchu (can't choose)

[monkey neck]

I know why the pyramids weren't on the list. It was a list for man-made wonders. Everyone knows the pyramids were built by aliens.

[Motti]

I know why the pyramids weren't on the list. It was a list for man-made wonders. Everyone knows the pyramids were built by aliens.

So was Machu Picchu!

BTW, they should do this one for stadiums. Good thing I've been to Highbury before they made a condo out of it.

[akip]

That said, the Christ is not as pedestrian as it seems. Aside from what suntzu mentioned, the most important thing is (i) you can see the Christ from anywhere in Rio, it almost gives you goosebumps (I AM an agnostic); and (ii) the view from up there is simply fantastic -- probably the most beautiful view from anywhere I have ever been in the world. But it is definitely NOT a Top7 touristic sight in the world. Top50 is more like it.

It's good for Brazil, anyway. We need tourists.

the artistry's what's pedestrian. it's an engineering feat, but the rendering's pretty crude and stiff. but yeah, the scale and the site are remarkable.

[the_birds]

Anyway, here's my list of (Actually) New Wonders of the World

-- The Leaning Tower of Pisa


How does this get on here? Its falling over!

[DaHood]

I couldn't give two shits about any of this. It's just more of that inane hunger that people seem to have for lists. I'm tired of all of it.

[daemon]

I couldn't give two shits about any of this. It's just more of that inane hunger that people seem to have for lists. I'm tired of all of it.

excellent, my top 10 list of Things That Annoy DaHood is almost complete...

[DaHood]

excellent, my top 10 list of Things That Annoy DaHood is almost complete...Yoooou!! *shaking fist*

[clonE]

why not pervert this list into something that won't promote tourism:

Top 7 things that make you wonder about the world:

1. Bush is President of the US
2. Dick Cheney is still alive
3. the Holocaust
4. Online music royalties
5. Professional celebrities
6. Leaf Blowers
7. Cubicles

[berzerker]

i have a hard time seeing how an admittedly well placed but fairly pedestrian statue of christ is more "wonderful" than angkor wat, but that's voting for you.

TOTALLY agree with you 100%, if not more so.