# 6 billion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 13, 1999, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312 "1999-10-13T00:02:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 1999, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/421 "1999-12-29T22:59:00Z")
* * * tracer > [@](#): > > Not if you attach a big rotor blade on top of it to several sets of bicycle pedals, and tell everyone on board to pedal really hard. > (Okay, okay, it’s a lot easier to keep a human-powered airplane aloft than it is a human-powered helicopter. I just didn’t know whether you could fashion fixed wings to the sides of a handbasket.) Tracer, how big is your handbasket? What is the human capacity of your handbasket? Do you have the A model, or B model? ## Wings on your handbasket are not good without a rudder. You need jeto assistance to get your load up. Y2K, BFD ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 1999, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/422 "1999-12-29T23:30:00Z")
I beg your pardon! I can get my load up just find without any assistance, thankyouverymuch! ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 1999, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/423 "1999-12-29T23:30:00Z")
I beg your pardon! I can get my load up just fine without any assistance, thankyouverymuch! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Zambezi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Mr.Zambezi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Zambezi)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 1999, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/424 "1999-12-29T23:57:00Z")
Isn’t getting one’s “load up” the cause of the population problem? ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 1999, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/425 "1999-12-30T01:49:00Z")
tracer > [@](#): > > I beg your pardon! I can get my load up just find without any assistance, thankyouverymuch Trust me, that was NOT an offer of assistance. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 1999, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/426 "1999-12-30T01:53:00Z")
* * * Zambezi > [@](#): > > Isn’t getting one’s “load up” the cause of the population problem? No, that would be out. One gets it up to get it out. This is wayyyyyyyyyy too much info. Think I’m gonna be ill. * * * Y2K, BFD ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 1999, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/427 "1999-12-30T20:18:00Z")
I thought “out” wasn’t nearly as much of a population generator as “in” was. ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 1999, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/428 "1999-12-31T00:40:00Z")
It comes out when it goes in, if you’re lucky, after it’s up that is. Can we change the subject? ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 1999, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/429 "1999-12-31T02:41:00Z")
Ah, that’s it! Hold it right there! (Pronoun trouble.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 1999, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/430 "1999-12-31T03:39:00Z")
Excuseeeeeeeeeeee me. I’m holding nothing! ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 1999, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/431 "1999-12-31T03:41:00Z")
Notice, my hands NEVER left MY pockets. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 1999, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/432 "1999-12-31T17:18:00Z")
Notice, ladies and gentlement, at no time do his fingers leave his hands! ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 1999, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/433 "1999-12-31T20:21:00Z")
ba rump bum. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2000, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/434 "2000-01-08T13:43:00Z")
**World Population 6,021,622,509 U.S. Population 274,187,790** The US population has 104,000,000 people since the Kennedy Administration. * * * Things are not what they seem to be; nor are they otherwise. [lankavatara Sutra] ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2000, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/435 "2000-01-08T15:39:00Z")
Added 104,000,000 more people. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2000, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/436 "2000-01-08T17:42:00Z")
And the U.S. population has DECLINED since the Reagan Administration. But you’d rather not mention that inconvenient fact, would you? * * * The truth, as always, is more complicated than that. ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2000, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/437 "2000-01-09T00:52:00Z")
Declined? You are kidding, right? Show me some evidence of that? Even the pro-population side does not float that baloney as accurate. The population of this country has INCREASED steadily over the last 40 years. Too much, I might add. Tracer, where did you get that doodoo from? * * * Things are not what they seem to be; nor are they otherwise. [lankavatara Sutra] ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2000, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/438 "2000-01-09T05:54:00Z")
Woops, my mistake. U.S. population increased from 227 million in 1980 to 249 million in 1990. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2000, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/439 "2000-01-09T13:39:00Z")
tracer > [@](#): > > Woops, my mistake. U.S. population increased from 227 million in 1980 to 249 million in 1990. > My bad ## Why would I not want to talk about that too, tracer? Population in this country MUST begin to stabilize, from births and immigration, which accounts for the majority of increase. Things are not what they seem to be; nor are they otherwise. [lankavatara Sutra] ---
**Author:** ![Akatsukami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea666f/32.png) [@Akatsukami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akatsukami)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2000, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/440 "2000-01-09T15:03:00Z")
Ah, I see. Not only are as-yet-unspecified measures to be taken to control absolute population levels, but current national boundaries are to be held sacred (perhaps we could get the OAU to supervise this), and people are to be forbidden to cross them. The pains and suffering of overpopulation sound more and more like a small thing when contrasted with the Draconian measures being proposed to control the reproduction and movement of people. * * * “Kings die, and leave their crowns to their sons. Shmuel HaKatan took all the treasures in the world, and went away.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312.md?page=23)