Did We Really Need Seven New Wonders?

freakxx writes "Seven new 'wonders of the world' have been announced today in a ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal. People throughout the world have voted actively to elect the new 7 out of 21 finalists. The final lineup is: Chichen Itza, Mexico; Christ Redeemer, Brazil; The Great Wall, China; Machu Picchu, Peru; Petra, Jordan; The Roman Colosseum, Italy; and The Taj Mahal, India. The Pyramids of Giza was the only candidate that used to be among the original seven wonders. Did we really need seven new wonders of the world? Why was this decided via a website poll (pdf) and SMS messages?"

Only 7 new ones?

[AuMatar]

I guess the 8th is still Andre.

Re:These are pretty dumb

[Anonymous Coward]

8. Slashdot

Re:These are pretty dumb

[Tablizer]

No no no. Should be:

1. Porn!
2. Porn!
3. Porn!
4. Porn!
5. Porn!
6. Porn!
7. Lesbian Porn!
   

Re:These are pretty dumb

[Tablizer]

8. Slashdot

Pffft. If they gave us a vote, Goatse would be on the list. (Hmmm, 7 slashdot wonders: Goatse, N. Portman, SCO...)
       

MS weighs in

[Tablizer]

Did We Really Need Seven New Wonders?

B. Gates says that 6 is all anybody will ever need. (duck)
     

wonders

[Frostalicious]

Did We Really Need Seven New Wonders?

Well maybe Civilization V is coming out soon and they didn't want to go with the same crap as last time?

Re:this is just a very big SCAM

[iminplaya]

Clearly it's a pyramid scheme.

Sphinxter says what?

What kind of poll...

[UnCivil Liberty]

doesn't include a CowboyNeal option? Lame.

No iphone

[MadFarmAnimalz]

I can't believe the iphone didn't make it. This list is totally bogus.

Re:because it's dumb.

[Zantetsuken]

I agree - this is the kind of thing that at the very least should be sent out with a governmental census in at the least major nations throughout the world. All this is is as you said - a couple of scam artists who got a bunch of lit-study and art students at a few local colleges who are smart enough to know world history and geography but not have the common sense to see a scam like this to pick from a multiple choice list of prechosen items...

Also, this is one more thing to make current generations look like total idiots to their grandkids 50 years from now - like how they recently announced that Pluto is not actually a planet. People all over will be telling their grandkids "Back in my day, Pluto *WAS* a planet, and their were only *7* wonders of the world! AND we liked it that way!" to be responded with "Ya, sure grampa, time for your medication now!"

Re:because it's a publicilty stunt

[BakaHoushi]

Personally, I make my list and judge what wonders I want to see based on how useful they are when I build them in Civilization.

Great Wall of China? Psh. Walls are mostly useless.
But the Hanging Gardens? Aw yeah, +2 health to all cities, baby!

Re:Why lament it?

[jonadab]

Perhaps you were not aware, but in addition to the original list of seven wonders there are approximately seventy hillion bajillion other existing lists of seven wonders. The concept of listing seven wonders of the world was not terribly immaginative in the first place, but after about a thousand iterations, it's now quite thoroughly Done To Death. We already have the original seven wonders of the world, numerous revised lists of seven wonders in the ancient world, several revised lists from medieval Europe, numerous versions for the modern world, at least three different versions of seven wonders of the natural world (one with Niagara falls, one with Victoria falls, and one with both of them), seven wonders of the man-made world, seven wonders of the internet, several new lists of seven wonders, and this is now at least the fifth or sixth list called "the seven new wonders of the world".

At this point practically nobody can keep straight which items are on which lists. Quick, off the top of your head, which list of seven wonders has an international airport on it? Which lists feature "the internet" as one of the wonders? Can you name a list of seven wonders, written since 1750, that doesn't have anything in North America on it? How about one that doesn't have anything south of the equator? Which list doesn't have anything on it that can't be seen from space?

Dude, the Great Wall of China is awesome...

[WIAKywbfatw]

Dude, the Great Wall of China is awesome. It basically protects you from almost all aggression for a huge chunk of the game, thus allowing you to focus your attention almost exclusively on using your resources to build up your cities and rapidly expand your territory.

Wonders that you want to definitely want to have:

1. The Pyramids (free Granary in every city);
2. The Great Library (automatically get every advancement learnt by two rivals until Electricity);
3. The Great Wall (enemies must offer a ceasefire or peace in negotiations until Metallurgy);
4. Marko Polo's Embassy (free embassies, best info on your rivals);
5. Leonardo's Workshop (upgrades obsolete units to the best possible until Automobile);
6. Shakespeare's Theatre (city is always content, awesome for later conquesting);
7. King Richard's Crusade (huge shield boost for city, great for pumping out other wonders quickly while it lasts);
8. Michelangelo's Chapel (free Cathedral in every city, doesn't expire like some other happiness Wonders);
9. Sun Tzu's War Academy (produce veteran military units without Barracks until Mobile Warfare);
10. Adam Smith's Trading Co. (reduces your maintenance costs by a chunk);
11. Hoover Dam (clean power to all your cities, boosting shield output);
12. Women's Sufferage (free Police Station in every city, helps conquesting);
13. United Nations (like the Great Wall but later in the game);
14. SETI Program (doubles your science output across the board);
15. Cure for Cancer (one extra happy citizen in all cities).

The other 13 Wonders are a mixed bag. Some are pretty useful (eg, Magellan's Expedition, which will help your navy and is good if you're crossing large oceans) but some are just dire (eg, Collosus, which will get you a mediocre trade boost).

Given a choice between the Great Wall and the Hanging Gardens and I'll take the Great Wall any day.

Re:because it's a publicilty stunt

[Delirium Tremens]

The Redeemer statue is a perfect candidate for this new list of Wonders because it makes you truly wonder why it is on the list.

List of New 7 Wonders and their effects in Civ V

[Jesus_666]

The Great Wall - Gives a free city wall to each of your cities until three turns later when an AI player's discovery of gunpowder will make city walls obsolete.
Chichen Itza - Adds 1 to the trade production of the city due to very modest tourism.
Machu Picchu - All llama-based units cost half as many shields to produce.
Petra - All units regenerate without having to be in a city, provided that Indiana Jones manages to retrieve the Holy Grail from it without destroying the entire place. Don't get your hopes up.
Roman Colosseum - Just like a regular colosseum, just much more expensive.
Taj Mahal - Allows you to show off to the entire world that yes, indeed you do have already discovered Ceremonial Burial. Go you.
Christ Redeemer - Allows you to build the New Seven Wonders Poll wonder.
New Seven Wonders Poll (requires The Internet and the Christ Redeemer wonder) - Generates 1 unrest in all cities of civilizations who have discovered The Internet due to Slashdotters being enraged over the Christ Redeemer making the list.