kamui

Don't you think that the current situation is slightly different compared to spring 1945?

France has a nuclear-powered carrier which sometimes is even operable.

No, Unit, they won't send the carrier to Tibet.

I guess the Chinese know that. But that's not the point. It seems that, if they decide for something they will but millions, if not billions into a project as well as much manpower and time needed - like the USA in the 1950s and 1960s. There was recent a comparison between the number of aerospace engineers in the USA and China graduating each year. In the USA it was like 400 (and numbers going down) and in China like 5000 (and thousands more who applied for it). I can't find the source, but here is a similar comparison: In my opinion no country can afford to underestimate the speed of development in China...

Houses in Japan are not being remodeled, they are being replaced. Anyway, back to the USA.

Ten years is nothing. A major difference between Western democracies and the Chinese Communist Party is that the Chinese government has long term plans which span decades, while in the US and Europe they mostly plan just until the next election. I remember CNN saying in 1999 (while sitting in a hotel room in Hong Kong) that China needs 20 years for to have an own car industry. Meanwhile China hasn't not only their own cars, but high speed trains and airplanes and they are preparing to land on the Moon. Saying that the current carrier is not functional is only for to appease the Western audience. Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines et al. will clearly know what the development of the carrier means and I guess they are extremely concerned (as the USA are as well behind closed doors). By the way the USA have increased military in the area in past years considerably. The "Great Game" for the leadership in Asia is on again. The struggle in the Middle East might be soon the smaller problem for the USA and the rest of the Western world and its allies. That's one reason while the USA and its allies should clean up the mess in the area soon (which ends and starts of course with Israel).

I had a 260 square feet/ 24 square meter apartment in Tokyo. It was the biggest in the apartment house. In this size you'll need a real intelligent design. My bathroom for example looked like being formed out of one piece of plastic (in included even a japanese style bathtub for to sit in). It was very easy to clean with the shower head. The apartment also had build in closets where I put my Futon during the day and all the other stuff.

I only follow the meta polls. Those single polls concentrating on small group of voters don't have much value IMHO. They just show how desperate the news and politics websites are for information. Like they compared the number of twitter tweet per minute during the conventions. It's pseudo information without much. Next poll: waiters at McDonalds versus waiters at Burger King versus Pizza Hut.

That's a right wing source. It follows a new complaint by the conservatives that not only the media are biased, but the polls as well. My guess is that the voter ID law might give states like Florida to the GOP, since thousands of Latinos might not have proper IDs to vote.

Hey BT that's pure speculation. With Romney the Mormons will arrive at the center of power for the first time. They will do anything to support Romney.

I think too the race is completely open. Even though most polls show Obama ahead, it's mostly within the margin of error. To make it worse for Obama the new voter ID laws in swing states like Florida might keep thousands of Dems voters away from the voting booth. If Romney weren't so extremely bad, the GOP would be a clear winner by now. But on the other hand the selection of Romney is a clear sign in how bad shape the GOP currently is.

I have never heard of the this so 'German' proverb... Nevertheless it might be correct.

Sarah Silverman | Election 2012 - Voter Fraud http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypRW5qoraTw

And in Germany pensions usually don't evaporate, if a company goes bankrupt like in the USA. Anyway, I wonder who want to live in USA at the moment (except the Americans and the really poor). The USA have been the land of dreams for generations of Europeans. I guess this is mostly over now. BTW, misuse of social security is a problem, but a minor one in Germany, since the recipients of social security are being checked frequently. Freeloading has become much harder in the past years.

Yep, that was a cool move. Too bad that Mekong did the opposite of playing dead after he learnt of his demise.

Some US media are declaring that Romney just lost the election: Today, Mitt Romney Lost the Election By Josh Barro Sep 18, 2012 12:02 AM GMT+0200 You can mark my prediction now: A secret recording from a closed-door Mitt Romneyfundraiser, released today by David Corn at Mother Jones, has killed Mitt Romney's campaign for president. On the tape, Romney explains that his electoral strategy involves writing off nearly half the country as unmoveable Obama voters. As Romney explains, 47 percent of Americans "believe that they are victims." He laments: "I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." So what's the upshot? "My job is not to worry about those people," he says. He also notes, describing President Obama's base, "These are people who pay no income tax. Forty-seven percent of Americans pay no income tax." This is an utter disaster for Romney. .... http://www.bloomberg...e-election.html

Actually I am not a fan of romance movies aka chik flicks, but "Friends with Benefits "is actually a great movie. Highly entertaining. Mila Kunis is great and sexy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJS-wWqVAyk

Gun sales exploded as well. The NRA is talking about a secret plan by Obama to limit gun sales. (NEWSER) – Fears that President Obama would take people's guns away in his first term proved to be unfounded, but a lot of people appear to think he's waiting for his second term. Gun sales are experiencing a major pre-election boom, just like they did four years ago, reports NBC. Sales are up 50% at Smith & Wesson, and Ruger made its millionth firearm of the year by mid-August, almost as many as it made in the whole of 2011. Gun dealers say a major driver of sales is fear of a looming crackdown on guns—although Business Insiderfinds that the only gun laws Obama has signed as president have actually expanded gun rights. "I should put Obama’s picture on the wall up there," says one New Jersey gun salesman. "I’d name him salesman of the month!" But other dealers say fear of an increase in crime amid economic woes has at least as much to do with the surge in sales. "The biggest new group of buyers now are senior citizens," the owner of a North Carolina gun shop tells CNBC's Closing Bell. "Ten thousand baby boomers a day are turning 65. They can't run, they can't fight, they got to shoot." http://www.newser.co...es-booming.html http://online.wsj.co...3759726660.html

Do you have a mirror?

Yep, this HH line is great: "Obama who, as a secret Muslim, keeps his hawkish alliances with the Muslim Brotherhood and using an occasional diversionaly attack on Taliban targets to try to establish his "creds" as being a tough hombre." That's best theory since I have learnt that 9/11 was planned by the US government: Obama killed Osama for to divert the people from his islamist connections.

Thanks, we don't learn the history of US presidents at Germany schools.

It seems that most US presidents were upper class. I wonder who wasn't except Obama?

I guess Romney was just an upperclass prick with built in entitlement for a better life and who did have no idea how ordinary people live. And he seems to be an extremely clever guy in regard to finances and how to make money.

Media are only interested in 'scoops'. Obama did publish the negative stuff himself before he became president, therefore no scoop. IF he wouldn't have and the media would have found out about the cocaine it would have been like Christmas and 4th of July in one day for right wing media: a black president taking coke = almost probably a gang member in Compton. Anyway, generally US media don't respect the privacy of politicians at all - and US politicians make politics with their private, especially family life. Just look at Romney's wife having MS and five sons. And Obama being a devoted family man, e.g.. Both politicians are working hard to create an image of their personal life which pleases the masses. In Germany for example there is an unwritten agreement not to talk about the private lives of politicians (what the kids do, love affairs e.g.), AS LONG as the politicians don't use it for political gain. This keeps elections much closer to the topics. 99% of the policitians stick to it - and those few who didn't first flew high and later crashed down to earth when for example the marriage failed. They became fodder for the yellow press. BTW The latest rumor is, that the wife of the former president of Germany (not the chancellor) had worked as an escort some years ago. Also religion doesn't play a big role in German politics, if, where and how often a politician goes to church is his private business.

If you take the margin of error of ca. 3% in the polls the race is completely open. If outside developments don't change the current dynamics the three TV talks between Obama and Romney might decide the election. I have read the Romney is already training a lot for the talks.