Open Thread


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

  1. Not advocating we change to their form of government, just saying it’s so funny that some who rip communism and socialism praise these 2 countries for their ability to get things done.

    Those governments seem more focused and organized than the sprawling, ineffectual mess we have in DC, with parties fighting for their own interests instead of the interests of the country. Personally, I think our system is great, the people we elect into it, not so much. They’ve become more dedicated to their parties than to the country and it shows.

  2. Bxgrl, the Japanese got a kind of wierd government structure, post WWII but bottom line is that the Japanese have been imprinted with an ancient Chinese idea of the power of central government and the central, federal government basically drives things, which is pretty much what you put in your post. I also saw the power of the beauracrats in the marketplace where the government strongarmed businesses in a way we would never put up with here in a million years. Japan, Inc. which is what the centrally orchestrated system of corporate direction was called, intervened through various agencies bullying business to do their bidding. Things have changed because these beauracrats also propped up sick companies (zombie companies) , never letting them die and supporting them endlessly through all kinds of deals, which is impossible now. So Japan Airlines went bust, which was amazing. So that part is changing somewhat.

    But my point is that this way of doing things which a priori, we would never accept, also might be able to coordinate action centrally pretty fast in a disaster. But no way, no how can anybody hold the Japanese government as a model for us. Not in a heartbeat. Apples and oranges.

    China is more obvious. Even less of a comparisonto us is possible.

  3. I’d like to go “camp” on the beach at Punta Allen sometime. The beach is pristine, and deep. Really beautiful eco-camping there. Meaning you cart all your crap in and most of your crap back out with you. Was just there for a couple hours, but could see spending a week there.

  4. “not gross gross, but gross like as in uncomfortable”

    *rob*
    …just picture laying next to your pitbull,
    but 94,950 more pounds of him. :O)

    seriously, it’s great to interact with wild nature.
    Except when you end up on the internet as another
    When Animals Attack episode.
    But that usually happens to people who don’t follow any
    precautions at all, like that dude in Alaska who thought it would be good to hang around with a bunch of hungry carnivorous Kodiak Bears.

1 25 26 27 28 29 51