2011-08-23, 08:07 | Link #16021 | |||
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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2011-08-23, 09:33 | Link #16022 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Australia
Age: 41
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South Korean employees leave resort after North Korean threat
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2011-08-23, 09:52 | Link #16023 | ||
AS Oji-kun
Join Date: Nov 2006
Age: 74
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Japan's Prime Minister Likely to Resign Neither of the two likely contenders for prime minister have much appeal. Quote:
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2011-08-23, 10:06 | Link #16024 | |
Moving in circles
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Singapore
Age: 49
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2011-08-23, 11:07 | Link #16026 |
Moving in circles
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Singapore
Age: 49
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That's where you got it wrong. In Japan, the ministers don't really need to know anything, as they are nothing more than glorified rubber stamps. It's the civil service that actually runs the country. Any other advanced country would have probably fallen apart in confusion by now, after five or so Cabinets in as many years.
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2011-08-23, 11:45 | Link #16027 | |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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If you ever watched the UK Sitcom "Yes Minister" you'd see how it works. That's why they need ministers to be around a little longer. |
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2011-08-23, 12:36 | Link #16028 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Australia
Age: 41
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Sexual assault charges against former IMF director dismissed
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2011-08-23, 13:05 | Link #16030 | |
Lurker
Join Date: May 2004
Location: New York City
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5.8 earthquake hits Virginia, felt in NYC
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Last edited by Knight Hawk; 2011-08-23 at 13:37. |
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2011-08-23, 13:19 | Link #16033 | |
Moving in circles
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Singapore
Age: 49
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You miss my point. The civil service has always been the one in true control of Japan. That has been the case during much of Tokugawa rule, and after the Meiji Restoration, the bureaucracy simply took new form as the modern civil service. In the West, you talk of various checks and balances to ensure balanced distribution of power, all for the sake of building a political system that would survive even if you put monkeys in power. Well, in Japan, the civil service is the institution that ensures that, even if complete fools are in power, government will continue unhindered. It's a different ball game altogether. |
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2011-08-23, 13:32 | Link #16034 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Suburban DC
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I'm here in Northern Virginia.
My town house shook. People in the neighboorhood came running outside. Government buildings were evacuated and power outages have been reported in DC, Arlington and other places. Center was inbetween Richmond the capital and Charlottesville where the University of Virginia is. It's way out in the country but the worst damage is feared to be in the West End of Richmond. |
2011-08-23, 13:32 | Link #16035 | |
Knight Errant
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
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Also, Black Adder is good too but wasn't topical. Father Ted is also good |
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2011-08-23, 13:34 | Link #16036 | |
Not Enough Sleep
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: R'lyeh
Age: 48
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you can't even get Californians to leave their chair on a 5.8
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2011-08-23, 13:35 | Link #16038 |
Gamilas Falls
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Republic of California
Age: 46
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I'd call you Easterners lightweights, but then your building aren't built to take earthquakes.
Out here we probably wouldn't notice an earthquake like that other than to say, "oh a quake" and then get back to whatever we were doing. Or is some cases, ask if a car had hit the building (some feel like a sharp jolt and that's all).
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2011-08-23, 13:54 | Link #16040 |
Gamilas Falls
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Republic of California
Age: 46
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That would be interesting. It has snowed at total of three times in this city since I was born...and only stuck to the ground once.
We go to the mountains for our snow and can experiance heavy snow some winters in the Sierra Nevada.
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current affairs, discussion, international |
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