Hanaguma

I used to think so too, but the Americans simply didn't have enough fissionable material to make more bombs at that time. Only two were ready by August 1945 and it would be months before another could be constructed. Even after the first bomb, the Japanese war cabinet STILL insisted on fighting on. It took the intervention of the emperor (an entirely unprecedented and shocking event) to vote for an end to the war, ony AFTER the second bomb was dropped. And even then, there was an attempted coup by some military figures to prevent the emperor from speaking and keep fighting to the last.

I am in Japan now and there is always quite the to-do around this time of year about the bombings. I think people here are getting a more realistic image, gradually. When I first arrived it was taught as though innocent Japan was suddenly struck by these horrible weapons for no discernable reason. I'll never forget the first line of an English textbook that was used in a JHS where I was teaching; "One day, a big bomb fell on the city of Hiroshima..." with no context other than how sad it was and describing children slowly dying. The teacher made the mistake of asking me what I thought about it- I told him that yes it was terrible but in the end saved millions of lives on both sides and probably prevented the Soviet invasion of Hokkaido in the north. He was NOT pleased.

Actually no. He hasnt impressed me at all with his campaign. He might have hit his ceiling of competence as governor.

It is interesting that you assume the only people who could possibly find fault with Joe Biden HAVE TO BE Trump believers or supporters. I guess that makes it easy for you to dismiss their ideas instead of actually evaluating them. But believe it or not, there are actually people out in the world (me included) who would rather see neither Joe nor The Donald be President.

Ya never know. EIther one would be a better choice than Joe- who also has a history of racially 'insensitive' remarks and questionable friendships.

Woodrow Wilson? Lyndon Johnson? Both democrats.....

So as I understand it, your theory is that Joe Biden was the helpless and unwitting accomplice in Hunter's schemes? Schemes he had no knowledge of? Hunter as the malign genius, able to exert psychological control over the Vice President of the United States... As just one example, I find it very hard to believe that a father as close to his son as Joe Biden, would not even know where his son works. That a son so close to his father wouldn't call up his Pops and say, "hey Pops, guess who is getting a million bucks a year from a Ukranian energy company!?!". Again off the charts in simply unlikely.

Exactly. Hunter couldn't wait until the business meetings were over, THEN check in with Pops. No, he simply HAD to talk to dad right away, and also put him on speaker phone. When I talk to my son, I make sure to ALWAYS use speaker phone and ALWAYS have miscellanous people around. Who needs privacy?

I think most Americans have a nose for sniffing out BS. Just like when Bill Clinton tried to claim that, while he HAD tried the devil's lettuce, he had never actually inhaled. Nobody believed it. Ditto with Joe. People can try to say "well yes, he DID attend numerous dinners, golf games, photo shoots at the White House, and 20 business calls with his son and partners. BUT he never did anything but make remarks about the weather". The BS meter is ticking off the scale.

Lovely, but irrelevant. The job of President is NOT to be loved abroad. It is to do what is best for his country, regardless of what furriners think. We have the same problem in Canada-Trudeau has a great image overseas but is an abject failure on the home front.

So, we have testimony of multiple (20 plus) phone calls, photo ops at the White House, dinners at Cafe Milano, golf dates, coffee meetings... and on none of those occasions was Joe remotely curious about what was happening. I guess Hunter must be a master psychological manipulator to use his father so well and at the same time keeping him in the dark. And they all talked about the weather. OK.

Then maybe he shouldn't bloody say it so vehemently? Ignorance is not bliss.

...and also something where it is STRONGLY suggested that you wear a 'helmet' for your safety?

You might be surprised... I went back to Cambodia last year to SiemReap and Phnom Penh. Hadnt been there in nearly 10 years and the change was quite remarkable. Lots of good food, cafes, the streets are paved, rent is cheap, very nice people. Another option for the adventurous is India! You can get a 5 YEAR multiple entry tourist visa for USD $80. Only catch is that you have to leave the country every 3/6 months (depending on your country of origin). Otherwise no restrictions.

I think the general objection is to having politics injected into every aspect of our lives, down to the coffee we buy in the morning. Companies don't need to have 'stances' on every social issue, they just need to make good products. I am waiting for the next image from Costa, this time a white guy with no tattoos or piercings but wearing a crucifix around his neck. And drinking a coffee. Think I'll be waiting a long time. And IF such an image were to grace their shop, it would be met with howls of protest and outrage from certain elements of the noisy left.

I might suggest "a kick of ladyboys" since that seems to be the preferred method of communication.

Malaysia recently did a big overhaul of the MM2H program and it has seen numbers drop significantly. Makes places like the Phils and Cambodia look more attractive by the day. Heck in Cambodia all it takes is $170 for a one year visa. No signing in, no reporting, and it is multiple re-entry as well. I think in the Philippines you just need $10,000 for your visa. Or you can pretty much stay for 3 years by renewing and renewing your original visa free entry. A mistake IMHO if the financial requirements in Thailand are raised. Stricter enforcement, perhaps making the rules less subject to regional variations and the whims of individual immigrantion officers, those would make sense.

Nope. It is possible to chew gum and walk at the same time. If all goes well, both of the geriatrics will be sitting out the next election.

I'm not sure. I would prefer another nominee anyway, the sooner the better. Almost any other one would be fine.

If he is found guilty, put him in prison. I have no problem with that. Just do it in time for the GOP to have a fair chance at selecting another nominee for the 2024 election.

Please do try to stay on topic, if possible. There are plenty of other places to splutter "b-b-but Trump"....

Simply proves that Joe lied when he said, “I have never spoken to my son about his overseas business dealings,”. The onion is being peeled one layer at a time.

Uh, I am thinking that is Lenny Kravitz in the lower photo. The tats kinda give it away.

True. I guess Joe could have just gone up to some random stranger among the 10 million residents of Beijing, had coffee, and decided purely from the goodness of his big ol' heart to help his kids get into university in the USA. Sure. And that random stranger by amazing coincidence just HAPPENED to be his son's business partner in a joint venture with a Chinese firm. It's a small world. “I have never spoken to my son about his overseas business dealings,” but he DID, somehow, manage to meet and speak to so many of his son's business partners. All without speaking to his son about his business dealings.

How about Joe meeting Johnathan Li (one of Hunter's Chinese connections) for coffee in Beijing? And eventually writing college admission recommendations for both of Li's children? “I have never spoken to my son about his overseas business dealings,” The purpose of all the phone calls was to demonstrate to Hunter's prospective 'clients' that he had access to the corridors of power in Washington, and that he could use it. The actual content of the calls was not that important. The fact that Hunter could get the VP to pick up the call was the point.