Going off-topic I admit, but why doesn’t Dubai become more like Russia instead of going down the tourism route?
After Russia’s large oil wells dried up they turned to trading, refining and transporting the black gold. The world’s largest oil pipe lines run from Saudi Arabia to Russia and from Russia to China. Russia is the world’s largest oil exporter, despite producing very little – it’s really no surprise there are so many Russian oil billionaires (their set up is second to none).

The UAE could follow the Russian model, after all they’re perfectly situated between Saudi Arabia and India.

Nice variety 🙂

It was announced a couple of months ago by Tom Horton that any merger would retain the AA brand. If the merger does go ahead it will be a shame, I always have liked US Airways.

People are kidding themselves if they think the spitfires can be dug out the ground in mint condition like an artefact from a Pharaoh’s tomb. I just did a little research, it would appear Burma receives on average 3.5x as much rain each year than Oklahoma 😀

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if another car time-capsule was buried to be opened in 2057 (on the 150 year anniversary) with a modern day Chrysler equivalent? They could turn it into a semicentennial tradition.

Haha, I’ve heard quite a few stories from my own father Jim. Although he said whilst the threat and potential was there, he never truly believed either side would have the balls to do anything stupid.

This week Hilary Clinton said the US opposed “any unilateral actions that would seek to undermine Japanese administration”. But, that said, there’s absolutely no way the US would get involved in any conflict. As someone’s already mentioned, it would take the Chinese to sail through Tokyo Bay before the international community got involved. Besides, Japan is still a powerful force in the region (their Air Force is of similar size to the RAF)… I doubt they’ll have too much trouble plucking off the out of date soviet era Chinese fighters. If the US got involved it could also destabilise the DPRK, and it’s hardly ‘stable’ at the moment 😀

I don’t know why people in this country think we need a large military? We’ve kept the French on a short leash for the past 200 years… :p

You’re right Andy, I am too young to remember the Cold War – but as MSR says I believe there is a real chance things could escalate further over the islands.

They’re small and uninhabited… So in a way, even less significant than the Falklands. I’ve seen pictures and they’re really just large rocks sitting in the ocean. For that reason I doubt China would have any remorse if they took any further actions.

My news source isn’t the BBC, in-fact they along with all the other major news agencies have turned (surprisingly) a blind eye to the drama. The recent troubles were only brought to my attention as this was the lead article in the Economist this week.
http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21569757-armed-clashes-over-trivial-specks-east-china-sea-loom-closer-drums-war

It’s not all doom and gloom, however. As Japan and China continue to cut ties and investment between their two nations, countries (such as the UK) are set to gain as money is redistributed elsewhere. An intense isolated military conflict may also be good for the long term health of the stagnating Japanese economy.

Although, I fully understand your reasons for not giving a flying-monkeys. You seem to have too much on your plate at the moment to care what some 5’2″ men on the other side of the world have to say about each other. I hope you’re able to make-back some of the revenue you lost due to the snow, all the best.

These are countries far away from Bedfordshire and if a load of orientals want to slaughter each other in droves, then as far as I’m concerned they can get on with it.

Andy, we are talking about the world’s second and third largest economies going to blows with each other. It’s hard to see how we won’t be affected here in the UK, even if that is economically rather than politically.