skylark21 comments

Im afraid you all would want to see New Yorks 5th Avenue also become Penny Lane too with nothing but Walmarts, dollar stores, H&M, Old Navy, Target, TJ Max LOL

Wow what a sad world we live in man

Get what you pay for! cheap versus expensive Low quality versus high quality

People sure seem to have an irrational psychological fear for luxury and expensive. The Chinese are more than glad to be rich! The rest of you are so depressing and yes even whiners.

Nice hotel

Wasn`t there something about Uniqlo buying Gap at one point? Banana Republic is cool too.

Might as well, because they sure copy each other LOL

This is an obvious straight up sign of poverty in society! Gotten so bad now how about selling them out of garbage cans for 99 cents LOL shame!

This is as bad from buying one from the salvation army store or the Goodwill gimme a break! This is depressing me so!

Wow we`ve regrettably have gotten way way too cheapy

If you got the money what do you care then!

Also buy cheap, look cheap agreed! Cheap equals low quality You get what you pay for!

A rather sad sign of a rise in poverty

I have total respect to Toyota and Ford, but not GM and Chrysler sorry man

Guaranteed if it wasn`t for Obama, U.S would have really lost it and taken the world with it.

The Lehman crisis didnt help either and that didnt start in Japan there sir

With GM and Chrysler asking for a free handout doesn`t look good brother...Toyota never asked for a free handout.

And Japanese and Americans ultimately caused their downfall basically

U.S as well, the way it looks now (not looking too wonderful), sure looks to be next to be beaten by China and India even.

I mean an excellent political environment to clarify

Economic dynamism, political environment are also necessities along with the wealth. GDP and GDP per capita really matter! But can`t stress this enough education (also higher education) is key to prosperity period and the reduction of poverty!

OK think about this:

No joke it all comes down to the money! Money talks! U.S is not as wealthy anymore now but still maintains a strong number of millionaires and billionaires though. Look at the poverty rates of the U.S and Japan. But look at the Nordic countries, Netherlands, Germany, Australia, France, Switzerland, even England Ex Dubai (because of the OIL=riches) Switzerland is where Davos Economic Forum takes place and the World Bank has its headquarters there! Their poverty levels are almost nonexistent! Having gone to Switzerland, you can smell the money over there! Look at France and Italy---most of the world`s luxury brands come from there (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati, Hermes, Louis Vuitton) and they are definitely loaded in wealth!

They are not superpowers but are far richer, far better quality of life, even superior standard of living than the superpowers and have maintained very steady top world ranking for many years! Look at Finland and Sweden, they outdo the U.S in just wealth alone, I mean, just look at their GDP and GDP per capita figures! Military power only seperates them thats it basically! Superpower doesnt mean jack if you do not have the money to back it up!

Take a good gander at either the annual Prosperity Index, Wikipedia, GNP or the GDP plus GDP per capita (personal wealth) ranking to see! Luxemburg, though, I can`t figure that one out LOL

A superpower, as said, must have certain conditions to be a superpower but that does not mean they got the money and such even though they have the muscle! Remember the ole saying more muscle than brains Again Money Talks period! Money=Power and that separates one from being 1st place to last place.

So the having a tank nor its size doesnt mean you are better off than the other guy which Nordic countries have time and time again proven quite clearly! Size dont mean jack either

One could argue that U.S and Japan should go the way of Nordic, Swiss and English routes to really be in the top ranking!

Think competition is a joke! You are wrong on that one! It creates winners or losers not rocket science people!

And it all comes down to this who`s ultimately making the big cash! No denying it Money=Power Look at Dubai thanx to oil!

Donald Trump can tell you that one!

I dont want to ever see Japan and U.S losing or becoming Third World Nations either, I speak personally on this as its my life...it`s not cool to lose at all! Nobody likes losing

Disagree with your comments on Japan zstar sorry You can say the same for the US that it has reached its maximum potential even for all the G-8 nations!

Saying the G-8 developed countries can`t advance and develop is wrong man! It all comes down to whether one wants to be better or not! Win or lose dude choose one

As said, as long as U.S and Japan stay within the top 5 Im satisfied with it! Im trying to be optimistic! Even if its top 10 thats still not bad again but seriously guys it ultimately depends on the people above all whether they want to lose or win thats it! Whether they want to be number 10 or 1? Its the people! You don`t believe this all about competition---you are big time incorrect on that one you all! No joke at all China is being seriously competitive and looking to kick economic butt, and they have 100% ambition behind it at least!

OK what are the exact poverty rates of these nations? Do the math!

U.S? 20% in poverty and rising with unemployment still at 9% At risk Japan? 17% in poverty, at high risk of rising Unemployment at 5% right now! At risk as well India---Half in poverty, but decreasing! Another nation with over 1 billion! India has always had the engineers, the computer whiz, etc...I expect them to be a force to contend with competitively speaking.

China? 75% in poverty and decreasing, many below the poverty line up to now..during the Beijing Olympics noticed China tried very hard to hide the negatives because the slums were easily seen when you actually go there and the below par air quality! Chinas population is so large that they will squeeze out all thats left in resources, produce more C02 then you`ll ever believe, and the push to make it a Green Economy LOL yeah good luck! 1.3 billion people Resources competition will be a very fierce one! People keep forgetting that China used to be a world superpower in history!

EU doesn`t look good either---another at risk!

Also, a healthy birth rate is important can`t have too little or too many!

There has to be a balance and who says Japanese don`t have procreation drive!

Seems like in China, for example, most of the riches are only concentrated in these three big cities Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong that`s it, the rest of China is in absolute poverty folks.

China afraid? I dont think so. They sure bounce between each other recently Kim Jong Il going to China not once but several times already vice versa doesnt open one`s eyes?

Surely theres something more to this! A unified Korea, yes we already know thats bound to happen! North Korea has already made that rather clear it`s real intentions.

What? what do you mean who cares about No. 3 economic championship! What you are just gonna give up and say Shouganai I dont think so. Its competition brother, you better get used to it! Thats one part I have to disagree on! Obviously China cares very much about being number one, dont kid yourself! Just look at Shanghai, which far outdoes NYC already and are light years ahead!

With that attitude Zenpun thats not a winners attitude dude!

With regards to competition whether you like it or not, its all about that! You people cant deny this really!

Win or lose which is not hard to see! It just a bummer to lose!

Whether U.S and Japan want to either be a loser or winner will ultimately depend on the Japanese and the Americans. The ant or the grasshopper can`t have both LOL

It`s a no brainer the Chinese want to be the winners and aim for number one!

I respect the Chinese for this, they have the intense drive to wanna be better and to aim for the winner side! Go for the Gold not the bronze duh!

Well FYI no one likes to be a loser period In the game of life there are always winners and losers It`s competition plain and simple And I do agree with your last statement

Everyone seems to be 100% certain that the top 4 will definitely be 1st China, U.S, India, then Japan. As long as U.S and Japan stay in the top 5 I`m satisfied!

SmithinJapan You are saying that those islands were never originally Japans? For real? Sakhalin understandbly can be Russia but especially the two islands very close to Hokkaido just split them half thats all Lower two to Japan and the upper two to Russia that doesn`t have to be so hard you know? Seriously look at the geography of the islands! Russia is way big enough anyway so why be greedy to want more land makes no sense either!

And to not think that they are not very highly strategic area makes no sense Its downright competition whether you like it or not There are rich resources up there So probably the next silly thing well hear is Hokkaido doesn`t belong to Japan either hahaha

Honestly, as a half Japanese American I never ever want to see Japan and U.S fall below 5th place ever!

The pessimism though needs to become optimism

4 things necessary for a superpower, I may be wrong? Resources Population Military power Higher education

And it`s that the crystal clear difference between the ant and the grasshopper! That simple story makes plenty of sense

Notice how the countries of Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, England, France are very much prosperous as well as the top of their game, in fact far more wealthier even happier than the U.S (look at the prosperity rank right now) surprising no one is mentioning them! These nations have been keeping very steady at the top for quite some time!