Free Republic

I second that!

Which was less in size than the land that the Soviets stole from Poland.

So go ask Russia... after all, the attacked Poland as well. (Only difference is that the Red Fascists got away with their quest for Lebensraum.)

Sarcasm aside, I really hope you see what I'm getting at with my remarks. History is a can of worms. In the real world (i.e. not in Greek La-La-Land) it's often simply not feasible to open it up.

Take Poland: Today the Polish economy profits from trade with its western neighbor to a degree that the Polish and German economies are more and more integrated. Poland's economy is growing at 4% a year. For Poland trade with the Eurozone is 40% of it's GDP and one third of that is with Germany alone. And both sides are better off for it. That's why talking reparations makes as little sense as returning Silesia and Pomerania.

Both before and after the war my family was there in US State department roles.

As what? Communist spies? Progagandists for Stalin?

The thing is: Your emphasis might differ, but you simply can't argue the facts.

A. You claimed there were NO reparations. Yet there were SOME reparations. Whether they were appropriate, sufficient or just, that's a different story.

B. It's also true that France stuck with a policy of dismantling German factories at a time when the US and the UK already shifted towards Marshall plan thinking.

C. You say that the US RECONSTRUCTED Europe. Yet it's also a fact that simply giving money doesn't equal success. The UK got the Marshall Fund money as a gift, and look what happened: Before Thatcher England was in horrible shape economically.

D. Any economist will agree that trade opportunities, access to credit and patent treaties played a much more vital role than just money alone.

E. One should also not forget the psychological aspect of U.S. support during the Berlin blockade and the normalization of diplomatic relations with the West (UN membership etc.)

If Greece gets $300 Billion Dollars , imagine what Poland could get.

Maybe Silesia and Pomerania and everything in it? 100.000 square miles of arable land's gotta be worth something (if you do the the math: far more than 300 lousy billion dollars).

Ah, wait, Poland already got that.

And that's the thing with cans of worms.....

Germany was given a second chance by the U.S. and Britain and no reparations were exacted because of Versailles and its role in starting the second war.

But their modern success is due in no small part to the enlightened attitude of the Americans who used to run the United States - and who not only stopped German aggression but reconstructed Europe afterwards and shaped what would become the European Economic Community.

You should read up on your 20th century history. Of course there were reparations after the war. Especially the French and the Russians literally took everything they could get their hands on, from machines to whole factories. The patents and intellectual property Germany lost to the United States were worth ten times what Germany got in Marshall Fund money.

Also - other than e.g. the UK - Germany got that money as a loan, which it repaid. The idea that the US rebuilt Germany is a nice fairy tale. That doesn't mean that Germany didn't get something very, very valuable: Access to western markets and economic cooperation. That's the genius of the Marshall plan: Trade is good for peace (-> interdependence / prosperity).

Please, every German or European I’ve ever met has wanted to go to SF and have their picture taken on or near the GG Bridge, and it has nothing to do with being gay.

True. A bit like Neuschwanstein the other way round.

Besides, even if he were gay, which I doubt, that wouldn’t make him crash the plane into the side of a mountain. Especially now, since gays practically rule the universe.

I can imagine being gay being a major stressor, if you're in a conservative work environment, working for a religious organisation, family companies with traditional values, the military or law enforcement etc.. But the airline industry? That's one of those places where it really doesn't matter one way or the other.

Personally I fear this might be one of those cases where the public probably will never really know what went on in the co-pilots head.

Funny to hear the Borscht Brigade whining about Nazis, probably whose jackboots are the only ones they wouldn’t lick.

The thing is: The word "Nazi" out of the mouth of a communist / Russofascist doesn't actually mean anything. It's just a term to impress and mislead the useful idiots abroad. Red fascists (Stalinists) didn't have any problems with brown fascists (Nazis) when they carved up Europe. And today they still don't.

Because after all, the red fascists got away with THEIR invasion of Poland.

Twenty percent support for seperatism turns into 90% under the yoke of Russian fascist oppression? What a shocking surprise.

It’s the old Nazi playbook: You can have any numbers you want, if you just intimidate, beat up or outright kill those who don’t agree with you.

So with all due respect, spare us your KGB bullshit.

I know, I absolutely agree with you and it sickens me, too.

Yet, we have folks that fawn over Putin like creepy catamites in a county jail.

I wouldn't say ALL of them are creepy catamites. I fully suspect a few of them are just plain whores, who get paid for their "PR" work.

In the 60s the KGB had to pay student leaders and unionists a lot of money. Internet propaganda is so much cheaper.

To avoid any misunderstandings:

I’m not saying “Kill them all”.

In fact I do weep with those Russians who just want to live their lifes freely and with basic human dignity.

So when I say, it must be ended, preferably by Russia’s own Maidan protest movement that will sweep away the corrupt fascist filth.

But ended it must be. Otherwise the 2010s and 20s will be the 1930s / 40s all over again and we all know the rest of that story.

I know that Putin’s paid internet trolls will immediately start their crybaby routine, but the truth is obvious:

The mask has come off. Russia is fascist, plain and simple. The difference between brownshirts killing those who dare to speak out on the streets of Berlin and Moscow is 80 years. Otherwise there is no difference.

Russofascism is the enemy and it must be ended.

The party favoring speedy reunification swept elections in the spring of 1990 and the reunification was blessed by both Germanys and the four occupying Allied Powers.

Crimea had the elections, Russia won. But Ukraine didn't sign-off. This difference will, of course, be lost on the Russians.

Actually that's not the whole difference. The whole crimea referendum was a total farce. Instead of having democratic campaigning and a transparent voting process monitored by a free press, you had violence and intimidation by Russian thugs and a result typical for communist voter fraud.

I'm not saying that had there been a democratic process, Crimea would never have voted to join Russia. They might have, with a result in the mid-50s. But not with 90% or so. I mean, even the paid thugs today boast about how well their coup worked.

Whereas elections in the GDR were internationally monitored and followed democratic standards. Heck, even the Commies who ran the country into the ground were allowed to take part.

The article leaves out a lot of context. It was Putin himself who three weeks ago suggested the EU should look eastward instead of going forward with TTIP / closer trans-atlantic cooperation.

James Stavridis: Putin hates the TTIP

In short: a feeble attempt at "divide and conquer".

If a complete pull-out of a united Ukraine (and Crimea) was part of the conditions, maybe

As the article says:

Merkel renewed her condemnation of Russia's annexing of the Crimea, saying that they had made economic sanctions against Russia unavoidable. "Unfortunately we're not yet there" at the point when sanctions could be removed, she said.

The whole thing is more or less a way of calling Putin's bluff: Well, yes, we'd love to, but unfortunately we can't.

Thursday, I exchange dollars for rubles and get a rate of 54.20. By Saturday it's 57 rubles to the dollar.


Isn't it like 80 right now?

"Overhyped" ???

Why not call it what it is: KGB propaganda manufactured for the полезные дураки (*) serving Russofascist interests in the west.



(*) useful idiots.

I don’t know about you but one thing on *my* bucket list is to someday rent a BMW or Audi and do 120 on the Autobahn.

...and get run over going so slow.

To be fair, 120 isn't that slow for the autobahn, unless you're talking kph, then yes, it is. However it isn't very fast either. If you are talking about unrestricted (many heavily used autobahns - especially when you're getting close to a major city - are restricted to 75 mph), three-lane (major autobahns have 4 in one direction, 2 is the minimum) autobahns: The right-most lane is usually for trucks, the leisurely and elderly, going about 65 mph. The middle lane is for overtaking those at about 85 mph. The left lane (also known as the BMW-Mercedes-Porsche-lane) is where you usually go round about 120 mph.

Always remember: The left lanes are for overtaking, you only use them if you are reasonably faster than the traffic in front of you on the right lane. If there are no cars in front of you, you stay right (chances are, someone much faster is already approaching you from behind). On the other hand, overtaking someone on the right is strictly VERBOTEN. Right lane - slow, left lane - fast.

As a funny aside: Almost every German driver has done 120-150 mph on the autobahn. That sentence coming from a German would sound like that (cue melancholy sigh): "Someday I'd like to do 200 on the autobahn". (Or rather he'd say: "Ich wuerde gerne mal 300 fahren" as in 300 kph, approx 190 mph).

If you’re close enough to go to Frankfurt, change that to Wiesbaden.

Mainz

Mainz and Wiesbaden are almost like one big city. It's literally a ten minute drive from one town center to the other. If you want, you can do both in one day. Mainz with its narrow streets in the historical city center has more of a medieval vibe to it, whereas Wiesbaden - as pepsionice said - is a spa town with imperial architecture.

Both more or less form the gate to the Rhine valley, Germany's major wine growing region. Just follow the River a few miles and there are many very picturesque little towns like Eltville, which is also just a 15-minute drive away (Remember the monestary from "The name of the Rose"? You can visit the real Eberbach monestary there). Germany is known for beer, but the Rhineland has a wine tradition, too. During harvest season, you should try some Federweisser (must) with Zwiebelkuchen (onion pie / onion quiche).

Depending on what kind of activities / sightseeing you like, you can always pick and choose frome what Mainz/Wiesbaden and the surrounding towns have to offer and spend a really nice day.

Thanks, that makes sense to me.

I'm not sure who the ignoramus is who wrote this, but at 2,000 tons and 330ft, this is a ship.

And the USA would do well to buy 50 of them.

It's a Frigate. And a nice one too.

I think it has something to do with German naming conventions, which are supposed to make the ships sound small and inconspicuous.

A Baden-Wuerttemberg-class ship (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F125-class_frigate) is also officially called a frigate at almost 500ft and more than 7,000 tons, while many say it's more of a destroyer.

You are more of an expert: What (in your opinion) would be the appropriate lengths / displacements for a corvette, frigate, destroyer, cruiser, battleship etc.? And when exactly is a boat a ship?