This has turned out to be an awesome discussion. I love everybody's input. Even you Basosz, you Ferrari hating anti-American.

It is amazing how well versed and concerned that non-Americans are with American politics. Everyone in the world is looking towards me and Lane and Chris and Tony because they know that the next leader of the USA can influence what happens all over the world.

Stile, as for your concern over why I am so aggresive on this issue. It is all I see over here. We are 1 month away from the election and the signs and posters are everywhere you look and it is all over the news. We also just had the 7th anniversary of the destruction of the World Trade Center and the loss of thousands of American lives. I believe that we should continue our philosophy of "We Will Never Forget". and I think that we should continue to hunt down terrorists wherever they might be in the world and kill them. I believe in a strong military and I want the USA to continue to be the most powerful nation on earth. Peace through strength. If you come over here and kill us, we'll come over there and kill you back.

I changed my signature recently to reflect this philosophy. I think that America should be like a Tiger. He is big and beautiful and furry and if you please him then he will lay down and purr and let you rub his belly. But he is also very powerful and dangerous, if you piss him off he will attack you and kill you.

Yes it has, and I find it amazing. There are very few people that can discuss anything, including religion and politics, without fighting or getting angry at each other. Don't know why, but in this forum we do that all the time and it's normal. We have so many differences in the way we see the world, we have people from the 5 continents, from dozens of countries and nationalities, and we all come to FL pay our daily visit and talk to each other about anything (ANYTHING, really) and it is always a great time, besides being very educative most of the times. I have a lot of respect for the people here, you are really incredible (even Basosz hehehehehehe).

Don't think I'm well versed, but I sure learn a lot here from you guys. A shame that vectra17 isn't visiting the forum very often anymore, now that was a well versed guy!

And yes, the eyes of the world are still over the US and the Americans, but I think we're seeing a great empire (or should I call it civilization, since you don't have an emperor?) start falling down.

My guess is that in 5 generations the USA won't be the most powerful nation on the planet anymore, or at least not by such a huge margin over the others.

Pete, I absolutely understand that, but I actually asked because I think you are so concentrated on that one aspect that you're not really seeing all the other challenges and problems that your future president will have to deal with. Terrorism is not the only important thing for the USA, and IMHO it is not the most important - economy seems to be the biggest deal right now, I think.

Like I said before, I absolutely understand the way you think, but I disagree. I know that in the world we live in that's pretty much how it works, but I don't like that, I don't think it is correct and I do what I can to change it. Violence generates more violence, and to me the best evidence of that is Iraq's recent past. I always say that you combat evil with the best you have, not the worse. Violence, to me, is the worse.

You know Stile, I said once before that it would be nice if you and I could just sit on your porch down there in Brazil and share a few glasses of beer and just talk and watch the sun go down. I think we could sort out all the world's problems. (Of course we might have to make a few phone calls to some of the other FerrariLife members)

I agree with you in that the American Empire (or civilization as you call it), is starting to fall apart. I also agree with you in that I think within 5 generations America will be replaced as the world's superpower. I predict that within 100 years China will replace America as the world's most powerful nation, both economically and militarily. But I will not let America lose without a fight. Brazil is out of the question, all you've got is one good driver and a bunch of decent football players.

Pete, I fully agree with your last post.

We should indeed get together and start a revolution, crown ourselfs as world's dominators and put this thing back on the track!

I also think China is the most serious opponent to the USA, and that rises again worries about another cold (or maybe this time, hot) war, since they are Communist.

About Brazil, we are out of the question, for a (big) number of reasons. I think the main one is that we are not serious, we don't do what we said yesterday we would do. We don't have responsability, you know? So it's like we're a bunch of kids or teenagers having fun in a very beautiful playground.

I wonder how much time will it take to the USA to come here and take our recently-discovered petrol. I'll be waiting for you on my porch, with an American flag covering the swimming pool and a giant poster of some girl with huge boobs and a flat rear end hehehehehehe

No, it was Basosz who wanted to be world leader. I'd be a shitty and corrupt leader. I'd make too many laws the people don't agree with. Celebrating "Pete Day" once a month would probably be too much.

Yes, the thought of China as the world's most powerful nation is scary.

Yeah, that's pretty much how I've always pictured Brazil. You guys party too much to be taken seriously on a world scale. It does sound fun though, you drink and laugh and eat and dance and have sex until the sun comes up. I might have to take a trip over there instead of the the Philippines.

We won't come and take it but we will offer to buy it. I don't think that will happen though. With Brazil's emerging economy you need the oil just as much as we do. I doubt the Brazilian government will let too much of that oil go overseas. You could sell it and make a pile of money or you could use it to fuel your economy. I think the Brazilians are smarter and look to the future more then the Venezuelans.

Now we are talking!! Save me that seat! Oh, and I don't want a poster of a girl, have your girlfriend hook me up with one her hot, young Brazilian friends. One that will make me never want to think about American or Asian women ever again.

Like I said before, I'd be a pretty bad world leader myself. That's the problem, I guess: those that have ideas that can save the world, like you and me, wouldn't be good leaders. And the others aren't good leaders either, but they also don't have any ideas! hehehehe

The Brazilian president fits that 2nd category very, VERY well! hehehehe


We (non-USA) always complain about the USA, and how horrible you are as the world's dominant power. But if you think about the Soviet Union or China, the USA suddenly doesn't look so bad anymore. We're heading towards a dark part of history, I think... Another medieval age, perhaps?


Yes, the things that make Brazil such a great country are the same things that make it horrible. We have fun, and it is very difficult for us to fit in other societies (I can say that because I've been there, and I'm actually much more serious than the average Brazilian). But we don't look after each other, we don't respect public patrimony, we don't care about being late. We're too busy having fun all the time to take care of the rest. Just like a 5-year-old kid!

Well, if you're not going to invade Brazil, you should at least go for Venezuela and Bolívia. Actually, start with Cuba and head south from there. I wonder why you didn't do that already!

I also wonder why Brazil didn't go West (like the Americans) and take over Argentina, Paraguay and Chile, it would be so nice to have beaches in the Pacific and some ski tracks!

Your seat is ready, come over anytime! And I have to say (and let's hope my girl doesn't read this), her friends are incredible! hehehehehe

Oh, and I think Pete and I are killing this thread, all the others seem to have fallen along the way and didn't make it to the end.

This is a two-horse-race now, with the two ultimate thread killers (UTK) hehehehehe

I'm still reading, but I'm too tired to reply.

I just want to agree with me being the guy with the (great and wonderfull) world leader idea.

Right now I'm going to bed. Tomorrow is another Fiat-driving-day

I think a lot of that is jealousy. "Why do the Americans have things we do not have?" I think the people who complain the most about the USA are people who also have never visited the USA or even ever met an actual American. We seem to have a reputation as being loud and arrogant and aggresive but how many Americans have you ever met who fit that description? Most of the Americans I know are kind, gentle, neighborly people that just want to provide a good life for their family. Nobody is perfect, just as no nation is perfect. I do think that America has come closer to that dream then any other nation in history. The land of the free, the home of the brave. You may remember a few years ago that Bart said in one of his posts, "All I wonder is what the world would be without America". I had that quote in my signature for awhile and I still believe in that. We have been forced into the role of the world's police force and we are resented for it. When there is a crisis anywhere in the world, the world looks towards America to resolve it and then when we do, people complain about how we did it. I do think the world is a better place because of America and what America represents. When I say these things I am not putting down anybody else or any other country. I believe people all over the world are basically the same and have the same wants, needs and desires. On my ship I have people from 13 different countries working for me and I have to try and make them all get along. It's not that hard to do once you learn how to listen when you feel like you should be speaking.
You want to talk about serious, try Singapore. All those people do is work. For such a tiny nation they are an economic powerhouse. I bet more money flows through Singapore in a day then flows through Brazil. They work 6 days a week and then on their day off they go to the club and talk about work. When I think about Singapore I think about people working all the time, when I think about Brazil I think about Carnival. We need a country that is somewhere in the middle. Hmm, it might be the Netherlands?
Actually, I was thinking we should go north first and take over Canada. Start with the easy stuff first.
I think there were probably some Brazilian generals that wanted to take over Chile, but they were probably like, "Gee those moutains are aweful tall, lets have one more drink first and then invade." and the rest is history.
Send me some pictures!!! Seriously. You have my email address. I would love to see some Brazilian beauties. I haven't planned my winter holiday yet.

I agree with that, most of it is lazy people complaining. Like people that don't want to study or word hard and don't have money complain about not being rich, most of the complains about the USA are from countries that are not willing to "pay the price" to have the good stuff you have.

But I want you to remember that I am a big critic when it comes to the USA, and I've visited your country, studied in your school, ate your food, and met so many Americans that I can't remember how many they were (hundreds, for sure).

Well, yeah, most of the Americans I know are very, very nice people that deserve my respect. But I know that I met the elite, the good ones, and I know that the average American is much worse than that.

It's like if you come to Brazil, you'll have closer contact to people that I live with every day, and they are also great people in all aspects, but they are not the average Brazilian. And you would realize that in the first walk around the street, so it's the same thing that happened to me regarding the USA.

I agree that the picture the USA paints of itself is pretty good, but I can't tell if you got closer to perfection than anybody else.

Simply because when I was born you were the superpower already!

Maybe in a few decades I'll be able to compare you to China........

You're probably right, because if it wasn't for you I'd probably be killed by some Nazi because I'm not white, tall and strong. So just for winning WWII you did a pretty good job for the world.

Those are wise words, listen when you feel like you should be speaking.

Remember in "The Godfather" when Marlon Brando says "forgive my children, I spoil them too much and so they talk when they should listen"?

No wonder that movie is so good, there are some good lessons that you can take from it and apply directly in your life (another one would be to always aim at the head hehehehe).

I had a pretty good time in Switzerland, have you been there? So far, from all the countries that I've visited (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, USA, Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland and Sweden), Switzerland was the best. If I was going to move from Brazil, I'd go live there. But I don't because I feel like I should do something to help my country instead of just complaining... And besides that, it is pretty good here anyway (if you're used to it like I am).

hehehehe since you started hitting Canada, I'll take a shot too (sorry my dear Canadian friends, I like you very much, ok??)

Why would you go north? It's cold and empty there, it would be like start an invasion to a house by the freezer! I'd start with the swimming pool hehehehe that's why I'd head south and take Cuba first if I were you!

Well, probably there were some people with expansionist ideas, but I'm sure the majority just wanted the territory that the Portuguese had here. We are not blood-seekers like you, we never want to fight. And I think that's the reason why we aren't so patriotic, we never fought for anything! Even our "independence" was... well, a joke, really!

hehehehehehe I'm sorry but I don't have pictures of them (I try not to keep any evidence against myself in my computer hehehehe), but I'm sure it is very easy to find pictures of Brazilian beauties on the internet

I'm to tired to read all the posts...so i'll respond later.

Chris

I'll second that !! But I had a very good day with very good Fiat 500 driving with beautifull scenery and very cool other clubs we encountered on the way: Classic Peugeot club, MG club (Saw a gorgeous MG TC) and the Tatra club which sported (among others) two truely massive 1961 cars with HUGE air-cooled V8 engines. Those cars are really built like main battle tanks. Very very cool

Bas, did you just kill this thread?

No, I think you just did Marlin.....or did I????

Chris

you are not really thinking that you kill this thread so easily after I posted so much in it, are you???

I think Stile just killed it

[say nothing mode]

...

[/say nothing mode]

Sorry, can't hear you.

Here's a nice picture to bring this thread to an end

Attached Images

Absolutely stunning!!! Oh no....I killed the killing of the thread

Chris