Already this year Germany has spent more on U.S. investments than it did in the previous two decades (Wall Street Journal, September 22, 2014). “The latest deals bring to almost $70 billion the total value of German acquisitions announced in the U.S. so far this year, according to Dealogic” (ibid.). The motive behind these acquisitions is that Europe’s economy is still contracting, while the U.S. economy is expanding—making the U.S.

On October 3, 2014, “Left Behind” hit theaters—a “reboot” of the 2000 film based on the best selling, Rapture theory-promoting book Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. So far, the reviews have not been pretty (e.g., the Chicago Tribune gave it zero stars), but, given the topic, the most important question about the movie is the one not addressed in most movie reviews. Is the main premise of the movie actually true? Is a “rapture” coming?

The Franco-German relationship that has held Europe together is faltering. “‘The problem is that the relationship has become deeply unbalanced,’ said Dominique Moïsi, a senior adviser at the French Institute for International Relations.