With the largest amount of debt relative to the size of its economy among the rich countries, and a stubborn deflation problem to boot, Japan has an economic time-bomb ticking beneath it.

相对于经济总量来看，日本的债务规模是发达国家中最大的。另外，它还面临着顽固的通缩难题。

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At the very least, Paulson's unprecedented move defuses one ticking time bomb.

至少，保尔森史无前例的行为解除了一个一直可能随时爆炸的危机。

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It is a ticking time bomb for the federal budget.

VOA: standard.2009.06.15

The ticking time bomb in the American Dream is one little phrase: the pursuit of happiness.

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The American dream is in peril from the confluence of sky rocketing deficits, high unemployment, and the ticking time bomb of an aging baby boomer generation, with its coincident increase in the burden of entitlements as a percentage of GDP.

FORBES: Can Cloud Computing Save The American Economy?

When Ken Lay returned to being CEO of Enron in August 2001, he was told in no uncertain terms that Enron was the functional equivalent of a ticking time bomb--the looming losses were that severe.

FORBES: Magazine Article