I believe Trump has already said he will go to 50% and broaden the scope if there was retaliation.
Game on by the look of it.

I’ve got the popcorn ready. How dumb can Canada be?

contraband flood in the usa imminent, black market Big Maple Syrup and Big Cerveza rubbing their hands together.

=flollo
This is ancient economics in modern sense. I lived my whole life at times of increasing globalisation. This will now definitely challenge that process and I’m not sure what the final outcome will be.

It'll be OK Flollo. 1980s childhood was mint, there was not a want of toys or anything like that. There was less than the total abundance of things at the touch of your fingertips & buying instantly from overseas on Temu or Ebay as per today, but there was also less rubbish landfill products. I remember saving 5c coin for a model kit, took weeks. But I appreciated it. It's amazing how solidly made those toys are, still got a few of the diecast model cars.

International travel was still a thing, not so much behind the iron curtain (although Mum visited East Germany in 1964 as part of a tour of Berlin, suppose tourists earned them cash. She remembered the jealousy in the eyes of the shop girl, looking at her dress. Dad also took me across from Hong Kong to the communist side for a village tour in 1985.)

Flying over Russia in 1984 (flight routes went over) I remember looking down at all the towns in the Soviet Union and wondering about the people there, what their life was like - it was just a parallel system.

So life will go on, even if the West and the CRINK nations form opposite blocs.

Oh yeah, andy-mac likes the BRICS, you like the EU, I like the Commonwealth ftw - over 1000 years of compounding law, great individual rights focus... USA to join Commonwealth lol

quadzilla wrote:

I dont think its gone, in Trumps administration theres plenty of anti PooMan/Kremlin regime people.Trump is likely to call on the Europeans to increase their support.Some, like Poland/Baltics have done lots.Along with the major Euro countries but the stuff takes it time getting into the practical places.PooMan is relying on half his artillery shells to come from Kim Suk Dik and the hermit kingdom troops are falling like flies.(I'm led to believe 4000 of the 12 are killed or wounded).Economically, interest rates are in the 27-30% range.Caviar will soon be cheaper than potatoes!!!!...I read a report early today that by March it's expected that 60% of car dealers in Russia wont exist.A million young men of fighting age have left Russia for a non war environment.

I think I saw 40thousand U$ to sign up, 2000 a month but the life expectancy for newbys is 8 days according to one report.

All of it is over PooMans ego....Trump wants to pump Oil and get the Saudis to pump so the Russians earn SFA and the economic circumstances get so bad that Russia cant wage war...I'm wondering IF the Kremlin thinking is they will use some of what they haven't?????

UK and France are the military powers of Europe, with nuclear deterrent too. UK is stepping up support to Ukraine. The pump oil to drop price strategy was used in the 1980s to bankrupt the Soviet Union, when added to unaffordable military arms race. Don't think that will work on China though.

velocityjohnno][quote wrote:

=flollo

This is ancient economics in modern sense. I lived my whole life at times of increasing globalisation. This will now definitely challenge that process and I’m not sure what the final outcome will be.

It'll be OK Flollo. 1980s childhood was mint, there was not a want of toys or anything like that. There was less than the total abundance of things at the touch of your fingertips & buying instantly from overseas on Temu or Ebay as per today, but there was also less rubbish landfill products. I remember saving 5c coin for a model kit, took weeks. But I appreciated it. It's amazing how solidly made those toys are, still got a few of the diecast model cars.

International travel was still a thing, not so much behind the iron curtain (although Mum visited East Germany in 1964 as part of a tour of Berlin, suppose tourists earned them cash. She remembered the jealousy in the eyes of the shop girl, looking at her dress. Dad also took me across from Hong Kong to the communist side for a village tour in 1985.)

Flying over Russia in 1984 (flight routes went over) I remember looking down at all the towns in the Soviet Union and wondering about the people there, what their life was like - it was just a parallel system.

So life will go on, even if the West and the CRINK nations form opposite blocs.

Oh yeah, andy-mac likes the BRICS, you like the EU, I like the Commonwealth ftw - over 1000 years of compounding law, great individual rights focus... USA to join Commonwealth lol[/quote]

Just clarify, not necessarily liking the Brics... Just believe they will be a force over the next half century, but could be totally wrong.

TBH, I really just wish we had a multi polar world abiding by an international rules based off order which all countries respected where the main goal was benefiting humanity with health, wealth and mutual respect.
Thought after cold war it may have been possible, but alas it did not come about.
George Bush put an end to that idea.
Now here we are, war and major economic uncertainty.

Anyway off to listen to a bit of John Lennon....

good stuff Andy-mac, I like what you wish for. There have been many times in history where things have been multi-polar - aka 'great power competition', most of them have had periods of conflict, peaces, and even trade between them.

OK, I'm trying to back off on the news, honest, but Elon got the keys to the payment system:

The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups.

They literally never denied a payment in their entire career.

Not even once. https://t.co/kInoGWdw4C

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

velocityjohnno wrote:

OK, I'm trying to back off on the news, honest, but Elon got the keys to the payment system:

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1885582076247712229

“Officials were instructed” now watch Trump / Musk sack those that did what they were instructed.

And

Watch Trump / Musk sack officials that don’t do what Trump / Musk instruct them to do irrespective of illegalities.

You can’t make this stuff up.

velocityjohnno wrote:

OK, I'm trying to back off on the news, honest, but Elon got the keys to the payment system:

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1885582076247712229

This is great. The smartest businessman in the world should be running this.

Sack any corrupt worker, drain the swamp.

Haha, sounds familiar. Happens in corporate a lot as well. Probably more than people think. Very little gets rejected.

Supafreak wrote:

What’s Trumps next move ? Raise his tariffs even higher ? https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFjcjyrPVWT/?igsh=cGw5dHA2N25lcG9o

my gawwwds he's a wanker...

mustn't be easy to get up there, when you essentially have no support from the people, but his presentation style is beyond nauseating

anyway, good luck trudes... pretty sure you need the US more than they need you...

and, vj's right, it wasn't so bad when we weren't so spoilt for choice... and that spoilt for choice comes as an incredible environmental cost...

my guess is trump will exclude the oil and gas etc. until he makes the US energy independent again

then he can tariff the fuck out that as well

canadians definitely gonna feel it more than US, in the mid term anyway...

Trump finds inspiration in president William McKinley. So much so that one of the first things he did was to rename Denali to Mt McKinley again. McKinley, like Trump, was a protectionist president. He also expanded the US territory to Guam, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. Cuba and the Phillipines were liberated from Spain through American-Spanish war.

Also, McKinley started discussion about Panama Canal. He was a tariff president who promised protection for American business and well-paid U.S. factory workers. His era was marked by significant economic growth. Federal income taxes were introduced after his time, in 1913. Before then, tariffs were the main source of government revenue.

Does any of this sound familiar? It’s a weird situation, some of these policies would make unions ecstatic. But it’s coming from Trump!?

One thing worth mentioning is that McKinley got assassinated. These policies will put a huge target on Trump’s back. I reckon the enemies have way more power than he does.

Trump’s having a busy week , ISIS this time , who’s next ? Mexican cartels look out, you're on his radar . https://apnews.com/article/somalia-islamic-state-trump-airstrikes-hegse…

Yeah its hard to keep up.

flollo wrote:

Trump finds inspiration in president William McKinley. So much so that one of the first things he did was to rename Denali to Mt McKinley again. McKinley, like Trump, was a protectionist president. He also expanded the US territory to Guam, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. Cuba and the Phillipines were liberated from Spain through American-Spanish war.

Also, McKinley started discussion about Panama Canal. He was a tariff president who promised protection for American business and well-paid U.S. factory workers. His era was marked by significant economic growth. Federal income taxes were introduced after his time, in 1913. Before then, tariffs were the main source of government revenue.

Does any of this sound familiar? It’s a weird situation, some of these policies would make unions ecstatic. But it’s coming from Trump!?

One thing worth mentioning is that McKinley got assassinated. These policies will put a huge target on Trump’s back. I reckon the enemies have way more power than he does.

I remember an economist saying... 'any economic change brings about opportunities'

it just comes down to who are the winners and losers...

and how sustainable that change proves to be

maybe, just maybe... trump can create high paying working class jobs again (relatively)

and maybe even all the fruit pickers can earn a decent wage?

(arguments against trump policies that justify illegal slave labour are just evidence of how messed up things have become)

yep, there may be a shortage of suitable workers...

but apparently there's also a fresh batch of the newly unemployed... from government offices, programs and dei...

plenty of work in LA I hear...

'learn to code'

just became...

'learn to hammer'

indo-dreaming wrote:

Yeah its hard to keep up.

I persevered indo & managed to watch the cartel video . The advertising nearly had me switching off , overall though , there was some interesting information & discussion of different tactics and potential outcomes . . It’s a huge mission that will be expensive and long , will it be worth it ? You would think so , but it would depend on the carnage that will occur to achieve eradication of the cartels completely. I watched a short clip on Joe Rogan and the guy getting interviewed said if special forces are sent in then the cartels should bank their money and retire , or words to that effect .

burleigh wrote:

velocityjohnno wrote:

OK, I'm trying to back off on the news, honest, but Elon got the keys to the payment system:

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1885582076247712229

This is great. The smartest businessman in the world should be running this.

Sack any corrupt worker, drain the swamp.

Great idea, let the richest man in the world into the government financial system’s. Musk is no saviour he’s there for the power and the money.

Distracted wrote:

burleigh wrote:

velocityjohnno wrote:

OK, I'm trying to back off on the news, honest, but Elon got the keys to the payment system:

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1885582076247712229

This is great. The smartest businessman in the world should be running this.

Sack any corrupt worker, drain the swamp.

Great idea, let the richest man in the world into the government financial system’s. Musk is no saviour he’s there for the power and the money.

I wonder if he will introduce a Mars tax .

andy-mac wrote:

velocityjohnno][quote wrote:

=flollo

This is ancient economics in modern sense. I lived my whole life at times of increasing globalisation. This will now definitely challenge that process and I’m not sure what the final outcome will be.

It'll be OK Flollo. 1980s childhood was mint, there was not a want of toys or anything like that. There was less than the total abundance of things at the touch of your fingertips & buying instantly from overseas on Temu or Ebay as per today, but there was also less rubbish landfill products. I remember saving 5c coin for a model kit, took weeks. But I appreciated it. It's amazing how solidly made those toys are, still got a few of the diecast model cars.

International travel was still a thing, not so much behind the iron curtain (although Mum visited East Germany in 1964 as part of a tour of Berlin, suppose tourists earned them cash. She remembered the jealousy in the eyes of the shop girl, looking at her dress. Dad also took me across from Hong Kong to the communist side for a village tour in 1985.)

Flying over Russia in 1984 (flight routes went over) I remember looking down at all the towns in the Soviet Union and wondering about the people there, what their life was like - it was just a parallel system.

So life will go on, even if the West and the CRINK nations form opposite blocs.

Oh yeah, andy-mac likes the BRICS, you like the EU, I like the Commonwealth ftw - over 1000 years of compounding law, great individual rights focus... USA to join Commonwealth lol

Just clarify, not necessarily liking the Brics... Just believe they will be a force over the next half century, but could be totally wrong.

TBH, I really just wish we had a multi polar world abiding by an international rules based off order which all countries respected where the main goal was benefiting humanity with health, wealth and mutual respect.
Thought after cold war it may have been possible, but alas it did not come about.
George Bush put an end to that idea.
Now here we are, war and major economic uncertainty.

Anyway off to listen to a bit of John Lennon....[/quote]
Great call @andymac and makes one ponder why it aint so.
The first thing that comes to mind is that culture is so engrained and embodied in different populations,and theres' such a vast chasm in distance and connection between different cultures....ultimately it seems it's human nature to look for the negative first of a culture instead of the positives.
As a very rough example, personally, i don't see China the way it's portrayed here and in the media. Probably because of my past interactions with Chinese peoplee. I see China as Tai Chi, herbal medicine, Kung Fu, philosophy, traditional medicine and a culture of exploration and curiosity. What China represents as a 'nation' in 2025 is not what i view China as in my own experiences, yet we're sold that picture, to represent all Chinese people.
Anyway, point being, it's perspective, and with the internet being so accesible now for the worlds populations, it's a constant feed of division, negative reinforcement (i.e Facebook and instagram etc are designed specifically to make you feel shit about something, and at odds with your fellow humans, hence you feel the need for a response....a classic form of negative reinforcement) which is continually feeding this growing wave of resentment to anyone that's not exactly like us.
I see the internet as an age, just like the Ice age, the Industrial revolution etc. The introduction of the internet is a clear distinct line in human and world history.
I really hope the next line is the end of the internet. I think it would be the best thing for all of humanity if the thing just imploded under a cacophony of scammers, hackers and trolls, a big burning mess that can never be recovered. Back to sticks and dirt, although it'll suck for surf comps and swellnet, and sorry to the SN team for being out of a job. But still reckon it'll be the best thing that ever happens in our lifetime. I think it will happen. It's too fickle with it's reliance on humans to function efficiently. Someone will fuck it all up.

geez...

well my experience is the polar opposite

ever since the little tik tok episode, and tik tok 'refugees' moved over to red note, my internet feed can only be described as a never ending avalanche of pro china content...

mind numbingly ignorant people spruiking china's advanced development, skylines, transport, cheap food, housing, etc etc.

and, this supposed line that we have all been fed lies about china...

I say they are mind numbingly ignorant, because most people with half a clue are well aware of the unprecedented pace of development in china and a lot of good and wonderful that has come with it

but most non ignorant people are well aware of the stifling social conditions and human rights abuses that have facilitated such rapid pace of change also...

it's not an either or

and, im pretty sure one can awe at the good and amazing culture's of the chinese people, whilst simultaneously casting a critical eye on the chinese government...

chinese government is not the chinese people

Roadkill wrote:

Jeffy, look at it like this

The Republicans are lying corrupt self serving religious assholes.

The Dems are lying corrupt self serving religious assholes.

Fox News is far Right and the propaganda wing for the Republicans.

The Meidas Network is far left and the propaganda wing for the Dems.

Biden was past his use by date and used the office to enrich himself and his family and other hangers on.

Trump is near his use by date and using the office to enrich himself and his family and other hangers on.

Trump has taken corruption and grift to a higher level than ever before.

Same same but different different.

Trump will do some good things but will be a complete disaster and history will probably record him as the worst US President and the biggest piece of democratically elected shit ever.

Mmmmm... by gum, Roady, i think you've mostly nailed it.
Whew! Not a moment too late, either.
Now, who's up for a sanga?

but yeh...

blow up the internet tomorrow

I personally wouldn't miss it...

Like it Waxxy. When are you moving here?

got china sidetracked there...

coincidently was about to post this related quote

"...He continued: "So your government is fully aware, which is another reason why they are really puzzled and dismayed that the Australian government, which has the same information ... as we do, has been so passive, especially given the fact that your Prime Minister originally came out and said that we had to have an investigation."

"It's just sort of pathetic if you ask me," Asher noted, who was referring to Western governments burying the Covid lab leak theory during the Biden-Harris administration..."

exhibit A, chinese government

(but US, oz governments also...)

https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/australian-spy-agency-collected-signa…

seeds wrote:

Like it Waxxy. When are you moving here?

Shoot, Seedsy.... i love it here in the Bay Area. Even with the cost of living being skyhigh, the lefttards, the RWNJs, the public shootings... (i need a "thinking" emoji here)... it would take something totally surreal and destructive to get me to move.... like if we were to elect an orange clown President or something. WAIT! (what is the garden spot in Oz? lol)

You’ve got a room at my place while you get your antipodean shit sorted.

(is it true that the water in the toilet flushes COUNTER clockwise there, like us Seppos believe?) Cuz that's just weird. Not antipodean...weird. lol

sypkan wrote:

geez...

well my experience is the polar opposite

ever since the little tik tok episode, and tik tok 'refugees' moved over to red note, my internet feed can only be described as a never ending avalanche of pro china content...

mind numbingly ignorant people spruiking china's advanced development, skylines, transport, cheap food, housing, etc etc.

and, this supposed line that we have all been fed lies about china...

I say they are mind numbingly ignorant, because most people with half a clue are well aware of the unprecedented pace of development in china and a lot of good and wonderful that has come with it

but most non ignorant people are well aware of the stifling social conditions and human rights abuses that have facilitated such rapid pace of change also...

it's not an either or

and, im pretty sure one can awe at the good and amazing culture's of the chinese people, whilst simultaneously casting a critical eye on the chinese government...

chinese government is not the chinese people

I guess our experiences are different and that's the point.
That's just 2 people. Some more influenced by the media than the others.

wax24 wrote:

(is it true that the water in the toilet flushes COUNTER clockwise there, like us Seppos believe?) Cuz that's just weird. Not antipodean...weird. lol

Don’t get too comfortable Waxxy. We piss off the back deck and the other one involves a bucket and sawdust. Which you have to empty down the gully when it’s full.

I'll pass on the latter, but pissin off the back deck sounds like Shangri La, to meee.

tit is. to be sure.
Just don’t let the cheese and kisses catch you.

(that's why it sounds like Shangri La. i cannot do it here.)

(btw.. i had to look up "cheese and kisses", that is cute)

Hehe they get irrationally annoyed and bum out the shangri la bit.

Hey Waxxy you were on an hiatus when I started this thread. It burned bright then faded away. I was hoping you would have seen it. As an American who’s joined our mob I thought you might enjoy it. Maybe give us your versions.
https://www.swellnet.com/forums/wax/599763

wax24 wrote:

(is it true that the water in the toilet flushes COUNTER clockwise there, like us Seppos believe?) Cuz that's just weird. Not antipodean...weird. lol

Wax24. Hi pal. Hope ya well.

No it doesn’t, it’s a total misconception. AW

some fold like deckchairs...

some fight to the bitter end...

jury's out on who's 'winning'

BREAKING: The President of Panama just terminated Panama's agreement with China immediately after meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"I believe that this visit opens a way to build a new stage of relations, that is how I see it, that is how I felt it on the part of… pic.twitter.com/UxNXFMExCS

— George (@BehizyTweets) February 2, 2025

personally happy this deck chair folded, could have been messy, and seems quite just actually

Folk will turn on Trump soon. Easy for billionaires to say the pain will be worth it. When you have very little the emotion and stress can’t just be minimised.

Musk will be in the firing line soon. The empathy that clown has is in the negative, it could even be worse than Trump.

Trust me, I’m a billionaire and you need to experience pain and anxiety and stress.

The Trump Biz’nis plan in full maga mode.

I don't disagree roadkill

but where I differ from you, is I believe trumo and musk are in it for the right reasons

ie. they see the destruction of democrat party, and the unnecessary undermining of the US through decades of dogma that simply has not delivered on it's promises

I honestly think elon couldn't give a shit about the money, he has displayed this several times, both in terms of undermining his own investments with reckless abandon, and him living a relatively simple life

trump obviously cares about money and power, but I think he genuinely cares about his country too

if he (they) can inflict the pain early, and turn things around within their four year term, then another term is almost guaranteed...

especially considering the woeful - self imposed - position the democrats are 8n...

Yep Dill you know more than the president of the USA and the smartest business man in the world. They should have you on their team

dems woeful position...

Yikes. pic.twitter.com/CH0724mM8n

— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) February 2, 2025

dems woeful position part 11

What do you think about the New Face of the DNC? pic.twitter.com/JzlOvjlIVc

— Johnny Midnight ⚡️ (@its_The_Dr) February 2, 2025

dems woeful position part 111

What do you notice about the average speaker at the DNC? pic.twitter.com/D40rfUtf3w

— George (@BehizyTweets) February 2, 2025

(theyre fucken clueless and broken from within)

irepairable...

irredeemable...

I've followed this dude for years on and off...

a bit old school... a bit contrarian... definitely an outlier...

anyway, he seems to think trump's plan is sound. I don't know enough about stuff to know...

but I know enough to know the current plan and orthodoxy ain't working

as I said yesterday, any change brings about opportunity

just depends how sustainable those opportunities are...

at the end of the day, the conventional wisdom is broken

https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/rickards-us-recession-coming

People power having peaceful protests
Plenty of Mexican and Canadian flags

https://www.youtube.com/live/5Wt7JvCBX3Y?si=gDY-oDVnSHhaxJel

Exxotixjeff wrote:

People power having peaceful protests

Plenty of Mexican and Canadian flags

https://www.youtube.com/live/5Wt7JvCBX3Y?si=gDY-oDVnSHhaxJel

imagine protesting in a country you have entered illegally. Jeff logic 101

After whining about high prices for months,
With Trump promising to reduce prices from day 1 , MAGA influencers are now saying
“ higher prices under Trump will be a good thing “
What a bunch of hypocritical morons they
must feel.