Personal Finance Topics / Macroeconomic Trends and Risks
No. of Recommendations: 6
Seems Ontario has been running a TV ad featuring a clip of Saint Reagan denouncing tariffs. His nibs doesn't like it, because the old deity, who is dead, so his nibs can't hurt him, is undermining his scheme to shift more tax burden from the "JCs" to the Proles.
Trump says he’s ending trade negotiations with Canada
Trump posted, “The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs.”
“The ad was for $75,000. They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-says-end...The US imports quite a bit of heavy oil from Canada. There is lots of heavy in Venezuela. If the US seized Venezuela, then they could cut off oil imports from Canada. Canada does not have nearly enough pipeline capacity to the coasts, so cutting off imports by the US would take a lot of oil off the market.
But, the US needs to gain control of Venezuela, to use that heavy itself, as well as deny it to others.
Trump says he will inform Congress of plans to strike land-based cartel targets in Venezuelahttps://nypost.com/2025/10/23/us-news/trump-says-h...U.S. flew B-52 bombers off the coast of Venezuelahttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-b52-bombers-venezu...Steve...HBTT
No. of Recommendations: 5
4D chess, eh? LOL
Trump's decision making is chaotic and based on hurt feelings.
The baby man POTUS.
No. of Recommendations: 4
U.S. flew B-52 bombers off the coast of Venezuela
My father was stationed at Castle Air Force Base from the late 1950s till mid 1970s. During the Cuban Missile Crisis they were keeping the B-52s and KC-135s (refueling planes) either in the air or ready to go at a moments notice. Our house was less than a mile from the base and all day and all night you could hear the jet engines running.
I'm sure various aspects of these old planes have been updated, but I'm still amazed that the B-52 is still in service.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress first entered service with the U.S. Air Force in February 1955. The first operational model, a B-52B, was delivered to the 93rd Bombardment Wing at Castle Air Force Base on June 29, 1955.
Design and development: The design phase began in the late 1940s, with Boeing winning the contract in 1946.
First flight: The prototype YB-52 made its maiden flight on April 15, 1952.
Entry into service: The first B-52s became operational in 1955. It continues to be a staple of the U.S. bomber fleet and is expected to remain in service until at least the 2050s.
A 100 year life span for a bomber!
No. of Recommendations: 2
From now on. It is 100% legitimate for American politicians - to buy political ads in Canada, France, Germany, wherever with the sole purpose of influencing their domestic politics.
I love liberals.
And thank you Mr Ford of Canada.
No. of Recommendations: 3
Steve, this is a good article on Politico on Venezuela and Colombia. You and ges might like it. I checked with AI and there was a prior offer by Venezuelan officials to let Maduro step down over a period of three years, but it was rejected, and it isn't talked about in the article. Notable is the diplomat seems to think T may have concerns about democracy, but that's 5th in his priorities. I would think there is no concern, but possibly I'm cynical. :)
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/10/23/...
No. of Recommendations: 6
No. of Recommendations: 0
Entry into service: The first B-52s became operational in 1955. It continues to be a staple of the U.S. bomber fleet and is expected to remain in service until at least the 2050s.
Yes, I had a model of a B52 as a kid. Then, as I grew older it was featured in many films and I sobered up to the fact many didn't make it home and Yossarian piloted one in Catch 22. I've toured them, and subs. Enola Gay was a B29.
No. of Recommendations: 5
Steve, this is a good article on Politico on Venezuela and Colombia.
My first take is, the guy interviewed was a Trump appointee, so does not want to speak ill of his nibs. No, I don't believe his nibs is concerned about "democracy", or "human rights", as much as he is about making a big pile of money. It isn't just Venezuela. As commented before, making profits for US oil companies is a vector of many of his foreign policy "arty deals".
What I found particularly interesting, toward the bottom of the article, was the talk about how Venezuela has been "de-institutionalized", where all government departments have been filled with Maduro yes-men. Sounds much like the operation his nibs is working in the US.
Notable is the diplomat seems to think T may have concerns about democracy, but that's 5th in his priorities. I would think there is no concern, but possibly I'm cynical. :)
His nibs's life experience has been as CEO of a closely held company. He is used to being a dictator. That is his default management mode.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 2
Yossarian piloted one in Catch 22.
Not in WWII. He was probably in a B17 or B24. No B52s in WWII. : )
No. of Recommendations: 1
No. of Recommendations: 2
Steve, this is a good article on Politico on Venezuela and Colombia.
My first take is, the guy interviewed was a Trump appointee, so does not want to speak ill of his nibs.
He's a diplomat, what would you expect? If you look at the whole article, democracy seems out of place. As said before, it'd be easy to do a side deal where T gets something by bitcoin. Otherwise, damned good article.
No. of Recommendations: 2
What I found particularly interesting, toward the bottom of the article, was the talk about how Venezuela has been "de-institutionalized", where all government departments have been filled with Maduro yes-men
This is standard fare for authoritarians - you have to have at least a spy in every corner.
As commented before, making profits for US oil companies is a vector of many of his foreign policy "arty deals".
All Presidents have done this. The demand for oil is part of the drive in American Foreign Policy. We jawbone, incentivize, and coerce. T will likely make money on the side, but that doesn't make it the major reason. If he couldn't make money from it - that would be notable.
His nibs's life experience has been as CEO of a closely held company. He is used to being a dictator.
He is used to skirting the law and norms. Putting up a good pretextual front while grifting and getting around the law, regs., and observing a norm only if it suits his purpose. So all norms are out once he needs to get past, which is almost every time. No need for real emergencies if he has to be given deference, eh? He's listened to advisors all of his life. He has no scruples, so everything is game.
No. of Recommendations: 2
Oops, read is backwards, B25. Thinks! :)
