The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
The weird thing is that it's hat makers used to go mad after making hats (due to the mercury) but now they seem to have gone mad before the factory making the hats as even opened.
There seems to be quite a lot of the US administration simply saying that you have to trust Trump rather than actually having any ideas themselves. They don't know what's going on, but Trump knows and that's good enough.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
The weird thing is that it's hat makers used to go mad after making hats (due to the mercury) but now they seem to have gone mad before the factory making the hats as even opened.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
@SenMcConnell As I have always warned, tariffs are bad policy, and trade wars with our partners hurt working people most. Tariffs drive up the cost of goods and services. They are a tax on everyday working Americans. Preserving the long-term prosperity of American industry and workers requires working with our allies, not against them. With so much at stake globally, the last thing we need is to pick fights with the very friends with whom we should be working with to protect against China’s predatory and unfair trade practices. That includes what we do on trade.
@SenMcConnell As I have always warned, tariffs are bad policy, and trade wars with our partners hurt working people most. Tariffs drive up the cost of goods and services. They are a tax on everyday working Americans. Preserving the long-term prosperity of American industry and workers requires working with our allies, not against them. With so much at stake globally, the last thing we need is to pick fights with the very friends with whom we should be working with to protect against China’s predatory and unfair trade practices. That includes what we do on trade.
Acyn @Acyn · 55m Carney: Canada must be looking elsewhere to expand our trade, to build our economy, and to protect our sovereignty. Canada is ready to take a leadership role in building a coalition of likeminded countries who share our values… If the US no longer wants to lead, Canada will
@SenMcConnell As I have always warned, tariffs are bad policy, and trade wars with our partners hurt working people most. Tariffs drive up the cost of goods and services. They are a tax on everyday working Americans. Preserving the long-term prosperity of American industry and workers requires working with our allies, not against them. With so much at stake globally, the last thing we need is to pick fights with the very friends with whom we should be working with to protect against China’s predatory and unfair trade practices. That includes what we do on trade.
I note it because, even though criticisers tend to get upvoted more than defenders, the ratios are particularly brutal, about 10-12:1 upvotes vs downvotes for the critical posts.
I don't know if they are bot or activist proof, but I don't recall ratios quite like that even for the late Tories.
There seems to be quite a lot of the US administration simply saying that you have to trust Trump rather than actually having any ideas themselves. They don't know what's going on, but Trump knows and that's good enough.
It really is like some nutty sect.
Evening, all on PB.
There's going to be quite a psychological reckoning when they all realise that he doesn't.
Acyn @Acyn · 55m Carney: Canada must be looking elsewhere to expand our trade, to build our economy, and to protect our sovereignty. Canada is ready to take a leadership role in building a coalition of likeminded countries who share our values… If the US no longer wants to lead, Canada will
The good news for everyone is that the US is being quite so broad with its tariffs.
It doesn't matter if you're exporting medicine, trainers or coffee. You get the same treatment based on your trade deficit in goods.
If Trump had chosen a few industries say cars and steel, then maybe said companies would have reshored production to the US. In fact, this was already happening to some extent.
But instead they have tariffed everything. And I can tell you that the US is not going to start growing coffee or bananas. Nor can they produce trainers for within 50% of the cost of Vietnam. Certainly not without increased migration.
So all that will happen in those industries is some combination of 1) consumers paying more for goods, 2) US company profits reducing.
So higher inflation and lower share prices. Which is what we're seeing.
@SenMcConnell As I have always warned, tariffs are bad policy, and trade wars with our partners hurt working people most. Tariffs drive up the cost of goods and services. They are a tax on everyday working Americans. Preserving the long-term prosperity of American industry and workers requires working with our allies, not against them. With so much at stake globally, the last thing we need is to pick fights with the very friends with whom we should be working with to protect against China’s predatory and unfair trade practices. That includes what we do on trade.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
How productive are the people who collect your bins or make your coffees? Even high productivity economies need low productivity jobs.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I agree with @kajakallas that the EU should become a beacon of freedom. So when do we start? Here I offer six ways to actually light the beacon and step into the role history has chosen for us. Our response to the current uncertainty can be firm and long term. A thread... https://x.com/GLandsbergis/status/1907738728627347789
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
How productive are the people who collect your bins or make your coffees? Even high productivity economies need low productivity jobs.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I don't understand. Who is Switzerland being parasitic on?
Acyn @Acyn · 55m Carney: Canada must be looking elsewhere to expand our trade, to build our economy, and to protect our sovereignty. Canada is ready to take a leadership role in building a coalition of likeminded countries who share our values… If the US no longer wants to lead, Canada will
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
How productive are the people who collect your bins or make your coffees? Even high productivity economies need low productivity jobs.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I don't understand. Who is Switzerland being parasitic on?
The rest of the world. Their wealth is not self-sustaining.
a lot of people asked me whether I regretted my vote for Kamala Harris and my answer has always been unequivocally no, mostly because I have always thought Donald Trump is a moron. https://x.com/lxeagle17/status/1907842026374402105
It always bears repeating that when Trump first started his 2016 campaign the /r/The_Donald subreddit was created on Reddit, and the whole point of it was that it was obviously an absurdly stupid idea that someone as ill-suited as Trump could be President. Hence the name, which wasn't affectionate but mocking. It was full of stupid jokes and memes, and generally laughing at the media taking this lunatic crook seriously.
Of course once The Donald was elected /r/The_Donald became one of the first places to adopt all that QAnon drivel that arose on 4Chan, and eventually was shut down in 2020 due to the many threats of violence towards public figures that were emanating from it.
Plenty of people, even amongst those that would become his supporters, have long known what a clown Trump is.
I agree with @kajakallas that the EU should become a beacon of freedom. So when do we start? Here I offer six ways to actually light the beacon and step into the role history has chosen for us. Our response to the current uncertainty can be firm and long term. A thread... https://x.com/GLandsbergis/status/1907738728627347789
"As in 2004, enlargement is now a geopolitical necessity."
Is it international do-things-for-the-wrong-reason day or something?
It really has come to something when Mitch Fucking McConnell is the voice of reason.
McConnell is one of the people who has always known what a clown (and worse) Trump is, unfortunately he has never had the nerve to stand up to him and MAGA, and now he has lost his party as a result, and perhaps the whole damn country will be next.
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
How productive are the people who collect your bins or make your coffees? Even high productivity economies need low productivity jobs.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I don't understand. Who is Switzerland being parasitic on?
The rest of the world. Their wealth is not self-sustaining.
The good news for everyone is that the US is being quite so broad with its tariffs.
It doesn't matter if you're exporting medicine, trainers or coffee. You get the same treatment based on your trade deficit in goods.
If Trump had chosen a few industries say cars and steel, then maybe said companies would have reshored production to the US. In fact, this was already happening to some extent.
But instead they have tariffed everything. And I can tell you that the US is not going to start growing coffee or bananas. Nor can they produce trainers for within 50% of the cost of Vietnam. Certainly not without increased migration.
So all that will happen in those industries is some combination of 1) consumers paying more for goods, 2) US company profits reducing.
So higher inflation and lower share prices. Which is what we're seeing.
I tell @jeannasmialek.bsky.social that the overarching view among senior EU officials is that: “You have to punch the administration in the face. The punch has to land.”
While the EU wants to deescalate, to get there officials recognise they are going to have to use sticks, not just carrots
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
How productive are the people who collect your bins or make your coffees? Even high productivity economies need low productivity jobs.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I don't understand. Who is Switzerland being parasitic on?
Given that the developed Sentinel, I’d say they were pioneers in anti-parasitics
The header has a funny error, but from what I can see in other councils Reform have done an impressive job in getting candidates in - considering how little effort they seemed to have made last year even, they appear to be genuinely trying this time.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
How productive are the people who collect your bins or make your coffees? Even high productivity economies need low productivity jobs.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I don't understand. Who is Switzerland being parasitic on?
Remaking a comedy movie just sounds ill conceived as an idea, even as much as I like the Naked Gun and Liam Neesom. Anyone floating it seriously for any comedy should say no.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
How productive are the people who collect your bins or make your coffees? Even high productivity economies need low productivity jobs.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I don't understand. Who is Switzerland being parasitic on?
The rest of the world. Their wealth is not self-sustaining.
The header has a funny error, but from what I can see in other councils Reform have done an impressive job in getting candidates in - considering how little effort they seemed to have made last year even, they appear to be genuinely trying this time.
The question is how many of those standing are actually prepared for the hard slog of doing the actual job?
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
The weird thing is that it's hat makers used to go mad after making hats (due to the mercury) but now they seem to have gone mad before the factory making the hats as even opened.
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
Taste is subjective, but it doesn't even look cool to me, it looks clunky. Unless it was of absurdly high quality and technology, which doesn't seem to be the case, were there ever going to be that many people who a) did think it was cool, and b) could afford it?
The header has a funny error, but from what I can see in other councils Reform have done an impressive job in getting candidates in - considering how little effort they seemed to have made last year even, they appear to be genuinely trying this time.
The question is how many of those standing are actually prepared for the hard slog of doing the actual job?
Which is why I am not too bothered. As soon as Reform are exposed to reality, the better.
The header has a funny error, but from what I can see in other councils Reform have done an impressive job in getting candidates in - considering how little effort they seemed to have made last year even, they appear to be genuinely trying this time.
The question is how many of those standing are actually prepared for the hard slog of doing the actual job?
A fair question, but to also be fair many parties have paper candidates, and many of the ones who are not paper candidates find it is not really the role they thought it was - I don't have stats on it, but you do get plenty of one termers.
Acyn @Acyn · 55m Carney: Canada must be looking elsewhere to expand our trade, to build our economy, and to protect our sovereignty. Canada is ready to take a leadership role in building a coalition of likeminded countries who share our values… If the US no longer wants to lead, Canada will
Acyn @Acyn · 55m Carney: Canada must be looking elsewhere to expand our trade, to build our economy, and to protect our sovereignty. Canada is ready to take a leadership role in building a coalition of likeminded countries who share our values… If the US no longer wants to lead, Canada will
When Carney has finished sorting Canada out do we get him back again to run the UK and not just the BoE?
Where to even start with this wanky idea?
He was hardly a roaring success at the BoE.
Imagine him running the country 🙄
He's a man with very lucky timing though - just what Canada wanted, for some reason, at this moment, with no time to see if he has any political substance behind him.
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
Taste is subjective, but it doesn't even look cool to me, it looks clunky. Unless it was of absurdly high quality and technology, which doesn't seem to be the case, were there ever going to be that many people who a) did think it was cool, and b) could afford it?
Here's the thing: it makes other trucks look tiny!
Unless you are in one of a very small number of American cities based around mega sized vehicles (like Houston), then it's simply too big.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
How productive are the people who collect your bins or make your coffees? Even high productivity economies need low productivity jobs.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I don't understand. Who is Switzerland being parasitic on?
The rest of the world. Their wealth is not self-sustaining.
How?
At the most basic level Switzerland is not self-sufficient in food. Even if you think that's just a healthy sign of specialisation, it means that someone somewhere has to be running a more agricultural economy.
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
I remember the launch of the Rover 75. Full steam ahead 3,000 cars a week, for the first two or three months. Then nothing and stories in the papers of fields full of cars no one wants (because they were shit)
@SenMcConnell As I have always warned, tariffs are bad policy, and trade wars with our partners hurt working people most. Tariffs drive up the cost of goods and services. They are a tax on everyday working Americans. Preserving the long-term prosperity of American industry and workers requires working with our allies, not against them. With so much at stake globally, the last thing we need is to pick fights with the very friends with whom we should be working with to protect against China’s predatory and unfair trade practices. That includes what we do on trade.
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
Taste is subjective, but it doesn't even look cool to me, it looks clunky. Unless it was of absurdly high quality and technology, which doesn't seem to be the case, were there ever going to be that many people who a) did think it was cool, and b) could afford it?
Here's the thing: it makes other trucks look tiny!
Unless you are in one of a very small number of American cities based around mega sized vehicles (like Houston), then it's simply too big.
The concept was potentially interesting. The execution risible.
So far no-one has mentioned the other half of the elephant.
This will fuck global trade. This means that it will fuck American consumers. It will also fuck producers in China, Vietnam etc.
We’ve seen effects on *American* companies that use manufacturing in overseas locations. But a huge supply chain at that end will be losing out. Not just furriners.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
How productive are the people who collect your bins or make your coffees? Even high productivity economies need low productivity jobs.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I don't understand. Who is Switzerland being parasitic on?
The rest of the world. Their wealth is not self-sustaining.
How?
In the case of the company I used to work for, a large American corporation, all of its EMEA sites traded via the Swiss legal entity for saleable product. They had no factories just a rather swanky office with some highly paid leeches extracting mafia fees from the divisions.
Any orders for products that went into COGS went out with the Swiss legal entity on the PO header. Effectively they owned all inventory on site rather than the division.
Effectively we made no profit or loss in the U.K. it all went via the Swiss head office. And that included any sales to and from the US. I was told, and as not an accountant not sure of the ins and outs, this was all to minimise tax.
Made the supplier list a pain as effectively if a supplier sold you non COGS stuff you needed a second account.
The war begins. President Emmanuel Macron has just called on big European businesses to freeze all investments in the United States in retaliation for the “brutal and unjustified” import duties imposed by Donald Trump. 1/
Speaking to an emergency conference of French businesses directly threatened by the 20% tariffs on EU exports, Macron said: “ We are not naive. We are going to protect ourselves. 2/
“It’s important that all investment, planned or already announced, should be suspended until we have clarified things with the US.” 3/
“What kind of message would it send if the big European players started investing billions of euros in the United States when they are attacking us?” 4/
Macron also warned of “massive” EU retaliation “sector by sector” by the end of the month. “It’s the American economy which will suffer most,” he said. But he also warned that almost every sector of the French economy would be damaged. 5/
Until now Macron has refrained from attacking Trump’s policies on trade and Ukraine in public to try to preserve his personal relationship with, and access to, the US president. Today the gloves were off. 6/
“This is a brutal and unfounded decision,” he said. “You can’t correct trade imbalances with tariffs.” ENDS
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
I remember the launch of the Rover 75. Full steam ahead 3,000 cars a week, for the first two or three months. Then nothing and stories in the papers of fields full of cars no one wants (because they were shit)
Numbered "75" because that was the average age of their drivers.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
How productive are the people who collect your bins or make your coffees? Even high productivity economies need low productivity jobs.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I don't understand. Who is Switzerland being parasitic on?
The rest of the world. Their wealth is not self-sustaining.
How?
At the most basic level Switzerland is not self-sufficient in food. Even if you think that's just a healthy sign of specialisation, it means that someone somewhere has to be running a more agricultural economy.
And in what way is that parasitic?
Are Swiss legions marching into the plains of Kansas and forcing people to grow wheat there?
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
How productive are the people who collect your bins or make your coffees? Even high productivity economies need low productivity jobs.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I don't understand. Who is Switzerland being parasitic on?
The rest of the world. Their wealth is not self-sustaining.
How?
At the most basic level Switzerland is not self-sufficient in food. Even if you think that's just a healthy sign of specialisation, it means that someone somewhere has to be running a more agricultural economy.
And in what way is that parasitic?
Trump probably said it sometime, so the position must be defended.
Acyn @Acyn · 55m Carney: Canada must be looking elsewhere to expand our trade, to build our economy, and to protect our sovereignty. Canada is ready to take a leadership role in building a coalition of likeminded countries who share our values… If the US no longer wants to lead, Canada will
When Carney has finished sorting Canada out do we get him back again to run the UK and not just the BoE?
Where to even start with this wanky idea?
He was hardly a roaring success at the BoE.
Imagine him running the country 🙄
He's a man with very lucky timing though - just what Canada wanted, for some reason, at this moment, with no time to see if he has any political substance behind him.
They have plenty of time to find out after he wins !
So far no-one has mentioned the other half of the elephant.
This will fuck global trade. This means that it will fuck American consumers. It will also fuck producers in China, Vietnam etc.
We’ve seen effects on *American* companies that use manufacturing in overseas locations. But a huge supply chain at that end will be losing out. Not just furriners.
On the other hand it might drop prices here as tariffed countries look for new markets.
So, some Republicans are maybe growing a spine? Enough joined the Democrats so as to allow the Senate vote cancelling the tariffs on Canada to pass. Nothing happens now, as the motion would have to go to the House and Trump could veto it even if it passed there too, but it’s maybe an important symbolic win in the right direction?
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
I remember the launch of the Rover 75. Full steam ahead 3,000 cars a week, for the first two or three months. Then nothing and stories in the papers of fields full of cars no one wants (because they were shit)
Point of order. The Rover 75 wasn’t shit, so much as meaaaaah. You bought one, you got a sensible sized saloon car that was reasonably well built at a not ridiculous price. It just wasn't better than spending the same money on other brands.
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
I remember the launch of the Rover 75. Full steam ahead 3,000 cars a week, for the first two or three months. Then nothing and stories in the papers of fields full of cars no one wants (because they were shit)
Numbered "75" because that was the average age of their drivers.
Each car came with a complimentary flat cap and string backed leather gloves.
For some light relief, a short video about the President of the USA trying to get his head around the mysterious word "groceries": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NKByZe7kZg
(from The Daily Show)
"groceries - it's bag with different things in it"
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell have introduced legislation that would require tariffs to be approved by Congress within 60 days, or the tariffs will expire.
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
Typically, slightly more than half of a population have an IQ above the mean because the IQ distribution is somewhat asymmetric, with more people of very low IQ than of very high IQ.
Of course, half of the population are above (or below) the median IQ.
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
I remember the launch of the Rover 75. Full steam ahead 3,000 cars a week, for the first two or three months. Then nothing and stories in the papers of fields full of cars no one wants (because they were shit)
Point of order. The Rover 75 wasn’t shit, so much as meaaaaah. You bought one, you got a sensible sized saloon car that was reasonably well built at a not ridiculous price. It just wasn't better than spending the same money on other brands.
I think my Dad had one
For the first year he could never remember the registration number
Then the garage noticed the front and rear plates didn't match...
The joke’s on Matt because that shows why the tariffs are necessary to rebalance the economy.
Because Americans need to do more low productivity jobs like making hats!
Just look at Switzerland: big trade surplus, lots of manufacturing, lots of low value textiles in there.
(OK: one of those might not be true.)
The US is a continental economy so the parameters are different to Switzerland. If you have 170 million people with below average IQs and your economy has no place for low productivity jobs like making hats, then you can expect to have a lot of social problems.
Half of Swiss people have IQs below average IQs too. How come they are able to work in high productivity jobs?
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
How productive are the people who collect your bins or make your coffees? Even high productivity economies need low productivity jobs.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I almost feel like printing this out and framing it.
So, some Republicans are maybe growing a spine? Enough joined the Democrats so as to allow the Senate vote cancelling the tariffs on Canada to pass. Nothing happens now, as the motion would have to go to the House and Trump could veto it even if it passed there too, but it’s maybe an important symbolic win in the right direction?
No - just a cheap way for Susan Collins to demonstrate her "concern".
Acyn @Acyn · 55m Carney: Canada must be looking elsewhere to expand our trade, to build our economy, and to protect our sovereignty. Canada is ready to take a leadership role in building a coalition of likeminded countries who share our values… If the US no longer wants to lead, Canada will
When Carney has finished sorting Canada out do we get him back again to run the UK and not just the BoE?
Where to even start with this wanky idea?
He was hardly a roaring success at the BoE.
Imagine him running the country 🙄
He's a man with very lucky timing though - just what Canada wanted, for some reason, at this moment, with no time to see if he has any political substance behind him.
They have plenty of time to find out after he wins !
The funniest outcome now (though I don't think it will happen) is that the poll rise for the Liberals is illusory and that push come to shove the public return to the state polling was when Trudeau resigned.
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
I remember the launch of the Rover 75. Full steam ahead 3,000 cars a week, for the first two or three months. Then nothing and stories in the papers of fields full of cars no one wants (because they were shit)
Point of order. The Rover 75 wasn’t shit, so much as meaaaaah. You bought one, you got a sensible sized saloon car that was reasonably well built at a not ridiculous price. It just wasn't better than spending the same money on other brands.
So, some Republicans are maybe growing a spine? Enough joined the Democrats so as to allow the Senate vote cancelling the tariffs on Canada to pass. Nothing happens now, as the motion would have to go to the House and Trump could veto it even if it passed there too, but it’s maybe an important symbolic win in the right direction?
No - just a cheap way for Susan Collins to demonstrate her "concern".
It's how some live with themselves or all the other stuff they condone. "I'm not as bad as them at least".
I was surprised Rand Paul actually didn't ignore his economic principles (yet) and actually dared voice them.
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
I remember the launch of the Rover 75. Full steam ahead 3,000 cars a week, for the first two or three months. Then nothing and stories in the papers of fields full of cars no one wants (because they were shit)
Point of order. The Rover 75 wasn’t shit, so much as meaaaaah. You bought one, you got a sensible sized saloon car that was reasonably well built at a not ridiculous price. It just wasn't better than spending the same money on other brands.
Ha. What would I know.
I love the Hillman Imp, Austin Allegro and SD1.
Knew a couple of people who got them as company cars. Probably an ultra cheap deal, towards the end. They said that they were reliable, but not especially good at anything.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell have introduced legislation that would require tariffs to be approved by Congress within 60 days, or the tariffs will expire.
Even if that got through the Senate it won’t get to a vote in the House and even then there are very few GOP members who have a spine . I don’t know why the House bothers to sit as the GOP just wave everything through that Trump wants .
So, some Republicans are maybe growing a spine? Enough joined the Democrats so as to allow the Senate vote cancelling the tariffs on Canada to pass. Nothing happens now, as the motion would have to go to the House and Trump could veto it even if it passed there too, but it’s maybe an important symbolic win in the right direction?
No - just a cheap way for Susan Collins to demonstrate her "concern".
For some light relief, a short video about the President of the USA trying to get his head around the mysterious word "groceries": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NKByZe7kZg
(from The Daily Show)
"groceries - it's bag with different things in it"
Wait till he hears about bags filled with things that aren't groceries.
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
I remember the launch of the Rover 75. Full steam ahead 3,000 cars a week, for the first two or three months. Then nothing and stories in the papers of fields full of cars no one wants (because they were shit)
Point of order. The Rover 75 wasn’t shit, so much as meaaaaah. You bought one, you got a sensible sized saloon car that was reasonably well built at a not ridiculous price. It just wasn't better than spending the same money on other brands.
Ha. What would I know.
I love the Hillman Imp, Austin Allegro and SD1.
Knew a couple of people who got them as company cars. Probably an ultra cheap deal, towards the end. They said that they were reliable, but not especially good at anything.
I worked for a couple of tier 1 automotive companies on the interiors. Less than impressive really. From memory BMW had little involvement and just let them get on with it.
I thought the V8 and the facelift an improvement on the exterior.
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
I remember the launch of the Rover 75. Full steam ahead 3,000 cars a week, for the first two or three months. Then nothing and stories in the papers of fields full of cars no one wants (because they were shit)
Point of order. The Rover 75 wasn’t shit, so much as meaaaaah. You bought one, you got a sensible sized saloon car that was reasonably well built at a not ridiculous price. It just wasn't better than spending the same money on other brands.
Ha. What would I know.
I love the Hillman Imp, Austin Allegro and SD1.
I had a Hillman Imp for 18 months. Bought it as an MOT failure, trusting that nothing terminal was going on, got it through and had 10 000 happy miles in it. Weird tyre pressures to balance the rear engine, and hot water pipes in the inner sills connecting the rear engine and front radiator.
With only eight days, I would concentrate on Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand. Arrive Tashkent, do 2 nights (Tashkent is not THAT interesting but it’s a long flight and you have to recover). Then do 2 nights Bukhara, 3 nights Samarkand and 1 last night Tashkent (airport next day). Do it all by high speed train (book ahead as they are often oversold)
You will see magnificent things. It is a marvellous place. The food is fairly dismal. Yet it doesn’t matter
For some light relief, a short video about the President of the USA trying to get his head around the mysterious word "groceries": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NKByZe7kZg
(from The Daily Show)
"groceries - it's bag with different things in it"
Wait till he hears about bags filled with things that aren't groceries.
oops the actual quote was "groceries - it's a bag with different things in it"
Trump does attempt other definitions:
"it sort of means, like, everything you eat"
"by groceries they mean every single item of grocery"
Acyn @Acyn · 55m Carney: Canada must be looking elsewhere to expand our trade, to build our economy, and to protect our sovereignty. Canada is ready to take a leadership role in building a coalition of likeminded countries who share our values… If the US no longer wants to lead, Canada will
When Carney has finished sorting Canada out do we get him back again to run the UK and not just the BoE?
Why not? Impressive and a Remainer. Much more so than the BoE governor who succeeded him. The EU with Canada would be an impressive unit. Much more so than any of the go-it-alones we have making the decisions in the UK at the moment
Comments
https://www.islandecho.co.uk/what3words-aids-rescue-of-disoriented-walkers-on-tennyson-down/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8-N8IIq_8I
Your argument seems to be that because America is big, it cannot have high productivity. Which is absurd. (Or at the very least would suggest that America shouldn't be one country.)
@SenMcConnell
As I have always warned, tariffs are bad policy, and trade wars with our partners hurt working people most. Tariffs drive up the cost of goods and services. They are a tax on everyday working Americans. Preserving the long-term prosperity of American industry and workers requires working with our allies, not against them. With so much at stake globally, the last thing we need is to pick fights with the very friends with whom we should be working with to protect against China’s predatory and unfair trade practices. That includes what we do on trade.
https://x.com/SenMcConnell/status/1907835791696400388
Russia Today: UK to launch "Prince Andrew", a third Aircraft Carrier in the Queen Elizabeth Class.
(Picked up an April 1st story from the UK Defence Journal)
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-defence-journal-tricks-russian-state-media/
(https://ukdj.imgix.net/2025/04/RTaprilfools.jpg?auto=compress,format&ixlib=php-3.3.1&s=c70fd814e8840800df810ad38a266253)
Acyn
@Acyn
·
55m
Carney: Canada must be looking elsewhere to expand our trade, to build our economy, and to protect our sovereignty. Canada is ready to take a leadership role in building a coalition of likeminded countries who share our values… If the US no longer wants to lead, Canada will
https://x.com/Acyn
Are we sure it's not still 1 April?
BBC News - Labour launches local election campaign with promise of 'change' - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy8e721rz5go
I note it because, even though criticisers tend to get upvoted more than defenders, the ratios are particularly brutal, about 10-12:1 upvotes vs downvotes for the critical posts.
I don't know if they are bot or activist proof, but I don't recall ratios quite like that even for the late Tories.
There's going to be quite a psychological reckoning when they all realise that he doesn't.
That looks... errr... terrible.
It doesn't matter if you're exporting medicine, trainers or coffee. You get the same treatment based on your trade deficit in goods.
If Trump had chosen a few industries say cars and steel, then maybe said companies would have reshored production to the US. In fact, this was already happening to some extent.
But instead they have tariffed everything. And I can tell you that the US is not going to start growing coffee or bananas. Nor can they produce trainers for within 50% of the cost of Vietnam. Certainly not without increased migration.
So all that will happen in those industries is some combination of 1) consumers paying more for goods, 2) US company profits reducing.
So higher inflation and lower share prices. Which is what we're seeing.
The point about size is that you can get away with being somewhat parasitic up to a certain scale, but beyond that you can't.
I like his ideas.
I agree with @kajakallas that the EU should become a beacon of freedom. So when do we start?
Here I offer six ways to actually light the beacon and step into the role history has chosen for us. Our response to the current uncertainty can be firm and long term. A thread...
https://x.com/GLandsbergis/status/1907738728627347789
I've read that they currently include tariffs on cars and oranges - if so both a holdover from EU days I assume.
Utter pants.
Then a few years later the procedure is forgotten the same issue occurs and the story repeats itself.
oh
@briantylercohen.bsky.social
Breaking: Whirlpool announces they are laying off 651 American workers in Iowa, citing the economic conditions under Trump.
https://bsky.app/profile/briantylercohen.bsky.social/post/3llwajjomvk2g
Of course once The Donald was elected /r/The_Donald became one of the first places to adopt all that QAnon drivel that arose on 4Chan, and eventually was shut down in 2020 due to the many threats of violence towards public figures that were emanating from it.
Plenty of people, even amongst those that would become his supporters, have long known what a clown Trump is.
Is it international do-things-for-the-wrong-reason day or something?
REPORTER: The markets today are way down. The worst day in years. Because of the tariffs. So, how's it going?
TRUMP: I think it's going very well. It was an operation like when a patient gets operated on.
https://x.com/atrupar/status/1907868713312760175
Hey, how come Fox News took the Dow ticker off of their screen today?
Elon Musk’s Cyber Truck is poised to become the biggest flop in automotive history. With sales coming in at 16% of expectations, it will become a bigger flop than the Pinto and Edsel as a $200M inventory sits dormant.
https://bsky.app/profile/bigbluewaveusa.bsky.social/post/3llwkj732hc2q
@mijrahman.bsky.social
I tell @jeannasmialek.bsky.social that the overarching view among senior EU officials is that: “You have to punch the administration in the face. The punch has to land.”
While the EU wants to deescalate, to get there officials recognise they are going to have to use sticks, not just carrots
https://bsky.app/profile/mijrahman.bsky.social/post/3llwjpf3a3s2b
DOD Inspector General launches investigation into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal App and handling of classified information.
https://x.com/JenGriffinFNC/status/1907859391363031479
And if you've got one - even Tesla won't allow you to part exchange it for a better model https://www.mediaite.com/news/tesla-dealers-reportedly-refusing-to-take-cybertruck-trade-ins-amid-13-sales-plunge/
NOW, THEN! NOW, THEN!
Imagine him running the country 🙄
Unless you are in one of a very small number of American cities based around mega sized vehicles (like Houston), then it's simply too big.
I remember the launch of the Rover 75. Full steam ahead 3,000 cars a week, for the first two or three months. Then nothing and stories in the papers of fields full of cars no one wants (because they were shit)
They went…. To…. Plaid.
https://youtu.be/VO15qTiUhLI?si=bFKVyBXyXl8Kzwcu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJoEgHcy5eQ
This will fuck global trade. This means that it will fuck American consumers. It will also fuck producers in China, Vietnam etc.
We’ve seen effects on *American* companies that use manufacturing in overseas locations. But a huge supply chain at that end will be losing out. Not just furriners.
Any orders for products that went into COGS went out with the Swiss legal entity on the PO header. Effectively they owned all inventory on site rather than the division.
Effectively we made no profit or loss in the U.K. it all went via the Swiss head office. And that included any sales to and from the US. I was told, and as not an accountant not sure of the ins and outs, this was all to minimise tax.
Made the supplier list a pain as effectively if a supplier sold you non COGS stuff you needed a second account.
Meanwhile...
@mijrahman.bsky.social
The war begins. President Emmanuel Macron has just called on big European businesses to freeze all investments in the United States in retaliation for the “brutal and unjustified” import duties imposed by Donald Trump. 1/
Speaking to an emergency conference of French businesses directly threatened by the 20% tariffs on EU exports, Macron said: “ We are not naive. We are going to protect ourselves. 2/
“It’s important that all investment, planned or already announced, should be suspended until we have clarified things with the US.” 3/
“What kind of message would it send if the big European players started investing billions of euros in the United States when they are attacking us?” 4/
Macron also warned of “massive” EU retaliation “sector by sector” by the end of the month. “It’s the American economy which will suffer most,” he said. But he also warned that almost every sector of the French economy would be damaged. 5/
Until now Macron has refrained from attacking Trump’s policies on trade and Ukraine in public to try to preserve his personal relationship with, and access to, the US president. Today the gloves were off. 6/
“This is a brutal and unfounded decision,” he said. “You can’t correct trade imbalances with tariffs.” ENDS
https://bsky.app/profile/mijrahman.bsky.social/post/3llwde3vzxk2w
Are Swiss legions marching into the plains of Kansas and forcing people to grow wheat there?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NKByZe7kZg
(from The Daily Show)
"groceries - it's bag with different things in it"
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell have introduced legislation that would require tariffs to be approved by Congress within 60 days, or the tariffs will expire.
https://x.com/yashar/status/1907807560867975451
Of course, half of the population are above (or below) the median IQ.
For the first year he could never remember the registration number
Then the garage noticed the front and rear plates didn't match...
I love the Hillman Imp, Austin Allegro and SD1.
I was surprised Rand Paul actually didn't ignore his economic principles (yet) and actually dared voice them.
Collins concerned budget language could lead to Medicaid cuts
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5230106-medicaid-cuts-susan-collins/
I thought the V8 and the facelift an improvement on the exterior.
@lisaocarroll
Dow suffers its 7th worst day loss in history - @CNBC
https://x.com/lisaocarroll/status/1907883386045345845
Just saw your question on Uzbek travel
With only eight days, I would concentrate on Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand. Arrive Tashkent, do 2 nights (Tashkent is not THAT interesting but it’s a long flight and you have to recover). Then do 2 nights Bukhara, 3 nights Samarkand and 1 last night Tashkent (airport next day). Do it all by high speed train (book ahead as they are often oversold)
You will see magnificent things. It is a marvellous place. The food is fairly dismal. Yet it doesn’t matter
The local wine is surprisingly tolerable
Trump does attempt other definitions:
"it sort of means, like, everything you eat"
"by groceries they mean every single item of grocery"
what a fucking genius they elected