There are two trade stories today.
The first involves Canada where we (still) have close friends (and a sister). There, after pulling every social con in the book (arresting people for bringing Truckers food and fuel? Really?) the TruDope aristocracy of ignorance is throwing in the towel.
We love Canada. Like Molson’s, the Bay, and Stanley Park, too. Elaine and I got hitched in front of the Empress Hotel in Victoria back in 2000. What’s not to love? I spent many weeks when young up at Lake Canim at this resort and learned to row a boat there.
We don’t care for faddish socialism. People in Canada (last I heard) were pretending there were more than 50-genders. Say what??? To ensure we weren’t blowing smoke, we checked in with A.I.
“Canada was the first country to collect and publish national census data on gender diversity. In 2021, 0.33% of people in Canada aged 15 and older identified as transgender or non-binary. The proportion of transgender and non-binary people was higher in younger generations.
Gender identities exist on a spectrum, and what feels most comfortable to a person may change over time. If you’re not sure what to call someone, it’s best to ask them what they would like to be called. “
We’ll save you the effort: Stupid works. Just count to, um, two.
Canadians didn’t used to be dumb. But when PQ (Parti Québécois) almost busted up the country earlier in my news-chasing days, the socialist swindlers came in with ’em. They played the Francofools well, and before you knew it, the country was blowing up the environment for the trees and ink people. They led the way into Speaking in Tongues II.
See, here’s the reality: Multilingualism (and all the other “multi’s” like multigenderism) runs exactly and precisely contrary to the core “American Melting Pot” notion. Absolute Equality. And, like Bitcoin (don’t get me started) it’s another way to rape the environment while lining specific pockets. English fast became the “second language” of Canada as the imperial socialists bought off the PQ with promises and and multilingualism, science and math were pressed down the agenda.
Quebec should have joined France. Instead, they followed The Dope Clan, and – very shortly – we expect British Columbia to become a province of China. They know easy-pickings when they see ’em.
Not that the U.S. isn’t in the same straits. Liberals – who couldn’t talk over the Middle here – are still pressing to keep America border-free and “speaking in all kinds of tongues” to work as much of that “United” stuff out of us as quickly possible. The socialist Utopia is when everyone “special” and nobody’s equal. Party insiders Rule, got it?
Rather than be bitter, or calling TruDope a has-been pompous ass (gimme an Amen! brothers and sisters!), we will look to our reasonable, freedom loving English and French-speaking neighbors and invite them to become American States.
Pros:
- We already have a currency that’s Loony
- We have lower taxes
- Warmer weather
- And we don’t kneel
- You don’t have to speak French (Or Spanish, but our resident lefties, like Canada’s just won’t give up on everyone being Special…)
- Oh, and we love the French even if all we understand are the fries.
Cons:
- Vancouver has better Chinese food.
- B,C, has Dungeness crab, Texas doesn’t
- Oh, and down here we spell it Mountees.
Dear Canada: Grow a Pair. You’re not “taking a right turn.” You’re facing a socialism hangover. Ask a Trucker about those fascists in Ottawa. We’re about to take a swing at handcuffing our version of Revenue Canada. Say, did anyone ever get their “impounded accounts” back from helping the Trucker’s strike? WTF, over.
America’s in a Buying Mood right now – Salvation on Sale, we call it. Why already Donald Trump Jr. to visit Greenland as president-elect ramps up calls for acquiring the territory. Once we get that as a State? You don’t want the Maritimes to be overlooked forever do you? Canada doesn’t need Ottawa, and since we already have too much Washington, we’re willing to share. Freely.
Our Domestic Trade Problem
For all their promises, the American sell out of our core manufacturing capacity to China and Asia is coming home to roost. Not only is the Federal debt compounding away towards $37-trillion, but we can’t make things here anymore. (Go ahead, find me an American Made laptop…)
“The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $78.2 billion in November, up $4.6 billion from $73.6 billion in October, revised.
November exports were $273.4 billion, $7.1 billion more than October exports. November imports were $351.6 billion, $11.6 billion more than October imports.
The November increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $5.4 billion to $103.4 billion and an increase in the services surplus of $0.9 billion to $25.2 billion.
Remember: Higher on this chart is BAD.
As ugly as the data is, the Labor JOLTS report (job openings, layoffs, terminations, separations) will be out in a couple of hours. Might want to check your seat belt ahead of time; maybe a shot of aquavit, too. Hear it goes well with fairy tales. Then ADP Wednesday…
News on a Roll
Actually kinda like a toilet paper roll, now that I study it:
Pandemic Marketing! Yep, we’re all packed up for another lockdown because I told you months and months ago: Second Pandemic is planned for Q2. Now, look over at the bullpen: Louisiana confirms 1st human death in US from bird flu. Just nod your head and roll up your sleave: Bird Flu ‘Fearmongering’ as CDC Finds ‘No Evidence’ of Human-to-Human Transmission. We are slow-rolling our plans to raise chickens this year…
Oh look! It’s a Party Congress! Venezuela’s opposition leader Gonzalez meets with Biden. Meanwhile, the press tries to explain Here’s Why Joe Biden Gave The Presidential Medal Of Freedom To George Soros. Move over BK – Joe’s got the Whoppers. Instead of meeting with the Venezuelans, maybe Slow should look at his open border legacy: Caravan Rushes to Beat Trump’s Inauguration Day Border Crackdown. One more thing: Give the Venezuelans all the Biden Admin resumes. They’ll fit right in.
Winter quake watch: Xi orders all-out rescue efforts following heavy casualties in 6.8-magnitude Xizang quake-Xinhua
Look who’s defining Free Speech, would you? ‘Dangerous Rhetoric is Not a Welcome Form of Argument’: Judge Merchan’s Message to Trump in Sentencing Filing. What happened to the “free speech” part, oh yea lawfaring liberals?
Garland’s Latest Lie is really more a “mischaracterization of the facts” which is what weasel-wording lawyers do for a living: Merrick Garland Brazenly Claims That 5 Officers Died Due to J6. Um, even the liberal NY Times reported that four officers died of suicide. Come on, Garland, this ain’t going to look good on the resume. Oh, and the fifth officer? Natural causes said the M.E…. See how the left re-runs the Big Lies to pretend their views are honest? Wrong!
Watching DEI D-I-E… McDonalds Becomes Latest Corporation to Walk Away From Woke. I’ll take the two fish sandwiches without the preaching, thanks.
Around the Ranch: Radio Recovery
It’s alive! My SR-400 Hallicrafters, which is one of the better-ranked collectible HF SSB radios of the era.. Hallicrafters SR-400A HF Transceiver (4.9 our of 5).
Hot-diggity damn! But let’s hold the partying for a minute. See, the transmitter is kind of cranky.
While it will develop good plate current, the plate tuning cap isn’t working right. I think what’s going on is a possibly bad (or partly failed) capacitor from the final tubes to the antenna tuning components. Right here as C150 in about the center:
The joy of restoring old equipment is being able to understand the function of a moderately complex radio well enough that you can deduce (from control settings and what the set does back) down to just a handful of components that are the likely trouble.
In this case, no output on 80 meters with a bit more on 40 and 20 -on up the bands. A failing openC–150 could account for that, or maybe a bad ground on C149-A/B. The final bias is set right, plenty of HV and out of resonance (with drive) it wants to pull 300 MA, so looks like a simple problem. (They all look simple, until they aren’t, of course…)
But yes, the Radio Detective is on the case and making progress. When this radio is done, next up will be a Swann 500 on a heavy duty power supply (PS-3, not the 117). Love these good mysteries!
Gotcher geek on for the day?
As I passed through the house, Elaine told me “I’m cold…I’m going to put on some earrings...” Oh boy…
Write when you get rich,
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