Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Subsidiarity Economics 2025. The Times more or less locally, Part 8. The imaginary lost world edition (and also something about the color of pots and kettles).


Nostalgia combines regularly with manifest respectability to give credence to old error as opposed to new truth. 

John Kenneth Galbraith.

June 17, 2025.

Headline in the Tribune:

Trump cancels $49M Wyoming coal carbon capture project
And:

New products take backseat amid Trump tariffs
And:
Companies work to overcome staff incivility
President Trump issued an executive order allowing Nippon Steel to purchase U.S. Steel, something that had been held up by President Biden.

Eh?  Isn't this the opposite of economic nationalism as espoused by the far right.

Yes, it is.

Part of the deal gives the U.S. a "Golden Share', which according to Trump funcationary Howard Lutnick, does the following:
This perpetual Golden Share prevents any of the following from occurring without the consent of the President of the United States or his designee:
• Relocate U.S. Steel’s headquarters from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• Redomicile outside the United States
• Change the name of the company from U.S. Steel
• Reduce, waive, or delay the $14 billion of Near-Term investments into U.S. Steel
• Transfer production or jobs outside the United States
• Close or idle plants before certain timeframes other than normal course temporary idling for safety, upgrades, etc.
• Other protections regarding employee salaries, anti-dumping pricing, raw materials and sourcing outside the U.S., acquisitions, and more.
We'd first not that nothing is "perpetual".

Next, isn't this Socialism?

Sort of, yes.  It's also somewhat reminiscent of Theodore Roosevelt's idea, regarded as radical then and now, to give shares to US corporations that grew over a certain size, and regulate them as public utilities.

Any way its looked at, this is a radical position for the Republican Party and the US to take in general.  It's amazing that there hasn't been objections to it, let alone by the GOP which up until Trump didn't approve of economic protectionism or anything that could be suggested to be Socialist.

Indeed, even now, Trumpites like to accuse people of being Socialist.  

Hmmm. . . 

June 21, 2025
Man who says he can move TikTok to South Dakota is a bust in Wyoming politics: Reid Rasner lost by 43 points in a U.S. Senate race and has offered few details in support of his multibillion-dollar bid, but has won over the Rushmore State’s governor.

June 26, 2025

Wyoming oil positioned to weather Middle East conflict, analysts say: Nation's soaring oil and natural gas production may buffer energy prices if Israel-Iran conflict disrupts global supplies, some industry officials predict.

U.S. Ballistics plans on opening an artillery projectile plant in Cody. 

cont:

The Senate parliamentarian has advised that a Medicaid provider tax overhaul central to President Donald Trump’s tax cut and spending bill does not adhere to the chamber’s procedural rules.

June 28, 2025

The US broke off tariff negotiations with Canada, the US's largest trading partner.

Aluminium costs are pressing beverage manufacturers.

Last edition:


Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Monday, June 11, 1945. King gets another term. . . but it's a minority government.

A Canadian federal election was held in which the incumbent Liberal Party led by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King was re-elected to its third consecutive mandate, but this time through a minority government.

It was likely a sign of things to come in the upcoming British election.

US forces captured the height east of Mount Yaeju on Okinawa but an accompanying Marine assault failed to capture Kunishi Ridge.

Japanese forces recaptured Ishan in Kwangsi Province.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided In re Summers, ruling 5-4 that the First and Fourteenth Amendment freedoms of a conscientious objector were not infringed when a state bar association declined to admit him to the practice of law, which seems obviously wrong.

The Soviets began the expulsion of Sudetenlanders from Czechoslovakia.

Last edition:

Sunday, June 10, 1945. Action in the Far East.

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Wednesday, June 10, 1925. Creation of the United Church of Canada.

Canada's largest protestant denomination, the United Church of Canada, was created by the merger of the Methodist Church, Canada and the Congregational Union of Ontario and Quebec, as well as most of the congregations of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and the Association of Local Union Churches.  The union is surprising in that the base churches had real theological differences.

The Catholic Church is the largest church in Canada overall.

Last edition:

Sunday, June 7, 1925. The Death of St. Max Talbot.

Sunday, June 8, 2025

Friday, June 8, 1900. Boxers attack the racetrack.

Boxers burned the grandstand of the horse racing track at the country club for western diplomats in Beijing.  It unfortunately turned lethal when British horsemen at the track rode out to investigate and one drew a pistol and killed a Boxer, causing the Chinse government to surround the foreigners at the Peking Legation Quarter.

The War Department authorized the production of telescopic sights for rifles.  The rifle at the time was the Krag–Jørgensen rifle, which had proven unsatisfactory in comparison to the M93 Mauser used by Spain in the Spanish American War.

The sight consists of a telescope which is attached by means of brackets to the left side of the rifle. The front bracket is secured to the lower band by two screws, and the ring through which the telescope passes has a horizontal motion to provide for drift and windage. A ball-and-socket joint in this ring allows the telescope to be moved in any direction … The rear bracket is screwed to the side plate of the receiver, and the ring which holds the telescope has a vertical movement for changes of elevation.

Telescopes of three different powers are submitted for trial, viz. 8 diameters, 12 diameters, and 20 diameters. The medium power (12 diameters) gave the best results.

The telescope is of practically universal focus; that is, it does not require readjustment for different marksmen or for different ranges. The eye can be placed close to the eyepiece or several inches away without any apparent difference in the focus. Danger of being struck in the eye when the piece recoils can therefore be avoided.

The lenses are large and are held in place by having the metal of the tubes in which they are mounted spun over their outer edges. The telescope is light, but at the same time strong. The brackets for attaching the telescope to the rifle are strong and durable and there appears to be no tendency to jar loose.

The sight was tested by actual firings up to a range of 2,000 yards, each member of the board participating in the firings. As a result of this test, the board is of the opinion that the use of this telescopic sight appears to be of especial value in hazy or foggy weather and at long ranges. In either case the target can be seen with remarkable clearness, and the marksman can be absolutely sure that he is aiming at the proper object. This would be of especial importance to sharpshooters acting independently.

The ordinary sight is useful for accurate firing at a regular target up to about 2,000 yards; but it is impossible to see a man or even a small body of men clearly at that range unless projected against the sky or under other very favorable conditions. It is for this reason that volley firing is so largely resorted to at long ranges.

With a telescopic sight a man could be distinguished easily at 2,000 yards, even with an unfavorable background.

The board is of the opinion that this sight is suitable for use in the U.S. service, and recommends a number of them be purchased for trial by troops in the field. If found to be satisfactory, a sufficient number should be purchased to supply such a number of the sharpshooters of each organization as experience in the field shall indicate to be desirable.

Only seven scoped Krags were produced. Work was already commencing on a replacement for the Krag which would soon produce the M1903 Springfield, a rifle much more suitable for a scope, but which was not equipped with one for sniping purposes until World War One.

Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, June 8, 1900.

Last edition:

Thursday, June 7, 1900. Carrie Nation's first act.

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Monday, June 4, 1945. Marines land on the Oroku Peninsula on Okinawa.

Today in World War II History—June 4, 1940 & 1945: 80 Years Ago—June 4, 1945: US Marines land behind Japanese lines on Oroku Peninsula on Okinawa.

US Office of Civilian Defense is inactivated.
From Sarah Sundin's excellent blog.

The Progressive Conservative Party took control in Ontario's election and would retain power for the next 40 years.



Churchill made a gaff in an election broadcast by claiming that the  Labour Party, if elected, would cause the creation of "some form of Gestapo".

Paul Ferdonet, the "Radio Traitor" of Stuttgart, was arrested by French troops in Bavaria.

Last edition:

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Sunday, April 13, 1975. Start of the Lebanese Civil War.

Members of the Phalangist Kataeb militia, a Maronite Christian Democratic party, attacked a bus carrying Palestinian Muslims to the  inauguration of a new mosque in the Beirut suburb of Ain El Remmeneh., killing 27 and wounding 18.

This would soon lead to a protracted civil war.

While they modified over time, the Lebanese Phalangist, as the name would indicate, were inspired by the European fascist parties, including those of Italy, Span, and Germany (the Nazi Party).

Chad's president François (Ngarta) Tombalbaye was assassinated in a coup d'état by soldiers led by General Félix Malloum.

The last Canadian airlift of Vietnamese orphans took place.

The U.S. Navy deposited those rescued in Operation Eagle Pull in Thailand.

The 1970s were not great.

Lou Bega was born on this day.

Last edition:

Saturday, April 12, 1975. Eagle Pull.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

Monday, March 30, 1925. Cougars win the Stanley Cup.

Newly ordained St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer y Albás celebrated his first Mass in the Chapel of Our Lady of Pilar in the Saragossa Cathedral.

He would found Opus Dei in 1928.

The Victoria Cougars of the WCHL beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 to become the last non-NHL team to win the Stanley Cup.


Bringing Up Father On Broadway premiered.

Last edition.

Saturday, March 28, 1925. Society Number.

Labels: 

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Subsidiarity Economics 2025. The Times more or less locally, Part 2. The Stupidist Trade War In History Edition.

 This will truly be a disaster:

Trump will impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico for no good reason.

At least its one thing that will seemingly be impossible for even the most ardent Trumpist to ignore.

 

And those people owe us an explanation, or the owe us an admission of neglect, regarding their support of Donald Trump.

We've discussed Trump here before.  Is he stupid?  Is he addled?  Is he a active Russian asset taking orders?  All three are possible and at this point the last one is starting to look rather hard do ignore.  What better to take out an enemy than to insert, at the country's head your stooge.

Active Russian agent or not, Trump has done more to wreck the country than any public figure since Jefferson Davis.

And it's going to get much, much worse.

As the trade war starts off, Justin Trudeau announced retaliatory tariffs.  Economic genius Gov. Abbot of Texas gloated that Canada can't get by without U.S. Cotton, which is the exact same argument the South made during the Civil War when it went into treason. Turns out they grow cotton all over the globe and, moreover, the type of cotton grown in Texas goes into high end shirts, not cheap t-shirts and skivvies, and the like.

On the plus side, the price of American cotton may start to go down due to this stupidity.

Trump threatened to raise the tariffs even more.

Individual Canadians are boycotting the US in every way possible, and they'll never forgive the US for this.  Nor should they.  A country that would elect such an obviously stupid man has an electorate that can't easily be forgiven.  On a higher level, there are serious discussion of cutting off hydroelectric power to the US Northeast, which would be devastating to the region.

Trump, who lies like a rug, says that this is over drugs and illegal immigration.  Next to no illegal drugs come in through Canada, although Canada is a victim of illegal drugs coming into it, as well as illegal firearms.

As for Mexico, it appears Mexico has had enough of Trump and now that between Mexico and Canada the US is in a shit sandwich, it's not backing down either.

Republicans in Congress have become completely spineless and are doing nothing.  Locally, they keep smiling and urging Trump on.

Trump is now also threatening to impose tariffs on the EU, which again makes a person have to wonder, at least a little bit, if Putin is calling in some chits.

It may also be the case that Trump dimwittedly is falling for autarky, the economic theory which tried to have everything produced within the borders of a nation.  Autarky was the economic theory of Nazi Germany, we'd note, which in part lead to it having to conquer or dominate its neighbors. . . .sound familiar?

Autarky is a universally discredited economic theory.  It's never worked, and its not going to work here, if that's the goal.

February 9, 2025

Waffle Hut is imposing a .50 per egg surcharge.

When I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on Day One

Donald Trump. 

February 10, 2025

The US has imposed a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports in a desperate effort to bring back the economy of 1957.

It won't work.

Prices will rise.

February 14, 2025

And now, reciprocal tariffs.

Inflation has risen to 3%

A population level boycott of American goods is on in Canada.  Part of that is the cancellation of US vacations, which is already having an impact in the tourist industry.

The government announced a massive purchase of Tesla trucks.  Not like that's a conflict or anything.

February 19, 2025

Trump acknowledged in a interview with Fox yesterday (he sure gives a lot of interviews, and plays a lot of golf) that "inflation is back".  In fact, in his typical meandering style, he repeated it several times, and then noted "I had nothing to do with it".

Funny, if it was a month into the Biden Administration the Trumpies would be screaming that it was Biden's fault.

Inflation is going to get worse.  And whatever its causing it now (bird flu helped, but treating the economy like a toy for tariffs didn't help), it's going to be on Trump's watch.

His loyalist won't see it that way.

February 20, 2025

Wyoming has only two hospitals rated at the five star level according to an article in the Trib, one in Cheyenne and one in Jackson.

The information comes from Medicare.gov, so my anticipation it will be fixed by the Trump administration eliminating the ability to access things like this when it gets around to it.

Casper's hospital once belonged to Natrona County but was privatized.  It was having troubles prior to that, but since then it seems to have increased.  It's rates a 3.

February 26, 2025

In spite of the fact that it increases the debt. . . 

Some Republicans begin to get clear eyed.

They convinced me in there. I'm a 'no.' If the Republican plan passes...we're going to add $328 billion to the deficit this year. We're going to add $295 billion to the deficit the year after that...why would I vote for that?!?

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, Republican, on the Republican continuing budget resolution.

The dollars thrown around as being saved by Musk are largely fictional, if in fact is rampaging buffoonery doesn't end up costing the government money.  Only taxes are going to pull us out of this debt.

the House approved the Trump budget resolution.

The bill calls for $2 trillion in overall spending cuts over the next decade, a triviality, to help pay for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, thereby being unbalanced to start with.  It increases increases defense and border spending, with the defense spending being paradoxical given Trump's isolationist views.

This extends, it should be noted, the 2017 tax cuts, which helped put us in a budgetary crisis to start with.  The Republicans recently have used the talking point that this is "unsustainable", which it is.

US consumer confidence dropped the greatest amount it has dropped in four years.

February 28, 2025

And the trade war is back on, of course. The tariffs that Trump suspended on our nearest neighbors are back in play.

Why?

Why indeed.

In part, it may be because the GOP budget, complete with the retention of an income tax rate at an absurdly low rate, is going to skyrocket the deficit and Trump sees this as a way of addressing it. Tariffs are a hidden tax on US taxpayers.

It could be a mere distraction for Trump, who likes to distract the public, it seems.

And as for Canada, Trump seems to have genuine bizarre territorial ambition and weirdly believes that beating up on our neighbor will make them love us.

The only sure thing is that this is going to be a disaster.

March 3, 2025

And, here we go.

The Atlanta Fed is projecting that Q1 GDP will be -1.5%.

That's a contraction of the economy.

Last week's projection was +2.3%, four weeks ago it was +3.9%

Now, younger Trumpers, your word of the week is "Stagflation".

A bright side, however.  With all the deportations, you might be able to replace the job you lose with a field hired hand's. . . 

March 4, 2025

Chinese response to tariffs:

For pork it goes to 47% with this additional 10%. 5% higher than all other countries.

15% on chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton.

10% on sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and dairy.

So, American farmers who voted for Trump. . . you're getting what you voted for.

Canada also hit back with tariffs.

The stock market fell for the second day in a row.

Trump doesn't care about any of this stuff.  It won't impact him personally.  Additionally, somebody gave him a Classic Comics edition on tariffs and he really believes they're the cure for American economic ills, which is absurd.

March 6, 2025

And auto industry tariffs were paused after somebody took Donny's Classic Comics on Tariffs away and made him realize he was completely tanking the auto industry, the dumbass.

He's given them 30 days to relocate production inside the US, which won't happen.

The Wharton School of Business must be so proud. . . .

The DOGE pinheads have put the Dick Cheney Federal Office Building in Casper on a list of buildings to be closed. 

The building was constructed in the 1970s and ultimately all of the Federal offices that were jammed into the Federal Courthouse, which wasn't being used as a courthouse, were moved there.  Then the courthouse resumed being used as a courthouse.

Where the workers would go is another question.  I suppose they would just be terminated. 

This is a monumentally stupid move and there's some suspicion that this building was listed just as its named after Dick Cheney, who was an enormous hero in Wyoming up until King Donny and the Dixiecrats came to rule what had once been the Republican Party.  It'll hurt the state.

Both John Barrasso and Harriet Hageman have offices in the building.

Sell real estate, in general, is a bad idea for anyone or anything if it can be avoided.

cont:

Canada didn't bite and is keeping its counter tariffs on.

cont:

Various provincial controlled liquor distribution entities are pulling US alcohol from the shelves.

Alcohol is generally regarded as a saturated market, so even small differences in sales actually make a big difference.  Prohibition demonstrated that once a product is removed, the taste for it disappears and does not revive, moreover.  Prohibition in the US lasted, of course, from 1919 to 1932, but it destroyed rye whiskey market in the US for eighty years, and devastated the quality of American beer.  Canada, already a major producer of beer and whiskey, will simply fill in the gaps locally.  My guess is that Canadian whiskey sales in the US (personally I don't like Canadian whiskey) will increase in protest of King Donny's actions.

March 7, 2025

President Trump’s decision to suspend tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada that comply with the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement (USMCA) is great news for the Canadian, Mexican and U.S. distilled spirits industries. Spirits produced in Canada, Mexico and the United States are all covered under USMCA. The USMCA has helped to ensure the continued growth of the U.S. spirits and hospitality industries, promote job growth and drive economic prosperity across the nation. We are hopeful that constructive dialogues continue between the U.S., Canada and Mexico that permanently brings back zero for zero tariffs for spirits trade between our three countries. We want Toasts Not Tariffs.

Chris Swonger, President and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

Well, too late.  US alcohol, which amounted to a $1B industry in Canada, is off Canadian shelves and not combing back on.

During Trump's last call with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, Trump became so agitated that he started screaming profanities thus forcing U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to step in and give Canada what they demanded.

This is twice in a week where a cabinet officer suddenly acted independently in front of King Donny.

25th Amendment. . . 

March 12, 2025

US steel and aluminum tariffs have gone into effect and the EU has immediately hit back by announcing tariffs that will go into effect on April 1.  The EU tariffs are targeted and will hit specific American goods, including boats, bourbon and motorcycles. 

Poor old Jack Daniels just can't get a break.

March 14, 2025

The S&P 500 fell into correction territory.

Senator Chuck Schumer, Senate minority leader, broke with his party on Thursday and lined up enough Democrats to advance a Republican-written bill to keep the Federal government open after midnight, pretty much proving that the Democrats are worthless in the face of the current crisis.

This will allow the Republicans to destroy the Federal government unimpeded.

March 15, 2025

The stopgap cr passed with the support of Chuck Schumer and nine other Democrats.

March 24, 2025

A coal mine near Kemmerer is laying off 28 workers.

Tesla chargers have been vandalized with swastikas in Rock Springs.

Kemmerer balked at an immigration detention center.

March 27, 2025

Apparently Trump is imposing a 25% tariff on foreign automobiles on April 3.

cont:

Forward bookings from Canada to the U.S. have dropped by more than 70 percent for each month through the end of September.

Last edition:

Subsidiarity Economics 2025. The Times more or less locally, Part 1.

Monday, March 24, 2025

Monday, March 24, 1975. Huế falls to the NVA.

Huế fell to the NVA, with many of its residents, having endured the horror of NVA and VC occupation during the Tet Offensive, having evacuated the city.

Time's cover featured a ARVN soldier with the caption "How Much Longer?"

Chuck Wepner put in a good performance agains tMuhammad Ali in a fight promoted by Sylvester Stallone.

The beaver became the symbol of Canada.

Last edition:

Sunday, March 23, 1975. Advances in the Central Highlands.

Monday, March 3, 2025

Monday, March 3, 1975. First women Mounties.


Thirty women graduated from RCMP Academy, Depot Division.  They were the first female mounties. 

Time magazine featured an AR15 on its cover in an article on the international arms trade.

Last edition:

Sunday, March 2, 1975. Autocrat day.

Wednesday, March 3, 1875. The first indoor hockey match.

The first known indoor hockey match took place at the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal, Quebec.

The Page Act, which we already discussed, keeping out Chinese women on dubious grounds, went into effect.

Last edition:

Saturday, February 27, 1875. The Civil Rights Act of 1875 passes Congress

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

You know, insulting Canada and Canadians, as Trump has done, and slapping a tariff on Canada, as Trump has done, while tweeting about the need to finish the XL Pipeline, as Trump has done, is, well, really stupid.

It's like joining a PETA protest on McDonalds while waiting for your Big Mac in the drive through line.

Really stupid.


What do you think Canada is going to put in that pipeline now?

Sunday, February 25, 1945. Smoke in the village.

"Clouds of black smoke pour from a German oil refinery in Wehrden, Germany, after an attack by American P-47 planes turned it into a roaring holocaust. 25 February, 1945. Ludeweiler, Germany,  101st Cavalry Reconnaissance Group.:

American forces captured Düren.

GI's  ponder graffitti in Belgium celebrating the Red Army.  February 25, 1945.

The Marines experience heavy losses on Iwo Jima.

Radio Canada International was launched.

Last edition:

Saturday, February 24, 1945.

Monday, February 24, 2025

Tuesday, February 24, 1925. Lake of the Woods Convention and Protocol

The United States and Canada signed the Lake of the Woods Convention and Protocol, defining the lake's boundary line more accurately, regulating its water level, and arranging for the settlement of port damages caused by overflowing that arose from work done on the Canadian side. 

This, obviously, before our currently demented occupant of the Oval Office decided that throwing rocks at Canada was fun.

Last edition:

Monday, February 23, 1925. Puyi moves.