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Unexpectedly, US Trade Deficit Plummets to Lowest Level Since Global Depression Year 2009, Shattering "Expert" "Expectations"
Exports rose a solid 2.6% while imports fell 3.2%.
The trade deficit--a measurement by which the cost of a country's imports is worth more than its exports--shrank to $29.4 billion in October, the narrowest gap since June 2009 and a 39% decrease from September ($48.1 billion), the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported. Imports decreased 3.2% in the month to $331.4 billion from September, while exports jumped 2.6% to $302 billion, according to the agency. Wall Street expected the trade gap to widen to $60.6 billion, according to FactSet. The effective tariff rate imposed by the U.S. was 17.9% in October, the highest since 1934, according to the Budget Lab at Yale.Forbes claims that this shows that Trump's tariffs "disrupted international trade more than expected." That's one way to put it, I guess.
CNBC is shocked that U.S. trade deficit is down over $100,000,000,000 in the last calendar year.
— Mark Lynch (@MarkLynchSC) January 8, 2026
"In March it was $136B. Now, under $30B. We haven't been that small in a long time - I don't have enough RECORDS to go back that far!" pic.twitter.com/eXCJyqD5Er
U.S. trade deficit hits $29.4 🅱️illion, lowest since 2009
— Boi Agent One (@boiagentone) January 8, 2026
Trump tariffs now reshaping global trade flows as imports drop 3.2%
Exports rose while imports fell, exactly what the administration wanted
Economists warn stockpile drawdowns may be distorting the data pic.twitter.com/lJ9zrHb1fy
Comments
(Jump to bottom of comments)Posted by: Judge Elric The Blade at January 08, 2026 03:32 PM (iFTx/)
Posted by: Avi at January 08, 2026 03:33 PM (UlHnw)
Posted by: Thanatopsis at January 08, 2026 03:33 PM (LdBR/)
Posted by: Piper at January 08, 2026 03:33 PM (Q9G/L)
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 03:34 PM (jc0TO)
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 03:34 PM (ExV1e)
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 03:34 PM (HXT0k)
Posted by: gnats local 678 at January 08, 2026 03:34 PM (CWTWj)
So, Star Trek...
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:34 PM (GBKbO)
That's less than the Minnesota somali fraud.
Posted by: rickb223 at January 08, 2026 03:35 PM (6mogZ)
Posted by: 496 at January 08, 2026 03:35 PM (YpWtw)
Posted by: gnats local 678 at January 08, 2026 03:35 PM (CWTWj)
Posted by: Moonbeam at January 08, 2026 03:36 PM (rbKZ6)
Posted by: brak at January 08, 2026 03:36 PM (jGJov)
Posted by: ChristyBlinkyTheGreat at January 08, 2026 03:36 PM (WONhk)
So, Star Trek...
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:34 PM (GBKbO)
But you do know that Trump is a big stupid dummy who only has good things happen because he's lucky.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 03:36 PM (ULPxl)
Posted by: FDR's TV at January 08, 2026 03:36 PM (Rz6zo)
Posted by: Count de Monet at January 08, 2026 03:36 PM (wVcYX)
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 03:36 PM (ULPxl)
=======
Well, duh.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:36 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: Judge Elric The Blade at January 08, 2026 03:36 PM (iFTx/)
Posted by: Helena Handbasket
I'd give my left nut to have his luck.
Posted by: rickb223 at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (6mogZ)
Posted by: ... at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (0Sg1Q)
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (ESVrU)
Posted by: Judge Elric The Blade at January 08, 2026 03:36 PM (iFTx/)
=====
"Aged farts are superior, but only in fresh oak casks."
-experts
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (GBKbO)
Unlike the left. That only knows violence and fear as ways to do politics.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (NwnyJ)
Posted by: connected and litigious at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (cS1cw)
Posted by: Diogenes at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (2WIwB)
Lot's of vulgar displays and speech.
You guys are totally winning.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (HXT0k)
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (zjgNU)
Posted by: Chuck Martel at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (Dv3i1)
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 08, 2026 03:38 PM (zZu0s)
Posted by: rickb223 at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (6mogZ)
Been there done that
Posted by: A Schickel at January 08, 2026 03:38 PM (0Sg1Q)
Posted by: Aliassmithsmith at January 08, 2026 03:38 PM (ozAEz)
You go to basically everywhere else in the world and it’s way way worse with tariffs. We just let the rest of the world do this to us without ever fighting back
Posted by: Maroon at January 08, 2026 03:38 PM (JPwyH)
Posted by: garrett at January 08, 2026 03:38 PM (ZcsJV)
If unexpected things keep happening to your projections you aren't an expert.
Posted by: JackStraw at January 08, 2026 03:38 PM (viF8m)
Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at January 08, 2026 03:39 PM (gm9Sb)
Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at January 08, 2026 03:39 PM (FCrpy)
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 03:39 PM (jc0TO)
Posted by: ... at January 08, 2026 03:39 PM (0Sg1Q)
They use that gold to buy our assets, our bonds, our companies and our resources. It is somewhat mitigated when they buy bonds and we then devalue the currency, but that is a one time gain since the more we do that, the lower value the bonds have when sold. (The US has mostly avoided this problem since everyone else in the world is worse and has higher risk. Our money should be as good as gold, but it only slightly better than the other shit fiat currencies.)
Posted by: bob (moron incognitus) at January 08, 2026 03:39 PM (bIWgk)
Posted by: Skip at January 08, 2026 03:39 PM (Ia/+0)
Posted by: ... at January 08, 2026 03:39 PM (0Sg1Q)
Wish I could get paid for that kind of "expertise."
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at January 08, 2026 03:40 PM (ESVrU)
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 03:40 PM (ULPxl)
When the Somalians are deported, does that count toward exports, or as contra imports?
Posted by: Chuck Martel
It's a drawdown of the stockpile.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at January 08, 2026 03:40 PM (pkeXY)
Posted by: Case at January 08, 2026 03:40 PM (4rWc3)
Posted by: rickb223 at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (6mogZ)
Been there done that
Posted by: A Schickel at January 08, 2026 03:38 PM (0Sg1Q)
Which one is the asymmetrical-sized one?
Posted by: Count de Monet at January 08, 2026 03:40 PM (wVcYX)
Posted by: Gabby Giffords at January 08, 2026 03:40 PM (6lTeg)
Posted by: 496 at January 08, 2026 03:40 PM (YpWtw)
Lot's of vulgar displays and speech.
You guys are totally winning.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 03:37 PM (HXT0k)
=======
The 2020 BLM riots worked so well that six states had to shut down ballot counting in the middle of the night to ballot box stuff like Tammany Hall to barely beat Trump in the electoral college after months of mail in ballot fraud.
I just like to remember that from time to time, especially since the act just ended radicalizing Trump and making him more powerful in the end.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:40 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 08, 2026 03:40 PM (zZu0s)
They use that gold to buy our assets, our bonds, our companies and our resources. It is somewhat mitigated when they buy bonds and we then devalue the currency, but that is a one time gain since the more we do that, the lower value the bonds have when sold. (The US has mostly avoided this problem since everyone else in the world is worse and has higher risk. Our money should be as good as gold, but it only slightly better than the other shit fiat currencies.)
Posted by: bob
I applaud, your insights are far better than what trash they show or print on business news. Would also give Economist writers and international bankers the vapors. They would have fainted that someone rumbled their con.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 03:41 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: 2009Refugee at January 08, 2026 03:41 PM (D4Co6)
Posted by: Martha's Vinyard Refugee Welcoming Committee . . . at January 08, 2026 03:41 PM (3ZUWJ)
If you meet your goal of making enough stupid comments for the day, are you rewarded by being allowed to lick Keir Starmer's wife's bull clean after he services her?
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 03:41 PM (ExV1e)
So, Star Trek...
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:34 PM (GBKbO)
Most of the advantages/disadvantages are stated in ideal conditions, without regard for ease of capital movement.
MOST economists aren't smart enough to realize that, though, as they were trained this is the answer and don't question it. (Few ever question what is the effect if "ceteris paribus" doesn't hold, because that's a much harder question.)
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at January 08, 2026 03:41 PM (zjgNU)
Posted by: Aetius451AD
=====
Why? There are always new fleas to jump aboard. Legion in fact.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 03:41 PM (WDjG6)
Wish I could get paid for that kind of "expertise."
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at January 08, 2026 03:40 PM (ESVrU)
It's a good living.
Posted by: Nobel Winner and Enron Advisor Paul Krugman at January 08, 2026 03:42 PM (wVcYX)
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 03:42 PM (jc0TO)
Posted by: Dog eater at January 08, 2026 03:42 PM (1M7sl)
Posted by: ... at January 08, 2026 03:42 PM (0Sg1Q)
Posted by: JackStraw at January 08, 2026 03:38 PM (viF8m)
Based on news reports over the course of my life, I think you've got that backward.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 03:42 PM (ExV1e)
Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 08, 2026 03:42 PM (RIvkX)
Posted by: fd at January 08, 2026 03:42 PM (vFG9F)
That garbage platform is a class in how to hate the media more. Wish I wasn't required to use it for my work.
It's like DU meets Ellis from Die Hard.
Posted by: sifty boones at January 08, 2026 03:42 PM (Z1MCL)
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:42 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: NCKate at January 08, 2026 03:43 PM (uQzkA)
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 08, 2026 03:43 PM (wzUl9)
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 03:43 PM (jc0TO)
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 03:44 PM (Zz0t1)
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:40 PM (GBKbO)
Counter: thousands of people were imprisoned and tortured from J6. Tons of people lost their jobs. Kids were wrecked psychologically in ways we can't predict.
Before we start the '2020 turned out swell!' Train.
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 08, 2026 03:44 PM (zZu0s)
Posted by: Formerly Virginian
I realized macroeconomics was a bullshit pseudo science back when my degree was in it. Micro is a science and particular areas like Labor economics or Money and Banking produce repeatable results and good predictions.
Macro predictions are like assholes, everyone has one. Ditto for their worthless attempts to quantify everything and accept bad data from bullshit fake and gay countries like Chicoms or EU land.
All ideologically driven answers while ignoring the big questions.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 03:44 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 03:44 PM (Zz0t1)
I was told tariffs would cause inflation.
I was told tariffs would make avocados disappear.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 08, 2026 03:44 PM (RIvkX)
Posted by: Part-time Thinker at January 08, 2026 03:44 PM (aVO1v)
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 03:34 PM (ExV1e)
Heh.
They're *great* at their jobs.
Their job is to be wrong about everything and slap on a veneer of credibility onto the wrongness like cheap formica.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at January 08, 2026 03:44 PM (06Hmj)
Posted by: Barry Soetero at January 08, 2026 03:44 PM (0Sg1Q)
It is to laugh.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison
=======
They live in Bangladesh.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 03:45 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: Guy Mohawk at January 08, 2026 03:45 PM (n5tGW)
Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at January 08, 2026 03:45 PM (0N4FZ)
Posted by: Angzarr the Cromulent at January 08, 2026 03:45 PM (XMwZJ)
But not J6, right?
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 03:45 PM (HXT0k)
I was told tariffs would cause inflation.
I was told tariffs would make avocados disappear.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 08, 2026 03:44 PM (RIvkX)
=======
Tariffs: the only government tax/fee that economists think has inflationary effects.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:45 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: ... at January 08, 2026 03:45 PM (0Sg1Q)
Posted by: ...
-----
that happens when the paychecks don't clear.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 03:46 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: Earl Schlobodowicz at January 08, 2026 03:46 PM (P7Iz+)
It is to laugh.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison
=======
They live in Bangladesh.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 03:45 PM (WDjG6)
=======
ASS's IP says NYC. Probably a VPN, though, considering he's been banned multiple times.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:46 PM (GBKbO)
But not J6, right?
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 03:45 PM (HXT0k)
Um...
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 03:46 PM (ULPxl)
Economists also warn that Zuul is angry, and cannot be appeased without virgin sacrifices. Seriously, what use are they?
Posted by: Archimedes at January 08, 2026 03:46 PM (Riz8t)
"I'm generally a staunch defender of the economics profession, but the fact that an 80 year old reality show star and his ragtag crew of like 5 alabama university undergrads are running circles around 10 thousand PhD's for like a year now does raise some questions one cannot ignore."
Posted by: Tom Servo at January 08, 2026 03:46 PM (uWKK8)
Funny, ain't it, how things work out for someone who follows *real* economics instead of "animal spirits" . . .
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 08, 2026 03:43 PM (wzUl9)
--------------
Make Knucklebones Great Again!
Posted by: ShainS -- Struggling With A Learing Disability at January 08, 2026 03:46 PM (IpnJw)
Posted by: mrp at January 08, 2026 03:46 PM (rj6Yv)
Posted by: Barry Soetero at January 08, 2026 03:44 PM (0Sg1Q)
That's particularly gross
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at January 08, 2026 03:47 PM (zjgNU)
Posted by: Dog eater at January 08, 2026 03:47 PM (1M7sl)
Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at January 08, 2026 03:47 PM (YotdA)
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 03:47 PM (Zz0t1)
Posted by: mrp at January 08, 2026 03:46 PM (rj6Yv)
Their budget has been slightly reduced over the past year.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 03:47 PM (ULPxl)
I could not argue back since I was not going to drop to his level, and he was my parent's favorite and I had grown up getting beaten up by him, and then if I cried out my father would show up with the belt to finish the job. (My father just wanted peace and quiet.)
He was an econ grad and according to him, I was a fucking moron for thinking tariffs are good and deficits are bad.
Posted by: bob (moron incognitus) at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (bIWgk)
Our money should be as good as gold, but it only slightly better than the other shit fiat currencies.
Fiat-based economies are idiotic. Do you know how difficult it is to stuff your wallet with Fiat 124s?
Posted by: IllTemperedCur at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (y9nCu)
Posted by: Earl Schlobodowicz at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (P7Iz+)
Posted by: Barry Soetero at January 08, 2026 03:44 PM (0Sg1Q)
*fistbump*
Posted by: Robert Francis Beto O'rourk at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (Zz0t1)
It turns out that when people can't afford to buy things they don't buy as many things. Elon literally jumped around on stage like a dipsh1t telling Americans they were going to have to buy less stuff and accept austerity and a lower standard of living.
This seems ominous. The US prints its own currency and sells things in its currency — it imports stuff and exports *inflation*. Inflation is still here so this means Americans will bear more of the brunt while the world stops using dollars as a reserve currency.
As a european, the thing that really terrifies me in this case is that US once upon a time promised the world they will be a stable and reliable partner as a reserve currency printer, and now not only is the current administration destroying the world order US build for itself, it seems to be heading into a full economic collapse which in turn will make the 2008 world financial crisis look like a cake party.
Posted by: Intercepted Reddit Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (ycI94)
Posted by: Max Power at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (SwyyQ)
Posted by: Earl Schlobodowicz at January 08, 2026 03:46 PM (P7Iz+)
The additional monetary outflow is used to employ people in the other country and allow the other country to purchase things in this country (like politicians). This, in turn, leads to more employment loss in this country and more tax dollars flowing elsewhere to help other people.
So... their country gets better and ours gets worse.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (ExV1e)
I have no strong opinion on this because I don't understand the advantages or disadvantages of trade imbalances.
So, Star Trek...
Posted by: TheJamesMadison
=============
Same here, so the things I read confuse me.
>>the finds that manufacturing employment has contracted for nine consecutive months. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, even with the chill that came from for producing “biased” numbers, reports that there are in manufacturing today than when Trump took office and 67,000 fewer since Liberation Day in April. Even more alarming, job openings in manufacturing have in the same time span. Not only are there fewer jobs in manufacturing today, but there is less opportunity, too.
the beloved steel industry? cut 1,200 jobs in Michigan and Minnesota. announced that it was shuttering its mill in Illinois, though, thanks to a deal they signed with the Trump administration, the 800 workers will remain employed through 2027. In other words, US Steel is losing so much money by making steel that it’s cheaper for them to pay their workers not to do so.
There's more...
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (Uo+RY)
Better, if we can wrangle Psyche into our orbit.
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (gKWVE)
Posted by: Earl Schlobodowicz at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (P7Iz+)
=======
Oh, I can pull quotes from economists who said it over the past year.
Because their partisanship overtook their academic concerns.
No True Economist, though, I'm sure.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: Stu Podaso at January 08, 2026 03:49 PM (vBrmG)
That name should ring a bell for many in the Horde, because it was his impassioned commentary around TARP in 2008 that gave the TEA Party its name.
If he was 'shocked' over the numbers, it's because he's super happy over them. He's one of ours.
Posted by: Darrell Harris at January 08, 2026 03:49 PM (0CU3H)
>>@agusantonetti
·
3h
>>Translated from Spanish
🇻🇪‼️— The Venezuelan dictatorship has just announced that, starting from this moment, they will begin releasing political prisoners from the torture centers.
>>Venezuelan and foreign political prisoners. Historic moment.
Posted by: JackStraw at January 08, 2026 03:49 PM (viF8m)
"I'm generally a staunch defender of the economics profession, but the fact that an 80 year old reality show star and his ragtag crew of like 5 alabama university undergrads are running circles around 10 thousand PhD's for like a year now does raise some questions one cannot ignore."
Posted by: Tom Servo at January 08, 2026 03:46 PM (uWKK
Good economists generally don't make the pronouncements that end up in headlines.
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at January 08, 2026 03:49 PM (zjgNU)
Posted by: ... at January 08, 2026 03:49 PM (0Sg1Q)
Posted by: ...
======
In macro, we simply do not have the capacity to build world economies with predictive models. So they simply make up shit to describe what they see at any moment as eternally true.
So these models fail to predict (if I predict a ball will run downhill, I can keep doing it until I get tired of replicating the original result--physics is a science) and cannot be replicated in different societies, different eras, etc. The usual excuse is some sort of cosmological economic constant is to blame.
I look forward to even worse models coming forth when idiots use AI to try to analyze econometric models. Garbage theory, garbage data, garbage results.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 03:49 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: mrp at January 08, 2026 03:49 PM (rj6Yv)
Posted by: Intercepted Reddit Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (ycI94)
=======
Translation:
Germany is going to have to tank its entire welfare state to pay for an army soon.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:49 PM (GBKbO)
But not J6, right?
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 03:45 PM (HXT0k)
Funny, considering the muzzie rag wearer is a lot closer to the Nazi than ICE is.
Posted by: Robert Francis Beto O'rourk at January 08, 2026 03:50 PM (Zz0t1)
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 03:50 PM (Zz0t1)
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at January 08, 2026 03:50 PM (1HW+a)
Posted by: Earl Schlobodowicz at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (P7Iz+)
The "experts" on teewee, whatever their official jobs titles, were shrieking about tariff-driven inflation as soon as OrangeManBad started talking about them. There were also many commenters here expressing concerns about the same.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 03:50 PM (ULPxl)
Posted by: Barry Soetero
Turns out, the number is surprisingly large.
Posted by: Emergency rooms worldwide at January 08, 2026 03:51 PM (Riz8t)
Posted by: Smell the Glove at January 08, 2026 03:51 PM (ScJGb)
Government f*cking spending.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 03:51 PM (Zz0t1)
Posted by: If you resist forcible sodomy you're a Nazi!!!! at January 08, 2026 03:51 PM (TbWk/)
Posted by: Earl Schlobodowicz at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (P7Iz+)
The "experts" on teewee, whatever their official jobs titles, were shrieking about tariff-driven inflation as soon as OrangeManBad started talking about them. There were also many commenters here expressing concerns about the same.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 03:50 PM (ULPxl)
======
Jerome Powell, Chair of the Fed, said for 3 quarters in a row that he couldn't lower interest rates because of inflation from tariffs.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:51 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at January 08, 2026 03:47 PM (YotdA)
It is, for the reasons I listed.
Economic analysis says it's nothing but win-win.
The free-traders don't ever look into the assumptions that underpin that analysis, so it is taken as gospel writ.
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at January 08, 2026 03:51 PM (zjgNU)
==
The is an underlying reality that the phd dont factor in. When the imbalance is so horrific, there is no downside. It wont get worse when the only change that is possible is improvement. It either stays the same, shitty, or gets better. Trump who has been at rock bottom, more than once, has lived this axiom. He is the right man for the job. No doubt.
Posted by: Donnie two scoops got game at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (1M7sl)
Posted by: Tom Servo
Modern economists were never trained other than tariffs bad, global flows good. There is a whole era where we had very good data in the late 1890's and through the 1940's of tariff effects. These were ignored in favor of the fake story that Smoot Hawley tariffs caused the Great Depression. Instead, it was their beloved FDR who could not stop interfering with the economy when it tried to recover.
He and his cast of expert idiots were to blame.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (WDjG6)
I dunno. If you train an AI to say the opposite of the experts every time, you would have the smartest computer in the world.
Posted by: ... at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (0Sg1Q)
Posted by: mrp at January 08, 2026 03:49 PM (rj6Yv)
Blacks don't like the cold and Somali's are terrified they'll be rounded up and deported, being illegal.
It's up to fat, liberal white women to carry the torch.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (Zz0t1)
Government f*cking spending.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 03:51 PM (Zz0t1)
======
Well, really, the Fed's printing of money, mostly M2 currency supplies. If the Fed didn't print the money to pay for the spending from Congress, there'd be no inflation, just IOUs.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (GBKbO)
"I'm generally a staunch defender of the economics profession, but the fact that an 80 year old reality show star and his ragtag crew of like 5 alabama university undergrads are running circles around 10 thousand PhD's for like a year now does raise some questions one cannot ignore."
Posted by: Tom Servo at January 08, 2026 03:46 PM (uWKK
--------------
All I learned about Economics was all I needed to -- and in the first five minutes of my first Econ class:
. Human Nature (Incentive & Disenctive) Never Changes;
. Supply & Demand; and if fortunate
. The Luxury of Freedom and Free Markets (which we've never had in this country yet, unfortunately -- but pretty much better than every other nation).
YMMV
Posted by: ShainS -- Struggling With A Learing Disability at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (IpnJw)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (t/2Uw)
======
Jerome Powell, Chair of the Fed, said for 3 quarters in a row that he couldn't lower interest rates because of inflation from tariffs.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:51 PM (GBKbO)
Chair of the Fed != Economist.
Posted by: Snopes EXPERTS! at January 08, 2026 03:53 PM (ULPxl)
Posted by: ... at January 08, 2026 03:53 PM (0Sg1Q)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (t/2Uw)
Kebab roast time!
Posted by: Or whatever they eat over there at January 08, 2026 03:53 PM (TbWk/)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (t/2Uw)
---
4 alarm fire?
Posted by: Chairman LMAO at January 08, 2026 03:53 PM (36PRH)
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:51 PM (GBKbO)
Yeah, that wasn't economic analysis, that was lame excuses to try to keep Trump from having a growing economy.
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at January 08, 2026 03:54 PM (zjgNU)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (t/2Uw)
Well, them following the California example, there's no water available to put them out, so.......
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 03:54 PM (Zz0t1)
“With increasing Islamophobia - the day will come where we have to ask ALL Women to wear a head scarf to show solidarity with those who do so for religious reasons”
Less than half the first graders in Vienna speak German, and 41% of the school kids in Vienna are Muslim.
Posted by: The ARC of History! at January 08, 2026 03:54 PM (nlTPx)
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (Zz0t1)
-------------
So you're saying we can expect Michael Moore to appear?
Posted by: ShainS -- Struggling With A Learing Disability at January 08, 2026 03:54 PM (IpnJw)
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at January 08, 2026 03:50 PM (1HW+a)
See me at #59
Posted by: Nobel Winner and Enron Advisor Paul Krugman at January 08, 2026 03:54 PM (wVcYX)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (t/2Uw)
---
4 alarm fire?
Posted by: Chairman LMAO at January 08, 2026 03:53 PM (36PRH)
FIVE alarms! It's a FIVE ALARM FIRE!!!
Posted by: Alexandria Occasional-Cortex at January 08, 2026 03:54 PM (ULPxl)
Posted by: Intercepted Reddit Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (ycI94)
It's amazing that so many people are experts at so many things. I guess I'm just a windowlicker that admits I don't know what I don't know.
Posted by: Heavy Meta at January 08, 2026 03:54 PM (NgqoH)
All while, again, we're going to have net out-migration and probably an outright decline in population.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:54 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: Peaches at January 08, 2026 03:54 PM (VyqMH)
But, I am a moron.
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 03:55 PM (pDt9x)
Posted by: naturalfake at January 08, 2026 03:55 PM (iJfKG)
The President of Austria previews the future of Austria, and its accommodation to Austria's new rulers:
“With increasing Islamophobia - the day will come where we have to ask ALL Women to wear a head scarf to show solidarity with those who do so for religious reasons”
Posted by: The ARC of History!
==============
ayfkm? Did this really happen?
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 08, 2026 03:55 PM (Uo+RY)
All while, again, we're going to have net out-migration and probably an outright decline in population.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:54 PM (GBKbO)
_______
THE ECONOMY IS OVERHEATING! IT'S GOING INTO MELTDOWN! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!
Posted by: Judge Elric The Blade at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (iFTx/)
Posted by: Octochicken at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (oCS0o)
--------------
Debt is the US spending (consuming) more than it produces. IE, trade deficits.
Employment is people out of work because some slave factory environmental disaster site in China can produce the same stuff cheaper.
CPI is not just cost of a product, but how affordable it is and if the company where you work is owned by the Chinese (using that cash we sent them for crap) and all the high value add steps are done in China, you job is shit and you can't afford anything.
Posted by: bob (moron incognitus) at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (bIWgk)
The President of Austria previews the future of Austria, and its accommodation to Austria's new rulers:
“With increasing Islamophobia - the day will come where we have to ask ALL Women to wear a head scarf to show solidarity with those who do so for religious reasons”
Posted by: The ARC of History!
==============
ayfkm? Did this really happen?
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 08, 2026 03:55 PM (Uo+RY)
We can't keep up.
Posted by: Babylon Bee at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (ULPxl)
He and his cast of expert idiots were to blame.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (WDjG6)
Give me a one-handed economist.
Posted by: Harry S Truman at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (wVcYX)
Posted by: NCKate
......
We don't need Corky when we have Tim Walz.
Posted by: wth at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (v0R5T)
Posted by: Pudinhead at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (pLaQB)
So you're saying we can expect Michael Moore to appear?
Posted by: ShainS -- Struggling With A Learing Disability at January 08, 2026 03:54 PM (IpnJw)
Last I heard, they were still working on the portal and crane setup to get him out of his bedroom.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (Zz0t1)
With billions of independent actors in the market, the information problem is real.
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (jc0TO)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (t/2Uw)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (t/2Uw)
I understand that the wording of this question is odd but... in a good way or a bad way?
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (ExV1e)
Posted by: NCKate
......
I do sock the Corkster on occasion.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 03:57 PM (Zz0t1)
Tariffs can be misused and cause an economic disaster. But when used properly to sustain fair trade things seem to work out positive for the most part.
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 08, 2026 03:57 PM (KDPiq)
Posted by: BlackOrchid at January 08, 2026 03:57 PM (emBoF)
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 03:57 PM (gKWVE)
Government f*cking spending.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 03:51 PM (Zz0t1)
Well, it makes sense, right? Without government devaluing the currency by printing more, you would nkt have the inflationary phenomenon.
Although, you have to wonder: could a non Fiat currency survive in today's world of fiat currencies?
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 08, 2026 03:57 PM (zZu0s)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (t/2Uw)
I understand that the wording of this question is odd but... in a good way or a bad way?
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (ExV1e)
It will burn brightly for a long time. No water.
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 03:58 PM (pDt9x)
The Blade whips it out FIRST
Posted by: Judge Elric The Blade at January 08, 2026 03:32 PM (iFTx/)
"Sir, this is Waffle House....Carry on."
Posted by: naturalfake at January 08, 2026 03:58 PM (iJfKG)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (t/2Uw)
=====
Because our 300,000 troops we had to send after the bombing of Fordow finally reached the city?
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 03:58 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 03:58 PM (gKWVE)
But, I am a moron.
==
That giant sucking sound you hear is .... not coming from the Cli ton bedroom
Posted by: Ross big ears at January 08, 2026 03:58 PM (1M7sl)
Posted by: The ARC of History! at January 08, 2026 03:54 PM (nlTPx)
Not quite to "conquered" status, but the siege of Vienna is almost over now that the musselmen aggressors are conquering it from the inside this time.
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at January 08, 2026 03:58 PM (zjgNU)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM
Too bad they have run out of water.
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 03:58 PM (jc0TO)
Posted by: Formerly Virginian
Ricardian vice. Ricardo was not an economic thinker but primarily a speculator and lobbyist. At the time, England had the Corn laws (really wheat but Brits are weird), that restricted importation of grain because England needed to feed itself and the rural MPs were from agricultural districts favoring protecting this industry.
Industrialists wanted cheaper food so as to pay their workers less and the bien pensant lobbies wanted cheaper food as well. So Ricardo jimmied up his examples to both lobby Parliament and to produce a public backswell using his comparative advantage model. Cloth and wine, Portugal and England.
The real aim was critquing the Corn Laws but by mentioning cloth (England was the king of textiles then) and wine (English wine?) it flew past normal critics.
In a multidimensional world of raw materials, goods, processes, etc. it gets complicated very fast, add in national defense, more so, add in other key factors like labor/capital mobility, even more so.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 03:58 PM (WDjG6)
Interesting choice of words.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 03:58 PM (ExV1e)
Anyone that listens to an expert without skepticism is a fool
Posted by: FDR's TV
Read a couple of articles regarding the TD reduction this morning. Both authors implied this might be a harbinger of a coming recession. Their analysis was on par with a C- paper in a Community College Econ 101 class. I put the econ experts in the same class as weather forecasters, basically a tribe of chimps at the Golden Corral.
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 08, 2026 03:58 PM (vzcgi)
“With increasing Islamophobia - the day will come where we have to ask ALL Women to wear a head scarf to show solidarity with those who do so for religious reasons”
Posted by: The ARC of History!
.......
Beauty salons in Austria hardest hit.
Posted by: wth at January 08, 2026 03:59 PM (v0R5T)
Posted by: Count de Monet at January 08, 2026 03:59 PM (wVcYX)
I'm following the Wheel method.
Posted by: bonhomme at January 08, 2026 03:59 PM (Yp6az)
Posted by: Sharon
Mullahs are to blame for all of their misrule, corruption, and murders that need to be paid for by their lives, liberties, and blood by the people of Iran.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 03:59 PM (WDjG6)
Not only Tehran but also Shiraz. Th e revolution has begun. The building a burning are government buildings which they want to burn down because there is no water.
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:59 PM (t/2Uw)
In 2017, apparently.
The President of Austria apparently **was** ahead of his time...
Posted by: The ARC of History! at January 08, 2026 04:00 PM (nlTPx)
------------
Can mandatory clitorectomies be far behind?
"National suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And Austrians can smite it if they please."
Posted by: ShainS -- Struggling With A Learing Disability at January 08, 2026 04:00 PM (IpnJw)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (t/2Uw)
We're certainly not going to get this news from CNN. It's nowhere on their website. I wonder if Tony Dukopil is going to mention it tonight.
Posted by: Darrell Harris at January 08, 2026 04:00 PM (0CU3H)
Anyone that listens to an expert without skepticism is a fool
Posted by: FDR's TV
Read a couple of articles regarding the TD reduction this morning. Both authors implied this might be a harbinger of a coming recession. Their analysis was on par with a C- paper in a Community College Econ 101 class. I put the econ experts in the same class as weather forecasters, basically a tribe of chimps at the Golden Corral.
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 08, 2026 03:58 PM (vzcgi)
=====
Posit:
All dominant economic thinking is based on a mode of government stewardship of the economy that is no longer valid because Trump is changing so much, therefore their conclusions are going to be unexpectedly terrible until the conventional wisdom changes with the times.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:00 PM (GBKbO)
I'm following the Wheel method.
Posted by: bonhomme
Hope you continue to have good luck. Just avoid leverage unless you got house money to lose.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:00 PM (WDjG6)
I'm following the Wheel method.
Posted by: bonhomme at January 08, 2026 03:59 PM
I am trying to study up on option trading but it gives me a headache.
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 04:00 PM (jc0TO)
If anybody has input on national spending it is the US house of representatives, then confirmed by the senate and either vetoed or granted by the president.
We need to claw back the wealth of politicians that enabled the debt. To think MTG gets a pension that will set her for life for having less than two terms or Biden getting half a million after all the destruction he caused...
Posted by: DanMan at January 08, 2026 04:01 PM (8uzBS)
Posted by: toby928(c)
And the rational model of humans in some economics isn't based on actual human behavior. And all models suck 99/100. And...
Posted by: weft cut-loop at January 08, 2026 04:01 PM (mlg/3)
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 03:57 PM (gKWVE)
Ugh. Every time I play Civilization, that guy turns into a PITA.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 04:01 PM (ExV1e)
Posted by: Guy Mohawk at January 08, 2026 04:01 PM (n5tGW)
As with the Stasi.
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 04:01 PM (gKWVE)
Some fag (really) is leading the chanting:
Say it once!
Say it twice!
We will not put with ICE!
That's really rousing the crowd.
Calling them (ICE) terrible Americans.
Oof. That will leave a mark.
Now saying something about their mothers.
And that they should have been aborted.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 04:01 PM (HXT0k)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM
Too bad they have run out of water.
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 03:58 PM (jc0TO)
I feel you, T.
Posted by: Karen Bass at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (0CU3H)
==
Well, that could escalate quickly.
Posted by: FIRE MARSHALL BILL at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (1M7sl)
Posted by: I used to have a different nic
Tell me about it!
Posted by: Croesus of Lydia at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (gKWVE)
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 08, 2026 03:57 PM (zZu0s)
It could, but the people would have to adjust to a deflationary currency.
Things like having to pay the bank to use bank accounts, lack of incentive to make loans, etc...
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (zjgNU)
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (IG3/x)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:52 PM (t/2Uw)
Assume a full reservoir . . .
Posted by: Nobel Winner and Enron Advisor Paul Krugman at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (wVcYX)
How could that happen?
How I ask!!!
Posted by: naturalfake
......
I don't know. It's like Math or something.
Posted by: wth at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (v0R5T)
As with the Stasi.
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 04:01 PM (gKWVE)
We need that *here*.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (ULPxl)
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (KDPiq)
—
Lol.
I went on a diet.
I lost 20 lbs.
Forbes: the diet disrupted my eating consumption more than expected
Uhm yah that’s kinda the point dumbass.
Man when did that magazine because just a mouthpiece for China?
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:03 PM (/HZvU)
--------------
Does Golden Corral still have Chocolate Fountain?
Posted by: Pudinhead at January 08, 2026 04:03 PM (pLaQB)
Experts wrong again... and again... and again.
Posted by: Jukin the Deplorable and Totally Unserious at January 08, 2026 04:03 PM (xvV+O)
No leverage. I started with cash and only using that account.
Posted by: bonhomme at January 08, 2026 04:03 PM (Yp6az)
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (IG3/x)
Unexpectedly!
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 04:03 PM (ULPxl)
Posted by: Barry Soetero
Is that the nickname for your chef?
Posted by: stu-mick-o-sucks at January 08, 2026 04:03 PM (c6twD)
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (jc0TO)
Posted by: BlackOrchid at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (emBoF)
Experts wrong again... and again... and again.
Posted by: Jukin the Deplorable and Totally Unserious at January 08, 2026 04:03 PM (xvV+O)
=====
Atlanta Fed does tend to be overly optimistic. I'd be surprised if we did actually get 5.4%.
Another mid-4s seems likely.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:56 PM (t/2Uw)
Yes, and all phone service and all internet service to Iran has now been shut down by the government. BUT they cannot stop Starlink, which is why these images are getting out.
At a bare minimum, shutting down all phone and internet means that the economy of Iran is now totally shutdown, for everyone. Something has to break, one way or the other, and given that several government building are now on fire, I think I can guess which way it's breaking.
Posted by: Tom Servo at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (uWKK8)
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (KDPiq)
Posted by: Angzarr the Cromulent at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (XMwZJ)
This is the lamest protest I've seen for a long time. If Walz is counting on these goofballs to start the sh*t, he's wasting his time.
Oh look, the black ICE SUVs just drove past the protestors, beeping their horns LOL.
Must be a shift change.
Posted by: mrp at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (rj6Yv)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (t/2Uw)
++++
Trump: We have bad trade deals that are bad for America. We buy from abroad, they don't buy from us. We need to fix this and bring it back into balance, and tariffs are the means to do it.*
Analysts: The trade deficit is meaningless, tariffs can't fix it anyway and are also inflationary, and this is the end of the world.
:: fast forward ::
Analysts: The trade deficit still doesn't matter, but it's falling if you care for some reason. Also, tariffs appear to be disinflationary and the world hasn't ended. So many things are defying expectations!
* Some of the tariffs, anyway. Others are not primarily economic, used as a foreign policy tool.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (GyQIQ)
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (pDt9x)
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (IG3/x)
$100 says the fraudsters are Paolo-ing her as well. Another $50 says he watches.
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (/HZvU)
x.com/InsiderWire/status/2009280030413656301#
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (gKWVE)
Don't say New Order. Even though they always tell me how to feel.
Posted by: thug dolphin at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (EyfuW)
that could be ... annoying
Posted by: BlackOrchid at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (emBoF)
======
"Lower courts ruled incorrectly. They need to take each tariff ruling individually to see if the president followed established law. Also, the president can change his reasoning to another section and dispense with this whole affair."
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: Earl Schlobodowicz at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (P7Iz+)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 03:59 PM (t/2Uw)
America's best move here is probably to just kick back and watch, let the fire clear out the underbrush, and simply watch to make sure it doesn't spill out into any neighboring countries.
Lots of goofy ethnic hostilities around the borders of the hopefully soon to be former Iran. Don't need the whole region going up in flames right now. Just burn out the mullahs and the IRGC, and things ought to be fine.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (06Hmj)
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (jc0TO)
It wasn't a bad show, but wasn't as good when they kicked Timothy Hutton off of it.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (Zz0t1)
++++
Yeah, to some degree. Inventories climbed and they are now falling. Lots of front-running of tariffs happened.
But that happened a year ago. We've been in this groove for a while now.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (GyQIQ)
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (IG3/x)
Mostly surprised that twink has a wife and not a husband.
Posted by: Peaches at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (VyqMH)
Posted by: Case at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (4rWc3)
“With increasing Islamophobia - the day will come where we have to ask ALL Women to wear a head scarf to show solidarity with those who do so for religious reasons”
Posted by: The ARC of History!
What? Wait! Why were we fought again?
-WWI & WWII drinking Pernod at a Paris Bistro.
Posted by: naturalfake at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (iJfKG)
She was in the House. Five years == 2.5 terms.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (ExV1e)
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (8Xy/A)
Posted by: rickb223 at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (6mogZ)
that could be ... annoying
Posted by: BlackOrchid
Prepped for annoyance. It's becoming a regular thing.
Posted by: Maj. Healey at January 08, 2026 04:06 PM (abIsI)
Posted by: PaleRider at January 08, 2026 04:06 PM (hhkIi)
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia
......
Ooh! Billable hours!
Posted by: wth at January 08, 2026 04:06 PM (v0R5T)
Here's another one.
If not for Starlink we would have no idea as the Mullahs shut down the internet this morning. So, in this case, the Revolution is being televised.
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 04:06 PM (t/2Uw)
x.com/InsiderWire/status/
2009280030413656301#
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (gKWVE)
Heh.
Are you saying some things that might not at first appear to be related, are in fact related?
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 04:06 PM (ULPxl)
Posted by: Count de Monet at January 08, 2026 03:59 PM (wVcYX)
-----------
24-Carrot God, Jerry!
Posted by: ShainS -- Struggling With A Learing Disability at January 08, 2026 04:06 PM (IpnJw)
Posted by: Maj. Healey at January 08, 2026 04:07 PM (abIsI)
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 08, 2026 04:07 PM (KDPiq)
Posted by: Sock Monkey
========
I do think that EU etc. are going into recession, probably China too. Both have pissed away their investments into non productive but politically useful directions. China is propping up its oversized mfg. sector and housing sectors, to keep people employed and off the streets. The Euros are doing the same shit with war in Ukraine and their idiotic green industry crap.
Investment increases, malinvestment, and decreases tied to productivity gains are the actual predictors of recessions.
For the US, the risk is the AI bubble but like the Web 2.0 recession, it will leave value behind. Failed green investments, plants that run at increasing losses requiring more subsidies (Brits tried that one in the 70's), and ghost cities for a dying population are all examples of bad investment that leaves nothing but debt behind.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:07 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: Archimedes at January 08, 2026 04:07 PM (mlg/3)
It is to laugh.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison
-------
Five is right out!
Posted by: 496 at January 08, 2026 04:07 PM (YpWtw)
I've been looking at Tousi*. I was worried at first linking him here b/c he was so far ahead of the curve it looked like copium, but he's turned out to be prescient.
*Tous is the old name of the city which Islamists call "Mashhad"
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 04:07 PM (gKWVE)
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 04:07 PM (jc0TO)
Posted by: Angzarr the Cromulent at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (XMwZJ)
I had a few of those as well. But back in the before times, they would present both sides and encourage debate. Doubt any do today.
Funniest part of Econ is the qualifier of “imagine a perfect society where everyone acts rationally”. Uhm yeah so basically we’re dealing with a fantasy world in this lesson.
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:08 PM (/HZvU)
Thinking there is more than one Raimondo: one who writes coherent sentences, appears more than once at night, and is a NASCAR-chick-driver-fan; one (or more) who write incoherent a-grammatical one-shot drive-bys.
Posted by: Nazdar at January 08, 2026 04:08 PM (NcvvS)
Investment increases, malinvestment, and decreases tied to productivity gains are the actual predictors of recessions.
For the US, the risk is the AI bubble but like the Web 2.0 recession, it will leave value behind. Failed green investments, plants that run at increasing losses requiring more subsidies (Brits tried that one in the 70's), and ghost cities for a dying population are all examples of bad investment that leaves nothing but debt behind.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:07 PM (WDjG6)
======
The US having 5+% GDP while Europe is shrinking will be amazing.
I want it.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:08 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: FIRE MARSHALL BILL at January 08, 2026 04:08 PM (1M7sl)
Posted by: Geopolitical Wine Mom at January 08, 2026 04:08 PM (4DY5T)
Posted by: Intercepted Reddit Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at January 08, 2026 03:48 PM (ycI94)
++++
The funny thing is that this person is actually almost right. The US *did* destroy the "reserve currency" system to its - and our primary trading partner-allies' - tremendous detriment. But Trump didn't do that, Biden did through his Russia-Ukraine sanctions that destroyed the veneer of an even playing field in global settlements and Dollar safety.
Trump is working to *re-establish* it as best he can. Tariffs are one tool. Aggressive action against non-Dollar settlement (see: Venezuela, in part) is another. He can't put Humpty-Dumpty back together again, but he can try to shore up the system to avoid an outright failure of the "reserve currency" system.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:08 PM (GyQIQ)
Posted by: Peaches at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (VyqMH)
Yeah, I confess being a little surprised by that myself.
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at January 08, 2026 04:08 PM (IG3/x)
Posted by: Nazdar at January 08, 2026 04:08 PM (NcvvS)
=======
Who gets real spicy when the topic is India.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:08 PM (GBKbO)
The European economy is in a very bad place. Germany, France and the UK have very ill economies. They want to blame US trade policies while they are bleeding out from multiple self inflicted wounds. Personally, I give a significant chunk of Europe about 2 years before the streets catch fire.
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 08, 2026 04:09 PM (vzcgi)
Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little hats at January 08, 2026 04:09 PM (Kt19C)
Trump: ok how about sub $2 gas?
Left: This is an outrage. We demand $4 gas like in the good old days of Biden.
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:09 PM (/HZvU)
And then I'll do the opposite.
Best. Advisor. Ever.
Posted by: AnonyBotymousDrivel at January 08, 2026 04:09 PM (gLikB)
===
And that is why the eu is so hostile to Musk. They know their time is about up and musk will keep the revolutionaries in information.
Posted by: Jukin the Deplorable and Totally Unserious at January 08, 2026 04:09 PM (xvV+O)
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 08, 2026 04:09 PM (vzcgi)
======
"Why is this happening?! We banned the AfD, didn't we? Why did that not fix everything?"
-Germany
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:10 PM (GBKbO)
While half of the smellies are wearing masks, they keep calling ICE cowards for not uncovering their faces.
Now they're messing up the Elder Smellies holy chant:
The people
united
Will never be
defeated
dum-dums, last word is "divided"
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 04:10 PM (HXT0k)
Gunfire has been reported in multiple Iranian cities.
It seems that the Islamic security forces have been given the green light to use lethal force against anti-regime protesters on the streets.
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 04:10 PM (t/2Uw)
Posted by: Elder Statesman Obama at January 08, 2026 04:10 PM (GUnoj)
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 04:10 PM (jc0TO)
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 08, 2026 04:10 PM (KDPiq)
Posted by: Peaches at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (VyqMH)
Yeah, I confess being a little surprised by that myself.
=
He puts on a french maid outfit and cleans up the bulls after.
Just a hunch.
Posted by: Bill Kristol at January 08, 2026 04:10 PM (1M7sl)
Posted by: Diogenes at January 08, 2026 04:11 PM (2WIwB)
Posted by: Pudinhead at January 08, 2026 04:11 PM (pLaQB)
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 04:10 PM (HXT0k)
-------
They can't say 'divided' because they're a bunch of zeroes
Posted by: 496 at January 08, 2026 04:11 PM (YpWtw)
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 08, 2026 04:09 PM (vzcgi)
++++
Could be. Its economic engines are failing. Germany because they starved themselves of energy through "green" madness, and France because they starved themselves of capital through end-stage Eurosocialist destruction.
And none of that is America's fault. That's *entirely* on them.
And the upcoming economic and financial crisis is real, but it won't look a lot like 2008. More like a hybrid of 2001 and 2010-202 - led by tech and sovereign dbt.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:11 PM (GyQIQ)
Gunfire has been reported in multiple Iranian cities.
It seems that the Islamic security forces have been given the green light to use lethal force against anti-regime protesters on the streets.
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 04:10 PM (t/2Uw)
This means things will break one of two ways, soon.
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:11 PM (pDt9x)
Posted by: Skip at January 08, 2026 04:11 PM (Ia/+0)
------------
Hurricanes v Rebels. What's your opinion on winner?
Posted by: Pudinhead at January 08, 2026 04:11 PM (pLaQB)
They will have more points.
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (pDt9x)
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (/HZvU)
Posted by: rickb223 at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (6mogZ)
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:11 PM
There are always three options. It gets better, it gets worse, or it stays the same.
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (jc0TO)
Posted by: steevy at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (YwEeS)
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at January 08, 2026 04:02 PM (IG3/x)
Mostly surprised that twink has a wife and not a husband.
Posted by: Peaches
.......
His brother was unavailable.
Posted by: wth at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (v0R5T)
That's a really bad idea--as soon as the populace gets their own arms, e.g., by raiding armories, taking them from dead IRGC--they will have no compunction about extreme payback.
Posted by: Angzarr the Cromulent at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (XMwZJ)
Posted by: Geopolitical Wine Mom
Persians used to love their wine. Or so I read.
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (gKWVE)
what mechanism of govt. sets the Federal tax rate(s)?
Posted by: IrwinShiff at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (5LiC7)
Posted by: mrp at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (rj6Yv)
- Sports Analysts
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (/HZvU)
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:04 PM (pDt9x)
You're thinking of Long Dong Silver. Trust me on this.
Posted by: Sec. Pete B. at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (wGerL)
Posted by: Opinion fact
Many are switching back. Massive inventory buildup in Q1 and Q2 in 2025 in the US along with big mfg good trade deficits because companies were anticipating Trump actions on tariffs. As those inventories decline, replacement (and more likely domestic) production will ensue. This is shifting the global supply chain to something shorter and more resilient often using multiple sources than the old JIT.
JIT was perfected in Japan where all the factories were in fact close together in distance, culture, and similar context. Thus supply chain disruption was rare--something like big earthquakes, oil shocks, etc. affecting the entire Japanese economy.
Business school types imported this to the US, in part because inventories are often taxed as properties, lowering them could artificially boost stock prices due to lack of carrying costs and the one time bang from dropping inventory without spending to replenish it, etc. It undervalued any supply shocks to a longer and longer system at greater and greater distances.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (WDjG6)
Rule #1 of financial advice and prognostication. Also, don't tell anyone where you live.
Posted by: AnonyBotymousDrivel at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (gLikB)
And then I'll do the opposite.
Best. Advisor. Ever.
Posted by: AnonyBotymousDrivel at January 08, 2026 04:09 PM (gLikB)
Isn't there a fund out there you can invest in that's the Opposite Cramer fund? Like there's a Follow Pelosi fund?
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (Zz0t1)
Posted by: Peaches at January 08, 2026 04:05 PM (VyqMH)
He was previously married to some chick who is a distance runner and is employed by Apple. Presumably, he got rid of her so that he could marry someone more involved in the business of corruption.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (ExV1e)
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (tgvbd)
http://tiny.cc/tudx001
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (GyQIQ)
Posted by: Angzarr the Cromulent
>Mostly all economists are commies. They choose to control, not survey. Economics is a lie.
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (1HW+a)
La puebla
conjuntos
nunca sera vincados
or something like that.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (06Hmj)
So tariffs to protect overpriced, inefficient manufacturers are bad. Republicans argued against them. But then what? a country still needs these industries in times of war so you can't just ship it all overseas and become a "service economy" (I hate that term and still don't know what it is supposed to mean.)
But deficits are unsustainable, even with fiat currency. Tariffs solve both problems but economists can not see that. "Assume a can opener" and shove it up your ass.
Posted by: bob (moron incognitus) at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (bIWgk)
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:11 PM
There are always three options. It gets better, it gets worse, or it stays the same.
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (jc0TO)
Maybe. But piles of dead bodies do tend to build more resentments. Have to wait and see I guess.
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:14 PM (pDt9x)
- Sports Analysts
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM
You have to get a hat on a hat.
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 08, 2026 04:14 PM (jc0TO)
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:11 PM (pDt9x)
And that’s we need to help someway though I have no idea how.
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 08, 2026 04:14 PM (KDPiq)
That's a really bad idea--as soon as the populace gets their own arms, e.g., by raiding armories, taking them from dead IRGC--they will have no compunction about extreme payback.
Posted by: Angzarr the Cromulent at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (XMwZJ)
=====
I imagine most Iranians remember the last time this happened when most people who were leaders in the protests probably ended up dead at the hands of the regime.
I don't think this stops until the mullahs are overthrown or Iran is a smoldering heap of ashes to be ruled by a diminished regime.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:14 PM (GBKbO)
Persians used to love their wine. Or so I read.
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (gKWVE)
There's a 'reality' show on the horrific WE channel. It's rich Persians doing nefarious things in America because rich....and stupid.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:14 PM (Zz0t1)
http://tiny.cc/tudx001
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (GyQIQ)
_________
3:45 pm
Posted by: Judge Elric The Blade at January 08, 2026 04:15 PM (iFTx/)
==
Global khalifate And Globalism do have something in common dont they. They dont mind everyone wearing trashbags if they can administer the trashbag state and collect the goodies.
Posted by: Beauracrats dont have ideology beyond self interest at January 08, 2026 04:15 PM (1M7sl)
Posted by: Pudinhead at January 08, 2026 04:15 PM (pLaQB)
Posted by: Judge Elric The Blade at January 08, 2026 03:32 PM
Since one of The Horde's unofficial mottoes is "When in doubt, whip it out", does this mean you're first in doubt?
Posted by: Duncanthrax at January 08, 2026 04:15 PM (4C4DQ)
http://tiny.cc/tudx001
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (GyQIQ)
Buoyant!
Posted by: Count de Monet at January 08, 2026 04:15 PM (wVcYX)
==
Isn't there a fund out there you can invest in that's the Opposite Cramer fund? Like there's a Follow Pelosi fund?
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (Zz0t1)
NANC
There's also a CRUZ fund.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 04:16 PM (ULPxl)
Posted by: ...
Boosting earnings temporarily by drawing down excess inventory accumulated in Q1 and Q2 by businesses expecting supply shocks from tariffs.
Like a sugar high, sooner or later you have to acquire new stock inventory to sell or use to make your goods.
Problem is that these analysts are using static analysis based on inflows and outflows but not considering (data is not there) as to reshoring and shortening supply chains that tariffs incentivize.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:16 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: Skip at January 08, 2026 04:16 PM (Ia/+0)
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 08, 2026 04:16 PM (8Xy/A)
http://tiny.cc/tudx001
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (GyQIQ)
Buoyant!
Posted by: Count de Monet at January 08, 2026 04:15 PM (wVcYX)
She would have issues in a weightless environment.
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:16 PM (pDt9x)
That garbage platform is a class in how to hate the media more. Wish I wasn't required to use it for my work.
It's like DU meets Ellis from Die Hard.
Posted by: sifty boones at January 08, 2026 03:42 PM (Z1MCL)
Linked In...I signed up for that once as the corp said they would be using it. Every so often they would send me notifications about my dead sister, not once anything useful.
Posted by: Oldcat at January 08, 2026 04:16 PM (8avO+)
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (gKWVE)
A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, A Loaf of Bread—and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness—
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!
Omar Khayyam was Persian.
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at January 08, 2026 04:16 PM (IG3/x)
La puebla
conjuntos
nunca sera vincados
or something like that.
I prefer the Pavarotti version.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hzAoiyxYsF4?feature=share
Posted by: Archimedes at January 08, 2026 04:17 PM (Riz8t)
The guy liveblogging with Goldie keeps saying "I don't think we can show this on YouTube".
Goldie keeps saying, "Show it. Show it".
LOL.
Posted by: rickb223 at January 08, 2026 04:17 PM (6mogZ)
There's also a CRUZ fund.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 04:16 PM (ULPxl)
I invested in the Swalwell tracker ETF, and all that happened was some dudes in a black SUV came to my house and kicked me in the grundle.
: (
Posted by: Warai-otoko at January 08, 2026 04:17 PM (06Hmj)
x.com/Cernovich/status/2009354914515046640#
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 04:17 PM (gKWVE)
Posted by: steevy at January 08, 2026 04:12 PM (YwEeS)
++++
This is the "spoiler" on my Bingo card for the next couple of years.
So long as Starlink was *purely* civilian, it was in a safer category and unlikely to be a military target, not being a military asset.
That is no longer true. Ukraine has been using it for military purposes. We have the ability to use it for military purposes. Opening it up to insurgents in Iran is arguably a military purpose. That all makes it a military target.
But hard to take it out. Starlink is *big* and far away. The easiest way to do it - and it's a method available to both Russia and Red China - is just to start interfering with orbits with other satellites that happen to explode. Create mess and interference by converting some of the constellation into a lot of wreckage.
And that can close space travel entirely for a goodly while due to the debris field.
I think the odds are low, but they're non-zero and it would be one hell of a black swan.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:17 PM (GyQIQ)
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:17 PM (/HZvU)
http://tiny.cc/tudx001
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM
I don't think she's actually blonde.
Posted by: Duncanthrax at January 08, 2026 04:17 PM (4C4DQ)
Posted by: bob
=======
The next step was currency manipulation using central banks. Then it was VAT.
Tariffs are far more transparent.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:18 PM (WDjG6)
That garbage platform is a class in how to hate the media more. Wish I wasn't required to use it for my work.
It's like DU meets Ellis from Die Hard.
Posted by: sifty boones at January 08, 2026 03:42 PM (Z1MCL)
Linked In...I signed up for that once as the corp said they would be using it. Every so often they would send me notifications about my dead sister, not once anything useful.
Posted by: Oldcat at January 08, 2026 04:16 PM (8avO+)
Just curious, has anyone really gotten a job through it?
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 04:18 PM (ULPxl)
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:17 PM (/HZvU)
_____
See my comment above ... looks like the same girl
Posted by: Judge Elric The Blade at January 08, 2026 04:18 PM (iFTx/)
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (GyQIQ)
***
Why is that buxom blonde wearing 1960's era Quasar Television on her face?
Posted by: Truck Monkey at January 08, 2026 04:18 PM (Bo9Yf)
Posted by: Angzarr the Cromulent
***
One of my best profs was an Oates anarchist. Taught comparative politics. Great class. I always wore my ROTC uniform to class. Discussions were fun.
Posted by: Diogenes at January 08, 2026 04:19 PM (2WIwB)
Posted by: Rex B at January 08, 2026 04:19 PM (GUnoj)
http://tiny.cc/tudx001
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!)
......
She's holding the camera crooked.
Posted by: wth at January 08, 2026 04:19 PM (v0R5T)
These theater kids ain't even trying anymore.
And only a single Mexican flag?
Entertain me!
Oh, the fag with the bullhorn has a tote bag and is wearing a muzzie rag.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 04:19 PM (HXT0k)
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:19 PM (pDt9x)
------------
Hurricanes v Rebels. What's your opinion on winner?
==
Comeback victory for ole miss.
Lane Kiffin plotzes shortly after about needing his full coaching staff.
Posted by: Never tell me the odds kid at January 08, 2026 04:19 PM (1M7sl)
I don't think she's actually blonde.
Posted by: Duncanthrax at January 08, 2026 04:17 PM (4C4DQ)
Seems we need a closer inspection.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:19 PM (Zz0t1)
Remember when you didn't used to get a Nobel Prize (well, a pseudo-Nobel Prize) for being wrong 100% of the time?
Pepperidge Farm remembers.
Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at January 08, 2026 04:19 PM (IG3/x)
99.9% sure there was one once. Besides, there's a fund for pretty much everything. It's like gambling. There's a game and a wager for you somewhere at every moment.
Posted by: AnonyBotymousDrivel at January 08, 2026 04:19 PM (gLikB)
Posted by: Mary Cloggistein from Brattleboro, Vt at January 08, 2026 04:20 PM (wXPKd)
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 08, 2026 04:18 PM (ULPxl)
======
Got my last job through it. Knew no one at the company, but the job board I applied through was on LinkedIn.
Not as much luck this time, though.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:20 PM (GBKbO)
Lane Kiffin plotzes shortly after about needing his full coaching staff.
Posted by: Never tell me the odds kid at January 08, 2026 04:19 PM (1M7sl)
I know Weiss Jr. is following that prick, but has anyone else said they're leaving?
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:20 PM (Zz0t1)
And, in all likelihood, they'll decide on the exact wrong direction to take afterward.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 04:20 PM (ExV1e)
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at January 08, 2026 04:13 PM (1HW+a)
The Austrians had some good ideas. As a result they were blacklisted and expelled from all universities even in the 40s and 50s. Likely they would have been evolved into nonsense themselves if they had been allowed to exist there.
Posted by: Oldcat at January 08, 2026 04:20 PM (8avO+)
If it is typical Federal contract they wouldn't have the authority to "cancel" the contract. What the airline would have done is be in default and the government would then Terminate for Default (T4D). Most companies that get T4D usually dissolve as they will never be able to get bonded again.
To bad there is not a Force Work clause in the FAR - basically terminate the contractors management, seize all resources, and take over management of the workforce.
Force Work clause was a holdover from the WWII martial law days in Hawaii.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at January 08, 2026 04:20 PM (/lPRQ)
Starlink recently moved hundreds, if not thousands, of satellites to new orbits so that they'd deorbit more quickly. China would have to make all the near-earth orbits to take down Starlink. There's a reason they're building their own networks.
Posted by: Archimedes at January 08, 2026 04:20 PM (Riz8t)
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:17 PM (GyQIQ)
Give it two years and Elon will be launching a fleet of space garbage trucks that sweep along in the same orbit as the commsats, collect anything that isn't a "Friendly", grind it up, and either deorbit it, or pulverize it.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at January 08, 2026 04:20 PM (06Hmj)
Posted by: The Dark Lord at January 08, 2026 04:20 PM (DBAaD)
Just curious, has anyone really gotten a job through it?
—
I have. A couple of times.
Also one indirectly as someone I worked with previously, got in touch with me on LI who then hooked me up with someone that was looking to hire.
If you just use it for its original intent, a career networking platform, and avoid all the bullshit, it is useful.
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:21 PM (/HZvU)
Posted by: mrp at January 08, 2026 04:21 PM (rj6Yv)
Just curious, has anyone really gotten a job through it?
Posted by: Helena Handbasket
===============
My friends and I who said Yes to LinkedIn job alerts only ever got emails for jobs where hundreds had already applied (the app admits to 100+, which is probably a couple hundred at least) or the job had been taken down.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 08, 2026 04:21 PM (Uo+RY)
===
And that is why the eu is so hostile to Musk. They know their time is about up and musk will keep the revolutionaries in information.
Posted by: Jukin the Deplorable and Totally Unserious at January 08, 2026 04:09 PM (xvV+O)
Have Starlink phones shipped yet?
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 04:21 PM (ExV1e)
And that can close space travel entirely for a goodly while due to the debris field.
I think the odds are low, but they're non-zero and it would be one hell of a black swan.
Posted by: Joe Mannix
China, like the old USSR, figures command of space is a critical industry and that is why they are aiming at the Moon, space stations, etc. I don't think they will do it. Likewise the Russians have a lot more to lose from it than gain. Iran is not Russia nor was Venezuela. They have their ass overcommitted enough in Ukraine as to not cause the entire world to want them dead by pulling shit like that.
Iran, I think doesn't have the means anymore to do that. Launching missiles will tend to bring on the IDF in short order. A perchlorate plant blew up this week and the US alos just stopped a Chicom ship and destroyed the missile components at sea and dumped them.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:21 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: dagny at January 08, 2026 04:21 PM (ILGo9)
Posted by: torabora at January 08, 2026 04:22 PM (MkFn4)
Careful people! This is where we need to apply the "Wait 48 hours, ask Paul Krugman, and reverse the answer" rule!
Posted by: Ray Van Dune at January 08, 2026 04:22 PM (FpP3s)
----------
"Inverse Cramer Fund" It's an "autopilot" thing.... not managed. It out performed Pelosi's version... which I think is not her "actual" portfolio.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 08, 2026 04:22 PM (NwnyJ)
Posted by: My history professor at January 08, 2026 04:22 PM (1M7sl)
Looks to me like it's time for an IRS audit
Posted by: It's me donna at January 08, 2026 04:22 PM (VE6XX)
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 04:10 PM (t/2Uw)
Sad that so many will die. Hopefully the security forces are put down with a vengeance.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 04:23 PM (ExV1e)
Posted by: Chairman LMAO at January 08, 2026 04:23 PM (36PRH)
http://tiny.cc/tudx001
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!)
You realize that by posting that, you've delayed Ace's next thread.
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 08, 2026 04:23 PM (vzcgi)
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 08, 2026 04:23 PM (zZu0s)
Careful people! This is where we need to apply the "Wait 48 hours, ask Paul Krugman, and reverse the answer" rule!
Posted by: Ray Van Dune at January 08, 2026 04:22 PM (FpP3s)
======
Doesn't matter. The mullahs are already looking for a new capital site because Tehran is running out of water.
Posted by: mrp at January 08, 2026 04:23 PM (rj6Yv)
Posted by: Oldcat
About half of my undergraduate economics professors were either public choice or Austrians, the other half were left or commies. My economic degree though came from the business school rather than liberal arts which skewed the percentages.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:24 PM (WDjG6)
I have. A couple of times.
Also one indirectly as someone I worked with previously, got in touch with me on LI who then hooked me up with someone that was looking to hire.
If you just use it for its original intent, a career networking platform, and avoid all the bullshit, it is useful.
Posted by: Really??
=============
That's great!
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 08, 2026 04:24 PM (Uo+RY)
Posted by: torabora at January 08, 2026 04:24 PM (MkFn4)
You realize that by posting that, you've delayed Ace's next thread.
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 08, 2026 04:23 PM (vzcgi)
Why? Busty, yes. Lesbian? The jury is out on that one.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:24 PM (Zz0t1)
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 08, 2026 04:23 PM (vzcgi)
Oh, only by like thirty seconds or so, it's no big deal.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at January 08, 2026 04:24 PM (06Hmj)
Iranian Regime TV showing Tucker Carlson
https://tinyurl.com/3mjvd5j3
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 04:24 PM (t/2Uw)
Iran, I think doesn't have the means anymore to do that. Launching missiles will tend to bring on the IDF in short order. A perchlorate plant blew up this week and the US alos just stopped a Chicom ship and destroyed the missile components at sea and dumped them.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:21 PM (WDjG6)
++++
I don't think Iran is a risk. I agree with you on Red China and Russia, and suspect that's the thought process there. But even if Starlink can remain up, closing off space launch ability by filling the sky with trash would be a hell of a thing to do. "Last act of a desperate man" territory, but that's why they're black swans!
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:25 PM (GyQIQ)
Tariffs are far more transparent.
Posted by: whig
------------------
Yes, VAT is just a hidden tariff.
not "like" a tariff, it *is* a tariff and why I think Trump went too easy on the EU.
Posted by: bob (moron incognitus) at January 08, 2026 04:25 PM (bIWgk)
Posted by: thug dolphin at January 08, 2026 04:25 PM (EyfuW)
Posted by: Opinion fact at January 08, 2026 04:25 PM (KDPiq)
My econ professor in college was an admitted, overt, communist.
____________
Was your astronomy professor a geocentric?
Communism is supposed to be scientific, but if a scientist ran the same experiment over and over and it failed every time the same way, you'd think he may conclude the hypothesis was wrong.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 08, 2026 04:25 PM (tgvbd)
Don't under estimate the social influence of a fire hose in Minnisomalia in the winter.
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 08, 2026 04:25 PM (nAS9C)
*strokes feline companion pussy*
Posted by: Nobel Winner and Enron Advisor Paul Krugman at January 08, 2026 04:25 PM (wVcYX)
===
Two other guys are there for the playoff run then lsu. One is OL coach. Other is linebacker coach i think.
Posted by: My history professor at January 08, 2026 04:25 PM (1M7sl)
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:25 PM (GyQIQ)
======
Space is...big.
Taking out thousands of satellites in a giant constellation across the entire planet would take thousands of missiles hitting their targets precisely.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (GBKbO)
I'm old enough to remember when breaking through $30M/mo was outrageous and scary. But that was so last century.
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/BOPGSTB
Posted by: illiniwek at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (vbXSk)
Not ridiculous like those Biden balloons.
Posted by: torabora at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (MkFn4)
Iranian Regime TV showing Tucker Carlson
https://tinyurl.com/3mjvd5j3
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 04:24 PM (t/2Uw)
Why, I bet they don't even pay for broadcast rights.
Posted by: Kindltot at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (rbvCR)
Posted by: My history professor at January 08, 2026 04:25 PM (1M7sl)
Fagz.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (Zz0t1)
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (/HZvU)
It just 5 years and now look at our economy
And Trump is taking credit for the plan he stole from Joe "Wolf of Wall Street" Biden...????
Posted by: Jackson K. at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (J9q9v)
Communism is supposed to be scientific, but if a scientist ran the same experiment over and over and it failed every time the same way, you'd think he may conclude the hypothesis was wrong.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 08, 2026 04:25 PM (tgvbd)
======
I recently learned that Communist China outlawed birds at one point.
It didn't turn out well.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (GBKbO)
It didn't turn out well.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (GBKbO)
How the hell do you do that?
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:27 PM (Zz0t1)
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 08, 2026 04:25 PM (nAS9C)
====
So far, the ICE guys facing the protestors look bored.
Posted by: mrp at January 08, 2026 04:27 PM (rj6Yv)
—
I’m old enough to remember when $1B was a lot of money. That was like 1995. lol.
Now $1B for the govt is a rounding error.
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (/HZvU)
Yes, VAT is just a hidden tariff.
not "like" a tariff, it *is* a tariff and why I think Trump went too easy on the EU.
I am still wondering why Libertarians, who have a hard-on for the "Fair Tax" (effectively a very high VAT with lots of cut-outs) but lost their drug-addled minds on the tariff which is a high consumption tax on foreign goods.
Apparently they love taxing everything no matter where it comes from.
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (nAS9C)
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (vzcgi)
Posted by: dagny
That is where their predictive model breaks down. They consider economies as static (because dynamic models are quite frankly beyond macro right now overall) so a reduced trade deficit means less goods coming in and less competition and thus higher prices in the future. Ceterus paribus.
Where it fall short is what the effect of US deportations of at least two million hungry mouths, what is the effect of onshoring using robotics, etc. rather than cheap Chicom or global labor, what is the effect of shorter supply chains, etc. etc. etc.
To these macro types, generally the pie is fixed, a change in one slice must result in the other pie slices being reshuffled. Not a bigger pie.
That is the difference between a useful predictive model rather than the lame ass descriptive models after the fact.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (WDjG6)
It didn't turn out well.
They also mandated blast furnaces in everyone's backyard. That turned out about as well as you'd expect.
Posted by: Archimedes at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (Riz8t)
==
Global khalifate And Globalism do have something in common dont they. They dont mind everyone wearing trashbags if they can administer the trashbag state and collect the goodies.
Posted by: Beauracrats dont have ideology beyond self interest at January 08, 2026 04:15 PM (1M7sl)
They prefer the trashbag wearing rather than the goodies. The problem they don't understand is they can't administer even a trashbag state properly and would be overturned and lined up and shot come the revolution they work to.
Posted by: Oldcat at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (8avO+)
Taking out thousands of satellites in a giant constellation across the entire planet would take thousands of missiles hitting their targets precisely.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (GBKbO)
Why, there's only one nation that can do something like that! ... Oh, right, it's us. Well that's good. Got worried there for a second.
Poland might be able to too soon if we keep selling Literally Everything to them. But they seem pretty chill. Should be fine.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (06Hmj)
It didn't turn out well.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (GBKbO)
How the hell do you do that?
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:27 PM (Zz0t1)
Well, you start by making a Reeeaaally big cage, then
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (pDt9x)
So a hung jury?
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (vzcgi)
I don't get it.......
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (Zz0t1)
I’m old enough to remember when $1B was a lot of money. That was like 1995. lol.
Now $1B for the govt is a rounding error.
Or a fraction of a PowerBall winning ticket.
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (nAS9C)
Space is...big.
Taking out thousands of satellites in a giant constellation across the entire planet would take thousands of missiles hitting their targets precisely.
A COUPLE OF ON ORBIT NUDETS WOULD WIPE ALMOST ALL BIRDS IN GEO-SYNC ORBIT..........
BUT ALSO DESTROY THEIR OWN ON ORBIT BIRDS...
Posted by: Jackson K. at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (rvNIn)
or maybe one satellite with a nice big laser weapon?
Posted by: illiniwek at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (vbXSk)
===
Cloony said he's leaving but that would be a lie.
Posted by: torabora at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (MkFn4)
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (gKWVE)
Posted by: thug dolphin at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (EyfuW)
It didn't turn out well.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (GBKbO)
How the hell do you do that?
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:27 PM (Zz0t1)
======
It was apparently some theory by a Russian that pigeons or some other bird were teaching crops bad things, that crops would grow better if China killed all the birds and prevented the passing of anti-communist propaganda from birds to plants (it was something shockingly close to that).
So, the directive came that they should all die. And the peasants went nuts killing them in cities and the country.
The bug population exploded in response.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: Sponge
======
Paid peasants to kill them. The wacked idea of Mao was that birds eat our crops and so must die. The thought of the birds going after insects, etc. never crossed his mind while he was cavorting with his harem.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: Angzarr the Cromulent at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (XMwZJ)
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 08, 2026 04:30 PM (vzcgi)
How the hell do you do that?
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:27 PM (Zz0t1)
____________
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliminate_Sparrows_campaign
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 08, 2026 04:30 PM (tgvbd)
The bug population exploded in response.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (GBKbO)
Well duh.
There's a reason China hasn't developed anything they didn't steal from The United States first.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:30 PM (Zz0t1)
or maybe one satellite with a nice big laser weapon?
Posted by: illiniwek at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (vbXSk)
======
Again...space is real big. It would take a long time, long enough to take out a few and then get hit by a missile.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:31 PM (GBKbO)
It didn't turn out well.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (GBKbO)
How the hell do you do that?
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:27 PM (Zz0t1)
Well, you start by making a Reeeaaally big cage, then
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (pDt9x)
----
A bird jail in every home!
Posted by: Chairman LMAO at January 08, 2026 04:31 PM (36PRH)
Posted by: tubal at January 08, 2026 04:31 PM (pDt9x)
Posted by: Oldcat at January 08, 2026 04:16 PM (8avO+)
LinkedIn is how I found out that my BIL is dead to me. I thought he was sane, unlike my sisters in law, but I was wrong.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 04:31 PM (ExV1e)
Posted by: Warai-otoko
=========
Poland and Hungary would be well served by going nuclear to protect their homelands. Both aren't that defensible from those to the West or Russia to the East.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:31 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: Really?? at January 08, 2026 04:08 PM (/HZvU)
Counterpoint:
Most famous question from Walter Williams for his Econ 611 (Graduate Microenomics) was "What do humans and flatworms have in common?"
Answer: "Both behave as though they are rational.
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at January 08, 2026 04:31 PM (zjgNU)
Posted by: Jackson K. at January 08, 2026 04:31 PM (rvNIn)
The bug population exploded in response.
==
Win win!!!
Posted by: Eat Ze Bugz!!! at January 08, 2026 04:31 PM (1M7sl)
See new posts
Conversation
Square profile picture
Visegrád 24
@visegrad24
BREAKING:
The Iranian anti-regime protesters in Tehran have now arrived to the Pirouzi street and are just a few hundred meters from the Central Command Staff of the IRGC near the Shahada Square in Tehran.
It's the IRGC's headquarters for the Iranian capital city.
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 08, 2026 04:31 PM (t/2Uw)
Posted by: Sponge
======
Paid peasants to kill them. The wacked idea of Mao was that birds eat our crops and so must die. The thought of the birds going after insects, etc. never crossed his mind while he was cavorting with his harem.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (WDjG6)
=====
One of the major reasons tens of millions of Chinese died in a few years under Mao.
Because science.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:31 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: Angzarr the Cromulent at January 08, 2026 04:32 PM (XMwZJ)
Obama gamed all this out. He can't believe it's lasted 20 years.
Posted by: torabora at January 08, 2026 04:32 PM (MkFn4)
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at January 08, 2026 04:32 PM (ExV1e)
Other birds are cool though.
Posted by: gKWVE at January 08, 2026 04:32 PM (gKWVE)
that should have been $30B
Posted by: illiniwek at January 08, 2026 04:32 PM (vbXSk)
Posted by: Sponge
-----------
Serious answer because the subject fascinates me and I have asked people involved how it could happen.
They had the peasants go around with bamboo poles and just harass them 24 hours a day never letting them rest until they dropped dead of exhaustion. They couldn't eat, sleep, or nest.
This is what you can do with 1.2 billion idiots who worship Mao. It seems much of the country is within bamboo pole distance of a loyal peasant.
Posted by: bob (moron incognitus) at January 08, 2026 04:33 PM (bIWgk)
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:31 PM (WDjG6)
Some days I swear we've already given Poland nuclear weapons and made them pinky swear to just not tell no one.
They have wayyyyy too much swagger for a non nuclear country that's spent 99% of the last three centuries being ruled by foreigners.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at January 08, 2026 04:33 PM (06Hmj)
Posted by: gKWVE
======
He is a dhimmi for pay nowadays. Might as well go trans as well.
I understand that becoming trans is pretty common surgery in Iran fwiw.
That way, he would not have to go gay like he claims we are supporting in Venezuela.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:33 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: Sock Monkey * sporting my Andrew Breitbart attitude at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (vzcgi)
***
This is about me isn't it...
Posted by: Peter North at January 08, 2026 04:34 PM (Bo9Yf)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliminate_Sparrows_campaign
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 08, 2026 04:30 PM (tgvbd)
Wow......
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:34 PM (Zz0t1)
become a "service economy" (I hate that term and still don't know what it is supposed to mean.)
I mow your yard and you mow mine.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at January 08, 2026 04:34 PM (pkeXY)
Posted by: bob (moron incognitus) at January 08, 2026 04:33 PM (bIWgk)
God damn, even a stupid little story about birds winds up being brutal and horrible.
Fuck China. Seriously, what a horrible place full of horrible people.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at January 08, 2026 04:35 PM (06Hmj)
Posted by: wth at January 08, 2026 04:35 PM (v0R5T)
They have wayyyyy too much swagger for a non nuclear country that's spent 99% of the last three centuries being ruled by foreigners.
Posted by: Warai-otoko
They are a country like Japan or Taiwan, Australia, Germany, or Canada that could go nuclear in a very short period of time if they liked. All have the engineering expertise and access to nuclear materials to do it. The science is fully developed at this point and I am sure that plans for making them have been gathered by most of the developed world by now.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:35 PM (WDjG6)
Taking out thousands of satellites in a giant constellation across the entire planet would take thousands of missiles hitting their targets precisely.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (GBKbO)
++++
Not really. LEO is easy to get to. Throw a big satellite up in Starlink path and blow it up. Stuff hits the debris fields and turns into more debris. Big smear of debris across LEO would be fairly straightforward - albeit in an "if I'm going down, you're all coming with me" way.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:35 PM (GyQIQ)
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:34 PM (Zz0t1)
You never read or heard about the Pests campaign? Or the Olds (which saw a lot of history destroyed.)
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 08, 2026 04:36 PM (zZu0s)
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 04:37 PM (HXT0k)
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:28 PM (WDjG6)
++++
They also all pretend that the other kind of deficit - fiscal deficits - have nothing to do with inflation.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:37 PM (GyQIQ)
Posted by: @SOEarpiece at January 08, 2026 04:38 PM (jc0TO)
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:35 PM (GyQIQ)
======
From my understanding of an astrophysicist watching the movie Gravity...nah, bruh. It don't really work like that. Space is way too big.
Plus, it's not like those satellites are stationary. They can maneuver.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:38 PM (GBKbO)
Posted by: Skip at January 08, 2026 04:38 PM (Ia/+0)
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 08, 2026 04:38 PM (zZu0s)
Posted by: Warai-otoko
======
Most Chinese keep their heads down because the new boss is usually just the same or worse than the old boss. The choice of warlordism, invasion of new tyrants, or centralized existing tyrants has been the curse of the Chinese civilization since its history began.
Communism, by displacing traditional Confucianism, added the corrupt veneer of a decadent ruling class as well and destroyed morality among the rest of the population like in other commie nations.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:38 PM (WDjG6)
That's about it.
Posted by: MAGA_Ken at January 08, 2026 04:39 PM (T3mTe)
I'm sad we're not getting to see the Pavement Sandwich Eating Contest.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 04:39 PM (HXT0k)
You never read or heard about the Pests campaign? Or the Olds (which saw a lot of history destroyed.)
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 08, 2026 04:36 PM (zZu0s)
Small town Texas public education in the 80's, I guess. However, the Catholic school in Illinois didn't say anything about that either. I'd never heard about that before.
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:39 PM (Zz0t1)
Posted by: Joe Mannix
That was when they changed GNP to GDP as a measure. GNP gave away the game.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:39 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Cancer at January 08, 2026 04:39 PM (Zz0t1)
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 08, 2026 04:40 PM (zZu0s)
He must've been the one who threw the water bottle.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at January 08, 2026 04:41 PM (HXT0k)
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at January 08, 2026 04:38 PM (zZu0s)
++++
Back in 2020, I figured they would. Japan and Korea at least - and probably Taiwan - *could* have nuclear weapons in fairly short order if they need to. They choose not to because nukes are an exorbitant cost center and a security nightmare. If you don't need them for either your own security or your own external ambitions, pursuing them is foolish in the extreme.
After The Steal, though, it would surprise me not at all if the countries in Asia that *could* do it but *hadn't* yet immediately took the next logical step. Whether they've actually built bombs or just put everything together in a place where they can be assembled rapidly is way outside my knowledge, but I can't imagine they took no action after what happened Over Here. Our nukes were their security umbrella, and it could no longer be counted on. Probably still can't be.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at January 08, 2026 04:42 PM (GyQIQ)
Posted by: thug dolphin at January 08, 2026 04:42 PM (EyfuW)
I'm sad we're not getting to see the Pavement Sandwich Eating Contest.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice
Some nutjob got shot in the face at close range with a pepperball by an ICE agent yesterday. Video is online if you care to dig for it.
Douchebag protester tried to grab the agent's pepperball gun (kind of like paintball gun). The left is showing the after affect in a still picture as an example of ICE terror. Instead, it shows the after effects of the dude in the whole confrontation video getting wrecked by the ICE agent teaching that sob a lesson. FAFO lesson.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:43 PM (WDjG6)
How the hell do you do that?
Posted by: Sponge
======
Paid peasants to kill them. The wacked idea of Mao was that birds eat our crops and so must die. The thought of the birds going after insects, etc. never crossed his mind while he was cavorting with his harem.
Posted by: whig
=============
The Four Pests campaign destroyed some significant part of agriculture for a few years. Central Planning ftl!
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 08, 2026 04:44 PM (Uo+RY)
Space is...big.
Taking out thousands of satellites in a giant constellation across the entire planet would take thousands of missiles hitting their targets precisely.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, barreling through the action thrills with Wolfgang Petersen at January 08, 2026 04:26 PM (GBKbO)
It wouldn't take thousands of missiles. Read up on the Kessler effect. It's a real concern and we're getting closer to it than ever due to the increase in these mega constellations.
Posted by: Farquad at January 08, 2026 04:45 PM (CFMhl)
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:45 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: Blonde Morticia
And yet curiously millions died. Communism is nothing more than putting deranged killers in charge of an economy. Those they do not kill directly are killed indirectly by the Commies stupid crusades.
Another stupid move by Mao was to order peasants to make steel in their backyards.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:47 PM (WDjG6)
Posted by: Joe Mannix
=====
Taiwan was part of the South Africa and Israel research group that led to a nuke being set off in south of S. Africa in the late eighties.
They have the plans, the nuke material, and the test knowledge from that action.
Reportedly Japan has the components but have never crossed the line to make one. Estimates back in the day was that Japan would probably take a week or two to assemble one.
Taiwan might take an additional couple of weeks as Japan actually reprocesses nuke fuel while I don't think Taiwan does.
Posted by: whig at January 08, 2026 04:51 PM (WDjG6)
BUT ALSO DESTROY THEIR OWN ON ORBIT BIRDS...
Posted by: Jackson K. at January 08, 2026 04:29 PM (rvNIn)
Few of these sats are up at GeoSync orbits, they are too high. New satellites are lower down like navigation satellites and rely on swapping between satellites
Posted by: Oldcat at January 08, 2026 04:54 PM (8avO+)
They have the plans, the nuke material, and the test knowledge from that action."
I'm glad to see you confirm that. I've heard rumors of such a thing for 30 years, but was never really sure. I had heard it was set off far at sea where no surveillance satellites at the time could spot it.
Posted by: Tom Servo at January 08, 2026 04:55 PM (uWKK8)
Posted by: thug dolphin at January 08, 2026 04:59 PM (EyfuW)
Posted by: @SOEarpiece at January 08, 2026 04:38 PM (jc0TO)
Like most scare stories from academia, they don't take into account that you could actually make devices that absorb space trash in orbit if there is money in it.
Posted by: Oldcat at January 08, 2026 04:59 PM (8avO+)
Posted by: Al in St. Louis at January 08, 2026 05:32 PM (pKne7)
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John Kerry's "Plan" Causes Surrender of Moqtada al-Sadr's Militia
World Muslim Leaders Apologize for Nick Berg's Beheading
Michael Moore Goes on Lunchtime Manhattan Death-Spree
Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears
Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed"
Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility
Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips
They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan
Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq
Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town
When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool
What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means
Wonkette's Stand-Up Act
Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour
Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider
My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA
An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear
The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet
The House of Love: Paul Krugman
A Michael Moore Mystery (TM)
The Dowd-O-Matic!
Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
"Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long)
The Donkey ("The Raven" parody)