Because in 2019, Mexico had already agreed to provide and provided what Trump asked for yesterday. The really bad deal both Mexico/Canada had with the US according to Trump were deals he (Trump) previously had already made in his first administration. This from the author of "The Art of the Deal" which is ironic. Anyone watching the details knows it was just grandstanding to his base. What to take from this - Trump admitted he made a bad deal originally and then proceeded to make the exact same deal again and alienated the majority of Canadians in the process. A pause for a month on tariffs for both countries so he can grandstand or use tariffs as a distraction for some other mania 30 days from now.
I've bought a lot of popcorn and scroll headlines of the daily goings on. I had a bag Motorola..wonder if maybe the SB is selling less is due to it being in Not-so-safe or attractive New Orleans. We used to love going there, but went 1 year ago. It'll be the last trip for us.
I'd put it a bit more neutrally than Kevin bc that's my role but the 2019 article talks about how Mexico was sending 15,000 troops to the border. Now they're promising to send 10,000. In fairness I don't know if they've had troops there the whole time. But it does seem like you could get them to do this without saber rattling over tariffs and upending a lot of small and medium sized businesses in the process.
A smidge more neutral, what small and midsized businesses were disrupted by the tariffs that didn't get imposed?
It seems the press are nothing but boogie men lately. Doing everything they can to sell the negative future possibilities of every action, real or proposed by the current administration.
Its going to be a long four years. I just can't stop getting baited into defending a guy I don't like.
So we should be worried about Canadian businesses? Trump's been clear he's following an America first policy.
A business in Ottawa buying furniture from the US is not harmed by a US tariff on imports. They are worried about Canada imposing a tariff in retaliation.
Retaliation like canceling a deal with Starlink to provide rural internet access to underserved citizens. Did those citizens vote for that kind of representation? The same political games prevented many US citizens from receiving internet access and left billions unallocated from the Infrastructure bill.
The point of these tariffs is to bring industry back to the US. That benefits US workers. If tariffs didn't light this inflation fire in 2018, why are they blowing all this smoke now?
The US imports oil from Canada as a gift to Canada and to claim we are greener than we are. We can drill our own oil, shorten the path to our refineries and quit fighting over pipelines.
Removing US liquors from Canadian government shelves. We have to wait and see who complains first, Jack Daniels or Canadians.
China withholding rare metals from the US? OK, until they invade Taiwan.
Anyone reading this on an iPhone? That IP should have never left our shore and those Chinese workers should have ever died. None of those things like Tiananmen square were resolved on the international level and Chinas crimes are glossed over for the sake of profits. Profits for corporations that sent US jobs overseas.
The point I consistently try to make here, is quit being blinded by the hatred generated by your parties media platforms. Look beyond the scary, scary from the left or right and focus on what is meaningful in your life. If forced to form an opinion because someone stuck something in your face, then think critically about the source and what narrative they are trying to push.
Is there a talking head telling you what you should think about what someone said? Why aren't they showing you what was said? Why is it a short clip not showing the question, or cutting off the answer?
Bill,
With your background and writing talent, you have an opportunity to defuse this nonsense. Start a conversation on meaningful changes, rather than media narratives.
As for outing myself. I see nothing to gain. I'm sorry others haven't taken steps to protect their data.
I had an early cell phone. A Motorola 'flip'. I was driving a taxi that belonged to a friend. He'd taken a fare to Tel Aviv ( from Jerusalem) & once in Tel Aviv saw an ad for a newspaper on a billboard. "Take out a subscription for a year & get a free cell phone." So he took out 2 subscriptions, 1 for himself & 1 for me. I remember him calling me (at home) telling me he'd be late, not to worry, no matter what time he might show up. He wouldn't elaborate.
Eventually he showed up with the taxi kitted out with a holder for the phone & explained all.
The whole thing was very exciting, because it was relatively new. ( it also turned out to be quite profitable).
I was a blackberry holdout until I was forced to switch because I couldn't see how you could type accurately on an iPhone. I guess I was one of the people reluctant to change.
How about a poll option of "I watch closely but don't get too concerned about the noise coming out of Washington". I don't find myself thrilled or aghast.
I wish I had more polling choices, I was limited to 5. But I liked the idea of not having a purely neutral one. Is anyone really 100% just sitting back, no opinion?
I believe you can't have an opinion once you are exposed to something. That said, I believe the majority of press is owned by a small group of elites that lean hard left. Not due to a strong political belief, but due to that causing the greatest friction, which translates into heat, which creates clicks, or sells papers as they used to say.
American's love some good drama.
So opinions are too often based on headlines and click through's. Critical thought and curiosity are rare traits in our society that can't imagine itself without two opposing parties.
I am very curious who you are. I can't see anyone's actual name or email behind the comments like this. If you want to out yourself or send me a note let me know! bill@understandably.com.
You should watch the movie Blackberry, which is about how the phone started. It's hilarious and also shows how they went down the tubes because they didn't think the iPhone was going to be any competition cuz no one would want to type on a screen!
Back in around '92/'93, my wife bought my first mobile phone as a present. We were the very definition of dirt poor but she made it work. Upfront £50 and I can't remember the monthly cost. But it came with 15 minutes free air time! No texts as they hadn't invented that yet.Still have it though it doesn't work now. Oh, the SIM card is the size of a credit card.
I got my first cell phone in 1986. As a sales engineer, I remember the joy of no longer having to use the drive-up pay phones (which were a Godsend when those came out).
On the poll: None of the selections describe my position: Watching closely and waiting for it to play out.
I had one of the bag phones with a battery brick in my car the late 80s for work. Was never happier to get rid of that and have one installed in my car. Moved to digital hand phones in ‘96. Had a Treo smart phone, then a crackberry until I switched to the iPhone 4. I call my iPhone 16 pro my Swiss Army phone.
My husband and I were not going to get cells phones period. We didn’t need to carry around a phone. They belonged at home. Well, 20 years later, we have no home landline and we can’t put the dang things down!
Washington — scary, crazy, embarrassing, lots of other thoughts. But, I don’t trust it anymore so I’m not reading. Whatever happens today will change tomorrow. No law, no trust.
My dad was an engineer and loved technology. He bought a bag phone in the late 1980's and he and my mom used it a bunch that first month. Mostly to tell my sister, "We're here in the driveway!" when they came over unannounced to see my newborn nephew. That stopped really quick when my dad got the sky high bill that charged for every single call. 😳 Unlimited plans are a gift from the heavens 😁
My husband's job with a cell phone carrier transferred us from Ohio to Maryland in 2001. His new job? A risky new concept: In short, developing technology so people could get emails on their "mobile" phones (what we called them then). Funny! Turns out people liked it.
It was May 1984 and an old friend came to my husband’s graduation. We were catching up on life and the long time friend said he was just beginning a new job of selling mobile phones. This was my first introduction to the concept of cell phones.
Regarding cell phones: my first was an installed car phone in Dayton, Ohio in 1989. The phone and installation was free, including the briefcase-sized head end unit bolted into the trunk. They got you on the 35-cents-per-minute airtime charges. It adds up quickly, especially when calls dropped all the time because the cell tower infrastructure was primitive then. The only time I have been an early-adopter...
Regarding political news, I ignore most of it because it reminds me of an incandescent light bulb -- 95% heat and 5% light. As Harry Truman famously said, most problems coming down the road at you will run off into the ditch on their own. And, most initial reports on anything are generally unreliable. I like to wait until the dust settles and I have facts before I make up my mind. I'm not a military first responder any more so I don't have to make snap decisions with incomplete information -- it's great.
Forgot to add a thought on Christopher Walken -- I like Walken's work and his quirky personality; no phone and no watch fits in perfectly with what I think he is like in real life. To be fair though, if I had an agent, a publicist and a manager, I wouldn't need a cell phone or a watch either. A fella can dream...
In 2003, I finally got my first cell phone. I was going to make the 12 hour drive from NY to MI and thought it would be good to have on hand. For February in NY, the weather was exceptionally mild the day of my departure. I remember being in a T-shirt as I loaded the car. I did not check the weather for the journey, but planned to give updates on my status via the new cell phone. Well, I unwittingly drove right into the "North American blizzard of 2003." Twenty inches of snow. And being new to cell phones, I had not sufficiently charged the darn thing and I did not have a car charger. (I also did not have a shovel or appropriate outerwear.) My 12 hour drive spanned to 18 hours and I couldn't do a thing with my new piece of technology. Lesson learned.
In the mid 90s, my co-worker had a cell phone. He somehow accidentally locked it and had to use his desk phone to call the service provider to ask them how to unlock it so he could make a call. It was pretty funny!
Hearing the name Christopher Walken always reminds me of "Blast From the Past." What a perfect movie for him considering what I just read about his aversion to technology :-).
I read headlines and listen to people when they talk about what's going on. But me, myself, I try to ignore him altogether.
Why does the paragraph on tariffs link to a Reuters piece from 2019?
Because in 2019, Mexico had already agreed to provide and provided what Trump asked for yesterday. The really bad deal both Mexico/Canada had with the US according to Trump were deals he (Trump) previously had already made in his first administration. This from the author of "The Art of the Deal" which is ironic. Anyone watching the details knows it was just grandstanding to his base. What to take from this - Trump admitted he made a bad deal originally and then proceeded to make the exact same deal again and alienated the majority of Canadians in the process. A pause for a month on tariffs for both countries so he can grandstand or use tariffs as a distraction for some other mania 30 days from now.
I've bought a lot of popcorn and scroll headlines of the daily goings on. I had a bag Motorola..wonder if maybe the SB is selling less is due to it being in Not-so-safe or attractive New Orleans. We used to love going there, but went 1 year ago. It'll be the last trip for us.
I'd put it a bit more neutrally than Kevin bc that's my role but the 2019 article talks about how Mexico was sending 15,000 troops to the border. Now they're promising to send 10,000. In fairness I don't know if they've had troops there the whole time. But it does seem like you could get them to do this without saber rattling over tariffs and upending a lot of small and medium sized businesses in the process.
A smidge more neutral, what small and midsized businesses were disrupted by the tariffs that didn't get imposed?
It seems the press are nothing but boogie men lately. Doing everything they can to sell the negative future possibilities of every action, real or proposed by the current administration.
Its going to be a long four years. I just can't stop getting baited into defending a guy I don't like.
I'd heard a lot anecdotally. But here's a quick google:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/ottawa-business-says-customer-cancelled-a-25000-order-because-of-potential-tariffs/
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadians-cancel-trips-ban-american-booze-after-trumps-tariffs-2025-02-03/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/hamilton-trade-war-impacts-1.7448494
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/ontario-ford-cancels-starlink-contract-us-tariffs/63652484
So we should be worried about Canadian businesses? Trump's been clear he's following an America first policy.
A business in Ottawa buying furniture from the US is not harmed by a US tariff on imports. They are worried about Canada imposing a tariff in retaliation.
Retaliation like canceling a deal with Starlink to provide rural internet access to underserved citizens. Did those citizens vote for that kind of representation? The same political games prevented many US citizens from receiving internet access and left billions unallocated from the Infrastructure bill.
The point of these tariffs is to bring industry back to the US. That benefits US workers. If tariffs didn't light this inflation fire in 2018, why are they blowing all this smoke now?
The US imports oil from Canada as a gift to Canada and to claim we are greener than we are. We can drill our own oil, shorten the path to our refineries and quit fighting over pipelines.
Removing US liquors from Canadian government shelves. We have to wait and see who complains first, Jack Daniels or Canadians.
China withholding rare metals from the US? OK, until they invade Taiwan.
Anyone reading this on an iPhone? That IP should have never left our shore and those Chinese workers should have ever died. None of those things like Tiananmen square were resolved on the international level and Chinas crimes are glossed over for the sake of profits. Profits for corporations that sent US jobs overseas.
The point I consistently try to make here, is quit being blinded by the hatred generated by your parties media platforms. Look beyond the scary, scary from the left or right and focus on what is meaningful in your life. If forced to form an opinion because someone stuck something in your face, then think critically about the source and what narrative they are trying to push.
Is there a talking head telling you what you should think about what someone said? Why aren't they showing you what was said? Why is it a short clip not showing the question, or cutting off the answer?
Bill,
With your background and writing talent, you have an opportunity to defuse this nonsense. Start a conversation on meaningful changes, rather than media narratives.
As for outing myself. I see nothing to gain. I'm sorry others haven't taken steps to protect their data.
I had an early cell phone. A Motorola 'flip'. I was driving a taxi that belonged to a friend. He'd taken a fare to Tel Aviv ( from Jerusalem) & once in Tel Aviv saw an ad for a newspaper on a billboard. "Take out a subscription for a year & get a free cell phone." So he took out 2 subscriptions, 1 for himself & 1 for me. I remember him calling me (at home) telling me he'd be late, not to worry, no matter what time he might show up. He wouldn't elaborate.
Eventually he showed up with the taxi kitted out with a holder for the phone & explained all.
The whole thing was very exciting, because it was relatively new. ( it also turned out to be quite profitable).
I was a blackberry holdout until I was forced to switch because I couldn't see how you could type accurately on an iPhone. I guess I was one of the people reluctant to change.
How about a poll option of "I watch closely but don't get too concerned about the noise coming out of Washington". I don't find myself thrilled or aghast.
I wish I had more polling choices, I was limited to 5. But I liked the idea of not having a purely neutral one. Is anyone really 100% just sitting back, no opinion?
I believe you can't have an opinion once you are exposed to something. That said, I believe the majority of press is owned by a small group of elites that lean hard left. Not due to a strong political belief, but due to that causing the greatest friction, which translates into heat, which creates clicks, or sells papers as they used to say.
American's love some good drama.
So opinions are too often based on headlines and click through's. Critical thought and curiosity are rare traits in our society that can't imagine itself without two opposing parties.
All hail the algorithm!
I assume my previous post, sent this gem to my screen.
https://www.openculture.com/2025/02/carl-sagan-predicts-the-decline-of-america-unable-to-know-whats-true.html
Now if I could just suss out which algorithm, I could worship it in all its glory. Are you there Google? It's me, Butters.
I am very curious who you are. I can't see anyone's actual name or email behind the comments like this. If you want to out yourself or send me a note let me know! bill@understandably.com.
You should watch the movie Blackberry, which is about how the phone started. It's hilarious and also shows how they went down the tubes because they didn't think the iPhone was going to be any competition cuz no one would want to type on a screen!
Back in around '92/'93, my wife bought my first mobile phone as a present. We were the very definition of dirt poor but she made it work. Upfront £50 and I can't remember the monthly cost. But it came with 15 minutes free air time! No texts as they hadn't invented that yet.Still have it though it doesn't work now. Oh, the SIM card is the size of a credit card.
I got my first cell phone in 1986. As a sales engineer, I remember the joy of no longer having to use the drive-up pay phones (which were a Godsend when those came out).
On the poll: None of the selections describe my position: Watching closely and waiting for it to play out.
Exactly
But no opinion one way or the other? Just curious. Thanks.
“No opinion” by definition means you are indifferent and/or do not care.
Obviously there’s a lot happening but I don’t universally agree or disagree.
https://open.substack.com/pub/luciantruscott/p/we-will-level-it?r=np4n&utm_medium=ios
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!!!???
I had one of the bag phones with a battery brick in my car the late 80s for work. Was never happier to get rid of that and have one installed in my car. Moved to digital hand phones in ‘96. Had a Treo smart phone, then a crackberry until I switched to the iPhone 4. I call my iPhone 16 pro my Swiss Army phone.
My husband and I were not going to get cells phones period. We didn’t need to carry around a phone. They belonged at home. Well, 20 years later, we have no home landline and we can’t put the dang things down!
Washington — scary, crazy, embarrassing, lots of other thoughts. But, I don’t trust it anymore so I’m not reading. Whatever happens today will change tomorrow. No law, no trust.
You missed one. Paying attention but knowing this would happen.
My dad was an engineer and loved technology. He bought a bag phone in the late 1980's and he and my mom used it a bunch that first month. Mostly to tell my sister, "We're here in the driveway!" when they came over unannounced to see my newborn nephew. That stopped really quick when my dad got the sky high bill that charged for every single call. 😳 Unlimited plans are a gift from the heavens 😁
My husband's job with a cell phone carrier transferred us from Ohio to Maryland in 2001. His new job? A risky new concept: In short, developing technology so people could get emails on their "mobile" phones (what we called them then). Funny! Turns out people liked it.
It was May 1984 and an old friend came to my husband’s graduation. We were catching up on life and the long time friend said he was just beginning a new job of selling mobile phones. This was my first introduction to the concept of cell phones.
Regarding cell phones: my first was an installed car phone in Dayton, Ohio in 1989. The phone and installation was free, including the briefcase-sized head end unit bolted into the trunk. They got you on the 35-cents-per-minute airtime charges. It adds up quickly, especially when calls dropped all the time because the cell tower infrastructure was primitive then. The only time I have been an early-adopter...
Regarding political news, I ignore most of it because it reminds me of an incandescent light bulb -- 95% heat and 5% light. As Harry Truman famously said, most problems coming down the road at you will run off into the ditch on their own. And, most initial reports on anything are generally unreliable. I like to wait until the dust settles and I have facts before I make up my mind. I'm not a military first responder any more so I don't have to make snap decisions with incomplete information -- it's great.
Forgot to add a thought on Christopher Walken -- I like Walken's work and his quirky personality; no phone and no watch fits in perfectly with what I think he is like in real life. To be fair though, if I had an agent, a publicist and a manager, I wouldn't need a cell phone or a watch either. A fella can dream...
In 2003, I finally got my first cell phone. I was going to make the 12 hour drive from NY to MI and thought it would be good to have on hand. For February in NY, the weather was exceptionally mild the day of my departure. I remember being in a T-shirt as I loaded the car. I did not check the weather for the journey, but planned to give updates on my status via the new cell phone. Well, I unwittingly drove right into the "North American blizzard of 2003." Twenty inches of snow. And being new to cell phones, I had not sufficiently charged the darn thing and I did not have a car charger. (I also did not have a shovel or appropriate outerwear.) My 12 hour drive spanned to 18 hours and I couldn't do a thing with my new piece of technology. Lesson learned.
In the mid 90s, my co-worker had a cell phone. He somehow accidentally locked it and had to use his desk phone to call the service provider to ask them how to unlock it so he could make a call. It was pretty funny!
Hearing the name Christopher Walken always reminds me of "Blast From the Past." What a perfect movie for him considering what I just read about his aversion to technology :-).