The United States(!) of A
flollo wrote:Furthermore, foreign countries do own a lot of US debt, but the majority is still owned domestically. 24% is owned by foreign entities (government and private). China owns 2.1% of the total US debt. It's significant, but this idea that they can kill the US is ludicrous. They could in theory sell all of it, but that would cause a meltdown across the whole globe and they themselves would get themselves into a massive trouble. What could bring down the US is if everyone got together at the same time and dumped bonds. But chances of that happening are very small.
Hi flollo!!
Maybe if they created a snowball effect and everybody started dumping, but given the self inflicted damage it would cause, you are correct saying there is very little chance.
Cheers!!
Yeah, true. We saw a glimpse of that on 'Liberation day'. It would be a massive undertaking, but nothing can be ruled out at this stage. On a good side, we could see AUD/USD improve slightly if US and China drive each other's currencies to the bottom. Flights to the US are also falling, a return trip from Sydney to LAX can be bought for $1200-$1300 AUD. That's not bad, I'll definitely be keen to get some bargain tickets and hopefully, cheaper goods in the US.
flollo wrote:It's important to note that not everyone is a fan of a strong USD. Many in Trump's circles would like to see USD drop and become more competitive for exports. China can't dump US bonds, as that would destroy Yuan/USD rate and hurt them as an exporting nation. They cultivated their currency devaluation for decades, they will certainly not give up on it overnight.
This is a big part of the discussion between Gillian Tett and Ezra Klein I posted yesterday. The three main factions around Trump have different goals. My read is that he's trying to use them all for his aims and they're doing the same with him for theirs. And the result is what we're seeing, with little coherence, because trump is a dumb idiot.
flollo wrote:Yeah, true. We saw a glimpse of that on 'Liberation day'. It would be a massive undertaking, but nothing can be ruled out at this stage. On a good side, we could see AUD/USD improve slightly if US and China drive each other's currencies to the bottom. Flights to the US are also falling, a return trip from Sydney to LAX can be bought for $1200-$1300 AUD. That's not bad, I'll definitely be keen to get some bargain tickets and hopefully, cheaper goods in the US.
There is a definite drop in tourism to the USA.
There are reports of tourists being detained in prisons for up to three weeks by overzealous immigration officials. An Australian MMA instructor among them.
A letter in the Traveller section of the Age last Saturday was from a gentleman who travelled Cathay Pacific to JFK via Hong Kong as it was the cheapest fare he could get. He was detained and interrogated for several hours before being returned home. Immigration officials determined his route to the USA via Hong Kong was suspicious.
His ultimate destination was Florida where he was to board a cruise. He missed the cruise and unfortunately his $15000 fare was not refunded.
A good lesson in how to destroy you tourist industry along with the rest of your economy.
I also understand Trump refuses to have a US citizen deported to El Salvador's high security prison, returned to the USA and his family, despite a federal court order.
Stay away from the USA, you just don't know where you'll finish up.
Yeah, it's something to think about. Although Australia is not any better. My worst border experience was actually in Australia. My phone was taken away from me, searched. I was held for hours etc..They let me go in the end as there was nothing wrong. I still to this day don't know what their suspicion was. The US is usually super easy but I understand there are challenges now. We'll see how the situation develops.
There might be more behind this story than is being reported but this guy had a shocker trying to return to the US and his girlfriend plus apartment.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/11/australian-with-us-worki...
Big mistake saying he lived there if he only had a working visa as opposed to a green card.
They used to look out for similar slip-ups when I was going in and out of the country working on boats 15 years ago.
If you flew in with all your papers in order and said you were joining a foreign-flagged vessel which was going to leave the U.S., then no problems.
If you made the mistake of saying, even innocently, that you were going to work in the U.S. then you were probably in for a lengthy interrogation and possibly a deportion.
So similarly with this fella in the Guardian article, careless use of language can sink you big time.
The U.S. had been touchy about this sort of stuff for a long time although of course some customs officers are going to be swinging their dicks a bit more now.
It’s hard to differentiate between just short term tourists and people on different visas. How much of a trouble would a normal tourist, visiting for a couple of weeks, have? I did see some horror stories in this scenario as well but it’s very hard to understand the magnitude of the problem.
"How much of a trouble would a normal tourist, visiting for a couple of weeks, have?"
Very little I expect, but if they mentioned the words 'living' or "work", or if any job-related stuff was found on them, then they'd probably be done.
Apart from Homeland Security, U.S. consulates around the world are very strict about screening for this sort of thing before giving out visas.
Why would an Australian wanna speak into the USA??
Think it would be the other way.... :)
Aussie Aussie Aussie oi oi oi....
Ai start up review
Ai is the forerunner in heating up the planet more than People & lead wasteful manufacturing industries.
eg: Just to make a 2kg Lap Top obliterates & depletes 800kg of Blue Planet Life source.
Now ya plug it in > turn it on...stand back...a bit further ...here's the current safe computing distance...
Trump : "We need to invade yer under-utilized Icelandic country to run the Presidential Ai TikTok!"
Now it pays to consider this is only the beginning.
New Ai searches command 10x the Electricity extra upon a Human engaged Computer search action.
2012 Ai Hubs = 500,000
2024 Ai Hubs = 8,000,000
Tech Research is naturally not favoured or funded...Employees dare not search [ Ai Climate Impacts ]
In other words only UN do gooder hacks are playing catch up to prop up past 5 >10 year effects.
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/ai-has-environmental-problem...
These do gooders reckon Ai will self govern & exempt it's own Climate Impact = Fake Exam Results!
https://www.stockholmresilience.org/download/18.889aab4188bda3f44912a32/...
These are all past measures and barely relate to next 10 -20yrs or Climate predictions.
2011 > 2021 Spain Data centre increased workers office Temp by 6 degrees.
eg : NSW exhausts all it's experts on how to cool down their Slave Labor Reffo Camp
https://wsroc.com.au/heat-smart-newsletter/artificial-intelligence-the-c...
So just forget about any Oz Ai revolution in hot climates of large deserts
Data Centre Waters / Lakes / Inshore Seas
Requires constant Cooler Intake 19* dropping to 16* > Ai needing more + colder intake supply
In return releasing increasingly warmer 23* to now 28* > 30 degrees increasingly hotter with Ai .
5 years ago > enough to heat Endless Summer 28* UK / Paris Olympic Pools + NZ wave pool
https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/sustainability/paris-2024-excess-dat...
Inshore 30* waters in near some Japan Ai Centres breed Tropical Fish
These Cable Stations (Shoreline) Waters heat more so, as several undersea cables meet.
Concerns of warming waters / estuarine changes
Cables often expose as they / enter - exit shoreline & [Signs] often Warn Undersea cable Zone.
Past cables heat around 40 cm from cable skin > up to a metre depending on sea floor gravel < > Sands.
Also if Cables are cut and pulses along sea floor...Yes it heats water but closer to multi cabled Hubs.
However these new Ai GPU Graphic Processing Unit cables generate much more heat.
Also the current need for 10x of Standard Cable Data...
Either way by more cables or more powerful cable it's gonna heat inshore Hubs a lot more & soon.
Repeating that Authorities are most concerned of these seaports...
Consider these Hubs hog the only Prime Sea Shore Parks large enough to support transition Towers.
As Govt Defence resource live Weather > Plans of Attack these cables get hot...
Deeper sea trenches > Colder on land banks > Perhaps as tbb said > hugging long Gas Pipeline runs .
All help speed things along with minimum data loss.
Nearly all Data centres boss premium Lakeside> Harbour Views > Seachange burbs.
The Govts subsidize Big Tech Seachange bully takeover by driving up yer Stamp Duty / Power Bills.
Many Ai Nuked Cities gotta pay 5x higher power bills for their Bully Yuppie Tech Neighbours
Here's a Typical sliding Ai scale of Resource Costs / Premium Subsidies
Global Ai Shit Fucked Yuppie Darlings Seachange Energy Zapping Diet
(*Approx Transient-Peak Hub Cbd > Not nation wide)
Extra 15% West Sydney Slave Labour Reffo Camp
Extra 35% Tech Gurus Island Hub (Ireland's Tech Tax Haven)
*Extra 60% NATO 5 eyes Port Hubs ( Japan / Nordic EU)
*Extra 70% Ukraine ( Ai Palantir Killing Field > Mine the Drop!)
Extra 100% Israel (Ai Palantir Genocidal War Crime Casino Resort)
This last one of 100% = (Bomb Energy = Israel Electricity Grid + Vehicles per year)
So not entire Energy Shipping / Cargo + other Precincts
Basically by Harnessing the Bomb Energy would pay for Householders Energy / Car Bills.
Not that these Monsters would care to know about that deal..so forget any trade off...not happy Jan!
(Global ai Water Requirement) Start Up > Infancy years...
Ai 2023 = 29 bn litres water / yr > ( 23 bn litres (75%) is evaporated )
Ai 2028 = 280 bn litres water / yr ( tenfold increase) Size of 35-40m Pop Nation (Canada)
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2304.03271
US have already exhausted their Ai Land / Water resources... (See tbb's recent companion report)
Also ransom Nuked Cities to subsidize Tech / Defence Bills > Ai Nuke Subs / Drones / Bombs
Exactly > Jewish Tech Nukes > Palantir > Aukus Nukes all bankrolling Dutto's 7 deadly sins!
All these Pollies neglect to inform each nation needs 10x Ai power above Human output.
It's never about wotz cheapest power for our houses...that was accomplished long ago.
They only need us customers so they can buck pass 10x larger Data Hub Bills onto us suckers!
*Ai the First 5-10 years (Recap)
Progressively Cooler 10x Water intake releasing 6 degree increasingly more warmer water and air.
Currently sourcing & exhausting the energy of a 10m Nation + sucking Water of 35m nation.
US Ai Deletes Palestine + Crashes & Uploads Greenland for their Tech Gurus Ai expansion plans.
https://www.channelpronetwork.com/2025/02/14/the-us-wants-greenland-is-a...
Agnostic Gazillionaire Rainbow Yuppies bend over for their heap'n' help'n of Televangelist's Rod of God
Signing 20 year Nuke contracts to power Devil Clouds subsidized by US East Coast Nuke Customers
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/tech-companies-signing-nuclear-deals-2...
We & our Blue Planet are well and truly fucked aren't we...well durr!
Crew can & need to choose own ending...varies more so the larger Ai pans out!
https://www.reuters.com/world/biden-xi-agreed-that-humans-not-ai-should-...
https://www.cnas.org/press/press-release/the-ai-nuclear-nexus-new-cnas-r...
https://www.icanw.org/are_there_specific_international_agreements_about_...
Holy See (vs) Ai Devil
https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/holy-see-warns-global-nuc...
tbb did ask Ai what are the "Unforeseen consequences in Stopping Ai"
Well The computer answers by Multiple Choice of potentially perceived end game scenarios
Like no Robot Doctor to save ya from swallowing a potentially fatal ai pill...it dreams up shitty answers!
Like a Robot Driver will save more fuel than your wife's lead footed red stiletto caught under #@*%
There are plenty of Groups campaigning against Ai...tbb exampled the Holy see!
But also know Oz Govt was quick to ban Chinese Ai as being #1 Threat to our existence...likely to kill us!
Chinese govt tells airlines not to go with US aircraft….Trump cries “they are trying to blackmail us.” For a smart guy he really is a dumbass.
For a bunch of peasants they sure are getting into his head.
“ they are trying to blackmail us “
…the inconvenient “they” versus the convenient “they”
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.
&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD
Robert F Kennedy Jr's wife is Cheryl from Curb Your Enthusiasm ...???
And his boss was the lead from The Apprentice ;)
- wonder who is writing and directing their current project ?
Still got entertainment value…
- just not sure if it’s a comedy / action adventure or simple drama ‘based’ on not so true stories.
Fun to watch though, pity bout the ratings ;)
Mileikowsky and the minions.
Foreign interference?
…nothing to see hear ;)
?si=uWuUCwmQ9QHU7wLP The Wall Street Journal reports the cost to Apple for parts for the Iphone 16 pro is approximately US$580 with assembly costing approximately US$30 and retails for $1099.
The parts cost was a surprise as I thought it would be lower than the US$580.
Bring back manufacturing to the US would take Apple approximately 3-5 years to build production facilities and train staff.
The labor for US staff would rise to approximately US$3500 per phone… up from US$30, an increase of $3470 per phone.
That would be US$580 in parts and uS$3500 to assemble making an Iphone 16 pro US$4080 complete ready for sale….then you add margins and taxes!
US$4080 = AUS$7561.
It’s great Trump is a smart guy with a well thought out plan.
tearymasseuse wrote:“ they are trying to blackmail us “
…the inconvenient “they” versus the convenient “they”
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.
youtube.com/watch?v=rVPauUOVrmk
youtube.com/watch?v=5Q9UF0Tstww&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD
I’m sure you know what you are trying to say.
“ Blackmail has long been a fundamental tool in the arsenal of intelligence agencies, allowing them to manipulate political figures, corporate executives, and global policymakers. While kompromat has been used by many intelligence services, Mossad's approach stands out due to its integration of sexual entrapment, cyber surveillance, financial coercion, and deep penetration into political networks. This paper examines Mossad’s alleged use of blackmail to influence U.S. lawmakers, European leaders, and Arab officials, leveraging intelligence operations to secure Israel’s strategic interests. From historical cases like the Jonathan Pollard espionage affair to the controversial Jeffrey Epstein network, Mossad has been accused of utilizing blackmail as a method of coercion. The rise of cyber espionage, AI-driven intelligence gathering, and financial kompromat has further expanded its capabilities. As intelligence warfare shifts into the digital age, Mossad’s evolving role in cybersecurity, organized crime, and financial institutions raises profound ethical and geopolitical questions. “
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/390091892_The_Strategic_Use_of_...'s_Global_Influence
tearymasseuse wrote:“ Blackmail has long been a fundamental tool in the arsenal of intelligence agencies, allowing them to manipulate political figures, corporate executives, and global policymakers. While kompromat has been used by many intelligence services, Mossad's approach stands out due to its integration of sexual entrapment, cyber surveillance, financial coercion, and deep penetration into political networks. This paper examines Mossad’s alleged use of blackmail to influence U.S. lawmakers, European leaders, and Arab officials, leveraging intelligence operations to secure Israel’s strategic interests. From historical cases like the Jonathan Pollard espionage affair to the controversial Jeffrey Epstein network, Mossad has been accused of utilizing blackmail as a method of coercion. The rise of cyber espionage, AI-driven intelligence gathering, and financial kompromat has further expanded its capabilities. As intelligence warfare shifts into the digital age, Mossad’s evolving role in cybersecurity, organized crime, and financial institutions raises profound ethical and geopolitical questions. “
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/390091892_The_Strategic_Use_of_...'s_Global_Influence
I don’t think you really understood my post.
Missed nuances.
Maybe so.
Trump crying foul about being ‘blackmailed’ by China whilst happily allowing to be blackmailed by Israel is the bit not being understood.
More so an accurate reflection of apparent western ‘ideals and values’ where by double standards rule…
Along with selective outrage.
Carry on ;)
“ Human nature is such that success brings in arrogant behaviour.
This will deteriorates the competence of that society leading to its inevitable downfall. “
Roadkill wrote:The Wall Street Journal reports the cost to Apple for parts for the Iphone 16 pro is approximately US$580 with assembly costing approximately US$30 and retails for $1099.
The parts cost was a surprise as I thought it would be lower than the US$580.
Bring back manufacturing to the US would take Apple approximately 3-5 years to build production facilities and train staff.
The labor for US staff would rise to approximately US$3500 per phone… up from US$30, an increase of $3470 per phone.That would be US$580 in parts and uS$3500 to assemble making an Iphone 16 pro US$4080 complete ready for sale….then you add margins and taxes!
US$4080 = AUS$7561.
It’s great Trump is a smart guy with a well thought out plan.
Ok I’m struggling with this. I get the point but to say that it would cost $3500 to assemble one iPhone sounds like a gross exaggeration. I don’t trust this article.
Roadkill wrote:The Wall Street Journal reports the cost to Apple for parts for the Iphone 16 pro is approximately US$580 with assembly costing approximately US$30 and retails for $1099.
The parts cost was a surprise as I thought it would be lower than the US$580.
Bring back manufacturing to the US would take Apple approximately 3-5 years to build production facilities and train staff.
The labor for US staff would rise to approximately US$3500 per phone… up from US$30, an increase of $3470 per phone.That would be US$580 in parts and uS$3500 to assemble making an Iphone 16 pro US$4080 complete ready for sale….then you add margins and taxes!
US$4080 = AUS$7561.
It’s great Trump is a smart guy with a well thought out plan.
The problem with this analysis is that Apple don't manufacture products....they don't own or operate factories, they do design and marketing.
Manufacturing is done by a third party by the name of Foxconn; primarily in China, but also India.
Septic Tanks are going to Septic Tank