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6 hours ago, wild_turkey said:

So foreign movies are getting a 100% tariff apparently. Lots of questions.

Will that only apply to foreign film studios and the movies they produce, or will it also apply to American studios that film outside the U.S.? For instance, lots of American stuff is filmed in Canada (our trade enemy). What percentage of the film needs to be filmed domestically to avoid a tariff?

What about TV series?

What about streaming platforms? Assume for a second that TV series are included, and then take a series like Carême (a French series) on Apple+, how does that get tariffed? Perhaps they are exempt due to purchasing the series ahead of the tariff. Are there royalties or something similar involved? Does that suddenly incur a 100% tariff?

Maybe it’s all just a bunch of bullshit that never gets paid.

It’s just bullshit to distract us from other nefarious, corrupt, destructive shit he’s doing. Just like taking over Greenland or making Canada the 51st state. 

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2 hours ago, WhatTheBuck said:

It’s just bullshit to distract us from other nefarious, corrupt, destructive shit he’s doing. Just like taking over Greenland or making Canada the 51st state. 

I'm thinking that is likely and around the internet when one drives past the Hollywood and Christmas doll outrage, there must be something else that's going to drop (besides supply chains and the market) soon that's much worse perhaps?

14 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

 

 

Apparently, they missed the part where he said it's a National Security issue, so I'm pretty sure he can do whatever he wants. At least in his mind.

I'm assuming Mr. van Meer voted for this.  

 

https://www.ktvu.com/news/afina-showerheads-tariffs-test?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=facebook

 

 

Quote

An entrepreneur facing skyrocketing costs due to tariffs conducted an experiment to see whether customers would voluntarily pay more for a product made in America.

"The result was, unfortunately, disappointing," Ramon van Meer told Fox News Digital. "We sold zero ‘Made in the USA’ shower heads."

Van Meer, a self-described "serial entrepreneur," is the founder of Afina, which sells a shower head that filters chemicals and heavy metals out of tap water. The shower head, manufactured in China and Vietnam, currently sells for $129.

 

Quote

But van Meer said as the cost of tariffs jumped to 170%, he wanted to test whether the company could successfully reshore manufacturing to the U.S.

He found a U.S.-based company that could produce the shower heads — but at nearly triple the cost. To maintain Afina's current profit margins, he listed the U.S. version side-by-side with the original with a brief explanation of the price difference, and gave customers the choice.

"I wanted to really test what [customers will] do if it comes down to it. How would they vote with their wallets?" he said, adding that he anticipated customers would gravitate toward the cheaper option, but not as dramatically as they did. "I was not expecting basically 100% and 0%."

 

fnc-tariffs-screengrab.jpg?ve=1&tl=1

 

 

Spoiler

The landing page garnered nearly 26,000 visits over multiple days. Sometimes the U.S. version was the top, pre-selected option, and other times the Asian version was, van Meer said.

It didn't matter. The cheaper option was purchased 584 times compared to zero purchases of the "Made in USA" version.

Van Meer shared the results on X, in a post viewed 10 million times as of Wednesday.

"We want to bring back domestic manufacturing. But when consumers face the actual price tag — they didn’t," van Meer wrote.

President Donald Trump has championed tariffs as a tool to decrease America's trade deficit and return manufacturing jobs to the U.S. But van Meer said the country lacks the manufacturing infrastructure to produce enough goods to meet demand right away. 

"[In other countries] manufacturing plants can make thousands, in some cases tens of thousands, of units a day or a week," van Meer said. "They have been doing this for many years, and they have all the machineries, they have the workforce. Versus in the United States, I basically had to start from scratch."

He said he couldn't find a single domestic manufacturer with the capacity to fill all of Afina's monthly orders.

"Bringing back some manufacturing jobs is not a bad idea," he said. "The problem is, I don't think it's gonna happen overnight. It's gonna take a couple of years of a lot of investment, money and time, to actually build the manufacturing plants."

And that still won't allow America to manufacture 100% of its goods, van Meer said. He pitched a health-monitoring cat litter on season 15 of the show "Shark Tank" that he said could not legally be manufactured in the U.S. due to strict environmental regulations.

In the automotive sector, states like California are pushing for an all-electric future, but mining for battery minerals is an expensive venture in the U.S., often stalled by permitting processes and environmental regulations.

Afina's shower head filter similarly contains materials not made in the United States, van Meer said.

"There's a lot of products that, even if you wanted to bring it back, it's just not possible," he said.

Trump has paused or eased many of the tariffs announced on April 2, which he dubbed "Liberation Day." But negotiations with China have remained contentious, with the Trump administration announcing a minimum 145% tariff on Chinese imports. China responded by boosting its tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%.

Van Meer told Fox News Digital the Asian-made shower head price is still at its pre-tariff level because Afina has six months of surplus inventory. Once that's used up, he said the price will increase but will still be "significantly" cheaper than that of an American-manufactured shower head.

Whether Americans support tariffs or not, van Meer said he hopes they recognize that most businesses are operating on thin margins.

"Some of us cannot even pay the new tariff bills, let alone build our own manufacturing plants," he said.

 

2 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

I'm assuming Mr. van Meer voted for this.  

 

https://www.ktvu.com/news/afina-showerheads-tariffs-test?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=facebook

 

 

 

 

fnc-tariffs-screengrab.jpg?ve=1&tl=1

 

 

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The landing page garnered nearly 26,000 visits over multiple days. Sometimes the U.S. version was the top, pre-selected option, and other times the Asian version was, van Meer said.

It didn't matter. The cheaper option was purchased 584 times compared to zero purchases of the "Made in USA" version.

Van Meer shared the results on X, in a post viewed 10 million times as of Wednesday.

"We want to bring back domestic manufacturing. But when consumers face the actual price tag — they didn’t," van Meer wrote.

President Donald Trump has championed tariffs as a tool to decrease America's trade deficit and return manufacturing jobs to the U.S. But van Meer said the country lacks the manufacturing infrastructure to produce enough goods to meet demand right away. 

"[In other countries] manufacturing plants can make thousands, in some cases tens of thousands, of units a day or a week," van Meer said. "They have been doing this for many years, and they have all the machineries, they have the workforce. Versus in the United States, I basically had to start from scratch."

He said he couldn't find a single domestic manufacturer with the capacity to fill all of Afina's monthly orders.

"Bringing back some manufacturing jobs is not a bad idea," he said. "The problem is, I don't think it's gonna happen overnight. It's gonna take a couple of years of a lot of investment, money and time, to actually build the manufacturing plants."

And that still won't allow America to manufacture 100% of its goods, van Meer said. He pitched a health-monitoring cat litter on season 15 of the show "Shark Tank" that he said could not legally be manufactured in the U.S. due to strict environmental regulations.

In the automotive sector, states like California are pushing for an all-electric future, but mining for battery minerals is an expensive venture in the U.S., often stalled by permitting processes and environmental regulations.

Afina's shower head filter similarly contains materials not made in the United States, van Meer said.

"There's a lot of products that, even if you wanted to bring it back, it's just not possible," he said.

Trump has paused or eased many of the tariffs announced on April 2, which he dubbed "Liberation Day." But negotiations with China have remained contentious, with the Trump administration announcing a minimum 145% tariff on Chinese imports. China responded by boosting its tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%.

Van Meer told Fox News Digital the Asian-made shower head price is still at its pre-tariff level because Afina has six months of surplus inventory. Once that's used up, he said the price will increase but will still be "significantly" cheaper than that of an American-manufactured shower head.

Whether Americans support tariffs or not, van Meer said he hopes they recognize that most businesses are operating on thin margins.

"Some of us cannot even pay the new tariff bills, let alone build our own manufacturing plants," he said.

 

It is depressing how stupid so many people are. The fact that he thought the result might be anything different is astounding. 

2 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

"I wanted to really test what [customers will] do if it comes down to it. How would they vote with their wallets?" he said, adding that he anticipated customers would gravitate toward the cheaper option, but not as dramatically as they did. "I was not expecting basically 100% and 0

 

Suspicious Kenan Thompson GIF

 

Has Ramon met any actual Americans? 

2 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

fnc-tariffs-screengrab.jpg?ve=1&tl=1

Woah. I don't know if I am THAT proud to be an American.

2 minutes ago, Valmy77 said:

Woah. I don't know if I am THAT proud to be an American.

lol. I'm not. I'm not paying nearly twice for something just to avoid our psychopathic prez's whims

It’s just bullshit to distract us from other nefarious, corrupt, destructive shit he’s doing. Just like taking over Greenland or making Canada the 51st state. 

He’s Gov LePetomaine in Blazing Saddles. They let him amuse himself with the shit that makes him happy — grifting, playing golf, bringing back Columbus Day, annexing Greenland/Canada/Panama, renaming the Gulf of Mexico and sundry other culture war bullshit — while the truly evil puppet masters do all kinds of nefarious shit.

giphy.gif
3 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

He found a U.S.-based company that could produce the shower heads — but at nearly triple the cost.

image.png.809a8a325a9faabff472ebc978c16f36.png

this country is full of really stupid people. 

19 minutes ago, Blotto said:

image.png.809a8a325a9faabff472ebc978c16f36.png

this country is full of really stupid people. 

How much ya'll wanna bet the "US Manufacture" just batch bought from the Asia manufacture and tripled the price.

 

41 minutes ago, Horn Dog said:

How much ya'll wanna bet the "US Manufacture" just batch bought from the Asia manufacture and tripled the price.

 

I'll take that bet for a billion dollars - or whatever you got

34 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

I'll take that bet for a billion dollars - or whatever you got

OK you win.  Here, just print it at home and spend it wherever.

 

bill.thumb.jpg.b273aa3cc234a18c3b53c6344f69a5a6.jpg

Sure, Mary. We'll just throw up a tractor factory and start pumping out big, beautiful, 'MURICAN tractors next week. 

I Dream Of Jeannie Blink GIFs | Tenor

  • Popular Post

Sounds like the toxicity of the "Made in the USA" brand is spreading from Canada to Europe now, too. 

Buy American? No Thanks, Europe Says, as Tariff Backlash Grows.
A shifting perception of the United States amid President Trump’s trade war is prompting Europeans to pivot decisively away from U.S. goods and services.

For motorcycle lovers in Sweden, Harley-Davidson is the hottest brand on the road. Jack Daniel’s whiskey beckons from the bar at British pubs. In France, Levi’s jeans are all about chic.

But in the tumult of President Trump’s trade war with Europe, many European consumers are starting to avoid U.S. products and services in what appears to be a decisive and potentially long-term shift away from buying American, according to a new assessment by the European Central Bank.

In April, Mr. Trump imposed a 10 percent blanket tariff on America’s trading partners, and threatened “reciprocal tariffs” on many of those, including the European Union. Companies like Tesla and McDonald’s are seeing customers in Europe put off by “Made in America.”

“The newly imposed U.S. trade tariffs on European products are causing European consumers to think twice about what’s in their shopping cart,” the European Central Bank wrote in a blog post about its research on consumer behavior. “Consumers are very willing to actively move away from U.S. products and services.”

Europeans had already begun testing grass-roots boycotts on American products, including Heinz ketchup and Lay’s potato chips, shortly after Mr. Trump took office. His threats to take over Greenland, part of Denmark, energized Danes to organize no-buy campaigns on Facebook. Tesla owners in Sweden slapped “shame” bumper stickers on their cars to distance themselves from Elon Musk, the Tesla chief executive, who is one of Mr. Trump’s top advisers.

But Europeans’ anguish over Mr. Trump’s treatment of America’s longtime allies has hardened as he has moved to rewire world trade with steep global tariffs, the central bank found.

Mr. Trump took particular aim at the European Union, which he called “very, very bad to us” for not buying more from the United States, and threatened the bloc with a 20 percent “reciprocal” tariff last month. Such talk bewildered many Europeans and rattled E.U. leaders, who retaliated with a 25 percent duty on many U.S. goods.

Both sides called a temporary truce after Mr. Trump abruptly reversed course and delayed tariffs until the summer. But the 10 percent base-line tariff is still in place, and a trans-Atlantic trade war could easily flare again.

And even if a trade deal is reached, Europe’s newfound wariness of its longtime ally will not easily be unwound. The European Central Bank’s study found that even if a mere 5 percent tax was placed on American products sold in Europe, Europeans would be inclined to shun them.

What is new, the central bank said, is a “preference” among European consumers “to move away from U.S. products and brands altogether,” no matter what the cost. That was the case even for households that could bear the brunt of higher prices.

“Even though they could afford more expensive U.S. products and services, they consciously choose alternatives,” the bank said. “This suggests that consumers’ reactions may not just be a temporary response to tariff increases, but instead signal a possible long-term structural shift in consumer preferences away from U.S. products and brands.”

In Germany and Italy, developers have created apps that scan grocery and clothing items for people who want to make sure they are not buying American. The top app, BrandSnap, even suggests European alternatives.

On a French-run “Boycott USA!” Facebook channel with 31,000 members, people boast about buying Adidas, a German brand, over Nike and New Balance, and post stories about avoiding travel to the United States.

In a Danish Facebook group with 95,000 members, people try to help one another figure out if products like Gillette Mach 3 razor blades or Schweppes soda are from the United States. One run from Sweden promotes alternatives to Airbnb and is calling for a European boycott on Meta platforms for a week in May.

Europeans have also posted online to say they have begun canceling subscriptions to U.S. streaming giants, including Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video.

Some consumers who have boycotted Amazon have gone online to lament that delivery from alternate e-commerce platforms in their countries is slower or less reliable, but say they are staying the course.

Millions of people still buy American goods and services worldwide, but U.S. companies and investors are keeping a close eye on international markets for signs of anti-American sentiment related to Mr. Trump’s policies.

In Europe, Tesla sales continued a sharp decline in April, data showed, including an 81 percent plunge in Sweden from a year earlier, as protests against Mr. Musk’s political views held steady.

And McDonald’s said it was observing growing negative attitudes abroad toward U.S. brands, especially in Northern Europe and Canada.

International consumers are “going to be cutting back their purchase of American brands, and we’ve seen an uptick in anti-American sentiment,” the burger chain’s chief executive, Chris Kempczinski, said in a call with analysts last week.

The McDonald’s brand does not seem to have been damaged yet — same-store sales in Canada and Europe were down only 1 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier. But there is an “eight- to a 10-point increase in anti-American sentiment,” he said.

  • Popular Post
17 hours ago, bolverk said:

For motorcycle lovers in Sweden, Harley-Davidson is the hottest brand on the road.

Good luck finding a substitute. Sure, there are other motorcycles, but ONLY  Harley Davidson can turn fuel into noise without the creation of commensurate power or speed. 

Edited by Bozo_Casanova

48 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

Good luck finding a substitute. Sure, there are other motorcycles, but ONLY  Harley Davidson can turn fuel into noise without the creation of commensurate power or speed. 

And if you're a dentist who wants to look tough, while carrying a companion of prematurely aged skin and overly saggy breasts, there really is no other choice of ride.

  • Author
12 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

And if you're a dentist who wants to look tough, while carrying a companion of prematurely aged skin and overly saggy breasts, there really is no other choice of ride.

Christ man, you should write a movie.....or did you already?
Wild Hogs' not so wild

12 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

And if you're a dentist who wants to look tough, while carrying a companion of prematurely aged skin and overly saggy breasts, there really is no other choice of ride.

Dentist, lawyer...   220, 221.  Whatever it takes.

2 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

Dentist, lawyer...   220, 221.  Whatever it takes.

Due process?  Do wheelies!

 

bryan-wilson-texas-law-hawk.jpg?resize=7

  • Author
23 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

And if you're a dentist who wants to look tough, while carrying a companion of prematurely aged skin and overly saggy breasts, there really is no other choice of ride.

10 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

Dentist, lawyer...   220, 221.  Whatever it takes.

Good thing he didn't say accountant 

Three Stooges GIFs | Tenor

All of that shit, except maybe the whisky, is assembled in America from parts made in other countries. Not made in America. 

The myth of American Quality has been eroding for decades, but in the last 15 years has really taken a nose dive. In the guitar industry it's become very apparent. Assembled in the USA products from Fender and Gibson that cost $2500 to easily over $10k have had major quality control issues for years now. What has changed is many brand's made in Indonesia, Korea, Mexico, and even China guitars have increased in quality exponentially in the last decade. There's very little difference in actual quality, but 5 to 10 times the difference in price. 

The US was already starting to get left behind. That has accelerated greatly now with the stupidity. 

That fucking guy badly baaadly overplayed his hand. Does he think the rest of the world wasn’t already strategizing for his return and what it could mean for them? Of course they were. I still think they’re shocked that it actually happened, but they were ready to pivot. It is quite possibly, some even say, the greatest botch in our history. Beautiful blunder. 

I'm trying to think of what I get form India and I think it's just shitloads of curry and basmati.

Oh, also my favorite dad joke.  You have to say this one phonetically in an Indian accent:

(American accent) Why is there no Halloween in India?

(Indian accent) Someone took all the Candy! 

Spoiler

Someone took all the Ghandi!

 

19 hours ago, bolverk said:

Sounds like the toxicity of the "Made in the USA" brand is spreading from Canada to Europe now, too. 

Hell it's spreading in my house in the USA. If given the choice I'd buy Canadian or European too.

Everyone is figuring out how to play a malignant narcissist.  Canadian PM is the latest.  I guarantee behind closed doors they're blowing smoke up Trump's big ass then he comes out a totally different person.  It's going to drive his handlers insane. But he's unable to criticize anyone who really kisses his ass.  

34 minutes ago, SubliminalHorn said:

That fucking guy badly baaadly overplayed his hand. Does he think the rest of the world wasn’t already strategizing for his return and what it could mean for them? Of course they were. I still think they’re shocked that it actually happened, but they were ready to pivot. It is quite possibly, some even say, the greatest botch in our history. Beautiful blunder. 

Some people are saying, the most beautiful blunder.   The best ever. 

1 hour ago, Hermanator said:

Assembled in the USA products from Fender and Gibson that cost $2500 to easily over $10k have had major quality control issues for years now.

On the other hand 90% of the owners can’t play for shit so the damage is contained to friends and family.  Thoughts and Prayers. 🙏

3 hours ago, Hermanator said:

All of that shit, except maybe the whisky, is assembled in America from parts made in other countries. Not made in America. 

The myth of American Quality has been eroding for decades, but in the last 15 years has really taken a nose dive. In the guitar industry it's become very apparent. Assembled in the USA products from Fender and Gibson that cost $2500 to easily over $10k have had major quality control issues for years now. What has changed is many brand's made in Indonesia, Korea, Mexico, and even China guitars have increased in quality exponentially in the last decade. There's very little difference in actual quality, but 5 to 10 times the difference in price. 

The US was already starting to get left behind. That has accelerated greatly now with the stupidity. 

No. Gibson had issues for a while, but Fender has been as good as they've ever been for years now.  

2 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

On the other hand 90% of the owners can’t play for shit so the damage is contained to friends and family.  Thoughts and Prayers. 🙏

100% true. 

Well, I'm getting ready to buy a Telecaster Player 1 for $450.  So this all hits close to home.
It's not butterscotch but fuckit. 

Pics?
5 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

And if you're a dentist who wants to look tough, while carrying a companion of prematurely aged skin and overly saggy breasts, there really is no other choice of ride.

Corvettes.

What the fuck is he even talking about? Everyone wants to shop here? I thought the whole problem was nobody makes anything here.
 

Just die already!

24 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

He truly sounds stupider with each passing day.

 

 

 

 

 

Did he get one of these for Christmas?  He can sell 2 dolls.

81TjtwuVrzL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

His trade deals are the new Infrastructure Week - mythical.

Starting to see viral posts from people complaining they can't buy cheap shit anymore. Getting popped at the Mexican border with tariffs on the stuff they thought they'd finished paying for.

A very unlubed dildo

21 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

Good luck finding a substitute. Sure, there are other motorcycles, but ONLY  Harley Davidson can turn fuel into noise without the creation of commensurate power or speed. 

angry motorcycle GIF by South Park

But I was told countries paid tariffs.

 

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/05/wahoo-fitness-adds-tariff-surcharge-to-trackr-radar.html

 

Quote

Today, Wahoo Fitness opened up shipping on their three newest products: The Wahoo BOLT 3, Wahoo ROAM 3, and Wahoo TRACKR Radar. The BOLT 3 and ROAM 3 are meant to offer smaller-sized and more budget-friendly versions of their top-end Wahoo ACE, complete with the revamped operating system, display, and more.

Meanwhile, the TRACKR Radar is Wahoo’s first cycling radar (and light), though the company has extensive experience with other sensors (in fact, the very first Wahoo product 15 years ago – literally 15 years ago today – was an adapter to connect external ANT+ fitness sensors to your iPhone). Of course, now the company also makes speed sensors, heart rate straps, cadence sensors, power meter pedals/sensors, and plenty more.

But when US customers went to purchase the Wahoo TRACKR Radar today, they found a bit of a surprise: Shipping was $50.

 

 

Quote

Specifically, the cheapest shipping option was $50USD, a far cry from the cheapest shipping option on the Wahoo BOLT 3, which was $15. Here’s what the page shows, when a US customer attempts to order the TRACKR Radar:

 

WahooUS.png

 

Quote

Now, what’s notable here is that the same isn’t true for EU customers. In fact, there’s not any shipping charge at all. Simply free shipping:

 

WahooEURPrices.png

 

 

Spoiler

So, what’s the difference? Well, given you read the title – it’s the manufacturing location: China.

The BOLT 3 & ROAM 3, like many of Wahoo’s products, are made in Taiwan. However, the TRACKR Radar is made in China, and thus subject to new US tariffs starting at 145%. While there are creative carveouts limiting tariffs for certain tech products coming from China, notably for phones and smartwatches, such exemptions don’t cover cycling radars.

Now, I don’t have a problem, per se, with Wahoo passing on the cost. After all, like it or not, that’s the reality of the US political landscape right now (because, let’s be clear, this is a political choice). However, what I do have a problem with, is not owning up to it. Instead, Wahoo lists this as a ‘service charge’ within the shipping line item, as you saw above.

If you click on the details about service charges, it brings you to another page with a heavily wishy-washy statement about global supply chains:

ServiceCharge.png

Pretending things are shipping charges isn’t consumer-friendly (or honest), and frankly, more importantly – doesn’t actually apply any meaningful pressure to enact change. Further, when Wahoo communicates the price of the Wahoo TRACKR Radar to media outlets (or their own site), it’s listed at $199, when in reality, it’s actually $249. Thus, it’s factually dishonest.

And look, I get it, Wahoo is in a bind here. They got sideswiped by changing government policy (like thousands of other companies), and need to pass on the stupid-high fees to someone, as they should. I just want them to be honest about it. Other companies have simply increased the base price of the unit (temporarily or otherwise), or they added a specific tariff line-item. But calling it a shipping charge just isn’t the way to do it.

 

 

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