Oh no, another TOOB update

[Mick-7]

I understand that, which is why I don't characterize the post as political. Post about cost of imports and you get the politics no matter what. I don't see that as a reason to remain silent about the economics.

Yes, note to Dirk, "Please don't delete threads such as this one" - unless they devolve into personal attacks, etc., which is contrary to the forum rules.

[Christian Miller]

I stand by all that I wrote. You are free to disagree and even call it nonsense if you like. I don't give a rodent's rectum if you do.

But this isn't a difference of political opinion, is it? Your statement doesn't appear to make sense.

You used slightly different wording, but the (quite venerable) talking point is - "the USA is not a democracy it is a constitutional republic."

Do you agree with this statement?

If so - false dichotomy. That statement is meaningless because these are not mutually exclusive categories.

Re: your point previous to that democracy has, as far as I know, always been representative in one way or another. It's hard to conceptualise a 'pure democracy' outside of the realms of science fiction, perhaps. What is this "pure" democracy you are referring to? Again, it reads as a false dichotomy.

"We aren't a democracy we just choose some of our leaders democratically." OK. We call that a democratic form of government, i.e. a democracy. What else do we call it 'country that holds elections to decide some of its leadership' for people who find the word Democracy icky for some reason? Seems a bit long winded.

None of this is a difference of political opinion.

Historically I'm aware this line has been used as a sort of framing device by those who would like to limit the franchise from what it is presently to the "right sort of people", which might be what you would support. That would be a difference of political opinion between us, in this case.

[Stevebol]

If Newsom gets the nom the collapsing democrat base will still need to deal with the fact he is a straight, white, very rich male. He might as well start a spray tanning regimen today, LOL.

The nominee for dems will be a Californian. I'd put a sizable bet on that.
I'm well past the point of caring. I just want to eat good and go on vacation once in a while.

[Christian Miller]

I think that the SCOTUS will have to rule on the tariff powers exercised by this POTUS. I look forward to their ruling. I believe that many of these tariffs are unconstitutional (Look at the tariffs on Brazil for example) and that the SCOTUS will rein this POTUS in. Some of these tariffs will go away. I would bet on it.

It appears that the market believes this, or that Trump might back down again - for the moment. It's gonna be interesting for sure.

[Christian Miller]

I always like the way Stringswinger disengages 'with a yah boo, don't care what you think' when he realises I'm right. ;-)

[Stringswinger]

I always like the way Stringswinger disengages 'with a yah boo, don't care what you think' when he realises I'm right. ;-)

I disengage because I think you are often so wrong on the political stuff that I get bored of engaging.

[Gitterbug]

Boys, stop this for God's sake!

BTW, I failed to mention the third sh**t which also happened in August: my busiest reseller is out of business. I believe some Forum members got their Metros from Custom Sounds in Finland. Jani Marjoniemi just couldn't make the biz profitable even after serious cost-cutting. Pity, he was the only Finnish dealer taking international web trading seriously.

[Mick-7]

A relevant article....

Small Businesses Are Reeling From Trump's New Tariff on Small Packages - Business Insider

[DawgBone]

Yeah we're doomed, LOL.

[Stringswinger]

I endorse this editorial

wsj.com

[teeps]

Nice creative concept for the enclosure, Gitterbug. Good luck with business in the new facilities.

[teeps]

Boys, stop this for God's sake!

Agreed !

[m_d]

The smile emoji suggest that you thought when you were being clever when you typed that.

It’s actually on my bingo card of talking points.

I mean it doesn’t even mean anything? Pure democracy? What even is that? Every democracy is representative, whether they be republics or continuations monarchies like here. It’s drivel.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That was a bit cavalier. How can it be drivel, when it is the subject of endless discussions and entire books, by Americans reflecting on their own political tradition?

Anyway, I was just passing by. Hi everybody. I even don't have time to play guitar, and somehow find the time to comment on political stuff that doesn't concern me.

[Stevebol]

Yeah we're doomed, LOL.

Play the blues..

Everything will be OK.

[Litterick]

This is why we can't have nice things.

[Stevebol]

Thank you all for support and encouragement! As said before, this is a retirement hobby rather than business. I can just about afford it. For my sons - or anybody except somebody already in the business - to make a living would require scaling up by a magnitude or two. That, in turn, would call for: 1) market research confirming the potential and 2) risk capital from an external source. I can't afford 1), and my investment so far is enough of 2).

Licensing might be the way to go. However, as far as I know, the international standard for double-wall drainage pipe isn't observed in the US. Hence, my bespoke tooling for clamping rims and grills wouldn't work. Somebody will have to spend a five-digit sum for tooling once the right pipe manufacturer has been found. My polypropylene pipe made by Uponor (now a subsidiary of the Swiss Georg Fisher group) is in all respects superior to anything I've seen. That stuff could travel, and so could other bespoke parts.

As pointed out by Freddels, imported components are subject to tariffs as well. I could sell components for assembly in the US at cost against a reasonable license fee for every unit sold. Would there be suitable US-made speakers? Eminence, now in Italian ownership, has a factory in the US and China. I don't know how their production breaks down between locations. Other US manufacturers I don't know at all. Celestion is owned by a Chinese corporation and produces everything apart from their most expensive models in China. LaVoce - all Chinese. My Jensens and SICAs come from Italy - another relative asset.

The 15% EU tariff is modest vs. what's levied on Chinese products. I do expect US demand to recover once the initial shock is over. If not - you already know my deadlines.

Cheers,

Markku

Depending on who's opinion, tariffs are up in the air. I'm glad I'm not in business and rely on stable tariffs.

[Stevebol]

I disengage because I think you are often so wrong on the political stuff that I get bored of engaging.

Did Trump get all triggered over this piano in 1987?

[omphalopsychos]

List of democracies (i.e. states with elected representatives) I didn’t know were democracies.


Napoleon III’s Second Empire
German Empire
Austro-Hungarian Empire
Tsarist Russia after 1905
Fascist Italy in the early 1920s
Franco’s Spain
Iran after 1979

[orri]

Apologies for bothering you again. Reading my posts is voluntary, though.

I really enjoy reading your posts and updates on your Toob journey.

You're giving us a really interesting insight into your world and it's well written.

Thanks

[Mick-7]

Depending on who's opinion, tariffs are up in the air.

I suspect that Gitterbug is stuck with this tariff, this U.S. Supreme Court has approved just about all of Trump's emergency appeals, regardless of their constitutionality.

[AllanAllen]

I sardonically enjoyed the write ups that if tariffs get repealed, businesses will get a rebate but consumers(the people who paid them) won't. So even if they go away, we still manage to lose. So much losing happening.

Doesn't matter though, they won't go away, the government needs money now more than ever with the BBB simultaneously gutting everything and expanding government debt.

[omphalopsychos]

I think tariffs will play out like another Trump policy, the Covid lockdowns. At first, the economy looked stable. The stock market even rallied. That was because of stimulus and the Federal Reserve. The real costs came later in the form of inflation, supply chain problems, and labor market disruption. Tariffs look similar. Prices are rising but consumer demand is still strong. It feels manageable in the short run. The real drag will come later through higher costs, broken supply chains, and retaliation.