Day: December 2, 2024

Does Trump Have A Smell?

The title leaves the door open for those that want to take a shot at Trump.

The huckster is back!

In the past our newly elected president has had many, many retail cons…..there was the vodka, water, steaks, ties, university, bibles, watches, let us not forget those $11,000 guitars and now a cologne.

That’s right you can now smell like Trump (this of course could lead to many off color jibes)…..

Donald Trump raised eyebrows earlier this month when he announced he was selling a line of $11,000 guitars – the musical instrument becoming the latest item in a string of Trump-endorsed products that include sneakers, a Bible and a “victory cologne”.

Billed as “the only guitar officially endorsed by President Donald J Trump”, the acoustic and electric axes bear all the gaudy insignia of Trump’s political campaigns, and have been developed “with the help of a master luthier”.

The guitars have the slogan “Make America Great Again” embossed on the neck, and an eagle in front of an American flag on the body. The headstock has the number “45” – Trump was the 45th president – surrounded by a lot of stars. An autographed electric version costs $11,750, the acoustic $10,250.

Trump announced the move in a post on Truth Social, and the associated Trump Guitars website shows a photograph of Trump, mouth agape, holding a pen to the frame of one of the instruments.

But as quickly as Trump attempted to get the music going, it was potentially silenced: Gibson told Guitar World this week that it issued a cease and desist order to Trump Guitars owner 16 Creative over the use of its single-cut electric guitar model, “as the design infringes upon Gibson’s exclusive trademarks, particularly the iconic Les Paul body shape”.

Entering into guitar sales is a left-field choice for Trump, whose most notable connection to the guitar is his ability to get bands that use the instrument to order him to stop playing their music. But throughout his presidential campaign, Trump has made it clear that he will endorse almost anything, as long as there is profit to be made.

Trump owes more than $500m in legal penalties related to his defamation of E Jean Carroll, a writer who a civil trial found had been sexually abused by the president-elect, and to financial fraud stretching over a decade.

An eclectic range of product endorsements has been helpful to Trump in raising at least some of that money.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/30/trump-merchandise-for-sale

You too can smell like “victory”…..it probably stinks but that is just my thought.

Me?  I will reserve my money to help fight the inflation that is coming my way in 2025.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Another BRIC In The Wall

Just a little something to think about on this Cyber Monday.

In 2025 if all the promises are held to then the consumer should be prepared for high prices on a wide array of products…..like coffee, electronics, textiles, agricultural stuff, clothing, furniture, toys and steel….there are more but you get my drift I suppose.

There is a wall being built…..a wall of high prices…..

More possible tariffs and more high prices….

President-elect Trump continues to wield his tariff weapon: On Saturday, he threatened 100% tariffs against a bloc of nine nations if they act to undermine the US dollar. His threat was directed at countries in the so-called BRIC alliance, which consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. Trump, in a Truth Social post, said: “We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy,” per the AP.

While the US dollar is by far the most-used currency in global business and has survived past challenges to its preeminence, members of the alliance and other developing nations say they are fed up with America’s dominance of the global financial system. The dollar represents roughly 58% of the world’s foreign exchange reserves, according to the IMF, and major commodities like oil are still primarily bought and sold using dollars. The dollar’s dominance is threatened, however, with BRICS’ growing share of GDP and the alliance’s intent to trade in non-dollar currencies—a process known as de-dollarization.

At a summit of BRIC nations in October, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the US of “weaponizing” the dollar and described it as a “big mistake.” “It’s not us who refuse to use the dollar,” Putin said at the time. “But if they don’t let us work, what can we do? We are forced to search for alternatives.” Russia has specifically pushed for the creation of a new payment system that would offer an alternative to the global bank messaging network, SWIFT, and allow Moscow to dodge Western sanctions and trade with partners. Trump said there is “no chance” BRIC will replace the US dollar in global trade and any country that tries to make that happen “should wave goodbye to America.”

Today is Cyber Monday you might want to consider the price increases to come and spend your money appropriately.

A note…..tariffs….the countries do not pay the money it is the importers they pay and is passed along to the consumer…..in other words the tariffs effect you and no one else.

Are you not pleased with your choice?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”