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Thu, Dec 11, 2025

6:54pm EST

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What Is Sum1 Up To Today?

by Jim

Rated: 13+ · Book · Travel · #1779685

Being Retired now, I thought that it was time for a new name to this Blog

Talk about perks, my career had one of the best I can think of! I traveled in the course of business, delivering classes for my employer. I was a Senior Training Specialist for Motorola Solutions, and taught classes on a wide variety of subjects centered around 2-way radio communications. I knew that when the time arrived that I would retire, and I have. I've always said that if you can't stand the heat in the kitchen, get out! I can't handle the heat anymore. I was qualified to deliver approximately 32 different classes, but about half of those were 'Legacy' classes, and were not in demand anymore. My students were technicians, those who maintained, programmed, calibrated, and repaired large 2-way radio systems. Some of these systems are statewide, and use TCP-IP networking to allow sites to communicate with others. Some are small, traditional type radio sites. The size doesn't matter, in each case the systems must be kept operational at all times, since many of them are Public Safety Systems. So I traveled, sometimes frequently, 3-4 weeks in a row.... where have I been?

Some of the places I've been (I can't list them all here, the list would be too long) are pretty interesting.

1. Hawaii - Four times, Oahu, Maui (twice), and the Big Island
2. BangkokThailand, twice
3. Frankfurt Germany, twice
4. Algiers, Algeria
5. Melbourne Australia
6. Bismarck North Dakota, Summer & Winter
7. Los Angeles, Too many times to count
8. Washington DC, Too many times to count
9. Seattle three or four times
10. Texas, all over the state
11. Florida, all over the state
12. New Mexico, HOME! Several times

A signature for exclusive use for members with Honorable Mentions in the 2019 Quill Awards

Best Cultural And Regional Honorable Mention

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

JACE

about 9 hours ago
In response to "Seeing My Oncologist"

I'm very glad to hear your good report, Jim. You are indeed a lucky man.

My next scans aren't until April (that's every six months). I worry that's a long time between any definitive checks. But I feel great ... so I'm going with that.

Take care, my friend.

Soldier_Mike

about 20 hours ago
In response to "Seeing My Oncologist"

And we are all so glad for you, that things are going so well.

Winter Wonderin' Wanderin'

Dec 9, 2025 at 1:15pm
In response to "Traiff's, Tariff's, Alcohol Tariff's?"

Well said/explained jaynglebells. Canadians do not need the sale of American liquor to support charities.

JACE

Dec 9, 2025 at 10:02am
In response to "Traiff's, Tariff's, Alcohol Tariff's?"

Oh, and Jim

, I think it just takes the poison a bit longer to work.

JACE

Dec 9, 2025 at 10:00am
In response to "Traiff's, Tariff's, Alcohol Tariff's?"

Jayngle Bells

- thanks for the explanation from the Canadian view. I've wondered about that. Frankly, I believe the manner in which Trump went about tariffs was deplorable, and has in turn hurt US businesses, farmers and consumers. It's incumbent upon a country's leaders to take care of their country, which is not what's happening here in some respects.

As S🤦‍♂️

says when the US finally pulls its head out of its collective a**, the markets we used to enjoy will not be available. I'm not an economist, but you don't need a business degree to see tariffs aren't the way to prosperity.

S🤦‍♂️

Dec 9, 2025 at 1:22am
In response to "Traiff's, Tariff's, Alcohol Tariff's?"

Of course, if it's USian beer, then what's the problem? It's like making love in a canoe, after all...

Sorry.

Our country had issues with beef being taxed to unaffordability, so we just found a few new markets. And when the US backs off, they may find Australian beef is no longer available. After all, we do not take US beef (except for pet food). The US is building a rod for its own back.

I have gained a few US friends over the years and my publishing career is based around the USA, but when I can't get Christmas presents from my friends in the USA because of taxes on everything being sent to Australia that is not a card or envelope, then it feels like the USA does not want the world to play with it anymore. Isolationism might be a fine principle, but in the modern world, how practical is it?

Jayngle Bells

Dec 8, 2025 at 8:35pm
In response to "Traiff's, Tariff's, Alcohol Tariff's?"

Thanks for sharing that, Jim. Just to clarify: Canadian provinces didn’t pull U.S. alcohol because we’re “mad at America,” and it isn’t a permanent blanket ban. It was part of a coordinated response during the tariff dispute between our governments.

At the time:

1. The U.S. was openly discussing treating Canada as an extension of America (specifically calling us the 51st state), despite Canada being a sovereign country and part of the Commonwealth.
2. Some of those statements explicitly framed pressuring us to submit to the USA in economic terms (via “economic force”).
3. Then the U.S. imposed significant tariffs on targeted Canadian industries in order to damage our economy.
4. Retaliation in trade is standard practice. I’m surprised so many were surprised we responded by doing similar targeted responses. And, as a Canadian, we are sorry it came to this. That said, we are Canadian, and expect our government to respond as necessary to trade disputes.
5. Not much has changed in the grand scheme of things since this all started.

Please understand I’m saying this from a political angle only. Many of my real-life friends are American, and we get along fine. But given the trade tensions, it was expected that Canada would respond in a way that hit U.S. exports where it mattered. Pulling U.S. beer, wine, and spirits wasn’t random. It targeted industries tied to specific states, which placed pressure upward through governors and trade representatives.

I’m also not surprised this didn’t get much coverage in U.S. news. From Canada’s perspective it was a national policy issue; from the U.S. perspective, it may not have registered as a major domestic story.

I do want to gently push back on the question, “Why can’t they donate like this all the time instead of when they’re mad at America?” Liquor sales, in both countries, are a for-profit supply chain. Charitable sales aren’t the normal business model on either side of the border. That said, Canadians and Canadian businesses donate to charity regularly. This situation was just unusual in reason, scale, and timing. I know some folks think we’re full socialists up here, but we’re not. We’re capitalists with a few extra regulations and some reasonable social safety nets (but certainly not perfect, either).

As for the “expiring” alcohol, Bob is right, and Canadians know it’s not that the liquor becomes unsafe. Products with 40%+ alcohol content are shelf-stable for many years if stored properly. The issue is quality, not safety, since eventually the taste profile can degrade, which means it no longer meets retail standards. That kind of write-off happens all the time; we just don’t normally see it at this volume.

Your home liquor stash is fine. Mine is too, including the bottle of Jack Daniels I bought right before it disappeared from shelves.

I did a whole thing on tariffs in general when this first started. It’s here: "That's Not a Tariff. That's Not How Tariffs Work."

3 Like

Waltz Invictus

Dec 8, 2025 at 8:05pm
In response to "Traiff's, Tariff's, Alcohol Tariff's?"

Some liquor doesn't effectively expire, except insofar as, eventually, everything expires. Others may change in flavor in a way that's unpleasant or unintended by the manufacturer. It's mostly fermented beverages that have a shorter shelf life.

1 Like

SantaBee

Dec 6, 2025 at 6:30pm
In response to "A Not So Pleasant Surprise"

I prefer cash myself. It's hard because even when you are careful - BAM! I always go inside to pay at the pump. I don't trust any of the gas pump stations. Glad your bank denied the charges!! Stay safe out there. Ppl and Gangsta's want your money!!

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 6, 2025 at 3:54pm
In response to "A Not So Pleasant Surprise"

I did have an issue when I was in Thailand in January. I prefer using cash but it's nigh on impossible to travel without a card.

December 8, 2025 at 6:37pm

#1103245

Traiff's, Tariff's, Alcohol Tariff's?

Tariff's, Tariff's, Alcohol Tariff's?

Why am I not surprised about this news? And why am I not surprised we've heard nothing in American news about this? What am I talking about? The decision by about all Canadian Provinces to no longer sell alcohol brewed or distilled in America.

Back when the Tariff war was going on (it still is, that will never end most likely), Canada pulled all alcohol from American Breweries, Distilleries, and Wineries from its shelves.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyp9g7p5p9o

The article begins by saying, "Canadian provinces have a strange problem: What to do with millions of dollars worth of American alcohol, pulled from the shelves in anger over US tariffs and now gathering dust in stock rooms?" They are serious too, we're talking over $100 million, that's a lot of profit to get rid of, just because it's from America. That's a bit on the crazy side if you ask me, but there is a silver lining to this cloud. From the article: At least two provinces say the booze will go to a good cause, promising to sell remaining inventory and donate proceeds to charity.

One province is offloading it to restaurants and bars instead of selling it to the public.

Others have not said what they plan to do with the shelved liquor. That includes Ontario, which has an eye-popping C$80m ($57.7m; £43.3m) worth of US booze stockpiled, some of which will soon expire. What? Liquor expires? Gee, I bet the closet of liquor I have at home here expired long ago.

I'm glad that the money is being donated to charity or given to food banks though. Why can't they do this all the time instead of only when they are mad at America? Oh well, I know little about this, and am surprised to learn that liquor expires. To me, that's like the old joke about Poison. Poison has an expiration date on it. So if/when it expires, is it more poisonous? Or now non-poisonous?

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