Trump Continues his Rant on Canada

Trump gave a virtual speech complaining about Canada

US President Donald Trump took his tirade against Canada to the international stage when he gave a virtual rambling speech at the Davos economic forum in Switzerland.

People in attendance audibly gasped as he continued to complain about his northern neighbour, saying there was a US$200-$250 billion trade deficit.

"We're not going to have that anymore. We can't do it," he said. "As you probably know, I say, 'You can always become a state, and if you're a state, we won't have a deficit. We won't have to tariff you," he said alluding to the 25 percent tax he is threatening on Canadian goods and services.

But according to the US government's Bureau of Economic Analysis, the trade deficit is more like US$40.6 billion, a massive exaggeration.

CNN explains the deficit is caused by the US importing large amounts of inexpensive Canadian crude oil, which the US then refines and helps keep its gas prices low. It has been pointed out that Trump picked a bad time to complain about oil prices during winter, when places like Texas and Louisiana are experiencing their worst winter storm in 120 years.

However, Trump claimed Canada was difficult to deal with and repeated his complaint about not needing the country's products: "We don't need them to make our cars, and they make a lot of them. We don't need their lumber because we have our own forests. We don't need their oil and gas."

Trump doesn't seem to be aware that the US imported 3.9 million barrels of crude oil from Canada per day in 2023, and is in high demand by refineries, particularly in the Midwest.

"If [hypothetically] Canadian oil were not available, many US refineries would struggle to find heavy crude elsewhere, and they might even stop operating in such a scenario. Historically, Venezuela had been a large producer of heavy crude, but Venezuela's oil industry is a shadow of its former self," said Pavel Molchanov, an energy expert who is an investment strategy analyst at Raymond James to CNN.

"So in fact, importing Canadian oil helps protect jobs in the US refining industry. Furthermore, US refining companies appreciate the fact that Canadian heavy crude is cheaper than the light sweet crude that is produced in Texas and Louisiana."

But Trump was not finished with Canada or the rest of the NATO countries. He is demanding they all increase their military spending to 5 percent of their GDP. The US is at 3.4 percent. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hit back in Ottawa, saying Canada has almost tripled its defence budget and promised to get to NATO's current target of 2 percent, though it make take a few years to reach that.

Although Trump is taunting Canada about becoming the 51st state, polls in the US show this idea is very unpopular with Americans. In a recent Wall Street Journal survey, 58 percent of respondents strongly opposed it, while 11 percent were in favour. 

Beware of Theft on Overnight Flights!

Be sure to lock up baggage in overhead compartments

A friend posted on social media that he and his family were robbed while on an overnight flight. 

Apparently it's not just one person, but several accomplices on the plane, where they wait until the lights are turned down and when the passengers are sleeping, go to the overhead compartments and take the victims' bags into the washroom to take cash, credit cards, or valuable items. Then they put the bags back into the overhead compartments.

In my friend's case, the airline staff witnessed the incident, and the suspect was arrested by airport security, but by that point, the money had already been passed on to someone else and not on the suspect.  

HK has seen a 164% rise in on board theft

The police told my friend that it is a syndicate operating from Macau, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Vietnam.

While my friend made a police report that took three hours, it is only then that the authorities can do something, but the suspect will probably be punished with a three-month sentence.

There has been a 164 percent increase in thefts on board flights to Hong Kong in the first eight months of the year. There were 132 recorded thefts (last year there were 92), and the largest case involved a passenger from Switzerland who lost a HK$4.16 million (US$535,320) watch on August 30.

Items stolen include cash, credit cards, luxury handbags, watches and jewellery. 

"Thieves usually search for and take valuable property such as cash, digital devices and luxury watches from unsecured baggage left unattended on passengers' seats or placed inside the overhead compartments," the Hong Kong Police force's spokesman said. 

Another source said the thieves worked in pairs, taking advantage of dimmed cabin lights and sleeping passengers.

Police advised travellers to be vigilant and keep and eye on their belongings and never leave items unattended. The force also urged passengers to check their belongings before disembarking and promptly report any lost items to flight attendants.

It was brave for my friend to post what happened to him, and warns others to be careful!

Fact of the Day: Hongkongers' Long Lives

Hongkongers have some of the longest life expectancies 

An Associated Press article about life expectancy has some interesting facts about the places in the world where people live the longest.

S. Jay Olshansky is a University of Ilinois-Chicago researcher and he and his team found that humans have pretty much hit the limit of life expectancy.

As part of the study, the researchers focused on eight places where people live the longest. In alphabetical order they are: Australia, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain and Switzerland.

There seems to be more people reaching 100 years old -- like former US President Jimmy Carter last week. And Olshansky says in 2019, a little over 2 percent of Americans made it to that age, compared to 5 percent in Japan and 9 percent in Hong Kong.

9 percent! That's a pretty amazing statistic, though five years on, one wonders if that percentage still stands.

Nevertheless it's pretty impressive!

Tribute to Tina Turner

A strong positive voice, Tina Turner will be sadly missed

So sad to hear the news that singer Tina Turner passed away at the age of 83.

To me, she was the embodiment of a survivor and came out the other end with grace, energy and lots of success.

When I was in my early teens, my mom's friend gave me advice: If your boyfriend ever lays a hand on you, walk out. She said I don't care if you are living with him or whatever, walk out the door and don't look back. You don't deserve to be treated like that.

Ike and Tina Turner in the 1950s

As a naive sheltered teenager I didn't fully understand what she meant until I encountered Tina Turner's music on her Private Dancer album that came out in 1984 and then read about her life with Ike Turner.

He controlled her starting in the mid 1950s, from changing her name to Tina from Anna Mae Bullock, and later revealed he abused her. He threw hot coffee in her face, choked her, beat her until her eyes were swollen shut, and then rape her. Before one show, he broke her jaw and she went on stage with a mouth full of blood.

She credits her emerging Buddhist faith to give her the strength to finally leave Ike in 1976.

In her memoir she recalls sneaking out of their Dallas hotel room with just a Mobil credit card and 36 cents while he slept. She ran across a nearby highway, narrowly avoiding a speeding truck and found another hotel to stay.

"I looked at [Ike] and thought, 'You just beat me for the last time, you sucker'," she recalled in her book.

Turner performing with Mick Jagger

Even though Turner's career as a solo artist floundered, she kept going, and finally had her break in the early 1980s when established artists like Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart and David Bowie shone their star power on her.

When Private Dancer came out, it was a huge hit, selling more than 8 million copies and she didn't stop after that, performing to huge crowds, particularly in the UK and Europe.

That sultry big voice, her big hair, sleeveless dresses -- and those legs! How she continued to perform in heels well into her 60s was amazing. And that energy! 

American journalists like Mike Wallace and CNN host Larry King were baffled as to why Turner would move to Switzerland and even take up Swiss citizenship.  

Turner explained matter-of-factly she was as big if not bigger than Madonna in Europe. But was she still American? 

Turner moved to Switzerland in 1995

As long as she is happy where she is, what does it matter? Does she not deserve to live wherever she wants?

So when I was young, I imagined if I was ever in a horrific relationship, I would think of Turner as my guiding light.

And she probably was for countless other women too.

Thank you for being the true star for all of us, showing the way to greatness.

Year of the Rabbit Won't be a Big Leap Forward

Cute pink fluffy rabbit at Pacific Place in Admiralty

The Year of the Tiger is just about over and most people would agree to be happy to see it leave and usher in the Year of the Rabbit.

While the Rabbit is known for its politeness, and patience, it is also shrewd.

However, many Hong Kong fortune tellers don't believe the Year of the Rabbit -- a water one -- it won't be hopping into too bright of a future.

Lee and his wife sending good wishes for CNY

They believe the property market will still be weak, the economy will not completely rebound, and Covid-19 will still linger.

Things may be tough for Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu as he is born in the Year of the Rooster, which clashes with the rabbit. 

"His policies may face resistance or not turn out as planned," said Yunwenzi, or Master Cloud, a specialist in Qimen Dunjia, the ancient Chinese art of divination. She predicted the protests in 2019.

She advised Lee to be patient, saying: "Although society is turning more peaceful and harmonious, allowing him to push reforms more easily, it will take time to see results."

Geomancer Tong Pik-ha suggested Lee could improve his luck by going to more celebratory events. "He should travel more, perhaps go overseas to tell more good stories about Hong Kong," she said.

Chan in Davos promoting Hong Kong

Like what Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po is doing, wandering the streets of Davos, Switzerland and trying to convince the Swiss to visit Hong Kong by looking at videos on his super old iPad...

Meanwhile well-known soothsayer Raymond Lo Hang-lap isn't optimistic about the year ahead.

"There is a total absence of the fire element in the Rabbit year," he said. "Fire is a symbol of happiness and positive energy. When fire is absent, there will be less drive for investment activities. There may also be setbacks in the stock market."

Sounds like a repeat of this past year...

On that note, we certainly hope things will be better in the Year of the Rabbit!

祝你i新年快乐！身体健康！心想事成！万事如意！