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Avoid Heard and McDonald Islands.

Avoid Heard and McDonald Islands. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heard_Island_and_McDonald_Islands

The seals, penguins, and shags on Heard and McDonald Islands are most upset to learn that they have been hit with a 10% tariff on all exports into the USA.

A perplexed, King Penguin reportedly told Australian Prime Minister, Albo, that they are outraged at this insult and had, at a hastily convened huddle voted to consider whether to declare war on the USA. Penguins do not like to act in a rash manner. Also have vowed to be hostile to any tourist from USA who attempt to set foot on their land. Clapping them in irons and summarily deporting them to a prison in Zimbabwe. Without right of appeal.

Currently exports to the USA over the past 50 years has amounted to the grand total of HMD$0. Future projected current day value of exports is HMD$0.

Recently appointed Fox News, Southern Ocean and Antarctic, reporter I.M.A.W. Anchor, reports that the imposition of a tariff of 10% could bankrupt the island and force the seal and penguins to continue enjoying a life of subsistence fishing. And the shags have lamented that they will just have to keep shagging on. While the seagulls and other birds vowed to keep squawking, its mine, its mine.

Thought readers would like to know to avoid these islands.

Regards Ron

Posted by
6228 posts

Appreciate the caution. (Wink emoji)

Posted by
5140 posts

We could avoid all this by just having the U.S. incorporate the islands as a 52nd (or is it 53rd? or 54th?) state (I’ve lost count). I am sure the penguins and seals will approve.

lololol.

Posted by
4813 posts

Texas Travel Mom, but which US political party would the penguins support? Based on the way they are dressed, they clearly belong to the top financial echelons.

Posted by
6063 posts

Absolutely priceless, Tassie Devil. Flippers up indeed!

Posted by
6710 posts

From the Collins Online Dictionary:

A shag is a black seabird with a yellow beak, found mainly in Europe and North Africa.

And evidently, Heard and McDonald Islands.

Posted by
3743 posts

“Flippers up”!! :))

Because penguins have no elbows to “Elbows up”!

What next……. :(

Posted by
6850 posts

After doing extensive research watching Bridget Jones movies, I know shag has alternate meanings.

Posted by
6063 posts

Who knew that the US was facing such a huge trade deficit with the Heard and McDonald Islands? Apparently those nasty, greedy penguins have been ripping off the US on all the guano they've been shipping out. Maybe they should pivot and work out a trade deal with the Falkland Islands instead. Since the Falklands have just been slammed with a 41% tariff, I'm sure they'd be interested in trading some of their their frozen fish for the guano.

Posted by
6710 posts

jules m, that's why I felt the need to look it up. The word is commonly used in British comedies, so I wondered...

Posted by
1533 posts

I'm guessing not many north Americans got the joke embedded in the name of the Fox News correspondent...

Posted by
6063 posts

I got it GerryM. Very well played. That reporter's mother was either prescient, or had a wicked sense of humour.

Posted by
7209 posts

Gerry, I think a lot of us North Americans got the joke. Well done!

Posted by
263 posts

Thanks for pointing out the Reporter's name. It slipped past me the first time.

Posted by
12368 posts

reporter I.M.A.W. Anchor

I belong to the "North Americans who don't get it" group.

Someone care to send a PM (it's no secret webmaster already has enough to do and contributing to his Cirrhosis should be avoided.) as I presume it's something not qualifying for a "G" rating?

Posted by
12368 posts

Currently exports to the USA over the past 50 years has amounted to the grand total of HMD$0. Future projected current day value of exports is HMD$0.

Had the 'inhabitants' remembered this:

What is Multiplication by Zero?
What happens when you perform multiplication of a number by 0? Multiplying a number by 0 makes the product equal to zero. Remember that the product of any real number and 0 is 0. For any real number m, m⋅0 = 0. As per the zero property of multiplication, the product of any number and zero (0), is 0.

they could have saved themselves a lot of consternation.

Posted by
441 posts

"I am a" + rhymes with tanker and uses the letter "w".

Ah, travel! Rick Steves is definitely not a tanker

Posted by
6063 posts

"Had the 'inhabitants' remembered this:....
they could have saved themselves a lot of consternation."

The 'stable geniuses' who levied this tariff could have just saved themselves the trouble if they'd bothered to do their homework Iin the first place.

Posted by
484 posts

I notice the good people of Norfolk Island have been hit with a 29% tariff.
Norfolk Island has no known exports.

Posted by
271 posts

Apparently someone asked ChatGPT how to create reciprocal tariffs and the response matched what was announced. Not saying that that his staffers cheated on their homework or anything…

Posted by
4921 posts

I.M.A.W. Anchor🤣, Flippers up penguins, the polar bears in the 51st state have your backs.

Posted by
444 posts

It was my pleasure to provide a little comic relief. Particularly chuffed you enjoyed my Southern Ocean and Antarctic reporter.

Do you remember 2009. GFC. Monday will be very interesting. Already is in the great south land.

Regards Ron

Posted by
21980 posts

Sometimes, it is a shame that certain threads will get yanked on Monday.
Heard that MacDonalds cheeseburgers come from there and you know whose favorite food that is.

Posted by
17016 posts

Tassie, you've no idea how badly I needed this howl.
Cheers to ya & flippers up!