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A Comment"The president directed his advisers to come up with new tariff levels that take into account a range of trade barriers and other economic approaches adopted by America’s trading partners."Right.'...the measures could be ready as soon as April 2'.Wait! What? That's nearly 3 months away. And after all that build-up to the announcement.The old saying, “A week is a long time in politics.” but 3 months! Seriously?Did wiser heads in the administration do some old-fashioned arm twisting? Via <a data-mce-href="https://www.nytimes.com" href="https://www.nytimes.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>, 13 February 2025<a data-mce-href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/us/politics/trump-tariffs.html" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/us/politics/trump-tariffs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump Says He’ll Rework Global Trading Relations With ‘Reciprocal’ Tariffs</a>

Tariff Arm Twist

A CommentJust like our primate cousins, today's political landscape is characterized by: aggressive territorial marking, performative displays of dominance, complex social hierarchies, seemingly irrational decision-making and more chest-beating than substantive communication.<figure id="figure-jqkd6f6pdm73jocv3"><iframe id="jqkd6f6pdm73jocv3" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0H7vzKRNTPY" class="w-full bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://youtu.be/0H7vzKRNTPY" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0H7vzKRNTPY" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure>

In The Land of the Monkeys

A CommentPutin's believe's he can roll Trump, only he may miscalculate.This is not the same Trump as 1.0He's much more powerful and confident, and this is not about tariffs but lives, which he repeatedly stresses.<a data-mce-href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/world/europe/putin-trump-call-russia-ukraine.html" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/world/europe/putin-trump-call-russia-ukraine.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Putin Scores a Big Victory, and Not on the Battlefield</a> Via <a data-mce-href="https://www.nytimes.com" href="https://www.nytimes.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> 13 February 2025

Putin Barrel Roll.

A CommentAnd you thought that the release of Marc Fogel due to those great negotiating tactics.More fool us.<a data-mce-href="https://www.wsj.com/world/russian-bitcoin-exchange-co-founder-to-be-freed-by-the-u-s-after-americans-release-3f5fe066?mod=breakingnews" href="https://www.wsj.com/world/russian-bitcoin-exchange-co-founder-to-be-freed-by-the-u-s-after-americans-release-3f5fe066?mod=breakingnews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian Bitcoin Exchange Co-Founder to Be Freed by the U.S. After American’s Release</a> Via <a data-mce-href="https://www.wsj.com" href="https://www.wsj.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal</a>

Deal and Deal

A Comment"BYD still managed to become the top-selling Chinese automaker on the bloc in 2024. Last month, the company outsold Tesla in markets including the UK, Spain, Ireland and Portugal."<figure id="figure-2atrzfuhum70efazr"><img id="2atrzfuhum70efazr" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/6umIyDwNoNO7Sb29lLhSnIKNpYlq6TaYq0w36QVRBzIhShY4iNIi1t0KXFhW9TvN.jpg" alt="BYD Europe" title="BYD Europe" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 50% 25%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="BYD Euro Sales" data-positionx="50%" data-positiony="25%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/6umIyDwNoNO7Sb29lLhSnIKNpYlq6TaYq0w36QVRBzIhShY4iNIi1t0KXFhW9TvN.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 50% 25%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">BYD Euro Sales</figcaption></figure>Via <a data-mce-href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg News</a> article 11 February 2025<a data-mce-href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-02-10/byd-is-taking-its-low-ball-pricing-playbook-global" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-02-10/byd-is-taking-its-low-ball-pricing-playbook-global" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BYD Is Taking Its Low-Ball Pricing Playbook Global</a>

Tesla BYD'ed

A CommentOnly $500 Billion?So, the Europeans should be asking for $700 billion in Rare Earth, right?<figure id="figure-2g1r6t5a6pm70b47j0"><img id="2g1r6t5a6pm70b47j0" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1vkYI3SXbDyYvVgegTkeu3oNeNBVv3g714gBdxVTlawjRa8NvKo1iGPC4dCTbdOX.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 15% 0%;" data-corners="medium" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="" data-positionx="15%" data-positiony="0%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1vkYI3SXbDyYvVgegTkeu3oNeNBVv3g714gBdxVTlawjRa8NvKo1iGPC4dCTbdOX.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 15% 0%;"></figure>Via Politico Europe<a data-mce-href="https://www.politico.eu/article/trump-demands-500b-in-rare-earths-from-ukraine-for-support/" href="https://www.politico.eu/article/trump-demands-500b-in-rare-earths-from-ukraine-for-support/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump demands $500B in rare earths from Ukraine for continued support</a>

Comments & Videos

Tariff Arm Twist

In The Land of the Monkeys

Putin Barrel Roll.

Deal and Deal

Tesla BYD'ed

Dear Earth