DL Open Thread: Thursday, August 7, 2025

Trump Tariffs Kick In For 90 Countries.  Guess he fell about 90 short of those 100 deals:

President Trump’s punishing new tariffs on more than 90 countries snapped into place after the stroke of midnight Thursday, the latest escalation in a global trade war that has started to exact a toll on the U.S. economy.

Few of America’s major trading partners were spared under Mr. Trump’s updated slate of duties, which together have sent the average effective U.S. tariff rate to its highest level in nearly a century. In the hours before the import taxes took effect, the president signaled there would be more to come, as he doubled down on a strategy that has rattled markets, driven up prices and spooked consumers and businesses around the world.

The tariffs start at 15 percent, targeting imports from countries including Bolivia, Ecuador, Iceland and Nigeria. Others, like Taiwan, have a 20 percent tax applied to items sold to U.S. buyers. Mr. Trump also imposed a much higher 50 percent tariff on some goods from Brazil. He has cast it as punishment for Brazil’s decision to prosecute his political ally Jair Bolsonaro, the country’s former president, for seeking to stay in power after losing an election.

And on Wednesday, Mr. Trump said he would raise tariffs on India to 50 percent by late August for buying Russian oil. The president has signaled he could impose similar penalties on other countries, as he looks for ways to use trade policy to pressure Russia into halting its war against Ukraine.

Since Nobody In Delaware Will Address This–Is This Soccer Turf Really Safe?:

Yale epidemiologist Vasilis Vasiliou won’t let any of his five children play on artificial turf fields.

His research on the infill for synthetic turf — typically ground-up tires — identified the presence of dozens of known carcinogens, hormone disrupters, toxic metals and phthalates. What’s really needed, he said, are rigorous studies showing the extent to which those chemicals find their way into young players’ bodies and what that might mean for their health over time.

In other words, defend the ‘culture’ of uneducated racists.  They’re expanding the ICE-stapo, folks.  Featuring new recruit and former ‘Superman’ Dean Cain:

Former Superman actor Dean Cain has announced he has signed up to join US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice), in order to support Donald Trump’s anti-immigration agenda.

Speaking on Fox News on Wednesday night, Cain told host Jesse Watters that he decided to join Ice after sharing one of their recruitment videos on his Instagram account on Tuesday, which Watters had spoken about on his show.

Asked what inspired him to join, Cain said: “This country was built on patriots stepping up, whether it was popular or not, and doing the right thing. I truly believe this is the right thing.”

“We know Superman is an immigrant – he’s a freaking alien … The ‘American way’ is immigrant friendly, tremendously immigrant friendly,” he added. “But there are rules … There have to be limits, because we can’t have everybody in the United States. We can’t have everybody, society will fail. So there have to be limits.”

Ho-kay.

They’re Definitely Gearing Up To Give Ghislaine Maxwell A Sweetheart Deal.  Presumably in exchange for her saying whatever they want her to say:

She was moved after two days of talks with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche—Donald Trump’s former personal attorney—and a direct demand for a presidential pardon.

The move places Maxwell, 63, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, in a minimum security facility—the lowest level of restriction in the federal system and a step down from the low-security prison she was previously in.

The new prison is a dorm-style facility that houses other high-profile criminals, including Theranos fraudster Elizabeth Holmes and former The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah.