THE MORNING news wasn’t great in Australia. We got hit with a 10% tariff. We had a free trade agreement with the United States yesterday, today we have chaos and 10%.
I understand some economics but more of mathematics so I find the values of some tariffs puzzling. One would assume the rate might be “even” such as 10% or 20% or a major divisor, 25% or 50% whereas of course we want it at 0%.
Where do some of the values come from? China faces 54%; Vietnam, 46%; Cambodia, 49%; or Taiwan, 32%?
I would be very interested to see how these rates were determined rather than what I suspect might have happened – the total of three darts thrown at the dart board.
Clarity might not be one of the President’s major skills. I need more details and so does the rest of the world.
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True courage?
US First Lady Melania Trump spoke at the International Women of Courage Awards.
She probably knows about courage given who she is married to, and has to wake up next to, occasionally.
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A third go?
The speculation about a Trump third term should just be the content of a nightmare or a joke but there it is in the papers. What many hope is that this is just another technique to distract people from the disastrous stock market news.
There were three stooges, a team of idiots giving us all amusement, despite in hindsight all of the violence. We could question how many dubious individuals there are in the Trump team but I am sure that there are far more than three.
A more worrying thought is that Trump could put up surrogates, any of his children, who could become President in name only while he ruled from his throne at Mar-a-Lago. Don’t laugh, it’s not funny and those that know their history will be able to recount of numerous rulers who were guided by a “counselor”.
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A few days early
The latest Executive Order from President Trump directs Vice President J.D. Vance to make sure there is no “improper ideology” at the Smithsonian Museum and the National Zoo.
Perhaps he will start with clothing all of the animals at the zoo and checking the Smithsonian for nude statues that need fig leaves.
Improper is an imprecise word given that Michelangelo’s David statue has had a fig leaf, then no leaf based on the actions of the Pope of the time who is seen as God’s representative on Earth. How could both opposing views be correct?
I had to check my calendar for the exact date to confirm that it’s not already April Fool’s Day, a check I have made with a number of President Trump’s announcements, both for 45 and 47.
Could he, or someone who has studied philosophy or religion at a higher level please provide a definition for “improper ideology” and one that doesn’t include zoos?
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Crocodile tears
Almost 40 years ago we saw the release of one of the greatest Australian films, “Crocodile Dundee”, a unique story, the beauty of the remote areas and one crocodile attack which was quickly ended by the hero.
Now we see further mentions of Australian crocodiles but this time concerning the 2032 Olympics as the rowing will be on the Fitzroy River in Queensland. It seems that the crocodiles might be there as spectators but hopefully not as active participants.
Any appearance of a crocodile will be a two-fold bonus, it will make a great TV news item and it will make rowers speed up.
It could also be a new drinking game, a quick drink anytime a deadly Australian animal, also including snakes, spiders and jelly fish, is seen or mentioned./PN
