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The difference between US imports and exports is down from $418 billion in 2018 to $280 billion in last 12 months (August 2024 to July 2025) showing the impact of tariffs and policies of the DJT administration to level the playing field and for getting out of the trade deficits that hurt American jobs, workers, and communities. Tariffs of 20% for fentanyl issue and 125% made it 145% for import tariff on China after Liberation Day. These were lowered to 30% after trade talks. This where it stands today. 

The figure of $280 billion is higher because of transshipping by China through Vietnam- for transshipping the 20% tariff on Vietnam goes up to 40%. Another aspect of the figure of $280 billion is that it is last 12 months which reflects 5 months of the Biden administration, and the surge in imports before deadlines when DJT tariffs would come into place. Battery imports are up, smartphones, toys and apparel is down.

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Target date funds for young people put money in stocks at 92% in 2024 instead of 85% in 2014,  for people in their late 30's 88% instead of 82%, for people over 60 allocation in stocks is up to 60% in 2024 from 57% in 2014. Investment allocations are higher today as the S&P 500 is up 10% so far in Jan-July 7 month period in 2025.

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A wealth tax passed by voters in 2022 in Massachusetts of 4% on incomes exceeding $1 million, yields 3 billion dollars in 2024. Other states are looking at doing this on income over $500,000 for married couples. This includes Minnesota, Maryland, Washington and other states that are seeing a shortfall in taxes and need to offset the loss of federal funding by the DJT administration for Medicaid and other services. The results in Massachusetts shows the revenue forecasted is exceeded proving that millionaires do not always move because they do not want to uproot homes and education of children. There is also an offsetting factor as federal rules under DJT have favored the wealthy in the tax code.

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10,000 prisoner exchange has take place for Russia and Ukraine larger than many other wars.

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At a videoconference between DJT and European leaders on Aug. 14, 2025, initiated by Germany's Merz , it was decided that no territory exchanges are to be discussed at DJT Putin meeting in Alaska. DJT and the Europeans will simply seek an immediate ceasefire followed by talks between Zelensky and Putin with DJT offering to be there to mediate differences. DJT says there will be strong sanctions on Russia in the event no ceasefire is reached. Legislation in Congress with 80 senators on board a clear majority of both parties is for putting a 500% tariff on countries such as China and India that import Russian oil. These imports exceed $100 billion each for China and India. DJT has placed a 50% duty on India if negotiations do not yield results on this issue. This is seen in Congress as fueling the continuation of the Russian war in Ukraine.

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The Mendenhall glacier flood that runs into a river and lake in Juneau, capital of Alaska, with risk of flooding for third straight year. This glacier is part of the Juneau Icefield that is melting twice as fast now compared to 2010 due to climate change.

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A provision in tax code letting companies expense investments in US including R&D in 5 years expired in 2022. For budget reasons it was not renewed. The DJT Big Beautiful Bill lets US companies expense R&D in 1 year compared to the 15 years in overseas investments. This is leading to a surge in R&D investment and hiring by companies. Fed's Powell sees this as one of the big positive factors for the US economy in 2025-2028.

The change lowers cost of hiring by 20-25% and this means more engineers and other people are going to be hired.

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Walmart employees get 10% off all groceries in a timely cost of living gesture.

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China based appliance maker Haier which owns GE Appliances will invest $3 billion in US factories starting in 2025.

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There is a clear warning in this WSJ report by Jonathan Weil of the opaque manner financial reports of some private equity are done, which take the lack of transparency in general of private equity funds to an astonishing level. One private equity fund gives information on some transactions in footnotes that run 3 pages- actually shown here. The report highlights the practice of private equity of buying funds on the secondary market at hugely discounted prices and marking them up immediately by upto 1000% to show large returns. How on earth are private equity funds not going to damage their reputations if they take up the task of investing the retirement funds of American's 401 K's. Historically these funds have been kept away from private equity. As their returns dwindle private equity funds including Blackstone are trying to get the US president DJT to allow private equity to manage retirement assets of ordinary Americans who can ill afford such investments.   ...

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The country is Turkey and the plant will supply 10% of Turkey's needs, about the size of the electricity for the city of Istanbul. Russia will build, and run the plant for 40-50 years in a new arrangement.

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Issues about getting the American narrative right in America's museums. The American continent was settled in the 1500's by the Spanish, and in the 1600's and 1700's by the French and the British with the founding fathers coming from the generation of British settlers families in the 1700's. Much of this early period is covered by the classic history of this period by Francis Parkman. This history much of it unknown to most Americans in 2025 starts with Count Frontenac in 1620 and ends with the contest between Montcalm and Wolfe of the French and English Empires, long before the founding fathers of the United States, which contest Parkman says could have gone either way but for some flaw in the French. From this emerged two nations Canada keeping it's French heritage in Quebec and the United States. South Carolina and Georgia formed only a small fragment of this vast continent and its history, starting with the Indian tribes that had first settled this continent going back to 1000. ...

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Youth Rehabilitation Act and 60-70% of DC crimes that fall under this Act in 2025, are creating a huge public safety problem in the nation's capital. Here Jeanine Pirro, US Attorney for District of Columbia, describes the problem where the law is so lenient on youth offenders that it has increased crime levels in DC to where residents and visitors to the capital from 51 states in the country and from other countries do not feel safe in the national capital. Pirro says that from 2022 to 2024, 60 percent of all sentences imposed in D.C. Superior Court for carjacking were eligible for sentencing under YRA,  71 percent of all armed carjackings, 69 percent of all armed robberies, and 61 percent of all assaults with intent to kill. Showing that youth crime is the dominant factor and the three laws mentioned here are simply not working and making people feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods. DJT and Attorney General Pam Bondi highlighted this situation at a press conference yesterday with the federal government stepping in to support law enforcement in the nation's capital. ...

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China State Shipbuilding and China Shipbuilding Industry merge in $16 billion merger August 2025. The companies were split up in 1999. In an effort to create scale the companies are being merged. This company is building China's first aircraft carrrier the Shandong. China's main port is at Quingdao in the northeast.

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Gill Siraj in Test Series against England in June-July 2025. Gill's batting record next only to Don Bradman's legendary batting record. The resilience of the Indian team was tested throughout the five Test matches losing at Headingley to come back with a 336 run win at Edgbaston, losing at Lord's by 22 runs to comeback to win at the Oval in London by 7 runs.

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A lot could go wrong says Moody's if private equity is allowed into retirement funds. It could also hurt the reputation of private equity funds such as Blackstone who are moving in this direction. Empower, the second largest retirement manager is moving in a different direction by partnering with Apollo and bringing inprivate equity into retirement funds. For decades there is a clear separation and the lack of transparency and liquidity make private equity to lack the basic features needed in retirement funds. The poor performance of private equity is likely to affect retirement funds, that would do better without private equity and follow the S&P 500 returns, say experts. Under the DJT policies private equity is trying to find a way into retirement funds that poses many risks.

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Indianapolis and Terre Haute in Indiana, Columbus in Georgia, Whitesburg in Kentucky and Hutchinson near Wichita, Kansas are smaller cities in areas that suffered a drain of people in the past. They are cities that offer $5000 to $7000 in 2025 to remote workers to attract them to move back to the midwest and central states.