New tariff rate...
US sets tariffs of up to 3,521% on South East Asia solar panels
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ygdv47vlzo
Clearly the US fossil fuel industry needs protection from consumers exercising choice and from the efficient allocation of resources via free market capitalism.
At that point, why not just ban the import? Just to keep up an illusion of choice?
I imagine T'rump can't ban/allow imports on a whim, whereas he is allowed to on tariff rates.
More details. The tariff rates are clearly "cooperate or else"; when the mafia/etc operates like that, it is called a "shakedown".
"Products from Cambodia would face the highest tariffs, of 3,521%, because its companies did not cooperate with the US investigation, while products made in Malaysia by the Chinese manufacturer Jinko Solar face duties of just over 41%; rival Trina Solar’s products from Thailand will incur tariffs of 375%."
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/22/us-huge-tariffs-south-east-asian-solar-panels-energy-summit
Does anyone else think or suspect that these ridiculous rates for tariffs are intended to make the other countries go "Fuck off.. there is no way we are going to cooperate, especially after this"
I mean shakedowns, gunboat diplomacy are still intended to drive towards a resolution.. but it just seems like Trump does not even want that.. At this point it seems like an excuse for the US to go isolationist in nature or all out war..
It didn't kill people in Australia.
Didn't it? You can conclusively state that not one person died in a traffic accident as a result of the change of units?
Obviously not at this remove, but if it had happened, the media would have "been all over it", as Metrication was a "hot topic"
Relying on the media, even the 70s media (a damned sight more trustworthy than they are today) for specifics as to events is.. not ideal, let's say. Many, many events go under their radar also. Telling the difference between intentional speeding and 'accidental' due to confusion over roadsigns and/or speedo readout wouldn't be easy unless it was admitted to, and if it's a political hot potato, nobody is going to be offering it up to the vultures..
Does anyone else think or suspect that these ridiculous rates for tariffs are intended to make the other countries go "Fuck off.. there is no way we are going to cooperate, especially after this"
I mean shakedowns, gunboat diplomacy are still intended to drive towards a resolution.. but it just seems like Trump does not even want that.. At this point it seems like an excuse for the US to go isolationist in nature or all out war..
He's not looking for an excuse (like his counterpart in the already failed state) or a resolution - he's looking for capitulation. Like a child bawling until mummy buys them the toy they want. Give in and agree to preferential terms or he'll keep hurting himself.
New tariff rate...
US sets tariffs of up to 3,521% on South East Asia solar panels
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ygdv47vlzo
Good, hopefully that will see better availability and a fall in PV panel costs for the rest of us.
Huh?
They are already dirt cheap.
He's not looking for an excuse (like his counterpart in the already failed state) or a resolution - he's looking for capitulation. Like a child bawling until mummy buys them the toy they want. Give in and agree to preferential terms or he'll keep hurting himself.
except in this case its like asking someone elses mummy to buy the toys... or he will hurt himself... really no incentive or need to indulge another's kid throwing a tantrum is there... I mean those who do indulge the bawling kid will eventually go "Fuck it"!!
He's not looking for an excuse (like his counterpart in the already failed state) or a resolution - he's looking for capitulation. Like a child bawling until mummy buys them the toy they want. Give in and agree to preferential terms or he'll keep hurting himself.
except in this case its like asking someone elses mummy to buy the toys... or he will hurt himself... really no incentive or need to indulge another's kid throwing a tantrum is there... I mean those who do indulge the bawling kid will eventually go "Fuck it"!!
Never said it was a good plan.. but there's always the fear element. This kid has a big red button, and wars of economic convenience aren't new. I don't think he wants an excuse to start one (others in the administration I have different feelings about), but that doesn't mean he won't use one.
That capacitor idiocy didn't last long. Nowadays the nearest remnants are zero rating on some simple categories such as children's clothing.
Back then TVs were luxury items. Official statistics kept track of the proportion of households which had B&W and later colour TVs; the strictly monotonic increases indicated increasing prosperity.
A familiar case to most in the UK will be Jaffa Cakes.
Jaffa Cakes are a form of biscuit to anyone with two eyes, but not to the law. Chocolate covered biscuits are taxable because they're considered a luxury. Plain biscuits, and all cakes are not. Er, why? No idea. Historical HMRC decision. So when HMRC said, "you can't call these cakes just because they've got cake in the name, pay up on the VAT", McVities went to a tribunal where they argued their case. The story goes that they baked an extra-large Jaffa Cake based upon the ingredients of the biscuit-sized product and demonstrated, just like a cake, that it went hard when stale, not soft like a biscuit. They won the tribunal and as a result, Jaffa Cakes are still zero rated VAT, even though most other chocoloate-covered biscuits do attract VAT.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nix_v._Hedden tldr: tomatoes botanically fruits but court ruled they were vegetables so they were import taxed
New tariff rate...
US sets tariffs of up to 3,521% on South East Asia solar panels
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ygdv47vlzo
Clearly the US fossil fuel industry needs protection from consumers exercising choice and from the efficient allocation of resources via free market capitalism.
At that point, why not just ban the import? Just to keep up an illusion of choice?
I imagine T'rump can't ban/allow imports on a whim, whereas he is allowed to on tariff rates.
or he thinks that tarriffs are paid by the selling country, so it is like free money?
New tariff rate...
US sets tariffs of up to 3,521% on South East Asia solar panels
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ygdv47vlzo
Clearly the US fossil fuel industry needs protection from consumers exercising choice and from the efficient allocation of resources via free market capitalism.
At that point, why not just ban the import? Just to keep up an illusion of choice?
I imagine T'rump can't ban/allow imports on a whim, whereas he is allowed to on tariff rates.
or he thinks that tarriffs are paid by the selling country, so it is like free money?
A better analogy is the wall being paid for by Mexico.
Besides, "Trump thinks" is an oxymoron equivalent to "military intelligence"

Never thought I would see that
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An optional additional explanation is:
Now that you seen the pattern
The pattern many of us see is not the one you want us to.
Taiwan is historic Chinese territory. It's not an independent country, it is historically Chinese.
This is way too far into politics, but may I introduce you to the British Empire? Thanks, half the world is ours and we'll take it back now. I'm sure you'll love that.
first Russia was attacked
this shit again?
dave?

This is way too far into politics, but may I introduce you to the British Empire? Thanks, half the world is ours and we'll take it back now. I'm sure you'll love that.
historically, england would be ours then by proxy your empire is our empire
This is way too far into politics, but may I introduce you to the British Empire? Thanks, half the world is ours and we'll take it back now. I'm sure you'll love that.
historically, england would be ours then by proxy your empire is our empire
Bloody Romans and their bloody roads..
I mean, so long as you have weapons for it and enough men in the army, why not. You can take it. Many places around the world would love Brits to come back. Especially in the middle east. In fact, you should.
I mean, so long as you have weapons for it and enough men in the army, why not. You can take it. Many places around the world would love Brits to come back. Especially in the middle east. In fact, you should. 
Well, so far all of Russia doesn't have the men and weapons to deal with little Ukraine, despite the propaganda you apparently swallow. Perhaps leave the indoctrinated political discussion out of things.
<much ranting snipped>
In Russia tariffs work good.
...
Ukraine, back in 2014 they had a coup.
...
More than 50% are Russian speakers. Some that don't even identify as Russians never spoke anything but Russian. Eventually this new country takes new course, dump anything Russian, become anti-Russia, and join NATO!! Russia has no choice but to invade. We did prepare well, we took our time to get economy in order. But invasion was always always the eventual outcome.
...
I hopped onto a local train and drove about an hour outside city, went to a store, bought stuff and was going to my dacha house.
...
Indeed, we thought many times that we are going to go nuclear and do pre-emptive strike either against European countries like Germany or Belgium or a full on across the north pole.
...
There are close to 1.5 million enemy KIA and not only ukranians, there were soldiers from all over the world, plus we destroyed all NATO equipment, frankly NATO has nothing more to send. Our losses are over ten times less.
So, you are actually a Russian, despite the false flag of the USA flag and Miami Fl. You've swallowed the Putin propaganda whole.
You believe that Americans, Canadians, Aussies etc etc are actually British, and that we should reclaim those territories.
You've given yourself away. Your usefulness as an agent provocateur is over.
EDIT: confirmed by later post
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/when-your-marketing-bot-goes-berzerk/msg5901540/#msg5901540EDIT: bingo600 spotted his profile mentions "github.com/codernov" which contains a picture of someone in a camouflage jacket, "c0d3rn0v codernov Codernov Electronics Repair Sochi, Russian Federation"
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/tariffs-are-affecting-other-countries/msg5905642/#msg5905642
Tariffs = economic war on China. Most likely will lead to military response by China. That's all.
Stay focused.
Military response by China, most likely will lead to a coalition response by NATO. Similar to gulf war or first Iraq war back in 90s.
Now you see where I'm going with this one?
Be interesting to see how vietnam get on when the tariffs get restarted,a $1.5 billion brown envelope should bring them a favour or 2.
Anecdotal account: certain EU-made groceries with long shelf lives that we used to buy regularly have disappeared from our supermarket shelves, possibly due to panic buying by consumers anticipating, what, a 10% price increase?
I’m wondering how quickly stocks of Chinese-made goods will start depleting in this country, given the triple-digit tariffs. I’ve lost track of where exactly the tariff stands this morning.
Just for Fun...

Because of Tariffs (unprovoked economic warfare) the inhabitants of Heard and McDonald Islands (not Australia) have retaliated and declared Total War on U S A
Penguins wear formal diplomatic attire for tariff negotiations.
How Wars Start
I have a different view, that my dear EEVblog coleague, wraps over yours: it is my opinion that some kids must be beaten when they are small because once they grow up they have this attitude towards world: they would just not accept or even know that there are some really bad consequences to some actions. This kids strongly believe they know everything and just don't want to hear that the world spun around many times before them. This is how the wars start. And they end when these and other kids either grow up or die.