Notes from the edge of civilization: February 2, 2025

Is RFK Jr. actually NFG?; your next Temu haul might cost more; US-Canada trade war drama heats up.

In a January 21 disclosure letter to the ethics lead at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. outlined how he will address any apparent or actual conflicts of interest he or his immediate family may have.

His investments in biotech firms CRISPR Therapeutics and Dragonfly Therapeutics have garnered a lot of media attention, with STAT News pointing out the irony of Kennedy’s repeated criticisms of the technology while being invested in it.

Before you clutch your pearls, let’s break it down: RFK Jr. isn’t exactly deep in the gene-editing game — he's apparently got somewhere between $1,001 and $15,000 in CRISPR and hasn’t made a dime from it. Dragonfly Therapeutics is a slightly bigger play, with between $15,001 and $50,000 invested, generating a whopping $1,001 to $2,500 a year. Still, the optics aren’t good for a man who served as this country’s de facto defender of COVID justice and has staked his claim on the dangers inherent in mRNA vaccines.

So now that it’s out in the open, yes, he’s dropping his biotech holdings (but not his Bitcoin) for the sake of ethics, but don’t worry — Bobby won’t be hurting for cash anytime soon. He raked in $8.8 million a year from his environmental law firm, which recently swapped its name from Kennedy & Madonna to Madonna & Madonna according to the disclosure. La Isla Bonita, indeed, Mr. Kennedy!

P.S. One interesting detail that came to light is the three upcoming book titles Kennedy is working on, for which he says he is entitled to an advance: 1) America's Path Back to Moral Leadership, 2) Unsettled Science, and 3) A Defense For Israel.

---

Anyone basking in the glory of dirt-cheap Temu deals should brace themselves — those bargains might be going up in smoke. Trump’s latest trade war salvo includes nuking a sneaky little tariff loophole that’s been letting Chinese e-commerce giants flood the US with cheap goods.

Here’s the deal: Until now, anything under $800 could waltz into the country tax-free, thanks to a de minimis exemption. This loophole has been a golden ticket for platforms like Temu, Shein, and Alibaba, allowing them to ship straight from China to your doorstep while dodging tariffs. But under Trump’s new executive order, that free pass is gone.

The new rules slap a 10% tariff on Chinese goods and 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico — and yes, the de minimis exemption is now officially toast. That means Temu’s business model — offering rock-bottom prices if you’re willing to wait a week for shipping — just took a major hit.

Why the crackdown? The official line is that this loophole isn’t just letting cheap goods in — it’s also making it easier for fentanyl and its precursor chemicals to slip past customs.

Temu, sensing the storm, has already started stockpiling inventory in US warehouses and paying some tariffs in advance to keep delivery speeds up. But even that won’t fully shield them from price hikes. Translation? Your next ultra-discounted, two-sizes-too-small sweater or LED cat lamp may not be as cheap as you remember.

Lower-income consumers, who rely on platforms like Temu for budget buys, could feel the squeeze the hardest. But don’t expect Amazon or bricks-and-mortar stores to shed a tear — they’ve been fighting against this de minimis free ride for years.

The new tariffs kick in Tuesday at 12:01 AM ET, so if you were planning a Temu splurge, now might be the time.

---

A special note for our Canadian readers: if like your mornings with a glass of orange juice and your nights with a sip of bourbon, you might need to rethink your habits — because Trump, as mentioned above, just slapped 25% tariffs on Canadian imports, and Canada is gearing up to hit back.

While Canada’s “energy resources” get a slightly softer 10% tariff treatment (for obvious reasons!), the rest of its exports are about to get a whole lot pricier in the US. And lame goose (the Canadian version of lame duck) Prime Minister Trudeau is crying ‘fowl’.

“It’s not what we want, but if he [Trump] moves forward, we will also act,” he declared, basically warning pancake-loving Americans that maple syrup might start to cost as much as artisanal honey.

The economic fallout could be brutal on both sides of the border, but particularly to the north. Trudeau isn’t sugarcoating it — telling Canadians to brace for “difficult times” ahead. Meanwhile, Canada is throwing C$1 billion ($690M USD) at border security in an attempt to keep Trump from using tariffs as a battering ram in trade negotiations.

What’s on the chopping block? Potential retaliatory tariffs could mean less affordable US bourbon, oranges, and who knows what else for Canadians. Meanwhile, Americans might see their maple syrup, beef, and aluminum cans get pricier — because what’s a trade war without collateral damage?

---

ICYMI: Here’s what was happening on Collapse Life this week

---

The Meme Master Strikes Again!

Wall Street. The Fed. Globalists. Clown World. No one skewers the elites with sharper satire than WilliamBanzai7 — the underground legend of financial meme warfare.

Now, for the first time, you get to ask him anything.

Join us this Thursday at 7pm EST for raw, unfiltered takes from the man who turns financial chaos into cutting-edge art.

The livestream will take place on the Collapse Life YouTube channel. You won’t want to miss this.

---