7/8/2025: Welcome to Pleasure Island!

PLUS: Tariff Talk; Boy Band Collaboration; and Buckingham Dress Code

Today is Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

It is the 189th day of the year.

176 days remain.

WHAT’S ON TAP

NOTABLE & NOTEWORTHY: TESLA stock sinks as ELON MUSK gets political again.

DIDDY gets a standing ovation and ROBERT IRWIN dines and dashes. More in SHOWBIZ.

Record-breaking movie news in CASTING CALL.

KING CHARLES changes some tennis court rules in ROYALS.

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TARIFF TALK

PRESIDENT TRUMP announced a slate of new tariff policies yesterday, setting a new baseline for multiple countries: Myanmar, 40%; Laos, 40%; Cambodia, 36%; Thailand, 36%; Bangladesh, 35%; Indonesia, 32%; Bosnia and Herzegovina, 30%; South Africa, 30%; Tunisia, 25%; Kazakhstan, 25%; Malaysia, 25%; South Korea, 25%; Japan, 25%.

In the letters sent to the heads of state of each nation, Trump said any additional tariffs levied by these nations on American products would be reciprocally added back to the new baseline number. As an example, if Japan added 10 points to its tariffs on American products, its new baseline would be 35%. The letters also allowed for carve-outs for specific business sectors in the future.

The rates will go into effect on August 1 – leaving the door open for some final maneuvering. Shortly after the letters were published, South Korea’s government announced they would “intensify” trade negotiations.

[via Donald Trump / Truth Social]

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On the first day of trading after ELON MUSK announced his plans to start an alternative political party, TESLA’s stock sank almost 6.8%.

Following passage of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” on Friday, a frustrated Musk took to X to gauge interest in creating “The America Party,” which he said would focus on debt and deficit reduction. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the law will add nearly $4 TRILLION to the national debt over the next decade on top of the current spending trajectory, though it doesn’t account for new revenues from economic growth.

While Musk has publicly suggested he’ll be full steam ahead on the idea, and target just a handful of Senate and House seats in 2026, there’s no guarantee the project will keep his interest. Tech journalist Teddy Schleifer reports that Musk’s political team is still figuring out how feasible such a project would be. [via Morning Martini]

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About 100 miles east of Houston, Texas, right on the Gulf of America, is Port Arthur, home to Pleasure Island.

While some might consider the Pleasure Island moniker filthy and unsettling, the city council just approved $200,000 to build a giant Pleasure Island sign as a tourist attraction.

Pleasure Island’s location is actually far more wholesome than some more degenerate perverts might think, known for its abundant wildlife, scenic views, and fishing spots. Locals say the expense on the large Pleasure Island sign is misguided, when those funds could instead go toward building infrastructure and attractions.

Still no formal word on what the Pleasure Island sign will look like. [via Fox 4 Beaumont]

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Animal control officials in Seaside, California, about a two hour drive south of San Francisco, say a mountain lion was spotted on camera carrying around in its mouth a pet cat it killed.

But before officials could locate the footage, residents of the area were spooked when they found the cat’s remains in the road. "I was walking up the street and then I had seen a cat that had passed away. And at first I thought, like, there's some cruel people around here," one resident tells local media.

A brief investigation tracked down the home camera footage, showing the grisly attack. Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges says, “Very tragic situation. Killed it right here in the street.”

No word yet who the housecat belonged to. [via KSBW]

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is preparing to breed billions of flies to fight off a flesh-eating maggot called the New World Screwworm fly.

The plan is to dump the flies out of airplanes over Mexico and southern Texas in an effort to stop an infestation of the screwworm, with the potential to devastate the beef industry, decimate wildlife, and even kill household pets.

The strategy has been proven effective in the past, with the U.S. eradicating the bug decades ago. [via AP]

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