Author: openjargon

• Video appears to show a MaxxPro armored vehicle resisting Russian attacks in Ukraine.
• The MaxxPro is part of the US Mine Resistant Ambush Protected program.
• The US supplied 200 MaxxPros to Ukraine last year.

A Ukraine battlefield video appears to show a US-made MaxxPro armored vehicle resisting a series of direct Russian blasts.

Despite experiencing at least three powerful explosions, the MaxxPro can be seen successfully weaving its way along a dirt track. The episode occurred in Chasiv Yar area in Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast, reports said, where fighting between Russia and Ukraine has been intense in recent months.

Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, said on X that the robust MaxxPro was being attacked with mortar and drone strikes.

Business Insider could not independently verify where or when the footage was taken.

The MaxxPro, designed by Navistar Defense and the Israeli company Plasan Sasa, is part of the US Military's Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) program.

Ex-Design Director for Plasan Nir Kahn wrote on X, alongside the footage of the vehicle under fire, "I'm very proud of my involvement in the design of the Navistar MaxxPro MRAP. It's saved thousands of lives, now in Ukraine too."

The MaxxPro was built to help protect soldiers in Iraq from improvised explosive devices, according to Navistar Defense's website.

It has a "V-shaped" hull that deflects blasts away from the crew and is designed "to withstand ballistic arms fire, mine blasts, IEDs, and other emerging threats."

The vehicle has a seating capacity for 12 personnel. Its single turret houses a 7.62 or 12.7 mm machine gun and space for one gunner, Navistar says.

Last year, the US announced that it would send 200 vehicles to Ukraine as part of a military aid package. The vehicles have since proved crucial to Ukraine's war effort.

In June last year, soldiers from Ukraine's 68th Jaeger Brigade became stranded as they tried to advance in the village of Blahodatne in Ukraine's southern Kherson region.

While some were killed as they attempted to flee, others managed to escape in a MaxxPro despite facing heavy artillery fire.

"The MaxxPros are like a red rag to the Russians. They target it with everything they have," Stepan, a Ukrainian fighter, told The Times. "But they are almost indestructible."

One of the vehicles was hit by shelling and another by mortars, but "everyone inside survived. They truly saved our soldiers' lives," Stepan said. 

Dutch open-source intelligence website Oryx puts visually confirmed Ukrainian M1224 MaxxPro losses at 90.

• I moved from the US to Ireland years ago and decided to attend college here. 
• My college education cost about 1/4 of what I would've paid going to a popular university in the US.
• We have great, high-quality produce in Ireland and the people here have been very friendly. 

At 15, I embarked on an adventure of a lifetime when my dad's job reassigned him from Chicago to Dublin.

After completing secondary school, I decided to stay in Ireland and go to college while my parents returned to the US after my dad's assignment was finished.

After graduating from college at 21, I knew what I'd found in Ireland was special and that I should try to hold onto it as long as I could. I stayed, and immersing myself in the way of the Irish has benefited my life in so many ways, even though living here isn't perfect.

After all, Ireland is one of the most expensive countries to live in in 2024, ranked just under the US. Life's not always easy here, as Ireland goes through a cost of living and housing crisis.

Even so, I believe my quality of life here is much better than it would be if I'd stayed in the US.

Here are a few of my favorite parts of living here.

The Irish culture and people are unmatched

The Irish people have a great reputation and are pretty loved around the world for a reason.

In my experience, many Irish folks are willing to stop and ask tourists if they need help if they look lost, give advice from across bus seats if they overhear a conversation, or just talk someone's ear off in a pub.

Locals I've met are animated storytellers who always leave me hanging on the edge of my seat, before I nearly fall off of it laughing.

But one of the things I love about the Irish is the pride they have for their country, culture, and history. Since I've lived here, Irish locals have always been happy to educate me and allow me to actively participate in their culture.

The quality of food and drink — both out and about and at home — is truly incredible

Beyond Ireland's drinking culture lies an innovative and exciting nightlife, especially with Dublin's growing cocktail scene. Bars all over Dublin experiment with spirits in new ways.

Pubs and bars are beyond just places to drink — they are social beacons, places where people congregate after a long day to spend time with one another.

And with a budding nightlife comes a bustling restaurant scene. I've found there's at least one excellent restaurant on every street in the city center if you're willing to shell out a good few quid.

But, part of what makes the drinking and eating culture so vibrant in Ireland is the quality of the food and drink here.

Ireland is ranked as the second country in the world with the best access to food. We have strict produce laws and regulations, and our produce is labeled with what country it comes from if it's grown outside of Ireland. There's also plenty of Irish homegrown beef.

Plus, it's cheaper for me to shop for fresh produce in Ireland than it ever was in the US. I can get carrots, celery, leeks, onions, and leafy greens for under €1, and find a dozen apples or bag of oranges for less than €4.

Four years of college here cost the same as one year at a school I'd wanted to attend in the US

It was way cheaper for me to attend an Irish university than it would've been to attend a popular one in the US, even with international fees applied.

Before moving to Ireland, I wanted to go to New York University — which would've cost me over $76,000 a year in 2018. At University College Dublin (UCD), I paid about €72,000, or about $78,000, for all four years of school and received a bachelor's degree in English.

And, with Ireland and The United States having great relations, I was eligible to use federal student aid for my degree in Ireland.

My education was invaluable, and I got to study at the same university as famous writers such as James Joyce, Roddy Doyle, and Mary Lavin.

I wouldn't trade my decision to study at UCD for anything in the world regardless of how expensive living in Ireland is.

• Tribeca Festival will feature five short films made with OpenAI's Sora on June 15.
• Filmmakers received early access to Sora and created the films in just weeks.
• Creatives who've used it say it's facilitated their artistic process.

Generative AI is making its debut at the Tribeca Festival, a 20-year-old New York film festival founded by actor Robert de Niro.

In collaboration with OpenAI, the Tribeca Festival is set to premiere five short films created using artificial intelligence on June 15. This marks the first time OpenAI's text-to-video tool, Sora, will be featured at a festival.

The filmmakers — all festival alumni — have committed to following the AI-related terms established by last year's agreements with directors, actors, and writers in the movie industry, according to a statement from the festival. They were given education on OpenAI's tools, early access to Sora, and the freedom to create their videos independently and asked to complete their projects in just a few weeks.

Jane Rosenthal, cofounder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises, said that "stories come to us as a feature film, an immersive experience, a piece of art, or even an AI-generated short film. I can't wait to see what this group of fiercely creative Tribeca alumni come up with."

OpenAI introduced Sora back in February to "understand and simulate the physical world in motion." While the tool hasn't yet been released to the public, OpenAI claims that it generates videos up to a minute long from text.

Some Hollywood veterans initially saw it as a threat. Filmmaker Tyler Perry paused plans for an $800 million studio expansion after he saw Sora's capabilities. Since then, however, creators who've gotten access to Sora say it has enhanced their creative process. They're able to communicate abstract concepts more clearly and visualize ideas in new ways. And they don't feel replaceable.

• Realtor.com ranked top retirement spots based on home prices and amenities for older residents.
• Florida is a popular retirement destination, but California and New Jersey had a few in the top 10.
• Many seniors face financial constraints and depend on Social Security for retirement.

As many Americans prepare to retire, many are wondering just how far their finances can take them.

After all, a majority of seniors live on meager incomes, and many are reliant on ever-imperiled Social Security. But for the workers who have put in their time, a cheaper spot to throw in the towel might be one solution for their economic woes. And, of course, many older adults are also combatting rising loneliness — making a strong community even more key to a comfortable retirement.

Some states have more retirees than others; perhaps unsurprisingly, nearly a fifth of Florida is retired.

Indeed, Florida hosts some of the best spots to retire, according to a new ranking from real-estate website Realtor.com. Realtor.com compiled a list of the top 10 places to retire, looking at a combination of housing prices, median ages, and real-estate listings that point to a retiree-friendly area — keywords like "55+," "clubhouse," "tennis courts," etc.

While Florida is showing up and showing out, you don't necessarily have to head south to find an ideal post-career destination — your affordable retirement might just be down the Jersey Shore.

Here are the top 10 spots to retire, according to Realtor.com, what it costs to live there, and what they're best known for.

10. Whiting, New Jersey

Percentage of retiree-friendly listings: 78%

Median age of residents: 69

Median list price: $179,000

Known for: With by far the cheapest median list price of the top 10, Whiting, located in the Pine Barrens, is home to over 33,000 residents attracted by the plentiful greenery, relatively inexpensive prices, and proximity to Philadelphia and New York City.

9. Laguna Woods, California

Percentage of retiree-friendly listings: 99%

Median age of residents: 75

Median list price: $409,900

Known for: Laguna Beach in Orange County has cheaper retirement-friendly listings than the rest of the county, drawing beach lovers and nature enthusiasts to spots like Newport Beach and Dana Point.

8. Sun City, California

Percentage of retiree-friendly listings: 86%

Median age of residents: 58

Median list price: $370,000

Known for: Sun City — a neighborhood in the city of Menefee in Riverside County, California — is located on the periphery of Joshua Tree National Park and is home to resort-style retirement facilities like Sun City Palm Desert.

7. Seal Beach, California

Percentage of retiree-friendly listings: 72%

Median age of residents: 61

Median list price: $369,000

Known for: Located in Orange County, Seal Beach is known for its moderate weather that rarely jumps above 90 degrees, close proximity to Long Beach, and wildlife at the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge. California has no state Social Security taxes, meaning retirees may feel slightly more inclined to spend at the many restaurants along Main Street.

6. Monroe, New Jersey

Percentage of retiree-friendly listings: 70%

Median age of residents: 56

Median list price: $424,000

Known for: Monroe, about 15 miles east of Princeton, boasts condos priced in the $200,000s with quick access to Philadelphia, New York City, Atlantic City, and state parks such as Cheesequake State Park.

5. Manchester, New Jersey

Percentage of retiree-friendly listings: 83%

Median age of residents: 65

Median list price: $309,900

Known for: Manchester, a town west of Toms River by the Atlantic Ocean, has relatively affordable retiree-friendly listings at various 55+ communities, each with amenities such as clubhouses, indoor pools, and fitness centers. Residents get all four seasons and lots of open space, though taxes are rather high compared to other states.

4. The Villages, Florida

Percentage of retiree-friendly listings: 84%

Median age of residents: 71

Median list price: $315,000

Known for: The Villages experienced a population boom of 4.7% between July 2022 and July 2023. The giant complex's over 50 golf courses, diverse restaurants, and several town squares — all accessible for $195 a month — have driven this quick growth among the 55+ community.

3. King City, Oregon

Percentage of retiree-friendly listings: 81%

Median age of residents: 63

Median list price: $375,000

Known for: Twelve miles outside Portland, King City is in the Tualatin Valley. It was first established as a retirement community in the '60s but is now considered a quiet suburb of Portland.

2. Green Valley, Arizona

Percentage of retiree-friendly listings: 83%

Median age of residents: 74

Median list price: $349,900

Known for: Green Valley has become a popular winter retreat destination. Only 30 miles outside Tucson, Green Valley has a lot to do — clubs, trips, and concerts are all sponsored by the nonprofit Green Valley Recreation.

1. Sun City Center, Florida

Percentage of retiree-friendly listings: 84%

Median age of residents: 71

Median list price: $315,000

Known for: Located between Tampa and Sarasota, Sun City Center is essentially its own retirement community. There are plenty of golf courses as well as indoor and outdoor pools. During waking hours, it's legal to drive golf carts on the streets.

• Iowa recently passed a law banning local governments from providing basic income programs.
• But one providing $500 a month to low-income residents says it will continue using private funds.
• Most participants said they spent the money on food and housing in the first year.

Conservatives in Iowa voted to ban local governments from sponsoring basic income programs earlier this year. But one program in the middle of the state says it's seeing successful results — and will keep going.

The "UpLift" program in central Iowa provides up to $500 a month for 110 low-income residents. Though the legislation could threaten its future, its organizers say it will continue — for now — using private funding. They said the program is showing similar results to other basic income programs around the country: Residents are mostly spending the money on food and shelter.

Ashley Ezzio, a senior project coordinator at The Tom and Ruth Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement, which is conducting the study, told The Des Moines Register that most participants are spending the money on essentials.

A study of the program, which started last May, found that food and groceries made up about 42% of costs in the first year, Ezzio said.

Uplift tracks spending categories and asks participants to take periodic surveys through the University of Pennsylvania and Des Moines University. About 80% of the participants completed the first survey, Uplift said.

Last month, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law that bans county and city governments from providing basic income programs. State Rep. Steve Holthave called for the bans, calling basic income programs "socialism on steroids" and "an attack on American values."

Guaranteed basic income programs typically offer no-strings-attached monthly payments between $500 and $1,000 to specific groups, like new moms, Black women, or trans people, all low-income residents. They differ from their idealistic cousin — a universal basic income. UBI, made famous by Andrew Yang during the 2016 presidential election, would provide a monthly payment to all citizens.

UpLift's findings in Iowa mirror those of basic income programs across the country.

In Austin, one study found that residents in a program that received $1,000 monthly payments for a year spent the no-strings-attached cash mostly on housing and food.

Still, conservatives in Texas are also pushing back against such programs. The state Supreme Court temporarily blocked a Houston-area program in April that gave low-income residents $500 a month after the state attorney general called it "unconstitutional."

• President Franklin D. Roosevelt maintained a lifelong connection with Springwood, his family home.
• He was raised at the property in Hyde Park, New York, and hosted dignitaries there as president.
• Measuring about 21,000 square feet, Springwood has 49 rooms and eight bathrooms.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's estate in Hyde Park, New York, is the only place in the US where a president was born, maintained a connection throughout his life, and is buried, according to the National Park Service.

Widely regarded as one of the most influential US presidents, Roosevelt was elected in 1932 and led the country through the Great Depression and World War II. Known for expansive government programs such as the New Deal, he died in office while serving an unprecedented fourth term in 1945.

Roosevelt's 21,000-square-foot family home, an Italianate-style villa known as Springwood, is open to the public as part of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park. Everything inside is original to the home.

Take a look inside the historic site.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's home, known as Springwood, is in Hyde Park, New York.

The Vanderbilt family's 45,000-square-foot Gilded Age mansion is also in Hyde Park, which is about 95 miles from New York City.

It's located on the grounds of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

The National Park Service operates both the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum and the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, while the National Archives manages the library's collections.

The National Park Service offers 40-minute guided tours of Springwood from May through October. Tickets cost $15 each and are sold in person on a first-come, first-serve basis.

As I began my walk to Springwood, I passed bronze statues of Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt.

The statues were modeled after a 1933 photograph of the Roosevelts at their Hyde Park home.

A park ranger told me to follow the sign for the stables to reach Roosevelt's home.

Further along the path, I began to see signs for Springwood, which is located next to the stables.

The stables still featured the names of the Roosevelt family's horses.

Roosevelt was an avid equestrian and continued riding even after his legs became paralyzed due to polio.

The tour started outside Springwood as a park ranger spoke about the history of the home and the Roosevelt family.

Roosevelt's father, James Roosevelt, was a Harvard-educated lawyer who earned his fortune as a businessman for various railroad and coal companies. He purchased the original farmhouse on the property in 1867 and named it "Springwood."

In 1915, Roosevelt and Eleanor added two stone wings and most of the third floor to make more room for their six children.

The guide also pointed out a front portico that resembled the South Portico of the White House.

"Perhaps a little political foreshadowing?" he said.

The Entrance Hall was decorated with prints from Roosevelt's naval collection and editorial cartoons from the 18th century.

Roosevelt served as assistant secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson. His fondness for Navy ships was evident in the decor throughout Springwood.

The Entrance Hall also featured Roosevelt's boyhood bird collection and a bronze statue of him at age 29.

As a child, Roosevelt collected birds and had them stuffed in order to study them up close.

The bronze statue depicts Roosevelt in 1911 when he was serving his first term in the New York State Senate.

In the Dining Room, Roosevelt sat at the head of the table in the seat pulled out on the left.

The small round table in the back of the room was the kids' table.

After dinner, guests would move to the Dresden Room, which functioned as a sitting room.

The room is named for the Dresden chandelier and sconces that Roosevelt's father brought back from Dresden, Germany.

A foldable ramp made the stairs leading into the Library accessible for Roosevelt's wheelchair.

At 39 years old, Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio and became paralyzed from the waist down. He didn't want people to know that he used a wheelchair, so the ramp could be folded up and hidden away when guests were present.

When Roosevelt took business meetings at Springwood, his aides positioned him in an armchair and put a stack of papers in his lap to give him a plausible reason not to stand when his guests arrived.

In the Library, Roosevelt met with world leaders and dignitaries.

Roosevelt's famous guests included King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother), Prince Frederik and Princess Ingrid of Denmark, Prince Olav and Princess Martha of Norway, and Winston Churchill.

The room also featured a portrait of Roosevelt painted by Ellen Emmet Rand.

Roosevelt sat for the portrait after he was elected to his first term as president in 1932.

The tour continued upstairs with the Pink Room, which functioned as a guest room.

King George VI and Winston Churchill slept in this room during their visits to Hyde Park.

Another guest room was used by his political advisors.

Louis Howe and Harry Hopkins, two of Roosevelt's close political advisors, stayed in this room.

The Chintz Room was also used as a guest room for important visitors.

Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, Russian pianist Madam Knavage, and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, stayed in the Chintz Room during their time at Springwood.

Roosevelt was born in the Blue Room on January 30, 1882.

His father, James Roosevelt, wrote in his diary on the night of Roosevelt's birth that he was a "splendid, large baby boy" who weighed 10 pounds. Everything in the Blue Room is original, including the mattress Roosevelt was born on.

James and his wife, Sara Roosevelt, slept in the Blue Room. After James' death, Sara moved into another room down the hall when the home was renovated in 1915, bringing her furniture with her. The Blue Room was then redecorated and repurposed as a guest room.

Sara requested that the original furniture be moved back into the Blue Room after her death to restore it to the way it looked when Roosevelt was born.

Growing up, Roosevelt slept in this bedroom until he married Eleanor in 1905.

When the Roosevelts had children of their own, the oldest son living at home slept here.

The hallway leading to the primary bedrooms included a unique piece of decor: a mirror mounted on a 45-degree angle.

The Secret Service used the mirror to monitor activity down the hall and around the front of the house.

Roosevelt's mother, Sara Roosevelt, slept in a bedroom at the end of the hall.

Roosevelt's father, James, died in 1900, while Sara lived for another 41 years. She moved from the Blue Room into this room after the home's 1915 renovation.

Eleanor moved into a smaller bedroom connected to Roosevelt's room after he became sick with polio.

The space was originally intended to be a morning room.

After Roosevelt's death in 1945, Eleanor moved to Val-Kill, a cottage she built with friends Nancy Cook and Marion Dickerman. Located around 2.5 miles from Springwood, the property is now known as the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site.

Roosevelt's bedroom windows featured views of the Hudson River.

Roosevelt would often spend early mornings in his room reading the paper or meeting with one of his secretaries.

Beside his bed, a designated phone provided a direct, secure line to the White House.

Having direct communication with Washington was state-of-the-art technology at the time, and proved crucial as his health began to fail towards the end of his life.

Our tour guide ended his presentation with a surprising detail: the clothes hanging in Roosevelt's bedroom closet.

"The clothes that are in that room on display, FDR handpicked for you to see," our guide said. "He knew you were coming."

Eleanor turned Springwood over to the National Park Service in 1945, shortly after Roosevelt's death, and spoke at its dedication as a national historic site in 1946.

"I think Franklin realized that the historic library, the house, and the peaceful resting place behind the high hedge with flowers blooming around it would perhaps mean something to the people of the United States," she said at the event, author Olin Dows wrote in his 1949 book, "Franklin Roosevelt at Hyde Park," according to the National Park Service. "They would understand the rest and peace and strength which he had gained here and perhaps learn to come, and go away with some sense of healing and courage themselves."

As I exited Springwood through the south lawn, I was greeted by stunning views of the Hudson Valley.

Roosevelt planted many of the trees on the property as part of his forestry experiments and conservation efforts.

Visitors could also pay their respects at the Roosevelts' burial site in Springwood's rose garden.

Roosevelt wrote that he wanted to be buried where the sundial stood in the rose garden on his Hyde Park estate, according to the National Park Service.

Roosevelt's legacy lives on in his presidential library and museum, the construction of which he oversaw himself.

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum was dedicated in 1941.

He was the first US president to establish a library to house papers and artifacts from his political career, a model that every president since has followed.

When I visited my first presidential library, the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, I bought a passport to fill with stamps from all 15 presidential libraries nationwide. I was delighted to find a desk with stamps to add to my booklet just outside the gift shop.

Springwood remains a meaningful historical site memorializing one of America's most prominent presidents.

Nearly 10,000 people visited Springwood on the first day it was open to the public in 1946, and they haven't stopped visiting since.

• Central Florida's tourism oversight district will soon vote on a development plan with Disney.
• The plan would greenlight $17 billion in development at Walt Disney World over 10 to 20 years.
• It could herald the arrival of the much-rumored "fifth theme park" in Florida.

Rumors that Walt Disney World might build a fifth theme park in Central Florida have persisted for years. Now, there's some good news for anyone hoping those rumors are true.

A potential new development agreement between Central Florida's tourism board and The Walt Disney Company could usher in the rumored expansion.

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District will host a public hearing on Disney's development plan during a meeting next week before finally voting on June 15.

If approved, the agreement would be a major thaw in relations between Disney and the tourism board, which the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis effectively commandeered from Disney in 2023. DeSantis appointed five people to the tourism board, but two have since left their positions.

As now written, the agreement would allow Disney to spend $17 billion to further develop Walt Disney World over the next 10 to 20 years, according to a statement from the tourism board.

"With Walt Disney World's substantial investments, we anticipate economic growth, job creation, and support for local businesses, alongside environmental stewardship and workforce housing initiatives, benefiting Central Florida's community," District Administrator Stephanie Kopelousos said in a statement to Business Insider.

The tourism board said the agreement would require Disney to find local contractors for any construction and award a minimum of 50% of all construction work to Florida-based businesses. It also requires Disney to fund "attainable" housing projects.

Disney officials haven't detailed how the billions would be spent, but an industry insider told the Orlando Sentinel that a fifth theme park could join its roster of existing properties.

Magic Kingdom opened to the public in 1971, followed by Epcot in 1982, Disney's Hollywood Studios in 1989, and Animal Kingdom in 1998.

Disney CEO Bob Iger skirted a question about a new Florida theme park during an earnings call in February, according to the Sentinel.

"We're already hard at work at basically determining where we're going to place our new investments and what they will be," Iger said. "You can pretty much conclude that they'll be all over, meaning every single one of our locations will be the beneficiary of increased investment."

Representatives for The Walt Disney Co. and Walt Disney World did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

DeSantis vs. Disney

The pending development agreement between the tourism board and Disney comes after a contentious legal battle — initiated by DeSantis — that began in April 2022.

The legal battle began when Disney publicly opposed DeSantis's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill. DeSantis lashed out at the entertainment conglomerate and attempted to upend a long-standing arrangement that allowed Disney to self-govern through its Reedy Creek Improvement District.

DeSantis gained control of the Reedy Creek Improvement District in February 2023. His administration renamed it the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and DeSantis appointed its board supervisors, effectively removing Disney's autonomy over development in the area.

The former Reedy Creek Improvement District board members tried to push through a development deal before they were ousted. But after a series of court battles, Disney and the new tourism board finally reached a settlement in March.

That settlement nullified the last-minute deal the former Reedy Creek board members pushed through. The settlement then suggested Disney and the new board work together on a new development deal.

• Trump's plans for a universal tariff on all US imports could set off a global trade war, a Peterson Institute fellow said.
• Such a conflict erupted the last time the US applied blanket protectionism in the 1930s.
• Others have warned that a trade war with China could be coming regardless, no matter who is president.

Donald Trump says his trade policy would be a way to protect the US from exploitation. 

Yet, by applying a base tariff on virtually all foreign goods, he's starting a "war against trade itself," Alan Wm. Wolff wrote for the Peterson Institute for International Economics. 

The Republican candidate has made tariffs a cornerstone of his prospective trade policy, proposing a universal 10% duty on all imports heading into the US. As for Chinese goods, Trump has touted tariffs as high as 60%.

Still, before the US embraces this level of protectionism, it might be better to dust off some history, the left-leaning think tank said — blanket tariffs aren't an entirely untested phenomenon.

Something similar to this last happened at the onset of the Great Depression, when struggling US farmers asked that foreign imports be taxed. 

That spawned the 1930 Tariff Act, but the legislation was far more ambitious than first conceived. Aside from just agriculture, a wide swath of industries notched new protections, and import tariffs rose an average 47%.

World economies fired back almost immediately. Even before the bill went into effect, about a dozen countries retaliated with their own restrictions. Great Britain followed a year on, imposing tariffs of up to 50%, Wolff said.

"Economists agree that high tariffs broadened and deepened the Great Depression, when US unemployment reached 25 percent and we nearly lost our democracy," the distinguished visiting fellow wrote.

Today, the US tariff averages 3%, a safe distance away from the extremes nearly a century ago. But if Trump wins back the presidency, his experiments with blanket protectionism could change this.

On its own, that might not mean much to consumers, who are likely growing desensitized high tariff talk and warnings about trade standoffs, he added, but if tariffs do jump sharply, there will be real consequences for the public.

According to separate research from the Peterson Institute, Trump's proposed taxes could cost consumers 2% of US GDP, totalling $500 billion a year. By another estimate, households would pay an extra $1,500 per year from these tariffs.

And other academics, such as Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff, have warned of inflationary implications.

Meanwhile, trade war warnings aren't limited to just Wolff. However, other experts have noted that such conflicts could be in store, irrelevant of who is president. 

That at least seems likely between the US and China, after the country's advanced manufacturing was significantly sped up. Although higher production was meant to help stimulate China's economy, Beijing is now sitting with a glut of products it needed to unload. 

"They need to get that export engine up," China Beige Book CEO Leland Miller said in March. "That's going to cause a lot of problems globally, politically. That's why I think we're going to be entering into a trade war next year."

In fact, the US appears to already be responding, after President Biden announced a spree of tariffs on China's tech exports earlier this month. 

But while Biden's fresh restrictions may seem high, Waller noted that they're still not comparable to Trump's proposal. 

For instance, the new 50% tariffs on Chinese semiconductors may seem extreme, but they target a trade that's just below $1 billion a year, he said. Compared to that, the US imports six times that amount each month.

"Unlike the Biden tariffs, the Trump plan is for increased tariffs on all products from all countries. It is not just America First; it is America Alone," Wolff wrote. 

• A millennial couple won the New York City affordable-housing lottery after applying about 25 times.
• Brynne McManimie, 35, and Peter Romano, 34, now live in a $2,800-a-month apartment in Brooklyn.
• "It was unusually fast. I don't think that's the case for most people, but we got very lucky," McManimie told BI.

In 2021, Brynne McManimie and Peter Romano lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Due to the pandemic, they had gotten a good deal on their lease and paid $2,600 in rent each month. But that didn't last long.

"After a year, our landlord raised our rent by like 25% and it made us very nervous about staying in that apartment," McManimie, an actor and teacher, told Business Insider. Their new rent was $3,300 a month.

"That's when we were like, 'OK, let's just try the housing lottery,'" McManimie added.

For Romano, a New Yorker, and McManimie, a West Coast transplant who has been living in New York for 13 years, the affordable-housing lottery was one of those things they had always heard about.

"It's one of those things that was always talked about in our circle of friends because, as artists, there's also artist housing in New York and we know many people who have lived in those," McManimie said.

The decision to apply for the affordable-housing lottery was also sparked by their desire not to give up some of the perks they were already used to in Greenpoint — such as having a washer and dryer in their unit.

"A lot of these new buildings with the housing lottery are nice and have a lot of good amenities, but they're a lot more affordable and in our price range," McManimie said. "So that prompted us to go for it."

A pipe dream for most

The affordable-housing lotteries are run by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, or HPD, and the Housing Development Corporation.

Although applying is free, each household must meet specific income requirements to qualify for a lottery apartment. These vary across developments depending on unit size and location.

But winning the housing lottery is a pipe dream for most applicants: In 2018, The New York Times reported that the odds of winning were 1 in 592.

But luck was on the couple's side.

"This actually happened very fast for us," McManimie, 35, said. "I think we applied to this building in April 2023. We were contacted in May to submit documents but didn't hear from them until September."

By early October, they had already signed the lease and moved in.

"It was unusually fast. I don't think that's the case for most people, but we got very lucky," McManimie said, adding that they had applied to about 25 different buildings.

$2,800 a month

The couple's one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in Clinton Hill came with a balcony. It's a corner unit, so they have neighbors on only one side.

According to the latest May data from RentHop.com, the median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Clinton Hill is $3,750.

"It's definitely smaller than our old apartment," McManimie said. "The kitchen and the living room are all one big room, but everything is brand new. We're the first people to live in this unit."

It also had all the amenities they wanted: a dishwasher, a washer-dryer, central AC, and heating.

The couple signed a two-year lease on the apartment and now pay $2,800 monthly rent.

"Since it's rent-stabilized, they can't raise it like a ton," Romano, an actor and professor, told BI. "Which is honestly really attractive to us, given what happened with our last landlord."

Every year, the Rent Guidelines Board decides the percentages by which landlords can legally increase rents for rent-stabilized apartments. In 2023, the board voted to raise rents on one-year leases by 3%, and on two-year leases by 2.75% for the first year and 3.2% for the second year, per The New York Times.

The day they moved in, it felt like a weight off their shoulders.

"I felt relieved, honestly," Romano, 34, added. "Our financial situation — with this rent amount — was going to feel very good. And I remember when we sat down on the couch after the day, it was like, 'Okay, I can breathe a little bit.'"

McManimie felt the same.

"I was a little nervous about downsizing even more. But after a couple of days, I didn't really notice," McManimie said. "Our building has a rooftop deck; we have a lounge upstairs to work in with a beautiful view of the city. We have a gym and a giant lobby."

Although the apartment is small — about 550 square feet — it still feels like they have a lot of space, she added.

A work in progress

Design-wise, the couple's apartment is bright and colorful with midcentury influences.

McManimie is behind the decor, while Romano is the one who's responsible for building their furniture.

"Since our space is so small, we looked for furniture with storage. Our coffee table, one of our stools, and our bed has additional storage," McManimie said. "We also store things under our couch and above our cabinets."

Other furniture pieces are from a vacation home they previously owned in Poconos with McManimie's father.

"We sold it before we even applied for this apartment since it made us a little ineligible for a while," Romano said. Those applying for rental units through the housing lottery aren't allowed to own residential property in or within 100 miles of New York City limits.

Although they were sad to see it go, it's been nice not to have to manage a property, McManimie added: "I think people don't always realize how hard it is to be a homeowner."

Even now, they aren't done decorating their apartment.

"Our bedroom is definitely still a work in progress," McManimie said, adding that she's looking for an antique mirror for the space. She also shared that she has an antique desk in storage that she's planning to use as a vanity.

A 'life-changing' opportunity

Their biggest tip for anyone who wants to apply for the housing lottery is to have all the financial paperwork on hand during the application process.

"Your tax returns, your pay stubs — they asked for all of that information in quite a quick amount of time to turn around," Romano said.

There's also no point in applying for apartments that fall outside your income range since "they're going to weed you out immediately," McManimie said.

Applying for the housing lottery requires a lot of paperwork and many people end up unsuccessful in their bids, but it's still worth a shot, she added.

"If you're unhappy with your situation or your rent is too high, you might as well try," McManimie said. "You have to decide what your priorities are."

Ultimately, the apartment situation worked ouy well for them, she added.

"We're really happy and very thankful that New York City has an affordable housing lottery. It's definitely been life-changing," she said.

Have you recently built or renovated your dream home? If you have a story to share, get in touch with me at agoh@businessinsider.com.

• Boeing has been involved in a string of high-profile safety incidents over the last six months.
• One mechanic told The Guardian that the firm's largest factory is now in "panic mode."
• They also accused managers of trying to keep staff quiet about safety concerns.

Managers at Boeing's largest factory in Everett, Washington, "will hound mechanics" to keep quiet about safety and quality assurance concerns, a mechanic who has worked for the company for more than three decades told The Guardian.

Boeing's Everett site, one of the world's largest manufacturing buildings, produces the 747, 767, 777, and 787 airplanes.

The factory is also responsible for fixing the 787 Dreamliner, and the unnamed mechanic told the Guardian that it was "full of" faulty 787 jets waiting to be mended.

Many of the planes arriving at Everett come from Boeing's 787 Dreamliner Final Assembly building in South Carolina, which it opened in 2011.

The mechanic added that people at the Everett site were "in panic mode," saying that Boeing managers "finally figured out that they got more people that have no idea what's going on, than people that do."

The Guardian reported that Boeing "did not comment on claims that staff have been pressured not to raise concerns about quality" but said that work on the 787s at the Everett factory was part of an "established verification program."

Business Insider has contacted Boeing for comment.

The aerospace manufacturer has faced increased scrutiny following a string of safety issues over the last six months, beginning with the Alaska Airlines blowout in January, which led to the grounding of 171 Max 9 planes in the US.

In April, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) opened an investigation into claims made by a Boeing quality engineer who alleged that he had observed the company start taking "shortcuts" while working on the 787 in late 2020.

Sam Salehpour said he believed the company had failed to adequately shim — or fill tiny gaps with a thin piece of material — parts affecting more than 1,000 787s in service, which was "likely to cause premature fatigue failure over time in two major airplane joints."

He said that the shortcuts had been taken to "reduce bottlenecks in production and speed up production and delivery of 787s."

Boeing has pushed back at the claims on its website, saying that it has full confidence in the 787 Dreamliner due to the "comprehensive work done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft."

"Claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate," it adds.

But the FAA ordered another investigation into the manufacturer in May after the company said it may not have properly inspected its 787 Dreamliner planes.

"The FAA is investigating whether Boeing completed the inspections and whether company employees may have falsified aircraft records," the agency said in a statement.

It added that Boeing was re-inspecting all 787 jets in production.

Following the Alaska blowout incident, the FAA ordered Boeing to produce an action plan to address its safety issues.

The FAA said this week that it was continuing "to hold Boeing accountable" after it conducted a review of that plan.

FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said: "This does not mark the end of our increased oversight of Boeing and its suppliers, but it sets a new standard of how Boeing does business."

Boeing's issues have also seen it hit with criticism from one of its biggest customers, Emirates CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.

He told the planemaker to "get your act together" in an interview with CNBC in May.