China's military parade, Trump deportations, and stuff.

Response to Facebook posts by friends. 

<>Military parades are an annual show of hawkish superpower spunk. No big deal. The big deal? China's military budget: $249 billion (#2 globally). U.S.? An uncontested $850 billion! Yet China is the U.S.’ #2 or #3 top trade partner; could be #1 again after an expected trade pact 2 by Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

 

       Current top trade buddies Canada and Mexico? Mark Carney is being dramatic about stuff while Claudia Sheinbaum may shudder per President Trump's pursuit of drug cartels etcetera. (Narcopolitics is a superpower ogre out there. But Mexico's leadership must work with Don in obliterating the padrones to make sense of Washington's current plan.)

       Meanwhile, the U.S., Canada and Mexico have been haggling and hawing over tariffs for years so “Trump tariffs” are not really their issue (refer to NAFTA). 

<>President Trump has so far deported or arrested close to 150,000 illegal migrants. Take note the record number of border crossings by the undocumented from 2021 to 2024, after Joe Biden ended the Merida Initiative in 2021. Deportations are no-brainer. 

       Yet it was Barack Obama, in his first term, who deported the most number of migrants: 400,000+ average. That is the U.S. record of deportations (after Operation Wetback in 1954). But no Left-wing howl this loud in Obama years. 🏛🗽🏛

Compilation of my short MORNING THOUGHTS.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page

Would it matter if Jesus Christ, Mohammad, or Buddha are white, black, yellow or brown-skinned? Would people stop shaming others’ religion? All religions are guilty of wrongdoings, as they are respected as well for good deeds. Because human existence treads imperfection. What matters are the teachings on those preserved texts that inspire and motivate universal good. But we usually anchor conflicts on our outer layer diversity. What if our Faith is all one-color? No color? 🕌?✝️

France’s presidential aspirant Marine Le Pen is anti-IMF and anti-NATO. Those anti positions were Old Left ideals. Yet she is branded Far Right. Then, workers who forged energies versus corporate greed were called Communists or Leftist radicals. These days, they are called Conservative Right—although they also forge energies vs corporate greed. Populism is essentially the majority poor. Yet the word is now demonized by the media. How the world’s words get mixed up. ☮️☮️☮️

I was a radical Leftist. But raised as a Catholic Conservative. The Old Right: They’d quietly dismiss or evade you in case of disagreement. They are essentially still the same. The Old Left was more focused, patient, and intent—in pursuit of gut issues. Differences ignite them to reach out more. The New Left, however, expanded its reach to include “correctness” morality and ideological purity. They’d stick to their paradigm similar to how devout religious cling to theirs. Me? Just a pasckie. 🗣👤👥

Johnny Depp sued his ex-wife, Amber Heard, for an op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post referring to herself as “…representing domestic abuse.” This Hollywood drama, albeit supposedly “private” is VERY public. Unless they are family or close friends, I am not interested in the personal life of people, rich and famous or not. Why would I? Meantime, my viewing pleasure of movies is just-that: Viewing pleasure. Depp is Depp and Heard is—at least now, you heard about her. 🎬😭🎬

Most of my life as a journalist I covered politics. Listened to politicians talk a lot, off the record as well. But since Obama’s last campaign in 2012, I lost interest in listening to politicians talk. I also considerably stopped watching News TV. But my reading madness of politics got more intense, focused, and frequent. You see, when news is spoken, I often lose the facts of the matter. The “spade” isn’t tackled as “spade” per se but somebody else’s “spade.” 🗣👤👥

I don’t believe most of the political news that I read these days--but I read them just the same. Reading those that I don’t agree with—is also a learning curve. For example, although I don’t concur with most of what the New York Times reports these days, I haven’t stopped reading it. The only newspaper that I read ceaselessly since high school days. Though grossly opinionated by way of its partisan bent, NY Times presents its stuff with aesthetic flair. Good writing. 📝📚📝

Money and punishment—in pro sports. Most recent: NBA fines Miles Bridges $50K for hitting a fan with mouthguard after ejection. Next: Patrick Beverley fined $30K after telling opposing players to “…take your ass home!” Those shenanigans don’t compare with the “ordinary” violence in ice hockey games, of course. NHL fines range from "only" $1,000 to $15K (which is max so far). And then I still read scholarly analysis of the Slap over the nonstop shootings out there. ?☮️🏒

Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator, looms as frontrunner in the presidential election in the Philippines next month. He is ahead by 20+ points over 2nd-running Leni Robredo. Philippine politics is multiparty; the eventual winner doesn’t get a majority vote. Strategically, if the campaign focuses on persuading voters who opt for the three other aspirants to go to Leni, she will have a chance. The tactic of shaming the rival candidate doesn’t work. 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭

News: “Video shows Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine being beaten and shot in their legs.” We know what a war is all about. How many wars have excised punishment on humanity in our respective lifetimes? Hence, does the media need to parade the atrocities, cruelties, and mayhem right on our gadgets, 24/7? We get it. We get the message. What is the point? Pummel in our head who are the villains and who are the heroes? And add fire to more hatred? ☮️☮️☮️

When a politician or any individual issues an insight that runs against the popular narrative, that person is auto-dismissed as Conservative Rightwinger or Populist Right. A long time ago, “popular narrative” a.k.a. The majority voice was defined as populism. Antithesis to elitism of the rich, privileged few. Today’s weird conjecture: If the “populist” take tends to go Old Left vs the New Left, then it is called “populist Left.” So what do we call the New Left? Liberal? Progressive? Yet not Elite? 👈👅👉

Compilation of short MORNING THOUGHTS.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Journalism perennially tiptoes the grey line between objectivity and propaganda. Way back before the advent of the internet, depending on the degree of reading earnest—the Narrative’s Left/Right angling was no brainer. But we had to dig deeper. These days, media as political mouthpieces and marketing feed by corporate giants—have gone magnificently widespread, in-your-face blatant. Old age though gives us clarity by comparative analysis. Fact, fake, truth, lie. Do we? 👍👽👎

Another mass shooting. Sacramento: Six dead, 10 injured. Fact: Bloodbath happens 24/7, globally. You’d probably say Venezuela has 49 gun deaths per 100,000 or most of South America are worse. The U.S., only 12 despite a huge 102 guns per 100. Given. What is eerie alongside the violence board on our face? We talk more about the violence of a glittery slap than killings around us. Or it seems we are not moved by billions$ spent on military aid to prolong wars. Tragic.☮️☮️☮️

We are kickass when it comes to leftover dinners. Old school. People whine a lot about the $7.25 minimum wage. Shouldn’t we work around life and living? Learn to live with less. If the salary goes up double, sweet! But if wage/s stay $7.25 and inflation triples to 7.9 percent, not good. Still, we gotta work around leftovers. Leftover royales! In fact, Arrow The Brat Doog keeps her leftovers—bones and cookies—between couch cushions. She knows how to save and recycle food. 🐕🦴🐕

When a sentence that fits a particular political bias is credited to Keanu Reeves, Maya Angelou, or Bernie Sanders, that meme is shared heavily, 24/7. Although said words seem exactly what grandma or the flea market vendor say all the time. Yup, the majick of today’s “influencing” juju. Also: When an “unknown” personage shares some data that pretty much elicit “Oh yeah!” that post is shared pronto, without rechecking facts. Most likely, it was tossed by a cat. 🤨🧐😂

One of the most stupid activities that humanity ever submitted themselves into is to ridicule religion. All religions. The idiotic gesture only breeds hate, violence, and disunity. Waste of time and energy. Similar to/with political ideologies and cultural traditions, religion could usher badness or evil—yet they also motivate goodness and peace. We gather and spread the Good; we reject and dispose of the Bad. In between, we simply dance to Bee Gees music. ?☮️🕺

Awesome if people respond to a post that they don't agree with--by saying, "How about we meet in person and discuss more over coffee or beer?" That's how I expanded my network before there was Social Media. You see, is it really hard to act grownup when responding online? The reason why many are rude in commenting here--is because it makes them feel important, cool, and sexy? And they won’t see you in person ever anyway—to get a thunderous slap! LOL! 🤨🧐😂

Comedy has evolved from an easy, accessible laughing fix. For example, I was an avid fan of SNL at the time of Mike Myers, Molly Shannon, Will Ferrell—or till the era of Fred Armisen, Kristen Wiig, Adam Samberg, and Bill Hader’s Stefon. Till the “political humor” got overboard—as insults versus the opposite of the polar extreme. So I’m done with SNL. Also: Memes are fine—unless serious stuff like wars are meme’fied, especially with incorrect data. Not funny at all. 

       Today’s comedy is more a specific/exclusive sociocultural fare, (political/market) demographics-wise. You don’t nonchalantly stride in a comedy open mic and expect to laugh all the way as before. You may even walk out. I am not a fan of “insult comedy,” I mean. But I won’t waste energy raising a finger to shut a comic up. My fingers and hands got more use—as a pleasure tool and work gadget than to slap a funny dude. I’d rather walk out and go to Sonic for a banana split or head home in front of ESPN with the babedawg and koolcat. 👎😾👎

Conversation is hard these days. When we try to elaborate on a certain sociocultural fact or basics like gasoline price, heating bills, or what we watch on primetime TV. I try not to slide to partisan politics a.k.a. Left vs Right caterwaul but it’d be difficult to expound if we don’t touch law and politics per se. Since a society is governed by political rule. Yet you’d be hushed by a retort that slams, “…I don’t want to talk about politics right now!” LOL! 

       The thing is, you’d be hushed if they don’t (politically) agree with you. Or when you try to correct their info (beyond Left/Right). Yet others, when they couldn’t argue your point, would correct your usage of English. LOL! 🗣👤🤪

What if there's no social media? If we don't speak all that our mind says. You see, long-married couples differ in opinion. Best friends, too. But they never unfriended mere disagreement on stuff, politics or whatever. Presidents leave White House, 8 years max. Family and friends stay, mostly. Were they always rude when they disagreed, especially while in front of you? What if there’s no social media where people hit and run, be nasty while behind a curtain? 🗣👤👥

There’s a lot to dislike about people. People are strange. But then it wasn’t easy to lose friends. High school days? Boyz in the `hood? We heckled each other over flimsy reasons. We co-existed nevertheless. In my youth, I was a radical Leftist yet my friends were apolitical, Rightists, or just themselves. No problem. We still had fun together though the silly heckling stayed. These days, it is easy to “unfriend” people. Because we all basically live here. Bubbles. Pfft! 👍👋👎

ASIA: India, China, and the United States.

Response to Facebook posts by friends. 

FB Friend: President Bongbong Marcos is due to visit India, a rising power in the region and a huge market of more than 1 billion people. India can be a natural ally, like the U.S. and Japan because of its conflict with China

ME: Other than the media drama that U.S. journalism narrates, I don't think India has conflicts with its BRICS partner China. But the Philippines can trade with both giants and the U.S. sans intrigues. Just do business. The Philippines' relatively fine 5+ percent economic growth will carry on if Manila doesn't contaminate its trade relations with political asides.

FB Friend: India and China have border disputes in the Himalayas and occasionally exchanged artillery. India resented Chinese Navy presence in the Indian Ocean through a base and presence in rival Pakistan. China does not welcome Indian Navy presence in the South China Sea, criticizing naval drills with the Philippines. 

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ME: These border disputes date back years, mostly rooted in British colonial era demarcations: 1962 Sino-Indian War, 1967 Nathu La and Cho La, 1987 Sumdorong Chu standoff etc etcetera. Even dating back to the Opium Wars of the 17th century or when the British meddled in the region via the British East Indian Company. There was a quarrel in 2020-2021. Yet, at least from the time both countries forged a trade alliance via BRIC in 2001 (with Brazil and Russia), growth in diplomatic and economic influence has increased the significance of their bilateral relationship. Between 2008 and 2021, China has been India's largest trading partner, and the two countries have also extended their strategic and military relations. But true animosities happen but unless the West meddles and trouble-mongers, these guys stay relatively cool.

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Note that Mr Trump shuffles Washington's hawkish girth via slick trade pitch: He sold arms in the Middle East as he forges peace and de-escalated the Iran/Israel tempest, sold arms to EU/NATO instead of sending what US Congress last approved in Ukraine aid last year, and of course, he sent his Defense chief Pete Hegseth to sell arms in Asia. (Japan was an early taker, hence PM Ishiba's party lost.) What I see in this rehashed (military) brinkmanship is more arms sales. With or without wars, or during little wars, arms are sold. Meanwhile, why not try to create a fissure between China and India? Trump is amidst trade negotiations with China as he plans to visit Beijing by the end of the year, possibly for a second trade pact with Xi Jinping. 

       So he looks at India as a variation in his chess game; he can also look at Indonesia, actually. But I don't think China and India are that dumb not to know about the rabble-rouse. Indonesia is also BRICS). Sure, these giants can always parade their military machismo; that's always been the case in the South China Sea in the advent of China. But the shudder didn't explode as what normally happens in and around the Strait of Hormuz or Persian Gulf. ☮️☮️☮️

Ukraine War. President Trump and the European Union.

Response/s to a Facebook chat on the subject of Mr Trump “losing” the war.

FOR now, I believe, the real battle is between Mr Trump and the EU or European powers in NATO. A continuing war means the EU's recent pledge to increase their share of NATO funding (esp. Germany's 16 percent or more) will be tested.

       Or The D's decision to resume sending U.S. military aid to Ukraine (after Russia stepped up strikes) would be via NATO. Germany, France, UK et al will have to foot most of the bill. POTUS previously held or delayed arms aid to Kyiv as he resumed talks with Vladimir Putin. 

       Of course, Don's negotiations with Vlad were rendered useless after Europe decided to keep on sending weapons to Volodymyr Zelensky; the EU opted to keep the war raging. ☮️☮️☮️

LAST year or during Joe Biden's time, the U.S. Congress appropriated a new $174 billion aid to Ukraine; the House approved $61 billion. So this means that this money will only be partially sent or not at all since Mr Trump has urged NATO to take full/more responsibility this time. Of course, the military alliance was active since the war started in February 2022 but it was the U.S. or President Biden taking the lead.

       So the chess game is now within the West. Anyhow, the question here, as President Trump's dove gasps, is whether NATO or EU back down from sending more arms to Ukraine (regardless that they increased their share of NATO budget per POTUS prodding). An end to the war serves Mr Trump's playbook. That'd mean he can resume his trade talks with Kyiv. 

No more war means an election happens in Ukraine. Which also means “Goodbye, Zelensky!” So would Z refuse EU's aid? Nope. He wants to stay. But the Ukrainian people already suffered so much. They are the real ones who "lost." 

       And why would Donald Trump be the POTUS who lost this war when he only inherited it from Joe Biden? Even if Donald is able to end this war, he didn't win--he just ended it. Already, the people lost. Not just the Ukrainians and Russians, but also American taxpayers who had to watch U.S. money get wasted in wars instead of funding gut-level imperatives such as FEMA. 

       FEMA had a budget deficit of $7.4 billion in 2024; The D lowered it to $2.9 billion. Still, that is huge money. You see, Mr Biden's government has handed Z billions$ since 2022 (apart from aid during the 2014 revolution) yet FEMA stayed bankrupt. 

       Oh well.

       The other issue: If Mr Trump disregards what Congress decided last year (new aid to Ukraine(, expect another impeachment move. With Israel, it's "easier." Whether there is an Israel war or not, Tel Aviv will still get the annual $3+ billion military aid from the US. For Z, "no war = no more aid." ☮️☮️☮️

Immigration. Migrants. And the in-betweens.

Previously posted on my Facebook page. 

JOE Biden erased the The Mérida Initiative right after he sat in White House in 2021. Formed in 2007, the program was a security cooperation agreement between the United States, Mexico, and other countries of Central America aimed at combating the threats of drug trafficking, transnational organized crime etcetera. In 2021, the number of illegal migrants in the U.S. was 11.2 million; by the end of 2024, the figure soared to 14 million to 15.8 million. No brainer? 

OTHER THOUGHTS. Wild and whacked ICE/anti-Trump memes flood my Homepage. Ponder these: Record number of crossings from 2021 to 2024 weakened the U.S. southern border. So sending them back is no brainer. Could be record numbers, too. So far Mr Trump has deported 140,000. In the first years of Mr Obama, deportations averaged 400,000 a year. Yet border breaches then weren’t as high as recent years. But did people howl this much? Nope. 

       There are 14.8 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. Many are quietly “working” under the table. America let them be. They work in farms, factories, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and as househelps. They could be the landscaper, roofer, or tree cutter that you just hired. They don’t commit crimes like they sold fentanyls, burned a car in a rally, or trafficked children. They are NOT the objects of President Trump’s deportation. 

       When deportations abound in Barack Obama’s first four years (400,000 average) or in Joe Biden’s last year, almost 300,000, we didn’t see the Left screaming like they do now. True, ICE raids businesses with illegal migrants but that is not new. Yet despite those removals, many are untouched. Repeat: There are 14.8 million undocumented people in the U.S. This: 70 percent of U.S. farmworkers are illegals. Deport them? No way. 🗽🏃‍♀️🏃

INITIAL THOUGHTS. U.S. Hits Iran’s Suspected Nuclear Arms Sites.

Response to Facebook Chats: “The U.S. is at war!” 

THE truth is, the U.S. is never being "at war." Proxy wars, actual participation, invasion, and stuff. The Afghanistan war was U.S. vs the Taliban. The Ukraine war from Feb 2022 is U.S. war vs. Russia. U.S. arms have been used for Israel's war with everybody in the Middle East since 1948. And remember, in Trump I, he dropped MOABs in Afghanistan and Syria (2017) then he took out Islamic State's Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (2019) and Qasem Soleimani (2020).

The media didn't declare those as "the U.S. joined the war." Difference with Trump with other POTUSes is he tries to balance Washington's traditional or historical hawkish foreign policy with his trade talks and obvious thumbs-down of NATO and he's not so hot with military aid unlike the other prez’es. 

       But the cold fact remains: No U.S. president ever ignored the hawks of Washington who stay as the strongest power in America. Then they were pretty much Republicans; these days, many Democrats joined them to uphold America's military brinkmanship. The closest POTUS that we'd say is anti-war or pro-peace (besides Trump) is Jimmy Carter. But Jimmy armed the muhajideen and started the long Afghanistan war, which Barack Obama heightened with more military aid and the installation of a U.S.-educated prez (Ashraf Ghani). Mr Obama also upgraded U.S. military aid to Israel in 2016. BTW, Mr Carter also upped the anti-war rage in Iran in the 1970s by coddling the fallen dictator Shah Pahlavi. Of course both Jimmy and Barack got the Nobel Prize for Peace. 

       Anyways, I hope that this Israel/Iran war ends per U.S. strikes at the latter's alleged nuke weaponry plants. (Hey, 9 countries--including the US and Israel--have their own warheads or nuclear weapons. But those can't be touched?) If this is 2016, things would have been different per Iran. 

       Iran is now a member of BRICS, had normalized relations with Saudi Arabia, and Tehran's top trade partner is now China. Iran's friend Syria has also rejoined the Arab League. Also, expect the hardliners of Iran to pump up Hamas, Houthis and Hezbollah. Hoping though, with China's intercession, this war will not escalate. Or Trump totally loses his leverage with his trade talks with China as he wastes his other economic deals with Saudi Arabia et al as well as his trade projects in the new post-Assad Syria. Bibi? He is nothing but the bogeyman and he just put his people in more danger. ☮️☮️☮️