THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

The Independent: “White House bans CNN from Air Force One for Trump trip to Tennessee.” I helped fight media censorship during dictatorship years in the Philippines (before I flew to the U.S. decades ago). So many of my longtime friends would expect that I'd protest Mr Trump's "banning" of some news organizations in covering White House. Right? Because I was a journalist myself. 

       No, I concur with Mr Trump.

       I "retired" from professional journalism in 2009, right after a 2-year "gig" as Los Angeles bureau chief of an Asian-American newspaper (based in San Francisco). I continued to (sporadically) publish/edit my tiny newsprint here in Asheville, till I quit for good in 2017. I had frustrations but, most of it, are ushered in by my indifference with internet media/journalism. But I didn't really expect, from that point, that the writing/reporting tact or demeanor will evolve into this puddle of political bias, disinformation, and hate-narrative (essentially leveled at Donald Trump). Today’s media doesn’t seek unity anymore; instead it enthusiastically promotes the widening of the divide. 🏛🗽🏛

The Hill: “Republicans break ranks on Iran as voters fume over war's costs.” Let’s cut the official hypocrisy, please! What if President Trump didn’t launch a military operation in February, after Iran's IRGC massacred thousands of protesters? For sure, The D would have been massively criticized and demonized forever as the “weakest” of all U.S. presidents.

      Anyhow, the Left keeps on praising Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama as the most dovish or peace-loving POTUSes ever. Nope, I don’t think so. Mr Carter authorized Operation Cyclone in the summer of 1979, initiating the CIA's covert program to finance and support the Afghan mujahideen. Thus, the Afghanistan war blew up.

      Which Mr Obama heightened. Political analysts have attributed the extension of the war in Afghanistan to Barack’s 2009 decision to authorize a military surge and his subsequent administration policies that delayed full troop withdrawals. The military footprint shifted the mission toward a complex nation-building and counterinsurgency effort, locking the U.S. into an extended timeline and narrowing future exit options. Of course, the U.S. wasted at least $3.7 trillion in that crisis. Sure, the Dems refuse to acknowledge Donald Trump’s Doha Accords in early 2020 as the clearest path in ending the war.

      Meanwhile, the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the Obama administration is a historic 10-year military aid package totaling $38 billion spanning fiscal years 2019 through 2028. That’d mean the U.S. military aid to Israel spiked to $3.8 billion a year. (Visual: This is Money.) ☮️☮️☮️

AFP: “Trump and Xi strike a warm tone as trade, Iran and AI loom over White House talks.” / Associated Press: “As Trump hosts China's Xi for a state visit, lawmakers from both parties raise alarms.” The Cold War (44 to 46 years) may have ended in 1991, but not in the minds of Western leadership per se and the people (that’d include those who once boasted as anti-war activists).

      While Donald Trump is clearly not adversarial against China (and Russia), compared with his predecessors, the U.S. Congress and (probably) the majority of Americans still thumb-down the two BRICS powers. The old, traditional “conventional wisdom” says the Left or the U.S. Democrats espouse a dovish foreign policy, which is a lot of BS. Yet isn’t it ironic that the ex-POTUS who was most cordial with the Chinese was Richard Nixon? Mr Nixon was the first U.S. president to take a major step toward friendship and normalization of relations with the People's Republic of China by visiting the country in 1972.

      After signing a trade pact with Xi Jinping in 2020, Mr Trump is again meeting with the Chinese leader–this time to discuss other major issues. When the world’s top leaders sit and talk about ending wars and mutual trade goodness, this sends only good stuff. In comparison, Canada and Europe focus on other dramas that are punctuated by their Netflix-styled catfight with Donald. 🇺🇸☮️🇨🇳

New York Times: “Why Tucker Carlson Is Defending This Democrat in a Key Senate Race.” Mr. Carlson, the far-right podcaster, has promoted Abdul El-Sayed’s comments. / “Republican Who Runs South Dakota Elections Backs Democrat to Succeed Her.” Monae Johnson, SD’s secretary of state, is the latest Republican incumbent to speak out against conservative candidates. / “House Democrat Crosses Party Lines to Endorse Trump Defender.” Jared Golden, Democrat of Maine, backs Mike Lawler, a Republican seeking re-election.

       America's current political life is whacked. Understatement? On the main stage: The Left's progressives, moderate liberals, and conservative Blue Dog democrats. (The new democratic socialists or Zohran fans are distributed in those 3 factions.) The Right? You have the MAGA diehards and the Never Trumpers (who are mostly members of Congress or currently serving GOPs). Rock ‘n roll! 😏😒🤨

ABC: “Nolan Wells's death was 'consistent with drowning,' grand jury finds.” But would the “race card” pushers buy it? A Mississippi grand jury has unanimously concluded that there is no evidence of criminal conduct or racial motivation in the death of the 18-year-old Nolan. The panel's report stated that the circumstances of his body were consistent with drowning, clearing the friends who were with him on the trip.

      The first week of the tragic news, many on Social Media have auto-decided to blame Mr Wells’ White friends, or he was only with White friends (at the time), as though these online geniuses were all in the “crime scene.” Also: Early social media reports and initial statements from civil rights attorneys repeatedly characterized his high school group as "three young White men" or an "all-White friend group."

      According to Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath and police investigators, Nolan Wells actually traveled to Horn Island as part of a 30-person boating party that included a mix of people. ⚖️⚖️⚖️

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Yahoo: “In wake of U.S. Open disruptions, Wimbledon won't (give) credentials to influencers in 2027.” Because one player complained (about one influencer's cam)? Or the media is, as usual, riding on that one-match drama to “influence” us into thinking “influencers” would be banished in the playing venue? Aren’t today’s media considered "influencers" as well? Anyhow, what about the improvement of arena security or imposition of rules in those locations?

      “Rowdy” fans aren’t new in sports per se, are they? Somehow, they are part of the game. But organizers put a huge budget on their security staff as fan attendance spiked, in recent years. Americans collectively spend roughly $56 billion annually attending live sporting events, with over a third of fans occasionally overspending their personal budgets to follow major games. Fun for the public, profit for the organizers.

      More spectators in venues means more “eyes,” aside from the CCTVs and drone cams etcetera. With the rising popularity of Alex Eala, gate receipts also increased. “The Eala Effect,” they call it. Money to the U.S. Open, and other tennis venues overseas where the 21-year old Filipina competes. No brainer. Meanwhile, let the arena security deal with misbehaving fans and invasive influencers and stoners who couldn't quit! So much ado with this media rabble-roused drama, okay? Oh well. 👩‍🦰🎾👨‍🦰

BBC: “Far-right political party nears a milestone unseen in Germany since WWII.” Okay now. Let’s cool out with the Far-Left and Far-Right brouhaha. Or let's cut the whacked narrative that Adolf Hitler's Nazi is back. Just because the Alternative for Germany (AfD) gains over Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Check as well the current politics in France, or the UK. 

       New Prime Minister Andy Burnham is Labour, but failed PM Keir Starmer is a partymate, and the string of British failures date back to 2019, all Conservatives. Do traditional ideological stereotypes matter anymore in Europe? There are far more gut-level issues that the EU faces than the classic Left/Right "divide and rule" pitch. And the people vote per those issues/policies that matter to them, regardless of political cliches. 🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪

Associated Press: “Israel launches deadly airstrikes on a southern Lebanese village as conflict escalates.” Historically, this Middle East crisis goes beyond POTUS or U.S. Congress per se. That’d be amidst Donald Trump’s essentially trade playbook, until his hand was forced into a war with Iran early this year. While it is the most conflicted region on earth, the ME is the West's last bastion of geopolitical power. Especially for Europe. And they’re losing it altogether as oil-rich sheiks get richer and more knowledgeable of Western-styled capitalism.

      Meanwhile, as Asia and most of the globe deal heavy business with China, the West’s hardcore 1 Percent "corporate gods" aren’t about to "surrender" the desert to BRICS. In fact, China has upped its trade mojo in MENA in recent years, anchored on Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. War is the only tactic that will keep them away, an antiquated strategy that doesn’t work anymore. And Israel is the “bogeyman,” of course. ☮️☮️☮️

NBC: “Illinois mom who followed Clancy trial charged with killing 2-year-old son.” Surreal. Bizarre. Yet we are almost sure that Ms Clancy will get a much-lesser verdict or sentence “by reason of insanity,” uh huh? Meanwhile, mental “derangement” baffles me. Psychology says serial killers and mass shooters suffer from mental ailment? I won’t argue that. But then Ted Bundy et al schemed, strategized or pre-planned their killings. Mass shooters carefully stock up on firearms and ammo and “schedule” their deadly day.

      Lindsay Clancy strangulated her three kids, one at a time. She didn’t gain “sanity” after the first? Etc etcetera. These killers or murderers thought-out their action with sound intellectual ability. But then they deserve mercy because they are supposedly mentally ill? Law and justice are confounding, indeed. ⚖️😒⚖️

Associated Press: “Putin orders a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv as U.S. envoys arrive in Russia.” Like the Iran crisis, the Trump administration’s pursuit of the end of war is “distracted” by media’s rabble-rousing or news angling meant to continually disparage or demonize the POTUS. Anyhow, I insist that Mr Trump’s (military) hand was forced to take action in Tehran. Sure, he’d hope that the tempest would end after the erasure of the Supreme Leader, but nope. The way Left-wing media (especially) covers that war, it’d seem they’d like it to carry on.

       Same with the Ukraine war. Liberal journalism keeps on howling that Donald Trump started the Iran conflagration but NY Times et all didn’t put any blame on Joe Biden per goading of the Russian “invasion.” A few months after the start of hostilities in February 2022, Moscow sent feelers that the Kremlin wanted to end the fighting. But the nonstop military aid from the U.S. and the EU only emboldened Volodymyr Zelensky to keep on fighting a lost war. Now that Trump isn’t so keen on spending more U.S. taxpayer money on Kyiv, what’d be the media’s next “creative” manipulation of the news? Let’s wait and see. ☮️☮️☮️

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Reuters: “U.S. prepares ‘toughest sanctions’ on Iran as pressure shifts toward China.” This war or wars per se in the Middle East is a complex beast, indeed. Of course, Iran is used to economic sanctions, experts would say. But what if Tehran’s chief trade partner, BRICS bro, and top oil buyer China actually shows up in the picture. The CCP isn’t so hot on military conflicts but a continuing Gulf crisis could adversely affect Beijing’s FDIs in MENA and purchase of oil from the region (China is world’s #1 oil importer). 

       Hence, the U.S. prepares to roll out terms or "toughest sanctions in history" against Iran, combining a naval blockade with aggressive financial isolation. Mr Trump calls “economic D-Day," the strategy increasingly targets China—which purchases over 80 percent of Iran's seaborne oil—by pressuring Beijing to halt its economic lifeline to Tehran. The measures are meant to severely restrict Iran’s access to global funds and military financing. Bottomline, the U.S. is pressing China to cooperate, pointing out that because China relies on the Gulf for roughly 50 percent of its energy needs, stabilizing the region and reopening the Strait of Hormuz aligns with Chinese interests. Makes sense. (Visual: Global Panorama.) 🇺🇸☮️🇮🇷 

Associated Press: “Trump threatens lawsuit over report disputing National Guard deployment on crime.” The same with ICE deployments or operations, local (Left-wing) leaderships defy or refuse them. Anyhow, I observe that Mr Trump’s “scare tactics” work. The end justifies the means?

      This fact: National crime rates are continuing a historic downward trend through mid-2026, building on record drops from 2025. Data from the Council on Criminal Justice shows mid-2026 homicide rates dropped roughly 18 percent compared to 2025, putting the country on track for multi-decade or century-long lows. (Photo: Reuters.) 🏛🗽🏛

Sometimes I am compelled to explain or elaborate on the subject of–why some foreigners (or immigrants) in America don’t drive. It’s not necessarily because they don’t want to learn (many know how to) or don’t have the financial resources to buy a vehicle. In many countries, people depend on PUVs or public transport (or they walk) so owning a private car is more of luxury than necessity. The cost of gasoline (with or without a global oil crisis) is also prohibitively expensive. Those who own automobiles are either very rich or use the vehicles/s for business. 

       So those who move to car-useful America are already “culturally-conditioned” not to rely on cars so much so that, for example, those Filipinos who live in subway-equipped cities like New York City, only use their cars when driving out of town (if they don’t instead avail of the Greyhound). Cars are for extreme situations or emergencies. 

       Meanwhile, in the U.S. (except in NYC), it is imperative to drive because public rides (not including Uber et al) aren’t generally available and there’s not much pedestrian-walks. More so, the most important (public/business) infrastructures are located in areas that will only be reached by driving. 🚗🚎🚙

Fox: “Charter plane crashes in western Alaska, killing all 8 people on board.” Again, these accidents or (deadly) mishaps seem “ordinary” if you check official data. As of late June 2026, the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives has recorded roughly (only) 44 total global aviation incidents, which is pretty much the annual average. Although tracking numbers vary depending on whether the count includes commercial airliners, cargo flights, military mishaps, or smaller private aircraft.

       I honestly doubt this info or stat. Let’s face the horrid fact: AI has been “test-running” air transportation controls, I believe. Hit and miss? I don’t know. But that’s the eventual reality in any form of transport systems as AI gets deep into human activity. ✈️😰✈️

The loud or bold demarcation between progressives (democratic socialists?) and liberals or moderates in the Left these days is not really surprising, as political party extremes get blurred in the 21st century. The Left/Right stereotypes have been muddled. Or in a kind of positive way, the crisscrossing of party principles and interfaced ideologies means (at least to me) people are digging into individual policies over traditional standards? 

      On the Right side, I can easily identify the “changes,” especially in regards the issue of war or military budgets, and although their line of reasoning differs with mine somehow, the way the (new) Left views its old anti-war fervor confuses me. Are the progs actually anti-war or anti-Trump? (Didn’t The D favor a dovish playbook or a hawkish template?) Or why the zeal for Zohran M. and his crew, and where was the enthusiasm in Bernie Sanders’ years? 👈✊👉