THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Entertainment Weekly: “'Mandalorian and Grogu' opens to the lowest box office in 'Star Wars' franchise history.” As I noted previously, the only Star Wars movies that I saw are the original trilogy. Done. Anyhow, creator George Lucas has apparently amassed gargantuan wealth from his brainstorm. He made the bulk of his billions by taking a massive pay cut for the original 1977 film in exchange for sequel and merchandising rights. His earnings from the franchise include roughly $4.4 billion from original box office runs, and an estimated $4 billion from the 2012 Lucasfilm sale to Disney.

       Because he sold the entire entity to Disney, Mr Lucas no longer receives royalties or writer/director cuts from newer Star Wars movies, television shows, or modern merchandise. However, as one of Disney's largest individual shareholders, he continues to build his net worth through the growth and dividends of his remaining Disney stock. 🎥💲📽

Associated Press: “South Korean Starbucks boss apologizes for ad campaign evoking massacre.” People don’t delineate anymore what is offensively political from sheer business. The advertisement in question is widely perceived as mocking victims of a bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in the southern city of Gwangju in 1980. The coffee chain attempted to promote a large size of a tumbler it calls a "tank" by declaring May 18 to be "Tank Day." Stupid. Of course, the idea was pitched to the Seattle headquarters. I don’t believe the big bosses of the franchise didn’t know or didn’t approve. 😞🤨👎

ABC: “Iran's supreme leader says the U.S. will no longer have 'safe haven' in the Middle East.” / CNN: “Iran to commute to World Cup games from Mexico after U.S. refusal.” Media rabble-rouse! I hold on to my belief that negotiations have navigated a clearer path to peace, after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin separately visited China and conferred with Xi Jinping. But the media has got to sow more fear and anxiety rather than influence calm and positivity. 

       Anyhow, regardless of war or peace, I don’t think the Supreme Leader would say otherwise how the hardline Shia Iran views the U.S. or the West. It’s a leader’s words, you know. And this CNN World Cup bit? That Iran’s national soccer team will sleep in Mexico and travel to the United States on the days of its three World Cup matches after Washington declined to host the squad for the tournament? What is so big a deal about that? The fact is, the Iranians are now allowed to join the games. So let’s go and play for Peace! ☮️⚽️☮️

Washington Post: “Suspected gunman dead after exchanging fire with Secret Service near White House.” Again! And as ever, when this side of the divide figures things out in front of the mirror, they see Donald Trump, and not our collective murk that breeds gung-ho hate as exacerbated by mental health ruin. The whacked-ness of America’s societal crack is–these suicidal lone wolves are “glorified” by those whose obsessive abhorrence of Mr Trump continually clouds their own sense of sanity. ☮️🗽☮️

NEWS STUFF. Political whiplash. China/U.S./Iran. China and U.S. wars. Migrants and stuff. E. Jean Carroll's $83 million. Wisconsin beagles. RFK Jr.

CNN: “America's political whiplash keeps getting worse. Neither party can stop it.” Political whiplash refers to the rapid, jarring, and often chaotic reversal of policies, political power, or public sentiment, causing disorientation similar to a physical injury. America's convenient alibi is Donald Trump. Just say, “Trump!” and that’d be it. No discussion. Done.

      While Mr Trump’s playbook is unprecedentedly unorthodox and high on flexibility, his Washington leadership adapts to global changes as the 21st century strode in. China’s trade expansionism, birth of the BRICS trade bloc, economic progress of Asia and the Middle East etc etcetera. All these as America’s foundations are continually wobbled by the ever widening divide. An inevitability that the revered historian Howard Zinn predicted before he died in 2010. Repeat: 2010. 🏛🗽🏛

CNN: “What China is learning from the U.S. war with Iran.” If there’s something that the CCP is “learning” from this current U.S. war, it is how to source oil as shipments from Iran have been “delayed,” obviously. But as the world’s #1 oil importer and #6 in oil production (but not selling at all), the Chinese are a resilient lot. Meanwhile, China has been watching the U.S. foreign policy since (maybe) the Tripolitan War (1801-1805), America’s first war overseas. Then after Western intrusions in the Opium Wars (1839-1842, 1856-1860) and Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901), what has China had to “learn” from U.S. wars? 🇨🇳🇺🇸🇮🇷

USA Today: “Padres prospect admits driving undocumented immigrants into U.S. and self-deports.” / CNN: “6 people found dead in Union Pacific cargo train in Texas at southern border.” These have been happening from the late-19th century. Border restrictions, following the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, etc etcetera. Until border crossings spiked to a record 1 million average from 2021 to 2024, around 100,000 cross the U.S. southern border illegally, annually. So compatriots helping each other? Of course. Also, many border patrols are naturalized citizens from Central America. Do they “assist” coyotes to facilitate transport of migrants to wherever in America? Figure it out. 🗽🏃‍♀️🏃

NBC: “DOJ backs Trump bid to halt E. Jean Carroll's $83 million defamation award.” Sure, defamation per se isn’t a good thing. But this gargantuan story is all-political bluster or hate-Trump murk-pinata to me. $83 million?!? These: <>In 2007, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles paid 508 victims of clergy sexual abuse, $660 million, which amounts to (only) $1.2 million for each rape victim. <>In 2018, Michigan State University paid the over 300 victims of sex-abuser Larry Nassar, $500 million, which is (only) $1.6 million, individually. <>Meanwhile, late-night TV talk show hosts "defame" and insult political personalities as their program moneymaker, and get paid in millions$. 🤨😞🤨

Associated Press: “Wisconsin beagles: 1,500 dogs will get new lives after release from research facility.” So many dogs! Some couldn't even walk on a leash or respond to situations that they weren't exposed to since birth. They were rescued in a farm that is used as a “breeding facility for laboratory research.” Because I have grown deeply attached, sentimentally attached, to dogs, I can't help but feel for these adorable animals. (Photo: The Guardian.) 🐕💝🐕‍🦺

New York Times: “Kennedy Starts a Push to Help Americans Quit Antidepressants.” And adds: “The health secretary has long complained that Americans overuse psychiatric medications. New policies he is introducing aim to change that.” RFK Jr.’s sublime cause (albeit quixotic) makes perfect sense to me. But in the context of American facts, it is a complex matter. I am not a consumer of mental health medications but it doesn’t mean I’d tell those who take them to quit. 

       America’s well-being has been deeply and massively dependent on antidepressants as a cultural conditioning driver, more than a temporary medical/health fix, so quitting them now could be disastrous. Even fatal. But pre-meds, I believe the only remedy to mental health issues is a better human interaction. 🏛🗽🏛

About Dogs and Cats and their Buddies. And other quick jokes.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

THINGS we do that confuse dogs and cats. <>We leave them alone. Arrow knows when I am going out without her. So I tell her, “I will bring you some toys to destroy.” Then she quiets down. <>We don’t like to be bitten. They do. Play-fighting is fun for puppies and kitties. Fizz: “Dude, chill. We are just goofing around. Mind your FB!” <>We use our hands a lot. With the cellphone and TV remote. Arrow, Fizz and Ching find that weird. Arrow always gives me the side-eye. 🐈🤨🐕

DO dogs believe in aliens? Or are dogs aliens? Nope! Misconception 1: Aliens created dogs. Misconception 2: Dogs were genetically engineered by extraterrestrials. To settle this puzzle, I asked Fizz The Wiz. Fizz’s genius take: “Ha ha! Dogs are not created by aliens. And dogs don’t believe in that sorta ET stuff. This fake news is spread by hoomans who are A.I.s. Aliens don’t bother with earth stuff, nope. Unless it’s about Taylor Swift. You dig?” 🐕👽🐕

WATER cooler conversation topics: Ideas about what could make work better. Or simply decompress and get to know one another. Water cooler topics could range from the personal to the professional and everything in between. But times have changed. Water cooler time is now on political/partisanship intervals. On Left/Democrat time, they share nasty memes on FB about Trump. On Right/Republican time, they share nasty memes on FB about Biden. Admit it. 🗣👤🥛

WHY do dogs chase squirrels? Dogs just want to play. But others see a critter as their prey. Predatory drive kicks in. They wanna catch them and destroy them! But that was before. Cats have taught dogs the basics of civility, benefits of coexistence, chic and sophistication, ahimsa coolness. When your dog seems interested in chasing a squirrel, that’s not because she/he wants to kill the critter. Your dog could be thinking: “Did I already send a friend an invite to that squirrel? Hmm.” 🐕🦨🐕

QUESTION to Fizz The Wiz: What is the distance from North Carolina to Liechtenstein? Fizz: “4,401 miles.” (Fizz googles a lot of info.) 🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮

THINK your friends know you well? Researchers have developed a computer model that can judge someone's personality more accurately than their friends and family — using nothing but the subject's Facebook activity. Yup. So when you see your friend in person, don’t believe what he/she says. That’s their fake A.I. talking. Go to their Facebook page, uh huh. 🙃📱📲

THE most cat-friendly dog breeds: basset hound, Cavalier King Charles spaniel, pug, Labrador, bichon frise, shihtzu, papillon, humble mongrel etcetera. Fizz The Wiz: “Thing is, it doesn’t really matter. We cats are cool with any breed of dog–as long as they don’t piss us off with some political, religious, barbie, or tay-tay talk.” 🐕🤝🐈

WHAT dogs does Cardi B have? Looks like Walk is the third addition to Cardi's brood of dogs — she has two golden retrievers named Bentley and Boujee, who gave birth to five pups a month before she and Offset welcomed their daughter, Kulture. Meet Cardi's new puppy, Walk ahead! Uhh I am a little confused now. Who walked ahead? Offset da wat? 🐩👩‍🎤🤨

TODAY, up-to-date information flows freely via the Internet. A Google search away. People rely on Wikipedia for reference purposes. Despite that, some people still buy old paper encyclopedias. But those are not for today’s kids or clueless adults. Those are for cats and dogs. Pets love to read and know stuff via Encyclopædia Britannica, Collier’s, and these that cats enjoy reading: Encyclopaedia Londinensis, Kendal's Pocket Encyclopedia, and Encyclopædia Perthensis. 🐈📚🐈

BIRDS like worms for their protein and easy availability. Ground feeders find that birds are particularly favorable to their feeding habits, as all they need to do is poke their bills into the earth to dig them out. Fizz The Wiz also told me that’s a reason why snakes hunt birds, or baby birds. As a form of revenge. Snakes treat worms as their babies of some sort. Makes sense, I reckon. Fizz is so smart. 🐦🪱🐦

More More on Iran and/or U.S./Iran War.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page or response (in a Friend’s Page) to the same issue.

THE United States contributes $570 million to $750 million of taxpayer money to NATO, annually. President Trump lowered it from 22 percent to 16 percent in 2019 but still the top money. For 2025, however, the U.S. gave more (google stuff because numbers vary but in billions$). Meanwhile, Europe or NATO countries' economic woes suffer more due to delays or stoppage of oil shipments via Strait of Hormuz because they are already reeling from the Ukraine war since Russia was their top energy importer for years until 2022. 

       Pre-U.S. operation in Iran, the IRGC massacred thousands of its people in a matter of days or weeks. Question: Would it be "better" that the U.S. didn't make a move? Protests in Iran have been happening due to economic murk for years now. Mr Trump took out the IRGC's brain or the hardcore Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a.k.a. the Supreme Leader after talks failed. Iran's best move is to return to the table and talk. The world suffers from the looming oil crisis but what about the Iranian people? 

       Before this tempest, Iran joined the BRICS trade bloc and shook hands with Saudi Arabia. Those were moves to fix the economy as China increased oil purchase. But the people wanted faster changes and reforms. So the protests. Until the massacre happened. 

       I don't know why some even say the U.S. "masterminded" the killings... I was anti-U.S. (hawkish) foreign policy for most of my old life until Washington prioritized trade deals over military aggro in Donald Trump time but how would a POTUS react to a massacre such as that horror in Iran? Ignore it because it's them, not us? Then we need to go back to Bretton Woods 1944 etcetera and why America is the de facto cop of the world. I may disagree but… ☮️☮️☮️

Associated Press: “Counterterror chief Joe Kent resigns and breaks with Trump on Iran.” / Reuters: “Trump was warned that strikes on Iran would embolden the regime, say sources.” I am both baffled and annoyed by reactions to President Trump’s response to Iran’s massacre of thousands of its people, after negotiations to avoid a U.S. military operation, didn’t work. So it’d be better to just ignore the horror because it’s them, anyways–not us? In my personal experience in the Philippines, would it be “better” if the U.S. didn’t aid the coup that took out the 20-year Marcos dictatorship in 1986? The regime wasted over 3,000 (official count) in two decades. Iran’s vicious IRGC shot dead over 30,000 in a matter of days! 

      Yet POTUS tried to avoid this war or its escalation. Must I rant why per The D’s foreign policy playbook? Tell me, if this is Barack Obama or George W. time, what’d they do? Sit back and just watch as Iranian families bury their dead in mass graves? More deaths to come? Yet after the Supreme Leader was erased, Iran’s leadership should have opted to go back to the table and talk about an end to hostilities, for the sake of their own people. Still, they don’t. Yet I concur with Washington’s response to Iran’s “easy” wastage of humanity: “You can’t do that!” 🇺🇸☮️🇮🇷

THE relatively higher cost of gasoline (per gallon), as usual, is pitched as a political caterwaul feed than a living imperative issue. Yet aren’t we in America used to this fluctuating trend? The current price at the pump aligns with how it was just a few years ago, in 2022: $4 to $5. Adjusted per inflation, that was the average in the 1970s during the global oil crisis. America’s average since 2000 is $1.50. Yet look at Europe: Today? $9 per gallon. The global average is $4. Yet “ordinary” costs in some in Asia (Hongkong) and Europe (Norway) are already around $8 to $10. My point? Chill. This is not World War 3. ⛽️🗽⛽️

All About Iran.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

A smart individual chastised me for issuing my “conclusion” about Left-wing dissent’s “selectivity” as blurred by their gargantuan hate for Donald Trump. I based my insight/opinion on available fatalities data in Iran (before the U.S. hit days ago). He reckoned my data is not a “universally-accepted” fact or news report. Universally-accepted. Uh huh? Meaning, both Left and Right must accept the info to warrant veracity? In these divided times?

      Anyhow, here: Iranian government data: 3,117 deaths. Human Rights Activists News Agency: 7,007. Independent/Media Estimates: Exceeds 30,000–36,500, which the media, such as The Guardian, picked up. Certainly those numbers are higher than “2 dead in Minnesota.” 

       Yahoo: “Trump says 'the big wave' of military action in Iran is 'coming soon'.” A current events/POTUS fact: Donald Trump is hot and high on “big talk.” Still surprised, eh? But since his MOAB hits in Afghanistan and Syria in April 2017, his “big talk,” to me, is more a chess move tactic than a hint of Rambo mayhem. Examples. His erasures: 2019, ISIS’ Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi; 2020, IRGC/Quds’ Qasem Soleimani; 2026, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Add, power-removal of dictator Nicolas Maduro. Technically, those are not wars. War is the Ukraine War (since 2014 or 2022) or Iran vs Iraq of the 1980s. So easy with dramatics, people! 

       Yahoo: “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth leaves door open for boots on the ground in Iran.” War engagements have immensely evolved since the 20-year Afghanistan War, at least for the U.S. Less “boots on the ground” or non-escalation of hostilities in favor of political/economic pressures ensue. Only the Arab League, not Israel, could heighten this shudder into a full-blown conflagration. And The League, starring Saudi Arabia, doesn’t favor a prolonged mess. So is China, the top buyer of Middle East oil (including Riyadh and Tehran’s shipments). Until his hands were forced, Mr Trump favored trade on the table, not wars on the front. 

       Yahoo: “Defense secretary says 'regime change' was not the goal of strikes, but urges Iranians to 'take advantage'.” / Reuters: “U.S. officials skeptical of Iran regime change after killing of supreme leader.” Regime change, of course, is powered or executed by the U.S. But the change in leadership, following an election, is the people’s decision. If you are an older Filipino (who was an adult in 1986) and has gotten old watching geopolitics unfold, you know what that is. Iran: The Supreme Leader is out so Iranians have got to recover from the rubble of civil unrest and economic murk. 🇺🇸☮️🇮🇷

AND More Rant. 

WHEN I read about Americans “comparing” actual dictatorship deaths or evil regime deaths elsewhere, I feel the horror of those carnage is diminished or “mellowed down.” Sometimes I feel offended. Are we downplaying actual deaths elsewhere by comparing all these with internal America? Like, 2 dead in Minnesota were mourned over the 6,216 dead in Iran in the same week or month. But let’s see. 

       The deadliest riot in the U.S. happened in 1863, the New York Draft Riots, 120 people killed. Others: Tulsa Race Massacre (1921): 50 to 300 deaths. East St. Louis Riot (1917): Estimates suggest 40 to 200 deaths. LA Riots (1992): 63 people were killed. Red Summer (1919): Racial tensions across 38-40 cities led to hundreds of deaths.

Yet I couldn’t compare those days alongside years of extra-judicial killings, in the Philippines, for example. Maybe America imprisoned many, silenced or killed, but still I couldn’t compare. I am sorry. In the case of current-day Iran, I don’t really give a hoot that the U.S. launched this attack as long as the “leader” who ordered the killing of thousands in a few days–is taken out. If the U.S. didn’t do anything, then I will complain. 

       As of 25 January 2026, the total death toll estimates ranged from 3,117 people (per the Iranian government) to upwards of 36,500 people. Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA): 7,007 verified deaths. Independent/Media Estimates (High-End): Reports citing medical sources, morgue staff, and leaked intelligence documents have suggested the death toll could be significantly higher, with some estimates exceeding 30,000–36,500 (which the media, such as The Guardian, picked up). 

       In 20 years of Marcos dictatorship (which ended in 1986). Estimates of EJK deaths: 1,500 to over 3,000 victims. By Historian Alfred McCoy: 3,257. I am talking about 20 years. 🇺🇸☮️🇮🇷

STUFF. Hegseth and Arlington. Migrant Issue. MacKenzie and Melinda’s Billions.

HEGSETH and ARLINGTON. <> Meme: Defense chief Pete Hegseth removed ex-State Secretary Gen. Colin Powell (d. 2021) from Arlington’s “Notable Americans” list. Etcetera. Fact: Mr Hegseth did not remove the physical graves or “all records of non-white individuals” from Arlington National Cemetery, but his office did oversee the removal of specific online, curated web pages that highlighted Black, Hispanic, and female veterans–and listed them under a collective category. Meanwhile, Mr Powell remained accessible under a broader, non-categorized section: “Prominent Military Figures.” 

       <>Removal of Curated Lists. Or those specific, dedicated web pages that highlighted the stories of Black, Hispanic, and female service members (otherwise categorized per DEI) were removed and instead listed as per "Digital Content Refresh," highlighting service members based on their patriotism rather than through the lens of race or gender. I concur. In case, an individual “military figure” or soldier/serviceperson is a Filipino (like many of my kin) then we Filipinos celebrate and memorialize them as a people, ourselves–to the world. Arlington is for ALL soldiers who served in a war or two. Done. ☮️🗽☮️

MIGRANT ISSUE. <>NBC: “Border czar Tom Homan warned broad ICE raids risked public support.” I don’t understand why the Left obstructs the government’s mandate to fix the immigration crisis, when they didn’t in Barack Obama’s years. If “activists” don’t get in the way, there’ll be less mess or violence/deaths could be avoided. <>CBS: “Fewer than 14 Percent of those ICE arrested have violent criminal records, data shows.” Let’s do the numbers then: <>An additional 4 million was added to the total number of undocumented from 2021 to 2024; 14 percent of 4 million is 560,000. Mr Trump has so far (2025) deported over 600,000; so there’s still a deficit of 3 million and 400,000. But “crime records” aren’t necessarily the crux of the removals here. 

       During his two terms (2009–2016), Barack Obama deported over 3 million people. In his 1st term, he tallied 400,000 removals on average. When Mr Obama left office, undocumented number was around 10+ million, which is pretty much the number when Mr Trump left White House in 2020, although he removed 932,000 in total. (Removals happen but crossings continue.) The problem: In Joe Biden’s 2021-2024. Crossings were 1 million average. So as Trump II sits, the undocumented number was 14 million. That's THE crisis!

      Ergo: Migrants are vetted from criminal records or ties with drug cartels but the sheer influx of migrants in Mr Biden’s time was astounding per immigration fiscal management. Hint: Then NYC Mayor Eric Adams spent $6.9 billion in taxpayer money to feed, house and care for the 700,000+ migrants that the city welcomed, from 2022-2024. By the way, ICE is under Homeland Security per budget; FEMA is also under HS. You dig? 🗽🏃‍♀️🏃

DIVORCE BILLIONS. My reaction to a meme that says if MacKenzie and Melinda put money into a newspaper that doesn’t “kowtow with fascists,” then we are cool. Here: <>MacKenzie received $38 billion in her divorce with Jeff Bezos; she was a research assistant and administrative assistant before marriage. Melinda was a marketing manager before marriage; after divorce with Bill Gates, she is now worth $31 billion + other money coming from other assets.

      So why not form a foundation together? MacKenzie, $37+ billion; Melinda, $30+ billion. Initial funds to address Sub Saharan Africa's health and hunger problems. They can still keep a few millions to invest in their own companies and (probably) prove that they could build a billion-dollar empire as well. While they also give time and effort to manage their Africa project, which could also earn to be self-sufficient in time. Why not give the money back to those who most need them, right? And please, people, no blah-blah about fascism or whatever political crap. 

      BTW I read the Washington Post everyday. I don't think the articles "kowtow to fascists" at all. The paper is actually very “biased” against you-know-who. 💸🏢💸

MY EVERYDAY THOUGHTS. Discussion lead: Defund. ICE. Border Crossings. U.S. Crimes. And Stuff.

<>Defund! Passion. My "defund" wish: The U.S. military spending, $850 billion, which is almost 4x the budget of China’s “Defense.” Consider that the CCP/PLA had to “defend” (if ever) a population that is 4x larger than the U.S. 

       Meanwhile, a compelling lead to the “Defund!” discussion is Bill Clinton’s Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, the largest crime bill in U.S. history. The budget was $30 billion ($65 billion in current money). In that year, the U.S. experienced 42.4 million criminal victimizations, 26 percent were violent or deadly. ☮️🗽☮️

<>Defund ICE? ICE's budget is around $10 billion, which is under Homeland Security’s (proposed) $66+ billion budget. Mr Trump proposed a double ($112.4 billion) in the onset of 2025. Federal and government budgets for migrant sheltering vary. Hint: NYC alone spent $1.7 billion in 2024. 

       Meanwhile, I view the “2 dead in Minnesota” as an immigration per se issue, more than it is a federal law enforcement program or a Left vs Right caterwaul. Please, continue reading. ☮️🗽☮️

<>Deaths are a daily fact among migrants crossing towards the U.S. border. In 1998, a record 8,000+ migrants died trying to cross. In recent years, the deadliest tally was 895 deaths in 2022 (surpassing 2021’s 560). 2025: At least 30 to 32 reported deaths, equaling the record set in 2004. 

       A significant stop to illegal border crossings would mean less migrant pursuit in U.S. soils. Less violence, less deaths. 2025: Crossings dropped to lowest levels in over 50 years. The U.S. Border Patrol recorded approximately 237,538 encounters with migrants in fiscal year 2025, a dramatic drop from over 1.5 million in 2024 and over 2.2 million in 2022. ☮️🗽☮️

<>Violent crime, border crossing, mass shootings. <>When Barack Obama deported a record number of migrants (4,000 average in his first term) and Joe Biden let in a record number of migrants (at times 4,000-6,000 a day, from 2021 to 2024), the Left was cool and quiet. 2025: Lowest number of U.S. mass shootings in 5 years. Peak: 2021 (689). 

       Also, the largest 1 year drop in U.S. homicides, 20 percent, was tallied in 2025. Major cities recorded a 21 percent drop in homicides compared to 2024 and a 44 percent decrease from the 2021 peak. Yes, that’s the reason why I am more scared of winter ice this year, and not Trump’s ICE. ☮️🗽☮️