THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Yahoo Finance: “Trump announces $8 billion for farmers to offset soaring diesel costs.” I feel for the “small farmers” but not for the ginormous corporations that own farms. They are not protesting about “diesel costs,” they are whining about the obvious loss of undocumented laborers on account of ICE pursuits. Loss of profit because overhead etcetera is back to legal/lawful systems. Need I expound? Nope, you know.

      Meanwhile, expect Iran to continue inflicting pain on Mr Trump’s political stock. Already, Tehran’s hardline leadership “gains” some via the anti-Trump media narrative. Wittingly or unwittingly, Left-wing journalism's war coverage beefs up Iran's primary geopolitical and economic leverage point: The Strait of Hormuz, although its strategic control has steadily waned following military and economic counter-pressures. Still, a complex animal. The Strait remains as the world's most critical oil transit chokepoint.

      Expanding this discussion. The fact is, neither Iran nor Oman "owns" the Strait of Hormuz. Both countries share territorial sovereignty over the waterway, which is governed internationally as a public shipping lane. Oman is a state party to the UN’s Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and recognizes the right of continuous and expeditious "transit passage" for all commercial and military vessels.

      Per Iran, it signed but never ratified the UNCLOS. It relies on a more restrictive "innocent passage" interpretation from its 1993 maritime laws, arguing it can regulate or require authorization, though international law limits a coastal state's ability to block or suspend traffic in an international strait. Yes, complex and complicated–but still, all these can be negotiated on the table, not fought in war. (Photo: Fortune.) 🏛🗽🏛

CNN: “GOP attacks on El-Sayed's Muslim faith come to a head in heated town hall exchange.” Of course, all these, whether the murk-throw comes from the Right or Left, is a typical election run-up murk-throw ruckus. Meanwhile, I am not saying Abdul El-Sayed is the less-qualified Michigan Senate candidate. Let the voters decide.

      But I am a bit uncomfortable with how he faced scrutiny and issued denials regarding alleged family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political and social movement founded in Egypt in 1928, that is tied to some terrorist acts. His biological mother, Fatten Elkomy, was allegedly a member of the Brotherhood. It’s either Abdul denied such a membership or, as he told the NBC News during an interview: “I wasn't raised by my mother.”

      Sure, we don’t categorically thumb-down a person to a bloodline or a kin’s past involvement with whatever. But the voting public out there decide per prejudice, fear, or traditional upbringing mores (you know what I mean). 🏛🗽🏛

Yahoo: “Apple's new $299 gadget has one big problem: Who actually needs it?” AppleHomeview is a 7-inch “smart” home display and central command hub. Sort of an upgrade of Siri, featuring Liquid Retina touchscreen paired with a speaker system supporting Spatial Audio for music, podcasts, and TV. 

       I honestly don't see the common sense of it. But we may have one soon to satisfy our voracious curiosity. (We already have 25 Alexas in the house, duh.) 

       Meanwhile, the (new) iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max cost $1,199 and $1,299 before tax. I wonder if there's an iPhone 18 Pro Max Premium+Plus or iPhone 18 Pro Max Premium+Plus Zero Sugar? LOL! 📱🧑‍🎤📲

NBC: “White House sued over Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner's role in government.”

Again, the news is angled as though a Trump move is unprecedented in U.S. history. Relatives appointed in high government positions is also a global fact, regardless of the legal/illegal debate. The judgment now rests on--if the appointee committed a crime or actually did a fine job.

       Throughout U.S. history, numerous presidents have appointed or retained family members to serve in official government positions. While the Postal Revenue and Federal Salary Act of 1967, modernly restricts presidents from appointing close relatives to agency or Cabinet positions, family appointments were incredibly common in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

       Two famous examples: <>Robert F. Kennedy was appointed by his brother, John, to serve as the U.S. Attorney General from 1961 to 1964. His high-profile appointment was the direct catalyst for Congress passing the 1967 anti-nepotism law. <>Orvil Grant served as a government-appointed superintendent over lucrative Indian trading posts during the administration of his brother, Ulysses S. Grant. 🏛🗽🏛

ABC: “2 people killed, including a 6-year-old boy, after mother drives into a soccer game.” Copy-pasted from AI Mode, what happened: <>A 34-year-old woman drove a pickup truck onto an outdoor turf field during a youth soccer game at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas. <>Casualties: A 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man (both from McPherson, Kansas) were killed. Eleven other people were injured, with ages ranging from 5 to 68 (including five children under 10.

      Police have not yet determined whether the incident was an accident or intentional. Sad, very sad. The obvious: Suicidal tendencies in today’s people. Extreme mental health ruin. 

      Before I moved to America, by cultural truth, I shrugged off the word “depression” or mental health issues. Coming from a “non-wealthy” country like the U.S. and Europe, I viewed all these as Hollywood dramas. Shrinks and Prozacs and stuff. Back home, once the basics are met, people are happy or not sad. No reason to get depressed, considering that family and community are always beside you.

      In America it is very complex and complicated. And I do “understand” it now. Somehow I feel/experience this human truth: Depression. Yet I have very glaring reasons to get depressed. I simply breathe and appreciate the blessings that are in front of me, and the silly and adorable dog and two cats that keep me “stayin’ alive.” Life. ☮️🗽☮️

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

MY THOUGHTS. New York Times: “The Hidden Policies That Power China’s Export Boom.” And adds: “Huge tax breaks and a weak currency sustain exports, widen the government budget deficit and complicate the country’s efforts to rebalance its economy.”

      Smart economists never run out of a smart analysis of China's economic well-being. Well, the Chinese business life per se is historically fine, regardless of the comparative hardships during the Cultural Revolution years. But when Deng Xiaoping took over following Mao Zedong's death in 1976, and an “open door policy” was born, economic bliss was consistent.

      China's GDP growth rate was 15.2 percent in 1984. That'd be years before the Dragon joined the WTO in 2001 (and year after a game-changing U.S./China trade pact). Boom! China's exports jumped 870 percent from 2001 to 2020, according to data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

     Meanwhile, China's monthly export growth in 2026 (25 percent average) has consistently beaten market expectations. The surge is heavily fueled by the global artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure boom, soaring semiconductor prices, and robust automotive and green tech shipments.

      In comparison, U.S. exports have increased by 11.8 percent year-to-date through August 2026. But the EU is at 5.4 percent. Canada, 2.5 percent. 🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳 

Washington Post: “Parents of 21 children charged with abuse in ‘house of horrors’ surrogacy scheme.” A surrogacy scheme typically refers to an illegal, fraudulent, or deeply unethical arrangement where the legitimate process of surrogacy—a legal agreement where a woman carries a pregnancy for intended parents—is exploited, bypassed, or manipulated.

      In the recent Ohio case, Silvia Zhang and Guojon Xuan, were arrested on multiple counts of severe child abuse, conspiracy and trafficking-related allegations.

      The wealthy California couple maintains a home-based surrogacy agency and hires surrogates across the U.S. to birth children for them, saying they just “wanted a large family.” The children were being raised by hired nannies in hotel-like conditions in Zhang/Xuan's $10 million mansion. (You may want to Google more details.)

      Meanwhile, surrogacy or not, having children in America is a complex situation. I know of single women, who seemed “incapable” of raising children but have 7 kids, and want more. Why is that? 

       Example: Single mothers with 7 children, specifically in North Carolina, can apply for federal, state, and local safety net programs designed to support large, low-income households. Note: Some single moms actually have capable boyfriends or the dad is actually present, or a divorce is worked out–so benefits still happen. In other cases, some people also turn their houses into “foster homes,” funded by the government. Uncool stories (or wrongdoings) also happen in those arrangements. ⚖️😒⚖️ 

Washington Post: “She waited for hours and left untreated. The ER billed her anyway.” A bit complex or tricky. But this news story requires elaboration or explanation. Issue: The systemic practice of hospitals issuing facility and triage fees to patients who leave emergency departments without ever receiving formal medical treatment.

      The WP story: Alexis Daniels, an Illinois woman, went to the Carle Foundation Hospital emergency room in Urbana for a severe, debilitating migraine. She registered at the front desk, had her vitals briefly checked, and was told to wait. She sat in the waiting room for four hours while violently vomiting, with no indication she would be seen. Out of desperation, her sister drove her to a completely different hospital, where she was treated successfully within an hour and a half. Weeks later, Daniels received a $410 bill from the first hospital, coded as an “Emergency Room Level 1” visit.

      Beyond the “systemic practice,” I reckon, the hospital is guilty of an obvious, blatant neglect or professional irresponsibility. Ms Daniels waited for 4 hours?!? And violently vomiting? No attention from hospital staff? My other question is: Why didn't the sister decide much earlier to drive Alexis to another hospital? Me? I'd leave, pronto! Alexis should sue. 😏😒🤨 

ABC: “Arizona congressional candidate says she was raped while trying to fix campaign sign.” Reading this news up, I begin to doubt the rape’s veracity. Or I’d rather wait for the police investigation’s final report. Meanwhile, I ponder: Is this a wild campaign tactic that, if found false, should bar the “politician/victim” from running for any government post. Or is this an actual rape, and so the perpetrator punished. (Take into account as well that we are currently embroiled in the Cornell rape case.)

     Bernadette Greene-Placentia, a Democratic candidate running for Arizona's 8th Congressional District, disclosed that she was raped while repairing a campaign sign. The alleged assault took place at approximately 2:00 AM on August 14, 2026, in a parking lot in the Phoenix suburb of Sun City. Ms Greene-Placentia stated she was walking back to her vehicle after fixing a damaged campaign sign when she was struck from behind, knocked unconscious, and sexually assaulted.

     My immediate or instinctive question is: Why would she be “fixing” the sign at 2 AM? Why didn't she do it in daylight, or when people are around? Consider also that she is a politician running for office. No personal security? One one accompanied her at 2 AM? Any CCTV in the parking lot? Any witnesses? And this "incident" happened two months ago? The news is only now? Etc etcetera. 🤨😞🤨

MANY misread Cat Stevens when he converted to Islam in 1977 and changed his name to Yusuf Islam. Also, people believed he moved to Iran, right after, to live as a follower of the Supreme Leader then, Ayatollah Khomeini. He didn’t. Throughout his life and career, he has lived primarily in London. And his conversion to Muslim faith (he was raised as a Greek Orthodox Christian) wasn’t political at all. It was a spiritual journey.

      He disposed of various physical symbols of his past secular music career—including auctioning off his guitars (and gave proceeds to charity) and parting with or giving away gold records and other memorabilia—as part of stepping away from the music industry.

      In recent years, however, Mr Stevens/Islam returned to the music of his past. But many regard him as not the young man who wrote the haunting “Father and Son” and folk-rock classic “Wild World,” especially these days that Iran is in the headlines. 🎸🎼🎸

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? 👈✊👉

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Associated Press: “Trump orders Navy aircraft carrier launch reversal that could prove costly.” / Washington Post: “Reaper drones cost up to $50 million each. The U.S. has lost roughly 25 percent of them.” This is a lot of bull! Double-standard reporting. Aircraft carrier and Reaper drones, costly? Google the Defense budget, which is almost 5x the size of China’s military spending. Or this: Ukraine received an estimated 18 to 20 F-16 fighter jets between 2022 and 2024. An F-16 Fighting Falcon (such as the Block 70/72) costs between $60 million and $70 million per unit. 

       And what about those recently sent to Israel and allies in the South China Sea? Or ponder that the United States operates approximately 750 to 800 military base sites across more than 80 foreign countries and territories. Although some host countries shoulder some of the upkeep, maintenance of those sites is still gargantuan moolah. Now the media is saying the U.S. has a depleted armory or drones are expensive? Why, because this is Donald Trump they are castigating or insulting? (Photo: The National Interest.) 🏛🗽🏛

Business Insider: “Taylor Farms recalls salsa and guacamole sold in 26 states over salmonella risk.” These facts: The U.S. has about 1.88 million total farms, but only a portion are true commercial operations, or the USDA counts only $1,000 or more “in potential or actual agricultural sales as a farm.” Yet I thought out loud since the Cyclospora outbreak, why single out Taylor Farms? Or why the media points only at this Salinas CA-based farm? 

      Taylor Farms is a privately held, family-owned company owned and led by its founder, Bruce Taylor, who serves as the Chairman and CEO. He started the company in 1995 with several partners, drawing on his background as a third-generation produce grower. The Mexican link? The company is associated with Mexico because it operates a major processing and agricultural subsidiary there (Taylor Farms de Mexico in Guanajuato) to supply fresh produce year-round to North American markets. And so on and so forth.

      And now I ask, is Taylor Farms in the hot seat or in a beleaguered situation, per media reports, because Bruce Taylor is a prominent Republican donor? 🍎🥗🍊

NBC: “Democratic socialist loses in Wisconsin in stunning upset win for establishment pick. I noticed some Asian politicians who ran under the Democratic Socialist banner. This mystifies me or confounds me a bit. Clearly, most of them were born and raised in America. The United States’ political life and cultural well-being are all they know or experienced. Their moms and dads or grandparents may have lived that kind of existence (or socialist politics or societal system) back home but since they migrated here, it’d seem America is a better choice. But their U.S-born children? 

       Or is this simply a proof of the “new” Left’s ideological purity or political overreach? Not that I don’t thumb-up democratic socialism, I do because it worked in other economies or democracies, such as in Norse nations. But this is America, which is an entirely different universe, compared with other societies or governments. Need I expound? 🏛🗽🏛

NBC: “Trump confirms he secretly switched planes in Turkey due to security threat.” Ah here come the memes! The cue for insults and juvenile heckles. Already, “grownup kids” on Social Media or Facebook rained us with elementary school-level ridicule of Mr Trump “hiding” wherever. Oh well. How do you feel? What do you feel? Elated about a new immature Kimmel-styled joke?

      Me, I’d rather feel better with this. Washington Post: “Trump says the ceasefire in Lebanon is working. For residents, it's a 'prison'.” Yes, irrelevant of liberal media's obligatory negative connective. Prison? The truth is, like Iran and Syria or the Middle East per se, Lebanon is constantly at war. Historically. So when they say “it’s a prison,” that’d invite a longer discussion.

      Anyhow, I’d rather that a POTUS announces a “ceasefire” or “a deal has been okayed,” over the contrary darkness reportage. It tells me that the U.S. is working towards normalcy or stoppage to armed hostilities. That’d be in deference to haters saying Mr Trump started this war and there’s no provocation to the military hit early this year. Which I vehemently disagree with. The D’s hand was forced, and if he ignored IRGC’s massacre of thousands, he’d be insulted and disparaged the most. 📰💻📰

The Telegraph: “Frustrated passengers disembark plane after a child refused to sit for takeoff.” According to the company concerned, Porter Airlines, the accompanying parent and crew attempted to address the situation but were “unsuccessful.” The age of the child wasn’t in the news. Porter added: “The aircraft could not take off in this unsafe condition, so the crew elected to return to the terminal and have the passengers disembark.”

       I find this weird. What if I am a passenger on a very important trip? Well, I’d sue Porter Airlines! So the parents and crew (or security help) couldn’t remove the child or let him/her and parents instead not take the trip? Obviously, they are not “fit” to travel at all because mom and dad couldn’t pacify or discipline their child. There’s apparently a reason why the kid acts that way. Anyhow, Porter decided to abide by the child’s tantrums, regardless of other paying passengers or whatever their personal circumstances. (Art: Fodors.) 🤨😞🤨

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Associated Press: “U.S. and Iran blow past red lines as Strait of Hormuz tensions spiral.” This is the war that is either “hard to believe” or simply invites an arched eyebrow or rolling eyeballs. Absurd. Surreal. Not that I don’t believe that craziness is still happening at The Strait. I suspect that those who amass revenue from this drama are only taking advantage, until Iran finally accepts the deal.

      Meanwhile, from Associated Press: “8 killed as Ukrainian drone attack hits logistics hubs deep inside Russia.” Whether it is the Middle East “crisis” or Ukraine/Eastern Europe, this gargantuan wastage of taxpayer money is more a battle of geopolitical narcissism (and hand on the profit jar) than whatever stuff and things that they are quarreling about. ☮️☮️☮️

The Telegraph: “Zelensky ousts popular defense chief as protesters take to the streets.” Volodymyr doesn’t need to fire his military officers, that’s a lame PR. What he should have done was to at least try not to be a continuing puppet of the European Union and NATO (sans the U.S.) The Ukrainian people are (apparently) enraged, distressed, and have been suffering since 2022 (or since the Donbas conflict in 2014).

      Russia has, time and again, sent fillers to end the crisis, and Mr Trump has been pushing for peace as well. But Europe isn’t backing out from supporting this lost war. And Z keeps embracing (military) aid. The people know the lowdown in their government’s institutionalized corruption (per foreign aid). ☮️☮️☮️

California Post: “Snakebite victim got 54 vials of antivenom and a $1.3 million hospital bill.” Not really surprising, isn’t it? Especially for the 27 million Americans who don’t have health insurance. One night in a U.S. hospital (without insurance) costs an average of $3,000 to $3,132 for the base room and board alone. However, when you factor in tests, medications, doctor consultations, and initial emergency room fees, the final out-of-pocket bill for a single overnight stay typically climbs to between $9,300 and $11,700. Okay? 

       Also: The average cost of a ground ambulance ride typically ranges between $500 and $2,500+ without insurance, with a national average of roughly $1,000 to $1,300 per trip! So for the meantime, don't get bitten by a snake! 🐍😵🐍

Yahoo Sports: “Caitlin Clark's 45-point, 10-assist game wasn't just a career peak — it was a WNBA 1st.” Okay, finally, the WNBA news that I have been waiting for. Not particularly about Ms Clark’s record night (I know she’ll regain her magic touch anytime) but I am relieved that league news finally focuses on playtime, not drama time! 

       I mean, do people even know that a month or so ago, Toronto Tempo’s Marina Mabrey tied the all-time single-game scoring record (53 points) and most three-pointers in a single game with nine? Examples of what we mostly read these days are this: When Marina was hit by a flying shoe thrown by an irate Betnijah Laney-Hamilton of the NY Liberty. Or the never-ending Alyssa Thomas/Caitlin Clark thingy. 🏀⛹️‍♀️🏀

NY Post: “MLB fans criticize Patti LaBelle's national anthem rendition.” The legendary 82-year old R&B singer faced backlash from some MLB fans for her rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" to kick off the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Says her critics: She took too many artistic liberties, adding jazzy runs, and putting her own personal spin on the traditional melody. “Disrespectful" and "horrible." 

       As for me, maybe I am a traditionalist, because I don’t concur with improvisational renditions of national anthems. I prefer the way it was composed/written. Years ago, the Philippines’ national anthem was also “covered” a-la the popular “We Are the World.” Oh well. Meanwhile, this related news, Yahoo: “The World Cup final halftime show headliners could break soccer's rules.” Well, indeed! Since all the brouhaha about the Super Bowl halftime “politics,” sports intermissions have been this frivolously bombastic. WTH?!? This is NOT a concert! 🤨😞🤨

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Esquire: “Why do Emmy voters keep snubbing mega-hitmaker Taylor Sheridan?” Of course all these so-called award-giving regalias are politically-greased up! Dominated by influential liberals or the new Left. Awards are not anymore about artistic integrity or sheer aesthetics. Anyhow, for many years now, I disagree with the Emmy’s choices. Most that I follow aren't even nominated. I watch shows for pure entertainment, regardless that I don’t side with the performers’ personal politics (which are highly publicized). 

       Emmy voters consistently overlook Mr Sheridan’s shows because of his dismissive attitude toward industry campaigning and the  cultural and political assumptions about his "heartland" audience. Naysayers contend that his “Landman” and “Yellowstone” imbue "right-wing" stereotypes. Stars like Billy Bob Thornton have pointed out that this bias causes voters to dismiss Taylor’s “raw, authentic storytelling as purely political, ignoring the artistic merits of his work.” 🎥📹📽

Apparently, I do watch many TV series, at the same time (1 episode at a time), yeah? By myself in the bedroom and with my BFF watch-partner in the living room. There are a lot of overrated shows that the media continues to hype. Maybe they’re cool to many, maybe not. Not to me. Currently we are watching Season 5 of “The Bear.” Just watching to get it done, uh huh. I still don’t know what’s going on, the performers seem bored as well. Same case with “The Handmaid’s Tale.” We got tired of Elisabeth Moss’s close-up shots.

      Meanwhile, we tried a few episodes (or a season) of “The White Lotus” and “Hacks.” I don’t know what makes these derivatives awesome to many! “Bridgerton” or “Euphoria,” nope. I tried Season 1 of “Severance,” nah! We also gave up “Industry” due to the reason why we gave up “Game of Thrones” and “The Outlander.” Too much sex. We are not 17 year olds, okay? 🎥📹📽

Entertainment Weekly: “Despite dual citizenship, Jesse Eisenberg says leaving the U.S. would be 'a little silly'.” An individual choice, especially because the rich and famous (Jesse is worth $12 million) have the ways and means. And then they may go back whenever they want. Beyond the obvious reason why a failed actress/comedian moved to Ireland, there are a number of other alibis or rationales why some Americans leave the U.S. But Left-wing media accentuates the not-so-unusual move behind their no-brainer advocacy trajectory: Mr Trump as POTUS (which isn't a forever situation, of course).

      Anyhow, of course, the relatively wealthy can “afford” Europe, despite the fact that taxes out there are a lot higher. The overall tax burden in the European Union hovers around 39.4 percent. Top earners face the highest taxes: 55 percent to 60 percent. Meanwhile, the average income tax rate in the U.S. is approximately 14.5 percent. Middle Earners: 15 percent to 26 percent average rate. Top 1 percent? 23 percent to 26 percent av. So in case the rich got a bit “poorer” while in Denmark or France, expect them to be back home. 🤨😞🤨

The Hollywood Reporter: “Anatomy of a flop: The chaotic back-and-forth behind the scenes of 'Supergirl'.” These “new” filmmakers don’t really care about “losses” per 1 movie because the end-game is “winnings” in profit. DC Studios lost between $85 million and $125 million for this superheroine re-do. In the first quarter of 2026, parent company Warner Bros. Discovery reported a net loss of $2.9 billion on $8.9 billion in revenue. But last year, the multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate generated a total revenue of $37.3 billion (still counting, per global sales)! 

       So the narrative has to carry on, anyhow. A Supergirl who cusses, drinks, and with an attitude. Won't be long till that is an "accepted" societal norm. Experts are already saying cussing and swearing are “good” for your mental health. Right. 🎥📹📽

Politico: “Canada's military push could reshape everything from foreign aid to health care.” We are talking about Canada’s new, historic, $500B+ defence overhaul. Getting to be a fad, this military bombast, ain’t it? No brainer if we wanna talk about the U.S. These #1 statures: <>Military spending, $954 billion (and exponentially increasing, since the 1950s). <>Top 3 arms manufacturers, and 6 giants in the top 10. <>120.5 gun ownership per 100 (so mass shootings? Uh huh.) But Canada?

      Meanwhile, no Canadian-owned arms manufacturer is in the top 20 globally. But expect the country’s Colt Canada, Cadex Defence, and Rheinmetall Canada Inc. to be up there soon. Also: Canada is at #14 in the Defense/military budget. The rest of the Top 10 in arms expenditures: China, Russia, Germany, India, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, France, South Korea, Japan. In the category of per capita military spending: Israel ($3,700 to $5,000 per person), Qatar, the U.S., Singapore, and (tied) Kuwait and Australia.

      Before this “push” under PM Mark Carney, Canada ranked only near 27th, in terms of military expenditure per capita. That is bound to change in no time. ☮️🗽☮️ 

The U.S./Iran Peace Plan, pre-signing.

Response to a Facebook post.

I DON'T condone the IRGC's massacre of thousands before the U.S./Israel launched a military operation in February that took out the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. But the media effectively covered up or diminished the large-scale evil of that slaughter of Iranian protesters by pointing at the drained nuke/WMD issue (and at civilians that were hit in the initial U.S. assault). 

       Let me respond to your points as a foreigner in America but a close watcher of geopolitics as an (old) journalist. <>The $24 billion (set to be released) is a frozen Iranian asset. Plainly, it is Iran's money, not America's taxpayer money or part of Washington's astronomical military budget. You seem to suggest Washington should keep it, instead? Because we are holier than thou headmaster? I also disagreed when Joe Biden froze the Afghan Fund in 2021 (still frozen). 

       The Shia humanity of Iran, no matter how we hate them (as they hate us) are People in distress because of a war that punishes them (whoever started it). In fact, UAE (a traditional Iranian rival) pledged $15 billion for Iran's reconstruction from war ruins and to aid economic recovery, before this peace deal came out (to be signed on Friday). China, which rescued Iran, following years of sanctions, by steadily buying Tehran's oil, is expected to help as well. The Sunni majority Arab League pledged a gargantuan $300 billion economic investment, spread through years, if Iran concurs with all the points in the agreement, including the one that pertains to the critical nuclear weaponry. 

       Iran and neighbors UAE and Egypt are members of the BRICS trade bloc, which China/Russia lead. You see, China/Russia with India would have easily punished Iran's IRGC after the massacres but they "allowed" the U.S. to do it instead, pummeling their ally? 

       What would we say if China did it? World War 3? What would we say if Mr Trump ignored the carnage? He doesn’t care at all? I came from a 20-year dictatorship. The total official deaths inflicted by that regime? Less than 4,000. The IRGC wasted 6,000 to 36,000 in a few days! 

       <>Why are we dragging Barack Obama's name here? If so, why don't we also mention that it was him who upgraded the U.S. military aid to Israel to $3.8 billion annually before he left office in 2016? Israel is undaunting in its assaults because it has the unwavering backing of this side of America. The more Israel goes to war, the more it gets U.S. military juice. So while Don tried to avoid the February attack, Bibi was hot to do it. Meanwhile, before this new pact, Israel was still fighting with Hezbollah, the reason why the U.S. and Iran was to/fro in agreement to a real ceasefire. 

       <>What are the U.S. goals in Iran? Obviously, the traditional template? First, a nuke whip? Well, 9 countries keep nuclear warheads. It's like telling Iran only the U.S., Russia, the UK, Israel, China etcetera can play with fire but not them? Or regime change Iran outright? America would exalt that? This: Mr Obama put the U.S.-educated and reared Ashraf Ghani in Afghanistan yet the war continued then. Why? The people didn't approve. Remember, the Taliban rose from the mujahideen that Carter's Operation Cyclone trained and financed, to drive Russia out of the country and from its massive opium/poppy plants etc so the U.S. can take over. 

       The U.S., of course, still wants an inside track into Iran's oil (same with the Venezuela story). No argument there. But The D is sharing it with BRICS or China (not Europe), instead of competing with these superpowers. Pragmatically, that is The Universe. The West used to "own" the world until the 21st century strode in. China et al or BRICS leveled the playing field. 

       That is good for the world. Now the poorer countries have options for loans and FDIs. Mr Trump talked with China before he arrested the Venezuelan dictator Nicanor Maduro and before he took out Mr Khamenei. I concur with that. Both Venezuela and Iran are sitting on massive deposits of oil (China is their top buyer) but the people are fantastically suffering from economic pain. Venezuela/PDVSA's oil revenue went to the dictatorship and the Cartel delos Soles; Iran's to the IRGC's military programs. Corrupt governments.

       But I am against foreign intervention (my country was colonized by Spain for 3 centuries and America, over 50 years) yet when gargantuan evil happens in a country, the people need help. China rescued "rogue" countries (add North Korea) that are sanctioned by the UN via trade or economics. The U.S. deals with the dirty work of "cleaning" up the mess first. That was the Philippines in 1986. But after that tempest, it is the country's leadership and people to do the next. That is they need their money or assets that the U.S. froze. ☮️☮️☮️

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Associated Press: “U.S. strike killed Tren de Aragua leader, Trump says.” Time and again, I reiterated my stance on drug cartels. They are not “the people,” they are anti-people evil. Not counting those who perish with drug addiction and the families that get ruined by the scourge, drug cartels waste human lives in an execution SOP that is more gruesome than what usually shocks us in slasher cinema.

      Tren de Aragua is a transnational organized crime syndicate that originated as a prison gang in Venezuela. Starting in the notorious Tocorón Penitentiary in the state of Aragua, it grew into one of the most powerful homegrown criminal groups in Venezuela. With the Cartel delos Soles, these monsters were a significant influence in bankrupting Venezuela, pushing the people deep in unbelievable poverty, regardless of the country’s massive oil deposits. 🏛🗽🏛

Time: “U.K. Defense Minister John Healey Resigns Over Military Spending Dispute With Starmer.” Since the resignation of Theresa May in 2019, amidst the Brexit withdrawal issue, the UK hasn't really settled its leadership crisis. The economy is at 0.6 percent, consistent with the EU's 1 percent average. That rate isn't necessarily “that bad,” but compared with Asia's 5 percent and the Middle East's 4.2 percent before the Hormuz drama, that pace is “slow.” (The U.S. growth is very fluid, due to the Iran war.)

      But the UK or EU per se has more problems than the economy, of course. Yet despite all these, their leaders are still hot and high on military brawn, while tossing arms aid to Ukraine nonstop, pumping up NATO, and continually fondling their paranoia that Russia will invade them. The majority people (those who are stereotypically branded, populists) are not diggin' it. 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 

New York Sun: “Italy’s Largest Bank Launches $35 Billion Bid for World’s Oldest Bank, Eyeing Eurozone Banking Crown.” For now, the top 4 biggest banking countries in Europe are the UK, France, Spain, and Germany. At #5 is Italy. But since the 21st century marched on, China has ruled the global banking roost. Beijing's Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) is the largest bank in the world by total assets. Completing the "Big Four” are the Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Bank of China. All state-owned, these banks have hugely weakened the universal clout of the IMF and World Bank. (Visual: Finance1950.) 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹

New York Times: “China’s Rise in Drug Development Looms Over U.S.” And adds: “Clinical trials in China are getting attention at an international oncology gathering in Chicago. China’s surging biotechnology industry is fueling alarm that U.S. dominance in the field is waning.” 

       Currently, there is no Chinese drug company that is ranked in the Top 20 Global Pharma, that is traditionally dominated by U.S. and European giants, such as Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Roche. But it won't be long till Beijing's top drug companies like Jiangsu Hengrui, BeiGene, and WuXi join them. Remember the Chinese have the APIs and the global trade momentum. 🩺💊🇨🇳

The Hill: “Senate GOP support erodes for Trump's Iran war stance.” Hypothetically speaking, or if ever there is a time machine, it would be interesting to see how’d Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, George dad and George W., or Joe Biden deal with Iran–after the IRGC massacre of thousands of protesters prior to the U.S. military strike that took out the Supreme Leader in February. Would they do a Donald Trump operation or would they simply shrug off and ignore the horror? 

       I am consistently against all wars. Yet how’d I feel after Iran’s IRGC mowed down thousands of protesters? I survived a wicked dictatorship that took out (official estimate) 3,200 people. But that was spread in 20 years. Tehran’s dreaded military wasted 6,000 to 36,000+ protesters in just a few days! Must a POTUS ignore the carnage because that’s just the way things are? And because Mr Trump, after negotiations (to avoid a U.S. armed response) failed, did what he did, he is evil? Left-wing media now talks more about “Trump’s war” over Iran’s magnificent slaughter of its own people. ☮️☮️☮️