Tuesday, March 17, 2026

MORNING THOUGHTS. Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Again, I reiterate my utter disgust of today’s movies and TV series with dark lighting. Irritating. Filmmakers rationale: Movies today are often shot in darker lighting due to the switch to digital cameras, which perform better in darker settings. They say it helps “preserve highlights and skin tones.” Really? I disagree. Including in scenes that are supposedly lit, such as a dinner moment and in the bathroom while brushing teeth. Dark? Simply uncalled for. πŸŽ₯πŸ˜ΎπŸ“½




NY Times: “We need mission-driven, imaginative news leaders who are not bound by the models of the past.” Not bound by models of the past? Past journalism is The Journalism. Four Ws and 1 H. Inverted pyramid. No opinion. No influencing. A spade is a spade. Triple-checked facts. And we spent hours in the field, embedded right where news happened. Not “imaginative” but factual. That, to me, is mission-driven journalism. Not today’s so-called journalism. πŸ“œ✍️πŸ“°


News: “2 visitors captured on video destroying ancient rock formations at Lake Mead.” Are people bored, deranged, or stupid? All of the above? To think that these hooligans and nincompoops are adults, not your uncontrollable 7 year old. Many in the guise of Leftist activism also ruin classic art in galleries. Yet others who couldn’t devise a more result-oriented protest mode, glue themselves in stadium bleachers or tie their ass to a basketball goal. Have a life! πŸ˜πŸ˜’πŸ‘Ž


Food donations to war. Admirable, noble, humane. But food donations, as the war continues on or airstrikes of civilians go unabated, serve band-aid purposes. What the war needs is a cease-fire that leads to the negotiating table–towards lasting peace. Meanwhile, foods are a-plenty. For example, the U.S. wastes between 30-40 percent of its food supply, which is about 133 billion pounds or $161 billion worth. Most of Africa is starving. ☮️🍲☮️


News: “Jontay Porter receives lifetime ban from NBA for violating gambling rules.” Literally, Mr Porter gambled his million$ NBA salary away. Of course, he lost. I guess, the stupidity of youth? I mean, a 6-year college diploma will not even assure you a $1+ million (rookie) pay on your first real job. In fact, not even a PhD. So these young pro basketball players are so fortunate for an NBA contract. For sure, Jontay had some serious ass-whipping from mom! πŸ€πŸŽ²πŸ‘Ž


News: “Nike's U.S. track suit for Paris Olympics slammed: 'Everything's showing'.” Not so content with skimpy outfits, mostly by women in track and field events? Recently, the “transparent” pants of the L.A. Dodgers were also in the news. More palatable news seems to upstage sports games per se these days. Why is that? Corporate sponsorships. Uniforms don’t simply show numbers and colors. Company logos as well. Gotta buy the skin-tight sexy running shorts! πŸŽ½πŸ‹️‍♀️🎽




Unlike many, including my older brother Alberto and my son Duane, I am not into “extreme sports” or contact sports. Nothing’s wrong with them. Skydiving, motocross, kayaking, skis, climbing cliffs, or mixed martial arts and wrestling. As kids, dad taught us karate and judo. But I was never into those. But it doesn’t mean I am “scared” of danger. As a young journalist, I covered countryside wars, coup d’etats, narcos stake-outs, and violent street protests. πŸ‚πŸ₯‹✍️


The object of U.S. and China competition is microchips or supply of the pertinent “ingredient,” silicon. Not “security.” But economics. America has recently invested $6.6 billion to Taiwan’s TSMC to build a factory in Phoenix. But TSMC is dependent on Chinese silicon. China produces 60+ percent of the chemical. Hence Treasury chief Janet Yellen went to China to negotiate. So Joe’s aggro actuations vs. Beijing is baffling. But that’s how he rolls. πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ☮️πŸ‡¨πŸ‡³


Many would rather date someone with the same partisan stance. Left or Right. Conservative to a conservative; liberal to a liberal. But it doesn’t apply to me. I am a traditional Leftist activist. But most that I dated were either Conservative or apolitical. My current BFFs are typical Conservatives. Why do I blend with either polar extremes? I focus on the positive over the negative though we will never be the same. Yet there’s always something good to share. πŸ‘ˆπŸ€πŸ‘‰


On serious issues pertaining to (partisan) politics, cultural diversity and religion, I respond to or comment in relatively longer but complete sentences. No silly laughing emoji, nope. I fully express myself though, I reckon. I usually don’t respond or even read responses to my response since I believe I already said what I needed to. Also, the usual response/s or replies to responses are nasty, which I avoid. So I just scoot away and let others speak their mind as well. πŸ—£πŸ“±πŸ“²

Saturday, February 28, 2026

Drug Cartels. And Stuff.

Reuters: “Romantic tryst led to the capture and death of Mexican drug lord El Mencho.” Suddenly the erasure of drug cartel boss El Mencho is a big deal or he’s a hero to the (new) Left as did dictator Nicanor Maduro? All because it was Donald Trump who took them down? And Washington’s anti-cartel work in Mexico is a first-time operation? Hey, the U.S. and Mexico have always been at work together in pursuit of narcos. U.S. money has always been spent on several anti-drug programs across the border for many years. 



       U.S./Mexico anti-cartel cooperation. Operation Condor in the mid-1970s was meant to eradicate or weaken the Golden Triangle of Sinaloa, Durango, and Chihuahua. The heat heightened in the 1980s after the murder of DEA agent Kiki Macarena during the reign of cartel boss Felix Gallardo. Then there was 2006’s Operation Michoacan that led to the Merida Initiative in 2007, which Joe Biden abolished and replaced with the Bicentennial Framework in 2021. 

       Apparently, Joe Biden’s “holistic” Bicentennial Framework (2021), replacement to the Merida Initiative, was too "lenient.” Drug cartels facilitated a record number of border crossings from that year to 2024: 4+ million in 4 years! The difference with Mr Trump's Project Portero? President Claudia Sheinbaum's willingness to carry things out compared with her predecessors. Narcopolitics is a major problem in Mexico. Ex-prez Enrique Nieto received at least a $100 million bribe from El Chapo, for example. Etc etcetera. 

       My question to the Left: Are we against illegal drugs or are we against Donald Trump? Take note as well that drug trafficking has direct links to human trafficking. Those migrants who cross the borders, via cartel facilitation and coyote “deliveries” to wherever, are technically trafficked humanity. But why are we quiet about all these? Because this is supposed to be the handiwork of Mr Trump? Hey, U.S./Mexico anti-cartel programs are a historical fact although The D seems more intent to pursue it. πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ☮️πŸ‡²πŸ‡½