THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Business Insider: “Police picked him up when he was 10 for walking home alone. Now 21, he backs his parents.” The story took place in Silver Spring, Maryland. Then 10-year old Rafi Meitiv and his 6-year-old sister had been playing at a local playground for about one hour before starting their walk, which was intended to be a three-quarters of a mile trek home. That distance is about 6 blocks if you live in New York City. 

       Walking per se could be fine, right? But most streets in America have no pedestrian walks and then there’s the usual fear of “undesirable (human) elements” that prey on children. The siblings in the story were walking in the mid-afternoon. After roughly 0.37 miles of walk, the kids were stopped by police officers. That’d be the cops’ job, wasn’t it? 

       Sure, a grown-up Rafi (Gen Z, yes) now backs up his parents for allowing them a “free-range” walk, you know what I am saying? “Free-range” is usually a farming method where animals can roam outdoors for at least part of the day, rather than being confined to a cage or indoor enclosure 24 hours a day. So let `em walk because these children were being raised “free-range” style. Okay. 

       Meanwhile, per Upworthy: “No seat belts, no supervision: These Gen X childhood norms seem baffling today.” Generation X includes people born from 1965 to 1980, making them 46 to 61 years old in 2026. I am either an older Gen X or younger`boomer. Anyhow, I don't think "no parental supervision" in my age should be compared with “free-range” supervision these days. Dad was very strict yet we were freely allowed to play outside, till dusk or 5 PM, as long as we already accomplished homework and housework. Must I continue this discussion? (Visual: The Swaddle.) 👩‍🦰🤨👨‍

Yahoo: “Wall Street banks lost $270 billion in value since summer. Now comes another big test.” / “Trump's penchant for big economic promises returns before the midterms.” Do I sound like a conspiracy theory dude when I say that 1 Percent corporate powers take advantage of the “crisis” that the two ongoing wars brings, to manipulate or rationalize "price tags” and stuff? That is a historical fact, unless we are in the 1930s Great Depression or pre-Bretton Woods 1944. (Bretton Woods essentially “protected” Forbes 500 et al,) 

       Yup, I don’t think Wall Street, post WW2, ever lost. Sure, Mr Trump “talks big” but what else is new in regards to his presidential mouth? But then, all sorts of news these days are easily against him. Hence, there’s a marked divide between administration claims of historic growth and so-called “independent” data showing a slowdown, or rising inflation. Voter reaction depends on which side they are leaning to, right? 

       Meanwhile, how many have the patience to discuss an uptick in stock market activity, domestic manufacturing boosts, and trillions in announced business and infrastructure investments? What about tax cuts, deregulation moves, private-sector expansion and energy production? Whether we agree or we don’t, it is imperative to lose the “hate-Trump” obsession and simply treat matters as “spade is a spade.” 💲🇺🇸💲

Yahoo: “U.S. ambassador to Greece Guilfoyle resigns after alleged misconduct.” Kimberly Guilfoyle has resigned from her diplomatic post following allegations of financial and professional misconduct. Now she has all the time in the world to “defend her reputation.” 

       Resignations and terminations (“You are fired!”) are not a strange activity in Donald Trump’ POTUS years. In his first term (2017–2021), overall Executive Office turnover rate was 92 percent (60 out of 65 positions), with 14 departures among Senate-confirmed cabinet-level department heads. So far, in Trump II (2025–present), approximately 934 non-Senate-confirmed appointees (about 24.6 percent) have departed the administration within the first 18 months of Mr Trump's second term. 

       At the cabinet level, high-profile departures: Attorney General Pam Bondi (fired), Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem (fired), Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

       I am not bothered by these “changes,” as I posted in the onset of The D’s appointments in 2025. I give `em the benefit of the doubt. In case their performance doesn’t please the Boss and/or the people, let them go. 

       But I must be honest that I’d like Pete Hegseth to go. I didn’t like him from the get go. He is an interventionist hawk that doesn’t play along the President’s largely dovish playbook (yes, regardless of Iran). I am even sort of confused by his (dual) position: Secretary of Defense and Secretary of War. (The latter was originally established in 1789 under President George Washington, and was restored last year by President Trump, via an executive order.) 🏛🗽🏛

Washington Post: “Elon Musk's megaphone propels conspiracy theory about James Talarico.” James Talarico is all over the news these days, the run-up to midterms. Pretty much how the media played up Beto O’Rourke years ago. James is the Democratic nominee for the 2026 U.S. Senate election in Texas (versus Republican nominee, Ken Paxton).

       Religion lures a huge voting bloc in Texas, of course. And these guys are into it. Mr Talarico is a Presbyterian seminarian currently pursuing a Master of Arts at the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Mr Paxton identifies as an “evangelical/conservative Christian.” (Mr O’Rourke was raised in the Roman Catholic Church and identifies as a Christian.)

       Anyhow, however and whatever James and Ken’s PR machines and “influencers” toss at their constituents, we can just wait till November. But we can look back at Beto from those years. He also enjoyed a huge media thumbs-up, the “rock star of the Left.” 

       Prior to statewide and national races, Mr O'Rourke was undefeated in his regional campaigns. So in 2018, he ran for the U.S. Senate in Texas. Incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz (R) defeated him. He then set his sights on POTUS in 2020. But knowing he had no chance, he ended his prez campaign 5 months from his official announcement (to run). Still, in 2022, he eyed the Governorship of the state. Greg Abbott (R) beat him, too. 

       Sure, the Democratic Party in Texas learned lessons from Beto’s journey. Would the “demonize the rival, praise me in the media, and darkness pitch on Facebook etcetera” work this time? Let’s see. 🏛🗽🏛

Time: “White House proposal to charge foreign students $70,000 could cost Americans too.” An international student in the U.S. spends between $35,000 and $90,000+ per year on all-inclusive expenses. This wide variance depends drastically on the type of university, the city's cost of living, and the student's lifestyle. The assumption, as well, is that foreign students who study here are already wealthy back home. So that money may not matter a lot.

      This discussion though is multi-pronged and it slides beyond money-talk. In case this proposal is approved, the blowback will be more felt in Washington’s economic/trade relations. India, China and South Korea are the three largest countries of origin for foreign students in U.S. schools, accounting for the vast majority of international enrollment. They are already rich. But these nations are also huge trade partners of the U.S. Expect some shudder in economic bilateral negotiations.

     Anyhow, at least these days, many wealthy Asian students simply go to neighboring countries for mainly “better facility of English,” especially the Chinese and Koreans. They feel they don't need to gain “higher education” elsewhere and spend money that should go to business. The truth: Many want to study in America to “experience America” and get away from strict parents, and then watch LeBron on the ringside, LOL! 🏛🗽🏛