THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Newsmax: “Obama-era investigation finds evidence against Ilhan Omar's marriage, report says.” Set aside all the fiery politics, let me share my thoughts as a foreigner in America, or perhaps if I am in another country not my own, irrelevant of my personal ideological paradigm. You see, many people flee their native land due to political repression, unmitigated poverty, and wars. Filipinos though are here primarily for "greener pastures" and individual dreams and pleasure (fame, wealth, more knowledge, fun).

      Ilhan Omar obviously got more than what most of her fellow asylees (or U.S. foreigners per se) receive as benefits and privileges that many born-and-bred Americans haven't. Even war veterans/soldiers end up drunken homeless while "fighting" for what they were promised.

      I am not entirely against what Ms Omar is lobbying for or pursuing as an elected public official but most of those are the new Left's ideological overreaching ideations. Not necessarily gut-level, realistic exigencies that could elevate her people’s lives, here and back home. Somalia perennially faces severe convergence of security stalemates, political transition tensions, and a collapsing humanitarian safety net. Etc etcetera.

      Why can’t Ilhan focus on helping her people, more than she pursues America/Left’s spaced-out idealism? Moreover, the more Ms Omar gets noisy the more Somalians get hit. Whether we agree or not, Somalians get the reprisals out there. She is endangering her people, more than she believes she’s helping them.

      Meanwhile, what about the billion$ social services scam in her state? Any word about that? Or any talks about what's going on in her home country? How to forward help? Enough of all this “The Squad” self-aggrandizing yarns, please! (Photo: The New Yorker.) 🏛🗽🏛

Washington Post: “As midterms loom, Trump's Justice Dept. keeps taking aim at the president's foes.” Of course, on the other side, there are also the anti-Trump justices, who rule over stuff mainly because they are obviously part of the howl. That kind of "balances" America’s bizarre political schism. I don’t think those who get the highs endlessly engaged in the nasty discourse are seeing anything wrong with that. First Amendment, I guess? American democracy?

      Yet all these don’t sit well with the global community out there, especially with allies. They’d either view the insane U.S. divide in disparaging amusement or altogether loss of trust. And then there’s China and her BRICS economic bloc. The world now has options, alternatives, and a wider marketplace to negotiate stuff. Europe is already feeling the harsh blowbacks of centuries-old universal domination, while other regions that they used to subjugate thrive (Asia and the Middle East/Arab League, primarily).

      I am baffled that Americans are so engaged with Donald Trump as though he will be in White House, forever and ever amen. Whether you view him as good or bad, or whatever, America stays America. But an America that is already wounded and weakened by its own people? I don’t know. Figure it out, I guess. 🏛🗽🏛

Associated Press: “Flávio Bolsonaro and family land in Miami after Trump admin. grants them all visas.” Sure, I already read stuff like “Trump welcomes a (--supply the word–).” Like, anything that could be facilitated as a fodder for hate-Trump is “new” or unprecedented in the history of the U.S. of A. The historical fact: The U.S. has frequently welcomed or granted exile to former presidents and heads of state from other countries after they lost power, were ousted, or faced prosecution following an election loss. (Though I am not saying Flavio is guilty of wrongdoings.)    

      Of course, top on my list is the Philippines' (former dictator) Ferdinand Marcos (deceased). Mr Marcos and his family were flown by the U.S. military to Hawaii in 1986, saved from a raging ocean of a popular "People Power" rage. Flavio’s dad Jair flew to Florida as well after Lula defeated him in 2022.

      Other prominent “more recent” so-called exiles to America: Haiti’s Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier (1986) and Jean-Bertrand Aristide (2004), Venezuela’s Carlos Andrés Pérez (1993), Honduras’ Juan Orlando Hernández (2022). And many more. Those who lost with no blemish (or crime) on their name, simply flew here and retired in peace with their families.

      I guess, you are thinking (and intrigued), would Volodymyr Zelensky also seek rescue from Washington when (knock on wood!) his “house burns down” in Kyiv? I don’t think Mr Trump would be welcoming, but it’s a different story in post-Trump years. 🏛🗽🏛

CBS: “Ex-FBI officials face new charges over what they told Congress about Hunter Biden.” Hunter Biden's laptop story first came out publicly on October 14, 2020, when the New York Post published a front-page report detailing emails and files recovered from a computer left at a repair shop in Delaware. That was a month before the election. Of course, dad won. 

       The FBI officials, Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, first made public statements denying or downplaying their knowledge of Hunter’s laptop during sworn testimony before the House Judiciary Committee in 2023 (July and September). And then the issue “died.” 

       The most current news. Washington Post: “Former FBI officials charged with lying to Congress about Hunter Biden laptop inquiry.” Or both allegedly made false statements to Congress. Etc etcetera. Things are pretty obvious, of course. DC Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated that the two officials used these false statements to "escape" deep congressional questioning. They face up to eight years in prison if convicted. Or they'd speak up. Or the real story would be buried for good. As lawyers say, “Eight years but could be out in 5,” and so on and so forth. 🏛🗽🏛

Business Insider: “Liberty Mutual's new mascot is drawing protests. The company sees an upside.” What is the drama here? Sure, this new whiny-whiny bit is again fueled by a late-night harlequin, desperate for more viewers. John Oliver: “Fuzzy testicle with teeth," that’s how he describes Liberty Mutual's new fuzzy, yellow mascot. Others call it "chewed-up tennis ball.”

      And so boom! An avalanche of online hate and real-life protests ensued, organized even. Dozens of protesters gathered outside the insurer's Boston headquarters carrying signs demanding the retirement of the puppet.

      What a waste of time and energy! Yet the company’s PR machine knows how to spin the hoopla into a positive rhumba. The first six commercials featuring the mascot, after the Oliver rabble-rouse especially, have amassed more than 754 million views on YouTube alone.

      Anyhow, some protesters and online critics feel the repetitive, constant ads featuring the character during sports and TV broadcasts are irritating and grating. Oh well! Aren’t commercials irritating per se? Must I also whine about the intermittent commercials that distract our TV series enjoyment on Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Peacock, regardless that we already had subscriptions?

      Anyhow, if I really want to sort of protest, here: Why is Guatemalan actor Arturo Castro monopolizing most commercials? Cultural diversity? Aren’t there any actors/actresses that are “diverse,” too? But so be it. I don’t want to hyper whatever. These are commercials. But I hope Geico brings in more of the green gecko and those funny cavemen. 📱📺📲