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! 🏛🗽🏛

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

NBC: “Cornell student who gave police leads in alleged rape feels 'betrayed' over its handling.” I expect prosecution of the perps on this one. But it’d be more due to heightened politics than it is carried out as a significant move to eradicate a “youth culture” that results in the obvious. Frat parties, rock concerts backstage shenanigans, and secret gatherings in abandoned barns and warehouses?

      These are part/s of young life’s “rites of passage,” I guess. In those situations, these are expected: Shaming, rape, orgies, illegal drugs (add fentanyl), all sorts of alcohol etcetera happen.

      The victim in the Cornell incident went to the police but how many didn't? It is a society at large that tolerates this widespread wrongdoing and how we raise our children (boys or girls) that concern me. Would the law and schools now “outlaw” fraternities/sororities? Would concert producers bar “girls” in a band’s dressing room or hotel accommodation? Would law enforcement per se be more strict in policing youths in these wild parties? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind? (Art: Dreamstime.) ⚖️😒⚖️

New York Sun: “Short of Soldiers, Ukraine Is Building a Robot Army.” Almost everyday, Volo Zelensky has an insane plan to share with the universe. While “robot armies” are eventual reality as AI invades the roost, in the case of Ukraine's lost war versus Russia, this is nothing but bluster or idiocy.

      Meanwhile, the 39.5 distressed Ukrainians (+ American taxpayers) demand an accounting of how Kyiv's leadership spent all the foreign aid, from the start of the crisis in 2022.

      We are talking about approximately $360 billion in total foreign aid from international allies and institutions. Major Donors: <>The European Union collective, $195 billion. <>United States, $134 billion.

      These bilateral allocations represent the largest single-country generosity, though actual disbursements vary based on multi-year obligation schedules and funding mechanisms. Although words like “pledged/committed” and “disbursed” sometimes confuse people. Complex? Let's just say a day of war costs either country $190 million to $1 billion. 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

New York Times: “He Says He Killed a Man and Cast Out Demons. He Wants to Run Colorado.” And adds: “Some Republicans in the state fear that the sensational biography of Victor Marx, their party’s candidate for governor, could drag down the rest of the ticket.”

      Victor “brags” that he killed a man when he was 7 years old, after his super baddie stepdad made him do it. However, there's no police record of such a shooting that supposedly happened in Mendenhall, Mississippi. Mr Marx also says he can "cast out" demons via spiritual rituals that he calls “retooling prayers,” not exorcism. Uh huh.

      These are the sorta politicians who are running for office these days. But that is also a historical fact.

      An interesting guy is Vermin Supreme of the US Pirate Party. He was a Libertarian, Democrat, Republican, and Independent. He actually came third in the 2020 Libertarian National Convention. He wears a large winter boot as a hat and carries a giant toothbrush. Vermin's platform includes: <>Mandatory teeth-brushing laws. <>A promise of a free pony for every American. <>Funding for time-travel research. <>Preparing the nation for a zombie apocalypse. There you go! 😏😒🤨

I am sure you also notice that there seems to be (mostly) one face in choice TV commercials these days: Arturo Castro. He is heavily featured, aside from major AT&T, Verizon, and skin products advertising rotation. AI Mode says he serves major cultural moments like sports tournaments and the Super Bowl, which puts his face on screen repeatedly. No big deal because commercials are quick, supposedly. Until Amazon Prime and Hulu (+ other free movie sites) started messing up our viewing pleasure with ads! Yes, regardless that you are a paying subscriber.

      And Arturo’s face gets annoying, LOL! Why not diversity their ad performers? I dig that Liberty dude, the Geico gecko, and where are the Budweiser lizards, frogs, and woodchucks? More dogs and cats, please!

      Mr Castro is a Guatemalan citizen and immigrant who lives and works in the United States, rather than a native U.S. citizen. Any qualified “cultural diversity” face who is a U.S. citizen? Filipinos? My cousin who lives in L.A. and Vegas is an actress. Ha! No commercials yet for Alex Eala? Hey, aren’t there any other Latino(a), other than Arturo? I just want a new face in TV ads, okay? Enough of Arturo! 📺🤨📺

The Hill: “Education Department formally rescinds Title IX protections for LGBTQ students.” The U.S. Department of Education formally rescinded the Biden-era Title IX regulations that provided explicit anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ students based on sexual orientation and gender identity, returning the federal standard to the 2020 rules.

       Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced the final action, which officially removes the “expanded definitions” of gender, especially. DepEd is officially enforcing the Title IX framework established during the first Trump administration in 2020. This framework interprets sex discrimination strictly through biological sex assigned at birth rather than self-assessed gender identity. I agree. Male and female, regardless of other gender IDs. But you don’t need to argue with me. I digress. 🏛🗽🏛

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

GMA: “Locals flee occupied south Ukraine as hunger deepens.” A few months after the war started in February 2022, Russia had sent ceasefire feelers and/or proposals for peace negotiation. Each time, Ukraine rejected it, as the U.S. (under Joe Biden) and the EU continued to toss billions$ in military aid to Volodymyr Zelensky.

      Recall that before this crisis, Mr Zelensky was linked to a dubious network of offshore companies in the 2021 Pandora Papers investigation. His stash was reportedly "stored" in Cyprus, Belize, and the British Virgin Islands. Meanwhile, how much foreign aid Kyiv has already received? Numbers vary but still unbelievably high. From the U.S., $135.5 billion; from the EU, $84.4 billion. (Committed or already given? I also get confused. But still “lavish,” considering that the aid is taxpayer money.)

      Currently, Ukraine has been conducting active, high-profile internal corruption investigations led by its so-called independent bodies. Of course, Mr Z sort of leads this probe. Anyhow, I assume that Washington (especially under Donald Trump) has been doing its own digging. So while this is going on, Volo continues to attack Russia, and so Russia responds. Clearly, a continuing war means Ukraine continues to ask for aid. And Zelensky stays in power, no election. Insane!

      Meanwhile, Ukrainians face a severe cost-of-living crisis driven by high inflation, currency devaluation, and ongoing wartime destruction. In fact, many have turned to prostitution and pornography to survive. And now this news. Washington Post: “Ukraine weighs legalizing pornography to raise tax revenue and buy drones.” Wild, isn’t it? ☮️🇺🇦☮️

BBC: “27 killed in Johannesburg, Cape Town mass shootings.” Police stated the attack may have been a targeted retaliation, in connection with an incident at the same tavern the previous month that left one person dead and another wounded. No specific (civilian) suspects have been arrested or publicly named yet. No known terrorist group has claimed responsibility either. 

       South Africa is primarily used by international extremist networks as a logistics, recruitment, and financial hub rather than a base for major domestic attacks. But localized threats from domestic groups are also active, notably the Crusaders or NCRM and the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging. Add affiliates of ISIS and Al-Qaeda.

       Eight gunmen armed with AK-47 assault rifles and pistols stormed the site. Consider that South Africa has a relatively low percentage of gun ownership: 9.7 civilian firearms per 100 people. (The U.S. is 120.5 per 100.) But the country’s homicide rate is astoundingly high: 43.72 per 100,000 people. The global per capita average: 5.8. The U.S. annual homicide rate is 3.0, down from over 5 percent in 2023.

       Anyhow this Johannesburg carnage is way below the world record in human wastage by a civilian with no known political or ideological intent. The 2017 Las Vegas shooting was the worst: 61 dead. Next? The 1982 Woo Bum-kon incident in Uiryeong County, South Korea: 56 deaths, following a personal domestic dispute. 🇿🇦💝☮️

BBC: “Inside the FBI hack: Agents fearful and angry after 'dangerous' data breach.” Almost automatically, when matters like this happen, official reactions blame the “usual suspects.” Foreign entities: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea etc etcetera. The media and the public usually “second the motion.” Foreign terrorists!

      This fact though is the truth: Domestic terrorism and homegrown violent extremism make up the vast majority of terrorist plots and attacks in the U.S. compared to foreign-directed terrorism. Research databases (such as those tracked by Center for Strategic and International Studies and New America) show that domestic actors and U.S. citizens/legal residents have accounted for roughly 80 percent or more of terrorist attacks and plots in American soil since September 11, 2001. (Visual: Home Bank of CA.) 🏛🗽🏛

Yahoo Sports: “Stephen Curry’s new $116 million deal puts a rare NBA milestone within reach.” That’d be a two-year contract, with the Golden State Warriors. Around $58 million this season, or $4.8 million a month? Unbelievable! Considering as well that Mr Curry, hobbled by intermittent injuries, nears retirement. He is 38 years old, now into his 18th season in the league. 

      Meanwhile, the NBA salary scale is already stunningly huge! The average NBA player salary for the 2026-27 season is $11.95 million! The average first-year salary for a rookie ranges from roughly $3 million to over $15.2 million, depending on their draft position. Anyhow, whoever is (or are) paying Mr Curry, I wonder if they’re that generous with their employees and workers? Of course not. The average annual salary in the U.S. is $69,846.57 (monthly, over $5k). 🏀⛹️💰

Yahoo Life: “The internet judged her husband from a 30-second clip. Then she explained.” Yup, that’s what “internet/cellphone” high people do these days, whether the subject is a celebrity, politician, or an ordinary individual. Once you are tossed in Social Media, you are “judged”  by the universe–everybody is a shrink, expert, or moral crusader. Worse, in case you are ICE or kin of an ICE agent, you are auto-cancelled for the world to profusely mock. 

       In a parallel thought, in regards to “fakes” online and what they could instigate or motivate, I remember a 1983 political movie, “Under Fire.” Those were pre-internet/cellphone days, of course. In the Nick Nolte-topbilled movie, Nicaraguan revolutionary Augusto César Sandino (versus dictator Anastasio Somoza) was the historical reference. Here, he was named Rafael, and was killed. Guerrillas faked his death with his photo scattered in towns to tell people that “their leader” is alive and the revolution is still ongoing. 

       These days, and with AI sliding into human existence, “fakes” don’t just serve political ends and commercial (marketing) dubiousness. They also serve nonsensical frolic (sic) or people just do it because they can. (Visual: The Holly Spirit.) 🤨😞🤨

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Clear as black smokes in the sky: The Middle East is the most conflicted region on earth. The main groups in (historical) conflicts: Israel, Iran, and the United States, alongside non-state groups in the Axis of Resistance coalition. The Axis is a military coalition led by Iran that opposes Israel and Western influence. These groups fight across borders. They form networks with shared goals and support from larger countries.

      <>Israel is at war in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen, and has direct conflicts with Iran. <>Iran funds, arms, and trains a network of allied groups to expand its influence. These: Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), the Houthis, various Iraqi and Syrian militias, and Palestinian factions, such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the PFLP-General Command.

      <>The U.S. deploys military forces and strikes groups that attack its allies or troops. <>Saudi Arabia leads a coalition against Houthi forces in Yemen. Note as well that like the majority of Iran, Hezbollah and the Houthis are Shia Muslim; Hamas is Sunni. Sunni and Shia Muslims, while being in a number of disagreements, are not engaged in an all-out religious war, but localized sectarian violence and political rivalries persist in certain regions.

      Meanwhile, there’s also the anti-U.S. Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-backed Iraqi militias (such as Kataib Hezbollah and the Al-Nujaba movement). Also, the Islamic State (ISIS) is firmly against the U.S., as well as various Syrian opposition factions, which may have “cooled out” after the fall of the Assad regime, but this issue needs some elaboration. ☮️☮️☮️

Fox: “7 Republicans break with Trump in vote to rein in Iran war powers.” This issue confounds me a bit. I again reiterate that President Trump's hand was forced to launch a hit after the IRGC or Iran's security forces carried out mass killings of protesters after nationwide protests escalated in January of this year. Yet the U.S. sent emissaries to the Middle East before POTUS ordered a military action; it didn't work. Yet right after the Supreme Leader was taken out, the U.S. negotiated an end to hostilities. Again, that didn’t work, even after a peace plan offer that Trump's critics say massively favored Tehran.

      Anyhow, while it’s pretty clear that Iran’s hardliners intend to stay firm, Israel continues to defy Mr Trump’s call for an end to fighting. Bibi Netanyahu didn’t stop annihilating Iran’s “underlings,” especially Lebanon. So Iran keeps on retaliating, now the targets are Washington’s allies in the region.

      Meanwhile, this cloud stays over me: What if the U.S. ignored IRGC’s massacre of its own people in January, or what if Mr Trump simply hushes or tells the U.S. military to stand down as Iran continues to fire? Today’s CBS: “New photos show widespread damage at U.S. bases caused by Iranian attacks.” ☮️☮️☮️

Associated Press: “U.S. plans $2.8 billion Israel arms sale with 40,000 powerful bombs.” Whoever POTUS sits, military aid to Israel (#1 among Washington recipients) remains a truth than a fact, since the nation’s birth in 1948. For various reasons, Washington's hawks (and their corporate benefactors) favor this. Note that President Barack Obama signed a historic 10-year Memorandum of Understanding on September 14, 2016, providing Israel with $38 billion in military aid from 2019 to 2028. There you go. ☮️☮️☮️

New York Times: “In a Club of Emerging Powers, China and India Vie for Influence.” And adds: “China sees the BRICS group as a vehicle for challenging American power. India wants to keep the group broad enough to avoid choosing sides.”

      China and India are #1 and #2 in terms of global population. Hence they also lead in the area of labor force muscle. India's economic growth rate is 7.8 percent (consistently around 6 percent to 7 percent since Covid years). China, 4.3 percent (down from 6+ percent as the CCP diversified from manufacturing a decade or so ago. Still, China is world's #2 economy).

      Meanwhile, the U.S. is at 2.1 percent, although it remains as the world's #1 economy. The EU has been mired at below 1 percent for years now (currently 1.4 percent). Japan, the #3 economy is at 1.4 percent.

      Clearly, BRICS bros China and India prefer trade as their “weapon” for global supremacy, while the U.S. and Europe stick to military brawn, which worked for universal domination for centuries, until the 21st century. Europe has lost a lot of clout for years as Asia and the Middle East flourished. A prolonged relationship reliance on military aggression or wars only strengthen BRICS and other regions--as they put emphasis on trade or economics. 🇨🇳☮️🇮🇳 

Rolling Stone: “Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran tour due to venue threats after onstage comments.” The hip hop dude was taken out of the tour over his “Free Palestine” comments. Mr Benjamin Hammond Haggerty (a.k.a. Macklemore) wasn’t the only artist who experienced this. I believe it isn’t because the main event personality or the organizers harbor a contrary politics. Spewing partisan politics in public events turns off many fans, especially those who hush their personal ideology or simply are apolitical or “unengaged.”

      Then, many years ago, activist-artists/rockers simply ad-lib their anti-war stance and (creatively) put all their protests in their songs. Or the more committed ones did organize press conferences, but not while in a concert. You see, many fans go to see their rock idols for the music, not for the politics. Like, I am a longtime fan of Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young’s songs but I’d be disappointed to hear that the crowd is now cheering their hate-Trump angst over the rock `n roll. (Photo: Variety.) 🤨😞🤨

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Yahoo: “Tupac’s murder case goes to trial today after 30 years. What took so long?” Tupac Shakur was murdered in 1996 in Las Vegas. The drive-by shooting centers around a casino altercation and a retaliatory gang-related dispute. 

       Personalities linked to the deadly event: <>Marion “Suge” Knight, the co-founder of Death Row Records and driver of the BMW who was grazed in the shooting and is currently serving a prison sentence for an unrelated homicide. <>Sean “Diddy” Combs, founder of Bad Boy Records, whose label was tied to the East-West coast rivalry and the orbit of the South Side Crips. <>The Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace), the Bad Boy Records rapper and friend-turned-rival whose murder six months later remains culturally and historically intertwined with Shakur's. All of these guys are African-Americans or black. 

       The new person linked to the crime? Duane "Keffe D" Davis, another black dude. He allegedly orchestrated the murder, while his nephew Orlando Anderson is widely believed to have fired the fatal shots. So are we nearing the conclusion of this case? Yet I wonder out loud: What if a suspect is white? Or any non-black individual? I bet this case would have been solved years ago? You know where I am going with this, right? ⚖️😒⚖️

Washington Post: “A $20 burrito sparks an online debate among conservatives over affordability.” So a burrito is now a (political) polar extremes dartboard pitch? Only “conservatives” debate the affordability of burritos? Liberals are cool about it? LOL! How idiotic this news report is! 

       Anyhow, the national median price for a restaurant burrito in the U.S. is $13.58. However, the actual cost ranges anywhere from $4.00 to over $20.00, heavily depending on where you buy it, what protein you choose, and if you use third-party delivery services. Okay? As for me, I am not into Mexican foods, except the Mojarra Frita. Are you now asking me about my politics? LOL! 👈☮️👉

Politico: “ICE's detention crackdown overwhelms the courts.” According to the report, one judge said: “Never seen anything like this.” Ah what partisanship-induced drama! This: Before the Obama administration (which began in January 2009), the U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions along the Southwest border were roughly 705,000 in fiscal year 2008 and 858,000 in fiscal year 2007, down from over 1 million per year between 2004 and 2006. Yet Mr Obama removed 400,000 on average in his first term.

      Again, from 2021 to 2024 or in Joe Biden’s years, undocumented crossings went back to 1 million+ av. What would Donald Trump do? No brainer. Exactly what Mr Obama did albeit more focused and intent. Last year, Mr Trump’s Homeland Security deported more than 605,000 individuals. Meanwhile, the U.S. Border Patrol agents recorded approximately 237,500 encounters along the U.S.–Mexico border. This total marked the lowest annual level for illegal border crossings since 1970.

      Of course, the Left isn’t concerned about that. They want “no borders!” instead. Which then brings us to European migrant crossings or the recent incident in Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta. Etc etcetera. I wish I could discuss this (immigration/migrant) issue sans politics, and just focus on numbers and situations. 🗽🏃‍♀️🏃

BBC: “Teen hitmen are being recruited like gamers for killings across Europe.” This isn't really unusual. In the Philippines, at least in the 1980s when I was covering the beat, many urban guerrilla “hitmen” (a.k.a. Sparrow Unit) were teen-agers, as young as 14 years old. Whether they do it per political ideology or common crime, the young are easily recruited. A mix of fiery idealism, allure of perilous romanticism, easy money, daring boast (that they can do it, no problem) and gung-ho risk-taking. Plus, the advent of Social Media ups the adrenaline. They even post their deadly mischief online! This news, Associated Press: “Mexico City murder: A gunman kills a social media influencer during a livestream.” Wild, wild world! ☮️☮️☮️

CNN: “Teen kills classmates, teachers and his grandparents in Thai gun rampage, police say.” Absurd, surreal, bizarre. Mostly, I blame the internet or Social Media’s easy access to hate–for all these. Mass shootings aren’t just an exclusive American “deadly sport” anymore. Other countries do copycat crimes as well. European cities, African towns, everywhere. There’s one two or 3 months ago, perpetrated as well by youths, in the Philippines. Now, in Thailand.

      Meanwhile, from 1999’s Columbine massacre in Colorado, the “video-game” styled killing rampage in the U.S. hasn’t subsided. That’d include my once-peaceful city of Asheville. And when the community talks about the horror, the tone of the discussion is expectedly, Left vs. Right, or blame Trump. Me, I’d rather not engage in a discourse. I just stay safe when I am out there, which is pretty much an average of 2 errands (out in town) a month. ☮️☮️☮️

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

GMA: “Cambridge professor resigns amid plagiarism and 'academic qualification' allegations.” I read a number of posts about this news story on Facebook, mostly in defense of Jason Arday, the professor, as though they are part of the investigating team. Mr Arday is black so this issue easily turned into a racially-fueled placard. The fact is, there have been a lot of firings and controversies about professors and students using AI. Meanwhile, shrinks and writers/journalists, surgeons and IT people (yes!) use AI, too. It really depends on whether your employment allows the e-crap or not. So if Jason was found to violate that job SOP, then he had to go. 

       Anyhow, months ago: <>A history professor at Alcorn State University, Jason Gibson, went viral on TikTok after posting a video explaining how 32 of his 35 students failed a portion of the midterm after they used AI to write their discussion post response. <>Northeastern University senior Ella Stapleton demanded an $8,000 tuition refund after catching her business professor, Rick Arrowood, secretly using generative AI tools like ChatGPT to create course notes and slides. <>BTW, Mr Gibson is black, but Mr Arrowood is white. You dig? Now, you may issue your insight, LOL! 🤨😞🤨

Rolling Stone: “Elliot Page explains why Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' felt so unforgettable.” Not commenting on Elliot (although I can talk about her exemplary performance in 2007’s "Juno") but responding to current cinema’s obsession with “reimagining” classics to fit their side in this annoying “culture war” caterwaul. We are not talking about Homer’s work’s philosophical wisdom anymore or the way he wrote it. We are talking about the “correctness” of Odyssey's supposed political extremity this time, based on how Hollywood prefers it.

      Meanwhile, whatever Ian Fleming or Mary Shelley or Jane Austen or William Shakespeare wrote has lost its bite, in favor of how their masterpieces are now “rewritten” to fit our Left or our Right. 🎥📹📽

Yahoo News: “Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt over COVID hearing.” True, anybody cannot be punished or criminally charged simply for refusing to answer police (or government inquiry) questions. The Fifth Amendment protects people from self-incrimination, double jeopardy, and loss of life, liberty, or property without due process. Given. But in the case of Mr Fauci, it is a bit tricky. The people want to know the lowdown. 

       You see, during the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid emergency spending and broken supply chains triggered widespread corruption, including billions of dollars in mismanaged public contracts and international price-fixing cartels. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor to the POTUS in those years, knows stuff. Of course. But he refuses to talk. 🏛🗽🏛

CNN: “Iran's Hormuz plan is taking shape — but it clashes with Trump's vision.” What is the plan? That Iran "controls" the Strait of Hormuz? That’s always been the case. Along with Oman, Iran exerts territorial power over this vital energy chokepoint, where roughly 20 percent of global petroleum liquids consumption and a massive share of liquefied natural gas pass through its narrow shipping lanes daily. What is the media telling us now that we already know? 

       And what is Mr Trump's vision, which was shaken after his (military) hand was forced by the IRGC? No brainer, I must say. Trade. Economics. A playbook that coincides with the Arab League and China/BRICS, but not with Israel or those in Washington who use Bibi Netanyahu’s Israel as “bogeyman” for obvious reasons (don't we know?) ☮️☮️☮️

Washington Post: “Trump challenged Hegseth after learning of depleted weapons stockpiles, sources say.” / CNN: “The Navy's $275 billion battleship plan faces skepticism from military experts.” Depleted weapons stockpiles? Hard to believe this. Why? Pentagon's 2026 base discretionary budget is $838.7 billion; total allocated defense funding for FY 2026 reached $1 trillion. That is around 5x more than what China allocates to “defense.” In America, all I see/read is lotsa money for arms and stuff. Or billions$ sent continually to Ukraine and Israel. Yet no money to improve U.S. warfare? So $275 billion for a Navy battleship is such a big deal? (My sarcastic eyebrows, arching.) 🏛🗽🏛

THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

BBC: “U.S. launches 'heavy' strikes on Iran after attempted attack on American troops.” / Associated Press: “How views on Trump's handling of Iran have shifted, according to a new poll.” It’d be an understatement to say that the major storyline in Trump years is for him to fail. No matter what, he has to. That’d usher in a long discussion, essentially how the geopolitical grid shook as the 21st century strode in. There are many factors and variables to discourse but by pointing at Mr Trump, it sort of simplifies it all. I guess.

      Meanwhile, I read a lot of “Trump’s war” or “Trump started this war” etc etcetera as though this is the first time that the U.S. is at war overseas. Fact is, America is never without a war. The first foreign war fought by the United States was the First Barbary War, 1801 to 1805, off the coast of North Africa or in modern day Libya. From that point, the U.S. military never had rest. Yet today’s media makes Americans feel disgust and shame that the U.S. is at war with Iran, because of one man, Donald Trump. As though we are all 12-year olds. Uh huh. ☮️☮️☮️

Reuters: “Top U.S. commander warns troops that cellphone videos posted online can help Iran.” Not just videos posted by active soldiers (which must be officially banned) but videos and memes and many more that are posted in Social Media are dangerous. There must be a way to cut on these (mostly juvenile) shenanigans and hate-smothered mischief which cower behind the “shield” of the First Amendment. 

       Journalism these days doesn’t really give us the lowdown-info. They “influence” us to think or act this way or that way, mostly on the basis of partisan politics. And then mentally bothered individuals on Social Media pick `em up like jellybeans on a grocery shelf. These are the real threats in our midst. 🗣📲💻

USA Today: “Economists concerned as 300,000 Haitian migrants set to lose protected status.” Again, the media wants us to swallow the narrative that deportation of illegal migrants pummels the U.S. economy per se. Yet the real concern? Because these workers are undocumented, they are paid measly coins with no benefits of any kind. They are ghosts, not counted as individual human beings but as “nameless” throngs of modern slaves. Removals = loss of revenue for corporate farms and factories mostly.

      Tracking the exact number of “illegals” in the U.S. workforce is difficult due to the hidden nature of informal labor. Major research groups track totals using government census data but that isn’t very reliable. Sources say 8 million to 10 million undocumented immigrants participate in the labor force, making up nearly 5 percent of all civilian workers nationwide. But this: An average of 1 million+ crossed the border illegally from 2021 to 2024. Figure that out. 🗽🏃‍♀️🏃

Yahoo Sports: “LeBron's decision leaves Steph Curry facing the Warriors' biggest reality check.” / “The 76ers built a title contender around LeBron. How it could actually work.” LeBron can still play, in fact, a lot better than most stars ten years younger than he is. (He is 41.) But I don't think LeBron, in the case he opted to join the Warriors, would matter that much. Golden State has to rebuild. Steph is 38, and although he can still shoot magnificently, his bones are weakening. He is perennially hurt.

      Meanwhile, Mr James in Philadelphia wouldn’t mean the Sixers are easy title contenders either. Joel Embiid isn’t really healthy. Tyrese Maxey will still be the main dude although Jaylen Brown has joined them. Basketball is still a team effort. Which makes the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, and OKC Thunder top favorites, regardless of Giannis A. moving to Miami. 🏀⛹️🏀

The Hollywood Reporter: “Noah Kahan slams Trump's use of his song and says he'd 'never approve'.” Here we go again! Repeat: Recording artists don't really own the 100 percent right to their songs, regardless that they solely wrote them. The Big Guy who signed them owned the copyrights, primarily. Mr Kahan is under Republic Records or Mercury Records, which is owned by Universal Music Group, based in New York City.  

      Aging, retirable superstars also sold their catalog to corporate gods. Yup, that’d include perennial (political) whiners Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young. Another Trump-hater, Jon Bon Jovi has not sold his music catalog though. However, his former guitarist and co-writer, Richie Sambora, sold his share of Bon Jovi’s catalog rights to Hipgnosis in 2020.

      Reason why other acts, albeit less popular, shunned the trend. Example: Ani DiFranco released and published virtually all her own music and albums through her independent label, Righteous Babe Records. Ironically, she isn’t as loud (beyond music) as the others. Meanwhile, sure artists can always protest and stuff. That’d be marketing or PR, which are mostly facilitated by their Boss Company to sell the songs or products. 🎸🎼🎸