THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Deadline: “ABC files unprecedented lawsuit against the FCC.” / Rolling Stone: “Rosie O’Donnell hosts 'Kimmel', criticizing Trump." (Rosie, of course!) Oh well! The proliferation of high-end disparagement, insults and mockery (not just in major U.S. TV networks, mainstream journalism, and Social Media) serve not really against Donald Trump–but trajectories are eventually leveled at America, in general. This negativity royale weakens Washington's global respectability clout and the confidence/trust of allies. Of course, Mr Trump's trade-based playbook helps (regardless of his tariffs) bilateral relations, but within, the fundamental foundations of the U.S. crumbles.

       Meanwhile, as expounded by a character in the “Lioness” TV series, (Errol Meade, played by Martin Donovan, a high-ranking financial investor), "rivals" China and Russia don't need to wage a military war vs. the U.S. to “defeat” this country. First, China isn't interested in military engagements or wars; second, Russia can only do Cold War-styled "annihilation.” But the U.S. stays impregnable in terms of military firepower. What would weaken this nation? The divide within. 

       The Left vs Right caterwaul, anchored on the former's baffling hate for Donald Trump. I don't see anything wrong with The D's playbook as BRICS gains though. In fact, Don’s the best strategy in the light of Beijing/Moscow partnership as 21st century strode in. But America, internally? It is obvious. Self-destructive. The Left's doomsday focus has gone confoundingly personality-obsessed over policy-critical. ☮️🗽☮️

I read the news the moment I open my eyes in the morning, all day (in between what I do and Facebook posts) and as I lay down to sleep. News. That’d be apart from the fact that as a journalist (before I hung up the gloves a decade or so ago) I read news, 24/7. So I can confidently say, I clearly get how journalism was in my time and how journalism is these days. Then news reports were mostly tossed as “spade is a spade,” cold facts, leaving readership to decide how to formulate their own insights. These days? Whoever wrote the news already “spoon-fed” us how we should treat the story. "Influencing" is the active verb.

      Today’s examples? <>Reuters: “Trump promised to lower grocery prices. Most items from his 2024 photo op cost more.” <>CNN: “Experts warn of billions in costs after Trump orders to use steam catapults on a new carrier.” <>USA Today: “RFK Jr. says 'boxes and boxes' of McDonald's travel with Trump.” You dig? 📰💻📰

USA Today: “Trump faces growing GOP pressure to end the Iran war before midterms.” The smartybrains in the media are telling us that President Trump can “end the Iran war” or a POTUS can end a war? As though the opposing side is a mere plastic target duck in a carnival booth? That they don’t have a mind? That whatever happens in the world is solely decided by America? The fact is, Mr Trump has been wanting to end this crisis that started in February, when his hand was forced to launch a military operation to take out IRGC’s Supreme Boss. Yet the way the media treats the issue, it’d seem that they favored the assault and a continuing war so they can carry on demonizing their most-hated person.

      Meanwhile, AFP: “Tehran says Strait of Hormuz ‘will remain Iranian’ after Trump’s U.S. territory threat.” As ever, with or without a war, the Strait of Hormuz falls entirely within the territorial waters of two bordering nations: Iran to the north and Oman (via its Musandam exclave and nearby islands) to the south. So think! Or how the media angles this story or how today’s journalism essentially dumps words on Iran leadership’s mouth, to influence the mindset per a negativity-narrative. 🏛🗽🏛

Reuters: “Woman charged after World War Two memorial vandalized with bubbly soap and graffiti.” Sad. The stupid stuff and things that people do. This is more a mental derangement case rather than whatever their rationales are, such as politics? Check what current activists do. Ruin relics and vandalize paintings? Additionally, the Atlantic Pavilion was defaced with splatters of pink, green, and red spray paint. Clearly, the woman concerned, Melissa L. Farris (and the other vandals, in case she wasn’t alone) carried out the shenanigan as a form of protest. They left a cryptic graffiti message reading "Clean hands Dirty $" on the inner side of the fountain wall.

      I don’t dig this sort of “civil disobedience," despite the fact that I spent most of my life as an active Left-winger, until the mid-1990s when I chose to stay “unaligned.” Today's activism is plain and simple nonsense: Idiocy as dissent, anarchy as protest, insult as criticism. 😞🤨👎

Yahoo: “Bipartisan backlash as Trump admin. bulldozes Big Bend National Park for a border wall.” The park, located in remote West Texas along the Mexico border, features biological diversity and dark night skies. Cool for stargazing. Politicians don’t want it “removed” for a border wall, which they don’t consider as important. Apparently, illegal migrant crossings and improvement of boundary gates are a political/partisanship fodder more than it is a no-brainer necessity. Right?

      Approximately $47 billion has been dedicated to U.S. southern border wall construction and smart-barrier technology, funded through major federal legislative packages. Huge taxpayer money? Then let’s talk about how much U.S. money has already been wasted in two wars since 2022, at least. Ah. Why isn’t Congress complaining about the astronomical Pentagon budget, which has exponentially spiked since the 1950s? 🏛🗽🏛