THOUGHTS About The News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

In my younger years, when I was so busy with so many activities (personal, professional), I didn’t really pay much attention to animals. I wasn’t dismissive or unconcerned of them, but I wasn’t as attached as I am these days. Never did I imagine that I’d be living under one roof, 24/7, with dogs and cats in my old age. They are now my daily life.

      And I can’t deny their sensitivity to us. Oh yes, Arrow is so showy of her love. Fizz never leaves the bed with me, especially when I am sick or feeling down. And Ching could be everywhere, but when it’s time to cuddle with Cindyrella, she’s there, no time. And when I stay out longer than a few minutes, on Arrow’s last bathroom time at night, she cries by the door, calling us. 🐕🥰🐈

Politico: “Senate Democrats shrug off John Fetterman party-switch chatter.” Mr Fetterman can be a bit weird to many, of course. Different? Unique? Yet I see a politician who precariously straddles the polar extremes in Congress, and I see why. Sure, party switchers or turncoats are a fact of traditional politics, nothing so big a deal. But John exemplifies the disrepair in the Left. They say the JF chatter is “a waste of energy.” Indeed. But the Democratic Party’s bigger problem isn’t about the “floor-crossers.” But the two main conflicting groups inside the organization.

       The centrists and moderates or the "establishment" Democrats versus the left-wing progressives and new democratic-socialists. Meanwhile, the Republican Party contends with its internal schism as well. MAGA loyalists versus the Never Trumpers, but their quarrel is mostly within Congress, not outside or among their voters. 🏛🗽🏛

I am not affected at all by today’s so-called "cancellation" of writers, musicians, artists, actors/actresses, sports people etcetera. I judge them by their work. Beyond their work, they may espouse contrary politics or against my own personal politics but still I consume their work (Neil Young, Bruce S., Clint Eastwood etcetera). It’s their art, their craft that matters to me. Or I don’t really give a hoot about how they lived their life, unless they have been convicted of a crime. 

       You see, I believe Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso have also “played around” or had unpopular sexual shenanigans in their days but why is it they aren’t “outed” by the new moralists? Meanwhile, how many rock songs have “my little girl” (little girl as love interest or pedophilia) on them but the songs and singer-songwriters aren’t cancelled? 

       Moreover, there are many super-popular (younger) musical artists these days but I don’t like their music, that’s all. And I am not a fan of hip hop or rap. Whether these younger artists hate Trump or they are MAGA, I don’t pay attention to their work at all. I still go for 1960s-1970s or before 21st century work. And since I have erased my “ideological paradigm” or politics (from the mid-1990s), I don’t go by Left or Right anymore. I judge politicians by the effectiveness of their specific policies or if their programs favor the majority. I still define “populism,” the way it was defined. The people. (Visual: Rolling Stone.) 🙂🙃😎

USA Today: “A Virginia mom's conviction is reigniting the debate over free-range parenting.” I guess, “free-range” parenting is simply just letting moms and dads do whatever? Of course, you may do “whatever” in the house, that is your family. What can we do? (Unless you get reported to DSS?) Anyhow, this is the issue: Mom Karyann Parkinson was convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor after allowing her 5-year-old son to walk about half a mile alone to a neighborhood pond in their gated community to collect goose feathers.

       The case: Karyann’s son Samuel walked along a familiar sidewalk with crosswalks in their secure neighborhood. A passerby spotted him and called private security, who walked the boy home. Police and Child Protective Services (CPS) investigated the home. CPS substantiated a finding of lack of supervision. The Sentence: A six-month jail sentence (which was suspended) and placing her name on the Virginia Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry for seven years.

       I don’t agree with the “punishment.” I think it is too harsh. However, I ain’t diggin’ “free-range parenting” on this one. Whether their area is “secured,” letting out a 5-year old is still a no-no to me. As though predators don’t live in gated communities? Come on. Anyhow, we don’t know what was found inside the house after the probe, so I can’t judge that. Oh well. Fundamental right and wrong is now very complex. Complicated. Primal common sense or basic reflex is gone. Parenting? Need we intellectualize or politicize, or toss this in the culture war arena? 🤨😞🤨

Fox: “After 'Lake America,' Trump suggests a new name for the state of New Mexico.” Another name-change drama that Left-wing media love to exaggerate. My thing? When I was in grade school in the Philippines, I actually wondered about the names of states in America. New Mexico? But it is not located in Mexico. We have a New Manila somewhere but I don't think there was a New Madrid or New America in the Philippines although we were colonized by Spain (over 300 years) and the U.S. (more than 50 years). Just saying. 🏛🗽🏛