About Dogs and Cats and their Buddies.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page. 

ALCOHOL contain/s ethanol and grain, which are toxic to cats. Alcohol poisoning can occur when your cat ingests just 1 teaspoon. When ingested, your cat's kidneys and liver will work to get rid of the poison. But if they ingest too much, their kidneys and liver can get overworked. Just like you, although you identify as a cat. You have been ingesting too much Maker’s Mark and PBR. Ingest fresh fruit juice, instead! 🐈🍻🐈‍⬛

CATS may not seem to appreciate the gifts you give them unlike dogs. Dog: “OMG! You don’t have to buy me a gift?!? But that is so sweet! I love you.” Cats don’t do drama. Meanwhile, cats are pack animals who want to share their bounty with their family. When a cat brings you an animal he/she caught, alive or dead, they consider you a part of their family. Now, you may check your kitchen counter drawer for a baby rattlesnake that your cat may have caught for you. A special gift. 🐈🐍🐈‍⬛

CELLPHONE addiction can turn into an obsession to check messages and reply immediately and lead to social isolation and a poor academic performance. It may also increase anxiety by creating an illusion that they had received a message even when there was no message, making them frequently check their phones. Yes, that’s the devil in your cellphone whispering into your digital brain. To fight the devil, you need to challenge and defeat him in a fiddle duel in Georgia. 👨👩‍🦱📲

DIGITAL refers to electronic technology that uses discrete values, generally zero and one, to generate, store and process data. In digital technology, data is transmitted and stored as strings of zeros and ones, each of which are referred to as bits. Most of the young these days think digital, you know what I mean? You must know how to act and react around them or you’d hurt their feelings. You dig? 👧🧒📲

ANY change to cat behavior can be a sign that something is amiss, and if you notice your cat pacing, it may be due to one of a few reasons: stress, boredom, pain, hormones, pregnancy, or a health issue. Or maybe she is stressed out because she couldn’t find her cellphone? 😼😾📲

IN comparison to dogs, cats do often enjoy more solo activities such as self-grooming or discovering their newest hiding spot. This independence could be tied to their wild ancestors, who were solitary animals. Just like the ancestors, the ninjas. Isolation, that’s how cats perfected their skills in siege and infiltration, ambush, reconnaissance, espionage, deception, and later bodyguarding and their fighting skills in martial arts premiumPlus+, including claw ninjutsu. 🐈🥷🐈‍⬛

MANY cats like to bat at ornaments, pull things off, claw at presents underneath, and try to climb the tree. There have been many trees that came crashing down well before Christmas morning. As I previously noted, this is fake news. Cats don’t destroy Christmas trees as a “rule.” This info came from influencers who will later categorize cats who destroy and those who don’t as belonging to this political party and that. Uh huh. 🐈🎄🖐

IN order to reduce shedding, help your cat out by brushing them daily. Cats naturally self-groom though. Or ask them what’s wrong. They’d probably say they need to go to a spa for extra grooming. Fizz told me, some special foods may help. Like Chicken & Salmon Rustic Blend or Homestead Turkey Rustic Blend, with a high-protein content from quality meat sources like chicken, fish or turkey. Fizz has an endorsement deal with the manufacturer of this food, by the way. 🐱🥫🐱

CATS and Christmas trees don't mix? Natural curiosity makes it hard for cats to resist the decorations as playthings. Nobody wants a toppled tree! For Fizz and Ching, or Cyd then, that is all BS. Fake news. These koolcats never destroy/ed a Christmas tree in the house. If ever one ornament is missing and they are blamed, they’d produce a DNA analysis, physical evidence + photo exhibits from CCTV to prove that Arrow (or Georgia and Chloe then) stole the thingy and ate it. 🐈🎊🐈

WHY do people stare at their phones so much? It's a neurotransmitter that makes you feel good. Our brains are designed to release dopamine when we do something that meets a survival need, like eating or having sex. Countless studies have shown that phone activity causes the release of dopamine in our brains, making us feel aroused, motivated, and happy. Dopamine, get that? Neurotransmitter, remember that. 🥹📱📲

Facebook conversations, chats, and talks.

Previously posted on my Facebook page. Or written years ago, unedited/not updated.

I HAVE been reading thoughts and discussions/debates from FB page/s of friends and acquaintances—mostly former professors, writing mentors, editors and media colleagues, emanating from four corners of the universe. Facebook, thank you for this one-click wonder... 

       Interesting, intriguing, endlessly enlightening. I recall those days of yonder as a zealous youth hungry for knowledge and adventure, reading up on stuff from Freire to Nietzsche to Thoreau to Sartre to Camus to Mao to Toffler to Dylan to just about anything that is worth food for thought, chased down by a bottle or two of scrounged cerveza. It's always cool to sit down over a drink, whatever drink, with anyone who knows some—not simply a smartass agitator or trickster devil's advocate. Even in heated and intense joust, lessons are harvested. I learned a lot from those... 

       Meantime, it is kind of easier now to engage in a discussion since words and stuff are easily double-checked via google. Yet if a prospective conversant reasons, “I don't believe in Wikipedia anyways...” or “I don't google...” and we ask, “So what do you know?” and get, “I don't need to know...” then what is the point of a talk, right? I say, what we get on the internet are all 2nd or 3rd or 4th hand data. However, it is a common progression in knowing stuff and things to follow through—get out, go to the library, talk with people, visit places. But who wants to do that these days? 

       Ah! Still though I like talking with someone who has a baseline info about anything. Where did CD originate, are the Bee Gees British or Australians, what is Treaty of Paris, how significant is WTO, who is Sylvie Legere, was Genghis Khan really a jerk, how dumb was Columbus, how powerful was Isabella I of Castille, who is Tom Joad, how good was Duane Allman on slide guitar, what makes Ho Chi Minh a military genius, does fortune cookie exist in Beijing? But it is sad that today's humanity is generally interested in cryptic, 3-word lines only—short attention span earthlings who are so busy yet they haven't left their seats in the last 14 hours. Anyways… 🗣👥📲

ON the subject of the November (years ago) presidential election.

Previously posted on my Facebook page. Or written years ago, unedited/not updated.

TOO much hatred on Facebook. And outside of it. But am I going to shut the door and avoid social media? No. I need to know what's on people's minds, no matter how harsh and foul, than not to know what's going on. Offline, I've been talking with older citizens of this country—and we share the same fear. People simply hate people these days. I am flabbergasted how those who categorically say if you post something religious (Bible verse or whatever), you are out of one's Facebook. Same people who unfriend people just because they don't agree about current presidential candidates. 

       You are out because you don't like my candidate. You are not my friend because you don't sing with my choir? And these come from mostly people who call themselves progressives or activists. That is not activism to me. That is a very one-dimensional take at things. So instead of bridging gaps, we widen them. I am not angry. I am writing/talking the way that I've been all through my life. And I don't shut it if I deem something has to be said. 🏛🗽🏛

IN 1999, when the hardcore activists waged a battle in Seattle against the World Trade Organization's (WTO) economic globalization program, not many were talking. Then China went in following its embrace of open-door policy (following the Tiananmen Square tempest in 1989) and so this is the world now, according to Beijing. Meanwhile Russia, the world's number #1 producer of oil entered the WTO as well in 2012. Due to globalization, most of what we consume in America are coming outside of this country, and labored by people in mostly third world economies. 

       The Bernie Sanders camp should have learned after the Occupy din went silent, and ground-worked the American mass—especially those who gravitate to Donald Trump, instead of calling them idiots. Groundworking/advocating beyond the choir is old school activism/advocacy. Yet it was effective and it always worked. 

       We went deep into urban poor lairs and countryside/small towns and talked to people—while we forged tactical alliances with the middle class forces and the sympathizing rich. That was the activism that I knew. There was hope when the Occupy Movement gathered people. They could have used that massive throng to carry on and then re-educate the public vis a vis elections. I don't think Trump is the answer and I don't think Bernie is either to America's woes. I don't know if Hillary is. America is very fragmented right now and Washington, both camps, are worried. China now has a WB/IMF counterpart and some European countries are joining in. Russia may rule OPEC. And South China Sea (where Foxconn, the largest manufacturer of our e-baubles, is located) and where regional security is utmost vis a vis global terrorism is holding forth. A US president who works around that, will be the effective one. 🏛🗽🏛

I WOULD like to gladly educate (or inform) my dearest friend, who is obviously a rabid Republican, not to fear or sound alarm that a socialist president will most likely turn America into a Third World nation. Here are six rich countries that somehow follow certain socialism tenets: Norway, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, France, Denmark. Then there is China, which uses the basis of socialism: the state controls everything for the benefit of the people with the absence of any real democracy. They are of course fast becoming a very rich superpower in a quaint mix of socialism and state-planned semi-free capitalism. Then there is Russia, the Numero Uno producer of crude oil globally. To illustrate how rich Russia is--the max salary of a WNBA player in the US is $250,000. In Russia, it's $5 million.

       Moreover, the countries that I enumerated above, for long periods during their ascent as a modern democracy, social democrats have had a large influence on their legislation and government policy. As a result, certainly by American standards, these countries can be considered socialist. They tend to favor government influence or regulation over free market dynamics. They're all in the top twenty of the world's richest nations. 

Yet I still maintain that whatever a president's socio-political agenda is—socialism, democracy, donut freedom—if the people don't abide by it or this mode of governance doesn't gain public support, that administration will fall. I don't need to cite historical records. 

       So there! 🏛🗽🏛

About Dogs and Cats and their Buddies.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page. 

WRAPPER in a supermarket etcetera is in charge of wrapping items for shipment, be it food, fabric, gifts, or other types of items. RAPPER is a person who performs rap music. Yes, a person can be a Wrapper Rapper or Rapper Wrapper. 🛍🎀👨‍🎤

WHEN should you change your Facebook relationship status? Consult your partner before changing FB relationship settings. It is always a good idea to talk to your partner and ask if you should change your status to "In a Relationship" if you're dating or "Single" if you've decided to go your separate ways. Okay? That advice came from relationship experts, who are mostly cats and dogs. 👩‍🦰📱👨‍🦰

GIFT-GIVING has its roots in pagan rituals. Indigenous peoples also exchange/d gifts long before Christians met them. When Christianity adapted these rituals into Christmas, the justification was redirected to the Three Wise Dudes, who gave gifts to the infant Jesus. But if you are the kind who gets depressed with receiving gifts because it is consumerism or Christianity (though you’d love an iPhone 15 or a new car), this Christmas you will get a box of underwear from Goodwill. 🎁🎁🎁

WHY do cats knock things over? Cats are natural born hunters, and their prey instinct is a big contributor to this behavior. Let's take that paperweight sitting on your desk. If that paperweight was a mouse, your cat needs to investigate it. She needs to bat it around to test it out and make sure it's something of interest to eat. Fizz The Wiz is different though. She simply studies, investigates and ponders stuff in the house. Then she googles info and starts writing stuff. 🐈🪶🐈‍⬛

CATS are incredibly intelligent creatures with complex brains that allow them to process information quickly, remember things for short periods, recognize faces and sounds, and problem-solve when necessary. Yup! Cats. Impressive species with extraordinary intelligence. You dig? They know trigonometry, calculus, and could explain what is objectivist epistemology or catnip axiology. Fizz The Wiz can argue with anyone matters that pertain to state and government. No BS. 🐱🥸🐱

WHETHER it's Christmas, a birthday or just because, unwrapping presents is fun for dogs. The additional mental work for your pet is a good balance to the physical workout when you are romping in the park or going for a walk. Dogs are also good at “unwrapping” or unmasking people off their cover, mask or fakery.  🐕🎁🐕

A GROUP of university researchers from Cambridge and Stanford found that insights gleaned from Facebook data alone may be able to predict a person's personality and preferences better than their friends and colleagues or their partners. So in case you suspect your partner to be cheating on you, smoking in the backyard when you’re asleep, or a friend who eats lots of donuts and Doritos? Ask Facebook first before you confront and unfriend your partner. 📱💻🤪

PEOPLE decorate their houses with lights to symbolize the Christmas star that was supposed to have led the Three Wise Men to the manger where Jesus was born on Christmas Day. The outdoor displays have become a symbol of the Christmas season. My friend Jujul has stopped decorating Christmas lights. He said he ain’t a Christian no more. His wife though told me he is just lazy to untangle the lights from the attic that got knotted or stuck together. 🎅🎉🎁

ACCORDING to dog experts (who are actually cats), dogs don't view themselves as big or small, they just see themselves as dogs. Problem is, the smaller breeds are often poorly socialized. People treat them as toys like a cellphone. As Fizz tells me time and again, dogs and cats are usually misread by hoomans. Fizz The Wiz: “Hoomans always think that dogs that are small are Filipinos just like you Pasckie dude. And dogs that are big are from Texas.” Uh huh. 🐕🐩🐕‍🦺

SMART scientists (who are cats) define bird song or “tweet” as a structured, complex vocalization serving either or both of two purposes. To defend territories and to attract mates. Most bird song is by males, though females do also sing territorially or for pair bonding. When hoomans tweet, that’d be for different purposes. <>To attract more hoomans to their “territory” so there’ll be more hoomans to piss, and <>to lose a future date, lose a partner, and lose friends in general. LOL! 🐦🦜📲

Compilation of short MORNING THOUGHTS.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Ukraine (1). Gasoline prices are up, global. People reason: “Ukraine!” That’s it. All because of Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline: (1) Ukraine’s gas lords want more transit tax since Russian gas exports pass through its territory before they reach Europe. (2) Russia wants to double its gas supply to Europe, Moscow’s top buyer. (3). U.S. gas exports are ranked only #6, worldwide. Sanction Russia, then they take over the E.U. market. Meantime, the public suffers.☮️☮️☮️

Ukraine (2). As a rationale to costly gas prices, there ought to be a war. So Kiev adheres to NATO. As the world, aching to resume economies per Covid dislocation, awaits to start buying fuel. Russia’s gas rivals in the global market bring this to political discourse, when it is all economics. Russia allegedly “weaponizes” its oil/gas. Win-win for Big Energy, as it was win-win for Big Pharma per obvious. Cost of medicines for other serious diseases spiked. Reason: Pandemic.

When we were little, nine kids and mom and dad, also said “grace after meal.” Each child said the prayer on rotation. Many nonbelievers say saying a prayer as a ritual is a form of “control.” I don’t call it that way though. If so, then daily household chores or doing school homework were “control,” too? How do we raise/guide children then? New Moralism tells us that anything in conformity with rules, ritual, or cultural truths are “control.” Makes me think, what isn’t? ☮️✝️☯️

Ukraine (1). Why would the U.S. be concerned about Ukraine but not Puerto Rico? The U.S. owned P.R. since 1899 yet Washington hasn’t really improved life on the island. Puerto Rico is poorer than Mississippi. Meanwhile, this “Russia invades Ukraine” story is a deadly showtime that only points to the “global oil/gas pricing” board. Moscow doesn’t need to “conquer” Kiev. Russia is already Ukraine’s top trading partner. They are economic co-dependents per natural gas trade. ☮️☮️☮️

Ukraine (2). 3.5 million Ukrainians work in Russia; 2.6 million live there. And 8.3 million Russians live in Ukraine. Why don’t we just leave them alone? Our newest neighbors in Candler: Ukrainian wife and Russian husband, with three little kids. Should they divorce, too? Can’t the U.S. instead fix Puerto Rico or aid countries in Africa? Why can’t we simply sell natural gas in Europe, which buys its energy supply from Russia? Ain’t that the story behind all these? ☮️☮️☮️

Many expect Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine to please the “He is evil!” tag? Like when China moves ships in/around the South China Sea, hecklers howl “Xi is a bully!” What is wrong with this fascination with doom? Mere fact that Russia hasn’t invaded Ukraine (yet), a-la U.S. of Iraq 2003, is because they are talking. Talkin’ oil/natural gas market pricing. But “war-like” engagements, with “contained” collateral damage, seem “obligatory.” So expectation is served. Weird world! ☮️⛽️☮️

Common fervor in Social Media is gloom. Negativity. Sadly. The New Cool is anti this and anti that. Nonconformity with convention, tradition, or mindset that are old-school. Awesome to be a bitch, kickass to be bad. You get 50 “likes” in 1 minute if you whine about your ex, mom, or politics that isn’t yours. Freedom of speech: Cuss and curse. Talk about joyful days, what?!? Funky drama? Keep talkin’! Sun in winter? Who cares? Tearful wine as a dark moon grieves is better. 😔😟🥳

Posting stuff on Facebook is writing per se. My ritual. Long time ago, on a typewriter, consumed and all, when an interpolator peered at a writer’s back and/or got interrupted by silliness, we got pissed. But a nice aside was cool if those add to what we were writing. New info, other insight. Pretty much like posting on FB. Comments that are grown-up, civil, and useful are most welcome. I responded politely. But smartass one-liners that only distract my writing? Ignored or out you go.✍️😾✍️

Many "over- react" to music because of politics. Music, sounds that convey beauty of form; song, words and music. Art. I am detached from the artist as an individual; I am attached to the art. If music/songs don't appeal to me it's because they don't. Art is personal appreciation; politics is collective. If the artist seeks to project political advocacy, cool! But I react to the work. Not the gesture. Art is the device; not the kneel. When they mix, we get mixed up. 🎼🦵🎼

I am a “short attention span” dude. Not good at listening to sermons, lectures, speeches. Religious, political, or a wait staff telling me the day’s best offering. I don’t dig talk shows, talk radio, talking. I get bored easily. Funny, that I worked as a speechwriter, lecturer, AM radio anchor. I always do multiple things, simultaneously. My mind is hyperactive. Mostly, I’d rather read instructions or be told one time what to do—and then leave me alone, I will accomplish all those. 🔭🧹🧺

About Dogs and Cats and their Buddies.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page. 

TRUE, iCloud makes it super easy to store photos, videos, and files without having to use storage space on your phone. Frequent question: “Why has my iCloud account stopped working?” Maybe you exceeded the iCloud storage limit. Find out how to make more space available in iCloud. Which means, you know, buy more space. Are you sure you're using the latest version of software on your device? You might wanna buy a cool version. Okay? Don’t be mad at me. I am only an A.I. 🥹🌨📲

ACCORDING to tradition, the original Saint Nicholas put gold coins in the stockings of three poor sisters. One night, the girls left their stockings drying over the fireplace. Saint Nicholas knew the family was very poor, so he threw three bags of gold coins down the chimney. The money landed in the sisters' stockings. What about the brothers? They were in another room waiting for their sisters to share some of the gold coins, I guess. In case Santa threw extra coins. 🎅🎉🎁

PLAYING fetch with balls quickly becomes a routine for dogs and they rely on it to connect and bond with you as their owner which is why they become so obsessed with their ball. Fetch is a great trust builder and way to connect with your dog, it's quality time for them where they feel like they are pleasing you. I suspect though that when it comes to Arrow, she wants me to fetch the ball instead. She throws the ball and waits for me to get it. 🐕🏐🐕

WHEN it comes to music made for humans, classical music seems to be the most favorable among cats. This is because many forms of classical music are not likely to hurt a cat's ears with a very heavy bass or wailing high pitched instruments. Trudat. Ching and Fizz sleep beside their laptops with bird and fish videos showing on YouTube. The classical music background is soothing to them. Although their all-time favorite is the Bee Gees. 🐱🎼🐱

A COMPUTER can determine your personality better than your closest friends or family by using your Facebook “likes” to judge your character, university researchers found. The study of 86,220 volunteers highlighted how artificial intelligence can use data to accurately predict a person's traits. Okay, then. You may call your computer or cellphone “Mom” and “Dad” and you may marry your laptop. (But don’t forget to sign a pre-nup.) 🥰📲💻

AIR GUITAR, used to describe the actions of someone playing an imaginary guitar. Yes, you may have to explain to your 14-year old what an “air guitar" is. In these days of VR and A.I., air guitar is plain insanity to them. Or wasn’t it already insane then? LOL! 🎸🤨🎸

CATS don't have a pack mentality. In the wild, they tend to be solitary, so they're not hard-wired to obey. Not unless you provide them with their own laptop or tablet so they can watch bird/fish videos whenever they want to. And an iPhone would also be awesome. Then they will obey you. 🐱👽🦊

DOGS who sing are just channeling their wolf ancestors. However, sometimes it can mean your dog craves attention or believes the music is too loud. So always be sure to pay attention to your dog's needs first. Did you also read what your dog texts you? Or her emails? And Facebook posts? You need to be sensitive and attentive to your dog. Or they will unfriend you. 🐕👩‍🎤🐕

BATTERY LIFE, the length of time a device can continue to work before it needs its battery to be recharged. My A.I. the clone's “battery life” is good for 15 seconds to those who are rude on Facebook. Two seconds for those imbeciles who respond with that annoying laughing emoji because they don’t have any idea what you have just posted or written. 📱📲😫

THE vibrating sensation that cats display is called purring. Scientists aren't sure whether purring is voluntary or involuntary in cats, but it usually signals that the cat is enjoying its current circumstances. Such a vibrating motion exudes electric currents that when touched by a hooman that the cat decides to control–could result in displeasing circumstances like nausea, forgetfulness, and diarrhea. Some cat vibration can also alter a personage’s most intense ideological/partisan beliefs. 🐈👋🐈‍⬛

About Dogs and Cats and their Buddies.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page. 

CATS are huge fans of the Bee Gees. In fact, some cats have YouTube hits that Fizz The Wiz showed me last night. Check the most popular, “Bohemian Catsody,” “Too Scratch Somebody,” and “Another Cat Bites The Dust.” Abbey is also a little koolcat kitty with an excellent Barry Gibb falsetto. Her “How Deep Is Your Scratch,” “Too Much Catnip,” and “Stayin’ Asleep” are pretty good. Fizz’s favorite is “How Can You Mend a Broken Paw.” 🐱🧑‍🎤🐱

CELLPHONES can spread a variety of germs quickly and easily; however, by utilizing cleaning tools and sticking to a cleaning and disinfecting schedule, people can reduce the chance for cross-contamination and slow the spread of dangerous diseases. I mean, you are the only person who uses your cellphone (duh!) always disinfecting it–so you may not infect yourself. You dig? 📱📲😤

DOGS communicate with humans and other animals through various vocalizations, body language, and behaviors. When your dog makes non-barking sounds, it's possible that they are attempting to communicate or express something to you. These sounds can convey different emotions or needs. But then not many humans get the message. So cats taught dogs how to text their hoomans. This Christmas you may want to upgrade your dog’s iPhone. Uh huh. 🐕📱📲

HEARTBROKEN dogs exhibit symptoms of depression; they may show signs like decreased appetite and water intake, loss of interest in humans and other dogs, sluggishness or laziness. Loss of a loved one, sudden change in lifestyle, or maybe their favorite football team lost? In case you’ve noticed that your PBR six-pack is missing 2 bottles and your Yellow Tail red is half-consumed, the cat must have stolen them to share a drink with her heartbroken dog buddy. 🐈🐕🍻

NOWADAYS, we have different ways on how we communicate with each other, we have cellphones, social media, chats or emails, we barely see people communicating face to face, almost everything is done thru technology. (Yes, this is an AI “talking” to you. You talkin’ to me? Like who the hell else are you talking to? Talkin’ to me?) 🗣📱📲

“DOG attacks on cats are a terrifying experience for the cat, their owner and the wider community. Such attacks often result in death and witnesses can be left with psychological trauma.” FAKE NEWS! Not true. “When vicious attacks take place in public, it deeply upsets the whole community.” ANOTHER FAKE NEWS that only justifies hooman drama upgrades. Rationale for a shrink visit and drug prescriptions. Dogs and cats are not Republicans and Democrats, nope. 🐕🤪🐈‍⬛

HIRING. Let me get serious. Police patrols in Asheville are down. Officers on bicycles are gone, the Haywood Street police substation was closed in 2020, and downtown staffing has shrunk from eight cops per shift to two. Yup, regardless of spike in crime. Cops are gone. Not because of what your “correct” friends are saying. They are gone and many are now doing Uber or DoorDash. So much so that when I got out to receive a package from an Amazon dude, he frisked me. LOL! 👮😜👮‍♀️

CATS sit on you because they seek connection and attention. Cats get on your lap because you're warm. Cats sit on you because they trust you. Now you get it? So don’t move an inch when they snuggle or cuddle up. Don’t even breathe. Okay? 🐱🥰🐱

WHETHER cats or dogs are more intelligent remains inconclusive. Though some data point to dogs displaying greater levels of social intellect, more research is required to settle the debate between cat lovers and dog lovers. (Right at this very moment, Fizz The Wiz is on my left shoulder, reading what I am typing. With that face…) 🐈🥸🐕

NETWORK downtime refers to inaccessibility to part or all of a network due to the failure of hardware, software or some combination of the two. It can involve internal failure or a connection to the external network. No wi-fi, no Facebook, no Twitter/X, no streaming TV, no cable TV. That’d be the moment when mental illness soars to unprecedented heights, in a matter of 30 minutes. 📱📲😭

Stuff and Politics. And Stuff.

Previously posted on my Facebook page. Or written years ago, unedited/not updated.

IS it just Facebook? I don't know. Are we human beings really doomed as hell? Just in case our chosen political leader didn't make it? What if Donald Trump wins? Or Hillary Clinton? Will ONE president make a country what it is? Really? People show disgust and frustration with the system--online. Why do we instead go out there and usher change right in our community?

 

       Check this out. Bell Chere is gone. Lex Av Art Fest is gone. What do we have for a community convergence? Festivals that are reeking with alcohol. Our neighbor got shot yet do we talk over dinner? No, we don't because you may serve antibiotics from an Ingles meat. And then we post, "Namaste! Let us heal!" on Facebook! Hallelujah! Post a cool blues/rock gig, 55 will like it but only 5 will show up. Post a beautiful butterfly in nirvana, get 155 likes. Post how great life is because heaven is all in our heads--and that meme of the Himalayas. You'll get 255 likes. All those 410 who "liked" you plus more will show up again in your next Facebook talking cat/holy be thy rainbow post first thing in the morning. A Universe of Likes! 

       Whoever wins as next president, life moves on as is. Cyd The Koolcat and Georgia The Babedawg don't care as long as they're fed on time. Food stamps will be given out and wheat bread will be sold regardless of whether you supported Bernie, Hillary, Trump or Eric Clapton. Why can't we simply say, "Ah!" And start brainstorming something awesome for one and all this summer? We can do that, whoever sits in power. Because it's us the people who will do it, not Bruce Springsteen The President. Politics sucks and those who glorify it? I don't know. Chill. Loosen some fibers and get naked (in the tub, I mean) and say more, "Ahhh!" Now I gotta go get Mexican lunch. Fried pescado/veracruz fish and sweet rice. 🏛🗽🏛

Compilation of short MORNING THOUGHTS.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Academia invents words and phrases relentlessly so we’d understand life better. But these only shuddered balance, used to criticize/reject others more. Terms: Ethical concern, cultural appropriation, political correctness, critical race theory etc etcetera. When it is an instinctive feeling. Primal action/reaction. What grandma used to remind us kids: “You know what is good and what is bad, don't you? The people around will reward or punish you for whatever you do.” Common sense.✍️ ?✍️

I had to unfriend Friends because I realize I am grandpa-old now and not anymore 14. Sadly, some older people behave exactly what they don’t want their 14 year old grandkids to behave. I can’t tolerate such brat kiddo “mischief” anymore. Out there, I just ignore it. Unfortunately, I am on Facebook. I go to my Homepage and I get immature inanities, one-line smart-ass retorts. Not even funny. And since these people don’t even have dog pics to share, sorry. Out you go! LOL! 🗣👤👥

My first job/s from childhood to high school to adult age: Circulation apprentice, proofreader, English to Tagalog translator, researcher, beat reporter, desk editor, editor in chief/publisher. I kept a huge database at home. OCD with facts and data. On internet days, I still miss or misread data. Though I read a lot of erroneous, misleading, incomplete, or worse, fake data—that proliferate via memes. Don’t people double-check after they click and before they share? ?✍️📜

Passive racism. With what I previously wrote, I made a meme and attributed it to a name that sounds English. A dozen or so “liked” it. Five shared it. Normally, I don’t get quick “approval” when I write as Pasckie Pascua. Worse, I get ridiculed for whatever I wrote. I guess, my name sounds like I emanated from an island so far away where peeps are all dumb. But nope! I am not changing my Russian or French-sounding name to a more “race-accessible” alias. 

       Historically though, many Filipino(a)s changed their name to English when they landed in America to gain easier “acceptance” or assimilation many years ago. Examples: Evans from Evangelista; Grace from Gracia; Cruise from Cruz. Same with the Chinese when they moved and started business in the Philippines. They are Chinese but they assumed last names like Monteverde, Santos, or De la Merced. But then those were the 16th century. 👀😏😂

For some morbid reason, I regularly read the Obituary in newspapers. Curious about the life of those who passed away. These days, I read the New York Times’ obit. Since Covid-19 hit us, most reasons for death read “…complications from Covid-19.” I noticed though in the past month, NY Times doesn’t put “…complications from Covid-19” anymore. Makes me think. Aren’t most or all fatalities resulted from “complications” brought by other agents/viruses other than the ailment per se? 🩺💊💉

No sense in hating China or Russia. The Cold War ended in 1991. No more World War. Superpowers are now trading with each other. If we don’t like what comes from China, we simply cease buying—although it’d be hard. APIs for meds are imported from China. But governments are not perfect. Countries are not Shangrila. Yet China’s expansionism is based on trade, not military; Russia is anchored on oil/natural gas. But America is still #1. Business, not war. Let’s give peace a chance!☮️☯️☮️

We are expostulating atoms of active contradictions. I am a person who prefers to be alone. Aloof, “minor” recluse. But I like watching people. Aside from journalism, I created a life as an event organizer because I like to watch people get together for dialogues, negotiations, and fun—as I intently listen. I like asking questions but I don’t dig answering questions, especially personal stuff. I get lost in a crowd of voices. But I like one-on-one conversations. 😒😞🤐

“Banned books” is a hot topic at the moment. Not a “new” hubbub. Fact is, all these “banned books” can be obtained on Amazon, eBay, your indie bookseller, Goodwill, flea markets, thrift stores, and some at Barnes & Noble. I have many in my personal collection. So there! Have you bought “Maus” yet? Perfect sales pitch! Thing is, what is such a big deal? The issue to me, these days? People don’t really read books. They prefer books compressed to a meme. So quit protesting. LOL! 📚😂📚

I don’t go to podcasts so I don’t know what Joe Rogan talks about other than Neil Young doesn’t agree with him. As a practice in my old age, I don’t watch News TV as well. CNN or Fox et al. Nope! But reading is an obsession. 24/7. So I read all the cussing, cursing, namecalling, shaming, insulting etcetera on Facebook. Hence I don’t get it that Mr Rogan is reminded of his “language.” Especially by those with nasty mouths on their typing fingers. Hypocrisy? 🗣👇👥

Maybe I am a cold, pragmatic dude. Not a fan of flattery. Super emphatic drama. Exaggerated superlatives. Public exhibition of obligatory niceness. But I guess these are the times of bloated hallelujahs. 1 million clicks in 15 seconds. Post a pic that is your ugliest; expect “You are beautiful!” though you are just being silly. Friend performs in an open mic and it sucks! Homeys: “Man, that was awesome!” I don’t mean be rude, harsh, or smart-ass. Just be honest. Or hush. LOL! 🤨😏🤨