Frank Chow: Asian- American Political Pundit

 I'm off next week. I don't know if I'll post my regular schedule. I don't have plans, though, just me chilling with the kiddos. A hike, a visit to a pumpkin patch. Who knows? Lowe's? Portillos? Endless suburban possibilities. Chicago at the tail end of the week. I said that yesterday, didn't I? Ahh, Fridays. Whatever you do, I hope it's with people who appreciate you and are grateful for your friendship.  Here are your highlights: Dark Days . The president is sending death threats to members of Congress. There is no low for this man.  Fugees rapper Pras is sentenced to 14 years for conspiracy charges . He'll probably be pardoned by Trump cuz his administration does this shit daily.  Russian hacking suspect caught in Thailand .  Someone explain to me what a Peace Plan is.  Israel keeps bombing Gaza .  I'm not sure it's a good sign that Google wants to " double its compute capacity every six months ." AI is quickly sounding untenable.  T...

 Almost to the holiday week. Almost there. I can almost taste the turkey and stuffing! This year I'm headed to Chicago, if everything works out. I plan to be with my cousins and talk politics, sports, and art. Then walk about the city neighborhoods, weather permitting. As the leaves fall and the sky darkens, it's getting awfully depressing out. Walks will help, Mother Nature, are you listening?! Here are your highlights:  Some good news! Smaller nations have qualified for the World Cup . Thousands of toxic sites are at risk of flooding .  Resistance. Charlotte residents are fighting back against ICE. A mediocre jobs number dropped, and of course, Trump is getting positive headlines. All the while, foreclosures are on the rise. Is this another sign of things to come? Sudan is now a "priority" for the Trump administration . And it took MBS to do it. This is the most odd timeline. Ukraine is a corruption mess. And they'll have to concede some ground .  I am Frank Cho...

 The rehab of MBS and Saudi Arabia has been completed. Nothing matters anymore but money. Corruption is not real. Laws aren't either. I've struggled this week because in the industry I work in, the mental gymnastics people have done to justify similar actions is quite a feat. MBS is a corrupt, blood-hungry goon, and Khashoggi deserves better from our president. The problem is our president is Donald Trump. A man so eager to be an authoritarian, he buddies up with the Saudis like he owes them his shirt. Yesterday will be put in a time capsule. The fall of America was welcomed by gold-plated toilets.  Here are your highlights:  The House and the Senate vote to release the Epstein Files . I'm sure Bondi has a trick up her sleeve.  If more of the files are released. I hope scum like Larry Summers disappear.   South Carolina is debating whether women should go to jail for having an abortion . Instead of autonomous cars , can we please get high-speed rail?  I am...

 We're getting to that time of year. Year-End Lists! I'm catching up on all the albums I missed. Movies, I'm way behind. Books? Who reads these days? As I compile my list of best songs and albums, I will post them here. Judge all you like. My taste is impeccable.  Here are your highlights: The House is set to vote on releasing the Epstein files. Let's see how much Pam Bondi scrubbed.  Climate Change - releasing disease-spreading mosquitoes .  Cloudflare outage.  I'm concerned that we use the same stuff, and once it breaks, everything goes to crap.  WAR! WAG THE DOG! Trump is ramping up his war with Venezuela . No big deal.  Republicans claim they want to combat antisemitism. Tough to do with Nazis in your party.   Is Bitcoin bursting? It has given up all 2025 gains .  I am Frank Chow, and I approve this message. 

 Another weekend passed, and Epstein ain't going away. My hunch is that Trump will push for the files to be released and then call everything a hoax. Just like he did with Russia, the elections, and so on. This one, though, isn't going to play out the same way. His supporters were hellbent on exposing the Epstein files. It must be a Democrat conspiracy after all. Trump is a lame duck and we're about to find out how lame he is. Here are your highlights: Republicans have brain rot. Election monitors in Michigan .  Polish railway "sabotaged." Not Russian to any judgments here. Lead pipes are a problem. Don't tell the Trump administration that.   Spotify has some explaining to do .  Palestinian deaths in Israeli custody are on the rise .  It's the guns, stupid. RFK Jr. wants to blame antidepressants for mass shootings.   I am Frank Chow, and I approve this message. 

 The cover-up is not going well for Trump and his cronies. Epstein named him in multiple emails. Now, clearly, Epstein had a bone to pick with old Donny, but I think back to a 2015 (?) a Daily Kos article that explained Epstein and Donny went from friends to rivals. Whether it was a land deal (supported by Russia) or the stealing of young girls. Something went south. The thing that is bothering a lot of folks, including myself, is, what was the FBI doing about all of this? In upper circles , everyone knew about Epstein, Trump, and their transgressions. Some say Mossad...I'm not sure we'll ever know.  Here are your highlights: The BBC needs to stand up to Trump's frivolous lawsuit threat.   The way in which Larry Summers was chummy with Epstein is gross . Can we cancel this man already?  Kristi Noem, Secretary of Corruption . Putin won't stop. Russia attacks Kyiv, killing at least five .  Starbucks strike . It's shitty coffee. Support unions. The holidays are qui...

 The government is no longer shut down. BUT it's still dysfunctional with Republicans in charge. In all my years covering Congress, Mike Johnson might be the worst Speaker of the House I've ever seen. Unless you take into account that he thinks Trump will bring about the End of Times, then it makes sense how he operates. Divine blah blah blah. Weird dude. I know most folks will rabbit hole this shutdown, but I think it's our job to make sure they don't. Republicans shut down the government to protect our pedophile president. That's the truth. It should haunt the Republican Party forever.  Here are your highlights:  The Chicago Raid that led to nothing . An abuse of force. ICE agents must be arrested. 1,000 musicians to boycott Israel: " No Music for Genocide ." The New York Times and the entire media conglomerate are complicit in Epstein's crimes. The "But Her Emails..." meme is evergreen.  One step closer to Skynet - OpenAI's Open-Weigh...

 The Great Caving is continuing to face backlash. It's important to note how negotiations with Republicans work these days. They intend to shoot the hostages. They have no intention of giving in without extracting something far more extreme. Like, say, abortion . The Democrats who caved now open the door for more pain, more suffering, and further deterioration of civil rights in our country. This isn't a master class by Republicans or anything; it's the same playbook. Wait it out, knowing the media wants to give Trump a win. Vote every Dem who votes "yes" out .  Here are your highlights:  Epstein Knew . Dems release more damaging evidence, our president is a pedo.  Remember the biggest bombing ever?! The destruction of Iran's nuclear program? About that... Live explosives on the ground in Gaza .  Texas is quickly becoming the Hot Zone of states. Anti-vax propaganda is sickening our population .  Hundreds were reported killed in Tanzania during the protests....

 To all who have served, we thank you. On Veterans Day, our kids sing to local veterans and have a nice meal with them. It's a sweet and sentimental gesture. The kids were practicing last night. It was pretty cute and a reminder of how grateful we are for our troops, despite Trump using them for his racist agenda.  Here are your highlights:  Dick Durbin's legacy will be pissing off everyone in Illinois . What a coward.  Yesterday it snowed. This weekend, it's supposed to be back to 60. Hooray for Climate Change .  Speaking of the environment. Trump's war on EVs is setting us back .  The "Big Short" guy is saying what I've been worried about : AI companies are cooking the books.  Flock dystopian surveillance sold as "safety." No, Douchehat, Women did not ruin the workplace .  I am Frank Chow, and I approve this message. 

 One thing that is not surprising is that Senate Democrats and Blue Dogs will always disappoint. They believe they have "friends" across the aisle. They believe locker room talk and lunches equal honesty and integrity. Lucy doesn't need a football with these fools. And Chuck Schumer is the leader of them all . He needed to resign years ago. Now is the time to demand he does, ESPECIALLY after Dems recent election results. We need fighters, not quitters.  Here are your highlights: Trump pardons the January 6th Coup Crew . Even though "they did nothing wrong." Air travel ran so much better under Mayor Pete .  Still no agreement in Gaza. All the pomp and circumstance was fake .  The head of Palantir is certifiably insane .  Is Parenting in America too hard? Yes . For two parties that say they care about the American family, they make it really difficult to raise kids here.  SCOTUS saw the election results and said, "LET THE GAYS MARRY."  Somewhere, Mrs. Al...

 I'm off today. Kids don't have school. Don't trust MTG. Here are your highlights:  The Subway Sandwich thrower is acquitted! Viva La Sandwich! No surprise, but frightening. Food is less safe under the Trump administration .  Multi-divorcee Kim Davis wants SCOTUS to end same-sex marriage. Good luck to anyone traveling over Thanksgiving .   Thinking about Rome again. Roads of Ancient Rome were 50% longer than previously thought .  The White House continues its attack on the free press .  I am Frank Chow, and I approve this message. 

Winter is coming. We've been blessed with warm weather this week, but it's about to turn. And I'm not ready. I'm ill-prepared this year. It's been a particularly tough year, personally. A lot has changed. AND ON TOP OF THAT. It's dark too early now; the seasonal depression is creeping in. I need to pick a list of shows and movies, as well as some hot chocolate, to cope. Send flowers.  Here are your highlights: Nancy Pelosi will not be running again . The best Speaker of the House of my lifetime, but also an example of not knowing when to retire. She and her crew stuck around too long.  Dems are feeling the Blue Wave. Ask for Trump to cave . I think this is smart. Trump hates looking bad more than anything. He seems willing to throw Republicans under the bus .  Maine passes "red flag law" to prevent mass shootings.   Ruh-roh. Layoffs soared in October .  *taps mic "Guys, Climate Change is still a thing." The UAE is supporting the RSF in Sudan ...

  BLUE WAVE!!! I don't want to get overly optimistic, but damn, it feels good. We won everywhere we needed to win. The message has been sent. It seems the No Kings protests weren't just paid actors. This should also send a message to Centrist hacks that there are more ways to win. We don't have to compromise and move to the center on every issue. Run good candidates that fit their districts, states, and areas. I'm going to let myself feel good today.  Here are your highlights:  ICE to Urbana . More harassment is expected from the goons.  California didn't disappoint. Prop 50 passes . The potential to have 5 more seats is promising.  UPS cargo plane crashes in Louisville.   Mamdani wins, as expected, and declares a mandate . Every Dem should declare one.  Virginia elects its first female governor. Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger . I've followed her career for some time. She has star quality like Mamdani. We can run a diverse set of candidates.  ...

 I'm back from a fantastic weekend in Chicago. Despite Ireland losing, we had fun, laughed, and did the touristy things. I will definitely be attending another rugby match in the future. One thing that Chicago isn't is a war zone. I'm convinced Trump's handlers have been feeding him AI footage of the great city. That or old footage from foreign conflicts. Either way, it was safe, relatively clean, and friendly. Of course, with a side of no bullshit.  Here are your highlights:   Donald Trump's popularity is at an all-time low .  Israel is shutting down the truth by  arresting a military lawyer . ICE shoots a U.S. citizen trying to protect kids.  More layoffs. I fear the AI boom will bring even more .  Terrorist attack at Harvard Medical School.   NYC, do your thing. Elect Mamdani and tell Cuomo to fuck off forever .  I am Frank Chow, and I approve this message.