Trump’s Tariffs Tuesday

Hi Everybody,

Today is Tuesday, March 4th, 2025. Today marks the first day of Trump's tariff kicking in.  I wrote about this in the past. 

Remember when Trump was imposing a 25% tariff on Mexico, Canada, and 10% on China? Well, that takes effect today. The market didn’t have a good day. The reaction was very steep. All the indices dropped significantly, and while most recovered some of their losses, they still ended the day deep in the red.  

Tonight at 9:00 p.m., Trump will be addressing Congress in a joint session.  

I just got home from work. I wasn’t able to follow the news today or listen to anything about world affairs, so hopefully, I will have time to catch up tonight. Or maybe I will just go to sleep and ignore it all.  

Stay tuned, and if anything noteworthy comes from the speech, I will be happy to write about it.  

Have a great and wonderful evening. God bless you.  

I remain your pal, 

Pal Ronnie 

Breaking News: Trump Administration is Halting All U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine

In a major shift in foreign policy, the Trump administration has officially halted all military aid shipments to Ukraine. This decision marks a significant turning point in the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, which began in February 2022.  

For the past three years, the United States has been Ukraine’s most crucial ally, providing billions of dollars in military hardware and support to help defend that nation against Russian aggression. However, tensions between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky came to a head during their Oval Office meeting last Friday, which reportedly did not go well. I wrote about that earlier. 

Following the breakdown in talks, Zelensky left the U.S. and immediately traveled to Europe, meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other European leaders. While Ukraine may now look to the UK and other NATO allies for additional support, America’s withdrawal from the effort raises serious questions about the future of the conflict.  

With the U.S. stepping back, how long can Ukraine sustain its fight against Russia? Will Europe be able to fill the gap left by America? We will be watching closely to see how this unfolds.

Stay tuned, 

Pal Ronnie

Tiktok Fame Gone Wrong: A Flight Attendant Fired After Viral Twerking Video

A friend and I often discuss the impact of social media in our time, and today, she sent me a video that perfectly illustrated our ongoing conversation. The video showed an air hostess or flight attendant twerking in an empty plane with the Alaskan Airline, which quickly went viral. Unfortunately for her, it also reached her superiors attention, resulting in her immediate termination.  

This incident was so unfortunate. The young woman was later interviewed on a local TV channel, crying as she explained that she had just completed her six-month probation at a job she loved. She never imagined that making the video would lead to her being fired.  

The lesson here is clear, how on Earth could someone use company property, while in uniform, to create inappropriate content? Whether the plane was empty or not, the lack of professionalism was unbelievable.  

I hope all the TikTok enthusiasts and other platforms take this as a lesson, don’t risk your job for viral fame. Now, she will have more online attention at home than ever, but at what cost?  

I remain your friend.

Ronnie Law 

Mr. Zelensky Didn't Get His Expected Blank Check

I think Zelensky came to Washington expecting a blank check, as he had been used to receiving these past few years.

 Unfortunately for him, this time he got a reality check. Remember, America is running a deficit of around $37 trillion, and when Trump ran again, one of his biggest emphases was "America First." Somebody should have reminder Mr. Zelensky before he came to Washington with his expectations. In fact, people in government are losing their jobs left and right so the country can save money. Remember DOGE?

Trump also wanted to make everything transparent, setting things up in the White House so the American people could see in real-time how their tax dollars were being spent on a country that has consumed billions and billions of U.S. taxpayer money.  

So, there you have it. Was the meeting in the Oval Office last Friday nice and diplomatic? No. But I think both leaders got their messages across, even if they clashed.  

What do you think?

I remain your pal 

Ronnie Law

Pope Francis: Please Continue to Pray for Him

Sunday, March 2nd, 2025

Pope Francis remains in the hospital, and his condition is still considered serious. He has been hospitalized for about three weeks now, so please continue to keep him in your prayers. We remembered him at Mass. 

One of the most memorable moments of my time in New York was in 2015 when I attended Mass at Madison Square Garden during the Pope’s visit to America. It was the first time I had ever been in such a large crowd at MSG. I vividly remember him celebrating Mass, and I loved every moment of it. At the end of the mass, he spoke in English and said, "Please don't forget to pray for me." That moment has stayed with me ever since.

It is easy for us to assume that someone like the Pope does not need prayers, but just like all of us, flawed and human, he does. Now, as he faces serious ill-health, it is even more important that we remember to pray for him daily.

May God's will be done.

Dear Lord, we commend our Pope Francis into Your hands. Heal him, strengthen him, and keep him. Amen.

Wishing you all a blessed and peaceful Sunday.

Pal Ronnie

St. Ann's in Hoboken NJ

 

Today, March 1st, 2025, I went to 5:00 p.m. Mass at St. Ann’s in Hoboken. It’s a beautiful parish. The mass was wonderful.  

The Gospel reading was from the parable where Jesus tells His disciples that a blind person cannot lead the blind. He also speaks about noticing the splinter in someone else’s eye while ignoring the plank in our own. We like to judge orders without knowing everything that is going on in their lives. 

See here Gospel: Luke 6:39-45 

I found it very fascinating. It’s always been one of those Gospel readings that make you think, especially when it comes to judging others. Just like when we point fingers at others. The majority of those fingers are always pointing back at us. 

Mother Theresa once said, it's hard to love people we judge. That is true. Try it out. In my line of work, finger pointing is always the order of the day. 

That’s why I usually don’t concern myself much with pointing out other people’s faults. When I feel tempted to criticize someone, I remind myself of my own innate shortcomings that I might be overcoming. We all have faults. I think that’s something we can all benefit from, self-reflection before judgment.  

Mass ended, and I headed back home. While going down the stairs, a woman in front of me introduced her pregnant daughter to the priest saying, “my baby is having a baby”. That got everyone laughing. 

Off to make a phone call. 

Have a great evening, and God bless you and don’t forget, always examine yourself before pointing out others’ faults.  

God bless you, 

Pal Ronnie