Democrat Hubris

Do we have to spell it out for the Democrats why they lost?

Do they have not learned their lesson yet and do we have to do their homework for them?

Obviously the voting public did their own homework. Celebrities endorsed Kamala. TV Shows, the News Media were for Kamala. Everyone prominent was for Kamala. Everything was anti-Trump. Kamala had more money, more celebrities and more airtime. All these looked like it was enough.

Obama did his homework, he had more time and they executed their plan perfectly, twice. And let's face it Obama was a more likeable guy.

I hope they didn't think doing less would work for Kamala. So were they just so overly confident, they can just fly and ride the wind of their vocal supporters' shouts and accolades and past successes?

Joe? Joe he won by the skin of his teeth and he got progressively worse every year he was President, leading up to the fateful debate -- which they masterfully crafted and scheduled earlier than normal, (so if worse comes to worse, which it did) then they can do a switcheroo (yes which they did too).

People didn't like Joe. But did they really thought people would like Kamala? Joe had to do two tours as VP before he ran for President. Kamala did one.

Whoever pushed for her to be the main ticket, should leave America.

[Pregnant Pause]

Lots of people claim they will leave the US back in the 2016 elections if and when Trump wins. There should be more in 2024. But they probably wouldn't be saying it out loud this time around.

Hubris

So they honestly thought, Kamala being mixed, she being a woman and a woman of color, she having worked a few weeks in McDonalds, her wit, her sense of humor, her smile, her laugh, her accomplishments, her attacks on Trump and the support of famous people, and organizations and causes would be enough? Hubris.

Hardtimes

People have been through a lot (sigh), the pandemic, their businesses closed, they lost their jobs, sickness, deaths in the family, natural calamities, people are homeless, people cannot afford a lot of things, theft, flash mob style robberies, criminals on the loose, there are a lot on everyday people's plates but none to eat and to feed their families. And Kamala is supporting millions of people coming into the country undocumented? How, what the, why?

Surprise

Does it come as a surprise that Hispanics voted for Trump? They did. Blacks voted for Trump. Women voted for Trump. Christians voted for Trump. Working people (blue collared) voted for Trump. Even younger people and other demographics voted for Trump. He won what should have been a more tightly contested elections, popular and electoral. Someone should be fired.

Photo by Angela Weiss, Getty

Newsflash

Everyday Americans do not care for what Kamala was primarily concerned about.

Trump has always been Trump. There has not been any changes made. We think, he actually became more unlikable for many, he had more court cases and is now a convicted felon. Yet he still won. Unbelievable. He did become uncharacteristically a less impatient and a more mellowed Trump on some occasions and it just shows old dogs can still learn a trick or two. Yet, he is still the Trump of old.

For Kamala supporters though, those who really thought she could win... newsflash, she had no chance, even a lesser chance than Hillary.

And lastly why did they not manage to have Michelle run? That would have been a (Shohei) homerun any day of the week. Now they know how the Angels feel. Go Dodgers.

Hard Truth

 

Screen grab, Google search

November 5th, 2024, there was a rude awakening for 66-67M Americans (or those who voted for Kamala).

71-72M voted for Trump.

Trump won both the popular and the electoral vote.

It was touted as being too close to call, in the end it wasn't even that close.

Blunt

Kamala had less chances of winning the presidency than Joe. It probably would have been a better decision to stick it out with him. And this is a real question, why did they choose their candidate without letting the voters have a say.

Polls Vs Primaries

Hillary didn't have a chance in 2016, and she won their primaries. Kamala had about the same chances as her in 2024, actually she had a lesser chance. 

It was wishful thinking in both instances, the very definition of insanity.

Surprise?

News, Media, Hollywood celebrities and machinery were behind Hillary and Kamala. Their supporters thought they had in the bag, yes up until the voting closed. The night of the elections, when the counting started there were tears. There was actual and utter surprise.

Not 2020, No Pandemic

2020 Joe won. But that was not after several days after election night. In 2024, there was none of that crazy wait. It was almost like 2016 all over again. The verdict was clear.

People Don't Like Trump But They Had No Choice

Trump is not a saint, not by a long shot. Yet millions of people who do not like him at all, still voted for him over any other candidate (from his party and from the Democrats).

Kamala's Kamalisms, Kamala's laugh. Kamala's fake accent. Kamala's rehearsed answers. Kamala's condescension.  Kamala's dig at those who shouted Christ is King and Jesus is Lord. Kamala's performance as Vice President. Kamala's stance on issues that middle American care for. Kamala being Kamala.

Exodus 2.0?

Millions of Americans would say they will leave America (again), yes like back in 2016. But millions of people outside of America would give up an arm to trade places with them and millions of these people living outside America risk everything to slip and get into the US by any means. Everything is ironic. Many things go over our heads. Or we are just blind to them. And that's the hard truth.

When we look at a map of the United States it will look mostly red. It bled when we allowed someone to take several shots at and attempt to assassinate an ex-President and one who is running for the position.

US Presidential Elections

Saul Loeb, Getty

We have lost count of how many recent US Presidential elections have not been about who we want to vote for, but rather it's basically just a choice of who is the one we least hate.

Lesser Evil

Let's look at these:

2024 - Biden or Trump

 Then (Harris or Trump)

2020 - Biden or Trump

2016 - Clinton or Trump

2012 - Obama or Romney

And we can go on.

Debates

And what has happened to the Presidential debates?

These once anticipated events have increasingly become harder and harder to watch. Those who are still undecided do not get any real substance to sway them one way or the other.

Now 2024, like the last two elections, is going down to the wire again. It's another close one.

And as always it will just be a handful of states who will decide who will be in the White House in the next four years.

Tired

In the meantime, the number of Americans wishing the elections are over are growing by the minute. Election time has turned into circus time.

Duty

Americans are treating voting as just another thing they have to do. But really even if they vote or not, nothing ever changes, unless if they live in the handful of toss up states.

Big Question

Millions of other people in other countries are scratching their heads and asking are there no other Americans besides these two who can run the United States of America.

US Politics is all smoke and mirrors, pandering, lies and empty promises. And Americans keep on carrying on like they still don't know what's going on.

Who is the US President right now? Where is the President right now? Plans? Why haven't you done what you want to do in the last three years?

But also how and why does a debate have to go to cats being eaten? And why have the Taliban in Camp David?

Lastly, what's up with the bluetooth earrings?

Are Americans deaf and blind?

The Buffer Generations

People are living longer now and people of one generation have to coexist with people from different generations.

Oldies

In 2024, the Greatest Generation will be Centenerians.

The oldest of the Silent Generation will turn 100 in 2025.

But majority of our current Senior citizens would be Baby Boomers (those born from 1946 to 1964).

Young Ones

Much of our Younger generation (Millenials, born 81-96; Gen Z, 97-2012; Alpha, 2013 onwards) have always have beef with the Boomers. And it's not hard to see why. The Younger generation was born with Tech gadgets, and the Boomers grew up during the heels of rebuilding after the most destructive world war.

Buffer

Good thing, there is a buffer in between the Old and the Young - the Gen Xers (those among us born from 1965 to 1980).

Although considered Old, the Gen Xers have 60, 50 and 40 year olds. And really, 60 is the New 40. They aren't really old, not like how old people were back then.

50 now vs. 50 then, today.com

50 now vs. 50 then, today.com

Gen Xers are indeed old now but most aren't that old, or at least they are not yet ready to retire. They still make up a big portion of the workforce.

The Cushion

Gen Xers are the buffer generation because of a few things.

1. They generally don't really care about the Older (Boomer) generation and the Younger generations, nor join in their seemingly constant need to be on each other's nerves.

They don't generally gloat about the "good old days". One because they know it wasn't all that good. They were born in the old ways of doing things and became adults in the new tech era. They experienced 1st hand the evolution.

They play old school, analog, mechanical, digital and electronic.

They don't care that sports in the 80s and 90s were better than in today's era. They generally are smart enough to know that each era (or each generation) have their own GOAT. They normally do not join in the discussion that LeBron is better than MJ, or vice-versa, nor that Ohtani is better than Babe Ruth. I mean some do, but really all this arguing seems so petty, so cliquey, so "I'm not a kid, I'm 12 and 11 months".

2. The Gen Xers' early years were during the pre-gadgets era. And as pre-teens and teens were introduced to the emergence of every new tech device.

They are used to both the old and new, if a worldwide cyber attack happens, their generation may be the most adaptive generation to go through their day without any of the new technology. It will be hard for everyone, I'm sure. But their generation wouldn't be as stubborn or have no direct 1st hand experience with having no smart phones or wi-fi or headphones.

3. Basically they are half Boomer and half Millenial, born with casette tapes, and grew up with compact discs, born with rotary phones, and were the 1st to use pagers and cellphones.

They are that generation who in middle school and high school 1st tinkered with personal computers and electronic devices. 

As youngers they witnessed the transformation of the old to the new, in music, motion picture, in gaming, information technology and most everything else.

They were born exactly when the last Industrial Revolution took place (advancement in electronics, telecommunications and new technologies).

Those being born today will be the generation which will be comparable to them as another new Industrial Revolution is just starting, one where advancement in AI will take place and start to take over everything.

It will surprise many that AI started in the 50s and Gen Xers as youngsters already were introduced to it in the 70s and 80s. Now AI didn't become that sophisticated until the 90s. And it didn't really become a real thing until the last 10, 15 years, but it will be really real soon enough. 

In time Gen Alpha may be the next Buffer Generation, if humankind will survive that long.

“Tech Support”, Cover of The New Yorker October 23, 2017

NBA MVPs and NBA Rings

NBA MVP Curse

Jokic, Embiid, Giannis

Getty Image

The NBA MVP Curse continues. Many have said that SGA should have won the MVP Award this year, instead of Jokic.

1. Either way both SGA and his team (Thunder) and Jokic and his team (Nuggets) lost on the 2nd round of the Playoffs and will not contend for the Conference Finals, much less for the NBA Ring [2023-24].

2. Last year, Embiid won the MVP Award his team (76ers) got bumped off the 1st round of the Playoffs [2022-23].

3. The year before, Jokic won the MVP Award and his team lost to the Warriors in the 1st round [2021-22].

4. Before that, Jokic won his 1st MVP Award and his team lost to the Suns on the 2nd round [2020-21].

5. A year before, Giannis took home the MVP Award and his team (Bucks) lost to the Heat on the 2nd round [2019-20].

6. Before that, Giannis won his 1st MVP Award, and yes he lost that year to the Raptors [2018-19].

7. Going back the previous year Harden won and his team that year (Rockets), yes they lost to the Warriors [2017-18].

8. The year before, Westbrook got the Award, and you guessed it, his team that year (Thunder) lost in the 1st round [2016-17].

That's now eight straight years.

Nine Year Curse

9. The year before this, Steph won the MVP Award, him and his team (the Warriors), yes they lost to the Cavaliers [2015-16].

The Warriors only lost nine games in the 82 regular season games that year, it was a bitter year for Golden State.

* Previous to this, Steph won his 1st MVP and they won the NBA Finals that year [2014-2015]. The last time the MVP won the NBA Finals.

* The year before, Durant won the MVP Award. His team that year (Thunder) lost to the Spurs who eventually won the Conference and NBA Finals [2013-2014].

A Break In The Curse

* [2012-2013] Lebron won the MVP and his team that year (Heat) won the crown.

* [2011-2012] Lebron also won the MVP and the crown.

Eight straight seasons before that [2004 to 2011], the NBA MVP winner didn't go on to win the NBA Championship.

Next year, it's not really a looking good to win that MVP Award.

Don't Believe Hollywood

Movies are mostly make-believe and Hollywood is the best example.

Make-Believe World

Media and the news (whatever side) wants us to believe what they are pushing. And Hollywood has created a world that some people actually believe is true.

Here are some of the things Hollywood have routinely showed us and that some actually believe in.

1. Phone numbers start with 555. They don't.

2. We can't file a missing person report to the police if 24 hours hasn't passed since the person missing went missing. This isn't true.

3. The police always arrive late to the crime scene. Okay, this one there is some truth to.

4. Police eat a lot of donuts. Okay, this is true as well.

5. Police work and detective work are glamorous, they do a lot of stakeouts and do good police work. No, it's mostly a lot of reports, paperwork, research, talking to people and luck.

6. We wake up late and rush off to go to school or work straight out of bed. Okay, sometimes, lol.

7. Everyday is exciting. Ah, what do you think?

8. We take our medicine without water. We don't.

9. Our homes look like it's ready for an open house. Well not unless if we are looking to sell it that day.

10. People don't need to work or they always have time to go shopping, clubbing, bar hopping, eating out, spending money. Most people go to work, go home, do chores, pay bills, go to bed and repeat the same things the next day.

11. The main character (the protagonist, lead actor or actress) can do no wrong. There is no such person.

12. The antagonist can do nothing good. Not true.

13. Most people are Christians, and they are all Catholic. No and no.

14. The grass looks greener on the other side. Ok, it generally is.

15. Zombies, werewolves, witchcraft, vampires, global destruction, killer robots, killer virus, end-days, human trafficking, child prostitution? What do you think?

Sound of Freedom

You Can Get What You Want, But You Might Not Want What You'll Get

Women's Rights

A transgender woman is all smiles but stands alone on the podium as apparently the 2nd and 3rd placer did a silent protest.

Women's Cycling

Lesley Mumford, a transgender cyclist bested the age and gender category she was entered in.

She competed in the women's 40 to 49 age group of the 2023 Edition of the demanding100-mile Desert Gravel Co2Ut race.

There were men's and binary/trans categories in this competition. Lesley identifies as a woman so she entered the female category and competed against female born cyclists and blew her competition.

Women fought a long time for their rights against a male dominated world, it appears that they will have to continue the fight, albeit this time silently.