Tuesday Mumbles: 2020 In a Nutshell

Note: The following is based on my own opinions. Do not feel offended if you find them hitting too close to home.

Happy Tuesday (or Wednesday by the time this is posted.) It’s Ya boy Choujin here.

2020 is nearly on its way out and perhaps maybe all the problems it brought with us due to the whole situations. It wasn’t a good way to start off a new decade. I mean, we got our issues with major problems like diseases, political turmoil and many other issues that show up during this whole mess of 2020. I could give many but we’ll focus on some of the major issues that showed up.

Let’s start off with the 200 lb viral elephant in the room: Covid-19. I’ve already made several opinions throughout this year of all the news and stupidity of how our political administration, those that support them and various others have had a bunch of nuttery that makes me scratch my head when looking back at this. First off, you had people pretending the virus never existed (though karmic, they’ve found out this virus is oh so real.) Then you got people throwing fits over rules and such that make them look like ignorant douchebags as nobody wants to be affected by it. Those things get a bit crazy

Besides that mess with Covid, we still have to deal with the outcome of the election. Those still sucking on those copium inhalants are still holding out that somehow that Trump will win this fight (Here’s a secret, he’s not going to be winning this at all.) However, those folks are just as stubborn as Jets fans thinking that the team will win. (no offense to NY Jets Fans out there.) However, it’s going to be something that folks won’t let go and will be talked about for years to come. If folks were waiting for a Civil War, folks might assume we are on the cusp of it. However, the Copium is flowing and that means those boasting about wanting a fight are all bark and no bite

However, 2020 isn’t too bad. Despite those two major examples, the wildfires in California and even overseas issues, we’ve seen the good that has shown. When the Pandemic began to grow rampant, people joined hand in hand to help each other out in one way or another through donations, crafting or even money. Politically, the election of Biden has given some people hope that the US can mend itself, even if it takes a long time. It’s like opening Pandora’s Box: Even though it had all the misery of the world, it also held hope.
And Hope..is such a splendid thing.
All I have to say that is we need to make sure that 2021 doesn’t become another 2020. Hopefully that next year will bring some good things and allow us to move on from this virus, from this political fighting and from this whole 2020 mess.

Tuesday Mumbles: Political In-fighting

Note: what you’re going to read is based on opinions, so don’t take it too personally if it hits too close to home. It may be frustrating, but it’s something that gets under my skin.

Heya, it’s ya boy Choujin here.
I’m sure all of you enjoyed Sunday’s Super Bowl match and maybe talking about it today, but there’s something that’s been biting me for a while that’s been frustrating me for a pretty good while. While everyone’s watching replays of the Chiefs’ victory over the 49ers, some folks have been watching stuff over the debates in Iowa and arguing over who they should nominate as their Democratic candidate? For those unaware, you have the candidates like Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Pete Buttigieg all trying to win the nomination during a time when the Democratic Party is a political war with the Republicans and Trump. However, one thing I’ve noticed is that some people would rather want one candidate to win, and if he doesn’t, they’re willing to “destroy everything” to get their candidate in.

I could name the obvious, but due to that group’s *ahem* attitude of being called out, I won’t name names or point fingers in this situation. However, I will state that now is not the time to be in-fighting this close to the election and not when we have to deal with another four more years. Especially with a man who can’t even name the city where the Chiefs are or that the Revolutionary War was fought over airports.

If you want something from ya boy, here’s some advice I’d give to the democratic party.
First off, stop this whole “all in, or I quit” crap. It was this backstabbing mentality that ended poorly for the Democrats in 2016. People need to know that every candidate has ideas to solve their way. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, and sometimes it is just so vague that people don’t know if it’ll work or not because they don’t speak clearly on it.

The party’s nomination has to show that not only would his or her platform work but also toward voters themselves. You have to remember that voters are not a monolith and live by specific orders. A farmer from Arkansas has issues he wants his candidate to solve, just like the hipster from San Francisco. Some of it may be more important than others (but not disregarded). So if one candidate is chosen over another, our basis should be to stand behind that person. Vote out of what you believe in and not out of petty spite that makes the person upset.

Another issue I’ve seen is that people are trying to push this Progressive vs. — corporate Democrat argument that’s a lot of in-fighting and not enough fixing the issues. For me, I’d focus on getting our candidate out first before we take care of our house. It’s not saying cave to corporatism or some other form of complacency, but picking a fight just because of who’s donating who or what SuperPAC’s backing. This is the same in-fighting that will do nothing but make things worse and, in the end, repeat what happened four years ago.

By the time this is posted, a nominee may or may not have been considered the victor of Iowa. I’m sure plenty of people will be crying foul over this mess and be spouting various drivel that either be insulting or conspiracy theories. I have to say this, folks need to stand behind someone because there are far worse issues ahead of us than over whoever said person did or what they might do.
Otherwise, unless this problem can be fixed, we’re just going never to get anywhere.

Monday Mumbles: War

Note: Some of the subjects here may hit a bit hard home, just a bit of a reminder that my opinions are my own. So don’t take things personal

Heya, it’s ya boi, Choujin.
Well, I hope you all had a good 2020, because we’re already starting on one hell of a foot. For those unaware, we’re having a bit of an issue that’s been brewing between the United States and Iran which has gotten people worried about another war in the middle east with others who think that no nation would attack us because the USA would “level them to the ground”. What irks me is less on people who live in fear of inevitable world wars (trust me, ya boi here is a bit jittery about world war 3 as well) but what bothers me are the people who become armchair commandos/soldiers behind a computer.

Some kids and adults who don’t understand that there’s a thing called “Rules of Engagement” and think that war behaves like video games or movies where one wins a war by pushing a button. It’s not only ignorant but belittles stuff that our men and women endure when being shipped to these hot water conflicts. Not only that but it also leads to an underestimation of what our enemies can do if we think stuff can be ended by just the press of a button. People forget that wars can last years (take a look at the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan for example) and that it’s not cut and dry that some media love to portray.

The next thing I’ve seen is how some folks who also grossly underestimate nations just because they don’t have new toys or technology. From what i’ve heard on the news and heard from some who served during Iraq and Afghanistan, Al Qaeda and the militants used ambushed tactics like roadside bombs and other IEDs. Heck, during the Vietnam War, the enemy used ambush tactics and hunting traps to give American soldiers in that war hell. It’s not something that’s pretty and even low tech items gives our boys trouble. Just because the nation we’re going to war doesn’t have flamethrowers, bunker busters or drones with hellfire rockets doesn’t mean that they’re not a threat or pushovers. War isn’t like a video game where weak enemies are easy to kill.

The last thing I’ve seen when it comes to folks talking about war comes to when people talk about the men and women who serve their country. Ya boi here supports the brave men and women of our Armed Services for their sacrifices, but ya boi don’t play what some people will do. Though with this case, you got two camps of people. On one side you got people who think every soldier who fought in a war are nothing but mindless killers and wanton raiders, and the other side you got those who treat soldiers like infallible saints who can never do wrong and should be worshiped. I’m sure you’re asking about what I would do? Well, I would treat them like anybody else. I would thank them for their service and that’s it, no berating them nor treating them like gods. Heck, I wouldn’t mind sharing a cold one with an off duty soldier or veteran. They’re people just like you and me, with or without their uniform and regardless of their branch of service

With that, thanks for listening to my mumbles. I understand that it’s not much of anything but it was something that was on my mind after hearing the news. Now, before I finish up, I’m going to say that I don’t know if this will lead to a conflict or not but the only thing I could suggest is wait and see.