Taylor Swift Vs. The Gays (Over-Time).

Subtitled; "Operation: Saxon Needles; Month 5, Week 1, Day 5."

Funnily enough. Chronology dictates that this should be read as a direction continuation of; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2024/02/taylor-swift-vs-gays.html

The game turned out not to be the complete subjugation I was expecting. Based on all the previous times they met you would have thought Taylor Swift would completely enslave The Gays, to the tune of about a billion points.

In fact it ended up being a very low-scoring affair. It almost turned out to be a completely pointless exercise. At the end of regular time the game was tied, 19-19 forcing the game into overtime. Possibly because someone's victory lap had taken them off-script.

Taylor Swift ended up only enslaving The Gays 25-22. A massive improvement on the part of The Gays. 

The Half-Time Show was performed by Usher (Raymond) with a, frankly, excessive amount of guests. When one person telling everyone to quietly take their seats was really all that was needed.

Starting at the age of just 16 Usher has had a 30 year career in the music industry. He was really at the height of his fame in the 2000's, the so-called; "Noughties." Unfortunately during that time I was doing, let's go with; "Other Things." So while I know Usher is a Popstar I couldn't name you any of his songs. The only thing I know about his career is that he once made a guest appearance in an episode of the TV Show; "CSI: New York."

So despite his legions of fans and his millions of record sales. This Half-Time Show was really me experiencing Usher for the very first time.

This is something which has become a growing phenomenon within popular culture. Classic but long forgotten songs from yesteryear suddenly being discovered by a whole new audience. Just type the name of any famous song - such as "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins - into YouTube, along with the word; "Reaction." You'll be presented with lots of videos of people reacting to hearing the song for the very first time.

This phenomenon has really been driven by Online Music Streaming. Something which is hugely important for the Half-Time Show's main sponsor, the Online Music Streaming service Apple Music.

If a TV Show uses a classic or otherwise obscure song. Then viewers who have never heard it before can quickly search for it online and stream it. Pushing it back into the music charts. The TV Show; "Stranger Things" use of the Kate Bush song; "Running Up That Hill" being, probably the most famous example.

If people are watching on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service it's even easier than that. Prime Video has it's "X-Ray" function whereby if you pause the TV Show or Movie an information box will pop up telling you the details of the actors and any music being used in that scene. If you like the song then, with a single click, you can stream it on Amazon Music.

Another way that Online Music Streaming is exposing classic or obscure songs to a new audience is through their suggested Playlists. Where you can select a genre such as; "Relaxing" then the algorithm will play your hours of new, to you, songs that the algorithm deems to be relaxing.

So if you want your song to be a chart hit these days you not only need to make sure it's included on all the Online Music Streaming services. You also have to make sure it is included on as many of those streaming service's suggested playlists as possible. 

In September 2023 the actor David McCallum died. For many people the news of his death might have been their first exposure to him. However I think a lot of people would have recognised him as the; "Dr Ducky Mallard" character from the TV Show; "NCIS." In which he spent 10 years appearing alongside the Israeli Jewish character; "Ziva David." Played by the non-Jewish Chilean actress Cote de Pablo.

Ziva David/Cote de Pablo being almost a mirror image of my bisexual Israeli Jewish ex-girlfriend. She was perfectly happy to let people keep on assuming that she was some sort of non-specific South American Hispanic. Rather than correcting them. As that's when the Anti-Semitic abuse would start.

No-one would wait for her to explain that she was only in the UK to avoid serving in the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) Border Police. In The Gaza Strip, during the Second Intifada (2000-2005). Unlike Itamar Ben-Gvir she would actually have passed her security vetting. Despite her best efforts.

Even people who'd recognise David McCallum from NCIS might not have realised just what a massive career he'd already had by that point. Back when military service was compulsory in the UK he served as an Army Officer. He then returned to acting securing the role of Russian agent; "Ilya Kuryakin" in the TV Show; "The Man From U.N.C.L.E."

The role of Ilya Kuryakin gave David McCallum huge fame. Beatlemania level fame. The sort of fame that Taylor Swift can still only dream of. Alongside his acting David McCallum also enjoyed a music career, releasing four albums. Including the 1966 song; "The Edge." Dr Dre sampled The Edge for his 2000 song; "The Next Episode."

Obviously the people who cleared the publishing rights for Dr Dre's song know that it samples the David McCallum song. While other people may have worked it out for themselves. After hearing the David McCallum song in the 2008 Video Game; "Grand Theft Auto IV" or the 2017 Movie; "Baby Driver." On might simply have been introduced to it via an Online Music Streaming playlist.

The Half-Time Show lasts for, really, a maximum of 15 minutes. So if you've had a 30 year career then it can be really difficult to fit in all of the fan's favourite songs. Taylor Swift's current "Eras" tour is supposed to be something of a retrospective of her 20 year career. Each show lasts for about 3 hours.

So during the Half-Time Show artists tend not to actually play any of their songs. So much as a medley or; "Overture" featuring little snippets or samples of their greatest hits. Providing for a good opportunity for discussion of the role of sampling within the music industry. All the issues of copyright and royalty payments that entails.

Meaning that, on reflection. My observation that the Andra Day song; "Rise Up" contains significant musical similarities to the earlier Ani DiFranco song; "Subdivision." While the TLC song; "Unpretty" is just a reworking of the earlier Ani DiFranco song; "As Is." Maybe that wasn't such a lonely tangent I'd launched off into.

The first guest Usher brought out was Alicia Key's. Their 2004 duet; "My Boo" being one of his biggest hits. Unfortunately Alicia Keys was a hugely provocative, incredibly poor choice of guest. 

Apparently not being soothed by Taylor Swift. When the Muslim Brotherhood's Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) launched its genocidal assault against Israel it seemed to believe that it was starting the war that would, finally, wipe Israel and the Jews from existence. So it attempted to make itself appear that it was much bigger than it actually was. 

This involved Hamas claiming they'd attacked Israel from; "Air, Land and Sea." "Per Spiritus, Per Terram, Per Mare" - for those of us who still have Latin. In reality Hamas' naval forces involved a dozen guys in a small boat. While Hamas' air forces didn't even have any aeroplanes. It was just a dozen or so guys on Paragliders. Most of whom couldn't even manage to get that right.

However this image of a Paraglider was quickly adopted amongst the idiot community. As a way to express support for Hamas and Genocide.

About 10 days into the hysteria Alicia Keys took to Social Media. Expressing an interest in taking up Paragliding. Which was, reasonably, interpreted by many as a gesture of support for Hamas and Genocide.

Apparently not realising that her mere presence was a bad idea. In her performance Alicia Keys really played up this controversy. She first appeared with a red, parachute-like cloth billowing behind her. She then unfastened that revealing a red, parachute-like cape. Finally Alicia Keys unfastened the cape revealing herself to be wearing a red jumpsuit.

This entire provocation being an attempt to get me to speak in Alicia Key's defence. Act as a sort of character witness if you will.

2023 saw the celebration of the birth of Hip-Hop. So around the time of the 2023 Super Bowl, around the time when the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest should have taken place I was messing around with Hip-Hop music. Particularly the song; "Fire Ina Hole" by Method Man and Redman. This involves Redman using Parachuting/Paragliding as a metaphor. Toggling this way and that to keep his lyrical flow on track. It's a metaphor he seems to like. He uses it a lot.

So rather than expressing support for Hamas and Genocide. Alicia Keys was actually trying to ask me a question. As to whether I thought that song was a factor in the Hamas' Genocidal declaration of war. I suppose it speaks to her character that there was at least one person in America who thought it might be a good idea to hear from the guy who was doing all this on October 6th.

Alicia Keys and I have something of a history, going back over a decade. Alongside Shakira Alicia Keys was one of many people trying to shove the then Chris Brown dating Rihanna in my direction. Such as through her 2013 song; "Girl On Fire." The red that Alicia Keys was wearing was the Menstrual Red that Shakira wore during her 2020 Super Bowl Half-Time Show performance.

The next female guest Usher brought out was H.E.R. A woman who does bear something of a passing resemblance to Rihanna. Something she really played up by including snippets of the 2004 Usher song; "Bad Girl." Well, she pretty much just repeated the words; "Bad Girl!" over and over again. Almost as if she was waiting for the response; "Rih-Rih!"

If you only watch American Football then your first exposure to H.E.R would be her appearance at that infamous 2021 Super Bowl where she sung; "America The Beautiful." Rather than forcing me to summarise it for you here, you can just re-read yourselves.

Here; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2021/02/super-bowl-lv-pt1.html

Here; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2021/02/super-bowl-lv-pt2_26.html

And Here; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2021/02/super-bowl-lv-pt3_26.html

A big theme of that Super Bowl were the similarities between Hip-Hip music and Country music. As a metaphor for America's racial divide. In the commercial that dropped immediately after the Half-Time Show ended Beyonce revealed that she's following in Rihanna's footsteps and releasing a Country music album.

Beyonce continues to be married to Jay Z. Who continues to be the artistic director for the Super Bowl. Dare I suggest that the couple looked a little glum during the in-game footage. Before the big secret was revealed.

At around 18:20 on 14/2/24 (UK date) we'll have to see when the war will allow me to continue to slog through this guest-list.

Edited at around 18:00 on 20/2/24 (UK date) to tidy the above and copy & paste;

Operation: Saxon Needles; Month 5, Week 2, Day 4.

The Super Bowl was being played in Las Vegas. Usher recently completed a residency at the MGM Park hotel in Las Vegas. So the tone of the Half-Time show was very much a celebration of all things Las Vegas. So you had a massive cast of Vegas showgirls, Cirque du Soleil style acrobats and stilt-walkers. Alongside a Marching Band which is very much a feature of High School and College American Football.

This very large Circus style production certainly invoked memories of the 2017 movie; "The Greatest Showman." Allowing for discussion of that movie, its cast, its crew, anyone who has ever seen it. Zendaya (Coleman) is certainly an example of an actress we've watched grow-up onscreen.

However I think Usher was simply trying to portray Las Vegas and the Super Bowl as; "The Greatest Show On Earth!" and himself as the greatest showman.

Over the summer of 2023 one of Usher's Las Vegas performances was attended by the actress Keke Palmer who Usher brought up on stage to dance with him. This prompted Keke Palmer's partner and father of her child, Darius Jackson, to publicly condemn Keke Palmer's actions of Twitter. Chastising her for wearing such revealing clothes now that she's a mother.

This ended up exposing to the World what turned out to be a very abusive relationship between Palmer and Jackson. Keke Palmer went on to file protective (restraining) orders against Jackson supported by videoes showing him assaulting her in the home they shared. A further little nod to Alicia Key's efforts to shove a then Chris Brown dating Rihanna in my direction. While Taylor Swift's relationship with her fans, particularly the gay ones, could certainly be charactised as abusive.

Although it ultimately didn't come to pass. There was certainly a rumour that Justin Bieber would join the Usher's already expansive list of guests. Apparently Usher was something of a mentor to Justin Bieber.

Justin Bieber is someone else who sort of came into my orbit back in 2013. Following our forced marriage at the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 Sumer Para-Olympic Games I realised that, whether either of us liked it or not. Rihanna and I were going to completely dominate each other's lives for the next year. So I thought it would be a good idea for us to meet up. Just to get a sense of each other and, ideally, exchange contact information.

So while Rihanna was staying in London I went to her hotel and asked the frontdesk to call her room and ask if she wanted to meet up. They said she said no so I left. One alternative is that she said yes. Something which would probably make her deeply unpopular amongst her fellow celebrities. Showing stalkers the World over that they simply need to turn up at the object of their fixation's hotel. Another alternative is that I got into some dispute, hauled away by the police and committed to a psychiatric facility for the rest of my life on the grounds I'm a stalker.

Later in 2013 Justin Bieber made reference to this. Getting into some sort of dispute outside the same hotel which involved him being dragged off by security in front of lots of photographers.

As I've said. I would have avoided any reference to myself, Rihanna or anyone in our respective orbits. Maybe it's my extremely delicate leftwing sensibilities. However if someone's spent the last year or so laying in the gutter, weeping along to Taylor Swift. Even attempts at constructive criticism just feel like bullying.

Following Alicia Key's appearance Usher took to a smaller, circular stage. Around the edges of this stage was projected an animation of flames, while Usher stood in a gap in the middle. So it wasn't "Fire Ina Hole." It was him in the; "Hole Ina Fire."

During this sequence, and frankly his career, Usher really played up his similarities to Michael Jackson. The single white glove, the "Moonwalking" etc. Michael Jackson's 1993 Super Bowl Half-Time Show is seen as the first big Half-Time Show. Prior to that they were dominated by anonymous High School and College Marching Bands and watched by no-one. There is also a Michael Jackson biopic in production. Which raises questions of why America and particularly Black America is still celebrating a paedophile.

Appearing to get hot and sweaty standing in the hole in the fire. Usher removed his shirt and vest. 2024 is the 20th anniversary of Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson's infamous 2004 Half-Time Show. In which part of Janet Jackson's nipple was momentarily exposed. In violation of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) delightfully absurd; "No (female) Nipples!" rule. Causing a national scandal which eventually ended up in the US Supreme Court.

Yet here we are with a man appearing with both nipples exposed, for the best part of five minutes, and no-one really noticed. The FCC certainly didn't have a problem with it. As it mustn't have any problem with a whole host of gay (male) porn.

Again though. I would have thought the US would have wanted to avoid any reference to the 2013 movie; "Free The Nipple." Directed by Lina Esco and soundtrack including one song by Miley Cyrus. Particularly within the context of a Super Bowl.

The sequence was introduced by another guest, Jermaine Dupri. A Black rapper so confident that White America wouldn't recognise him. He came dressed as another Black rapper, CeeLo Green.

H.E.R's guitar solo was really just a cover. Allowing Usher to change into a new costume and roller skates. From TV shows like; "Modern Family," "The Big Bang Theory, "The Goldbergs" and; "Snowfall" I know that roller rinks and roller discos are a big part of American culture. If I had to guess why then I would say it's because you're not really legally allowed into nightclubs in the US until you're 21 years old. While you can go to a roller disco at any age. Usher is certainly very into roller rink culture. Also roller skating during his Las Vegas residency.

This sequence had a futuristic aesthetic. By which I mean they were all wearing clothes with light strips on them. In the style of the 1982 movie; "Tron." It's somewhat interesting that our vision of the future is actually over 40 years old by this point. Attempting to squeeze in yet another guest Usher was joined by Will.I.Am. Someone who is very into technology and futurism.

In 2023 the US entertainment industry was dominated by strikes by the Writers Guild Of America (WGAW) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). Primarily these twin strike actions were over prosaic things like pay, particularly residual royalty payments, and minimum staffing levels. However these days it seems you have to throw the buzzword/phrase; "Artificial Intelligence (AI) into every discussion. Just as how a few years ago you had to throw the buzzword; "Crypto-Currency" into every discussion. "Quantum Computing" before that.

So, particularly with the SAG-AFTRA strike, there was an element of whether AI can be used to enhance the creation of computerised versions of actors. Something which is of particular concern to motion capture video game and voice actors.

Video game actors concerns are shared by those in the music industry. It's already been proved that using just a small vocal sample AI can help produce a computerised version of a song without a human singer being involved at all. Obviously something which is more of a concern for artists whose vocal performances already have to go through extensive AI assisted computerised autotuning.

By way of apology for her mistake in appearing to support Hamas and Genocide Alicia Keys began her performance with a mistake. Missing the opening note of her song. In the version released by Apple Music on the Internet afterwards this 'mistake' had been corrected using AI assisted computerised autotune. Alicia Keys is just that good.

This sequence also gives me something of an opportunity to discuss what I think has to be the dumbest fashion trend of late. Clothes which offer no ballistic nor stab protection made in the style of body armour. Rather like the suits of armour of old, in my experience body armour is hot, sweaty, heavy and annoying. There is only one reason why I'm going to wear my body armour. Convincing people you're wearing body armour when you're not seems like the sort of bluff you can only lose.

The closing sequence of the Half-Time hinted at the other side of Las Vegas. Las Vegas after dark. So the Vegas showgirls became strippers on poles. However as they were women the FCC wouldn't let them show their nipples.

This sequence featured a further two guests, Lil Jon and Ludacris. Performing the song; "Turn Down For What" that Lil Jon did with DJ Snake. You are probably familiar with this song. A snippet of it seems to be used in every US TV Show and Movie over a montage of people partying. Shorthand to signify that it's a really wild party.

If you're watching one of those many TV Shows and Movies on Amazon Prime Video. Then you could use the X-Ray function to find out the name of the song then stream it on Amazon Music. At which point you would discover that computer generated snippet is the entire song. They just loop it round for three to five minutes.

However please don't judge the entire Hip-Hop subgenre of; "Crunk" on that one, appalling example. Crunk is a much wider subgenre originating in America's southern states. Such as Florida, Tennessee and Georgia. Where Usher and most of the guests in this gruelling Half-Time Show hail from.

 

 

18:37 on 20/2/24 (UK date).

 

Taylor Swift Vs. The Gays.

Subtitled; "Operation: Saxon Needles; Month 5, Week 1, Day 3.”

Or, to put it another way;

"Oh yeah, the Super Bowl. Isn't it, like, the 53rd time America's tried to convince us that matters?"

The 2023 Super Bowl was supposed to be a huge event. My showbiz ex-wife Rihanna performed the Half-Time Show. Really twisting the knife about how much happier she is now we've broken up. She used her performance to announce that she was pregnant with her second child.

Then Miley Cyrus was supposed to release her comeback album. Which was absolutely, definitely going to do so much better than Rihanna's 2016 comeback album; "Anti." Rihanna's last album to date. Backed by the widely panned TV show; "The Idol" this pressure was supposed to continue on me until The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Then Miley Cyrus was going to release her second album of the year, along with a World Tour.

In the meantime there was supposed to be This Great Economic Recovery. Obviously it didn’t occur to anyone to actually stop prices rising unsustainably. However there was a definite promise, almost an; “Act,” that Inflation would, definitely, be Reduced.

All the while NATO was going to launch its long promised Spring Offensive. Which would see it goose-stepping and Sieg Heiling its way all across Ukraine, The Donbas Republics and into Russia's Red Square.

By the summer of 2023 everyone in America was left getting super into Taylor Swift. As Taylor Swift was the only America still had going for it. Well, it also had that; "Barbie" movie. Produced and starring Taylor Swift's equally Aryan chum Margot Robbie.

If a single movie or a single popstar's tour has even a detectable impact of the World’s Largest Economy. Then it’s not the World’s Largest Economy anymore. Unless it’s exploiting a global financial system adopted at the end of The Second World War (1939-1945)¹. Specifically designed to be rigged. To keep them on top, no matter how small the pile gets.

In a move that some would describe as; "Cynical & Calculating." At the start of the American Football season just gone Taylor Swift started dating Travis Kelce, star quarterback of The Kansas City Chiefs. Who have appeared in four of the last five Super Bowls. Winning last year, 2023.

Rather predictably. The Kansas City Chiefs have made it to the 2024 Super Bowl. Where The Kansas City Chiefs Are Representing Taylor Swift. Like all of America. That’s what they’ve been reduced to.

While the US was trying to console itself with Taylor Swift. The Muslim Brotherhood's rage was growing at America's failure to deliver for it.

The Muslim Brotherhood's rage boiled over on October 7th 2023 (7/10/23). When its Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) launched a Genocidal assault on Israel. Killing thousands and kidnapping hundreds. Starting the war which continues to this day.

Although it wasn't anyone's intention. This actually goes to the heart of an issue which has dominated American Football and American society since 2016. Colin Kaepernick's decision to kneel in protest during the playing of the American National Anthem. Something which is still epically offensive.

The reason why the National Anthem is played at major American sporting events dates back to The 1918 Baseball World Series. In 1917 the US finally joined The First World War (1914-1918). The 1918 Baseball World Series was the first major sporting event that occurred while America was fighting in that war.

With American troops fighting and dying over in Those Green Fields of France and Belgium there was a lot of debate over whether the 1918 Baseball World Series should be cancelled as a mark of respect. Eventually though everyone realised that people who are fighting in a war are already very much aware that they are fighting in a war. What they need are things like entertainment and big sporting events to give them some relief, momentarily distracting them from the fact that they're fighting in a war.

So the 1918 Baseball World Series went ahead. Only with the military pageantry including the National Anthem. In order to set the subdued and respectful tone. Then in 1919 it continued to show respect for the returning veterans. Since then America has been having a major war every decade, expect for the 1980's², so the tradition sort of stuck.

Those are the people that the spoiled, entitled multi-millionaire Colin Kaepernick continues to disrespect. Personally I think he should just be grateful. For every day that his head isn’t knocked off his shoulders.

Obviously, no US troops are currently fighting for Israel against Hamas. However America's current political leaders do seem to be utterly incapable, of staying out of it. While no-one wants to spoil America's fun. I don't think any Americans seriously want their bit of fun to be the thing that starts The Third World War.

This year The National Anthem was performed by Reba McEntire. On a war-footing turning up and not dying is really all you can expect. However Reba McEntire is considered something of a queen of Country music. Rather like Dolly Parton, the godmother of Miley Cyrus. Taylor Swift originally started out as a Country music artist before switching to Pop music.

Taylor Swift transitioned to Pop music with her 2014 album; "1989.” At around the same time Rihanna released the love letter to me; "Four, Five Seconds." Alongside Kanye West and Paul McCartney. Technically this was inspired by Celtic Punk/Folk. Specifically the song; "Forever" by the Dropkick Murphys. However as the joke at the time went;

"Taylor Swift's gone Pop. Just as Rihanna's gone Country.”

Of course. Mentioning myself, Rihanna, Kanye West and, by extension, his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. Her half-sister, Kendall Jenner, she’s just all Horses & Anxiety. Mentioning any of that within the context of a Super Bowl.

Surely that’s just rubbing salt into any one of America’s multitude of wounds. Particularly now I’m off doing my Military Intelligence Officer thing again.

Like Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus Reba McEntire has also done some TV & Movie work. Including a small role in; "Young Sheldon."³ A spinoff from; "The Big Bang Theory" telling of the formative years of the; "Sheldon Cooper" character in Texas. With his High School American Football coach Father.

If I had to nominate a fictional Reba McEntire super-fan. Then it would be; "Cameron Tucker" from; "Modern Family." The gay High School American Football coach from a farm in Missouri, just outside Kansas City. American Football and, particularly, the Super Bowl is how he bonds with his old fashioned Father-in-Law. 

I think the finale of the entire show involves Cameron returning to Missouri to become the American Football coach at Missouri State University. The first openly gay coach in College American Football.

Perhaps not being typical of an American Football coach. If Cameron takes a sleeping pill his family need to hide his phone, his barbeque tongs and his Reba McEnitre wig. Otherwise he will sleepwalk and order food while performing his Reba McEntire Drag Routine.

Modern Family was originally broadcast in the UK on the subscription based Sky network. However I didn't get access to the Sky network until they were on their fifth or sixth season. Rather than starting there I kept waiting until the early seasons became available of the catch-up, streaming service. They never did.

Modern Family has now arrived on the free-to-air Channel 4 network in the UK. Giving it something of a new lease-of-life. In case any of the cast were wondering why the paparazzi have suddenly started turning up again. Even if the residual cheques haven’t.

As is typical of Channel 4, they are completely screwing up their showing of Modern Family. I think it's currently airing Season 1, Season 4 and Season 9. All mixed together.

This isn't much of a problem with the adult characters. Or the; "Hayley Dunphy", "Alex Dunphy" and "Manny Delgado" characters. We've always had a pretty good sense of what they were going to look like as adults. Thanks to the actress Callie Thorne we already know what Sarah Hyland is going to look like in 20 years.

It is though more of a problem with the; "Luke Dunphy" character. While the; "Lily Pritchard-Tucker" character is a complete continuity disaster.

One minute the neurotic new parents are rushing their baby to hospital worried she's banged her head. Then they’re talking about adopting another baby, to find out how much of their teenage daughter's troubling personality is their fault. Then it's straight back to Her First Period, at Kindergarten.

Which adds a whole new sense of jeopardy to Modern Family. The suspense of which Lily Era we’re going to be exposed to this time. Well it does in my head, at least.

I suppose though all that does give us an opportunity to talk about those very special feelings we all seem to harbour. For actors and, particularly, actress’ we've watched grow-up on screen. Something which you might want to write down, set it in Stone. In case it appears on a test, somewhere.

Although I suspect that even Reba McEntire has accepted by now. Miley Cyrus is never the answer¹³⁴.

I've not really had much time to watch Modern Family on Channel 4, let alone ponder the finer points of the syndication contract. However I get the impression that Channel 4's rights to catch-up streaming are severely restricted. Due to the whole show having being brought up by Disney's subscription based streaming service.

On a related note, mindful of the strikes in the US TV & Movie industry over the past year. I'm also somewhat looking forward to watch, for the very first time, Season 3 onwards of; "The Americans."

The first two seasons of this were broadcast in the UK on the free-to-air ITV network, at around the same time they were broadcast in the US. However for Season 3 ITV decided to use it to launch its, at the time, new for the UK, subscription based streaming platform. This was such a big part of their strategy they seemed to spend a lot of money to control all of the UK rights to The Americans. Including DVD rights, which they chose not to exercise.

The problem was that their subscription based streaming service had nothing else worth watching on it. It was also ridiculously overpriced - around $30 per month. No-one was going to pay that much money just to watch The Americans. So ITV essentially paid a huge amount of money to ensure that no-one in the UK could watch The Americans. An inadvertent Catch & Kill sort of deal.

ITV's subscription based streaming service shutdown shortly afterwards. Then re-emerged as a free streaming service. Along with an ad-free, subscription based streaming service. Despite the fact the only ads on the free service being adverts for the ad-free subscription based streaming service.

Let’s all take a moment to admire their wild optimism. In putting adverts at the end of the show.

Of course now that Paramount Studios has launched its own subscription based streaming service. It looks like quite a few other subscription based streaming services might also be shutting down. It seems Paramount Studios make everything, so own everything.

“America The Beautiful” was performed by Post Malone who is a very big American Football fan. He's released a line of merchandise with his team, The Dallas Cowboys. Apparently he's also been accepted into the player's WhatsApp group. So he was always going to take any chance to go to any Super Bowl.

It must be said though that Post Malone does seem far too delicate and sensitive for a war-footing. He's certainly lost a lot of weight since announcing, in 2021, that he was having a baby. To which we all responded, as one; "And we all just thought he was fat!"

Lift Every Voice and Sing was performed by Andra Day. Who played Rihanna in the 2021 Oscar nominated movie; “The United States Vs. Billie Holliday.” She also released the 2016 song; “Rise Up.” Which sounds suspiciously like the 2001 Ani DiFranco song; “Subdivision.” In much the same way TLC’s 1999 song; “Unpretty” sounds suspiciously like the 1998 Ani DiFranco song; “As Is.” Although, at this point. I might just be off on my own little tangent now.

The Fly-Over was performed by The US Air Force's Thunderbirds. The dedicated squadron  the US Air Force always uses for this sort of thing. Using the aircraft and pilots they always use for this sort of thing.

Recently there have been growing signs that people are getting fed up with Taylor Swift. Or maybe they're just getting fed up with being a country where Taylor Swift is the only thing they've got going for them.

One of the early signs of this backlash against Taylor Swift was the January 2024 article in the New York Times by Anna Marks

Taylor Swift has something of an unusual relationship with her fans. Rather like a cult leader she sets them homework, which they dutifully do?! Taylor Swift hides clues, which she calls; "Easter Eggs, in her work. Her fans then have to use these clues to uncover some great secret. The sense of a shared secret giving them the illusion of power. Rather like a cult.

I gather than in modern online dating terms this is known as; “Breadcrumbing.” Giving the disasters a little something on their phones, every once in a while. Even though you know they’ll never be getting what they dream of.

Anna Mark's Opinion Piece looked at all the times Taylor Swift has given clues to her support for the gay community. She speculated that the secret mystery is that Taylor Swift herself is gay.

This was written in the full knowledge that Taylor Swift isn't gay. The intention being to force a denial from Taylor Swift that she is gay. A denial that would confirm that she has simply been; "Queer-Baiting." Exploiting the gay community to boost her own wealth, fame and power.

Although I'll concede that the Super Bowl is perhaps not the gayest event on Earth. Queer-Baiting is really a cliché rather than news at this point. It's something you see all day, every day in mainstream American culture.

It is very much the formula of how to make money from tha t latest illiterate teen swearing along to a drum machine. Each new singer makes a big show of how supportive they are of the gay community. Certain sections of the gay community make for some very loyal, fans. So you can just milk them, milk them and milk them. Then milk them some more.

So Taylor Swift's opponents at this Super Bowl were The San Francisco 49'rs. Those famous diggers of gold. In America’s gay capital, San Francisco.

Which is certainly less controversial than the team the 49'rs beat in the National Football League (NFL) play-off. The Detroit Lions, from the State of Michigan. Represented by Rashida Taliba. THey do tend to bring pictures of Adolf Hitler with them, wherever they go.

@ around 06:10 on 12/2/24 (UK date) I’ll have to continue with coverage of the Half-Time Show later. However the booking was made after Oct.7. It was certainly made after Taylor Swift booked her place. Frankly. It sounds like it’s just telling people to quietly take their seats.

 

Edited at around 15:20 on 15/2/24 (UK date) to add;

¹The World Bank, IMF, GATT/WTO. Established at the Bretton-Woods Conference, Mount Washington Hotel, New Hampshire, 1944.

 ²In which they had two small wars. Along with a proxy war against the Soviet Union in the Afghanistan. It went great!

 ³Iain Armitage. Reagan Revord. Will Wheaton! Kayley Cuoco. Alyssa Milano. Ariel Winter. Rico Rodriguez. Noah Gould. Aubrey Anderson-Eammons. Selena Gomez. Nick Robinson. Taylor Spreitler. ¹³⁴You'll find her buried somewhere. Sean Giambrone. Troy Gentile. Hayley Orrantia. Sam Lerner. AJ Michalka. Stephanie Katherine Grant. Hudson Yang. Forrest Wheeler. Ian Chen. Luna Blaise. Prophet Bolden.Trevor Larcorn. Evan Hannemann. Dash Williams.

 

 

15:45 on 15/2/24 (UK date). 

Operation: Saxon Needles; Month 4, Week 1, Day 5.

On Saturday October 7th (7/10/23) the Muslim Brotherhood's Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) launched a surprise attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip. Under the cover of some 3,000 rockets this attack saw Hamas temporarily take control of 480km² (260miles²) of Israeli territory alongside the Gaza Strip.

Within that area Hamas set about systematically slaughtering a large number of they believed to be Jews. Simply because they believed them to be Jews. 

At first sight (prima facie) this constitutes multiple offences of the Crime Against Humanity of; "Murder" contrary to Article 7.1(a) of The Rome Statute of 1998. Prima facie it also constitutes the Crime Against Humanity of; "Extermination," commonly referred to as; "Genocide." With the purpose of persecuting a Religious Group. Contrary to articles 7.1(b)(h) of the Rome Statute.

Hamas also took hostage a large number of people, both civilian and military, which it believed to be Jews. Prima facie each hostage taken constitutes the multiple Crimes Against Humanity of; "Imprisonment," "Forced Displacement" and "Other Inhumane Acts [...] Causing Serious Injury to Body or to Physical or Mental Health." With the purpose of persecuting a Religious Group. Contrary to Article 7.1(e)(i)(k)(h) of the Rome Statute.

Following a humiliatingly long period of trying to ignore the fact. International bodies such as the United Nations Entity For Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have now acknowledged that Hamas also committed widespread and systematic acts of; "Rape and/or Sexual Violence." Further Crimes Against Humanity contrary to Article 7.1(g) of the Rome Statute.

In committing its crimes Hamas used some of the most wanton and horrific violence ever seen. Going to great lengths to mutilate the corpses of those it killed. Seemingly in an attempt to maximise the suffering of their relatives individually and nation of Israel collectively. By violating a key tenet of Jewish religious law. That if a body is less then whole then it cannot be returned to God through Jewish mourning rites. As a result it is still impossible to give an accurate number of those killed on October 7th (7/10/23).

In a further effort to cause maximum suffering Hamas has still not provided a comprehensive list of the hostages it has taken. Each failure to do so, prima facie, represents a War Crime contrary to Article 25 of the Geneva Convention of 1949. Hamas certainly hasn't allowed the International Committee of the Red Cross/Crescent (ICRC) to visit them, let alone render them Humanitarian Aid. Further War Crimes, contrary to Article 140 of the 1949 Geneva Convention.

Not that the ICRC has expressed any interest in contacting the hostages or providing them with any sort of aid. Even going so far as to refuse to accept deliveries of vital medicines for the hostages. Let alone ask Hamas to allow it to deliver them to the hostages. The rendering of medical aid to prisoners in conflict really being the ICRC's core, founding function under International Humanitarian Law.

Hamas' failure to provide a comprehensive list of the hostages it holds along with its wanton and gruesome violence means that it is also impossible to give an exact number of those kidnapped on October 7th (7/10/23). 

In an effort to spare the families of the October 7th victims the trauma and uncertainty of not knowing what has happened to their loved ones Israel has been forced to establish panels of medical experts. Their task is to examine the footage and other evidence from October 7th (7/10/23) to determine those who were taken alive by Hamas and those who were killed on the day only for their corpses to be taken hostage by Hamas.

In the time since my last update that panel has declared a further three people dead in absentia. While an additional three people who were believed to be missing have been confirmed to have been taken hostage. Making the current estimate that Hamas and associated groups are still holding 121 live hostages. Constituting 484 Individual, Ongoing Crimes Against Humanity.

Hamas launched its attack on the 50th anniversary of The October 1973 War. In which the Arab nations of Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, along with Cuba and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK/North), united in an effort to wipe Israel from existence.

What Hamas seem to have forgotten is that Israel won the October 1973 War. Not only that, it won descisively and comprehensively. As rather evidenced by the fact there's still an Israel to attack 50 years later.

Now that it has become more comfortable in its position. Having achieved many of its initial goals, not least expelling Hamas from Israeli territory. Israel seems to be starting to think that it can fully repeat the successes of the October 1973 War. Eliminating all the threats on its borders and beyond. Starting with the Lebanese Party of God (Hezbollah) in Lebanon and its regional ally Iran.

In this aspiration Israel also seems to have forgotten some things. Firstly that the October 1973 War was a conventional war. Once the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) had destroyed the Combat Effectiveness of the armies attacking it the nations controlling those armies do what rational nations do in conventional warfare. Rather than being destroyed they surrendered. In order to protect their own people.

In launching its attack on October 7th Hamas was hoping to emulate the losing side in the October 1973 War. That is not rational behaviour. Hamas has tried to fight a conventional war. However as it has been losing that conventional war Hamas has shown no sign of surrendering, either to protect itself or Palestinian civilians being forced to live in the firing line.

Instead Hamas has increasingly turned to unconventional insurgency warfare, or Guerrilla Warfare. The objective of guerrilla warfare is not to defeat your enemy. It is simply to harm enough of your enemy's troops that its morale collapses and it gives up. With Hamas increasingly conducting suicide attacks amid a soaring civilian deathtoll Hamas doesn't even seem to care whether it survives, just as long as Jews die. The result is a much more grinding and time consuming type of war.

The better analogy is not the October 1973 War but The First Lebanon War. Which lasted from 1982 through to 2000 and saw over 1,200 IDF troops killed. Although the Gaza Strip is much smaller and significantly less complicated that Lebanon in the midst of a civil war.

Israel also seems to have forgotten the real reason why Hamas attacked it. Qatar paid Hamas a lot of money to attack Israel.

Back in late 2010 through to early 2011 the people of Tunisia and Egypt overthrew their dictators. They saw this as an opportunity to bring Democracy to the Arab World. Being deeply and ideologically opposed to Democracy the Muslim Brotherhood couldn't allow that to happen. So instead to two main state sponsors of the Muslim Brotherhood - the Kingdom of Qatar and Turkey - set about suppressing burgeoning Democracy across the Arab World. Instead trying to establish their dominance across the Arab World.

The exact details of the plan are a matter of debate between Qatar and Turkey. However generally it would involve Turkey re-establishing The Ottoman Empire, across the entire Middle-East, North Africa (MENA) region, with Qatar taking control of resource rich nations like Libya.

The Muslim Brotherhood's plan for regional and global domination ran into serious problems in Syria and Iraq in 2014. When it's Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and allied proxies such as Al Qaeda hit a Stop-Line. One which was made up predominately of Arab Muslims but is critically supported by Russia and Iran.

2023 was supposed to be the year that the Muslim Brotherhood finally overcame this Stop-Line and got its plans for regional and global domination back on track. With the Muslim Brotherhood having installed a puppet regime in the US NATO had attacked Ukraine, the Donbas Republics and Russia. In the war that would finally defeat Russia and collapse the Stop-Line in Syria and Iraq.

However with Russia receiving assistance from Iran that didn't happen for the Muslim Brotherhood. As spring turned to summer and then summer turned into autumn the big offensive against Russia went nowhere.

So the October 7th attack was the Muslim Brotherhood's last, desperate role of the dice. By forcing Lebanese Hezbollah into a war with Israel it would give NATO an excuse to attack Iran. Ending Iran's support for Russia causing Russia to be defeated and the Stop-Line in Syria and Iraq to collapse. 

I really hope Israel has noticed that it stands between Egypt and Syria. The former seat of the Mamluk Empire and the site of the decisive battle which saw the Ottomans defeat the Mamluk's to establish the Ottoman Empire.

Perhaps suggesting it hasn't. On December 25th (25/12/23) the IDF conducted an airstrike close to the Syrian capital Damascus targeting a meeting of senior members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC). Most prominent of those killed was the IRGC General and its head of logistics in Syria, Sayyad Reza Mousavi. In events incredibly similar to the US' assassination of IGRC General Qasem Soleimani - a key figure in that much talked about 2016/16 Battle of Mosul - in Iraq on January 3rd 2020 (3/1/20).

Although it was an IDF strike the killing of Mousavi seemed to be done more under American direction than Israeli direction. Coming as it did on Christmas Day.

Christmas is the second most important festival in the Christian Calendar. It begins on Christmas Day, which under the Gregorian Calendar, always falls on December 25th. It then runs through to the Feast of the Epiphany, 12 days later on January 6th. It celebrates the birth of the Jew Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of Judea and then the realisation or; "epiphany" that he is the Son of God, King of the Jews.

However most people who celebrate Christmas don't know that. Culturally it's just a holiday between December 25th and January 1st. Right when the weather's normally at its coldest and the days are certainly at their shortest.

Although the week between Christmas Day and New Year's Day is a big holiday. For adults the weeks leading up to Christmas Day are normally pretty stressful. A big part of the cultural mythology are these magical little elves which come in and do all the work. This year on the Saturday before Christmas Day (23/12/23) I found myself cleaning my oven at around 11pm at night. As that was the only time I could find to do that essential task.

Culturally celebrations involve getting up very early to cook a big meal for lunch. This means that quite a lot of people, myself included, end up starting to drink strong alcohol at around 9am in the morning. Any other day of the year it is only chronic alcoholics who do that. Most people then just keep drinking strong alcohol throughout the rest of the day.

So by the evening on Christmas Day, when news of General Mousavi's assassination stared to break, no-one in the entire western world is at their best.

Nations tend to start preparing their entries for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest around December through to March. So in recent years I've taken to using that holiday to write about vaguely Eurovision Song Contest related topics. If not catching up on things from the previous year's Song Contest which I still hadn't got around to covering.

The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest was supposed to be a big part of the Muslim Brotherhood's big comeback year. Hamas' named its October 7th attack on Israel; "Operation: Al Aqsa Flood." In reference to what would have been Israel's 2023 Song Contest entry; "Unicorn" by Noa Kirel.

While the Muslim Brotherhood were clearly furious that the 2023 Song Contest didn't take place I was actually rather happy. It meant I didn't have to spend that week of holiday working. Or it would have done if it hadn't been for this war the Muslim Brotherhood started.

So I guess the US' choices were yet another Miley Cyrus festive TV show or killing an Iranian General. Apparently they just never see not embarrassing themselves as an option.

Every year Iran marks the anniversary of the US assassination of General Soleimani with a ceremony at his tomb in Kerman. This year (3/1/24) that ceremony was attacked by the ISIL branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Killing at least 95 people.

Obviously in the wake of the assassination of General Mousavi the aspiration was that everyone would blame the attack on Israel. Forcing Iran to go to war with Israel. Giving NATO the excuse the Muslim Brotherhood is desperate for to go to war with Iran. Failing that ISIL has joined the US in giving Iran a bit of a kicking.

If it failed in its primary aspiration then Hamas had a secondary aspiration in launching its October 7th attack. That it would be able to exploit the hostages it took to force Israel into long and torturous negotiations. Negotiations which would not only see a ceasefire which would allow Hamas to survive but also see the release of all Hamas combatants legally held in Israeli prisons. In return for some vague hope that some of the hostages might be released at some point in the future.

Almost immediately as Hamas attacked the IDF launched a counter-offensive. This included airstrikes against military targets within the Gaza Strip. On October 28th (28/10/23) this counter-offensive expanded to include IDF ground operations within the Gaza Strip.

This initial phase of the IDF's ground operations saw them divide the Gaza Strip into two zones, broadly along the Wadi Gaza river. The southern Non-Combat Zone and the northern Combat Zone. Instructing and assisting civilians to move out of the Combat Zone and into the Non-Combat Zone.

By around November 13th (13/11/23) it seemed that the IDF had all but defeated Hamas in the Combat Zone in the North. Advancing from Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun it had encircled and entered Gaza City, the main city in the Combat Zone. Hamas' main defensive positions in the Jabaliya and Shati districts of Gaza City had been overrun and it was assessed that 10 of Hamas' 24 battalions in the Combat Zone had lost Combat Effectiveness.

This left Hamas in control of the Shejaiya, Rimal, Tuffah and Daraj districts of Gaza City. Along with Jabaliya and the accompanying Jabaliya Refugee Camp, a city literally just across the road from Gaza City.

Beyond those areas IDF operations in the Northern Combat Zone had moved from combat to mopping up operations. That is to say indentifying remaining Hamas fighters and capturing or, frankly, killing them. Along with dismantling Hamas military infrastructure such as its weapons stores, bases and underground tunnels. 

On November 24th (24/11/23) it looked as though Hamas may be successful in its secondary aspiration. A ceasefire was declared as Israel exchanged Hamas combatants held in Israeli prisons for civilian hostages held by Hamas. This ceasefire was extended several times with 81 Israeli civilian hostages being exchanged for 210 Hamas combatants. Alongside but separate from, that agreement Hamas also released 21 non-Israeli civilian hostages, without obtaining any concession in return.

That ceasefire brokedown on December 1st (1/12/23). With both Hamas and then the IDF resuming airstrikes and artillery fire.

On December 3rd (3/12/23) the IDF launched a new phase of its ground operations. Attacking the Rimal and Shejaiya districts of Gaza City along with Jabaliya and Jabaliya Refugee Camp. This was closely coordinated with ground operations against Khan Younis, essentially the Gaza Strip's second city, which is located on the Southern Zone around 6km (3.5 miles) North of the Rafah Border Crossing with Egypt.

On December 19th (19/12/23) the IDF completed the combat phase of its operation in Jabaliya and the Jabaliya Refugee Camp (est. 1948). On December 21st (21/12/23) the IDF completed the combat phase of its operation in the Shejaiya district of Gaza City. In both Jabaliya and its refugee camp and the Shejaiya district the IDF moved onto mopping up operations.

This comes after the IDF completed the mopping up phases of its operations in Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun on December 16th (16/12/23) and December 18th (18/12/23). In those areas the IDF's operations have progressed to a lower intensity phase. In which they simply hold the areas they have gained and secured.

On December 21st (21/12/23) the IDF expanded its combat operations from the Rimal district of Gaza City of the Tuffah and Daraj districts. On January 2nd (2/1/24) the IDF captured the last Hamas positions in Daraj and Tuffah. Completely ending combat operations in the North.

There are still some mopping up operations for the IDF to conduct in the North. For example they captured the Blue Beach Hotel in the Shati district from Hamas on November 10th (10/11/23). However it took the IDF until January 5th (5/1/24) to fully dismantled the network of tunnels, bunkers and fighting positions which had made up Hamas' "Badr Outpost."

The IDF's operations in the North are now focused on holding the territory they've established control over. This actually makes their troops more vulnerable, to the guerrilla style hit-and-run attacks of insurgency warfare. In order to reduce those risks the IDF has reduced the numbers of its troops in the North. Demobilising six brigades allowing the roughly 30,000 reservists in those brigades to return to civilian life. Those Brigades; 551 & 14 along with Division 252 did the bulk of the fighting in the North. So I certainly think they deserve a reward.

Due to its size and density you really have to think of the Gaza Strip as a single battlespace. Rather than a nation made up of different cities and towns which can be divided up into different battlespaces. A big part of the reason why the IDF delayed tacking the Tuffah and Daraj districts of Gaza City is that combat there would need to see them expand combat south of the Wadi Gaza river into Central Gaza.

On December 30th (30/12/23) the IDF confirmed that it is conducting combat operations in Central Gaza. Two full Divisions, eight Brigades, are believed to be operating in the area. With a particular focus on Deir al-Balah and el-Bureij.

Attacking the city from multiple directions at the same time the IDF were able to quickly take control of the centre of Khan Younis. It overran Hamas' main defences in just three days. After eight days the Chief-of-Staff of the IDF was able to hold meetings with field commanders within the city.

Since then the IDF seems to have been moving more slowly and methodically. Combining combat operations with mopping up operations as they go through the painstaking, grinding business of clearing Hamas house-by-house, street-by-street. Then destroying Hamas' military infrastructure almost as soon as they clear it. The current focus seems to be on the north and east sectors of the city. Along with the western, almost, suburb of Khirbet Khuza'a. Due to this more methodical way of operating the IDF don't expect to even start tackling the other sectors of Khan Younis for several more weeks.

Further demonstrating how the Gaza Strip is best thought of as a single battlespace. The combat operations in Deir al-Balah in the centre are now starting to merge with the combat operations in Khan Younis in the south.

Despite how it is being portrayed in certain sections of the, particularly western, media this is not an Israel-Gaza War. It is an Israel-Hamas War. Israel is not at war with either the Gaza Strip or the Palestinian people in general. Israel is at war with those who have made the choice to be members of Hamas. A wholly illegal armed group under an interpretation of the laws of war.

This distinction was made abundantly clear when an airstrike killed Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas' deputy head and head of operations in the occupied West Bank. However this airstrike did not take place in either the Gaza Strip or anywhere else in Palestine. It took place in Beirut, Lebanon. A country which like Syria is still, technically, at war with Israel.

 

 

 

20:36 on 8/1/24 (UK date).

Operation: Saxon Needles; Month 3, Week 4, Day 3.

On Saturday October 7th (7/10/23) the Muslim Brotherhood's Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) launched a surprise attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip. Under the cover of some 3,000 rockets this attack saw Hamas temporarily take control of 480km² (260miles²) of Israeli territory alongside the Gaza Strip.

Within that area Hamas set about systematically slaughtering a large number of they believed to be Jews. Simply because they believed them to be Jews. 

At first sight (prima facie) this constitutes multiple offences of the Crime Against Humanity of; "Murder" contrary to Article 7.1(a) of The Rome Statute of 1998. Prima facie it also constitutes the Crime Against Humanity of; "Extermination" commonly referred to as; "Genocide" with the purpose of persecuting a Religious Group. Contrary to articles 7.1(b)(h) of the Rome Statute.

Hamas also took hostage a large number of people, both civilian and military, which it believed to be Jews. Prima facie each hostage taken constitutes the multiple Crimes Against Humanity of; "Imprisonment," "Forced Displacement" and "Other Inhumane Acts [...] Causing Serious Injury to Body or to Physical or Mental Health." With the purpose of persecuting a Religious Group. Contrary to Article 7.1(e)(i)(k)(h) of the Rome Statute.

Following a humiliatingly long period of trying to ignore the fact. International bodies such as the United Nations Entity For Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have now acknowledged that Hamas also committed widespread and systematic acts of; "Rape and/or Sexual Violence." Further Crimes Against Humanity contrary to Article 7.1(g) of the Rome Statute.

In committing its crimes Hamas used some of the most wanton and horrific violence ever seen. Going to great lengths to mutilate the corpses of those it killed. Seemingly in an attempt to maximise the suffering of their relatives individually and nation of Israel collectively. By violating a key tenet of Jewish religious law. That if a body is less then whole then it cannot be returned to God through Jewish mourning rites. As a result it is still impossible to give an accurate number of those killed on October 7th (7/10/23).

In a further effort to cause maximum suffering Hamas has still not provided a comprehensive list of the hostages it has taken. Each failure to do, prima facie, represents a War Crime contrary to Article 25 of the Geneva Convention of 1949. Hamas certainly hasn't allowed the International Committee of the Red Cross/Crescent (ICRC) to visit them, let alone render them Humanitarian Aid. Further War Crimes, contrary to Article 140 of the 1949 Geneva Convention.

Not that the ICRC has expressed any interest in contacting the hostages or providing them with any sort of aid. Even going so far as to refuse to accept deliveries of vital medicines for the hostages. Let alone ask Hamas to allow it to deliver it to the hostages. The rendering of medical aid to prisoners in conflict really being the ICRC's core, founding function under International Humanitarian Law.

Hamas' failure to provide a comprehensive list of the hostages it holds along with its wanton and gruesome violence also makes it impossible to give an exact number of those kidnapped on October 7th (7/10/23). However the current estimate is that Hamas and associated groups are still holding 121 live hostages. Constituting 484 Individual, Ongoing Crimes Against Humanity.

The difficulties of calculating the number of hostages taken are highlighted by the case of Gadi Haggai. A US-Israeli dual-national who was in the Nahal Oz Kibbutz on October 7th (7/10/23).

In October 1986 and Israeli warplane was conducting airstrikes against the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) in Maghdouche in Lebanon when it crashed. The pilot, Yishai Aviram, was quickly rescued by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). However the plane's weapons officer, Ron Arad, was captured by the Amal Movement. It's believed he was then handed to the Lebanese Hezbollah and then the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC). Thirty seven years later it is still not known whether Ron Arad is alive or dead. 

In an effort to spare the families of the October 7th victims the trauma and uncertainly experienced by Ron Arad's family Israel quickly established panels of medical experts. Their task is to examine the footage and other evidence from October 7th (7/10/23) to determine those who were taken alive by Hamas and those who were killed on the day only for their corpses to be taken hostage by Hamas.

Last Friday (22/12/23) that panel declared that Gadi Haggai had been killed on October 7th (7/10/23). Each individual set of human remains that Hamas fails to return constitutes, prima facie, a War Crime, contrary to Article 16 of the 1949 Geneva Convention.

In launching its attacks on October 7th (7/10/23) Hamas seems to have had two main aspirations. The first being that this would be the start of the war which wipes Israel from the map. Short of that Hamas' secondary aspiration was that Israel would be forced into long, torturous, negotiations. Negotiations which would see all Hamas combatants held in Israeli prisons released in return for some vague promise that some of the Israeli hostages might be released.

In the summer of 2014 Hamas and the IDF fought a short skirmish in the Gaza Strip. During the course of this fighting two IDF solidiers, Oran Shaul and Hadar Goldin, were killed by Hamas and their bodies taken hostage. For nearly 10 years Hamas has been trying to ransom those two sets of human remains. The Shaul and Goldin families can only console themselves with the fact they're in a slightly better position than Ron Arad's family. At least they know their loved ones are dead.

Almost immediately as Hamas attacked the IDF launched a counter-offensive. This included airstrikes against military targets within the Gaza Strip. On October 28th (28/10/23) this counter-offensive expanded to include IDF ground operations within the Gaza Strip.

This initial phase of the IDF's ground operations saw them divide the Gaza Strip into two zones, broadly along the Wadi Gaza river. The southern Non-Combat Zone and the northern Combat Zone. Instructing and assisting civilians to move out of the Combat Zone and into the Non-Combat Zone.

By around November 13th (13/11/23) it seemed that the IDF had all but defeated Hamas in the Combat Zone in the North. Advancing from Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun it had encircled and entered Gaza City, the main city in the Combat Zone. Hamas' main defensive positions in the Jabaliya and Shati districts of Gaza City had been overrun and it was assessed that 10 of Hamas' 24 battalions in the Combat Zone had lost Combat Effectiveness.

This left Hamas in control of the Shejaiya, Rimal, Tuffah and Daraj districts of Gaza City. Along with Jabaliya and the accompanying Jabaliya Refugee Camp, a city sitting just 4km (2.4 miles) from Gaza City. Although given how densely populated the Gaza Strip is all of the urban areas do tend to blur into one.

Beyond those areas IDF operations in the Northern Combat Zone had moved from combat to mopping up operations. That is to say indentifying remaining Hamas fighters and capturing or, frankly, killing them. Along with dismantling Hamas infrastructure such as its weapons stores, bases and underground tunnels. 

On November 24th (24/11/23) it looked as though Hamas may be successful in its secondary aspiration. A ceasefire was declared as Israel exchanged Hamas combatants held in Israeli prisons for civilian hostages held by Hamas. This ceasefire was extended several times with 81 Israeli civilian hostages being exchanged for 210 Hamas combatants. Alongside but separate from that agreement Hamas also released 21 non-Israeli civilian hostages, without obtaining any concession in return.

That ceasefire brokedown on December 1st (1/12/23). With both Hamas and then the IDF resuming airstrikes and artillery fire.

On December 3rd (3/12/23) the IDF launched a new phase of its ground operations. Attacking the Rimal and Shejaiya districts of Gaza City along with Jabaliya and Jabaliya Refugee Camp. This was closely coordinated with ground operations against Khan Younis, essentially the Gaza Strip's second city, which is located on the Southern Zone around 6km (3.5 miles) North of the Rafah Border Crossing with Egypt.

On December 19th (19/12/23) the IDF completed the combat phase of its operation in Jabaliya and the Jabaliya Refugee Camp (est. 1948). On December 21st (21/12/23) the IDF completed the combat phase of its operation in the Shejaiya district of Gaza City. In both Jabaliya and its refugee camp and the Shejaiyia district the IDF moved onto mopping up operations.

This comes after the IDF completed the mopping up phases of its operations in Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun on December 16th (16/12/23)and December 18th (18/12/23). In those areas the IDF's operations have progressed to a lower intensity phase. In which they simply hold the areas they have gained and secured.

In many ways this type of lower intensity holding operation can be more deadly than combat operations. While killing people is always a big part of war in conventional warfare it is really only a tool. The main objective is to secure territory. Killing is simply one of the most effective ways to either remove your enemy from territory or prevent your enemy from removing you from territory.

This is something we've seen in the combat phases of the IDF's ground operations in the North of the Gaza Strip. Hamas would establish fighting positions, often in civilian buildings, then attack IDF troops in an effort to keep them away from those fighting positions.

Now Hamas has lost all of its territory in Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun and most of its territory in Jabaliya and Gaza City it has shifted more towards Guerrilla warfare. In this type of warfare killing is no longer a tool, it is the main objective. It doesn't matter to Hamas is the IDF are quickly able to overrun a position Hamas has fired from as long as Hamas has been able to kill IDF troops with that fire.

This shift has been reflected in the number of IDF troops killed. Back on December 11th (11/12/23) the number of IDF troops killed since October 8th (8/10/23) stood at 103, including 20 who were killed in friendly fire incidents and accidents. Between December 12th (12/12/23) and December 25th (25/12/23) 49 IDF troops were killed in the Gaza Strip.

Those figures include the one and two individual fatalities which are inevitable in conventional battle. However they also include large single incidents. Such as the December 12th (12/12/23) ambush in Shejaiya in which 9 IDF troops were killed. Along with the 5 killed and two seriously wounded in a lucky hit from an Anti-Tank missile on their armoured vehicle on December 24th (24/12/23).

The IDF does seem to understand that in order to protect its troops during these holding operations it needs to increase its tempo to establish full control over all of the Gaza Strip. On December 21st (21/12/23) it expanded combat operations from Rimal into the Tuffah and Daraj districts of Gaza City expanding to the area between the South of Gaza City and Wadi Gaza. On December 23rd (23/12/23) the IDF conducted airstrikes in Deir al-Balah, South of Wadi Gaza. IDF ground operations now appear to have expanded South of Wadi Gaza into the centre of the Gaza Strip with 4 IDF troops being killed in the area on December 24th (24/12/23).

There are also strong indications that the IDF intends to expand its ground combat operations beyond Khan Younis in the South. On December 15th (15/12/23) it conducted its first airstrikes in the Philadelphi Corridor, a buffer-zone running the length of the Egypt/Gaza Strip border which is currently patrolled by Egyptian forces with Israel's permission. On December 23rd (23/12/23) Israel advised Egypt to withdraw its forces from the Philadelphi Corridor as the IDF could no longer guarantee their safety.

Meanwhile the IDF's ground combat operations in Khan Younis continue. Attacking from multiple directions the IDF were able to overrun Hamas main defences in the city within three days. After just eight days of fighting the IDF's control of the centre of the city was such that its Chief-of-Staff, Herzi Halevi, was able to hold meetings with ground commanders there on December 11th (11/12/23).

Since then the IDF have been engaging the in the heavy, grinding, combat of clearing the city house-by-house, street-by-street all while at risk of ambush by Hamas. The IDF estimate that four of Hamas' seven battalion commanders in Khan Younis have now been killed.

The IDF has also been able to move onto some limited mopping up operations in Khan Younis. Such as destroying the home of Mohammed Deif - the head of Hamas' Qassam Brigades - on December 23rd (23/12/23). The IDF were even able to take journalists on the tour of the site of the ruins of the home of Yahya Sinwar - Hamas's head within the Gaza Strip - which had been captured on December 6th (6/12/23) and then destroyed.

As the IDF's operations have shifted the nature of the airstrikes it has been conducting has evolved. Initially these were focused on so-called; "Suppressive Fire" destroying Hamas military assets within the Gaza Strip to prevent those military assets being used in the invasion of Israel.

With Hamas having been expelled from Israel the airstrikes then shifted to more strategic objectives. Such as killing senior Hamas commanders and destroying Hamas' defences ahead of the ground operation. Once the ground operation had begun air operations shifted again to focus, primarily, on providing close air support to troops on the ground.

That close air support role has continued, with the IDF averaging around 250 strikes per day. However as combat operations in the North of the Gaza Strip have largely come to an end it has shifted back to including more of a strategic element. Subhi Farwani - a key Hamas financier - was killed on December 19th (19/12/23), Bassem Ghaben - Hamas director of the Karem Shalom border crossing - was killed on December 20th (20/12/23) and Hassan Atrash - a key Hamas weapons smuggler - was killed on December 23rd (23/12/23). All in airstrikes in and around the southern city of Rafah.

Hamas's ability to commit the War Crimes, contrary to Article 3 of the 1949 Geneva Convention, of indiscriminately firing rocket artillery into civilian areas across Israel also seems to have been significantly reduced. 

On October 7th (7/12/23) Hamas fired some 3,000 rockets and other projectiles into Israel. Once Hamas had been expelled from Israeli territory that rocket fire dropped to an average of a 100 or so per day. Once the IDF ground operation began that average dropped again to around 30-40 per day. 

Following the resumption of fighting on December 1st (1/12/23) that figure has dropped even further. With Hamas seeming to have to forgo daily rocket fire in order to preserve its ammunition for big barrages on alternative days. Hamas now seems no longer able to do that. The last big barrage came on Saturday (23/12/23), the Jewish Sabbath. Indicating a clear religious/ethnic element to Hamas' rocket fire. Meaning that Hamas' War Crimes have to be viewed within the wider context of Crimes Against Humanity.

Despite the IDF's progress in securing areas of the Gaza Strip. There seems to be no corresponding progress from international bodies such as the United Nations (UN) and the ICRC in increasing Humanitarian Aid to Palestinian civilians within the Gaza Strip.

The UN and the ICRC are still flatly refusing to provide Humanitarian Aid to civilians in the designated Al-Marwasi Safe-Zone. Let alone attempting to establish a Humanitarian Bridgehead in either the South or the North of the Gaza Strip.

Today the UN actually ordered Israel to close the Karem Shalom border crossing to Humanitarian Aid.

18:46 on 28/12/23 (UK date).