The Oscars 2020.

Yesterday (9/2/20) saw the 92nd Academy Awards. Known as the Oscars this traditionally marks the end of America's long popular culture season.

It always puts me in a difficult position. Of having to write detailed discussions of movies I've not actually seen.

Seriously. I've only recently watched "Get Out" from 2017. I'm still looking forward to finding the time to watch "Hidden Figures" from 2016.

This year though I decided to really confuse matters. I've actually seen one of the movies in Oscars contention this year.

So it seems appropriate I start there;

Jojo Rabbit: Aka; "The Scarlett Vengeance."

In 2014 Scarlett Johansson made a Super Bowl commercial for SodaStream. An Israeli company which, at the time, operated in the Occupied Palestinian West Bank.

As I think was both SodaStream and Scarlett Johansson's intention this invoked all the issues surrounding the Israel/Palestine conflict.

Such was the backlash it was actually never shown. The Super Bowl broadcaster that year, FOX, pulled it. Officially on the grounds that it embarassed Super Bowl sponsor Pepsi.

Honestly I think most people's reaction to the controversy though was simply to shrug and go; "Huh. Didn't realise Scarlett Johansson was Jewish."

However people with long experience of the Israel/Palestine conflict lept to Scarlett Johansson's defence. Pointing out that while SodaStream's Lehavim plant was in an illegal Israeli settlement it was amongst the least of Israel's crimes.

It acted as something of a mechanism for peace through prosperity. Boosting the Palestinian economy by providing jobs in an area where they are scarce. Along with providing and environment where Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs worked together in peace. Helping to break down barriers and show both communities that the other isn't the sort of cartoon villian they're so often portrayed as.

The viciously anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment Sanctions (BDS) movement though responded with ferocious personal attacks against Scarlett Johansson. Both as a Jew and as a woman. Demanding that she be beaten, raped, killed etc. All the usual Twitter pleasantries.

The movie Jojo Rabbit is very much Scarlett Johansson's revenge on them.

It centres around the Hitler Youth movement in Nazi Germany, right at the end of the Second World War. A fanatical, anti-Semitic organisation which at times seems to have provided the template for BDS.

It particularly focuses on the title character; "Jojo Rabbit." A 10 year old boy who is so fanatical about the Nazi cause that he has, as an imaginary friend, an outlandish, cartoonish and frankly very camp version of Adolf Hitler. Played by the director Taika Waititi.

The fact that Taika Waititi is of New Zealand Maori descent and therefore disctintly non-Aryan just adds to the general comedic insanity of the satrical movie. Essentially it features a black Hitler.

I speculated that this fanatical Nazi child with Hitler as an imaginary friend is a reference to former US President Barack Obama. If you pay close attention there is a Nazi, Gestapo Agent Mueller. As in FBI Agent Robert Mueller.

Scarlett Johansson plays Jojo Rabbit's mother and her performance is amazing. Massively overdoing it for comedic effect in every scene.

I also don't think it would be possible for her to play the character as more Jewish. Creating the frequent spectacle of an outlandish stereotype of an overbearing Jewish mother marching in the HQ of the Hitler Youth and bossing them about.

Jojo Rabbit's mother is far from fanatical about the Nazi cause as he is. In fact she's an active member of the anti-Nazi resistance. To the point that she is hiding a teenage Jewish girl in the attic of the family home.

Israel won the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest. Prompting me to joke that we'd soon find out what Netta looked like once she'd lost some weight. Because she was going to spend the next year; ""Sweating like the proverbial Jew in the attic."

This prompted people to be outraged by my anti-Semitism. Tellingly American and European leftists who support BDS were the most outraged. Demanding I be immediately silenced.

Israel, particularly their Eurovision community, responded by basically declaring me their new king.

If you know about Jewish and particularly Israeli and Eurovision culture you would know that was exactly the type of joke called for at that moment.

In the movie Jojo Rabbit discovers the Jewish teenager hiding in the attic. He rationalises his decision not to turn her in by getting her to tell him all about Jews and their culture so he can write a sort of manual to better guard against them.

She responds by telling him some of the just most ridiculous secrets about Jews. Such as how they can control people's minds, they sleep upside down like bats and have horns growing of their heads. Those horns don't grow in until the mid-twenties though. So she's still waiting for hers. Like an angel waits for its wings.

I think the main reasons I have an above average knowledge about Israeli and particularly Israeli Eurovision culture is that I've been watching Eurovision since I think before I could talk. I also spent the five years between 2014 and 2019 reading an Israeli newspaper every day.

However I did briefly date an Israeli Jewish woman back in 2001. She's sometimes dubbed; "The Israeli Meghan Fox." Due to Meghan Fox playing her in the video for the Eminem and Rihanna song; "Love the Way You Lie."

If we're being honest though Thomasin McKensie is probably more accurate casting. Or at least more accurate costume and make-up. She was, after all, a very dirty Jew.

As hosts Israel were represented by at the 2019 Eurovison Song Contest Kobi Marimi. Who rose to prominance playing; "Natan/Nathan of Gaza" in the musical; "Messiah Now!" The Thomasin McKensie character keeps referencing her boyfriend, Nathan.

At Eurovision 2019 Iceland were represented by Hatari. Who are Situationist perfomance artists.

Part of Hatari's two week long performance included inventing this imaginary brand of Icelandic sparkling spring water called; "SodaDream." They insisted in drinking it at all their press conferences. In clear violation of the contest's sponsorship rules.

Bringing a whole new level to the Eurovision game Hatari even created a marketing campaign, including a web presence. All for this SodaDream product which simply does not exist.

It was all done as a very clear reference to Scarlett Johansson's 2014 Super Bowl commercial for SodaStream.

So it seems highly appropriate that Jojo Rabbit ended up winning the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

At around 16:05 on 10/2/20 (UK date) one movie per update seems appropriate.

Edited at around 17:55 on 10/2/20 (UK date) to copy & paste;

Hustlers & The Farewell: These two movies are noteworthy because they were not nominated in any of the Oscar categories.

Both were made by female directors. Both also feature majority female, non-white casts.

So, along with Greta Gerwig not being nominated for Best Director, their omission has added fuel to the fire of the Diversity debate. This began with the Black Lives Matter (BLM)/#OscarsSoWhite campaign and expanded with the #TimesUp/#MeToo campaigns.

Rather than being snubbed I think both of these movies were deliberately left out. In order to raise some valid but overlooked elements of the diversity debate.

Hustlers is a movie about strippers. In the wake of the 2008 Financial Crash they're suddenly struggling to make the money they once did. Leading them to start drugging their Wall Street banker clients in order to rob them.

So when you stop and think about it Hustlers is a movie about sex workers and criminals. Some pretty unpleasent criminals at that. Can really imagine a comedic crime caper about a group of Wall Street bankers drugging and humilating strippers?

Sex workers and criminals are topics which make a great many people uncomfortable. In middle-America, let alone in the rest of the World. There are still people who think sex workers are criminals.

So Hustlers isn't the type of movie that normally gets made by Hollywood studios. It certainly doesn't get recognised by the Oscars which are broadcast in primetime.

These types of stories about marginalised groups though have long been the preserve of the independent film industry.

Highbrow cinemaphiles actually look down on the Oscars as too mainstream and commercial. They're much more interested in independent film festivals. Such as the Sundance Film Festival. Or the Cannes Film Festival.

Independent cinema is celebrated by Hollywood. At the Independent Spirit Awards. Which take place the night before the Oscars ceremony.

So I don't think Hustlers and The Farewell were snubbed by the Oscars. So much as given as gifts to the Independent Spirit Awards. Which could take sole responsibility for showering them with the praise they deserve.

Hustlers was produced and stars Jennifer Lopez. Who performed the Super Bowl Half-Time show the previous Sunday (2/2/20). She used this really promote the movie Hustlers.

So you think that huge publicity from the Super Bowl would carry over and boost the profile of the Independent Spirit Awards. Particularly the Arts side of the Academy understand the importance of supporting the independent film industry.

In part the 2020 Super Bowl show was inspired by Greece's 2019 Eurovision Song Contest entry. Which in turn was really heavily inspired by the 2001 movie; "Lost And Delirious."

Lost And Delirious was produced and distributed by an absolutely tiny independent production company called Peccadillo Pictures. This is set up specifically to tell Gay and Queer stories. The trailers for some of their movies manage to make even me blush.

At Eurovision I sort of joked that Lost And Delirious is a Lesbian Porno. In the sense that it's got about 10 minutes of sex in it and about two hours of neutrotic emotional psychodrama.

The Mischa Barton character "Mary" really functions as a cipher for the relationship between Piper Perabo's character "Paulie" and the Jessica Pare character "Tori." Slightly predatory it is clear that Paulie is gay. However it is less clear whether Tori is actually also gay or has been pressured into the relationship.

When the relationship becomes public Tori immediately breaks it off with Paulie. Denying that she is gay and making a very public display or dating men/boys in an effort to show the World just how not gay she is. That obviously destroys Paulie emotionally.

Even today I think you would struggle to find a major Hollywood studio prepared to make a movie about a teenage lesbian love story. Particularly one which has strong overtones of coercion and possible rape. Certainly nobody would touch it back in 2001 when this movie was released.

Obviously it's not my experience so I can't really comment on it. However I think if you were a young gay woman growing up in some middle-America backwater it would be really important that you would be able to see such a movie. In order for you to see it somebody first has to get it made.

There is something important that those calling for more diversity seem not to have grasped. Being inducted into the Academy, let alone winning an Oscar is supposed to be the absolute peak of a filmmakers career. It is not supposed to be the first step.

Perhaps pointedly this year saw Brad Pitt recieve his first ever Oscar. Best Supporting Actor for his role in; "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood." That is after 33 years in the business and 5 nominations.

I, for one, think the guy who does Leonardo DiCaprio's stunts should have been rewarded with much more gold. Much earlier on.

Many of those who are now at their peak as filmakers spent many long years paying their dues and learning their craft. Often in tiny independent films that were hardly seen by anyone. Let alone showered with awards.

Long before Martin Scorsese made; "Goodfellas" for Warner Brothers in 1990 he was doing; "Who's That Knocking At My Door." In 1967 for Joesph Brenner & Associates.

Straight off the back of Lost & Delirious Piper Perabo went on to do; "Coyote Ugly." While Mischa Barton went on to do; "The O.C" and Jessica Pare went on to do; "Mad Men" and; "SEAL Team." Although TV shows which perhaps lack the glamour of Hollywood they're both certainly solid acting careers.

Particularly with Jessica Pare you suspect they pay for the more interesting things she does. Just like how; "Castle" pays for the more interesting things Stana Katic does. Like the Independent Spirit Awards.

Despite all the complaints about a lack of diversity and opportunity there is currently far more opportunity for young filmakers than there ever was before. The Farewell is a good example of this.

The Farewell is about an Chinese American woman who returns to China to be with her terminally ill grandmother. It is one of those character driven pieces which is all about emotions, families and cultural differences.

For this type of movie to be recognised at the Oscars one of its elements such as directing, writing or acting has to absolutely standout. I'm don't mean simply good or even excellent. It has to be amongst the best there has ever been.

It is though the type of movie that is traditionally produced and supported by the independent film industry.

Even if you are Martin Scorsese getting any movie made is a difficult task. In the past The Farewell's director Lulu Wang would have had to line up a dozen difference financiers. All paying a small part of the total budget.

Lulu Wang actually had the luxury of being able to choose between two, large backers who each wanted to fund her movie in its entirety. An online streaming service, I think Netflix, and the A24 independent production company she eventually opted for.

So it is hard not to question whether those complaining about the lack of diversity and opportunity are, in fact, not looking at the issue in the right way. An important talent for a filmaker.

I also can't help but think that by not being nominated both Hustlers & The Farewell are being talked about in ways they just wouldn't be if they'd simply been nominated but just not won.

At around 18:00 on 10/2/20 (UK date) there is obviously so much more to come.

Edited again at around 20:55 on 10/2/20 (UK date) to copy & paste;

Parasite: Unusually for a movie nominated for six Oscars Parasite is not American. It is not even in English.
It is from the Republic of Korea (RoK/South).

2020 is of course an Olympic year. With the Summer games to be held in Tokyo, Japan. This represents something of an Asian adventure for the Olympics. Following on from the 2018 Winter Games, held in PyeongChang in the RoK.

So Parasite serves as a little test. What have we all learnt about Asia, and South Korea in particular, since the 2018 Winter Olympics. We suspect it will be on the exam at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

The first thing we've learnt about Koreans is that they are really, really funny. Not only that they have a really cheeky, mischievous sense of humour.

A group of Asians who are certainly not to be mistaken for the incredibly reserved and deferential Japanese.

For example the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics began with the striking of the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok the Great. However the press releases the Korean hosts handed out to broadcasters claimed it was the "Peace Bell." Which was gifted to the United Nations by Japan in 1952.

The Koreans just wanted to see how many foreigners they could make look stupid.

Later on the Opening Ceremony introduced us to a popular character from Korean folklore. The Dokkaebi.

Mischevious spirits that live in the forestDokkaebi love to play pranks and practical jokes on humans. One of their favourite games is to block the paths of foreigners travelling through their part of the forest.

Obviously prior to the 2018 Winter Olympics I knew there were some funny Koreans. You even get German comedians these days.

I've seen Korean movies such as 2009's; "Thirst." This is billed as a horror movie in which a Catholic Priest is turned into a vampire and goes on a blood-thirsty killing spree.

It's really not though. It's really an absolute p*ss-take of the "Twilight" movies that were popular at the time.

Likewise I've seen 2015's; "Veteran." Which is billed as a martial-arts, police action movie.

It's not though. It's an absolute p*ss-take of all those martial-arts, police action movies. It is as if the 2011 Indonesian movie "The Raid" had been done as a slapstick comedy.

However I was never sure if these hilarious Koreans were an embarassment to their families.

Since the 2018 Winter Olympics I've learnt that no. The TV Show; "Family Guy" is basically the Korean national sense of humour.

Something worth remembering when US President Trump and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK/North Korea) Kim Jong Un are hurling childish insults at each other.

The other thing we've learnt since the 2018 Winter Olympics is that under former President Barack Obama the US Democrats tried to rig the 2016 Presidential Election.

They did this by simply copying then South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's much more successful attempt to rig South Korea's 2012 President Election. To ensure it was won by his designated successor Park Guen-hye.

This involved inventing the threat of; "Foreign Interference." Then tasking South Korea's equivalent of the FBI to combat that "Foreign Interference." By monitoring social media and removing any messages critical of Park Guen-hye or supportive of her opponent Moon Jae-in.

Well, I say; "We." Americans were almost completely shielded from this global discussion about how the Democrats tried and failed to rig the 2016 Presidental Election. They were all suddenly distracted by the massacre at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in the Parkland area of Florida.

Roughly 20% of the Korean population have the family name; "Park." Making it the original; "Parkland."

Parasite centres around the Kim family. Dirt poor they all live in a single room basement apartment. Floating from temporary job to temporary job they are essentially con-artists. Having to rely on cons and scams to get buy.

One day the son, Ki-woo, tricks his way into become the English tutor to the daughter of a wealthy family. Gradually the entire family trick their way into becoming the live-in household staff of this wealthy family. Conning and tricking them every step of the way.

So, at this stage, you would assume that the Kim's are the parasites of the movie's title. Living off, first society and then the wealthy family. Giving nothing back in return.

The wealthy family are the Parks.

In light of the US Democrat backed "March For Our Lives" which followed the Parkland massacre it is a biting satire. The parasites living off the backs of the Parks, in their own lands.

However as the movie goes on you get to see the dismissive way the Parks treat both their domestic staff and the poor in general. Making you wonder whether they are in fact the parasites, living off the backs of the poor.

It is that eternal question of who is the parasite and who is the exploited which runs throughout the social satire.

That question of; "Who's the Parasite?" no doubt provided lots of loaded and euphemistic discussions during the swirl of parties that make up the cultural season.

Given all the people who still seem to think they can get rich of my back it is a question I very much approve of. While trying to boost my profile by associating myself with the Oscars.

At around 21:00 on 10/2/20 (UK date) I will have to pick this up tomorrow.

Edited at around 10:20 on 11/2/20 (UK date) to copy & paste;

Parasite was the absolutely huge winner at this year's Oscars. Winning four of the six prizes it was nominated for. A 66% success rate.

At the Oscars there are the traditionally Big Four prizes; Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress. Parasite won two of these Big Four;

Best Picture and Best Director for Bong Joon-ho.

Ethnically speaking the cast and crew of Parasite are fairly typical for Korea. However they most certainly represent an ethnic minority in America. They are far removed from the supposed old, white, straight men who keep the #OscarsSoWhite.

As a result Parasite's success obviously makes a large contribution to the diversity debate.

One of the current hot topics within the diversity debate is the somewhat dubious concept of; "Unconcious Bias." Apparently members of the Academy suffer from a deeply ingrained racism. This prevents them from seeing past a person's skin colour and cultural background and understanding the brilliance of their work.

Honestly it's getting embarassing to watch Britain even try at the moment. However the British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) now employs; "Unconcious Bias Consultants." Black people who are employed to help members of BAFTA to understand their racism.

Parasite's success really drives a coach and horses through that argument.

The Academy has been able to see past the fact that Parasite's cast and crew have a different skin colour. They've been able to see past the fact they speak and entirely different language. They've also been able to see past the fact they come from a significantly different cultural background. Meaning that the movie has a very different visual style or language to it.

That really cuts to the heart of the diversity debate. Particularly the #OscarsSoWhite campaign.

It seems pretty clear the people behind that campaign are not interested in a society free from racism. Where talented people are able to achieve regardless of their race or cultural background. Instead they simply want to carve out a special advantage for their particular ehtnic group.

In truth it probably goes even further than that. They're not even interested in their ethnic group. They just want, for themselves, the job, rewards and success they are not talented enough to earn and do not deserve.

That feeds into the wider Affirmative Action debate. Particularly over university admissions. In the name of; "equality" US universities are allowed to reject highly qualified Asian candidates in favour of poorly qualified black candidates.

There is currently a case on just this matter making its way through the American Courts. Harvard University's argument is that allowing in too many Asians would disrupt campus and collegiate life. They're argument is seriously;

"We're not being racist. We just don't like Asians." 

Part Two to follow.

10:25 on 11/2/20 (UK date).

Super Bowl LIV.

Yesterday (2/2/20) saw the 54th Super Bowl.

This is widely seen as one of the high holidays of the American cultural season.

Something which really begins with the Golden Globe nominations in early December. Then carries through to the Oscars in mid-February. February 9th this year (9/2/20).

Particularly the Super Bowl Half-Time show is really the American equivalent of the Eurovision Song Contest.

As it does every year the Super Bowl began with the singing of the national anthem. Something which, due to Colin Kaepernick and the Black Lives Matter (BLM), has become itself rather controversial in recent years.

National Anthem: This year the national anthem was performed by Demi Lovato.

America is currently in the grip of an Opioid Epidemic. It has somewhere in the region of 2.1 million Opioid addicts. Resulting in some 70,000 Opioid overdose deaths each year.

To put that in perspective America typically only sees around 40,000 gun deaths each year.

Yet you don't see political candidates taking out expensive commercials calling for action to combat Opioid deaths. Or mass marches through the streets demanding change.

Demi Lovato herself very nearly became a high profile victim of America's Opioid Epidemic. Barely surviving an accidental overdose in August 2018.

Along with her appearance at The Grammy Awards on January 26th (26/1/20) this Super Bowl performance is a planned part of Demi Lovato's reintroduction back into public life.

As such it is impossible for Demi Lovato's Super Bowl performance not to highlight America's Opioid Epidemic. Particularly when they make her stand on a small, white, oval stage. Shaped rather like an Opioid tablet.

There of course are many causes behind America's Opioid Epidemic. Not least the actions of the pharmaceutical companies which make the drugs.

Like street dealers they have figured out the obvious thing. If you can get your customers addicted to your product they have to keep coming back. Allowing your profits to soar.

Something that was addressed in the lawsuit brought by 35 US States against 4 of the biggest US Opioid manufacturers. Which was settled in October 2019.

The Opioid Epidemic also touches on the popularity of current President Donald Trump. We are now in an Election Year.

The Opioid Epidemic has truly affected all sections of American society. Regardless of age, race or wealth. However the white working classes have been particularly hard hit. With addiction and deaths clustering around remote, often rural middle America. States such as Ohio and Oklahoma.

Sometimes described as; "The Rust Belt" these are the communities devastated by the decline in US manufacturing and the good quality jobs it provides. With no jobs, no future and no hope desperate people turn to Opioids as a way to escape.

These are the people who support President Trump.

The Opioid Epidemic is also one of the many, severe failures of former US President Barack Obama. His "Obamacare" Affordable Care Act seemed designed to get people addicted to Opioids.

Chronic pain management is one of the huge challenges faced by medical professionals. By definition there is nothing they can do to fix the thing that is causing the pain. Being constantly in severe pain obviously puts patients in a very bad mood.

Therefore there has always been huge pressure for doctors to prescribe Opioid painkillers to chronic pain patients. Despite the high risk of them becoming addicted and dying.

Obamacare introduced a system which allowed patients to rate their doctors. Doctors with low ratings suffer financial penalties as a result. This allows chronic pain sufferers and just out-and-out drug seekers to fine doctors who behave professionally and refuse to get them addicted to Opioids.

Given the theme of racial division and aggression that ran through Obama's presidency you're almost tempted to suggest he was deliberately using Obamacare in an effort to kill off the white working classes. Sadly though the reality is nothing as dramatic. Like so many other things Obama simply didn't think through the details.

The Opioid Epidemic has also been an element of the Trade War between the US and China. Something President Trump has been forced to wage in order to improve the lives of the people most affected by the Opioid Epidemic.

Aside from the wider, abstract link Opioids themselves have been an agenda item in the trade talks. A lot of synthetic Opioids such as Fentanyl are made in China then smuggled into the US. One result of the Trade War is that China is now seriously cracking down on synthetic Opioid production and smuggling.

Demi Lovato's overdose actually hit surprisingly close to home with me.

It happened as I was preparing to visit my mothers in Salisbury, UK. Something Britain decided to highlight by faking a Chemical Weapons attack on a Prezzo restaurant in the city. Another chapter in the long-running Skripal saga.

Britain of course poisoned the Skripals as talking point at the 2018 Winter Olympics. In no small part in reference to the shift in the recreational drugs market towards, often Chinese made, synthetics. Prior to Tom Tugendhat taking his bribe it was reported as an accidental Fentanyl overdose.

As such there was a strong possibility that Demi Lovato's overdose could have been political in nature.

For example Demi Lovato is of Greek heritage. Greece has a long running dispute with its neighbour Turkey. Turkey being the country which has actually been using Chemical Weapons in Syria. Greece's relationship with Turkey has also been further fractured by the Migration Crisis. The so-called Balkan Route.

Greece has also had a long-running dispute with its other neighbour, FYR Macedonia. Which resulted in the European Union (EU) imposing a name change on North Macedonia. In order to allow it to become an EU member. The Western Balkans issue. Which really goes back to former US President Bill Clinton's efforts to avoid Impeachment by helping Islamist economic migrants from Albania steal part of Serbia.

Honestly I think I would have preferred it if Demi Lovato's overdose had been political in nature. The reality doesn't show me in a particularly good light.

I think Demi Lovato has been quite open with her problems regarding body image and eating disorders. These are issues that I'm particularly attuned to. Allowing me to see how they're of such significance they affect her work.

If you look back over her music videos you might notice that Demi Lovato doesn't allow herself to be filmed from the waist down. A stark contrast with what was on full display during the Half-Time Show.

Over the summer of 2018 I vaguely noticed that Demi Lovato was slowly allowing herself to be filmed from the waist down. Indicating an improvement in her body image issues. So the night before her overdose I was lurking on her Instagram account. Essentially trying to see how many pictures she'd posted showing her legs, hips, thighs etc.

So I have nasty worries about Demi Lovato hearing rumours about me lurking on her Instagram and knowing why I was looking. Then taking a drugs overdose.

My objective of course was to kill time. Not Demi Lovato.

The Game: Often referred to as; "The Boring Bit Between the Half-Time Show and the Commercials."

This saw the National Football Conference (NFC) champions the San Francisco 49's take on the American Football Conference (AFC) champions the Kansas City Chiefs.

San Francisco 49's: San Francisco is widely recognised as America's gay capital. A bastion of Progressive, Liberal values.

It is also home to Silicon Valley. America's tech powerhouse. Which has increasingly been trying to impose those Liberal, Progressive values on both America and the wider World.

Such as by banning anyone who dares criticise the US Democrat Party from Social Media. Myself included.

Kansas City Chiefs: Here they were representing what is often referred to as; "Middle-America." Essentially everything between the deeply Democrat California on the West Coast and the deeply Democrat New England(ish) region on the East Coast.

It is this area which is the true America. Due to the Electoral College it is voters here that decide America's election. Ohio has long been described as; "The Bellweather State." The old adage being that whomever wins Ohio wins the White House.

There is the US State of Kansas which is home to a Kansas City. However the Kansas City Chiefs are from the Kansas City in the neighbouring State of Missouri.

Although Progressive Liberals in San Francisco probably think Kansas City is in the State of Oklahoma. Given their passion for musical theatre. Such as 1944's; "Oklahoma!"

Democrats apparent inability to tell these so-called; "Fly-Over States" apart being a big part of the fun.

I gather President Trump has been on fine Trolling form.

Due to a questionable moustache the Kansas City Chief's coach Andy Reid bears a passing resemblance to former US National Security Adviser John Bolton. Current - at time of writing - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is from the State of Kansas.

Both John Bolton and Mike Pompeo are part of the Neo-Conservative movement. The ideology which brought America the invasion of Afghanistan, the invasion of Iraq, the creation of ISIL and the second war in Iraq.

All in pursuit of the eternal dream of a final, apocalyptic war with Iran.

Across the first two quarters both sides were evenly matched. Going into Half-Time tied at 10-10.

Brought to you by the Liberal Arts you would think the Half-Time Show would support San Francisco. It certainly ended with Shakira abandoning the Red of Kansas City in favour of the Gold of San Francisco's helmets. While Jennifer Lopez was in the White Gold of San Francisco's helmets and pants.

This did indeed seem to give San Francisco a boost. By the end of the third quarter they'd opened up, a seemingly unassailable 20-10 lead.

With just six minutes left in the fourth quarter Kansas City pegged them back to 20-14.

With only two minutes of the game left there was moment of controversy. Kansas City's Damien Williams claimed to have scored a Touchdown. However even I could see that his right-foot was out-of-bounds meaning that a Touchdown had not been scored.

What soccer fans would describe as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) though declared that a Touchdown had been scored. It was converted giving Kansas City an obviously undeserved 20-24 lead.

Bitter arguments where avoided though when Kansas City scored and converted another Touchdown with one minute left. Allowing them to win the game 20-31.

Putting everyone's focus and attention on Kansas and their coach Andy Reid.

Given his threats to take revenge for his most recent firing by testifying at President Trump's impeachment you're practically being invited to suggest 2031 is the first year John Bolton could be considered for parole.

At this point the fact that John Bolton really should be in prison is now just completely beyond debate.

(Originally Posted 17:30 on 4/2/20 (UK date).)

Half-Time Show: https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2020/02/super-bowl-liv-half-time-show_8.html

19:10 on 8/2/20 (UK date) 

Super Bowl LIV: Half-Time Show.

A direct continuation of; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2020/02/super-bowl-liv_8.html

Half-Time Show: This year's Half-Time Show was billed as having two headliners; Shakira and Jennifer Lopez (J-Lo).

It turned out though to be the Shakira Show. J-Lo was relegated to the role of the Legacy Act. A Super Bowl tradition where a much older, almost forgotten, artist is brought on for a guest-slot in the main performer's show.

Possibly the most famous Legacy Act was Janet Jackson's appearance during Justin Timberlake's 2004 Half-Time Show. The infamous; "Nipplegate."

In the summer of 2014 US Democrats were desperate to seize control of both houses of the US Congress. At that November's Mid-Term Election.

So they invented a story of an innocent black man, Michael Brown, being murdered by racist police in Ferguson, Missouri. On the back of this myth they built the artificial protest movement Black Lives Matter (BLM).

Through Colin Kaepernick's National Anthem protests this false campaign infected the world of American Football. Since then the Super Bowl has been as politically divided as the rest of America. Possibly more so.

This has made it particularly difficult for the NFL to book performers for the Super Bowl Half-Time Show. Off the top of my head Rihanna and Cardi B are just two of the artists who've turned down the Half-Time Show. Scared off by the potential backlash from BLM.

Although it's worth noting that didn't stop Beyonce, a vocal supporter of BLM, appearing in 2016. Nor has it stopped her husband Jay Z, an equally passionate supporter of BLM, from continuing his role as the Super Bowl's artistic director.

This year the NFL decided to provide leadership to the nation and put the division of BLM behind it. Attempting to end the black versus white conflict by actively reaching out to America's Hispanic community.

So for the first time the Super Bowl was broadcast with both English and Spanish language commentary.

The two Half-Time performers, Shakira and J-Lo, are both Hispanic women. Possibly two of the most famous Hispanic women in the World. Shakira is not just of Latin American heritage she is Latin American. A native of Colombia.

If you came into the Super Bowl supporting the San Francisco 49's you would probably have found yourself struggling to find the words to describe either Shakira or J-Lo.

While I know it hasn't fully taken hold at the grassroots level homosexuality now seems to have become completely normalised within American popular culture. No longer is it taboo to show openly gay characters in movies, TV shows and the TV commercials which are such an important part of the Super Bowl.

Here in Britain tolerance has risen to such a level it has almost gone beyond parody. If you were to judge Britain only by the commercials shown on TV you would inevitably conclude two things;

Firstly that the majority of people in Britain are in homosexual relationships.

Of the small minority of people who are in heterosexual relationships there is a law. Preventing them from being in a relationship with someone who shares their skin colour.

As a general rule; The more inclusive the commercial the scummier the company it's promoting.

If a commercial features peak inclusivity - a mixed race gay couple raising multi-coloured children - then it is probably a commercial for Barclay's Bank. Which traditionally makes its money through slavery and selling Crack Cocaine and assault rifles to children. Amongst other things.

Homosexuality being, I would say rightly, normalised has created huge problems for Progressive Liberals. They now need whole new ways to signal to each other how virtuous and interesting they are.

For a short time the focused in on the Transgenderism.

Unfortunately for them through Castor Semenya and the Olympic movement Transgenderism has already been normalised at the highest levels of the global community. In societies such as India and Thailand it was never considered particularly abnormal.

So Progressive Liberals have been forced to invent whole new elements of the Transgender debate. Making up nonsense terms such as; "Gender Fluidity" and a vast array of new gender pronouns. Each more ridiculous than the last.

This absolute foolishness has created some significant tensions with the traditional Feminist community. Themselves rather liberal they're now being accused of Fascism for daring to claim that men have penises while women have periods.

This issue of Gender Pronouns has been of particular interest to America's Spanish speaking communities. Unlike English, Spanish is a gendered language. So not only do people have genders inanimate objects have genders. So a table has a gender, a car has a gender and so forth. Even abstract concepts like emotions have genders.

Amongst the most commonly used examples is that a Hispanic man is a; "Latino" while a Hispanic woman is a; "Latina."

Spanish speaking Progressive Liberals have recently been on something of a mad quest to invent and introduce gender neutral pronouns. Some suggestions including; "LatinX" and the even more comical; "Latin@".

The gender neutral pronoun for someone of Latin heritage is, of course, just; "Latin."

Suggesting that if Progressive Liberals wish to appear more interesting they should probably stop talking and read a book.

The Half-Time Show found Shakira in a subversive mood.

The NFL may have booked her in an effort to get Hispanic soccer fans interested in American Football. I doubt though they counted on the risk of Shakira introducing NFL fans to her common-law husband. The incredibly famous Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique.

I'm sure every soccer fan in the World, particularly Hispanic ones, know how Shakira and Gerard Pique came to meet.

Shakira's involvement means that I do have to declare something of a personal interest;

Recently people seem to have developed an unhealthy interest in my sex life.

The 2019 Eurovision Song Contest was held in Israel. Which prompted interest in a Menage a Trios (House of Three) I was involved in. With a bisexual Jewish, Israeli woman and her black British lesbian girlfriend.

Having been forced to check the dates I've recently discovered that did slightly overlap with a much more famous Menage a Trios I was involved. Featuring myself, a white British bisexual woman and her white British lesbian girlfriend. This is practically a World famous "Thrupple."

It does perhaps say something about Britain's position in the World. That they've only succeeded in kidnapping not even the most interesting bisexual woman I've dated.

That biting comment aside I think I've already made clear that I won't be posting the intimate details of either of those relationships simply to win arguments on the Internet. That, surely, would be the emotional equivalent of Revenge Porn.

However I think there is one thing that is already well known;

When we first met the white, British, bisexual woman had returned from travelling to various countries in South America.

She couldn't stop talking about this exciting new singer she'd discovered there. From the way she talked about her you'd think that Shakira was some ubercool, avant garde folk artist.

When Shakira broke through in the English speaking pop world it merely confirmed the one thing we'd all suspected. She simply had an absolutely massive crush on Shakira.

Actually, thinking about it in this light, 2019nCoV is a redhead. So may well have been modelled on Shakira. Not that you'd immediately notice from meeting her.

So, for a long time, it has been rather unavoidable that my antics impact somewhat on Shakira.

Much like other aspects in her seemingly perfect life Shakira seems to have been more than able to take it all in her stride. She even teamed up with me on Rihanna back in 2014. For; "Can't Remember to Forget You."

I don't think Ariana Grande should be defined by the 2017 MENA bombing. Nor do I think Demi Lovato should be defined by her overdose.

So I don't think Rihanna should be eternally defined by that period of her life. However still in love with Chris Brown it was a period where we could all see that Rihanna really needed to sort her life out.

The main theme of the Can't Remember to Forget You video was one of binary contrast.

So you had the empowered, successful and together musician Shakira playing guitar and playing drums. In contrast to the slight disaster area Rihanna who simply lay about smoking cigars (Marijuana blunts).

In light of the Trump Impeachment those cigars suddenly take on a whole new significance. Given Demi Lovato's Balkan heritage.

The theme of contrast in the Can't Remember to Forget You was particularly highlighted by the use of a two-tone, contrasting black & white colour scheme.

There is a very famous British record label called; "2-Tone." One of their most famous artists are; "The Specials." Until they split up and some members relaunched themselves as; "The Special AKA."

My Twitter handle - @Sovereignaka - is, in part a reference to the band. Although mainly it's a play on my many pseudonyms. Even if that might overstate the level of thought that went into it.

So through Can't Remember to Forget You Shakira was very firmly shoving Rihanna in my direction.

This theme of binary contrast also played a significant role in the Half-Time Show.

So you had the successful, together musician Shakira playing guitar and playing drums. While J-Lo pranced about with no obvious musical talent to show for herself.

The main theme of the Half-Time Show though was menstruation and female reproductive health.

So you had the younger Shakira being all flowing reds. While in contrast the older J-Lo suddenly found herself in the barren whites.

This is theme of menstruation and female reproductive health was really begun by Greece's 2019 Eurovision Song Contest entry. Which unapologetically brought heterosexual female issues to an event famous for its very gay male fanbase.

Annoyingly it is a theme that I'm going to have to allow to flow through, uninterrupted to the Oscars on Sunday (9/2/20).

Shakira opened the show with her 2009 song; "She Wolf." One of her biggest English language hits this really celebrates her passionate, wild side.

I don't really like to talk about it, let alone publish it on the Internet. However my childhood was pretty grim. There are of course reasons why I'm so attuned to Demi Lovato's issues with body image and the behavioural tells that expose them. As a deflection I used to joke that I'd been raised by wolves.

I can certainly think of one huge Shakira fan who by 2009 had been consigned to a closet in an abusive effort to domesticate her."Domestication" referring to a process of forced, selective breeding. Similar to the Nazi's Eugenics program.

Mainly though this sequence was used just to establish the flowing, menstrual red theme.

Next Shakira moved onto her 2014 song; "Empire." This allowed to Shakira to show off her obvious musical talent, playing the guitar. Setting up the contrast with J-Lo, who is not able to so obviously show off her musical talents.

Performing in front of a string orchestra this sequence also contained elements of Led Zeppelin's 1975 song; "Kashmir." Which features possibly the most famous guitar riff in all of rock music. It's use here was incredibly intelligent.

The dispute between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir region is probably the most famous so-called; "Frozen Conflict" in history. Military types often speculate that if the World is to see a nuclear apocalypse it will start in Kashmir.

Recently the Kashmir dispute dramatically heated up.

In August 2019 India suddenly scrapped the special status afforded to the Indian administered part of Kashmir. Sealing it off from the World and removing many of the most basic rights of the people living there.

India's sealing off of Kashmir stopped its residents from being able to access day-to-day goods. Such as feminine hygiene products.

This sudden change was widely seen as an aggressively anti-Muslim move by India's Hindu Nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Something he went on to make pretty clear in December 2019. With the Amendment to the 1955 Citizenship Act which basically removed Indian citizenship from many of India's Muslims. Simply on the grounds they are Muslims.

This is the sort of heavy, important, global issue that we're not used to seeing raised at Super Bowl Half-Time Shows.

While the dispute between India and Pakistan is famous everyone seems to forget that it is actually a three way dispute over Kashmir. A third of the territory is administered by China. India and China actually fought a war over Kashmir in 1962.

The Kashmir Region is on completely the opposite side of Pakistan to Afghanistan. However the Led Zeppelin song; "Kashmir" is really about Afghan Opium.

So in that, what, two second riff Shakira also managed to link China to Opioids. Picking up neatly from the National Anthem sequence.

The history linking China with Opioids is a long one. Including the 1839-1860 "Opium Wars." A source of trade tension between Britain and China to this day.

The Led Zeppelin song; "Kashmir" also name-checks the mythical place; "Shangri-La." Currently used to designate the area of Syria controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF/QSD).

President Trump, Mike Pompeo and John Bolton might be trying to pretend that war is suddenly won and over. No-one is convinced.

Shakira then moved on to perform her 1998 Spanish language song; "Ojos Asi." This saw her perform a Belly-Dance with a rope that first seemed to bind her hands. Before she was able to charm it like a snake.

This was a reference to Shakira's Arab heritage. "Shakira" is actually an Arabic word meaning; "Grateful." Her father was born in northern Lebanon before emigrating to Colombia.

In talking about my relationship with a Jewish, Israeli woman I joked that I was; "Bombing Beirut" - the Lebanese capital. In reference to the 2008 Israeli movie; "Waltz With Bashir." Which is about Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon.

I should point out that this relationship happened in 2001. So while it might be the first you've heard of it I knew all about it during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War. I certainly knew all about it during the 2008 Gaza War.

Britain's Foreign Intelligence and Diplomatic services spent the later half of 2019 absolutely bombing in everywhere from Santiago, Chile to Hong Kong, China. Via Beirut, Lebanon. After mistakenly thinking they were qualified to go out without adult supervision.

Perhaps not the best preparation for Brexit.

Both Belly-Dancing and Snake Charming are traditionally Ottoman Turkish traditions. They spread throughout the Middle-East, North Africa (MENA) region under the Ottoman Empire of 1299 to 1922.

So once again it seems time to discreetly draw Trump, Pompeo, Bolton et al's attention to those funny road markings. Particularly as the mountains seem to be having a bloody good go at someone at the moment.

I've decided the specific 'snake' Shakira was charming was a Cobra. In reference to the 2005 song; "Cobrastyle" by Swedish popstar Robyn.

This is a useful way to wind up Rihanna.

Rihanna's actual first name is Robyn. However she is forced to use her middle name Rihanna because there is already a popstar called Robyn.

It should particularly wind up Rihanna that I actually possess a copy of Robyn's 2007 self-titled album but do not possess any of Rihanna's music.

Although it must be said that I have absolutely no idea how I came to be in possession of Robyn's album. I've not ruled out someone sneaking into my house to leave it there.

Both Shakira and Rihanna are signed to Jay Z's Roc Nation record label. Robyn is signed to Konichwa Records. The record label she set up.

"Konnichi Wa" is a Japanese greeting. The 2020 Summer Olympics are to be held in Tokyo, Japan.

Let's just say Britain has an opinion as to why it was granted the privilege of hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics. Other people have other opinions.

At the time of my participation in that World Famous Thrupple I briefly shared a house with a guy who worked at the British Government's Cabinet Office Briefing Room A (COBRA).

Similar to the US White House's Situation Room this is the briefing room used to assemble committees to respond to substantial threats to the UK. Although I should point out it refers to literally just the room. There is also a Cabinet Office Briefing Room B (COBRB).

This guy was actually of Hong Kong Chinese heritage. So we used to either refer to him as; "Cobra Jo" in reference to his practice of the Akido martial art. Or; "Jolene" in reference to the Dolly Parton song. Depending on the extent to which we wished to mock him.

Through the case of Reynhard Sinaga Britain is currently trying to present him as the main architect of the 2006 plan. Which saw the She Wolf consigned to the closet and me banished. This is being timed to link up with the Sky TV drama; "COBRA." A "Chernobyl" rip-off about a Britain facing a sudden loss of power.

It must really hurt them then to be reminded that Cobrastyle was already being mocked all the way back in 2005. The 2007 album is a track-by-track, brutal take-down of their efforts.

I gather at the time Robyn was dating a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter.

Shakira then moved on to perform her 2001 breakthrough English language hit; "Whenever, Wherever."

It was this transition from Ojos Asi to Whenever, Wherever that confirmed what we all already knew. Somebody has got an absolutely massive crush on Shakira.

This sequence ended with Shakira flowing down a red, vaginal canal of backing dancers. Into a cover version of the Cardi B song; "I Like It Like That."

Cardi B being one of the artists who've refused to perform at the Super Bowl in support of Colin Kaepernick. The reference here seemed to suggest that the real reason is that she's not talented enough. She certainly wasn't talented enough to keep one of her songs out of the Super Bowl.

You may remember that in December 2019 the World went through something of a crazy period. With the US House of Representatives voting to recommend the Impeachment of President Trump. the COP25 Climate Change Summit and Britain's Brexit General Election.

During this period Carbi B was being the first major US star to tour West Africa. Nations such as Ghana and Nigeria. You know, the Nigeria at the centre of that whole Boko Haram horror show.

Let's just say I think I've made a new friend. Amongst people who've been forced to endure Ed Sheeran up close. Even if I may have suggested they might lack the type of intelligence that motherhood requires.

The reason why Cardi B was unable to keep I Like It Like That out of the Super Bowl is that it's not actually her song. She didn't write it so doesn't own either the performance rights to it.

That is in stark contrast to someone like Robyn. Who not only writes her own music but publishes it through her own record labels. So owns the full rights to it. An example I'm betting Taylor Swift wishes she had followed.

I Like It Like That was actually written by Pete Rodriguez back in 1967. However let's all engage in a little bit of artistic license and pretend it was written by Bad Bunny.The Puerto Rican rapper who provided the Spanish language element of the song.

That's because Bad Bunny also appeared here providing a Spanish language rap. However that was from his 2019 song; "Callaita." Which I'm sure gave Spanish speakers a good laugh about whether non-Spanish speakers could tell the difference.

Bad Bunny appeared dressed head-to-toe in what appeared to be Tinfoil. The type of Tinfoil conspiracy theorists are said to wrap their heads in to prevent the government from harvesting their brainwaves. Or something.

So this was a Puerto Rican, and therefore stereotypical Democrat voter, surrounded by the Communist red of Russia.

Wearing a Tinfoil Hat.

Finally in this section Shakira performed her 2005 hit; "Hips Don't Lie." From the album; "Oral Fixation."

Part of the performance saw Shakira fall backwards off the stage and crowd-surf through the audience.

The playing field during the Super Bowl is probably the most secure place in all of America.

So the crowd for the Half-Time show have not simply brought tickets. They've been specially selected, security screened, screened again and screened again. They're as much part of the performance as the on-stage dancers.

Despite this Shakira did not allow herself to be carried by the actual crowd. Instead she fell into the arms of clearly identifiable members of her personal security team.

This invoked the Closing Ceremony of the 2016 Summer Para-Olympic Games.

During Nego do Borel's performance the arena security guards suddenly became a lot more solid. On account of one of Nego do Borel's collaborators, MC Daleste, being shot & killed at a similar free concert in 2013.

Primarily though here Shakira was trying to highlight the issue of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Particularly groping at concerts and live music events.

This has been an issue since I was young and going to concerts. Not that the type of crowds I associated with would ever tolerate that sort of thing.

It sort of grew into a wider issue in 2016 though. When Asylum Seekers carried out a number of rapes and sexual assaults at festivals across Europe. Notably at the 2015/16 New Year's celebrations in Cologne and other German cities. Along with Sweden's "We are Sthlm" festival.

The backlash did lead quite a few people to question why people were only suddenly outraged because it's non-white Asylum Seekers doing something that's been a problem for as long as I can remember. Since then quite a few very high profile music acts have taken public stands on the issue.

Having returned to the stage Shakira stared straight down the lens of the camera. Stuck her tongue out and wiggled it about.

I guarantee what a certain person interpreted this to mean. Particularly during the performance of a song from an album with the word; "Oral" in the title.

However, officially this was an example of; "Ululation." A type of traditional female singing that is common throughout the MENA region. For the likes of Mike Pompeo and John Bolton it is no doubt famous as what Iranian women do as Iranian men chant; "Death To America!"

This was another little reference to Shakira's Lebanese, Arab heritage. Pompeo, Bolton etc will still no doubt be surprised to learn that Iranians are not Arabs.

You may have thought that menstruation and female reproductive health was a rather shocking topic for an event that is typically for conservative, middle-American, white men.

That's probably because you lack the imagination to consider its impact on the wider, global audience.

Particularly in Arab MENA societies such as Lebanon. Where they still indulge in practises such as child marriage and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

Those outdated attitudes to woman and their genitals are of course not limited to the Arab or even Muslim world.

Within Hinduism there is the practice of Chhuapadi which declares menstruating women to be impure. Banning them from not just any contact with family members but from their homes themselves. Forcing them into isolation in special menstrual huts.

In places such as India and Nepal it remains alarmingly common for girls and young woman to die of thirst, starvation and exposure during this Chhuapadi seclusion.

With the end of the song Shakira's section gave way to J-Lo's.

I will cover that in Part 2.

(Originally Posted at16:25 on 6/2/20 (UK date).)

18:30 on 8/2/20 (UK date).

Super Bowl LIV: Half-Time Show Pt.2.

A direct continuation of Part 1;https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2020/02/super-bowl-liv-half-time-show_8.html

J-Lo began her segment with her 2002 hit; "Jenny From The Block." She appeared atop of a stripper's pole.

This was a brief reference to the 2019 movie; "Hustlers." Which stars and was produced by J-Lo. Although we are currently in the midst of the American awards season this movie has been well received by critics and won a number of awards in independent film competitions.

This both served to promote the movie and as a reminder to the some of the younger, more easily "triggered," viewers;

Long before she was a popstar Jennifer Lopez was a pretty accomplished actress.

As I've said the Half-Time Show was really the Shakira show. With J-Lo relegated to the role of Legacy Act. The drunk Auntie at the wedding we all get to make jokes about.

Rather than being offended on J-Lo's behalf perhaps we should be congratulating her. For being a big enough person to accept the smaller role. In a show she definitely helped produce.

J-Lo was clad in a black leather outfit. A direct reference to the black leather outfit worn by the most famous Legacy Act of all time. Janet Jackson at the 2004 Super Bowl.

This was a jab at the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) and its absurd; "No Nipples Rule." This defines sexual content purely on the presence or absence of female nipples.

In the previous sequence Shakira has simulated performing oral sex on another woman. A woman who was menstruating at the time.

The FCC is apparently fine with this sort of rather graphic sexual content. But show it a flash of a woman's nipple for a fraction of a second and it will completely lose its mind.

Accompanied by Asian female dancers J-Lo descended from the pole. In reference to Constance Wu. Star of the movie Hustlers.

Constance Wu is probably most famous for the 2015-2020 TV show; "Phresh Off The Boat" and the 2018 movie; "Crazy Rich Asians." Or perhaps for the massive meltdown she had at being held to her Phresh Off The Boat contract, preventing her from starring in more movies.

This little reference promotes all sorts of discussions about the empowerment of Asian Americans in both the entertainment industry and America society more widely.

Particularly the Affirmative Action policy which allows Harvard University to reject Asian candidates in favour of African American ones. Officially on the grounds that no-one likes being around Asians.

It also references the US/China Trade War. The Opioid element of which was a running theme of the entire Super Bowl.

It is of course impossible to mention President Trump's China policy without mocking former President Obama's China policy. To this day Obama seems to believe that all of Asia is made up of just two countries; "China" and "Not China."

Having hobbled her way down from the pole J-Lo performed her 2001 song; "Get It Right." She was accompanied by male backing dancers in the contrasting, Two-Tone colour scheme of the video for "Can't Remember To Forget You" by Shakira and Rihanna.

This was intended to appear as J-Lo suddenly looking up from her performance and going to Shakira;

"Hang On. WTF?! Am I meant to be Rihanna?!"

During the song J-Lo carried a walking cane. As if she needed it to support her aged and decrepit body.

This was a deservedly malicious swipe at the 61 year old Madonna. Who has been forced to cancel a number of shows on her current; "Madame X" tour due to her elderly knees no longer being up to it.

Really the first show of Madonna's Madame X tour was the half-time performance at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest, held in Israel.

Unlike at the Super Bowl at Eurovision the half-time performance is really no big deal. It's really more the background noise as everyone rushes around trying to cast and collate votes.

During that performance Madonna used dancers with Israeli and Palestinian flags glued to the backs of their costumes. In a serious violation of Eurovision's golden "No Overt Politics" rule.

Rather than being a commentary of the Israel/Palestine conflict this was Madonna taking a malicious swipe at Rihanna.

During the 2014 Gaza War Rihanna Tweeted a picture, shot from behind, of an Israeli Jewish boy and a Palestinian boy with their arms around each other. In an apparent call for peace and unity.

The problem was that amongst people who know their way around the Israel/Palestine conflict this photo entitled; "Coexistence" is well known. It was staged entirely by the photographer Ricki Rosen. Both of the boys are Israeli Jews.

I think Madonna can consider herself paid back. Rihanna's fans may see the matter differently.

As the song ended J-Lo turned to leave the stage for a quick costume change. This allowed you to glimpse a small, white detail at the rear of the crotch of her leather thong.

This was obviously Versace couture. However the intent was for you to speculate that it was a sanitary pad. Or at J-Lo's/Madonna's age an incontinence pad.

I think Progressive Liberals obsession with Trangenderism and; "Gender Fluidity" peaked in October 2019.

When Always, one of the leading global manufacturers of sanitary pads, announced that it would remove all references to women from its product packaging. It did not want to imply that it's products were used by women.

I think that displays an almost offensive lack of understanding of Transgenderism. If a intersex person born female decides to identify as male the long and painful process of confirming their male gender is certainly not complete if they're still using sanitary pads.

Many feminists are also offended by the idea that a man in a dress can truly understand what it is to be a woman without having to go through the near lifelong nuisance of bleeding every month.

In their virtuous understanding, somewhere along the line, Progressive Liberals seem to have gotten Transgender people confused with circus drag acts.

To perform her 1999 Spanish language song; "Waiting For Tonight" J-Lo reemerged, once again atop of the stripper pole. This time clad in an outfit many people have described as; "Silver."

Let me assure you that oh no, Jenny from the Block does not wear mere silver. She wears gold, pure white gold or nothing at all.

In Miami, the city at the centre of the 1983 movie; "Scarface" it seems churlish to mention Opioids without, at least once, mentioning Cocaine.

During this sequence J-Lo performed what can only be described as a pole dance routine. The green lasers representing the green dollar bills thrown at strippers.

This was another promotion for the movie Hustlers. It was also another reference to Cardi B. Who still doesn't seem talented enough to keep herself out of the Super Bowl she said she'd never appear at.

Cardi B rather famously did actually work as a stripper and pole dancer. Using it to fund her song writing and the social media videos which launched her music career. As a result she has a role in the Hustlers movie and provides a song for its soundtrack.

I can't pretend to know what the on set relationships were like during the filming of Hustlers. However I suspect that unlike Madonna, and someone else I could mention, both Rihanna and Cardi B were informed about and consented to all these jokes in advance.

The sequence also served as a reminder of J-Lo's 2016 residency at the Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas. And a promotion for her upcoming tour dates, including in Las Vegas. It's not sold out yet so we're hoping some people are still waiting for that night.

J-Lo then performed a Spanish/English (Spanglish) medley of songs;

2014's "Booty." 2018's "Al Anillo." 2001's "Love Don't Cost A Thing." 2017's "Lento."

Along with "Que Calor." A 2019 song by Major Lazer ft J Balvin. "Mi Gente." A 2017 song by J Balvin.

J-Lo was joined in this performance by J Balvin. Who alongside Bad Bunny featured on "I Like It Like That." In yet another Cardi B reference.

I'm sure Spanish speaking viewers are still having a really good laugh at the non-Spanish speaking viewers who probably still can't work out which one was which or what song they were singing.

They'll certainly be laughing when I tell them how long it took me, a Eurovision veteran, to Google all this.

Provided to you by the Liberal Arts this Half-Time Show was intended to be seen as an attempt to propel the San Francisco 49's to glory in the second half. J-Lo was there in her white gold. Like the 49's gold helmets and white pants.

Behind her J Balvin had sneaked in two dancers in white pants and red hoodies. The colours of the Kansas City Chiefs. Giving the impression that real Hispanics are right there with you, white middle-America.

J-Lo's section ended with her performing 2011's "On The Floor." Notably little happened during the performance of this song.

As I've mentioned the overarching theme of the entire Half-Time Show was one of binary contrast. Between the vibrant, fertile reds of Shakira and the empty, barren whites of J-Lo.

This sparse final song served to drive that message home.

The closing section saw Shakira return to the stage to join J-Lo.

You may not have initially noticed her though. Much like in the Can't Remember to Forget You video she was a playing the drums. An obvious display of her musical talent that J-Lo couldn't match.

The main focus was on the arena floor surrounding the stage. This contained roughly a dozen oval, tubular structures. Each containing a pre-pubescent/pubescent child. All clad in white clothing and white light.

That obviously drove home the point from Shakira's crowd-surfing. Highlighting that this crowd have not simply brought tickets. They've been specially selected and are as much a part of the show as the performers on stage.

Progressive Liberals amongst us have suggested this sequence showed children in cages. A protest against President Trump's immigration policies along the US/Mexico border.

Obviously these grand artistic gestures are always open to interpretation. So I'm not necessarily saying that interpretation was wrong.

However it does seem to be an incredibly literal interpretation. One which completely ignores the wider context of the piece.

It also ignored the fact that the main child in the pod was Emme Muniz, J-Lo's own daughter. J-Lo herself was standing on a stage in the shape of the Venus symbol representing the female gender.

So my interpretation was that these oval, tubular cells represented Ova. The female reproductive egg. Given her age and the abundance of cold whites you would assume J-Lo had frozen her eggs.

Emme Muniz and the other pod children then joined Shakira and J-Lo on stage. To perform a version of Bruce Springsteen's 1984 song; "Born In The USA."

Born In The USA has got to be the most misinterpreted song in musical history. It is frequently played by American politicans at their rallies as this great flag-waving patriotic song.

However if you properly sit and listen it really doesn't portray America in the best light.

It's about a man in a middle-America, rust-belt town who is sent off to fight in the Vietnam War. When he returns traumatized he finds he's lost his job. Gets into a fight and kills a man. So spends the rest of his life in prison. Hardly a fitting reward for his sacrifice to his nation.

In the 1995 song; "Not A Pretty Girl" Ani DiFranco posed the question of whether it is truly patriotic to try to hide your nations faults or to highlight and attempt to solve them. Although I feel I'm starting to digress now.

At the begining of Born In The USA J-Lo was wearing a - I assume fake - fur coat in the design of the American flag. As the song peaked she took it off to reveal the reversible lining. In the design to the Puerto Rican flag.

Progressive Liberals amongst us have suggested this was a protest against President Trump. Who they claim does not realise that Puerto Rico is an overseas US territory. Although not a State people born in Puerto Rico are, in deed, born in the USA.

In September 2017 Puerto Rico was devestated by Hurricane Maria.

President Trump and the people of America stepped up to the challenge. People rust-belt towns in middle-American states like the Pennsylvania of the song. Despite not having much themselves through FEMA they immediately dispatched hundreds of millions of dollars of aid to help the people of Puerto Rico.

The Democrats running Puerto Rico then simply refused to hand that aid out to people. Instead keeping it locked away in warehouses. In order to create a humanitarian disaster they hoped to exploit to damage the reputation of President Trump.

On January 7th 2020 (7/1/20) Puerto Rico was struck by a Magnitude 5.8 earthquake. In the 30 days since then it has been struck by a further 11 earthquakes of Magnitude 5.0 or higher. Along with smaller pre and after shocks that must seem like one continious earthquake.

So Puerto Rico's Democrats must certainly feel they're being beaten much for that cover up.

On this occasion the Puerto Rican government hasn't asked FEMA for aid. They know they've got warehouses of the stuff still piled up from Hurricane Maria.

It is almost too poetic for words that there is a Puerto Rican city named; "Ponce." In British slang a Ponce isn't quite a Pimp. But it's someone who certainly lives off immoral earnings.

As the leader of the pod children Emme Muniz was clad in a sort of uniform. Of white tights/leggings, a white pleated schoolgirl skirt and a white hoodie bearing a large Versace logo.

The lesser pod children were clad in the same uniform. However their hoodies were emblazoned with a white American flag.

The sight of them all on stage together, in a sort of mob, made me think of a protest.

Specifically the March For Our Lives protests which followed the Parkland School massacre. Which like this year's Super Bowl took place in the US State of Florida.

That interpretation would mean Emme Muniz was in fact Emma Gonzalez. One of the most high profile surviours of the Parkland massacre.

Emma Gonzalez has obviously gone through a traumatic teenage experience and identifies as bisexual. She is of Cuban heritage and rumour has it her grandfather did something real sketchy for America during the Bay of Pigs/Cuban Missile Crisis era.

So I've always felt a bit of a connection with her. In the sense that I feel I've already lived parts of her life a dozen times over. She can certainly sit with me and Ruth Wilson in our special little mess.

Emma Gonzazlez is rather famous for her short-cropped; "Suedehead" hairstyle. Emme Muniz didn't go that far. Instead having her hair closely scraped back in an attempt to recreate it.

Tellingly, unlike Progressive Liberals and their Gender Fluidity - J-Lo wasn't prepared to mutilate her child simply to give us something to talk about.

The Half-Time Show ended with both Shakira and J-Lo performing a special, extended version of Shakira's 2010 song; "Waka Waka."

As every soccer fan knows Waka Waka was the official song of the 2010 World Cup. You know, THE World Cup.

It was in shooting the video for Waka Waka that Shakira met her common-law husband. The incredibly famous Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique.

So the NFL may well have booked Shakira and J-Lo to get Hispanics interested in American Football. This was Shakira and J-Lo sending a memo;

"To: America."

"From: Rest of World."

"Subject: This is NOT Football."

The full title of the song is; "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)." Reflecting the fact that the 2010 World Cup was held in South Africa. The first time the World Cup had been held on the African continent.

This was intended as a big celebration of a nearly 30 year, global effort to lift Africa and other Third World nations out of poverty and into economic prosperity.

The election of President Trump has caused many Americans to talk about "Political Awakenings." The point in your life where you really start to become aware of and understand politics.

Many have talked about the election of President Trump being their political awakening. The thing that prompted them to participate by joining the Women's March or March For Our Lives. Or whatever dumbass idea the Muslim Brotherhood could trick them with next.

Earlier this Half-Time show featured a woman everyone assumed was just Hispanic ululating. Like; "Some sort of dirty, filthy raghead, Muslim, Hajji terrorist!"

I'd say that every time she opens her mouth Alexandria Oscasio-Cortez may as well just be screaming; "Death to America!"

But that would only force me to apologise to people who actually understand the nuances of Farsi.

Some talk about Black Lives Matter (BLM) being their political awakening. For others it was the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

My own political awakening is so last century.

Specifically the; "Jubilee 2000" campaign of the late 1990's/early-2000's. This set out to use the Juedo-Christian notion of a Jubilee to see much of the Third World debt incurred during the Cold War be forgiven as a way to mark the new Millennium.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and World Trade Organisation (WTO) were among the key global institutions responsible for running up those debts. So it's sometimes referred to as the; "Anti-Capitalist" or; "Anti-WTO" protests. Things like the N30 - November 30th 1999 (30/11/99) Battle in Seattle riots.

The climax of the Jubilee 2000 campaign was the 2005 Live 8 concerts. Or more accurately the pressure those concerts put on the 2005 G8 Summit to write off a huge amount of Third World nation. Particulary amongst African nations.

Shakira performed on stage at the concert in Paris, France. I also performed. Somewhere else, off in the shadows.

So when I say that President Trump withholding a gift to Ukraine in order to achieve a national security objective is the most normal thing in the world. Trust me. I can back it up.

Although it is really fun to make the US intelligence community squirm by refusing to back it up.

It is also highly amusing to watch Twitter's Jack Dorsey being surprised by the fact there is now suddenly a vibrant tech economy developing in a host of African nations.

Obviously I can't claim sole responsibilty for either Live 8 of the Jubilee 2000 campaign. it was truly one of those things where hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of really talented people all came together to create something far greater than the sum of its parts.

However Jack Dorsey was never one of its parts.

Given that experience I can't help but be a little concerned by China's "Belt And Road Initative."

This is an effort by China to boost its economy and standing in the World with a global infrastructure building program. So you can now get on a train in London, UK - an island state - and ride it all the way to Hong Kong, China. Also an island state.

Much of this infrastructure building is being done in Africa. Much of it is being done on credit.

So I'm not opposing the Belt And Road Initative. I'm just saying its something people in Africa need to keep a really close eye on.

After all I didn't put up with 14 years of internment just so you guys could run up a whole new mountain of debt.

Obviously I don't want to jeopardise what is a justifiably substantial compensation claim. However I think it's fair to assume a certain someone really had their life thrown away just after Live 8.

So it's perhaps appropriate that 2019nCoV is really highlighting the Belt And Road Initative.

The exchange of migrant workers means that there are a lot more Chinese in Africa and Africans in China than you would probably first assume.

As the name suggests 2019nCoV is so new and so novel that no-one really knows what it is. Certainly no-one can work out what it's meant to do.

However it seems to be slightly less serious than the Influenza virus that is typical at this time of year. This means that the overwhelming majority of people who catch it will feel crappy for a couple of days and then get better entirely on their own.

The real threat is economic rather than a threat to life.

However in a small minority of cases both Influenza and 2019nCoV can induce Pneumonia.

Pneumonia itself is eminently surviable. However in small minority of cases you did need what are known as; "High Dependency Beds" to manage the symptoms of Pneumonia while the patient gets better entirely on their own.

Suddenly having to find an extra 10,000 High Dependency Beds is going to challenge any healthcare system. I think a typical British hospital only has 10 open at any given time.

There has certainly been a lot of economic development across Africa in the last 20 years or so. There hasn't been that much.

The Half-Time Show ended with Shakira and J-Lo provactively shaking their bare, naked asses at us.

J-Lo was still 'dressed' in the white gold of the 49's gold helmets and white pants. While Shakira was now wearing the all gold of the 49's helmets.

As the Liberal Arts attempted to propel the 49's into the second half and victory over middle-America.


(Originally Posted at 11:50 on 7/2/20 (UK date).)

18:10 on 8/2/20 (UK date).

Super Bowl LIV: Half-Time Show Pt.2

A direct continuation of Part 1; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2020/02/super-bowl-liv-half-time-show.html

J-Lo began her segment with her 2002 hit; "Jenny From The Block." She appeared atop of a stripper's pole.

This was a brief reference to the 2019 movie; "Hustlers." Which stars and was produced by J-Lo. Although we are currently in the midst of the American awards season this movie has been well received by critics and won a number of awards in independent film competitions.

This both served to promote the movie and as a reminder to the some of the younger, more easily "triggered," viewers;

Long before she was a popstar Jennifer Lopez was a pretty accomplished actress.

As I've said the Half-Time Show was really the Shakira show. With J-Lo relegated to the role of Legacy Act. The drunk Auntie at the wedding we all get to make jokes about.

Rather than being offended on J-Lo's behalf perhaps we should be congratulating her. For being a big enough person to accept the smaller role. In a show she definitely helped produce.

J-Lo was clad in a black leather outfit. A direct reference to the black leather outfit worn by the most famous Legacy Act of all time. Janet Jackson at the 2004 Super Bowl.

This was a jab at the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) and its absurd; "No Nipples Rule." This defines sexual content purely on the presence or absence of female nipples.

In the previous sequence Shakira has simulated performing oral sex on another woman. A woman who was menstruating at the time.

The FCC is apparently fine with this sort of rather graphic sexual content. But show it a flash of a woman's nipple for a fraction of a second and it will completely lose its mind.

Accompanied by Asian female dancers J-Lo descended from the pole. In reference to Constance Wu. Star of the movie Hustlers.

Constance Wu is probably most famous for the 2015-2020 TV show; "Phresh Off The Boat" and the 2018 movie; "Crazy Rich Asians." Or perhaps for the massive meltdown she had at being held to her Phresh Off The Boat contract, preventing her from starring in more movies.

This little reference promotes all sorts of discussions about the empowerment of Asian Americans in both the entertainment industry and America more widely.

Particularly the Affirmative Action policy which allows Harvard University to reject Asian candidates in favour of African American ones. Officially on the grounds that no-one likes being around Asians.

It also references the US/China Trade War. The Opioid element of which was a running theme of the entire Super Bowl.

It is of course impossible to mention President Trump's China policy without mocking former President Obama's China policy. To this day Obama seems to believe that all of Asia is made up of just two countries; "China" and "Not China."

Having hobbled her way down from the pole J-Lo performed her 2001 song; "Get It Right." She was accompanied by male backing dancers in the contrasting, Two-Tone colour scheme of the "Can't Remember To Forget You" by Shakira and Rihanna.

This was intended to appear as J-Lo suddenly looking up from her performance and going to Shakira;

"Hang On. Am I meant to be Rihanna?!"

During the song J-Lo carried a walking cane. As if she needed it to support her aged and decrepit body.

This was a deservedly malicious swipe at the 61 year old Madonna. Who has been forced to cancel a number of shows on her current; "Madame X" tour due to her elderly knees no longer being up to it.

Really the first show of Madonna's Madame X tour was the half-time performance at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest, held in Israel.

Unlike at the Super Bowl at Eurovision the half-time performance is really no big deal. It's really more the background noise as everyone rushes around trying to cast and collate votes.

During that performance Madonna used dancers with Israeli and Palestinian flags glued to the backs of their costumes. In a serious violation of Eurovision's golden "No Overt Politics" rule.

Rather than being a commentary of the Israel/Palestine conflict this was Madonna taking a malicious swipe at Rihanna.

During the 2014 Gaza War Rihanna Tweeted a picture, shot from behind, of an Israeli Jewish boy and a Palestinian boy with their arms around each other. In an apparent call for peace and unity.

The problem was that amongst people who know their way around the Israel/Palestine conflict this photo entitled; "Coexistence" is well known. It was staged entirely by the photographer Ricki Rosen. Both of the boys are Israeli Jews.

I think Madonna can consider herself paid back. Rihanna's fans may see the matter differently.

At around 18:30 on 6/2/20 (UK date) I'll have to pick this up later.

Edited at around 20:40 on 6/2/20 (UK date) to copy & paste from another tab;

As the song ended J-Lo turned to leave the stage for a quick costume change. This allowed you to glimpse a small, white detail at the rear of the crotch of her leather thong.

This was obviously Versace couture. However the intent was for you to speculate that it was a sanitary pad. Or at J-Lo's/Madonna's age an incontinence pad.

I think Progressive Liberals obsession with Trangenderism and; "Gender Fluidity" peaked in October 2019.

When Always, one of the leading global manufacturers of sanitary pads, announced that it would remove all references to women from its product packaging. It did not want to imply that it's products were used by women.

I think that displays an almost offensive lack of understanding of Transgenderism. If a intersex person born female decides to identify as male the long and painful process of confirming their male gender is certainly not complete if they're still using sanitary pads.

Many feminists are also offended by the idea that a man in a dress can truly understand what it is to be a woman without having to go through the near lifelong nuisance of bleeding every month.

In their virtuous understanding, somewhere along the line, Progressive Liberals seem to have gotten Transgender people confused with circus drag acts.

To perform her 1999 Spanish language song; "Waiting For Tonight" J-Lo reemerged, once again atop of the stripper pole. This time clad in an outfit many people have described as; "Silver."

Let me assure you that oh no, Jenny from the Block does not wear mere silver. She wears gold, pure white gold or nothing at all.

In Miami, the city at the centre of the 1983 movie; "Scarface" it seems churlish to mention Opioids without, at least once, mentioning Cocaine.

During this sequence J-Lo performed what can only be described as a pole dance routine. The green lasers representing the green dollar bills thrown at strippers.

This was another promotion for the movie Hustlers. It was also another reference to Cardi B. Who still doesn't seem talented enough to keep herself out of the Super Bowl she said she'd never appear at.

Cardi B rather famously did actually work as a stripper and pole dancer. Using it to fund her song writing and the social media videos which launched her music career. As a result she has a role in the Hustlers movie and provides a song for its soundtrack.

I can't pretend to know what the on set relationships were like during the filming of Hustlers. However I suspect that unlike Madonna, and someone else I could mention, both Rihanna and Cardi B were informed about and consented to all these jokes in advance.

The sequence also served as a reminder of J-Lo's 2016 residency at the Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas. And a promotion for her upcoming tour dates, including in Las Vegas. It's not sold out yet so we're hoping some people are still waiting for that night.

J-Lo then performed a Spanish/English (Spanglish) medley of songs;

2014's "Booty." 2018's "Al Anillo." 2001's "Love Don't Cost A Thing." 2017's "Lento."

Along with "Que Calor." A 2019 song by Major Lazer ft J Balvin. "Mi Gente." A 2017 song by J Balvin.

J-Lo was joined in this performance by J Balvin. Who alongside Bad Bunny featured on "I Like It Like That." In yet another Cardi B reference.

I'm sure Spanish speaking viewers are still having a really good laugh at the non-Spanish speaking viewers who probably still can't work out which one was which or what song they were singing.

They'll certainly be laughing when I tell them how long it took me, a Eurovision veteran, to Google all this.

Provided to you by the Liberal Arts this Half-Time Show was intended to be seen as an attempt to propel the San Francisco 49's to glory in the second half. J-Lo was there in her white gold. Like the 49's gold helmets and white pants.

Behind her J Balvin had sneaked in two dancers in white pants and red hoodies. The colours of the Kansas City Chiefs. Giving the impression that real Hispanics are right there with you, white middle-America.

J-Lo's section ended with her performing 2011's "On The Floor." Notably little happened during the performance of this song.

As I've mentioned the overarching theme of the entire Half-Time Show was one of binary contrast. Between the vibrant, fertile reds of Shakira and the empty, barren whites of J-Lo.

This sparse final song served to drive that message home.

At around 20:50 on 5/2/20 (UK date) I'll have to leave the final joint Shakira/J-Lo section until tomorrow.

Edited at around 11:30 on 7/2/20 (UK date) to discover the spellcheck function no longer works. As I copy & paste from another tab;

The closing section saw Shakira return to the stage to join J-Lo.

You may not have initially noticed her though. Much like in the Can't Remember to Forget You video she was a playing the drums. An obvious display of her musical talent that J-Lo couldn't match.

The main focus was on the arena floor surrounding the stage. This contained roughly a dozen oval, tubular structures. Each containing a pre-pubescent/pubescent child. All clad in white clothing and white light.

That obviously drove home the point from Shakira's crowd-surfing. Highlighting that this crowd have not simply brought tickets. They've been specially selected and are as much a part of the show as the performers on stage.

Progressive Liberals amongst us have suggested this sequence showed children in cages. A protest against President Trump's immigration policies along the US/Mexico border.

Obviously these grand artistic gestures are always open to interpretation. So I'm not necessarily saying that interpretation was wrong.

However it does seem to be an incredibly literal interpretation. One which completely ignores the wider context of the piece.

It also ignored the fact that the main child in the pod was Emme Muniz, J-Lo's own daughter. J-Lo herself was standing on a stage in the shape of the Venus symbol representing the female gender.

So my interpretation was that these oval, tubular cells represented Ova. The female reproductive egg. Given her age and the abundance of cold whites you would assume J-Lo had frozen her eggs.

Emme Muniz and the other pod children then joined Shakira and J-Lo on stage. To perform a version of Bruce Springsteen's 1984 song; "Born In The USA."

Born In The USA has got to be the most misinterpreted song in musical history. It is frequently played by American politicans at their rallies as this great patriotic song.

However if you properly sit and listen it really doesn't portray America in the best light.

It's about a man in a middle-America, rust-belt town who is sent off to fight in the Vietnam War. When he returns traumatized he finds he's lost his job. Gets into a fight and kills a man. So spends the rest of his life in prison. Hardly a fitting reward for his sacrifice to his nation.

In the 1995 song; "Not A Pretty Girl" Ani DiFranco posed the question of whether it is truly patriotic to try to hide your nations faults or to highlight and attempt to solve them. Although I feel I'm starting to digress now.

At the begining of Born In The USA J-Lo was wearing a - I assume fake - fur coat in the design of the American flag. As the song peaked she took it off to reveal the reversible lining. In the design to the Puerto Rican flag.

Progressive Liberals amongst us have suggested this was a protest against President Trump. Who they claim does not realise that Puerto Rico is an overseas US territory. Although not a State people born in Puerto Rico are, in deed, born in the USA.

In September 2017 Puerto Rico was devestated by Hurricane Maria.

President Trump and the people of America stepped up to the challenge. People rust-belt towns in middle-American states like the Pennsylvania of the song. Despite not having much themselves through FEMA they immediately dispatched hundreds of millions of dollars of aid to help the people of Puerto Rico.

The Democrats running Puerto Rico then simply refused to hand that aid out to people. Instead keeping it locked away in warehouses. In order to create a humanitarian disaster they hoped to exploit to damage the reputation of President Trump.

On January 7th 2020 (7/1/20) Puerto Rico was struck by a Magnitude 5.8 earthquake. In the 30 days since then it has been struck by a further 11 earthquakes of Magnitude 5.0 or higher. Along with smaller pre and after shocks that must seem like one continious earthquake.

So Puerto Rico's Democrats must certainly feel they're being beaten much for that cover up.

On this occasion the Puerto Rican government hasn't asked FEMA for aid. They know they've got warehouses of the stuff still piled up from Hurricane Maria.

It is almost too poetic for words that there is a Puerto Rican city named; "Ponce." In British slang a Ponce isn't quite a Pimp. But it's someone who certainly lives off immoral earnings.

As the leader of the pod children Emme Muniz was clad in a sort of uniform. Of white tights/leggings, a white schoolgirl skirt and a white hoodie bearing a large Versace logo.

The lesser pod children were clad in the same uniform. However their hoodies were emblazoned with a white American flag.

The sight of them all on stage together, in a sort of mob, made me think of a protest.

Specifically the March For Our Lives protests which followed the Parkland School massacre. Which like this year's Super Bowl took place in the US State of Florida.

That interpretation would mean Emme Muniz was in fact Emma Gonzalez. One of the most high profile surviours of the Parkland massacre.

Emma Gonzazlez has obviously gone through a traumatic teenage experience and identifies as bisexual. She is of Cuban heritage and rumour has it her grandfather did something real sketchy for America during the Bay of Pigs/Cuban Missile Crisis era.

So I've always felt a bit of a connection with her. In the sense that I feel I've already lived parts of her life a dozen times over. She can certainly sit with me and Ruth Wilson in our special little mess.

Emma Gonzazlez is rather famous for her short-cropped; "Suedehead" hairstyle. Emme Muniz didn't go that far. Instead having her hair closely scraped back in an attempt to recreate.

Tellingly, unlike Progressive Liberals and their Gender Fluidity - J-Lo wasn't prepared to mutilate her child simply to give us something to talk about.

The Half-Time Show ended with both Shakira and J-Lo performing a special, extended version of Shakira's 2010 song; "Waka Waka."

As every soccer fan knows Waka Waka was the official song of the 2010 World Cup. You know, THE World Cup.

It was in shooting the video for Waka Waka that Shakira met her common-law husband. The incredibly famous Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique.

So the NFL may well have booked Shakira and J-Lo to get Hispanics interested in American Football. This was Shakira and J-Lo sending a memo;

"To: America."

"From: Rest of World."

"Subject: This is NOT Football."

The full title of the song is; "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)." Reflecting the fact that the 2010 World Cup was held in South Africa. The first time the World Cup had been held on the African continent.

This was intended as a big celebration of a nearly 30 year, global effort to lift Africa and other Third World nations out of poverty and into economic prosperity.

The election of President Trump has caused many Americans to talk about "Political Awakenings." The point in your life where you really start to become aware of and understand politics.

Many have talked about the election of President Trump being their political awakening. The thing that prompted them to participate by joining the Women's March or March For Our Lives. Or whatever dumbass idea the Muslim Brotherhood could trick them with next.

Earlier this Half-Time show featured a woman everyone assumed was just Hispanic ululating. Like; "Some sort of dirty, filthy raghead, Muslim, Hajji terrorist!"

I'd say that every time she opens her mouth Alexandria Oscasio-Cortez opens her mouth she may as well just be screaming; "Death to America!"

But that would only force me to apologise to people who actually understand the nuances of Farsi.

Some talk about Black Lives Matter (BLM) being their political awakening. For others it was the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

My own political awakening is so last century.

Specifically the; "Jubilee 2000" campaign of the late 1990's/early-2000's. This set out to use the Juedo-Christian notion of a Jubilee to see much of the Third World debt incurred during the Cold War be forgiven as a way to mark the new Millennium.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and World Trade Organisation (WTO) were among the key global instruments responsible for running up those debts. So it's sometimes referred to as the; "Anti-Capitalist" or; "Anti-WTO" protests. Things like the N30 - November 30th 1999 (30/11/99) Battle in Seattle riots.

The climax of the Jubilee 2000 campaign was the 2005 Live 8 concerts. Or more accurately the pressure those concerts put on the 2005 G8 Summit to write off a huge amount of Third World nation. Particulary amongst African nations.

Shakira performed on stage at the concert in Paris, France. I also performed. Somewhere else, off in the shadows.

So when I say that President Trump withholding a gift to Ukraine in order to achieve a national security objective is the most normal thing in the world. Trust me. I can back it up.

Although it is really fun to make the US intelligence community squirm by refusing to back it up.

It is also highly amusing to watch Twitter's Jack Dorsey being surprised by the fact there is now suddenly a vibrant tech economy developing in a host of African nations.

Obviously I can't claim sole responsibilty for either Live 8 of the Jubilee 2000 campaign. it was truly one of those things where hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of really talented people all came together to create something far greater than the sum of its parts.

However Jack Dorsey was never one of its parts.

Given that experience I can't help but be a little concerned by China's "Belt And Road Initative."

This is an effort by China to boost its economy and standing in the World with a global infrastructure building program. So you can now get on a train in London, UK - an island state - and ride it all the way to Hong Kong, China. Also an island state.

Much of this infrastructure building is being done in Africa. Much of it is being done on credit.

So I'm not opposing the Belt And Road Initative. I'm just saying its something people in Africa need to keep a really close eye on.

After all I didn't put up with 14 years of internment just so you guys could run up a whole new mountain of debt.

Obviously I don't want to jeopardise what is a justifiably substantial compensation claim. However I think it's fair to assume a certain someone really had their life thrown away just after Live 8.

So it's perhaps appropriate that 2019nCoV is really highlighting the Belt And Road Initative.

The exchange of migrant workers means that there are a lot more Chinese in Africa and Africans in China than you would probably first assume.

As the name suggests 2019nCoV is so new and so novel that no-one really knows what it is. Certainly no-one can work out what it's meant to do.

However it seems to be slightly less serious than the Influenza virus that is typical at this time of year. This means that the overwhelming majority of people who catch it will feel crappy for a couple of days and then get better entirely on their own.

The real threat is economic rather than a threat to life.

However in a small minority of cases both Influenza and 2019nCoV can induce Pneumonia.

Pneumonia itself is eminently surviable. However in small minority of cases you did need what are known as; "High Dependency Beds" to manage the symptoms of Pneumonia while the patient gets better entirely on their own.

Suddenly having to find an extra 10,000 High Dependency Beds is going to challenge any healthcare system. I think a typical British hospital only has 10 open at any given time.

There has certainly been a lot of economic development across Africa in the last 20 years or so. There hasn't been that much.

The Half-Time Show ended with Shakira and J-Lo provactively shaking their bare, naked asses at us.

J-Lo was still 'dressed' in the white gold of the 49's gold helmets and white pants. While Shakira was now wearing the all gold of the 49's helmets.

As the Liberal Arts attempted to propel the 49's into the second half and victory over middle-America.


11:50 on 7/2/20 (UK date).


Edited at around 12:40 on 14/2/20 (UK date) to add;

Amid traumatic experiences people have a tendency to fixate. On things, ideas or people who make them feel safe.

This is part of the reason conspiracy theories are so popular. It is easier to believe that a sinister, controlling hand is responsible for your misfortune. Rather than being forced to accept the world is an often random, chaotic and cruel place.

In the wake of the Parkland massacre I was worried Emma Gonzalez was starting to fixate on me. After all I have a proven track record of being able to put up with women like her.

At the March For Our Lives rally she did this famous thing where she timed out the 7 minute length of the attack on her phone. In the gym I do this mysterious thing. Which lasts for around 7 minutes, timed out on my phone.

From experience I know the worst thing that could happen to her in that situation is to get further dragged into my world. So showed I cared by making a great effort to push her away.

Those 7 minutes on my phone have become a major issue. With different intelligence agencies trying to stress me out my remotely switching my phone off during the countdown. I've learnt to take the SIM card out.

So I think I do owe her a few conversations.

Unfortunately those are the conversations you can only have in person. Not through chopped up letters in some obscure publication.

12:50 on 14/2/20 (UK date).