A continuation of Part 4; https://watchitdie.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/the-2018-winter-olympics-opening_14.html
The Olympic Rings:
It is protocol that each Opening Ceremony must include a sequence in which the logo of the Olympic movement - five interlocked rings - is revealed.
In the past this may simply have been a sheet being pulled off a statue of the rings. Or simply the unfurling of a banner bearing the rings. Over the years though it has grown to become a lot more elaborate.
This sequence actually began at the end of the previous sequence.
That sequence featured a large number of performers all carrying the traditional Korean gift of peace made up of light and water.
In an Augmented Reality (AR) display those lights turned into doves - a traditional western symbol of peace. Those 'doves' then flew out of the arena and to the top of a near-by mountain.
Essentially AR is the layering of one level of electronic images on top of another layer of electronic images.
I think the most widely know example is the "Pokemon Go" Smartphone game. In the game you go to a specified GPS location. You then hold up your Smartphone in video mode and if you're lucky the Pokemon computer game characters will appear.
The problem with AR is that it only works if you are viewing an electronic image. If you're viewing a non-electronic image - real life as it used to be known - you don't get to see the electronic images layered on top.
So the people watching the Opening Ceremony live in the arena would not have seen these AR doves flying away.
The plan was that to assist them there would be hundreds of these small, birdlike drones flying from the arena to the mountain. Showcasing the RoK's technological superiority over particularly Japan these drones were to be controlled by a 5G wireless network.
As it happens these drones never appeared. They were cancelled at the last minute.
The official reason for this is that too many ticketless spectators had gathered under the drone's flightpath. This meant that organisers could not ensure their safety so the sequence was cancelled.
This official explanation led people to speculate whether the cancellation of the drone sequence was really the result of the; "Olympic Destroyer" cyberattack which the Opening Ceremony was being subjected to.
The Olympic Destroyer malware seems to have been designed by an Existential philosopher. Possibly a Korean Taoist. Its purpose was to delete the system files on any computer it infected.
One of the big talking points about Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the point at which computers become sentient like humans. However using a bit of artistic license system files are what make a computer understand that it is a computer.
If you delete the system files then the computer loses its sense of self as a computer. It starts thinking it's a bookcase, a coffee table or just a useless lump of plastic and metal that needs to be thrown out of the nearest window at the earliest opportunity.
Therefore by design the Olympic Destroyer malware was extremely destructive and had the potential to take the global broadcast of the Opening Opening off air.
However the only damage it actually did was to stop the barcode/QR code on the passes of certain members of the press being read at the gate. Preventing them from accessing the stadium.
Exactly the sort of thing you'd do if you want to be talked about by members of the press.
The "Beaten Black & Blue" sequence of the Opening Ceremony featured the contrast between Hard Power and Soft Power.
In military/espionage circles there is a new form of power being discussed; "Sharp Power."
The term was coined in November 2017 by the very right-wing American "US National Endowment for Democracy (NED) think-tank. Really in an effort to generate some press coverage for themselves. As a result what Sharp Power means is really being defined as we talk and as I write.
However it seems to be the precise application of information to achieve a specific objective. Where once you would send a missile today you would send a Tweet.
Amongst spies it has long been accepted that you can manipulate people into doing things a whole range of appalling things.
One very famous example is the death of Iraq weapons inspector Dr David Kelly. By systematically destroying his entire life and then giving him a period of quiet to reflect on all that he'd lost the UK intelligence services manipulated him into committing suicide.
Residing in the UK I went through a similar experience during the September 2004 school siege and then massacre in the Russian city of Beslan.
The Beslan School Massacre as it became known was referenced in an episode of the US TV Show; "The Unit" in an episode entitled; "In Loco Parentis."
On the anniversary of the Beslan School Massacre an elite school in Virginia attended by children of many of America's business and political elite is attacked by Chechen Islamist terrorists.
In this context it is useful to remember that in the TV show the terrorists are shown using Simonov SKS rifles.
The same type of rifle used during what has become known as the "Congressional Baseball Shooting" which took place in Virginia in June 2017. A Bernie Sanders campaign worker gunned down Republican members of Congress.
Following mass shootings in America liberals always call for the ban of; "Assault Weapons." The AR-15 has become a byword for assault rifle. However legally "Assault Weapon" is defined as a rifle with a pistol-grip and a magazine capacity of over 10 rounds.
An early rival for the AK-47 the Simonov SKS is an assault rifle without pistol-grip and a 10 round magazine. If the US were to ban assault weapons like the Simonov SKS it would also have to ban all hunting and sporting rifles.
As within every other episode the school siege in The Unit is brought to a successful conclusion by the unit's leader - Sergeant Major Jonas Blaine. Played by Denis Haysbert. If I were black I think he might be my grandfather.
In the US TV series; "24" Denis Haysbert played US President David Palmer. Making him a black US President people actually liked.
Alongside the Olympic coverage South Korean TV is currently running an "American Idol" talent show to find a new lineup for the K-Pop band; "Bangtan Boys (BTS)." The reason why BTS need a new lineup is that their existing line-up have all been conscripted into compulsory military service.
This Korean Broadcasting Service (KBS) show is also called; "The Unit."
I'm starting to think that alongside a lot of US troops South Korea also gets a lot of US TV shows.
Not only can spies manipulate people into committing suicide they can also manipulate people into committing things like mass shootings.
You simply put them into the same vulnerable emotional state. Then rather then implanting the idea they should kill themselves you instead implant the idea they should kill other people.
You only need to look at the number of times that mass shootings end with the shooter also killing themselves to see how the two scenarios are similar.
In order to successfully carry out one of these manipulation operations you need almost complete control over every aspect of the target's life. Therefore in the past they have really been limited to the intelligence agencies in the country where the target resides.
However more and more of our lives are being lived internationally online. Here I am in the UK writing about an Opening Ceremony which occurred in the RoK. I suspect it will be read by people as far afield as Iraq, Syria, Russia, Israel, the US etc.
Therefore it has become possible for intelligence agencies to carry out this type of manipulation operation in other people's countries.
Although not strictly speaking manipulation we are starting to see this sort of thing from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and their associates in Al Qaeda.
In May 2017 online ISIL magazine Rumiyah instructed followers to use online listing sites like Craigslist to lure in victims to kill. After luring them in under the guise of renting a room or whatever the person is then murdered.
In June 2017 an ISIL supporter in Melbourne, Australia did just that. Yacqub Khayre hired a prostitute online and instructed her to meet him at an apartment in the Brighton area of the city. He then killed her and the apartment building's doorman leading to a two hour stand-off with police.
Khayre had never travelled to Iraq or Syria and had never been trained by ISIL. In fact he appears not to have even met another ISIL supporter. However over the Internet ISIL were able to inspire and direct his attack.
Then of course there is the July 22nd 2016 (22/7/16) mass shooting in Munich, Germany. This happened of the site of the 1972 Munich Olympics which famously were stopped after a terrorist attack by the Black September group.
The 2016 Munich Shooting occurred two weeks to the day before the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. The big talk at the time was whether Russia would be allowed to compete, would be banned entirely or partially banned.
So the Munich Shooting seemed very much like an Islamist terror attack.
However the shooter - Ali Sonboly - illegally obtained his weapons and his motivations of the so-called; "Dark Web." This is a mysterious, international forum where no-one knows who anyone is and there are very few ways of checking if they're who they claim to be.
Due in no small part by a strong desire on the part of the German government not to declare it a terror attack no evidence was found to prove it was a terror attack. Therefore no retaliatory action was taken. Which is what normally happens in a war.
The reason why the German government were desperate not to recognise the Munich shooting as and Islamist terror attack is because such attacks are intended to divide society between Muslims and non-Muslims. Due to Chancellor (Head of Government) Angela Merkel's disastrous immigration policies Germany society was already deeply divided at the time.
In an effort to prevent reprisal attacks against Muslims Germany even put around the rumour that Ali Sonboly was a quasi-Christian White Supremacist influenced by Anders Breivik. This is despite the fact that Ali Sonboly was a brown, Iranian Muslim. A group traditionally hated by quasi-Christian, White Supremacists.
The term; "Sharp Power" has only existed for three months. So there are no confirmed instances of it ever being used. However I can imagine what a Sharp Power attack would look like.
You hack into the computer control system for a school's electrical system. You then create a short circuit triggering a fire. You then disable the sprinkler system and lock all the doors to maximise the number of adorable young children killed.
Then in the aftermath of the fire you use Social Media to circulate "evidence" such as leaked emails, fake news stories etc showing that political leaders caused the deaths of the children because they were corrupt and taking bribes.
You then sit back and watch as the nation which was threatening you militarily tears itself apart.
Although the UK Labour Party's 2017 arson attack on Grenfell Tower is similar in nature it doesn't technically count as Sharp Power. It was done domestically and it was done physically rather the using computer hacking.
As for the type of fake news claim you could circulate on social media?
You could certainly try something like the tale of an innocent young black man named Micheal Brown being murdered by racist police. While having his hands up in surrender and begging; "Don't Shoot!"
That of course was the conclusion of the US Directorate of National Intelligence (DNI) report into claims of Russian attempts to rig the 2016 US Presidential Election;
"Russian broadcaster RT is trying to undermine faith in US democracy. By reporting on what the Democrat Party are doing."
Although I don't think it was an intelligence operation another example of the type of rumour you could use was on display in the RoK. During the downfall of Park Geun-hye.
South Korean society in general and its education system in particular is extremely competitive. Almost from the moment they are born South Korean children's entire lives revolve around doing well in the Suneung - the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT).
If you do not do well in that exam you do not get into a good university. If you do not get into a good university you will not get a career with one of the big Chaebol - like Samsung. It is no understatement to say that your entire life will then be ruined.
At the start of this long series of posts I joked you could tell the Olympics were in the RoK. You have to complete a class even before school. South Koreans very much get that joke.
As with all societies all South Koreans have at one point been children themselves. Many of them also have children of their own. So everybody feels it has a stake in the education debate.
One of the revelations that came out about Park Geun-hye is that she abused her role as President to get the daughter of her friend Choi Soon-sil into a top university. That is despite Chung Yoo-ra having terrible Suneung scores because she'd chosen to play with horses rather than study morning, noon and night.
It was the moment that revelation broke you knew the entire population of South Korea was suddenly united in their hatred of Park Geun-hye.
17:15 on 15/2/18 (UK date). I'm clearly not going to be finished today am I.
Edited at around 19:55 on 15/2/18 (UK date) to add;
The Olympics themselves are really an exercise in Soft Power.
Soft Power can really be built around anything people enjoy. Across the world sport is a popular pastime so this is often used.
A good example are the English Premier League Arsenal F.C. They are nicknamed; "The Gunners." Gun violence is also a popular pastime in certain parts of west Africa. So the Gunners are very popular team amongst certain West Africans desperate to prove how macho they are.
In the old days if they were very lucky these West African Gunners could even get a letter published in one of the Arsenal fanzines. All they needed to do was write a lot of other letters first telling the editors all the best gossip about their local politicians. I suppose in this Sharp Power age "Arsenal FanTV" has taken over from the fanzine.
As for wonky-eyed Turkish Gunner Mesut Ozil inviting Rihanna back from Senegal in west Africa to go to a gangbang with the Blueshirts from Dun Laoghaire. Well that might be the Emirates Stadium sending a different sort of message.
Although if you are employed by that particular black woman then reading invitations is clearly not your strong point.
Europe of course has an annual, week long Soft Power competition in the form of the Eurovision Song Contest. That does away with all the running and jumping nonsense of the Olympics. Everyone simply does their own Olympic Opening Ceremony. Due to the sheer number of competitors those opening ceremonies are limited to three minutes.
The 2017 Eurovision Song Contest was really a continent wide celebration. A celebration of how happy everyone was that the US Presidency of Barack Obama was finally over. And a celebration that he was not being replaced by Hillary Clinton.
In reference to Obama's National Security Adviser Susan Rice Russia's immediate neighbour Finland performed a song with the chorus; "Blackbird, Blackbird Go Away."
The Italian principality of San Marino took things even further. They were represented by Jimmy Wilson. Up until then he was best known for playing Barack Obama in the stage musical; "Hope." We all very much enjoyed giving Barack Obama no points whatsoever.
The UK's rather unusual entry was the WannaCry computer virus. This ransomware attack generated many headlines but did absolutely no damage the day before the Song Contest Grand Final.
The name of the virus was very much aimed at supporters of Hillary Clinton. As they are now at the time they were all blubbering away ranting about Russian Hacking.
The WannaCry malware was built using off-the-shelf North Korean code. This was to make clear that one particularly dangerous thing Obama had done was provide the DPRK with missile control software. In order to build them up as a regional threat as part of his "Pivot Towards the Pacific" policy.
The claims of Russian hacking in the US election are based entirely on a private company hired by the Democrats called; "Crowdstrike."
There is no evidence that Democrat computers were even hacked let alone hacked by the Russians. No law enforcement agency or any other agency has ever examined their computers. In fact the only people who have examined the computers are Crowdstrike who continue to be employed by the Democrats.
Despite the lack of evidence the US cybersecurity agency - the National Security Agency (NSA) - signed off on Crowdstrike's claims giving rumours of Russian hacking undue credence.
Crowdstrike went on to examine the WannaCry code. They concluded that North Korean code means North Korean origin. Despite it being a very obvious wind-up the NSA again signed off on Crowdstrike's work.
On that day the NSA lost whatever respect it had left amongst its peers.
Shortly after the Eurovision Song Contest Russia was subjected to a sustained cyberattack. This used a more vicious version of the WannaCry malware named WannaPetya. A tiny bit of this cyberattack Russia bled out into Ukraine.
Today (15/2/18) the UK has declared that the WannaPetya cyberattack against Russia was in fact a Russian cyberattack against Ukraine.
In true theatrical style used a Muslim politician to make this announcement. People say he's Lord Ahmed. I think he's more of a pantomime dame.
So yesterday (14/2/18) and today (15/2/18) have been declared; "Cyber Day" at the Olympics where there is one hell of a time difference.
Curiously though no-one in America seems to be interested in the Olympics today.
At around midday (GMT) yesterday (14/2/18) there was a shooting incident at the NSA headquarters at Fort Mead in Maryland, US. Fortunately no-one was killed in this attack on the NSA.
At around 19:30 (GMT) yesterday (14/2/18) there was a mass shooting at a school in the Park (Chung-hee) Land area of Florida, US. On this occasion 17 people were killed.
So from what I've had time to watch the US media has spent the day mourning all the adorable children killed.
The alleged shooter has been captured alive and identified as Nikolas Cruz. A Philadelphia Eagles fan.
The fact Cruz is Hispanic initially led to some speculation that he was one of the Democrats beloved DREAMER illegal immigrants.
However it has been confirmed that he was motivated by some far-right, White Supremacists nihilist ideology. Possibly inspired by Anders Breivik.
Rather like Munich shooter Ali Sonboly this has caused some confusion. Obama's Black Lives Matter have been trying to convince people that Hispanics are not white.
However I seem to remember much of the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest, the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, the 2016 Summer Olympics, the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest and now the 2018 Winter Olympics were spent mocking that claim.
It was even mocked extensively by Hispanic Americans during the 2016 Oscars. They responded to the #OscarsSoWhite campaign with the #NotYourMule. To protest black Americans trying to exploit them in an effort to get fast-tracked into the Academy.
Even Chung Yoo-ra was forced to make Samsung pay for her mule.
On their way out of the stadium the AR 'doves' arranged them into the formations of the main Winter Olympic sports. Rather like Japanese AR did during its little sequence in the 2016 Summer Olympic Closing Ceremony.
However unlike the Japanese AR which was stationary the South Korean AR was in motion. Clearly far superior.
Once the AR doves reached the top of the mountain they triggered actual, real-life, human skiers and snowboarders to start skiing down the mountain. This sequence was filmed by small drones using the 5G wireless network that was unaffected by the "Olympic Destroyer" cyberattack.
As they were making their way down the mountain these skiers were wearing Smart-Fabrics. The sort of thing that lights up - possibly controlled by 5G wireless - and could even charge your Smartphone using kenetic energy. They were also wearing traditional ski goggles.
This promoted conversation about how AR could be incorporated into future live events. Possibly by giving the audience something like the; "Oculus Rift" or "Google Glass."
They could even use something like the fancy glasses Sergeant Bob Brown uses to provide footage from inside the school shooting in the; "In Loco Parentis" episode of "The Unit." Scott Foley who plays him certainly scrubs up well.
I'm not making any promises but the Closing Ceremony gift bag could be impressive.
Finally the skiers arrange themselves into the shape of the Olympic Rings and use flares to show the colours.
At the same time AR Olympic Rings appear above them.
So Japan may have been the first people to use AR in an Olympic ceremony.
The South Koreans did the first AR Olympic Rings.
21:35 on 15/2/18 (UK date).
Thursday, 15 February 2018
Wednesday, 14 February 2018
The 2018 Winter Olympics: Opening Ceremony Pt.4
A continuation of Part 3; https://watchitdie.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/the-2018-winter-olympics-opening_13.html
Beaten Black & Blue:
This phase of the sequence began with what appeared to be a train carriage. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il died aboard a train carriage in 2011.
With Kim Jong-il's daughter Kim Yo-jong being in the audience that is quite a strong statement from the South Koreans.
However the train carriage then broke apart into a vast number of of door frames or doorways. Each with their own set of complex LED lights and performers to wheel them around the arena floor.
Through this the sequence began to explore Korean Unification as an existential concept.
Really the only practical way in which Korean unification exists is through the reunification of families separated by the partition. Every so often a doorway opens between the two Koreas and these families get to spend time with each other the specially built; "Peace Village" of Panmunjom.
As these doorways where being wheeled around lighting projected a display onto the arena floor. These resembled the famous paintings and drawings of Dutch Artist M.C Escher.
With pathways and staircases that seem to lead nowhere discussions about Korean Unification and negotiations between the DPRK and the RoK can feel a lot like an Escher painting. Particularly "Relativity" from 1953 or "Ascending & Descending" from 1960.
At one point performers appeared in a colour scheme which made them resemble the; "Minions" who first emerged in the 2010 animated movie; "Despicable Me." However the style of these performers dress resembled Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) protection suits.
This contrast was intended to promote discussion about Hard and Soft Power.
Hard Power is military power. Tanks and guns etc. The DPRK has focused heavily on hard power. Not only through its nuclear weapons program but also a vast arsenal of conventional weapons.
Although I don't have the exact figures at any given point the DPRK is said to have artillery pointed at the RoK ready to rain down something like 250,000 high explosive shells every three minutes. After only 90 seconds that is going to make one hell of a mess.
Coined by the US political scientist Joesph Nye Soft Power is anything using attraction or persuasion. Charm essentially.
So it's something like setting up a worldwide news broadcaster - something like Arirang Word. This allows a nation to put forward its position on issues to a global audience.
The BBC's World Service is famously not run by the BBC. It's run by Britain's foreign intelligence service M16. The BBC merely funds it and provides with diplomatic cover.
Soft Power can even be something as simple as entertaining people through things like K-Pop.
Provided you don't get into specific political disputes I think that globally most people have a positive view of America. That's because America makes them laugh through movies such as Despicable Me.
Really undergoing a resurgence during the Cold War the Olympics are pretty much a Soft Power competition between nations.
During the 2016 Summer Olympics I think many people may have forgotten any negative feelings they had towards China during Fu Yuanhui's series of delightful interviews.
Unlike the DPRK the RoK has not had to build its own nuclear deterrent. It has simply relied on the US to provide it with what's termed a protective umbrella. The RoK also relies on the US for almost its entire defence budget.
As a result the RoK has been able to spend massively on Soft Power. While the DPRK has been forced to spend heavily on Hard Power.
The sequence then gives a rather detailed examination of whether the RoK thinks Soft Power or Hard Power will win out in any future war to unify the Korean Peninsula. Annoyingly I think it is best for me to leave that as an undefined artistic statement.
However I will paraphrase for US President Obama;
"Much as I try to stop it. The arc of human history tends to bend towards justice."
The sequence ended with large particles light rising from the recessed circle at the centre of the circular arena to a corresponding circle in the sky.
This was a reference to the Quantum Encryption communications Satellite (QUESS) that China launched during the 2016 Summer Olympics.
I can't even pretend to understand how QUESS works.
However if you are encrypting data so it can be stored electronically - say on a computer hard disc - at some point you need to convert it into Binary code. This is simply; "Electrical Signal Present - (1)" or "Electrical Signal Absent (0)."
What QUESS does is use sub-atomic particles of light to create the electrical signal. Rather like a fibre optic cable.
However because the light particles used in QUESS are so small if you were to intercept them you would destroy them making it impossible to decrypt the data. Giving you a totally secure communications system.
Quantum Encryption is most certainly not a Childlike Cipher.
Opening Speeches:
It is protocol that each Opening Ceremony must feature opening speeches.
By the head of the host National Olympic Committee (NOC). In this case Lee Kee-heung. Then by the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In this case former Olympic fencer Thomas Bach.
As you would expect Lee Kee-heung gave his speech in Korean. However unusually the BBC who provided the coverage I watched did not provide a translator.
Instead the commentator read out a copy of the speech he'd been provided with beforehand. Therefore I have no way of knowing whether the speech I heard was actually the speech delivered. I certainly have no way of gauging the reaction.
This is actually an old diplomatic trick. Particularly from the Cold War.
Newspapers would be provided with an advance copy of a diplomat's speech that they would print days or even weeks after it was delivered. However unseen by a domestic audience the diplomatic would deliver an ever so slightly different speech. Even something a simple as changing the rhythm of delivery so certain words or phrase poignantly hang in the air.
As to why the BBC failed to provide a translator they could be protesting cuts to their budget to pay for MI6's World Service. Through things like the equal pay scandal BBC funding is a particularly hot topic in the UK at the moment.
They could also have been trying, and I think failing, to make the point that I am entirely dependent of them. So if they give me false information - like the Japanese Peace Bell being used in the ceremony - I roboticaly repeat that false information to you.
It is also possible the South Korean hosts were deliberately feeding the BBC false information. So they would roboticaly repeat it. Making a point about the BBC's continued reporting of things like there being a moderate opposition in Syria or there being an accidental fire at Grenfell Tower.
IOC President Thomas Bach delivered his speech in English.
Addressing what the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) have described as an arbitrary political decision to exclude Russia Bach spoke about the need for a clean games and for drug cheats to be harshly punished.
At best this was met with a stony silence from the audience of assembled competitors. I'm quite sure I also heard quite a bit of booing in the background too.
At 18:15 on 14/2/18 (UK date) I will pick this up after dinner.
Edited at around 19:50 on 14/2/18 (UK date) to add above and below;
Cowardly Cheese:
Officially titled; "Peace in Motion" this sequence was inspired by the element Earth. Represented in Wu Xing by the colour Yellow.
It's a common misconception that Koreans use a logographic alphabet like Japan and China. Something which is not helped by the fact they do use some Chinese and Japanese logographic symbols. But in a completely different way to how Japan and China use them.
One example of something resembling a logographic alphabet that is becoming common the world over is Emojis or Emoticons. The little symbols you use on your phone and on social media. Rather then writing; "I am happy" you simply put Happy Face Symbol - a single character.
Recently there was a bit of controversy in the world of Emojis over the Cheeseburger symbol.
I think it was Google's Emoji that showed the bun, the cheese, the burger and then the bun. Everyone knows that in a cheeseburger the cheese goes on top of the burger an beneath the bun.
Even as recently as last week Nintendo were still mocking Google with a competition to decide whether its Cheeseburger Emoji should feature pickles or not.
The American cheese slices you get in Cheeseburgers are a particularly nasty shade of yellow.
This sequence featured four South Koreans signing John Lennon's anti-war anthem of peace and unity; "Imagine." As they were signing a video was shown in the corner of the screen. This featured people of all races, genders and ages all across the world playing instruments or also signing along. In the arena were waving lights - a traditional Korean gesture of peace.
In short is was every cheesy cliche about the Olympics being conducted in the spirit of peace and unity all in one place.
As such it was hard to take the message of peace seriously. It seemed so sarcastic you got the impression the South Koreans had their rifles oiled and loaded and were waiting for the day all this talk of peace was going to end.
The main singers represent the old military dictatorship RoK and the new democratic RoK.
The two older singers were Lee Eun-mi and Jeon In-kwon. Lee Eun-mi began her career in the late 1980's. Jeon In-kwon's career goes back even further into the rule of Park Chung-hee having first risen to fame in 1979.
The two younger singers were current K-Pop stars; Ha Hyun-woo of the rock band Guckkasten and Ahn Ji-young of the pop duo Bolbbalgan4.
Through his style of dress Ha Hyun-woo seemed to be referencing the TV Show; "Doctor Who" or perhaps in this case; "Doctor Woo." His military style overcoat is a big theme in male K-Pop fashion. Due to them having to break-off, Elvis Presley style, to perform compulsory military service.
The sequence began with the childlike ciphers in their modern South Korean clothes entering the arena. They were carrying the traditional Korean gesture of peace of light and water. They then shared this gift with a family wearing traditional winter dress.
Although it went unspoken the family in traditional dress were meant to be a North Korean family. This was the RoK mocking the DPRK over the fact they have to constantly give them gifts of cash and even just food and water to stop them starving to death. Normally because Kim Jong-il had just blown something up.
The ciphers and the starving North Korean family then shared this gift of peace with a large number of performers who entered the arena. This led to the arena being packed with performers all carrying these little electrical lights.
The BBC commentator claimed that these lights were controlled by a 5G Wireless signal showing the RoK's technological dominance over everyone - especially Japan. However I think he might have got that confused with the drones which appeared later.
Throughout the sequence the performers moved about the darkened arena. This meant that at some points there were lights everywhere. At others there were no lights to be seen.
One of the most striking ways to illustrate the difference in economic development between the RoK and the DPRK is to fly over the Korean Peninsula at night. In the RoK there are electrical lights everywhere while the DPRK is plunged into near total darkness.
If you're interested in economic development on the continent of Africa, as people working for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) are you get the same contrast. At night Africa is almost entirely in darkness.
Under the dictatorship of Park Chung-hee between 1962 and 1979 the US gave the RoK around US$70bn in financial aid. In the same period the US gave the entire continent of Africa less then US$70bn in financial aid.
Despite the earlier mockery this was the RoK conceding that maybe their economic superiority over the DPRK may in part be due to all the free money.
As a climax to the sequence the performers with the lights arranged themselves in the shape of a bird surrounded by a Taoist circle. Due to the torches this bird appeared to be on fire.
I don't think this was any actual bird. However it could be viewed as a Dove - a traditional western symbol of peace. It could also be viewed as the Fenghuang - the bird which uses the sun to travel between dimensions. A traditional eastern symbol of peace.
Mainly though it seemed to resemble the "Mockingjay" symbol from the "Hunger Games" series of movies.
That series of books and movies very much incorporate firebird myths as a central theme. The central character Katniss Everdean wears a broach of a Mockingjay which becomes a symbol of the revolution. As she prepares to enter one of the Hunger Games she's presented in an elaborate costume with feathered bird wings that catches fire on command.
The Hunger Games actually seems closer to the Russian Firebird myth then anything like the Phoenix or Fenghuang. The Russian Firebird myth is an allegory warning about the pursuit of the unobtainable.
Although I don't want to give out spoilers Katniss is recruited by the revolutionaries trying to overthrow a dictatorship. These revolutionaries are led by a woman. Finally it is revealed that the female leader is every bit the dictator as the man she overthrows.
The symbol of the dictatorship in the Hunger Games is the White Rose.
As the 2018 US Grammy music awards guests were talked into wearing as single White Rose. This was to show support for the "#TimesUp" campaign like sexual abusers like President Trump. During the ceremony Hillary Clinton appeared as the leader of the TimesUp campaign. On a Hunger Games style dictatorship bigscreen.
The whole thing seemed to be spectacularly lacking in self-awareness.
The frightening thing is that the South Koreans might have been able to create the elaborate computer animation featuring the Hunger Games style cityscape used earlier in the time between the Grammys and the Opening Ceremony.
The other frightening thought is that it might have been the K-Pop stars at the Grammys who talked everyone into wearing the White Roses in the first place.
The imagery of the Hunger Games including the three fingered salute was adopted by those trying to resist the 2014 Coup in Thailand.
Firstly that coup was a directly result of Rihanna's 2013 Diamonds World Tour (DWT). Rihanna and I were married at the 2012 Summer Para-Olympics. The Diamonds World Tour was our honeymoon.
The key thing about that tour was knowing when Rihanna was moving between different countries with different threat profiles. Despite not playing a concert there Rihanna decided to make not one but two secret trips to Thailand. The intention being to give the Thais insider information.
The backlash against this was immense. In the end the Thai border guards got Rihanna to sign autographs and pose for photographs as she was leaving. So they could post them on the Internet to prove to everyone that Rihanna had finally left.
The 2014 coup was to get rid of the government that had embarrassed Thailand so badly by associating it with Rihanna.
Secondly no-one seemed at all surprised or bothered by Thailand's 2014 coup.
That's because Thailand is such a repressive country it's said that it doesn't have elections. It simply changes its government through coups. This was I think their 11th or 12th in 50 years.
Despite this Thailand is still one of the most liberal nations in that part of South East Asia. The most repressive is Myanmar/Burma and you have nations like Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam all competing somewhere in the middle.
Unfortunately in his grand; "Pivot Towards the Pacific" policy former US President Obama didn't seem to understand any of this.
He simply coloured in the bit which is China with one colour crayon. Then coloured in all the bits that aren't China in another colour crayon.
The result is the chaos we're currently seeing in now apparently US trading partner Myanmar.
One of current US President Trump's first acts was to scrap the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). The economic track of Obama's Pivot Towards the Pacific.
This doesn't mean that Asian nations can't continue trade with each other and the US. It just means that agreements are done on a bilateral basis best suited to the individual nations involved.
Of course before we start talking about opening up Myanmar it seems we're first going to have to close off Myanmar with more sanctions.
21:35 on 14/2/18 (UK date).
Beaten Black & Blue:
This phase of the sequence began with what appeared to be a train carriage. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il died aboard a train carriage in 2011.
With Kim Jong-il's daughter Kim Yo-jong being in the audience that is quite a strong statement from the South Koreans.
However the train carriage then broke apart into a vast number of of door frames or doorways. Each with their own set of complex LED lights and performers to wheel them around the arena floor.
Through this the sequence began to explore Korean Unification as an existential concept.
Really the only practical way in which Korean unification exists is through the reunification of families separated by the partition. Every so often a doorway opens between the two Koreas and these families get to spend time with each other the specially built; "Peace Village" of Panmunjom.
As these doorways where being wheeled around lighting projected a display onto the arena floor. These resembled the famous paintings and drawings of Dutch Artist M.C Escher.
With pathways and staircases that seem to lead nowhere discussions about Korean Unification and negotiations between the DPRK and the RoK can feel a lot like an Escher painting. Particularly "Relativity" from 1953 or "Ascending & Descending" from 1960.
At one point performers appeared in a colour scheme which made them resemble the; "Minions" who first emerged in the 2010 animated movie; "Despicable Me." However the style of these performers dress resembled Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) protection suits.
This contrast was intended to promote discussion about Hard and Soft Power.
Hard Power is military power. Tanks and guns etc. The DPRK has focused heavily on hard power. Not only through its nuclear weapons program but also a vast arsenal of conventional weapons.
Although I don't have the exact figures at any given point the DPRK is said to have artillery pointed at the RoK ready to rain down something like 250,000 high explosive shells every three minutes. After only 90 seconds that is going to make one hell of a mess.
Coined by the US political scientist Joesph Nye Soft Power is anything using attraction or persuasion. Charm essentially.
So it's something like setting up a worldwide news broadcaster - something like Arirang Word. This allows a nation to put forward its position on issues to a global audience.
The BBC's World Service is famously not run by the BBC. It's run by Britain's foreign intelligence service M16. The BBC merely funds it and provides with diplomatic cover.
Soft Power can even be something as simple as entertaining people through things like K-Pop.
Provided you don't get into specific political disputes I think that globally most people have a positive view of America. That's because America makes them laugh through movies such as Despicable Me.
Really undergoing a resurgence during the Cold War the Olympics are pretty much a Soft Power competition between nations.
During the 2016 Summer Olympics I think many people may have forgotten any negative feelings they had towards China during Fu Yuanhui's series of delightful interviews.
Unlike the DPRK the RoK has not had to build its own nuclear deterrent. It has simply relied on the US to provide it with what's termed a protective umbrella. The RoK also relies on the US for almost its entire defence budget.
As a result the RoK has been able to spend massively on Soft Power. While the DPRK has been forced to spend heavily on Hard Power.
The sequence then gives a rather detailed examination of whether the RoK thinks Soft Power or Hard Power will win out in any future war to unify the Korean Peninsula. Annoyingly I think it is best for me to leave that as an undefined artistic statement.
However I will paraphrase for US President Obama;
"Much as I try to stop it. The arc of human history tends to bend towards justice."
The sequence ended with large particles light rising from the recessed circle at the centre of the circular arena to a corresponding circle in the sky.
This was a reference to the Quantum Encryption communications Satellite (QUESS) that China launched during the 2016 Summer Olympics.
I can't even pretend to understand how QUESS works.
However if you are encrypting data so it can be stored electronically - say on a computer hard disc - at some point you need to convert it into Binary code. This is simply; "Electrical Signal Present - (1)" or "Electrical Signal Absent (0)."
What QUESS does is use sub-atomic particles of light to create the electrical signal. Rather like a fibre optic cable.
However because the light particles used in QUESS are so small if you were to intercept them you would destroy them making it impossible to decrypt the data. Giving you a totally secure communications system.
Quantum Encryption is most certainly not a Childlike Cipher.
Opening Speeches:
It is protocol that each Opening Ceremony must feature opening speeches.
By the head of the host National Olympic Committee (NOC). In this case Lee Kee-heung. Then by the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In this case former Olympic fencer Thomas Bach.
As you would expect Lee Kee-heung gave his speech in Korean. However unusually the BBC who provided the coverage I watched did not provide a translator.
Instead the commentator read out a copy of the speech he'd been provided with beforehand. Therefore I have no way of knowing whether the speech I heard was actually the speech delivered. I certainly have no way of gauging the reaction.
This is actually an old diplomatic trick. Particularly from the Cold War.
Newspapers would be provided with an advance copy of a diplomat's speech that they would print days or even weeks after it was delivered. However unseen by a domestic audience the diplomatic would deliver an ever so slightly different speech. Even something a simple as changing the rhythm of delivery so certain words or phrase poignantly hang in the air.
As to why the BBC failed to provide a translator they could be protesting cuts to their budget to pay for MI6's World Service. Through things like the equal pay scandal BBC funding is a particularly hot topic in the UK at the moment.
They could also have been trying, and I think failing, to make the point that I am entirely dependent of them. So if they give me false information - like the Japanese Peace Bell being used in the ceremony - I roboticaly repeat that false information to you.
It is also possible the South Korean hosts were deliberately feeding the BBC false information. So they would roboticaly repeat it. Making a point about the BBC's continued reporting of things like there being a moderate opposition in Syria or there being an accidental fire at Grenfell Tower.
IOC President Thomas Bach delivered his speech in English.
Addressing what the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) have described as an arbitrary political decision to exclude Russia Bach spoke about the need for a clean games and for drug cheats to be harshly punished.
At best this was met with a stony silence from the audience of assembled competitors. I'm quite sure I also heard quite a bit of booing in the background too.
At 18:15 on 14/2/18 (UK date) I will pick this up after dinner.
Edited at around 19:50 on 14/2/18 (UK date) to add above and below;
Cowardly Cheese:
Officially titled; "Peace in Motion" this sequence was inspired by the element Earth. Represented in Wu Xing by the colour Yellow.
It's a common misconception that Koreans use a logographic alphabet like Japan and China. Something which is not helped by the fact they do use some Chinese and Japanese logographic symbols. But in a completely different way to how Japan and China use them.
One example of something resembling a logographic alphabet that is becoming common the world over is Emojis or Emoticons. The little symbols you use on your phone and on social media. Rather then writing; "I am happy" you simply put Happy Face Symbol - a single character.
Recently there was a bit of controversy in the world of Emojis over the Cheeseburger symbol.
I think it was Google's Emoji that showed the bun, the cheese, the burger and then the bun. Everyone knows that in a cheeseburger the cheese goes on top of the burger an beneath the bun.
Even as recently as last week Nintendo were still mocking Google with a competition to decide whether its Cheeseburger Emoji should feature pickles or not.
The American cheese slices you get in Cheeseburgers are a particularly nasty shade of yellow.
This sequence featured four South Koreans signing John Lennon's anti-war anthem of peace and unity; "Imagine." As they were signing a video was shown in the corner of the screen. This featured people of all races, genders and ages all across the world playing instruments or also signing along. In the arena were waving lights - a traditional Korean gesture of peace.
In short is was every cheesy cliche about the Olympics being conducted in the spirit of peace and unity all in one place.
As such it was hard to take the message of peace seriously. It seemed so sarcastic you got the impression the South Koreans had their rifles oiled and loaded and were waiting for the day all this talk of peace was going to end.
The main singers represent the old military dictatorship RoK and the new democratic RoK.
The two older singers were Lee Eun-mi and Jeon In-kwon. Lee Eun-mi began her career in the late 1980's. Jeon In-kwon's career goes back even further into the rule of Park Chung-hee having first risen to fame in 1979.
The two younger singers were current K-Pop stars; Ha Hyun-woo of the rock band Guckkasten and Ahn Ji-young of the pop duo Bolbbalgan4.
Through his style of dress Ha Hyun-woo seemed to be referencing the TV Show; "Doctor Who" or perhaps in this case; "Doctor Woo." His military style overcoat is a big theme in male K-Pop fashion. Due to them having to break-off, Elvis Presley style, to perform compulsory military service.
The sequence began with the childlike ciphers in their modern South Korean clothes entering the arena. They were carrying the traditional Korean gesture of peace of light and water. They then shared this gift with a family wearing traditional winter dress.
Although it went unspoken the family in traditional dress were meant to be a North Korean family. This was the RoK mocking the DPRK over the fact they have to constantly give them gifts of cash and even just food and water to stop them starving to death. Normally because Kim Jong-il had just blown something up.
The ciphers and the starving North Korean family then shared this gift of peace with a large number of performers who entered the arena. This led to the arena being packed with performers all carrying these little electrical lights.
The BBC commentator claimed that these lights were controlled by a 5G Wireless signal showing the RoK's technological dominance over everyone - especially Japan. However I think he might have got that confused with the drones which appeared later.
Throughout the sequence the performers moved about the darkened arena. This meant that at some points there were lights everywhere. At others there were no lights to be seen.
One of the most striking ways to illustrate the difference in economic development between the RoK and the DPRK is to fly over the Korean Peninsula at night. In the RoK there are electrical lights everywhere while the DPRK is plunged into near total darkness.
If you're interested in economic development on the continent of Africa, as people working for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) are you get the same contrast. At night Africa is almost entirely in darkness.
Under the dictatorship of Park Chung-hee between 1962 and 1979 the US gave the RoK around US$70bn in financial aid. In the same period the US gave the entire continent of Africa less then US$70bn in financial aid.
Despite the earlier mockery this was the RoK conceding that maybe their economic superiority over the DPRK may in part be due to all the free money.
As a climax to the sequence the performers with the lights arranged themselves in the shape of a bird surrounded by a Taoist circle. Due to the torches this bird appeared to be on fire.
I don't think this was any actual bird. However it could be viewed as a Dove - a traditional western symbol of peace. It could also be viewed as the Fenghuang - the bird which uses the sun to travel between dimensions. A traditional eastern symbol of peace.
Mainly though it seemed to resemble the "Mockingjay" symbol from the "Hunger Games" series of movies.
That series of books and movies very much incorporate firebird myths as a central theme. The central character Katniss Everdean wears a broach of a Mockingjay which becomes a symbol of the revolution. As she prepares to enter one of the Hunger Games she's presented in an elaborate costume with feathered bird wings that catches fire on command.
The Hunger Games actually seems closer to the Russian Firebird myth then anything like the Phoenix or Fenghuang. The Russian Firebird myth is an allegory warning about the pursuit of the unobtainable.
Although I don't want to give out spoilers Katniss is recruited by the revolutionaries trying to overthrow a dictatorship. These revolutionaries are led by a woman. Finally it is revealed that the female leader is every bit the dictator as the man she overthrows.
The symbol of the dictatorship in the Hunger Games is the White Rose.
As the 2018 US Grammy music awards guests were talked into wearing as single White Rose. This was to show support for the "#TimesUp" campaign like sexual abusers like President Trump. During the ceremony Hillary Clinton appeared as the leader of the TimesUp campaign. On a Hunger Games style dictatorship bigscreen.
The whole thing seemed to be spectacularly lacking in self-awareness.
The frightening thing is that the South Koreans might have been able to create the elaborate computer animation featuring the Hunger Games style cityscape used earlier in the time between the Grammys and the Opening Ceremony.
The other frightening thought is that it might have been the K-Pop stars at the Grammys who talked everyone into wearing the White Roses in the first place.
The imagery of the Hunger Games including the three fingered salute was adopted by those trying to resist the 2014 Coup in Thailand.
Firstly that coup was a directly result of Rihanna's 2013 Diamonds World Tour (DWT). Rihanna and I were married at the 2012 Summer Para-Olympics. The Diamonds World Tour was our honeymoon.
The key thing about that tour was knowing when Rihanna was moving between different countries with different threat profiles. Despite not playing a concert there Rihanna decided to make not one but two secret trips to Thailand. The intention being to give the Thais insider information.
The backlash against this was immense. In the end the Thai border guards got Rihanna to sign autographs and pose for photographs as she was leaving. So they could post them on the Internet to prove to everyone that Rihanna had finally left.
The 2014 coup was to get rid of the government that had embarrassed Thailand so badly by associating it with Rihanna.
Secondly no-one seemed at all surprised or bothered by Thailand's 2014 coup.
That's because Thailand is such a repressive country it's said that it doesn't have elections. It simply changes its government through coups. This was I think their 11th or 12th in 50 years.
Despite this Thailand is still one of the most liberal nations in that part of South East Asia. The most repressive is Myanmar/Burma and you have nations like Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam all competing somewhere in the middle.
Unfortunately in his grand; "Pivot Towards the Pacific" policy former US President Obama didn't seem to understand any of this.
He simply coloured in the bit which is China with one colour crayon. Then coloured in all the bits that aren't China in another colour crayon.
The result is the chaos we're currently seeing in now apparently US trading partner Myanmar.
One of current US President Trump's first acts was to scrap the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). The economic track of Obama's Pivot Towards the Pacific.
This doesn't mean that Asian nations can't continue trade with each other and the US. It just means that agreements are done on a bilateral basis best suited to the individual nations involved.
Of course before we start talking about opening up Myanmar it seems we're first going to have to close off Myanmar with more sanctions.
21:35 on 14/2/18 (UK date).
Tuesday, 13 February 2018
The 2018 Winter Olympics: Opening Ceremony Pt.3.
Obviously a continuation of Part 2; https://watchitdie.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/the-2018-winter-olympics-opening_12.html
Video Presentation:
While the physical stage was being reset after the Parade of Nations viewers where shown a short video presentation. Primarily to distract them.
This showed Korea's beautiful natural landscape as the seasons changed through the year. This re-affirmed that the Wu Xing was being used only as it refers to the changes of seasons.
The Wu Xing lays out the five essential elements which through their interaction can explain everything in the universe.
One of the more dubious things it is used to justify is Chinese herbal medicine. There is certainly significantly less scientific evidence to support claims this type of traditional medicine works then there is to support the claim that winter follows autumn.
Despite this lack of evidence President Xi Jinping is a firm believer of traditional Chinese medicine. He promotes it as way to boost Chinese influence globally. Unfortunately many traditional Chinese herbal remedies are made out of the body parts of endangered species. Such as the bones of Tigers or the tusks of Elephants.
By promoting traditional Chinese medicine President Xi is also promoting the hunting and poaching of some of the World's most endangered species. This is the RoK giving him a little bit of a rap on the knuckles over that.
It is also a small slight to the DPRK. In an effort to further distinguish itself from the RoK in 2015 the DPRK introduced its own timezone 30 minutes ahead of the RoK timezone (GMT+9).
Time is determined by your position on Earth relative to the Sun. So much like the weather time does not give a damn about political boundaries. Therefore there is certainly no reasonable explanation as to why the DPRK is 30 minutes behind the RoK.
Mainly though this video presentation was to prepare us for the big Climate Change lecture to come.
Beaten Black & Blue:
The point of the Wu Xing is that the five essential elements coexist in balance with each. Therefore while it would be easier for me to write up dividing the elements up to describe individually rather defeats the entire point.
As such this sequence deals with both Wood (Green) and Water (Black). Strictly speaking the water element is portrayed by the colour black. However it's always a short of blueish black, rather like water. As such particularly when you're doing lighting displays it is acceptable to portray water as blue. If you used black light no-one would see it.
The Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil featured a lengthy video presentation warning about Climate Change. This explained the human causes of Climate Change and the predicted effects that Climate Change would have on the natural environment. It was not artistic is was simply scientific.
Particularly on Mardi Gras we all know that Brazilians can throw a party. Their challenge as Olympic hosts was to show us that they can also do complex, technical and scientific things.
Climate Change is a topic of massive importance to Brazil. Along with its neighbours it is home to the World's largest Rainforest. These absorb Green House Gases (ghg's) and turn them into biomass (wood) and useful gases like Oxygen. They represent the best way to protect us from Climate Change.
Despite former US President Obama's claim that he has solved Climate Change through the Paris Agreement there are many who think that it remains a vitally important topic. Every day should involve a long lecture about Climate Change - no matter if it reveals Obama to be a liar.
Along with Brazil the RoK is another particularly significant nation in the fight against Climate Change.
Before the Paris Agreement ruined everything the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) established something called the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The headquarters of the GCF are physically located in Seoul, RoK.
As the name suggests the GCF job is to raise and then disperse funds to projects to combat Climate Change.
That can mean something as simple as distributing Olympic Cauldron-style low fuel use stoves in Africa. It can also mean more complex things like putting heat insulation cladding onto tower blocks in a city such as London to reduce energy use.
On June 13th 2017 (13/6/17) activists for the UK Labour Party set fire to the Grenfell Tower block in London. They claimed the fire had been spread by insulation cladding attached to the building. They went onto claim this cladding had been installed because supporters of the evil Conservative Party don't even want to look at people.
For those working at the Green Climate Fund the UK Labour Party's lies were extremely obvious.
In honour of her sacrifice during the UNFCCC process the GCF headquarters were actually opened on my paternal grandmother's birthday.
So I'm sure the UK Labour Party can continue to run around town thinking certain things are going to go away. If they like.
However during this sequence one of the Four Guardians put in a small appearance. Black Turtle. Who signifies longevity.
During the sequence Black Turtle was shown as, well, a black turtle in hands of one of the childlike ciphers.
I feel I should point out though that Black Turtle is traditionally represented by a sort of Snake, Turtle hybrid. These are a reference to King of the North Xuanwu's two key Generals - Snake and Tortoise. In some versions of the legend Snake General and Tortoise General began life as Xuanwu's intestines and stomach.
In their multitude of criminal enterprises the UK Labour Party often try to present themselves a Charities - working for the good of the 'community.' They're definitely not trying to launder the proceeds from their drug and prostitution businesses.
Perhaps suspecting this topic might come up Britain has prepared. In the form the Oxfam Charity Abuse Scandal.
This began with reports of prostitution in Haiti. Even if the GCF don't know about it my accountant certainly remembers how I used Oxfam to unlock a lot of funding in response to Haiti's 2010 earthquake. Including from US movie stars like Sandra Bullock who apparently just writes cheques for anything.
We then all watched that money being squandered in a relief effort led by former US President Bill Clinton. Aided and abetted by his wife then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Not just on this topic it has been said by many that the Clinton Dynasty wasn't a political career. It was a crime wave.
The Oxfam scandal has though expanded to include Africa. A continent which has about the same level of electricity use as the DPRK. And has over the years (1945 -1979) has received about the same amount of US financial aid as the country of the RoK. Charity bosses across the UK are getting extremely nervous.
As I've said it must often feel as though I'm ignoring Korea. There is one thing that tipped me off that the RoK in particular is feeling ignored.
They insisted their news broadcaster Arirang World be included on my super secret satellite TV package. Judging by recent discussions over the US TV show; "The Unit" I appear to be the only person in the UK with access to this satellite package.
I remember the UK launch of Arirang World well. They sent their head of European news to interview the head of the network. This being a few years ago she was asking him lots of questions about how the network would take advantage of things like 4K TV and 5G wireless in the future.
He sat there with a look on his face as if to say; "Our satellite is powered by a hamster running around a wheel."
I can't say I've watched Arirang World much after that.
Although it is in the "News" section of the program guide it seems more to resemble an entertainment channel. Sort of a South Korean MTV with lots of information about the latest K-Pop stars, who they're dating and when their doing their stint in the military. I gather though there is a roughly 30 minute news bulletin each day at around 4AM.
In doing this Arirang World seem to be promoting a talking point about the phenomenon of News as Entertainment. This has long been a feature of US news and has recently been growing in the UK.
It used to be that we got news bulletins with journalists giving us facts. Now all we see to get are discussion shows with the type of people who are available in the middle of the working day giving us their wildly uniformed opinions. In the US it seems to be just one opinion - they really don't like President Trump.
Arirang World also seem to be winding up their regional rival Japan.
Japanese culture is extremely deferential and polite.
You often see Japanese people wearing surgical masks in public. People often mistake this for the Japanese being very afraid they will catch the other people's germs. It's the opposite. In Japanese culture if you have a cold the absolute rudest thing you could do is risk spreading those germs to other people but not wearing a mask in public.
The Japanese police also have a remarkably high conviction rate due to most suspects confessing. In no small part this is due to innocent people confessing to crimes they haven't committed because attempting to correct the police officers accusing them would be the height of rudeness.
Even in Japan their state news broadcaster NHK has a reputation for being extremely deferential and as a result not in any way holding its government or public figures to account.
Anyway as to how all this was portrayed during the ceremony;
It used the song "Arirang" sung by the 77 year old Kim Nang-ji
Often described as the unofficial national anthem of Korea there are an almost infinite number of versions of this over 600 year old song.
Arirang is listed by the UN's Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as intangible cultural heritage not once but twice. The RoK registered it as part of their heritage in 2012. The DPRK registered it as part of their heritage in 2014.
The central theme of the song is that a man and a woman meet on opposite sides of a river and fall in love. The song is the man's lament that because of the river the two can never be joined as one. In some versions he tries to cross the river and drowns.
As such Arirang serves as a metaphor for me relationship with my lesbian wife. Or my relationship with Rihanna whom I was married off to at the 2012 Para-Olympic Closing Ceremony. In short my love life is a mess.
I suppose at a push Arirang could also serve as a metaphor for the RoK and the DPRK and dreams of Unification. The river being the De-Militarised Zone (DMZ) along the 38th Parallel.
Prompting a discussion about cultural misappropriation the way Arirang was portrayed during the ceremony is absolutely nothing like the song.
It showed the childlike ciphers on a raft being rowed along a blue/green river. As if they were on the Amazon River travelling through Brazil's Rainforest.
It ends with the children drawing their futures in ice on the sky using what appear to be Harry Potter-style magic wands. I've never seen any of the Harry Potter movies or read any of the books. However the people who have seem utterly obsessed with this funny lightning bolt scar I've got on my forehead.
With the appearance of one of the Four Guardians there is an Augmented Reality (AR) sequence showing us the stars. This reminds us that the Four Guardians are constellations of stars. It also shows what appear to be Fireflies rising into the night sky.
This is a reference to the 2002 US TV Show; "Firefly." This was written and directed by supreme ruler of the universe Joss Whedon.
This TV show was a big feature of the 2012 Summer Games. To the point the British hosts named a special plane carrying the Olympic flame; "Firefly." Prompting people who'd seen the TV show to tut and point out the vessel in the show was named; "Serenity." It was a Firefly class spaceship.
Although to some it may appear to be a TV show Firefly is actually an exercise in "Existentialism." This philosophy has its roots in animist religions such as Korean Taoism.
One particular sequence shows the River Tam (Summer Glau, later of The Unit) character walking amongst Cherry Blossom trees. A powerful image in places like Korea, Japan and China. She is holding in her hand this beautiful branch.
We are then shown the same scene from the perspective of the rest of Serenity's crew. River is in fact standing in the ship's cargo bay waving a handgun around.
This explains existentialism through the US gun control debate;
A gun is an inanimate object made up of the Wu Xing elements of metal and wood. Or wood, water and earth if you want to get into plastic polymers. On its own a gun will just sit there without purpose. It is only when a person picks it up that it takes on a purpose and is defined as either good or evil.
Firefly also makes some interesting contributions to the US broadcast regulator - the FCC - strict prohibition on swearing and foul language.
Firefly exists in a future where the Chinese and US government have combined in a single global government. They have then set out to explore and colonise other planets. The unseen enemy are known as; "Reevers." Pronounced exactly the same as Muslim Uighurs from China's Xinjiang Province.
As a result of this bilingualism everyone in Firefly speaks both English and Chinese.
So when the characters come to swear they do so in Chinese. So the FCC can't understand them. I gather that having gone to the trouble of hiring Chinese translators the writers then just absolutely went for it conducting their own sort of; "Swearing Olympics."
Apparently if you speak Chinese it is the most foul mouthed program ever made.
Firefly also featured the actress Gina Torres. As she was married to Laurence Fishburne at the time her character is named "Zoe Washburne." I assure you Laurence Fishburne made his TV debut in; "M*A*S*H."
Joss Whedon's current big TV project is; "Marvels: Agents of Shield."
This, what I think is described as an "ensemble cast," features Chinese-American actress Ming-na Wen. The only concession she's made to westernise her Chinese heritage is to allow her given name - Ming-na - to be written before her family name - Wen. Normally it's the other way around.
Ming-na Wen's apparent love affair with the "Director" character has great fun with Joss Whedon's apparent obsession with eastern culture. The rumour is he's having an affair with an air hostess for and Chinese airline.
The show also features the actress Chloe Bennet who is mixed race - half white, half Chinese. The character she plays is also half white and half Chinese. Although using an alien metaphor the show features her struggle for identity and a researched and accurate learning about her Chinese heritage.
Chile Bennet's real name is Chloe Wang. However that makes her sound like a transsexual porn star. So she assumed a stage name.
Recently Chloe Bennet was attacked by Obama's Black Lives Matter warriors for that new crime of "Whitewashing her Chinese heritage" by adopting a stage name so people wouldn't giggle when she entered a room.
Apparently "Whitewashing" is now almost as great a thought crime as; "Cultural Appropriation."
So this is a half white, half Chinese actress in a major US network show.
Although she occasionally masquerades as Latina she is playing a half white, half Chinese character.
She stars alongside a proudly Chinese American actress.
The show explores mixed-raced people's search for identity and their difficulties finding acceptance and a place within society.
The show also explores Chinese culture in an accurate and well researched way that belies a deep respect for that culture. It also features scenes of entirely Chinese dialogue.
Yet the actress and the show are and continue to be attacked for not doing enough to promote diversity in the entertainment industry.
It's one of those moments where you really come to realise that under Obama the US just completely lost its mind.
I gather US/Korean snowboarder Chloe Kim has been doing rather well at these games.
At around 18:45 on 13/2/18 (UK date) I will try to pick this up after dinner. However it must be said the combination of alcohol and existentialism rarely results in coherent sentences.
Edited at around 13:55 on 14/2/18 (UK date) to add;
Agents of Shield also features as a recurring character the actor Patton Oswalt. The sheer number of characters he recurs as is something of a running joke of the show.
Patton Oswalt also narrates the sitcom; "The Goldbergs." This is about a movie obsessed Jewish kid growing up in 1980's America.
One episode centres around him gathering his friends together to remake the 1985 movie "The Goonies."
One of the jokes is that this is the only time they play with Dave Kim - the Korean American kid at school. They need him to play the Richard "Data" Wang character.
That obviously raises questions about racial stereotypes which even the show seems to find quite awkward. In a; "Did we really used to behave like that?" sort of a way.
In the TV show if not in real life Dave Kim is given the large role as one of the closest friends of the lead character. A prominent role for a Korean American actor.
The children who act as our guides through the ceremony do seem to have something of The Goonies about them as they go about their big adventure. In reference to the Goldbergs and in particular Dave Kim.
Having drawn their futures on the sky an inter-dimensional portal then appears. One-by-one it transports the children to those futures. This is shown in a complex video/digital animation sequence.
The Blue child becomes a doctor.
Due to the River Tam and her older brother Dr Simon Tam characters I did not so much watch "Firefly." I was hit around the head with a DVD copy of it until I memorised every little detail. It was worth it. It's where I learnt the little factoid about US broadcasters using a certain shade of black as a command signal for computerised systems.
I gather in the Muggle universe there is also a TV show called; "Doctor Who." This supposedly examines existential concepts such as Time And Relative Dimensions In Space (TARDIS). However these days it seems more interested in promoting dumb ideas like; "Gender Fluidity" and "Pansexualism." Odd for a kids show.
In his work as a doctor Blue is shown using complex computer imagery. Specifically of a human brain.
This obviously showcases the RoK perceived role as the most technologically advanced nation in the World. The use of the brain opens the discussion up to include a whole range of mental illnesses and complex neurological conditions such as Autism and Alzheimer's disease.
The Yellow child becomes a Artificial Intelligence (AI) Specialist.
As with the whole sequence this confirms that the RoK sees itself not only as the most technologically advanced nation on Earth but also a world leader in new technology. It also brings up the topic of AI itself.
This is one of the more controversial aspects of technological advances. The South African tech billionaire Elon Musk is very opposed to AI. As the US company Boston Dynamics were reminded of this week when the unveiled an AI robot that can open doors on its own.
I have also found myself dragged into the AI debate.
Normally when I finish writing a post like this I also post a link to it on Twitter.
On Twitter companies use AI bots to spam users with links to whatever they're trying to promote. This is obviously annoying for users. So Twitter uses its own AI bots to identify and block the spam bots. Due to the Democrats attempts to rig the 2016 US Presidential Election this has become a major talking point in particularly America.
Over the course of the past week I have Tweeted so many links using the word; "Olympic Opening Ceremony" Twitter's AI bots have decided I'm also an AI bot. As a result my ability to post links has been automatically suspended.
Well that's the official story anyway.
In her role as an AI specialist the Yellow child is shown visiting a luxurious house to work on an female AI robot. That robot itself is painting - showing that it is advanced enough to grasp abstract artistic concepts.
The style of the scene is very much based on the 2014 movie "Ex Machina." This starred Alicia Vikander.
The purpose of the opening ceremony is really to set the tone of discussion during the games. As a result they tend to include a vast array of conversation starters. People are also free to try and work their topics of conversations into the ceremony.
Despite being a movie that many had forgotten about that the time Ex Machina won several awards at the 2016 Oscars. That year was dominated by discussion of how make the Film Academy more diverse. In no small part due to her role in Ex Machina Alicia Vikander was fast-tracked into Academy membership by being nominated for her role in; "The Danish Girl."
If you are familiar with the rigours of the South Korean education system and the Park Guen-hye/Choi Soon-sil scandal you can have a lot of fun with the phrase; "Fast-tracked into the Academy."
The Black child became a K-Pop/Instagram/YouTube star.
This obviously brings up the topic of Korean Pop (K-Pop). They seem to be on a mission to take over the World. They'll probably succeed.
However it also references the movie; "Hidden Figures." This was a major success story at the 2017 Oscars.
As with some much else in Obama's America the facts of Hidden Figures didn't suit Black Lives Matter's political narrative. So they simply changed the facts.
However Hidden Figures deals with highly educated, professional black women working on the NASA space program in the 1960's. It fed into a wider discussion about shifts in Black American culture since the 1960's.
In short it seems that no-one wants to be a highly educated, professional black woman anymore. Instead they just want the easy fame and wealth of being a popstar like Beyonce.
At 15:00 on 14/2/18 (UK) Snake General and Tortoise General are insisting that it is lunchtime. I would hate for them to get upset.
Edited at around 15:55 on 14/2/18 (UK date) to tidy up and add;
The White child became what was described as; "An Augmented Reality (AR) Simulation Expert."
However from the way he was shown using an AR simulation in front of a class of school children it was clear this meant he was a teacher.
His chubby cheeked, comedic demeanour was a bit of a joke at my expense.
At the end of every games the Para-Olympics give out the Whang Youn Dai Award for achievement. It is named after South Korean Doctor Whang Youn Dai. She overcame Polio to not only become a doctor but also a major proponent of disability sport.
At the 2012 Para-Olympic Closing Ceremony I declared Whang Youn Dai to be Chinese. In my defence this was my 'wedding' to Rihanna. I only discovered that about half an hour into the ceremony.
Clearly though I'm never going to be allowed to live that down.
As 2018 hosts South Korea were granted a small sequence in the 2014 Closing Ceremony. That in part that featured a display of Chinese calligraphy. I said that was Korean calligraphy. The Korean Hangul alphabet is of course not logographic like the Chinese alphabet.
However Koreans do use Chinese borrow words and symbols as part of their language. This was the point that the sequence in the 2014 ceremony was trying to make.
I have come to accept though that if you're going to make mistakes at this level you have to take your lumps as the come. Or you might not get invited back.
For the past for years or so there has been a degree of happiness to let what I get up to go unspoken. However prior to that Britain was adamant that I must be sent to work in something like a supermarket. Before that there was some suggestion I should be a teacher. I do after all seem to have a talent for explaining complex concepts.
It must be said though that given my current job title its hard to imagine there's a job a UK Labour Party backbencher could conceive of that wouldn't be some form of demotion for me.
The Red child went onto become an architect.
When we talk about environmentalism people often think of things like wide open fields and the Amazon Rainforest. However for people living in cities the environment is roads, bridges and buildings.
What the UNFCCC and the RoK headquartered GCF having been trying to do is incorporate measures against Climate Change into the built environment. Through things like fitting insulation cladding to Grenfell Tower.
The red architecture sequence then further made clear to the UK Labour Party that no-one believes that the Grenfell Tower fire was an accident.
The cityscape created by the Red child and populated by the Black child seemed to resemble the futuristic Capitol in the "Hunger Games." Something that went on to be referenced in more detail in a later sequence.
At 16:35 on 14/2/18 (UK date) space limitations mean I'll have to continue this is in a seperate post.
Video Presentation:
While the physical stage was being reset after the Parade of Nations viewers where shown a short video presentation. Primarily to distract them.
This showed Korea's beautiful natural landscape as the seasons changed through the year. This re-affirmed that the Wu Xing was being used only as it refers to the changes of seasons.
The Wu Xing lays out the five essential elements which through their interaction can explain everything in the universe.
One of the more dubious things it is used to justify is Chinese herbal medicine. There is certainly significantly less scientific evidence to support claims this type of traditional medicine works then there is to support the claim that winter follows autumn.
Despite this lack of evidence President Xi Jinping is a firm believer of traditional Chinese medicine. He promotes it as way to boost Chinese influence globally. Unfortunately many traditional Chinese herbal remedies are made out of the body parts of endangered species. Such as the bones of Tigers or the tusks of Elephants.
By promoting traditional Chinese medicine President Xi is also promoting the hunting and poaching of some of the World's most endangered species. This is the RoK giving him a little bit of a rap on the knuckles over that.
It is also a small slight to the DPRK. In an effort to further distinguish itself from the RoK in 2015 the DPRK introduced its own timezone 30 minutes ahead of the RoK timezone (GMT+9).
Time is determined by your position on Earth relative to the Sun. So much like the weather time does not give a damn about political boundaries. Therefore there is certainly no reasonable explanation as to why the DPRK is 30 minutes behind the RoK.
Mainly though this video presentation was to prepare us for the big Climate Change lecture to come.
Beaten Black & Blue:
The point of the Wu Xing is that the five essential elements coexist in balance with each. Therefore while it would be easier for me to write up dividing the elements up to describe individually rather defeats the entire point.
As such this sequence deals with both Wood (Green) and Water (Black). Strictly speaking the water element is portrayed by the colour black. However it's always a short of blueish black, rather like water. As such particularly when you're doing lighting displays it is acceptable to portray water as blue. If you used black light no-one would see it.
The Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil featured a lengthy video presentation warning about Climate Change. This explained the human causes of Climate Change and the predicted effects that Climate Change would have on the natural environment. It was not artistic is was simply scientific.
Particularly on Mardi Gras we all know that Brazilians can throw a party. Their challenge as Olympic hosts was to show us that they can also do complex, technical and scientific things.
Climate Change is a topic of massive importance to Brazil. Along with its neighbours it is home to the World's largest Rainforest. These absorb Green House Gases (ghg's) and turn them into biomass (wood) and useful gases like Oxygen. They represent the best way to protect us from Climate Change.
Despite former US President Obama's claim that he has solved Climate Change through the Paris Agreement there are many who think that it remains a vitally important topic. Every day should involve a long lecture about Climate Change - no matter if it reveals Obama to be a liar.
Along with Brazil the RoK is another particularly significant nation in the fight against Climate Change.
Before the Paris Agreement ruined everything the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) established something called the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The headquarters of the GCF are physically located in Seoul, RoK.
As the name suggests the GCF job is to raise and then disperse funds to projects to combat Climate Change.
That can mean something as simple as distributing Olympic Cauldron-style low fuel use stoves in Africa. It can also mean more complex things like putting heat insulation cladding onto tower blocks in a city such as London to reduce energy use.
On June 13th 2017 (13/6/17) activists for the UK Labour Party set fire to the Grenfell Tower block in London. They claimed the fire had been spread by insulation cladding attached to the building. They went onto claim this cladding had been installed because supporters of the evil Conservative Party don't even want to look at people.
For those working at the Green Climate Fund the UK Labour Party's lies were extremely obvious.
In honour of her sacrifice during the UNFCCC process the GCF headquarters were actually opened on my paternal grandmother's birthday.
So I'm sure the UK Labour Party can continue to run around town thinking certain things are going to go away. If they like.
However during this sequence one of the Four Guardians put in a small appearance. Black Turtle. Who signifies longevity.
During the sequence Black Turtle was shown as, well, a black turtle in hands of one of the childlike ciphers.
I feel I should point out though that Black Turtle is traditionally represented by a sort of Snake, Turtle hybrid. These are a reference to King of the North Xuanwu's two key Generals - Snake and Tortoise. In some versions of the legend Snake General and Tortoise General began life as Xuanwu's intestines and stomach.
In their multitude of criminal enterprises the UK Labour Party often try to present themselves a Charities - working for the good of the 'community.' They're definitely not trying to launder the proceeds from their drug and prostitution businesses.
Perhaps suspecting this topic might come up Britain has prepared. In the form the Oxfam Charity Abuse Scandal.
This began with reports of prostitution in Haiti. Even if the GCF don't know about it my accountant certainly remembers how I used Oxfam to unlock a lot of funding in response to Haiti's 2010 earthquake. Including from US movie stars like Sandra Bullock who apparently just writes cheques for anything.
We then all watched that money being squandered in a relief effort led by former US President Bill Clinton. Aided and abetted by his wife then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Not just on this topic it has been said by many that the Clinton Dynasty wasn't a political career. It was a crime wave.
The Oxfam scandal has though expanded to include Africa. A continent which has about the same level of electricity use as the DPRK. And has over the years (1945 -1979) has received about the same amount of US financial aid as the country of the RoK. Charity bosses across the UK are getting extremely nervous.
As I've said it must often feel as though I'm ignoring Korea. There is one thing that tipped me off that the RoK in particular is feeling ignored.
They insisted their news broadcaster Arirang World be included on my super secret satellite TV package. Judging by recent discussions over the US TV show; "The Unit" I appear to be the only person in the UK with access to this satellite package.
I remember the UK launch of Arirang World well. They sent their head of European news to interview the head of the network. This being a few years ago she was asking him lots of questions about how the network would take advantage of things like 4K TV and 5G wireless in the future.
He sat there with a look on his face as if to say; "Our satellite is powered by a hamster running around a wheel."
I can't say I've watched Arirang World much after that.
Although it is in the "News" section of the program guide it seems more to resemble an entertainment channel. Sort of a South Korean MTV with lots of information about the latest K-Pop stars, who they're dating and when their doing their stint in the military. I gather though there is a roughly 30 minute news bulletin each day at around 4AM.
In doing this Arirang World seem to be promoting a talking point about the phenomenon of News as Entertainment. This has long been a feature of US news and has recently been growing in the UK.
It used to be that we got news bulletins with journalists giving us facts. Now all we see to get are discussion shows with the type of people who are available in the middle of the working day giving us their wildly uniformed opinions. In the US it seems to be just one opinion - they really don't like President Trump.
Arirang World also seem to be winding up their regional rival Japan.
Japanese culture is extremely deferential and polite.
You often see Japanese people wearing surgical masks in public. People often mistake this for the Japanese being very afraid they will catch the other people's germs. It's the opposite. In Japanese culture if you have a cold the absolute rudest thing you could do is risk spreading those germs to other people but not wearing a mask in public.
The Japanese police also have a remarkably high conviction rate due to most suspects confessing. In no small part this is due to innocent people confessing to crimes they haven't committed because attempting to correct the police officers accusing them would be the height of rudeness.
Even in Japan their state news broadcaster NHK has a reputation for being extremely deferential and as a result not in any way holding its government or public figures to account.
Anyway as to how all this was portrayed during the ceremony;
It used the song "Arirang" sung by the 77 year old Kim Nang-ji
Often described as the unofficial national anthem of Korea there are an almost infinite number of versions of this over 600 year old song.
Arirang is listed by the UN's Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as intangible cultural heritage not once but twice. The RoK registered it as part of their heritage in 2012. The DPRK registered it as part of their heritage in 2014.
The central theme of the song is that a man and a woman meet on opposite sides of a river and fall in love. The song is the man's lament that because of the river the two can never be joined as one. In some versions he tries to cross the river and drowns.
As such Arirang serves as a metaphor for me relationship with my lesbian wife. Or my relationship with Rihanna whom I was married off to at the 2012 Para-Olympic Closing Ceremony. In short my love life is a mess.
I suppose at a push Arirang could also serve as a metaphor for the RoK and the DPRK and dreams of Unification. The river being the De-Militarised Zone (DMZ) along the 38th Parallel.
Prompting a discussion about cultural misappropriation the way Arirang was portrayed during the ceremony is absolutely nothing like the song.
It showed the childlike ciphers on a raft being rowed along a blue/green river. As if they were on the Amazon River travelling through Brazil's Rainforest.
It ends with the children drawing their futures in ice on the sky using what appear to be Harry Potter-style magic wands. I've never seen any of the Harry Potter movies or read any of the books. However the people who have seem utterly obsessed with this funny lightning bolt scar I've got on my forehead.
With the appearance of one of the Four Guardians there is an Augmented Reality (AR) sequence showing us the stars. This reminds us that the Four Guardians are constellations of stars. It also shows what appear to be Fireflies rising into the night sky.
This is a reference to the 2002 US TV Show; "Firefly." This was written and directed by supreme ruler of the universe Joss Whedon.
This TV show was a big feature of the 2012 Summer Games. To the point the British hosts named a special plane carrying the Olympic flame; "Firefly." Prompting people who'd seen the TV show to tut and point out the vessel in the show was named; "Serenity." It was a Firefly class spaceship.
Although to some it may appear to be a TV show Firefly is actually an exercise in "Existentialism." This philosophy has its roots in animist religions such as Korean Taoism.
One particular sequence shows the River Tam (Summer Glau, later of The Unit) character walking amongst Cherry Blossom trees. A powerful image in places like Korea, Japan and China. She is holding in her hand this beautiful branch.
We are then shown the same scene from the perspective of the rest of Serenity's crew. River is in fact standing in the ship's cargo bay waving a handgun around.
This explains existentialism through the US gun control debate;
A gun is an inanimate object made up of the Wu Xing elements of metal and wood. Or wood, water and earth if you want to get into plastic polymers. On its own a gun will just sit there without purpose. It is only when a person picks it up that it takes on a purpose and is defined as either good or evil.
Firefly also makes some interesting contributions to the US broadcast regulator - the FCC - strict prohibition on swearing and foul language.
Firefly exists in a future where the Chinese and US government have combined in a single global government. They have then set out to explore and colonise other planets. The unseen enemy are known as; "Reevers." Pronounced exactly the same as Muslim Uighurs from China's Xinjiang Province.
As a result of this bilingualism everyone in Firefly speaks both English and Chinese.
So when the characters come to swear they do so in Chinese. So the FCC can't understand them. I gather that having gone to the trouble of hiring Chinese translators the writers then just absolutely went for it conducting their own sort of; "Swearing Olympics."
Apparently if you speak Chinese it is the most foul mouthed program ever made.
Firefly also featured the actress Gina Torres. As she was married to Laurence Fishburne at the time her character is named "Zoe Washburne." I assure you Laurence Fishburne made his TV debut in; "M*A*S*H."
Joss Whedon's current big TV project is; "Marvels: Agents of Shield."
This, what I think is described as an "ensemble cast," features Chinese-American actress Ming-na Wen. The only concession she's made to westernise her Chinese heritage is to allow her given name - Ming-na - to be written before her family name - Wen. Normally it's the other way around.
Ming-na Wen's apparent love affair with the "Director" character has great fun with Joss Whedon's apparent obsession with eastern culture. The rumour is he's having an affair with an air hostess for and Chinese airline.
The show also features the actress Chloe Bennet who is mixed race - half white, half Chinese. The character she plays is also half white and half Chinese. Although using an alien metaphor the show features her struggle for identity and a researched and accurate learning about her Chinese heritage.
Chile Bennet's real name is Chloe Wang. However that makes her sound like a transsexual porn star. So she assumed a stage name.
Recently Chloe Bennet was attacked by Obama's Black Lives Matter warriors for that new crime of "Whitewashing her Chinese heritage" by adopting a stage name so people wouldn't giggle when she entered a room.
Apparently "Whitewashing" is now almost as great a thought crime as; "Cultural Appropriation."
So this is a half white, half Chinese actress in a major US network show.
Although she occasionally masquerades as Latina she is playing a half white, half Chinese character.
She stars alongside a proudly Chinese American actress.
The show explores mixed-raced people's search for identity and their difficulties finding acceptance and a place within society.
The show also explores Chinese culture in an accurate and well researched way that belies a deep respect for that culture. It also features scenes of entirely Chinese dialogue.
Yet the actress and the show are and continue to be attacked for not doing enough to promote diversity in the entertainment industry.
It's one of those moments where you really come to realise that under Obama the US just completely lost its mind.
I gather US/Korean snowboarder Chloe Kim has been doing rather well at these games.
At around 18:45 on 13/2/18 (UK date) I will try to pick this up after dinner. However it must be said the combination of alcohol and existentialism rarely results in coherent sentences.
Edited at around 13:55 on 14/2/18 (UK date) to add;
Agents of Shield also features as a recurring character the actor Patton Oswalt. The sheer number of characters he recurs as is something of a running joke of the show.
Patton Oswalt also narrates the sitcom; "The Goldbergs." This is about a movie obsessed Jewish kid growing up in 1980's America.
One episode centres around him gathering his friends together to remake the 1985 movie "The Goonies."
One of the jokes is that this is the only time they play with Dave Kim - the Korean American kid at school. They need him to play the Richard "Data" Wang character.
That obviously raises questions about racial stereotypes which even the show seems to find quite awkward. In a; "Did we really used to behave like that?" sort of a way.
In the TV show if not in real life Dave Kim is given the large role as one of the closest friends of the lead character. A prominent role for a Korean American actor.
The children who act as our guides through the ceremony do seem to have something of The Goonies about them as they go about their big adventure. In reference to the Goldbergs and in particular Dave Kim.
Having drawn their futures on the sky an inter-dimensional portal then appears. One-by-one it transports the children to those futures. This is shown in a complex video/digital animation sequence.
The Blue child becomes a doctor.
Due to the River Tam and her older brother Dr Simon Tam characters I did not so much watch "Firefly." I was hit around the head with a DVD copy of it until I memorised every little detail. It was worth it. It's where I learnt the little factoid about US broadcasters using a certain shade of black as a command signal for computerised systems.
I gather in the Muggle universe there is also a TV show called; "Doctor Who." This supposedly examines existential concepts such as Time And Relative Dimensions In Space (TARDIS). However these days it seems more interested in promoting dumb ideas like; "Gender Fluidity" and "Pansexualism." Odd for a kids show.
In his work as a doctor Blue is shown using complex computer imagery. Specifically of a human brain.
This obviously showcases the RoK perceived role as the most technologically advanced nation in the World. The use of the brain opens the discussion up to include a whole range of mental illnesses and complex neurological conditions such as Autism and Alzheimer's disease.
The Yellow child becomes a Artificial Intelligence (AI) Specialist.
As with the whole sequence this confirms that the RoK sees itself not only as the most technologically advanced nation on Earth but also a world leader in new technology. It also brings up the topic of AI itself.
This is one of the more controversial aspects of technological advances. The South African tech billionaire Elon Musk is very opposed to AI. As the US company Boston Dynamics were reminded of this week when the unveiled an AI robot that can open doors on its own.
I have also found myself dragged into the AI debate.
Normally when I finish writing a post like this I also post a link to it on Twitter.
On Twitter companies use AI bots to spam users with links to whatever they're trying to promote. This is obviously annoying for users. So Twitter uses its own AI bots to identify and block the spam bots. Due to the Democrats attempts to rig the 2016 US Presidential Election this has become a major talking point in particularly America.
Over the course of the past week I have Tweeted so many links using the word; "Olympic Opening Ceremony" Twitter's AI bots have decided I'm also an AI bot. As a result my ability to post links has been automatically suspended.
Well that's the official story anyway.
In her role as an AI specialist the Yellow child is shown visiting a luxurious house to work on an female AI robot. That robot itself is painting - showing that it is advanced enough to grasp abstract artistic concepts.
The style of the scene is very much based on the 2014 movie "Ex Machina." This starred Alicia Vikander.
The purpose of the opening ceremony is really to set the tone of discussion during the games. As a result they tend to include a vast array of conversation starters. People are also free to try and work their topics of conversations into the ceremony.
Despite being a movie that many had forgotten about that the time Ex Machina won several awards at the 2016 Oscars. That year was dominated by discussion of how make the Film Academy more diverse. In no small part due to her role in Ex Machina Alicia Vikander was fast-tracked into Academy membership by being nominated for her role in; "The Danish Girl."
If you are familiar with the rigours of the South Korean education system and the Park Guen-hye/Choi Soon-sil scandal you can have a lot of fun with the phrase; "Fast-tracked into the Academy."
The Black child became a K-Pop/Instagram/YouTube star.
This obviously brings up the topic of Korean Pop (K-Pop). They seem to be on a mission to take over the World. They'll probably succeed.
However it also references the movie; "Hidden Figures." This was a major success story at the 2017 Oscars.
As with some much else in Obama's America the facts of Hidden Figures didn't suit Black Lives Matter's political narrative. So they simply changed the facts.
However Hidden Figures deals with highly educated, professional black women working on the NASA space program in the 1960's. It fed into a wider discussion about shifts in Black American culture since the 1960's.
In short it seems that no-one wants to be a highly educated, professional black woman anymore. Instead they just want the easy fame and wealth of being a popstar like Beyonce.
At 15:00 on 14/2/18 (UK) Snake General and Tortoise General are insisting that it is lunchtime. I would hate for them to get upset.
Edited at around 15:55 on 14/2/18 (UK date) to tidy up and add;
The White child became what was described as; "An Augmented Reality (AR) Simulation Expert."
However from the way he was shown using an AR simulation in front of a class of school children it was clear this meant he was a teacher.
His chubby cheeked, comedic demeanour was a bit of a joke at my expense.
At the end of every games the Para-Olympics give out the Whang Youn Dai Award for achievement. It is named after South Korean Doctor Whang Youn Dai. She overcame Polio to not only become a doctor but also a major proponent of disability sport.
At the 2012 Para-Olympic Closing Ceremony I declared Whang Youn Dai to be Chinese. In my defence this was my 'wedding' to Rihanna. I only discovered that about half an hour into the ceremony.
Clearly though I'm never going to be allowed to live that down.
As 2018 hosts South Korea were granted a small sequence in the 2014 Closing Ceremony. That in part that featured a display of Chinese calligraphy. I said that was Korean calligraphy. The Korean Hangul alphabet is of course not logographic like the Chinese alphabet.
However Koreans do use Chinese borrow words and symbols as part of their language. This was the point that the sequence in the 2014 ceremony was trying to make.
I have come to accept though that if you're going to make mistakes at this level you have to take your lumps as the come. Or you might not get invited back.
For the past for years or so there has been a degree of happiness to let what I get up to go unspoken. However prior to that Britain was adamant that I must be sent to work in something like a supermarket. Before that there was some suggestion I should be a teacher. I do after all seem to have a talent for explaining complex concepts.
It must be said though that given my current job title its hard to imagine there's a job a UK Labour Party backbencher could conceive of that wouldn't be some form of demotion for me.
The Red child went onto become an architect.
When we talk about environmentalism people often think of things like wide open fields and the Amazon Rainforest. However for people living in cities the environment is roads, bridges and buildings.
What the UNFCCC and the RoK headquartered GCF having been trying to do is incorporate measures against Climate Change into the built environment. Through things like fitting insulation cladding to Grenfell Tower.
The red architecture sequence then further made clear to the UK Labour Party that no-one believes that the Grenfell Tower fire was an accident.
The cityscape created by the Red child and populated by the Black child seemed to resemble the futuristic Capitol in the "Hunger Games." Something that went on to be referenced in more detail in a later sequence.
At 16:35 on 14/2/18 (UK date) space limitations mean I'll have to continue this is in a seperate post.
Monday, 12 February 2018
The 2018 Winter Olympics: Opening Ceremony Pt.2
Obviously this should be read as a continuation of Part 1; https://watchitdie.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/the-2018-winter-olympics-opening_10.html
The early parts of the ceremony introduced us to Korea's tradition of animist religions and the Creation Myths they have spawned.
It also introduced us to the iconography of animist religions. This often involves circles as unbroken lines signifying unity. Particularly Taoism also features the Wu Xing - the five essential elements these are each assigned a colour; White, Green, Black, Yellow and Red.
The logo of the Olympic movement is five interlocked circles or rings coloured; White, Green, Black, Yellow and Red.
The rest of the ceremony was therefore loosely based around the Wu Xing.
Let There Be White:
Within the Wu Xing the colour white signifies the element metal: However this sequence as officially titled; "The Light From the Beginning."
Since the creation of the Republic of Korea (RoK/South) at the end of the Second World War the US has been aggressively promoting Christianity within the country. They see it as a counter-balance to the aggressive Communist atheism of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK/North). It has led to the suppression of Korea's traditional animist religions.
This US strategy was personified at the Opening Ceremony by the presence of America's Evangelical Christian Vice President Mike Pence. As a guest Vice President Pence had invited the father of Otto Warmbier - an American Evangelical Christian missionary who was arrested and later died in the DPRK.
The official title of the sequence - the light from the beginning - is reference to what here for fairness I have to describe as the Creation Myth of the Abrahamic religions. Laid down in the book of Genesis this is believed by all Jews, Christians and Muslims.
It is rather simple. A single god in another dimension creates the human dimension in six days and rests on the seventh. This process begins with him sayin; "Let there be light" and there was light.
By blending the book of Genesis with the Wu Xing the South Koreans seem to be making the point their animist creation myths are certainly a lot more elaborate then the Abrahamic one. Some would say far cooler.
The sequence began with a shot of the circular arena floor. In the centre there was another sunken circle.
The sunken centre slowly began to rise revealing a large number of well regimented Korean women all dressed in white and all playing the same traditional Korean drum.
The 2008 Summer Olympics were held in Beijing, China. Its Opening Ceremony featured a world record 2,008 traditional Chinese drummers. It has become an oft referenced thing in subsequent Olympic ceremonies.
Here the South Koreans seemed to be highlighting their close cultural links to China.
In part this is simply a statement of fact. The border between China and the Korean Peninsula has shifted many times over the past 10,000.
However it did also seem to be a bit of a warning to the RoK's regional rivals Japan the DPRK. A reminder that the RoK currently enjoys better relations with China then either of them do.
The well regimented female drummers were soon joined by well regimented female dancers. They marched around the stage creating military shapes in almost military. I think the two most important were the star featured on the DPRK's flag and the Taoist Ying, Yang symbol.
This was a direct reference to the DPRK and their fondness for military parades. What is striking about those parades is not how well regimented the military are but well regimented the civilian spectators are.
This shows what an absolute dictatorship the DPRK is. There is absolutely no distinction between the military and civilians. Everyone is simply there to serve the leadership with absolute obedience. The Communist dream.
Prior to the games the DPRK agreed to send a 400 strong delegation to the games. This is largely made up of an all female cheer-squad. They are already providing competitors and visitors with little glimpses of the DPRK's extremely regimented society.
Aside from Vice President Pence this sequence also took another swipe at the US. Or more accurately former President Obama and his Democrat Party's efforts to turn America into the World's just dumbest nation.
In 2014 the Democrat Party needed a way to energise their base ahead of the November mid-term elections. So they invented a story about an innocent young black man named Micheal Brown being murdered by the racist police. While having his hands up in surrender and begging; "Don't Shoot!"
This birthed the "Black Lives Matter (BLM)" movement. That drove extremely well regimented riots and protests alongside a campaign to erase the Democrat's racist role in the US Civil War from history.
It has also turned public discourse in America into a contest to see who can come up with the most elaborate way of identifying racism and being offended by it where not racism exists. One of the largest elements of this is the concept of ; "Cultural Appropriation."
In more normal societies this is known as the doctrine of multiculturalism. However America now sees no greater crime then a white person doing something they claim is part of black culture.
Curiously Americans don't seem outraged by black rap groups like the Wu Tang Clan and in particular RZA appropriating Asian culture. Particularly that associated with martial arts. Despite the fact they get it so wrong it has anyone with even a basic knowledge of the culture they're appropriating seeing red with anger.
One artist who has been particularly accused of cultural appropriation is Justin Timberlake. His half-time show at the recent 2018 Super Bowl dealt primarily with this.
It featured what is termed a; "Drumline." In the UK this is synonymous with white Protestant marching bands like the Orange Order. They use them to intimidate equally white Catholics. However in the US drumlines are more associated with black culture.
Through the use of a white drumline Timberlake was posing the question of whether black Americans can really claim a cultural monopoly on the concept of hitting one object with another object in order to make a sound?
This sequences in the Opening Ceremony re-stated that question. On a much larger and grander scale.
There is a 2012 Quentin Tarantino move called; "Django Unchained." These deals with racism and slavery in the US. One of the oft quoted lines from the movie is;
"The D is silent ... Hillbilly!"
The drums used in this sequence were traditional Korean Django drums.
As something of an aside during his Super Bowl performance Justin Timberlake referenced both Elvis Presley and Bruno Mars. At the tender age of 4 Bruno Mars launched his career in the entertainment industry as an Elvis impersonator.
Do you want to see a video of it?
I think you do; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxjXp7cPBok
Throughout this sequence the director had been trying to subtly supplant the notion of the sun in your minds. The sun of course is the source of all light. Right at the end of the sequence there was what at that time just a blob of orange colour at the bottom of the shot. Rather like the orange of a rising or setting sun.
The flag of the RoK's big regional rival Japan is a red circle on a white background. This signifies the rising of the sun.
The RoK's flag is a blue and red circle on a white background. People often assume this is also the rising sun like Japan's flag. However it's actually the Taoist Ying,Yang symbol.
So this seemed like a good time for the South Koreans to bring out their flag as if to say;
"Oh, no. It's not like the Japanese flag. It's much, much better then them."
Flag & Anthem:
It is a matter of Olympic protocol that every ceremony must feature the raising or lowering of the flag of the host nation and the singing of the national anthem. Although I don't think its strictly speaking protocol this often involves a large flag being brought into a paraded around the arena by figures of significance.
The Opening Ceremony 2012 Summer Olympic held in London, UK actually featured a South Korean flagbearer. Former President Ban Ki-moon in his then role as Secretary General of the UN.
It also featured as a flagbearer Shami Chakrabarti in her role as head of British civil rights campaign group Liberty. Outside anti-Olympic protests were taking place by groups whose right to protest had been defended by Shami Chakrabarti in Court.
As a result the significance of these flagbearers can get quite complicated and take an extremely long time to write up. Fortunately the RoK just went with six of its famous Olympians. As far as I can tell their significance was simply their achievement as Olympians.
The only real bit of significance was that they were wearing traditional Korean winter dress. If you've watched the long-running US TV show; "M*A*S*H" set during the combat phases of the Korean War you might be somewhat familiar with this style of dress.
It was at this point the fear really hit me. Good as it is and no matter how many times you watch it M*A*S*H in no way prepares you for the complexity of the current relationship between the RoK and the DPRK. It does though feature both a young Laurence Fishburne and a young Ron Howard.
It is traditional that the job of raising the flag is given to members of the host nation's military. After all they raise and lower flags at least twice a day and up to 500 times a day. If they're being punished. As a result they're really good at it.
The problem arises when the host nation - like 2016 Summer Games host Brazil - have suffered under military dictatorships. Those societies are understandably much more sensitive about the military having a role in public, civilian life.
Growing up at I promise the end of the Cold War I was always sold this image of the RoK as this beautiful beacon of freedom bravely standing up to the tyranny of the Communist DPRK.
This is an utter lie. Park Chung-hee the RoK was an absolute military dictatorship between 1962 and 1979. The RoK didn't fully transition to democracy until after the Cold War in the mid-1990's when it was finally allowed to join the UN.
As a result they continue to be extremely sensitive about the role of the military and individual freedoms and privacy.
If in somewhere like the US or the UK the TV news are doing a story about the economy they will often illustrate it with stock footage of random members of the public on a shopping street.
In the RoK they're not allowed to interfere in a person's private life by confirming to the public that they may have attended a shop at some point in their lives. So news in the RoK often features lots of footage of people's feet or heavily blurred footage so you can't identify the people being shown.
As part of its transition from military dictatorship to democracy the RoK created something called the Royal Guard to perform this type of ceremonial pageantry. They are based on the military guard for royal palaces during the 500 year long Joseon Dynasty.
The RoK has military conscription. So at some point members of the Royal Guard will have served in the military and may at some point in the future serve in the military again. However despite their name an appearance they are not a military force.
They seem modelled on the Vatican's Swiss Guard. They are technically an army. However they rely on the Italian police to provide security for the Vatican.
The South Korean Royal Guard are also similar to the Yeomanry or "Beefeater" Guard you get at Britain's Tower of London.
For tourists its easy to mistake the Beefeaters for the military Guard regiments who guard other London landmarks like Buckingham Palace in red tunics and black bearskin hats. When they put on more sensible clothes these Guards are actually amongst some of the most elite troops in the British Army.
The Beefeaters however are civilians. Although they only employ people who are former members of the military.
As the Royal Guard raised the South Korean flag the South Korean anthem was sung by the Rainbow Children's Choir.
It is not so much a tradition as a cliche that at some point an Olympic ceremony will feature a multi-ethnic children's choir to signify peace, unity and inclusion. No matter how spiteful and hate filled the rest of the ceremony is.
This Opening Ceremony went on to have quite a bit of fun with this type of cliche. Particularly during the Yellow (Cheese) sequence featuring the songs of John Lennon.
At around 17:15 on 12/2/18 (UK date) I need to take a break from at least this screen.
Edited at around 19:50 on 12/2/18 (UK date) to add;
Parade of Nations:
It is protocol that each ceremony must include a segment in which the flags of the competing nations are parade around the arena and then raised. Although not compulsory many of the competitors choose to join their flag in this parade.
In many ways this parade is the most important in the ceremony. It focuses entirely on the competitors who will make the games happen.
However from the perspective of a viewer it can be quite dull. I've discovered the advantage of recording the ceremony is that you can whizz through the parade at x32 speed. You that then whizz back through it at x32 speed. While adding your own music for comic effect.
This parade though contained two very significant elements.
The first of these was the inclusion of the; "Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR)."
The 2014 Winter Games were held in Russia. They were scene to just appalling levels of Islamist violence. Due to Russia's longstanding opposition to Islamist terrorism.
Under significant pressure from the UK and the US under former President Obama the International Olympic Committee (IOC) took the unusual step of siding with the terrorists against Russia.
Russia was partially banned from the 2016 Summer Olympic Games and totally banned from the 2016 Summer Para-Olympic Games. This was justified on the grounds that Russia had engaged in state sponsored drug cheating (doping).
If the IOC was serious about banning drug cheats it would have to ban probably most nations. It is well known that the US Olympic team itself engages in widespread, state sponsored doping. What is worse is the IOC give the US permission to cheat by issuing what are known as Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE's).
For example at the 2016 Olympics the entire US women's basketball team apparently suffered from Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Not only that they all apparently suffered from an extremely rare form of ADHD that can only be treated with amphetamines.
US gymnast Simone Biles who 'won' gold in 2016 also apparently has this extremely rare form of ADHD which can only be treated with amphetamines.
Stimulants like amphetamines and cocaine are why professional sports were forced to introduced drug testing back in the 1930's. So not only does the US engage in widespread, state sponsored and IOC sanctioned doping it doesn't even attempt to hide it.
In the weeks and months leading up to these games the US has been gripped by the trial of Larry Nassar. This former US Olympics gymnastics coach/doctor has been convicted of sexual abusing many young girls. The trial featured many prominent US Olympians including Simone Biles giving evidence and victim impact statements.
The timing of the trial seemed to be a gesture by the US that it was in no position to criticise Russia. Not only does the US Olympics team engage in widespread, state sponsored doping it also engages in the widespread and apparently officially sanctioned sexual abuse of its athletes.
Russia has been challenging the IOC's ban in such a long succession of cases before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) it's been hard to keep track of each one.
The day before the Opening Ceremony CAS issued its final ruling. It found that the IOC's actions cannot be explained by an attempt to punish doping cheats. It can only be considered an arbitrary and political decision.
However it also found that the IOC apparently retains the right to make arbitrary political decision. Thus dispelling any notion of competitive or fair sport at the Olympics.
Some Russian athletes have though been allowed to compete as independent athletes under the combined banner of OAR.
In itself that choice of acronym is interesting. There is a saying in particularly America that if someones position is untenable they; "Up sh*t creek without a paddle (oar)."
Much like the IOC's actions a creek filled with sh*t stinks.
At these Olympics the OAR may not make or wear any statement logo or gesture referencing Russia. So during the Opening Ceremony they had to wear a uniform of entirely neutral colours and parade behind the Olympic flag. They were not even allowed to carry that flag themselves. A member of the event staff had to do it for them.
The South Korean hosts made it quite clear that they thought of this. The staff member they provided was wearing the typical staff uniform of a blue hat, a white coat and red trousers.
In short; The colours of the Russian flag.
The Parade of Nations ended with the South Korean and North Korean competitors entering the arena as one flying the Unification flag of a blue image of the Korean Peninsula on a white background.
This was immediately followed by a one man South Korea protest against unification. He slid down the ski jump/ramp leading up to the cauldron while carrying a banner decrying unification. After the assembled media had been given plenty of time for photographs he was hauled off by security.
This was not show as part of the broadcast. However fireworks did then immediately light up the path to the cauldron the man had taken.
The man's protest began at the cauldron. With the exception of the VIP area this is probably the most secure part of the arena.
So this man's protest was state sanctioned as part of the ceremony. It laid the groundwork for the upcoming Black/Blue segment.
Within both North and South Korea the issue of unification is a deeply existential topic.
Although it's probably no help to viewers in somewhere like Tonga the nearest thing I can compare it to is Brexit in Britain.
Before the referendum on leaving the European Union (EU) British people were asked to divide themselves into Leavers and Remainers.
Following the result they've been asked to choose from a wide range of Brexit options like Hard Brexit, Soft Brexit, Red, White and Blue Brexit or Wibbly Wobbly Woo Brexit.
None of these terms actually mean anything in relation to the UK's future relationship with the EU. However the one you choose has became a massive statement of your identity and existence.
So you almost get people saying things like;
"I know I've just lynched some black teenagers for daring to look at a white woman. But I'm not racist. I voted to Remain!"
The term unification has a similar role within Korean society.
Particularly amongst younger South Koreans there is a growing number who don't want unification. They've lived their entire lives in the RoK and they're happy to continue living their lives in the RoK.
However most Koreans support unification in some form. It's rarely defined though whether they mean;
A unified Korean Peninsula under the Communism of the DPRK?
A unified Korean Peninsula under the Democracy of the RoK?
A unified Korean Peninsula under the RoK dictatorship of Park Chung-hee?
A unified Korea which includes Balhae - essentially the peninsula plus large parts of what are currently China and Russia?
Or do you simply mean that a mother can get to see her children one last time before she dies?
On both sides of the conflict intelligence agencies have nurtured different political movements based around different interpretations of "Unification." They often trot them out in protest to send messages to each other.
For example following the January 20th (20/1/18) agreement on DPRK participation RoK President Moon Jae-in's poll numbers have collapses. Supporters of really the Balhae school of unification have taken to the streets in protest. You've been able to see some of these around the Olympic Park.
This serves to send a message to the DPRK. Although the RoK supports a rapprochement for the Olympics there are limits to how far that rapprochement is going to go.
It is because of this sort of thing it often seems that I'm ignoring Korea. I understand that different protest groups are used to send messages. However I don't understand enough about the history of the groups of the type of messages they're sending to feel I can get involved.
In fact I'm a little concerned about the effect making this small example - which I think is well understood by both parties - clear will have.
So what may often seem like me ignoring Korea is actually me assessing the situation. Then concluding it is better for me to keep my mouth shut then ask stupid questions.
I am obviously interested in learning more about these spy games. However in 2014 I did the Winter Olympics, took a little break and did the World Cup.
Then I got involved in the war in Syria. I'm still there now.
21:00 on 12/2/18 (UK date).
The early parts of the ceremony introduced us to Korea's tradition of animist religions and the Creation Myths they have spawned.
It also introduced us to the iconography of animist religions. This often involves circles as unbroken lines signifying unity. Particularly Taoism also features the Wu Xing - the five essential elements these are each assigned a colour; White, Green, Black, Yellow and Red.
The logo of the Olympic movement is five interlocked circles or rings coloured; White, Green, Black, Yellow and Red.
The rest of the ceremony was therefore loosely based around the Wu Xing.
Let There Be White:
Within the Wu Xing the colour white signifies the element metal: However this sequence as officially titled; "The Light From the Beginning."
Since the creation of the Republic of Korea (RoK/South) at the end of the Second World War the US has been aggressively promoting Christianity within the country. They see it as a counter-balance to the aggressive Communist atheism of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK/North). It has led to the suppression of Korea's traditional animist religions.
This US strategy was personified at the Opening Ceremony by the presence of America's Evangelical Christian Vice President Mike Pence. As a guest Vice President Pence had invited the father of Otto Warmbier - an American Evangelical Christian missionary who was arrested and later died in the DPRK.
The official title of the sequence - the light from the beginning - is reference to what here for fairness I have to describe as the Creation Myth of the Abrahamic religions. Laid down in the book of Genesis this is believed by all Jews, Christians and Muslims.
It is rather simple. A single god in another dimension creates the human dimension in six days and rests on the seventh. This process begins with him sayin; "Let there be light" and there was light.
By blending the book of Genesis with the Wu Xing the South Koreans seem to be making the point their animist creation myths are certainly a lot more elaborate then the Abrahamic one. Some would say far cooler.
The sequence began with a shot of the circular arena floor. In the centre there was another sunken circle.
The sunken centre slowly began to rise revealing a large number of well regimented Korean women all dressed in white and all playing the same traditional Korean drum.
The 2008 Summer Olympics were held in Beijing, China. Its Opening Ceremony featured a world record 2,008 traditional Chinese drummers. It has become an oft referenced thing in subsequent Olympic ceremonies.
Here the South Koreans seemed to be highlighting their close cultural links to China.
In part this is simply a statement of fact. The border between China and the Korean Peninsula has shifted many times over the past 10,000.
However it did also seem to be a bit of a warning to the RoK's regional rivals Japan the DPRK. A reminder that the RoK currently enjoys better relations with China then either of them do.
The well regimented female drummers were soon joined by well regimented female dancers. They marched around the stage creating military shapes in almost military. I think the two most important were the star featured on the DPRK's flag and the Taoist Ying, Yang symbol.
This was a direct reference to the DPRK and their fondness for military parades. What is striking about those parades is not how well regimented the military are but well regimented the civilian spectators are.
This shows what an absolute dictatorship the DPRK is. There is absolutely no distinction between the military and civilians. Everyone is simply there to serve the leadership with absolute obedience. The Communist dream.
Prior to the games the DPRK agreed to send a 400 strong delegation to the games. This is largely made up of an all female cheer-squad. They are already providing competitors and visitors with little glimpses of the DPRK's extremely regimented society.
Aside from Vice President Pence this sequence also took another swipe at the US. Or more accurately former President Obama and his Democrat Party's efforts to turn America into the World's just dumbest nation.
In 2014 the Democrat Party needed a way to energise their base ahead of the November mid-term elections. So they invented a story about an innocent young black man named Micheal Brown being murdered by the racist police. While having his hands up in surrender and begging; "Don't Shoot!"
This birthed the "Black Lives Matter (BLM)" movement. That drove extremely well regimented riots and protests alongside a campaign to erase the Democrat's racist role in the US Civil War from history.
It has also turned public discourse in America into a contest to see who can come up with the most elaborate way of identifying racism and being offended by it where not racism exists. One of the largest elements of this is the concept of ; "Cultural Appropriation."
In more normal societies this is known as the doctrine of multiculturalism. However America now sees no greater crime then a white person doing something they claim is part of black culture.
Curiously Americans don't seem outraged by black rap groups like the Wu Tang Clan and in particular RZA appropriating Asian culture. Particularly that associated with martial arts. Despite the fact they get it so wrong it has anyone with even a basic knowledge of the culture they're appropriating seeing red with anger.
One artist who has been particularly accused of cultural appropriation is Justin Timberlake. His half-time show at the recent 2018 Super Bowl dealt primarily with this.
It featured what is termed a; "Drumline." In the UK this is synonymous with white Protestant marching bands like the Orange Order. They use them to intimidate equally white Catholics. However in the US drumlines are more associated with black culture.
Through the use of a white drumline Timberlake was posing the question of whether black Americans can really claim a cultural monopoly on the concept of hitting one object with another object in order to make a sound?
This sequences in the Opening Ceremony re-stated that question. On a much larger and grander scale.
There is a 2012 Quentin Tarantino move called; "Django Unchained." These deals with racism and slavery in the US. One of the oft quoted lines from the movie is;
"The D is silent ... Hillbilly!"
The drums used in this sequence were traditional Korean Django drums.
As something of an aside during his Super Bowl performance Justin Timberlake referenced both Elvis Presley and Bruno Mars. At the tender age of 4 Bruno Mars launched his career in the entertainment industry as an Elvis impersonator.
Do you want to see a video of it?
I think you do; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxjXp7cPBok
Throughout this sequence the director had been trying to subtly supplant the notion of the sun in your minds. The sun of course is the source of all light. Right at the end of the sequence there was what at that time just a blob of orange colour at the bottom of the shot. Rather like the orange of a rising or setting sun.
The flag of the RoK's big regional rival Japan is a red circle on a white background. This signifies the rising of the sun.
The RoK's flag is a blue and red circle on a white background. People often assume this is also the rising sun like Japan's flag. However it's actually the Taoist Ying,Yang symbol.
So this seemed like a good time for the South Koreans to bring out their flag as if to say;
"Oh, no. It's not like the Japanese flag. It's much, much better then them."
Flag & Anthem:
It is a matter of Olympic protocol that every ceremony must feature the raising or lowering of the flag of the host nation and the singing of the national anthem. Although I don't think its strictly speaking protocol this often involves a large flag being brought into a paraded around the arena by figures of significance.
The Opening Ceremony 2012 Summer Olympic held in London, UK actually featured a South Korean flagbearer. Former President Ban Ki-moon in his then role as Secretary General of the UN.
It also featured as a flagbearer Shami Chakrabarti in her role as head of British civil rights campaign group Liberty. Outside anti-Olympic protests were taking place by groups whose right to protest had been defended by Shami Chakrabarti in Court.
As a result the significance of these flagbearers can get quite complicated and take an extremely long time to write up. Fortunately the RoK just went with six of its famous Olympians. As far as I can tell their significance was simply their achievement as Olympians.
The only real bit of significance was that they were wearing traditional Korean winter dress. If you've watched the long-running US TV show; "M*A*S*H" set during the combat phases of the Korean War you might be somewhat familiar with this style of dress.
It was at this point the fear really hit me. Good as it is and no matter how many times you watch it M*A*S*H in no way prepares you for the complexity of the current relationship between the RoK and the DPRK. It does though feature both a young Laurence Fishburne and a young Ron Howard.
It is traditional that the job of raising the flag is given to members of the host nation's military. After all they raise and lower flags at least twice a day and up to 500 times a day. If they're being punished. As a result they're really good at it.
The problem arises when the host nation - like 2016 Summer Games host Brazil - have suffered under military dictatorships. Those societies are understandably much more sensitive about the military having a role in public, civilian life.
Growing up at I promise the end of the Cold War I was always sold this image of the RoK as this beautiful beacon of freedom bravely standing up to the tyranny of the Communist DPRK.
This is an utter lie. Park Chung-hee the RoK was an absolute military dictatorship between 1962 and 1979. The RoK didn't fully transition to democracy until after the Cold War in the mid-1990's when it was finally allowed to join the UN.
As a result they continue to be extremely sensitive about the role of the military and individual freedoms and privacy.
If in somewhere like the US or the UK the TV news are doing a story about the economy they will often illustrate it with stock footage of random members of the public on a shopping street.
In the RoK they're not allowed to interfere in a person's private life by confirming to the public that they may have attended a shop at some point in their lives. So news in the RoK often features lots of footage of people's feet or heavily blurred footage so you can't identify the people being shown.
As part of its transition from military dictatorship to democracy the RoK created something called the Royal Guard to perform this type of ceremonial pageantry. They are based on the military guard for royal palaces during the 500 year long Joseon Dynasty.
The RoK has military conscription. So at some point members of the Royal Guard will have served in the military and may at some point in the future serve in the military again. However despite their name an appearance they are not a military force.
They seem modelled on the Vatican's Swiss Guard. They are technically an army. However they rely on the Italian police to provide security for the Vatican.
The South Korean Royal Guard are also similar to the Yeomanry or "Beefeater" Guard you get at Britain's Tower of London.
For tourists its easy to mistake the Beefeaters for the military Guard regiments who guard other London landmarks like Buckingham Palace in red tunics and black bearskin hats. When they put on more sensible clothes these Guards are actually amongst some of the most elite troops in the British Army.
The Beefeaters however are civilians. Although they only employ people who are former members of the military.
As the Royal Guard raised the South Korean flag the South Korean anthem was sung by the Rainbow Children's Choir.
It is not so much a tradition as a cliche that at some point an Olympic ceremony will feature a multi-ethnic children's choir to signify peace, unity and inclusion. No matter how spiteful and hate filled the rest of the ceremony is.
This Opening Ceremony went on to have quite a bit of fun with this type of cliche. Particularly during the Yellow (Cheese) sequence featuring the songs of John Lennon.
At around 17:15 on 12/2/18 (UK date) I need to take a break from at least this screen.
Edited at around 19:50 on 12/2/18 (UK date) to add;
Parade of Nations:
It is protocol that each ceremony must include a segment in which the flags of the competing nations are parade around the arena and then raised. Although not compulsory many of the competitors choose to join their flag in this parade.
In many ways this parade is the most important in the ceremony. It focuses entirely on the competitors who will make the games happen.
However from the perspective of a viewer it can be quite dull. I've discovered the advantage of recording the ceremony is that you can whizz through the parade at x32 speed. You that then whizz back through it at x32 speed. While adding your own music for comic effect.
This parade though contained two very significant elements.
The first of these was the inclusion of the; "Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR)."
The 2014 Winter Games were held in Russia. They were scene to just appalling levels of Islamist violence. Due to Russia's longstanding opposition to Islamist terrorism.
Under significant pressure from the UK and the US under former President Obama the International Olympic Committee (IOC) took the unusual step of siding with the terrorists against Russia.
Russia was partially banned from the 2016 Summer Olympic Games and totally banned from the 2016 Summer Para-Olympic Games. This was justified on the grounds that Russia had engaged in state sponsored drug cheating (doping).
If the IOC was serious about banning drug cheats it would have to ban probably most nations. It is well known that the US Olympic team itself engages in widespread, state sponsored doping. What is worse is the IOC give the US permission to cheat by issuing what are known as Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE's).
For example at the 2016 Olympics the entire US women's basketball team apparently suffered from Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Not only that they all apparently suffered from an extremely rare form of ADHD that can only be treated with amphetamines.
US gymnast Simone Biles who 'won' gold in 2016 also apparently has this extremely rare form of ADHD which can only be treated with amphetamines.
Stimulants like amphetamines and cocaine are why professional sports were forced to introduced drug testing back in the 1930's. So not only does the US engage in widespread, state sponsored and IOC sanctioned doping it doesn't even attempt to hide it.
In the weeks and months leading up to these games the US has been gripped by the trial of Larry Nassar. This former US Olympics gymnastics coach/doctor has been convicted of sexual abusing many young girls. The trial featured many prominent US Olympians including Simone Biles giving evidence and victim impact statements.
The timing of the trial seemed to be a gesture by the US that it was in no position to criticise Russia. Not only does the US Olympics team engage in widespread, state sponsored doping it also engages in the widespread and apparently officially sanctioned sexual abuse of its athletes.
Russia has been challenging the IOC's ban in such a long succession of cases before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) it's been hard to keep track of each one.
The day before the Opening Ceremony CAS issued its final ruling. It found that the IOC's actions cannot be explained by an attempt to punish doping cheats. It can only be considered an arbitrary and political decision.
However it also found that the IOC apparently retains the right to make arbitrary political decision. Thus dispelling any notion of competitive or fair sport at the Olympics.
Some Russian athletes have though been allowed to compete as independent athletes under the combined banner of OAR.
In itself that choice of acronym is interesting. There is a saying in particularly America that if someones position is untenable they; "Up sh*t creek without a paddle (oar)."
Much like the IOC's actions a creek filled with sh*t stinks.
At these Olympics the OAR may not make or wear any statement logo or gesture referencing Russia. So during the Opening Ceremony they had to wear a uniform of entirely neutral colours and parade behind the Olympic flag. They were not even allowed to carry that flag themselves. A member of the event staff had to do it for them.
The South Korean hosts made it quite clear that they thought of this. The staff member they provided was wearing the typical staff uniform of a blue hat, a white coat and red trousers.
In short; The colours of the Russian flag.
The Parade of Nations ended with the South Korean and North Korean competitors entering the arena as one flying the Unification flag of a blue image of the Korean Peninsula on a white background.
This was immediately followed by a one man South Korea protest against unification. He slid down the ski jump/ramp leading up to the cauldron while carrying a banner decrying unification. After the assembled media had been given plenty of time for photographs he was hauled off by security.
This was not show as part of the broadcast. However fireworks did then immediately light up the path to the cauldron the man had taken.
The man's protest began at the cauldron. With the exception of the VIP area this is probably the most secure part of the arena.
So this man's protest was state sanctioned as part of the ceremony. It laid the groundwork for the upcoming Black/Blue segment.
Within both North and South Korea the issue of unification is a deeply existential topic.
Although it's probably no help to viewers in somewhere like Tonga the nearest thing I can compare it to is Brexit in Britain.
Before the referendum on leaving the European Union (EU) British people were asked to divide themselves into Leavers and Remainers.
Following the result they've been asked to choose from a wide range of Brexit options like Hard Brexit, Soft Brexit, Red, White and Blue Brexit or Wibbly Wobbly Woo Brexit.
None of these terms actually mean anything in relation to the UK's future relationship with the EU. However the one you choose has became a massive statement of your identity and existence.
So you almost get people saying things like;
"I know I've just lynched some black teenagers for daring to look at a white woman. But I'm not racist. I voted to Remain!"
The term unification has a similar role within Korean society.
Particularly amongst younger South Koreans there is a growing number who don't want unification. They've lived their entire lives in the RoK and they're happy to continue living their lives in the RoK.
However most Koreans support unification in some form. It's rarely defined though whether they mean;
A unified Korean Peninsula under the Communism of the DPRK?
A unified Korean Peninsula under the Democracy of the RoK?
A unified Korean Peninsula under the RoK dictatorship of Park Chung-hee?
A unified Korea which includes Balhae - essentially the peninsula plus large parts of what are currently China and Russia?
Or do you simply mean that a mother can get to see her children one last time before she dies?
On both sides of the conflict intelligence agencies have nurtured different political movements based around different interpretations of "Unification." They often trot them out in protest to send messages to each other.
For example following the January 20th (20/1/18) agreement on DPRK participation RoK President Moon Jae-in's poll numbers have collapses. Supporters of really the Balhae school of unification have taken to the streets in protest. You've been able to see some of these around the Olympic Park.
This serves to send a message to the DPRK. Although the RoK supports a rapprochement for the Olympics there are limits to how far that rapprochement is going to go.
It is because of this sort of thing it often seems that I'm ignoring Korea. I understand that different protest groups are used to send messages. However I don't understand enough about the history of the groups of the type of messages they're sending to feel I can get involved.
In fact I'm a little concerned about the effect making this small example - which I think is well understood by both parties - clear will have.
So what may often seem like me ignoring Korea is actually me assessing the situation. Then concluding it is better for me to keep my mouth shut then ask stupid questions.
I am obviously interested in learning more about these spy games. However in 2014 I did the Winter Olympics, took a little break and did the World Cup.
Then I got involved in the war in Syria. I'm still there now.
21:00 on 12/2/18 (UK date).
Saturday, 10 February 2018
The 2018 Winter Olympics: Opening Ceremony.
How do you know the 2018 games are being held in Asia?
You have to complete a class BEFORE school; http://watchitdie.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/the-2018-winter-olympics-opening.html
Once you've all got your heads around that we can begin.
The Countdown:
Olympic Opening Ceremonies are broadcast live across many different broadcasters in many different nations. Therefore it is a longstanding tradition that they have to begin with a video countdown from 10 to 1. This allows everyone to calibrate and synchronise their coverage.
It also provides a way to gesture how much respect each broadcaster is showing the games.
For example do they not take the live feed at all instead choosing only to show edited highlights? Do they show the countdown or only show the ceremony itself? Do they, like Britain's BBC, show maximum respect by even broadcasting live shots of the stadium before the countdown begins.
As broadcast technology has advanced this countdown video has become less important.
It's an interesting fact that on US television you cannot broadcast a particular shade of black for more then a set length of time. If you do this it will trigger a computer to think that a commercial break has begun and switch the feed. All without a human being involved.
This has meant that the countdown has become part of the show itself. Some nations now use it as an opportunity to have some fun.
The Republic of Korean (RoK) quite reasonably considers itself to be one of the most technologically advanced nations on Earth. If you are reading this on an electronic device there is a fair chance that device was make in the RoK. Or at least made using technology that had been invented in the RoK.
As such the RoK had a great deal of fun with this tradition.
The Opening Ceremony began with a short video. This intentionally took the idea of the Opening Ceremony welcoming visitors to the country comically literally.
Shot in Point of View (PoV) perspective it showed a guest arriving on an aeroplane, travelling through the airport before taking an Olympic-themed drive from the airport to the Olympic Stadium.
The video featured the promotional posters for all the previous Winter Olympics popping up in strange places. Like on the side of someones suitcase or in a magazine someone was reading. Although the posters were shown in the correct order the video also featured large numbers popping up in a completely random order.
So if you were trying to use this video to synchronise your coverage it would really have screwed you up.
When the video finished it cut to a shot of the stadium floor. At its centre in a circle and surrounded by a circle of light there stood the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok the Great.
King Seongdeok the Great was the 33rd King of Silla - the kingdom that joined the Three Kingdoms creating the first unified Korean. The bell was commissioned by his son King Gyeongdeok.
Legend has it King Gyeongdeok had the bell cast and recast many times during his life but could never get it to sound. After his death his young son took over the work with the help of this mother the Queen. Again they had no success.
Then a monk dreamt that if a child was cast into the metal it would finally work. So they basically kidnapped a child from one of the poor villages and cast them into the metal. Finally the bell worked.
As a result it's known as the "Mother Bell" or "Emile Bell" -"Emile" being a rough translation of a Korean word for "Mother." However that legend is disputed so the bell does provide a talking point about western explorers misappropriating eastern, mystic culture.
A copy of the bell hangs in a Korean Pagoda in Angel's Gate Park in the US city of Los Angeles, California. It was donated by the RoK to the US as a gift on America's 200th birthday. As such this copy is known as the; "Friendship Bell."
This leads some people confusing the American copy with the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok the Great and referring to them both as the Friendship Bell.
Some people - like BBC commentators - even go so far as to mistake them both for the "Peace Bell." That was made by Japan in 1952 as a gift to the United Nations. It hangs in a peace garden at the UN headquarters in New York City, New York, US.
In front of the bell the numbers 10 to 1 were projected onto the arena floor in the common English numerals which most users of the Latin alphabet are familiar with. At the same time the word of how you pronounce those numbers in Korean were also projected onto the empty - for competitors - seats. They were projected in the Latin alphabet.
Koreans of course don't use the Latin alphabet or English numerals. Instead they use their own Hangul alphabet which has its own numerals. One of the interesting differences between the RoK and the DPRK is the way that their languages and even alphabets have altered slightly over time since partition.
Contrary to popular belief Hangul is not logographic like the Japanese or Chinese writing system. It is much more similar to the Latin alphabet with symbols or letters being used to form words. However rather than just being a list Hangul letters are arranged in blocks of vowels and consonants.
In the run-up to the games the South Koreans used their language to play a little prank on Norway's Olympic team. Their chefs submitted a written order for 1,500 eggs. They were delivered 15,000 eggs.
Apparently someone had translated the request from Norwegian into English. Then from English into South Korean Hangul and then into North Korean Hangul.
When the countdown reached zero the bell sounded and from it the arena floor started to crack as it made from ice. These are the Winter Olympics after all.
We then cut to an aerial shot of the outside of the stadium.
What I found interesting was that there were searchlights snaking through the night sky. Particularly for British people this type of imagery is synonymous with the so-called; "Blitz."
During the Second World War Britain and Germany spent the best part of five years just absolutely carpet bombing each others civilian cities. This is known as; "The Blitz" from the German; "Blitzkrieg" meaning; "Lightening War." Perfected during the Spanish Civil War at places like Guernica this used aerial bombing in conjunction with rapid advances by ground forces.
Technically the Blitz was kind of Britain's fault. They bombed German civilians first prompting Hitler to follow suit. Although Hitler didn't exactly need much provocation for anything.
These searchlights struck me as a very clever way to very subtly acknowledge Korea's own difficult experience during the Second World War and its aftermath without being needlessly provocative.
The searchlights quickly gave way to the traditional firework display. The only thing of any note I spotted was the word; "WELCOME" written in the Latin alphabet spelled out on the ground in fireworks.
Meet the Cipher:
We were then shown another short video which introduced us to the characters who would be our guides throughout the ceremony. They were five humans of a distinctly child-like appearance.
This is quite a common story telling device used in TV and movies. The example I'll use is the 2015 US movie "Sicario" because I only watched it the other week.
This movie received a lot of coverage when it came out because it was one of the first mainstream action movies to feature a female lead - Emily Blunt's "Kate Macer." When we'd finished watching the movie my father said; "It's a good movie. I just didn't see the point of the Kate character."
The point of the Kate character is that she is a cipher through which we are introduced to the rest of the story.
Technically a cipher is any device which is used to turn create a code. Or to desconstruct a code.
The word; "Cipher" has common origins in French, English, Dutch, German, Slovak, Spanish, Serbia, Italian, Swedish and Arabic. It means "number" - often the number; "Zero."
Therefore one of the most simple ciphers is the Polyalphabetic Cipher. You assign a number to a letter of the alphabet A=1 etc and then write your message in numbers so; "YES" becomes "25519." You can even buy toy Secret Wheel Code kits. Or if no-one will get you one of those for Christmas you can make your own.
Big users of codes and ciphers are the military. The RoK is a nation at war so has compulsory military service. As a result all South Koreans have some experience of military codes and secrets. Even if it's just knowing that when a politician speaks you really need to learn to read between-the-lines.
As one of the Worlds most technologically advanced nations the RoK deal in extremely complex Symmetric-Key algorithmic ciphers. These are what make that little padlock icon appear in the top-lefthand corner of your Internet browser.
As you can probably tell from the still photograph and Betamax video propaganda they continue to put out DPRK is less technologically advanced.
At the Opening Ceremony the US was represented by Vice President Mike Pence. While the people who live on the Korean Peninsula have been talking in terms of unity and peace Mike Pence has been touring the region talking of war.
Vice President Pence even took the father of Otto Warmbier as his guest to the Opening Ceremony. One of the main reasons I object to that is that I don't think that is any place for a grieving parent. The situation requires us to insult him.
Therefore you can certainly have a lot of fun with a phrase such as; "Childlike Cipher."
Particularly if you're talking about someone who makes their own spy wheel cipher kits at home.
At around 21:40 on 10/2/18 (UK date) I need a little break to order my thoughts.
Edited around 22:20 on 10/2/18 (UK date) to add;
The reason why these five human ciphers had a distinctly childlike appearance is because they were in fact children.
They represented the Wu Xing - the five essential elements;
Metal: White,
Water: Black,
Wood: Green,
Fire: Red,
Earth: Yellow.
In particularly the Taoist religion these five elements make up all humans and all the things in the natural environment. This means that they explain everything from the way the human body works to the way political leaders rise and fall.
However their most commonly accepted role is in explaining cosmic cycles - the passing of the seasons basically.
Fire is Summer, Water is Winter, Metal is Autumn and Wood is Spring. The fifth, Earth covers those intermediate periods where it's not quite autumn but it's not yet winter and it's not quite spring but it's not yet summer.
After it being established that they represented the Wu Xing the children entered a cave. There they were surrounded of what where described as; "The 22 Korean Treasures."
I have Googled the 22 Korean Treasures extensively. I can find no reference to them. What I can find reference to is the 319 objects the South Korean government began listing as protected national treasures in 1962.
However the 22 objects shown in the video seem to bear no relation to the list of 319 National Treasures. The Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok the Great for example is listed as number 29.
Therefore I'm tempted to go so far as to suggest the South Koreans are simply trying to wind up foreigners with this list of their mythical objects.
Finally in the cave the children come across a painting of a blue dragon. This comes alive.
It is our introduction to the Four Guardians;
The Azure Dragon,
The Vermilion Bird,
The White Tiger,
The Black Turtle.
These are just the names for the constellations of stars like the Plough, Orion's Belt etc.
However they are considered to be particularly spiritual beings appearing the sky as they travel between dimension. As such they represent mythological powers. The Azure Dragon represents the male force and the Vermilion Bird represents the female force.
As the video finished the children were then welcomed into the arena. The were joined first by the White Tiger guardian.
This took the form of dancers manipulating a paper sculpture with wooden polls. This is commonly associated with Chinese Dragon dances. That referenced China and Korea's shared history. It was the Chinese Tang dynasty that helped the Silla Kingdom unite Korea's Three Kingdoms. They were rewarded with Korea invading quite a large chunk of China.
Recently there has been a rumour doing the rounds in Syria. It is that China has deployed Special Operations Forces (SOF's) to fight particularly the Turkistan Islamist Party (TiP) element of Al Qaeda in Idlib Province. Particularly around the town of Jisr al-Shugour.
If true this would represent the first combat deployment by the Chinese military since they withdrew from the Korean War. If you're interested in growing Chinese regional influence and/or the technically ongoing Korean War this is the sort of rumour that really catches your attention.
The two specific Chinese SOF units mentioned in the rumour are the Night Tigers and the Siberian Tigers. I suppose if you mash them together in the context of an Olympic Ceremony you'd probably end up with a White Tiger.
If you tried mashing them together outside of an Olympic Ceremony you'd probably end up getting hurt.
It is interesting that the White Tiger is the guardian of the west. China is concerned by Al Qaeda's desire to establish Turkistan within their western Xinjiang. The White Tiger only appears when an Emperor is ruling with absolute virtue.
So that certainly does sound like the RoK giving a quiet nod of approval to their old Korean War foe.
As this was happening a video projection turned the arena floor into an overview of the Baekdu/Paektu Mountain range. This forms part of the border between the DPRK and China.
The range's highest peak is Mount Paektu, an active volcano. The Mount Paektu bloodline is central to the DPRK's creation myth. Amongst other things Kim Il-sung is said to have been born, thus creating the universe at the foot of Mount Paektu.
So this seemed like an appropriate moment for the RoK to bring out Bakiwang - the central female character in the more widely accepted Cheonjiwang Bonpuri creation myth. As with the White Tiger see was represented in the form of a paper sculpture normally associated with Chinese Dragon dances.
I really do want someone to explain the Cheonjiwang Bonpuri creation myth to me properly. However my understanding is that Bakiwang began life as a Bear. She turned into a human woman and then marries Cheonjiwang and they have two sons who battle it out to become ruler of the human dimension.
The 2018 Winter Olympics of course pick up the baton from the 2014 Winter Olympics held in Sochi, Russia. A bear is a famous symbol of Russia so the arrival of Bakiwang seemed like a little nod to the Winter Olympics former life.
It could even be a subtle gesture of support for Russia in things like Syria and their on going battles with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the US Democrat Party.
The White Tiger and Bakiwang were joined by a third paper sculpture. Resembling a bird this caused a bit of confusion.
It could be the Vermilion Bird guardian. However the Vermilion Bird is often confused with the Fenghuang which are the masters of all birds.
The Fenghuang is often referred to as the Chinese Phoenix due to its vague similarities with the Phoenix from Greek mythology.
The Phoenix famously lives for a long time before flying into the Sun where it catches fire only to rise from its own ashes. The Fenghuang is also associated with the Sun. However it merely flies into the Sun to use it as a portal to travel to a different dimension.
Crucially the Fenghuang only enters the human dimension during times of peace. As such it is a symbol of peace.
If you can remember all the way back to the 2014 Sochi Opening Ceremony this heavily featured the Firebird from Russian mythology. Generally that is used as a metaphor for chasing the unobtainable. However it allows for another little nod to Russia.
The sequence ended with TV viewers being treated to an Augmented Reality (AR) projection of the stars showing the places of the Four Guardian constellations. If you're unfamiliar with Augmented Reality have you heard of a game called; "Pokemon Go."
Japan will host the 2020 Summer Olympics. As is protocol this granted them a small segment in the Closing Ceremony for the 2016 Summer Games held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil.
I still have that Closing Ceremony stacked up my DVR. I promise I will at least cover Japan's segment. At this rate probably about two hours before the 2020 Opening Ceremony.
However the Japanese segment did feature a little bit of AR - an Olympic first.
Aside from the tensions stemming from the Japanese Empire there is a huge rivalry between Japan and the RoK over who exactly is THE most technologically advanced nation on Earth.
So if Japan are going to use a little bit of AR then the RoK are going to use a lot of AR. No matter how much that is completely lost on people watching live in the arena.
Introductions & Handshakes:
It is protocol that each Olympic ceremony features a short segment in which VIP's are welcomed. This is normally the head of the IOC - in this case former Olympic fencer Thomas Bach - and the Head of Government/State of the Host Nation. In this case RoK President Moon Jae-in.
After they've been welcomed everyone in the VIP box shakes hands, have a bit of a chat and sit down. Normally it's quite dull.
However on this occasion the VIP box also included Kim Yo-jong. The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and only member of the Mount Paektu Bloodline to every set foot in the RoK.
President Moon Jae-in duly shook hands with Kim Yo-jong who has the official title of; "Director of Propaganda & Agitation." Thus making this the first time that a member of the Mount Paektu Bloodline has ever shaken hands with a South Korean President.
The VIP box also included US Vice President Pence. The South Korean hosts who are getting a reputation for a mischievous sense of humour seated Vice President Pence directly in front of Director Kim.
Apparently they'd heard the rumours about Vice President Pence being uncomfortable in the company of women who are not his wife. Then decided to double it.
Eventually Vice President Pence insisted on being moved four seats along the row so at least he wasn't sitting directly in front of Director Kim.
The US media has been seemingly overjoyed at the sight of Donald Trump's Vice President being made to look uncomfortable. I think they would be better advised to take note of the fact it is South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
As I think is well known prior to the 2016 US Presidential Election former President Obama ordered the FBI to set up a special unit to guard against Russian interference - particularly online.
To this day the US media continue to insist this Russian interference rigged the election in Donald Trump's favour and Obama's designated successor Hillary Clinton is their rightful President.
Prior to the 2012 South Korean President Election outgoing President Lee Myung-bak ordered the RoK equivalent of the FBI - the NIS - to set up a special unit to guard against North Korean interference - particularly online.
The NIS have since admitted this claim of foreign interference was merely a sham to allow them to rig the election in favour of Lee Myung-bak's designated successor Park Guen-hye.
So I think Americans would do well to remember that it is South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
His female opponent along with the Director of the NIS are currently in prison.
So no, I don't think there will be any more Russia memos coming out during the Winter Olympics. You might be lucky in that small gap between the Olympics and the Para-Olympics.
00:10 on 11/2/18 (UK date).
You have to complete a class BEFORE school; http://watchitdie.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/the-2018-winter-olympics-opening.html
Once you've all got your heads around that we can begin.
The Countdown:
Olympic Opening Ceremonies are broadcast live across many different broadcasters in many different nations. Therefore it is a longstanding tradition that they have to begin with a video countdown from 10 to 1. This allows everyone to calibrate and synchronise their coverage.
It also provides a way to gesture how much respect each broadcaster is showing the games.
For example do they not take the live feed at all instead choosing only to show edited highlights? Do they show the countdown or only show the ceremony itself? Do they, like Britain's BBC, show maximum respect by even broadcasting live shots of the stadium before the countdown begins.
As broadcast technology has advanced this countdown video has become less important.
It's an interesting fact that on US television you cannot broadcast a particular shade of black for more then a set length of time. If you do this it will trigger a computer to think that a commercial break has begun and switch the feed. All without a human being involved.
This has meant that the countdown has become part of the show itself. Some nations now use it as an opportunity to have some fun.
The Republic of Korean (RoK) quite reasonably considers itself to be one of the most technologically advanced nations on Earth. If you are reading this on an electronic device there is a fair chance that device was make in the RoK. Or at least made using technology that had been invented in the RoK.
As such the RoK had a great deal of fun with this tradition.
The Opening Ceremony began with a short video. This intentionally took the idea of the Opening Ceremony welcoming visitors to the country comically literally.
Shot in Point of View (PoV) perspective it showed a guest arriving on an aeroplane, travelling through the airport before taking an Olympic-themed drive from the airport to the Olympic Stadium.
The video featured the promotional posters for all the previous Winter Olympics popping up in strange places. Like on the side of someones suitcase or in a magazine someone was reading. Although the posters were shown in the correct order the video also featured large numbers popping up in a completely random order.
So if you were trying to use this video to synchronise your coverage it would really have screwed you up.
When the video finished it cut to a shot of the stadium floor. At its centre in a circle and surrounded by a circle of light there stood the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok the Great.
King Seongdeok the Great was the 33rd King of Silla - the kingdom that joined the Three Kingdoms creating the first unified Korean. The bell was commissioned by his son King Gyeongdeok.
Legend has it King Gyeongdeok had the bell cast and recast many times during his life but could never get it to sound. After his death his young son took over the work with the help of this mother the Queen. Again they had no success.
Then a monk dreamt that if a child was cast into the metal it would finally work. So they basically kidnapped a child from one of the poor villages and cast them into the metal. Finally the bell worked.
As a result it's known as the "Mother Bell" or "Emile Bell" -"Emile" being a rough translation of a Korean word for "Mother." However that legend is disputed so the bell does provide a talking point about western explorers misappropriating eastern, mystic culture.
A copy of the bell hangs in a Korean Pagoda in Angel's Gate Park in the US city of Los Angeles, California. It was donated by the RoK to the US as a gift on America's 200th birthday. As such this copy is known as the; "Friendship Bell."
This leads some people confusing the American copy with the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok the Great and referring to them both as the Friendship Bell.
Some people - like BBC commentators - even go so far as to mistake them both for the "Peace Bell." That was made by Japan in 1952 as a gift to the United Nations. It hangs in a peace garden at the UN headquarters in New York City, New York, US.
In front of the bell the numbers 10 to 1 were projected onto the arena floor in the common English numerals which most users of the Latin alphabet are familiar with. At the same time the word of how you pronounce those numbers in Korean were also projected onto the empty - for competitors - seats. They were projected in the Latin alphabet.
Koreans of course don't use the Latin alphabet or English numerals. Instead they use their own Hangul alphabet which has its own numerals. One of the interesting differences between the RoK and the DPRK is the way that their languages and even alphabets have altered slightly over time since partition.
Contrary to popular belief Hangul is not logographic like the Japanese or Chinese writing system. It is much more similar to the Latin alphabet with symbols or letters being used to form words. However rather than just being a list Hangul letters are arranged in blocks of vowels and consonants.
In the run-up to the games the South Koreans used their language to play a little prank on Norway's Olympic team. Their chefs submitted a written order for 1,500 eggs. They were delivered 15,000 eggs.
Apparently someone had translated the request from Norwegian into English. Then from English into South Korean Hangul and then into North Korean Hangul.
When the countdown reached zero the bell sounded and from it the arena floor started to crack as it made from ice. These are the Winter Olympics after all.
We then cut to an aerial shot of the outside of the stadium.
What I found interesting was that there were searchlights snaking through the night sky. Particularly for British people this type of imagery is synonymous with the so-called; "Blitz."
During the Second World War Britain and Germany spent the best part of five years just absolutely carpet bombing each others civilian cities. This is known as; "The Blitz" from the German; "Blitzkrieg" meaning; "Lightening War." Perfected during the Spanish Civil War at places like Guernica this used aerial bombing in conjunction with rapid advances by ground forces.
Technically the Blitz was kind of Britain's fault. They bombed German civilians first prompting Hitler to follow suit. Although Hitler didn't exactly need much provocation for anything.
These searchlights struck me as a very clever way to very subtly acknowledge Korea's own difficult experience during the Second World War and its aftermath without being needlessly provocative.
The searchlights quickly gave way to the traditional firework display. The only thing of any note I spotted was the word; "WELCOME" written in the Latin alphabet spelled out on the ground in fireworks.
Meet the Cipher:
We were then shown another short video which introduced us to the characters who would be our guides throughout the ceremony. They were five humans of a distinctly child-like appearance.
This is quite a common story telling device used in TV and movies. The example I'll use is the 2015 US movie "Sicario" because I only watched it the other week.
This movie received a lot of coverage when it came out because it was one of the first mainstream action movies to feature a female lead - Emily Blunt's "Kate Macer." When we'd finished watching the movie my father said; "It's a good movie. I just didn't see the point of the Kate character."
The point of the Kate character is that she is a cipher through which we are introduced to the rest of the story.
Technically a cipher is any device which is used to turn create a code. Or to desconstruct a code.
The word; "Cipher" has common origins in French, English, Dutch, German, Slovak, Spanish, Serbia, Italian, Swedish and Arabic. It means "number" - often the number; "Zero."
Therefore one of the most simple ciphers is the Polyalphabetic Cipher. You assign a number to a letter of the alphabet A=1 etc and then write your message in numbers so; "YES" becomes "25519." You can even buy toy Secret Wheel Code kits. Or if no-one will get you one of those for Christmas you can make your own.
Big users of codes and ciphers are the military. The RoK is a nation at war so has compulsory military service. As a result all South Koreans have some experience of military codes and secrets. Even if it's just knowing that when a politician speaks you really need to learn to read between-the-lines.
As one of the Worlds most technologically advanced nations the RoK deal in extremely complex Symmetric-Key algorithmic ciphers. These are what make that little padlock icon appear in the top-lefthand corner of your Internet browser.
As you can probably tell from the still photograph and Betamax video propaganda they continue to put out DPRK is less technologically advanced.
At the Opening Ceremony the US was represented by Vice President Mike Pence. While the people who live on the Korean Peninsula have been talking in terms of unity and peace Mike Pence has been touring the region talking of war.
Vice President Pence even took the father of Otto Warmbier as his guest to the Opening Ceremony. One of the main reasons I object to that is that I don't think that is any place for a grieving parent. The situation requires us to insult him.
Therefore you can certainly have a lot of fun with a phrase such as; "Childlike Cipher."
Particularly if you're talking about someone who makes their own spy wheel cipher kits at home.
At around 21:40 on 10/2/18 (UK date) I need a little break to order my thoughts.
Edited around 22:20 on 10/2/18 (UK date) to add;
The reason why these five human ciphers had a distinctly childlike appearance is because they were in fact children.
They represented the Wu Xing - the five essential elements;
Metal: White,
Water: Black,
Wood: Green,
Fire: Red,
Earth: Yellow.
In particularly the Taoist religion these five elements make up all humans and all the things in the natural environment. This means that they explain everything from the way the human body works to the way political leaders rise and fall.
However their most commonly accepted role is in explaining cosmic cycles - the passing of the seasons basically.
Fire is Summer, Water is Winter, Metal is Autumn and Wood is Spring. The fifth, Earth covers those intermediate periods where it's not quite autumn but it's not yet winter and it's not quite spring but it's not yet summer.
After it being established that they represented the Wu Xing the children entered a cave. There they were surrounded of what where described as; "The 22 Korean Treasures."
I have Googled the 22 Korean Treasures extensively. I can find no reference to them. What I can find reference to is the 319 objects the South Korean government began listing as protected national treasures in 1962.
However the 22 objects shown in the video seem to bear no relation to the list of 319 National Treasures. The Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok the Great for example is listed as number 29.
Therefore I'm tempted to go so far as to suggest the South Koreans are simply trying to wind up foreigners with this list of their mythical objects.
Finally in the cave the children come across a painting of a blue dragon. This comes alive.
It is our introduction to the Four Guardians;
The Azure Dragon,
The Vermilion Bird,
The White Tiger,
The Black Turtle.
These are just the names for the constellations of stars like the Plough, Orion's Belt etc.
However they are considered to be particularly spiritual beings appearing the sky as they travel between dimension. As such they represent mythological powers. The Azure Dragon represents the male force and the Vermilion Bird represents the female force.
As the video finished the children were then welcomed into the arena. The were joined first by the White Tiger guardian.
This took the form of dancers manipulating a paper sculpture with wooden polls. This is commonly associated with Chinese Dragon dances. That referenced China and Korea's shared history. It was the Chinese Tang dynasty that helped the Silla Kingdom unite Korea's Three Kingdoms. They were rewarded with Korea invading quite a large chunk of China.
Recently there has been a rumour doing the rounds in Syria. It is that China has deployed Special Operations Forces (SOF's) to fight particularly the Turkistan Islamist Party (TiP) element of Al Qaeda in Idlib Province. Particularly around the town of Jisr al-Shugour.
If true this would represent the first combat deployment by the Chinese military since they withdrew from the Korean War. If you're interested in growing Chinese regional influence and/or the technically ongoing Korean War this is the sort of rumour that really catches your attention.
The two specific Chinese SOF units mentioned in the rumour are the Night Tigers and the Siberian Tigers. I suppose if you mash them together in the context of an Olympic Ceremony you'd probably end up with a White Tiger.
If you tried mashing them together outside of an Olympic Ceremony you'd probably end up getting hurt.
It is interesting that the White Tiger is the guardian of the west. China is concerned by Al Qaeda's desire to establish Turkistan within their western Xinjiang. The White Tiger only appears when an Emperor is ruling with absolute virtue.
So that certainly does sound like the RoK giving a quiet nod of approval to their old Korean War foe.
As this was happening a video projection turned the arena floor into an overview of the Baekdu/Paektu Mountain range. This forms part of the border between the DPRK and China.
The range's highest peak is Mount Paektu, an active volcano. The Mount Paektu bloodline is central to the DPRK's creation myth. Amongst other things Kim Il-sung is said to have been born, thus creating the universe at the foot of Mount Paektu.
So this seemed like an appropriate moment for the RoK to bring out Bakiwang - the central female character in the more widely accepted Cheonjiwang Bonpuri creation myth. As with the White Tiger see was represented in the form of a paper sculpture normally associated with Chinese Dragon dances.
I really do want someone to explain the Cheonjiwang Bonpuri creation myth to me properly. However my understanding is that Bakiwang began life as a Bear. She turned into a human woman and then marries Cheonjiwang and they have two sons who battle it out to become ruler of the human dimension.
The 2018 Winter Olympics of course pick up the baton from the 2014 Winter Olympics held in Sochi, Russia. A bear is a famous symbol of Russia so the arrival of Bakiwang seemed like a little nod to the Winter Olympics former life.
It could even be a subtle gesture of support for Russia in things like Syria and their on going battles with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the US Democrat Party.
The White Tiger and Bakiwang were joined by a third paper sculpture. Resembling a bird this caused a bit of confusion.
It could be the Vermilion Bird guardian. However the Vermilion Bird is often confused with the Fenghuang which are the masters of all birds.
The Fenghuang is often referred to as the Chinese Phoenix due to its vague similarities with the Phoenix from Greek mythology.
The Phoenix famously lives for a long time before flying into the Sun where it catches fire only to rise from its own ashes. The Fenghuang is also associated with the Sun. However it merely flies into the Sun to use it as a portal to travel to a different dimension.
Crucially the Fenghuang only enters the human dimension during times of peace. As such it is a symbol of peace.
If you can remember all the way back to the 2014 Sochi Opening Ceremony this heavily featured the Firebird from Russian mythology. Generally that is used as a metaphor for chasing the unobtainable. However it allows for another little nod to Russia.
The sequence ended with TV viewers being treated to an Augmented Reality (AR) projection of the stars showing the places of the Four Guardian constellations. If you're unfamiliar with Augmented Reality have you heard of a game called; "Pokemon Go."
Japan will host the 2020 Summer Olympics. As is protocol this granted them a small segment in the Closing Ceremony for the 2016 Summer Games held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil.
I still have that Closing Ceremony stacked up my DVR. I promise I will at least cover Japan's segment. At this rate probably about two hours before the 2020 Opening Ceremony.
However the Japanese segment did feature a little bit of AR - an Olympic first.
Aside from the tensions stemming from the Japanese Empire there is a huge rivalry between Japan and the RoK over who exactly is THE most technologically advanced nation on Earth.
So if Japan are going to use a little bit of AR then the RoK are going to use a lot of AR. No matter how much that is completely lost on people watching live in the arena.
Introductions & Handshakes:
It is protocol that each Olympic ceremony features a short segment in which VIP's are welcomed. This is normally the head of the IOC - in this case former Olympic fencer Thomas Bach - and the Head of Government/State of the Host Nation. In this case RoK President Moon Jae-in.
After they've been welcomed everyone in the VIP box shakes hands, have a bit of a chat and sit down. Normally it's quite dull.
However on this occasion the VIP box also included Kim Yo-jong. The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and only member of the Mount Paektu Bloodline to every set foot in the RoK.
President Moon Jae-in duly shook hands with Kim Yo-jong who has the official title of; "Director of Propaganda & Agitation." Thus making this the first time that a member of the Mount Paektu Bloodline has ever shaken hands with a South Korean President.
The VIP box also included US Vice President Pence. The South Korean hosts who are getting a reputation for a mischievous sense of humour seated Vice President Pence directly in front of Director Kim.
Apparently they'd heard the rumours about Vice President Pence being uncomfortable in the company of women who are not his wife. Then decided to double it.
Eventually Vice President Pence insisted on being moved four seats along the row so at least he wasn't sitting directly in front of Director Kim.
The US media has been seemingly overjoyed at the sight of Donald Trump's Vice President being made to look uncomfortable. I think they would be better advised to take note of the fact it is South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
As I think is well known prior to the 2016 US Presidential Election former President Obama ordered the FBI to set up a special unit to guard against Russian interference - particularly online.
To this day the US media continue to insist this Russian interference rigged the election in Donald Trump's favour and Obama's designated successor Hillary Clinton is their rightful President.
Prior to the 2012 South Korean President Election outgoing President Lee Myung-bak ordered the RoK equivalent of the FBI - the NIS - to set up a special unit to guard against North Korean interference - particularly online.
The NIS have since admitted this claim of foreign interference was merely a sham to allow them to rig the election in favour of Lee Myung-bak's designated successor Park Guen-hye.
So I think Americans would do well to remember that it is South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
His female opponent along with the Director of the NIS are currently in prison.
So no, I don't think there will be any more Russia memos coming out during the Winter Olympics. You might be lucky in that small gap between the Olympics and the Para-Olympics.
00:10 on 11/2/18 (UK date).
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