Super Bowl LIV.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These are the people who support President Trump.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I gather President Trump has been on fine Trolling form.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

19:10 on 8/2/20 (UK date)