Bizarro World

Lately, Europeans are getting back to their 1939 roots (you'll know this reference if you're an avid follower of GE). What is even more mind-boggling is that not only are some countries openly channeling fascism, but they're doing it via the fairer sex. Some would say feminism has come a long way, where women now have the chance to act like neanderthal men. More important than ever we raise our daughters right, the last thing we need is them acting like men, the sex that has ruined the world consistently for millennia.

As highlighted in the GE podcast, https://www.iheart.com/podcast/53-global-editorial-100285719/ the UK and Sweden are losing the plot under female leadership. Not only is Mary Elizabeth Truss an incompetent adulterous political hack, she allowed the worst kind of racist (one that is a product of immigration, yet spits on migrants) to remain as Home Secretary. Remember the name, Priti Patel, for some reason she hates newcomers, yet her parents of Indian heritage somehow made it to England from Uganda. Then you have Magdalena Andersson, advertises herself as a social democrat, but has hate towards asylum seekers - did someone say Sweden was the land of equality? Earth to Eurovision: kick these nations out of your song contest, might be the only way to deter the xenophobia. Oops, there's more...

Italy is also joining the party. After the recent election, both the Chamber of Deputies and Senate will have a hard right majority. The new PM is a sycophant banging on about love for Mussolini, hatred towards migrants and all that nonsensical religious purity claptrap. No, the creep Berlusconi is not back, it's his clone in the form of a 45-year-old female, Giorgia Meloni (she loves to highlight what a high and mighty Christian she is, yet is unmarried with a child with a domestic partner - typical of hypocrite family value types). If Italian was the world's default language, Italy would now be considered a no-go zone, people will be calling for boycotts, but the American obsession is such that only American racists are outed. It's time to eradicate racists equally, let's not pick and choose which nation can get away with it. Meloni is just a figurehead, but her maniacal party, Brothers of Italy, are the equivalent of the KKK. Don't be fooled by its exterior, Italy is pretty much Mississippi disguised with beautiful scenery and good food.

If you need further proof that the world is drowning in its own vomit, the question posed in the GE pilot podcast (Should murderers receive royalties?) has been answered. The Jeffrey Dahmer Story that launched on Netflix on two weeks ago has proven my point. After its first week it already reached nearly 200 million hours of collective viewing, only season 4 of Stranger Things can say it got off to a bigger start. Netflix is officially open to its love of rewarding carnage. Dahmer's dad is still alive, how about they reward him for raising the world's number one posthumous celebrity.

I can see the disclaimer before viewing, part of your subscription fees will go towards the Dahmer family, after all, it's because of Jeff that you can devote ten hours of precious life to his devouring of humans. To add insult to injury, Conversations With a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes will be released on Friday. Get the popcorn out, your feet up and enjoy aiding and abetting the serial killer industry. Netflix is indeed the Amazon of entertainment, I advise everyone to stream for free as a means of giving the middle finger to a company profiting from bloodlust.

Seventh Heaven

For earthlings not keeping tabs on GE's history (shame on you), seven years have passed since its inception! I'm happy to report, the world is a much safer and wise place since the first Op-ed.

https://globaleditorial.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-ancient-land-locked-country-pivotal.html

Let me re-phrase: the globe is indeed going nowhere fast, but hey, venting about it with some much-needed levity at least allows the end of times to be more digestible.  

Now that GE comes in podcast form, there's no excuse not to get fired up about a borderless world. Thanks to those that can handle the whole 30-45 minutes without smashing the plastic gadget that my voice emanates from. Most Americans struggle with English accents outside their own (blame their god awful ego that comes from the world's obsession with Uncle Sam), so it's refreshing that many Americans are somehow getting through the podcast without asking me to repeat what I said in a basic form, you know, third-grade level you'd expect from a US President.

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/53-global-editorial-100285719/

All I ask from my fellow earthlings is to seek out seven fellow earthlings and share GE in all its forms. Okay, saying that sentence out loud sounded like a pyramid scheme, but you get my drift. Instead of wasting time tuning into the vulgarity that resides on social media, the time is nigh for critical thinkers to unite and rise above clickbait conspiracy theories dominating our brain capacity.

P.S. Here's the little earthling that produces my podcast (with her very own made in China plastic gadget). As you can see, she's a switched on 7-month-old. Watch out for her at the MMXL Olympiad.

Willing to sacrifice 45 minutes for a brain exercise?

If you answer in the affirmative, then, you can now listen to the Global Editorial companion piece in podcast form. Each episode will be ad-libbing at its finest/worst, depending on your ability for critical thinking. Go ahead, click play on your preferred site and let your ears burn out of control! 

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/53-global-editorial-100285719/

https://open.spotify.com/show/0B8fzUwW1Z6re5B8lsBHy0

https://www.deezer.com/us/show/4478157

https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/4049558

https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/global-editorial-4822956

https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/Global-Editorial%5C/1%5C/WBE6kxMKFEk_

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3ByZWFrZXIuY29tL3Nob3cvNTU1OTQ5My9lcGlzb2Rlcy9mZWVk

Be sure to subscribe and share this podcast with your fellow earthlings. By doing so, you'll contribute to a more open-minded off-the-cuff world. 

Al Khadra on tenterhooks

No, the title (translation: the Green) isn't an abbreviation of my surname, but the nickname given to Tunisia. Hope that settles country moniker trivia for you. On that note, Happy Bastille Day to earthlings that did their utmost to ruin North Africa and of course shower once a week (shout-out to atrocious stereotypes that still fester online), joking aside, it's a great day for the nation of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. 

A pivotal moment in Tunisian democracy, the upcoming referendum on a draft constitution will say a lot about how far it has come since the 2014 uprising. Foremost, can we just applaud this beacon of hope in the Arab world for becoming the first Arab nation to have a female leader, Najla Bouden (appointed PM October 11, 2021 - who said a geologist could not rise to power? This momentous occasion can only be topped if a female is elected at the ballot box, but for now this is progress. Still, the Arab world is more advanced than the US when it comes to female empowerment. Psst! Dear Arab earthlings, mention this to US Customs officials when they question you for being a terrorist.

Hat's off to Tunisia for including church and state separation in this draft, funny how an Arab nation is all about religion being excluded when you have the US Supreme Court allowing religious nut jobs from 13 states (led by the small government bastion of Texas, that loves to use tax dollars to suppress women's liberty) to meddle in a woman's personal choice. Tickle me pink, feminism thrives in Tunisia and dies in 26% of the US. 

Where this referendum gets icky is the back to the future moment, it's being proposed to go away from a semi-Presidential parliamentary system to one where the President will once again wield too much authority. They can run for two 5-year terms, and potentially continue on if they find the state to be in danger. Reading between the lines: another way of spelling out autocracy. Then it gets into a gray area, some will argue introducing new council chambers is a positive step and only two-thirds are needed to pass a no-confidence motion in the government as opposed to the current absolute majority. Some might say this smells of a power-stacking exercise for a future autocratic leader.

However, it still keeps important measures that protect liberties, including the right for peaceful gatherings, unions to organize (army, customs, judges, police are barred from striking), and free speech. This draft still needs tinkering, but this is a sign that the country is a democratic experiment and one that hopefully can keep on its open society trajectory. Tunisia is on the precipice, a nearly year-long protest is till taking place, the issue at core is democracy, basically are you for the secular variety or one that allows Islam to play a key role. It looks like most supporting the draft constitution are from the latter. Tunisia will quickly lose its credentials if they give in to more Presidential power. A free Tunisia will be a beacon for North Africa and will have flow on effect all over the Middle East, the world cannot allow Saudi values to infiltrate this great nation.

The Constitutional Referendum is on July 25. On that day, I will, you will, we will all be Tunisian. Happy voting to the earthlings that chant for the Eagles of Carthage (Tunisia national football team).

Chi-town on the big screen

Happy Canada Day to the world's 7th freest country. Your neighbors, who bang on about freedom, are 15th. Talking Canucks, America's favorite pastime (no, it's not baseball) is making films in Canada and passing it off as American. Chicago's example, Mean Girls was set in the suburb of Evanston (birthplace of Bill Murray), but was shot in Toronto. The viewing experience is more rewarding when the city matches the story, which brings me to a classic segue.

I grew up watching John Hughes films (showing my age), and to now be living in the city where he based many of his films is a dream come true. This brings me to another list-making exercise (to think my all-time film/TV lists were published half a decade ago, refer below). These films bring out the best of Chicago. Even if you're not a Chicagoan, the chances are you're familiar with something connected to America's greatest city.

Here's a list of ten films (in order of date released) I put together, this is not so much about the quality of the films, but ones that show the city in every light, both shiny and gritty. I suggest you re-watch these (if you haven't seen any of them, shame on you), then use the locales as a reference point for your visit to Chicago. 

The Blues Brothers (1980, John Landis)

The dynamic duo of Akroyd and Belushi, together with a soundtrack to die for, how can you not put on some Aretha after she performs 'Think' in the deli. So many classic parts of the city on display here, The 6-minute car chase scene (red car dropping from the skyline can't be topped) through downtown is worth an induction into the cinematic hall of fame.

Sixteen Candles (1984, John Hughes)

Having an older sister made me appreciate this even more, Molly Ringwald still speaks for teens everywhere, that's the impact of this film. Many suburbs are used in filming. The famous dance scene (you know with that classic tune playing, True by Spandau Ballet) was shot at Niles East High School in the suburb of Skokie.

The Breakfast Club (1985, John Hughes)

I will go to my grave defending this piece of American history. I will never tire of watching arguably the best teen angst film. Chicago's suburbs are the focus here, from the school exterior scenes (Maine North High School, Des Plaines), interior scenes (Glenbrook North High School, Northbrook) to the powerful ending (fist-pump scene) shot in Park Ridge.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986, John Hughes)

You don't even have to think about it, as soon as I mention this one to anyone over the age of 40 they start singing 'Twist and Shout' straight away. How good is the parade scene? Shot on Michigan Ave, one of the world's great avenues in downtown Chicago. So many iconic scenes covering the city and suburbs from Wrigley Field to the classic Ferrari scene (Ben Rose Auto Museum).

The Untouchables (1987, Brian De Palma)

Wouldn't be an ode to Chicago without Al Capone making an appearance. The Blackstone Hotel is part of film folklore for the baseball bat that Robert De Niro so artistically used for some bloodletting.

The Fugitive (1993, Andrew Davis)

Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford at their height of acting powers. One of the great jumps in cinematic history is featured at Fontana Dam at Lake Cheooh. Plenty of classic scenes all around town, this film has dated badly, referring to the payphone scene at Wacker Drive and Wells St.

While You Were Sleeping (1995, John Turtletaub)

Can be a corny romantic comedy at times, but when Chicago's sensational train system is on display, you have a winner! From now on, every time I catch a train from Randolph/Wabash El station, I will forever be reminded of one of the great (if not, greatest) actors of all-time (if you haven't seen him in Lost highway, you need to exit planet earth immediately).

High Fidelity (2000, Stephen Frears)

A cultural ode to the city by John Cusack (also an Evanston native). Vintage venues, like Double Door, Music Box Theatre all make cameo's. The highlight of the film (1:19:52 - 1:21:16 mark) takes place on the Kinzie St Bridge with a classic Chicago backdrop. This one even features scenes from my neighborhood, Rogers Park. If you are holding onto dear life avoiding music streaming services (nearly as evil as Netflix), then keep watching this flick to remind you of a time just before the world ended (you know, social media).

The Dark Knight (2008, Christopher Nolan)

The only negative about this film (tower under construction in the final scene) and of the city itself is, the presence of a building named after a delusional maniac that for some reason received the nuclear codes for 4 years. So much of Chicago on display, the Old Post Office was used for the infamous bank heist scene. To think Heath Ledger (the best thing to come out of Perth, Australia), a fellow 1979 earthling, passed away two months after production finished.

Southside with You (2016, Richard Tanne)

Wouldn't be a Chicago list without its most famous love story, Barack and Michelle. Historic Quin Chapel (home of the city's first African-American congregation) is used for the community meeting scenes. Chicago and the world needs more reminding of the fact that the true cultural heartbeat of the city remains in the south, even though everyone wants to live in the affluent Northside. Taking of the Southside, be sure to check out 'The Chi' (season 3 is currently airing on Showtime)

https://globaleditorial.blogspot.com/2017/07/30-of-greatest-tv-shows-in-my-humble.html

https://globaleditorial.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-best-films-according-to-yours-truly.html