Iraq Attack has a silver lining for FG

[Steve Bildermann]

NHK cancelled most regular programming Thursday, following the action in Iraq after the first bombing was reported at about 11:40 a.m.

Regular shows only came back on screen after 10 p.m.

Taken off the air were planned reruns of a documentary about the late superstar Hibari Misora and, ironically, "Oshin," a drama about a woman's struggles to survive the poverty of prewar Japan

Endless documentaries about Hibari Misora (who unknown to her legions of fans was a bombastic self centered bully) rank right up there with every episode (but especially the last 14) of 'Otoko was tsuraiyo' as two of the reasons why I will eventually kill myself.

[Taro Toporific]

NHK cancelled most regular programming Thursday

.

It was great to use the split screen function on my big-screen TV. Last night I could have BBC (NHK BS channel) on one side duelling against CNN (CS channel) on the other side....and foolish Fox News was babbling on AFN radio.

[Steve Bildermann]

All of them saying 'well nothing much happening here at the moment, over to you Bill Whatever in the North'

BTW I may be wrong but don't those creepy all-green night time shots look an awful lot like some kid transmitting from windows ME with a $20 webcam and realplayer.

[GuyJean]

Here is the first point of view I have seen from an average Iraqi citizen:
http://dear_raed.blogspot.com/

GomiGirl posted that about about a week ago. It's IS good reading, but, as I said before, I'm not sure how 'average' the Iraqi is. Do most Iraqi's have Internet access? Most blogger's I know aren't very 'average'.

But thanks, Evil, for the 'cool link' reminder.

After reading through it again, it's even more interesting! Things have definitely changed from a week ago!!

It's like a war diary.. Chilling.

GJ

[Taro Toporific]

Here is the first point of view I have seen from an average Iraqi citizen:

My deshi/groupie, N-chan, has been sending me news from Erbil Iraq and now "safe" Afghanistan as UN observer for Japan. Do you remember Afghanistan, the other war?

Here's her trip report from Thurday March 20 with the place names slightly altered to protect the guilty.
"One JAPANESE Citizen's Diary Blog in SoFarSoBad" (warning long post)

Getting There
... in the morning of 16th, the helicopter
slowly flew over rolling waves of mountains, some
snow-covered and others just brown tanned. It kept making
me wondering some parts of Northern Iraq must be similar
had we had a chance to fly over. Villages are scattered in
valleys between them, which made me wonder how they can
travel outside them during the winter, or even the rest of
the year. A world of mountains with no green, just a
variation of brown and red, sometime with white. I felt
like I was flying over into the fairytale world where a
evil queen lives....The helicopter landed in an open field after almost
circling the town. We disturbed people and animals along
the way.
...
Mission Objective, etc.
OK, the official mission was to monitor how the Winter School
Programme is going in Sofarsobad...arrived in Bahharhar
High School, only white cement wall buildings in the village, even including the Mosque.
The buildings were renovated by a local NGO with UN's
support last May and are now housing over 5,500 students
(50% girls) of grades 1-12 with 216 teachers (close to 50%
female). The campus (I would rather call it than compound
as it was open space with several buildings) was divided
into girls? school section and boys? school section.
Latrines were also constructed but no water in the schools.
... seen the people
washing hands and face with waste water in the ditch dug
surrounding a little town of classroom tents. School
hygiene education has not reached there, just yet?? During
our visit, school supplies ordered last year arrived
just in time for the new school year, which will be
just sufficient to provide stationery to the students in
the school.

The two small school yards were filled with little white
classroom tents. Dozens of them for each school But I
cannot believe they can accommodate all 5,500 students,
even in two shifts. Moreover, I cannot believe this remote
village surrounded by mountains have more than 500
students. The students must come from neigbouring villages
behind the mountains, taking hours to get them on foot.

... the UN is interested in
hearing their feedback, especially things for improvement,
as everyone says only positive things about the training,
if only asked once or twice. (sounds like Japanese) It
think it also shows how excited the teachers were about
attending training. Many of them asked for more training
and training in a longer period... I hope we can keep up to
their expectation, or should I say we help the govn't to live
up to their expectation.

...Well, for my trips in Afghanistan, three down (Bamiland, Candyharhar,
and Sofarsobad) and three more to go, and THEN on to Iraq, I suppose!

More later.
Luv,
N

[American Oyaji]

Does she have a link to her blog?

[Taro Toporific]

NHK cancelled most regular programming Thursday, following the action in Iraq after the first bombing was reported at about 11:40 a.m.....
Taken off the air were planned reruns of a documentary about the late superstar Hibari Misora and, ironically, "Oshin," a drama about a woman's struggles to survive the poverty of prewar Japan

Endless documentaries about Hibari Misora (who unknown to her legions of fans was a bombastic self centered bully) rank right up there with every episode (but especially the last 14) of 'Otoko was tsuraiyo' as two of the reasons why I will eventually kill myself.

The PSI-OP Attack Continues!

Japan Foundation hopes 'Oshin' will encourage Iraqis
Yomiuri / Oct 23, 2003
The Japan Foundation has decided to provide Iraq with "Oshin," NHK's popular morning drama series aired in the 1980s, as part of its efforts to promote cultural exchanges through television programs....The program will send a message to people in Iraq that Oshin's endurance, patience ....