 |
|||||
| December 31, 2003 |
|||||
World Media Watch by Gloria R. Lalumia BUZZFLASH NOTE: Once again, these are the views and perspectives of the individual papers, not of BuzzFlash or Gloria. They offer BuzzFlash readers a way of reading what other nations are saying about the crisis, whether we like it or not. We repeat: This is not an endorsement of their viewpoints. * * * WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR DECEMBER 31, 2003 1//The Japan Times, Japan--2004 IS THE YEAR FOR MONKEYING
AROUND (If you were born in 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956,
1968, 1980, 1992, or are soon to be born in or after
January 2004, this is your year...Those born in the
year of the monkey are said to be witty, clever and
sociable. They are adaptable and enthusiastic about
everything and are highly successful...As far as what
2004 is going to be like, there are many predictions
involving talk about the Pillars of Destiny, the Age
of 8, and the Three Penalties, but in a nutshell, or
banana peel, what this indicates is that there will
be: more fires and explosions this year, more natural
disasters, more traveling and travel accidents, and
more liver-related diseases.) 3//Daily Times, Pakistan--SAUDI MORALITY POLICE TO BAN NEW YEAR TRINKETS (Morality police in southern Saudi Arabia plan to conduct raids to ensure that shops do not sell flowers, candles and gifts to those planning to celebrate the New Year, a local newspaper reported on Monday. The Arabic-language al-Watan said the Authority for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (APVPV) in Aseer province was determined to uphold a ban by the conservative Muslim kingdom on non-Muslim celebrations.) 4//The
Independent, UK--BBC1 AMD ITV1 SUFFER AS VIEWERS
FIND REPEAT-LADEN CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE A TURN-OFF
(For the first time, the two largest stations, BBC1
and
ITV1, attracted less than half the total audience from
21 till 28 December as Christmas specials failed in
the ratings...Out of 201 programmes listed in the terrestrial
schedules for Christmas Day, 138 were repeats. ITV1
screened 16 repeats, compared with four last year.) * * * 1//The
Japan Times Saturday, December 27, 2003 2004 IS THE YEAR FOR MONKEYING AROUND The year 2004 is the year of the monkey. If you're someone who doesn't believe that all the people born in the same year have the same personalities, destiny and propensity for success, then phooey on you! You'll have no fun in Asia, where much of life is believed to be ruled by factors that are, quite thankfully, beyond our control. This way, we can accept that we have no control over fate, so we can just sit back, eat bananas, and wait for the powers that be to act. Because there's no monkeying around with fate. The first thing you need to do to usher in the new year is get rid of the herds of sheep you collected in 2003, the Year of the Sheep. If they're live, you can butcher them and take part in various culinary traditions such as eating sheep heads (Iceland-style) and Western-style mutton with mint sauce. (SNIP) If you were born in 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, or are soon to be born in or after January 2004, this is your year. Even though the Chinese zodiac doesn't technically start until the Chinese New Year, in Japan they just simplify and start it along with the Western calendar. Those born in the year of the monkey are said to be witty, clever and sociable. They are adaptable and enthusiastic about everything and are highly successful. (SNIP) As far as what 2004 is going to be like, there are many predictions involving talk about the Pillars of Destiny, the Age of 8, and the Three Penalties, but in a nutshell, or banana peel, what this indicates is that there will be: more fires and explosions this year, more natural disasters, more traveling and travel accidents, and more liver-related diseases. It's not a good year for wood, so be nice to your furniture. (MORE)
ALL THE WEIRD OF 2003 With giant attack pumpkins, contract hits on police cats and Jesus and marijuana appearing on local flags, 2003 was a typical year in terms of Russian news. No more outlandish than normal, it was just the usual grab bag of ridiculousness. (SNIP) That is almost as ridiculous as the tale of hobby gardener Nikolai Salakhov. Instead of the promised pear-sized pumpkins promised on the seed package, Salakhov's squashes ballooned to nearly 20 kilograms -- and knocked him flat out when one of them fell on him while he was sitting on his balcony. At least Salakhov survived. The next victim was not so lucky. The winner of a vodka-drinking competition obviously didn't understand that too much of a good thing can be bad for you. After drinking several pints in Vologodonsk, he won the title but lost his life. The fact that organizers allowed contestants to zakusyvat (black bread, sausage and mustard) did not help him nor five other contestants, who were hospitalized. A more heroic death came of Rusik. A week after he -- a celebrity police cat with a successful nose for contraband fish -- had been praised in the national press, he was tragically killed in the line of duty. After giving the tails up to a suspected caviar smuggling bus, Rusik was knocked down by a hit-and-run driver. Foul play was suspected. But police colleagues, who are thinking of erecting a monument to the brave moggy, denied it. "He just jumped down from the bus and was hit by a car," a police spokesman said. (SNIP) Meanwhile, marijuana and a long-haired man preaching love were keeping local officials arguing all over the country. New regulations allowing regions and towns to create their own flags produced typical small-town arguments and brief flares of attention for the town of Novozybkovo, which now has cannabis on its flag in commemoration of a century-long dead industry. Denizens of the Penza region chose the head of Jesus staring hypnotically out of their flag. The Novozybkovo flag probably brought in one of the biggest mailbags at The Moscow Times, with requests from pot heads eager to wave the hemp flag. (MORE)
SAUDI MORALITY POLICE TO BAN NEW YEAR TRINKETS Morality police in southern Saudi Arabia plan to conduct raids to ensure that shops do not sell flowers, candles and gifts to those planning to celebrate the New Year, a local newspaper reported on Monday. The Arabic-language al-Watan said the Authority for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (APVPV) in Aseer province was determined to uphold a ban by the conservative Muslim kingdom on non-Muslim celebrations. "Patrols will be dispatched to gift and flower shops in the next two days before the New Year to ensure that ornaments are not sold for New Year celebrations," al-Watan quoted the local APVPV head as saying. The authority had also banned Christmas ornaments from shops. It also bans shops from carrying Valentine's Day gifts. "For Muslims, there are only two holidays in a year: Eidul Fitr and Eidul Adha," the official said. (MORE)
BBC1 AMD ITV1 SUFFER AS VIEWERS FIND REPEAT-LADEN
CHRISTMANS SCHEDULE A TURN-OFF Christmas viewing figures made unpleasant reading for the biggest television channels and showed people had found better things to do over the holiday than watch a schedule laden with repeats. For the first time, the two largest stations, BBC1 and ITV1, attracted less than half the total audience from 21 till 28 December as Christmas specials failed in the ratings. (SNIP) Out of 201 programmes listed in the terrestrial schedules for Christmas Day, 138 were repeats. ITV1 screened 16 repeats, compared with four last year. Ratings figures show the combined audience share of BBC1 and ITV1 fell to 49.9 per cent from 52.2 per cent last year. The biggest loser was BBC1, whose share fell by 5.45 per cent to 28.46 per cent. (MORE)
A
LIGHT SNACK FOR SQUIRRELS Mum Sally Kennett was stunned to see squirrels steal all 250 festive lights from the holly tree in her garden. She said: ''When I first spotted one with a bulb in its mouth, I couldn't quite believe my eyes.'' (MORE) Happy New Year!! | |||||
|
©2003, Gloria R. Lalumia, insight@zianet.com Radio for the Left at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical/radio.htm BACK TO TOP |
|||||
 |
||||
| DAILY BUZZ | ||||
| INTERVIEWS | ||||
| ANALYSIS | ||||
| MEDIA LINKS | ||||
|
Unless
otherwise noted, all original |
 |
|||
