Kenyan Puppet Show Political Controversy Al Jazeera

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Anyone can do ABC; it takes a special effort to make XYZ...

Update on 1 Sep 2009: Controversy over XYZ Show: Kenyan politicians forgetting Hakuna matata?

I ended a recent blog post, News wrapped in laughter, with this thought: “There is another dimension to satirising the news in immature democracies as well as in outright autocracies where media freedoms are suppressed or denied. When open dissent is akin to signing your own death warrant, and investigative journalists risk their lives on a daily basis, satire and comedy becomes an important, creative – and often the only – way to comment on matters of public interest. It’s how public-spirited journalists and their courageous publishers get around draconian laws, stifling regulations and trigger-happy goon squads. This is precisely what is happening right now in countries like Kenya and Sri Lanka, and it’s certainly no laughing matter.“

An interesting experiment in political satire on Kenyan television has just ended its first season on 9 August 2009. It’s a show called the XYZ Show, which was broadcast weekly on Kenya’s Citizen TV. Started in mid May 2009, the first season introduced Kenyan viewers to a new form of satire television, with life-sized puppets made to resemble famous persons, mostly politicians.

Gado the Creator

The XYZ Show was inspired by famous puppet satire series like the British “Spitting Image” and the French “Les Guignols de l’Info” shows. In the XYZ Show, the puppets commented on news and current events from both Kenya and overseas.

The XYZ Show was developed by a team led by Kenyan cartoonist Godfrey Mwampembwa, alias Gado. He is the most widely syndicated cartoonist in East and Central Africa. He publishes a daily cartoon in The Nation, the largest newspaper in Kenya, and his work has been published in Le Monde (France), Washington Times (US), De Standaard (Belgium) and The Japan Times.

According to its creators, the XYZ Show challenged famous figures from Kenyan high society and politics using humour and satire. It aimed to become a new forum for social and political debate, one that provides room for open discussion.

Watch XYZ Show’s first episode trailer, produced one year ago:

Says the Prince Claus Fund of the Netherlands, which supported the show’s production: “Although freedom of the press is a constitutional right in Kenya, it is difficult for many journalists to practice their profession without interference. Gado and his team hope that the XYZ Show will contribute positively to strengthening freedom of the press and increasing political and social awareness among the people of Kenya. The show provides commentary on current social and political developments and aims to use humour and artistry to reinforce freedom of speech in Kenya.”

From what I’ve been able to watch online, on the show’s YouTube channel and elsewhere, the production values are at a high standard, comparable to such shows made in Europe and East Asia. The puppets are attractive, movements convincing and the pace quick and slick.

Who pulls his strings?

The producers have also tried hard to make XYZ more than just a TV show. The website, in English, shows how the content is being adapted for the web (as webisodes) and mobile phones (as mobisodes). The show’s official blog takes us on to the set and shares with us the story behind the story, and introduces us to the artists and technical geniuses involved. Full marks for trying to engage the audience.

Then there is Barack Obama. Using his Kenyan connections, the show casts him (really, a puppet in his image) in a ‘supporting actor’ role. This has clearly inspired some interest in the show beyond Kenya.

So far, so good. But how does it work with the audience? The show is directed mainly at local audiences, and even if it’s presented in a mix of English and local language, it’s not something a complete outsider like myself can appreciate.

So I ‘crowd-sourced’ by asking a Kenyan reader of my blog, Marion N N, for her opinion. Marion is part of Sojourner, which her blog introduces as “a social enterprise that exists to promote the origination, production and distribution of African viewpoints through visual media. We are passionate about African film-making and seek its viable promotion globally”.

Marion wrote a comment in her blog after watching one episode a few weeks ago. She lives and works in Kenya, and her views are far more valid than my own.

Behind the screen, creators at work...

She wrote: “My first off impression was fascination about the quality of the show in terms of animation which is very new to the local TV production scene in Kenya. Once past the fascination of the animation, I found that the content failed to hold my interest, connect with me or engage me as an audience. As a socio-political spoof show, humor ideally should be the hook that captures audience but in this case, humor comes across as mindless, illogical or simply stupid action on the screen. As if in evidence to this fact, at some point my husband in between laughter remarked ‘This show is really stupid’. I would imagine this would be a compliment to the Production becuase it provoked laughter in a viewer. However beyond that moment, it seemed only natural for us to flick over to more substantial entertainment having enjoyed that brief flight of fancy that failed to arouse an appetite for more.”

Marion also wondered what the show’s intended audience was, and highlighted the many challenges in getting the levels and balances right in doing political satire: “That politicians sometimes (nay, most times) behave ridiculously is not new or fresh. But the treatment, underlying themes, ideas communicated to audiences should be. Why do I suggest this? Because political satire by its nature speaks to an audience that is fairly mature, and exposed. To use childish humor that is poorly developed will not hold the audience’s attention. Infact at some point the content may become a tad irritating to watch. Political satire needs to be treated with a peppering of fact, wit, fresh perspective or take -out: The achievement of some underlying objective and not just mindless visual gimmicks that lead to the feeling of ‘stooping to idiocy; by audiences. This seeming insult of intelligence causes us as an audience to switch off.”

In my own view, The XYZ Show had at least three major challenges. Doing any puppet show is hard enough, and these days the on-air competition is neither local nor fair: it comes from global entertainment corporations like MTV and their regional variations, usually with deep pockets. Doing political satire is even harder, especially if the political culture is intolerant or repressive. To get the look, feel and balances right in a country where such a show is being done locally for the first time is a formidable challenge by itself.

But I’ll let Marion have the last word. In spite of the various concerns, she feels that the XYZ Show has ‘room to grow and conquer the airwaves’. But, as she notes, “The production team have their work cut out for them in pre-production. It’s back to the drawing board and ask who is my audience? What appeals to them? How do I connect with them, define an objective for the show and its audiences? Research facts and opinions about national sentiment on issues then develop scripts and sequences…”

Puppetry shows up controversy in South Africa

http://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=navclient-ff#hl=en&source=hp&q=Kenyan+Puppet+Show+Political+Controversy&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=84c7fb41710deb10

In the South African world of political controversy, there has recently been a great divide caused by the honorable Judge Richard Goldstone, expected not to attend his grandson’s barmitzvah, because it would draw large protests against his anti-Israel United Nations report. The Chief Rabbi of South Africa Warren Goldstein commented that the UN report "has unfairly done enormous damage to the reputation and safety of the State of Israel and her citizens. " The South African web-based puppetry satire team ZA News recently got their own Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela to comment on this controversy. Tutu quipped "you don't have to be Jewish to be Jewish, but it helps..."

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Genitalia: Japanese English Lesson

Genitalia: Japanese English Lesson

In his classic--and still standard--work on human sexual anatomy, Dickinson (1949) lamented the paucity of research on normal genital morphometrics Generally, morphometrics (from the Greek: "morph," meaning shape or form, and "metron”, meaning measurement) comprises methods of extracting measurements from shapes. In most cases applied to biological topics in the widest sense. , a factor that influenced production of composite or "basic," rather than "normal" (p. 42), forms for male and female genitalia. Genital morphometric norms remain in the domain of general statements offered with little substantiation. Most exceptions are studies of males, but there has been an embargo on the publication of the underlying statistics. For example, some critical statistics of Schonfeld and Beebe's (1942, classic (and still standard) study on penile penile /pe·nile/ (pe´nil) of or pertaining to the penis.
Smoking on Thai TV - January 7, 2006 Screen captures showing examples of the blurring of smoking on Thai TV. Also: Complete set of Thai cigarette warning labels

Above: Occasionally there are some odd oversights-- Bart blowing bubbles is blurred, but Ralph in an opium den smoking a pipe is not.

Above: Smoking monkeys are also blurred

Earlier: Smoking on Thai TV - September 29, 2002 2Bangkok.com was once informed that UBC had an understanding with the authorities so that UBC would not have to blur out images of smoking. They would instead put a Thai-language warning across the bottom of the screen when people smoke. They did this for awhile, but in the last few months it appears they have gone back to the original, government- dictated method of blurring the screen when people smoke. The blurring follows the cigarette as it moves around the screen, but often they miss (as you can see by the frame below). Another example was a documentary about Dino De Laurentis. He always has a cigar in his mouth and every time his face was shown it was blurred. Here's an article about Thailand's ban on smoking on television.

The Simpsons in Thailand Main Page The Simpsons translated into Thai Thai references in The Simpsons The Simpsons in the media

"The Simpsons" TM and © FOX and its related companies. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, duplication, or distribution in any form is expressly prohibited. This web site, its operators, and any content contained on this site relating to "The Simpsons" is not authorized by FOX. "THE SIMPSONS" and all related characters are the creation of Matt Groening and the author of this page claims no responsibility for them.

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pe·nile
adj.
Of or relating to the penis.

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penile

of or pertaining to the penis.  growth and size norms from birth to maturity were distributed privately by Schonfeld; the data reached publication 40 years later in an appendix to the work of other researchers (Money, Lehne, & Pierre-Jerome. 1984). Similarly, the self-reported penile data from the original Kinsey study remained unpublished until 1979 (Gebhard & Johnson, 1979). Masters and Johnson Masters and Johnson, pioneering research team in the field of human sexuality, consisting of the gynecologist

William HowReverse video (or invert video or inverse video) is a computer display technique wherein the background and text colour values are swapped, like this. ell Masters, 1915–2001, b. Cleveland, and the psychologist

Virginia Eshelman Johnson, 1925–, b.
..... Click the link for more information. (1966) published summary penile data but, fearing untoward consequences, refused to divulge the full statistics on their male sample (Petersen, 1979). Even a recent medical book devoted exclusively to the penis (Hashmat & Das, 1993) contains no information on normal penile variation.

Texts on female genitalia are less rare. Indeed, female genitalia are overrepresented o·ver·rep·re·sent·ed  
adj.
Represented in excessive or disproportionately large numbers: "Some groups, and most notably some races, may be overrepresented and others may be underrepresented"   in reproductive chapters of general anatomy general anatomy
n.
The study of the structure and composition of the body as well as of its tissues and fluids.  and physical diagnosis texts, a strong contrast to the underrepresentation of female images in nonreproductive chapters (Mendelsohn, Nieman, Isaacs, Lee, & Levinson, 1994). This greater willingness to depict female genitalia in the medical realm (as in popular culture) does not translate into more numerous studies of female morphometric variation. There are precious few data to compare with Kasai's study of Japanese females. The Masters and Johnson (1966) data sets are smaller, the emphasis is on physiological responses, and illustrations are primarily schematic drawings. Stereoscopic stereoscopic /ster·eo·scop·ic/ (ster?e-o-skop´ik) having the effect of a stereoscope; giving objects a solid or three-dimensional appearance.

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ster·e·o·scop·ic
n.
1.  views, a user-unfriendly format, of normal clitoral clitoral

pertaining to or emanating from the clitoris.

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clitoral hypertrophy
may occur in Cushing's syndrome as a result of increased androgens produced by a hyperplastic or neoplastic adrenal cortex.  variation appeared in a collection of sociological and medical essays on that organ (Lowry & Lowry, 1976). Feminists have sought to fill the gaps in the study of female genitalia (Chalker, 1996). Starting in the 1970s, Betty Dodson (1987) created and toured with a slide show of vulva vulva /vul·va/ (vul´vah) [L.] the external genital organs of the female, including the mons pubis, labia majora and minora, clitoris, and vestibule of the vagina. , forms: and Joani Blank (1993) published a fine but small collection of photographs of the vulva. These self help guides for women, although showing the wide variety of form, have no statistical representation.

It is hardly news to readers of this journal that over the decades the most frequent and per during question from patients and the populace at large is some variant of "Are my genitals normal"'" This clamor for information has been answered by the scientific community with lots of reassurance but an astounding a·stound  
tr.v. a·stound·ed, a·stound·ing, a·stounds
To astonish and bewilder. See Synonyms at surprise.

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[From Middle English astoned, past participle of astonen,  silence on authoritative investigation. The growing willingness to confront openly the problem of child sexual abuse Child sexual abuse is an umbrella term describing criminal and civil offenses in which an adult engages in sexual activity with a minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification.
..... Click the link for more information. has prodded the publication of photographic and statistical studies of variation in abused and nonabused immature genitalia (Berkowitz, 1992; Giardino, Finkel, Giardino, Seidl, & Ludwig, 1992; Heger & Emans, 1992), but adult variation remains veiled. Dr Kam has redressed this failure for Japanese women; in the process, he provides a base for future comparative study, for questions of ethnic/racial variation in genitalia have long percolated in scientific and lay Communities.

The language of publication, Japanese, constrains the accessibility of this work to a wide audience. However, those with a modicum of Japanese (or Chinese), or perhaps even none at all, will find Kasai's text somewhat accessible. Half the total pages are dedicated to color (the majority) and black-and-white photographs; page headings in both Japanese and English identify the anatomical parts illustrated. English is also used for chapter headings and subheadings. Throughout the text Kasai liberally uses English medical terminology (e.g., labia minora, glans glans (glanz) pl. glan´des   [L.] a small, rounded mass or glandlike body.

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glans clito´ridis , glans of clitoris erectile tissue on the free end of the clitoris.  clitoris clitoris /clit·o·ris/ (klit´ah-ris) the small, elongated, erectile body in the female, situated at the anterior angle of the rima pudendi and homologous with the penis in the male.

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clit·o·ris
n. , plateau and excitement phase), even though there are Japanese equivalents. Unfortunately, English was not used in the headings of the numerous statistical tables; still, with a little creative deciphering, tables of interest are identifiable, thus reducing demands on a translator.

Kasai includes chapters on the gluteal

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gluteal

pertaining to the buttocks.  region and anus, changes in external genitalia during sexual responses, labia minora and majora, the clitoris, pubes pubes /pu·bes/ (pu´bez) [L.]
1. the hairs growing over the pubic region.

2. the pubic region.pu´bic

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pu·bes
n. pl. pubes
1. , and the introitus. Kasai sought correlation on a number of parameters. Although not strictly within his topical purview, the lack of data on the vagina is made all the more regrettable by the completeness of analysis of his chosen focus. Kasai clearly states, and illustrates with diagrams, his standards of measurement and classification schemes, thus enabling comparative study and replication. The bibliography has 64 references, mostly in Japanese, with a few German and English sources as well (Japan and Germany have longer and more extensive historical records of genital morphometric research). An elaboration of why the study was undertaken, or a historical overview of genital research in Japan, is oddly lacking.

Although in a strict sense Kasai's sample may not be statistically representative of the Japanese population, it is the largest sample by far of any population's genital variance. The 8,330 females ranged in age from 15 to 46 years old, with normal endocrine values and regular menstrual cycles. Participants were enrolled at random in clinics and elsewhere: trial analysis at the stages of 2,000, 3,000, and 5,000 participants revealed similar statistical tendencies. Thus, it seems likely that had Kasai been able to capture an ideal random sample, the findings would differ little. That he was able to conduct and publish this work is ironic and remarkable: Japan's censors are diligent in blacking out the pubic area both in pornography and studies of classic erotic arts. To get distribution approval, Kasai and the publisher had to apply to the national police for an exemption on medical grounds. Perhaps others, with similar or lesser obstacles in their path, will be encouraged to follow Kasai in lifting the veil of secrecy cloaking genital variation.

References

(Photo: Dorepo)

Bart Simpson and the Kader fire commemoration - May 21, 2005
Asiper writes: The photo above is from May 10 - Safety day. Workers, labour organizations, and NGOs gather in front of the Ministry Labour to commemorate of 12th anniversary of the Kader fire. On the left is a model of the Kader memorial statue. Next are photos of Kader victims and then a wreath made of dolls produced at the factory which reads "12nd anniversary of Kader fire." On the right is a large Bart SImpson effigy that reads "How many people will die, how many people will have disabilities so we will get the Institute of Occupational Health Safety and Environment at the workplace?" And Thaksin's name is at the bottom.
[An Institute of Occupational Health Safety and Environment is supposed to be set up, but labour organizations oppose government attempts to make it a state enterprise and not an independent organization.]

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Melted Bart - May 4, 2003 On May 10, 1993 a fire broke out in the Kader Toy Factory in Thailand and 189 workers died. It was the height of the Simpsons craze and the factory was producing Simpsons toys. After the fire, labor activists collected discarded toys and a melted Bart became a symbol of the tragedy. Malaysian labor activist Tian Chua writes: ...The bodies of Bart Simpson scattered all over the ground - some half burned, some without heads or limbs, some half completed. There were many other toys too. But the bright yellow color of the Simpsons stood up most vividly on the black ashes. Kader was one of the largest toy manufacturers in Asia. It was also a typical multinational company which moved around for cheap labour. Kader was jointly owned by Thai and Hong Kong capitalists. It mainly produced toys for European & American markets. The doll of the Simpsons was the latest hot item for kids that year.

(Photo: ANROAV.org)

(Photo: 2Bangkok.com) Above: The Thai Labor Museum salvaged some of the toys from the ruined factory.

The toy industry is a sector which produces fun and joy. Toys bring laughter to children and parents. However, the tragedy of Kader fire revealed the sorrows and suffering behind toy manufacturing. Kader made us aware that workers use their sweat, tear and blood to exchange happiness for children around the world... (Tian Chua wrote this from prison. He has been detained in a Malaysian prison since April 10, 2001 without charge for attempting to organize Malaysian workers without government permission.) The Asian Network for the Rights of Occupational Accident Victims (Anroav.org) has a special issue of their newsletter on the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that can be downloaded here. BTW: 1993 was not a good year for industrial accidents in Asia. In June, a cage elevator in Hong Kong fell and killed 12 workers and in November the Zhili Toy Factory fire broke out in Shenzhen, China. It led to 87 deaths.

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Right: Poster lamenting the lack of a Occupational Health and Safety Authority in Thailand. (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) Kader fire anniversary - May 10, 2003 Today is the 10th anniversary of the Kader fire disaster. There will be demonstrations in front of the former factory site in Nakhon Pratom province and stones for a memorial will be laid. On Sunday, May 11, seminars on the disaster will be held in the Tubtim Room at the Royal Hotel (across from Sanam Luang). We have been informed that the Labour Minister has agreed to attend and open the ceremonies at the Kader factory site this morning.

(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)

The Real Tragedy of the Kader Factory Fire - The Irrawaddy, May 9, 2003 A decade after the worst industrial accident in Thai history, safety and health reform in the workplace has progressed at a glacial pace. BTW: The Irrawaddy has used a photo from 2Bangkok.com, but credited it "Thai Labour Museum." ANROAV newsletter The Asian Network for the Rights of Occupational Accident Victims (Anroav.org) has a special issue of their newsletter on the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that can be downloaded here. Right: Detail of a Kader fire remembrance t-shirt (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) More on the Simpsons in Thailand

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Latvian Fashion Designers Enlist Private Detective Kristīne Kursiša Film

Latvian Fashion Designers Enlist Private Detective Kristīne Kursiša Film
Mareunrol's Fall 2009 collection was inspired by the styles of the film noir, contemporary urban style and Japanese detective stories. The designers enlisted Latvian artist Kristīne Kursiša to create the short film, Private Detective to highlight their collection.

<script type="text/javascript">var c = "420"; </script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tv.delfi.lv/js/embed.js?v=1.5" ></script><script>var _delfiVideoX = 420;var _delfiVideoY = 334;var _delfiVideoSalt = "kAZPcKuT";_createDelfiTV();</script>

Lust Lust

Private Detective

Mareunrol's Fall 2009 collection was inspired by the styles of the film noir, contemporary urban style and Japanese detective stories. The designers enlisted Latvian artist Kristīne Kursiša to create the short film, Private Detective to highlight their collection.

<script type="text/javascript">var c = "420"; </script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tv.delfi.lv/js/embed.js?v=1.5" ></script><script>var _delfiVideoX = 420;var _delfiVideoY = 334;var _delfiVideoSalt = "ugU2Uswq";_createDelfiTV();</script>

Cucurbita pepo - Eco Bikini
 director Elina Ļihačeva

"Private Detective Lust Lust + Fashion Is A Passion - Winner and Runners Up Latvian Young Artist Fashion Short Film Competition"

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ANAMNESIS: Surgery's past, present and robotic future

via medicalhistory-mykhalko.blogspot.com

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FBI - Art Theft Program

via fbi.gov

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