NewTeeVee

Pass #1 070109

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:28 GMT

Guru: Importance of Partnerships

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:24 GMT

A look at how EPIC-FU (formerly JETSET) has developed partnerships that have greatly contributed to the overall success of their show.

Rabbit Bites: Daniel Tosh!

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:52 GMT

Daniel Tosh talks to Buns and Chou Chou about how he&os;s not just another Hollywood liberal.

Pranks to Play at E3

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:52 GMT

http://frenchmaidtv.com 2 hot sexy funny girls prank a half naked sleeping French Maid by sticking her hand in warm water, snapping her bra, giving her a wedgy, placing shaving cream in her hand and tickling her nose as well as dumping slime on her.

Girls Inc of New York City College Shower

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:37 GMT

Will It Blend? - Take Two: The full Olympus Multimedia Blend

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:00 GMT

	Will It Blend? - Take Two: The full Olympus Multimedia Blend Tom blends various gadgets together. What will he create?	From: Blendtec Views: 0 0 ratings
	Time: 02:16	More in Entertainment

An Evening with Bill Persky

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 13:41 GMT

Will It Blend? - New Olympus Cameras Get Mixed by Blendtec

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:30 GMT

	Will It Blend? - New Olympus Cameras Get Mixed by Blendtec An Olympus camera can create great works of photographic art. Tom asks But, Will It Blend? That is the question.	From: Blendtec Views: 311 794 ratings
	Time: 01:07	More in Entertainment

Flirty Girl!

Thu, 28 May 2009 14:20 GMT

Flirty Girl!

Mon, 25 May 2009 08:52 GMT

Flirty Girl!

interrupt your regularly scheduled program

Wed, 20 May 2009 02:22 GMT

It time for Epic Fu to change! This is the first of several transmissions documenting our transition into an open source web culture show. New website and new tools under construction!

Eric Dutt Eco Center Groundbreaking

Sun, 17 May 2009 10:57 GMT

The Eric Dutt Eco Center at PS6 broke ground on Tuesday May 12, 2009. This is the first of several green roofs planned for schools across New York City.

Richar

Thu, 14 May 2009 19:07 GMT

Allenberry Murder Mystery Weekend

Wed, 13 May 2009 05:36 GMT

Allenberry Resort & Playhouse is a family run business in Boiling Spring, PA. They host murder mystery weekends and it's a scream.

The Slow Dramatic Clap of the Internet

Mon, 11 May 2009 10:25 GMT

hacking polls, building blogs, frozen heads

Thu, 07 May 2009 17:53 GMT

This week we find out what it takes to create an awesome blog with Boing Boing's Xeni Jardin! We have our moonwalk contest winner, an awesome free mp3, heads in freezers, and an artist who painted his face every day for a year. Plus, an awesome music video directed by Eric Wareheim! To get the show early with all the show links, go to http://epicfu.com!

Picnic

Sun, 03 May 2009 09:09 GMT

internet to hollywood: your copyright can kiss my ass

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:06 GMT

Did you know that you're a thief? This week it's all about copyleft, the Pirate Bay, Girl Talk, and the new remix culture that bubbles with creative goodness. Plus, an amazing new music video from Passion Pit, and Zadi gets a moonwalking lesson! To get the show early with all the show links, go to http://epicfu.com!

Collective Punishment: From Adhamiya to Afghanistan

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:01 GMT

House demolitions in Adhamiya have been one of many tactics employed by the United States military in its attempts to quell violence and insurgents in the troubled neighborhood. The tactic of house demolition has been a familiar one to the United States, used as early as 2003 to destroy the homes of suspected insurgents. This tactic was taken from the experience of Israeli Defense Forces' behavior in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

It's easy to believe the American forces were acting on what they believed to be noble intentions. In 2003 Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt told the USA Today, “If I saw that house go away, I'd feel more secure,” in reference to the destroying the home of a “terrorist across the street“.

Unfortunately Brigadier General Kimmitt was not considering the impact of home destruction in dense urban areas such as Raghiba Khatoon in Adhamiya.

While much has been made of the improved security environment in Iraq and the decision by President Obama to withdraw combat troops, it is important to look back at the lessons learned, and those seemingly unlearned, from the US military campaign in Iraq, particularly as the US escalates its war against insurgents in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In Afghanistan and Pakistan, or “AfPak” as its commonly referred to in the Western press, the US continues its practice of collective punishment against the population. It does so seemingly unaware of the damages suffered during counterinsurgency operations in Iraq. In fact, it appears that the US military may actually be getting worse at it, rather than improving. A study recently released by academics at King's College and Royal Holloway, University of London reveals that in Iraq, 39 per cent of deaths from US air strikes were children, while 46 percent were women. Even if its assumed that all of the men killed were legitimate military targets, that still only leaves a bombing success rate of just 15 percent.

In Pakistan, the statistics are much worse. Figures released by the Pakistani government show that of 701 people killed in US air strikes, only 14 could be verified as legitimate al-Qa'eda operatives. That's a staggeringly low success rate of just 2 percent.

It could be argued that in such active conflict zones as Iraq and "AfPak," civilian casualties are inevitable. However, the evidence in the King's College study of Iraq shows that the likelihood of innocent deaths increases dramatically when US air power is introduced. Wired Magazine writes, “On average, around four people were killed in each violent event. Researchers found, however, that civilian casualties tended to be higher when they involved coalition airstrikes or combined air and ground attacks: The average number killed in an airstrike was 17, similar to the average number of civilians killed by suicide bombers on foot (around 16 deaths per event).”

Obviously the US in no way intends to cause these civilian casualties, but no matter the motives, it still amounts to collectively punishing the entire population, as opposed to those directly responsible for a specific crime. It should also be noted that the nuance between “intentional” and “unintentional” collective punishment is understandably lost on those whose friends and loved ones are killed in the attacks.

As the US moves from Iraq to its war in AfPak, can it really afford to continue with collective punishment, rather than focusing on infrastructure and governance? In this classic episode of Alive in Baghdad, we witness the aftermath of one such instance of collective punishment. The reactions to similar violence by civilians in Pakistan is, unfortunately, not difficult to imagine.

Happy Birtthday

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:10 GMT

Wanted: Slow Dramatic Claps

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:19 GMT

I'm collecting slow dramatic claps for a big slow dramatic clap of the internet. Won't you please be a part of it? Upload video of YOU doing YOUR slow dramatic clap and send me the link. Please share, post and link this video to your friends and friends of friends. Thanks. Deadline May 1, 2009.

Miss Gay Marriage USA

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:10 GMT

celebs hijack the interwebs, party over?

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:52 GMT

With the dust settling after the Ashton vs. CNN Twitter battle, is social media the loser? We run down some unheralded twitterers, do some twitjacking, and check out a trippy video featuring Kanye and Santigold. To get the show with all the show links, go to http://epicfu.com!

Museum of Love

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:14 GMT

Easter Weekend

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 10:15 GMT

Rabbit Bites: John Wesley Harding

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:32 GMT

Buns and Chou Chou sit down with folk singer/author/variety show creator John Wesley Harding and he even sings us a song! John Wesley Harding has released 15 albums and 2 critically acclaimed novels and has recently started the "Cabinet of Wonders" variety show in New York City.

Susan Boyle Bonus Footage

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:20 GMT

how to get a million rabid fans

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:23 GMT

It's episode 150, and we're back with a vengeance! This week we're pondering robot toddlers, Wolverine leaks, and free mp3's. Plus, we look at Fred's one million subscribers on YouTube and issue a new game challenge on MIX! Come in close and get your FU injection! To get the show early with all the show links, go to http://epicfu.com!

VBW 2009: 5 Hours Earlier

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 12:59 GMT

VBW 2009: Diorama Lodge 2009

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:33 GMT

Rabbit Bites: Brent Weinbach

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:33 GMT

Comedian Brent Weinbach came on Rabbit Bites to coach the kids on how to make it in social networking. Apparently, the advice is to look hot.

Liquor Shops Open for Business

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:09 GMT

As calm returns to Baghdad, liquor shops, once targets of Jihadists and Shi'a militias, have reopened their doors. Though some doubt their calling, they are doing brisk business in calm, but war-shattered Baghdad.

Will It Blend? - Bailout

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:45 GMT

	Will It Blend? - Bailout With all the talk about bailouts and stimulus packages, Tom has a Blendtec, Will It Blend solution.	From: Blendtec Views: 213295 2765 ratings
	Time: 01:45	More in Entertainment

US Withdrawing as Media Retreat from Iraq

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:58 GMT

Last week, President Barack Obama fulfilled one of his campaign promises to the US electorate when he laid out his public plan to have the US military withdraw from Iraq by 2010. While some have bristled at Obama's decision to leave 50,000 troops stationed in Iraq for support and advisory roles, the reaction from Iraqi citizens has been for the most part positive. Even the Mujahideen Central Command of Rafidain, an Iraqi resistance group based in Baghdad, released a statement warmly congratulating Obama for his plan. If you were to judge only from the press coverage in Europe or the United States, you might gather that the conflict in Iraq is all but over and done with. Newspapers, broadcasters, and even wealthy satellite news agencies are all cutting back on their foreign reporters, and the Iraqi bureaus full of producers, editors, and reporters are first on the chopping block. Alive in Baghdad isn't leaving. And this week, as a sign of how far we've come, and how far left we have yet to go, we bring you this classic episode from the archives on the sectarian walls in Baghdad's Adhamiya neighborhood. While the walls of Adhamiya and elsewhere in Baghdad have been credited as a component of the improved security situation in Iraq, the divisions they create are physically indicative of the broader ethnic and sectarian divisions in Iraqi society. While the violence has dropped to its lowest levels since the American invasion in 2003, there are still rivalries between ethnic, religious and political groups, simmering just below the surface, rivalries which have a habit of filtering down and embroiling the local population. With the complete drop-off of reporting, there is yet another wall being constructed in Iraq. This wall, however, is not between neighborhoods in Baghdad, but rather between citizens of the world and the citizens of Iraq. The global financial meltdown along with western media's sensationalist attention span threaten to sever entirely the communication links between Iraq and the rest of the world, although the fate of both are inextricably linked. To put it plainly, just because the Americans are leaving doesn't mean Iraq ceases to matter anymore. Despite the crisis in the mainstream media industry, Small World News and Alive in Baghdad are now well into their fourth year of operation, and we have absolutely no thoughts of stopping. However, we are not immune from the current financial woes. The good news is that we have a plan to deal with it. The first part of our plan is simple – in order to alleviate the workload on our reporters and translators, we'll be running a Classic AiB from our archives, including previously unreleased tapes, to supplement all the brand new episodes of Alive in Baghdad, which we'll still be releasing often. This won't last for long, only until we regain our financial momentum in the midst of industry turmoil. But here's the most exciting part – unlike our compatriots in the television or print business, Alive in Baghdad is in no danger of becoming extinct. Rather, we only need a boost to help alleviate the “Crisis of Confidence” affecting our industry, that is to say, the fear of investment. That's where you come in. We're asking all of you, our faithful supporters and subscribers, to shoot a quick video of yourself explaining why people should support Alive in Baghdad, particularly in light of the American military – and media – withdrawal from Iraq. Why is an accurate portrayal of Iraq important to you? What issues are still relevant to you, or still yet to cover? Tell us, and help us tell the world.

Rabbit Bites: Florence Henderson Hair

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:33 GMT

Have you noticed that a current hairstyle for dudes was inspired by Mrs Brady? Yeah, same here!

Journalists in Danger Despite Drop in Censorship

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:43 GMT

Journalism in Iraq is a deadly business. The Committee to Protect Journalism, an international NGO focusing on dangers for journalists worldwide, has repeatedly ranked Iraq as one of the deadliest countries for journalists to work in. Rayat al-Arab, an Iraqi newspaper associated with the Movement of Arab Nationalists, is no exception to these dangerous conditions. In October 2006, Saed Mahdi Shlash, a journalist and administrator working for Rayat al-Arab, was murdered along with his wife. Gunmen entered his home in Baghdad's western neighborhood of al-Aamariyeh and executed Shlash along with his wife. The CPJ has previously highlighted the neighborhood al-Aamariyeh as a focal point of insurgent activity targeting journalists. In addition to militants and criminal gangs, journalists in Iraq are also alleged to have been targeted by the US military as well as their own government. On April 8, 2003, indepedent journalists reporting from Baghdad's Palestine Hotel were attacked by US military units, killing cameraman Jose Couso of Telecinco and another photographer for Reuters, Taras Protsyuk. Though the US Department of Defense claimed they acted in "self-defense," a report issued by Reporters Without Borders states that their investigations concluded "exactly the opposite" of the Pentagon's statement. All of these dangers combine to form a type of censorship for Iraqi journalists. While there haven't been specific laws infringing on Iraqi freedom of speech since the fall of Saddam Hussein, journalists are often intimidated by the steady stream of kidnappings, bombings and assassinations. Satellite news channels, the most popular media source in Iraq, are also monitored unofficially by the government and political parties trolling for criticism and unfriendly reporting. Newspapers and print media, for their part, are targeting much less by the government due to their low readership and distribution. In this week's episode of Alive in Baghdad, we bring you an interview with Hassan Fadhel Allah al-Hussaini, the editor of Rayat al-Arab newspaper in Baghdad. He offers us a personal perspective on the wide variety of dangers facing journalists in Iraq. At the same time he reminds us of these dangers, Hassan remains faithful. "All Iraqis now are working by way of a miracle," he tells us. "Everyone who walks in the street, every student who goes to school or university...all of them are working by a miracle, because death is pursuing them in every moment and place."

Will It Blend? - Skis & Global Warming

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:13 GMT

	Will It Blend? - Skis & Global Warming Thanks to Global Warming, Tom no longer needs his skis. So he takes care of them the way he knows best. Will they blend?... That is the question.	From: Blendtec Views: 221878 2158 ratings
	Time: 01:55	More in Entertainment

Baghdad Hospitals Improve Slowly

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:24 GMT

Previously on Alive in Baghdad, our correspondents have documented the
issues facing pharmacists and the distribution of medicine in Iraq.
Following up on that, this week we examine the problems and
opportunities for Iraqi doctors and hospital workers, as well as the
patients themselves. There have been significant gains in the health
care situation thanks to the increasingly stable security environment
and several legislative efforts by the government, many problems with
the health care system remain.

Even though it suffered heavily under the UN sanctions in the 1990's,
Iraq's health care system was still seen as one of the more advanced
in the region. This changed after the American invasion in 2003. The
vast majority of Iraq's wealthy and educated population, including the
doctors and surgeons, were forced to flee the growing violence in
their country. As the violence grew more chaotic during the
occupation, the few doctors who were able to remain in Iraq found
themselves the targets of assassinations by insurgents, their
hospitals the targets of regular car and suicide bombings.

Today in Iraq the security situation has vastly improved, but the
hospitals and medical institutions have been forced to, in the words
of one Iraqi, "start from zero."

The continued shortage of Iraqi doctors and surgeons is a constant
stress on hospital staff. Many of Iraq's educated population has
returned as of late, but "brain drain," either from the violence or
from Iraqis fleeing the country, continues to be a strain. And while
there have been many gains in the treatment of certain infectious
diseases like malaria as well as improvements in infant mortality
rates, Iraqis are also facing new threats from polluted water supplies
to a booming cholera epidemic.

Despite these pressing problems, many Iraqis remain optimistic about
the future of health care in Iraq. In this episode of Alive in
Baghdad, we talk to several Iraqis: doctors, patients and hospital
administrators, each of whom offers us a unique, yet notably hopeful,
perspective on Iraq's health care system.

Free Audio Books

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:33 GMT

http://frenchmaidtv.com/audiobooks French Maid TV is giving away Best Seller Books on Audio to our fans. That's right, get a Free Audio Book that you can listen to on your iPhone, iPod Touch, Zune or other MP3 device. Ooo La La!

Some Words from Al-Sadr's Spokesman

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:51 GMT

The results of Iraq's 2009 provincial elections are in, and while the statistics are clear, the consequences are more difficult to discern. What can be noted for sure is that political parties who campaigned on a stronger central government and a unified Iraq, such as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Daa'wa party, prospered at the ballot box whereas parties who focused on religious and sectarian identities, such as the Iranian linked Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, known as ISCI, showed much deeper losses. Another party in particular who seemed to suffer at the polls was Muqtada al-Sadr's Movement. In the run up to the elections, rumors circulated of secret deals between the Sadrists and Maliki's Daa'wa party, and some even speculated that Sadr's Mehdi Army would once again resume armed resistance. While no violence has yet occurred nor deals confirmed, the Sadrists have announced a plan to appeal the election results with Iraq's Electoral Commission, citing voting irregularities in several districts. Some of the provinces especially highlighted by the Sadrists are Baghdad, Najaf, Kadhumiya and Qadisiyah, all heavily Shia provinces and all provinces that showed strong results for secular, nationalist parties like the Daa'wa. It is in this light that we bring you an unaired interview from our archives. In December 2007, Alive in Baghdad had a chance to sit down with Sayed Hazim Al-A'araji, the top Sadrist representative in the Kadhumiya district of Baghdad. While some of his words may seem like an anachronism with all that has happened in the last year, much of it is worth a new look and a new consideration.

Will It Blend? - Germany

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:49 GMT

	Will It Blend? - Germany Watch Tom on a special episode for a youtube live event in Germany. See Tom and his lederhosen as they blend a German to English dictionary on CD.	From: Blendtec Views: 263723 3484 ratings
	Time: 02:05	More in Entertainment

Night Life Returns to Baghdad

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 05:59 GMT

What used to be a rare scene in war-torn Iraq is becoming quite common again: Families gather in lush parks after prayers and breakfast and stay until all hours of the night. Small children play, old men battle for supremacy in dominoes, and young men gathered around hot teas argue over politics - all possible due to Iraq's ever improving security situation. Before the American invasion in 2003, Baghdad's parks and public squares were known for their traditional games. Men would journey from all over Iraq on holidays to play games of Mohaibi, dominoes and backgammon. During the occupation, this was impossible due to the chaotic security situation. Battling between the militias, the Iraqi government, and the US Military made it unlikely that anyone in Baghdad could come to the parks at all. Now they stay until dawn, unthreatened by terrorists, criminal gangs or militia attacks. It's not just old men and their traditions enjoying the new era of freedom and security. Young Iraqi men take full advantage of their country's experiment with western democracy, using the parks to meet and discuss politics, music, and of course the number one preoccupation of young men worldwide: girls. Indeed, even Iraqi women are able to come out and socialize for hours without fear of harrassment. This week as the final votes are counted in Iraq's elections, we offer you another side of Iraq's tenuous relationship with Western-style democracy - The tales of a few Iraqis able to once again enjoy and take pride in their country's rich public atmosphere.

and the oscar goes to...

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:04 GMT

The Oscar nominations are out and small films rule the roost. The FU of the Week is served by Dan Martin, writer for the tv show Code Monkeys, plus the web awards season is upon us, celebs are invading Twitter, and we check out a blog with a cool social project! To get the show early with all the show links, go to http://epicfu.com!

Fake Pharmacies Plague Iraq

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:54 GMT

IRAQ, BAGHDAD - Tales of tainted merchandise, non-existent oversight, and government extortion may seem like headlines from sensationalist western media, but these are also just some of the problems facing pharmacists in Iraq today. Though the central government has taken steps to restore order to the pharmaceutical industry, a myriad of a problems remain for pharmacists, not to mention the patients themselves. Though it functioned effectively even through crushing UN sanctions, the toppling of Saddam Hussein and the security vaccum immediately after in 2003 proved too much for Iraq's Ministry of Health. It's ability to regulate the pharmaceutical industry collapsed and as a result Iraq was flooded with black market and counterfeit medications. The Ministry also lost its ability to regulate licensing of pharmacists, effectively nullifying the line between esteemed tradesmen and common drug dealers. Most of the countefeit and substandard drugs in Iraq came from smugglers bringing in black market product from Iran and China. No longer required, or rather forced, to undergo rigorous testing by the Ministry of Health, these counterfeit drugs at best had no effect at all and at worst could cause serious harm. The black markets stretch into every conceivable pharmaceutical niche, from Viagra to anti-depressents, even skin care products.There is also no regulation of licensing of pharmacists, so Iraqi patients often have no idea if their pharmacist, or his products, are legitimate. Lately the Ministry of Health has been attempting to extend its oversight once again, but the program is still rife with problems. While the government has been using the Iraqi Army and National Guard to crack down on fraudulent pharmacies, often corrupt soldiers will simply burglarize the business rather than shut down its operations. Even legitimate pharmacists are at risk of this kind of racketeering, often seeing their shops raided and robbed by the very police tasked with regulation. Cell phones and electronics, not counterfeit medications and drug dealers, are more often than not the target of these raids. In this episode of Alive in Baghdad we talk to some of these Iraqi pharmacists who have endured Police raids and a regulation vaccum all in the honorable pursuit of their tradecraft, bringing medicine and medical care to all those in Iraq who need it.

obama mania!

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:56 GMT

This week it's all about the new U.S. President, Barack Obama! He wants to use tech to make government more transparent and interactive, and we look at the positives and pitfalls. Plus, our Artist of the Week takes to into a world where the Mona Lisa has tattoos and we look at a couple of tools to expand Twitter and Facebook. To get the show early with all the show links, go to http://epicfu.com!

Pastry Shops Thriving in Iraq

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:05 GMT

Even through the darkest days of the invasion and civil war, Iraq's candy and pastry makers have endured it all. Some see the profession as just another trade to provide for their family, but many also see it as a creative outlet. Their traditional Zonood Al-Sit and Baqlava draw Iraqis from miles around just for a taste. Iraqi pastry chefs not only put a lot of care into their creations, but some spend years developing specific specialties. The more unique their dish, the more their fame, and fortune, will grow. Sadr City in Baghdad is known especially for its unique creations, with Iraqis journeying from all corners of the country to sample its Zolabya Sha'rya, Kanafa, and Balorya. These dishes don't always come easy though. With Iraq's unpredictable security situation, often times the price of ingredients will rise sharply and suddenly. This not only causes the price of sweets and pastries to fluctuate wildly, but will sometimes even cause whole items to be removed from the menu. Obviously this can be a devastating blow to a sweet maker who specializes in that item. Fortunately for these sweet makers, security has been much less of an issue lately. With the threat of violence relatively diminished, more Iraqis are able to freely walk the streets at night and thus the bakeries are able to stay open longer, often late into the night. In this week's episode of Alive in Baghdad, we take you inside some of these pastry shops to talk to the chefs themselves about what it takes to be a candy maker on the streets of Iraq today. We only regret that it is only video and you can't taste the dishes yourselves. If you enjoy this episode, please feel free to support Alive in Baghdad, and don't forget to check out the latest from Small World News - Alive in Gaza.

Guru: Quarterlife

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 13:47 GMT

Viral sits down with Marshall Herskovitz, the creator and executive producer of the internet series, Quarterlife.

a change is gonna come!

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:52 GMT

We're back and kicking off the year with Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab, co-creators of the Sarah Silverman Program, writers of Monster House, and founders of Channel 101. We're also trying to figure out what's up with Obama and his lack of Twitters and find a web app you can use to torture your friends! To get the show early with all the show links, go to http://epicfu.com!

Ashura, A Sign of the Times

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:50 GMT

Ashura, which commemorates the slaying of Husayn ibn Ali, is one of the holiest days in Shiite Islam. Millions of Shi'a every year gather at shrines in Iraq to mourn the loss of Imam Husayn, a hero of Islam and a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. Regarded as a mighty patriot who battled tyranny in the name of Islam, legend says that after Husayn's death it took 10 men to lift his sword from the ground. Although in recent years the holiday has been heavily disrupted by violence, this year many Iraqis have noted a dramatic decrease in violence. With the exception of a suicide attack on Iranian pilgrims in Kadhmiya, Shi'a in Iraq were able to celebrate 2009's Ashura Festival in relative peace. Iraqi security forces were on high alert after the pilgrims were killed in a Shi'a neighborhood across the Tigris from Adhamiya. Over 20,000 security personnel were deployed to protect the pilgrims and worshippers. The calm of this year's celebration largely escaped the notice of the media, as most attention has been focused on the events in the Gaza strip. (For more see Alive in Gaza) In this week's episode of Alive in Baghdad we take you back to Ashura in 2008. Hear direct from the Iraqis themselves what it means to celebrate this holy day under all the stresses of occupied Iraq.

Iraq's Free Press?

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:04 GMT

VIDEO - Iraq, Baghdad - Newspapers in Iraq have a long history during Iraq's various regimes and government changes. These changes left a strong impact on writing, journalism, and educating the Iraqi population. There were very few newspapers or magazines in the 40s and 50s, and the number of news journals during the government of Abdul Karim Qassem was not more than five. After the invasion in 2003, and the fall of Baghdad, more than 200 newspapers were published, some of the newspapers were daily, and the rest were released weekly or monthly. The majority of these newspapers belong to political parties, very few of them are completely independent, or working independently. Newspapers such as Al-Sabah are demanded by Iraqis due to the government information they normally publish, and the people living in Baghdad is longing to listen to a true word and a guaranteed sources. Other newspapers belong to political parties which are not liked by Iraqis, some of those newspapers are distributed for free and some are not, such as Tareek Al-Sha'ab and Al-Basha'er newspaper. The Iraqi citizens now have a variety of newspapers, but it is still difficult to determine which are good or dependable and which are bad. It will still take time to see what direction Iraq's new journalists will take and whether the new government will allow a free press to grow. If you appreciate the insightful content provided by Alive in Baghdad, which you won't find anywhere else, please consider becoming a paying subscriber, or making a donation to Alive in Baghdad. You can also purchase Alive in Baghdad T-shirts and DVDs to spread the word.