June 21, 2004
Oh, Crap
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Here we go again.
When you see these boards, pictured at right, go up around the neighborhood, it can only mean one thing:
We're about to get bombarded by day-and-night loudspeaker trucks.
That, and an election is coming. From looking at the sign, it seems that the election will be going on for the next three weeks or so.
When I started this blog about a year and two months ago, one of the first things I blogged about was the noise created by these damned trucks (it's a miracle that we've been free of them since then). It's like they have no concern about what people feel. They are supposed to avoid schools and hospitals, but there are two schools nearby and they don't let up. They love to crawl through the neighborhood, blaring out at full blast, but unlike the other trucks that do the same (selling food or collecting secondhand junk), the political trucks keep coming by all day long, every day.
What's more, they love to park in front of your building, where the politician steps out and gives a 15-minute political 4-loudspeaker harangue right in front of your building. They love big apartment buildings.
To listen to what I'm gonna be in for for the next three weeks, take a listen from the last election's noise pollution.
Ok, let's see...3 weeks makes it July 12th or so...yay! I am coming over in mid-august so I will miss the trucks. Sorry you have to live through them though. I was over in August of 2001 and heard one of the trucks yelling about something (my Japanese is pathetic) and I couldn't believe how obnixous it was.
Posted by: Sean Aune at June 22, 2004 09:33 AM
Adding insult to injury, the noise is almost completely void of content. In my neighborhood it's mostly the candidate's name, party and a yoroshiku...over and over and over....
Posted by: Pat at June 23, 2004 10:53 PM
correction: devoid
Posted by: Pat at June 23, 2004 11:01 PM
Since I am located in the US and have not had the pleasure a 15-minute political 4-loudspeaker harangue, could you give a short elucidation of the election process over there?
Thanks
Posted by: Howard Richter at June 24, 2004 02:33 AM
Howard: Can't comment on the intricasies of the election process, just what I hear out my window. Take a look at this story I blogged last year.
Posted by: Luis at June 24, 2004 02:46 AM
Ah, ha! The other side, from the foreign wife of a Japanese pol.
http://www.asahi.com/english/politics/TKY200406280123.html
-They shout their names over & over, because all ballots are write-in.
-No campaign advertising.
-And look at the time limits on them!
Lots of things to be grateful for, I guess! ; )
Pat
Posted by: Pat at June 28, 2004 02:04 PM
