An article in USA Today this week reports on kids in Baghdad:

About 70% of primary school students in a Baghdad neighborhood suffer symptoms of trauma-related stress such as bed-wetting or stuttering, according to a survey by the Iraqi Ministry of Health.

The survey of about 2,500 youngsters is the most comprehensive look at how the war is affecting Iraqi children, said Iraq's national mental health adviser and author of the study, Mohammed Al-Aboudi.

"The fighting is happening in the streets in front of our houses and schools," Al-Aboudi said. "This is very difficult for the children to adapt to."

The study is to be released next month. Al-Aboudi discussed the findings with USA TODAY.

Many Iraqi children have to pass dead bodies on the street as they walk to school in the morning, according to a separate report last week by the International Red Cross. Others have seen relatives killed or have been injured in mortar or bomb attacks.

Last Saturday the Star Wars film series continued for our family with a viewing The Empire Strikes Back. The boys were eager to see Yoda, to see Han get frozen, to hear Darth tell Luke that he's his father, and for Luke to get a mechanical hand.

Saturday night we watched United 93 (2006,R) (ScreenIt Review) in HD. From Wikipedia:

United 93 (formerly named Flight 93) is a 2006 Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA Award-winning docudrama written and directed by Paul Greengrass that chronicles events aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked during the September 11, 2001 attacks. The film attempts to recount with as much veracity as possible (there is a disclaimer that some imagination had to be used), in real time, what has come to be known in the United States as an iconic moment of heroism. According to the filmmakers, the film was made with the full cooperation of all the families of the passengers.

Lisa warned me that it was cheesy, but I didn't think so. I thought it was a good film, very moving to watch. I give it 4 out of 5.

It's been nice to be able to catch up on Jericho by watching the episodes online. I missed the first episode and thought the second one was dull when I watched it...and so canceled the season pass. I kept hearing that other folks really liked it, so I gave it another try. I still thought the first few episodes were boring but the latter ones have been much stronger.

• Entourage
• The Sopranos
• Real Time with Bill Maher
• Jericho
• October Road
• Clatterford
• Painkiller Jane
• 30 Rock
• Heroes
• King of the Hill
• Acceptable TV
• ER
• Lost
• The Office
• My Name is Earl
• The Daily Show
• The Colbert Report