i realized while watching that incredible GOP debate that i have been completely ignoring the iran deal.

the best way to learn is to just watch a short youtube, i think.

the little dog from Shahs of Sunset

Faith:  also, this thing

how it has some ear imbalance or something and only walks in circles

 me:  and why is he always all hunched up like that

what was that awesome building i saw in Argo?

Oh that? That is the Azadi Tower (Freedom Tower) formerly known as the King Memorial Tower, symbol of Tehran. Designed by the Iranian-Canadian architect Hossein Amanat, the Azadi Tower was built in 1971 to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire. (photo) This thing is very photogenic.

pulgasari

As you now know, Kylie and I saw Argo last night which is based on a true story about how the CIA and Canada used a Hollywood cover story for getting some trapped state department employees out of a very difficult situation in Iran. She found a bunch of other stranger than fiction CIA spy stories (click here), and I came across this bizarre NORTH KOREAN movie called Pulgasari.

Apparently in 1978 under the orders of Kim Jong Il the North Koreans kidnapped a South Korean movie director and used the Japanese Godzilla team to produce a North Korean version with political themes interwoven in the story. Those North Koreans are zany!

weird.

the internet says that iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad nearly got assassinated today. but the iranian government is covering up the story.

LONDON—Iran denied a report from an Arab network on Wednesday that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's convoy was targeted by an explosive device.

Al Arabiya said the blast took place in Hamadan, about 280 kilometers southwest of Tehran, as Mr. Ahmadinejad was about to address a crowd. It said the president was not hurt in the explosion but that a number of people were injured. The network said an attacker was arrested on the spot, adding that the grenade had hit a car carrying journalists and presidential staff.

But PressTV quoted an official in Mr. Ahmadinejad's media office denying any attack took place. An Iranian diplomat in Europe said he had no information on any attack. (via)

claaaaassssssic iran.

another plane crash

The aircraft, operated by Tehran-based Caspian Airlines, was carrying 153 passengers and 15 crew members, state television reported. Television images from the scene showed smoking ruins, with body parts and bits of the plane’s shattered fuselage scattered on the field where the plane crashed. Emergency workers could be seen picking through the wreckage. The crash gouged a trench more than 10 feet deep in the field, near the village of Jannatabad, state news agencies said. (nytimes)

thanks nytimes graphics

have you ever wondered about the political / religious hierarchy in iran?

me too. thankfully the new york times has put together a handy graphic to tell us who reports to who and other stuff. they should do more stuff like this instead of that paper...

twitter

according to the new york times and new york magazine, twitter is now important (probably, maybe) thanks to the iran protests, and the inability of cable news and print media to give us all the information we are looking for.

with that kind of validation, i am pleased to announce the 2PzNaPpod twitter! follow us, and we will keep you updated with current posts, and other interesting tidbits.

iranian protestors <3 the big ten