still coming. #iran elections.

just a little more information in video form. let me warn you though, it is a bit sad and slightly graphic.

news flash: #iran elections. lucky us.

(photo courtesy of the bbc)

with khomeini's speech to the iranian people over, one only has to wonder -as the article from the bbc where this photo appears does- whether the protests and rallies **edit::: the largest protests since the 1979 revolution** will be strong enough and ongoing for the authorities to respond in the appropriate and reasonable way. if not, human rights issues would be wholly multiplied by this once power-flex of the ruling iranian government.

as i was performing chauffeur duties for my mum today, the waiting in the car consisted of sudoku and npr listening. one of my favorite programs, the takeaway, was on and brought up an important example of the issues involving human rights injustices which are currently being thrust and reinforced on the iranian voters. if you'd like to listen to the segment direct yourself here.

basically, it seems unimaginable that i can be sitting here blogging away, whilst simultaneously chatting with friends in other places via gmail, and watching the season five premiere of weeds and there have been sanctions on basic internet viewing in that modern country. sanctions on internet via servers and proxy disabling (like the "iran elections" twitter blockage from within the country), internet outages, cell phone network outages, the list can go on. what a way to show how much you care about your people than to not let them have a voice when the entire world is watching. the npr program seemed to suggest that these internet shutdowns are in part due to the overwhelming amount of live coverage that has been happening from the people who are involved. youtube, twitter, facebook, online news sources. everywhere is talking about it.

all this in fact has finally spurred me to join twitter after months of holding out for a good reason to present itself. i joined in order to be able to find and follow these live, primary sources. finally, a good reason for a program that i couldn't justify for "up-to-the-minute" social networking until now. one of the people i have found that is a student who is, dangerously i might add, updating about the iranian state tv programs that are being broadcast, the khomeini speech, student protests, etc can be found by pointing your dial here.

finally, if you are, as i am, a more visually stimulated person the huffington post has a startling slideshow and interesting updates on the state of the tehran.

my eyes will be glued. hopefully, good things will come from all these efforts and the votes will be found and counted. fairly.

things really are different.

growing up in a small-ish southern city and opting to move to a bigger more northern city for university learning and beyond has truly tricked me.

i guess i never really noticed how different two places can be when living in both has become like home for me.
yes, i think the south will always really be my home, but can we have more than one home? and i am not referring to those lucky enought to OWN more than one home/house/condo/apartment/villa....

yes, i am also acutely aware of the glaringly real differences in geography, climate, and urban density of my two "homes." but i think having those comfortable feelings has really skewed my

perceptions of these locales.

and only now that i have found this comfort am i noticing the difference between my homes.

you guessed it, miley cyrus is the difference...essentially. what i have noticed is that there is stress put on such various things in everyday life, in the "buzz" people talk about, and even local news.

since 3rd june [one of my first days back here in sc,] when the story was originally reported that miley cyrus was to perform here, i have heard of, been made aware of, or noticed whilst perusing the local paper atleast one mention of the performer per DAY. its like its some medium/huge news story that just keeps getting updated. without fail.

take one of my favorite headlines from this weekend::: "Tickets go on sale for Miley Cyrus." is it me or is that a necessary piece of news? perhaps this performer is getting so much press here as compared with my northerly digs because her concert will take place on one of THE biggest events of the fall down in this neck of the woods, the usc-clemson football game (for those of you who aren't from sc, thats the university of south carolina, not southern california...it came first, honestly). perhaps, it is because there just isn't as much news in south carolina where the city is smaller and less culturally "urbanized." nevertheless, thanks to miley cyrus, i've really started noticing the less than subtle differences between my homes again. geographically and otherwise.

oh, and i don't even want to get started on the fact that a sixteen year old teen-pop-disney-sensation has enough life stories and wisdom to be able to sell autobiographies.

have a lovely week.

rainy season.

home is a fun place. home is a bittersweet place. home is always still home.

as i haven't had an overwhelming amount of personal time here, i have been trying to think up ways to amuse and challenge myself whence that time works its way in to my agenda.

all of this thinking and not so much action on it makes restlessness even more apparent. when meeting with a friend to work out ideas, we make exciting plans for doing. however, if south carolina hasn't taught me once, it hasn't taught me my entire life. this place is notorious for amazingly ever-present rainstorms during the summertime. not only summertime rainstorms, but also thunder and lightning and everything nice. these downpours are the perfect remedy for the humidity and 32+ degrees C (still working on the conversions, so: 90+ F) heat that wafts through the very thick air.

yes perhaps its just rain, but pouring aside, electricity becomes shoddy and then it becomes too late for bike rides, or people scouting, or combing the city to reach goals.

therefore, plans aren't really anything realistic until the weather can actually cooperate. but, hopefully i'll have something to report on the creative front when my plans can actually be carried out.