While we here in the US can't seem to pass economic bills....

 

The Iranians have just passed (by just passed i mean Sept 9) a new penal code 196-7. The new penal code requires a mandatory death sentance for anyone who converts from Islam to another religion (Baha'i, Christian, etc). There's some internet chatter about whether this specific part of the new code (the killing of people automatically because they become a member of another religion) was buried deep within the bill, but in any way of looking at it, the code made it through with a whomping majority.

 

Now the Guardian Council, an influential body of 12--6 theologians and 6 jurists--just have to approve it.  Rumor has it that it is expected to pass easily and I'm inclined to believe it given the propensity of Iran to lock up the followers of my Faith indefinitely on trumped up charges, torture or kill them in conjunction with the Guardian Council having the reputation as being the keepers the single fundamentalist Shia view of Islam who have prevented people from running from office or disqualified them for being too reform minded. Click on the link to learn how they work....its much like our Supreme Court but with the veto powers of the Executive as well.

 

In concrete terms--this means the position of the 7 members of the Faith locked up in Evin and the 15 others presently being held in custody--22 all together--in great jeopardy.

 

More information on the present situation can be found at: http://news.bahai.org/human-rights/iran/iran-update.html

 

which means either i am getting incredibly boring...OR....no one can be bothered---and if the latter is your deal, then i'm glad you at least read.

 

In the land of adventures....this photo reigns supreme.

One stuffed armadillo, leashed and attached to a car.

 

 

Mar and Emma pretending to hike!

 

Pedro finally leaves Puerto Rico!!

So the next month is pretty show heavy---

Tomorrow is Common Market's Album Release for Tobacco Road   CLICK HERE  The song Tobacco Road is a personal favorite--i am in love with the piano part at the end. I wish I could convince the person playing that all they wanted to do was sit and play piano for me all day long. I'm sure it would make me a nicer person. at least a calmer one--isnt' there something about soothing the wild animals with pretty music??!!

 

Then, Court IMEd all frantic from Rhode Island--which i am recently convinced is a place no one in their right mind could want to be--to insist that we go to the Santogold show at Showbox SODO next month. It will be my first trip to that venue--so cool, plus its not too far from hom--even more cool, and i get to see Court, who i miss since moving out last month. This is a Santogold video, in case you are in the land of the deprived.

                                                           

 

And in October--Citizen Cope acoustic at Benaroya Hall (which is where the symphony usually plays) with the law school crew....WICKED!!!  This one has been in the plans for two months now--which feels like an eternity given my need for instant gratification. We (Court and me and co) went to his show a few months ago with the band which was so good. I cannot possibly imagine how glorious this one will be.

 

i don't have a picture of this yet---but i will get one. The ice cream truck in the neighborhood i have moved to plays Fur Elise, among other things, which seems a little strange. Now, a word about this "truck". It's really a white, spray-painted, old school, USPS Mail truck. It took me a few weeks to find it--i've been hearin it this whole time, but locating the sucker was a tricky task. It moves fast---vanishes suddenly.  Then, finally, out of the mist (read, up the hill) it came--too bad i was driving and not holding my cell waiting for it to appear so i could snap a pic for you dear reader of the mail truck covered in the ghettoest spray paint graffiti of ice cream EVER. Seriously, this truck was like some tag artists biggest nightmare. I'm going to get a picture of the thing, b/c words don't do this bad boy justice. I tried looking up pics on google--to find an equivalent--NO SUCH LUCK...everything is too nice.

 

The next couple weeks are like a blurry whirlwind lurking just beyond Thursday of people coming from Canada, Cali and Puerto Rico. There's the impending trip to Austin, including exciting reuniting with Gol and Ryan, to attend Pablo and Bita's wedding in two weeks and an end of October business trip to Alaska (Sitka and Juneau) which will be my first trip to AK and i am very excited. School trucks along its merry way. Second year is better--mostly because you have given yourself over to the dark side that is no sleep, sheer irritation with the law and the epiphany that some days you are just really not going to sound smart when you open your mouth. Jokes aside, its going more smoothly and i am enjoying having my friends who are based in the day program around more--its less isolating. And there it is--everything in a nutshell (haha, bad law joke).