Snapped Shot

By Popular Request: If you count one person as "popular," then I've got just the thing for you! Here's an excitingly animated version of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's first escalator experience!



Seriously... if it weren't for Photoshop, what kind of horrid world would this be?

Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbe is this close—yeah, that's a visual joke... and yeah, this is still a "written" blog—to being banned in Bahrain:

A raunchy Lebanese singer is causing controversy in Bahrain, where she is due to perform for the first time.

All but one of the members of the Gulf kingdom's Islamist-dominated parliament have approved a motion urging the government to ban Haifa Wehbe's show.

They objected on the grounds that the pop superstar's performance would be sexually provocative, violating Islamic conventions and Bahrain's traditions.

Organisers had earlier promised she would dress modestly during the show.

Judging by this video, I'd say the Bahranian parliament is underestimating her "special skills" by a long shot. Quoth my long-ago hero, "Homina homina, how WOW!"

Based on what I can tell from her average live show, though, they seem to be worried about a whole bunch of nothing:


Not so fatwa-worthy, if you ask me.

Since I'm sitting in the middle of a lecture over here, I've got the computer on mute on mute, so I can't really comment on her actual vocal skills. This is a visual story, though, so if it bugs you, feel free to join me with El Muto Buttono and judge based on the visuals and stuff.

Oh yeah—h/t fishhound!

Now that I'm out of class, I can give this an actual listen. Not as bad as I figured it would be, and certainly no worse than some of the crud I've highlighted over here.

From today's Fairfax Times, we hear that Fairfax County has earned the distinction of being the deadliest county for pedestrians of all of the counties in the D.C. Metro Area:

Fairfax County is the “most unsafe locality for walkers in the region,” according to a study released last week.

“Washington Area's Mean Streets,” a study by the Coalition For Smarter Growth, said Fairfax County has the highest “Pedestrian Death Index” of metropolitan Washington. The index is calculated as a function of population relative to number of pedestrian deaths.

The study listed Richmond Highway (Route 1) as the area's most deadly road, with 22 pedestrian fatalities occurring there between 1995 and 2005.

It's interesting to note who the proponents of this little study think is to blame for our pedestrian safety issues:

Cheryl Cort, policy director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth and author of the study, agrees with McKay.
“Fairfax has taken the first step and paid a lot of attention to pedestrian safety,” Cort said. “VDOT is the culprit,” she added.

Cort, Wells and McKay all blame VDOT's strict regulations regarding the use of crosswalks and other pedestrian safety aids for Fairfax's problem with pedestrian safety.

“Arlington and Alexandria control their own roads, but we're under VDOT jurisdiction. You can't compare apples to oranges,” McKay said.

“VDOT continues to build roadways with the viewpoint of how to speed more motorists down the highway,” Cort said.

This, of course, is complete and utter bullcrap. Continue reading »

The Telegraph.co.uk has listed America's top 50 most influential political pundits. JC Watts made number 47. According to the Telegraph writer, apparently there will not be another African American Republican.

A regular contributor across various networks, Watts is the last African American to serve as a Republican in Congress.

Having criticised his party’s candidates during primaries for failing to "show up" for black voters, the former American footballer is the sort of voice John McCain appears to be listening to as he attempts to reach out to African Americans.

A step in the right direction. I know there are many Iranians - especially among the young people - who would love to see the end of Ahmadinejad's regime.

TEHRAN, March 19 (UPI) -- Many Iranian youths rallied in streets across the country, shouting "Death to Ahmadinejad," in celebrations marking the end of the Persian calendar year.

The last Wednesday of the Persian calendar is celebrated as the Fire Festival in Iran, with bonfires and firecrackers marking the occasion.

In the western city of Ahvaz, angry mobs declared "Freedom is our legitimate right" while demonstrators in the western city of Sanandaj shouted "Death to (Iranian President Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad," Ynetnews reported Wednesday.

Never forget them.

Ahmad Batebi

"A cow unexpectedly barged into the open doors of an office supplies shop in the town of Pionersky, in Russia's Kaliningrad enclave. A bull followed the cow and entered the shop too. Several seconds later the bull mounted the cow and the animals started making love right in front of the eyes of the flabbergasted salesgirl. The animals were passionate: several counter displays were crushed in the act of love," an eyewitness said. The woman ran out of the shop and even forgot to push the emergency button underneath the counter. Passers-by and security guards could not stop the animals from completing the reproduction process, Interfax reports. When they pushed the animals out of the shop, eight counters were found in ruins.

Continue reading »

Little Mahmoud figures out how to ride the escalator for the very first time: