The latest from The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com
- Iran Uprising Live-Blogging (Monday June 29)
- Mark Blankenship: True Blood Sucker Punch: Episode Three
- Steve Anderson: My hero: 6 yr old with cancer named Pablo
- Loophole Helps GE Benefit From Bank Rescue Program
| Iran Uprising Live-Blogging (Monday June 29) | Top |
| I'm liveblogging the latest Iran election fallout. Email me with any news or thoughts, or follow me on Twitter . Send me instant messages at nico.pitney@gmail.com or njpitney on AIM. Scroll down for news related to the front-page headlines. Local Iran time is 8 1/2 hours ahead of Eastern time. 1:53 AM ET -- Touring Tehran. This fascinating, sometimes eerie compilation of scenes from Tehran, apparently shot yesterday, has an almost cinematic quality. 1:45 AM ET -- Something in between? David Sanger explores the Obama administration's thinking : In background conversations last week, several [U.S. officials] cautioned that it was not clear what the Iranians had in mind. "The students in Tiananmen wanted real democracy, the Poles wanted regime change, but the Iranians might be looking for something in between," one of Mr. Obama's top advisers said. "But the more the supreme leader cracks down, the more radicalized the opposition may become." Robert Litwak, the author of "Regime Change," a study of how modern regimes have fallen, said last week: "The truth here is that a soft landing for Iranian society is not a soft landing for the leadership." So far, he observed last week, "the Iranians are not as sufficiently united against the regime as the Poles were in the late '80s." Moreover, the Polish regime was more fragile: Because it was considered a Soviet tool, the opposition could play to nationalist emotions. Not so in Iran. The clerics may be repressive hardliners, but they are authentically Iranian. And so far, the Revolutionary Guard seems completely on the side of the supreme leader and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. 1:34 AM ET -- BBC Persia. A powerful new media voice in Iran is profiled by the New York Times . 1:16 AM ET -- Rights group suggests at least 2,000 arrests. From the AP: "The Paris-based International Federation of Human Rights said its information suggests at least 2,000 arrests have been made -- 'not just (people) arrested and later released, but who are locked up in prison ,' the group's vice president, Abdol Karim Lahidji, told the AP. He said his information came from members of human rights groups in Iran and other contacts inside the country." 1:10 AM ET -- Poetry from Iran. " One Tweet at a time. " 1:07 AM ET -- Solidarity. HuffPost reader James Stevenson sends along these images from a demonstration in Westwood, California on Sunday: Thousands more rallied in Paris yesterday. A bunch of excellent photos are here , and more video (including of Bernard-Henri Levy's speech) is here . 1:05 AM ET -- Decision day? "Iran's powerful Guardian Council is due to give its verdict on the result of the disputed presidential election, two weeks after the poll was held." 1:03 AM ET -- Wall Street Journal op-ed calls for U.S. to topple Iran's government. In the Journal , conservative writer Gabriel Schoenfeld advocates a CIA-led regime change effort, opining that "In a better world, toppling this vicious regime and altering the tide of history would be a primary objective of U.S. foreign policy." Because that worked so well for Iran when the United States did it the first time . As for legality, Schoenfeld scoffs. "As a matter of law, the critics are right. Such covert action is indeed illegal. But legality is beside the point ." 12:45 AM ET -- "Allah-o Akbar!" Their voices are still being heard from the rooftops... this video was apparently taken on Saturday evening: CLICK HERE FOR LIVE-BLOGGING ARCHIVES Useful Resources Translations: TehranBroadcast.com | Translate4Iran Helping Iranians use the web: Tor Project ( English & Farsi ) IranHelp.org (Farsi) Demonstrations: WhyWeProtest More on Iranian Election | |
| Mark Blankenship: True Blood Sucker Punch: Episode Three | Top |
| NOTE: This post contains spoilers. Welcome to Sucker Punch, the only blog post that ranks the gaudiest moments on this week's episode of True Blood. To introduce this week's installment, "Scratches," let me quote my favorite line: Sarah doesn't whip out her pudding for just anybody. Yes, that's what Reverend Steve Newlin says after his wife gives Jason Stackhouse a dish of sweetness. There's so much to unpack there. For one thing, the quote comes right after Sarah and Steve kiss in front of Jason for a really long time. Like... long enough that somebody should light a cigarette. And then there's the fact that earlier in the day, Jason and Sarah share a kneeling prayer over their mutual past as vampire sympathizers. It's very tender, and it wins Jason a dinner invitation. He's clearly the golden boy. But when Steve praises Sarah's "pudding," he's not just talking dessert. Like... what does it mean to be chosen by the Fellowship? Does it mean Jason's been "chosen" to hold the camera or "chosen" to wear the costume? The sexy shenanigans would be gauche enough if the Newlins were tax collectors, but since they're religious leaders, their come-ons are delicious. And I think the Newlins know how sexual they sound. In True Blood , power always comes with devious wisdom. I can't declare Pudding Time this week's Sucker Punch, however, because it's clear the Newlins have something crazier in store. Meanwhile, their dynamic with Jason parallels Maryann's relationship with Tara: In both cases, powerful figures are reaching out to guilty souls, and their succor has strings. Both Tara and Jason are so hungry to belong somewhere that they overlook warning signs. Except that Tara's waking up. It's a relief to see her notice what a Bacchanal Maryann's party has become, and Sucker Punch Honorable Mention goes to the return of the witch's pig, relaxing in its own little playhouse. My quibble with this episode, however, is that Maryann's arc is repetitive. Yes, Tara gets suspicious and the carousing intensifies, but we saw the black-eyed boogie last week in Merlotte's. We need more information about what the revelry means . For all the ways Maryann stands still, however, Jessica zooms forward. She's currently my favorite character on the show because her stories expertly balance Gothic excess and relatable emotion. Those romantic scenes with Hoyt are just so sweetly, truthfully awkward, and they remind us that no matter what the Fellowship says, certain vampires are more vulnerable than menacing. Ten points to Deborah Ann Woll for conveying Jessica's swirl of deadly bloodlust and teenage jitters. Equal points to Jim Parrack, since he has to invent Hoyt's tender side in two scenes. We have no reason to expect that Hoyt can be romantic, but the writing and the performance make it seem plausible right away. Romance doesn't equal a Sucker Punch, of course, but I'll tell you what does: Minotaur scratches. Not the ones that Daphne (Sam's new waitress) has on her back, but the ones Sookie gets from the man-bull who attacks her in the woods. The Sucker Punch comes when Sookie gets healed. While she's naked. In the back of Fangtasia. Being ministered by a little person with a remarkable knowledge of supernatural poisons. Watching Baby Doc shove her finger into Sookie's back wounds is totally gross, but it's awesome because the doctor is so casual that she might as well be fishing an earring out of her couch. And then we see Eric lurking in the background, popping a fang-on and looking so turned on he could pounce. Any scene that blends horniness, an odd doctor, and Sookie's foaming mouth deserves to be our Sucker Punch of the Week. On that note: I just made a video arguing that True Blood deserves to be nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. (Nominations are announced next month.) Whether you agree with me or think I'm crazy, you should totally watch me plead my case . | |
| Steve Anderson: My hero: 6 yr old with cancer named Pablo | Top |
| I met my hero a few weeks ago. Most people, knowing I work in Hollywood recording studios, might ask "Wow, did you meet 'insert famous musician's name here' ?" While I have indeed met and worked with many famous people, the hero I met was a cute 6 year old boy named Pablo. I'm putting together a new recording studio for an indie record label here in L.A. One of the owners of the label, Jeff, and his wife Jo Ann, have a great son named Pablo. Unfortunately, just over one year ago Pablo was diagnosed with Wilms' Tumor, a rare form of childhood cancer : Wilms' tumor or nephroblastoma is a tumor of the kidneys that typically occurs in children , rarely in adults . Its common name is an eponym , referring to Dr. Max Wilms , the German surgeon (1867-1918) who first described this kind of tumor. Approximately 500 cases are diagnosed in the U.S. annually. The majority (75%) occur in otherwise normal children; a minority (25%) is associated with other developmental abnormalities. It is highly responsive to treatment, with about 90% of patients surviving at least five years. 90% survival rate sounds great. Unfortunately, Pablo & his family have been on the roller-coaster ride from Hell for the last year. In and out of the hospital, in and out of chemo, in and out of panic and hope, a trip no one wants to take. You can read the diary of this journey at Pablo's blog: http://getwellpablo.blogspot.com . Jeff and JoAnn are smart and caring people, and knowing that Pablo's care would be paid for, established a fund to help other cancer-stricken children and their families at Childrens' Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA), called The PABLove Foundation : Specifically, the Pablove Foundation will make an annual contribution to cancer research and treatment at CHLA's Saban Research Institute, one of the top cancer research facilities in the United States. It will also support play activities, music and arts programs and sponsor play rooms in the soft tumor units at CHLA. These 'units' are actually entire floors of the hospital, which are filled with brave, beautiful children at any time of the year. A strolling minstrel, a board game, a book, or an art easel bring such joy to the heart of a child whose life has been temporarily reduced to a small hospital room. Note that this isn't a personal charity; all of Pablo's care is taken care of. But it will really help in the healing and care of many other children fighting pediatric cancer. I met Pablo at the record company offices a few weeks ago, after reading the blog for a few months. I was more nervous than meeting a rock star, because Pablo is something they aren't: a kid asking for nothing other than to be loved by his family and to have some fun, yet representing a strength and fearlessness that would humble most adults. I introduced myself to him, asked about the bike ride he and his Daddy had gone on the day before, and then we shook hands. When you donate to The PabLove Foundation, you can get a snazzy yellow bracelet embossed with the logo. I'm wearing mine now, it looks like this: You will also have the satisfaction of knowing that you're helping the most fragile among us: children with illness. Click on the bracelet to donate, if you feel inclined. Please. Sadly, I have a confession to make. In all I wrote above I used to present tense verbs 'have' and 'is'. I really should have said 'had' and 'was'. You see, Pablo left us Saturday. The good news is he won't hurt or be afraid anymore. The bad news is his loving family and friends miss him terribly. Here's Saturday's entry from the Get Well Pablo blog : Dear friends, Pablo Thrailkill Castelaz passed from this life at 1:30 p.m. He left this life in the same way he entered it: beautifully, gracefully and in the loving arms of his Mommy and Papa and dear big brother Grady. He left this life in the middle of his parents' bed - the bed he's grown up in, from day one until today, his final day. Our family is grateful for your love and light. From our hearts, Jo Ann, Jeff and Grady Pablo doesn't need our help anymore. But many more kids do. According to the National Cancer Institute , 10,400 kids were diagnosed in 2007. And the rate is rising: Over the past 20 years, there has been some increase in the incidence of children diagnosed with all forms of invasive cancer , from 11.5 cases per 100,000 children in 1975 to 14.8 per 100,000 children in 2004. If you're a data geek, read the whole short page. While overall cure rates are up, childhood leukemia and brain tumors are on the increase. So more research is needed, and sadly more children will die. If you choose to, please honor Pablo by contributing to The Pablove Foundation , or to your preference of charities. Pablo's family and the other thousands of families confronting childhood cancer will appreciate it. Finally, to understand the love and grace of this family, read Jeff's Saturday evening blog post : We have all wept and wept and wept. At one point I thought I was going to pass out. But this is the purpose of crying and weeping and letting go, isn't it? It's about clearing out. It's about finding the bottom and scrubbing it clean with the tears, the breath, the tornado of release. There is no doubt the sorrow and mourning and tears and gut-wrenching will go on for a long time. But there's also no doubt that our acceptance will grow and take on color and shape and dimension. We're nowhere near that today, of course. But we know that this is the promised land for a family who has lost a boy named Pablo who lived exactly six years and six days. Read the whole post, please. It's painful & beautiful poetry. And it's full of love, because that's who these people are. | |
| Loophole Helps GE Benefit From Bank Rescue Program | Top |
| General Electric, the world's largest industrial company, has quietly become the biggest beneficiary of one of the government's key rescue programs for banks. At the same time, GE has avoided many of the restrictions facing other financial giants getting help from the government. More on Transparency | |
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