Election Madness

Iran is going nuts. I will post some thoughts soon, but in the mean time here are some essential links:

Articles about what's happening:

http://garysick.tumblr.com/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/13/iran-demonstrations-viole_n_215189.html

Good resources for English language news:

http://tehranbureau.com/
http://www.voteforiran.com/

Caspian Hat Dance

Remember the funky Gypsy-Klezmer-Chaos-Tambourine band I used to play in? Well... the violinist just had a baby. And they're heading off to Rumania, Hungary and the US. If you want to catch them play before they leave it would be wise to visit their show in the Badkuyp this Saturday.

In the meantime read the official Caspian travel report of their last tour in the UK:
(Just so you know, most likely they don't know anyone named Fiona or Mabel)

---

Our trip to England was smashing indeed.

After we arrived in Dover we encountered MABEL having a chat and a visit
with FIONA at the latter's house, where we joined them for some CUSTARD PIE
and VINEGAR CRISPS.

We went on to Oxford where we played a show with the bloke and bird from
EXPERIMENTAL DENTAL SCHOOL. Later on we went home and did a smash-up job
making some badges with a rangle-tangle new BADGE MACHINE.

SILVI remained in Amsterdam, waiting for her wee lad to swim out of her
belly and into his life.*

MISTER JOSEPH perfected a new form of rhyming slang so complicated that we
couldn't communicate with him any more.

FISH wanted to head to Scotland Yard for a cup of tea with the INSPECTOR and
discuss clues in the ORIENT EXPRESS murder case. We had to remind him that
Scotland Yard was closed on Sunday, that the Orient Express case was solved
long ago and was in any case NOT REAL, and that if he kept staying stupid
things we would put him straight in the BADGE MACHINE for a nice mash-up and
bang-to.

In Brighton we were quite busy playing and dandying about. There was no time
even for the old in-out, as we spent most of our free time taking turns
standing in a patch of sunshine.

Cowbell said, "Have we enjoyed ourselves, lads?"
"We most certainly have, luv!", said Valentine.
"See crash willy crystal not on the ROCKS, eh?", said Mister Joseph.
"Bugger me sideways, he's gone off again", added Goblin. "Perhaps we should
have a dip in the pond".

And despite water cold enough to freeze the bollocks off a Boer, we managed
to have a refreshing drip drip and splash-about.


* Olín Guillermo, born last week, healthy & rosy.

Meanwhile in Israel...

... some frat boys (and girl) have an opinion too:

Iranian elections

New York Times has a piece about the elections:

http://video.nytimes.com/video/playlist/world/middle-east/1194811622215/index.html?r=9826#1194840737839

Storytelling

I'm glad storytelling is making a come back in the Netherlands. More and more storytelling circles are popping up and festivals are being organised. Make sure to write down the following dates in your planner.

If you live in Amsterdam drop in at the Mezrab on the first Friday of the month for some Dutch storytelling or the third Friday of the month for English storytelling. In October you can visit the storytelling festival: http://www.storytellingfestival.nl/

In Zwolle storytelling takes place in a boat: http://www.deverhalenboot.nl/

In Rotterdam the Storyfountain organises not one but two storynights: http://www.verhalenfontein.com/

I'll keep you guys updated about events in other cities!

Supermodel followers of Ahmadinejad

This blows my mind. Not sure I should be excited or revolted:

http://www.didanihaa.com/archives/2009/06/082162.php

Arab campaign for Kurdish rights

This is great, an Arab campaign for Kurdish rights. For people who are not so knowledgable of the Middle East. The Kurds are Indo-Germanic people who mostly live in Turkey, Iran and Arab Syria and Iraq. I think it's amazing that another ethnic and cultural group has organised a campaign for their rights:

http://kurdishrights.org/arabs/