There is a huge dance party going on in Iraq right now, because the American troops are pulling out of Baghdad and the big cities, which is apparently the preferred method. And it sounds kind of hot: "Baghdad's river-front parklands, which have been reclaimed this year after being deserted during the height of the insurgency and sectarian war, were last night transformed into outdoor dance venues, where audiences of around 3,000-almost all of them men-danced." Ha, we just had a similar-sounding party in America? Anyway, this timing is super-duper annoying. Now we have Canada Day on July 1, the U.S. thingey on July 4, but every year [...]

According to Iran state radio, seven demonstrators were killed Monday night. Iran's "Guardian Council" (mmm, hmm) has now said it will recount the vote in "contested areas." Is a limited recount enough? Not bloody likely. Outside Iran, people are looking into the raw election data-and howling with laughter. And Ahmadinejad supporters are having some fun with the western media still present and active: "The people who claim vote rigging should look first into the election of George W Bush in 2000 and how it was stolen from Al Gore. The West is a sore loser when it comes to the result of a democracy which [...]