Repeat Assault

My ears embraced the sounds of The Deadly Syndrome live on two occasions, and as a result, they are my favorite indie band. And the melody of this song is hammered into my head:

Major wagging of the finger

The dorms at UCLA already look like the Bellagio as it is--now they're saying they are: "Army of workers rush to turn dorms into conference digs for summer."

But I do miss the dorm food (trust me, the meals are exquisite).

"This is not about the United States or the West, this is about the people of Iran, and the future that they-and only they-will choose."

Obama held a press conference today and his first topic of discussion (and the bulk of the questions afterward) focused on Iran. John Nichols of The Nation blogged about the fine line Obama must walk:

More bluntly than at any point yet, Obama decried the violence.

"The United States and the international community have been appalled and outraged by the threats, beatings and imprisonments of the last few days," he declared. "I strongly condemn these unjust actions."

Even that may not have been so bold a statement as Obama's Republican critics have been calling for -- and that some European leaders have issued. But the president's other statements on the crisis offered a reminder of the tightrope the president is walking with regard to Iran.

Because of the US invasions and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, and because the Bush-Cheney administration so frequently poked at Iran -- rhetorically and practically -- the United States is seen as a manipulative player in the region.

We don't know what will happen in Iran, but Obama is treading the waters cautiously and with the cunning we have come to expect.