New York Times' Coverage of Osman Killing

The New York Times publised a nice article on the killing of journalist Zerdesht Osman.

Ayman Oghanna for The New York Times

"Now his death is underscoring the limits of free expression and igniting angry debate about what issues could cost journalists their lives. Many question whether true democracy can take hold in this corner of Iraq that has been spared much of the violence and instability that has plagued the rest of the country over the past seven years, allowing it to be considered a haven for business and investments. "

Full text here.

Enough to Die For?

What follows is a satirical poem written by the late Zardasht Osman, a young freelance journalist from Iraqi Kurdistan. He was kidnapped and murdered in Hewler a few days after its publication. 

Most Kurds believe he was killed for writing it. 

I am in love with the daughter of Masud Barzani, the man who appears here and there and claims he is my president. I would like him to be my father-in-law and also I would like to be a brother-in-law with Nechirvan Barzani.

If I become Masud Barzani's son-in-law, we would spend our honeymoon in Paris and also we would visit our uncle's mansion in America. I would move my house from one of the poorest areas in Erbil to Sari Rash [Barzani's palace complex] where it would be protected by American guard dogs and Israeli bodyguards.

I would make my father become the Minister of Peshmerga. He had been Peshmarga in September revolution, but he now has no pension because he is no longer a member of Kurdistan Democratic Party.

I would make my unlucky baby brother, who recently finished university but is now unemployed and looking to leave Kurdistan, chief of my special forces.

My sister who has been too embarrassed to go to the bazaar to shop, could drive all the expensive cars just as Barzani's daughters do.

How Cute is Nila?

Although the question was rhetorical, the answer is super. Super cute. This picture was taken by Biwi last week and it's my test picture for posting via e-mail.

Taco Truck Tour 2010

Remember last year when I, Angie, Nila, Vanessa, Kate and the kids did the Taco Truck Tour?

Well, here's the link (http://13months.blogspot.com/2009/04/exciting-weekend.html) if you don't and shame on you for not remembering the minute details of my life. Seriously.

Anyway, we did it again this year only this time, we took Sis and Duke instead of Vanessa, Kate and the kids The kids were with Rob and Kate is still at Miami, so they couldn't make it.

This year we checked out two new stops that we didn't last year; one in front of of the old Rainbows on Sullivant and the other just off of Georgesville near the ghetto apartment complex whose name I can't remember.

The food was great again this year and Nila was old enough to handle the event. So were Sis and Duke, but barely.

It rained on us at the end, but it was a great time.

Heres's the link to the official site for the tour. If you look closely, you'll see familiar faces in the flyer pic:

http://tacotruckscolumbus.com/2010/04/22/taco-truck-tour-2010-and-after-party-this-saturday/

All Good Things Must Come to An End

I have decided to end my run here at 13months.blogspot.com. The whole kit and caboodle are moving over to thirteenmonths.wordpress.com.

I finally caved to Angie's pressure.

13 Months is dead. Long Live 13 Months

***Edited: 04/24/10***

Just kidding. I'm back.

2009 Year in Review

January: Angie convinced me to answer a bunch of questions about something. I turned it into an acronym which I think stood for "Kindle Your Manifest Destiny." I decided to expand from sea to shining sea. Obama was inaugurated and I wrote him an open letter which still stands up a year later and I boycotted Donato's.

February: I didn't write it, but I can only assume I spent the entire month being much too cold. I got a job and we were all crazy about Octomom.

March: I realized I didn't have to observe Earth Hour until 4905, I made a stuffed bunny and I remembered Halabja. And Nila was cute!

April: Angie and I visited the Deep South: Cincinnati. More importantly, we toured Columbus' finest taco trucks. I also had a birthday, but I failed to mention it on my blog. Poor me.

May: I was super crafty in May. I made hummus, yogurt and (planned to make) various types of flavored waters. I also got into an argument with the lady at the towing company. Didn't mean I didn't have to pay...

June: Iran protested the government, but we were more concerned about a fly killed deftly by Sasquatch.

July: Angie and I went to the UA 4th of July parade before heading to the ER, the Kurds held elections, I yearbooked myself and most importantly I seen Beyonce at Burger King.

August: Good Lord this year was dull. In August, I made fun of Shakira's english and had a bad morning. (and Mom turned 52. She gets mad when I don't mention her birthday in the yearly review)

September: I gradually stopped blogging in the last half of 2009. The only things to report from September are than Patrick Swayze died and NPR covered the closure of the Jungle of Calais. It was also Nila's second birthday and my third weddign anniversary. I did not comment on those events at the time.

October: Exercise tried to kill me.

November: Angie went crazy for Naked Slanket.

December: I told you I hadn't abondoned the blog, but clearly that's not 100% true.

Not Abondoned

I thought I should make my presence known before the squatters show up.

See Nila's blog.

Naked Slanket

I was watching QVC the other day. I saw the following product:

Later, I explained it to Angie and the follwoing conversation ensued.

Me: "Do you know the Slanket?"
Angie: "Yes"
Me: "Well, now they have a luxury version. It's furry and it has a pocket for you hands."
Angie: "Cool"
Me: "It also has a pouch for you feet. Looks pretty comfortable."
Angie: "Why would you wear it naked?"
Me: "...what?"
Angie: "Would you wear it with no clothes on? It's weird."
Me: "Me? Why would you say that?"
Angie: "Well, you said it looks comfortable."
Me: "..."
Angie: "I don't know."

Reasons Why Exercise are Dangerous

As you know, Angie and I have been exercising with a trainer. She bartered her web design services for the training. I'll post a link to our trainer's website when it's finished.

This morning I got up early to exercise before I came to work. Two things happened.

As I was putting on my shoes I hurt my knee. I mean, that activity isn't what did it. I've had a little bit of pain this week for some unknown reason, but it really started to burn when I squated down to get the shoes.

I put some ice on it the burning was so bad and I headed downstairs to exercise. I gave it a few minutes and started to do the routine - there wasn't any pain once the burning passed.

I was doing pretty good and then something terrible happened!

I had a weight in my hand and slammed said hand against one of the ceiling beams in the basement. My pinky finger was squashed between the weight and the wood. It hurt!

I stopped exercising and sat down. I scraped a bit of skin off, but it wasn't really bleeding. the finger was a little swollen and it was hard to bend it.

I went upstairs and Angie and Nila tried to talk to me. The pain was so bad, I couldn't even think! Angie tried to get me to go to the emergency room, but I could bend the finger and the pain subsided a bit.

Angie then tried to get me to call of work, but I think it was because she wanted me to drive her places not because of my poor finger.

Anyway, I put a Hello Kitty bandaid on it and it's fine now unless I lean on it.

I survive to fight another day!

$9 Billion Wasted

Each year $9 billion is spent on debt, debt service and maintenance on US church buildings - building real estate worth over $230 billion.

That's according to Pagan Christianity?, a great/frightening/disheartening/encouraging book about the pagan roots of Western Church practices and traditions.

The book is full of things that'll make you think twice about what you know as "church," and I recommend it.

The $9 billion figure stands out because it's ridiculous. The US church spends $9 billion on buildings? Really? Wow, what a waste.

Here's list of things $9 billion could buy:

• 9,000,000,000 vaccinations against meningitis, measles, polio or other deadly epidemics (Doctors without Borders.)
• 3,571,428 sponsorships providing full-time residential care for children in an Arms of Love Children's Home, which includes all meals, housing, houseparents and other staff, a private education, clothing, medical care, recreation, and all other costs of full-time care for a year (Arms of Love).
• 1,285,714 heart surgeries for Iraqi children (Shevet Achim).
• 900,000 international homes (Habitat for Humanity).

And that's per year. Think of what a decade of targeted giving could do.