Some news of the day

Iranian protest shooting victim Neda Agha Soltan, photo via Wikipedia

Could this be the face to launch a revolution?

The last few days, the news media has played up the death of an Iranian woman, who was shot on the streets of Tehran during some protests by opponents of the current Mahmoud Ahmadinejad administration and supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi over the weekend. The video of the aftermath of Neda Agha Soltan's shooting has been shown all over YouTube and later broadcast, in brief on the major news networks, including CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. The broadcasters do not show the whole video in detail out of concern for young people who may view the newscasts.

The full video on YouTube does show Neda bleeding profusely from the mouth and nose, and it's pooling around her on the street. Two men try to keep her alive. They're afraid that if they can get her to a hospital, the Republican Guard or the Basij, a para-military, plain-clothed security forces that help Ahmadinejad and the clerical regime keep order. Think of it as a KGB-like group that secretly serve the president and supreme leader to keep the public in line.

Looking at the bio posted on Wikipedia, she was born in 1982, a part-time worker in a travel agency, and was at a street corner with her father when a Basij sniper shot her in the neck. Her last words, apparently, translated to, "I'm burning! I'm burning!"

Mousavi has called for peaceful assemblies to honor Neda and others who have died in the protests since June 12, when the ruling clerical council declared Ahmadinejad the winner on a 2-to-1 margin. However, the regime has been preventing the protests, which I heard on CNN this afternoon, is against Article 27 of the Islamic Republic of Iran's constitution, guaranteeing the rights to protest peacefully.

Thus the bloodshed. Thus Neda. Of course, she has become somewhat a martyr, because her name translates from Persian into "voice" or "calling." Media also report that protesters have been shouting from the rooftops the last two nights, "I am Neda!" rather than "God is Great!"

I hope that the people do rise up and either take the rights they're guaranteed from the oppressive government or topple this regime. But they must do it themselves. Pres. Obama this afternoon said that he supports the people of Iran in the protests, but the U.S. will not get involved.

Ed McMahon, who died this morning. Photo courtesy Wikipedia

Good night, Ed!

This morning, we lost a true TV legend with the passing of Ed McMahon. He was 86.

McMahon was best known as being the sidekick to Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show" for 30 years, as well as serving as an advertising pitchman, most notably for Alpo dog food, Budweiser and American Family Publishers. He also hosted the 1980s talent show "Star Search," basically my generation's "American Idol." He also co-hosted "Bloopers" with Dick Clark, and the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon.

While on "Tonight," he had several guffaw laughs at what Carson said, with a "Hey-ooooooo!" every once in a while, but he was known most for introducing Carson onto the stage with his trademark "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrre's Johnny!"

He'll always be a legend, and he'll always be remembered.