With the increasingly bloody battle for Iran’s future raging on in Tehran, social networking Sites, like Facebook and Twitter, remain the primary source of news out of the country, whose government has effectively banned all established press from reporting.

Wisely, Twitter has done whatever it can to help maintain its service for the Iranian people, ensuring Twitter’s relevance in this new era of information sharing, if not in the history books. Facebook, on the other hand, has taken a different approach.

Meet Saeed Valadbaygi, author of the Website, Revolutionary Road and one of the primary ‘citizen journalists’ for the revolution currently going on in Iran. His extensive reports have been referenced and quoted repeatedly in the mainstream media, from Andrew Sullivan’s The Daily Dish to MSNBC.

In addition to posting on his Site, Saeed uses both Twitter and Facebook to report everything from first hand experiences to videos from the frontlines in Iran, online, for the world to see.

But within the last few days, Facebook has twice threatened to cancel Saeed’s account, citing as the reason vague violations of their Terms of Service. After receiving the warnings, Saeed posted them to his Facebook page, without comment. Facebook then deleted the posts from his Site.

In response, a Facebook group, “in defence of Saeed’s activities on Facbook” [sic] is attempting to keep Facebook from canceling Saeed’s account. The group currently has more than 1,350 followers and is growing by the day. (more…)

Following the Swine flu epidemic on TV is pretty intense. Way better than Bird Flu, and a contender with the economic recession. Today, I saw a couple people on the New York City streets sporting surgical masks. If this trend continues soon New York is going to look like Mexico. I didn’t want to be left out.

It took me an hour and seven pharmacies to locate a surgical mask. Every single store was sold out. The only reason I obtained one was because a pharmacist gracious gave one of hers. It wasn’t really until then I realized the severity of the Swine Flu. Or, at least, the portrayed severity, seeing as how this outbreak is quite similar to a regular flu season.  But still, I rushed home to try on my new contraption, which looks much like a 1930s maxipad. (more…)

President Obama is not the only one having problems giving a commencement speech. A group at American University is protesting the selection of Congressman Barney Frank for an honorary degree and as the commencement speaker for the American University School of Public Affairs.

A letter written to the School of Public Affairs calls Barney Frank’s record “as a key player in our current economic crisis is almost as offensive as his endless refusal to accept responsibility for it.”  Sarah DeStefano, the founder of the Facebook group “AU Students & Alumni Against Barney Frank @ SPA Commencement ‘09”, told AU’s student newspaper, “The Eagle”, she is “sickened that the university would want to undermine the worth of my education by honoring a man with such a dishonorable record” stating that “Frank stood by and did nothing as our economy tumbled further into dismay.

On the record, he insisted that desires for further oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were ‘overblown’ and that ‘Wall Street would get over it’ if the banks collapsed.” DeStafano wonders how the Congressman “can honestly look students in the eye who are struggling to find a job.” (more…)

Remember a while back, when that lady sued McDonald’s for millions of dollars because her coffee was too hot? Well, it turns out that many of the details of that case were left out of the reporting. Things like the fact that her coffee really was too hot; so hot, it was capable of “instantaneous destruction of the skin.” And did you know that the woman was 79-years-old at the time, and suffered third-degree over 6-percent of her body? It just gets worse from there.

Check out the whole under-told story, here!

Jesus F**king Christ! This Natalie Dylan selling her virginity thing is getting way, way, way out of hand. Since first announcing last September that she would be auctioning off her virginity at Nevada’s Bunny Ranch, over 10,000 men have put in bids for a chance to pop her golden cherry. No surprise there. But now the price has skyrocketed to more than $3.7 million! Let me repeat that: $3.7 million dollars to have sex with a virgin, once.  (more…)

With trailers popping up for his new movie The Day the Earth Stood Still pending release on December 12, we are reminded that in the movies Keanu Reeves is the answer. And at the same time, all over the news and in the media, Barack Obama is being touted as the new Keanu Reeves, capable of solving all our problems with some fantastical superpower. But please heed this warning: Barack Obama is not Keanu Reeves. This world is not the Matrix, or The Day… and Barack is not Neo or Klatuu. (more…)

I’ll be honest: I’m a bitch. I have no problem telling it like it is, talking about someone behind his/her back or telling secrets about people I hate. This is why people fight to stay on my good side.

Which is why people are so surprised when they find out about my passion for animals. I cry when those commercials for animal shelters come on the TV, I have to look away from movies or TV shows when an animal gets injured and I wanted to personally kill Michael Vick when it was discovered he was running that evil dog fighting ring.

It is weird, I know, but I can’t help but feel for creatures who don’t have a voice to defend themselves. Yes, even if they have the teeth or claws to do so.

Like sharks. (Yes, I am being completely serious!) Sharks are most often thought of as predators, but lately off the coast of Florida they have become victims. In the past year more and more sharks have been found murdered in the water. There is no excuse for harming another life – especially an innocent one – and it is up to us to protect every creature on this planet.

Please take a moment to sign the attached petition and protect the sharks and our planet’s wildlife.

When school is over and you finally to decide to move out of Mom and Dad’s house, consider moving to the birth place of Frank Sinatra and the town who’s SWAT team members party with Hooters waitresses, Hoboken, NJ.

Why? Because CNN.com named Hoboken number one in it’s list of 25 places for singles in the US for the second year in a row.

The home of movies’ famed stoner duo Harold and Kumar attracts young professionals, students and artists – and not just those who crave White Castle sliders.

Legend has it that Hoboken has more bars per capita in its one square mile than any other city in the United States. Pub crawling aside, the town attracts young people looking for relatively affordable housing just minutes from New York City. Hoboken’s waterfront is also a great place to take a date to share a romantic view of the Manhattan skyline.

Visit Money.CNN.com to see if your city made the list

Two weeks ago I had never owned, bought, or even worn a suit. Now, I’ve done all three of those things, and I picked up some valuable information along the way. I’d like to pass it on to any other nubes contemplating their first grown-up outfit. Keep in mind that less than a month ago I had never associated with a suit or an event that called for one, so if any of these tips seem a bit elementary you’ll have to wait for my Level 2 tips; these are for beginners.

1) Don’t button the bottom button

No matter what you do leave that last button alone. Two-button, three-button, even four; the one closest to your feet is never used. I’m not sure why it’s there if you’re not allowed to use it, but it is. I quickly made this mistake while putting on my first jacket and was reprimanded immediately. Turns out even buttons can be for show. It seems like extra work for whoever makes the suit. But I’m not Calvin Klein, so I’ll leave that sort of thinking up to him. (more…)

Americans are a materialistic bunch and I am no exception. And now that I’m faced with the task of moving all my stuff into a new apartment, I understand why too much stuff can be bad. My lease ends in two days; I’ve already found a new place, and I’m moving in with some good friends, but moving still sucks.

Somehow over the past year I’ve accumulated a substantial pile of sh*t, and it’s currently sitting in the center of my room. I need to dig through it, sort it out, and pack it in boxes so I can schlep it across town. Really, I need to downsize my life.

Here are the five things I’ve decided to get rid of to make this move easier. (more…)