Twitter Iran Protest List, July 25: Europe

Protests In Europe:

AMSTERDAM Iran demo: 25/7, 12:30-15:30, Museumsplein http://www.united4iran-nl.org/

BAGNACAVALLO Italia Iran demo: 25/7, 10:00-24:00 piazza centrale; 22:00 “Persepolis” http://tinyurl.com/mbrsjq

BARCELONA Iran demo: 25/7, 20:30, Plaza de la Universitat de Barcelona

http://www.es.amnesty.org/

BELFAST Iran protest: Saturday July 25, 2:00-4:00pm, Belfast City Hall

BERLIN Iran events: Hungerstreik 9:00 7/24-23:00 7/26, Pariser Platz (Mittelstreifen) gegenüber dem Hotel Adlon

BERLIN Iran protest: 25/7; 13-15:00 Potsdamerplatz/Ecke Stresemannstraße; 15:00 Potsdamerplatz–Brandenburger Tor

BERLIN Iran Lichterkette/Candlelight demonstration: 25 Juli 15:00, Potsdamerplatz-Brandenburger Tor

BERLIN Iran demo: 25 Juli, 21:30-23:30, Pariser Platz – Brandenburger Tor http://tinyurl.com/ng6shv

BRIGHTON, England Iran protest: Sat. July 25, 13:00-15:00, Brighton & Hove

http://tinyurl.com/m5quf7

BRISTOL England Iran protest: Sat. July 25, 14:00-17:00, College Green by City Council http://tinyurl.com/lxc27r

BRUSSELS / BRUXELLES Iran demo: 25/7, 11:00-12:00, Iranian Embassy, 15, avenue Franklin Roosevelt

BUDAPEST Iran demo: 25/7, 17:00, Stefánia köz 1143 http://tinyurl.com/l3ofsa

CASTELLDEFELS, Spain Iran demo: 25/7, 21:00, Plaza Església de Castelldefels

http://www.es.amnesty.org/

COLOGNE / KOLN Iran demo: 25/7, 18:00, Domplatte http://www.studentenjugend.blogspot.com/

COPENHAGEN Iran demo: 25/7; 17:00 Iran Embassy (Svanemøllevej 48), 5k run; 18:00 @ Parliament, Christiansborg

DORTMUND Deutschland Iran demo: 25 Juli, 14:00-16:00, Reinoldikirche

DUBLIN Iran protest: Sat. July 25, 13:00-15:00, In front of the General Post Office (GPO) O’Connell St.

DUSSELDORF Deutschland Iran demo: 25 Juli, 12:00-14:00, Marktplatz

EDINBURGH, Scotland Iran demo: Sat July 25, 15:00-16:30, East End of Princes Street, opposite Balmoral Hotel

FRANKFURT Deutschland Iran demo: 25 Juli, 19:00, Römerberg (eines Schweigemarsches/eine Lichterkette)

GENEVA Iran protest: Sat 25/7, 10:00-14:00 In front of the European Headquarters of the United Nations

GLASGOW, Scotland Iran protest: Sat. 25/7, 12:00, Buchanans St. by Bucanan Galleries http://tinyurl.com/nqfpsg

GOTHENBURG Sweden Iran demo: 25/7, 15:00-18:00, Gustav Adolf torg http://tinyurl.com/m9srql

HAMBURG Deutschland Iran demo & march: 25 Juli, 13:00, Hachmannplatz http://tinyurl.com/no9h7l

HANNOVER Deutschland Iran demo: 25 Juli; 16:00-19:00 Am Hauptbahnhof;
19:00-21:00 Am Kröpcke

HEIDELBERG Deutschland Iran demo: 25/7, 13:00, Bismarckplatz to Uniplatz http://www.iranetehad.blogspot.com/

INNSBRUCK Austria Iran demo: Samstag, 25.07.2009 von 10-14 Uhr, Museumstrasse/Franziskanerplatz

KRAKOW Poland Iran demo: 25/7; 10:00 spotkanie z irańskim działaczy;
12:30 otwarte spotkanie na uniwersytecie

LISBON / LISBOA Iran demo: Sábado, 25 de Julho, 17:00-19:00, Largo Camões http://tinyurl.com/nzvhsg

LONDON Iran demo: Sat July 25, 13:00-21:00, Iran Embassy, 16 Princes Gate London SW7 1PT  Tube: South Ken

LUXEMBOURG Iran demo: 25/7, 14:00-16:00, Luxembourg city center, Rue De La Post (Piquet)

MALMO Sweden Iran demo: 25/7, 16:00, Sodra Tullgatan

http://united4iran.org/locations/europe/malmo

MANCHESTER England Iran demo: July 25, 14:00-17:00, Piccadilly Gardens http://tinyurl.com/n9lnj6

MILANO Iran hunger strike: 17:00 24/7 – 17:00 25/7; Iranian Consulate, Piazza Diaz http://tinyurl.com/lgcsz6

MUNICH Deutschland Iran demo: 25/7; 16:00 Odeonsplatz –> Rindermarkt; 17:00-21:00 Karlsplatz (Stachus)

OSLO Norway Iran demo: 25/7; 13:00-14:00 Parliament; 17:00 Strømsveien 102, foran t-bane stasjonen i Helsfyr

PALMA DE MALLORCA Spain Iran demo: 25/7, 11:30, Plaza Mayor de Palma

http://www.es.amnesty.org/

PARIS Iran demo: 25/7, 17:00-19:00, Place du Trocadero http://www.whereismyvote.fr/

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, Iran demo: 25/7, 15:00, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Zatorce 18

REVINE LAGO, Italy, Iran demo: 25/7, 16:00 @ film festival http://tinyurl.com/lsep2b

ROME Italy Iran demo: 25/7, 17:00, Iran Embassy/Ambasciata Rep. Islamica Dell’Iran‎, Via Nomentana, 361

STOCKHOLM Sweden Iran demo: 25/7, 17:30-20:00, Central square, sergelstorget http://tinyurl.com/m6b729

STUTTGART Deutschland Iran demo: 25 Juli, 16:00, Marktplatz http://www.persianact.org/

VALENCIA Spain Iran demo: 25/7, 19:30, Plaza de la Virgen de Valencia

http://www.es.amnesty.org/

VILLENEUVE-LES-AVIGNON France Iran demo: 25/7, 14:00; CNES performance “Breaking”, les événements de l’Iran

Twitter Iran Protest List, July 25: Worldwide

Australia:

BRISBANE Australia Iran protest: July 25, 12-2pm, Brisbane Square, in front of City library and casino

CANBERRA Australia Iran protest: July 25, 11:00am, Legislative Assembly on London Court

SYDNEY Australia Iran protest: July 25, 12:30, Corner of Elizabeth Street & Martin Place (by Channel 7)

MELBOURNE Australia Iran protest: 7/25, 16:30-17:30, over Princess Bridge (Federation Sq) St Kilda Rd (on FBook)

Middle East, Asia, & South America:

BEIRUT, Lebanon Iran press conference: July 25, 12:00pm Amnesty Int’l at the “Press Club” in Chevrolet

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan Iran rally: July 25, 11:00am, near Iranian Embassy http://united4iran.org/locations/asia/bishkek

ISTANBUL Iran protest: July 25, 11:30am, Taksim Square in front of Galatasary Lycee

NEW DELHI, India Iran protest: July 25, 4pm, The Press Club, Raisina Road http://tinyurl.com/njzaeh

TOKYO, Japan, Iran candlelight vigil: July 25, 7pm, Miyashita Park, Shibuya

http://tinyurl.com/mpp48h

BOGOTA, Colombia Iran demo: 25/7, 11:00, Parque Nacional, Monumento Rafael Uribe Uribe

São Paulo Unida Pelo Irã: 25/7, 10:00, Praça Pátio do Colégio (ao lado da Praça da Sé) http://tinyurl.com/kl62z2

Book Review: Naamah’s Kiss, Jacqueline Carey

It breaks my heart to write this, but this book just isn’t very good.

(SPOILERS AHEAD.)

Jacqueline Carey’s been my favorite author since I first read Kushiel’s Dart in January 2002. That book caught me from the first paragraph, and I read the first chapter right there in the bookstore, before buying it. If you’re reading this as a fan, you probably know what an experience falling in love with that book—that world—was for me. There were some less-convincing characters, and some less-riveting passages, but for three epic novels, the quality level was kept remarkably high throughout.

The fundamentally wonderful thing about Kushiel’s Dart was how dense it was, how much beauty and intrigue and meaning was packed into each page, into each plot development. The last two books of the first series were slightly less dense, but made up for it with rich action.

The Imriel series was more difficult to love. The characters were, for the most part, still 3d and believable, Imri’s inner personality was fully realized, and his interactions with those around him followed an emotional logic. But the first two books’ plots were pretty thin, and could have been condensed into one. Carey bulked them out with too many placeholder characters, too many pointless dead-end activities (why DID he go to Rome, anyway?), and too many ideas not fully realized (that secret society sure was a dud).

Worst of all, the pivotal plot point—that Imri turns his back on love to pursue duty, with disastrous results—always felt forced, like the author was making a character do something unnatural for the sake of her plot. That’s bad enough when it’s a brief episode…but it was the bulk of the second novel. As a result of that psychological forcing, the book dragged a lot, as you followed him through what you knew the WHOLE TIME was the wrong decision and its foreshadowed consequences. Only in the third Imriel book do we really get back to the high adventure and clockwork pace that defined the first trilogy from the start.

The Imriel series’ quality suffered due to this feeling of filler and incredibly slow pace in the first two novels. But Carey picked it back up in the third, and that series overall left a good taste in my mouth. However, you can sell books by writing decent trilogies, but to be a good author, your novels themselves need reread value. Two of that series three books don’t really have it.

Which brings us to Naamah’s Kiss. This novel not only doesn’t stand on its own (which is STILL the best criteria of a good trilogy-opener), it arguably wouldn’t have been published at all, were it a first novel by an unknown author.

Moirin is dull. Her mother is dull. Her first lover is dull, and so is his family. Carey tried to write the story of a naive, uncivilized girl, but missed the mark on actual innocence, substituting vagueness and exploitability. I know, not everybody can be a Delaunay-trained genius, or even a conflicted quasi-Shahrizai. But Moirin took subjectivity, unreliability, and naivete to an almost Faulknerian level. And that’s as close as Naamah’s Kiss came to literature.

There are a handful of beautiful passages and concepts here—Moirin’s initiation, her developing relationship with her father, and the scenes where we begin to understand, and then meet, the dragon. The passages with her father are moving, and I appreciated the theme where she comes to terms with having a D’Angeline heritage and gift, as well as the Alban one she’s loyal to. Exploring Moirin’s multi-ethnicity, and the interactions of her two gifts through her young adulthood—not to mention the changes in Alba and Terre D’Ange in the new century—these would have been enough for a whole book.

But the author who wrote the densely-packed Kushiel’s Dart is long gone. Carey takes enough plot points for the first quarter of a Phèdre story, and spreads them over the whole novel. Now, I don’t want to read another Phèdre story. I want to read a densely-packed Moirin story…and Moirin’s story is the thinnest Carey’s ever put to print.

So much could still have been done with the Alban part of the book, the culture and rites, the tension of the different ethnic groups—that’s where Moirin shines, in the beginning. The initiation rite itself was beautiful, pure Carey. But it only serves to highlight the flatness of the rest of the tale. Instead, Carey reaches for what’s become a worn-thin plot contrivance: send the character to another country. It’s become less a metaphor for her characters’ growth, and more of a substitute for it. It feels like Moirin is, as Imri unfortunately sometimes was, less of her own person and more of a tool of the author, setting up plot points for later books at the expense of interest and density in the present one. It felt like the author preparing to stretch a little bit of story a long way.

Second big problem in this book: Terre D’Ange has become an aggravating place. I can’t think of one single likeable character in the whole City of Elua. The closest I came to relating to them was a brief twinge of compassion when a couple of them (temporarily) acted stable and humane. The ones that weren’t tediously loco were savior-perfect. All those admirable, unique characters populating the first two series? Nothing like that here. All those villains you loved to hate, and the deliciously ambivalent ones? Nowhere to be found. Moirin’s friends at the Palace (of course) are abrasive, self-absorbed nuts, and her enemies are simply petty and selfish. In fact, there’s a pretty fair overlap of her friends and enemies. This doesn’t make for intrigue. It just makes Moirin look unintelligent.

Carey had an amazing opportunity to display a place familiar to her readers—Terre D’Ange and the City of Elua—through fresh eyes, even critical eyes. Instead, she has Moirin get accustomed rather fast, embroiling her in a fairly shrill and petty Palace clique. After a time, the only differentiation Moirin has is her ability to be exploited, and repetitive references to her spiritual practice and healing ability.

Which leads me to one of my biggest problems with the novel: the Asian characters. Frankly, I got tired of the “Me Chinese” way Carey made them talk, as well as the gamut of Asian stereotypes they ran. I mean, seriously? Wise old meditation-teaching herbal scholar, with his mysterious young warrior-acolyte? Just no. I absolutely couldn’t believe the love interest was Bao. He’s easily the least-desireable character Carey’s ever written, and that includes Waldemar Selig.

Bao’s a cypher. He’s rude. His big draw is that he apparently smells like metal. Another critic was right—he’s the poor man’s Joscelin. There is no chemistry whatsoever between him and Moirin. Their union was a dismaying surprise—not in the wonderful Phèdre-Joscelin way, more an upsetting “Carey doesn’t seriously expect me to buy this” sort of way. Bao’s all set up to be the big soulmate, Moirin’s MacGuffin for the next book…and their relationship is just flat absurd.

Sexuality in Carey’s first trilogy was a deeply meaningful, spiritual act—not only did plot points hinge on it, but so did philosophical ideas. I’m sure a lot of us fans fell in love with this story in part because of the boundary-pushing, yet beautiful portrayal of sex and love. In the second series, we are treated to Imriel’s growth out of sexual abuse and into the conflict between duty and following his passion. I think that’s what makes me feel most burned of all about Moirin’s story. The sex here is just this side of meaningless and random. It’s like Carey’s heart’s just not in that aspect of her writing anymore. I agree with another reader that some of the sex here verges on cheesy. Moirin doesn’t have any believable chemistry with anyone she sleeps with; the closest she comes to that is early teenage hormones. The “gift of desire” of Naamah, part of Moirin’s heritage, goes quickly from an intriguing concept into a belabored plot device, steering Moirin here and there. If it was used to move the plot forward, I could even understand that; but none of Moirin’s relationships seem to matter much to the plot at all. In addition, Moirin is abused by two of her lovers, and it is barely acknowledged. How is that reflective of Elua’s will? If Carey wanted to portray D’Angeline society as unwell, that should have been a major theme of the book…not something touched-on and excused.

It all just felt like Carey’s publishing too often—biting off big undigested chunks of ideas, set up and then quickly abandoned; interspersed with long, drawn-out passages that go nowhere, filled with decisions you want to shake the characters for making. I don’t want her to write the same story over again, that’s not why I’m sad. I just want her to keep working on a book until it’s at the level of quality we all know she can reach.

I know people who love JC will think I’m not a fan, and hate on my review. But honestly, who out there will claim this is as good as Kushiel’s Dart, or even Kushiel’s Mercy? If those were five-star books, then this can’t be.

I hate to criticize my favorite author. I am sure that Carey will get the story told and that it will be worth reading. But after years of excitedly buying her books the day they arrived, I’ll be checking the next one out of the library first.

(also posted at Amazon.com)

18 Tir Anniversary Iran Protests, Worldwide list

United States

WASHINGTON D.C. Iran protest: Th 7/9, 6-8p, Freedom Plaza, 14th Street & Penn. Ave. NW http://tinyurl.com/le3g74

WASHINGTON D.C. Iran later protest: Th 7/9, 8:15pm – 11:15pm, DuPont Circle http://tinyurl.com/mdrvdn

NEW YORK CITY Iran protest: Thurs 7/9, 7-9p, Washington Sq. Park, 4th St. & University http://tinyurl.com/nz75vd

BOSTON Iran protest: Thu July 9, 8-9pm, Copley Square, Dartmouth Street, Public Library http://tinyurl.com/ncjxxb

ATLANTA Iran protest: Thu July 9, 4-8pm, CNN Headquarters, NO FLAGS http://tinyurl.com/nk2ofd

MIAMI Iran protest: Thu July 9, 6:30pm, Torch of Friendship 401 Biscayne Blvd, bring candles

CHICAGO Iran panel discussion: 7/9, 7-10p Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave. http://tinyurl.com/mm8k2n

AUSTIN Iran protest: Thu July 9, 8:30-9:30p, Congress Bridge, 1 Congress Ave. http://www.austinforiran.org

DALLAS Iran protest: 7/9, 5-7p, Victory Park, 3090 Olive St; no flags, signs provided http://tinyurl.com/ljbxzs

TEMPE (AZ) Iran protest: Thu, July 9, 6-8p, E University Dr & S College Ave, ASU bridge area

LOS ANGELES Iran protest: Thu July 9, 5-8pm, Federal Building, 11000 Wilshire Blvd. http://tinyurl.com/lwmey7

SAN DIEGO Iran protest: 7/9, 6:30-9p, 349 Broadway St (Fountain by NBC Bldg Downtown) http://tinyurl.com/ml7663

SANTA MONICA (CA) Iran protest: 7/9, 7-10p FREE concert, 350 Santa Monica Pier http://tinyurl.com/mqemwd

SEATTLE Iran protest: Thu July 9, 6-9pm, Westlake Center (4th and Pine St.) http://tinyurl.com/nd4qwv

Canada:

TORONTO Iran protest: 7/9, 8-10p, Mel Lastman Sq- Steels Ave; 16th Ave.-Elgin Mills Rd http://tinyurl.com/kny399

CALGARY (AB) Iran protest: Thu July 9, 8-9:30p, In front of Calgary City Hall http://tinyurl.com/lj94gs

VANCOUVER / BURNABY Iran demo: 7/9 12:30p SFU Convoc. Mall 8888 University Dr http://tinyurl.com/m7vu52

VANCOUVER Iran protest: Thu July 9, 9:30-10p, Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Place http://tinyurl.com/mg4bok

OTTAWA (ON) Iran protest: Thu July 9, 6-9pm, Parliament Hill http://tinyurl.com/knly7p

MONTREAL Iran protest & human chain: Thu, July 9, 6-8pm, 845 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal

Europe:

COPENHAGEN Iran protest: Thurs 9 July, 17:00, Iranian Embassy, ENGSKIFTEVEJ 6, KBH Ø.
København DEMO TORSDAG 9/7 KL 17 FORAN DEN IRANSKE AMBASSADE, ENGSKIFTEVEJ 6, KBH Ø. http://tinyurl.com/mn6jed

STUTTGART, Deutschland Iran demo: 9/7, 17:00-20:00, City – Plaza http://tinyurl.com/mxl6np
MUNICH Deutschland Iran demo: 9/7, 17:00-20:00, Iran Konsulat, Mauerkircherstraße 59 http://tinyurl.com/loyqg9

COLOGNE / KOLN Deutschland Iran demo: Thu, 9/7, 17:00-18:00, Rudolfplatz; keine politischen Parolen oder Flaggen

STOCKHOLM Sweden Iran protest demo: Torsdag 9/7, 17:30-20:30, Mynttorget http://tinyurl.com/pgso6u

THE HAGUE / DEN HAAG Iran demo: Thu July 9, 16:00-18:00 Binnenhof, 2513 Den Haag, Dutch Parliament

PARIS Iran demo: Jeudi 9/7, 18:30-20:00, Place de la Sorbonne -> Hôtel de Ville http://tinyurl.com/nyo9x8

COPENHAGEN Iran march: Thurs 9 July, 18:00-20:00, Osteport St. –> Svanemollevej

ODENSE, Denmark Iran demo: 9/7, 18:00-20:00 DK-5000 Odense C 5000, Munke Mose http://tinyurl.com/loyu8d

BERLIN Solidarität mit Iran-Protest: Do., 9. Juli 2009, um 18.00, Breitscheidplatz http://tinyurl.com/knll75

FRANKFURT Germany Iran demo: Do., 9/7, 18:30-20:30, Rathenauplatz 60313 Deutschland http://tinyurl.com/nbqjfs

ZURICH Iran protest demo: 9/7, 18:00-20:00, Helvetiaplatz, Stauffacherstr./Langstr. http://tinyurl.com/lrfl49

VIENNA / WIEN Iran protest demo: 9/7 18:00-19:00, Iran Embassy, Jauresgasse, 1030

GOTHENBURG Sweden Iran protest demo: Thu, July 9, 18:00-19:00, Götaplatsen http://tinyurl.com/lpahqu

LONDON Iran protest: Thu July 9, 18:00-21:00, Iranian Embassy, 16 Princes Gate, London http://tinyurl.com/nm3zo7

MADRID Iran protest: Thu, July 9, 20:00-21:00, Plaza de la Provincia, 1, 28012, Madrid, Spain

Tuesday & Wednesday, July 7-8, Iran protests

Hello lovelies, here’s a couple more…

Tuesday 7

MISSOULA (MT) Iran protest: Tues July 7, 12-1pm, Caras Park http://tinyurl.com/lhglpt

OSLO, Norway Iran protest: 7 July, 17:00, outside Stortinget ( the parliament) http://tinyurl.com/nxxfha

THE HAGUE / DEN HAAG Iran protest: July 7 13:00-15:00 Iran Embassy, Scheveningen http://tinyurl.com/mux2nk NOW

Wednesday 8

IRVINE (CA) Iran protest: July 8, 6-10p, Tustin District, Jamboree & Barranca http://tinyurl.com/n9yw7p candles

Thursday and this weekend have a number of Iran protest events. I’ll put them up tomorrow.

Fourth of July

“Some people complicate their lives

“Others keep it simple

“And that’s a little bit closer to the truth

“That we all see…”

-”Free”, Mofro

Iran Protests: Friday July 3 through Sunday, July 5

Ongoing:

LONDON Iran protest: Iranian Embassy, 16 Princes Gate, 18:00-21:00 DAILY

DEN HAAG, Netherlands Protests DAILY for Iran, 13.00, Iranian Embassy (Scheveningen)

SAN JOSE Iran hunger strike: 7/2, 4p – 7/4, 12p, City Hall, 200 E Santa Clara St http://tinyurl.com/n699vw

Friday:

CHARLOTTE (NC) Iran vigil: Fri 7/3, 8-10p, Marshall Park (S. McDowell St & E. 3rd St

http://tinyurl.com/mlnjgp

VANCOUVER Iran forum: Fri 7/3, 5-8p, UBC Point Gray Campus – oodward Room #2, 2198 Health Science Mall http://yekiran.com/protests

BERLIN: Solidaritätsveranstaltung für Iran: 3. Juli, 19:00, Festsaal Kreuzberg, Skalitzer Str. 130
BERLIN Iran rally: Fri July 3, 19:00, Festsaal Kreuzberg, Skalitzer Str. 130

COLOGNE / KOLN Iran demo: 3 juli, 17:00-20:00, DOM Central Station. Am Römerbogen http://tinyurl.com/n33uq9

Saturday:

TEL-AVIV Iran demo: Sat July 4, protest 8pm-12am, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel http://tinyurl.com/megz4k

BRUXELLES Iran demo: Sat July 4, 16:00, Rond-Pont Schuman http://tinyurl.com/ms3rwe

STOCKHOLM Iran demo: Fredag 4 juli, 16:30-18:30, Medborgarplatsen http://tinyurl.com/lxr8kz

DRESDEN, Germany – Demo für Iran am Samstag, 4. Juli, 13Uhr, Schlesischer Platz, Bahnhof Neustadt

ESSEN, Deutschland Iran demo: 4/7, 11:00-14:00, Porschekanzel an der Marktkirche  http://tinyurl.com/mu282u

Sunday:

BOSTON Iran protest: Sun July 5, 11a-1p, Copley Square (on steps of Public library) http://tinyurl.com/loky93

ATLANTA Iran rally: 7/5, Lenox Sq Mall 4-7p http://tinyurl.com/mck2w6; CNN Center 4-8p http://tinyurl.com/nzd9al

WIEN / VIENNA Iran demo: Sonntag, 5. juli, 18:00-21:00, am Heldenplatz http://tinyurl.com/nb69rz