As Far as the Eye Can See

Photo by Adrienne Parks

Peaches - Talk to Me

Rouhani Replaced Ahmadinejad?!

Great. I finally learned how to spell and pronounce Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s name and now he’s out.

I just found out that he was succeeded back in June by Hassan Rouhani, a moderate from Tehran’s Jamaran neighborhood.

Rouhani and Ahmadinejad

President Rouhani’s coming to New York soon to address the United Nations; some people want President Obama to sit down with the guy while he’s here to discuss issues of mutual concern. (There’s even a petition you can sign at Moveon.org if you agree with the 46,000 others who’ve already signed.)

I never cared for Ahmadinejad – I was among those who thought he stole his country's 2009 presidential election – but I’ve kept an open mind about Iran itself. I cling to the naïve belief that the U.S. and Iran will someday manage to replace our acrimonious relationship with one that’s mutually beneficial and free of hostility and rhetoric. (This can only happen, of course, after we’ve stopped kowtowing to Israel, Iran’s mortal enemy, and doing its bidding without pause or question.) Establishing a direct line of communication with Iran’s top official seems like a good first step.

Of course conservatives, hawks and pro-Israel lobbyists want us to continue to isolate Iran, maintain harsh sanctions and stick our fingers in our ears and our heads in the sand. This, to me, is akin to embracing childishness and ignorance rather than advancing sound foreign policy. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, as my grandma used to say.

I hope Obama refuses – for once – to pander to the far right and meets with Rouhani while he’s in the Big Apple. It can't hurt.

Which Sense?

Grateful Dead - Deal

A Blog Post That Only Locals Will Love

Live in Greater Lansing and looking for a deal? You’ve come to the right place. I’ve just been told that the new “Enjoy the City” coupon books are now available for the low, low price of $20. We’re selling these to benefit Midway Elementary School in Holt, where one of our children may or may not be enrolled.

These publications contain over 60 pages worth of special deals at Lansing-area merchants and businesses, including but not limited to Jersey Giant Submarines, Biggby’s, Edru’s Skate-a-Rama, Riverwalk Theatre, Schuler Books & Music, Beggar’s Banquet, Impression 5 Science Center and the Michigan Brewing Company.

You can find “Buy One Dinner, Get One Free” coupons, “20 Percent Off Your Purchase” coupons, “Free Appetizer” coupons and “Free Sub/Pizza With the Purchase of a Sub/Pizza” coupons, among others. Did I mention the many golf discounts? Most coupons don’t expire until December 31, 2014. Orders are due by September 24; the books are guaranteed to arrive by October 1.

Can’t you just picture yourself biting into a hot, delicious gourmet pizza, happy in the knowledge that you helped to put pencils in the fingers of sweet little schoolkids? How about heading down the fairway on the third hole at Chisholm Hills Golf Club, knowing that regardless of the number of strokes you record on your card, you’re already a winner? And all this for just two sawbucks. It’s almost too good to be true, isn’t it?

Send an e-mail message to pdiehl [at] singhanddiehl [dot] com and I’ll save you one. Or two. Or five. Or whatever. Please and thanks.