I suppose I tended to assume it would be more "deserty" given its location, but, thinking about it again (taking mountains and varying amounts of water into account), I suppose I'd have to change my vote.

Bill Maher, the other week, was discussing the Iranians, trying to make the point that Iran was a lot more like us than like al-Qaeda and the fundamentalist crowd.  I liked the way he put it, speaking of Tehran in particular:

It might not be Paris or New York, but -- scratch the surface a little bit, it might be Philadelphia.

Now, setting aside the fact that it surely can't be as bad as Philly, that's pretty damned good to me, especially when the alternative is pairing up with the House of Saud.  If these lunatics invade, they're going to ruin that.  The second a boot his Iranian soil, everybody's going to be a nationalist.

Beautiful pictures.  Hopefully I can visit the country in the future, if Junior hasn't Fallujah'd all of that.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.