birthday comes early (or, Spiccoli does Tehran)

Is it my birthday? No. That's not until September 28th. Ahem. But someone must've forgotten to tell the San Francisco Chronicle, because they've just given me an early gift.

In June, Sean Penn and two friends traveled to Tehran. It was Penn's first trip to the country. What he found was a culture in conflict. Although the nation is ruled by a very conservative, tradition-bound government, Penn talked to many younger Iranians who have a strong interest in Western culture and want their own country to liberalize its policies on individual rights. Beginning today, The Chronicle will publish a five-day series of his reports from Iran.

Shit yeah!
Best part:

As I studied one of those building sides, the searing eyes of their beloved Ayatollah, I stepped off a curb and was nearly flattened by a transit bus. I leaped backward onto the sidewalk. And there they were, staring down upon me, Iranian men, in the front of the bus. But as I regained my bearings, the last third of the bus passed me and it was there, where everything went into slow motion. Sliding by me was the rear of the bus, occupied only by women in black chadors. The back of the bus. I thought of Rosa Parks.

Also:

The scene downstairs reminded me of similar scenes in Iraq, at Baghdad's Al Rashid and Palestine hotels. International journalists with that "What the f -- are you doing here, Mr. Penn?" look on their faces.

Do they really call him Mr. Penn? In any case, we soon see who is, in fact, the coolest mofo in the Middle East. That's right, it's Mr. Penn:

He thought of Rosa Parks.