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February 2003

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* That is exactly the reason your county fell

Re Rudi Bahktiar article [Moody Rudi]:

One word for you: jealous. That's what you are. Other ethnicities always praise their own. Why don't you learn from them? Instead, you criticizes the few that have broken barriers. That is exactly the reason that (Iran) your county fell. Because of this inherited shitty fucking attitude.

So don't write back, because I don't want to even hear what you have to say.

Sksep



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* Iranians in Southampton

I am living in England for 4 months and I need to know where I can meet other Iranians before new year (noroz) in Southampton. Is there any site that can help me?

Shakiba




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* The whole world is against the war

I would like to know what guarantees Iraq has that, after destroying its weapons of defence will NOT be attacked by USA? Shouldn't they sign a contract stating that they comply with their requirements PROVIDED they are not attacked later?

Undoubtedly this would be an act of cowardice by the American politicians but...so far they seem to be oblivious of what is costing the world in USA dollar term all this meetings and discussions, and, or course as it from the taxpayers footing the bill and not from Mr Bushe's pocket he is not concerned at all of the expenditure.

Alternatively I would like to know how USA defines "DEMOCRACY" as their government do not respect or comply with its citizens' wishes. The whole world is against the war,but one man,namely Bush,thinks he can do it all by himself ignoring the clamour of the rest of the universe.Is that democracy or cynicism at its highest point?

M Ruri




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* Gift: Mahasti

This is just to say thank you [Mahasti's "Ghassam"] again for the song ''Naze to'' by Abbas Ghaderi.

SMN




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* "Freed him after posting surety"

When I was an undergraduate at an American University in late 1970s, I had an Iranian mathematics professor who had immigrated to U.S. in 1953. Despite the long years of living in the U.S., he often used direct transliteration of Persian adages into English during his lectures.

Phrases like "flower has no front and back", which more than often threw off my American classmates who were lost at what the professor means.

The following verse from a news-report, from an Iranian journalist, most probably with poor command of the English language and idiom, reminded me of that professor.

It reads, "The paper cited Baqi as saying that the court had freed him after posting surety. Asked about his future plans, the journalist said, 'I am intending to return to the university and teach'."

Mehdi Sharif



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* BOTH bend over

The SHAHOLLAHIs and HEZBOLLAHIs, BOTH bend over and kiss dictators' hands!

You, the Pro-SHAH activists, the leftover of Saltanat-Talabs, the slave minded backward fanatics (SHAHOLLAHIs). You are exactly like your religious version, the HEZBOLLAHIs.

Backward fanatics may wear ties or turbans (AMMAMMEH). They are used to have a life time supreme leader (VALLI-NEMMAT) and long term dictatorship. They are used to bend over and kiss the dictators' hands.

The foundation of all democratic governments in the world is based on one or two terms leadership (maximum eight years). The entire world is seeking democracy and freedom, except you, the backward fanatics (VAPASGARAs).

You are trying to mislead people one more time. You don't respect Iran's history, you don't respect the Iranian people including yourself. You don't respect the Iranian revolution in 1979 and the sacrificed blood and lives to over throw the dictator, the Shah who was 100% CIA's puppet.

In 1924, you, the monarchy sycophants, pushed and led REZA KHAN to be a SHAH not a republican president (REZA KHAN was going to build a republican government similar to the Turkish Republic, established by Mostafa Kamal Atta Turk in 1923).

In 1953, you, the Saltanat-Talabs, supported the CIA's coup against the Iranian National Hero, Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh.

In 1979, a few months after the revolution, your religious version, HEZBOLLAHIs, misled and forced the Iranian people to have another life long supreme dictator so called "Ayatollah", and established the Islamic regime, a religious copy of the monarchy system.

You wish to return another U.S. puppet and his illegitimate parliament, amended/corrupted constitution, censorship and brutal sectret poice force, back to Iran even if millions of Iranian people get killed. You believe in 'shah should have authorized General Gholam-Ali Oveissi to kill more people to stop the 1979 Revolution?

You try to convince people that this one won't be a brutal dictator like the SHAH and will be the head of a constitutional monarchy of the likes in Britain/Spain/or Sweden.

This one has already been living in a palace and corrupted with the money that the SHAH had plundered from Iran. This one has already been surrounded by the same sycophants who had surrounded the SHAH and used to kiss the dictator's bloody hands.

None of the supreme leaders claimed to be a dictator while had no power at the beginning. Shah was not a dictator when he was young and Ayatollah Khomeini was not a dictator while he was out of Iran.

You, the immature slave minded SHAHOLLAHIs and HEZBOLLAHIs, are not able to think and plan one legitimate step towards freedom and democracy for yourself and for the Iranian people. Shame on you.

Nosrat Alashti




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* Coincidence or mischief

Dear Mr. Baygan,

Just above your scholarly article [A bridge from winter to spring] in Iranian.com is the unsubstantiated article of some political scientist called Pakravan [Pahlavi pulling a Rajavi?]. I am amused by the coincidence or as usual the mischief of Jahanshah Javid. By publishing the two articles side by side, he, some how imply,s his neutrality. Quite clever of J.J.

The question is that, who translated the original article from French to English that Mr. J.J. could conveniently use it at the nick of the time? That article by Mr. Pakravan needs to be answered since It is all presumptions without substantiation so much so that it touches the border of slander.

It is not known if the French text was published any where else. Probably IRI agents have had a hand on it & J.J. obliged. I hope that PR will take Mr. Pakravan to the court, if any body under that name exists at all. I have my doubts.

H. Hakimi,
Norway



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* Inspiring

With many thanks to all people who have been engaged in making this wonderful and inspiring historiography slide-show happen. [Almost]

Kazem Alamdari



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* Mossadegh wanted to make himself king

That lunatic Mossadegh never stood for a 'democratic' republic. He wanted to dissolve parliament effectively making himself king in everything but name. He was also severely mentally ill.

Tomas



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* Beware of opportunist lawyers

It has been about 2 months since I registered at the INS office (somewhere in the east coast) I consider myself absolutely fortunate, since many of my compatriots were jailed in California, and Virginia.

To my surprise the agent at the INS office were professional and cordial. The whole process lasted over 5 hours; it was a little unnerving at the beginning to see the gun holsters, handcuffs, cell blocks etc.

I was assigned a file number and given a NTA (notice to appear, end of Feb) I am writing this reflection as an advice to fellow Iranians, beware of some opportunist lawyers, who advertise in Iranian magazines, web sites,or TV shows.

Morteza Loghmani



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* Bitter-sweet

I was just listening to the revolutionary songs and it revived many bitter-sweet memories...

I sincerely thank you for putting this collection together, and the more I look at other pages, the more I enjoy and appreciate your work.

samimaneh dast-e shoma ra meefesharam va omidvaram ke khasteh nabashid and continue your good job! and "salaam-e makhsoos" to Jahanshah for taking the pain and coming such a long way.

Soheila



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* What's wrong with being Dick?

Dear Abjeez,

You guys are doing a great job! I confess I read your column avidly and agree 99.9 % with what you say. But please, don't self-censor yourself !

Why are you changing such a common expression as "Tom, Dick and Harry" into : "We are not saying you should go out with every James, Tom and Harry without any sense of what it is you want from a man and a relationship." [I'm a good catch damn it]

Come on! What's wrong with being Dick? :)

Just kiddin' with you! Wish you all the best , and keep up the good advice :)

Babak



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* This is about taking out one of the blodiest dictators

I don't understand the logic behind statements such as those in the piece "Darbaareye solh". They pretend -- and don't offer more than just a fogy logic -- to be pro-peace and therefore oppose the change of regime in Iraq. The humanitarian activists are wasting their efforts this time.

They try to make their invitation for "defending peace" attractive by calling it "defending their children's future" or things like "shoarha va trane haye solh", etc. Are they insane? This is about taking out one of the blodiest dictators in the world who happens to be the modern day "Zahhak" in Ferdowsi's terms, to Persians; someone who attacked and killed our young men --many of us are among the survivors of his invasion. Someone who sprayed 5000 innocents in Halabche like they were flies (I saw that city 2 days after the attack myself, still children's slippers and cloths were lying on the green plateau where that small beautiful city stood empty).

The fact that odds happen to be against him these days and his old masters are getting rid of him for totally imperialistic reasons (the worst case scenario, OK, happy?) wouldn't make it less desirable option for humanity.

For any reason, taking out this murderer is good, for any reason. Imagine what would be the situation if he stays and of course a little while later stretches his muscles and smashes Kurds in the north, his own Arabs, and so on. Let's enjoy this and don't forget it is not coming for free, the balance in power changes mostly because people gain their rights and the dynamics of socials and political interactions in the world change as the time goes by, so the West can not afford its old dirty puppets anymore, so its a gain not a free gift from Imperialism; itís the people's will ....... but by USA's hand; so what?

Enjoy the dirty ....'s end.

H Shamloo



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* History of Iranian police

I am writing to seek your help. As one of the Associate Editors of the World Police Encyclopedia I need someone to write the article on Iran for the publication. Can you please find someone who can and is willing to do the job.

Then send me the person's name and email and postal address. There is a US$75 honorarium

Marke



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* They deserve to be recognized

First I wanted to thank you for putting up these pictures. I know the dancers and the director and can't wait to call them in Iran tonight and tell them about your site.

But I do have a request: Please give credit to all the dancers, instructor, director and the photographer on the site [Dancing the night away]. They deserve to be recognized for all their hard work. As you can imagine, it was not easy to bring such an amazing performance to the stage in Tehran.

FYI, this was not the first performance they had performed!

Parinaz Zamani
Designer
Landor Associates




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* Nural Sadat Enjavi-nejad

I'm looking for my old friend in the USA! Her name is: Nural Sadat Enjavi-nejad. She lives in Los Angeles with her hosband Hossein Sadri, and they have tree girls/kids....

She lived in Iran. I'm living in Denmark. PLEASEEE CONTACT ME. I"M DESPERATE...

Negin



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* Warmongers

"More than a people: Americans are the empodiment of the spirit of freedom" by M. M:

You are full of shit, Bro! Fuckin' Americans are fuckin' warmongers. I can tell you that from the 31 years I 've been living here in this North American wilderness.

O... and "... there are more Muslims here in this country than Afghanistan", you said? Hey porch monkey! What is the population of the U.S. compared to that of Afghanistan?

I rest my case, Bud!

Issa



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* Want Muslim woman, don't want to convert

I have a short but important question to ask you and I hope you can help me. Are there any Persian imams in Toronto that will perform an interfaith marriage between a non muslim man and a muslim woman (without the man converting)?

Jason Gonsalves



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* Injustice to Mojahedin

It really pisses me off that someone bored and having nothing to do decides to become an expert and give us lessons in history and politics [Underground to isolation]. Then he proceeds to further insult us by just coping some statistics from God knows what sources to give us the run down on Maojahidin or any other group.

Now, normally as an intelligent person I just read the first few lines of articles, stories or even poems to see if it is worthy of my attention. I could tell from the first few line that this is the work of a bored dude trying his hand at politics. However, I proceeded to read the rest of the statements because I have a personal interest in this matter.

My very educated, and highly intelligent brother who was studying Political Science when the revolution happened is also a member of Mojahedin. Since 1983 that he was forced to leave the country. My contacts are limited to a Noruz card and once a year few minutes phone call.

I am not pissed off because this article insults my brother, on the contrary while on vacation in Iran in 1983 (prior to his departure) I met some of his comrades which included men and women. One of the women was the niece of very famous Ayatollah and extremely educated and intelligent while 8 months into her pregnancy she left Iran and became a martyr in 1987 fighting the Iranian guards. She left behind two young children.

I have never cared for Masoud Rajavi and my brother respects my opinion because he respects contrasting point of views. Mr. Fathalizadeh has done injustice to so many wonderful people including innocent parents who died because they believed in freedom for their motherland. My brother has missed 20 years of watching his only son grow up. Many are still fighting and risking their lives everyday. Never mind how many times my parents have been taken for questioning and their house turned inside out searching for whatever.

I have never heard any Mojahed (and I am talking about before 1978 when I left Iran) ever mention anything about Hossein or Shia Islam. The doctrine they shared with me was about empowering the labors by providing training and education in industrial countries, education and equal rights for women, giving farmers the proper tools to remain and cultivate the land to became self sufficient and the love of the country.

I was impressed how they treated their women member and in 1983 I purposely attended their meetings without head covering and my legs exposed to see their reaction. They stayed focused on the discussion about their goals and agendas and my opinion was well received and I felt I was treated truly as an equal.

I suggest Mr. Fathalizadeh the next time you venture to copy and paste some written jargons by others at least show a bit of intelligence and tell us what is your gripe and what are you trying to say. I also hate phrases like "They have become increasingly isolated, with their numbers declining in both the Iranian and international communities, labeled by some as a cult praising the virtues of their "flawless" leaders and perceived by many as living in a world of their own". Who is the pea brain giving these opinions?

Azam Nemati



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* Obsession with racial purity

This essay is filled with sweeping generalizations written by an Iranian that is purely racist [Forsaking Iranians]. Regarding his opinion of the Jews, Mr. Aliabadi is assuming all Jews are against Iranian interests or even Iranians (very untrue). He obviously has not met enough Jews who, like any religious or other group span the whole political spectrum (left to right).

Mr. Aliabadi, what is your obsession with racial purity? What kind of nonsense is that? It is not one's blood or appearance that makes one successful, it is someone's state of mind, culture, etc. things that transcend simple and meaningless concepts of color. You talk Iran being invaded in a subjective manner. Has Iran been invaded? Yes. Has Iran invaded other countries? You better believe it! What goes around comes around.

Mr. Aliabadi has no idea who exactly the Aryans were to be saying such nonsense. First, the Aryans are so dispersed in an amalgam of different societies and cultures, it is ridiculous for someone to claim Aryan heritage. You are equating a perversion of the Aryan image that has come about in the late 19th Century. Blonde hair and blue eyes are Teutonic features not Aryan. If anything, the area which anthropologists believe the Aryans have come from do NOT hold those features at all.

Many believed that J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the Lord of the Rings was an "Aryan" supremacist (inaccurately so). In response to a letter to the author questioning if he was Aryan Tolkien stated, "I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are inquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people..."

Mr. Aliabadi should get his history right.

Arya Abedin



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* What's wrong?

The only thing I should say is who did these fucking things and also I really feel sorry for iranian web site!

Abbas Koshesh Tabar

REPLY: What are you upset about? -- Jahanshah Javid



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* Nima's poem in English

I don't know if you can help, but I would like to find the words of Nima Yushij's poem, "Afsaneh" in an English translation.

Alasdair Ferry
Edingurgh



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* Omar Khayyam in Chile

As you mentioned some of Omar Khayyam's restaurants [Khayyam with popcorn], I want to tell you about another restaurant in Santiago, Chile. I ate that restaurant in Jan. 2000. It belongs to Arabs but in the first page of their menu they explain that Omar Khayyam is Persian.

Vali B. Dashti
Toledo, OH



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* The dice: Divine intervention

I was reading Bernard Lewis' seminal book on the history of the Middle East... he talked about how borad games have a deeper meaning for people in the region [Korkoree]. He compares chess and backgammon, the two most popular board games in the Middle East.

He says chess might reflect the eternal strife to make the right moves in life and backgammon also does the same, but with divine intervention from god - the dice. For the dice regulates you as you make your way around on the board and in life. Could that too be a reason for it immense popularity? Thanks for the lovely piece.

Debarshi Dasgupta




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* Amazing story

Dear Cyrus,

What an amazing and beautiful story you have written [37 days].

"I saw him standing in his place,
A goblet in his grasp, a smile
of right good cheer upon his face,
As in the glass he gazed awhile
And seemed to view in vision clear
A hundred truths reflected there."

(From Hafiz' "A Mad Heart" as translated by A.J. Arberry)

Best,

Amir



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* Discussion amongst readers

Thank you for an excellent and interesting site. I can't but to notice that many contribution on this site are political in nature.

However, there seems to be no place for political discussion amongst the readers, a kind of question and answer notice board! ( or have I missed it?) As an Iranian, I'm very much interested in the political opinions of other Iranians spread around the world.

Do you think it is possible to start one? I'm sure it will be very popular.

Hossein Jadidi
London, UK



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* Takhteh: The long days of summer

Thank you very much for your article "Korkoree". I also learned takhteh from my late father in the early ages of childhood and your article brought me back many memories with my late father.

The long days of summer after he would come back from work and after having lunch and afternoon siesta, it then was time for some serious takhteh. Just like you, it took me a few years till I could bit him and he never liked it :-)

Anyway, I am afraid long gone those innocent days and the only thing left is just some sweet memories !!!

In case you happen to travel to southern part of Florida, please send me an email and I would be delighted to meet you and have a game or two and perhaps we can talk more about our memories of takhteh.

Please take care and good luck with your takhteh games.

Ahmad



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* I started to play backgammon online

Article shoma ra mikhondam rajebeh takhteh [Korkoree]. vagean jaleb bod. ye jahayesh dar mordeh man sedg mikard. Before coming to us, I was on of those Iranian guys who could never accept beating by a girl, and I had a good record of beating them.

Then I started to play backgammon online and I mostly play with Iranians because of the korry of course. By this time I can tell you that I have been beaten 100 times by girls and I still can not accept losing to them even though we are good friends.

We play in gamesgrid which I believe is the best backgammon on line. If you had a chance come over my id is mashgassem. Just in case.

Pouria



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* How many women judges do we have today?

Farzaneh Khanoum, [The silver lining]

Just look at the photo attached & take back your uneducated words & be ashamed of yourself to come out with such a degrading statement towards our mothers and sisters. How many women judges are in this photograph alone? And how many do we have today?



Is ignorance a virtue?

H. Hakimi,
Norway




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* Maziar music



MaziarMusic Administrator



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* Roo kam konee

matlab-e "Korkoree" toon kheyli jaleb bood. enshallah ke ye rooz ba nevisandeh-hash takhteh-bazi mikonam.

ba3d rasti chera shoma be masa'el-e hasas-tari mesle sex va drug va injoor chiz-ha hichvaght nemipardazid? albateh takhteh-bazi ham mas'ale-ye jalebi-ye, vali khob masa'el-e jaleb-tar kam nistand.

shad bashid


A.S.



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* I mean this place is pretty darn diverse

Hello, this is a respond to "Forsaking Iranians" article. Interesting letter. I don't agree with what the writer is saying but I think it is a good opportunity to clarify certain things which I have heard other Iranians saying time after time.

I happen to be a geography major and one of my fields of study is human geography. I study people's race and ethnic background and other things. I came across many different view points on this issues.

The author of this article should check out www.stormfront.org because his racist remarks are an exact copy of White supremacists who claim White, Aryan, Nordic, Anglo Saxon -- or whatever you want to call them -- is a better and more advanced race than other races.

I believe the writer is contradicting himself by saying that countries with diverse racial backgrounds can not advance into industrial countries. Hmmm... I am not sure if he actually lives in the United States of America or not? I mean this place is pretty darn diverse, especially if you look at the most prosperous regions (California and NY) , its as diverse as its gets.

And by the way, the Japanese are from mongolic race and they are a damn advanced nation.. So the writer is dead wrong when he puts down Mongols and others because of their race. Race has nothing to do with how advanced some countries are. His argument is wrong and his words are words of hate.

B. Barzin



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* Brief description, please

The photographic essays featured in The Iranian are so wonderful and interesting. I must say, however, it would be much nicer and more complete if each of the photographs had a brief description attached.

Quite a few of us, particularly those of us born outside of Iran, have not had the pleasure of seeing these sights in person, and it would be more informative for us if we knew what exactly we were looking at.

Thank you for producing such a great online magazine that I look forward to reading daily.


Sarshahr




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* Should we give Arabs an easy ride again?!

With reference to Mr Charmchi's article 'Erasing our identity'... the man speaks the truth, you don't have to be a hard headed nationalist nor a bigot to agree to the authencity of his claims or rather more the validity of his arguments.

The issues we face in the global arena and how we deal with them will each make its mark on the history of our country (Iran). Sometimes it is easier to give up a difficult fight - we gave up once and the Arabs took over - should we let them have an easy ride again?!

Of course, the way current situations are going, the name may simply be changed to American Gulf soon! now that would be a tough fight on our hands!!

Javid baad Iran

Mahsa J




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* Persian Gulf: Orphan seeking adoption

On do boodand cho garme zad o khord
Dozde sevom khareshan ra zado bord
--
(Iraj Mirza?)

I read with interest the arguments between the two Iranians regarding the Persian Gulf.[The last stand of all things Persian] and [Erasing our identity].

The question is where is "Persia" that these people are arguing over its Gulf ?

After the Persian empire died of natural causes and officially buried by Iranian government some 70 years ago, that vast body of water has been an orphan seeking adoption.

As some of my American friends can not even distinguish Iran from Iraq, talking of "Persian" Gulf seems a little bit funny. Persia died long time ago. Long live Iran "or Iraq?"

Peerooz



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* Plight of orphans?

I am attempting to research the plight of orphans in Iran (specifically the lack of current government support). I have already read the June 6, 2000 article by Najmeh Fakhraie entitled "Heaven Sent".

Where might I find more documented evidence concerning this atrocity (such as published information or other internet sites)?

Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Very truly yours,
Christine J. Sabas


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