Selected short notes
February 2003
Past months
Latest
* IRAN!? I can't wait
Previous
* Warning
* Chatty stranger on the Tehran metro
* An offer from Qazvin
* Rejoicing is the word
* Are WE Prophet Mohammad?
* Darboon
* Sounds just about right
* Gone
* Sound bite
* Morons
* The mind works
* Out of business
* So real it hurts
* We all aspire
* Kathmandu
* Uncle Bruce
* Milou
* Lamss koneem
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February 28, 2003
* IRAN!? I can't wait
Me: "Al, I've been a big fan of yours for years,...and....and your music
means so much to me... and... and... I'm just speechless! Just want you to know that
you have a HUGE following in Iran, and you would easily fill any concert hall in
Iran if you play there.... and... "
Al Di Meola: "IRAN!? Man, I can't wait to go there... no, you have no idea,
I am serious, I can't wait to go there... I would love to play there... "
* Al Di Meola released Splendido
Hotel in 1980, which featured a composition by Chick Corea called
"Isfahan".
-- Babak Khiavchi
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February 27, 2003
* Warning
State Department Warns Americans Not To Act Like Americans.
-- Headline, BBspot.com,
February 17, 2003
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February 26, 2003
* Chatty stranger on the Tehran metro
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February 26, 2003
* An offer from Qazvin
A journalist from Ghazvin emailed me this; thought this was funny... being published
in Qazvin...
hamkari filan in ast ki egazih dashtih basham ta ashar shoma ra dar soton adab
va honar yeki az rooznamihaee sabighih dar va porforosh mahali (ostan ghazvin) chap
konam...
-- L.F.
February 24, 2003
* Rejoicing is the word
According to the organizers 2 million people, and according to police more than 750,000
people took to the streets of London over the weekend of the peace protests (February
15), a large number by any rate. Poll after poll shows that majority of the British
people is against the war even with a UN endorsement. Will those voices be heard?
I doubt it. But I have a thought. If one tenth the number of people who marched
through London streets, hypothetically appeared in the streets of Baghdad, demanding
something against their government's policies, many things would be changed in Iraq,
or any other dictatorial country for that matter. It would be a revolution then,
not a peaceful protest.
The problem with this hypothesis is that you cannot find even a couple of people
daring to show in a protest against those governments. In one instance, you could
take part in a protest, but your voice falls on the deaf ears of representatives
you elected, and in another instance you cannot even express your opinion. In both
cases the majority of people's wish is practically ignored.
There is a bit of practical difference though. "I rejoice that we live in
a country where peaceful protest is a natural part of our democratic process,"
Tony Blair put it this way on the same day the peace protests occurred.
It's kind of frustrating that rejoicing the ambiance your opinion has created
is the maximum acknowledgement you could get from an elected politician. However,
it is kind of rejoicing, at the same time, when you think you can express yourself
even if it is in vain. Yeah rejoicing is the word to describe the practical difference
between democratic Britain and dictatorial Iraq.
On a more cynical note, that is perhaps what Tony Blair could have in mind of
bringing about in Iraq: rejoicing future Iraqi leaders while ignoring popular demands.
-- Hooman Moradmand
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February 24, 2003
* Are WE Prophet Mohammad?
Heard from K. at a party in Berkeley, Saturday night:
One day a Muslim dies. He appears in front of a gate with St. Peter standing next
to it.
"Sir, I'm a Muslim. I want to meet Prophet Mohammad."
St. Peter: "Sure. He's over there."
The Muslim walks for half an hour in the direction pointed by St. Peter. He sees
a man.
"Are you Prophet Mohammad?"
"No. I'm Jesus. Mohammad is over there."
The Muslim walks for another half an hour in the direction pointed by Jesus. He sees
a man.
"Are you Prophet Mohammad?"
"No. I'm Moses. You look tired. Would you like to sit down and have some coffee?"
"Sure, thank you. That would be nice."
Moses turns around and shouts, "Mohammad! Two coffees please!"
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February 24, 2003
* Darboon
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February 24, 2003
* Sounds just about right
Bella commenting to friends about my perception of marriage:
-- "He thinks he's going ice skating."
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February 20, 2003
* Gone
"If the phone don't ring, you know it's me"
-- "One of the best Country song titles" reported on CNBC
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February 15, 2003
* Sound bite
......
Maziar Behrooz, Naghmeh Sohrabi and Payam Mohseni spoke at UC
Berkeley last week on Iran and Iranians after 9/11. (Click on each image to see
30-second AVI video clips. Need QuickTime
to see it.)
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February 15, 2003
* Morons
Today's Washington Times reports:
The Christian Coalition today will hold a forum here on Christianity's clash with
Islam, and already has drawn criticism from the American Muslim Council and Interfaith
Alliance for failing to include "even one Muslim."
The three-hour symposium, which will highlight Islam's threat to Christianity,
is expected to feature five panelists who are "outspoken" in their negative
opinion of Islam, said coalition spokesman Ronn Torossian said.
"This symposium is intended to further educate Christians of faith and interested
Americans about the true nature of Islam," said Coalition President Roberta
Combs, who will give the keynote address.
She will be followed by Daniel Pipes, director of the Middle East Forum and a
critic of Islam, as well as the Rev. Labib Mikhail, an Egyptian who was pastor of
Evangelical Bible Church in Fairfax and author of "Islam Is Not a Divine Religion."
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February 15, 2003
* The mind works
There's a man in Tehran who was a student during 28 Mordad (1953), when Mossadegh
got removed. He and two others (one of them my uncle) hid in a car after the army
opened fire on anti-Shah demonstrations. A bullet hit him and he became paralyzed.
He has been bed-ridden ever since.
He has written several books, but the authorities have not allowed them to get
published. Every two weeks intellectuals of his time gather at his house. You can't
walk into his room without stepping on books.
-- J.K.
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February 15, 2003
* Out of business
I wanted to send some money to Iran last night. The first thing that came into
my mind was esaraf.com, which had been set up
as an online money exchanger. But when I went there, I saw this message:
-- Jahanshah Javid
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February 5, 2003
* So real it hurts
A couple of people have emailed about the Khatami cover photo. They believe it's
a fake. It's not. The one originally featured was spread
on two pages of Abbas's book and scanned poorly. Today I went and took
a smaller but much better
quality copy from his site on Magnum Photos and replaced
it. (See: Iran
Diary)
The thing is, if you don't want to believe that Khatami could possibly make such
a gesture, it will always be a fake in your eyes, no matter what. Just understand
that Abbas is a professional photographer. This is his life, art and business. He
has an impeccable reputation.
Still not convinced? :o)
-- Jahanshah Javid
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February 5, 2003
* We all aspire
Sitting in that movie theater, watching Captain Picard ram his starship into an
enemy warbird in the tenth installment of the trek franchise, I began to think about
just how much Star Trek appeals to Iranians.
First of all, we all aspire. Whether you're in Iran aspiring to leave the country
for a better life or if you're in the United States or Europe aspiring to make something
of yourself in a foreign land, we're aspiring. Star Trek is the essence of aspiring...
that's basically all they do. That and shoot at things.
Secondly, Star Trek shows people of all races and colors and they are all accepted
into the society in which Star Trek is based around. Most of the "regulars"
at Iranian.com are probably living in a land other than our "Vatan", or
homeland of Iran. We are outsiders in the United States, England, Austrailia, etc..
Our entire social existence and financial well being depends on us integrating into
the foreign society in which we live.
It isn't always easy. Some people aren't as welcoming as others (cough --- FRENCH
--- Cough), and when watching Star Trek, one can be transported (no pun intended)
into a world where everyone and everything is accepted. We can "be" in
a nicer world.... even if it is only for one hour.
Lastly, an Iranian's worst enemy is an Iranian ;) Habib Zargarpour, a chief computer
animator for Industrial Light and Magic, is responsible for many of the special effects
shots we see on Star Trek today. The curiosity of mocking another Iranian's work
should be enough to drive any Iranian into being a trekkie (I'm only joking, of course).
And of course, I highly recommend the latest Star Trek movie, Nemisis.
It's a great adventure full of laughs, action (a lot of action... the last half hour
is just edge-of-your-seat action), and tears (there's a very emotional scene as well,
towards the end). Go watch this movie and you'll see why there are so many "trekkies"
out there.
-- Reza Shiraly
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February 5, 2003
* Kathmandu
Dear Sir,
I am working in a great publishing house ... in Nepal. It's s semi Nepali Government
Publishing House and 102 years old. We publishing 2 daily newspaper, 3 monthly magazine.
I just participate "Visual Communication Programme 2002" held in Milano,
Italy at 8-10 November, 2002.
I am working in this publishing house since 20 years. I am Diploma in Computer
Management, Diploma in Computer Hardware, Diploma in Computer Application, Diploma
in Economics, Printing Technology, Information Technology course. I am also member
of Computer Association of Nepal. I will participate a lot of Printing and Computer
Programme.
Nepal is very small and undeveloped country. I am very interested to visit your
office because exchange technical idea to your technical staff. So I request to you
please send me invitation letter via my fax number or give me time to visit your
office.
Thanks for valuable cooperation,
-- RD
Kathmandu, Nepal
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February 5, 2003
* Jackson & Uncle Bruce
My nephew Jackson gets down >>>
See video clip.
Thanks for valuable cooperation,
-- Bruce Bahman
February 5, 2003
* Milou
A short animation of Milou.
-- Babak Shariat
To top
February 5, 2003
* Lamss koneem
-- shadzi.com
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