The Iranian Times

Friday, July 14, 2000 / Tir 24, 1379, No. 1022


ARCHIVE

Sprint Long Distance

Access & Arts

Sehaty Foreign Exchange

Flower delivery in Iran

Iranian books

Music

    Deep Dish
    The mesmerizing music of two DC DJs

    July 14, 2000
    The Iranian

    Washington, D.C.-based musicians Ali "Dubfire" Shirazinia and Sharam are Deep Dish -- couple of the hottest DJs and producers of house music on the plant! They are wildly popular especially in Europe and Japan. Their new Yoshiesque double CD is simply magnificent -- nonstop (literally, there are no breaks between tracks) mind-bending dance music perfect for twenty and thirtysomething parties. Here are eight selected tracks >>> GO TO MUISC

Emails

Cool & kooky
Unusual emails addresses

Updated July 14, 2000
The Iranian

Some interesting emails registered at The Iranian. (A) -- a_Fakhabikasezadehalnajafishafapay@, afshoon1@, anni@, Ahrimman@, akhoondboogandoo@, ali12eli@, alirocks@ >>> GO TO FEATURE


Outlook

Children of the revolution

By Jonathan Jones
The Guardian
July 14, 2000

From the pimply, sweaty miseries of Todd Solondz's Happiness to Harmony Korine filming himself being beaten up, realist film has returned to contemporary cinema with a vengeance. Nowhere is this more evident and more successful than in the new Iranian cinema with the triumph at western film festivals of films like The White Balloon and The Apple.

In fact there has never been a national school of film that so exclusively staked its appeal on reality as contemporary Iranian cinema not since the heyday of Italian neo-realism anyway. The films from Iran that reach the west are drastically lacking in fantasy. They are fixated on the small-scale, the intimate and the inconsequential. Kiarostami's Taste of Cherry, with its potential suicide driving around meeting people, is about as eventful as it gets >>> FULL TEXT

Iran's war on Bahais

By Justin Huggler
The Independent
July 14, 2000

IN THE corner of one of Iran's many museums, a man steps into the shadows and tells of his life as a member of the Islamic Republic's most persecuted minority. One of his friends was beaten to death by vigilantes who never had to answer before the courts. The whole community was threatened with the same unless it renounced its religion. But, he says, things are getting better under the reforms of President Mohammad Khatami.

Musa Ahmadi - it is not his real name - is a Baha'i, a member of a faith that originated in Iran, and is today the largest religious minority in the country - but whose beliefs are regarded as blasphemy by the authorities >>> FULL TEXT

Thanks to Akbar Mahdi

Pop Diva's return strikes a popular chord in Iran

By Tom Hundley
Chicago Tribune
July 7, 2000

TEHRAN -- In Iran, she is a star of Elvis magnitude. What's more, she is very much alive and apparently coming out of retirement.

Googoosh, a 50-year-old Iranian pop diva who has not sung in more than 20 years, will break her silence with a series of performances later this summer in Canada and possibly the United States. Her fans, from Azerbaijan to Anaheim, are ecstatic >>> FULL TEXT

Thanks to Laleh Khalili

For the record

These are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place. Thanks to Farzaneh Rohanizadeh:

Q: What is your date of birth?

A: July fifteenth.

Q: What year?

A: Every year. >>> GO HERE



More Letters

* We can only try

Mahmoud Shafiabady writes: I have been reading a lot of articles about the reform and democracy that is sweeping Iran. Almost everyting seems to be about superficial freedoms. I would like to emphasize that those who are risking their lives are more concerned about real change that would:

A) Improve the economic situation

B) Bring about more and better jobs

C) Eliminate crime

D) Educate people to understand and learn tolerate and diversity

E) Bring better relations will all countries

F) Give freedom to a responsbile press to guard over freedom and point the finger at corrupt politicians by any means

G) Allow peaceful transition from one political party to the next when people change their mind, and

H) Make sure all segments of society are positively affected by the laws (especially the disabled).

We would like to see all the benefits that exist in other countries around the world without their negatives. But I am not sure if this is possible in a short time. We have so much to overcome; centuries of abuse and tyranny. We can only try.

* What a surprise!

N. Prissygrl writes: Hhhm. Interesting "articles"? I went to the link in the Anyway section on Thursday expecting to read an article on a Persian fitness instructor. You know, like I thought here's an article on a Persian woman who is not a doctor, engineer, or lawyer, but look how she still enjoys her job. You know, just an interesting story.

Hhhm. I was a little surprised because it's a link to a London Escort service where for money, this Persian princess can be purchased! What a surprise!

* Persian Super Race

Reza Vatandoust writes: The Persians from Iran, are a splendid, gentle, clever, charismatic, powerful, noble race of people who have been running the show for almost 7000 years.

It's Iran that sets the terms not the West. Westerners merely react to the policies set by Iran. Because, very simply, we the Persians are natural politicians. We are better than the mortal enemy of the Persian race (England ), in politics. The day will come when we shall command unadulterated respect once more.

God bless the Persian Super Race.


Literature: In memort of Golshiri and Rahmani, Portland

Join us for a special program in memory of Houshang Golshiri and Nasser Rahmani on Sunday July 16th, 2000 , 5 pm, Andisheh Center, 8605 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Highway, Portland, OR 97225. Phone: (503) 297 6816. Lecture and Poetry reading. Open forum and video presentation on freedom of expression in Iran >>> DETAILS HERE


Books

.

,

Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent
By Bill Peet

.

Iraan dar negaare-haa: Tehraan-e qadim
Illustrations of old Tehran

THE IRANIAN
Bookstore
Music store


    Poetry

Translation of today's poem by Zara Houshmand:

From the outside, you see lifeless faces,

Strangers all, from Rome to Khorasan.

What's behind those faces? Look again.

To see the human ocean, look within.
-- Rumi
Previous translations



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More news

PEN writes to Khatami to protest lawyers' detention

On behalf of the 2,700 writers who are members of PEN American Center, we write again this time to protest the detention of Shirin Ebadi and Mohsen Rahami, two leading pro-reform lawyers. Their imprisonment is another blow to the course of reform underway in Iran and speaks to the precarious situation facing writers and intellectuals >>> FULL TEXT

40,000 Afghan refugees in Iran return home

TEHRAN, July 14 (AFP) - Some 40,000 Afghan refugees in Iran have been repatriated since the April 8 start of a programme organised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Regugees (UNHCR), Iranian radio reported Friday. These voluntary departures fall with the framework of an agreement between the UNHCR and Iran on the repatriation of some 100,000 refugees over a six-month period >>> FULL TEXT

Iranian and Venezuelan presidents discuss oil market

TEHRAN, July 14 (AFP) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami discussed "the situation of the oil market" with Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez Thursday, local radio reported here. The report comes amid confusion over reports from Kuwait that there will be an OPEC oil ministers meeting in Vienna next week, with OPEC president Ali Rodriguez of Venezuela and Qatari Oil Minister Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiya saying they are unaware of any such plans

U.S. oil prices steady as OPEC delays production hike

NEW YORK, July 14 (Reuters) - U.S. oil prices fell slightly Friday as the OPEC cartel failed again to reach agreement on when or if to raise crude production. West Texas Intermediate crude futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange lost just seven cents to $31.40 a barrel, holding within nearly three dollars of post-Gulf War highs struck earlier this year >>> FULL TEXT

We have nothing to with the Googoosh concert -- official

Tehran (Bahar) -- The Culture Ministry's music division has denied any involvement in Googoosh's first concert since the revolution. It's her private decision, an official said >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Film: Digging into "Test Democracy"

Tehran (Goonagoon) -- A detailed look at "Test Democracy" -- a film made by Mohsen Makhmalbaf and Shahab Farrokhyar >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

People are in no mood to read books

Tehran (Goonagoon) -- Books sales are usually down in the summer. But this year it's way down. Publishers say it may even be unprecedented. Why? The general atmosphere of the country is discouraging, they say >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Suddenly Esteqlal!

Tehran (Iran Varzeshi) -- Persepolis look out! Esteqlal's recent player trades could make it the strongest team in the league. The club is even trying to sign Karim Baqeri (rumor has it that he has been offered 170 million tomans) >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

nvitees to national team tryouts

Tehran (Iran Varzeshi) -- Thirty players have been invited to the national team training camp. Here are the names as announced by Jalal Talebi >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Some veteran players left out of national team

Tehran (Hamshahri) -- Some key veteran players will be missing from the new national team, including Javad Zarrincheh and Hamid Estili >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN


BBC

Iran & Germany

Iranian Leader has said in a speech that enemies of the country with an organized plan, intend to repeat the experience of the collapse of the former Soviet Union, this time in Iran. These sharp remarks have aroused various interpretations among observers. Mohammad Matin looks at some of these divergent views >>> LISTEN HERE

NOTE: BBC link content changes every 24 hours

BBC Persian Service


Exchange rate

Updated July 5

Buying: 820 to 826 tomans per dollar

Selling: 830 to 837 tomans per dollar

CALL TOLL FREE: 877-SEHHATY (877-734-4289)
or 800-995-0264

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Business news


The Web

Iran

Pendar

Literary magazine in Persian. Includes an unpblished short story by Shahriar Mandani-Pour. Site needs better organization and design.

Beyond Iran

Windows Media

A great big guide to audio and video on the net.

More web sites


Quote Unquote

No fantasy

The films from Iran that reach the west are drastically lacking in fantasy. They are fixated on the small-scale, the intimate and the inconsequential. Kiarostami's Taste of Cherry, with its potential suicide driving around meeting people, is about as eventful as it gets.

-- Jonathan Jones
The Guardian
July 14, 2000


Photo of the Day

Ahvaz airport, 1981


Music

Deep Dish

Music artists index


Art

Kourosh Safinia
Untitled