The Iranian Times

Wednesday, October 28, 1998 / Aban 6, 1377, No. 593


Ketab Farsi bilingual books

Sehaty Foreign Exchange

Shahin & Sepehr

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    Baba Taher


Hamid Taghavi

War, Iranian Style
Ta'rof is, in fact, prepartation for major battle

The age-old Iranian tradition of ta'rof can be loosely likened to the various stages of a war.

Greetings start with the inevitable exchange of an array of compliments and the ensuing battle to convince the other party of their relative higher status. This is similar to diplomatic efforts preceding a war.

"Hi. How are you?"

"I'm barely alive. How are you?"

"Not terribly bad. How's your mother? How's your father? How's your dog? How's your spare tire?"

"Fine, all thanks to you. May your shadow not be reduced. How about you? How are your distant relatives? How's the brother of your regular bus driver? How's the tombstone on the grave of your great grandpa? How's the vegetable garden? How's your dog's tape worm situation?" ... GO TO FEATURE


    Outlook

* Open your own Web storefront

CNET Builder.com's complete guide to e-commerce, with software reviews, business tips, and links to business services and Web resources.

Successful selling on the Web requires a complex blend of Web design, transaction and database programming, server configuration skills, promotion and marketing savvy, and much more.

Fortunately, the Web can help. This spotlight will point you to CNET Builder.com comparisons of e-commerce software, tips on how to set up and run your online business, and our own special brand of e-commerce insight. We'll also show you other e-commerce services and software for everything from outsourcing your store to processing transactions on your own server. We've also included links to helpful e-commerce articles, tutorials, and resource sites from around the Web. All you need is something to sell... FULL TEXT


    Anyway

    Good practice

    Laleh Khalili writes:

    Of all strange things, Iran and being Iranian has become the subject of a well-respected, well-watched, Emmy-winning TV show. One of the cases shown last Sunday on the ABC lawyer-drama, The Practice, was the case of an Iranian woman being fired from her job for no other reason than being Iranian.

    One of the characters said, "I am not over the hostage thing." Meanwhile, the Iranians were defined in relation to terrorism, the World Trade Center bombing and links to Sudan.

    The jury (no surprise there) finds in favor of the man who fired her because this is a time of "war" and heightened emotions. And of course, this being American TV and everything ending with justice and happiness for all, the judge sets aside the jury verdict and rules in favor of the Iranian woman.

    And to top it all off, the lawyer for the man who fired her asks her out! How twisted is network TV?


    History

    Revolution: 1979-1999

    War donations


More Letters

* Booy-e Gand-e Paa

S.T. writes: When I first saw the title for the Book of the Week in The Iranian Times, -- Scent of Saffron -- I thought this must be another book on Iranian cooking. Then the full title sunk in "Scent of Saffron: Three Generations of an Iranian Family" I laughed so hard, I though I was going to have an accident.

I'm sure it is a fine a book, but the title could sure use a little help. What's next in this perpetual attempt to capitalize on the superficial understanding and appreciation for whatever deems to be ethnic?

I think I might write my own memoir about the intricate interplay of religion and the extended family in Iran. I will call it "Booy-e Gand-e Paa: How Religious Activity Works to Reinforce or Squander Family Ties.

* What's happening in Chicago?

Mehran Azhar writes: I have yet to see an event -- either cultural or political -- held in Chicago mentioned in the Community section of your magazine . For those of you subscribers who live near the Windy City, are there any Iranian organizations in Chicagoland that promote such events? Any information with regard to Iranian "kanoons" in or about Chicago is highly appreciated.

The Second International Non-Renewable Energy Sources Congress and Exhibition

December 12-17, 1998, Tehran, Iran... DETAILS HERE


Book of the Week

Scent of Saffron:
Three Generations of an Iranian Family

By Rouhi Shafii

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More news

Rial freefalls on open market

TEHRAN, Oct 28 (AFP) - The Iranian currency dropped sharply in value this week on the open market after months of steady decline, but the central bank pledged Wednesday to maintain a freeze on the rate of the rial against major foreign currencies. The rial fell from 6,200 to the dollar at the start of the week to nearly 6,700 on Wednesday after hints from the central bank early in the week that it may allow the currency to freely float against major currencies... FULL TEXT

* The dollar now offered at up to 665-66880 tomans

Rial stabilization policy will continue

Tehran, (HAMSHAHRI) - The Central Bank has issued a statement saying its rial stabilization policy will continue through 1378 (March 2000) as planned ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Egypt upgrades diplomacy in Iran

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- Egypt has upgraded its diplomatic mission in Iran in a sign of thawing ties, Egyptian and Iranian diplomats said Wednesday. Egypt and Iran severed ties after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Egypt maintains an interests section in Tehran, which works from the Italian Embassy... FULL TEXT

U.S. rights group backs jailed Iran cleric

DUBAI, Oct 27 (Reuters) - A U.S. human rights group expressed support for a Shi'ite Moslem cleric jailed in Iran after he published articles supporting women's rights. The New York-based Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, in a statement received by Reuters on Tuesday, urged lawyers to write on behalf of Mohsen Saeidzadeh to Iranian head of judiciary Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi and Iran's envoy to the United Nations ... FULL TEXT

Wooing foreign investors

Tehran, (HAMSHAHRI) - Government plans for attracting $7.5 billion in foreign investment ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

"Naneh Jaan" win Frankfurt film award

TEHRAN, (Hamshahri) - Kabouzia Partovi's "Naneh Jaan va Farzandash" has been awarded at a children's film festival in Frankfurt... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Wanted: Grass

Tehran, (HAMSHAHRI) - There are no grass fields for the national soccer team to practicew on; plus the latest news on top first division games ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN


$ Rate

The dollar now offered at up to 665-668 tomans

Source: Sehaty Exchange (U.S.) Tel: 602-595-0777

Business news


The Web

Razi School

Hundreds and hundreds of alumni contacts. If you're looking for old classmates, the names and photos here will give you a high-voltage nostalgia shock.

More web sites... & the Web site of the day - beyond Iran


Quote Unquote

Crooked

"Aroos balad neest beraqsseh meegeh otaaq kajeh."

(The bride does not know how to dance but says, "The room is crooked." = A bad workman blames his tools)

From Simin Habibian's "1001 Persian-English Proverbs"


Photo of the Day

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Music

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Shahin & Sepehr

Five more tunes from the hugely successful "World Cafe" CD

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