Archive - 2007

A surrogate tear

A Mirror Garden is the memoir of an Iranian-American woman who has witnessed much of the events of the last century. Monir Shahroody, now a senior citizen living in New York, has seen it all and, with some help from her co-author Zara Houshmand, shares some of those memories with readers. As the world steps away from fantasy and dream, the fascination with true events has caused a profound shift to realism in literature, art, and entertainment. Gone are the days of classic literature where a writer had to fabricate a story. Today, fiction seems to have lost its appeal and the publishing market, responding to public demand, is leaning more toward memoirs and fact-based stories. >>>

College of cardinals

The Assembly of Experts (Majlese Khobregane Rahbari) is one of the more powerful political institutions in Iran. Its main job is to appoint Iran’s Supreme leader, supervise his performance, and if it deems suitable, to dismiss him. Some have compared its task to that of the College of Cardinals in the Vatican who has the responsibility of choosing the next pope. All of the assembly's 86 members are either Ayatollahs or Hojjatoleslam (one rank below). To be considered as a member, each cleric must show relative “ejtehad". This qualification permits an Islamic cleric with the religious authority to interpret Islamic law, a qualification which takes many years of study and experience.>>>

یک پرسش

گفت آرزو بر نو جوانان عیب نیست! البته جهان بدون جنگ استبعاد عقلی ندارد. علیرغم ادعا های زیادی هم که میشود کسی طبیعت انسان را زیر ذره بین نگذاشته که اثبات کنند انسان بذات جنگجوست. خدا را چه دیده اید؟ شاید هم ذات ما صلح طلب بوده و همه این تاریخ پر از جنگ بشر را باید به حساب استثنائات بگذاریم. بعضی ها هم اصلاً خیال همه را راحت کرده و میگویند ذات انسان هم جنگ طلب است و هم صلحخواه. مثلاً نیچه دوگانگی طبایع آپولونی (به پیروی آپولو خدای موسیقی و هنر یونانی) و دیانیزوسی ( به پیروی دیانوسیس برادر ناتنی آپولو و خدای شراب) را در "تبار شناسی اخلاق" و "مرگ تراژدی" خود مطرح کرده است>>>

بهروز نرو !

نوشتم "آقای وثوقی" چون شما را هیچ نمی شناسم و نوشتم "بهروز عزیز" چون از وقتی یادم می آید ترا می شناسم. درست یک وجب بودم و رفته بودم سینما و تو بزرگترین و قوی ترین آدم دنیا بودی. تمام عرض و طول پرده را فتح کرده بودی و گسترده بودی خود را بر پهنه ی بیکران سینما. همه ی عضلات سر و صورت و دست و شانه هایت را می شناسم. نگاهت را می شناسم پرش ریز زیر چشمهایت را می شناسم. دستهایت! نحوه ی کبریت کشیدنت! صدایت؟ صدا؟ صدا صدای خودت بود و در ذهنم حک شده است. چشم بسته ترا از صدایت هم می شناسم. ترا بهتر از پدرم و بیشتر از هر مردی در زندگیم، از همان اول می شناسم و بارها و بارها دیده ام.>>>

UCLA Taser Incident With Iranian-American Student: A Commentary

I have been asked about this quite a few times. "What are your thoughts about the Iranian American student at UCLA being tasered for not having his I.D. on November of 2006?" Someone recently brought this issue back to my attention and asked me to address my individual thoughts on the situation. I watched the video a few times, as well to kind of understand the incident and in case I missed something relevant; I, then, realized the horrible distinction and example it gave. I always praised cops and still do, but now I know that "dirty" cops do exist and the UCLA police are some fine examples of what "dirty" are portrayed to be. I think the cops are incompetent and truly an insult to the uniform.

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How did you spend your Labor Day weekend?

The highlight of Saturday was the Atlanta Braves game with my family. They lost to the NY Mets and worse of all the stadium was full of their obnoxious fans. Have some respect. You're guests here so don't be too rude to the Atlantans. The only good NY "thing" at the game was the big and tasty NY-style hotdog that I ate while watching the game. Of course, it was followed by eating about a pound of boiled peanuts that I had especially prepared for the game using my own secret recipe of spices. You could say that I have developed a liking for peanuts after living in GA for a long time. I didn't have dinner!>>>

Free and weightless

Sunday afternoon, an aviation guru friend of mine and I took a drive to Bealeton, VA, located 60 miles South West of Washington, DC to check out a 1930s air show called The Flying Circus and what a delightful circus it was! Melodies of the 20s blasting in the background, a re-enacted 20s radio personality reporting the latest and the greatest in the style of the time, old retired air force pilots relaxing under their straw hats, reminiscing about the old war years, and kids with balloons in one hand, melting ice cream in the other, fully mesmerized by the site of the planes, helped recapturing the sights and sounds of bygone days.>>>

آزادی بیان متعلق به گروه خاصی نیست

صحبت درخشان و خلجی یا هر شخص دیگر در میان نیست. بحث اینکه آیا من موافق خط فکری این یک یا خط مشی سیاسی آن یک هستم نیز نیست. مسئله بسیار اساسی تر از این حرفهاست که در بین نظرات شخصی ما نسبت به این یا آن گم شده است. اکثر ما ایرانیها - و خیلیهای دیگر - خط قرمزها و حد نصابهایی برای آزادی قائل هستیم. این حتی شامل حال به اصطلاح لیبرالهایمان نیز میشود. تا اینجای قضیه هرچند جای بحث دارد اما حرفی نیست. مشکل از آنجایی شروع میشود که حد نصاب آزادی افراد را مطابق با افکار بسته و زنگ زده خود محک میزنیم

 

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For Freydoon

ظهر بود خیابان بود تابستان بود

 

میخکی بود زخمی

 

در دست یک شرقی غمگین

 

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Boogh nazan bacheh

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Astrology

Be weary this fall
for darkness is eying
you growing up
as a deer to a wolf.
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Golden eye

I was doing some personal research on how Hollywood film fashion and the American Way of Life had influenced Persian Society particularly in the 50's and 60's. It was for an article on American Soprano Monika Jalili and her Noorsaaz Band who have revived ( and translated from Persian) some of the great music score's of Iran's Pre-Revolution classic movies. I thus came across a book precisely on one of Hollywood's quintessential icon's of the swinging sixties: Audrey Hepburn the Paramount Years by Tony Nourmand. >>>

From an Iranian CEO

I have been asked frequently to give talks about my life. I have never done that before. Having read this and a few other articles, I have finally decided to write something on Internet for the first time. A bit about me (this part may sound boastful, but please be patient): 44, practising Muslim, never drinks, always prays and fasts, read Quran regularly, anything from good to very good looking, 178 cm, 81 KG, Stanford PhD (Eng), Stanford MBA, classically trained pianist, full hair, no glasses, co-founder and CEO of a privately-held technology firm with a staff of over 500, and 150+ Million/Year revenue. Married to my dear German wife for last seven years. She is a 34 year-old school teacher, a 177 cm stunner for whom I happily turn away from the whole world. We have "never" been apart for more than a day. It will remain that way. >>>