Archive - Feb 8, 2011 - Article

Crumbling Puppet

The Egyptian People's courageous struggle is more than the ouster of a hated dictator: it is a sweeping movement against an old, cruel order and has deep economic, social, political and international dimensions. The sudden revolutionary eruption in Egypt and the demand for real and substantive democracy, equality and independence from U.S. domination has stunned the leaders of the western imperialist powers>>>

Low Point

Dear Mr. Kinzer, I was sorry to read your article -- “Prince Ali Reza Pahlavi Suicide: Tragic End to Iran's Dynasty” -- regarding the suicide of Prince Ali Reza Pahlavi. Despite what the political discourse on every side would have us believe about the nefarious influence of the media in our everyday life, there are responsible journalists who take their work of informing the public seriously, who review facts carefully, and finally express opinions reasonably. Then, there are the others>>>

توسعه، سبک چینی؟

چندی پیش آلبوم "عشق سرعت" گروه کیوسک -- به یمن اینترنت – آوازه جهانی یافت. ترجیع بند یکی از آهنگ های این آلبوم که که بخشی از آنرا برای تیتر این مقاله وام گرفته ام اینست: "غیرت سیب زمینی، توسعه سبک چینی، دموکراسی دینی، پیتزای قورمه سبزی!" تصور می کنم وجه مشترک این توصیفات متضاد و ناجور تجربه زندگی در ایران باشد. یکی از این شعارها "توسه سبک چینی" است که مدتی است زبانزد قشر حاکمه ایران بوده و چند سال پیش هم آقای اسدالله بادامچیان آنرا به میدان نقد و بحث عمومی کشیده در امکان گذار به توسعه اقتصادی بدون دموکراسی از مدل چین نام بردند>>>

The Good Writer

Darznik's book is an elegant and memorable way that the author has chosen to show her love and devotion to her mother, and also for her country of birth. It is clear that Jasmin Darznik has conducted an impressive amount of research to create a believable image of Iran during the past century, and she is very successful in the depiction of an Iran that many don’t know. This book, I am sure, will be a great success, especially among the non-Iranians, as it creates a believable universe, and as an Iranian reader I feel this urge to clean up my own acts>>>

ستارگان

یک شب به زادگاهم بازخواهم گشت
برای چیدن ستاره ها
از روی بام خانه ام.
پدر می گوید: "نگاه کن، آنجا
هفت برادران را نمی بینی؟" >>>