Archive - Blog entry

Pavarotti on fire

I had bought the season tickets to the opera at New York's Lincoln Center months in advance and by the time of the performances, I had almost forgotten about them. One day I looked at my tickets and noticed that two of them were for a performance on the following day. Since I had no one to go with, I took the tickets to college the next day and after the end of my afternoon class, I decided I would walk the halls and stop random girls and ask them if they would like to go to the opera -- in two hours. Why not? I would have said yes! >>>

Luciano Pavarotti will never die

I just learned Luciano Pavarotti has passed away. Such a terrible day for humanity.>>>

Esfandiari Released Based on Senator’s Request

I’m not sure if this classifies as “dialogue” between the two countries, but lost in the news concerning Haleh Esfandiari and Parnaz Azim’s released is that it was done primarily through Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s orders. According to the LA Times, Khamenei was replying to a letter from Esfandiari’s boss, former Democratic Rep. Lee Hamilton, the co-chair of the Iraq Study Group, who wrote a “respectful letter asking for Esfandiari’s release and pledging to work for peace between the U.S. and Iran.”>>>

می‌خواهم تا وقتی که می‌ميرم زنده باشم.

پائولو کوئیلو٬ نویسنده‌ی برزیلی٬ کسی است که تا کنون حدود نود میلیون نسخه از کتابهایش به فروش رفته است. رمان سال ۱۹۸۸ او٬ کیمیاگر٬ به ۶۳ زبان ترجمه شده و حدود ۴۰ میلیون نسخه فروش داشته است. او نقد و شناخته شده است برای زبان نوشتاری ساده و فلسفه‌ی دوران تازه‌اش. طرفدارانش با شوق داستانهای رمزآمیزش را می‌خوانند و دنبال می‌کنند. آخرین کتابش٬ جادوگر پورتوبلو ٬ هم اکنون منتشر شده و در کتابفروشی‌ها است >>>

27-year-old virgin

A 27-year-old Iranian Baha’i virgin told me the other day that >>>

پاسخ به اين تناقض را در کجا بايد کاويد؟!

از اينرو نظرات اخير داريوش سجّادي مبني بر « عقلانيت و واقعگرائي در مواضع و مقالات » حسين درخشان را مي توان غنيمت شماري فرصتي دانست که هدف آن اعطاي صلاحيت تصنّعي و اعتبار به افشا گریهاي بچه گانه ء درخشان در بيرون ريختن ارتباطاتِ همکارانش همچون مهدي خلجي و ديگر همکاران نشريه روز با سازمانهاي غير دولتي است.

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yek link e khaandani

What is stoicism? >>>

Donya Nadareh Messle Toh

Sandra Nunez writes: I have always been hesitant about putting my feelings in public.Kind of ironic,considering that I am a writer and I love to share my feelings with the entire world!! . But after reading so many love stories in this page, I decided I would give it a try and share,because it’s by sharing that I find joy. I made a promise to myself after reading Khaled Hoseeini’s novel,“A Thousand Splendid Suns”, that I would always follow my heart no matter how hard things on the way may turn, that I would never surrender and do what others want me to do,in other words,I promised myself to be a rebel-forever!>>>

hekaayat e yek raahnavardi e toolaani

An ordinary guy (someone like you and I) walks 300 km in january 2006. >>>

A Letter to Ray Takyeh....

Takyeh, in Persian/Arabic may mean a mosque-like place where the mourners gather around to beat themselves during the Imam Hossain’s Aashura anniversary!? As you may know Imam Hossain activities is a very lucrative business in Iran these days. Do you own any of these takyeh places in Iran and if so do you receive proceeds based on what the mullahs make on these places? >>>

A WMD Free Zone in the Middle East Won’t Help Iran

Making the Middle East a WMD Free Zone won't ease Iran's appetite for nuclear technology.  According to Joseph Cirincione, director for non-proliferation at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, most weapons programs in the Middle East began in direct response to Israel’s decision to go nuclear in the 1950s and 1960s. Despite this analysis, I think the calls for a Free Zone in the Middle East as a way for curbing Iran’s appetite for nuclear technology is faulty. Iran is not responding to any Israeli threat, but to a US threat. Israel will never threaten Iran’s territory like it does to other bordering Arab states. >>>

A letter to BBC Persian

I have known BBC Persian program for more than 40 years, BBC was the only source of information that my father used to listen to since the days of the World War II. So I grew up listening to your radio program, with respect and reliance on impartiality and independence. >>>

First day of classes

Wouldn't it be good if everyone was an eager student? Eager to learn new things, explore new topics, always open to the idea that there is more to learn. Here's to a beautiful year ahead. >>>

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!>>>