areyo barzan

Apology

Once again it seems that I ignored common sense by letting my imagination run wild and miss-interpreting or taking offence from some of comments left here by our friends.

Well that only goes to show that I also have my own weaknesses and flawed as my hate for the IRI will sometimes gets the best of me by making me behave in an inappropriate foolish manner.

However to look on the bright side this unfortunate situation have also provided me with an opportunity to prove to myself and every one else that I can be a man of my word and practice what I often preach by admitting to my error and apologizing for my stupid impulsive reaction.

Hence I would like to apologize unreservedly to any one whom I might have offended or made upset by my childish reaction.

At the end it seems that I also have a lot to learn about diplomatic interaction and civilised debate and I can only learn by acknowledging my errors and learning from them

Thank you all for your inputs

AB jaan

Just to be clear, I don't regard you as a Khomeini supporter and actually think you make some valid points. So no need to feel you have to keep denying being an IR supproter.

Fact is, in most discussusions there will be people agreeing and/or disagreeing with certain points by others. It doesn't necessarily follow that people mean to label each other supporters of this or supporters of that.

Another record

being the one and ONLY country in the 20th and 21st century that was, and is being, ruled by a theocracy.  

Or for "record" purposes, we can call it the longest running theocracy in the world in modern history.  And by longest running, I mean the length of the other ones being zero, as there are no other ones. 

Giving Credit

Fact is that had monkies taken over (via a monkey revolution) you'd have probably seen the same, if not more, "progress" in Iran than with the regime of the unelected clergy.

Once again our dislike - actually since we are Iranians, we should call it hate - for the previous regime does not mean this one is reformable, can do ANY good, or is not poisonous for our motherland.  32 plus years of divine misery have sealed the deal on that.

37. execution per

37. execution per capita

38. execution of juveniles

39. execution of juveniles per capita

40. most aftabehs (china manufactures most aftabehs)

41. most tasbihs (china manufactures most tasbihs)

42. most mullahs

42. most mullahs per capita

43. ...

Dear Esfand

I just made an observation here and did not intend to upset you or any one else. However if did not consider any sensitivity I would like to think that I am man enough to acknowledge my error and apologize

On the other subject my point was that we should always be fair enough to recognize the services that other people have done to our country which improved our lives or the doors they have opened for us.   

This would be more to encourage the future generation in by showing them that no service will go unnoticed and if they have done something good for us we always appreciate it.

However that would  NOT mean to forget of forgive their treasons crimes or destructive actions.

I believe in a balanced view and always being fair and appreciative to the people who have done any service to us while avoiding making an unquestionable idol from them and moving them beyond criticism.

Now if you think I am wrong for the sake of broadening my own knowledge I would very much like to hear your argument.

You never know I might surprise you and if proven wrong abandon by position and adapt your point of view, as I would like to think that I am always open to new ideas

Thanks  

Take it easy!

Areyo I have not accused you of being Hezbollahi and you did not win any argument nor has anyone lost an argument here. I did not lose (not loose ;-) an argument, I just said "Right Brothers" are always Hizbollahi!

If you are refering to the general state of affairs on this site where everyone is on each others throats all the time well you can blame or thank the editor whichever you choose, thank or blame! 

Everything is sacred,

Why

Why is it that every time we loose an argument instead of accepting our errors we start making unfunded accusations and insult each other.

Please have a look on my previous articles blog entries one thing that I could not be accused of is being a Hezbollahi.

In fact most of the time I have either been accused of being a communist, a monarchist or member of MKO depending on the argument, and now a Hezbollahi.

Well, I guess the only comfort I can draw from all these would be the fact that I managed to keep to the middle line and hence the radicals on each side accuse me of being on the other site of the extreme.

PS. The version of explorer on my laptop does not seem to agree with IC site formatting and hence thespacing problem so I appologize

Technology

Below are some pics of young Iranian students aspirations for advancement in technologies.

Although, in our culture (not the Persians in Shahs of Sunset culture :-) some things always have one name, regardless of their use.  For example, we call all washing detergents Tide!  whether is laundry detergent or liquid or dishwashing or even soap in some cases! 

Now here they're calling Robotics "Robo Cop" where Robo Cop was an old movie about a half man half robot police officer!

//www.mehrnews.com/fa/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=1569538

BTW Areyo they're Wright brothers.  Right brothers are always hezbollahi! 

Everything is sacred

Dear Reality-Bites

Of course I am not trying to defend the IRI record and in principal I agree with you.

As I stated before I do not even like Khomeini. However the taboo and restriction that he removed by making that announcement was mush more important and effective then any restriction that IRI or any dictator could put in place.

When people regarded TV or radio as Haraam they would not have had it, period. This was because of the fact that they could not go against their own inner restriction and taboos. That was why Shah could never took TV to all Iranian houses even if he would have given away a hose with each TV

However once that taboo was broken a flood gate opened that no dictator would have been able to put it close it.

As I stated before I am by no mean trying to defend Khomeini or put a nice mask on his criminal face.

But to keep up to my own principals I need to be fair and none bias to everyone even and especially to those whose actions, words and personality provoked a deep hate in me

AB jaan

I don't disagree with the general thrust of your point, but when you say:

"...The fact that today every home it Iran has a satellite TV is a credit to Khomeini and his first speech that scraped this restriction.."

I hope you are aware that possession and viewing of stallite TV and dishes is actually banned under the IR. The regime regularly sends its thugs to invade people's homes and confiscate their satellite equipment and punish the owners, when they find out about anyone owning sat TV.

Dear Esfand

We could and should always credit the pioneers who took the first step. Not for everything that come after but for the step that they took and laid the foundation.

The same way that we still credit Right brothers for pioneering flight although their first airplane would look very flimsy compared to today’s supper jumbos.

I am neither a Shahollahi nor by any mean a fan of IRI but in my book even the IRI should be credited for the good it has done no matter, how much we hate it.

The first thing would be making TV cinema and radio halaal.

I lived in the society before revolution and 9 out of ten households did not even have a radio or TV. Not because they could not afford it but because it was declared as haraam by clergy.

The fact that today every home it Iran has a satellite TV is a credit to Khomeini and his first speech that scraped this restriction.

It does not matter how much I hate him but still I can not turn a blind eye to this service which could only be done by a man in his (clergy) shoes.

The IRI have definitely committed many crimes but it also broke many social and cultural taboos which in a long term would be beneficial to us.

In the same way the old regime brought the modern education, roads railways modern medicine, and many other things into Iran which laid the foundation for further progress to be made by current following generation.

Of course it would be wrong to credit all these progresses to them but also it would be down right unappreciative, arrogant and unfair not to give credit when due.

If they can do this now, just imagine...

The number of records and achievements Iranians would have to their names if they lived under a free, open, democratic system that supports, nurtures and values all its citizens.

whatever reforms have been made

people have fought for it and in some cases, IRI is just not able to do it all. For instance women's Hijab nowadays is less restrictive than in early 1980s, but that is because IRI is focusing on silencing political opposition.

Not forgiving.

Anahid jaan no one is forgiving the ass backwardness and atrocities of this regime.  History will show it.  But people can't spend their lives waiting for history to make the judgment.  And then in the end some will be forgiven ala the reconciliation committee and process like it happened after the fall of apartheid in South Africa.

Life goes on and people move on with their lives and don't wait.  Iranians have come a long way from the early days of revolution to how they live today.  Big difference.  Sure people have fought and some reforms have been made.  Otherwise life would be the same as it was during the early days.

I think we all know what I'm talking about but just don't want to put anything in writing!

Faramarz jaan based on your assumption since Islamic Republic is the beneficiary of the last government's policies, then by that account once this regime falls (for the same reasons that last regime fell) the next regime will be the beneficiary of Islamic Republic!  You can't credit everything to Shah forever!   

Everything is sacred

ای بابا!

Esfand Jaan,

In order to be a professor or a top notch researcher in Iran in the past decade which is the point of this statistic, you need to be over 45 years of age today. That makes you the beneficiary of the last government's policies, both inside Iran and in the west.

The fact that Regime tried to have a cultural revolution and failed is a testament to the spirit of Iranians and proves my point.

Khomeini also encouraged child-birth to get a new generation of Islamic children. What he got was the 2009 Green movement.  

When Asghar Farhadi makes a movie that wins the Oscar and no officials show up at the airport to greet him, that does not translate to the conclusion that the Iranian movies are flourishing under the Regime.

Esfand, about cultural revolution

now that I see some close relatives applying to universities in US and getting accepted, I am more reminded about cultural revolution. Which reminds me that some Iranians are too forgiving. Abdolkarim Soroush was one of the top people in cultural revolution. He has never apologized for the atrocities committed under name of cultural revolution but many Iranians quote from him and act as if he is a worthy person. Any other nation would never forgive a person like this, but Iranians manage to be forgiving to the worst people and not forgiving to the ones who are more deserved to be forgiven.

Not Ashton Kutcher

It's a character from The Hunger Games.  Has a meaning to it.

I'm surprised that you can see it though.  My computer still shows the old avatar. 

Well Done Faramarz!

I agree with your last comments 100%

some vital statistics are missing

highest percentage of nose operations in the world, I believe

highest number of religious authorities like Ayatollah, hojatoleslam

AO jaan when u tell a joke 100,000 times it's not funny anymore!

The sense of humor is there but it has been muffled!  Come up with new ideas, or actually don't, you can do whatever you want.  Speaking of sense of humor what's the deal with your new Ashton Kutcher avatar?!

Faramarz jaan, are you forgetting the "cultural revolution" in the immediate years after the revolution?  They purged the universities of all remnants of the old Shah and actually closed it for a few years and then opened it with new books and all.

My own brother was affected by this delay.  Furthermore, all the professors during Shah are either dead or senior citizens now!  How old do you think the professors were in 1979?! 

You don't want to give any credit for anything positive to anyone in Islamic Republic and that's fine.  No problem!

Everything is sacred

Esfand Jaan

The fact that the Iranian people have been able to achieve scientific progress despite the Regime should not be regarded as credit to the Regime but rather as the triumph of the Iranian spirit, the same way that the Iranian people have been able to celebrate their art and culture like Norooz despite the IR.

Also, when one looks at the scientific progress of Iran and its academic institutions, I believe, a lot of credit should go to the previous government that created the conditions for thousands upon thousands of Iranians to get educated. University professors and researchers that are over 45 years of age are like the trees that were planted by the late Shah's government. The Regime has not been able to stop that progress.

One thing in which Iran does not rank high: a sense of humor

especially when it comes to poetry. :-))

It was a self deprecating joke.  As in the body of the comment, where it said: "on a serious note."

My concern though (as was my comment ) is about the rate of cancer.  Why the highest in the world?  There must be a cause.  Genetic or external cause?  Is there any research on the cause?  Does anyone know? 

AO Iran does not have the highest number of poets.

Looks like you're going in circle on this poets and poems issues!  Do you know how many poets are in USA?  Of all the rap songs, pop rock, soft rock, jazz, etc., etc., how many poets would you say are writing those poems on a daily basis?

As we say in Farsi sometimes you sound like arguing for a chicken to have one leg only!  Poets have screwed Iranians!  Hundreds of thousands of Japanese died and now they're America's pal, same with Vietnam and Germany!  I suppose if hundreds of thousands of Iranians were killed by US we'd end up their pal as well!  Just look what pals we are with Iraqis!  wink! wink! 

Everything is sacred

Highest number of poets? :-))

On a more serious note--My Persian is not that great, but does it say the highest rate of cancer?  That's surprising.  I would have thought a Western country would have that dubious honor with perhaps higher rates of skin cancer?

31 AND 33

Thanks for this info. A couple of points:

31 - I see this as a temporary record. Soon, if not already, the Islamist looters will liquidate these national assets and that will be that.

33 - This is one sad statistic that is unknow to most folks around the globe. Since Iranians continue to be violated by their own so called government, and since the rest of the world sees the people in the same light as they see the theocracy, this statistic, although gravely important, does not make headlines or even trigger discussions anywhere - truly sad.

Indeed don't close the eyes.

Areyo I see that you've mastered the single spacing issue and it is now easier to read and engage!

My point is that if you listen to some people on this site it is as if nothing has been accomplished since 1979 and Iranians have gone nowhere except backwards.

This view in my opinion is a slap in the face of Iranians who despite the restrictions and shortcomings under Islamic Republic have been able to achieve progress, first for themselves and then for their country as a whole.

Islamic Republic can still take credit just like it takes credit for all the nasty things that it has done to Iranians.

That's all I'm saying that there has been progress in the past 33 years.  Time and progress doesn't stop, unless there is a regime like Pol Pot that does nothing but mow down its own citizens in the killing fields. 

Everything is sacred

How about the Best Persian Cats in the World?

Or the most number of Sikh Kabob Koobideh.

The number one producer of Tahdig, Lavash, Barbari, Sangak, Zulbia Bamieh, Ghormeh Sabzi in the world.

Thanks for sharing Areyo Barzan.

Dear Esfand

This is not about approval or disapproval of the current situation.

Just stating the facts.

Please keep in mind that Guinness Book of Records is also about cherry picking and it will never show the true state of a country as that is not the intention any way.

As I mentioned in my other blogs and articles we have a huge task on our hands in terms of rebuilding our country and social structure.

But also sometime is good to let downs ones hair and just reflect of the haves and have nots

بيشترين شتاب پيشرفت توليد علم و تکنولوژی در جهان

I think one of the best ways to describe Iran is that it is a country of contradictions!  It seems no one can agree on something including themselves!

Here on i.com many of us are living in a cocoon of our own making with complete disregard on how people actually live in Iran with all of the 36 items mentioned in your blog. Cherry picking. 

If someone talks about reforms, reforms that can improve the lives of people, it is considered blasphemy, yet most people here don't believe in blasphemy but we're all for more freedoms and easier life in general!  Another contradiction to consider! 

Everything is sacred