Why now?

Arms sales and military training in the Middle East have been increasing since the end of the US invasion of Iraq. The United States has delivered more weapons to this region than any other country in the world. Bush administration announced in 2007, unprecedented weapons deals worth at least $20 billion to Saudi Arabia and five other oil-rich Persian Gulf states, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The arms deals, which include the sales of a variety of sophisticated weaponry, would be the largest negotiated by this administration. >>>

Iran's Nuclear Mistake

Is our nuclear program an attempt to show off to the world that we are no longer a backward country? But if that is the case then why are we spending all this money on outdated technology that is mostly acquired from non-Iranians? Are we defending our right to nuclear energy because we don’t want to be pushed around by other nations? But isn’t our nuclear program in actual fact creating a big excuse for other nations to push us around?>>>

سی و پنچ گلوله

شهریور شصت و شش از زندان آزاد شدم . سی و پنچ نفر تیرباران شدند . در کنار اسکله ی سنگی زیر باران قدم زدم . هوای تازه و نم نم باران مرا زنده کرد از هر چه میرایی . قدم زدم . صدای تیر خلاصی در ذهنم راه رفت .باران خیسم کرد .روی سنگ بزرگ ایستادم تا موج آب مرا با خود ببرد .مزه ی شور دریا ، شیرینی رها شدنم را حرام کرد . به سی و پنج تیر ، فکر کردم که فضای صبحگاه ، بارانی محوطه ی اعدام را پر کرد .هر گلوله قیمتی داشت . >>>

Not pan-Turkism

Comments calling me a pan-Turkist, or a secessionist, have been aplenty, even under articles which have had nothing to do with anything that might have been interpreted relevant to the accusations (subjects such as the war in Iraq, or the US presidential campaign). Some of the commentators may not be aware of the meaning of the term 'pan-Turkist' and some may just use words that are meant to slander or discredit some person. This is also part of freedom of expression, though in real life, where real identities can be checked and real accusations provided as proof, accusers may end up in court, in jail, or paying heavy compensations, for their defamatory accusations>>>

If it wasn’t for her

The person I admire most is my mum. She taught me to be independent and pushed me to reach my full potential and be the person that I am today. This can be good or bad – but to be fair she is responsible for all the positive I have managed to achieve in my life. She might not make the best president for Iran (please link to my article about my mad mum) but she has definitely proved to be an extraordinary teacher as she taught me to speak up for what is right and has showed me the path to success in life. She is no ordinary mum, she is a super mum>>>

Say you're sorry

Senator Clinton should apologize for using a genocidal term during her campaign. Her recent remark-- stating that if Iranians were to launch a nuclear attack against Israel, the United States would be able to obliterate Iran -- is out of the line, politically inappropriate, and reflects a hawkish approach toward foreign policy based on the Bush administration model. Even neoconservative warmongers who have been saber rattling with Iran over the past 8 years have never used such a term. If the media were not distracted by Rev. Wright's controversial remarks, this comment would cause a huge backlash against Clinton. >>>

A plus

Actor-Comedian Maz Jobarani finagled his complicated schedule so he could accept Iranian Scholarship Foundation’s invitation to speak at their fundraising gala. An alternate choice for the event had been graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi. But Jobrani was more stubbornly persuasive in beating back his schedulers. A stellar cluster of young Iranian scholars needed his support, and no other engagement seemed more important. Jobrani immediately challenged his audience with a hilariously multi-layered routine about how his mother wanted him to be a lawyer--when he really wanted to be an actor. >>>

Purim

Purim is one of the most Persian of Jewish festivals. The story is essentially about how Haman, the Amalekite vizier (not a Persian), tried to abuse his power to massacre all Jews and how this was thwarted by the courage of the Jewish Queen Esther, the wisdom of his uncle Mordechai and the decree of the King Achashverosh of Persia (usually identified with Xerxes) who commanded that Haman and his offsprings be executed on the same platform they had prepared for Mordechai>>>

بالا تر از شعار

خارج کشوری ها می توانند در راستای شراکت در امر سياسی ناظر بر داخل کشور به امکانات و توانائی های عملی خود بيانديشند و برای هموار کردن راهی که به انحلال حکومت اسلامی در ايران بيانجامد در ابعاد کارآمدتر توانائی خود عمل کنند. من، متأسفانه، تأسيس حزب و ايجاد اتحاديه های سياسی را از جملهء اين اقدامات نمی بينم و حتی اينگونه فعاليت ها را موجب عقب افتادن کار و اتلاف انرژی تلقی می کنم. اين احزاب و اتحاديه ها، که نطفه شان در لوله های لابراتواری خارج کشور بسته شده و در فضاهای آزاد و فارغ از وبال بال رشد می کنند، در فردای تغيير رژيم در ايران نخواهند توانست نقشی مؤثر بازی کنند. >>>

نام های عزيز

هزار و يک شب از سنگ های آتش گذشتم
هزار و يک شب از صخره های ذوب شده،
قلعه های سنگ باران
و تازيانه های درد
خواب بودی و جادو، و نمی ديدی
که خورشيد از زخم هايم سر می کشد
>>>

The heart of the matter

In a publishing world where a majority of manuscripts are printed exclusively for the benefit of marketplace, it is uncommon to find the work of a new author in print simply on its own merit and because it was too good to reject. The Septembers of Shiraz is such a book. Not only is it written from the heart, but also the soft touch in Dalia Sofer’s style is a rare gift to readers who crave good literary work. True as it may be that the title could have been more relevant – as noted by several critics – by the time I realized this I was pulled so deeply into the story that I no longer cared. Ironically, the misleading title works to the book’s advantage because I doubt I would have picked it off the shelf if the title were Septembers at Evin, or any other that might have revealed its plot >>>

این زیرزمین تیره و تار

گفته میشود که یکی از فوائد زندگی در مغرب زمین همین است که شهروندانش، به نسبت ما شرفی ها، کاری به کار هم ندارند، ولی این پرسش پیش می آید: تا چه حد باید به امور دیگری بی تفاوت باشیم؟ چطور یک نفر از اهالی شهر آمشتتن اطریش به این مرد مشکوک نشده بود؟ آن هم در مدت قریب یک ربع قرن و در حالیکه گزارش میشود که در طبقات فوقانی مستأجرانی زندگی میکرده اند که متوجه بازدید عجیب و پی درپی یوزف فزیتزل به زیرزمین ممنوعه شده بودند بدون آنکه پی دلیل برآیند. حتی یکی از این مستأجرین که به مدت 12 سال ساکن ساختمان بوده است مکالمه ای را به یاد دارد که فرینزل از منزلش به عنوان خانه ای یاد میکند که روزی در تاریخ ثبت خواهد شد !ولی افسوس که هیج یک از این نشانه ها شک از اطرافیان را بطور جدی برنمی انگیزد. >>>

Cultural relativism

“Have you met our new neighbors?” Bob asked his wife.
“Not yet. They just moved in a couple of days ago. After they settle in we should go and meet them.” She responded.
“Where are they from?” He asked.
“They look Middle Eastern to me. But their two girls were probably born here. They speak perfect English. They were talking to April the other day. They got along well.” She commented. >>>