Must change course

When President Bush assumed office, Iran was not a nuclear power. When his successor takes the oath of office next year, however, Iran will have achieved (or be on the verge of achieving) that status. Nothing the Bush Administration or the international community is doing now is likely to alter Iran's behavior over the coming year. Indeed, so long as the sanctions adopted by the UN Security Council don't directly affect the Iranian economy, Iranian leaders won't have to make a choice between their economic well-being and their nuclear development and will thus proceed on the path to completing the nuclear fuel cycle. Senators Clinton, McCain, or Obama all know that the current policy is not going to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons>>>

We Have Everything

Contrary to my expectations, my ten years old nephew who was not surprised to see the slinky I’d brought him as a souvenir from the Unite States said, “We have slinky too. Next time we go to the bazaar, I’ll show it to you amoo jaan or as you Americans say dear uncle. Whatever you find in America we have it right here in Iran.” And he was right. To my surprise, the next day in the market he showed me many colorful versions of slinky sold at much lower prices than the US, all home grown and unauthorized reproductions of the genuine article>>>

Norooz at Gracie Mansion

This morning, March 25, 2008, I had the great honor of meeting personally with the New York City Mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, on the occasion of the old and traditional Norooz celebration at his official residence at Gracie Mansion. I had met him before; however, this morning was a turning point in my judgment of him as he proved to be a practical and a no non-sense human being, not just a politician. Himself a descendant of an immigrant family, he demonstrated many understandings the communities are going through now. But first, allow me to convey to you his message of great contribution of immigrants to the New York City community, including those of Iranians’ and diversity which has made New York City a unique fabrique of an outstanding city in the country>>>

دریغ و صد دریغ از پارسالت

نگاهی به هنرمندان وطنی بندازیم که با این همه چین و چروک و در حالی که نا و توانی هم براشون نمونده عینک های ته استکانی شون رو پشت صحنه در می آرن و با هفت قلم رنگ و روغن و مژهای مصنوعی پنج سانتی و دندان های عاریتی به رنگ برف مثل طاوس با هزار عشوه و کرشمه عین از اونجای فیل افتاده ها میرن روی صحنه تا خیل عظیم مردمی که بیش از سی ساله در این قحط الرجال هنری حیرون و سرگردون موندن رو سرگرم کنن. علیا مخدرات بدلیل اینکه در همون دقایق اولیه اجرای برنامه خمیازه ها رو یکی پس از دیگری در میون جمعیت مشاهده می کنن وسط کنسرت مجبورن چندین بار به پشت صحنه برگردن تا برای ایجاد تنوع هم که شده کلاه گیس ها و لباس هاشون را تند و تند عوض کنن.>>>

Growing pains x 2

Because of our heavy workload and other time consuming commitments, many of us may not be able, or unwilling, to communicate with our kids effectively or adequately especially earlier in their life. Our children go through different and often difficult stages in their life and managing them effectively is very crucial to their long-term success. That is why we should help our kids in any possible ways so that they can cope with the physical and emotional outbursts they experience especially during the teenage years. Make sure that our kids understand that we, the parents, are not trying to control their life or subject them to excessive restrictions or do anything knowingly to displease them. Our love for them should be unconditional and undivided>>>

Let's get engaged

Iranian nationalism is based on the belief that while Iran is by all standards a powerful country, it is prevented from assuming its place on the world stage by perennial American, British and Israeli opposition. Iran is a populous, culturally sophisticated, nationally cohesive and - by the standards of the developing world – technologically advanced country. How else can a policymaker in Tehran explain why Israel, India and Pakistan have been allowed to develop nuclear arsenals without much international outrage while Iran is ostracized for its own program, so far carried out within the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty?>>>

Concierto de Aranjuez

What I can tell you about Miles Davis is that when I listened to his music, I could see her. I could see her and she was even more than I thought she was and I was even more than I thought I was too. I couldn't see her face or anything like that, but I could see the world where she existed. It was the same one where I existed. As long as there was a music like that, the worlds where we existed were the same. She didn't even have to like the music necessarily, because it liked her. It had been made with her in mind, and it had been made with my hope in her in mind. The way that it had us in mind was unconditional. Look, it was saying, I am trying to be beautiful, so I have to believe in you whether you believe in me or not. Of course if you do believe in me, then where we'll get to together will really be somewhere>>>

The Indian's gift

I think my first impression of America was when I landed at Chicago O'Hare Airport and I had to walk what seemed like a fifteen-mile hike to my next plane. But the impression that has stuck with me all these years is what I saw in the second airport where I was waiting for a connecting flight to my final destination, Oklahoma City. There, in a waiting hall no larger than my grandfather's living room back in Iran, I saw something that simply stopped me breathing! In the corner of the hall stood a statue of an American Indian. A tall, handsome, and muscular man, with long black hair cascading over his broad shoulders. He must have been at least six and half feet tall. His eyes looked directly forward, as if focused over the tops of some imaginary rocky mountains miles away.>>>

I Jumped For You

Dear Son, I wish I could tell you that your maman and I don’t still cry, but that would be a lie. We miss you more than ever and our hearts weep every day. Some days are better than others, of course, but not having you with us is still hard to cope with, but… we are doing the best we can. On this Nowruz I feel a flood of mixed emotions, just as your mother does. On the one hand, we both feel the heavy weight of your absence, but at the same time, we know just how much joy we had together over the years during Nowruz, and we don’t want to lose that like we lost you>>>

بی انصافا

از زنی که یکروز اون رو
برهنه تو شکمش داشت
ولی حالا روشو ازش برگردونده
که زخمیش نکنه،
با وجودی که تموم وجودش اشتیاقه،
می خواد دوباره قورتش بده،
می خواد بچه ش دوباره کوچولو بشه
و خودشودرسته توش بندازه

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نوروز به هيچ ايدئولوژی سرسپردگی ندارد

تجربهء هفت هزار ساله به ما می گويد که اگر نوروز يک عيد و جشن مذهبی بود در همان نخستين خم کوچهء تاريخ از ميان رفته بود. اما نوروز، تنومند و با شکوه و زيبا ـ تکيه زده بر عصای ستبر جداسری (جدائی از ايدئولوژی و مذهب) ـ از راه بندان همهء مذاهب رد شده است تا امروز نيز در مقابل اين پهلوان پنبهء خرافات زدهء حکومت اسلامی بايستد و بگذارد تا نوکران حکومت شان تملق اش را بگويند، تاريخ و هويتش را معوج بازگويند و در لحظهء تحويل سال بسوی «عرش الهی» شان دست بگشايند و، در عيدی ايرانی، به زبان عربی التماس کنند که: «يا مقلب القلوب و الابصار...» >>>