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| December 18, 2002 See this month's letters by subject Page 1 Page 2 To top * Through the grapevine I am writing to ask if you are interested in receiving a copy of a book that has not been widely distributed but that has been very popular through the grapevine and, I believe, has great relevance to the times we are in right now. It is a recent memoir, called "The Scent of Rosewater", of New Zealand bride who spent a year in Iran with her new Iranian husband. There are many details about daily life in Iran; the book is also a love story. There are photos, the woman is beautiful, the husband handsome and the author has great respect for, and interest in discovering, a new culture and religion. The book has been translated into Farsi so is available in both languages. I am a New Zealander living in the US and I received the book from an American in Texas. I then passed it on to many others who all asked if I could find extra copies for them as the book has great immediate appeal. The author has a special voice. I found it very interesting as I was going out with an Iranian man at the time and looked for literature on the daily life in Iran, and found almost no books, so it was helpful to me in understanding Persian culture. So therefore I am writing to ask if you would be interested in my sending this book to you for your perusal. If you have an interest in stocking this book after you see it. I can put you in touch with the New Zealand and/or Iranian publishers. I could send you the English version. If you do not have any interest could you possibly suggest someone who might? I have no financial intereest in this book, I just think it is wonderfully written and helps bridge cultural misunderstandings. Copyright and publishing info is available from Bobbi Woodward. Sincerely yours, Rosemary Harris To top * Change may not occur at all Dear Shahin, Thank you for your article, "An apolitical solution". I sympathize with many of your ideas. I just wanted to add that, in addition to what you suggested, there is another way for every one of us who has left Iran and gained success abroad to give something back to the country. I refer to going back to Iran a few months a year, or a few months every two or three years, to work there and share our knowledge, expertise and experience with the people and the country. This is what I myself am in the process of carefully planning and will implement within the next three years. I realize that it is a difficult thing to do and not feasible for many Iranians. In addition, many of us left Iran in pursuit of a better life and do not want to go back to work and live, even for a short period, in an environment which we find disagreeable. I respect such feelings. However, for those of us who wish to help Iran and are willing to overcome certain obstacles to do it, this is probably one of the surest ways of doing so. I also understand that many of us are willing to return but only after significant changes to Iran?s political system take place. However, such changes may not occur at all, occur too late or not in the form that we expect. In the meantime, we may end up living our lives never having had a chance to go back, experiencing the country and culture which so enriched our lives, and making a positive contribution in the process. Sincerely, N.A. To top * You may want to consider a different name Dear Founder and Distributer of Gooz, I came across your product while perusing an Iranian website. If at some point you wish to market your product in Iran, you may want to consider doing so under a different name. In Persian, the national language of Iran, gooz means fart and is also used colloquially to demean something. Just some friendly advice in case you were thinking of expanding your market. Just out of curiosity, how ever did you come with such a name? Niki A. To top * This is Fred Johnson dear niki [Vezvezee] this is fred johnson 28 years old single white male piqua ohio did you wear a perm cap over your curlers and under the hair dryers to and have you ever had a wet rollers and wore a hairnet to yes or no and how long did you have to sit under the hair dryers for to and did you read or talk while you was sitting under there to e mail me back today to ok or did you wear the regular perm curlers or the spiral curlers called tubes on your hair to? To top * Great music I am one of many people visiting this site and of course enjoy listening to these great music collection. Thanks for your time and courage to put it together. Thank you again, Susan Nassiri To top * Very clanish I am moderate american born Muslim, of South Asian descent. I find Iranians very clanish and close knitt. It's a shame Chariot To top * Haroorm khori khoshmazzast Naghmeh Sohrabi wrote [Who you talkin' to?]: "Name a scene or a line from an Iranian film that has permeated Iranian popular culture. Was it a scene from Qaysar? From Gav? Did anyone think of a line from a post-revolutionary Iranian film? Come to think of it, can anyone recall a single memorable line from a post-revolutionary Iranian film?" I've played this game with many people, asking them to recall a line, a scene that has permeated Iranian culture the way "Qaysar, dashshet-o koshtan" has and every time I am confronted by silence: "maadar man daftare mohammad reza ro bardaashtam baayad bebaram behesh bedam", Khaaneye Doost Kojaast "ye jooraayi miaan too dele aadam", Soltan "allaaho akbar" (parviz parastooyi while clapping his hands), Leyli baa Man Ast "-mage injaa khatte moghaddame? - injaa panjaaah metram az khatte moghaddam jelowtare (torki accent)", Leyli baa Man Ast "gerefte be baale fereshte haa" , Az Karkhe taa Rhine "cheshmet koor bood nadidi baa maahaa chikaar kardan", az karkhe taa rhyne "nasim toofaan mikone " Bicycleraan "haroorm khori khoshmazzast" Aroosiye Khoobaan "manam to ro doost daaram" Honarpisheh ... I don't remember anything from the before revolution cinema. Maybe because it was not enough popular for me, I was not born yet. Mohammed Reza Pakzad To top * Cyrus Habib Kamyar, Rhodes Scholar This is an impressive young man. Please read his bio. Wow!!! - Mani :) American Rhodes Scholars-elect for 2003: Kamyar Cyrus Habib, Kirkland (Washington State), is a senior at Columbia where he majors in English and comparative literature. A Truman Scholar, he also has concentrated in computer science where he designed an apparatus that converts text applications to speech. Cyrus is a black belt karate instructor, a downhill skier, and a published photographer. He is also blind. He is president of an advocacy group for students with disabilities, and has worked for Senators Cantwell and Clinton. He is also vice president of the Iranian studentsí association at Columbia. He will read for the B.A. in European and Middle Eastern languages at Oxford. To top * I have worked hard I am Bahram Hooshyar Yousefi , student of architecture, in tabriz azad university, now I am a member of committee & jury of Berkeley University anual architectural competition, it means that I have worked hard to do this job regarding the lack of facilities of research in Iran, now please do me a favour, check the links and and put it in your site as a news, Here is the site of the prize and here is the the committee and jury list of 2003. Regards Bahram Hooshyar Yousefi To top * Oil workers should lead the way I was a young boy when the people of Iran participated in the Revolution of 1979, but I distinctly remember that the personnel of the entire spectrum of government agencies, starting with the employees of the Oil Ministry showed their support and solidarity for the students and reformers of that era by staging job walk-outs and strikes. Are Iranians going to tell me that the citizens of todays Iran have any less feeling or respect for the demands of todays generation of youth that are the future and hope and dream of Iran? I openly urge all Iranian government employees to actively participate in the movement for change in Iran, by initiating and engaging in work slowdowns and stoppages. The employees of the Oil Ministry should lead the way. Va salam, Hamid Boroumand To top * No ONE person has the right to rule Our country has had a very rich and colorful history. Various dynasties, either native or foreign have ruled over our native land. And recently, we have been cursed with the mollahs. It is time for our country to become a democratic republic. The only good outcome of the revolution was the destruction of 3000 years of despotic and tyrannical rule by bloodthirsty kings. No ONE person has the right to rule the land, and the concept of being "royal" is absolute nonsense. We are all human beings. Those who claim royalty have done it through force, executions, murdurs, and intimidation. The best example is the recent tyrannical rule of the Pahlavis when tens of thousands of Iranians were either murdured or turtured by Reza Khan, the Savak, or the rest of the Pahlavi cronies. The current title of Iran's government reads "The Islamic Republic of Iran". Once the title changes to the "Republic of Iran", we will be one the right track. The problem with having clergy running a country is that they believe that they are above the law, since they represent God. But, religion has no place in running a country. It should begin and end in one's heart, and in a mosque, church, or other place of worship. A democracy is the only answer, since this is the only system where the elected officials are held accountable for their actions. I can only think of 2 figures in Iran's history that stood for democracy: Dr. Mosaddegh and Amir Kabir. If there were other ones, God bless them. The Greek city states had it right 2500 years ago, when they created the foundations for a democracy. And their ideas have spread over the course of time to most of the countries of the civilized world. Unfortunately for our people, they have had to choose between tyrannical kings, or bloodthirsty mullahs and zoroastrian priests. The mullahs that are running the country now are no different than the Zoroastrian priests who caused the downfall of the Sassanid empire, and caused our beloved homeland to fall pray to those Lizard Eaters from the Arabian peninsula. The other tragedy is that our country is currently being held hostage by an ideology that had its roots in the barren wastelands of Arabia, where people burried their children, and stoned women to death, and amputated limbs for theft. Currently our people have to choose between the mullahs, and a "crown prince" that wants to rule Iran through a "referrendum". In my opinion, NEITHER OF THEM HAS A RIGHT TO RULE IRAN". If the US wants to overthrow the Mullahs after overthrowing the Taliban and hopefully overthrowing Saddam, I hope that they lay the foundation for a democracy in Iran. In the hope of a better future for our homeland, and the death of all monarchies, and islamic governments. Hooman Golshan To top * Other half of the "cesspool" It seems that one of the eyes of Docheshmeh Bina was blind, because he/she failed to show the other half of the "cesspool" in Shahreno. What about some pictures of the men who were the creators of that place? These pictures were nothing more than a re-victimization of those poor women. Docheshmeh NaBina should focus on more recent mega-tragedies going on in our homeland rather than digging in old graves. M Dadsetan To top * Shahreno: so many dear memories I wanted to thank you so much for publishing pictures of Shahreno. It brought back so many dear memories of times when men could spend 45 minutes of quality time with EFAT KHOSHGELEH and talk about poetry, philosophy, and foreign literature. Good ol' days when manhood was measured by how long you could go one-on-one with PARI BOLANDEH and live to tell your friends about it. Days when Iranian married men had something to look forward to on SHABE JOMEH. Days when Iran's Center For Disease Control consisted of a small condom shop at the entrance of Shahreno. Long live the NEW CITY. Siamack Baniameri To top * Vaziritabar, spiritual healer I'm desperately looking for a person called Shahriar Vaziritabar" whom is believed to be a spiritual healer and have some "karaamaats", as said. May you have any information about this guy, please inform me. Nastaran Namazi To top * Flight history I just read the article "Against the wind". It is very interesting and informative. I have some comments: 1. As far as I know the Aero-club didn't have any helicopter. The first helicopter came to Iran years later -after the WW2. It was a Sikorsky bought by the Iranian air force. 2. Gilanshah and Jahanbani were "sarlashkar" in 30s and I don't know if you can translate the word to "General" since it is mostly considered an equivalent for the word "sepah-bod". 3. I think it is interesting to be mentioned that in late 30s Iran established a factory for assembling the famous "Tiger Moth". The factory even began to produce some aeroplanes before the occupation by the allies. In 1943 though (I guess) it was changed to a factory for making "Bokhaary Nafti"! I have seen the documents regarding this transformation during the time I was working in Iran Air Force Museum in my military service. Sourena Mohammadi To top * All movements have a small beginning Mr. Dehaghani, "Our place (ally) in history|" For obvious varied reasons the Iranian community in the US has never been very outspoken or politically active. We have always kept a low profile. While achieving great feats in business and academia, we Iranians have pretty much kept to ourselves. Lack of cohesiveness is partially responsible for the state we are in currently. But that is slowly changing. I'm sorry to see your petty attitude towards those who are standing up for something "insignificant" [How Persian Drive was saved]. They may not have changed the entire political scene in Iran or push for civil liberties in the States overnight, as you would wish, but they are finally beginning to do SOMETHING. All movements have a small beginning. When people realize that they can come together with one voice and work with the system and achieve their goals thru the system, they may finally realize how much potential they possess. Who knows where it could lead? Achieving their goal of retaining the Persian Drive name in city hall may not be that important to you, but the last thing they need is belittling and sarcastic statement from their own countryman in their time of victory. Another "patriotic Iranian" of the San Francisco bay area, Shahin To top * Teaching English in Iran I would like to know whether there is a chance to help me finding schools in Iran that are looking for an English language teacher, not a native speaker? My name is Stefan Avramovq I am from Bulgaria, 24 years old. Thank You in advance, Stefan To top * Knowing your rights I am sincerely glad that some of our fellow Iranians share their experience with the rest of us because many seem to think that "these new laws" do not affect them [Tip of the iceberg]. I told most of my educated American colleagues that what they were proposing were very similar to what we had lived under the Shah's Savak. They could call on you anytime, search your place, plant things and you could disappear. They agreed. However, when I repeated the same concern to my fellow Iranians most of them seemed to think that we would be exempt and they were targeting "Arabs". I am a proud member and supporter of American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and more than ever we need to get involved with these types of organizations to be kept informed. Recently a very well known opponent of Mr. Ashcroft that happens to be a professor and very outspoken about these new laws gave a speech at the meeting of Iranian Professionals which I belong to. His warnings were even more scary. He told us that a student had been paid visits by two FBI agents because he had said "I hate Bush". I absolutely agree with the writer that you do need to have an attorney and I also recommend that you become members of ACLU so you can register your complaints with them as well. Knowledge is power. Knowing your rights and the laws will make you a better citizen and a more skilled defendant. Azam Nemati To top * Humanitarian cause Thank you so much for featuring the article about the rehabilitation center and providing detailed information [Wheels of fortune]. It always warms up my heart when I see my fellow Iranians care about humanitarian causes and take time to share (rather than taking pictures of some fat stomachs hanging out). I will forward this information to the several hundred people on my list and hope that every one who reads this article and views the pictures will remember the beautiful Persian expression "shokraneye bazooye tavaanaa, begreftane dasste naatavaan ast (being grateful for having a strong arm is to hold on and help a weak hand)". In this season of sharing let us remember that as human beings we have a responsibility towards other beings and our giving to causes and people will make the world a better place. Azam Nemati To top * Bubba in German Dear Ms Nemati, I just read your immensely beautiful and highly impressive article "Make it your bible, bubba". Permit me to introduce myself: I am the publisher of a German online magazine, Die Gazette which sometimes also features articles in the English language. Would you allow me to reproduce your article in the next update of Die Gazette (22nd of December)? Full credits, naturally, shall be made for The Iranian and yourself as the authoress. It would be a great honor and, if I may say so, a journalistiv pleasure for Die Gazette to republish your article. With deep admiration: Fritz Glunk Publisher Die Gazette To top * Iranian stoop to an Indian? I just read the article "Marrying me" and I just have to say this: Since when does an Iranian stoop to an Indian? Siamak, have some respect for yourself and your culture. I don't know how it works in London, but here in the U.S. we call them dot-heads. And you had to stoop as low as to try to sell your wife's parents on accepting you? What a loser. B Pejman To top * Soleiman Faraji-Jalali I am looking for Soleiman Faraji-Jalali. The last time I saw him in Tehran was in 1986. He lived at 10 Ave Saeed, Street Shokufeh, Jahleh. If anyone knows where he could be, please contact me. I have been looking for him for so long and need to know he is well and happy. Thanking you. Dawn To top * Wonderful relationship Dear Susan Nurre: I found it a pleasure to read your article "Here come the in-laws!", and enjoyed this site as well. My ex husband is half Iranian, his mother being full blooded. We have a wonderful relationship despite the divorce. I spend weekends with Maman, so that she may enjoy the company of her grandson, as she has only her son here with her in the United States. I have known these wonderful Persians for almost 10 years, and am just beginning to truly grasp the culture. Your article helped quite a bit to further the understanding. I would love to read more of your trip to Iran, as it is a place I would love to visit in the future. It is a pleasure to hear from a fellow American with Iranian ties. Warm wishes, MJ Mason To top * Majid Akbarieh I am looking for Majid Akbarieh. He was an exchange student back in 1978-1980 at Redfield High School, SD, USA. I saw his name on an alumni webpage and wondered whatever happened to him. Deb Becker To top * So poetic, so profound, basically Dear Ms. Farjami, I liked your article on the immigrant's quest for a fuller meaning of life [Traveling above]. "We are from above, We travel above." So poetic, so profound. I would very much like to read your published poems and articles in English. (I notice that Iranian.com has carried many poems of yours in Persian. Alas, I don't know this highly refined and sweet-sounding language.) Best wishes, Sudheendra Kulkarni Prime Minister's Office New Delhi To top * Einstein #2 In regardsn to "Hey Einstein, let's see you solving this one": I am no einstien but I can see a fallacy in your math. In your equations you have: (a+b)(a-b) = b(a-b). Now, (a-b) = 0 since a = b which is a given. Therefore both sides get multiplied by 0 and that means that the answer is 0 and not 2=1 Regards, Shabana To top * Einstein #1 In regardsn to "Hey Einstein, let's see you solving this one": When a=b then a-b=0 and you can't divide the sides of an equation by zero. That was too simple. Take a look at this one:  safA Einstein (dAyi Hamid) To top * Our only cultural export is movies I would like to respectfully disagree with Naghmeh Sohrabi "Who you talkin' to?". The Iranian New Wave has put a human face on our faceless nation that has been constantly demonized by the American media in the last 23 years. One of the few achievements of the post-revolutionary Iran has been this New Wave that has brought Iranians praises from such great figures as Akira Kurosawa , Jean-Luc Godard, Ingmar Bergman, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Yousef Chahine, Atom Egoyan, Spike Lee and many more... Nowadays, like it or not, our only internationally recognized figures are Makhmalbaf and Kiarostami, our only cultural export is movies, and our only source of pride is our Cinema. In the eyes of the world, without our intellectual Cinema, we would just be the "Ignorant terrorists" that Americans have made us to be. Mani Farhoomand www.OFilm.net P.S. The number of international film awards won by Iranian filmmakers in the last 10 years exceeds that of American, British, and French filmmakers in the same period of time. To top * Support independence The Road to Democracy is through Independence!! With US war looming in the middle east and with Bush's push for war, hardline is much more easier to be justified. Support our independence and reform!! H.Aletaha To top * New shrooms Going crazy with Photoshop, eh? Or are you experimenting with new shrooms? [Some things are sacred] Xcellent work, keep it up, Hamid A To top * Captain Khamenei Bravo on your Free Speech photo essay [Some things are sacred]. Would it possible to approximate Captain Pickard a bit more closely? Gita To top * Kiryakos... which is it? Re: Kirakosian, the Armenian ambassador to the United States: ...and of course where President Clinton accepted the ambassador's credentials, Reza Shah in his day commented on the Greek envoy's name, Kiryakos, that he should not be given an audience until he decided which one he preferred to be. Rumor has it that the envoy returned to Athens, which led to a diplomatic tiff between Iran and Greece for some months. Guive Mirfendereski To top * Mao was also called a hero, for a while I am surprised that you call my accusations of this man (Aghajari) baseless, and Aghajari as innocent [One of us]. Did you know that this SOB was one of the leaders of the hostage taking at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979? He is innocent if you consider hostage taking of over 50 people for over a year, and causing the loss of over $24 billion (1979 dollars) of Iranian's money in US and European banks, OK? You know, Mao was also called a hero in China for a while, until it was clear that he had killed, or caused for the death of, over 50 million innocent Chinese. No one calls Mao a hero anymore now! A killer like Khomaini, or hostage taker like Aghajari, is a criminal, with whatever name you call him. Just because foreign media are calling this man a "professor" (my a..) does not mean that he knows what he is talking about. In fact, he is just a little scared hostage taker he always was, minus a leg(!) May be now he understands that his masters (the mullahs) were taking advantage of him. Shame on you that you write without educating yourself! Hassan Farzin To top * Remove hejab i think if the students in iran are protesting against the regime [Truth or dare], the women have to remove their hejab just because what is the point of rioting if they dont do the job right? women have to tell mollas that can't be dominating over them any longer. so if they wanna riot against them they have to go with out thier hejab -- the filthy kafan. Santuna To top * Pasheh's political message Babak jaan salaam, [Be careful what you wish for] I visited Underground Music Competition site while back and am in general agreement with you about the top choice (Pasheh). But here's my two cents. First of all, I think that selection of the song Pasheh is very political. The cries of foul play against a pesky bug, howling against the intruding nature of a mosquito and the concept of "blood sucking" is as political as a message can get. These kids are making as clear a political message as one could hope and expect out of Iran, but also displaying their playful Iranian spirit. But another observation I have is that the youth of Iran haven't made up their mind about where it is they want to go with their rage and which direction they want to unleash it towards. They know that repression and control is bugging them to no end and sucking them dry, but they don't see alternatives and solutions as of yet. They haven't yet identified a voice or song that is in tune with them, if you will! They don't really analyze and critique each clip to select the one that is going to portray a sophisticated image of Iran's emerging and angry rock scene as well as a polished and directed political message. That's why the first choice to click is the song that best describes their feelings at that moment. So, I think the selection of "Pasheh" is as clear and accurate a political message as you could ever get out of Iran! And as the title of your article suggests, "Be careful what you wish for!" because you have got it here... With thanks and best regards, Farhad Radmehrian To top * An Iranian in America I have been raised in the country I now call home; The United States of America but I will never forget my mother's land. I am 20 years old and attend the University of North Carolina. Although I was born in Shiraz, I have not seen Iran in 18 years; I never learned Farsi but my father and mother were adamant on focusing their lives teaching me what it means to be Iranian, how our rich history and culture shape us. Reza Pahlavi said it best when he told Fox News on November 24th 2002 that the Iranian people, due to their rich culture and civilization, have no reason to feel inferior to any other nation. Iran was a melting pot much before America was, people of different backgrounds found refuge in Persia. This makes me extremely proud and thankful to be an Iranian, our history is branded on my heart. I am deeply in debt and will never be able to repay my family for this great reward I have received, the rewards of knowing who I am, the rewards of being an Iranian. I will never forget my heritage; I will never forget my brothers and sisters in Iran right now. My deepest wishes are to revisit and return to my home. I was raised in a very small town where being different was not accepted, so I changed myself. I wanted to forget my Iranian background, I did not want to be an Iranian anymore. The things Iran did that look so bad in the eyes of Americans discouraged me. The most important people in my life opened my eyes and showed me my roots and my beautiful culture, they never allowed me to forgot. I have done a lot of growing up and have finally understood what it means to be an Iranian. Knowing my history and culture has inspired me to become a better person. Thank you mom and dad Ali Khoshnevis To top * Puri Nafesi My name is Alain Hormoz Maghsadi. I am desperately looking for my mother, Puri (Puridat) Nafesi. She and I were separated during the revolution in Iran. My grandparents brought me to the US when I was about 18 months old. I believe that was the last time I ever saw her. My grandmother thought that she may reside somewhere in Europe... perhaps the UK. My grandmother's (Helen) last wish before she died was for me to find her. My grandfather (Boris) is getting very ill. I would like to find her before he passes. Can anyone help me? You can contact me at my work email address (above) as well as my home email address (maghsadi@bellsouth.net) Thank you so much. Alain Hormoz Maghsadi To top * Weddings and funerals Ther are two ceremonies that are always exagerated by Iranian: Weddings and funerals [All that jazz]. Specially after the revolution, In both of these occasions a lot of money is wasted. Even before the revolution that people were economically better off, these parties were an arena for the ladies to show off their new dresses and jewleries to their rival friends or neighbors. Ladies have to have a new dress for each wedding. They always say that (I don't have anything to wear) and if you say that you have about fifty dresses hanging in the closet, your answer is that: those are old and I have been seen wearing them before. No matter in what sort of condition they economically are, The women of the house must have a brand new dress even if they have to borrow the money for it. What irks me more than anything else is that we have so many poor and needy people who sleep without a decent meal in their stomach and probably haven't had meat for a week or a month but you see varieties of foods on the table to feed a bunch of guests who later would complain about the quality or quantity and curse the host for the shortcomings. Funeral parties are much more of a show-off than weddings where one expects the money spent again to feed a bunch of pot bellies to be spent on the needies wishing the dead peace and forgiveness after death. F Rafat To top * I remember Listening to the Compiled songs of Googoosh by Azam Nemati is a sheer joy. I still recall listening to her each time I she appeared on National Television in Iran, and her joyfulness and youth made everyone happy. She was a popular singer who had managed to combine the best of Iranian variety and Western Pop. One of the songs I loved and which reminded me of summer as well as Hans Christian Anderson's Mermaid was Dokhtareh Darya. I'd love to find the lyrics again. I also remember her english songs which at the time I found a little bit silly especially seeing her appear in a sort of "Ann Folle" suite reminescent of the 20's and singing "I believe, I believe, .... In LOVE, LOVE" but when I think and listen to it again she was actually so much ahead of her Time. Many European singers were doing the same at the time like ABBA or a French guy who made an international hit with a song entitled "Born to be Alive" , these singers actual accent was an asset to the songs success. I saw a documentary on Eddy Barclay the French music mogul producer on French TV a few years ago and they showed images of him with Googoosh who he wanted to distribute in France and called her a Diva. Unfortunately because of the Revolution this project fell to bits. I also remember Googoosh singing with italian singer Albano on a show, where the latter appeared from the back and Googoosh said : Do you know this guy? When he turned around they sang in unison. I wish they could turn up together in a concert again. I found his official website and given that his carreer seems to have downslided since I am sure he would'nt refuse. It's still under construction. Darius Kadivar To top * GOOD! Good God you are GOOD!!! [Truth shall triumph] That was one of most wittiest pieces I had read in a long time!!! I mean, "... May Light illuminate unmerry Gentlemen who, day in and day out, warn of Apocalypse with a mien so 'ashen' that it veers too often towards the Ashcroftian, ..." just made me cry out "Hallelujah" with a capital H!! Awesome awesome awesome, made my day first thing in the morning! Thanks!! Babak To top * Wonderful Wonderful story. [Truth shall triumph] Have shared it with many. Keep up the writing! Artbet To top * You can't even speak Persian (properly) Mr Pahlavi, please try to understand that the Iranian people are not waiting for you to liberate them [Iranian problem, Iranian solution]. They will liberate themselves. You are allowed to stand in an election. I don't think you will achive much. After all, despite your initial wealth, you haven't been able to get any education worth talking about in US. In the meanwhile you and your family have been bankrupted. How can you run a country succesfully when you even can't run your own business succesfully? Please get real, you and your "dynasty" are a creation of the British. You can't even speak Persian properly. I entirely agree with Moji Agha. [Enough puppets -- even cute ones] Yours sincerely, Amir Shoja To top * Excellent fireplace storytelling Merry Christmas to you and thanks for your very humorous article "Three Persian kings". I appreciate your clarification and references to some additional innovations and inventions by the Persians. Research well done. I had no idea Arnold Schwarzenegger was from Iran! Although I always suspected and was amused by his Lorestan-ee accent. Some say Andre' Aghasee is also from Iran but he vehemently denies it every fortnight. Hopefully you will write for us more about the tale of the three kings and as usual probably they will end up taking each other's eyes out of the sockets and decapitating one another and then the winner marries the entire villages' virgins on his way back to the capital and leaves a trail of prince and princess littered all over the land. Look forward to the next episode. Excellent fireplace storytelling for the child in all of us. Sincerely, Farrokh A. Ashtiani To top * Full version?  I am still waiting for your assistance to find the full version of the attached poem. Regards, Mehdi Mirmiran To top * Funniest ever This has got to be one of the funniest stories ever written in the history of the Persian internet [Three Persian kings]. My 15 year old son and I think it sounds like a cross between Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories like "How The Camel Got Its Hump" and Monty Python " In Quest of The Holy Grail!" To add to the humourous effect, I gotta tell ya that we are reading this by the weak light of our battery operated Coleman lantern because we are in the midst of a humongous power outage in the midst of this great blessed state of California run aground by the able run on sentences of Governor Gray Bull Davis in the most God Blessed technically advantaged but socially challenged nation on earthy J with its 800 pound gorilla in the White House looking for submersives, dissonance and gonflables ....and so the petroleum wars continue....dumb, dumb, dummmmmmb....ba ba bah..../;-(..... Merry Xmas, Rasool Aryadust The Great aka B. H. Appleton and son To top * Anti-Islamic, pro-Western How dare you pepper this web-site with Anti-Islamic and pro-Western bullshit!?! You're a disgrace to your nation, to Islam and to all Iranians across the world. I bet half of you know NOTHING about the real Iran - all you know is how to lick the ass of the West. Well, if that's the case then I will pray for you all - because you are misrepresenting true Iranians for what they are. Hossein British Resident To top * Bebakhsheed In regards to my article "Sultanate of reformists" and in reply to "Maybe it's his military connections", There is the matter of the F word (Fuck etc.) which as it seems to have offended and injured pure and innocent language of the pure and innocent minds, and detracted from the esteem of the esteemed, not to mention the winding of the long winded winds blowing in general directions; and as it has never been any intention of this poor servant of truth to offend the distinguished sensibilities either of the readership or of the company; for this, I humbly bow down and ask you, the reader, and God, the compassionate, the merciful, for my undeserved forgiveness. As to the matter of my military "connections," it must be said that even there, as a teacher for the Department of Defense Dependents' Middle-School, I did use such vile and unbecoming language, and with fear of God in my heart, I must even admit that I read the "Catcher in the Rye," to sensitive ears, regardless of the impurities of the juvenile and grammatically incorrect text. Even when teaching Geometry, I might have mentioned that my Iranian Mathematics Psycho in middle school, used to pronounce the "zaaviyeye ghaa'eme" as "zaavieii gaa'ede," - translating the joke and everything. There are more examples of such deep-seated corruptions, but alas, give me another chance, for repentance. Here I stand guilty. Accept your prodigal son in your merciful wisdom; and may God bless the earth, and all the finite beings upon it. Self flagellating while typing, Amir To top * Petition Bush A very grim situation has developed in many cities around the US. Iranian males 16 years of age and older who are not permanent residents or US citizens were asked to register with the INS. Many of these people who voluntarily and with their free will went to the INS were hand-cuffed and put in INS jail. Some have been freed after providing bail, but others remain in prison. If you have not done so, it is imperative that you sign the following petition //server.scripthost.com/guestbook?ch1 And please pass it on to as many people as you can. Sent by many readers To top * What kind of goodness is that? My experience with the Iranian Interest Section was nothing short of a hate crime against my daughter and against me. I faxed them all court documents, birth certificates and requested information on Iran, contact with her father and brother, information on her relatives and help with getting legal representation in Iran. But what I received was screams and yells directed to me that Iranians are treated great in America and that I was lying when I said that my daughter was not. My daughter is dying and needed vital medical records of her Iranian father and family and meeting with her brother and they denied her all of this, despite legal documentation relating to her birth and court orders of parentage and support. She is an Iranian Citizen and she is an American Citizen and neither country accepts her nor helps her. I'm glad you found the Iranian Interest Section helpful but it is not the same for everyone regardless of all the legal Iranian rules one follows. The man who did the hate over the telephone to me was Mr. Jahansoozan who said that he wouldn't get so much as a photograph of her brother for Autumn, my daughter and that if she wanted it she would have to get on a plane and fly to Tehran and hire an attorney and get it before he would help her. Autumn is dying of a head trauma and cannot fly, she will die of aneurysm and he has medical proof of this. Autumn also does not have proper Islamic dress to get into Iran in accordance with Islamic law and no Iranian or Muslim here has helped her make such purchase. I am American I don't know how to buy a chador or who sells it. Also under Iranian law a daughter of an Iranian man must get permission from her father to enter and to exit Iran and her father abandoned her at birth. So this Jahansoozan was telling my daughter knowing her situation to, despite her head trauma, get on an airplane which would kill her before he would help her get a photograph and if by some miracle she survived the flight then go into Iran knowingly breaking Islamic law and get arrested because your father hates you and won't sign for you. What kind of goodness is that, when you'd rather have an Iranian daughter kill herself to know her only living brother before you'll help, I ask you? If you would like to contact me my name is Janett and my daughter's name is Autumn our last name is Pakravan. Janett Pakravan To top * Do it in Iran, if you dare It seems that you don't realize how playing polictician in countries like Iran is dangerous! We are sitting in LA and so on and giving order to the poor people in Iran "Go to streets, Do revolution, Marg bar .." and after that we go to a resturant and drink our daily wine or soda. We are done for Iran and for today. My question to such kind of people like you is WHY DON'T YOU GO BACK TO IRAN AND WRITE AGAINST OR FOR MR. KHTAMI FROM HERE?????? DON'T YOU DARE!!!!!!!!!!!! Mohsen Razavi To top * Stinging sense of humor I congratulate you for choosing and publishing this well written article by Ms. Soudavar [Truth shall triumph]. It has been a long time since I have read something with such serious and important message, powerful and stinging sense of humor, well composed and to the point. I wish Mr. Ashcroft and other statemen have the honour and opportunity to read this beautiful piece although it may pass way over their heads. My special thanks to Ms. Soudavar for such an outstanding work. F Rafat To top * High praise The article is awesome. [Truth shall triumph] S Amini To top * Maybe it's his military connections Dear Sirs, The long winded article with the use of foul language [Sultanate of reformists] does not particularly distinguish your publication. Amir could have said what he did in far fewer words without "fuck" and "shit" and achieved the same effect. Maybe it is his military connections which foul his mouth. You can do better than that. Hamid To top More December 2, 2002 letters >>> Page 2
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