The Iranian Times

Monday, November 16, 1998 / Aban 25, 1377, No. 606


Sehaty Foreign Exchange

Shahin & Sepehr


    Baba Taher


Birthday

The time machine
Musings, memories and further esoteric rhapsodies

By Yasmine Rafii

Not long ago, I had the occasion to celebrate my eighth birthday, in Manhattan. As I remember, it was a sweltering August day and my parents, little brothers and I had just arrived from Chicago, on our way to a great adventure. We were going back to our homeland, Iran. The journey would start on board a ship, the SS Liberte, which was due to sail in three days. In the meantime, we did the usual NeverBeenToNewYork routine and took in a few of the more prosaic sights. Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Macy's... I think that about covered it.

My main birthday wish was to see, the now classic film based on the H.G. Wells novel, "The Time Machine". It had just opened in a very grand theater in Times Square. The Time Machine in Times Square. Profound, no? My dilemma, of course, was how to accomplish this with two baby brothers in tow. This was less profound... GO TO FEATURE


Outlook

Kowsar directs "The Rover"

The Rover
Written by Aphra Behn
Directed by Mohammad Kowsar
November 19 - 22 Thursday - Saturday, 8 pm; Sunday, 2 pm
Little Theatre, Creative Arts Building, San Francisco State University
$10 general, students, seniors Special Discount Offer

Written by the great Restoration playwright Aphra Behn, The Rover depicts the sojourn of rowdy cavaliers and exiled anti-Cromwellians seeking romance, sex, fortune and adventure in Italy during the month of Carnival. Disguises, cross-purposes, duels, intrigues and comic relief guarantee both poetic justice and the final triumph of superior female intellect. This piece, an instant classic of English Drama, brought not only fame to its feisty author, but also literary immortality.... MORE DETAILS


    Anyway

Those happy Brits

Los Angeles Times
November 9, 1998

Pursued by a tabloid newspaper and an ex-lover, Britain's agriculture minister disclosed that he is gay--the third Cabinet member recently to endure controversy over his sexual orientation. Agriculture Minister Nicholas Brown said he made the disclosure because an ex-lover offered to sell the story of their relationship to a tabloid. Prime Minister Tony Blair swiftly rallied to Brown. Welsh Secretary Ron Davies resigned last month after being picked up and robbed in an area of London known for gay cruising. Another controversy arose after a columnist for the Times of London said on TV that Trade Secretary Peter Mandelson is gay. The BBC later apologized to Mandelson. Culture Minister Chris Smith is openly gay.

More Letters

* Don't forget the real "boys"

Khashayar Lessan writes: Ali Khalili's "Farewell cherry tree" is a tale only too well known to most of us Iranian expatriates. I too suffered mildly in a London high school as an Iranian while the war went on back home. But let us not forget the real "boys," the men of Iran's armed forces: conscripts, volunteer forces or otherwise; the army, navy and the air force, who defended our land at a very critical juncture in our history, sometimes with bare fists and often with weaponry much inferior to that of the foe...

Whatever the causes of [the Iran-Iraq] war and its prolongation, we have to stop ignoring and ridiculing these men for the sake of political correctness and start honoring them and give them credit where credit has long been overdue: for staying behind, for risking their lives, and fighting for the homeland and their beliefs. Thank God, and many thanks to these brave souls, Iran's map is in exactly the same shape and size that I remember from my primary school times... FULL TEXT

* Not another Shah, but...

I just read one of your letters called "Another Shahanshah? No thank you," and I must express my shame in being Iranian and my outrage of how closed-minded some people can be. I am no Shah lover, or molla lover for that matter. I personally believe in a free society. I am sure this person's bad experience with the SAVAK has left him/her with terrible memories and of course for people like him/her they blame the Shah's regime...

[But] as for political prisoners, well let me tell you something else after visiting Evin prison. Most of the prisoners did not belong in those filthy disgusting cells whereby instead of four people there were 12 in one room with four beds! All imprisoned because of their beliefs and for being brave enough to stand up to their government... FULL TEXT

Iranica: Secretary needed for Persian Heritage Foundation in New York

The Persian Heritage Foundation in New York seeks a part-time secretary, proficient in typing in Persian and familiar with MacIntosh system, for about 8-10 hours a week. Please contact Dina Amin by fax on (212) 749-9524 or email at dea1@columbia.edu. Remuneration negotiable and commensurate with experience.


Book of the Week

A Persian Requiem

By Simin Daneshvar
Translated by Roxane Zand

The first published novel by an Iranian woman and one of the most widely read novels in Iran.

Click here to read about this book

Recent featured books

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More news

Top body moves to guarantee investments

TEHRAN, Nov 15 (Reuters) - A powerful Iranian state body which advises the supreme leader has adopted measures to guarantee investments in the country, Iranian newspapers reported on Sunday. The Expediency Council, chaired by former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, considered the the requirements of economic sectors and ways to deal with risks to capital and property, Iran Daily newspaper said ... FULL TEXT

Khatami urges more transparent state media

TEHRAN, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami called in remarks broadcast on Monday for more transparency in state media, suggesting Iranians would turn to foreign media out of distrust of Iranian reports. ``We are only fooling ourselves if we cover up realities in our society or the world. People will eventually find out somehow what is happening,'' Khatami said in remarks carried by state television ... FULL TEXT

Tehran, Helsinki to review human rights issues

Tehran, nov. 16, IRNA - Finland and iran will explore security related issues, human rights and refugee problems in a joint gathering to be held in helsinki, it was announced here monday. visiting finnish foreign minister, ms. tajra halonen, told reporters, without elaborating on the date of the gathering, that a group of academics, diplomats and politicians from both countries would participate in the gathering ... FULL TEXT

"Dust Dance": Best Asian film

Tehran, (HAMSHAHRI) - Abolfazl Jalili's "Raq-se Khaak" ("Dust Dance") has been named Best Film in the Asian Film Festival in Tokyo ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Soccer team heading for disaster?

Tehran, (HAMSHAHRI) - Leaving out big names from from the national soccer team could spell disaster ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Piruzi 1 - Esteqlal 0

Tehran, (HAMSHAHRI) - Piruzi registers ANOTHER win against its historic rival in front of more than 100,000 fans ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN



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Quote Unquote

Life

There is a pattern to life. I am sure of it. Every now and then, I think I get an inkling of what it looks like. It starts out with a tendril, as fine as a baby's hair. Then curling in on itself, over and over again, now left, now right, dovetails into another tendril and then another and then another. Like the carpet under my feet, a repetition so refined and purposeful that it lulls one into complacency. " Relax," it says, "life was designed by as true a master as there ever was." No winners, no losers, just the eternal dance. Spiraling up, spiraling down. Saddled with centuries of inept and vainglorious leadership, that curving tendril that is the Persian soul, cloaks itself in martyrdom's doleful mantle, and weeps. And yet, what glorious pattern makers we are!

Yasmine Rafii
"The time machine"
The Iranian
November 16, 1998


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