STAR
Interview with Iranian American actress Shiva Rose
Shiva Rose Gharibafshar, daughter of Iran’s beloved talk show host, Parviz Gharibafshar with first wife Rose, is a fascinating Iranian American actress once married to Dylan McDermott. Shiva has prevailed as a devoted Mom, a fashion magnate, a die hard political activist (who’s even been arrested twice for anti war protests --once with her baby!) maintains a regular blog on the Huffington Post, and managed to squeeze out a movie recently in only 23 days! The movie, David and Layla, which opened in New York LAST WEEK (Feb. 15th) has already won 6 awards at various film festivals
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HUMANITY
Do arts and skills belong exclusively to Persians?
Humanity is one race. As Sa'adi said in his famous poem, people are parts of one body. When one body part is in pain, the other body parts are in agony. The hardworking people in every grouping in our world have the same human needs, aspirations and hopes as others. The Arab people have the same pains and sufferings and hardships as the Iranians, the Jewish people, the Germans, the Turks, the Slavs or the Latins. They all want food, shelter, clothing, peace and prosperity for themselves, their families, their neighbors and their peers
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POLITICS
It is clear that Revolutionary forces, must now give in to Evolutionary forces
You'd think that Iranians who thrive on disagreeing, arguing, and disbelieving anyone trying to make the slightest point (as you will no doubt see in the comments after this piece), would have perfected some sort of logical process to distill it by now. Given the conditions these past 29 years, which have been riper than a honeydew (kharbozeh?) melon in the late-summer Esfahan sun, you'd think that by now, some sort of conclusive voice of the opposition, would have been heard, over all the praying and braying. But even after 29 years it's still eerily silent
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Reuel Marc Gerecht's opinion piece in the New York Times yesterday titled
'Attack Iran, With Words' advocating diplomacy with Iran may have taken some readers including this one by surprise
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POETRY
I look through the misty windows of distance
and I know
you will talk of your loneliness to no one but me
I listen
to the solid walls of time and place falling to pieces
in the air of joint feelings and thoughts
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Iranican TV presents one of the best Iranian underground music bands
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Having to explain "The Situation", or how Iran works (or doesn't), to American friends.
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This is from Radio lecture in 1331 Iranian calendar from hospital
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Thanks for the few individuals who answered my questions about visiting Tehran.
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During the exodus of Iranians in the late 70s and early 80s, an estimated $4.7B biilion was sent out from Iran to U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia
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IRAN
Well, what do you expect from an ISLAMIC republic?
This is not a regime for all Iranians. It doesn't even pretend to be one. But we need to acknowledge its merits too. It is a ystem that works so well. Don't be surprised to find the same old regime in power for decades to come! I won't be surprised. Especially knowing the FACT how irrational, emotional, disunited and weak the opposition is. We all know that the economy is doing poorly, because it is quite simple, the Islamists seem not to be good economists! They also know that having a good economy implies completely opening the doors to American and other democratic powers' investments inside Iran and this might create more sympathy among Iranians for the West, and its DEMOCRATIC values. Human rights record is horrible
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FOOD
I’m not alone in my belief in happier animals = better meat
It's time we learnt the truth about all the issues that surround the food we consume. How much do we really know about origins, farming, environmental implications and all the other issues that we cause an impact on, every single time we take a trip to a supermarket. So how well informed are we? Not as much as you would think! Ultimately we only know what the government are pressured into allowing us to know and the odd ‘Expose’ by the media. So how are we to make informed and socially conscious decisions? Well, in essence, we can’t. We are not equipped to make well-informed decisions when it comes to the food we consume as we just don’t have enough knowledge and education on the key issues affecting the global food, farming and agriculture industry
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