Archive - Aug 15, 2007

Doesn't this make the CIA a terrorist organization?

If financing and helping terrorism around the world is sufficient to classify oneself as a terrorist organization despite that organization being an agent of a sovereign entity, then it seems also appropriate to classify Mossad and the CIA as terrorist organizations.>>>

Another step toward military confrontation

The unprecedented move by the United States to designate a branch of another sovereign nation's armed forces, in this case Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a "terrorist" organization [1], is only the latest episode of a menacing plan that has taken years to implement. Most commonly accepted definition for "terrorism" is "the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, civilian population, or any segment thereof, in order to achieve specific political, social, or economic objectives".>>>

BBC's best-kept secret

My friends tease me endlessly about my fascination with the radio. Many of them think radio to be a dying or a dead medium, seeing very little use for it. I beg to differ. I love the radio on two accounts. One is that listening to radio is a convenient pastime. You can do other things when you listen to the radio. You can move around and do house chores, write bills, and exercise as you listen. Another is that listening to the radio can be both an entertainment and a good source of news and information. As compared to the internet, radio programming on more official stations supported by large teams of reporters and analysts could provide a much more reliable source of information.>>>

Eyes on Iran

We were ‘told’ that we, the civilized world, are fighting the ‘uncivilized’ terrorists’. So it is that Dick Cheney whispers into Mr. Bush’s ear to attack Iraq, confident that with her children buried, the parents too weak from mourning and disease, she will surrender – quickly. He made sure America stayed on track; track of deception. Prior to the invasion, Cheney was confronted with a report from the IAEA which threw doubts on the administration’s allegations about Iraq’s WMD, and he responded: “We know he has been absolutely devoted to trying to acquire nuclear weapons. And we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons. I think Mr. ElBaradei frankly is wrong" The demon of greed never seems to get enough. Over 1 million dead Iraqis – with Dick Cheney’s old company KBR/Halliburton being the prime benefactor of theft, Mr. Cheney now has his eyes on Iran� >>>

از اینجا و آنجا

مطابق معمول هر سال، فیلم های ایرانی نیز در جشنواره لوکارنو حضور داشتند اما نه مانند سالهای پیش در بخش های اصلی یا مسابقه، بلکه در بخش های فرعی و هر سال که می گذرد از شمار آنها نیز کاسته می شود. در حالی که لوکارنو با شناساندن عباس کیارستمی به جهانیان، به سینمای ایران دلبسته شد، اکنون دیگر به نظر می رسد دوران طلایی سینمای جشنواره ای ایران به پایان رسیده است و دیگر چنته سینمای ایران که هر چه بیشتر در هزارتوی سانسور بی در و پیکر دولتی گرفتار آمده است، خالی مانده است.
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بازگشت به خويشتن براي گذار به دموکراسي

وجود حکومت هاي استبدادي شاه و شيخ، که بطور گزينشي تاريخ ايران را سانسور و يا مصادره به مطلوب کرده اند، مانع از آن بوده است تا ايران و ايراني، با شناخت و اتّکا به هويت تاريخي خود، جايگاه شايسته اش را در دنياي مدرن امروز باز يابد. بويژه در دوران مدرن، دنباله روي از ايدئولوژي هاي وارداتي شرق و غرب مانع از بازيابي و احياي سنت هاي حيات بخش نهفته در فرهنگ غني و سرشار ايران، که راز شکوفايي و تأثيرگذاري اين کهن ديار در گذشته، و بقاي آن تاکنون است، بوده اند. گويي اين داستان فراق و جدايي، قصهً پرغصه و تکراري ما ايرانيان از گذشته هاي دور است.
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قانون ظروف مرتبطه و اسلام زدگی

اکنون جهان اسلام، در قالب «طلبکار»، برخاسته است تا گستاخانه به جهان بگويد که دارای ارزش هائی برتر از ارزش های غرب است؛ زنانش از زنان غرب مرفه تر و مصون ترند؛ قوانين بيابانی شکنجه و قطع دست و سنگسار و اعدامش در راستای ريشه کن کردن جرم و جنايت از روند پيچيدهء دادگستری در غرب کارآمدترند؛ و تازه دری گشوده به ملکوت خداوند هم دارند که، در چشم کسی که چيزی برای از دست دادن ندارد، مرگ را خار و حقير می کند و زندگی در گلشن رضوان و همآغوشی با حوری و غلمان را تضمين جانفشانی توده ها می سازد.
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Working class

Peyvand Khorsandi writes: This film directing debut by Edinburgh-based artist Roxana Pope is a charming portrait of the life of a cleaner in a poor neighbourhood of Tehran. Shot beautifully, by Ian Dodds, the 30-minute Tehran's Backyard focuses on Pari, a 65-year-old who tells us she has worked for fifty years yet still does not think twice about supporting her husband, who is blind, and her family, on her meagre wages. >>>