Archive - Aug 29, 2007

Command of man broadens hope

This Iran never did, nor never shall,
Give way to the repression of black conqueror,
But when it first did help to restore itself.
Now these her braves are well nurtured again,
Come from every corners of world in intellect arms,
And we shall shock them: nought shall make us rue,
If Iran to itself do rest but true. >>>

Technically speaking, war is actually obsolete.

This isn’t a war, this is a transition team sent in by corporate during a disastrous merger! And the unwilling stock holders in this blunder are us! Recently the administration seems to be on a strange “come clean“ kick. President Bush has finally admitted that the execution of the war has not been “perfect”, and some “mistakes were made”. Almost chuckling. >>>

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

It was around this time 2 years ago, actually in June, when my good friend Fardad and I, went on a short hop business trip to New Orleans to attend a tradeshow. With all of the news surrounding the Big Easy since, and the somewhat uncertain road back to normal life and the living, I thought it might be a good time to make a travel recommendation to all of you. Suffice it to say, a visit to New Orleans is always in order, always a good idea. After you have been to this wonderful place, just once, you will understand a couple things. First, nothing but nothing will dissuade the indomitable character of New Orleans, not a pissant bitch-named-Katrina storm, not flooding, not un-maintained failing levees, not an inept FEMA, not even God. There is simply too much pure sensual spirit in New Orleans for that.>>>

If you look like a wuss, we have good news for you!

What are YOUR stereotypes of Iranian men? My own personal stereotype of an Iranian man would definitely differentiate between East Coast (holla!) and West Coast (wassup?). Also, undoubtedly, there's a big difference between the Iranian man of southern cali (clad in gold/platinum chains) and northern cali (with intellectual pretensions). >>>

Enduring endearment

Global communication and the urge to become one with the world has brought on drastic changes and bent a few rigid rules. Long gone are the days when we used different greeting for different people. Just three decades ago, you never said goodbye to your seniors with “Bye” or even the common term of ghorbanat – meaning may I be sacrificed for you! Instead, where I grew up, you had to say sayeh-toon-kam nasheh -- may your shadow never diminish. Or Marhamat-e-shoma-ziyad -- may your favors increase! The undertone was understood, yet such formal expressions often required additional gestures such as a bow, hand kissing, or simply standing up. I never understood why my father said taazeem arz meekonam when talking on the phone, and to this day can’t imagine the need to verbally bow to anyone. >>>

Me and the Campaign on Vozara Street

When Lyda left, we were all quiet... We were thinking about her ill-fated marriage and her silence in facing the separation... When we passed Haft Hoz Bookstore, we saw the members of the security forces surrounded by a crowd of people. Ehsan told me jokingly: "They are going to arrest you now." I was wearing no make up and I was distressed, my mind still occupied with Lyda’s black eye. So, I laughed. A chador-clad policewoman came charging towards me and said: "Come with me for a few moments." >>>

شبنامه شماره نهم منتشر شد ..... شبنامه مرز پرگهر در ايران

شبنامه شماره نهم منتشر شد >>>

Seminal Contributions of Historical Iranian (Persian) Philosophers, Poets, Physicians and Scientists, Revisited.

There seem to be an intensifying orchestrated effort in the west particularly the U.S. to neglect, discount, discredit or convolute the multifaceted contributions of philosophers, physicians, scientists, historians and artisans of the past few millennia in south, south-central, south-west Asia, and north Africa--a vast area now collectively referred to by the fabricated name, the Middle East >>>

Our short order cooks

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Freedom does miracles

Farhad is not just an ordinary friend. I have known him since high school. We were also roommates at college in Iran in the early 1970’s. While a Junior at college, he was arrested by Savak (Shah’s secret police) for distributing political pamphlets, put into prison, and sent to the Army to serve a mandatory 2 years service. I lost touch with him for over 25 years. A few years ago while visiting Iran , a mutual friend invited me to a college reunion in Tehran and it was there that I saw Farhad again. He told me the story of his life and how he was able to finish his engineering degree after completing his term in the army, how he was briefly detained again after the revolution, and how he began working like a ‘normal’ person, as he puts it, in the engineering and construction field.>>>