Archive - 2007 - Article

Backwards will always be backwards

Recently questioned whether the recent stoning of one person is backwards, when compared with the apparent progress made by the IRI since 1979. Yes, Dariush. It is by definition, backward. This is 2007 A.D., not 2007, B.C. Anyone who thinks this is acceptable in any society must be stoned (as in high) themselves. But let's not stop there. Let's address the rest, shall we?>>>

Interfering with play

One Sunday, I had the distinct hal-geery to attend a benefit screening of "Offside", the controversial and noted film by now-famed Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi (The White Balloon; The Circle, Crimson Gold). As advertised, the film is about 5 young women who try to sneak into the Azadi (Formerly Aryamehr) Stadium to watch the famous match between Iran and Bahrain that led to Iran qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. Resulting in a dismal first round elimination of Iran on the World Stage of Soccer, subsequently, summarily, forthwith, tout suite.>>>

Scott Baio is 45 and single

One of the many things you don’t know about me is this: Scott Baio was my first celebrity crush. Sure I have a very sophisticated list of male celebrity crushes today: from Jon Stewart to George Clooney to my latest delicious acquisition Jon Hamm (he of the excellent Mad Men on AMC), my fantasy life is filled with funny, good looking, and more importantly, highly talented celebrities. But I have to admit, it all started from Scott Baio. I do have an excuse for this seeming lapse of taste in my life: I was a newly arrived immigrant from Iran and had left a small nurturing school in Tehran for the large jungle otherwise known as the Los Angeles County Public School system.>>>

Knight in shining armour

Fascism can only do the one thing: exterminate what it doesn't like. Be that in the name of racism, nationalism, communism or Islamism. Sometimes it's the turn of the Jews, sometimes imperialists, sometimes Armenians, sometimes so-called unbelievers (atheists, Christians, Baha'i, gays, lesbians, adherents of free love etc.). And the masses just stand, stare and remain silent. History always repeats itself: today the grotesque setting is Iran and a grotesque silence prevails in Germany and Europe.>>>

Man Irooniam

Over the vast expanse of the universe, a vagrant seed of a concept drifts about and lands on fertile land and is nurtured into a tree by intense passion yet tender love. The ardent labor bears fruit that is satisfying not only to Masih, the creator, but also to those who share the great pleasure of savoring the delectable fruit of his exhilarating art. Masih comes from a family of highly-prized and respected tile artisans of Esfahan (Isfahan), whose magic creations of indigo, turquoise, and cobalt blues have adorned the mosques and historical monuments of the city of Esfahan for centuries. Holding a torch in hand and a palpitating hope in heart, he illuminates the path to mystical Persian calligraphy>>>

رویای ناممکن

در سالروز قتل دکتر شاپور بختیار، آخرین رییس دولت مشروطه ایران، برگردان های زیر ازانگلیسی از ترانه مشهور ((رویای ناممکن)) که بخش هایی از نمایش اپرای معروف ((مردی از لامانچا)) هستند، با یاد او، به همه جانباختگان و مبارزان داخل و بیرون از ایران که بیش از ٢٨سال است برای استقرار دموکراسی، حقوق بشرو جدایی دین از حکومت در ایرانی مستقل و مدرن تلاش می کنند، تقدیم می شود. >>>

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.
>>>

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.
>>>

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.
>>>

Cataracts, root canals, young women and aging men

Zakaria, a personable not-by-choice Iranian immigrant, had been introduced to me by another client, Ron, a general contractor who often utilized his services in the flooring trades; and who had always praised his tile work as artistry not to be found anywhere else in the United States. And it was during the first few months in the righting of his listing ship that Zak and I began to develop a friendship extending beyond the confines of business counsel. Now running a large successful business, my effort for his firm doesn’t extend beyond counsel provided at board meetings or occasional assignments. But our get-togethers as friends continue to be frequent and enjoyable. Curiosity was getting the best of me. What could be bothering him all of a sudden?>>>

Afternoon delight

The other day I had received a call from a friend, a dear and a wonderful friend from my college years, a person who brings a gentile smile on my face when I just remember her, for her free spirit and the passionate unconditional caring attitude she displays. She wanted to see me that afternoon, I took the train to the city and in no time I was with her, in her tiny but cozy apartment. I love to be in her place particularly in the kitchen with her, it’s so narrow that one has to touch the other person in order to move around, and it often leads to hugs to satisfy the first personal touch that triggered it, the hugs that are filled with love and creativity. She hugs back with all her heart, I feel her breast on my chest, it's personal and affectionate, every cell of my body is pleased to feel her; she is warm, kind and blissful.>>>

What happened?

Sometimes comparing Iranians, Arabs, Turks and other Middle-Easterners to Westerners I thought there may be something wrong with Middle-Eastern genes or something that makes people be so much more aggressive, so much less honest, and altogether far more impulsive. Just an innocent thought! Never reached any conclusion to prove the hypothesis. However it is a fact that peoples of the Middle East are not usually trustworthy, get angry very quickly and usually act emotionally. This is all beside other defects such as arrogance combined with gullibility and so on>>>