Arts and Literature

The Spider Killings (5)

As soon as Azadeh got home, she rushed to the bathroom and locked herself in. Quickly shedding all her clothing, she stood in front of the mirror, looking at her naked reflection, something she seldom dared to do. Her arms and legs were covered with a multitude of scars, as well as the coagulated blood from fresher wounds. Her body had for years been the canvas for her monstrous designs. She used knives, razors, and scissors in guise of brushes and pencils. She opened one of the drawers in the bathroom vanity and took out a pair of scissors. The thought of cutting her skin once more filled her with both trepidation and exhilaration. Slowly, she brought the sharp tip of the instrument down, until it rested against the skin on her inner thigh>>>

Damn Illegal Aliens

First of all, this damnation only covers head of the family, spouse and children under 18 who live with parents. Children older than 18 years of age may be damned under different damnation policy through college, university or employment. Secondly, Only immediate family is damned. Family members who do not reside in the US are not covered. Proof of residency is required for the damn coverage. One might ask why should we provide such a damn costly coverage for damn aliens? Although this is a naïve question, it deserves a clever response. Let me explain.>>>

برای تولدم

مولود عشقم.

مادرم آبستنِ خجستگی بود و

در زمستانِ رو به بهارِ روزی خوب

مرا به دنیا آورد. >>>

V for Voice

My unselfish and greater wish is to represent the voice of our repressed Iranian people, of the women of Iran who endure human rights abuses that should not even be occuring in this day and age... I would love to use our current production of "The Vagina Monologues" as a springboard for both a show in solidarity with women's and children's rights from you, my community, and as a compassionate vehicle of greater involvement of our Iranian community within the American community at large. This is a fabulous video where Jane Fonda and Eve Ensler, the playwright and women's rights activist extraordinaire, passionately and so eloquently explain our cause >>>

For Abadan

Dear Mr. Mayor of Abadan, read this and do as I tell you. There is no trace of re-construction in Abadan. I went to visit some of my relatives there for a few days, a city with 40-year-old memories for me. The city whose girls were portrayed so beautifully in Aghassi’s songs, and whose boys spent their evenings standing by the palm trees in those girls’ neighborhoods. And now it is a city without a plan, without beauty, without vivacious boys, and full of walls where bullet wounds have not healed yet. But I have decided to return this city’s beauty to it. This city will have to become my country’s most beautiful, warmest, and most exciting city again>>>

Hedayat's last message

While many nations nowadays are desperately searching for their own cultural roots, they tend to consider their cultural icons as ‘pure’ and undivided original. Apart from the fact that seeking cultural purification somewhat has its similarities with the original idea’s of Nazi philosophy and fascist nationalism, it also is quite useless. Whether it is a consequence of the social and economical pressures caused by migration, or a search for meaning and identity, certain nations - and especially weak states that need a new ‘social glue’ to have the support of the people - start this search of original identity >>>

Shock & awe(ful)

This book does more than describe complex patterns of torture techniques and offer explanations for their distribution. Torture and Democracy is also designed as an accessible and reliable sourcebook for citizens. No one these days is particularly surprised that torture has its supporters even in democracies. Since September 11, 2001, American officials have acknowledged using well-known coercive techniques on prisoners, and some influential Americans have justified torture in certain cases. And since Abu Ghraib, the world has become familiar with iconic images of American torture. Most people, though, don't know about the painful but clean tortures that now characterize so much policing around the world >>>

کاسه داغ تر از آش

خواهی نشوی رسوا همرنگ جماعت شو: ما ایرانیان اولین کسانی بودیم که این ضرب المثل را عمل کردیم. این داستان را یک هندی برایم تعریف کرد: بعد از حمله اعراب اولین مهاجران ایرانی به هند رفتند. اول استقبال خوبی دریافت نکردند. یک گروه برای مذاکره پیش هندیان رفتند. گفتند ما با صلح و دوستی آمدهیم. هندیها گفتند تعداد زیاد و تفاوت فرهنگی شما جامعه ما را متزلزل خواهد کرد. رهبر ایرانیان یک قند را در چائی انداخت و گفت ما مثل این قند در جامعه شما حل میشویم. >>>

The Spider Killings (4)

-- "Akh ! Ajab heyvoun-haayee hasstan, what animals they are!" Azadeh murmured as she looked at her bloody lower lip in the small mirror hanging on the wall of the interrogation room. Why did they have to slap her on the mouth like that? For what? That old pervert who had tripped her on purpose so she would fall on her ass? He deserved to be told off, even if he was the bloody chief of police. Oh, how he had ogled her body: Like a hungry dog before a juicy cut of meat! She smiled as she remembered his shocked look when she had asked him if he wanted to take her picture.
>>>

غیاب

قصه 24 ساعت خواب و بیداری

چند ماهي بود كه پدرم بيكار بود. عاقبت مادرم و خواهرم و برادرهايم را در شهر خودمان گذاشت و دست من را گرفت و آمديم به تهران. چند نفر از آشنايان و همشهري ها قبلا به تهران‌آمده بودند و توانسته بودند كار پيدا كنند. ما هم به هواي آنها آمديم. مثلا يكي از آشنايان دكه ي يخفروشي داشت. يكي ديگر رخت و لباس كهنه خريد و فروش مي كرد. يكي ديگر پرتقال فروش بود. پدر من هم يك چرخ دستي گير آورد و دستفروش شد. پياز و سيب زميني و خيار و اين جور چيزها دوره مي گرداند. يك لقمه نان خودمان مي خورديم و يك لقمه هم مي فرستاديم پيش مادرم. من هم گاهي همراه پدرم دوره مي گشتم و گاهي تنها توي خيابان ها پرسه مي زدم و فقط شب ها پيش پدرم بر مي گشتم. گاهي هم آدامس بسته يك قران يا فال حافظ و اين ها مي فروختم.>>>

Kosher meets Halal

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>>>

Friendship

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 >>>

Religion, God & Spider Man

Video>>>