Diaspora

مقصد شما کجاست؟

هنوز چند جمله ای نخوانده بودم که سنگینی نگاهی را روی صورتم حس کردم. می دانید که چه می گویم؟ لابد برای شما هم اتفاق افتاده. کسی از پشت سر، یا از پهلو، یا اصلن از روبرو نگاهتان می کند، و شما متوجه نیستید. اما سنگیی آن نگاه را روی صورتتان، کله تان، روی ذهنتان حس می کنید. سرم را بالا کردم، همین خانم بود. با همین آرایش مو. خوب، مد است البته؛ موها را شانه نکرده رها می کنند دور و برشان. از زیر چشم دیده بودم که آمد و نشست. باور کنید همین شلوار جین مشکی هم پایش بود. نگاهم با نگاه آبی عشوه گرش تلاقی کرد. شرم اجازه نداد بیش از چند لحظه نگاهش کنم. برگشتم روی کتاب. خب، خستگی و سرمای بیرون، بعد هم گرمای داخل کوپه و حرکت ننو وار قطار، می دانید که؟ پلک هایم سنگین شدند. سرم را تکیه دادم به پشتی صندلی. ولی آن نگاه آبی سمج آنجا بود. تیز و تحریک کننده!>>>

The fourth option

The Islamic Republic would actually welcome either of two misguided U.S. strategies — negotiations or war. Both strategies will strengthen their repressive control over Iran and will allow them to extend their strategic hegemony over much of the Middle East, into parts of Central Asia and the Indian Ocean region. The Islamic Republic has a long record of using negotiations as a tactic of buying time to further its illicit policies. Besides, official negotiation means officially recognizing the legitimacy of the other side — which is something the clerical regime has longed for. Official negotiations will also be interpreted as the U.S. government’s concession to the clerical regime. Do the prime supporters of global terrorism deserve rewarding?>>>

Getting organized

Over 60 Iranian American writers and members of the community have gathered to launch the Association of Iranian American Writers (AIAW) at a conference hosted by Professors Nasrin Rahimieh (UC Irvine) and Persis Karim (San Jose State University). Held at the University of California at Irvine and sponsored by the Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture, the event featured panels on topics ranging from fiction in the post-9/11 world to writing contemporary poetry to innovations in self-representation. With more Iranian Americans writing and publishing in English than ever before, the conference was an opportunity for dialogue about issues that are central to the development of what has become a formidable literary force in the US>>>

10 wrong things

They say pride will come before the fall. Excessive pride will blind you to the truth and stops you from advancing. Iranians have a long tradition of worshiping pride. National pride, in specific, although has helped us through some tough times in our history and in many ways ensured the survival of our country and identity, but it appears that we never learned when to stop being proud and start looking at the shortages. So in the hope of breaking this centuries old tradition, I have come up with a list of 10 things that I believe are wrong with the Iranian political and social psyche .Of course a long way in breaking with this tradition, but this is for those whom still have that excessive sense of pride:>>>

Change this

Yes, as you said, Iran does pose a threat to democracy in the region; but how is Iran in building an atomic bomb pose a threat to Israel, with hundreds of atomic bombs and plus being protected by thousands more atomic bombs held by the United States is beyond my comprehension. I guess the United States and Israel need all these atomic bombs and other various weapons of mass destruction and their huge armies of warfare for peace purposes but only Iran needs them to start a war. Your pure ignorance and lack of logic is mind boggling. College degrees and experience in politics will not do one good when common sense has failed them>>>

Mount Helen

Imagine finding out that a nomadic tribe has named a mountain after your grandmother. My mother and I learned just that when a relative phoned to say the storied Bakhtiari tribe had so honored my grandmother, Helen Jeffreys Bakhtiar, to commemorate her public health work there in the 1950s. It's quite a legacy for a woman born in Weiser, Idaho, at the beginning of the 20th century. Located in the central Zagros Mountains of Iran, near the ancient city of Isfahan, the area around Kohe Helen or Helen's Mountain, is home to a wide variety of species>>>

Challenging Name

One challenge I have faced, and I’m sure many others have as well, is my Name. After living for almost 22 years outside Iran, still saying my name and introducing myself to foreign audience is a challenge for me. Well, to be honest, it’s more than challenging, I’m actually fed up with my name. And to us, Iranians, I haven’t even got a very difficult name, but I’m still not comfortable with it. OK, by now you of course wonder what the hell is this guy’s name?? Well, my name is Homayun Mohasel Zadeh, as it is in my passport. So, let’s analyze this name first among Iranian names. >>>

The beggar

When I was student some years ago, I was living in Des Moines city in Iowa State of America. During the noon hour I sometimes used to drive into the city and eat at McDonalds. The routine was usually the same, except for that day that I remembered was Tuesday. I ordered the same thing as always: a Big Mac, large fries, and a small coke. I proceeded to find a seat. The moment I sat down, I realized that I had to fight through the large crowd of hungry people; I hurried up to get my ketchup. After about four minutes, I returned to my seat. When I returned to my seat I was stunned. In the seat that I had previously been sitting in, there was an elderly lady eating my lunch>>>

تحسین زرنگی

از قدیم رسم بوده که وقتی صحبت از زرنگی و زبلی کسی میشه، میگن "زرنگ زنبوره که فلانش رو کیلویی چهارصد تومن میفروشه!" (خوب منظور همون عسل هست ولی بنده هنوز نمیدونم که عسل ترشح دهان – تف- زنبور خانه یا مدفوع – ان – ایشونه؟!) و البته قیمت کیلویی چهارصد تومن روهم برای مثال نوشتم! ایمیل نزنین اعتراض کنین که قیمت عسل در زمان فتحعلی فیلکوس رو نوشتی ها! اصلا نمیدونم عسل تو ایرون کیلویی چنده این روزها. ولی تو مملکتی که برنج قیمت یه کیلوش از پنج هزار تومن بالا بزنه، و گوشت گوسفند دو کیلوش با یه پیکان کار سال 50 برابری کنه،خوب حتما عسل هم یه کیلوعسلش کوهپایه سبلانش با قیمت یه گالون بنزین تو لوس آنجلس نباید زیاد اختلاف داشته باشه دیگه! >>>

Long awaited return

Fields of Change is also a definite change in direction from the last couple of albums which according to Sepehr were largely dominantly produced by the labels they used to be with. This effort is their first independent effort and the result of what they think sounds good to them, rather than a result of corporate marketing listener surveys from American-advertising fed New Age stations. Don't get me wrong, you will enjoy owning very single album you buy, the signature S&S sound is always tight, multi-layered, and an elegantly thoughtful, construct of harmonic sounds and encouraging and exotic beats woven together to bring about a convergence that is, in a word, pleasing.>>>