Features>>> Archive
IRAN Photo essay: Iran
We need to do a better job protecting and promoting Iranian history, but in this fight, we are alone and lack resources As a scholar-in-training from Iran, getting my education in the US, I would like to add a few comments to Arya’s very correct suggestion about promoting and preserving Iranian culture and history. My friends and I who are involved in the “business” of history notice the same thing every single day. I notice that in high-school history books, the whole of the Achaemenid Empire is a footnote to the chapter on Greece and Arsacids and Sasanians are mentioned in passing while talking about the glory that was Rome. Samanids and Seljuks are parts of the Islamic civilization and Safavids are only mentioned in college level courses when talking about the Ottomans. I see that etymology of words are constantly given as “oriental origin” and are left at that and nobody notices that Margaret is an Old Persian name! >>>
Iranians revisited: mother-son relationships The mothers as covert lovers and the sons who cling to them as their own eternal saviors and undying icons of perfect love and divine security are countless in the Iranian culture. An overbearing mother’s characteristic signs are: feeding the son with excruciating guilt for making rightfully personal choices, interacting in a purely conditional manner as if every gesture of affection or kindness is being executed with some degree of effort and burden, interfering with the son’s matters of the heart; incessantly disapproving the son’s partners or significant others; having the “no one is good for my son” attitude, manipulating circumstances and situations to her own benefits and personal merit instead of considering the son’s ultimate happiness, individuation, and independence >>>
Gasoline subsidies in Iran Iran is a classic welfare state. The economy is run by the government and everything from cheese to electricity is subsidized by it. The subsidies were initially introduced to garner public support for the Shah and where later maintained on social justice grounds. Gasoline subsidies account for 17% of Iran’s energy subsidies. It is becoming evermore expensive to maintain and is introducing severe inefficiencies on several grounds. Many measures have been proposed to bring gasoline subsidies under control. None of the proposed measures, however, were able to overcome the entitlement mentality of the public and as a result failed to survive long enough to be effective >>>
As long as the U.S. is thirsty for oil it will continue aggressive policies
To Persis Karim, editor of "Let Me Tell You Where I've Been: New Writing by Women of the Iranian Diaspora" and 3 other so called "intellectual" women who were interviewed on KQED in Berkeley Thursday morning (June 29th), I only have 3 words: Shame On You. When asked by a listener what they thought about Iran sending Tehran Prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi to the UN, they all skirted the issue by saying: "Is human rights situation better here at US?" >>> HAMJENS Photo essay: San Francisco Gay Pride parade It has become a tradition for many San Francisco Bay Area residence to go out and support the Gay Hamjens by attending the Gay Pride Parade. This year was no exception and the numbers were stronger than ever! Note: if you are easily offended, please do not view these photos! >>>
New York's "Freedom Tower" The latest design of the Freedom Tower to be built at New York’s “ground zero” was just unveiled. The original plan, created by Daniel Libeskind, called for a series of angular buildings with one rising significantly above the rest, its spire reaching 1776 feet -- the height, a gesture to the date of the signing of the US Declaration of Independence. In his plan, the lone tower and spire evoked the Statue of Liberty, freedom conquering tragedy >>> ART Paintings These are my latest paintings which will be on show in Tehran. The concept started from monsters -- div in Farsi -- and lately they became my own creatures instead >>>
Any student of history will be able to point out heights in Iranian history. Our culture is one of the oldest and most renowned in the known World. Our food, architecture, literature, language, people and customs have been admired and written about the World over. Islam has been a major contributor to a great number of these things, no doubt about it. However, the past is the past. How can Islam and the Iranian version of it be compatible with the world as it is today? >>>
No matter the outcome of Iranian nuclear crisis, undoubtedly, Iran is heading to full scale chaos! Even if they can reach a deal with the Western world to suspend the Uranium enrichment, the economic situation in the country has become so bad that being optimistic about the future is a fatal mistake. Despite the hype made by the outside world that the main priority for Iran are democracy and freedom, many people do not even care them. They simply want lower inflation and a better economy. Sooner or later when the government rations gasoline or sells it with two different prices, inflation will skyrocket. Indeed it is already high and it is going to go higher and higher >>>
What kind of democracy in the Middle East? Islamic, secular, liberal or populist? I wonder whether people would embrace fundamentalist religion (fundamentalist religion sounds like something bad, something out of touch with true religion, but it literally means the real religion in its true nature) if they had the chance for a life without purpose, but with enough chances and opportunities to make it enjoyable and nice. Life according to religious fundamentalism does not have much of a meaning actually. It can hardly be called life. A true religious Muslim has so much religious duties he can hardly get a chance for a happy life. But the fact is that human nature, with its aptitude for survival, is not fit to be a follower of religious fundamentalism. Then the question is, why do so many young Muslims go for religious fundamentalism and go so far that they even do the ultimate religious sacrifice, with their whole God-given soles? >>>
Analysts hold that the United States changed its rigid position as a result of various obvious factors and reason In a significant shift of policy, the United States offered to join Europe in talks with Iran on its nuclear programme, if Tehran suspends its enrichment of uranium. One must remember that in 2003, Bush refused to allow any response to the Iranian offer to negotiate an agreement that would have accepted the existence of Israel. The decision to change tactics towards Iran is definitely a major policy shift for the Bush administration, who earlier had refused to join the talks or make other diplomatic overtures to Iran, despite calls from European nations, other leading diplomats and former US Secretaries of State, overturning a high level decision by Washington last March to freeze Iranian talks >>> PHOTOGRAPHY Photo essay: Exhibiting photographs by Reza Deghati in Washington DC Selected images from 30 years of work by internationally known photojournalist Reza Deghati will be displayed indoors and outside the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington DC (June 27, 2006 through October 9, 2006). From Asia to Africa these photographs witness the torments of war and revolution and express the power of beauty and hope behind human tragedy >>>
Until today development economics have aimed at improving the economic and social conditions in developing countries. The IMF for instance gives loans to developing countries along with a list of conditions that stimulates these developing countries to improve their government systems, combat corruption and improve their legal and human rights situation. Some find organizations like the World Bank or the IMF paternalistic or perhaps even neo-colonist, but at least they set conditions so that the people of these developing countries can have a better quality of life. This on itself is a noble goal and from my point of view the most appreciative way of friendly state intervention >>>
What kind of democracy in the Middle East? Islamic, secular, liberal or populist?
I don’t know how many women watch football, but definitly not the ones I know. I thought why not for once sit down and watch a football game with my husband and try to grasp what it is that he like so much about this game. I watched a couple of games with him and found out interesting things. I also ended up having some questions. Like who decides what color outfit the players wear? Who designs them? I thought maybe the chosen color had to be in harmony with where the players come from >>>
Email exchange on Hossein Hajiagha's cartoons: It is interesting that you guys claim you want Hossein Hajiagha to stop bashing "Western minded individuals" but yet Western minded individuals should believe in individual right of freedom of expression. Why shouldn't he have the freedom to express himself without you guys sitting there and trying to censor him? If you want your say, let him have his say. Please take your 2,500 year old backward mentality and put it back in the stone age with Cyrus and Darius >>> GLOBAL WARMING Photo essay: Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth" LETTERS On Hossein Hajiagha's cartoons: I know the Iranian.com's motto is "Nothing is Sacred" but an we STOP giving so much airtime to Hajiagha. I love Iranian.com and visit it regularly but every time I see one of Hajiagha's cartoon's I get sick to my stomach. While "nothing is sacred" is a motto worth sticking to, I think you would be well within the rights of your role as the editor to stop publishing him. Many of his cartoons are not funny or satirical and don't make any points other than highlight his personal hate for homosexuality and for what he perceives to be the western culture. If he was worth the fight, he could probably be charged under Canadian hate crime legislation. PLEASE STOP PUBLISHING HIS DISGUSTING CARTOONS >>> More letters
Night had fallen as they got to the gates of the beloved stone villa that had belonged to Mariam’s family for generations They had driven a few hours through the rocky mountain terrain, which snaked its way upwards through tunnels, bending and winding around endless dusty corners. The red hot moulds had absorbed the heat of the scorching sun all day and effused a dry earthy scent, a barren scent almost as barren as the scenery around them. And then it came without warning, the unexpected change in scenery, a thick green lushness covered the mountains almost suddenly and the temperature dropped. The magical forest unfolded over the mountains for as long as they could see and touched the clear blue sky. A cool breeze caressed her flushed cheek and blew her raven hair. Mariam inhaled deeply. This was the moment she had dreamt of all these years. The familiar scent of the wet forest, musky wood and distant rice fields filled her nostrils >>>
What makes football incredibly exciting, for me Watching the games as they happen is part of the experience -- in some ways sharing in a joyous event with the rest of the world. Some of my friends and I watched everything on the Spanish channel live -- even though I don’t understand a lot Spanish, I got the feel of the game with their announcers where the ones on ABC or ESPN have no idea about how to call a football game... I think one thing that people unfamiliar with football do not understand is how the game could have been interesting if the final score was 1-0, or worse yet 0-0. What they miss is the fact that a near goal is the second most exciting event in all of sports -- furious agony for some, desperate relief for others >>>
Musical tragedy with no act No, your ears are not having hearing problems. The whining voices in your head are only echos of shifting vocal pitches, not the actual tormented souls being exposed to the latest Persian Pop music hits. What started out as a simple plug-in tool for correcting pitch in vocal and instrumental performances has now become the de facto style of singing among Persian Pop singers. The Auto-Tune audio processor by Antares Audio Technologies was first used to produce more precisely tuned recordings by disguising Out-Of-Tune singing and inaccurate tuning with its pitch shifting capabilities in studio post production and sound engineering. It was designed to be a musical spell-checker... >>> TRAVELERS Photo essay: Capital of Azerbaijan Republic
At home, Iranian president is admired Iranians living abroad are ashamed of him. Wealthy Iranian entrepreneurs and political moderates shudder at every word he utters, especially on foreign policy. Foreign leaders and analysts have called him a "great danger" to the region. Israel's Iranian-born former defense minister, Shaul Mofaz, has likened him to Adolf Hitler. Yet to millions of Iranians, far more than the West can imagine, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a rather popular guy. Barring his outbursts denying the extent of the Holocaust and threatening Israel with annihilation, Mr. Ahmadinejad is saying and doing what a majority of Iranians want to hear. The key to his success is that he has learned who the average Iranian is and what he or she wants. The West has not >>>
Chronicles of Fredrick D. Sauma Maria arrived exactly at 11.30. Her dress matched the climate with its bare minimum. A surge of eroticism spiraled in my being. It was our first date and I didn't want to ruin it, giving her the impression that I was desperate, unrestrained and promiscuous. We hardly knew each other. I had never got physically intimate till the third date, even then it was perhaps a kiss on the cheek or merely holding and rubbing hands. But then again oriental girls were different and that's where I'd learned the rules. I felt much more relaxed with Christine. I didn't have to pretend that I was going to marry her or throw money around like a rich man trying to impress her as I usually did. But the less we played games, the more the intricacies and insecurities of our soul came to surface. In those seemingly tactile gazes, passionate kisses, reluctant goodbyes and sensitive touches there are always many hidden uncertainties, fears, unfulfilled fantasies and a few old wounds still throbbing here and there >>>
Part 14: Returning to Iran: 1986-87 Underground and without paper to write on, the Iranian intellectual community has been forced into a new oral tradition. Private gatherings -- parties, dinners, and all-night sessions of poetry, music, discussion, or instruction -- are the medium for the realization of this tradition. It is typical that the most personal thoughts and the most rigorous learning are imparted by the same person and in the same sitting. To describe these exchanges I can conjure up memories of steaming inside my Islamic uniform in the heat of a July afternoon in a bare classroom of one of the universities where I talked to a professor of Persian literature >>>
Iranians, especially scholars with Iranian descent need to do a better job of trying to be keepers of their culture As I was going through reading and formulating my thoughts on what I was about to write I came across another article here "Ancient Persia's virtual absence in Hollywood" written six years ago which basically discussed both the lack of presence and or misrepresentation of Iranian history in the West and more specifically in Hollywood. Of course since then we had several-failed attempt and some successful ones in this area. For instance many Iranians had hoped that finally Alexander Jovi project in 2003 will introduce Koroush to the West but apparently his attempt has failed. That failed attempt was followed by the fiasco surrounding arrest of Cyrus Kar while working on the documentary project on the life of Koroush >>>
Today, football dominates every corner of Iranian society, an occasion both for people to forget the chaotic situation of the daily life and for the regime to mask this situation For the IRI’s team, a sense of unity only could take hold in an artificial stance. In fact, there was no unity for a team on which the public debate has already focused the question if the team after all represents its nation. Of course, there are seemingly irreconcilable differences among Iranians concerning the legitimacy. For some epicurean Iranians who have trouble to accept the sad face of heir country, this legitimacy is not the issue at all. Instead, on a lower intellectualism out of touch with the realities, they may even carry any flag, chant any anthem and happily cheer and dance with any music. For some other Iranians, who truly tackle the problem, they do not let things drift with the euphoria of football, but instead point out the worries of people that will be appeared into the background >>> ART Calligraphy
In memory of Ayad and Mohammad
But are they intrusive if they are all you have left?
Chabahr Bay
Inspired by watching Baghdad on TV TRAVELERS Photo essay: My recent trip back home
A voice from a road between East and West
for John T. Chalcraft
I am a 16 year old Persian boy living in London and missing Iran
Last night in his castle beyond all mountains i dined with Death, drinking wine from crystal goblets
Bubbles
Hangs like an impossible breath through immovable cracks in the concrete
An all purple dance show
An all purple dance show
In search of a free soul
Group makes strides in Los Angeles and abroad Thirty-four-year-old Farahanipour resembles his childhood pictures. He still has that baby face with two big, black eyes that turn almond-shaped when he smiles. He’s not so tall, and not so short, but his lofty yet eloquent Farsi rhetoric gives him a tall stature. By training, he is a journalist and a lawyer, and ashamed to admit that he now has to host tables at Shamshiri, a Persian restaurant on Westwood Boulevard, in order to pay the bills. Things haven’t changed that much for Farahanipour absent the beating and torture. Now they have an American twist. Farahanipour runs his political party Marze Por Gohar, MPG or Glorious Frontiers Party out of Los Angeles, sometimes called Irangeles, the closest place to home. Their platform has stayed the same >>>
Since the launch of first, or at least one of the first, Persian blogs, one name has always been prominent. Hoder (Hossein Derakhshan) has been recognized as the Father (or technically the Godfather!!!) of Persian blogging. Numerous efforts have been made by him and others to encourage Iranians to launch and manage their own blogs. Indeed Persian blogs have been one of the fastest growing in today's media world... But these days he is quiet. He simply blogs once he is travelling or when he wants to judge current political issues in Iran. Maybe he already knows that Persian blogging is close to the end! Maybe he realises that many Iranians (including me!) do not enjoy reading other people's weblogs anymore. Instead, they tend to go to more reliable media and official sources >>> WORLD CUP Photo essay: A day in Leipzig
MEK tricks US progressives, gains legitimacy While MEK activists feign humanistic values before mainstream audiences, they work closely with some of the extremist Washington circles that push for pre-emptive US confrontation with Iran. (Other American unilateralist think tanks prefer to support the rival monarchist Iranian groups here.) For example, the Iranian "security expert" who regularly warns us about Iranian fundamentalism on Fox News television, Alireza Jafarzadeh, is none other than the terror group's former registered Washington representative >>>
A new art in the making What Mazloom has presented us with makes him as much of an artist as, let’s say, umm, actually can’t think of anyone I know. Maybe my sofa. What reveals his real talent is his own admission that what he does is neither satire nor art. He calls it “tamaskhor,” and by God, until I had read the caption, I had been wondering how to classify these recent surges of bubbles in pictures (BIPs) produced by some newcomer talents at Iranian.com. Tamaskhor is what they are, nothing more and nothing less. An insult on the person (here Ahmadinejad) and an insult on us readers’ intelligence >>> SHAAZDEHS OF THE DAY Group photo at Automobile Club de France in Paris
What's wrong with Iranian football?
World Cup 2006 is over for us. It was already finished for us. Long time ago, many people criticized our national team because it was not prepared enough for this tournament. But the world is not over yet! Logically, we need to sit back and try to learn from our mistakes. We need to prepare ourselves physically and mentally for upcoming 2010 World Cup in South Africa. But I still wonder whether we will learn from mistakes or not? I assume we will be the same even in the next World Cup >>> ART Sculptures
I got an email the other day from a group of Iranian ex-pats, inviting me to take part in an "electronic sit-in to support human rights in Iran." I'm all for that. As a matter of fact, I'm all for anything that protects me from bodily harm and possible injuries. Therefore, I volunteer to participate in: online hunger strikes, virtual flag burning, cyber rebellion, internet human chains, electronic passive resistance, computer-generated insurgency and dotcom uprising. Where do I sign up? WORLD CUP Photo essay: Leipzig hosts Iran-Angola match
To the young people of America Just over 50 years ago it was No Gun Ri. Then My Lai. And now Haditha ... and, as (headlines declare), even more mass murders, most recently in the Iraqi villages of Ishaqi, Hamdaniya, Latifiyah, and Yusifiyah; young men fresh out of high school, frustrated by life, with nothing better to do than to sign up as mercenaries ready and willing to kill for their country, yet, as always, afraid to die and angry as hell as a result of buddies (comrades-in-arms) having been killed, everyone of them having been thrown into a world of cultural confusion and death wanting nothing more than an opportunity to return home, body and mind unimpaired >>>
I want to create an article containing every aspect of Western Civilisation that has been impacted on by Iranian civilisation It was Eid (the Iranian new year), and with my Eid money, I wanted to go and by a good history book about Iran. So we went to Pages For All Ages first. My expectations were high, and I was thinking that I would be reading a great book that evening. However, it did not take long for me to realise that there were no books on my topic of interest! I was shocked and angry. Where were all the books on this great civilisation that has impacted Asia, North Africa, two of the great monotheistic religions (Islam and Christianity), and the West? >>>
West faces another 'barbarian invasion' PARIS -- Top security analyst Rear Admiral Chris Parry compares present threat to Western border breach that preceded collapse of Roman Empire. Rear Admiral Chris Parry makes comparison to 'The mass population movements that could lead to the "Rome scenario," he asserts, referring to the collapse of the western Roman Empire in the 4th and 5th centuries when groups such as Ostrogoths Visigoths, Suevi, Huns and Vandals flooded its borders. Western civilization faces a threat on par with the barbarian invasions that destroyed the Roman Empire in the 5th century, warns one of Britain's most senior military strategists. Immigrant groups from the Third World with little allegiance to their host countries could undermine Europe in a "reverse colonization," said Rear Admiral Chris Parry, according to the Times of London >>> WORLD CUP Photo essay: On the day of Iran-Portugal match
Email from a football fan in love 'Como faço para me corresponder com o Ebrahim Mirzapour? Sou fã dele'
Three sample tracks rolled into one MP3 from "Oje Gharibe Yek Seda" In 1981, Shirin was arrested with thousands of young people as a political activist and spent five years of her youth in prison. Her passion for music and her memory of melodies of life strongly contributed to her ability to survive the intolerable conditions of life in prison. Her first melody was composed in her mind, based on the poem Cest Une Femme or This is A Woman, inside the prison walls. In 1990, after escaping Iran and moving to Canada, Shirin was introduced to Iranian traditional music, training in Avaz and Radif. She became an integral part of the Khavaran and Saba ensembles, and they toured successfully throughout Canada. Her performances have been enthusiastically received in many social, cultural and charity events >>>
Dear Iranian fans, Chill out! It's not the end of the world. Both Mexico and Portugal are excellent teams, ranked ahead of Iran and were the favorites to win the group from the outset. This is only the 3rd time Iran has even made it into the finals. It's unrealistic and frankly unfair to expect miracles at this point in the development of Iranian football. As good as we are against Asian teams, our national team has had little experience and even less success at the world stage. For us to be upset that Iran lost today is just as rediculous as the Americans' "demand" that their team beat 3-time champion Italy >>>
Anatomy of a digital drawing Being a part-time illustrator, the first question many people ask when they visit my website is: what software/hardware do you use to make your illustrations? While the answer contains nothing new for people who are in the business, I thought I will settle this for others once and for all by writing up a short tutorial about the process I use to make a simple illustration. Hopefully this will encouarge other potential artists to start their own digital drawings. After reading this tutorial, you can check out some of my other drawings here >>>
Factionalism in post-revolutionary Iran The contrast between modernity and tradition in modern-day Iran is striking to say the least. It is a society in where social and political institutions contain both modern and traditional elements, and this contradictory nature is most clear the post-revolutionary press. To compensate for the lack of political parties following the 1979 Islamic revolution, the clerical leadership slightly loosened restrictions on the press. While this did not create an easy transition to social and political freedom, the press has succeeded playing a crucial role in shaping Iranian public opinion through introducing discourse different from that of the state, as well as enabling the public to communicate their views within the established boundaries >>>
She was a sweet Pakistani shopkeeper. And married.
CAMPING Photo essay & video clips: Two nights and three days in the California Sierras
We do not live any longer in the times of vast empires, only commercial ones Recently there have been a lot of talk about Iran's diverse ethnic mixture. As long as provocative issues are discussed in civilised and peaceful manners there can never be any bad outcome. Nothing is sacred, nothing ought to be a taboo. Everything is open to debate... What to do now? My intention was to introduce probably a different way of looking at historical facts. In order to move on and do something for now and for the future any person or nation must come in to grips with the past and accept the goods and bads done for or on his or her behalf ... Nowadays big has come back in fashion, like in the old days of vast empires. But this time it's all about commerce. It's all about big trading blocks, huge markets >>>
Having noticed that the players in this World Cup keep faking fouls to get some time off for refreshment, I'd like to propose the head of FIFA to consider setting up a long bar on each football field, complete with sexy bargirls and Bud Light advertisements, and giving the players a five minute break in each half so that they could go suck on those yellow water-containers and get to know each other better. Maybe the world will be a better place after this.
Did Human Rights Watch get it wrong? I was reminded of all this by conflicting reports about the women's demonstration in Tehran last week. Contrary to dispatches by news services, I learned from an eyewitness whom I infinitely trust that he saw no beating or gassing of the demonstrators. Having attended the rally as a sympathizer, he believes Iranian women (and men) have every right to press for their demands, without a permit if necessary. But he is also an honest observer. Referring to published photos, he wrote me that some demonstrators were taken away by policewomen, but except in one case they were not physically abused. This is the opposite of what we are told by activist blogs and Western press about the scale and intensity of "the crackdown" on June 12 >>>
Interview with entrepreneur & philanthropist Noosheen Hashemi Forsat.org is run with the discipline, team, and vision more akin to a high technology start-up than a non-profit endeavor. The core team's efforts are supplemented by a larger circle of volunteers sharing their professional expertise through contribution of articles. As an intellectual philanthropist and a member of the circle, I find my experience rewarding and want others to join this positive experience. Towards those goals, I sat down with Noosheen Hashemi to get a better understanding for Forsat.org's opportunity and future >>> LETTERS On Saeed Nia's "Brazialian youngsters got nothing better to do than kick a round ball all day": With all do respect... this was one of the dumbest comments I've read on Iranian.com in a looooooong time. This is what you said: "So what if Brazil is the best team in the soccer world? That's because unemployment is high and younsters got nothing better to do than kick a round ball all day." What's your expertise on Brazilian culture based on? Economics? Education? Politics? Science/Technology? Agriculture/Natural Resource? Religion? Language? Have you been anywhere within 500 miles of Brazil (or south of equator)? How many cities can you name in Brazil? What does their flag mean OR say in green text? What's the name of their capital city (without doing quick google search)? >>> More letters
WORLD CUP Photo essay: Iran vs. Portgal
As the pragmatist in you says that in the world cup a loss is a loss and the table of standings only remembers numbers and not effort, I would like to quickly remind you that all losses are not created equal. The loss to Mexico left us all with a sense of disgust, a shock followed by disappointment and in many cases ending in resentment, primarily since there was a feeling that we did it to ourselves. We couldn't stop thinking what if Grandpa Daei was not playing, or what if Mirzapour for once in his life would stick to his goal, communicate with his defenders, and not mosey around the field, or what if our coach would substitute in fresher players in the second half. Anyone I know did not think we lost due to lack of talent, rather due to not using that talent properly. The loss to Portugal today was of a different nature >>>
In a visual culture, nothing short of video evidence will force some columnists to abandon their lies Ralph Nader turns up to an Al Gore book-signing event. According to Dana Milbank in the Washington Post, two men in the line approach Nader and say: “Thanks to you we had Bush all these years, how many are dead in Iraq because of that?” It would take a highly creative legal team to build a case against Nader for causing the bloodbath that is Iraq. But we live in a time when people closer to power make increasingly outlandish claims against their foes. Rather than call for heads to roll, it becomes the job of liberals and the Left to prove, say, that the men who committed suicide in Guantanamo Bay were, far from working for an ad agency, deprived of the dignity of zoo animals. You can imagine the board meeting: “It’ll be the ultimate in experiential marketing, three boys in orange hang themselves by their beards, and the whole word will turn against the US.” >>>
Here is an article for all you guys who set the alarm for 6:00 a.m. this morning! Watching the World Cup games, I am reminded of the true definition of an old Persian proverb, “sitting ringside and shouting, ‘knock him out!’” Here I am, a retired tennis player -- the only game I competed in -- and with limited understanding of soccer, shouting at the Iran goalkeeper, “Catch the ball, you incompetent -- bee-orzeh!” Indeed, it’s so easy to sit on the sideline and let your imagination score. With Iran out of the World Cup, my “football fever” will soon subside, because to be honest, I for one watched with more interest as long as Iran had a chance. Waking up early morning on Saturdays and skipping breakfast just to watch those guys lose has taken its toll on many of us. Onward with our daily lives in “The land of the free”, some of us may even find it in our hearts to forgive those guys for this huge letdown >>> ART Illustrations
Last summer
A rift has opened deep in the power structure of the Islamic Republic Ever since Hashemi Rafsanjani was defeated in his last bid to become president of the Islamic Republic (again) in June last year, observers have speculated on his future in the establishment and his likely next moves. He bitterly complained about the election that saw his unassuming rival Mahmood Ahmadinejad sweeping to power. At the same time, he refrained from lodging an official complaint for what he saw as "vote-rigging" and "vote-fixing", on the grounds that "the people who are supposed to deal with these violations are the same who have committed them". This, coming from someone who has been the main pillar of the Islamic Republic since its formation, and who still carry a lot of weight both on and off the scene, sounded ominous >>>
Oppose American designs on Iran
It seems there are still a few among us who are determined to make the World Cup a miserable affair I realize that some Iranians do become a bit blinded by nationalism during these sorts of events, yes perhaps it's extreme to think we'd win the actual World Cup, but it is not outrageous to want to win one or two games! No one is being nationalistic when they are disappointed that their team lost a game, why is it that Iranians feel like they must attack each other every chance they get? Can we, please, for just this one occasion, pretend to be united? Here is an event that does not involve politics, culture, gender, ethnicity, religion or anything else Iranians use to divide themselves. Here is an event that only requires we support a group of athletes who want, probably more than we could imagine, to win a game of football >>>
We Iranians do help each other and understand that a strong community helps all of us but the good ones do not brag I am always interested in reading articles when someone takes up an issue, which not only interests me, but most often I address in the circles I travel. Although Mr. Nouraeei's article "Take care of your own" has many valid points, as an Iranian I am offended that he is putting all of us in the same pool. That seems to be the norm every time I read an article about what is bad about "Iranians". Yes, I know that I have written about these issues as well but I am always fair enough to say what is good about us and point out the exceptions. Let's examine some of his comments. First of all not all Jews have money. Ironically, this morning coming from my Iranian dentist's office located in a beautiful shopping center in Palm Beach County where mega million dollar homes surround the area, I drove no more than 5 minutes east and sure enough the development well known in this area which only has Jewish residents was to my right >>> WORLD CUP Photo essay: My adventure on the way to Nurenberg
Scenes from Tehran's Golestan Mall The three girls walked into Golestan Mall. They were pretty, real pretty, tight jeans, tight smocks covering tight shirts with tight roosaris barely covering long beautiful hair. One stood out more than the other two, a spitting image of Charlize Theron. Charlize really is a brunette right? They walked and smiled and talked and giggled and glided gorgeously across the white shiny marble floor of the mall. Outside a white police car with the words "Ershad" (orthodoxy) pulled up to the curb. Out stepped a fat officer, gestapo styled cap cocked sleazily to a slight angle. He had a scowl on his face already. He waddled and followed the girls immediately. He pulled up behind them, quickened his pace until he was alongside them, and barked, "Khanoum Een Cheh Vaazesheh!" (Miss, What's all this then?) Charlize turned around, and said "What?" >>> PERSIAN OF THE DAY Video & photo essay: A very cute and spoiled cat
Part 13: Returning to Iran: 1986-87 As Sheikh Ishraq would have it, the community of arts and letters, for one, has transformed itself into a zoo of sorts in Iran. Were I to describe any one creature to any degree of accuracy, however, I would blow his or her cover. I cannot relate the opinion of a particular scholar, or the style of a poet, or the generic nuances of the latest work of a short-story writer, or the timbre of a singer's voice, or the background of any of them, without taking a risk at their expense. In a tightly knit community each one of them is well known. Let us just say that some of them are men, some women; some have work, others no longer do; some ancién régime, some "left," others neither; some with prison experience, some not; some hopeful, some in despair >>>
Who was it that came to rescue these slippery vowels from disgrace?
Iran's loss to Mexico anguished the hearts of millions of Iranians, and I have followed with interest the huge deluge of negative commentaries on the internet and beyond about the poor performance of the Iranian team and while I agree with some of the criticisms, nonetheless I strongly think that the glass is still half full, rather than half empty, for the following reasons: First, for full seventy five minutes, Iran stood shoulder to shoulder with Mexico, which is, in fact, a semi-Brazilian team with some naturalized Brazilians on its roster. That was, quite honestly, gratifying and especially when you consider the fact that Iran played a superb first half and nearly scored during the first few minutes of the game, only to be denied by a superb dive by the Mexican goale keeper. Second, >>>
Support Iranian women, condemn violence and arrests of peaceful activists The peaceful women's rights protest demanding changes to family laws and legal discrimination against women, which took place between 5:00-6:00pm on June 12, 2006, in 7 th of Tir square, in Tehran, ended in extreme violence when police attacked the crowd with batons, and pepper gas. A large number of police and security forces arrived at the scene hours prior to the scheduled event in an effort to prevent the protest from taking shape. Despite this, it is estimated that several thousand protesters were dispersed throughout 7th of Tir Sqaure, which is one of the main squares of Tehran. The names of those arrested and released are unsubstantiated. But thus far, the following persons have been reported as arrested: >>> ART Selections from "New Visual Culture of Modern Iran: Graphic design, Illustrations, Photography"
I'm a sucker for the way Iranian security forces handle dissidents. They actually have a gender-specific system. During gatherings by male activists, the male security forces and police beat, arrest and disperse the protesters. Recently, the Iranian women's sit-in on June 12th was broken up by club-wielding, pepper-spraying female security forces. I'm beginning to understand how it works and I can't wait for gatherings by gay, lesbian and transvestite dissidents.
You want to know why Jews are stereotyped as having money and power? It's because they do. And you know what? More power to them From time to time, I read with great interest, the articles that claim to have the recipe for that magic all-curing chai, the one that will solve all of Iran's problems, whether political, social, cultural or whether a Bee Em Veh is better than a Benz. They have been written by both Iranians/Persians (I forgot what we are calling ourselves this week, I seem to have misplaced my "Pick My Identity" calendar) or by some busybody khareji, who has either been to Iran, heard of Iran, can locate it on a map, or just some jackass who ate chelokabab for the first time. This so-called intelligentsia always claim to have all the answers, when truth be told, they don't even understand the question. This recent article concerning how Iranian-Americans can learn from the example set by Jewish-Americans is especially nauseating. For no other reason except that it fails to address the single biggest problem in our culture--a total absence of personal accountability. Ask an Iranian what is accountability, and the answer will be, "Ven you can have checking account." >>>
Women's rights gathering in Tehran This gathering occurred on the anniversary of a similar protest last year in front of Tehran University, when a group of Iranian women and men came together peacefully demanding a change in the rules and regulations specifically targeted against the civil and human rights of women in the Islamic Republic. This coalition of individuals, associations and NGOs that had attempted to put their “grievances and demands through civil disobedience” had formed “the largest independent women’s coalition to appear since the fall of the Shah”. The sit-in on 12th June 2006 had been widely advertised online and was a peaceful plea to the Iranian government to change its unequal gender laws. The principle demands were as follows: >>>
This Saturday, the match against Portugal is the judgment day for our team. A loss or even a draw will simply toss us out of the round of 16. This Saturday we will show the world how we have learned from our mistakes and whether we have tried to correct them or not. Many fellow Iranians might be upset with those who criticize the Iranian team in Germany. But the reality is there! The fact is that we should not be waiting for a miracle if we lose or draw it is better to pack up and the match against Angola will be a formality >>> LETTERS On Iran's3-1 defeat to Mexico: I just want to thank the Iranian national team for making it to the world cup, and the opportunity to watch them represent Iran. Even though they lost to Mexico 3-1, I won't let myself belittle them or their effort in any way. This is because I realize I've done NOTHING for Iranian football or Iranian players. Therefeore, I expect nothing from them in return. However they play, it's more than we deserve >>> More letters
WORLD CUP Photo essay: Iranian fans in Nurenberg
Critique of American imperial designs IS NOT complicitous with theocratic tyranny In his powerful and cogently argued essay Native Informers and the Making of the American Empire (Al-Ahram Weekly, 1 - 7 June 2006, Issue No. 797) Professor Hamid Dabashi of Columbia University has provided an exemplary paradigm of critical intelligence. His conclusions echo more or less what I've been trying to convince partisans of the late Shah (unfortunately the dominant constituency of my own family) for some time. In a somewhat disconcerted tone he asks, 'How could one account for this politically expedited collective amnesia -- of manufacturing consent and discarding history at the speed of one major military operation every two years?' The vast majority of Iranian émigrés it seems to me suffer from the same ailment of collective amnesia which Professor Dabashi diagnoses here as characteristic of the American public >>>
We are not the team we all think we are Well Iran lost and I have been angry and frustrated for the past couple days. We went from being extremely happy and hopeful at half time to having our dreams crushed by 12:31. If I have learned anything from that game, it is that Iranians are so nationalistic that they put everything before reality. What we Iranians have to accept is that Iran's team is actually one of the worst teams in this World Cup. We are not the soccer power we think we are, and ofcourse we can't beat teams like Mexico, Portugal, and yes, probably even Angola, when we have a hard time beating Asian teams >>>
We are dealing with violent and dangerous animals How and why we, the men of Iran, have stood by and done so little for our brave women while they have, for nearly three decades, been suffocating as second-class citizens boggles ones mind. Have we no honor, no courage? Have we forgotten our manhood? How is it that we have not stood against those that have stripped them of their rights as Iranians and their dignity as humans? How is it, that in silence, we have allowed them to be beaten, tortured, raped and killed without running to their defense? Why have they had to stand alone on the frontlines of their quest to be treated equally under the law? How is it that they became the courageous and we became the meek? Have we forgotten who we are? Have we forgotten who they are? They are the heart and soul of our country >>> REVOLUTIONARIES Updated photo essay: Unearthing half a century of underground revolutionary material
An Islamic constitution I remember the first day I attended class at the Leiden University, Faculty of Social Sciences. The subject was " Introduction to Public Administration". The professor gave us such an inspiring and confronting task that even now, a year after graduating I still think back with admiration. He split the class in half and gave us the following mission: "Your airplane with passengers from different countries has crashed into a deserted island and with no hope of ever having contact with the outside world, you have to start a whole new society. Just how will you shape this? Will you create a government? What kind? What would be your constitution? What would you base your shared values on?" >>> FEEL GOOD Photo essay: Delivering donated art supplies for children in Tehran When I arrived at the Center, and after unloading the art supplies, with the assistance of the children, I was introduced to the teacher, her name was Hiwa, who was an architecture student and volunteer art teacher. We had two memorable hours >>>
"You sing a sad song just to turn it around" I picked up the phone and called G's number ... two rings and the familiar message, "Thank you for calling ****. I'm sorry I'm unable to come to the phone at the moment, but if you leave your name and number, I shall get back to you as soon as possible". Same message I've been hearing for days now followed by the same six beeps and the same robotic voice saying "me-mo-ry full". God I hate that robotic voice, and I hate that stupid answering machine, and I hate the fact that he doesn't erase his damn messages ... granted, most of them are from me, which is probably why he keeps them there ... just so I can't leave him any more annoyed messages ... "G, it's me again ... I can't believe you're avoiding me like this ... can we please behave like adults and at least have one last conversation? Please call my mobile when you get this." >>>
Dear editor at New York Times, June 9th op-ed commentary by Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon is a laundry list of all the horrible things the terrorist mastermind Abu Musab Zaraqwi has committed... What offended this reader, and I'm sure score of others who are familiar with history, is the mocking of a very important iconic figure in this article: The ancient human-headed winged lion or lamassi which has been depicted as a headless lion with presumably scud missile wings, were guardians protecting important doorways to palaces of the great Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 B.C.) Your ridicule of this important historical symbol is an insult to humankind and the birthplace of our civilization in ancient Persia and Mesopotamia >>>
I'm just flat tired of getting disppointed every time our national team makes it to the World Cup "Oops they did it again." I said to myself after watching the disaster of a game the Iranians played against Mexico. Lasting for 70 minutes, they let themselves get humiliated in the last 20 minutes of the match. Mexico's second goal, which by the way, destroyed the morale of the Iranian squad, was scored in part, due to an Iranian defender's inability to stop the ball right outside of the 18-yard box. The Mexican side nimbly capitalized on the mistake and pushed the ball past the poor goalkeeper and caused the Mexican Nation to jump for joy. Good for them. This skill of stopping descending air balls under one's foot is something that succesive Iranian teams have been lacking for as long as I can remember. All other teams seem to know how to do it but not us. Our players need an area 2 meters in radius to bring air balls under control. I'm beginning to think it's something genetic and as such, can't be fixed >>>
The so-called “Clash of Civilizations” Instead of discussing real issues that upset Muslims as the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the West’s one-sidedness in support for the Israelis to the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan, such scholars point the finger at the victim as to not put the blame where it should be, on themselves and the governments they support. These theories thrive on racist sounding rhetoric which when looked at seems absurd that this is considered scholarly material. I work in a bookstore and one of the saddest things about this is that these books sell, and some look to Lewis in particular as being a professional when it comes to Islam. This to me is like reading works by Islamic Fanatics to learn about the West, both rely on their stereotypes of the ‘other’ and push it as the truth >>> WORLD CUP Photo essay: Mexico destroys Iran
Random observations on the Iran-Mexico match When the teams exchanged greetings I realized this Iranian team is a joke. Typically, before the start of the game the captains from the two teams exchange banners or pennants. The Mexican team offered the Iranian captain a normal, regular token. The Iranian guy, on the other hand, presented to his Mexican counterpart a framed piece of Iranian tapestry -- a ghalicheh hazrat-e soleiman! Was more like it! I thought this presentation was over the top and therefore ludicrous. More offensive than this display of pos-e aly (hip appearance) was the picture of the Iranian player (No. 10) who from the time that he line up in the tunnel to the time that the teams lined up to play was holding the soccer ball in the palm of his left hand -- showing off in a manner more suited to a basketball player >>>
A few days before the World Cup kick off I wrote on this site that we do not have to be overconfident and we need to evaluate each situation very carefully. Now after this 3-1 humiliating loss to Mexico I see how much I was right... Our strikers and half-backs were really disorganised in the second half. What really happened between the two halves? Is it not time to discharge Ali Daie and send him home to enjoy the rest of his life? There are some unconfirmed reports indicating that our players had a very heavy and tight training session the night before the match. This is why they were looked so exhausted especially in the second half. Well, Branco has already been paid. He will depart from our team right after the tournament. We are the ones who have to care about ourselves. He doesn't care anymore >>>
The Persian Da Vinci Code WORLD CUP Photo essay: Thinking out loud while watching the opening World Cup match
I've just seen the "Happy Feet" movie link and I became happy actually (not because it is in the Anyway column though) because I am working in that movie. It is two years now that I have left Iran/Tehran and I am working in this movie as a Crowd Technical Director and unfortunately I am the only Iranian in this movie at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney. This movie is one of the 3 blockbusters of 2006 from Warner Brothers and I encourage everyone to see it. It is funny and musical. Thanks for putting a link to that movie. The official movie website is here.
Two things all diehard football fans have in common are colossal testosterone and small IQs. No other sporting event brings together a large group of jackasses like the World Cup. From British hooligans, Italian Mafia, Columbian drug lords to Brazilian gangsters, World Cup manages to bring together the idiots of the world. While 22 finely tuned athletes play the game, large numbers of drunken, out-of-shape, artery-clogged, high-sch |
This is an auto-framed archive page last updated Aug 18, 2006. You may find outdated advertising or navigation information. Please report broken links or layout problems. Thank You. -Iranian.com
