Ruminations

Tehran Na...Madrid

These Suggestions are good but if all of them things that you said would be done, Tehran would not be Tehran anymore it would more like Madrid. Now you don't wane go to Madrid do you?

I think #5 has a better chance of getting done before any other ones...

what is the matter with you ?

What is the matter with you people, who needs clean WC , sewer, safe roads or clean Air, or stable economy or low unemployment or new air plans, we need Atomic energy it is our right. Lets spend more money on 40-year Old Russian technology, once we get it working the rest of our problems will be solved. Oh while we at it lets give more money to Hezballah, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Proposal #5

I agree with all the suggestions, except for number 5. Iam wondering if the author hs pointed it out as a sarcastic joke or what?

Keeping worshipers warm in the cold winter during Fridays prayers? What about people praying in their houses once and for all? What about puting garbage cans or containers so people learn not to throw their garbage to the rat infested 'joobs'?  What about expanding the Bus system? with better and more modern buses? There're thousands of similar proposals that only a 'normal' regime would pay attention to.  The last think the vast majority of Tehranis and Iranians care about is the Friday Prayer. I have another suggestion for those who want a better parying facilities. Shove'm in containers and take them all to arabia where the belong and where they initially came from, uninvited!

Myopia

Well, if Iran's societal ills can be confined to issues such as handicap accomodations and the prevalence of public lavatorties then it must be doing pretty well for itself.  Come to think of it, your analysis could not be more telling of Iran's true problem.  Everyone looking at it through a myopic western lens, and being disappointed when they find out Tehran is not Geneva.

The problem is not that whether the writer is wrong or right, but rather how relevant his observation is to Iran's current state of affairs.  It's like looking at a cancer patient and making an observation about his hair color.  Iran has far more pressing issues, such as rampant corruption, poverty, and prostitution to be concerned whether someone wants to squat or sit while having a bowel movement.

PS.  I've been living in New York City most of my life, and can't remember the last time I came across a public bathroom in Manhattan.  Though I do remember using one by Meydun-e Vanak a couple of years ago when visiting Tehran.

PSS. For all of you planning to visit Iran in the future here's an invaluable tip no tour book will ever tell you:  Mosques always have public lavatories and being that there's pretty much a mosque on every corner and that no one goes to mosques anymore, you won't have any problems relieving yourselves.

I sort had the same reaction

As Pardon my ignorance, but you know what, at least HBP is not a hypocrite, or being dishonest about his views. Not everybody must or should care about politics, and the wrong doings of IR. That is totally anyone's choice. What I despise are people like Q, Dariush and the rest of IR closet supporters who are benefiting from the regime financially, they come here and defend the regime in a soft manner, after all they can not act like their domestic basiji brothers and beat the opposition. They are the true hypocrite, they use Iraqi oil to fill their cars, yet they talk about the children of Iraq. They live in the west, yet they talk about how evil it. I bet they just got big tax refund this year, they probably appreciated Bush's stimulation package. They probably bring their hezbollahi mom and dad here to pick up their social security checks funded by blond hair, blue eye evil. And finally, they are constantly in a mode of criticizing the U.S. These people are nothing short of evil. Neutrality is not a sin, hypocracy is!

I hope one day, U.S government acts with respect to the muslims as muslims treat non-muslims. I like to see a day these hezbollahis kicked out of U.S. But I know that U.S is far more civilized, with much higher set of values of tolerance to sink into that level.

Hot idea for entrepreneurs

I do not remember, ever-ever- seeing a clean public bathroom in Iran when I lived there. I hear things have not changed in that area. 

 Keeping a clean public bathroom is a very dirty job, but offering a solution to this old problem could be very lucrative. I am surprised that no one- from what I hear- has not worked out an angle to make money from this.

 There are plenty of clean public bathrooms in most of Europe, but you pay for it. I know I always gladly pay for it.

 I believe there is a potential for someone to make a lot of money if they bring this concept to Iran. Won't you - especially ladies- pay, say $3, to have access to a clean bathroom when you are on the road to 'shomaal'?

(Another brilliant idea by Ali P.!) 

Where have you been all this

Where have you been all this time? You went to Iran and all you could come up with were those suggestions?
Don't you know this regime has been killing, torturing, destroying and looting Iranians and Iran for the past 30 years and all you could come up with were problems only a "distant, lazy Iranian" could suffer. Most Iranians can not put proper food on their table on a daily basis. They have to work mostly at two jobs or more just to make ends meet. They will vanish if they were regarded a threat to this regime. They can not express their opinion freely without fearing for their lives. The country is constantly on the verge of crisis (the only way they can stay in power) ......... and all you could come up with was how to make sure our dear and beloved Iranians abroad could have a comfortable shit and not wait long in the traffic?
With people like you, no wonder this regime has been in power as long as it has been.

If you can not shit in squat position then don't go there!

By the way did you notice anything else as important in your apparently very "critical" viewpoint of things? Do you think Valie Vaghih should dye his beard so that you could have a more representable "spiritual leader"?

All I can say, in addition to the above, is shame on you and your ignorance. You deserve the Islamic Republic and all that comes with it.

Agree %110

I agree %110 with those observations.
but who is going to listen??? Khamenei???

Subways

there are escalators in the Tehran subway. At least at the major stations such as Mirdamad.

good points

I think you've made some very good suggestions. we could do with constructive criticisms such as yours.

more friday prayers?

I pray on my own.it,s not a pretence to show off or lidten to some mullah spoot some hate.you want to realy pray ,you do it in private or masjid near you.iran,s priority is not more friday prayer locations

is that all?

Girlfriend, there are nearly 1 million new things Iran needs to change. the bathrooms yes, the pollution definately, and why not the people's faces? they're in a perpetual state of misery...