maghshoosh's blog

"This is Not a Film" & "The Patience Stone," full-length films

maghshoosh — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 10:30:43 +0000

Following are two films that have been recently posted online for public viewing.

"This is Not a Film" (2011, in Persian), self-documentary by Jafar Panahi:

"The Patience Stone" (2012, in Persian w/ English subtitles), starring Golshifteh Farahani:

IRI's PressTV reports on religious minorities

maghshoosh — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 05:42:30 +0000

Below are a selection of reports from the past couple of years by Iran's PressTV on the "recognized" religious minorities in Iran.

This 2011 two-part report is in response to the UN Human Rights Council's criticism of the Islamic Republic's treatment of religious minorities.

IRI Foreign Ministry spox attacked in NY

maghshoosh — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 22:01:42 +0000

IRI's bigots are imbecilic & pathological liars

maghshoosh — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 11:20:12 +0000

Songs of worship reflecting the diversity of faiths in Iran

maghshoosh — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 09:25:40 +0000

مهد کودک در حمایت از ولایت

maghshoosh — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 09:52:41 +0000

برای کسانی که سمعکشان دم دست نیست، چنین است متن شعارهای کوبندۀ معصومین همیشه در صحنه حاضر در یک حرکت خودجوشانه علیه سازمان ملل مستکبر؛

فرقی نداره رنگم سفیده یا سیاهه

مهم اینه که بابام نه بابی و نه جوده

صلح خوبه، دوستی خوبه، شادی خوبه

Child Foundation's Tabriz earthquake relief fund

maghshoosh — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:17:08 +0000

The Child Foundation, whose promotional video was featured at this site earlier this year, has set up a fund for earthquake relief. Information in English & Persian can be found at the following pages:

https://www.childfoundation.org/donation_programs

http://www.childf.com/News/Zelzele.htm

http://childf.com/WebSite/WebPages/Payment/frmBony...

کلوپ ترور: پرده برداری از شبکه های ترور دانشمندان هسته ای

maghshoosh — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 07:57:51 +0000

Sex, explosives and free trips to Israel (though not necessarily free and explosive sex trips to Israel) are among the modi operandi of the network of terror cells uncovered and smashed by the Unknown Soldiers of the Hidden Imam

VOA discussion on Iran, Israel & Zionism

maghshoosh — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 23:04:40 +0000

A Rabbi, 2 professors and a radio personality walk into a sutdio. That could mark the start of a bad joke, but in this case it is a recent VOA Persian program where the recent Bulgaria bus bombing becomes the setup for a discussion on Zionism and Iran-Israel relations. The guests (starting around 7:30) include Borghei from the US, and Amir and Javedanfar from Israel.

Demystifying the Talmud: the non-Rahimi versions

maghshoosh — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 18:58:52 +0000

"The Wonderful Lamp from Isfahan"

maghshoosh — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 08:26:35 +0000

"The Wonderful Lamp from Isfahan," by Jo F. Farmayan, is an out-of-print illustrated children's book published in the US in 1974. The author, who had married into a Persian family, claims to have been inspired by the head of the family, Prince Farman-Farma, and the contrasts of contemporary Iran. But the book jacket blurb reads like a description of Osama bin Laden's family life: "What to do with the goat? That is the question. Being a Prince of Persia with eight wives, thirty-two children, and many official duties is a big enough challenge for any man."

"Scorched Aspirations": کارگران کوره های زغال چوب

maghshoosh — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 03:59:30 +0000

Slideshow depicts the ordeals of charcoal pit kiln workers in Kooshk (near Esfahan), Iran, in their own words:

http://www.jadidonline.com/images/stories/flash_mu...

The article on it, "Scorched Aspirations," is @

http://www.jadidonline.com/story/01062012/bhr/coll...

And here's how charcoal briquettes are produced industrially:

Greatest developments of the past couple of decades in fundamental physics

maghshoosh — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:33:19 +0000

Akbar Ganji on the Pahlavis & Islam

maghshoosh — Mon, 14 May 2012 09:14:54 +0000

Akbar Ganji's take on the Pahlavis' support of Islamic institutions and Islamist figures. Previously, part 1 of this series was posted (in 4 segments). Here are all 3 parts.

BBC Doha Debate on close family marriages

maghshoosh — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:01:51 +0000

Since first-cousin marriages happen often enough among Iranians, as well as other Middle Easterners, the recent BBC Doha Debate, held in Qatar, on this topic may be relevant. Only a few decades ago, once in a while there would even be cases of young Iranian women being wed to their maternal uncles, although I wouldn't know of the prevalence of that practice nowadays.

Riddle Me the Universe (or Multiverse)

maghshoosh — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 22:08:36 +0000

Self-styled gurus in "efficiency" often suggest that an effective strategy in dealing with various tasks at hand may be to deal with the more difficult ones first. In that vain, as you set to fulfill your (Persian) new year resolutions, you may wanna resolve the deeper issues first. One such issue, no doubt, would be understanding the most fundamental explanations for everything that's happening in the universe in which we're embedded, i.e. uncovering the core laws encompassing every phenomenon in the universe (or multiverse, as some speculate).

J Street Conference: "What If Israel Attacks Iran?"

maghshoosh — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 06:29:47 +0000

"Just off Imam Khomeini square in Hamadan, Iran ..."

maghshoosh — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 04:45:46 +0000

On the occasion of the Jewish festival of Purim, depicting mythical events in ancient Persia, a relevant article would be this recent one by Sohrab Ahmari, which states,

Mediating among the Nuclear Duck, Cancerous Tumor and Leader of the Free World Arrogance

maghshoosh — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:52:59 +0000

In an effort to counter heated election-time rhetoric in the US, Israel and Iran, Jon Stewart engages in urgent shuttle diplomacy between the three nations, where the unique capabilities of his swivel chair prove essential.

1963 Iran as filmed by W. Kintner

maghshoosh — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:38:51 +0000

Below are silent films shot by Watson Kintner, while travelling to Iran in 1963, from the University of Pennsylvania Museum collection. Here's a blurb on Kintner and his travels,