© the eyeranian

Just Random Reflections on News

109 Iranian lawmakers resign - Should I really care that the powerless 6th Majlis of the revolutionary era doesn't even have the two third norm of a quorum and it is therefore illegal and illegitimate now? No, as it was never legal OR legitimate to begin with. An election that is not free is not valid and not a single election has been held in Iran for the past decades (some say ever) that had allowed participation of all who wish to run and therefore electing an assembly that is reflective of the people it supposedly represents.

Holding or not holding a mockery of an election, makes very little difference to me, even if they hold a web based opinion survey to see if people will participate in it or not. I'll write about this in detail, but for now, even the Super Bowl news is more exciting...

The Big Game is Almost Here - As you are watching the game on CBS, let's remember their unfair practice of picking and choosing what commercials can run during their broadcast, based on ideology. The airwaves are public and owned by all of us. Those who have been provided with the privilege to use a portion of this public property to operate a business on, must remember their obligation to be reflective of all ideas in a society and provide the necessary conditions to allow ALL parts of the community to participate in this great exercise we call democracy.

MoveOn.org, the organization who had their ad rejected by CBS has organized a one minute boycott of the network and is asking all viewers to switch channels at two certain spots and watch the rejected commercial over at CNN. Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on, this will be a good and easy task in defense of freedom of speech. Hope you take part in it.

(Did I jinx the Pats you think? We'll see I suppose.)

US military authorized transfer of 19bn new Iraqi dinars - $12 million carried in cash to buy armored vehicles? All of it in new Iraqi currency and flown out of Baghdad airport? I'm not buying it.

Bush Sidesteps Call for Outside Probe on Iraq WMD - What is "W" scared of? They didn't say he was guilty of anything yet. Just that a non-partisan entity should investigate to see whether the humongous faux-pas about Iraq's WMD that could have been launched in 40 minutes and were stockpiled in warehouses we already were aware of, was an intelligence deficiency or a deliberate falsehood propagated by politicians to justify an illegal act.

I just put myself in his shoes and think that if I was innocent of any wrongdoing, wouldn't I be eager to have the matter investigated so the truth comes out and exonerates me of any possible misconduct? So, what is he trying to hide?

Pay The Spy, Damnit!

Despite what I said before, I am starting to like this Zakeri guy somewhat. For a "high-ranking intelligence official", he can't get a single one of his stories right and more interestingly, he can't keep his mouth shut.

He is in Germany trying to convince a court that Iranian officials told him about Al-Qaeda secret meetings in Iran and even predicted the terrorist attack will happen on "September 10th or 12th". It doesn't end there though. He also claims he contacted his CIA handler and warned him of the imminent dangers. You heard right, I said CIA handler. You see, Zakeri has now decided that he was a "double agent" and is actually asking for $1.2 million CIA owes him for his services, going as far back as 1992.

That is just a wonderful way to establish your credibility, isn't it. Particularly in a court of law. To admit to being a "double agent" and establishing that you are indeed a professional liar to have managed such a lifestyle for over a decade.

Amazingly, there's still a small number of Iranians who believe this creature!

Can We Talk?

It's official. Senator Arlen Specter has confirmed that while having a formal dinner with Iranian ambassador to the UN, Mr. Javad Zarif last week, both sides have agreed to finally hold official "government-to-government" meetings and as such a delegation of US congressional aides will travel to Iran next month. I'd be the last person on earth to condemn dialogue. Conducted in a healthy environment and with proper perspectives on both sides, sitting across a table and discussion of even most complicated topics is the only true way of achieving a just and lasting solution to any problem, even if it follows years of hostility and mistrust.

Having said that, this sudden turn of fortunes, along with other recent signs and rumors (Iran's involvement in Saddam's capture, relative soft new stand by the administration towards Iran, the "reform" movement's official demise and a hopeless attempt by MP's to involve people) are rather suspect and my distrustful Iranian mind has a hard time digesting it all so easily.

The "Guardian Council" has already reversed a bunch of disqualifications. I suspect the "leader" will speak over the next couple of days and describes the sit-in as an immature over-reaction and threatens that its continuation will be seen as endangering the regime (a charge that carries automatic death-penalty). With that, a bunch of disqualified candidates will give-up and the rest will go home with their tails between their legs. Legitimacy of the regime will come under a big question mark if only 10% of eligible voters bother to come out for the upcoming parliamentary elections. A life-saving shot needs to revive this corpse again, even if it means making good with "Great Satan".

The only remaining question will be, who the new figurehead will be to be in charge of this new distraction. Who knows? maybe the soft-spoken, smiling, bilingual and charismatic Zarif himself is already selected for the role. Maybe its a certain Rafsanjani off-spring. Most likely, it'll be someone we couldn't possibly guess. Let's see.

Inside Iran

I don't know how many of you were able to watch tonight's Nightline but Ted Koppel (the guy who wouldn't have the show if it wasn't for Iran and those foolish hostage-takers) hosted a half-hour program titled Inside Iran and it was one of the most realistic, non-sensational, balanced reports I have seen on Iran in a while. I couldn't help but to think of how effective Jane Kokan could have been, had she also approached her subject as Nightline producers did.

I have had no success in finding a transcript of the show, but if you do, please leave it in comments. Here are some of the ponts made I can recall:

- Improvements in Iran have largely stayed limited to non-political issues.

- Student movement and its leaders have lost faith in "reformers".

- The sit-in by MP's has very little public support.

- There isn't a clear alternative yet.

Now only if I could find more details...

Mystic Iran

I just finished watching Aryana Farshad's Mystic Iran and quite honestly am not sure how I feel about it yet. It is shot nicely enough, although I don't know why she'd be so short of footage to use repeated frames of teenagers in the park for example. The editing is above par but I wish she had used more added effects, like the last shot of Dervish's white hair flipping in front of the lens. Narrations by Shohreh Aghdashloo are a plus, but my non-Farsi speaking friend had a really hard time catching the Farsi names she so quickly goes over without annunciating them properly: Ahuramazda, Dashte Kavir Desert, etc.

Then there's the attempt to use the traditional shot of camera moving over the map to show the upcoming locations, but it feels inadequate as realistically only a couple of spots on Iranian map are covered, leaving the viewer wanting for more of the map to be explored. Perhaps that is the primary shortcoming of the movie; too little is covered. I think to explore the topic of Iranian mysticism, investigating Zoroastrian practices and one Sufi order may be a good start, but is hardly adequate or reasonable. I was left yearning for more, tell me about other Muslim divisions, Jewish customs, Baha'i traditions, various Christian sects as well as non-mainstream faiths practicing their version of mysticism in Iran today.

But maybe that is a positive aspect for the work. To leave you wanting more.

More on Neo-Con/MKO connections

They have not been able to kill the Richard Perle story yet. He now admits to being a paid speaker at an event to support an organization this administration has labeled as "terrorist" but claims he was unaware of the connection. I can't possibly imagine a way he could have missed the picture of Mayam Rajavi, the MKO co-leader on the official program/brochure for the event or the giant posters hanging at the venue.

While the assets of "Iranian-American Community of Northern Virginia", the main organizers for the event was seized by the Treasury Department, the guest of honor is busy with his Whitehouse duties, seemingly unfazed by the whole mess. I'm no lawyer, but going through various sections of the Patriot Act and ACLU's analysis of it, I believe there are some grounds Perle may be charged under this horrible piece of legislation. Maybe it's time for Ashcroft to send Perle to Guantanamo Bay. Law practitioner visitors, help me out here.

On a related but different note, Fox News (the Bush Neo-Con's mouthpiece) has been using Alireza Jafarzadeh as one of his commentators on Middle-East. Jafarzadeh has acted as the U.S. representative for "National Council of Resistance -NCR- (another pseudonym for MKO) and is currently active with a new outfit called "Iranian Renaissance Movement". His MKO connection has enraged even Republican Bob Ney of Ohio, but Jafarzadeh maintains that he was 'freelancing' for NCR and that was all before the group was added to the list of terrorist organizations by the State Dept.

This is despite the fact that even as late as August 2003, he was acknowledged as the "the National Council of Resistance's U.S.-based representative".

I don't know if I'm disgusted or saddened by this whole charade. I just hope one day we can look back at this period as instrumental and helpful in divulging the true character of various players involved in Iranian politics on the way to build a strong and healthy democracy. A real democracy with clarity and accountability and without the current games of deception.

Frustrating Dean Campaign

Dean dumped Joe Trippi. As his ex-campaign manager, Trippi was obviously a genius in the way he revolutionized every campaign that will ever be run, with his clever use of technology and the internet in particular. But as someone who has organized, managed, volunteered at and fronted a bunch of election campaigns in the past, I can tell you that working with people under his authority was one of the most frustrating experiences ever.

I don't know if its already too late for Dean to make a change or if Roy Neel intends to run things differently, but I can tell you that this far the campaign has managed to very effectively alienate scores of possible supporters, endorsers and donors. Last time I spoke with one of Trippi's organizers, I was so irritated as it was obvious they have no idea how to handle any inquiries or even simple policy questions. It seemed like the campaign was so internet-centered, they expected everyone to get on their site, read the blog, sign-up for a meet-up meeting or home gathering and make a contribution. ALL of it on the internet and without much two-way interaction.

In short, Howard Dean's campaign has so far managed to be so technology-based, it has gone overboard. Let's see if the new boss is wise enough and has the authority to change that.

Prince of Darkness & MKO

I am sure you all know who Richard Perle is by now. The man often referred to as "Prince of Darkness" is credited as the head Neo-Conservative in charge of Whitehouse' foreign policy and Middle East in particular. He was recently accused of being more concerned with what benefits the state of Israel ahead of taking care of his own country's interest. Although some may argue those two are the same, I subscribe to a different point of view.

As far as Iran is concerned, it is rumored for a long time that he has been the prime supporter of Mojahedine-Khalq Organization (MKO or MEK) within the administration, but now the support seems less clandestine. On January 24th, he was a speaker at "A Night of Solidarity", a fundraiser for "the Iranian Resistance" (one of pseudonyms for MKO) combined with a concert by the Gypsy Kings and Iranian performers. Notice the clever way of using "Earthquake Victims" in the official program brochure. You could be forgiven for thinking perhaps some of the events proceeds will be helping the Bam sufferers, but that's another story for another time.

In the past, I have expressed my position on MKO and its leadership, as well as their tactics, even their links to the Neo-Cons. However, as a supposedly leftist and progressive entity, the original founders of the organization must be turning in their graves when Ashcroft is your main endorser and Perle a guest of honor at your events. After all, aren't we often judged by the company we keep? And all of it despite the "terrorist" label put on the group by U.S. government too.

Do I Even Exist?

A certain person who seems to hold this humongous animosity towards me bordering on hatred (despite the fact that we've never even met to my knowledge), is very busy within various blogs and sites spreading all sorts of misinformation about me. Sometimes impersonating me in comments (and being stupid enough to leave footprints), even contacting other bloggers and site administrators with stuff that is just way out there.

The latest he (I believe) has managed to fabricate is that I don't even exist! Apparently this blog is work of a group, we all leave our own comments and link to stories we have planted on other sites, etc.

I really don't know what makes a person go off the deep end like that, after all, many of the regulars and visitors here know me well and in person. Funny how they actually chose one of those same people to contact and make public the fact that I don't exist!!

Why do I bring this up? I truly don't care but just wanted you to be aware, in case you receive similar information.

Since I do not exist, here's a picture of our "group" with Ed Broadbent I found this morning along with a bunch more (I'll post them soon and when appropriate):

Cartoon

By: Clay Bennett

How Embarrassing

No matter how old you get, trying to show your mother to surf a couple of sites and opening your mailbox with one of the spams that include a picture of a huge penis to try to sell you some pills or vacuum or whatever, is still one of life's most embarrassing moments.

Flying Machines

When I included Muttley in the list of animated series popular in Iran, I got two emails telling me I was wrong and/or asking who the hell Muttley was. If you don't recall this star of Hanna-Barbera's classic Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines, perhaps the above picture can help. If you're still not sure, listen to his laugh below and you'll remember:

Go Shohreh, Go!

What a year for individual Iranian women 2003 was. Now this makes it even better with recognition of yet another one for her great work. Shohreh Aghdashloo will forever be known as an Oscar nominated actress, even if she won't win one in March. She will also be the first Iranian actor or actress ever nominated for the award.

Here's an interview with her, plus the full list of all nominees. Now I can admit to not having seen the movie yet and promise to take my parents to see it together this week!

I hope we will all celeberate the day ALL Iranian women achieve their final objective and can look forward to taking back all their rights in a free and democratic Iran.

Ed Broadbent, MP

It was all a rather dull day until I got the news in my inbox. Ed Broadbent has won the NDP nomination to run in the Ottawa Centre riding for Canada's next federal election to be held sometime this spring. This is indeed great news on many fronts. First for people of Ottawa Centre who will have a member of Parliament with 21 years of experience, impeccable credentials and a team that will be second to none. Second for all Canadians who have missed the presence of a strong progressive voice in their federal politics over the past decade or so and now with Ed onboard and Jack Layton at the helm, may get the opportunity to bring some balance to what has been a government of right, with extreme-right as opposition. Lastly for NDP members and activists, plus all others who have struggled for so long to keep the principals and values of a great nation alive under the most severe attacks by the forces of money and power, and will now probably get an opportunity to see the fruits of their effort.

Although I didn't have the honour to work closely with Ed and ran for the party after his leadership tenure had ended, I have had the pleasure of meeting him on several occasions, attend various functions and participate in discussions with him involved. He has never failed to impress me and I am sure he will continue to amaze other Canadians as well, the way he did for so many years. A prominent political opponent once pulled me aside in a public function to say despite his qualms with our message, he felt Ed was perhaps the best Prime Minister Canada never had. He certainly was and will be again one of the best Members of Parliament we have ever had and after this spring may be a big part of the official opposition. Go Ed, Go!

President Match

AOL has this "toy" called President Match where you answer questions as to your own political leanings and it calculates the presidential candidate closest to your positions. For me the results were a bit of a surprise. Here's how it ranked the 8 possible candidates (only from the two major parties as others are excluded), along with the percentage (in brackets) as how close their position is to mine:

1 - Kucinich (100%!!!) 2 - Sharpton (91%) 3 - Kerry (85%) 4 - Dean (79%) 5 - Clark (77%) 6 - Edwards (74%) 7 - Lieberman (64%) and finally 8 - Bush (1%!!!)

The first two did not surprise me, Kerry coming right after was a bolt from the blue, Dean probably lost a bunch of compatibility points with me on gun control issues, Lieberman was understandably lowest amongst Democrats and finally "W" came in with matching only 1% of my opinions, which is actually lower than I had expected. I'd bet for myself and most other folks, the number is higher than 1% for opinions in common with Hitler or Khomeini even, so being that far low was astounding.

Try for yourself and see where you'd fit in, but remember, this is only a "toy" and its accuracy is questionable at best.

Take A Chance On Me

Take A Chance On Me

ABBA

If you change your mind, I'm the first in line
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie
If you put me to the test, if you let me try

Take a chance on me
(That's all I ask of you honey)
Take a chance on me

We can go dancing, we can go walking, as long as we're together
Listen to some music, maybe just talking, get to know you better
'Cos you know I've got
So much that I wanna do, when I dream I'm alone with you
It's magic
You want me to leave it there, afraid of a love affair
But I think you know
That I can't let go

If you change your mind, I'm the first in line
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie
If you put me to the test, if you let me try

Take a chance on me
(Come on, give me a break will you?)
Take a chance on me
Oh you can take your time baby, I'm in no hurry, know I'm gonna get you
You don't wanna hurt me, baby don't worry, I ain't gonna let you
Let me tell you now
My love is strong enough to last when things are rough
It's magic
You say that I waste my time but I can't get you off my mind
No I can't let go
'Cos I love you so
...

Download MP3 version here.

Monday Morning Motivationals

============================================

What's your BIG idea? What challenges and excites you?
What takes your breath away, keeps you up at night, makes
you smile all day long? What's your Big Hairy Audacious
Goal? Sometimes it's "distant and far away", but it's in
there! Find it, dust it off, honor it. Pursue it!
People will join you and things will unfold in amazing
ways. Lift your eyes, dream your dreams, take action!
It's what makes life worth the living!

============================================

"Nothing happens unless first a dream."
-- Carl Sandburg --

"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those
who dared believe that something inside them was superior
to circumstance."
-- Bruce Barton --

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find
out how far one can go."
-- T. S. Eliot --

"Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow!"
-- Norman Vincent Peale --

Source

Do turkeys enjoy thanksgiving?

You MUST read Arundhati Roy's address at World Social Forum. Here's an excerpt:

"New Imperialism is already upon us. It's a remodeled, streamlined version of what we once knew. For the first time in history, a single Empire with an arsenal of weapons that could obliterate the world in an afternoon has complete, unipolar, economic and military hegemony. It uses different weapons to break open different markets. There isn't a country on God's earth that is not caught in the cross hairs of the American cruise missile and the IMF chequebook. Argentina's the model if you want to be the poster-boy of neoliberal capitalism, Iraq if you're the black sheep."

Heard & Seen Today

They are in their late fifties. An Iranian couple with a middle-class lifestyle and limited income, not including the "help" received from off-springs. Respectable, good-natured people you may enjoy knowing.

She left for a local casino yesterday afternoon, "four or five o'clock" and came home before 11 this morning. Texas Hold'em is her drug of choice and she acknowledges her past behavior of playing up to 48 hours straight. She isn't alone. There are 20 friends she knows at her casino. Her daughter-in-law proudly proclaims her own position as "playing much more" often.

It's a sad scene. I can only bite my tongue and try hard to remain quiet.

From My Dating Files IV

Her - If you could invite any 3 people to your dinner party, dead or alive, who would you invite?

Me - Wow, that's a pretty good question. Let me think while you give me your list, okay?

Her - Sure; Dr. Robert Schuller, George W. Bush and Jesus Christ.

Me - You know what? I think we should just skip dessert.. Do you see our waiter anywhere?

Democrat's Candidates

Howard Dean is not out yet, as he certainly has the money and organizational structure to mount a comeback. Wesley Clark looks more and more like a fish out of water, but one can't underestimate the influence and command of his buddies, the Clintons, and that may be enough to make him a legitimate contender still. John Kerry comes across as, well, as a politician. A bit too sleek, a little too shifty, a lot like what drove many to vote for the folksy fool from Texas.

For those in the ABBOL club (Anyone But Bush Or Lieberman), that leaves John Edwards. The guy (yes he may look very young, but he is a fully grown guy!) has very little experience, and I'm not sure if that's so bad running against W. He is certainly photogenic and comes across as a charming buddy you wish you had. Politically, I find very little in common with him, despite the fact that his stomp speech: ""Today under George W. Bush, there are two Americas..." is just brilliant (just watch his "victory" speech from Iowa here).

Let's see how well he comes out of New Hampshire. If the ABBOL masses are large enough out there, he may be a very legitimate option. Now I do hope he is not the same man that often crosses over plus S.

Spending a day in Los Angeles, it became obvious what a conservative right-wing environment I live in. I had never seen so many Dennis Kucinich bumper-stickers in total of all my days combined as I saw in one day today. I have written about him before and I think regardless of agreeing with him or not, it is hard to not concur that he has really stood out amongst the democrats. The guy comes across as genuine, caring and trust-worthy. Qualities that will keep him very far from the oval office, regardless of his point of view. I really wish he had a chance. I think we'd all be living in a much better world if he did.

I didn't think I'd be saying this, but I am going to write Al Sharpton and congratulate him on the way he has conducted himself during this campaign. I don't know how much money he has left and how long he'd be able to continue, but as I look at the goals he set for himself in participating, he has been most effective.

He said "I am running for President of the United States to make sure that ALL the voices in our Democracy are heard loud and clear" and he has certainly been heard. Not in a sensationalistic and sloppy way either. He has been dignified and most respectable, raising his issues and without compromising his principals. Looking at some of his top ten reasons for running, it is fair to suggest that he has already succeeded, at least in some small way:

Increase political consciousness and awareness. Stimulate more people to get involved in the political process. Raise issues that would otherwise be overlooked—for example, affirmative action and anti-death penalty policy.

For that, I am glad he chose to run and wish more people from what may not be considered main-stream choose to find ways to raise the profiles of the issues they hold dear. We'd only be living in a democracy, if ALL voices have an opportunity to be heard. Particularly the ones in dissent.

Cartoon

By: Marshall Ramsey

Who Da Man?

Grant me the privilege of tooting my own horn for a bit on this post. Hey, if I don't, who will? I am very proud of myself. Not proud in some macho chest-thumping, self-appreciating or gloating way, but the exact opposite. Yesterday, I was able to be most humble, expose my weaknesses, leave myself vulnerable and show how illogical I can be. I don't know if it came across in some weak, negative way or was appreciated for the true and honest effort that it was, but I felt totally out of control and very exposed, yet I managed to go through with it. It needed to be done as I needed to be honest with myself and with my own feelings. Even if I made a total fool of myself, which I may have.

It felt like a big bungee jump or freefalling even, with the cord being in someone else' control or handing over the parachute release to a yet-proven friend and I'm truly not expecting much to come out of it either. But at least I know now that I can still do it and will leave the rest to fate. I think I have done my part now, and for that I'm proud of myself.

Now back to our regular programming.

My Tintin Posters

My order came in. I bought a few Tintin posters from AllPosters.com people, just like the ones you see above. Well, the actual ones are a lot larger. Now all I need is a few inexpensive frames from Ikea and my bedroom will look like a 12 year old's den. I recently read another writer refer to my generation as the "Tintin Generation". It may actually be a very appropriate term, except that Tintin wasn't as popular with girls and his fan base includes more males than females. Then again, I may be wrong. You can get your own posters and join my generation by clicking on the images above or searching all their posters below:

CBS & Super Bowl Ad

You've probably heard about this by now; CBS has decided to not accept an ad by MoveOn.org folks during the busiest and most expensive slot available on television: during the Super Bowl. There are all types of ads in the line-up of what will be shown, from the usual beer, fast-food, automotive commercials to Pepsi, upcoming movies and even one from Whitehouse' Office of National Drug Control Policy. But the anti-Bush ad was rejected by the network and you can only watch it on-line for now. Click here to see it and if you believe CBS is wrong in censoring their ads based on political content, follow the links to express your opinion. By the way, I think the ad itself is just brilliant.

Spy's Credibility Problem

The misinformation this Hamid Reza Zakeri guy comes up with, is just unbelievable. For those unfamiliar with him, this guy supposedly left Iran last year after serving many years as a top official within the regime's security/intelligence establishment and was immediately received by a portion of exiled opposition. He was first introduced to the general public by Alireza Meybodi's California-based AFN Radio and as a caller to the live broadcast. His credentials were later confirmed by exiled journalist Nourizadeh out of London, although "Zakeri" is still a pseudonym.

Some of his original revelations were intriguing for most within the opposition. Then he went off the deep end, first by proclaiming the magnitude of the fictitious support organization Reza Pahlavi has inside Iran and then using highly questionable timing to offer tidbits of information, just as certain subjects would come up or there was a need for the Washington's NeoCon machine to re-start their regime-change mantra or offer their alligator tears about how bad things are inside Iran. If Michael Ledeen was adamant about Iran's secret weapons program, Zakeri would offer new maps and even pictures. If there was a concern about the fate of MKO personnel inside Iraq, he had first hand accounts of Iran's revolutionary guards entering Iraq to engage them. He even produced fake letters to establish the double agent status of journalists during the Iraq invasion.

Now, all of these may or may not be true. However, his timing, methods and the way he suddenly comes up with new evidence, is suspect at best. This, along with the fact that nobody else who has served time in the prisons he was supposedly working at, families of his supposed victims or others he must have had contact with is able to confirm or deny his genuine identity, has made him a mere joke and a disgrace amongst those who oppose the government of Iran on credible and legitimate bases (watch for his fans to come out swinging now!).

His latest offering involves a supposed secret meeting and deal made between Al-Qaeda and Iranian officials to co-operate on what was to become the 9/11 tragedy. He offers no proof, very little verifiable detail (as usual) and one must wonder why he hasn't exposed this information before and over the past year or so he has lived in Europe and U.S.

I wonder what else he is going to come up with at the most opportune time, but I wish if he was legitimate to come up with whatever he knows once and for all and enlighten us maybe in a book or lengthy series of interviews, etc. So far, the way he does this is highly suspect at best.

Kucinich-Edwards Deal

I think one the most significant details out of Iowa was Kucinich's deal with Edwards about swapping delegates if one is too far behind the race. As far as their politics is concerned, they may be the two farthest apart candidates or close to it, so you know this was not based on ideology. Could it be that Kucinich who knows and knew he'd be the one in position of giving up delegates and essentially not ever being allowed near the oval office, made a political move with the candidate he sees as having a shot at the whole enchilada and yet willing to make a compromise deal on an issue or a post or who knows what? Politics is a game of give and take, and you can bet something must've been agreed upon between the two candidates and we may never know the truth, unless Edwards ends up taking an oath of office about this time next year and then lives up to a promise made in Iowa.

Whose War?

Even the bigoted, narrow-minded and ultra-conservative Pat Buchanan gets what this war is/was truly about. This in fact is a dilemma for the more progressive and liberal camp to not allow its message be mixed with those who may offer a similar point of view on the surface, but theirs is coming from the backwards protectionist and "White Christian" standpoint.

I often check my own point of view with those on the far right, just to get a perspective and also distinguish my angle on things. I strongly believe that the political spectrum is in fact a circle and its easy to go so far left or so far right, that you'd find yourself in the total opposite camp.

Remember, they may get the problem, but their solution is exactly opposed to what any freethinking and tolerant person would stand for. With that in mind, enjoy reading Pat and others in his group.

Bee Gees I

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
Bee Gees

I can think of younger days when living for my life
Was everything a man could want to do.
I could never see tomorrow, but I was never told about the sorrow.

And how can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
How can you mend this broken man?
How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again.

I can still feel the breeze that rustles through the trees
And misty memories of days gone by
We could never see tomorrow, noone said a word about the sorrow.

And how can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
How can you mend this broken man?
How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again.

Chinese year of the Monkey

Happy Lunar New Year!

Random Questions on Love

1) You may not believe in love at first sight and love being such a complicated question, I would not blame you. But how about a few hours?

2) Is the whole concept of "obsession" just wrong? What if you were prepared to commit to obsessing for an eternity?

3) Don't you have a right to expect full honesty in love, if you have offered the same?

4) Love may be universal, but why is this concept of "love" so different when you cross various continents?

5) Making a fool of yourself for love is the norm, but is it proper?

6) Not ready for love? Well, get ready! Are there more important things in life?

7) How do you move on with so many unanswered questions?

Monday Morning Motivationals

============================================

Set it as your minimum standard to live a GREAT life, to
make a difference. Eventually, down the road one day, we
will all have to look back and assess our lives and when
that time comes, we want to look back and smile, knowing we
did it well. Set THAT as your standard, and go for it!

============================================

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of
choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing
to be achieved."
-- Jeremy Kitson --

"We have to do the best we can. This is our sacred human
responsibility."
-- Albert Einstein --

"Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream
things that never were and ask why not."
-- George Bernard Shaw --

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find
out how far one can go."
-- T. S. Eliot --

Source

The Iowa Primary

Is the freefall of Dean in Iowa just an expected product of inexperience and poor planning or signs of a carefully calculated political assassination by the Democratic Party establishment and Clinton machine? It will be interesting to watch what happens on Monday night as he and Gephardt still have a much better on the ground organized force than either Kerry or Edwards. I'll be watching with great interest.

And The Mud Flies!

I believe I have been clear about my stand on Goli Ameri's run for the congress. To me, her entire approach has been wrong, regardless of the policies she supports. However, this is not another post to criticize her.

Here is a general overview of her campaign; Iranian-American Ameri is running for the Republican nomination to go against Congressman David Wu, the 3 term representative for Oregon's First Congressional District (OR 01). Her competition is coming from businessman Tim Phillips.

Now as the race is heating up, mud-slinging has begun and Phillips seems a little too eager to keep referring to certain words in his campaign vocabulary, such as: Iran, Iranian, Iranian-American and alike. Get the picture?

Most of this comes from what is perceived to be Ameri's "flip-flop" on endorsing the current fingerprinting humiliation process, while she took a position against similar actions when it was limited to people from a few middle-eastern countries, including Iran. Ameri maintains that she was against the process because it was discriminatory and also did not make the U.S. safer.

Again, I will not defend her position. To me wrong is wrong and whether citizens of 80 countries are excluded from the degrading process or 27 (as is the case now), it is still wrong. Also her choice of using Clinton and Albright names about a billion times in reference to why she opposed the original measures, is just cheap. However, the way Phillips is choosing to attack her (example: "The bottom line is she put the people of Iran's interests before those of the American people.") is suspect at best and his hidden and open connotations about Ameri's background is unacceptable.

I wish we all live to see the day where a person's ethnic heritage, race, gender or sexual orientation is never brought up or even considered when running for an office, applying for a job or just passing by on the streets. I also wish to see a Republican/Democrat from the Iranian-American community run for office and stand up for what is right, regardless of how popular that issue may or may not be.

Okay, I couldn't resist offering her a bit of criticism, but its MY blog!

World Social Forum

Hey, I said I wasn't going to post as much stuff, not that I was gone for good (although that would obviously make a few people extremely happy). Here are some of the coverage from World Social Forum in Mumbai, India. Enjoy:

AI: Arms control issue strikes a chord.

Activists Criticize U.S. Economic Policies

War overshadows anti-globalisation at social forum

Ebadi star speaker at World Social Forum

When organisers almost shooed her off the stage

My Parents

Some of you will love this, others won't. I have to take a break and may not be posting as much stuff here, as some of you are used to and expect. My parents (NOT pictured above) are coming for a visit and I will be a bit busy. This is the first time I am spending any length of time with them, particularly after my father's stroke. They will probably stay with me for a while, but specifically at their first days of stay we'll have plenty of things to look after, see friends and relatives nearby and spend some time just catching up. On top of it all, I may have to move soon too, but I don't want to even think about that yet.

So, forgive me but I will still try to visit often and occasionally find some time to pass along a few lines. Who knows? not having lived with my parents for so long (and being used to a solitary lifestyle) we may get on each others' nerves very quick and I escape here for a break often. But if I don't, I hope you understand. Please don't go too far away and check regularly as I promise to be back in full force very soon.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Coming to understand, appreciate and admire MLK was a big undertaking for me. You must remember that I learned my politics from books that usually had a Kalashnikov on the cover, there was a big Che poster on the wall and we took semi-military training on weekly basis. The first book I read on the topic of African-American struggle, was a Farsi translation of Malcolm X's autobiography.

Malcolm's "any means necessary" for us was the ultimate gesture towards freedom and King was just a softie who had sold out. Even a few years ago I would have argued about the way MLK castrated the civil rights movement and took away all its teeth in favor of a sugar coated mild criticism that has effectively led to no major improvements.

But we all grow up.

I am honored today to look up to Martin Luther King as one of the symbols of the non-violent movement, a great visionary and an effective leader. It is also great to see his followers won't allow his day be hijacked by an opportunist.

Family Values

I may be naive here, but let me ask a general question; let's assume, and I mean assume, nobody from middle-eastern background is crazy enough to even suggest anything like this in Ashcroft's police state, yes let's assume I was a bad person, killer or even a terrorist. I had been personally responsible for murder of a few hundred people and was busy planning for more while in hiding. Should my cousins, nephews and other family members be arrested for my deeds? The same goes for any other criminal, be it someone suspected of a petty one or a mass genocide.

Where do we draw the line between how horrible a person is and the rights his family and friends have as individual human beings, despite the relationship between the two? Where do we draw the line between practices of some of the world's most brutal regimes and those who claim to be obsessed with spread of freedom and democracy? This is typical conduct of Saddams of the world to chase, harass and arrest the relatives of a wanted man, to put pressure on him. Our standards must be much higher. We can't allow ourselves to step on every basic principal we hold dear, just under the name of security or war emergencies.

As I read this news, I could not help but to think of a friend. He escaped Tehran in the summer of 1981 to join the guerilla movement to fight the Iranian government with a socialist group. He was wanted in the city anyways and first joined other friends in the mountains and forests of Caspian sea region, but eventually moved to Kurdistan at some point, as he was finally captured there. What reminded me of him though was how his entire family spent over 3 years in prison and under torture for him to turn himself in. That included his mother, ailing father, brothers and sister. They never gave him up, I don't think they knew how even if they wanted to. When he was injured in a clash and arrested in Kurdistan, they reportedly took his mother there too. The father was already released as he had serious back problems and they couldn't care for him inside the system (he dies shortly after). I have heard and hope it isn't true that he had to even watch his mother's rape as part of his torture regiment and before he was executed.

This is how dictators run the societies they control. This is not how a democracy should act, even towards the people of a country it has under military occupation, regardless of the excuses made to justify the action.

Angoori Angoori!

Since we haven't done one of these in a while, this post is in in honor of another childhood hobby, friend, diversion; The Grape Ape. Translated as "Gooril Angoori", most Iranian kids have been entertained by the antics of a 40 feet gorilla and his buddy Beegle Beagle.

William Hanna and Joseph Barbera cartoons were all big in Iran, Particularly Tom & Jerry and their friends, including Grape Ape and Mumbly. There was also Quick Draw McGraw, The Flintstones (translated as Asre-Hajar or "Stone Age"), The Yogi Bear Show and Scooby Doo.

Good memories!

Even More Blogs! Yeah!!!

I have a couple of new additions to my blogroll on the right and wanted to share them with you. First is Alireza_ab who writes from Iran and in very fluent and accurate English (unlike moi!). So is Brooding Persian with a very diverse selection of posts and topics covered.

Then there's I Am Thumb Head Photo Log with some very interesting pictures. My favorite so far is this, which reminds me how awfully chaotic Tehran's traffic really is. Don't you think the car at the most bottom left corner can't move in any direction without touching the cab that has the big orange line on top? Maybe I'm wrong!

Welcome all and I'm sure we all look forward to your future posts.

Viva Ben & Jerry's

One of life's most simple yet exciting pleasures is when you are craving chocolate badly and are under the impression there's none around, you re-arrange your freezer items and somewhere buried in the back discover a pint of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream. Mmmmm, life's good!

Muslim Vote 2004

Here is some interesting data about the Muslim vote in U.S. in particular for the 2004 election. I am not sure how accurate the numbers are, but it's still worth checking out.

Iggy Pop's Cry For Love

Cry For Love

Status seekers - I never cared
once I found out they never dared
to seize the world and shake it upside down
and every stinking bum should wear a crown

Sayin' I cry for love
till all the plates are broken
cry for love
until my eyes are soakin'
yeah cry for love
on every salmon mornig
cry for love
'cause imitation's boring
cry for love

bad tv that insults me freely
still i know what I'm dyin' to see
in searching for a meaningful embrace
sometimes my self-respect took second place

an' I cried for love
i did what my heart told me
cried for love
can't stand it
when they scold me
yeah i cried for love
on every salmon morning
yeah i cry for love
'cause imitation's boring
cry for love

Surfers ride for love and wipe out when it hits 'em
soldiers kill for love and nobody admits it
if you're cryin' for love well, that's ok don't sweat it
if you're cryin' for love then there's still a chance you'll get it
cry for love

You Are Amazing!

I have reluctantly closed the comments section of my Thank You! post. Over 1,000 of you added your names and brief messages to that post (1,049 to be exact, but there are some duplicates and others). At this point, the page is getting just too long, killing bandwidth like crazy and I honestly think all the great comments and heartfelt notes have already made the point. It was something that needed to be said and everyone came together to honor those who came to our rescue when it was most needed.

All the credit goes to you, the bloggers out there who successfully spread the word. I'm still discovering new links to that post on sites in Iran I had never heard of before. That is just wonderful. A very well known U.S. blogger wrote me a couple of days ago to say in his opinion, the number of comments must be some sort of a record for any blog. Of course, there's no way to confirm that but I have never seen anything like it myself.

Now the task is to get it to those it was meant for. One blogger from inside Iran wrote me to say he/she has collected a list of all those organizations who were there, many of them with personal emails and contact information. Although I hope he/she will be successful in relaying the messages to as many of those folks as possible, I really don't want to rely on one person who may or may not succeed in this venture. I have already forwarded it to the only people I have direct contact with, the Mercy Corps folks, so I need your help to get it to others as well.

Please write anyone you know within all the organizations from around the globe who sent people or aid to Bam and offer them our messages of gratitude and appreciation. You can email a link to:

http://www.eyeranian.net/2004/01/07,659.shtml

or print out all the pages and offer them a paper version. Either way, they need to get all the messages as they are obviously from the heart.

Write me if I can be of any assistance.

Viva Brazil

If I was Brazilian, I'd be very proud of my government right about now. Paranoid and xenophobic administration in DC decides to fingerprint everyone entering the U.S. (that's EVERYONE except those who don't require a visa, meaning anyone that is not from white north European heritage) and they retaliate by fingerprinting anyone entering Brazil with a U.S. passport.

The humiliation and indignity normally only associated with convicts and those suspected of committing serious crimes, is now bestowed upon hundreds of thousands of innocent men and women who automatically join the list of possible suspects, if they want to have their kids meet Mickey Mouse, are attending a business meeting, visiting a relative or are just changing planes in this country. So Brazil decided it was only fair to offer them a taste of their own medicine and bravely made a tough decision. They should be applauded for standing up against such an offending and erroneous policy.

This administration has mastered the art of insulting the world and one by one, former allies and friendly nations find new ways to dislike globe's only superpower. But not to worry, this is an election year and the citizens holding those passports, will have a chance to change all of that later in the year.

While we are on the topic, Iran Sports Press is auctioning off a signed Ronaldo jersey with proceeds going to Relief International for Bam earthquake victims. The high bidder will make a direct donation to RI to receive the jersey. At the latest, the bidding had reached $2,000 but I am sure somebody will raise that soon, maybe an eyeranian reader?

Did Iran Capture Saddam?

Al-Mustaqbal, a reputable Lebanese newspaper reports that Iran played a key role in capture of Saddam by promising to collaborate with him and then have his envoy monitored by Kurds in the area to finally find his hiding place.

This may be just another hoax or may explain the sudden softening of W's stand towards the Iranian regime over the past month or so. It's probably one of those questions that will never be fully explained.

Meanwhile, I'm glad the situation surrounding his capture was so safe and calm with no worries of any intruption by forces loyal to him that shortly after he was taken out of his "hole" and is still on the ground with cuffs on, U.S. soldiers find it appropriate to snap souvenir pictures (link may be down due to high traffic, try later).

I say capture, but we all know... We Always Had Him.

W Speaks Again

I know some of you don't like these, but they are just so much fun I can't stop laughing every time I come across them. They are the great quotes former Governor of Texas usually comes up with and despite a couple of previous posts on the topic, the man just keeps coming up with more! So without delay, here are the latest gems from Mr. Commander in Chief:

"The world is more peaceful and more free under my leadership."
- Huh???
Source: The Boston Globe, Oct. 29, 2003

"See, free nations do not develop weapons of mass destruction."
- I guess in his opinion, the U.S. is not a free nation then?...
Source: The Chicago Sun-Times, Oct. 13, 2003

"The law I sign today directs new funds and new focus to the task of collecting vital intelligence on terrorist threats and on weapons of mass production."
Source: Federal Document Clearing House, "President Signs 911 Commission Bill," Nov. 27, 2002

"A free, peaceful Zimbabwe has got the capacity to deliver a lot of goods and services which are needed on this continent in order to help aleve suffering."
- Was that a plug for "Aleve" pain reliever or about alleviating suffering in Africa?
Source: The White House, "President Bush Discusses U.S.-Africa Partnership from South Africa" July 9, 2003

"Columbia carried in its payroll classroom experiments from some of our students in America."
Source: The Washington Post, "With Edwards, White House Shows First-Strike Capability," Dana Milbank, Feb. 11, 2003

"We've had a great weekend here in the land of the enchanted."
- Bush, referring to New Mexico, "The Land of Enchantment"
Source: Federal Document Clearinghouse, "George W. Bush Delivers Remarks on Jobs and Growth in Albuquerque," May 12, 2003

"We hold dear what our Declaration of Independence says, that all have got uninalienable rights, endowed by a Creator."
Source: The New York Times, "Reporter's Notebook; Skipping Borders, Tripping Diction," David E. Sanger, May 28, 2002

"You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test."
Source: United Press International, "Bush Proposes Increase in Education Funds," Mark Kukis, Feb. 21, 2001

"When one of us suffer, all of us suffers."
Source: The Nation, "W. and the Coal Miners: Photo-op Cover for Anti-worker Policies," David Corn, Aug. 6, 2002

"We want results in every single classroom so that one single child is left behind."
- Bush, speaking in Little Rock, Ark., Nov. 10, 2003

"I appreciate people's opinions, but I'm more interested in news. And the best way to get the news is from objective sources, and the most objective sources I have are people on my staff who tell me what's happening in the world."
Source: CNN, "Bush 'Not Paying Attention' to Democratic Race: President Getting His News From Aides," Sept. 23, 2003

"I'm also not very analytical. You know I don't spend a lot of time thinking about myself, about why I do things."
Source: Federal Document Clearing House, "Roundtable Interview of the President by White House Press Pool," June 4, 2003

"I've got very good relations with President Mubarak and Crown Prince Abdullah and the King of Jordan, Gulf Coast countries."
- Bush, confusing the Gulf Coast with the Persian Gulf
Source: Public Papers of the Presidents, "Interview With Print Journalists," June 2, 2003

"The war on terror involves Saddam Hussein because of the nature of Saddam Hussein, the history of Saddam Hussein and his willingness to terrorize himself."
Source: The Washington Post, "With Edwards, White House Shows First-Strike Capability," Dana Milbank, Feb. 11, 2003

"But here in Texas we took [trial lawyers] on and got some good medical, medical malpractice, which evidently had a few loopholes in it."
Source: PR Newswire, "Remarks by the President at the Economic Forum Health Care Security Session," Aug. 13, 2002

"I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn't here."
Source: PR Newswire, "Remarks by the President at the Economic Forum Health Care Security Session," Aug. 13, 2002

"Do you have blacks, too?"
- Bush, speaking to Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
Source: Salon.com, "Bushed," Jake Tapper, June 20, 2002

"By making the right choices, we can make the right choice for our future."
Source: The White House, "President Bush Highlights Health and Fitness Initiative: Remarks by the President on Fitness," July 18, 2003

"There's an old saying in Tennessee... I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee, that says: Fool me once, shame on [pause] shame on you. [Pause] Fool me [long, uncomfortable, agonizing pause] you can't get fooled again."
Source: The Washington Post, "The Reliable Source," Lloyd Grove, Sept. 18, 2002

"We're going to have a White House forum there in Washington, D.C., obviously, that's where the White House is ..."
Source: FDCH Political Transcripts, "George W. Bush Participates in Pledge Across America," Sept. 17, 2002

A Final Note

"I am the master of low expectations."
Source: Agence France Presse, "Bush Says Middle East Summit 'Met Expectations'," June 4, 2003

Source

Future of Iran

What is going on in Iran these days has largely remained below radars with limited coverage in mainstream media. Perhaps rightly so. The fictional or real struggle between the "hardliners" and "reformers" is way past its expiry date and is neither news nor even interesting anymore.

Sadly so, it's not only the media that feels this way. Majority of Iranians are also tired of the games and have no patience for another round of the same back and forth contest played over the last 7 years.

The faction considered to be more liberal, came to power with a large movement of popular support. Of course, with the present structure, "power" is not the appropriate term as most of that is ceded to one unelected person with the title of "Supreme Leader".

Iranians elected President Khatami (twice) and then a new Parliament in challenging the wishes of this exact "leader". What they wanted was change and a vote for so-called "reformers" was more a vote against what they had as oppose to what they wanted.

There has been little doubt that what they ultimately want, is far beyond what these "moderates" are willing or able to deliver. And they have had over 7 years to prove it over and over again. In every mass movement towards more freedoms in these years, people have been abandoned by their elected representatives.

In the student uprising and then again in multiple nights of unrest in Tehran, these "reformers" chose the wrong side. Khatami was mostly absent in both occasions and even classified the protestors as "hooligans".

So, now that it's their turn to be scolded by the same "extremists", they seek a popular support that is non-existent. I am sure images of a velvet revolution went through the heads of many protesting MP's as they started their sit-in. But as they kept a lookout for the masses that will come in, take over the building and carry them on their shoulders to victory, nobody showed up.

They are too late. Their credibility with the masses evaporated the minute they chose to hang on to their offices, instead of backing the popular dissent movement. Iranians trusted yet another group one more time and once again they were defrauded.

Where will this go now is unclear. An old Persian proverb says "give them death, so they'll be happy with a fever." This may just be the strategy chosen by the leader's team. Disqualify everyone, then bend a bit and allow some in to keep everyone quiet. On the other hand, If reformers boycott the upcoming elections, the provincial governors resign and no changes are made, it may also cause some cabinet members and the President himself to also resign. Something he should?ve done the minute it became apparent his office is without any real power, years ago. This may create an opening for the great savior to enter the foyer once again with his own team and take over with the image of the great conciliator. This will of course be the role of former president Rafsanjani, the man many believe is still the real source of influence in Iran.

Regardless of the outcome, it is safe to expect that in the short-term, no major changes will be delivered by either side of this current tussle. This will only be yet another step, another experience in the long road to the destination most Iranians have chosen as their final objective; a free and democratic Iran.

Humor

You may have heard already that the Iranian government is considering moving the capital from Tehran, due to the high probability of an earthquake in the city of 12+ million. This is nothing new and there has been various proposals for the move circling around for at least 30 years. Maybe the devastation of Bam earthquake will finally make it a reality though. But looking at the global map below and where the earthquake belt is, there aren't many places in Iran that is much safer, so I have come up with a better solution:

Instead of moving Tehran, let's move Iran! I have studied various options available (East Coast of Australia, Western Europe, Brazil, etc.) and already selected the area depicted in the map; U.S.'s south eastern corner as most suitable. Here are some of the benefits of such move:

1. If we flip the current map of Iran, it will fit perfectly in that corner and still retain the "resting cat" shape, although this time it will be facing east which can be explained as "having an eye on the past", making it easier to sell the idea to the masses.

2. No earthquakes in Iran ever again.

3. The current location of Iran will be handed over to U.S. to connect the 51st state (Afghanistan) with the 52nd (Iraq) and finally get all the oil they ever wanted. Historical sites will be destroyed to fit the new history that this area was "discovered" by the Europeans and no civilized people ever lived there.

4. Carl Rove and company can appoint Reza Pahlavi as the new king there, returning him to his father's palace along with his 200 supporters who already carry U.S. citizenship anyways.

5. U.S. will finally get rid of most of the troubled "south", including all of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida Panhandle (no more election issues, we'll leave the rest of Florida for future "New Cuba") and South Carolina, plus parts of Louisiana (we'll get Baton Rouge and New Orleans, they keep Lafayette), Kentucky and North Carolina.

6. We'll gain plenty of golf courses in Carolinas and beaches on Gulf of Mexico which allows us to rename it Gulf of Persia, as Arab countries have done for years with renaming Persian Gulf arbitrary.

7. KFC will stand for Kurdish Fried Chicken, will enjoy partial autonomy and expands its menu to include savory lamb and veal dishes.

8. Tennessee's Al Gore will officially become Iranian. We'll teach him dancing baba-karam to loosen him up.

9. U.S. will not lose any cities that actually matter in keeping DC and everything north of there, while Atlanta will be renamed New Tehran.

10. Coca-Cola will become a subsidiary of ZamZam-Cola.

11. We'll rename Mardi-Gras to Mameh-Gah (like Namayeshgah), a place to showcase bare breasts of men and women.

12. We'll own CNN! (and immediately fire Amanpour for her Khatami interview.)

13. U.S. will still retain enough states/land suitable for development of more trailer parks for displaced former south residents with dark-pink behind the ears regions. They include, Arkansas, Oklahoma and of course W's home state of Texas.

In order to achieve this, we need immediate plans for relocation. Atlanta already has a good base of Iranians and those in Houston, Dallas and Oklahoma should move to the new Iran immediately. Then it's time for California Iranians (all 20 of them, because the rest of a few hundred thousands are no longer Iranian and are officially "Persian") to move there. In the third phase of great exodus, U.S. will open a consulate on Kish Island, so all Iranian citizens can obtain a 3 year work visa (as per W's new ridiculous plan) on their next trip to the island in order buy garments made in Karaj but labeled as Italian. Within 10 years, a complete transfer of people has taken place and many problems are solved for both sides. What do you think?

UPDATE - I just realized that if we keep the rest of Florida, we'll still have a resting but very vulgar cat! :o)

Monday Morning Motivationals

============================================

Sooner or later, your storm will hit and when it does you
want to weather it with confidence and courage. Yes, it is
inconvenient. I wish our roof was fixed, but in the grand
scheme of things, we are very, very lucky. When storms
hit, you want to survive and thrive on the excitement of
mother nature showing off her power, not get knocked off
your game. Be prepared to weather life's storms.

============================================

"Faith handles the ultimate incongruities of life, humor
handles the more immediate ones."
-- William Sloan Coffin, Jr --

"One of the many things nobody ever tells you about middle
age is that it's such nice change from being young."
-- Dorothy Canfield Fisher --

"Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance."
-- Samuel Johnson --

"A woman is like a teabag - you can't tell how strong she
is until you put her in hot water."
-- Nancy Reagan --

Source

No Opinion Of His Own?

W's former Treasury secretary, Paul O'Neill who was fired from the administration in 2002 is reportedly ready to talk about some of the behind-the-scene bits and pieces of the ship headed by the former Governor of Texas. In a week that included another disappointing television program, I hope this 60 minutes exclusive lives up to its billing. Watch it tonight, if you live in U.S. or Canada.

Showdown at Majlis

Courtesy of Haditoons

The facade of another democratic principal, namely a parliamentary election, is once again being set up in Iran. A system that has sought internal and international legitimacy by conducting charades by that name and at the same time remain at the farthest reaches of dictatorship, is trying once again to repeat the exercise.

In order to participate in these "elections" as a candidate, you must first be amongst a very tiny minority in Iran. You must be at least 30 years old, in a country that as much as 70% are not. You must also hold a bachelor's degree or higher, something not as widely spread again, particularly amongst the 30+ crowd. Then you must declare your total devotion to the system and its constitution, including absolute loyalty to the supreme leader and his powers.

Just when you think you are done with all that is above, an unelected ultra-conservative council will review your credentials and decides if you are allowed to run. Their decisions are mainly based on what they call "dedication to the Islamic Republic" or lack of it. This is done completely arbitrary and with little or no explanation. For example, Ali-Hosseini, a current member of parliament (Majlis) from Hamadan who has been disqualified by this council states that he was amongst the anti-shah activists from years previous to the revolution, was arrested and jailed for promoting Ayatollah Khomeini's views back then, at one point was even the cell-mate of the current "supreme leader" Ayatollah Khamenei, was a 5 year veteran of Iran-Iraq war where he was injured and is currently disabled as a result, has served in the highest offices in the land including its parliament and is yet judged to be not loyal enough to the principals of the Islamic Republic.

In fact, over 80 of the current members of parliament are also disqualified. They include president Khatami's brother as well as the leader's brother! Others disqualified include current deputy speaker and two of the activist female members; Koolaei and Haghighatjoo. This is why they have chosen to conduct an open ended sit-in at parliament starting today.

Now remember, all these members, plus others who even attempted to run, are all from that narrowest of the narrow sliver of the society that qualified to register to begin with. In case of current members, they also passed the same "loyalty" test once before or they wouldn't be able to run last time. Yet, now they are pushed aside in favor of those seemingly more loyal.

This is not an election. This is an exercise in forgery, a fake, a sham, a big national simulation to fool the world. The Islamic Republic of Iran is a badly ailing member of this global community that requires immediate and radical surgery to remove more than one tumors eating away at its vital organs, and the cosmetic surgery most often recommended by the current horde of "reformists" will not save it.

follow up the latest developments on this topic here.

Bob Marley I

Get up, Stand up

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!

Preacherman, don't tell me,
Heaven is under the earth.
I know you don't know
What life is really worth.
It's not all that glitters is gold;
'Alf the story has never been told:
So now you see the light, eh!
Stand up for your rights. Come on!

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!

Most people think,
Great God will come from the skies,
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth,
You will look for yours on earth:
And now you see the light,
You stand up for your rights. Jah!

Get up, stand up! (Jah, Jah!)
Stand up for your rights! (Oh-hoo!)
Get up, stand up! (Get up, stand up!)
Don't give up the fight! (Life is your right!)
Get up, stand up! (So we can't give up the fight!)
Stand up for your rights! (Lord, Lord!)
Get up, stand up! (Keep on struggling on!)
Don't give up the fight! (Yeah!)

We sick an' tired of-a your ism-skism game -
Dyin' 'n' goin' to heaven in-a Jesus' name, Lord.
We know when we understand:
Almighty God is a living man.
You can fool some people sometimes,
But you can't fool all the people all the time.
So now we see the light (What you gonna do?),
We gonna stand up for our rights! (Yeah, yeah, yeah!)

So you better:
Get up, stand up! (In the morning! Git it up!)
Stand up for your rights! (Stand up for our rights!)
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight! (Don't give it up, don't give it up!)
Get up, stand up! (Get up, stand up!)
Stand up for your rights! (Get up, stand up!)
Get up, stand up! ( ... )
Don't give up the fight! (Get up, stand up!)
Get up, stand up! ( ... )
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight!

Michel Strogoff

Hey, I'm not the only one with some sense of nostalgia about old shows, TV series and cartoons we grew up with in Iran. Time to Think has a nice post on Michel Strogoff including the very popular soundtrack from the series.

Searching for more on Vladimir Cosma music, I came to something else I have a few memories of. You may not remember this, but I had a cool uncle who owned the biggest collection of tapes and a prize section of his tape displays was dedicated to Fausto Papetti. They were instrumental versions of popular tunes featuring a very romantic saxophone and super sexy cover images. Here's Fausto Papetti's version of Nadia's Theme from Michel Strogoff.

Will Work...

Yet another thing I had to get used to in moving to U.S. from Canada was/is the apparent paranoia every employer here feels about being sued and any type of possible litigation involving the workplace. It's not that Canadians don't sue current or former employers, but here this is an obsession. Employers literally plan for the day they let you go from the time they get your original application. It may sound absurd but in a short time I have watched many wrong decisions made either to avoid litigation or to end a situation that may have led that way. The right to seek justice for all employees is obviously fundamental and needed, but there has to be a better way of handling disputes to not impair commerce so unwisely. I have no answers on this, just a random thought.

On Ebrahim Nabavi

For those who are interested and can read Persian (my apologies to the rest), I recently had a virtual exchange with great Iranian writer and our premier political satirist Ebrahim Nabavi you can follow on-line. Nabavi's original article was about the upcoming parliamentary elections in Iran (along with a historical view of reformist print media over the past decade) and his opinion that participation is necessary for all those who oppose the current structure. Although I disagree, I was more offended with his assertion that those who aren't living in Iran (such as myself, or Nabavi for that matter) have a distorted view of what is needed to be done in Iran and therefore should not be listened to on this or other topics. I responded to his article with a short note and then he answered me (as well as a couple of other readers) in his next article, and basically accepted that he was wrong in stereotyping and bunching of all Iranians in exile together. I hope this brief attempt at translation and summarizing of this discussion was fair and accurate. I look forward to your feedback also.

Listen to Cosmo

Seinfeld Episode no. 94

KRAMER: Jerry, you know that shoe repair place at the end of the block? Well, if they don't get some business, they're gonna have to shut down and make way for one of those gourmet coffee or cookie stores.

ELAINE: I like coffee.

GEORGE: I like "cookies."

KRAMER: Yeah, of course you do. And do you know why? Because you're a bunch of yuppies. It's your go-go corporate takeover lifestyles that are driving out these Mom and Pop stores and destroying the fabric of this neighborhood.

GEORGE: Well, what's so great about a Mom and Pop store? Let me tell you something. If my Mom and Pop ran a store, I wouldn't shop there.

He's 75!

Happy Birthday Tintin

On Peter Rose & More

I met a friend for coffee this morning (a "LARGE MOCHA" at a non mega-chain store and with a croissant). He is much smarter than I'll ever be and we were arguing about Pete Rose and whether he should be allowed in Baseball Hall of Fame. Just because my friend is smart, it does not mean he can't be wrong, as this was the case on his "ban for life" argument. But he was right about something else. In the heat of debate, he asked me why I don't put my opinion on this up on my weblog? I thought about it and he was right.

I think we all have a tendency to fall into certain routines and stereotypes we design for ourselves. I have tried hard to break that and as it relates to this weblog, try to have it more reflective of all my interests and attitudes, not just on politics or social issues, but also everything else including TV shows I like, my dating ventures, music I listen to and more. Yet there are many other topics I stay away from on the eyeranian. Well, I intend to be more cautious of that fact and try to not censor myself as often.

If Rose was running for public office, applying for a coaching job or asked to borrow $20, then his admitted gambling problem while a coach should be a concern. If he did anything wrong as a player (can you say Shoeless Joe Jackson?) his exclusion could be explained. Otherwise, Pete Rose deserves to be in the baseball hall of fame, period.

Now that I got that off my chest, I'm glad Paul Molitor, the best overall player to ever wear the jersey of my beloved Blue Jays, was honored on his first opportunity, even if he goes in with the best closer Jays ever faced; Dennis Eckersley. They both deserve it. Who do you think will be the first inductee in a Jays hat? McGriff? Alomar? Steib? Delgado? Somebody else?

Forbidden Iran II

Okay, here's my take on Forbidden Iran:

As it has become the unfortunate norm in certain journalistic circles, sensationalism and Hollywood drama got in the way of the real story. There was obviously a story there, actually two. One was the "Student Movement", in specific the suppression of students and then Zahra Kazemi's story and what actually happened to her. What in reality became the main topic in this documentary was Jane Kokan's brave endangerment of her life (real or imagined) as well as dramatic and almost fake poses, shots and commentary to add to the drama.

Was Kokan's life in danger? Nobody could say for certain. But anyone who has even traveled through Iran over the past decade could tell you that Iran is not 1975 Soviet Union, 1985 China or 1995 North Korea. Journalists are in fact restricted in their access, but even at worst cases their footage in confiscated and they are tossed out of the country. Kazemi was the exception of course, but that's because they treated her like an Iranian and not a Canadian journalist.

Then there was all the drama; Iman Samizadeh spectacularly proclaims the Iranian government is very dangerous, then demonstrates his website containing pictures of jailed "student leaders", including himself, from his London flat. "Arjang" has an office but is shot mostly moving through dangerous traffic. His name isn't shared but he has no fear of showing his face. Considering we are told he is arrested now, obviously "they" know who he is particularly with a tape of this show now, so who is he (or Kokan) concealing his identity from? Amir Fakravar's very dramatic speech, complete with close ups of his misty-eyed mom is somehow captured on broadcast quality video and then he is able to make a mysterious call from a horrific prison. The unidentified source in Isfahan (who appears a bit older than most average students) feels sitting on a park bench and talking is more dangerous than inviting a foreign woman into his cheap hotel room at night.

I won't say any of these is not true, but there's just way too much fluff and not enough meat. If you want to tell the story of the student uprising, that should be the focus. Do a bit of research to see what the roots of the protest were, what triggered the original protest, provide some factual details for the viewer to absorb, then get some perspective from authorities, and from activists as to where they see this going from here.

If you wish to discuss the murder of Zahra Kazemi, then give us some background on her, other stories she has worked on, maybe samples of her pictures. Interview her colleagues and those who knew her best. Try to get as many different versions of what may have actually happened to her, talk to some experts; forensics people, legal authorities, those who may have been through a similar ordeal. Then tell us what is going to happen next. What steps have been taken, what can be done.

As it is, I got the following from the show; - Iranian government (at least the non-smiling faction) is VERY DANGEROUS. - Students want freedom, but Iranian police is fascist (not much on non-police vigilante types) - Kianoosh who has been arrested four times can use his full name and speak with no disguise, but a foreign journalist must shred her notes on the bus or she may be harmed. - Zahra Kazemi is buried in a holy shrine's cemetery, in an area that is regularly locked up. Anything new or useful? You tell me.

Cold war mentality and this cloak and dagger attitude to journalism has killed enough legitimate stories. I hope the chronicle of Iranians struggle towards democracy and the different obstacles they face in that road is not fallen victim to fast cut, overly dramatic, sensationalist treatment Jane Kokan employed in this way-too-short documentary.

If you haven't seen the program yet, the complete show should be on their site next week, but here's a teaser available now.

Lost Treasures

A few years back, when I was involved with some import/export business, I received a fax from an auction house (I think they were based in London) about upcoming items for sale and they included a few cars owned by the Shah, including his Rolls Royce and a couple of other rare cars. However, it was obvious that some of the better known and more rare cars rumored to have been owned by him, including his rare Mercedes-Benz Gull Wing were not included and presumably stayed in Iran. I inquired about the collection and never went any further but a couple of years later came close to purchasing another car owned by former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. It was a Peykan (reportedly the very first built in Iran, although most Iranians believe that first car was owned by Prime Minister Hoveyda) given to Ceausescu by the Shah. I digressed...

What reminded me of all this is the news about Francis Bacon's Two figures lying on a bed with attendants possibly leaving Iran for a show in UK. The piece, in reality three paintings as seen above, has been in storage for about 25 years as even the distorted nude figures of Bacon have been too risque for show during all this time. Makes you wonder what else may still be in some damp storage room or corner of someon