the eyeranian

Condemn Hate

I have stayed away from this topic for one reason and one reason only. I wanted to see if any of the Iranian, particularly “Iranian-American” groups, organizations or community associations will have the required fortitude and clarity of conscious to take a stand on this. Sadly, days later, not even a single peep or squeak, as far as I could find.

It is about the bigoted opinions of a certain Senate leader on homosexuality.

Now this is a topic even the most progressive Iranian groups would not touch with a ten foot pole. There’s the cultural bias, along with rampant homophobia topped with the lack of any mandate to stand for what is right, even if that position will seem the most unpopular. Not here! Let the community hounds loose, this “eyeranian” would not be silenced:

Senator Rick Santorum, chairman of the Republican Conference, is the third-ranking Republican in the Senate. He is known for his strong ideological and religious views, Santorum last week decided to make some of them known to the nation. His target was homosexuality. "I have no problem with homosexuality," he said in an Associate Press interview. "I have a problem with homosexual acts."

He didn't stop there.

"If the Supreme Court says you have the right to (homosexual) consensual sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to do anything."

Santorum has the right to his views, twisted as they are. Believing that homosexuality is no different from incest, for example, is absurd. By expressing his hateful views in public, Santorum shows his misguided bigotry. There’s no place for such intolerance in the highest offices of this country though.

Except for a few individual GOP senators, the Republican leadership has remained embarrassingly silent on Santorum's comments. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called on Santorum to apologize. He refused. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, said his remarks "have no place in our society."

Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., pinpointed the legal dangers lurking in Santorum's remarks. "His premise that the right to privacy does not exist (is) just plain wrong," said Chafee.

There are too many hate crimes committed in this nation and too many crimes against people because of their sexual orientation. When politicians publicize hateful views, they must be condemned. Trent Lott was another GOP leader who confused his own ideology with American diversity. Lott, who resigned his leadership post over racially divisive remarks, had compared homosexuality to kleptomania and alcoholism.

This is another shameful episode for the Republican Party. It is also a shameful chapter for any free-thinking individuals or organization that chose to remain silent and by their action, approved of such narrow-mindedness.

Iranian Blog Meet

Have you signed up to meet with other bloggers and blog readers? C'mon, we need more participants. By that I mean everywhere as in 45 cities worlwide, but not in Toronto. In that city, the Hoder fan club has 49 people attending their meeting. Yes, 45!!!

Latest news on Sina

Emrooz (Today) Newspaper in Tehran reported yesterday that Sina had appeared at a special court division in Tehran's Mehrabad international airport(!!). He told Judge Zafarghandi that he would prefer not to answer to his charges at this point. He also confirmed that he has accepted some charges and would like to present his case about others. Sina is then quoted to say he may need a lawyer at the trial stage but in this primary investigative phases he does not need one. He then asked everyone concerned with his case to not judge him until he clears any misunderstandings and verified that he has been allowed to meet with his family.

Sina's wife Farnaz has also been vocal about him. In her blog manioman (Mani & I, Mani being her young son) complained of people attributing certain quotes to her. She states that she has not had done interviews with any radio stations broadcasting to Iran from abroad or even local newspapers. She then asks friends to remain silent on the matter and let things be.

My 2 cents: don't be surprised if Sina is forced to accepting any charges or even confesses to certain misdeeds. This is unfortunately the norm for Iranian prisoners. Remember this, for Sina and his family, the priority right now is to get the most lenient sentence for him. Remaining silent and/or accepting some misdemeanors is the easiest way to achieve that. I can completely understand their rationale too. Getting a 5 year sentence or a 10 year one for a 30 year old with a baby in waiting is a huge difference.

For me and many others involved in a campaign to free him, Sina's arrest, charges and eventual sentence is just a small part of the puzzle. As I wrote before, the larger picture involves the future of free speech as it relates to the internet and blogs in Iran, as well as the attempted crackdown by the Iranian government against a new generation. With that in mind, we can't afford to remain neutral.

Have you signed the petition yet?

BuzzMachine

Copyright © Saul Steinberg. All rights reserved.

 

Jeff Jarvis, the well-known blogger behind BuzzMachine has been following the story of Sina Motallebi and other Persian bloggers in general over the last few days. He has included the eyeranian in his reviews and listed it amongst his links. I welcome all who come here via BuzzMachine. Maybe his readers could suggest some new tools for Iranians to blog more securely. Or maybe this will create a healthy and constructive exchange forum for both sides.

Persian Blogs

From "Gireh (Clamp Vise) Blog Society" : Our rendezvous was set for 4:40 at Daneshjoo Park, in front of Buffalo coffee shop. From the description he had provided, I recognized him at 4:40. At first we wanted to go into the coffee shop, but decided to go inside the park to enjoy the nature, as well as the fresh opportunities available at the park. We sat in a corner and started to talk. We talked and argued so much, we forgot how long this meeting had taken. The first questions for both of us was the educational and employment backgrounds of one another, which we wasted little time on. We then sat quietly, looked into each other’s faces as to try to evaluate one another, then we both asked: “which blogs do you regularly read?”.

Tuesday Evening Motivationals!

Thank you to all of you who noticed it and reminded me over the past couple of days; yes, I forgot my Monday Morning Motivationals. Sorry! I don't want to make any excuses but the truth is the last few days have been just a tad crazy. First, it is the end of the month and I'm busier than usual with work. Also, the Sina petition (which I hope you have all signed and if you have not, do not ever call upon me as a character reference) is starting to get even more attention from media. I wrote an op-ed piece for a newspaper, got interviewed by an on-line magazine and spoke on an Australian radio over the last couple of days already and am writing another piece for an Irish on-line publication and will be on a Clearchannel station (I know, I know) on Friday morning. Hope all of this will result in something positive.

So, now with a delayed appearance, please click on "Continue Reading..." below this for the belated version of Monday Morning Motivationals...

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

Decide what you want and the life you prefer, then focus
your time, energy and effort to that end. Use the resources
available and create a Personal Eco-System(tm) that supports
you perfectly, then simply out-work, out-perform and out-last
the competition. There are no alternatives. Extraordinary
achievement is the result of those four simple steps.

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

'The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live.'
-- Joan Borysenko

'It is our duty as men and women to proceed as though the
limits to our abilities do not exist.'
-- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

'There is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can circumvent
or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.'
-- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

'What we think, or what we know, or what we believe is, in
the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is
what we do.'
-- John Ruskin

Source

Their New Gameplan

I love reading the stuff conservative columnists put out there. It gives you a pretty good idea as to what the neocons next "game" is going to be about. Jeff Jacoby of Boston Globe for example recently wrote a very interesting piece, called "Where's the smoking gun?". Although at first it may sound like he is questioning the rationale used by the Washington hawks to start a war (and open a huge can of worms) in Iraq, it is actually a piece to the contrary. Jacoby's basic argument can be summed up this way; so what if we never find any WMD's in Iraq or that they may have actually been honest about destroying what they had. As he says: "It was not to find a ''smoking gun'' that the United States went to war. It was to crush one of the bloodiest tyrannies the modern world has known." (continued...)

American politicians are very lucky. Lucky that their constituents have very brief attention spans and short memories. Wasn't it our Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powell that addressed the United Nation's Security Council in an attempt to gain their approval of this invasion based on Iraq's violation of Resolution 1441, a resolution to "disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction"? First he played the tape of "two senior officers" discussing how to hide their WMD's. The he claimed "We also have satellite photos that indicate that banned materials have recently been moved from a number of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction facilities." He even showed satellite pictures of a "weapons munitions factory" and even "chemical bunkers", these were bunkers that "indicate the presence of sure signs that the bunkers are storing chemical munitions" equipped with everything including "decontamination vehicles" (where did the vehicles go?). He then quoted unknown sources to clain existance of "mobile production facilities". There was also modified "aerial fuel tanks for Mirage jets" filmed while spraying "2,000 liters of simulated anthrax" as well as "spray tanks to be mounted onto a MiG-2". Let's not forget "chemical complex called "Al Musayyib", many with pictures and/or video and audio tapes.

Powell then moved to "weaponry": "550 artillery shells with mustard, 30,000 empty munitions and enough precursors to increase his stockpile to as much as 500 tons of chemical agents." and "6500 bombs from the Iran-Iraq War". 25,000 liters of Anthrax and "four tons of the deadly nerve agent VX". Powell also said ""Our conservative estimate is that Iraq has stockpiles of between 100 and 500 tons of chemical weapons agent ... enough to fill 16,000 battlefield rockets" and "equipment that can filter and separate microorganisms and toxins involved in biological weapons; equipment that can be used to concentrate the agent; growth media that can be used to continue producing anthrax and botulinum toxin; sterilization equipment for laboratories; glass-lined reactors and specialty pumps that can handle corrosive chemical weapons agents and precursors; large amounts of thionyl chloride, a precursor for nerve and blister agents; and other chemicals such as sodium sulfide, an important mustard agent precursor." The list went on.

Then came the nuclear weapons (!!) and a very scary slide to show the range of his missiles. Not the ones he has, but the ones he may develop. The ones that could easily reach Israel (oh no!), test facilities,  his "unmanned aerial vehicles", and of course Iraq's connection to terrorists, particularly Al-Qaeda operatives. and on and on and on...

So, where are all these equipment, weapons, tankers full of nasty stuff, sprayer tankers, decontamination vehicles, modified planes, chemical bunkers and factories? Apparently we can't find them! With all our "solid sources", satellite pictures and sophisticated equipment, we haven't been able to find a fraction of all this. Sounds strange and the hawks know it too. Accordingly the campaign to downplay all these accusations has already started. Jacoby's article is just another piece of this carefully crafted public relations campaign to muddy the waters and hide the deception we were all sold.

As if Powell knew it back then already he tried several times during his address to gain some credibility. Reminded me of when as a kid we'd swear to anything, as long as we knew it may prevent a parent's fury. This is him, doing just that: "Ladies and gentlemen, these are not assertions. These are facts corroborated by many sources, some of them sources of the intelligence services of other countries." and then "My colleagues, every statement I make today is backed up by sources, solid sources. These are not assertions. What we are giving you are facts and conclusions based on solid intelligence. I will cite some examples, and these are from human sources". Doesn't he already sound like a liar?

Well, he probably is.

Read the following exchange from the Nightline with Ted Koppel television show, with Koppel interviewing James Woolsey, ex-chief of the CIA (with some possible role in the new Iraq administration??) on this very topic:

TED KOPPEL: The only problem I have with the, the nexus among those, those three categories that you cite is that one of the categories, which would seem to be the most important one, the weapons of mass destruction, hasn't yet materialized.

JAMES WOOLSEY: Well, I think we have to realize that the weapons of mass destruction that they find could be a few petri dishes. We've never been looking in this case for things, big things like nuclear reactors. It's all canisters of VX nerve gas or vials of anthrax. And the only way we're ever going to find this, since most of anything that's left is almost certainly buried very secretly, is by what we tried to get Hans Blix to do and he never did, question people who were engaged in the program, the weapons programs.

TED KOPPEL: When you talk, Mr. Woolsey, as you do, about the odd petri dish here or there, that's not quite consistent with that compelling argument that the Secretary of State made before the UN Security Council where, indeed, he was talking about hundreds, if not thousands, of tons of this material that was out there. Where is it?

JAMES WOOLSEY: Well, that was all indicated by the inspectors in 1998. Because, they had evidence based on Saddam's, on the biological weapons program, Saddam's son-in-law's defection, the son-in-law that he eventually killed, of manufacture of thousands of liters of anthrax and other, weapons.

TED KOPPEL: But as you remember, the Secretary of State was making a compelling argument that this wasn't just based on old information, that we had fresh information that indicated that that material existed. Where is it?

JAMES WOOLSEY: We had current evidence of several French trucks that had been turned into biological weapons laboratories. Much of this may have been destroyed in the days, at the beginning of the war. That one can't change history but one probably can find evidence of what still exists, which I imagine is some of the weapons and what they destroyed and how they destroyed it. I think this will come out as we get access to more and more of these scientists and technicians who were part of the program.

TED KOPPEL: If indeed it turns out that the weapons either did not exist or were destroyed before the war began, should there be a trace of embarrassment? Or does the new justification serve anyway?

JAMES WOOLSEY: Not at all. I think there will be evidence that there were substantial biological and chemical weapons stocks, some after '98 and before the war. And exactly when they were destroyed, possibly right at the beginning of the war, I think shouldn't affect this at all. I think that it is, I think the Administration deserves credit in this for being pretty careful about what they said. And the Secretary of State's presentation before the Security Council was a careful presentation. If the Iraqis destroyed much of that in the opening days of the war, so be it. We'll find some evidence to that effect.

What do you think?

I'm Insulted. Are you?

Let me go on record to say that I am DEEPLY OFFENDED by this. Who the F*** is Daniel Ayalon to decide what kind of a government Iran should or should not have? It is absolutely none of his or anyone but the people of Iran's business and I urge all who respect a nation's sovereignty and international law to protest such shocking attitudes and disturbing comments. Please send your messages of protest to press@israelemb.org or contact the Israeli Embassy using the following numbers: Tel: (202) 364-5590 Tel: (202) 364-5578 Fax: (202) 364-5560 This is their address: 3514 International Dr. N.W. Washington DC 20008

Food!!!

When you are away from it all, you crave the strangest things. For the past few months I have had these few items on my mind more often than usual, so I am going to ask for your help. Could you please go have some just for me? I know it may sound strange but it is the best I can do for now and I'll try to live vicariously through you all. So if you live in one of these 4 cities, pick a favorite and go for it:

Toronto: 1- A big Back Bacon Sandwich from St. Lawrence Market. 2- Double burger at Harvey's with tomatoes, pickles and just a bit of Mayo as toppings. 3- Double legs plate at Swiss Chalet.

Tehran: 1- Shir-Havij on Shariati across Ghasr. 2- Noon khamei' at 24 Esfand / Enghelab Square. 3- Kabab the size of my forearm at Alborz on Sohrevardi / Farah.

Tokyo: 1- Ice Coffee from any vending machine. 2- A big bowl of Corn Soup. 3- Some great beef Shabu Shabu.

Dubai: 1- Lunch buffet at Sadaf. 2- Dinner at Shabestan inside Intercontinental Hotel. 3- Late munchies on Shawarma (dajaj) at any of the kiosks that will bring it out to your car (drive-through).

New Links!

I have just added some great links to the right side of this page. These are some truly fantastic blogs by very interesting folks. You may want to check them out.

To all new additions; WELCOME!

True Democracy?

Those familiar with my views, experiences and past positions know how I feel about the religious tyranny currently in power in Iran. To me a dictatorship, mixed with visions of divine responsibilities is probably the most horrendous type of repression possible. Close to a quarter of a century of an autocratic government in Iran, bringing mass executions, murders, large-scale imprisonments, terror, oppression and corruption is the prime confirmation of this line of reasoning. (continued...)

Needless to say, creating a similar government in yet another country in the region is a nightmare and nothing but a huge set-back for anyone concerned with establishing freedom and democracy in the middle-east.

Having said that, one of the bases for any true democracy is to accept the people’s prerogative to occasionally make wrong choices and even more often, to make choices that you and I may not like or agree with. But at the end of the day, the choice is completely theirs. By that I mean that if in a free and open election Iranians choose to keep the current regime, it would be vital for people like myself to value and honor their choice, yet reserving our right to oppose it in peaceful fashion and by non-violent means.

This of course also applies to the people of Iraq. We invaded their country supposedly to “establish democracy” and give them the option of selecting their own form of government, elect their true representatives and enact laws according to their own sets of values and cultural make-up. However, a short few weeks after the fall of Saddam Hussein regime of terror, the hawks running globe’s only super-power are trying to take away that very right.

Just read the first line of AP’s wire: “The United States will not allow an Iran-style religious government to take hold in Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press.”

Will someone please remind our dear Secretary that it is their choice and not ours how they wish to run their country? Or is it that democracy is good only if the people select choices that meets our approval?

I for one would like nothing less than having an Iran-Style regime in Iraq. But I know it is not up to me to decide what is best for Iraq and Iraqis. I don’t think Rumsfeld and company feel the same way.

Makes Sense To Me!

As much as I dislike the Iranian regime, I must admit that once in a while one of their officials comes up with something so brilliant to say, it is hard to disagree with. An example was Javad Zarif, the Iranian ambassador to UN who has been so eloquent and reasonable in his various TV appearances prior and during the Iraqi invasion, he could have been the spokesperson for the entire anti-war movement worldwide.

Now Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi has been added to my list of notable quotes. In response to accusations about Iran’s intrusion in Iraqi development, he said "It is interesting that the United States has occupied Iraq and is now accusing Iraq's neighbors of interfering in Iraq's internal affairs,".

O boy! ‘Nuff said.

Three years ago...

Hoder’s English web log is getting so much better by the day, it makes me wonder if I should start a Farsi one! His last post is a mix of his memories from the time I used to read his column about the internet while he worked in Tehran, plus his view of what has gone wrong over these past few years.

I know he is not alone in feeling such great disappointment in what has happened to the high expectations Iranians put on the so-called “reformist” movement. Maybe those of us abroad were lucky to be far enough to not put their trust in Khatami and company, but for millions who did, their trust was once again betrayed by Iranian politicians. A familiar story, repeated often since the Constitutional Revolution of 1905. (continued...)

Here's Hoder's Piece:

Three years ago...

Three years ago, on these days, I was sitting down with technical manager of Khordad newspaper which was just a street south of Asr-e Azadegan - the newspaper where I used to write a daily column. Khordad daily had the best website among all 15,16 newspaper that were being published in Iran those day. he was explaining how they upload the updated database very night and how the database is updated everynight.

Suddenly somebody called him, he left the room and got back a few seconds later. He apologized and continued to talk, but his face was wierd and he was acting strangely. I don't remember what I asked that he quietly told me that the newspaper is closed down and they don't need to worry about upload the new files. I was shocked. All 13 reformist papers were ordered to shut down in a single ungly letter that was faxed to all of them by the justice department of Tehran . Asr-e Azadegan was among them too.

Now after three years, everything has changed. People don't tend to buy papers, don't like to talk politics and don't like the man they voted anymore. Moreover, almost all of their top journalists, from the owners, editor-in-chief, columnists, satirists, cartoonists, reporters, stringers, and even some marketing agents, have been arrested and have spended some time in jail since then--from several decades to a few weeks.

Although many of them are free now, but virtually none of them are politically active. Since then, hardliners have made up huge files, containing every possible accusation they might have come up, for about every possible man or women who might have been of a little influence on the society, by his or her thoughts, writings, speeches and actions.

The last part is the worst of it, during all this time that handsome president thet we chose, two times, has been silently watched all this and have been kept giving all of them legitimacy. This is the most painful part...

"W" Speaks

One of the most popular posts on my old blog was quotes from "W". Well, they's back! I think we could all use a chuckle or two. (continued)

Quotes attributed to the former Governor of Texas, Mr. George W. Bush:

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."
- Governor George W. Bush

"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared'."
- Governor George W. Bush

"I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future."
- Governor George W. Bush

"The future will be better tomorrow."
- Governor George W. Bush

"We're going to have the best educated American people in the world."
- Governor George W. Bush

"I stand by all the misstatements that I've made."
- Governor George W. Bush

"We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe."
- Governor George W. Bush

"Public speaking is very easy."
- Governor George W. Bush

"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls."
- Governor George W. Bush

"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur."
- Governor George W. Bush

"For NASA, space is still a high priority."
- Governor George W. Bush

"Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children."
- Governor George W. Bush

"It's time for the human race to enter the solar system."
- Governor George W. Bush

Bloggers Unite!

Online Journalism Review's Marc Glacer wrote this about Sina's petition:

"While the petition's proponents would like to get mainstream press attention to help pressure the Iranians to release Motallebi, the detainee's family and close friends are more circumspect. One cousin told me the family was holding off on answering my questions for fear that publicity might cause more harm than good, creating a backlash that could infuriate the mullahs. In fact, Motallebi's family pulled down the front page of his Weblog because of anti-government comments posted there; it was not the work of the Iranian government or caused by increased traffic."

"Still, the bloggers feel that hushing up Motallebi's detention would play into the hands of the hard-liners, allowing them to detain journalists and others without an outcry or protest. "I appreciate the family's point of view," said petition author Moallemian, "but you have to look at the larger picture. This would work against other people arrested later"."

Here's a copy of the piece from Online Journalism Review:

Weblogs Unite to Protest Detained Iranian Blogger

Persian, U.S. blogospheres come together

Another journalist is detained by the Iranian government in Tehran. Seems like the same old story of a crackdown on independent media by a hard-line administration. But this time, the detainee, Sina Motallebi, is different. His roots are in print journalism, as a film critic, later covering politics for a reformist paper Ham Mihan, and the arts for Hayat-é-No (subsequently shut down). Most recently he gained fame with his popular Farsi-language Weblog, Webgard (meaning "Web surfer"). And now the Persian blogging community, surprisingly strong, has linked up with top American bloggers to promote an online petition to ask for Motallebi's release.

The journalist's wife, Farnaz Ghazizadeh (who runs a blog about their baby son), told the Associated Press that the judiciary had summoned Motallebi before for questioning relating to interviews he gave to foreign media on his Web site. According to Reporters Without Borders, Motallebi also angered Iran's hardline judiciary by defending Alireza Eshragi, a journalist at Hayat-é-No who oversaw a page that ran an old political cartoon that offended the government. The human rights group said Motallebi was accused by the judiciary of "undermining national security through 'cultural activity.' "

Though it isn't totally clear why he's being detained, what is clear is that the Persian blogosphere is mobilizing to help free him. Fellow blogger Pedram Moallemian was born in Iran, and lived in Canada, where he was the director of the Toronto-based Canadian Centre for Liberty and Equality. He now lives in San Diego and wrote the online petition to help bring attention to Motallebi's detention. Moallemian only got into blogging in the past year, but he is amazed at the popularity and power of blogging for Iranians inside and outside of Iran.

"We've seen Iranian blogs take donations for orphanages," he told me. "And Weblogs helped a group of 50 to 60 people gather in Iran for International Women's Day on March 8. Bloggers even ran for city council in Tehran in the past election, though they had no chance to win" [because reformists protested by not voting at all]. At one point, Moallemian ran a Weblog that summed up the Persian blogs in English, but it was too time-consuming for no pay. He works as a retail consultant now.

Linking to the West

A key link from Iran's teeming world of Weblogs to the West has been Hossein Derakhshan, a colleague of detained journalist Motallebi. Derakhshan, also known as Hoder, runs an English Weblog called Editor:Myself as well as one in Farsi. He helped bring the story to the attention of various top bloggers such as Buzz Machine's Jeff Jarvis and the San Jose Mercury News' Dan Gillmor. In turn, the petition soon hit 2,000 signees and made appearances on Daypop and Blogdex as a popular blog link. The Oxblog's Patrick Belton wrote an appeal to his U.S. senator, and exhorted others to follow suit.

"I wanted to try to find bridges to Persian blogs just as I've found bridges to German blogs," Jarvis told me via e-mail. "Especially now, the exchange of information and opinions and the process of getting to know each other can only be good. So far as I know, it is the first time a Weblogger has been arrested because of what he says online. But even beyond that, this indicates that Weblogs are a powerful tool for free speech in any land -- a fact that clearly (and unfortunately) has been recognized even by Iranian officials."

Hoder has been quick to give updates on the detention, and surmises that the Iranian government might be trying to curb Western cultural influences in the youth. Hoder says that Motallebi was "rarely political," but is the most Net-savvy geek type among the many journalists currently jailed by the Iranian government. But does that mean the government will crack down on the freewheeling Persian blogosphere, where one woman has reportedly been detailing her sexual exploits? Hoder thinks they haven't caught on quite yet, and haven't blocked key Persian sites as the Chinese government has done to dissident sites.

Publicity helps or hurts?

While the petition's proponents would like to get mainstream press attention to help pressure the Iranians to release Motallebi, the detainee's family and close friends are more circumspect. One cousin told me the family was holding off on answering my questions for fear that publicity might cause more harm than good, creating a backlash that could infuriate the mullahs. In fact, Motallebi's family pulled down the front page of his Weblog because of anti-government comments posted there; it was not the work of the Iranian government or caused by increased traffic.

Still, the bloggers feel that hushing up Motallebi's detention would play into the hands of the hard-liners, allowing them to detain journalists and others without an outcry or protest. "I appreciate the family's point of view," said petition author Moallemian, "but you have to look at the larger picture. This would work against other people arrested later."

Already, he sees paranoia online due to the arrest, with people asking that their comments be removed from blogs because of fear that the Iranian government is watching. "I don't think they were going after Sina's content -- his last post was on Michael Jordan's retirement, I think," said Moallemian. "They're going after the blogging movement. If Hoder was in Iran, I'm sure he would be brought in. Blogging is just the latest avenue for young people to say something -- and they want to block that."

The government of Iran is generally tight-lipped about journalists detained, hasn't made an official statement about Motallebi and hasn't returned my e-mails. But the groundswell of support for Motallebi online might lead to his release -- thereby strengthening the resolve of bloggers (or making them paranoid the government is now taking notice).

That's the underlying Catch-22 here. Bloggers are under the radar of the hard-liners, and that gives them unprecedented freedom. Losing a prominent voice like Motallebi's is a blow to the community, but losing Net access would be an even more devastating blow. So while bloggers are asking for his release, they hope for the attention of human rights groups, the mainstream press and objective voices -- not the saber-rattling of some ideologues.

Jarvis, for one, envisions a future without fear. "Eventually, all but the most Stone Age governments will have to let the Internet in because it has become the price of doing business in the world, and with it comes access to information and the ability to publish to the world (at no cost, with no expertise). The tools of publishing and broadcasting are coming into the hands of the people, and that will make a difference in the world." Without a doubt.

Mark Glaser

From The Bastard!

Pierce T. Wetter III (whom left this in my comments section) has an interesting piece on his blog about Sina Motallebi and Iranian bloggers in general.

He has asked for suggestion on "technical solutions" to help them continue using their blogs to express opinions, without any fear of reprisal. This could be cruicial if even more restrictions are on the way.

I personally do not have the necessary technical expertise to offer suggestions on this topic, but maybe you do. Please read his post and share your ideas. Maybe we can find a solution that could at least reduce any fear of future arrests and crackdowns.

Here's a copy of The Bastard's post:

What to do about Sina Motallebi

Background:

Sina Motallebi lives in Iran and he's been arrested. It's time to help free him, and help other Iranians. For those of you not familar with Iran, it has this strange political structure with an oligarchy of religious leaders are wedded to a partially democratic structure. The problem is that basically, the religious leaders have all the power, and they've been using it to oppress their citizens, closing down newspapers, and jailing dissenters.

Enter the internet:

Over the last two years, blogging by Iranians (mostly in Persian) has been a way for the younger generation to speak out. Like most blogs, its basically about their lives, but I enjoy getting an insight into how others are living. Here are some of my favorite English ones:

Iranian Girl
Editor: Myself
Eyeranian

Recently, an Iranian blogger named Sina Motallebi was arrested by the mad mullahs. This isn't just an attack against someone who speaks against their government, because frankly, he doesn't really do that. It's an attack against his generation. You can read about it here: Not about Sina on Eyeranian

There's two things that need to be done about this. One short term, one long term.

In the short term, sign this online petition: Petition

In the long term, we need to start thinking one step ahead of the mad mullahs. Anyone with a laser printer can be a newspaper editor, and anyone with internet access can be a columnist. Since the Iranians have already chosen blogging as a way to speak out, perhaps we can help them speak out.

I expect the mad mullahs to take the following next steps:

Extend their firewall to start blocking Iranian blogsTracking access to blogs to try to figure out who the readers and writers are.

Here's where I need the help of the all you slashdotters. I know that there are technical solutions to some parts of these problems, but I'm not totally sure what they are. Of the top of my head, there are the following things we need to do:

Provide anonymous ways for Iranians to read these blogs, probably through some sort of anonymous proxying service.

Provide anonymous ways for Iranians to post to their blogs. This could be done via some sort of XML-RPC service, since many blogs support tools that do this.

It could also be done via an email->XML-RPC gateway that could take a post from an anonymous remailer and post it to a blog.

My problem is that I don't know how much of this stuff already exists, what still needs to be done, and how we can hide all this stuff. For instance, if instead of tracking hits to blogger.com, they track hits to an anonymous remailer, we're doing the mad mullahs job for them, because then only dissidents would be using the remailer. Though the ubiquity of web mail makes that somewhat moot since the mullahs would have to monitor every web transaction then. However, open encrypting proxy servers aren't that common.What I need from you all:

Sign the Petition You pulling up a web page might save someones life.
Tell me what you think

A Look Back

Copyright © Joe Forkan. All rights reserved.

I wrote this in January. Don't know why I never published it. A small local paper had asked if I could write something short about all the Hans Blix trips and the threat of war in Iraq and I quickly wrote this at work, then e-mail it to my home address so I could edit it and forward it to them. But I never did. As I was cleaning my "In Box" today, I almost deleted it but read it again and liked it. So, before it goes to the big digital garbage dump somewhere in this universe, here it is... (continued)

- You have weapons we don't think you should have.
- We don't, may had at one point but don't.
- Yes you do and we know it too.
- No, we don't.
- You are lying, you still do.
- We have none.
- Well, unless you tell us where they are, we are attacking you.
- We can't tell you where something we don't have is.
- Nonsense, we are sending troops to near your borders.
- If you know we have them, why don't you publish the details?
- We can't do that, but why don't you just admit the details instead?
- Have nothing to admit.
- You do and we know it.
- Okay, come search for them.
- We must have access to anywhere we want.
- Fine, you won't find anything.
(reluctantly searching.)
- You know we will find them.
- Don't think so, but go ahead and look.
- We'll bring more sophisticated tools that will find anything.
- Okay, bring them. You won't find something that isn't there.
- Don't push us or we'll search even more strongly.
- Please do.
- Why don't you give us a report on everything you used to have?
- Okay, here it is.
(reading every page while still searching too)
- But this doesn't include anything you currently have.
- Because we don't currently have anything.
- We know you do.
- Prove it.
- We even have intelligence coming from the CIA to verify it.
- Why don't you bring the CIA with you then, they can also look.
- No need. you'll come clean, or face a war.
- There's nothing we can add to what we've already told you.
- But you won't tell us where they are.
- We have nothing. Search for yourself.
(getting tired of searching and not finding anything)
- C'mon, just tell us.
- Nothing to tell, we have none.
- Yes you do, we'll find them and then you face misery.
- Fine, keep looking.
- Are you saying we won't find anything?
- Yes! There's nothing to find!
- You have them.
- We don't.
(searching still)
- (announcing to the world) We have found nothing!
- We told you, there's nothing to find.
- Well, this just proves that you have weapons you should not!
- Huh? Did you find anything?
- Nope, no smoking guns. But we know you have them.
- We don't.
- (angry) TELL US WHERE THEY ARE OR FACE WAR!
- ..
- You have weapons you should not have.
- We don't.
- ...
- Economy is in crisis. Unemployment is up. Corporate corruption is rampant. Environment is in serious danger. Widespread violations of basic Human Rights are everywhere. We have some serious issues we need to deal with, but most importantly; you have weapons you should not have.
- No we don't.
- ..

- Let's tackle our most urgent challenge: send more troops overseas.

Not about Sina!

A reporter called to follow up on Sina Motallebi’s situation. He had probably picked up my name from the petition and wrote to get my phone number. He said he had just talked to a relative of Sina’s and they had preferred not to comment at this time or take any further action. Their concern was understandable and probably warranted. The reporter was asking if I planned to withdraw the petition based on the same rationale.... (continued)

I didn’t have to think about it for a second. The answer was no. I also elaborated that if I could do more, I would. Now don’t get me wrong, I can empathize with the predicament Sina’s family is in. There have been other precedents where a simple connection to people abroad or efforts by other “undesirables” on their behalf and support has been used against the accused. Accordingly, could the petition or any other fallout from future actions by us be used against Sina? Nobody can say for certain, but it is definitely possible.

So, why not scarp it and sit back, hoping for the best. Why not cross our fingers and leave it up to the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to do the right thing for Sina and others before him as well as the ones coming after him. The answer rests with that last part. Without a doubt there will be others. Arrest of Sina Motallebi isn’t the first time someone has been arrested for expressing his opinion in Iran, and it certainly won’t be the last.

This is however part of a new offensive with new targets. It is not the political activists or human rights advocates that are being targeted this time. It’s not even the so called “reformers” or those mildly critical of regime’s tactics or approach. This time it is the youth and the ones who have found new ways of expressing their dissatisfaction with the ruling class that are the new enemy. In particular, freedom of expression via the internet is now being targeted.

I have no doubt that if possible, Hossein Derakhshan (better known as Hoder to the web log community) would have been the prime new target and not Sina Motallebi. But Hoder is safely away in Toronto and anything he does or says is beyond their court’s jurisdictions. The target this time was the highest profile “internet personality” of the new generation they could prosecute and Sina was it. The content of his web log or his writing had very little to do with anything.

Speaking of his web log content, his last few posts before being summoned were (in order) about Iranian newscaster’s inability to pronounce names properly, retirement of the “out of this world champion” Michael Jordan, his son’s teething problems and a reprint of an already published statement by Kambiz Kaheh, a film critic arrested on bogus charges of distributing illegal videos. Hardly risky material.

What Sina represents to them however, is far bigger. He is the symbol of all the young, intellectual, internet and technology savvy new generation this regime has failed to suppress. The latest battleground is the cyberspace and thousands of Persian web logs, from the progressive and politically charged ones to teenager’s sexual experimentations or mundane adolescent babblings is the chosen arena it will be fought in.

In this new confrontation there will be more sacrifices inflicted by the other side. As always, we have a choice; distress and holler as loud as we can or remain unruffled. By choosing the latter, would they even think twice before delivering the next blow? I doubt it. By raising our voice and causing as much uproar as we can manage, they may just be forced to do that.

At the end of the day this struggle is not about Sina or Hoder or Hooman or Simin. This is about their and our right to free speech and in this battle, remaining quiet equals defeat.

Petition Update

The petition is doing extremely well. There are currently over 2,000 signatures and everytime I check, the number is growing.... (continued)

Free Sina Motallebi

Here are a couple of facts about the petition:

- Yes I know there is a spelling error in there. Blame Microsoft's specllchecker for automatically "fixing" my mis-typed word, but replacing it with another similar word that obviously means something different. Confusing enough? I did notice it within hours of it being posted but petitiononline.com people don't like to make changes to petitions already posted. Even donating to their site didn't get me a reply! Oh well.

- I noticed the non-Irani names are becoming more common as time passes by. The petition obviously got it's largest exposure with Iranians at the beginning, but it is now spreading out to the larger global community and it shows.

- Lots of people from the Netherlands I see signing. Thanks to whomever is spreading it in that part of the world.

- A couple of jokers too. I noticed Supreme Leader Khamenei, President Khatami and Iranian ambassador to France as signaturies. Obviously somebody is finding Sina's grave situation amusing. To look at it positively though, if one or two are using the petition as a source of entertainment, a couple of thousands don't. Not bad when you look at the percentages.

- I completely understand when somebody signs with just a first name from inside Iran. But do not get if you just sign "Reza" from "Canada". How credible does that sound? and how much of a danger do you think you'd be in if you left any more information, like an initial or city. C'mon, let's get out of this constant paranoia phase.

- Our petition made it all the way up to being the second most active petition on line (see image below). Considering the thousands of other petitions they host, that's not bad at all. I'm sure Sina and all others struggling for democracy and freedom in Iran appreciate it.

Now let's email a few friends and associates you may have/know with the link and a sugestion to sign it. Can we all do that?

The Murdoch Award

Richard Cohen is one of those columnist I don't usually agree with (hey, he supported the Iraqi invasion), but can understand and appreciate. I honestly think this piece by him should be taken seriously and if I had the necessary resources to do it, I'd start a new award (Murdoch Medallion Award?) right away...

Click here for the source.

A Media Empire's Injustices

By Richard Cohen

Tuesday, April 22, 2003; Page A19

Since 1917 the Pulitzer Prizes -- named for their creator, the 19th-century press baron Joseph Pulitzer -- have been awarded to encourage excellence in journalism. I happen to think that more could be accomplished with a prize for the worst in journalism. It should be called the Murdoch.

The first Murdoch would go to Rupert Murdoch himself, a media mogul who has single-handedly lowered the standards of journalism wherever he has gone. His New York Post and his Fox News Channel are blatantly political, hardly confining Murdoch's conservative political ideology to editorials or commentary but infusing it into the news coverage itself. It does this, of course, while insisting it does nothing of the sort.

The most repellent of Murdoch's products is the New York Post. (Full disclosure: My syndicated column appears in the competing New York Daily News.) The Post was the paper that, in the name of Americanism, called for a boycott of entertainment figures who opposed the war in Iraq. Under the headline "DON'T AID THESE SADDAM LOVERS," the paper's Page Six column on March 19 listed "appeasement-loving celebs." Among them were Tim Robbins, Sean Penn, Laurence Fishburne, Samuel L. Jackson, Susan Sarandon and Danny Glover. In some cases, the Post called for a boycott of their movies, never mind who else was in the movies or worked on them.

This is hardly Americanism. In the first place, none of the celebrities can fairly be called a "Saddam lover." They merely opposed the war. Second, they were not appeasers because, as the Bush administration itself said, this was a war of choice, not self-defense. Finally, dissent should be encouraged, not punished. This is how we learn. This is how we conduct a debate.

But the Murdoch way of conducting a debate is to yell treason or something very close to that. His organization did so, for instance, in a New York Post column that virtually called Peter Arnett, the former MSNBC correspondent, a traitor for what he said in his now-infamous interview with Iraqi state television. Arnett made himself impossible to defend, but bad judgment or even craven obsequiousness to a source (the Iraqis) is not treason. It is merely bad journalism.

The Fox News Channel thought otherwise. In a promotional spot, it said of Arnett: "He spoke out against America's armed forces; he said America's war against terrorism had failed; he even vilified America's leadership. And he worked for MSNBC."

Only the last sentence is true. The rest is such a stretch, such an exaggeration, that it amounts to a lie. Arnett never mentioned the "war against terrorism" and he never "vilified America's leadership." He was critical of the Bush administration -- but so was I on occasion, and I supported the war.

No single column could do justice to the injustices of the Murdoch empire -- or to its strange omissions. It went after Arnett with a vengeance but barely mentioned that its own reporter, that burlesque of a journalist, Geraldo Rivera, was given the boot by the military for essentially reporting the position of the unit he was with at the time. Must have been a busy news day.

It would be fun to imagine how the Murdoch press would cover Murdoch. It might have noticed that he abandoned his Australian citizenship and embraced America, apparently to comply with an FCC rule that prohibited foreigners from owning more than 25 percent of a TV license -- a touching immigrant saga. He dropped the BBC from his Star TV satellite operation in China because Beijing had a problem with its unbiased reporting. The New York Post and Fox might call him what they repeatedly called the French and others -- a "weasel." Alas, that would be editorializing.

Pulitzer and even William Randolph Hearst were pikers compared with Murdoch, the first truly global media baron. He controls 175 newspapers around the world, with 40 percent of the newspaper circulation in Britain. He owns satellite TV worldwide and, in America, a movie studio and book publisher as well as newspapers and TV outlets. His political influence is immense as well as baleful. MSNBC now has conservative hosts, and all the cable outlets either flew the American flag somewhere on the screen or in some other way insulated themselves from potential criticism from the right.

A piece of me admires Murdoch. He is a buccaneer, a risk-taker who, seemingly, cares not one whit for the opinion of journalists such as myself. But as the war in Iraq has shown, he has infected American journalism with jingoism and intolerance. For that, he gets the very first Murdoch Prize -- a formal citation listing his sins and a bucket of slime with his name on it. It is well earned.

© 2003 The Washington Post Company

Now The Iraqi Scam!

You know the Nigerian scam about transfer of funds that usually promises you about $50 million if you only use your accounts to help someone move their money out of the country? Well, here's a new twist... Now it's money coming out of Iraq!!! I've got my first email already...

Dear Sir,


My writing you this letter is necessitated by my

inner most desire to seek your assistance in a business that

requires high confidentiality and trust.


I am Mr Mani George,supervisor for customers services

with Finance Bank for eight years now.I have been managing and

monitoring a customer's account worth USD39M{ Thirty Nine Million

United States Dollars}.


The customer who is an expatriate from Iraq,Mr.Nazral Ali,ran away

from Iraq and settled down here as a political refugee,but does

not have a trace of his family because the incumbent Sadam Hussein

of Iraq eliminated all his family members immediately he ran away

as an opposition to Sadam's government.Mr.Nazral Ali is now late

and nobody has come forward for any claim of his money in our custody

since three years now after his death.


I hereby seek your cooperation and compromise with me,because I am

in a position to make every necessary changes to your name as the

appropriate beneficiary and a relation to Mr.Nazral Ali,and this

money will be moved to your custody pending my arrival to your

country to open an account and lodge the money.We could go into

investment negotiation based on your advice.For your involvement,I

suggest we share the money 75% for me and 25% for

you.Nevertheless,I assure you of every authenticity and risk-free

of this business proposal.


Contact me and furnish me with your comprehensive bank

information for us to progress as my time for

retirement is almost at hand.If you wish not to use

your current account number,may be due to security

reasons,we can equally open a fresh account for the

business.


Please,treat with absolute maturity,reservation and

kindness even if you are not interested to work with

me,waiting to hear from you soonest.


Hold my dealings in  strict confidence.



Sincerely,



Mani George

Gun Culture

I have always found the gun obsession in this country very amusing. Yet one in a while I find an example that is just outright hilarious. This is one of those. I just can't figure out what kind of "Retail Security" would need a "Small Arm" like the MG 42.

It's Over!

Maybe Next Year?!

SARS & Race Relations

Wouldn't it be nice if someone in Toronto or Ontario or Canada in general had enough sense and leadership ability to stand up against the nonsense of racial biases resulted from the SARS epidemic in Toronto? Wouldn't it be cool to have a progressive Mayor, Premier or Prime Minister to stand up and be the flag-bearer when the community needs it? Is that just too much to ask from one of the most diverse, liberal (ideology, not the party), freethinking countries in the world? Will somebody please stand up?

High-priced kiss

A prominent Iranian actress has been handed a suspended sentence of 74 lashes for publicly kissing a male film director during an awards ceremony, a report said Tuesday.... Source

Kiss gets Iranian actress 74 suspended lashes

TEHRAN, April 22 (AFP) - A prominent Iranian actress has been handed a suspended sentence of 74 lashes for publicly kissing a male film director during an awards ceremony, a report said Tuesday.

The Hambastegi newspaper said the court in the central city of Yazd suspended the sentence after Gohar Kheirandish, a veteran star of Iranian cinema, apologised for her public show of affection.

Kheirandish sparked protests from religious hardliners last November after kissing Ali Zamani on the forehead and shaking his hand when handing him an award for best film maker at a film festival in Yazd.

Physical contact between unmarried and unrelated men and women is strictly forbidden in Iran.

Go Shahrzad

Hundreds of peace demonstrators blocked entrances to the local facility of Lockheed Martin, protesting what they called the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction..... "To stop the war, we must stop the military-industrial complex driving the war", said Shahrzad Rose Broome, an Iranian-American student at Santa Clara University student....

Source

Protesters block Lockheed Martin facility in search for WMDs

SUNNYVALE, California (AFP) - Hundreds of peace demonstrators blocked entrances to the local facility of Lockheed Martin, protesting what they called the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction.

They were unable to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but we found them right here in Sunnyvale," said protest organizer Blair Thedinger.
"Weapons (are) being used against the Iraqi people in an unjust, illegal and amoral U.S. invasion," he said.

"To stop the war, we must stop the military-industrial complex driving the war", said Shahrzad Rose Broome, an Iranian-American student at Santa Clara University student.

"We're trying to pressure the government to change its policy," said Jessica Jenkins, student of international relations at nearby Stanford University.

"This is a nonviolent action" yelled the crowd as police on horseback began to clear protesters from one intersection.

Carrying signs reading, "War is a terrorist act," "Support our troops: Bring them home now," and "Welcome to Silicon Death Valley," a group of nearly 300 protestors, largely students from nearby universities, arrived before dawn and blocked three main intersections surrounding the Lockheed Martin Space and Strategic Missile facility in this town some 60 miles south of San Francisco.

Organized by the San Francisco Bay Area umbrella group Direct Action to Stop the War, protesters formed chains, their hands linked together through "lock boxes" made of plastic or metal tubes.

"Today's actions will in no way shift our focus in supporting our men and women who voluntarily put themselves in harm's way," said Steve Tatum, spokesman for Lockheed Martin Space Systems, in a telephone interview.

According to Direct Action to Stop the War, Lockheed manufactures the key tactical strike weapons used in the war against Iraq. Included among these weapons are AUP-3(M) Depleted Uranium missiles and anti-personnel landmines, said the peace activists.

"Even among weapons manufacturers, Lockheed stands alone in its total disregard for the human and environmental impacts of its production," explained Valarie Kaur Brar a Stanford University student.

"Lockheed blatantly violates human rights by continuing to produce anti-personnel landmines and depleted uranium weapons which have been banned by international human rights law."

What To Do?

"Don't Know" wrote in my comments section: "You criticized the U.S. for trying to export democracy. what else should we have done?"

Answer: about a billion other things you could have done.

If U.S. is serious about establishing democracies in Middle-East, I have a simple plan to start the process:

1) Stop supporting region's dictators and tyrants, including (but not limited to) Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Likud hoodlums in Israel.

2) Establish a more balanced approach to the region's main conflict, Israel and Palestine.

3) Support and fund democratic oppositions in region, instead of creating puppets like Ahmad Chalabi, Hamid Kharzai and Reza Pahlavi.

These three steps would be a great start and sign of good faith for the people of Middle-East to start looking as U.S. A. as a friend and not the enemy.

Know Thy Enemies!

I've already introduced you to the think-tank behind the neoconservatives around the former governor of Texas. Well, now meet their "bible". That only leaves their mouthpiece. The last two are both owned by their messenger. I think it is more vital than ever for us to know these players and study their strengths and weaknesses. After all, they want to run the world we live in, isn't it worthy for us to scrutinize their game plans?

Strange Priorities!

State of healthcare is a catastrophe. Many cities and towns lack such basic needs like drinking water and electricity. Two decades of war and constant bombings has left a country in ruins. So, where do the U.S. invaders start their mission of "nation building"? How about The Kut War Cemetery. You ask where that is and why? Well, this is where British and Indian soldiers killed during the first World War are buried. Sounds like a strange place to set your priorities upon? I think so. Sounds difficult to believe even? Hey, I don't make this stuff up! See for yourself: (1) (2) (3) (4). Thanks DM for the links.

Fundamentalists Unite!

Photo caption from AP - Iraqi Shiite pilgrims slash open their heads with swords as they march and chant in front of Imam Hussein Shrine in Karbala, Iraq Tuesday April 22, 2003. For the first time in decades, Shiite Muslims in Iraq are able to perform this ritual done to mark the killing of one of their most important saints, Imam Hussein. During the rule of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, such rituals were banned. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

In Karbala, fundamentalism reigns supreme. As Shiite pilgrims gather in Karbala to openly mourn for the first time in years, a minority of fanatics find it necessary to conduct backward practices such as the slashing ritual pictured above. In the absence of a progressive movement to educate and enshrine democratic and pluralistic principals, these fanatics - on all sides - will be the ones dominating the political and cultural landscape. Such is the nature of trying to "export democracy".

Meanwhile, the ultra right media will have a field day portraying all who oppose the U.S. military presence in Iraq as barbaric dangerous men who should be "controlled". What a shame.

Help Iraqi People, Now!

Mercy Corps, a charity that claims "91 percent of it's resources go directly to humanitarian programs" (doesn't sound like much but this is extremely high in reality) has issued a challenge to raise $2 mil. for Iraq. They have raised over $300,000 so far but are well short of their targets. Maybe you and I can help.

We all know the horrible stats. One of the highest death rates for Children under 5, displaced families with severe needs, malnutrition and disease epidemic, shortage of medicine, clean water and more. I don't want to get into what has caused this situation and how the U.S. led U.N. sanctions created or added to the problem. For now let's just focus on donating $33. Many of us can do that.

I also like their button on the right side of their site to "email 5 friends". Let us come together and help spread the news. Maybe we can make a small dent and make a tiny diffrence in the lives of people who need it so desperately.

Thanks to Goudarz Eghtedari for this info.

Mercy Corps Launches Online Campaign to Raise $2 Million in 2 Months
for Iraq Relief Efforts

--Campaign real-time donation tracking, "virtual volunteers,” and “hometown support” features

Portland, OR -- Mercy Corps kicks off an ambitious online campaign (http://www.mercycorps.org/Iraq/) today to raise $2 million in 2 months in support of its humanitarian relief efforts in Iraq. The campaign is being conducted entirely online, in real-time and is leveraging the power of the Internet to reach out to those who wish to help Iraqi families displaced by the war.

“We are finding that regardless of how one feels about the war people are eager to reach out to Iraqi children and families. This campaign gives concerned individuals and groups an easy way to become involved,” says Matthew De Galan, Mercy Corps Chief Development Officer.

So far, Washington Mutual Bank, Pax World Fund, The Hunger Site, Tazo, Better World Travel, among others (the list is growing fast!) have agreed to sponsor the campaign by helping to raise awareness and encouraging interested clients to participate. Mercy Corps volunteers are also getting involved as “virtual volunteers,” by spreading the word about the campaign to at least five interested friends and family members. Mercy Corps will also urge visitors to the campaign Web site (http://www.mercycorps.org/Iraq/) to tell family and friends about the campaign. A “hometown support” feature also tracks places from which donations come from.

Each day, during the 2 month campaign, a new fundraising challenge will be issued to Mercy Corps supporters. Visitors will be able to track the progress of the campaign toward the $2 million goal by viewing campaign totals on the site that update as donations come in. Online donations earmarked to go to emergency relief work in Iraq will be calculated on the site in real-time. Iraq donations that come in through other channels will be added as that data comes in.

“The ability to report back to donors in real-time makes this campaign one of the first of its kind among humanitarian relief organizations,” says Jacob Colie, Mercy Corps Web Marketing Manager. "We are counting on the power of word of mouth to make the campaign a success.”

Mercy Corps plans to use revenue from the campaign to respond quickly with water, food and emergency relief supplies for the next six months to nearly 700,000 Iraqis displaced by war. Mercy Corps is already on the ground, supporting our partner Peace Winds Japan in providing shelter, medical assistance and social care to over 300,000 displaced people in northern Iraq.

Internet giving is expected to play a major role toward meeting the campaign goal. Mercy Corps has seen a consistent increase in the percentage of support that comes in via the web. Online donations now account for over 12% of Mercy Corps fundraising revenue.

New Crackdowns in Iran

Hoder has more bad news posted on his site. According to him, "Arya" newspaper is banned and many of it's staff are summoned to court. He believes "hard-liners have started a new wave of pressure and this time they are targeting young journalists and activists". He also acknowledges his sense of wonder as to why with the U.S. forces stationed on both sides of Iran, this is happening now.

As I left a message in his "comments" section, "I don't see a contradiction in the new crackdowns and the huge presence of U.S. military in the region. Remember, the deal Zalmay Khalilzad offered the Iranian government was based on Iran staying out of the conflict in Iraq and in exchange they will be left alone. They were also re-assured that any opposition forces in Iraq (MKO) will be dealth with by U.S. forces. Now they are getting their "reward" for being such good boys and not creating havoc for Uncle Sam. MKO, their opposition abroad, is already dealth with and now they will be using the opportunity to be "left alone" to settle some scores with the opposition within. All under the nose of (and with approval of) global policemen of Bush administration. This is just the starting point of what the former governor of Texas and co. have in store for us."

Now as usual, I hope I am completely wrong on this. Only time will tell.

Sina's Petition

535 signatures (as of this moment) so far on the Sina petition and many more coming, I'm sure! Wow! All in less than 12 hours! Please contact me if you have added a link or button to your site/blog. I'm making a list.

UPDATE: More than 1,000 signatures in just over 24 hours. Keep them coming!

Monday Morning Motivationals

A few years ago I "discovered" how uneasy and tense the idea of Monday
mornings is to the average North American worker. Week after week I saw
co-workers and others grumpy and dejected, show up at work just to complain for
the rest of the day as to how much they hated Mondays, particularly on the first
few hours. When I got my first permanent internet connection in 1986, I started
a list I called Monday Morning Motivationals. It was a collection of uplifting
and inspirational thoughts and quotes put together and sent to all my friends
and associates. When I first moved to California, this "habit" was interrupted
and except for a period of a few months last year, it was never followed
religiously, as I had once done so. Now with the new site here, they are back! I
will look for a way to email them to those who wish every Monday morning at near
future, but until then you can read them right here, on eyeranian:

A few years ago I "discovered" how uneasy and tense the idea of Monday
mornings is to the average North American worker. Week after week I saw
co-workers and others grumpy and dejected, show up at work just to complain for
the rest of the day as to how much they hated Mondays, particularly on the first
few hours. When I got my first permanent internet connection in 1986, I started
a list I called Monday Morning Motivationals. It was a collection of uplifting
and inspirational thoughts and quotes put together and sent to all my friends
and associates. When I first moved to California, this "habit" was interrupted
and except for a period of a few months last year, it was never followed
religiously, as I had once done so. Now with the new site here, they are back! I
will look for a way to email them to those who wish every Monday morning at near
future, but until then you can read them right here, on eyeranian:

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

What makes you totally, completely happy and fulfilled in

life? At the end of life, what will allow you to say, 'I

did it right. I made great choices. I am HAPPY with the way

I lived my life!' Whatever your answer, in the coming days

and weeks, do more of it, and do less of everything else.

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

The thoughts we choose to think are the tools we use to paint the canvas of our lives.

               --  Louise Hay



The problem in my life and other people's lives is not the absence of knowing what to do, but the absence of doing it.

               --  Peter Drucker



If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost. Now put foundations under them.

               --  Henry David Thoreau



It is never too late to be what we might have been.

               --  George Eliot

Sina Motallebi

I didn't want my move to a new site to cause any interuptions in the effort to support and act towards release of Iranian blogger Sina Motallebi.

Although most of the last two days was spent on learning MovableType and the kinks of this new site, I would like to remind all visitors to visit the following link and sign the petition.

Also, if you own and run a blog or website, please add the link below to support freedom of speech. The script is also available at Hoder's blog.

Thanks to all those who have helped with this.

First Post

Welcome to my new address. In case this is your first visit, I'm moving from here! Why the move? Honestly, I was tired of the blogger ads on my site. It felt as if I was just a tenant and the place was owned by somebody else. Now I'm an "owner", or at least feel like one. Furthermore, I felt a new look and address, may make me take this more seriously. We'll see how it goes.

Now I'm sure you are curious about the name. Without a doubt, most Iranians have been called this in dealings with people abroad, or at least heard name of their bithplace mispronounced as eye-ran. I don't know if it's from ignorance or just a common mistake. Whatever it is, I feel as if it is time we "own" it. So, there it is. I'm eyeranian if that is what you'd like to call me. Go for it.

Once again, welcome to my new (and improved?) blog and please come back often! Don't forget to leave a comment, I love reading those!