Pictures truly worth a thousand words!!

Dec 20

Posted by

When I started my job as a journalist, every night I had interesting stories to tell my family.  The people I had seen, the places I had gone to.  My father told me on the first day that I should document my life, keep a journal.  I did.  But I also went a step further … I have tried to take photos of the important people I meet.

Some of these people I have met only for seconds while others I have spend numerous hours with speaking about different things … sometimes they told me very private stories that have to remain with me alone out of respect for mutual trust.

In this country it is not always safe to take out your camera and hence there have been times when I have missed the opportunity … there have also been times when I simply did not have my camera handy … but what you have before you is basically a collection of the most important pages of “the book of my life” (before I started this blog) where I met people who are in one way or another important to me and have sometimes even helped shape the person that I am right now.  If I find old photos again I will add to this page, otherwise I hope that with every new person I meet from now on, I can make a new post here.

God knows, one day I might even get around to telling the story behind each of these picture … but again I might not.

So … Enjoy!!

Posted in 2 - Daily's

7 Comments

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pishkesh!! (Gift)

May 10

Posted by

A few years back, I realized that when I’m gone there won’t be anything for people to remember me with and my name might very well die with me.  And that is the worst thing that could ever happen to a person.

So … I decided to do something about it.  With help from my very good friend Arman Azadi this is what I came up with.  Enjoy:

Introduction:

Arash e Kamangir - Siavash Kasraei:

Kabootar o Aseman - Fereidoon Moshiri:

Kooche – Fereidoon Moshiri:

Tavalodi Digar – Forogh Farokhzad:

Katibeh – Mehdi Akhavan Sales:

Zemestan – Mehdi Akhavan Sales:

Posted in 2 - Daily's

11 Comments

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Why everyone should buy a lottery ticket!!

Oct 8

Posted by

OK … I know it has been a long time since I last showed up here  to write … but I swear there was a reason … a very good reason: MY BRAIN WAS CAGED!!

What the hell does that mean? you ask!!

Well … you see … if you are a perfectionist or have OCD (both are one and the same), you can’t do a half ass job of anything, whatever you do, you wanna do it in the most perfect fashion, and more often than not, that leaves you with NOTHING at the end.

So … ME and MY BRAIN were caged.  BUT WE ARE CAGED NO MORE … and what liberated me was a lottery ticket.

WHAAAAT?? … Yeh, you read right … A LOTTERY TICKET.

You see, I have tried ALL different things in life, even the most prohibited (and now I’m hoping my dad does not read my blog).  One of the many things that I had not tried, was buying a lottery ticket.  So … two days ago … I went down to the corner store and picked SEVEN lucky numbers and bought myself a lottery ticket.  I was feeling really good about those numbers, so I allowed my thoughts to run, thinking of what life would be like with $50,000,000 in my bank account … not the lousy $20 prizes … oh NO … I had my thoughts set on the MAIN PRIZE!!

This being an experiment and all, I exercised ZERO control … and I have to say, it was liberating!

The thoughts that crossed my mind were noble, fun and beautiful!! … and now that I know I have not won a single penny … I am at least proud of myself for having such ideas and thoughts.

The whole experience also allowed me to put into perspective what it was in life that mattered to me the most and what my dreams were.

In today’s super busy, dog eat dog world … we are not just robbed of our time and money … most often, we are robbed of our dreams and that is the greatest LOSS of all.

SO … thanks to a $5 lottery ticket … I realized who were the most important people in my life … I thought about the dreams each of them had and they had talked to me about at one point in our lives … and I realized what my own dreams were …

I FOUND MY STOLEN DREAMS … and I intend to hold on to them tight and not allow them to be taken from me again.

PEOPLE … HEAR IT FROM ME:

GO OUT THERE TODAY… BUY YOURSELF A LOTTERY TICKET (one with the draw date a few days away) … AND GET YOUR DREAMS BACK!!!

Posted in 4 - New Chapter

Leave a Comment

Pragmatism vs. Divinity in Justice: Why executions should STOP!!

Jan 9

Posted by

End of the year holiday period is usually considered the “down time” in the world of news and journalism.  This pattern, just like any other, has inherent in it a predictability which is more often than not utilized by states such as Iran to stage some of their most controversial actions with the hope of escaping negative publicity.  Some journalists however have figured out THIS pattern by these regimes and await for what I would call “end of the year surprise.”  My guess for this year out of Iran was a surprise about the nuclear program, but it turned out to be “political execution.”  Mr. Ali Saremi, an affiliate of the Mojahedin Khalgh Organization was executed early morning of December 28th on the charge of “Moharebe.”  With the execution of Shahla Jahid a few weeks ago and the looming execution of Sakineh Ashtiani along with the news of many more executions (standing at 190 so far and placing Iran only second to China in the number of executions) [1] and penal amputations, a rethinking of the religious basis of the Iranian judicial system seemed very necessary.
Reading the holy Quran along with other religious texts and talking to a few Ayatollahs and other experts I came to the conclusion that according to the religious teachings and jurisprudence the religious penal code has to be suspended until the coming of the savior and the Mesiah-like figure known as Mahdi.  This by no means suggests suspending the penal code all together, but rather desanctifying it.  What I believe should be suspended is what is called “Hodood” or divine punishments that should only be decided in a court resided over by an infallible, these “Hodood” include but are not limited to such punishments as “Qesas” which is the “eye for an eye” type retribution and “Moharebe” which is the retribution for those who pick up arms against God and his Prophet (read executions).  Instead of the “Hodood” a pragmatic “mortal” code could be adopted.  This means punishments such as “execution” are no longer indisputable for having been ordered from the heavens and punishments are decided “by the people, for the people” and at any time should certain punishments be deemed inappropriate, people or their representatives could take necessary measures to adopt more appropriate ones in their place.

NOW … to avoid excommunication and possible death threats … before going any further I would like to state for the record that I am a Muslim and I believe in Allah almighty as my God and the sanctity and holiness of the Quran and I accept Mohammad (PBUH) as God’s prophet.

Back to the topic:  Desanctification of the judicial system is NOT against religious teachings and in fact I will use the rest of this article to prove that Shiasm itself calls for this.

To understand my reasoning there is need for a bit of an introduction.  The Shia jurisprudence among other things is derived from The Quran which is the holy book and The Hadith which are narrations that include the words as well as traditions and conduct of the Prophet and his successors or Imams.  An example of this is the punishment of stoning reserved for adulterers, which is not mentioned in the Quran but is said to have been derived from the Hadith. [2]

When the row over the stoning of Sakineh Ashtiani erupted, some Ayatollahs, conservatives and reformists alike, spoke against it.  In some of their arguments a story came out about what Imam Ali (the first Imam of Shiites) had done when faced with such a situation.  The story very much resembles a story I read in the holy Bible (“Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone” [3]), where the infallible Imam/Teacher rules that only those without a sin can participate in the punishment of a sinner (“Those who have divine retributions reserved against them shall not participate in retribution of others” [4]).  This is a hint to the sole authority of the infallible in passing judgment and carrying out the divine retributions as mentioned in the holy scripture.

The holy Quran in verse 126 of chapter Nahl, which is one of the strongest basis for the “Qesas” advises “patience,” perhaps suggesting that we should wait until THE ONE who can fully interpret the divine law would come.  The same verse also indicates that you are allowed to “only deal the SAME degree of punishment as the damage that has been inflicted upon you,” which would then raise the question of how we can measure or determine if the degree of psychological and physical pain that we inflict on the convict is EXACTLY equal to what their victim had suffered.

Since Islamic jurisprudence is a very specialized area of study and requires an in depth knowledge of the faith, a definitive statement on the issue should come from an Islamic jurisprudential authority.  There are numerous Muslim scholars who have provided reasoning in support of the suspension of the “Hodood” and they can be categorized into three main groups:
1 – Those who have only mentioned that “Hodood” should be suspended until the return of the Savior (Imam Mahdi) and do not present any alternative.
Dr. Mohaghegh Damad in an article titled “A review of the Islamic penal code” [5] introduces Mohaghegh Helli as a scholar in this category.  Mohaghegh Helli in his book Sharaie’ uses strong words to clearly state that when an Imam is present no other has the right to carry out the Hodood and then by using weak words, dismisses the antithesis, saying “some have indicated” during the occultation Islamic scholars could act instead of the Imam.  Ayatollah Khansari in his book Jame ol Madarek also states the same. [6] Other scholars such as Ibn Zohre and Ibn Idris (12th century Jurists) are mentioned in various books to have stated the same.
2 – Those who have mentioned the suspension of “Hodood” and have presented discretionary punishment or “Tazir” as an alternative.
Discretionary punishments are those punishments not fixed by Islamic law.  They are most flexible and take into consideration the needs of society and changing social conditions. [7] Mirzaie Qomi in his book Jame ol Shattat clearly states this view. [8]
3 – Those who do not believe in the suspension of “Hodood” but set very stringent and sometimes impossible conditions on the proof of the crime.
Ayatollah Sanei does not believe that “Hodood” should be suspended, yet he sets such stringent conditions for the proof of the crime that it is practically impossible to justify retribution and hence only discretionary punishment is possible. [9]

Logically since there is considerable support for the suspension of Hodood from the same belief system that forms the foundations of the current Iranian system, it should revise its judicial structure and stop executions etc. to avoid the wrath of the almighty.  Also considering that Islam is said to be a religion of peace, I’m sure the future “mortal” judicial system would also be void of cruelty and hand down sentences that are more aimed at correction than pure punishment.

======

References

[1] http://www.rahana.org/archives/33061
[2] Tafsir e Nemooneh by Ayatollah Makarem Shiraze, Vol. 3, Page 309
[3] http://www.keyway.ca/htm2004/20040811.htm
[4] Wasael o-shi’a by Sheikh Hor Ameli, Joz’ 28, Bab 31
[5] http://www.iranpress.ir/iranwomen/template1/News.aspx?NID=2254
[6] Jame ol Madarek by Ayatollah Khansari, Vol. 1, Pages 57-60
[7] http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/250/
[8] http://www.binesheno.com/Files/books.php?idVeiw=1444&level=4&subid=1444
[9] http://saanei.org/old/page.php?pg=showistifta&id=427&lang=fa

Posted in 4 - New Chapter

1 Comment

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Umbilical Cord Strategy: Targeted Subsidies

Dec 22

Posted by

Iranian President on Saturday night made an appearance on national television to announce the long overdue start of his now very famous “targeted subsidies plan.”  His televised speech was immediately followed by two announcements from the HEADQUARTERS that has been setup to oversee the implementation of the plan.  The announcements were centered around the new prices for energy carriers.  There is now a seven-fold price difference between the previous subsidized fuel and the new non-subsidized fuel.  Any economist will tell you that inflation is going to be through the roof.  You can find plenty of great economically oriented articles on the topic hence this piece will not bore you with the same.  There are two key elements to this plan, one is to slash all subsidies and the other is to give people direct cash handouts to compensate for the price hikes.

Ever since the plan was brought to the parliament for deliberations I was left with a big question.  My question was not so much about the necessity of “directing” subsidies but rather about the drive behind the plan by the president of a politically unstable and economically stressed country.  Such a self-created turbulence while your ship is already stuck in a storm seems a little crazy to me, to say the least.

The answer in my opinion lies in earlier comments by him.  When faced with UN sanctions he emphasized that the Iranians have grown accustomed to hardship and have now learnt to create opportunities from crisis.
The Iranian regime is now faced with a growing general dissatisfaction among the public.  This means that it now requires better tools of control.  One of the most effective of such tools is to tie the existence of members of the society to that of the establishment.  This is where the “Umbilical Cord Strategy” comes into play.
The Iranian economy has been stagnating at the best of times; add to that the effects of global economic crisis and the UN sanctions and what you have is a very hungry economy with very limited resources to go around.  Some MPs in the course of deliberations emphasized that the President’s economic bills, meaning the budget and the targeted subsidies bill, will work together to inflate prices up to 50%.  What drives the government to choose to implement the inarguably necessary subsidies bill at this specific point of time, which would make the difficult times even more difficult, is that the regime is looking to exploit the economic hardships for its political gains.  With Ahmadinejad serving his last term in office, he is dispensable.  Meaning that he could be used by the regime to implement its most radical desires, in this case the total dependence of citizens on regime handouts otherwise known as the direct and targeted subsidies.  What the targeted subsidies bill does is induce an economic shock by eliminating all subsidies then compensating for that through direct handouts by the government to those citizens deemed worthy or in-need of such help.  When the value of savings and earnings of Iranians are reduced to levels that would be insufficient to sustain their livelihoods without help from the regime, then the mechanism to determine a person’s eligibility to receive government help would kick in.  According to the regime, these monthly handouts are essentially “gifts” from the regime to the people.  With the government as the sole authority to determine the eligibility of recipients it is not hard to believe that factors other than economic needs would play a role in the amount each person receives.  Hence everyone is connected to the regime through an umbilical cord for nourishment.
The only way to fight this strategy is if there were other means of support.  It is only now that people are so vividly feeling the necessity of the independent civil institutions, part of the “civil society” that Khatami advocated so much during his term in office.  Institutions that are now virtually none existent.  Without such institutions Iranians have no choice but to turn to the government for help and would hence have to conform to the government defined “good citizenry conduct” to receive their share of the big pie.  Such “good citizenry conduct” could range from participation in government sanctioned ceremonies all the way to participation in the next elections.

 

Evidence shows that efforts were made by some good-hearted independent entrepreneurs to use the same methods employed by revolutionaries prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.  Before the revolution the devoted merchants (read businessmen) of the Bazar had setup an elaborate welfare system that was initially intended to look after the families of the political activists arrested by the Shah but later expanded to take care of other needy individuals.  After the revolution this welfare system became the Komit e Emdad Imam (The Imam Relief Committee) and the backbone of the current official Iranian welfare system.  Unfortunately this meant that the regime, made up of those revolutionaries would be wary of such independent social support system or other civil society establishments.  The arrest of Mr. Dokmechi – no relations to the former governor of California, Courken George Deukmejian – is testament to this wariness.  However, inter-family support groups which operate without any formal bookkeeping and solely based on family trust is now apparently on the rise.  Speaking to members of one such “loan cooperative” I was told that every person would make a small monthly deposit into a family trust and then members take turn and receive the entire pot.  This continues until all people in the cooperative have been awarded one “loan.”  There is no installments to repay the loan other than the monthly deposit as there is no interest.  They told me the system is not very fair to the LAST person who receives the “loan” but usually members are close relatives and rearrange the order of receiving the money based on the need of members.

How the Umbilical Cord Strategy of the regime would pan out  and how effective the Loan Cooperatives would be in resisting it all needs time.  But I fully trust Iranians creativity in resistance.

Posted in 4 - New Chapter

Leave a Comment

At the risk of sounding like I toe the line of the Iranian regime: Wikileaks is a SHAM!!

Dec 17

Posted by

A little less than a month ago (on Nov. 28th) Wikileaks released what the Guardian described as “the largest ever leak of US government classified documents.”  Much like everyone else I rushed to download and view this “amazing” collection.  What drove me and everyone else for that matter was CURIOSITY.  The site was inaccessible and although I’m sitting in the capital of one of the world’s most advanced countries, I had to jump through all sorts of hoops to get at the files, at times utilizing the maneuverability skills I had mastered while working as a journalist in the “restrictive” atmosphere of Iran.  All the while thinking: “wow … being so hard to get at, these LEAKS must hold great secrets and very valuable information.”  I have to admit that I was anxious and was visibly shaking with excitement (get your heads out of the gutter).  That feeling did not last too long.  Headlines started to crawl on my news-ticker from The Guardian and The New York Times and then the rest of the Western media.  The information sphere was soggy with all the WIKId LEAKs and it suddenly hit me; THIS IS ALL A SHAM!! You ask why? Consider the following:

There is little dispute that the documents are all from State Department sources.  I’m then left wondering: “How much value would I had attached to these WORDS were they spoken at an officially sanctioned event by an official Stated Department person?”  This question takes away the artificially induced attraction of these leaks and could work as a litmus test for the newsworthiness/value of the cables to be used by scholars and journalists alike.  I found that when I reread the cables in this light I was able to see them for what they were, meaning that some were worth looking at while many more were not even worth the paper they [would be] printed on.

With regards to the content of the cables too I believe that the most important issue has been Iran, which again makes me wonder that maybe all of this was to forcefully forge a global alliance against Iran.  A friend of mine has noticed that apparently the only country that DOES NOT favor military attack on Iran IS THE UNITED STATES of AMERICA.

Looking at the news trend of Wikileaks also reveals a very interesting fact.  While Wikileaks has maintained a steady presence in the headlines, we can see that except the very first few days when the content of the cables made the headlines, it is now the Wikileaks ITSELF that has become the hot issue.  I cannot convince myself that Wikileaks itself is making headlines, not because the content of the cables are no longer newsworthy but because the subject of Wikileaks is more important.

Posted in 4 - New Chapter

Leave a Comment

May you be as strong as the last leaf of the fall!!

Nov 4

Posted by

Outside my window … sit two trees …
In loneliness of my abode … I used to watch their leaves … dance with the breeze …
The sound of this dance -

Reminding me of the long stalked leaves of the poplars in my village …

Loved by my dad … and cherished by me … as my heritage …

- was my lullaby at night.
As breeze turned to wind … the dance became a fight …
for the little guys … trying to hang on … with all their might …

But then … not long ago …
The she tree … put on … an amazing … spectacular … show:
The autumn wind manned up … wrapping around her … from tip to toe …

I saw him … fly through her leaves and wands … as though, through her hair … a lover’s hands …
She then stripped … with never seen fervor …
Standing there naked … her beauty still grand.

Up until tonight, my other tree had leaves … albeit few …

who had hung on … no matter how hard … the autumn wind blew …

But as nature has cycles … as cold is now here …
It was time for the tree … to go through shear …

Time: Just before ten
The last of the bunch … opened his fist … to fall …

He fell with pride … having been the last and strongest of them all.

I saluted … and held my tears along with my breath …
as he completed … his glorious dance … his dance to his death!!

And now on this fourth night of November … I wish you all:

May you be … as strong as the last leaf of the fall!!

– 10 after 2nd millennium

Posted in 2 - Daily's

Leave a Comment

One Summer Night, in 2009!!

Oct 30

Posted by

Her eyes of passion … full of tear …
My heart of stone … cold … full of fear …
Emotions and feelings … were tucked away …
for I knew … the end was so so near!!
She was setting sail … for newer, better worlds …
Clear as day, in the pitch dark night … Greater experiences …
for her it holds …
And I was … to remain firm ashore …
I drew a mental picture … told her a story … to make her sure …
A ruined city … burning tanks … fallen roofs and broken walls!!
I told her … I’ll be here … when the tyrant falls …
Over grown beard on my face … dust on my shoulders … and in rags
But I’ll come to the airport to collect you and your bags …
I wanted to witness … the truth unfold …
Someone had to stay for the story to be told …
I longed … to see the fight … to hear the cries …
But I didn’t know … that truth lay bare … in the glimmer of her eyes!!
– Written one late summer night in 2009

Posted in 2 - Daily's

Leave a Comment

Ottawa’s Municipal Elections!!

Oct 26

Posted by

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Peter+Clark+back/3724757/story.html

Posted in Uncategorized

Leave a Comment

And the first snow fell on Ottawa tonight!!

Oct 23

Posted by

The first snow!!

I was shocked when I first heard from friends that it was snowing. Then I figured this was a coordinated Res-Students-Prank. But only a few minutes later the Weather Bug on my cell phone changed its icon to a snow flake, and that was when I put on my coat and went for a walk. It was true!! I watched in the glow of the street lights, the dance of the first snow flakes.

Less than a week ago I wrote:
As the Autumn wind … manned up … the she tree stripped with such fervor … as though she had been dreaming this, the entire biannum!

Today I sensed the sharp stings of the wind, and I knew that fall was no more.

I just didn’t expect Winter to get here so fast!!

Posted in 4 - New Chapter

Leave a Comment

Mental Note 2: Always look for the fallen man!!

Oct 20

Posted by

When people are walking on a busy street, with their music playing loudly in their ears, their eyes seeing only in front of them, seldom would a fallen man or woman get a helping hand.

Never listen to music when walking … enjoy the natural sounds of your surroundings.  Listen for that sound of a fellow calling for help.

Never lose sight of those below your eye level, they might be on their knees after a bad fall and need your hand to help them get up.

And I mean this not just in the literal sense!!

Posted in Uncategorized

Leave a Comment

My Princess in the Oasis

Oct 17

Posted by

I can’t remember her hands ever being soft. Just as I can’t remember the desert nights ever being warm.
But we all know … appearances can be deceiving.
No hand has ever touched me as softly … as those of my princess in the oasis
and
no night has ever embraced me as warmly … as the desert’s.

My princess is none other than my granny … Madar-jan.
Back when she was born, no one kept exact records of birth dates. While I know the hour of my birth, give or take a few seconds, we can only guess her age, give or take a few years. She should be in her late 70s.

To be continued …

Posted in Uncategorized

3 Comments

← Older Posts
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.