And suspense continues!

It doesn't seem that things will get any better during the coming days. I came back from my ski trip late last night. Was doing errands today, and will leave to New York City tomorrow, will come back on Saturday, and leave on Monday again to NYC!

I can't write more as I promised on Thurdsay. I'm leaving very early tomorrow morning to a ski trip in Vermont. Will be back on Monday night. So the suspense will conitnue...!

I want to write about my new discovery! But I don't have time now ... My securities regulations exam is tomorrow, so I have to study hard for another day! I'll be back tomorrow!

Spanish Civil War: a different world

George Orwell passed away fifty-three years ago this day. I just read the story from "On This Day" section of BBC News. I didn't know that Orwell was also among the intellectuals who participated in the Spanish Civil War (on the Socialist side of course!). And this made me think what a fascinating world it was, when all these amazing people rushed to Spain to defend their ideals: George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway, Andre Malraux, Fdederico Garia Lorca, Arthur Koestler, Pablo Neruda, Pablo Picasso, etc. Such a different world!!!

"el pueblo unido jamas sera vencido"

"People united will never be defeated"! This leftist Chilean revolutionary song from 70s is one of my all-time favorites. A Persian version of this song is among my oldest childhood musical memories during the revolution in Iran; it was adopted and translated by leftist guerrillas, and once the religious groups took over the revolution, it was never heard again!

The music has been constantly in my mind this past month. To a degree that a Belgian friend of mine can sing the beginning of the Persian lyrics, and knowing how fond I am of this music she told me it is also featured in the movie Frida(which I’m going to see next week!). Now you can listen to: an outstanding jazz version from the album "Avanti" by Giovanni Mirabassi here (mp3); The Persian version here (real audio); and two different versions in Spanish here (wav) or here (wma)! Can you tell that I'm obssessed with this music?!

God's rule, or man's?

This is the title of the introductory article to Economist's Survay on Iran (16 January 2003). Unfortunately only that article is accessible on-line (unless you have the on-line subscription).

Human Rights Report: no good news!

Well, another Human Rights Watch report on Iran came out and there isn't much to rejoice about! After all what can we expect? Is it surprising? Just last week a bill passed by the Iranian parliament banning torture in prisons was rejected by the Guardian Council (Constitutional watchdog) for the second time! During the same period two pro-reform newspapers were shot down, a student activist and a writer were arrested, and two thieves had their fingers amputated as a punishment!

Need I say more?

Comprehensive website on Iran

Impressive! An excellent source of information on a wide range of topics on art, culture and history of Iran; and superb design: Iran Chamber is added to my links!
It was also a Yahoo! Pick in December (from Rooydad [in Persian])

The past 24 hours

This time the subject is me! 24 hours in the life of Rostam! Last night at this time, accompanied by two good friends and a bottle of Red Shiraz* from Southwestern Australia, I was watching "New York Stories". Very good movie! I had seen it years ago in Iran; I think around the time that it was released (1989)! It's a movie in three episodes: first one ("Life Lessons") directed by Martin Scorsese, second one ("Life of Zoe") by Francis Coppola, and the third ("Oedipus Wrecks") by my favorite Woody Allen. Again the first episode was my favorite: a well-known New York artist (Nick Nolte) is deeply in love with his apprentice, ...

Synopsis of today: Shower. Breakfast (grapefruit juice and apple; felt very healthy)! Took my laundry from the driers (I forgot to do that last night!). Three hours of "securities regulation" in the morning and afternoon. Lunch at the cafeteria: "Chicken a la King", which certainly sounds much better than what it is! Some reading and talking in the library. Swimming from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.; which was great and relaxing, as always. And finally back home, for a late dinner: Croque Monsieur! Simple and tasty. And what a coincidence to have Chicken a la King and Croque Monsieur in one day!

*Shiraz

I mentioned Red Shiraz from Australia: do you know where the name comes from? Aha! Shiraz grape is the same as Syrah. It is believed that Syrah grapes originated from the city of Shiraz in Iran (even though some researchers have rejected that idea). Located close to to the ancient capital of Persian Empire (Persepolis), Shiraz is the hometown of Hafiz and Saadi--prominent figures of Persian literature--and is well-known for it's wine in Persian literature.

Tolerence

I came across a link to a "test of hidden bias" created by psychologists at Yale University and the University of Washington. Very interesting. Even more interesting is the general content of this site: Tolerence.org; check it out! "Even though we believe we see and treat people as equals, hidden biases may still influence our perceptions and actions." Isn't that true? I should write more about this subject! It's saddening to think of lack of education in this regard in many societies (certainly wasn't part of my Iranian education!). We need a website like this in Persian and in other languages!

Whisky on the rocks please!

Can you buy your Scotch in a convenience store in the U.S.? Probably not (at least in the states that I've visited!). But you can do that in Iran! You don't believe me?! Read this feature by United Press' correspondent: "In Iran - forbidden but tolerated".

Again Music: East and West

Collaboration between musicians from East and West has produced some facinating tunes. Yehudi Menuhin and Ravi Shankar's album, "West Meets East" is a unique example of such original works. If you haven't already heard it you can listen to a few tracks here.

More recently, Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project seems to be another innovative attempt to bring musicians from East and West together. Which reminds me: I haven't heard it yet!

I'm so tempted to start talking about Armenian musicians (like Khatchturian), who I think have often perfectly captured oriental rythems in Western classical forms. But I have to resist that temptation; as a non-musicians I'm already talking too much about music. Alas! I have to get back to my readings for "securities regulation"!

Music: East and West

Shahin, an Iranian-American musician talks about his recent trip to Iran ("An Iranian musician's homecoming"). A few interesting thoughts and observations.

But, his reference to his "affinity to the western way of life and the western ideology" is not very precise. Even in the States, mid-Western way of life is very different from that of East-coast or West-coast, and let's not get into very different ways of life in the US and Europe (or even Canada for that matter). Even worse: "Western ideology"! Is he talking about liberal democracy? He reminded me of a recent speech by Francis Fukuyama (author of the controversial book The End of History and the Last Man
) entitled "Does the West Still Exist?" Of course, Fukuyama was talking from a more political and international relations point of view.

Well, I wanted to write about East-West music, but I'll leave that for tomorrow (may be!).

Happy new year 2003!

I just began the new year on the waterfront of Boston harbor (not New York's waterfront!). While watching the fireworks with a group of friends (the Swiss were the majority tonight), a thousand thoughts passed through my mind. New year's eve is always a moment of reflection for me. As if time stops for a short while, and I get the chance to look back and then look forward! What's next, where will I be on next new year's eve? I don't have the answer!

The good thing about being an Iranian is that I'll have that opportunity again in a 100 days, when we celebrate the Iranian new year (the real one!), which starts on 21 March, marking the begining of the solar year--Spring Equinox. I'll write more about that at the right moment.

But I'm almost sure that then again, I won't have the answer! So let's seize the moment now! Carpe diem.