Tuesday, January 31, 2006

We are Iran!


Apparently, Ms. Nasrin Alavi has prepared this book called We are Iran.
I have recently received about a few e-mails and a guestbook enteries about my name has apparently mentioned in the book.
...
Anyhow, I am very busy and will continue to write.
Political scene is pretty mix-mush in Iran! I'd better make no comment!

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Why don't we learn fro past!

Please kindly read this report on Mr. Ahamadi nedjad yearly budget!
I am not an economist by any means or measure, but after reading this article I think the author has a valid point. As spending increases and the state relies on virtual income of Oil, we induce a large percentage of inflation to the society economy which has not seen before!
A small table right down to the left of this article when you scroll down shows how much the budget of the institutes related to Iran's supreme-leader has been expanded!! just have a look. It is interesting!

Same thing apparently, has had happened during Shah and society has had experiencing increase of inflation until now!

So, when I say we do not think carefully and tend not to learn from past! this is the reason!

**can't go skiing tomorrow! becasue lots of wrok still needs to be done!:)

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Tight schedule for next two weeks!

The reason I am not writing the third part is my schedule until end of January!

1. I want, if time and my knowledge and my supervisor permit, send an abstract to a
conference. The deadline is 30 of January. However I have to do it latest by end of this week!

2. Must prepare a protocol for motion capture process and sent it to a company!

3. Must submit my assignment for my graduate course by next week, since I am not here, I should do it by the day after tomorrow; Thursday!!

4. Just out of the blue, my father’s cousin called me today and his son is getting married to a girl here!!! They have invited me for the wedding party on this Thursday! They are little traditional. If I say no, they think I don’t like them will complain, so I have to go even if for two hours, problem: they are in Bern!!!

5. Wanted to go skiing this Sunday!!

6. Have a graduate class for entire week in Bern everyday from 8:30 to 5:30 during the entire next week!!

7. Don’t want to leave alone Salman to go to the clubs in Bern on the next weekend! So, I have to join him:-)))

8.Monday Jan. 30., 06, the first interview with PhD panel and the abstract is due!!

Monday, January 16, 2006

Speaking of the devil!

Talking about Enghelab Sport’s Complex. Very large part of it is going to be ruined because a highway will be constructed though it. I remember many years ago when I could rent tennis couts there for 20 Tomans! And membership was 150 Tomans. Last year, the membership was 72,000 Toman!!!
read the news here.(Persian)

why am I here? Part two!

First of all I wish to apologies for mistakes grammatically or spelling that I have. I type this in very quick form, so, please accept my apologies.
**for those who like Alireza Asar. an Iranian singer in Iran.

1. This report on President Ahmadinedjad written in Persian. It is sad to read such a reports on him! I translate part of it.
...During Mr.Ahmadi nedjad appearance in UN, Foreign misters of France and Germany had a meeting to talk to Mr. Ahamdi Nedjad. Afther their conversation they come out with surprises and saying: "who is this guy? He doens't speak out language, it seems he has come here from boondocks not even washed his hands and face, yet!!!"
it is sad.

I found the same report in English.


2. Continue of Story:
Yes, I was seeing the corruption and I couldn’t do much. I was feeling helpless! Not being able to do anything and see all these problems made me sad and furious. However, I was successful after my resignation on one stand. I told the company’s manager: when I left, do me a favor, please increase the salary of these engineers here at least! Later, one of the guys who I become friend with called me and he said they increased our salary!
So, I felt all right, not much I could do, though small.

I quit and started to look for a job here, there sending my resume to recruiting companies which I could find on the internet. Funny enough, I got proposed for a date from one of the girls in one of the recruiting companies! Never went on it!
While doing so I was going to few different universities to at least get involved with something in biomedical. I started by going to Shahid Beheshti University. I talked to a head of biomechanical department, let’s call him Mr. X. He said he is sorry that he can’t do anything for me. However, I must call his brother who works in Center for Theoretical Physics and Mathematics. Apparently, he is doing some research there and he may have an offer in area of biomechanics for me! I was naïve enough to believe it.
I called this guy brother right way. He talked to me like I am a garbage person and told me who has given you this number. We do biological research. My brother is head of biomechanical engineering in Shahid beheshti. If he says no that means he doesn’t want you! Almost like telling me get lost! So hang up the phone. I was sent after nothing!
I realized, there is a rehabilitation center of University of medical science, Iran who may have something for me. I went there to find out about president of university. Very social, fan to be with guy. He told me please give us a presentation of what you have done and wish to do, then we decide weather you may join us or not! I got happy. I said sure I will do that. I went prepared nice power point presentation plus potential work for future in rehabilitation. I presented to Professors as well as PhDs there. They all become quite pleased with my presentation. The president of university told me, he has to talk to the panel of professors and see if they agree to take me in. I offered that if money becomes an issue I would have no problem working for almost free. Say for less than 50, 000 Toman. Anyhow, he said give me 2 week and then I call you. After two weeks he didn’t call! I called back. I am very sorry, I was sick the entire two weeks having back pain, so he said. I said when do you plan to talk to them? He said very soon. I went there almost every other day for straight one months or more, and he brought up everyday some excuses, his back aching, not everyone is here and he couldn’t come to work!! While waiting for him I started to help some students, I even gave them my fuzzy logic and neural networks notes (they never return them!!) thought them how to make simulation on that. Later when I was talking for the last time to the president of that university, he said you know Mr. X, is head of of our department in biomechanics and biomedical engineering and he hasn’t approve you if he does we may have no problem, then I realized he was the one who didn’t show up at my presentation, people were saying professor X and I thought he was just affiliated with them!
So, I didn’t give up I said ok, three places I have gone and this guy is head of those departments! So, let’s try another one. I went to newly established (about 5 years old) department of biomedical engineering Azad university known as scientific research center that is in Punak, west part of Tehran. One day I went to almost every building of that university. The university is huge structure being under construction on top of a mountain in west area of Tehran. I talked to administrative and many others. From one building they send me to another finally I found administrative who were accepting my résumé. I left my resume and went home. About less than a week, a registered mail came home indicating that since I am not PhD and I have only master in my field they may be able to hire me as a laboratory assistant. I was instructed to go to the dean of the biomedical department and talk to him for further information!
I did that. I meet a guy who was down to earth, knew what he wants and had made the best biomedical department until 1.5 years ago in Iran as far as I get to know. They had a great library with latest books. The best laboratory equipment a university can buy. Many wireless equipment. He explained how tings are working and he suggested I should give a presentation for faculty members and then since he feels I am adequate I should get a job in less than month.
A week later, I went and presented my work and even potential of future work and research in biomechanics. Guess who was the head of the biomechanical department! Mr. X, in fact after that he very nicely, showed me the department and facilities and said I remember you came about a year ago to see me and looking for a position! You see things are not working well here!! But we try hard!!!
I have to tell you that while going to these different universities I needed money so I was at the same time working in a company where they were manufacturing air-condition equipment. which I tell you more about it, later.

Moreover, the reason he was so successful was the fact he was getting the money from students and spending it for them. According to him, he had set up cafeteria for students which facilitating with credit card. Students could go in and swap their card and pick food. He had given the catering to different companies to provide the best for students.
He said he is currently in a big fight with old professors. Because they ask for money and they don’t conduct research. Some professors feel that the money should be given to them without any questioning. He claimed that he provides money to the professors who would do research or when they get money by end of school year publish and tell how they have spend the money. Because of this approach many old professors who used to get the money and not doing much with it except spending into their own packet were complaining about him! He showed me about more than 100 thousands dollars worth of equipment they had already bought but since these professors don’t believe in hiring any students or spending the money for research, equipment are sitting in basement and becoming obsolete. He asked me if I could do anything I offered I would do it even I do it for free. I just want to do something and help. He was happy. He said, give me two weeks and I will hire you. In the meanwhile come here and I gave you an office in the evenings if you wish to work. I started to do some work there. Helping students with new material and how to analyze them. After two weeks I went to his office, I saw him frown and not excited. I asked what has happened, he said, they want to resign!!! He told me the group of professors against research and my method of money spending had complained to Dr. Golpaygani (This guy is close ally of Mr. Rafsanjani, he used to be vice president of Ministry of health in Rafsanjani’s government and he was head of the entire faculty of biomedical engineering in Azad university. I never found him in his office and never saw him between the students or faculty) and Mr. Jasbi and they have won their case. They want me to leave. People on high management are also complaining why I am spending the money for students and facilities not for what we are told to do.
Anyhow, he said he is sorry and he can’t hire me, because even if he hires me they will kick me out right after he is gone. His secretary very nice young man, was so sad and frown about this decision that he was swearing to Mr. Golpaygani whose office was beside Dean of the department but always empty! Students were so sad, too. Amazing! They say never change a winning team, but in Iran they do!
Anyhow, he left the department making the long story short, I went back to the office he had given me to see how they are going to accept me and I realized they had changed the lock and didn’t let me get into it. they said I have no business being there!
So, I left that university!
I had another option, while in Canada I get to know this professor on biomedical mailing list from Amir Kabir university. While there, he asked me if I can get him some information of certain treadmills and gait analysis equipment for sports and exercise in biomechanics!
So, I did. That is why I once again e-mailed him and said how about a meeting since I am in Tehran. He suggested a meeting in Enghelab Sport Complex to show me his facility they have for exercise and testing. I accepted. I went there. He introduced me to Mr. Parviz komasi (who used to be Team Melli trainer and then Perspolis football club). He, afterwards, showed me some of the things they had. Then went to someone’s office and they started to swear to supreme leader and everyone in the government! I was just watching them swearing; and wondering what is the point. You guys are sitting on your butt doing nothing. What is difference between you and those who you swear at. This Professor from Amir Kabir University, told them he is happy that he is getting to the position no one can tell me anything and I can do whatever I wish to do!!!
Furthermore, this guy said he has ordered a second hand robot and if I have an idea we shall do something. I said about some project that I had in mind and he said sounds well. I tell you when the robot is in! He called me three more times. Got me into Enghlab Complex. Every time he has an excuse. Like, ah, I forgot my keys! And the other time, oh, I am sorry I was busy totally forgot about you. And third time in Amir Kabir University he said let me I will call you. He hasn’t call me until this day!
So, this was the time I gave up! I realized these guys are internally connected. It is mafia of families running university in Iran. They are all together and I have no chances to get into unless I am one of them. I should perhaps change my approach. So, I decided universities are not the places to conduct free research!

to be continued...

Friday, January 13, 2006

Why am I in here? Part one!


Zurich, Bahnhof Square

1. Thank you all for you kind comments. I think I have hard time stop writing. I think this is one thing I am more or less addicted to it!
Have a look at the picture I have taken from main square of Zurich. I heard in Toronto is unusually warm and here on the other hand is unusually cold!!

II.
Why am I here? Why you are there? Who? You, yes? You!
For the past few weeks I wonder why I ended up here? What makes us wandering around world? And ended up somewhere?
I always wonder if the condition was before revolution what would have been happened! Would have we ever left Iran? I don't know I hardly think this way!
...
But I start with the story of mine. The short story that will focus on last two years I was back in Iran.
shall I start ... Ahan, I was born in…, no, no, that is too boring! Perhaps I have to tell why I get to travel so much.
Yes, this is the good start! For anything out there, there hasto be a reason, at least it has been for me!
I am almost 6 years of age. A trauma for my right eye where I had to do first operation and this is coinciding with start of Iran and Iraq war. The airport is bombarded by Iraqis. No flight to abroad.
The first operation was performed in Iran. Who did it? Dr. Malek-madani who was one of the best at the time, apparently! But the operation wasn’t successful. We were told that I must to be taken to US. I remember so vividly my father's hair when came out after 18 hours being under operation were all white!
We waited a few months, then went to Germany and tried to get a US visa. Time was running out, my father’s friend was a radiologist at a local hospital. He suggested that I should pay a visit to polyclinic specializing in ophtalmalogy to evalute my eye condition and see how are things progressing! They said I must get operation. Today is better than tomorrow!
I went under operation. The operation went ok by standard of then. since then I wear contact-lens plus glasses. No one can recognize that I ever had a trauma in my right eye or people may have been nice to me!!
I stayed in Germany a few times for a few years. One of them was during my teenage years which I spent in a boarding school. After that when my parents took me back to Iran, I started to realized that revolution has changed many things not to mention war. I was in Iran until war was ended. I was son of revolution. I could see how the culture of revolution was promoted! I wasn’t feeling at home! I wanted freedom to express. I was perfectionist. I was environmentalist.
None of these factors could have been met there. My parents especially my dad was develop the habit of being too protective of me! Feeling any moment I may die!
I promised to myself that I will leave Iran, because I want to be free. Follow my own destiny and dream. I never become religious. I never believed in getting married to a virgin girl! I ended up being in Germany with the admission I got due to my acceptance to the Tehran university. Being in Germany I realized I don’t like the language (Swiss German is cute, though:-). I felt the same cynicism in the entire German environment as I have already seen in Iran. So, I decided if I stay there I run out of my mind so I moved to Canada!
Being in Canada thought me many things. I leaned English (I know not that well)! I learned how to be politically correct! How things may work or can be shown to be working! I learned Canadians in the Toronto are not very open people to get along with. Canada was a promise land where I become an Engineer. I enjoyed nature there. I did camping. I enjoyed none-smoking bars (for a short period, though!) Represented graduate students in Canadian Confederation of Students.
6 months after September 11; I along more than 30 other non-white people got laid off. I was working with a Dutch-Canadian guy who I was his TA at university. I once told him we all, who have middle Eastern name, will get laid off. He said they should laying off me before they lay off you, I have learned everything I know here from you!
A few months later I got laid off but as far as I know until I left Canada a years later he was still there. I saw him couple of time and we went out. He could still not believe what had happened but he agreed with me that people were racially oriented in that company!!
I work for a short period as a biomedical scientist in one of major Toronto's hospital, though that didn’t last long! Since no funding came in from governement.
I went back to Iran, afew months later. I started to look for a job right after 3rd day of my arrival. I wanted to experience Iran first hand. I went to a first job I found. I become involved with refinery construction of Asalouyeh. Did not get paid for 3 months there. But then after 4 months they paid only for two months of my employment!
I realized I was just covering up for mismanagement in that company. So, I had to quit!
The storey was like this: An Italian Company had agreed to construct a phase of gas refinery of Asaloueh. They had to accept an Iranian partner as the law enforces this. The Iranian partner was supposed to make general blue prints ready for construction and choose a sub-contractor for construction purposes.
However, what did the general contractor did? The management of general contractor took the money went to Europe for a round trip. They more or less ignore the dead-line which was two and half years!!
I realized many of these general contactors have connection to another subcontractor. The general contractor of the Italian Company almost a year to the due date chooses a sub-contractor who claims to be able to finish it on time. Then, the sub-contactor’s managers start to fly to Europe. About less than a nine month to the due date. The sub-contractor start without any plan to make the detailed drawings based on general drawings given by Italian Compnay! It took them 1.5 years after I left to finish the project! According to the bonded contract between European and Iranian company the Iranian company was at fault and mismanagement. And they have to extend and pay penalty to foreign counterpart! It is so amazing these Iranian companies never go bankrupt.
Who do you think would pay this extra money? Not from packet of managers or company's financial booking. Of course, the money is paid from the tax payers and from Oil money. No one complains. I found the employees are vanity of absences!
The companies have no money to pay to their employees but they have tons of money to pay fines!
I protested so much in that company that I was considered a rebel employee. I complained about mismanagement to the management! I argued so much with them that that only people who saw me can confirm this. I cannot believe it myself how I was doing those arguments!
Europeans have also leaned from these tricks and now they have all included such a clause in their contacts about late penalties. Funny enough, foreign sometimes pay under table money to high management or even a round tip to those in the top management so, they would waste time to receive more money this way!!
While working there I tried universities to find a job in biomedical engineering or at least get involved in something I like, this was the reason I came back to be part of Iran development!...

To be continued...

III: My opinion on Nuclear activity of Iran!

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Some news on me and on others!

1. This is an informative link to an article about current Iran. It is published by a freelance journalist for Prospect Magzine.
The English version is here.
The Persian version is here.

2.A Persian article about Thousand and One nights and it history. It tells you where it has come from. Read it here.
[It is so sad that they had convention for 1001 nights and there was no Iranian from Iran. Read the comment of host! he claims that there has been no Iranian who could speak well English!!!]

3. I think I should very slowly farewell to this weblog and writing for public. I think I should start writing for myself since my writing doesn't have much of effect as it used to have.
I may slowly put aways webloging, although I like writing. For the past 2.5 years I wrote many articles. Some got praised and published some didn't receive any attention. I think I was lucky that no one hated any! I found many virtual friends( I call them virtual since I haven't seen any of them! but I am thankful to all. Known or unknown, virtual or authentic!:-)
I tried hard to convey ideas. Criticize our taboos in the society. I also got a few friends start their own weblog. But as I always say for every start there is an End. 2006 may be it is an end to this weblog.
I think it is time for me to look beyond vitual machine!
So, I wish to ask whomever has read this weblog leave me a comment:). I like to see your comments even if they are hatered:)!