1. I was watching a program on Deutsche Welle a few days ago. There was this report that Germany has started a program that is educating young students about food facts and how to enjoy food, in general. The report was explaining many young German students have tendency to eat fast food and in particular greasy food. German board of education has decided to include an extra course to school’s curriculum, of students as young as 11, to teach them about food facts and ways they can learn about food nutrition. As one of chef who was teaching the class put it:” we teach them how they can enjoy the food that has different taste and appearance”, “the art of eating and enjoying rather than devouring some greasy food like burgers in McDonalds”, “If they want to eat pizza what and how they shall enjoy it”. I felt this is one of those courses that our students in Iran can benefit a lot from it. Why? I tell you why?
Four out of every 5 people in western countries, if not all of them, have worked in food related services. As soon as they get to the age that they are eligible for work they start to work at places like McDonalds or Pizza hut, etc. There they develop character, means for treating food or developing taste while they are not in service, something that many of us in Iran not get a chance to learn or percept. Just pay a visit to a local Iranian Restaurant and you will see what I am saying in regard of services and food they provide. We spend lot of our time chewing, tasting and eating. At school all kind of courses are thought, so, why not a course about how to treat food, develop taste and enjoy this moment of our life, na!?
2. Couple of interesting links, thanks to Narges:
Yahoo Islamic Version!
check this one: Javad.
& for all new drivers: Drive like there is no tomorrow!
3. Leila has started prostitution right from 9 years old. He is on verge of getting executed in prision at age of 18! Read her story here (In Persian). Sad story, though.
4. and a song from Moody Blues: Autumn For Leila and those who are in same shoes as she is.
Forever Autumn
The summer sun is fading as the year grows old
And darker days are drawing near.
The winter winds will be much colder
Now you're not here.
I watch the birds fly south across the autumn sky
And one by one they disappear.
I wish that I was flying with them
Now you're not here.
Like the sun through the trees you came to love me.
Like a leaf on a breeze you blew away.
Through autumn's golden gown we used to kick our way,
You always loved this time of year.
Those fallen leaves lie undisturbed now
'Cause you're not here.
'Cause you're not here.
'Cause you're not here.
Like the sun through the trees you came to love me,
Like a leaf on a breeze you blew away.
A gentle rain falls softly on my weary eyes
As if to hide a lonely tear,
My life will be forever autumn
'Cause you're not here.
Monday, November 29, 2004
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Pleasantville!
I had an opportunity watching the movie called Pleasantville. This movie is made in 1998 with some arguably seamless special effects! It is not an action movie though it has considerable action in it that makes you to think of. The story goes like this.
In the universe of "Pleasantville", a black-and-white Fifties sitcom, life is pleasant. The high school basketball team never misses a shot, nothing ever catches on fire (consequently, the firemen only rescue cats stuck in trees), husband and wives sleep in separate beds, high school sweethearts go no further than holding hands and getting 'pinned', and everything is in varying shades of gray.
One night, David finds himself fighting with his promiscuous twin sister Jennifer for the television remote, which is irreparably broken during the struggle. Before they know it, an ominous television repairman shows up at the door, and offers the two kids a brand new high-tech remote. However, David and Jennifer soon realize that it is not just your run-of-the-mill Radio Shack remote when they are magically transported to the world of Pleasantville.
After the initial disorientation, they realize not only are they now in black-and white, but they have assumed the identities of the television show's two teenage children, Bud and Mary Sue. They then meet their chipper television parents, George and Betty, who seem oblivious to the fact that their model children are not who they appear to be.
For David/Bud, it is a dream come true, living out his life in comfortable surroundings without the struggle or strife of real life. On the other hand, Jennifer/Mary Sue abhors her new environment, finding the local scene too bland for her liking. Being her usual forward self, she aggressively liberates the virginity of the captain of the basketball team, Skip (Paul Walker). Her reckless activities then begin a chain reaction that unleashes a torrent of unexpected changes in Pleasantville.
Unfortunately, the changes in the physical and social fabric of Pleasantville do not go unchallenged. As the town's residents begin to explore the joys of art, books, passion, and color, the dark side of human nature is also unleashed. Spearheaded by the town's mayor, a conservative black-and-white backlash is organized. Willing to do anything to maintain the status quo, their fear and paranoia lead to intolerance, hate-crimes, and violence against the newly colored.
I felt couple of real issues were discussed in this movie. First, changes are inevitable facts of our life. If we try to avoid, stop the changes that is useless act of desperateness. Either we want it or not changes take place. What is important is the fact that we live in the world that contains many people with completely different ideas and way of thinking. We should tolerate those differences between ourselves. We should not demolish or try to be boneheaded if things are not on way of our pleasure. As long as we accept logical rules we can have dialogue.
The movie ends with the fact that changes are taking place and they will stay. I felt the movie truthfully resembles our current Iranian society. There are group of people who are unwilling to accept that there is big difference between kids in 1980 and today ones. There are still people in society feel that things must stay the same.
The old guy with long beard can have the last say. He does not make mistakes. (Watch an Iranian movie).
We have to learn and accept that people can looked at world different angles and have different perceptions from the same issue. Let’s enjoy them as part of our life experiences. Different circumstances require different measures. World changes, so people in it. So, let us enjoy what we have and not regretting it a single moment.
In the universe of "Pleasantville", a black-and-white Fifties sitcom, life is pleasant. The high school basketball team never misses a shot, nothing ever catches on fire (consequently, the firemen only rescue cats stuck in trees), husband and wives sleep in separate beds, high school sweethearts go no further than holding hands and getting 'pinned', and everything is in varying shades of gray.
One night, David finds himself fighting with his promiscuous twin sister Jennifer for the television remote, which is irreparably broken during the struggle. Before they know it, an ominous television repairman shows up at the door, and offers the two kids a brand new high-tech remote. However, David and Jennifer soon realize that it is not just your run-of-the-mill Radio Shack remote when they are magically transported to the world of Pleasantville.
After the initial disorientation, they realize not only are they now in black-and white, but they have assumed the identities of the television show's two teenage children, Bud and Mary Sue. They then meet their chipper television parents, George and Betty, who seem oblivious to the fact that their model children are not who they appear to be.
For David/Bud, it is a dream come true, living out his life in comfortable surroundings without the struggle or strife of real life. On the other hand, Jennifer/Mary Sue abhors her new environment, finding the local scene too bland for her liking. Being her usual forward self, she aggressively liberates the virginity of the captain of the basketball team, Skip (Paul Walker). Her reckless activities then begin a chain reaction that unleashes a torrent of unexpected changes in Pleasantville.
Unfortunately, the changes in the physical and social fabric of Pleasantville do not go unchallenged. As the town's residents begin to explore the joys of art, books, passion, and color, the dark side of human nature is also unleashed. Spearheaded by the town's mayor, a conservative black-and-white backlash is organized. Willing to do anything to maintain the status quo, their fear and paranoia lead to intolerance, hate-crimes, and violence against the newly colored.
I felt couple of real issues were discussed in this movie. First, changes are inevitable facts of our life. If we try to avoid, stop the changes that is useless act of desperateness. Either we want it or not changes take place. What is important is the fact that we live in the world that contains many people with completely different ideas and way of thinking. We should tolerate those differences between ourselves. We should not demolish or try to be boneheaded if things are not on way of our pleasure. As long as we accept logical rules we can have dialogue.
The movie ends with the fact that changes are taking place and they will stay. I felt the movie truthfully resembles our current Iranian society. There are group of people who are unwilling to accept that there is big difference between kids in 1980 and today ones. There are still people in society feel that things must stay the same.
The old guy with long beard can have the last say. He does not make mistakes. (Watch an Iranian movie).
We have to learn and accept that people can looked at world different angles and have different perceptions from the same issue. Let’s enjoy them as part of our life experiences. Different circumstances require different measures. World changes, so people in it. So, let us enjoy what we have and not regretting it a single moment.
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Cultural values!!
I returned...:)
1. This is very cool site. I couldn't believe it!
Guess your sign!
2. Anybody?: God is a concept by which we measure our pain!
3.
1. A scene of fight because of an accident in an alley on North of Tehran, Shemran, the young guy was guilty. The young guy ran towards the middle age guy and starting to fist fight!
2. Two women starting to swear at each other, reason because one felt the other has jumped into the line where it was not her right!
3. A men insulting a police officer for being penalized and getting a huge fine for not having a seat belt on.
4. Two men are fighting with knife for an accident that took place on the wide and traffic poured street.
5. A car is stuck on the street where there is a heavy traffic, the driver of the car get off the car and opens up the engine side and starts to look around the engine for possible malfunction. People driving by start to bad mouth him!
6. You enter to an office, shop or governmental office; the guy acts snobby with no respect. Somehow we have to refrain ourselves from getting to the fight. Sometimes we can’t!
7. A guy is at fault in an accident with another car whose driver is a girl. He treats her like she is either less intelligent than other human in the society or that she is going to be at her service!
These are just a few of many thousand senses that are taking place in Tehran everyday. Why? Because we still act based on emotions and not from logical point of view. One would be the reason given. But the most important in my opinion is the fact of lack of cultural values. We still do not consider that individuals’ health is more important than valuable equipment in possession of us. Those are replaceable the equipment. What is not replaceable is health or human being, either physically or psychologically.
8. Brother Michael Jackson ham Baleh. This Aziz Jan-e Baradar ham Baleh, what shall I say! Michael is becoming a real Moslem! good for him/her (still don't know that)! (Thanks to Narges for the Links)
1. This is very cool site. I couldn't believe it!
Guess your sign!
2. Anybody?: God is a concept by which we measure our pain!
3.
1. A scene of fight because of an accident in an alley on North of Tehran, Shemran, the young guy was guilty. The young guy ran towards the middle age guy and starting to fist fight!
2. Two women starting to swear at each other, reason because one felt the other has jumped into the line where it was not her right!
3. A men insulting a police officer for being penalized and getting a huge fine for not having a seat belt on.
4. Two men are fighting with knife for an accident that took place on the wide and traffic poured street.
5. A car is stuck on the street where there is a heavy traffic, the driver of the car get off the car and opens up the engine side and starts to look around the engine for possible malfunction. People driving by start to bad mouth him!
6. You enter to an office, shop or governmental office; the guy acts snobby with no respect. Somehow we have to refrain ourselves from getting to the fight. Sometimes we can’t!
7. A guy is at fault in an accident with another car whose driver is a girl. He treats her like she is either less intelligent than other human in the society or that she is going to be at her service!
These are just a few of many thousand senses that are taking place in Tehran everyday. Why? Because we still act based on emotions and not from logical point of view. One would be the reason given. But the most important in my opinion is the fact of lack of cultural values. We still do not consider that individuals’ health is more important than valuable equipment in possession of us. Those are replaceable the equipment. What is not replaceable is health or human being, either physically or psychologically.
8. Brother Michael Jackson ham Baleh. This Aziz Jan-e Baradar ham Baleh, what shall I say! Michael is becoming a real Moslem! good for him/her (still don't know that)! (Thanks to Narges for the Links)
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