Beautiful day for outdoor activity

Today is Friday and the sun is shining in Tehran. It is such a sunny and calm day that I wished I had gone skiing! I wished I could enjoy my time with a day on outskirt of city. All my life I was looking for person I could go skiing with in winter or go around in summer. Be friend with and enjoy the friendship after all. It is difficult to …,
moving on, Today is Friday not the 13.! The last day in the year 2004. It is beginning of the winter and I expected to see a Friday which is cold and dark especially in the early morning. Contrary to my assumption it was a beautiful day, though lots of pollution, and with lots of sunshine. With all keenness that I had and wished I had gone skiing, since no soul agreed to come along, I choose to go walking on mount Tochal. So, beside the pollution that I observed on Tehran atmosphere, the rest was the fashion that I observed on top of the mountain from our young generation! Needless to say that it was MTV fashion!...
Wishing everyone an exceptional year ahead in 2005. 5,4,3,2,1...
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Enjoy the following pictures:

A mentor and several personal conclusion!!

A woman who used to be a cheerleader and now a missile engineer!
Spectrum the main magazine of IEEE society in March of 2004 published an interesting article of a woman who is currently systems engineer at Lockheed Martin missiles and fire control in Orlando, Florida.
The story goes like this:
Being a woman in a male dominated field is just one way Olson stands out. When the honor society Eta Kappa Nu awarded Olson its outstanding Young Electrical Engineer Award in 2001, it cited not only her numerous professional achievement but also her skill as a sketch artist and photographer. “People suggest that you are either really creative and artistic or very logical and organized and scientific,” Olson says. “I do not hold to that philosophy-actually, the creativity helps to stimulate the scientific nature.” Growing up in Ohio, Olson says she was interested in anything having to do with math and science. She credits her father with getting her thinking about engineering. A Vietnam vet who earned a degree in mechanical engineering while holding down a full-time job.
Olson didn’t follow exactly in her dad’s footsteps, though. When she enrolled at Write State University, in Dayton, Ohio, she opted instead to study electrical engineering— “I guess that is the rebel in me”, she jokes. Though she was an honor student, she also left plenty of time for extracurricular. “I was involved in everything, I was a cheerleader. I was president of student honor society. I was in all kind of different clubs.
Upon graduation in 1989, Olson did not have a clear idea of how she would use her education. But having recently gotten engaged, she decided to follow her fiancé to Pennsylvania State University, in University Park, where he was a grad student. It occurred to Olson that she might also get a master’s degree while she was there, so she applied to the EE program. The department came back with an offer for a three-year teaching fellowship if she got her Ph.D.
“I hadn’t thought of getting a Ph.D. so I was thrilled,” Olson recalls. “And I had no idea what it entailed.” A more pleasant surprise came when she began working at Penn state’s Applied Research Laboratory. Though that research she got her firs real taste of engineering. “We actually built torpedoes and tested them against real subs,” She says. “I loved the application of science and math.”
Then she lands a job at Lockheed. As a wife and mother of three Olson says joggling the demands of work and home can be tough. “Lockheed is good about that, but you also have to be willing to stand your ground. There are times when people say, “You need to work on your off day.” On the other hand, if your child is sick, you take off and take care of them.” When necessary, Olson does put 12-hour days, and sometimes even longer ones. During a recent business trip to conduct wind tunnel tests on a new aircraft-mounted weapons system, the team had to work 16 hour days. “You just do it,” She says. Making time for yourself is also key, she says. Olson enjoys drawings and has entered her work in local competitions, she is also been teaching herself woodcarving and guitar. “Whether you have kids, or dogs, or you like to golf, it is important to be balanced.”

The story does not finish here. However, I would like to summarizeit here. There are several points in the story in my opinion. First of all, we should know that we live in 3D world; consequently, we should be also acting like a person who lives 3-dimensional world. So, be alert that you do not live your life in 1D or not even 2D and then regret your entire life. Second of all, if we want to have a developed society, we need to develop people who live first, on the other hand investing on people and have them adequately fostered. For doing so, we have to have a compassionate and caring family as well as other parts of society. Society is alike chain and if one does not work appropriatly, others also may get corrupted. The last not the least, Hey you, yes you, get married as soon as you can!!!

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1. There is something wrong with me?! definitely, there is!!

2. For Persian fellows who can read Persian. read the following link about a new sports that is becoming more and more common in Khomein. the birth Place of Mr. Khomeini.
New sport activity!
3. read Shab-e Yalda...

Happy Shab-e Yalda

first thing is first: something about Shabe yalda. quite informative. highly recommended!

SHAB E CHELEH (YALDA FESTIVAL)
Yalda, a Syriac word imported into the Persian language by the Syriac
Christians means birth (tavalud and melaad are from the same origin).
It is a relatively recent arrival and it is refereed to the "Shab e
Cheleh Festival", a celebration of Winter Solstice on December 21st.
Forty days before the next major Persian festival "Jashn e Sadeh";
this night has been celebrated in countless cultures for thousands of
years. The ancient Roman festivals of Saturnalia (God of Agriculture,
Saturn) and Sol Invicta (Sun God) are amongst the best known in the
Western world.
In most ancient cultures, including Persia, the start of the solar
year has been marked to celebrate the victory of light over darkness
and the renewal of the Sun. For instance, Egyptians, four thousand
years ago celebrated the rebirth of the sun at this time of the year.
They set the length of the festival at 12 days, to reflect the 12
divisions in their sun calendar. They decorated with greenery, using
palms with 12 shoots as a symbol of the completed year, since a palm
was thought to put forth a shoot each month.
The Persians adopted their annual renewal festival from the
Babylonians and incorporated it into the rituals of their own
Zoroastrian religion. The last day of the Persian month Azar is the
longest night of the year, when the forces of Ahriman are assumed to
be at the peak of their strength. While the next day, the first day of
the month "Day" known as "khoram rooz" or "khore rooz" (the day of
sun) belongs to Ahura Mazda, the Lord of Wisdom. Since the days are
getting longer and the nights shorter, this day marks the victory of
Sun over the darkness. The occasion was celebrated in the festival of
"Daygan" dedicated to Ahura Mazda, on the first day of the month
"Day".
Fires would be burnt all night to ensure the defeat of the forces of
Ahriman. There would be feasts, acts of charity and a number of
deities were honored and prayers performed to ensure the total victory
of sun that was essential for the protection of winter crops. There
would be prayers to Mithra (Mehr) and feasts in his honor, since
Mithra is the Eyzad responsible for protecting "the light of the early
morning", known as "Havangah". It was also assumed that Ahura Mazda
would grant people's wishes, specially those with no offspring had the
hope to be blessed with children if performed all rites on this
occasion.
One of the themes of the festival was the temporary subversion of
order. Masters and servants reversed roles. The king dressed in white
would change place with ordinary people. A mock king was crowned and
masquerades spilled into the streets. As the old year died, rules of
ordinary living were relaxed. This tradition persisted till Sassanian
period, and is mentioned by Biruni and others in their recordings of
pre-Islamic rituals and festivals. Its’ origin goes back to the
Babylonian New Year celebration. These people believed the first
creation was order that came out of chaos. To appreciate and celebrate
the first creation they had a festival and all roles were reversed.
Disorder and chaos ruled for a day and eventually order was restored
and succeeded at the end of the festival.
The Egyptian and Persian traditions merged in ancient Rome, in a
festival to the ancient god of seedtime, Saturn. The Romans exchanged
gifts, partied and decorated their homes with greenery. Following the
Persian tradition, the usual order of the year was suspended. Grudges
and quarrels forgotten, wars would be interrupted or postponed.
Businesses, courts and schools were closed. Rich and poor became
equal, masters served slaves, and children headed the family.
Cross-dressing and masquerades, merriment of all kinds prevailed. A
mock king, the Lord of Misrule, was crowned. Candles and lamps chased
away the spirits of darkness.
Another related Roman festival celebrated at the same time was
dedicated to Sol Invictus ("the invincible sun"). Originally a Syrian
deity, this cult was imported by Emperor Heliogabalus into Rome and
Sol was made god of the state. With the spread of Christianity,
Christmas celebration became the most important Christian festival. In
the third century various dates, from December to April, were
celebrated by Christians as Christmas. January 6 was the most favored
day because it was thought to be Jesus' Baptismal day (in the Greek
Orthodox Church this continues to be the day to celebrate Christmas).
In year 350, December 25 was adopted in Rome and gradually almost the
entire Christian Church agreed to that date, which coincided, with
Winter Solstice and the festivals, Sol Invicta and Saturnalia. Many of
the rituals and traditions of the pagan festivals were incorporated
into the Christmas celebration and are still observed today.
It is not clear when and how the world "Yalda"; entered the Persian
language. The massive persecution of the early Christians in Rome
brought many Christian refugees into the Sassanin Empire and it is
very likely that these Christians introduced and popularized "Yalda"
in Iran. Gradually "Shab e Yalda" and "Shab e Cheleh" became
synonymous and the two are used interchangeably.
With the conquest of Islam the religious significance of the ancient
Persian festivals was lost. Today "Shab e Cheleh" is merely a social
occasion, when family and friends get together for fun and merriment.
Different kinds of dried fruits, nuts, seeds and fresh winter fruits
are consumed. The presence of dried and fresh fruits is reminiscence
of the ancient feasts to celebrate and pray to the deities to ensure
the protection of the winter crops.
The Iranian Jews, who are amongst the oldest inhabitants of the
country, in addition to "Shab e Cheleh", also celebrate the festival
of "Illanout" (tree festival) at around the same time. Their
celebration of Illanout is very similar to Shab e Cheleh celebration.
Candles are lit; all varieties of dried and fresh winter fruits will
have to be present. Special meals are prepared and prayers are
performed. There are also very similar festivals in many parts of
Southern Russia that are identical to "Shab e Cheleh" festival with
local variations. Sweet breads are baked in shape of humans and
animals. Bon fires are made; dances are performed that resemble crop
harvesting. Comparison and detailed studies of all these celebrations
no doubt will shed more light on the forgotten aspects of this
wonderful and ancient festival, where merriment was the main theme of
the festival.

Happy Shab e Cheleh.

Criticizing a cultural value

I was reading an article about Professor Peter Wilderer, 64, the head of water quality control and Waste management at the technical university of Munich in Germany. The article was explaining that Professor Wilderer’s office and labs are tucked away in the back corner of the university’s research campus at Garching, near the Munich airport. According to the article many may think this out-of-way location, next to the city of Garching’s municipal wastewater treatment planet, might seem less than perfect, but Professor Wilderer can not be happier! He said: “It allows us to pump actual wastewater directly into our lab to conduct our experiments.”
It is quite amazing where others would see muck and nastiness, some like Professor Wilderer see opportunity.
The article went on talking about statistics of water and wastewater and problems associated with them. What catch my eyes was his insight into not only the wastewater and its methods of treatments, but also looking into affordable solution for which the community cultural values have been considered, too.
Professor Wilderer was explaining for the above reasons he is currently developing a project involving the development of affordable, single-home wastewater treatment and drinking waster supplies. But apparently there are complications abound-especially in the developing world.
And these problems are as likely to be cultural as technical!! Couple of interesting exampleshe indicated:
1. In India, Ganges River is considered holy by the Hindus. People pour in the ashes of cremated family members, and they use the river for drinking water and bathing!!
2. Some African tribal people believe that water originating from the sky is religiously clean, whereas water pumped from the ground is religiously unclean. They drink water from open sources such as ponds, but they refuse to drink from wells.
3. Some Muslim cultures are hesitant towards technology offered to them-including potable water processing and wastewater treatment.
Talking about cultural difficulties as well as technological ones indicated above I wish to open up and criticize something that has been apparently in our culture for many centuries and seems truly outdated.

Just recently, the father of a good friend of mine passed away. For his burial ceremony we went to Behesht-e Zahra cemetery. A place located south of Tehran mega city.
The process of burial starts with the fact that corpse is washed and gets ready for burial ceremony. This process is getting completed when the cadaver is carried on top of the hands of the close family on a simple carrier with shout of La-Elaha Elallah (There is no god except Allah). After the body is located in front of the crowed; people start to pray. After praying is done the body is transferred to burial area. I have to indicate the entire mentioned process is being done in very crowded area, since many people are there for the same reason.

The worst case, in my humble opinion, in regard of cultural and religious values takes place when the body is set into grave. When the body is in there, once of the following, son, son in law or brother no women (i.e. daughter or wife) though, can do this, must climb into grave and with every sentence of the person outside of the grave who reads the Koranic verses, opens up the shroud and brings up the face of the passed away person and also shove him/her to the side for at least tree times!! Consider this is being done when there is pile of soil on the side of grave and there is danger of sliding the mud! Not to mention the condition that close family member who is doing this is in it.
I personally feel that we should revise and relook into this matter of our life. We should perhaps review this for a better and less painful tradition for those who have lost a family member. In the end, I again and again indicate that this is an ever changing world and we should get used to changes or changes will be forced upon us!