Monday, October 31, 2005

Got a flu not an avian flu though!

1. Since I am back from Canada about two weeks ago, I had been feeling weak and not energetic. So, finally by this weekend I got this nasty flu which gave me bronchitis and I got fever and usual things! Today I went to see a doctor here, and he said: “must be a viral flu. We wait to see what happens!”
Being in biomechanical engineering field I am more realizing how powerless our doctors are when it comes to curing many illnesses.
I saw a funny caricatour in local newspaper, showing two boys with skeleton outfit try to scare a woman becasue of Halloween, then a chiken comes in and they run so, fast that are not in the picture, anymore!!:) happy Halloween!

2. Joschka Fischer,57, the foreign minister of Germany finally, after I think living together for two years, with his Iranian girl friend, Minu Barati, 29, got married. This is his fifth marriege! read the news
here.
If you wish to see their picture together!

3. Everytime I am not in front of computer I think of many things to write but as soon as I in front of computer, all the topics disappeares from my head.

4. Ahan, this link about violence on women in Iran. Interesting, worth looking at.
Rashti(Iranians from North) are nice people in general:)
I think we have forgotten that women can also conduct violence towards her men partner. While I was in Canada I met a guy who is around 50 years old who has recently immigranted to Canada with his wife and two kinds. One night he came to my friend's house and stayed all night, we wondered what could be the problem and realized to our surprise that his wife regularly beats him and swearing at him and this very time she had thrown him out of house!!

5. Back in Iran I had this colleage at where I was working who was from Margheh, North west of Iran. He once said something which I am not sure if this is an Persian expression or not.
He said a lunatic throws a rock inside deep sump and no wise men can take it out. Yek divaneh sangi ro mindazeh tahe chah, Saat aghel nemitonan daresh biayran!
This is exacetly, what happened here. First, President Ahmadinejad said, ;
this is what Khatami has said!

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Ever changing face of Toronto

1. I am little more busy as school has started here. and I am supposed to take graduate courses and you guys know how much work that is! So, be patient with me. patient is a viture it is told.:)

2. When I was saying Khatami was alright... Read the Financial report here!


3. Before you read the following article I have to write disclaimer, anything you read in the following text is my own and my dog's opinion. The dog passed away few years ago! so,...
So, you are more than welcome to criticized it:-)

I went back to Canada after almost 3 months being away. The city I usually go to is Toronto. Toronto is known for its multicultural fad among all other cities in Canada. Perhaps, I can claim that you can see there from any nationality you ever think of !

The first thing that would capture your eyes as soon as you arrive is the fact that you could rarely see any white population! It seems they are in minority more than ever. The city is filled with Indian, Chinese and Iranians. Contrary to 12 years ago when I first arrived in Canada where many Iranian would come and dwell in downtown, the North part of Toronto is more or less in hands of Iranian immigrants.
About 12 years ago there had not more than 3 to 5 Iranian restaurants established now perhaps in every corner you can see an Iranian restaurant!
One of the significant changes is the fact that new community is not what so ever similar to the old immigrants who used to come, study, learn, improve and then enter slowly to the society for different hierarchies as they aimed for. What we were skill-less immigrants. However, the new generations of immigrants are rich and skilful. The new comers who are trained back home are directly injected into Torontonian society. What this means is that as soon as they arrive they buy a house, a car. Soon after, they take their own leap to society and start to promote their own individual values based on their previous perception from around the Iran. They are implementing proudly these attitudes by saying “this is a free country”! These new comers almost never get a chance to learn many differences between new country and their own country per say.

I have always been under impression that knowing history of art (Da vinci, Renoe, etc.) would promote class and culture. It gives a language and topic to exchange and convolute with others. These cultural values would reach its heights if it is combined with ethics and respect. However, I felt these values are quite changed among the new Iranians who are residing in the Greater Metropolitan Toronto.
Many study new profession because they are competing by one another not that they wish to learn. Talking to many I get to know it didn’t seem that they are involved with art and history (beside their own profession) or how to interact with other based on respect. They have become successful but in one dimension, of course this is my perception!
I would like to provide couple of examples. My instances are based on my observation on culture of driving and traffic. 13 years ago when you were driving in Toronto hardly you could hear a single horn coming out of cars. However, this past week I heard on average 10 car horns per couple of hours of driving! Many fellow Iranians have no idea about the right way yield. If you yield when turning left, they bang on their car’s horn to tell you, hurry up showing their anger with moving their hands or bad mouthing you!! Toronto traffic used to be only during rush hours. Now it is all day around! (This is not only because of Iranians, non-Caucasian and other immigrants are also big contributors to Toronto’s traffic).
I could see rumor similar to Iranian society back in Iran is still deeply rooted in Iranian-Torontonian community. It has even got worse in some extend since the community is small compare to Iran and gossip travels quite fast.
I observed many girls have not adopted positive aspects from both cultures. They are gone to extreme to either side.
On the positive notes any Iranian store is available in Iran is also available in Toronto. From Tavazo (all dry fruits and pistachio store) to Alborz, Nayeb restaurant! And many others that you ever think of.
There is no place that at least an Iranian wouldn’t work there.
According to my friends now if there is an Iranian night club, it is located all the way in north part of city. People go in masses, so there is big line up or completely sold out night. Those days, 1993 or 1994. if there was a night club, it would be in down town and usually not more than hundred people would show up if any.

In my humble opinion the gap between the old comers and the new comers is becoming larger as older society is melted into the other part of society and new immigrants have their own safe heaven among themselves. More and more I could see segregation among different levels of Toronto society. Stick to your own was major concept I could sense that and the fact of being suspicious of other races were evident. I would think that in long run such a society may suffer from many major set backs, not to mention divisions among the immigrants and cultures may create cultural conflict; as a result a deep rooted violence may be generated. What I believe we can see in England's today!

Friday, October 21, 2005

Greetings from Canada

Greetins from Canada. I am here for the past few days and will be back to Switzerland in 2 days!
not to forget I wish to write on many things if life and time persmits.
1. The new generaion of Canadians from Iran, India and of course China in ever changing face of Toronto!
2. Something about when I was young and in a boarding school! which I can't remember.
3. something about what a female partner expects from a relationship. (by the way, this should be written by females!)
4. Observations of my cousine's life and her French husband!

haven't had to read anyone's blog and hopfully will be doing so, soon.
:-)

Thursday, October 13, 2005

Silence ce vous plaire!

1. I think you are familair with this song. I have been listening to new accustic version. anyone interested, let me know I send you the mp3.

Hotel California

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway;
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself,
'This could be Heaven or this could be Hell'
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor,
I thought I heard them say...

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely face
there's Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year, you can find it here

Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes Benz
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys, that she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat.
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget

So I called up the Captain,
'Please bring me my wine'
He said,'We haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine'
And still those voices are calling from far away,
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say...
Mirrors on the ceiling,
The pink champagne on ice
And she said 'We are all just prisoners here, of our own device'
And in their master's chambers,
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can't kill the beast

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
'Relax,' said the night man,
We are programmed to receive.
You can checkout any time you like,
but you can never leave!

2. If you ever wondered, I have been quite silence for past week the reason is that I have been busy with work. Therefore, didn't have time to update. I was visting my cousin and her French husband last weekend and I wished to write about some of my perceptions of their life. but I have to leave that for some other time that I have a little more time.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

Life is unfair!... No kidding!

I am not going to talk or nag about why I think life is unfair to me and this and that!
I want to talk about Iranian women football players who received the silver medal in West Asian women’s tournament. I mean they received that despite so many veils they have to wear during a game unlike their opponents. We tend to appreciate lot of things in normal conditions but we forget to honor the work of these women who would make a difference in Iran’s long run environment with their demand. Good for them.
2. I wonder:
If I can do that ever! get married, then divorce then find a girl 16 years younger than me and have a baby with her! Read Kat and Tom here. I think the only problem for me at the time being is to get married for the time being; anyone?!!
Would that be possible He always took them from me!!! Lucky this Tommy Cruisie!, first I loved his first wife and he got married to her!, then the second one when Dawson's Creek show was on!! Ok, I wanted to swear at him for all that, but lucky B. is the better world or perhaps good for him!!! I am not Jealous! am I?!!

Sunday, October 02, 2005


Sign at one entry of tunnel!

Coworker at Work! Posted by Picasa

Another excursion to the construction site of lagest tunnel in the world

1. Once again,I am taken to a short day trip along side with our department. This time to St. Gottardo tunnel which is in construction underneath of Alp mountain in south of Switzerland. The trip was great and I will post some pictures here. I am not sure using "blogger software" I am unable to send many pictures at the same time.

2. RIght now in the house I am living, there are several small parties going on!
3 Girls from Germany, Holland are in one room, having girls talk, I hear music coming out of their room! Another room all orientals from China, Thailand are gathered and havng party they are playing music Chinese one! Another room Brazilian group is having gathring!! after making a spicey food, that made all of us to cough for a few mintues! and not the last but perhaps the least of all!!!!, I am here alone typing these non-senses!!:-)

3. Big Congratulations to our blogger friend Cyrus Zamani is technically a real Dr.
best of luck to him and hope to hear from him more and more!

St. Gotthardo tunnel Posted by Picasa