Missed that very much!!

0.0. Life- .... may be great news -- for mice I found this pretty cool for those who want to know more about....!

0.1. Dizin Ski resort will be operation in the coming week. They have added two new lifts and 2 restaurants in on the runs are now running. So, Dizin welcomes skiers!

it is unfortunate that Switzerland has no snow this year!!


راه اندازى بزرگترين پيست اسكى كشور



پيست بين المللى ديزين براى پذيرايى از علاقه مندان به اين ورزش مفرح از اوايل هفته آينده فعاليت خود را آغاز مى كند.
افزودن چند خط جديد بالابر در منطقه در جهت افزايش ظرفيت پيست و بهره بردارى از ابنيه و بخش هاى مختلف پيست نظير ۲ رستوران در محدوده پيست كه تاكنون امكان بهره بردارى از آن وجود نداشته و افزايش ضريب امنيت دستگاه ها و تأسيسات بالابر موجود در منطقه وايجاد قابليت هاى جديد نظير پيست يو و پرش از جمله اقداماتى هستند كه على آبادى رييس سازمان تربيت بدنى به آنها اشاره كرد.
معاون رياست جمهور و رييس سازمان تربيت بدنى با بيان اين موضوع كه منطقه ديزين پتانسيل جذب بالاى توريست ورزشى و امكان فعاليت ورزشى و تفريحى در تمام فصل هاى سال را نيز داراست ادامه مى دهد: با تدوين طرح جامع توسعه منطقه ورزشى ديزين در ۳ فاز كوتاه مدت و بلند مدت در پى رسيدن به اهداف تدوين شده و بالفعل نمودن پتانسيل هاى بالقوه اين منطقه توسط شركت توسعه و نگهدارى امكان اين پيست در سال هاى گذشته فقط براى فصول اسكى به بهره بردار واگذار مى شد كه با توجه به كوتاهى زمان امكان استقرار سيستم مناسب مديريتى براى پيست مقدور نبود.

Yalda and Naser Abdullahi!

1. Naser Abdullahi is prominant Iranian singer died at age of 36 in Tehran. He was known for southern Iranian style (Bandari) of singing and some nice work of mixture of Iranian and Spanish rythems! I attended his concert while I was in Iran and found him quite entertaining. One of the songs I heard for the first time and I liked was this:

اینسان نمیابی ز من . حتی نشان ای دوست
من در تو گم گشتم مرا در خود صدا میزن
تا پاسخم را بشنوی . پژواک خوان ای دوست
ای دوست ای دوست ای دوست ای دوست
در آتش تو زاده شد حروف شعر من
سردی مکن با این چنین آتش به جان ای دوست
گفتی بخوان . خواندم . اگر چه گوش نسپردی
حالا که لالم خواستی. پس خود بخوان ای دوست
ای دوست ای دوست ای دوست ای دوست
من قانعم . آن بخت جانی دار نمیخواهم
گر میتوانی یک نفس با من بمان ای دوست
یا نه تو هم . با هر بهانه شانه خالی کن
از من . ولی بر شاخه ها بار گران ای دوست
نامهربانی را هم از تو دوست خواهم داشت
بیهوده میکوشی بمانی مهربان ای دوست
آن سان که میخواهد دلت. با من بگو . آری
من دوست دارم حرف دل را بر زبان ای دوست
ای دوست ای دوست ای دوست ای دوست
ای دوست ای دوست ای دوست ای دوست

محمد علی بهمنی

you can also listen to its mp3 here.

2. Tonight is Shabe cheleh and as a tradition I always put up this text to provide some information about what shabe Cheleh stands for and its mythical aspect in Persian tradition.
To those who are far from family (including myself:-) and can't gather for the occasion I wish the best. you can read Ghazaliyat Hafez on line here in both English and Persian.

Career Planning for Junior Scientists and Researchers!

In the days that I have tons of work and study to do, I have this tendency to become crazy and put myself under more stress and pressure than usual! So, having said that I felt there is a need for me to attend a so called “Career Planning for Junior Scientists and Researchers” workshop! Somebody should have told me: am I close to graduate? No, I would reply! So, what is the point of attending!? Yeh!
The workshop outcome: I didn’t learn much! become depressed, learned that Switzerland is Saudi Arabia for women! Now I am afraid talking to women so my conversation may be interpreted as not supportive and consider equalities!!
My first intention was to compare European attitude in career planning compare to North Americans, specifically Canadians since I have already attended in such a workshop in Canada. I have to admit there are many differences between these two nations! I truly got surprised for such a big disparity.
The storey I wish to write here happened in the second day of the workshop.
After an hour of presentation of the instructor about how women are underestimated and underrated in scientific field in Switzerland and Germany! They are not given fair chances and how they were not offered the jobs they deserve, we started a group workshop to identify what people would suggest us in light of our observation and skills we contain. The group was supposed to be conducted as following:
we were given an A3 paper, we would draw a happy face in the middle and think of any career we ever wished to do and write it down and connect them to our picture by lines. After that we were asked to write on two series of colored papers each of three about the three skills and values we feel them most important to us in any job. At behest of instructor we made group of three to conduct the workshop. One would volunteer in the group and explain what s/he has written on those pages. The two others would ask him/her questions and then the person whose turn is will turn back and listen to what the two others would suggest about the career path may be suitable for him/her.
I wrote the following jobs for myself: A comedian, a write who writes about fun and how to have fun in doing anything (I wished), a biomechanicst in corporate world, a instructor and researcher!!
I will not get to mine, though I wish to write about a girl who seemed in her late 20s. She was in our group. She, biology major with wondering face, with anxious eyes! She started to explain she have never had tired another job except what she was describing and currently has! She can’t see herself working in any cooperation and no other institution than where she knows plus she hates teaching. When I asked why? “I have had given lectures to some first and second year students and they were like: why should be learning this!!, so, I was always feeling they are there because their parents insist to be there. Don’t have a happy memory!” She explained. Add to that she was going to get married to a boyfriend who lives in Koeln, Germany and who is a teacher. So, on top of that she wished to have a child some time soon! Her intention to be in this workshop. How to juggle between career and family! She felt girls should truly get married before latest 29!
So, After careful listening to her when she turned her back to us. I give her my 2-cent!
What I am going to tell you may not be so pleasant but I want you to think about it! I said:
You have not so much of experience except what you have in field of your study and you don't seem very satisfy from those experiences. You have only had tired your chances in one field of study. You yet to know if there are any jobs are available for you in corporate world. Top to that that you have never tried any other job so you would know if this is what you really wish to do!
So, forget about you boyfriend, don’t get married. You still have to gain experience. Forget what you are told about marriage in latest of late 20s and have children, soon! First try to see what you like and what you want then decide if these are what you really want to do! These are relationships in my opinion where in a few years after marriage you will see major disagreement appears in them.
Consider that the instructor in the workshop had explained a few minutes before that that in Europe if a girl is 26 and older and still single, people would assume there is something wrong when her. Same thing for boys over 30 was told!

Some political commentary!

Photos courtesy of Z8un and Baradar Abtahi

1.Yesterday, in Iran was municipality, assembly of experts and some second round of parliamentary election. In Parliamentary and assembly of experts there were not what so ever a person who wishes to help things get better. But in municipality election the storey was completely different. Three major groups (Reformists, Old conservatives and reformed conservative belong to current Iranian President Dr. Ahamdi Nedjad) in Iran were on the scene for battle plus those independent candidates. The well described name that those close to Iranian President have chosen is: The good scent of services! Rayeheh khosh e khetmat! This was totally sounds funny motto name! Since their estabilishment they have done a horrible job for country and so called poor! The inflation is at highest level. The foreign policy is nowhere! so, the scent of stinky services are all over the Iran! I think it stinks and the scent is perceived by people any time soon!

2.Why do we have this tendency to ignore the work of previous group who has been in the power!? The Asian games are finished and Iran finished 6 in overall medal receipt. THe best ever record of Iran in Asian games!
should not we thank the others (managers, experts and bureaucrat) who took time and prepared these teams or individuals for the current Asian games! Rather than saying this was just work of today bureaucracy! Let’s be fair! if we want to judge people, that should be done in next Asian games!

3. Iran Promises to pay Hamas 250 million dollars!! I think many young Iranians are dieing of hunger plus many have no job and money to support themselves and their families! and now we pay Hamas 250 000 000!!! good for us!!!

Happiness

1. catch a cold and have to meet everyday and lots of assignment from this continuum mechanics! I am quite lost! may be I will be kicked from Phd program so I can do other venue in my life. people here telling me I should have studied Law!!

2. about 10 days ago I was drinking some hot sugger added tea right beside of my laptop! My hand tip the glass and it was all over my laptop!! the laptop was plugged in and I quickly unplugged it, fearing it will be exploded! So, then I turn it upside down and let it dry! make it long story short, the computer still works!!! but the keyboard I should punch the keys with lots of force!!!

3. Just watching a program about happiness on CNN. The commentator was interviewing a physchologist about happiness! He explained that throughout a day dose of happiness changes! for example, if you ask a family if they are happy to have a child it depends on when and what time of the day you are asking them! If it is during shpping or sleeping they may say not! but during familly gathering it is different!
when he was asked if money brings happiness! He replied: Money for a person who makes 5000 per year if changes to 50000 per year makes a big difference and brings happiness, but from 50000 to 300 000 they have done some studies and they showed it really does not make any difference!
So, I draw this conclusion it is true if you make average money it is up to you to try to make yourself happy! Be happy!

And the winner of the Liberal party leadership is...

1. I write because I just feel to write nothing more or less can be said or written on it! whether they worth publishing or not or they worth to be read!I don't quite care, personally! Just a note to myself! :-)

2. Finally, Liberal party's leadership in Canada has a elected person and that is nobody than Mr. Stéphane Dion! I truly wish him all the best. I recall him during his post of minister for intergovernmental affairs in Jean Chrétien government. His formal style with a black backpack can't not be forgotten. Hope he does a great job for future of Canada.

3. Last week I was invited to the Chris de Burgh concert! the reason I was invited was the fact that I have this tendency to tell stories! It was thought that I should like to attend the concert of a singer who is known as story teller and has a Album under that name! The concert was great and he did some of the special effects that Pink Floyd used to do! showing and synchronize his song with video on the big screen behind him. So, I enjoyed it quite well. He sang many old and new songs which were mostly narrative. The photos above are taken from there.

Eulogy!

Alireza Ab, a prominent Dr. wanna be in biomechanics, died last night from complications of losing his hope to find a soul mate and becoming a real Dr! He was soft-spoken, obsessive, and wanna be! Alireza never looked the part of a hopeless romantic. His logical analysis and story telling ability was expressed by some as obstacle to his love life (he was talking too much precisely to say), by other some a holy path to balance-hood and his sole advantage for being heard perhaps. But, in the final days of his life, he revealed an unknown side of his psyche. This hidden quasi-Jungian persona surfaced during the Agatha Christie-like pursuit of his long reputed soul mate who he never found or may be was to be found but he didn’t conceive. This pursue also included the ever wanting understanding of life meaning and what can be done to be happy and whether working hard will prosper him to get a PhD degree (what else?!). Sadly, the protracted search ended late Saturday night in complete and utter failure. When he realized that he will never accomplish any of those on his agenda list! Yet even in certain defeat, the courageous all along Alireza secretly clung to the belief that life is merely a series of meaningless accidents or coincidences. Or rather, it is a tapestry of events that culminate in an exquisite, sublime plan. Asked about the loss of his dear friend, Dr. wanna be Salman Chegini, who is admirer of his highness Dr. Haj A. Fergi, described Alireza as a changed man in the last days of his life!! "Things were clearer to him, he said: “I see dead people", Chegini noted. Ultimately Alireza concluded that if we are to live life in harmony with the universe, we must all possess a powerful faith in what the ancients used to call "fatum", what we currently refer to as destiny. What is destiny a series of decisions we make that in many occasions make us to regret! May he rest in peace!

[of course ba ANdaki Talkhis!]

FIFA suspends Iran Football Federation

Finally FIFA suspended Iran from taking part in any international tournament. Believe or not I think this is great news!! you may wonder why!? I think becasue:

1. For the first time the international community showed that Sports should be seperated from politics!
2. If you don't ply by the international rules you are toast and out of reach!
3. If you want to be part of world community, just come to the field like any other player and learn how you can imporve your ability by the means avaliable to you!
4. Since Iranians could not take their raghiteous need to say Football is seperated from politics, FIFA did the job and I am profoundly like this: "Organisation of new elections under the supervision of FIFA and the AFC after the approval of the above-mentioned new IRIFF statutes."
5. I think this is a great finger to President AhamdiNedjad that you feel things can be run by your standard, you are wrong dude!

FIFA SUSPENDS Iran Fotball Federation! Read the article.

Persian or Farsi

1. This notion has been qite a confusion terminology whether we should use Persian or Farsi whe referring to Iranian language.
Persian or Farsi this is a good article on that.

cleaning of our residence

1. Believe it or not one of my favorite works in home is cleaning our apartment specially, our washroom and bathroom! This Chinese apartment-mate of mine doesn't like to do cleaning of those doomed area of the residence, so, usually I take care of them. I have notice many people may not like to do so, but somehow I enjoy it because it gives me a great feeling after I see the the entire WC emits pleasurable scent and things are crystal clear and reflecting the light so vividly!:-) It makes me to seat in there or wash myself with more patience and relaxation! The next thing I enjoy to clean in a house is the Kitchen! I feel a pleasant feeling when walking in to the kitchen that has order and cleanness! and I always wish to have one of those large kitchen where the stove is in the middle of kitchen and there is large hood on top of it, all around it there is the cooking utensils!

2. Commercial work by Hatami Kia (Iranian director for the Iran Khodro)

Good Bye...!

No, I am not saying goodbye like many people! I am talking about James Blunt who has been singing since he has come back from Balkan war. I introduce him two years ago I think. browse his website and see listen to some of his work.
I was listening to one of his songs called goodbye my lover, I enjoy it, so wish to put up the lyrics:

Did I disappoint you or let you down?
Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?
'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun,
Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won.
So I took what's mine by eternal right.
Took your soul out into the night.
It may be over but it won't stop there,
I am here for you if you'd only care.
You touched my heart you touched my soul.
You changed my life and all my goals.
And love is blind and that I knew when,
My heart was blinded by you.
I've kissed your lips and held your head.
Shared your dreams and shared your bed.
I know you well, I know your smell.
I've been addicted to you.

Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.

I am a dreamer but when I wake,
You can't break my spirit - it's my dreams you take.
And as you move on, remember me,
Remember us and all we used to be
I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile.
I've watched you sleeping for a while.
I'd be the father of your child.
I'd spend a lifetime with you.
I know your fears and you know mine.
We've had our doubts but now we're fine,
And I love you, I swear that's true.
I cannot live without you.

Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.

And I still hold your hand in mine.
In mine when I'm asleep.
And I will bear my soul in time,
When I'm kneeling at your feet.
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.
I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow.

An incident in UCLA

1. I just find out about this incident. It is what has happened for an American-Iranian student in UCLA library.
Check it out for yourself and be the judge!
I think the best thing happened to internet is Youtube!

I would suggest to those in UCLA who would like to keep their university accountable for what they do, call chancellor office at UCLA and demand an investigation.

The tradeoff!

Many jobs that engineers are involved with are making intelligent tradeoffs between conflicting parameters. As one parameter is improved the other is worsen! As engineers, we are trained to quantify different tradeoffs, draw some kind of cost/benefit curve, make a rational choice based on our analysis!
One simple example is computer networking’s tradeoff between connectivity and security! This issue has been always discussed but I have yet to see the spark of an analytic justification for decisions made. It is easy to get perfect security, simply disconnect from any network. But while your costs-that is consequences of a successful security breach-have fallen to zero, so have your benefits! The value of a network increases with number of connected users. The more people and computers are connected, the greater will be the information acquired, the commerce attained and so forth. But as your connectivity increases your vulnerability to bad viruses of the network and those posing as friends! How do we make the networking tradeoff? In my mind, by separating those variables on a x-y cost/benefit curve. Plotted along x-axis is the cost associated with the risk of opening the network, while the y-axis measures the benefits of increasing connectivity. The cost in a business environment might be the probable loss of sales, increased liability, or momentary losses due to expected computer intrusion. The value of connectivity could be better operational efficiency more knowledge and satisfied staff!

Having explained all the above, I have to come to the conclusion that more or less on every corner of our life we are facing to establish some kind of cost/benefit analysis. Imagine the medication that you are taking! The side effect vs the health you gain! The years you spend study to become a professional in cost of your productive years which are getting by!
So, what makes me wonder is how Iranian president Dr. Ahamdi Nejad cost/benefit analysis is intact!
For population increase! I wish not to do any further cost/benefit analysis since we have seen once its effect! For nuclear energy production. I can visualize the plot that the cost or prices that Iranian people are paying for possessing nuclear energy and other the y-axis we have the benefits that Iranians are receiving from such technology investment. The prices and cost that are associated with this decision can be expanded as economy sanction from countries around especially the big industrial ones, lack of foreign investment for a country which has to create jobs for its people on 1.5 million bases jobs per year (currently they are creating 100 thousands of that that translates 10% of what is needed according to Iranian media!) and of course isolating Iranians from outside world and may be a war that is destroying any rational thinking! Not to mention, the probable cost of environment waste and human life danger that might be exposed to because of possible radiation emission. The gains of this project is also technologically we may be accepted as a country which know-how to enrich uranium, investment on energy for future generation! And probable stability of the regime and perhaps the country! However, the human rights issues will be also be jeopardized!
So, I truly wonder if in many occasion I made a thorough cost/benefit analysis and made a proper decision!

Occupatinal health and safety!

Back in 2003 and 2004 when I was in Iran, during my employment in one of the factories there, I had to fight literally a lot with upper management to provide informational sessions for floor workers about the materials they were exposed to or the safety issues. I think one of the major reasons I got into disagreement with that head of company and management team was my idea of making information available to all to protect the workers rather than treating them as nothing ordinary floor workers!
I just came across this report from BBC Persian which reports the rate of death due to accidents at occupations are increasing in Iran. The report is here in Farsi. I cut and paste it here for those who can not see!

منتشر کرده، در سال گذشته بيست هزار نفر در حوادث ناشی از کار آسيب ديده و يکصد نفر نيز بر اثر وقوع حادثه در محيط کار جان باخته اند.
به گزارش دفتر آمار و محاسبات اقتصادی و اجتماعی سازمان تأمين اجتماعی، نوزده هزار نفر از آسيب ديدگان محيطهای کارگری سلامتی خود را به دست آورده اند.

در اين گزارش به وضعيت يکهزار نفر ديگری که دچار آسيب شده اند اشاره ای نشده و معلوم نيست اين افراد بعد از درمان به سر کار خود برگشته يا به دليل ازکار افتادگی امکان ادامه کار پيدا کرده اند يا نه.

اين در حالی است که معمولاً سازمان تأمين اجتماعی افراد حادثه ديده را به "آسيب ديده کلی"، "آسيب ديده جزئی" و "پرداخت غرامت نقص" عضو تقسيم می کند تا برای آنها مستمری در نظر بگيرد.

هزينه های از کار افتادگی بسيار بالاست و برآورها نشان می دهد که سازمان تأمين اجتماعی بايد به هر از کار افتاده به طور متوسط ۴۵ ميليون تومان مستمری پرداخت کند.

سازمان تأمين اجتماعی بی احتياطی را علت نيمی از حوادث حين کار دانسته و بريدگی، شکستگی و سقوط را مهمترين حوادث حين کار در ايران معرفی کرده است.

قطع دست و انگشت دست شايعترين حادثه حين کار در ايران است و تقريباً نيمی از حوادث حين کار را تشکيل می دهد.

افزايش حوادث حين کار

استانهای تهران و اصفهان بيشترين و استانهای خراسان جنوبی و سيستان و بلوچستان کمترين آمار حوادث ناشی از کار را به خود اختصاص داده اند.

تجمع فعاليتهای اقتصادی در شهرهای بزرگی نظير تهران و اصفهان می تواند علت بالا بودن آمار حوادث در اين شهرها باشد.

بيشترين حوادث کار در فصل تابستان و کمترين حوادث در فصل زمستان رخ داده است که به نظر می رسد رشد فعاليتهای اقتصادی، بخصوص کارهای ساختمانی در تابستان و رکود فعاليتها در زمستان علت اين مسئله باشد.

گزارش سازمان تأمين اجتماعی نشان می دهد که حوادث حين کار بيشتر در ساعت اوليه روز بين ده تا يازده صبح رخ داده است.

آمار نشان می دهد که حوادث ناشی از کار هر ساله افزايش يافته و از شانزده هزار و ۳۸۳ مورد در سال ۸۲ به بيست هزار مورد در سال گذشته رسيده است.

بر اساس آمار رسمی، هيجده هزار و ۴۸۶ نفر نيز در سال ۸۳ حين کار دچار حادثه شده و ۸۳ نفر از اين تعداد جان خود را از دست داده اند.

اين آمار کارگرانی را در بر می گيرد که بيمه اند و تحت پوشش سازمان تأمين اجتماعی قرار دارند وگرنه آمار مرگ و مير ناشی از کار بسيار بيشتر از اين رقم است.

بر اساس گزارش سازمان پزشکی قانونی در سال های ۸۲ و ۸۳ به ترتيب ۵۱۷ و ۶۹۷ نفر در حوادث و بيماريهای ناشی از کار جان باخته اند.

برخی از کارشناسان بين بيمارهای شغلی و حوادث ناشی از کار تفاوت قائلند و معتقدند به دليل نبود آمار رسمی در زمينه بيمارهای شغلی نمی توان برآورد دقيقی از ميزان خسارتها و مرگ و مير ناشی از کار در ايران ارائه داد.

Being proud!

So, after not believing in myself in many years!, about a few minutes ago I got this tap on shoulders from my boss!!

The conversation was about number of qualified people from other countries who wish study in advanced science in west. Then my boss told others in the room, there were about 70 qualified people who applied for my position and out of them 20 people were Swiss! but they picked the best one (showing me!!!) (i.e. I think this coming week I will disappoint him since I am not ready for my presentations next week!!! good bye fame!:-))

The department people perception before I come here is quite interesting, according to them I am easy to talk to, they told me they were afraid about many things before I arrive! for example, how to situate my seat in the office! Since I am from a Muslim country what happens if they back where I sit is towards Makkah or opposite of it! They were afraid if I wish to pray 5 times a day! How that would be possible in the room!
even afew said they wish not to sit in the same room with me! according themseleves (now one of them, he offers me to go along with him to the concert!!)
Now they have realized I am not religious and open to any conversion, their perception of Iranian people has changed! many of them were saying we felt that Iran should have been bombed before knowing you! but now we think otherwise!
I wonder how much media has effect on how people judge about certain group of people!
So, I am proud (if not doing anything else this far) have changed perception of people towards Iran and Iranians. I am proud of myself as a Iranian-Canadian to do so. I think it worth mentioning that I am in debt to Canada and Canadians for exposing me to different culture and giving me how to think free!