Truth nothing but the truth, sad and happy moments…

Praying for Time
These are the days of the open hand
They will not be the last
Look around now
These are the days of the beggars and the choosers

This is the year of the hungry man
Whose place is in the past
Hand in hand with ignorance
And legitimate excuses

The rich declare themselves poor
And most of us are not sure
If we have too much
But we'll take our chances
'Cause God's stopped keeping score
I guess somewhere along the way
He must have let us all out to play
Turned his back and all God's children
Crept out the back door

And it's hard to love, there's so much to hate
Hanging on to hope
When there is no hope to speak of
And the wounded skies above say it's much too much too late
Well maybe we should all be praying for time

These are the days of the empty hand
Oh you hold on to what you can
And charity is a coat you wear twice a year

This is the year of the guilty man
Your television takes a stand
And you find that what was over there is over here

So you scream from behind your door
Say what's mine is mine and not yours
I may have too much but I'll take my chances
'Cause God's stopped keeping score
And you cling to the things they sold you
Did you cover your eyes when they told you
That he can't come back
'Cause he has no children to come back for

It's hard to love there's so much to hate
Hanging on to hope when there is no hope to speak of
And the wounded skies above say it's much too late
So maybe we should all be praying for time

1. About a year ago right a few weeks after my arrival in Tehran. Once I got on a taxi heading to Takht-e Tavous street. I got on a taxi that was no one in it except me and the driver! After being there for a few minutes a young girl who seemed to be in early 20s got on the taxi. After just 2 mintues, the girl started to talk. It went like this.

Girl: Can I get 45000 tomans?! I desperately need that some.

Driver: I don’t have such a money Ms.

Me: No, Ma’am. I don’t carry such an amount of money! (This is the truth because I used to put just a few hundreds tomans in my wallet, as a habit in Canada I was thinking I could get things with my bank and credit card!)

Girl: I would offer myself or anything you wish to have!!

Driver: No, Ma’am I am not the type you think!

Me: My month was open big time and looking at her with a surprise expression on my face, could not say a word!!

Girl: She continued, believe me I am not who you think I am! I am doing this because I go to school (university per say) (grabbing her bag and taking her university card out of it) and I live with 4 roommates. Our rent is due and I owe them 45000 tomans. So, that is why I offering myself.
We all remain silent for a few mintues then the driver said, ma’am I can’t do anything for you. Would you like to stay on the taxi?

Girl: No, thanks I will get off here.

Me: I was so frustrated and sad that for next 2 days I could not think properly!!
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2. A classic night with Louis Tjeknavorian
Last year during christmas time I went the the concert that I am describing below:

Perhaps, I could call this night one of the most memorable nights since my arrival in Tehran. This was called symphony of nations. It was held in Vahdat concert hall under Rodaki foundation by Hafez street. We first passed though an detector which are usually put in airport area. I suppose the reason is after what happened to Russia they are trying to be more be careful. The men and women entrance are separated! Inside the Vahtat hall, you would still see some paints that are there from the time before the revolution. However, they are very rare. I think there are only 3 of them. Inside the hall what struck me was the way the chairs were set up. There was no space between where to get in and where to get out. I mean suppose a person sitting right in the middle of hall wished to leave for washroom. He of course could pass from either side. That meant he should stepped on the foot of every singles individual on his way, because there was no space between two consecutive rows.
Without any doubt Mr. Tjeknavorian conducted 28 members of his orchestra with so much enthusiasm and joy that even the non-classical music lovers would homage to his honor. The occasion was 65. anniversary birthday of Tjeknavorian as well as 100. anniversary of Aram Khachetourian ( this year has been named Aram Khachehtourian year by UNESCO, as he described it).
The night we attended was Wallace night. The opening was Aram Khachehtourian from suite Masakard. Then he continue his work by Mozart and a solo piano player whose name was “Gotlip Omid Valish”. He said almost every member of this orchestra are Iranian! He claimed that if not both parents at least one of the parents are Iranian!
After intermission, he came back with works of Srauss. I think you know what is Strauss famous for I mean type of music!? Polka and Wallace.
He encouraged the audience to move themselves while they are sitting in a classical concert! He was telling the audience to put their hands together and follow the beats of the songs whenever he orders so! It was a teaching as well as entertainment night! It seemed he was there to make peace with people who are not in love with classical music. He would give a historical background for every suite or Allegro he had played.

Something to write about...

I would like to introduce this group whose name is Ojala, you can read about them here. This is an interesting group since they sing in both Spanish and Persian. Listen to this track here.
Listen to rest of tracks here.

woman on top!

1. In half an hour Iran is going to be playing her first round of 2006 world cup qualification game against Qatar. Iranian have always problems when playing Arab nations. So, hopfully they do well this time around.

2. I watched this movie called woman on the top. It was interesting and delighting. Somewhat funny.
Do not tell me this is an old movie. It just happened that I watched it last night. :-)
This movie is about young couple. The gorgeous Penélope Cruz plays Isabella, a young Brazilian girl who also happens to be an awesome cook. The equally attractive Murilo Benicio plays Toninho, her cocky husband who runs the restaurant where she is the chef (and, consequently, her life). Besides her beauty and her culinary skills, Isabella has also been blessed with another positive trait: her motion sickness requires her to be in control in situations involving motion (she leads while dancing; she always drives; and when she has sex, she has to be on top)!! Personally, that sounds like a relationship made in heaven.

However, Toninho isn't happy with Isabella being in control and, looking to broaden his experiences, decides to get on top of his neighbour without bothering to lock the door. A distraught (guess why) Isabella then flees to San Francisco and moves in with her childhood friend, Monica Jones (Harold Perinneau Jr.), a transvestite with an attitude.
Her beauty and cooking skills soon land her a job on a TV cooking show and she begins her rise to stardom, with the aid of her producer and new admirer, Cliff (Mark Feurstein). As Toninho flies to San Francisco and does his best to win her back, Isabella learns that her new situation with Cliff isn't really that different from her previous life.
It is very easy to be gushing about Cruz who essentially carries the film. Besides her look, her charm and her childlike demeanor are what make the film work: she is seductive, yet innocentThe other actors do a decent supporting job. The cinematography is excellent, and the wafting aroma trick that Isabella uses to win the hearts of men is amusing.
Woman on Top is simple film with a simple motion sickness twist:-)

Techno-philosophical conclusion: who doesn’t want to be on the top!
Social conclusion: life is the same wherever you are.
My conclusion: things happens because they meant to happen!! So, try hard but may be life is short!!!!!

Taxi Anyone?

Every time I get on a taxi something tend to be heard or happen. Today, I was going from Tajrish square to Mirdamad and therefore, I got on a taxi heading there, right beside my at the back of the taxi there was this girl who also got on the taxi at the same palce where I got in. She made three phone calls. This is what I heard.

First call:

Girl: Hi, mom. I bought what I wanted. I am heading home.

Mom (I suppose): on the other side said something…

Girl: I will be home soon, I just got on the taxi in Tajrish.

Mom: ….
Girl: ok, bye.

Second phone call:

Girl: hi Ahmad

Ahmad (supposedly):….

Girl: … You know that I love you, I will call you when I get home.

Ahmad:….

Girl: No, I will call you, bye

Third phone call:

Girl: Hi Navid

Navid(per say):…

Girl: no, Navid, No… you know that I love you!

Navid:…

Girl: ok, ok. I know...Find a Doctor, we will go there together! (her face expression was showing like why, why, or expressing a little worrying wrinkles, but not very nervous, though)!!

3. I haven’t seen a single person talking about election!! People only make fun! Radio in the morning plays Ey Iran almost every half an hour with voice of Mr. Banan and women as his choir!

4. Stay tune for more to come in near future :-)

Happy Valentine's Day :-)

1. Today is the day of lovers another strangers! For those who are interested to know a little about Valentine's day history.
This is fairly an appropriate site.
So, Happy Valentine's day to all Lovers and happy valentine's day to those singles who love life!

2. I wish to prove 3=2:

Therom: 3=2
proof:
suppose:
a + b = c
This can also be written as:
3a-2a+3b-2b = 3c-2c
after reorganizing:
3a+3b-3c = 2a+2b-2c
factor the corresponding numbers:
3(a+b-c) = 2 (a+b-c)
remove the same term left and right:
3=2

So, I suppose we could say: anything is possible!!:)

Azarbayejan Ashighs, Enemy vs. friends, more on making love!!

You know it is 25. anniversary of Iran revolution and therefore, there are a lot going on in respect of art and culture. Last night, I got these free tickets, which would give us permission to attend Azabayejan Ashighs group (photo shown down) from Tabriz in Bahman cultural centre. Bahman Cultural centre (This is the only link I found) is located in old slaughter house (koshtar gah) it is south of down town area close to rail road station. We arrived around 8:05 pm. The program was supposed to be started by 8:00; however, there was about 20 minutes delay. On the tickets there were sit numbers. Though, we were told that sits are taken based on first come first serve! So, the sitting process became a funny at the same time fighting practice like the game we used to play called musical chair! After being sited, the singers starting to appear on the stage. This was a marten procedure! A group would sing. Right after another group would after. And this keeps going and going until the end of the program. Recently, any concerts or recitals I have attended they have been for 2 to 3 straight hours, no intermission what so ever!! (Last time the Broadway theater I attended “mourning for Siavash (Sooge Siavash)” was 3 hours of consecutive performance no intermission and last night concert was also no different)! Reason for not having any intermissions: I am told because organizers want to finish the concerts before 11:00 pm!! Apparently there is a curfew!
So, The program was quite interesting except for the sound system. We had this speaker beside us, which started to function a few minutes after we arrived and we almost lost our hearing to its high sound energy! The entire program was performed in Turkish language. This was a drawback since I couldn’t understand a single word except those parts which someone beside me translated them for me!
Couple of observations: The crowd was most Azari speakers. There were lots of kids running around. I noticed every family on average had 4 kids! Many of the women in the concert hall had full veil (Chadoor). What I noticed was the fact when a jigs’ music was performed, they would clap to the joy and get their kids to dance!!
So, I enjoyed seeing the cultural changes!

2. Since, last time I wrote about advantages of making love and so many people welcome them. I would like to write more about advantages of making love specially for those whom having a little extra pounds:

Intercourse can burn around 200 calories, not bad for a few minutes’ work and far more entertaining than 30-minutes chum on a treadmill at the gym!

3. This is an interesting story of seeing when west meets east!
Enemy vs. Friends.


4. I like west becasue as soon as a new technology comes to life, a new researchers are getting emerged for the same reason. An example is Marc Smith.

Traveling to Europe…

I went for couple of days for a business trip to Europe. This was my first trip to outside of Iran after arriving in Tehran on September 2002. My flight was from Tehran to Istanbul then to Zurich. First thing in Switzerland was the cleanness and organization. I could not describe how clean were the stairs, elevators, and escalators in Zurich airport. It seemed that people had been walked by their hands rather than their feet on the surface of Zurich airport! But joking aside, Mehrabad Airport in Tehran is about 50 years behind any international airport I have even seen. There is no entertaining facilitate what so ever in Mehrabad airport. Even Istanbul airport was amazingly bigger, brighter and more sophisticated than Mehrabad! Besides the schedule meeting with companies I was there to visit, I had a few tasty meals with Shiraz wine which I had missed truthfully! In Istanbul airport, I got a chance to buy a European Times magazine the special issue about “How your love life keeps you healthy”. Quite amazing; this entire issue kept me entertained and informed about things that I wasn’t aware! I wish to share some of them here:

Studies are showing that arousal and active sex life may lead to longer life, better heart health, an improved ability to ward off pain, a more robust immune system and even protection against certain cancers, not to mention lower rates of depression!
Did you know that we have hormones for cuddling, feel-good and lust!! All these hormones getting dissipated in blood with making love!

So, having read the above things what else do you need to know to start making love? Putdown anything you have in your hands, call or find your partner and do him/her a favor and make love to him/her! Of course it is good for you and your partner!

2. Junior Engineer has got a birthday. Happy belated birthday to you. hopfully you find a great job as you wish.

Meygon nights…

1. All right, this is not going to be about a disco club or anything even close to that object as you may think. What I am talking about is in regard of a restaurant on the way to Shemshak ski resort and on Meygon village.
Time: Friday noon, Target: getting out of polluted Tehran and eat something in outskirt of Tehran area.
So, with those idea in mind we headed to sadr highway heading to Lashkarak for a day of rest out of crowded city of Tehran. We arrived at Lashkark area and decided to continue our journey towards Shemshak to reach Kohestan restaurant. However, because of being hungry we decided to shorten our trip and stay at a dinning restaurant that is called Meygon Nights (Shabhaye Meygon). To my surprise there were only a few people in the restaurant, I truly was expecting more crowd for a Friday around 1:15 pm! Then I like quiet area, though! As soon as we walked in we were asked whether we wish to go to the garden (Baghcheh) and sit there (considering Meygon is close to ski resort and it is cold), this became a surprise to us! Moving on, to play along with what we are told, we said sure we would like to go there. So, we were guided to an area that was called Garden. Garden was closed by thin transparent plastics wall where you could see the snow covered mountains and a creek of water stream. The roof was decorated by cotton type texture.
What would next capture your eyes was the fact that they had setup beds (Takht) where you could sit on them with a table set in the middle of the each bed. On each table it was covered by at least two large blanket! Yop, you guess it right, there were also an electrical heater beneath of the table under blankets ( For those who are familiar with Koorsi, it was a Koorsi but with an electrical heater)! So, we loved the place and we decided to stay and eat traditional Persian meal (i.e. Kabaab and chiken Kabab). So, after lunch when we decided to leave I realized on Fridays people do not eat earlier than 2:00 pm, because by 2:30 the place of packed.
About the food: The quality of the food was not supreme, however, I would suggest that chicken kabab was a better choice compare to fillet Kabab! The only major problem with such a place was that when we got our food it was warm however, less than a few minutes it got cold because of the coldness of the place. Overall, a great experience highly recommended!

2. I may be going a way for couple of days. So, you won’t hear from me for at least until next week sometimes!:-)
3. Junior engineer your comment area is lost!!! Congrad. Of starting Salsa, again. keep doing it, buddy! I missed those Hart house classes, too!
4.Dear Jane: why not Michael Moore?? Any objection?!:-)

It Could happen to you

I think I can admit that I appreciate Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett songs a lot! One of the most famous one, which is usually at the beginning of Walt Disney’s movies, called Young at heart. The lyrics are as follow and you could listen to sample of this song here.

Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you
If you're young at heart.
For it's hard, you will find, to be narrow of mind
If you're young at heart.

You can go to extremes with impossible schemes.
You can laugh when your dreams fall apart at the seams.
And life gets more exciting with each passing day.
And love is either in your heart, or on it's way.

Don't you know that it's worth every treasure on earth
To be young at heart.
For as rich as you are, it's much better by far
To be young at heart.

And if you should survive to 105,
Look at all you'll derive out of being alive!
And here is the best part, you have a head start
If you are among the very young at heart.

And if you should survive to 105,
Look at all you'll derive out of being alive!
And here is the best part, you have a head start
If you are among the very young at heart.

Iran Skiing on the news

I just accidently came across this article, It worth reading it, though. I should admit that I like to Heli-ski! It is trilling experince! Once I got a chance to do it, it was in Whistler, Vancouver:-) Iran, but he ran faster.

Couple of short statements

1. There is no manufacturing process that is completely environmental friendly!
2. President Khatami interview with Newsweek.
3. What is the best way to deal with dilemmas around us? Just by not repeating it and trying to avoid it or rectify it!
4. Michael Moore site.
5. Different point of view from Newsweek on Philosopher President, speech of Mr. Khatami in World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

Dialectic, ration, 4 years of school…

1. I am not sure was it the effect of Dawson's Creek that on my last post no one left me a comment...:))

2. It was a few days before our final exams back in 4 years of engineering school. As our usual gathering on Thursdays we had been gathered in our gymnasium playing indoor soccer with friends. While sitting on the bench and waiting for our turn to go in and play. A good friend who was studying Airospace Engineering at the time turned to and told me:
“Ali, Do you know how I feel these days? We have gone to school for more than 4 years and studied engineering and now almost to the end of our studies I feel so what? I feel I have wasted 4 consecutive years! Because most of things we learned I hardly can remember! We learned basics and I feel there are a lot more to learn. I have no confidence and no hope to go out and look for a job! A nihilistic sense has gone all over my body where I feel dissatisfaction with my studies.”
This was very similar sense that I had been experiencing at the time and I was felling the same kind of sensation. I told him give me a day to think of this matters and then we will talk tomorrow. I wanted to find out why we had chosen the way that we did!
The next day, after some careful thinking and talking to couple of other students, I realized I am not alone in having this type of senses. So, I felt I have to find out a convincing argument and at the same time giving him the right of what he feels!
The next day I told him: the reason that we have gone to university is not only because of the fact in getting the any degrees (it may seems so). However, the reason for taking higher education is to learn how the rational phenomena around us work. How can we find out about them if we wish so. How should we interact with others in our social world based on rational thoughts. Our four years of study is matter of learning and getting exposed to more cultures and ideas. And the most important item is to learn how to tolerate. As I put it I think we ought to develop in 3-dimensional space and not only getting developed in 1-D. So, as long as we gain experiences in all directions, we should not feel bad. Perhaps, our liberal studies (i.e. psychology, environment, geography and philosophy, etc) come handier than our core courses.

3. We are told to be rational. From the first day we are born we are told to be rational, fair and act on honor. Dialectic (i.e. discussion) is process of rational argument. Throughout our life we discuss matters with one another. We argue. We try to convince. However, I wonder throughout these processes have we acted fair towards one another? If we act upon our heart and not follow our rational thought, have we acted upon honor?

4. Something again about cellular phone in Iran. I have been trying to reach a person for past few hours, I hear this message: "This person is liquidised gone to Ocean" (just joking).

5. I have catch a cold and it seems my sinuses are infected, as a result I'd better go to sleep! I am starting to talk in none sense!!

Blah, blah, Blog!!!

1. I wish to share couple of stats about web logs or blogs.
Did you know just a simple search in Whois database returns over 20000 domain names that include the word “blog”! A recent survey by Perseus Development Corp., in Brintree, Mass., estimated that there are over 4.1 million blogs just on blog-hosting sites such as liveJournal and BlogCity!! I personally think the number is perhaps much larger than this! I wonder how many writers we have in this world!
You know what I wonder? I wonder with so many writers who know how to express themselves, why do we still have so many misunderstandings?!?!?
I guess personal blogs commencing that we have diversity of voices, though!

2. Jewel is not completely one of my favorite singers. However, I like the song with the title "Hands". This song was originally part of theDawson’s Creek sound track.

If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we're all OK
And not to worry 'cause worry is wasteful
And useless in times like these
I won't be made useless
I won't be idle with despair
I will gather myself around my faith
For light does the darkness most fear

My hands are small, I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken

Poverty stole your golden shoes
But it didn't steal your laughter
And heart ache came to visit me
But I knew it wasn't ever after

We'll fight, not out of spite
For someone must stand up for what's right
'Cause where there's a man who has no voice
There ours shall go singing

My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken

In the end only kindness matters
In the end only kindness matters

I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray

My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken

My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
We are never broken

We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's mind
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's heart

Ethics, Engineers, responsibilities towards society, Engineering Ring, and more bubbling…

I should perhaps have written this article during the Bam’s earthquake. But for the past few months working, living and understanding Iranian society, I realized not many people (please look at the word I said not many; I do not mean all!) are not work conscious. We work because we are told so! We hardly consider how this attitude affects the way our society shapes. Not to mention how our cultural values gets developed when the ethical attitude in society diminishes. Also, I went to Melli Bank to wire some money to Shahrk Azmayesh, I saw a big sign stating on it: Ethical issues of a bank employee. Having said that as the expression goes: “whenever you catch fish from sea, it is considered fresh (i.e. mahi ro har vaghat az Aab begiri tazeh ast)”. So, I decided to write the following article with help of engineering ethics book. I start the story with construction of the St Lawrence River. Because there is a rumor that the original Canadian Iron Ring is manufactured from parts of the collapsed bridge!

Construction on the Quebec Bridge, 11 km above Quebec City, officially began in 1900. On 29 Aug 1907, when the bridge was nearly finished, the southern cantilever span twisted and fell 46 m into the St. Lawrence River. Seventy-five workmen, many of the caughnawaga Indians (native North Americans), were killed in Canada’s worst bridge disaster. An inquiry established that the accident had been caused by faulty design and inadequate engineering supervision. Work was resumed, but on 11 Sept 1916 a new centre span being hoisted into position fell into the river, killing 13 men. The bridge was completed in 1917 and the Prince of Wales officially opened it 22 Aug 1919.

Having stated the above story it is said that the story above motivated a group of seven prominent engineers met in Montreal, Quebec to discuss a concern for general guidance and solidarity of the profession. Theses seven prominent engineers formed the nucleus of an organization whose object would be to bind all members of the engineering profession in Canada more closely together and to imbue them with their responsibilities TOWARDS SOCIETY.
They enlisted the services of the late Rudyard Kipling, who developed appropriate Ritual and symbolic Iron Ring. The purpose was outlined y Rudyard Kipling in the following words: “The Ritual of the calling an engineer has been instituted with the simple end directing the young engineer towards a consciousness of his/her profession and its significance, and indicating to the older engineer his/her responsibilities in receiving, welcoming and supporting the young engineers in their beginnings.”

By wearing an Iron Ring on little finger on the hand that we write with, we remind ourselves that we would be responsible for life of people and our actions toward the society .

Having said that I wonder how many of engineers think about such a responsibility when designing anything?! Not to mention other professions! We should raise our educated people’s culture and their openness towards new proposes then expect other level of society augment their cultural values.

2. If junior_engineer reads this, please fix your comment area it doesn’t work. I should indicate that I missed a real Salsa dancing in courthouse and flamingo clubs!

Couple of news...

1. I am going to be a little more busy:-) for next few days, putting together two proposals. Hopefully when they got implemented I will share them here.

2. I was reading the ecomonist today, came across this article about Iran. I think the economist analysis is great. So, delight yourself!

3. Alexthegirl has written another wonderful piece about birthday, worth reading, though 17 January 2004 .