May 31, 2006
Don't Attack Iran
Hands off the pomegranate!
Don't Attack Iran: Public meeting
Friday 2nd June 2006 6.30pm
Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London WC1 (opposite Euston Station)
Speakers: Human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize Winner Shirin Ebadi, Tony Benn, Lindsey German (Stop the War Coalition), Jeremy Corbyn MP (CND), Zibir-Mir Hosseini & Elaheh Rostami-Povey (London Middle Eastern Institute, SOAS).
See you there!
May 30, 2006
Word into Art
Iranian sculptor Parviz Tanavoli & Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Word into Art: Artists of the Modern Middle East is a new exhibition at the British Museum. The exhibition demonstrates the imaginative ways in which artists across the Middle East and North Africa are using the power of the written word in their art today. It includes wonderful examples of calligraphy transforming writing into art, books of poetry, and works which reflect current issues facing the modern Middle East. Sculptures in the British museum?s Great Court include works by Parviz Tanavoli.
May 24, 2006
Dr Jahanbegloo and Dr Who
Dr. Ramin Jahanbegloo & Christopher Eccleston as Dr. Who
Some observers fear a new round of crackdowns on intellectuals is taking place in Iran. They point to Dr. Ramin Jahanbegloo who has been held in a Tehran prison for more than three weeks.
Iranian intellectuals who are active both in Iran and abroad are like Dr. Who! They are time-travelling adventurers who explore time and space fighting for justice. I really hope Dr. Jahanbegloo could get back from the 14th to 21st century this time.
May 23, 2006
May 18, 2006
BBC Mix-up
A graduate from the Congo, who was at BBC for a job interview, appeared on the news channel in place of an IT expert after a mix-up.
>> Watch the interview here
May 16, 2006
Guinness look-alike
This food should be eaten with a pint of Guinness!
May 14, 2006
May 12, 2006
Forty-two!
"What is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?"
According to Douglas Adams' book HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy
As I am 42 today, here are some facts on it:
- The ASCII code for 42 is the asterisk: *, which is used as a shortcut for
"everything"! - 42 degrees is the angle of refraction in a water droplet which creates a
spectrum, or rainbow! - A pair of dice have a total of 42 dots!
- 42 is the natural vibration frequency of human DNA!
May 10, 2006
Nature's Confetti
May 09, 2006
May 04, 2006
London Aquarium
Today I spent an afternoon with Max watching sharks & tropical fish at the London Aquarium.
May 03, 2006
Paykan
Few days ago I saw this Hillman Hunter - Paykan - parked in Archway, North London.
Paykan's history:
In 1966, Iran Khodro manufactured the Hunter from kits. The resulting Paykan - Persian for arrow- became Iran's national car.
Total local production began in 1985, after the original British production lines were closed and Peugeot's contract to supply the kits was cancelled. While a little known fact, Paykan CKD was one of Great Britain's biggest automotive export earners. With Peugeot's help, a new contract was struck where Iran Khodro would manufacture the Paykan with the same body panels but Peugeot 504 engines and suspension, for six more years.
In 1991, Iran Khodro began manufacturing its own parts for the Paykan. In its ultimate incarnation, the Paykan had a 98 per cent local content. The Paykan finally ceased production in May 2005. It had been expected that the Samand, a car that entered development in 1996 and was first produced in 2000, would take over the Paykan's role. The Samand is Iran Khodro's fully home-grown effort.
>> And here is my brother with his beloved Paykan