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May 31, 2006

Don't Attack Iran

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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!

Posted by mehrdad at 11:27 AM | Politics 2006 |

May 30, 2006

Word into Art

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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.

>> View my photos of the exhibition here.

Posted by mehrdad at 12:26 PM | Art | Look-alikes |

May 24, 2006

Dr Jahanbegloo and Dr Who

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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.

Posted by mehrdad at 01:17 PM | Look-alikes | Politics 2006 |

May 23, 2006

The New Statue of Liberty

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They fight dirty!

Posted by mehrdad at 04:29 PM | Politics 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

Posted by mehrdad at 05:20 PM | Journal 2006 | Technology |

May 16, 2006

Guinness look-alike

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This food should be eaten with a pint of Guinness!

Posted by mehrdad at 05:35 PM | Look-alikes |

May 14, 2006

Jazz Cafe

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Jazz Cafe - inside and outside - on Saturday 13 May 2006.

>> View more photos here

Posted by mehrdad at 10:58 PM | Look-alikes | Music | Photography |

May 12, 2006

London Web Designers

>> View photos here

Posted by mehrdad at 01:49 PM | Photography | Work |

Art Gallery with Max

>> View photos here

Posted by mehrdad at 12:01 PM | Photography |

Forty-two!

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"What is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?"

According to Douglas Adams' book HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy the answer is Forty-two!

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!

I also made it to the Iranian of the day page! Hip Hip Hooray!

Posted by mehrdad at 11:27 AM | Journal 2006 |

May 10, 2006

Nature's Confetti

Nature's Confetti: Spring in North London
>> View the photos here

Posted by mehrdad at 11:10 AM | Photography |

May 09, 2006

Ministerial Briefs

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This week John Prescott was stripped of his departmental briefs.

Posted by mehrdad at 11:42 AM | Politics 2006 | Puns |

May 04, 2006

London Aquarium

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Today I spent an afternoon with Max watching sharks & tropical fish at the London Aquarium.

>> See the photos here

>> Live webcam of sharks at the London Aquarium

Posted by mehrdad at 10:28 PM | Journal 2006 | Photography |

May 03, 2006

Paykan

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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.

>> View larger image

>> And here is my brother with his beloved Paykan


Posted by mehrdad at 12:07 PM | Paykan | Technology |

May 02, 2006

Exhaust

This morning Martin a mechanic from Krak?w, fixed the exhaust.
>> See the photos here

Posted by mehrdad at 05:00 PM | Journal 2006 | Photography |

May 01, 2006

Magnolia hunting

This weekend we went Magnolia hunting in North London.
>> Here are the results!

Posted by mehrdad at 06:05 PM | Journal 2006 | Photography |