Kamangir (Archer)

Democracy vs. Oligarchy in Iranian Blogsphere, or Balatarin vs. Sobhaneh

Kamangir | October 9, 2006 | Category Iran

Since the early days of Iranian presence in the web, we have had our own ways of posting and finding hot links of the day. For me, it all began with Gooya (see), “the most useful Persian media”. Gooya News (see) was a perfect source for news, compared to the vast number of state-run news agencies of the time. That’s probably why the Islamic Republic has filtered Gooya News and all its aliases (this is the last one (see)). What Gooya News does, apart from the material produced by its own anonymous crew, is copying content from other sources and gathering them in one place. Gooya was quite successful for a long while.
Then, blogging came, with its coveted spiritual leader, Hossein Derakhshan (aka Hoder) (see). For a few years he was the voice which encouraged everyone to write in their own blogs. He also established a more modern version of Gooya News, called Sobhaneh (see), means breakfast, with the slogan “the most important meal of the day”. Sobhaneh and its numerous aliases (see) are also filtered in Iran. In those days and even now, it was quite common to read in a blog “thanks to Sobhaneh for the link”.
Any one who has an account in Sobhaneh can post links there. Also, having an account you can comment on links. The problem is, since a long while ago no one can register in Sobhaneh any more. So, you refer to Sobhaneh for important news and then close the page.
If Gooya was a dictatorship, of probably a good king, Sobhaneh is an Oligarchy. In some sense it is a good version of the Islamic Republic; you may benefit from it, but you have no control over it. In this analogy, Hoder resembles the supreme leader. He benefits from the +20,000 hits each day (see) in two way; Sobhaneh carries ads and Hoder has a personal location there to advertise. More complaints were heard when he devised a rule that members can post blog links on Fridays, and he did so in the entire week. As Hoder returns to earth, leaving the position of the “Iranian Super Blogger”, Sobhaneh is also facing a similar fall.
Two months ago, Mehdi (see) mentioned his ideas about an Iranian digg (see). That was the beginning of Balatarin (see), means “the highest”. It is a directory of links where everyone can register and send a link, there are 366 users registered at this time. Also, everyone can post comments and vote, positive or negative, for all the links. the list then is sorted according to the ranks. He is adding more features everyday, including RSS feed, content icons, language icons, etc. This is how Balatarin introduces itself (see).
Compared to Gooya and Sobhaneh, Balatarin is the ultimate democracy. Sometimes, I think if I had designed Balatarin, I would have written my blog’s link everywhere. Mehdi seems to be super democratic; his link comes as a short text in a page somewhere not very important (see). Looking at his blog’s counter, it is obvious that he is not really benefiting from Balatarin (see).

Children’s Day

Kamangir | October 9, 2006 | Category Iran

As Wikipedia says the International Children’s day is June 1, in many but not all countries (see). In Iran, it was celebrated yesterday. Irna says (see),

Director General of Welfare Organization for Children and Adults, Seyed Mohammad-Hossein Javadi, on Monday said that for the first time all children across the country will sign a treaty on children’s rights on the Universal Children’s Day, October 8.

These are some pictures of the event.

The Jewish Republic, or Is Yom Kippur Another Compulsory Ramadan?

Kamangir | October 5, 2006 | Category Iran

In a recent post (see), I complained about the way Ramadan rituals are practiced in Iran. My central point was that Muslims force others to refrain from eating and drinking because they want to fast. A comment came from Sivan, who probably lives in Amsterdam,

…you might be interested to know that in Israel we mentioned yesterday Yom Kippur, which is a day of fasting and repentance. Everything is closed, not a single car drives the streets, and most of the TV channels are not broadcasting. Do you think we can call Israel “the Jewish republic”?

I had heard a similar story from an Iranian who lives in Israel (see) and also from Lisa (see). I replied,

…does Yom Kippur mean no one can use their cars during that day? Because it is not quite understandable for me to think of a country in which every single person follows the same religious ideas.

The answer came as this,

…It’s hard to believe, I know, but that’s the way it is. Of course, not everybody in Israel are Jewish or Jews…: there are Arabs, Muslims, Christians, Armenians, Druzes, Ahmadis, Bahais, etc. I don’t know how it works in places where the majority is Muslim, for example, but I can promise you that in Jerusalem (where I live) and in most big cities there is no traffic whatsoever. Not a single restaurant is open, nor any shop, office, museum, or any other thing which you might call “secular”. …Tell me for you’re interested in more complaints…

So, I looked at wikipedia (see)

…In Israel, public non-observance (such as eating or driving a motor vehicle) is taboo….

That doesn’t sound good to me. Any response?

Two Scenes From Iran

Kamangir | October 4, 2006 | Category Iran

Destroying alcoholic beverages.

Ahmadinejad is having another trip. People, pushed back by the fences, shout “Nuclear Energy Is Our Definite Right”.

Why at School?

Kamangir | October 3, 2006 | Category Iran

I read this morning in the paper about the Amish school shooting incident (that’s were I learnt the name Amish). It seems this is the third horrible experience like this for Americans, in just one week, and I can imagine how many times the Iranian national television will repeat this sentence to show that America is right at the middle of the hell. Any way, I don’t know why these things happen, even though I have seen Bowling for Columbine, and actually I am not very much concerned about it now. I have another question.

I can understand that any person can get really mad. Then, some may think of a bloody revenge. I understand this. But, why do they choose schools? Charles Carl Roberts IV seems to have wanted to kill young girls. Obviously, you can find more young girls in a cinema or an amusement park or a market place or even a church/mosque. Does anyone know why they prefer schools? And I am assuming that a hundred others do not happen in the list of places I mentioned in the above.

Jokes About Ahmadinejad

Kamangir | October 3, 2006 | Category Iran

Ella asked for Persian Jokes about Bush (see). I think most of the jokes about Bush that I know are translated from English. So, I rather translate jokes about Ahmadinejad. It is obvious that you can always replace Ahmadinejad with Bush. The Perisan version are from doomdamdotcom (see) (see).

Ahmadinejad uses ecstasy, then he takes a shower.

Ahmadinejad asks someone how much he is worth. He replies 5$. Ahmadinejad complains that it’s how much his jacket (the special one) is worth. The man says, “that’s why I said you are worth 5$”.

When Ahmadinejad was elected he announced that he will reduce all prices, except for dairies’. “To appreciate all those cows how voted for me”, he described (cow is a Persian insult).

Someone goes to hell and finds Ahmadinejad dancing with Angelina Jolie. He calls the hell’s officer and says “I want to be punished like Ahmadinejad”. The officer replies “that’s Angelina’s punishment.”

At last Bush and Ahmadinejad met each other. Bush shook Ahmadinejad’s hand and said “I am Bush (Bush in Persian means “its smell/stink”)”. He replied “I am itself”.

If you want to see Ahmadinejad in your dreams (it is important for Muslims to dream about religious figures and their deceased family members and there are a lot of rituals to do to see them in your dream. They all begin with “say this prayer for two months…”), do not take a shower for forty days. Then, for forty nights, right at nine, put the litter bin at the middle of the hall. You will see him in your dream at the fortieth night.

Ahmadinejad sends an order that from now on dates should replace sugar in all governmental buildings, because it has a stone (the same Persian word means both fruit-stone and nucleus) and energy.

Ahmadinejad’s son was watching a porn movie. When he saw Ahmadinejad at the door he shouted “look daddy what these Z

onists are doing to this innocent Palestinian girl!”

Do you know what is the difference between Ahmadinejad and a physician? Actually, when you feel bad you go to a physician, but when you see Ahmadinejad you feel bad.

I did my best to translate teh jokes. Still, I am not sure if they are funny at all in English.

Ahmadinejad’s Second Post

Kamangir | October 2, 2006 | Category Iran

Ahmadinejad’s blog now has two posts. In his second post (English (see), Persian (see)), he says the delay between his two posts is because “I preferred to spend all the time that I have allocated for this web log, to read the viewpoints of the visitors”. The post follows with a nine-page discussion he has had in the US. Frankly, I did not read it and did not get why he is using his blog as a news agency. After all, I think he should have hired a translator who is a bit more familiar with blogging.  How many bloggers do you think use the term “web log” with a blank between the two parts? Wasn’t blog considered to be a personal and informal way of talking?

Ramdan, My Story

Kamangir | October 2, 2006 | Category Iran

The holy month of Ramadan began about a week ago. Living in a country where you are assumed to be a Muslim by default, my main impression of this holy event had been the fact that eating and drinking are also added to the long list of not-to-do stuff. Though, I have to admit that as time goes on, more Muslims understand that other people may think differently. I would add that the Islamic Republic is also loosing its power, and charisma. On top of that, the majority of those that fast are nice people who are just delighted to be invited in God’s feast, that’s an Islamic/Iranian name for Ramadan.

It is interesting to know that prices go up at the beginning of Ramadan, thanks to the weak Iranian economy. For a month which should be a symbol of spending time to make a better relationship with God, this is a bit strange, and yet a little bit shameful. Actually, statistics and the average Iranian, both, say that the demand for groceries increases at Ramadan. My father in law put it like this, “you eat anyways, but you have a good reason to eat more in Ramadan”.

I used this long introduction to reach to my interest in Ramadan. Iftar, breaking the fast, is treated very much like a feast, even in Winnipeg. Being proud of having listened to God’s orders, Iranians sit around the table cloth and fill their stomach with food, some of which are customary to Ramadan.

The picture shows a typical Iranian Ramadan table. From top left it goes like this,

Herbs: You can make a fantastically delicious herb-cheese sandwich, which I do miss here.

Aash: A soup with herbs and starch, good for blowing your stomach off.

Tea.

Bread: This one is Sangak, and is it delicious.

The second row,

Cheese: Which obviously is not a filtered creamy gel.

Zolbia: A Ramadan-specific sweet cookie.

Dates: Fantastic source of sugar.

Any way, happy Ramadan to believers and enjoyers, and both.

Safe Sex, Or Arab States Urge Israelis to Use Condom

Kamangir | October 2, 2006 | Category Iran

This is a scene from the national television (INN). Thanks Onze Man in Teheran (see) and View From Iran (see). Thanks Farid for the link (see).