Kamangir (Archer)

Iranian “Democracy”

Kamangir | November 8, 2006 | Category Iran

Is this democracy?

Sex, War, and Religion

Kamangir | November 8, 2006 | Category Iran

There are things in the world which only belong to adults, like sex and war. It has not been like this from the beginning of the human race, but recently, many of us have managed to become wise, even amid brutal conflicts. However, we do not seem to have been so generous and open-minded when it comes to tolerating children’s right regarding another adult habit, i.e. religion.

GIMP!

Kamangir | November 7, 2006 | Category Iran

This is official, I hate Bill Gates.

I have been using GIMP for a long time, for professionally editing images. Then, independent of that, I needed a software to extract frames from an AVI file, any format. I found out that the solution is GIMP, equipped with GAP. This is fantastic. Just imagine what would happen if he had not copyrighted everything! Probably, then nobody could make any money out of it and I was using a Spectrum.

“The Internet Black Holes”

Kamangir | November 7, 2006 | Category Iran

“Click on one of the 13 enemies of the Internet to fight against censorship” (see). RSF lists 61 imprisoned bloggers (see), including Iran’s Arash Sigarchi (see).

Graffiti In Tehran

Kamangir | November 7, 2006 | Category Iran

Not very Islamic graffiti in Tehran. See more pictures here (see). Link from Balatarin (see).

“MidEast Youth”

Kamangir | November 6, 2006 | Category Iran

Recently, I found an amazingly well-organized discussion group called Mideast Youth, through View From Iran. This is the “short version” of the group’s mission statement,

Mideast Youth is a network dedicated to eliminate extremist ideologies and stupidity from the Middle East. Arabs, Iranians, and Israelis post side-by-side to prove the fact that moderation, interfaith understanding, and sanity does exist in the region.

So, I called them and asked to be invloved in the discussion and they generously accepted. I posted this introduction today,

I am Arash and I have been living in Canada since last September. My wife and I are studying here and I think we will be staying where we are for at least three more years. I was born in Tehran, the polluted capital city of Iran, and I speak Persian as my first language. Since October 2004, I have been writing in my blog, Kamangir, about Iran, Islam, and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

I am not Muslim. Actually, I don’t believe in God. I understand and respect all religions, at least those of them I have been exposed to, but I find it irrational when followers of these religions impose their beliefs on others. Having come from Iran, I have first hand experience of such behaviors.

I have a friend who is from an Arabic country. When I started talking to him about what is called Islam in Iran, shockingly, he could not understand half of it, and the other half, he was sure had nothing to do with his impression of Islam. I also have a blog-friend who is an Iranian living in Israel (see). He talks very frequently about Jewish traditions, which very regularly I find very interesting. So, looking at religion, and tradition, from afar, it is an amazing and supportive institution. Whilst, I have no intention of living under its destructive influence any more.

This is why I’m here. To hear and to talk about good things about religion and traditions of the people of the middle east and to analyze and show how these tender institutions become deadly and hazardous. I trust this can be achieved in a network which is dedicated to eliminating “extremist ideologies and stupidity from the Middle East”.(source)

Fake Protests

Kamangir | November 5, 2006 | Category Iran

Sometimes people say lies. Sometimes, nations lie. Sometimes, nations lie to other nations. Sometimes, nations fool themselves.

Any Iranian who has gone to school after the revolution knows that Aban 13th (November 4th) is a big fake protest. For of dozens of events, Aban 13th is a day off for all students. Because, it is the students’s day, meaning students are bussed to gathering places to chant against a list of names and hail another list of names. Still, we, Iranians, are doing it over and over and our national television broadcasts it and no one says “Hey! This is a lie! Please!”

“Handsome Murderer”

Kamangir | November 5, 2006 | Category Iran

After Saddam was sentenced to death (see), Baztab, a website close to the Iranian Intelligence and Sepah, posted a picture of him with the caption “the most handsome murderer of the history” (see). Frankly, I see nothing here but a desperate old man. But, any way, I was thinking who is Baztab comparing with Saddam? A picture on the wall in the office where the author is sitting?

A Contest Held and Lost by DW-World

Kamangir | November 4, 2006 | Category Iran

Important Notice: Please read this note before reading this post.

Recently, DW-World announced the ten finalists of the 2006 International Weblog Awards in the Best Persian Blogs category (see). Since then, the conduct of the competition and the rule the Iranian super blogger Hoder (see) played in it, have been under harsh criticism.

On October 24th, Hoder posted a short note on his Persian blog

List of finalists in DW competition. All of them except for [a blogger's name] are selected based on my suggestion.

“We Have Missiles”

Kamangir | November 2, 2006 | Category Iran

I am just stunned by the “we have missiles” show off of the Islamic Republic. That’s it. See more pictures here (see) (see).

Count Down

Kamangir | November 1, 2006 | Category Iran

“Launching missiles with over 1000Km range, a new military drill begins in southern part of Iran”. That was how Sepah chief commander began his statement (see). He also added “drill starts in Hormozgan [the southern Iranian province] and some islands [in the Persian Gulf] from air and ground up to 1400 Km deep”. Probably thinking about the average Iranian’s rule, he continued “also, 788 Basij brigades will be engaged in the maneuver in 14 provinces, their responsibilities include defending areas inside cities, defending strategic points, facing probable protests, and saving victims”. He then called the coming American military drill in the Persian Gulf as a “political and propaganda-based events which has no military value”. Asked if the Iranian maneuver is an answer to their movements, he replied “we had planned this and we have just shifted it forward”.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the war with the “Great Satan”.

Good for Spies

Kamangir | November 1, 2006 | Category Iran

November 4th is the 27th anniversary of the hostage taking of the American Embassy staff in Tehran (see). This event is called “conquering the espionage nest” in the Islamic Republic literature and has specific ceremonies for itself. Today, ISNA posted pictures from the embassy building, which has been turned into a museum (see). The one shown here is from there. This stone-age circuit reminds me of Enigma (see).

I think the world has become a much better place since that time, at least for spies. Now, you can just have your own little blog and distribute classified documents whenever you click on “publish”.

Life in Tehran, Uncensored

Kamangir | November 1, 2006 | Category Iran

Interesting pictures from daily life in Tehran. Link from Balatarin (see). See more here (see).