Kamangir (Archer)

On Alcohol and Opium Use in Iran

Kamangir | September 11, 2007 | Category Iran

500,000 Iranians consume alcohol, according to Dr. Hossein Rafiee, the head of the substance-abuse research facility Darius. Rafiee added, “1,600,000 Iranians use Opium and 10% of the children whose fathers use drugs will definitely use drugs” [Persian].

An e-Friend from Argentina

Kamangir | September 11, 2007 | Category Personal

Blogging not only helps you blow off steam, but also it brings you friends from all around the world. For example, last night I had the privilege of talking to a gentleman form South Africa, as my only e-friend from the African continent. Another one of these great friends is Carlos E. Hös from Argentina. It is a shame that I cannot read his blog, because of language problem, but we have been able to communicate pretty well anyways.

Recently, Carlos sent me a list of questions, to which I provided very short answers. I just noticed that he has published my babbling in his blog. Gracias Carlos y tome el cuidado!

An Old Persian Porn/Sexology Book

Kamangir | September 11, 2007 | Category Iran

I went with my mother [?] to a place [someone's house]. She started talking to the hostess [not exact translation], so I went to the rooftop to sleep [a common place to sleep in the hot cities close to deserts]. I saw a handsome young man sleeping there naked … I just found myself massaging him. He woke up. I was seventeen at the time …

This is not Playboy. This is the text written in black in the snapshot shown below, chosen from a book published in 1824 in India, in Persian. The red text at the bottom of some other pages of the book offers a sexology self-study, regarding different postures for sex. See more pages of this book in the photoblog. Obviously, they are of pornographic content.

Isn’t it amazing how natural stuff used to exist in Iran not a long while ago? I am guessing the book is published in India because of technical reasons. Because, the book is in plain Persian, of the time.

Source: Welcome-Images, through Iranian.com.

Police Violence

Kamangir | September 11, 2007 | Category Human Rights, Iran, Islam, Islamic Republic

Another Police raid on low-level criminals. More pictures in the photoblog.

Islamic Republic: “9/11 was an inside Job”

Kamangir | September 11, 2007 | Category Iran, Islamic Republic, US

In the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the state-run news outlets preferred to discuss the conspiracy theories. Fars News writes “130 American Experts: 9/11 was an inside Job.” Quoting an unknown Russian “expert”, the website writes “It is not imaginable that Muslim terrorists have been able to prepare in six months” [Persian]. Another state-run news source, Mehr News, quotes a 911 conspiracy website that, “The Collapse of the Towers was not because of the Crash, 9/11 could have been planned by the Us administration” [Persian]. Mehr News carries the claims of the “Russian expert” as well [Persian]. In another report, Fars News calls the 9/11 attacks “A Big Lie”. “In September 11, 2001, an event unfolded which was a big lie and a planned scenario for supermacy, according to the majority of experts”, Fars News writes [Persian]. The rather long piece in Fars News finishes with a set of “numerical facts about the attacks”, including the connection between the 11 from 9/11 to the number of letters of Bin Ladan’s name in Persian, which is 11.

Angry Man Sets his Car on Fire

Kamangir | September 11, 2007 | Category Iran

Today, 4:50pm, local time, an angry man set his car on fire in Tehran. Reportedly, he was raged because of a flat tire and only calmed down when he saw his car aflame. The firefighters came to the scene in five minutes and the young man was taken into Police custody for further investigation [Persian].

Fortuneteller Executed in the Holy City

Kamangir | September 11, 2007 | Category Human Rights, Iran, Islam, Islamic Republic

A fortuneteller was executed in the holy city of Qom, on charges of rape. More (graphic) pictures in the photoblog.

9/11 Tribute

Kamangir | September 11, 2007 | Category US

A tribute to all the people who were killed in New York on that horrible day. Let’s hope for a day in which no one would pursue their goals at the cost of killing others.