Reality, in-between life and cinema,

Of the main factors that a serious drama film would be considered Good, is being real. That is why when we, film enthusiasts are watching a serious film we closely scrutinize the theme lest the movie gets distance from the reality. And anything beyond our understanding can fall to the category: unaccepted. With this I should not be misunderstood. I am not defending any low budget cinema. In fact I am trying to help myself widen the concept of what we consider reality.

But first, what is reality? Is reality bounded only to our own experience?

Just few months ago I witness a horrible car accident in which a car bumped a woman in a high way in Tehran . I was sitting next to my friend who was driving the car. Our speed was around 30 km/h. we were on a loop approaching an intersection with the high way. I heard the sound of something like hard plastics breaking. Then I saw pieces of things similar to chopped refusal thrown from a chopper in the air in front of me. In the middle of trashes I saw a human body, distanced about two meters from the ground upside down in the air. The hair was long and drawn-downward like a child swinging fast. At this time a yellow Taxi with a speed around 70Km/h approached the tumbling person from the upper part of the front glass bumped the face of tossing person that I later found out was a woman.

The scene was exactly like a movie sequence which I personally might have measured; overacted. And now I know what an accident may look like in real life!

Now the other way around; we were at the house of an Iranian friend who together with a foreign friend were about to go to airport and I was there just to say good bye. My Iranian readers know we have a custom when a family member or a friend is about to start a journey we throw a bowl of water after him and before that we let him or her pass underneath a Koran. And the one passing below usually kisses the book.

That night to my surprise her family whose lifestyle exhibit no preference to Islamic ideals did the same and the mother of the family held the Koran up and the daughter passed under it and she kissed the book. But more I was amazed when I saw the foreign friend did too and passed under the Holy book and even gave a kiss to the Koran. By this, in my view she portrayed a friendly gesture but, if what I saw was a sequence from a drama, I would undoubtedly consider it as a goof. Hence, kissing the Holy book by none-Muslim is not only funny but also an offense; "This is indeed a Holy Koran, in a book well-guarded, which none shall touch but those who are clean..." (56:77-79).

In the end, the next time when we watch a drama, before criticizing the veracity of the idea, reconsider our understanding of elements characterizing reality itself.

The Shia Persians

Episode 1-
Iranians generally believe everything under the sun has begun either in Iran or by Iranians. This starts with fire and goes for many other things like money, post, music, chess and etc. The Shia too, believes all needed for man kind is directly or indirectly instructed by their Holy figures. Thus no values really are considered if not through their measures.

Episode 2-
It is Ashura now. The ten days mourning ceremony for the "Master of Martyrs of the world, Hussein" which you can read on hanging banners. The incident happened about 14 centuries ago and still is commemorated by Shia population as an ultimate spiritual and unparalleled lesson to generations to come. He is said to be the most just and bravest of all times. Everywhere is covered with black cloths honor his spirited historical challenge. In every neighborhood temporary spaces built out of adjustable metal bars also enclosed and roofed by black cloths. These places are for people mostly youth to hold their mourning ceremony which includes a number of speeches and reciting sad songs and self beating as well. Even people are mostly wearing black and not even shaved. This is exactly what the Iranians do when they lose a love one, like a Father.

Episode 3-
After couples of minutes wandering around for a vacant parking place, hopelessly we returned to the building where we were about to go. A young man wearing black who was chatting with the a group of mourners got into a car parked in front of us, moved backward trying to get out of his improper park bumped our car. My friend, the driver of our car horned relentlessly. Showing both his anger and to inform him what he has done. The driver dropped from the car and shouted to us why were we horning. While fixing his car's back bumper uttering "why do you horn, wait if I bumped you then you horn"! By now my friend was already very angry and shouted back at him. In a threatening voice the driver said in response, "Do you want me to call Police and complain that you have bumped me from the back?"
Now I already thought I should say something. I got close to him and said, "May your expression of grieves be accepted".

Yalda

Last night we gathered in my father's house on the occasion of Yalda night. Here in Iran we celebrate Yalda, the longest night of the year. Yalda is the night of the ending day of autumn. So the next day after Yalda winter starts.
Iranians usually go to the elders' house in the family. So if there is no grand Pa or grand Ma, then they chose to go to an uncle or an aunt or even an older sister or brother. There they eat and chat till late night. One of the features of the event is the watermelon and pomegranate and nuts.
The event is an ancient tradition and as far as I can recall this has been very attentively held in my family and others whom I know. The interesting part and the main objective of my post today is that no one talks about the necessity of keeping such tradition by holding such gatherings but just to hold it. Showing to our children what we care for is best when we do it rather to talk about it.

Need, father of innovation

I had just entered a friend’s room in his office that he asked me to look at his monitor. He added, “Since you know the Japanese writing we think you can help us finding some proxy servers”. On his monitor I could see some Japanese Characters meaning “filters”, any kind of filters. From auto filters to chemical filters. I was really confused. What was he talking about? After minutes of talking I found out the internet in Iran are very limited now. The restriction is done by unwanted key words, like filters. And now this restriction is applied even in other languages. But the internet users found out the Japanese language due to its none Romanized figures is exempted. So! They used google translating system to find an equivalent word for “filtering“ in Japanese which can not be filtered here.

Tehran pollution, my destiny

Tehran air pollution is now the countries major concern. The pollution issue is serious, a number of measures, like rationing gasoline and limiting traffic have been taken to save Tehran. According to Iran news agency five airplanes sprayed the city in twenty times yesterday (Dec 5). But it seems none has done enough. Media speak about the lethal crisis threatening Tehran’s inhabitants. Some even give data on the number of killed by pollution lately. Some other quoted authorities considering it “suicide” living in Tehran.

In other hand people in the streets, aside lack of wind and cold air, put the fingers of blame at the local low quality petroleum refined and utilized improperly. They also can see every day huge smoke from vehicles’ exhaust into the air adding to the pollution boldly without any police persecution.

About ten busses that give service to neighboring offices and universities park in front our office during their vacancy. Many of them leave their engines on due to personal choices like warming the cabin thoughtlessly. I have asked them several times to turn off the engine and even called the police and municipality but no action taken. Today I tried to reach the environment office fighting the pollution but all my 30 minutes effort ended in vain.

I am now beginning to believe in destiny theory. And if this is not my destiny, then what it is?