Quote Of Today

Never stand begging for that which you have the power to earn.

Miguel de Cervantes

Quote Of Today

We allow our ignorance to prevail upon us and make us think we can survive alone, alone in patches, alone in groups, alone in races,even alone in genders.-- Maya Angelou

A Tribute To Sherlock Holmes/Jeremy Brett

Sherlock Holmes is one of my favorite characters, along with Jon Bon Jovi and Chris LeDoux. I've seen and read many different crime movies and books, but Sherlock Holmes is definately something special. While reading the great job of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, you feel like you're invited to take down Holmes because it seems like he's exaggerating too much, like what Watson believed at first too. But believe me you will hardly bust him. There is almost no mistakes in Conan Doyles books. The coherance is awesome.

Jeremy Brett's personal life, was astonishingly like Holmes. You might not know that he was going to be a 007 but lost the role. His very characteristic is his intonation, which fits him incredibly for the role, Sherlock Holmes. His wife died after filming "The final problem". He was also suffering from a mental disease. Just like Holmes he used to smoke heavily as 60 cigarettes a day, according to Edward Hardwicke. He also had a heart disease too. He died on 12th of September 1995.

I can't say which one of Sherlock Holmes' stories I like more. Seriously, all of them are worth to read over and over again.

Quote Of Today

Wishing for something is 50% and the other 50% is walking to the correct direction to it. --Roozy

The Veil

Literal:

The secrets eternal neither you know nor I

And answers to the riddle neither you know nor I

Behind the veil there is much talk about us, why

When the veil falls, neither you remain nor I.

Fitzgerald:

There was a Door to which I found no Key:

There was a Veil past which I could not see:

Some little Talk awhile of ME and THEE

There seemed--and then no more of THEE and ME.

How long will it last?

One

What if we were one...?

What if we are one...

Quotes

There are two types of people--those who come into a room and say, 'Well, here I am!' and those who come in and say, 'Ah, there you are.'-- Frederick L Collins

The unseen and the unsaid: all that matters. -- Bill Purdin

Three State Solution For Israel Palestinian Everlasting Conflict

I think the only way to have a peaceful Middle East is to have a Three State Solution. It is very simple and workful. The region should be divided to three different countries.

First, Israel with West Jerusalem as the capital, second North Palestine and East Jerusalem as capital and South Palestine with the capital of Gaza City. Israel won't lose any land.

Fatah will run West Bank as North Palestine, and Hamas will govern South Palestine.

West can help the North Palestine build a democratic government, while there is international pressure on South Palestine. North Palestine can be a safe haven for the people on South Palestine too, and they can force their government to change. Just as there were North Yemen and South Yemen.

There could be international sanctions against South Palestine, which can affect the new country. Plus, no one will take more advantages than Israel than this. Two countries for one Palestine. But I don't think Palestinian would accept this, if it has been suggested to them. If they are wise enough specially, Fatah, they'd better to.

Rise And Fall, Civilizations At War

I bought a new game a few days ago. Although, I'm not really into computer games but this one is good. As you can reckon from its name, "civilization", it's a strategic game. You can play either a scenario like Alexander or Cleopatra, or play as one of the fourth ancient civilations as Persia, Rome, Greece or Egypt. One thing that's different to Civilization IV is that you can choose a hero or a king and go in action 3D. It's very entertaining and you can play it several hours and don't feel bored. One negative point is they stuck in the old times, unlike Civilization that you'll go through the times. But the 3D thing makes it worth.

Breathless

One of the greatests of smooth jazz is definately Kenny G. He a is very talented saxophonist. One of his greatest albums is Breathless, after At last... The duet album. It was published on the 1990's. On the sitcom, Friends, Ross once said that he likes to take a bath while listening to Kenny G. That works for me too.

Draft Dodger Rag

By Phil Ochs

I'm just a typical American boy from a typical American town

I believe in God and Senator Dodd and keeping old Castro down

And when it came my time to serve I knew better dead than red

But when I got to my old draft board, buddy, this is what I said:

Sarge, I'm only eighteen, I got a ruptured spleen

And I always carry a purse

I got eyes like a bat, my feet are flat, and my asthma's getting worse

O think of my career, my sweetheart dear, and my poor old invalid aunt

Besides, I ain't no fool, I'm a goin' to school, and I'm working in a defense plant

I've got a dislocated disc and a racked up back

I'm allergic to flowers and bugs

And when the bombshell hits, I get epileptic fits

And I'm addicted to a thousand drugs

I got the weakness woes, and I can't touch my toes

I can hardly reach my knees

And if the enemy came close to me

I'd probably start to sneeze

(chorus)

I hate Chou En Lai, and I hope he dies, but one thing you gotta see

That someone's gotta go over there

and that someone isn't me

So I wish you well, Sarge, give 'em

Hell Yeah, Kill me a thousand or so

And if you ever get a war without blood and gore

Well I'll be the first to go

(chorus)

Quote Of Today

Art has never been made while thinking of art. -- Niko Stumpo

Caviar

I remember when I was very young, I used to like caviar. My mom usually bought them for me. They were packed in very small amounts, with red or yellow tin doors. I used to like the red ones which were smaller eggs. My mom bought caviar again a few days ago. I don't know if I'm losing my taste or there was something wrong with it. I didn't like that at all, and I can say that I hate it! Yuck! Very salty!

CSI Miami Or CSI NY?

One of my favorite crime series is CSI Miami. I like it the way they try to get to the clues all scientifically. My favorite guys there are David Caruso of course as H or Horatio, and Emily Procter as Calleigh Duquesne . There's a very funny video on Youtube in here, when Jim Carrey makes fun of David Caruso.

But which one is better. CSI Miami or CSI New York?

To me it's definately CSI Miami. I feel like it's more sophisticated. Although, I can't judge pretty well because I haven't seen as many CSI NY as I saw CSI Miami.

Quotes

If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much.-- Donald H. Rumsfeld

Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time.-- Rabbinical Saying

Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.-- Howard Thurman

Wait until it is night before saying that it has been a fine day.-- French Proverb

The Hooters

I knew Eric Bazilian as a great songwriter such as in Joan Osbourne's One of us. He is a very talented multi-instrumentalist; he can play guitar, saxophone, keyboard, mandolin and many more. I didn't know that he has been in a band called Hooters. They play rock with blends of other alternative genres, such as jazz and folk. They are good as you listen alternatively to them. My favorite song is Give the music back. Specially, three different solos that it has. One with acoustic guitar, then piano and the last one with saxophone.

Today

Today is my birthday, May 15th. May is a very nice month to me. Although, I remember the school time when I had tough exams on my birthday, or have to get prepared for the future exams. But it's always been nice to me.

Actually, we celebrated yesterday my mom bought me a shirt, a tie and a can of caviar. I love caviar! It wasn't very large but it costs 60$.

As long as I remember I never liked Fridays' evenings. So boring to me! I feel tired of all these waiting and waiting. I hope I can get the hell out of here. I desperately need a break. Although, I have to wait until May 31st, till I know that I got my visa or not. Some of my friends sent me text messages last night, but as I deleted their phone numbers and I didn't want to call them and say: "Who were you?" So I tried to ignore them.

Anyway, Homer is funny, isn't he?

Quotes

It's a rare person who wants to hear what he doesn't want to hear.-- Dick Cavett

Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared. -- Eddie Rickenbacker

Enjoy!

Khayam, if you are intoxicated with wine, enjoy!

If you are seated with a lover of thine, enjoy!

In the end, the Void the whole world employ

Imagine thou art not, while waiting in line, enjoy!

Why Sassanids Failed To Win Against Arab Invaders?

This has always been a question asking, since the fall of Sassanids. Why did Iranian get defeated despite of having more troops against fewer Arabs fighting with their amateur weapons, that the Iranian troops mocked them because of their elementary weapons(like sewing machine).

Like many other facts it just didn't happen for one reason. I think there were a series of incidents that led to this.

First, it was the severe theocracy that the Magians were almost ruling out the country. One main difference between Achaemenids and Sassanid is that Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes and Achamenid kings were secular and easy going with people's religion. They conquered countries but never tried to turn them into Zoroastrians. They even respected their beliefs, as we might see in Darius's entering the Egyptian's temple, or Cyrus's conduct to Jews, or even Xerxes, while he praised the Greek temple. That was one reason to Achaemenids historical eternity.

One other thing was the fights against Romans and Christians that time, that weakened the country and provided a condition that Arabs almost didn't confront any resistance from one of the greatest army of those times. Iranians were ready to confront any danger from Romans but not from the powerless Arabs.

People were almost forgotten by their rulers. Especially, after the one last greatest king, Khosrau II, Khosrow Parviz, the dynasty seems to go down, creepingly.

People welcomed Islam as a cosmopolitan, idealistic religion. They were so tired and desperate of Zoroastrianism. Some say if East Romans were more ambitious and invaded Iran earlier than Arabs.

Then, it wasn't a classical war. Like we see these days. The Muslim invaders came to kill or get killed. In both cases they were said that they'll go straight to heaven.

We can also consider some bad weather too. In Qadisiyya battle ground the wind was against Iranians. Although there was one man fighting and encouraging the soldiers to hold on.

Rostam Farrokhzad, a very brave heart, nationalist general, stood fearlessly against the Arabs. After his defeat, in Qadisiyya, everyone was expecting Iranians defeat.

Since then there is a never ending hatred and enmity between Iranians and Arabs. Iranians think of that as a loss that shouldn't take place. And Arabs are proud of that. Although they pretend to be like one Muslim nation.

From Jamshid To Bahram

The palace where Jamshid held his cup

The doe and the fox now rest and sup

Bahram who hunted game non-stop

Was hunted by death when his time was up

Jamshid = is mainly known as the first human being created on earth, Adam in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He had a cup - Jaam e Jam - or Jam(shid)'s cup, that he could see the world through it.

Bahram = Bahram V, the Sassanid king named: Bahram e Goor (Bahram the zebra hunter). He died while he was hunting gazelles, by jumping into a big cave (which means Goor too in Farsi).

Chantal Kreviazuk

I downloaded the Chantal Kreviazuk's complication album, called Since we met. It's a good album. Sounds to me like Mandy Moore. But a little better, as she's a better songwriter. I heard that she covered John Denver's Leaving on a jet plane, which is one of my favorite songs of all times. She's a Canadian singer that has a Ukrainian origin, you might reckon that from her unusual name.

To me Pop music is like when you're tired of all the other music, you can tend to Pop and it won't let you down. But if you want to listen to it all day, and become a fan(?) of Pop music, that's not gonna work.

She has a very good voice to me. I didn't know her since two or three days ago. I like her way of music. Like Mandy Moore, not based on a rootless video singles. There are strong words behind the songs.

Quote

Keep cool and you command everybody. - Louis de Saint-Just

Today

Today was tough! I went to the Canadian Embassy today. It was such a busy day for them. Anyway, I couldn't understand that I finally got the Visa or not. They said you should return on May 31th again. I've never been a Canada lover. It's cold and wintery to me. And choices are so limited. But they say it's a good country who knows...

The process took around 4 hours, which is very good, if you bring something to read, which I did!

I never craved anything so much and I don't think I really do want to get that visa, unlike some people. But I want to see a new country and opportunity.

Quotes

Don't turn your dreams become nightmares, by wanting them to get real. -Roozy

A pensive thinker is not who keeps thinking at night and makes a narrow bunch of thoughts into one thick thought, but one who keeps his thoughts in his mind to rethink about them at tomorrow's morning. -Roozy

Persepolis And Susa

Persepolis, is an ancient complex building in Persia. The first of the buildings in Persepolis is Apadana palace, which was build on the order of Cyrus the Great. Then, Darius the Great, completed the terraces, buildings and gardens.


After Darius the Great, the site of the buildings expanded and expanded, until Artaxerxes III, which included: the Imperial Treasury, the Royal Stables and the Chariot House. It has to be mention that Persepolis was such a cultured and educated palace, that it had sewage pipes 2500 BC.

Persepolis, used to be more glamorous, than the way it is now. Although, it still has a magical charm. Persepolis destroyed gradually, not once and by one group of people. First, it was Alexander, who intruded Persia, and burn the whole city, and a very precious library. That's one reason we don't have even a book written by a Persian historian. In sptie of being rebuild again, after the raid. Sadly, it was damaged heavily by the Arabs later at the fall of Sassanids, and never reconstructed like the way it was.

It is said that Persepolis was only used for the ceremonial Nowrooz. Which many different nations, brought their souvenir for the King, to express their loyalty. Persepolis used mainly as a summer capital. Knowing that the Ecbatana was the military capital, and Susa was the winter capital.



Susa, was a very interesting place for the people to live since the very old times. Ashurbanipal, which means the avenger, who was an Assyrian, invaded the city and destroy almost everything, as he mention:


"Susa, the great holy city, abode of their gods, seat of their mysteries, I conquered. I entered its palaces, I opened their treasuries where silver and gold, goods and wealth were amassed... I destroyed the ziggurat of Susa. I smashed its shining copper horns. I reduced the temples of Elam to naught; their gods and goddesses I scattered to the winds. The tombs of their ancient and recent kings I devastated, I exposed to the sun, and I carried away their bones toward the land of Ashur. I devastated the provinces of Elam and on their lands I sowed salt."



Like Persepolis, but more severe and brutal Susa was almost completely destroyed. The only remainings, are the sculptures of sphinx and gates that you may see in the museum. The only historic sites that are still outlasting through these harsh conditions are: Ziggurat Chogha Zanbil, and Daniel tomb. Although Daniel tomb reconstructed centuries after. But the Ziggurat still remains...