Archive for the 'Life' Category

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BBC, why the shaky camera?

748 views Published on October 28, 2008 in Photography and TV. 0 Comments Tags: camera.

Last night was my first night at home after several trips. I love watching documentaries on British TV. I started watching a program on Channel 4 on the bank bailout business. The content was good, but it was spoilt by the silly fashion of using a handheld camera, and moving it around with no reason, and focusing in and out too. After a while I realised there is a Panorama documentary on BBC1. I switched over, and you guessed it: same childish moving, rotating, and defocusing of the camera.

I wish the producers, directors and cameramen would all grow up and use their brains (and a tripod) instead of simply following fashion, good or bad.

Unsung heroine

1,263 views Published on October 22, 2008 in Iran. 0 Comments Tags: Bibi, Elmira, Kang, Mashhad, Mohammad, tea, Zahra.

Bibi Zahra runs a tea shop in the village of Kang, near Mashhad. Her husband is a “Janbaz”, or an injured veteran from the Iran–Iraq war. Due to his post-traumatic stress disorder, he cannot work, and the meagre pension he gets has left Bibi Zahra as the sole breadwinner. Life is clearly tough, but you wouldn’t know it, looking at the smiling face of Bibi. More »

Abgoosht

3,888 views Published on October 16, 2008 in Iran. 0 Comments Tags: Abgoosht, Iran, Mashhad, Torghabeh.

I am in Mashhad in Iran for a week, staying with my dad. I am increasing disliking the city life in Iran. My cousin, Mohammad, suggested we go out of town near Torghabeh, where his friend Mehdi has an ancestral land and garden. Mehdi made a traditional “abgoosht” (meat soup), on a wood burner. It was a welcome change from the city. More »

Persian “windcatcher” in California

2,355 views Published on October 12, 2008 in Iran. 2 Comments Tags: badgir, Iran, windcatcher, Yazd.

The desert city of Yazd in Iran is famous for the “badgir” or windcatcher. It is a simple chimney that protrudes from the top of buildings and, with no moving parts, magically transforms the gentle warm desert breeze into a cool draught in the rooms below. I am glad this has now made its way to the west by an Iranian.

Trying too hard to sound right

882 views Published on October 9, 2008 in Language. 1 Comment Tags: accent, documentary, Farsi, Persian.

This morning I went for my walk around the museum in Trivandrum, listening to podcasts. One was a BBC documentary about the young generation in Iran. What spoilt the content was the Iranian narrator’s accent. Many young Iranians these days work too hard on the accent, then get confused, e.g. pronouncing v as a w. The most nauseating of course is Iranians saying “Ee-waan” and worse, “Ee-way-nian”, as this lady did. A soft “r” is acceptable, as in normal English and American parlance, but “w” is going too far… I listened to the whole show, but it was only just preferable to silence!

I get the most satisfaction listening to commentators who have good knowledge of English but make no attempt to hide their foreign accent. Hazhir Teimourian is a good example.

New book on Iran

764 views Published on September 30, 2008 in Iran. 0 Comments Tags: Ayatollah, Book, Hooman, Iran, Majd.

Hooman Majd is a childhood friend of mine. His book on Iran, The Ayatollah Begs to Differ, has just been published. I have not seen it, but knowing Hooman and seeing previous writings, I think this will be a great read for those wanting a better understanding of the complexities in Iranian culture. More »