You ignoramus! This bodily form is nothing. and this speckled dome of the nine heavens is nothing. Be happy that in the realm of being and corruption we are dependent on a single breath; and that, too, is nothing. Translated by Juan Cole from [pdf] Whinfield 78
Israeli Peace Marchers Protest Iran War Talk in Tel Aviv
Haaretz reports that hundreds of Israeli peace activists marched in Tel Aviv on Saturday to protest all the talk of striking Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. Their placards demanded “No to War with Iran,” and “Talks, not Bombs.” The boldness of this march, given the rightwing political atmosphere in Israel, should not be underestimated. Devastated at […]
Western Intelligence Analysts Worry that Iran Sanctions are Hurting West: IRGC
The USG Open Source Center translates an article from Javan, an organ of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC: Iran’s National Guard), analyzing alleged Western intelligence summits that question the effectiveness of sanctions on Iran. The article should be taken with a grain of salt, but it makes some good points. Iran has used saber-rattling […]
Omar Khayyam (71)
Now that the rose of your good fortune is blooming, why are you standing there with no glass in your hand? Have some wine– fate is a treacherous enemy, And a day like this is hard to come by. Translated by Juan Cole from [pdf] Whinfield 71
The Arab Revolutions Continue, its Just not Mostly on American TV
Friday is a traditional day of protest in the Arab world, and yesterday did not disappoint. In addition, there were some important developments in the two post-revolutionary societies of Egypt and Tunisia. 1. Tens of thousands of Syrians demonstrated in a number of Syrian cities on Friday, including in Idlib province and in the capital […]
Geraldo wears the Hoodies he Blames for Shooting
See also Geraldo in a hoodie
Omar Khayyam (92)
The sky is a belt woven from our tattered lives. The mighty river was formed by all the tears our eyes have shed. Hell is a spark from our searing pain. Heaven is a breath drawn from our moments of peace. Translated by Juan Cole from [pdf] Whinfield 92
Tron Dance from Japan: Homage to to the Modern Body
Japan’s Wrecking Crew Orchestra performs an innovative light dance in uniforms like those in the classic science fiction movie Tron. I see the performance as a celebration of science and technology, of the contemporary moment, and a rejection of the dead hand of tradition; and I therefore read it as highly political (see below). This […]
Is Iraq’s Arab League Summit being Overshadowed by Sectarian Violence?
Iraq is planning to host the summit of the Arab League in Baghdad next week, in a bid to underscore its reemergence as an independent Arab state and an integral member of the League. But, you couldn’t say things have gone well for the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in the run-up to the […]
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