Well, my return to write a new post came sooner than I expected. Soon after I came back to my house this afternoon, I only expected a business call and apart from that --that to my relief didn't happen and got postponed,-- I felt free and did not focus on any particular "task." Day goes very well after I eat cornel berries and reach out on the Web for Pauline McLynn's blog. Such a joyful writer is this Irish actress and author. But you know what blog post was the one I first read from hers? One in the Aston Villa FC Web site! Apparently --or seemingly, or certainly-- she is a decisively supporting fan of this football club. My usual surprise to her cheerful demeanour; she is so satisfied about the new manager of the team: "I don't think Martin has had any idea until now about the unhealthy crush I have developed." Just her style!

But why I am off is because the f-ing Iran has so many holidays and offs-from-work that I do not know how on earth businessmen and statesmen around the world get to send their particle of goods or statements of wonder to our nation and its astonishingly uneducated president. And this is exactly what I am going to talk about right now. For as with every other mindful blogger from Iran, it's upon us to help people of the world --if they know what is Iran at all-- to develop skills to be able to commune with our wonder --for which I am sure the guy from NBC or whatever who interviewed Ahmadinejad several months ago does certainly know the urge.

For starters I should confess I am a stranger here myself to figure out what mechanisms where at work in that black box of his when he --and his fellowship of ministers-- decided Iranian governmental offices and officers --and with it the library I study daily in-- should go off right in the middle of the day during Ramadan. Did he come to understanding nobody's doing actually anything in state-run offices? Give totalitarianism a rest!? Sleep till the feast in the evening! Ga wild! Indalge yar peple!

***

I lost a fair commission last week after I proposed the tens of millions dollars worth investment opportunity to a nice Englishman. He gently chickened out --Who wouldn't? But I couldn't have read the expression of anxiety from his email letter when he mentioned his concern about investing overseas, but I think I did --or wanted to. So here is a tip about getting to know Iran's exotic rulers: Read this magazine: --if you can!-- Goftogu --Meaning "dialogue" if you come to not know Farsi! If you know French though, there was an issue Goftogu (No 37) and Esprit (juillet 2003) had their staff writing for another.-- The quarterly is an intellectually charged publication and one of its kind in the country. This latter property is why any foreigner, who feels cheerfully intellectual enough and is not currently working for any intelligence agency-- would consider getting their hands on the mag if they want some useful insights into the politics, political economy or social issues in modern Iran. Very unfortunate for the interested if they do not know Farsi. If you learn some, you could read the mag and order Persian cuisine --I'm thinking about writing an article named 'The last frontier of Iranian modern identity: Food!' Until then.

P.S.
Goftogu number 49, the most recent imprint, discusses the ninth president, Ahmadinejad, and in a mentionable essay the author, writer also in Middle East Report and such, explores through political economy behaviour of Ahamdinejad's cabinet and after disapproving the current models used, rather unscientifically, to describe the government's paradoxical or bizarre actions, describes a new model to understand why he is the man he is, and why he is there. It's such a miracle to comprehend this presidential awe and majesty that was booming in Iran for the last two years --and counting.

Goftogu is accessible at: www.goftogu.net
Also available from: Magiran

Contact information, just in case!
Director: Morad Saghafi
P.O.Box: 13145-1488 Tehran -- Iran