Sunday, August 29, 2004

The 25th is Over

Iran finished 2 (Gold), 2 (Silver), 2 (Bronze) =6, Canada is 3, 6, 3 = 12. Alireza Heidarei and Masoud Jokar gained a silver in 96 and a bronze in 60 Kg classes of free-style wrestling. Nobody won a gold medal, unfortunately. Americans didn't win even one single medal in free-style! Heidari defeated his black American opponent and Jokar lost to Cuban wrestler. Iran is the 22nd in the final standing of 25th modern Olympic, Athens 2005.
I believe that Iran could gain more medals including at least 2 more in wrestling, 2 more in weightlifting, and 2 more in Judo but many factors r involved here. I'll write about that in coming days.

(Photo: Heidari helps Daniel Cormier after winning bronze in 96 Kg class of free-style wrestling)

Friday, August 27, 2004

The Second Medal: Gold Again!

I'm very happy today. Hadi Saei gained the second medal for Iran. The medal possessed in 68 Kg class of Tae Kowan Do. Although 2 free-style wrestler of Iran, including Dabir, the golden guy in Sydney Olympics are eliminated but there's still hope for more medals including 120 Kg class where Ali Reza Rezai has won his 3 matches.
There's a very interesting news today: USA Basketball team comprising NBA stars lost to Argentina, 81-89 and deprived of the final game for gold. They have also lost to Puerto Rico and Lithuania.
I also heard that Masud Hashem-Zadeh who stands fourth in 96 Kg class of Greek-Roman is now crossed out from the Olympic archive and he no longer holds that rank in that class because of what he did after the referee announced the Turkish wrestler as the winner of bronze. It's said that he first left the mat and then when his coach sent him back, he bumped his punch on referees desk! He was obviously angry and frustrated for losing the medal and also he believed that the referees erred in the first point given to the Turkish wrestler.

(Photo: Hadi seen here with his gold medal of Athens, has also won a bronze in Sydney 2000)

Thursday, August 26, 2004

Triathlon

Triathlon is one the newest sports in Olympic games. The sport consists of swimming, cycling and running and is a very hard one. Imagine u swim for minutes and then have to push the pedals and finally run! It took 01:51:07.73 to Olympic champion (men) from New Zealand to finish the race. It's a almost a marathon! Kate Allen from Austria gained gold in women with 02:04:43.45 and the interesting thing is she's 34 years-old!
(Photo: The Austrian winner of triathlon gold medal is seen here in a race before Olympics)

Missed Another Medal

Iran missed another medal today and that was in 96 Kg class of Greco-Roman wrestling. It could be the third medal for Iran and a bronze. Masud Hashem-Zadeh advanced to quarter-finals of his class after 4 wins and 1 rest but this match and didn't continue to finals. He then lost to Turkish wrestler and lost a good opportunity. Iran gained no medal from Greco-Roman wrestling.
(Photo: Masoud, in red, lost the bronze medal fight to Turkish wrestler, Mehmet Ozal)

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Finally a Medal: A Golden One

Iran gained the first Olympic medal today after 11 days! Hossein Reza Zadeh in 105+ class of weightlifting repeated his gold medal which was won in Sydney Olympic. This is Iran's first medal and there's still hope for wrestlers and martial artists (tae kwon do).
Sajad Barzi in 120 Kg class was the best wrestler in Greek-Roman style who lost to American opponent and couldn't get the bronze medal. That was the last fight for Gardner. He announced his retirement after that match.
(Photo: Sajad is shown here in red, wrestling with American opponent. He was the best amongst the Iranians in Greek-Roman)

Monday, August 23, 2004

House of Sand and Fog


I had heard about House of Sand and Fog a few month ago and I decided to go and see the movie but after I found that it's a sad story of an Iranian family, migrating to the US after the 1979 revolution, I changed my mind. But Ray rented the movie and we both watched it. Regardless of the sadness and depression that you would get after watching it, it was a great movie. Sir Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly have great performances and Shohre Aghdashalo is good too. She was nominated for the best supporting actress by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year but didn't win it.
I doubt this is a true story but it's very close to real life of Iranians who flee. The film shows good attributes of Iranians and also the richness in the culture. Sir Ben Kingsley is so much in to the character (Colonel Massoud Amir Behrani, a former member of the Shah of Iran's elite inner circle) that you don't believe he's not Iranian. He changes his strong British accent and he even looks like an Iranian. There's a scene in the movie that Shohre screams: I haven't been to the US to live like filthy Arabs and gypsies. I'm here in the States to have a great life! But this is all in Persian and I don't think the director, producer or anyone else could allow Shohre shout this pure fact, if they had known what it meantt!
Regardless of the bitter finish of the movie, it's a very strong one and highly recommended.
(Photo: Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley at the scene of the movie)

Saturday, August 21, 2004

Alien vs. Predator

I went to Chinook and caught Alien vs Predator last Sun. No! That was not what I expected to be! Not at all. It was just OK. I got some points about the movie:
1- There's no famous actor and actress in the movie. Sigourney Weaver was nominated for best actress by the Academy in 1986 for acting in Aliens and Arnold Schwarzenegger had a great performance in Predator but none of them and not any other actor or actress from previous movies r in this one.

2- Whoever wins ... We'll lose. This is what is said in the movie trailer. But we don't see that in the movie. Aliens are defeated and predators are gone. The earth and the people, actually are the real winners of the battle and that's all as the outcome.

3- As the director or screenwriter tends to make the movie more exciting and thrilling, he has, I'd say, presented new weapons to predator. A javelin, a special kind which extends from both sides and a throwing weapon which performs like a boomerang. These are new weapons to audience and haven't seen in previous parts. It implies that the ordinary weapons of predator are not good enough to fight Alien and defeat it. Besides that why Aliens are not armed with new weapons. You may say that's what the director or screenwriter wants but they should not go far what is ordinary and expected from the public.
4- In the concluding scene of the movie we see that the old Predator, who looks to be the leader, presents a javelin to the only survivor, the black girl (She's cute!). Comparing human and Predator sizes, that javelin can not even be handled by a human of size of that little young lady (Sanna Lathan) ! No matter how brave and trained she is!
(Photo: The Predator. What we see in Alien vs. Predator is a little bit different from the original one)

Friday, August 20, 2004

Eliminated

The first thing I did today after checking my mailbox was to see if Seyed Mahmoud Miran has won a medal or not. When I found out that he didn't and with 3 victory and 1 defeat finished his job in Athens, I felt so sad. Today is the 7th day of the Olympics and Iran hasn't won even one single medal. Hopefully we get something in the coming events, weightlifting and wrestling.
Canada got its second medal, a silver, again by a woman in trampoline. They are still hopeful to get more.
(Photo: Miran [below] one of the best in Judo in the history of this sport in Iran and and undoubtedly one of the best in Asia and the world lost a bronze to an athlete from the Netherlands)

Thursday, August 19, 2004

Olympics

the 25th Summer Olympic games started 6 days ago in Athens, Greece and of course Iran and Canada has sent their athlete to the game. Arash Miresmaeili, two times world Judo champion in 66 Kg class, missed a good opportunity by refusing to face with Israeli opponent. He claimed he's overwight but that was just an unacceptable excuse. I know he had to do this as was ordered by Iranian officails but I think it was much more better to face the guy and beat him up. Iran hasn't gain any medal but there's still hope as weightlifters and werstlers haven't started yet. Besides that there's another chance in Judo, tonight. Miran will chalenge in 100 Kg class. Canada has won one bronze medal in Women's Synchronized high board. In women's water Polo also Canadians beat Americans, 6-5. That was a very amazing game. They were behind 5-1 in last intermission but won finally.
(Photo: Arash, in white, has missed a juicy opportunity for an olympic medal)

Repaired

I finally have my PC fixed today but all my files and information are gone! Movies, photos of friends and relatives, songs, selected photos downloaded from the net, career searching files, everything is gone. All of the software are deleted and I have to install the ones I have the CD, again. I even was not able to access to my mailbox and this blogger. The reason was lack of JavaScript. I noticed when I logged on for my online banking through RBC. Fortunately the guy on the phone helped me to reset JavaScript and now I'm able to surf and write again and have lots to say.

Wednesday, August 11, 2004

Adware and Spyware

My PC is useless now! I'm writing this from Ray's laptop. I have no access to my mailbox and my blog and also can't even use the PC! I went to Future Shop and a bought a Spyware software bt that damn CD is useless and I wasted my money. I also downloaded YAHOO! anti- Spyware (Or sth. like that. Don't remember the exact name) but that one didn't work. I guess the PC is infected mostly because of downloading photos and movies.