Shopping and Raving in Munich – Burkas wellcome

Ghazal Dear, I still regret that you have been so much occupied with shopping here in Munich, but we never used any of the fine occasions to go out to one of the music clubs in town (except for the Bayerischer Hof Nightclub).  This year many of the Munich clubs announced their parties, and I think they might attract at… (more…)

The Dark Side of Humor: Seizure induced by Laughing

Dear Ghazal, well, didn’t we finally agreed at least on this very subject:  that however difficult life might be and how long it can take before our efforts in research pay out, threre is always one measure to keep us from giving up. I am talking about human laughter. And it was not only Aristoteles who described human laughter as… (more…)

The Revolution devours its Children: Tehran 1981

Dear Michael, quite a few of Iranian expats living here in Stockholm and other Swedish places are former members or supporters of the left wing political factions. During the time of the last Shah (Reza Pahlevi) they were  sympathic with a progressive or even socialist future for the country. It was in fact their political activities as members of Tudeh… (more…)

Skandinavia

Dear Michael, next week a scientific workshop on “Epigenetic factors in Radiation Biology” will be held at stockholm University. I am involved in its organistion. I’m wondering if you will attend the meeting ? Some really good speakers were invited, and I think it’ll be fun. Take Care /ghazal ————————————————————— Ghazal Dear, Thanks a lot for the information. I already… (more…)

Sade in Munich (prenatal)

Hi Michael, I have recently been back to Munich for a conference. It was a pity we did not met there. But guess what, on my flight from Stockholm we had these on-seat entertainment systems. I was browsing through the music-clips, and found one by Sade. It reminded me of her songs that we were listening together in your car… (more…)

Messages on Meteorites

Ghazal Dear, You might have already forgotten how scepticial you were about the existence of “Stjaernfallen” or meteorites 3 years ago. But when we were spotting some of them from Persides meteor shower later in August, you agreed that at least it was a great event and that it was worth to spent half of the night out under the… (more…)

Single-Gender Education: The Great Disillusion

Ghazal Dear, some days ago we had the pleasure to attend the 200 anniversary of the foundation of the “Max-Joseph-Stift“, the most prestigious girls college in Bavaria and the third highest ranked one in Germany. The daughter of good friends of us is learning at this elite gymnasium since 5 years now, and at the 200 years celebration we really… (more…)

First Thunderstorm

Ghazal my Dear, there are different definitions of beginning of spring. Astronomically it is the 21st of March, when you celebrated Norouz. Meterologically, the 1st of March is defined as beginning of spring, and some use a botanical time-table that associates spring with the blossoming of the apple-trees. For me, spring started today afternoon, when the warmth of the last… (more…)

Mysterious Moon

Dear Michael, I once went to Pompeij with somebody who was careless enough to fell in love with me. We got lost, after the Pompeij necropolis was closed and walked around through the darkness, expecting every second that a time leap might send us back to year 79 A.D., when the erupting Vesuv burried the town and all its people… (more…)

Iranian Perspective: No need for higher purposes

Ghazal dear, the following reply to a post of Bahmani I could have never written without experiencing the tightness of the relationship between you and your family and feeling how much a resistance this provides against any potential intruder (like myself). In Iran, the frequently expressed demand to do something for the community/society is a compensatory reflex to the traditional… (more…)