Monthly Archives: July 2012

The Olympics: Palestinian Athlete Aims for Glory

Posted on July 27, 2012 by iPouya

I enjoy athletic competition and I especially enjoy following the NBA (I may be from So Cal, but I loathe Kobe!) but the Olympics and the World Cup and other events whereby people come out with their jingoism usually make me a bit nauseous. … Continue reading →

Posted in Palestine | 3 Comments

“The Dark Knight Rises”

Posted on July 23, 2012 by iPouya

I’m 30-years-old and am beginning my 4th year in the PhD program in history, but I have no qualms admitting I’m a Batman fanboy.  Like everyone else around me at the time, I couldn’t wait to see “The Dark Knight” … Continue reading →

Posted in Film | 1 Comment

The Politics of the Aurora Theatre Shooting

Posted on July 20, 2012 by iPouya

It almost seems cliche to say so, but I find it necessary to say it anyway: Had the psychotic and imbecile shooter of the threatre been a Muslim, or was remotely connected to Islam or the region, i.e. his grandmother … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, Palestine | 1 Comment

Ramadhan Kareem

Posted on July 20, 2012 by iPouya

I don’t want to pretend like I’m religious when I’m not, but out of respect for my heritage (Islam was one aspect amongst many of my upbringing) and for friends that are observing this holy month, Ramadhan kareem. Enjoy the blog’s header. … Continue reading →

Posted in Islam | 1 Comment

The US as a Middle East Regional Power

Posted on July 15, 2012 by iPouya

Al Jazeera English posted a video brief on the ever-growing US military presence in the Middle East. Maybe it took too long for it to dawn on me, but after watching the video and in the context of a map of … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East | 1 Comment

The Film “Hunger,” Hunger Strikers, and Street Names

Posted on July 12, 2012 by iPouya

I was bedridden sick for about a week and after seeing “Prometheus” and Michael Fassbender’s captivating performance, I decided to make use of my downtime and check out some of his movies that I hadn’t seen, including “Shame,” “A Dangerous … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Palestine | Leave a comment

More blog updates…

Posted on July 12, 2012 by iPouya

I’ve updated the “Recommended Reading” section of the blog, along with the “Favorite Films” tab. If you have any ideas for useful tabs, do share.

Posted in iPouya | Leave a comment

The Arab Spring and Eastern Saudi Arabia

Posted on July 11, 2012 by iPouya

I’m partial towards any uprising, more or less, against any and all regimes in the Middle East as I believe that not a single one is worthy of toleration. The ones that really tug on the heartstrings, however, are the … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab Spring, Saudi Arabia | 1 Comment

Blog’s new look

Posted on July 11, 2012 by iPouya

Do you guys like the blog’s new feel? I’ve spent the past couple days working on it and am excited about it, to say the least. The cool thing about this template is that it allows me to change the … Continue reading →

Posted in iPouya | 1 Comment

Review of Sohrab Ahmari’s “Arab Spring Dreams: Freedom and Justice from North Africa to Iran”

Posted on July 9, 2012 by iPouya

Preparing for my preliminary exams required a year of reading. After completing the exams on April 18, I pledged to continue tackling books at a steady pace. One book I recently read, Arab Spring Dreams: Freedom and Justice from North … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab Spring, Books | 6 Comments

The Free Syrian Army is gaining ground

Posted on July 8, 2012 by iPouya

See the video here. I was and continue to be very sympathetic to the Syrian people’s uprising against the Ba’ath dictatorship in Syria. But I also agree with Professor Abu Khalil, the “Free Syrian Army,” which is bankrolled by the … Continue reading →

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Egypt’s president orders return of parliament

Posted on July 8, 2012 by iPouya

See it here. If the US really supported democracy, it would come out in favor of Mursi’s call to reinstate the parliament - through words and deeds.  The most important deed would be to threaten to cut off military aid. The truth is, however, … Continue reading →

Posted in Egypt | Leave a comment