“KEEP MOVING ON” by Daniel Molagan

As I go across that foggy mountain, dressed in snow,
My heart so cold,
My hands shaking, limbs fatigued,
And I stand there all alone; on my own,

The herd of questions passing through my mind,
Scarring my soul ….making me blind,

Part of me is submerged in fear,
Leaving my conscience stained and with smear,
The other side of mine thirsty for the ultimate wisdom,
Hopeful that the moment of truth is near,

I ask myself so filled with wonder,
What am I doing here? ,
Lost all that I came to know,
Yet still maintained a desire to grow,
 

“Growth hurts sometimes” said to me once a mentor,
A cell has to go through much ere becoming a spore,
Witnessing another cell’s demise,
 Is nothing but development’s central core,

Bear in mind those who are gone,
And the notion that you could be the next one,
“Life is a gift, and not a given right “,
“Live today like it’s your last”, and keep moving on.

Photography

Photos speak a thousand words. We all have heard the famous quote at one time or another in our lives, however, the fact that some photographs are capable of changing the world may be unfamiliar and surprising to you. 

      Photos are one of the few entities that are capable of being interpreted by any individual of any background without the need for a translator. Photos are the channels that narrates the tales of the past in the most vivid pattern without any exaggeration or understatement for that matter.It could be assumed by almost everyone that photos are the means of connection especially among different generations and times.

      The following videos will elaborate further on the importance of photography in the contemporary as well as ancient world.

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Sanctions Concerning Standardized English Test Removed

Diplomatic hurdles invariably strike the nonparticipants the hardest. This notion was proven to thousands of Iranian students who were initially appalled by realizing that the crippling sanctions against the Iranian regime had made the transactions of the funds required for the monetary process of Standardized English Test enrollment such as TOEFL and GRE impossible. As such the registration for the aforementioned exams was aborted until further notice. 

      Today, The New York Times reported that banks are now eligible to perform the proceedings related to S.E.T’s of all class thus bringing the joy of relief to many pupils, scholars, and academics in the country.

      “The company said two weeks ago that it was temporarily halting registrations for the English test and its graduate-school admissions exam, after its bank refused to continue processing payments from Iran amid recent sanctions by the international community taking aim at the country’s financial institutions.”reported the NYT, and then proceeded:

      “United States officials reiterated that sanctions approved by Congress last month were not intended to interfere in the business of companies with permission to operate in Iran, such as E.T.S., but rather to halt the advancement of the country’s nuclear program. At least one other company licensed to operate in Iran has reported problems arising from sanctions.  “

      The news has given back the hope of a future with unbiased and quality education to the students, many of whom are my own learners. Hopefully these efforts will act as a reminder that hard work and education are immune to any political intrusion or social prejudice for that matter. 

      Students all across the area can now resume registration .  

The eyes of insanity

I wake up in the middle of the night as my effort to sleep fails. I look outside the window without even noticing the surrounding as if the world which I knew for so long does not exist anymore. I contemplate about life as I rapidly recap my actions throughout the years.

      Who are you? What are you doing here? Are you really sure about the things you were told? Do not you suspect that things could be different than what you think? Half of me is agonized by the insecurity that is emanated by my current stream of thoughts while the other half remains hopeful to reach for the truth.

      There is nothing more ironic than to realize you have spent your whole life thinking you have figured it all out just to be proven the exact opposite by no one other than your own self.  

      There it comes that striking instant when every single being, animate or inanimate, demands a new description and the border between reality and unreality seems nonexistent.

      To make the matter worse is the constant call for socialization from your acquaintances who deem you socially sick, and would consider acculturation the sole remedy for the aforementioned malady. As if the body needs to function in a specific way and fight off a particular disease in order to become sane.  

      I have been trying to distinguish the difference between sanity, and insanity for a long time now. Is it hormonal imbalance? What about physical and mental state induced by unconventional conditions? Maybe it is in your blood?

      Hmm … what if being insane solely means being different? What if you are dubbed insane the moment you start to create the world in your own way? What if being insane means to go on the unpaved road with no signs? What if being insane means to expect the impossible? What if being insane means to make your own rules as opposed to follow the status quo blindly? What if being insane means to be the master of your own destiny than to be a slave of tradition and commonality? What if being insane means to be original instead of derivative? What if being insane means to forgive your enemies even though the scar of their hatred, envy, and hostility never truly disappears from your flesh and soul? What if being insane means to care about others as much as you can instead of being drowned in self-indulgence? What if being insane means to trust your heart and not your mind? What if being insane means chosing feeling over logic? 
 
What if …….?!

What if being insane is far superior than being sane?!

      The harder I try to resist these rambling sentiments the more I approach the conclusion that the people around you would not stop assessing you , and the only manner in which you could earn their approval is by being so-called sane.
 

Ah,..Seriously..What the heck does that mean?

       I really do not know the meaning of sanity, and am also unable to define insanity …..but I know one thing.The most significant concept in the world, true love, is in direct contradiction with survival of the fittest.

      I have already tried to see the world through the fancy lens of sanity and all I saw was war, hatred, abuse, discrimination, pain, envy and uncertainty. 

Tonight I remove that lens of saneness and try to see the world with naked eyes.

Tonight I see the world as it is,without any filters.

Tonight I see only the questions, and not a single answer.

Tonight I see the beauty of the world through the eyes of insanity.

Handout Regarding the Question "Why Are We Here?"

Are you ready to discuss one of the most controversial philosophical questions? In order to prepare yourself for today's class,

First you can read a comprehensive article concerning the issue:

Excerpt from Book: "How Life Really Works"

And most importantly, you are advised to check out this channel 5 documentary titled " The Big Question-Why Are We Here? " by Richard Darwin :

Handout Regarding Economic Sanctions

After the dusk of the infamous Cold War, economic sanctions have always been the final measure prior to a military operation.

      Imposing economic restraint has proven more than enough to cause troubles for the targeted society, but is that enough to stop a country from pursuing their goals? What is precisely meant by the term "economic sanctions?

Jump to Wikipedia

      For a more exhaustive understanding of the aforementioned term check out "A User's Guide To Economic Sanctions by Robert O'Quinn " below:

Access the PDF

      Also you can watch one of the Press TV programs that I personally attended regarding the concept of sanctions against Iran.

What is Talk Show News?

Conveying the latest news around the globe has become far more convenient these days thanks to the immense and round the clock broadcasting of the latest and greatest occurrences through cable TV, satellites and the internet; however, the significant magnitude of the news material coupled with the short time that regular individuals are willing to spare for viewing them has pushed the media to present the news as efficiently and briefly as possible. 

      The aforementioned approach is realized through use of literary and journalistic words within a fast-paced frame of presentation. As a result, non-native speakers of English may encounter with difficulty trying to grasp and examine the news. 

      Boasting the motto “News comprehension, analysis, and discussion”, as well as strikingly positive feedbacks from the participants, Talk Show News can prove to be among the best arenas to practice professional speaking along with understanding and critical thinking. 

      As for the blueprint of the course, I should say that each class starts with a warm-up via greeting with the students in order to yield a friendly environment that assist learners to embrace English as an international language rather than an alien one. After a brief brain-storming, the news programs from various channels including, but not limited to CBS, NBC, CNN, BBC and so forth are depicted on a large screen for students to witness.

      While the students pay heed to the news contents, the teacher takes notes of the unfamiliar and journalistic terms on the board of the class. Upon reaching the conclusion of each section of the news, the video is paused, and the news as well as the accompanying new vocabularies are discussed. Finally the class is divided into separate teams for engaging in analytical pair-works in which the participants discourse the news with each other while under observation, yet not interference of the instructor. 

Talk Show News classes are currently held on Sundays/Tuesdays and new classes are available for enrollment.