Absolute Random Nonsense

In 1974, at just 14 years old, Jamie Masada found himself alone in Hollywood. A native of Iran, he didn't know anybody and spoke only Farsi. The American producer who had promised to look after him and give him a shot at success had abandoned him. With the $850 his parents had given him long gone, Masada was taken in by a compassionate apartment manager who let him sleep on a couch. And so began Masada's journey to becoming one of America's top comedy impresarios. Supporting himself through a series of odd jobs at comedy shops on the Sunset Strip, Masada was befriended by a group of local comics. It was here that he learned the rhythm of a good joke and honed his instincts for spotting talent. Though he enjoyed comedy once he found it, making it a career path was all but accidental. "If I'd have become a dishwasher then," he says, "I would have gone on to be the best dishwasher." Today, Masada's flagship Laugh Factory on Sunset Boulevard in Holly...

I was wondering if I pooped in a bucket on my own property and someone came along and took it without permission would that be theft? I mean it’s poop, so once it leaves the body, does it not count as “property” anymore?  Scenarios: 1) You poop somewhere away from home and someone collects it after you leave: Not theft. You left it behind it can't reasonably be expected you would be returning for it. 2) You poop at home and have a septic system Theft and potentially destruction of property- if they dig up your septic tank to get to your poop that can only be considered criminal. 3) You poop at home and leave an unflushed turd and they steal it This is a grey area. A grey/brown area. I would say in this case not theft, unless you ask them specifically to not take your poop with them. Again, it can be reasonably expected that you meant to throw away your poop. 4) You poop at home and someone is waiting in the sewer below your house to steal it. Not theft. It can reasonably be expecte...

My first men's club friendly game attended was Barcelona (Ecuador) -LDU de Quito on 8/20/1995. My first men's club competitive game attended was Vahdat-Poora on 7/4/1991. My first men's club cup game attended was Persepolis-Malavan on 2/24/1991. My first men's international club friendly game attended was Esteghlal-Grasshoppers on 8/12/1991. My first men's international club competitive game attended was Persepolis-Al Hilal on 8/2/1991.  My first women's club competitive game attended was New York Power-Washington Freedom on 5/27/2001. My first men's national team friendly game attended was Italy-Ireland on 6/4/1992. My first men's national team Gold Cup game attended was USA-Trinidad & Tobago on 1/13/1996. My first men's national team World Cup game attended was USA-Switzerland on 6/18/1994. My first women's national team friendly game attended was USA-Canada on 5/31/1997. My first women's national team World Cup game attende...

Seventeen-year-old Iranian winger Aiden Hezarkhani made his MLS debut for Real Salt Lake, coming on as a substitute against the Los Angeles Galaxy.  

Finally, Callahan got off the train – one station before his destination.  He knew the area well and given that it was only a few miles from home.  He could easily walk that distance.  But then again there was no hurry to go home and break the news of his failure to his family.  He decided to camp out that night and go home the following morning.  This slight change of plans necessitated that he find something to eat.  He checked his pockets; there were only a couple of wrinkled singles plus a handful of change.  Not even close to what he what he would need to satisfy his hunger, something else had to be done.  Callahan dug deep into one of his backpacks and pulled out his binoculars.  He remembered how he had retrieved them from the observatory in Germany and the thought caused a bit of hesitance.  However, his growling stomach soon prevailed and a determined Callahan marched towards the area’s local pawnshop. He hadn’t been there in ye...

I bought this hat in 1994 and still have it. I rarely wear it because it is very heavy. Here are the pins in it that I recognize: 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup New England Revolution 1974 Asian Games 1994 World Cup Volunteer 1994 World Cup New England Revolution Founding Member  New York Centaurs New York Power US Soccer Hall of Fame New York Red Bulls Connecticut Soccer Gotham FC (1) Double Header: US-Mexico, New England Revolution-Tampa Bay Mutiny Persianfootball.com 1999 Women's World Cup 2003 Women's World Cup 2000 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup  Gotham FC (2) NY/NJ MetroStars 1994 World Cup Player 1994 World Cup Coca Cola Nigeria Football Association 1994 World Cup Transportation Iran Football Federation Sam's Army

In the world of science, Harvard geneticist Pardis Sabeti is a rock star. She also fronts a guitar-heavy alternative rock band from Boston. She was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1975, where her father, Parviz, was a high-ranking official in the shah’s government. Two years later, on the cusp of the Iranian revolution, the Sabeti family fled to the United States, eventually settling in Florida. “My father took one of the toughest jobs in the government because he cared about his nation more than himself,” Pardis says. “His courage and conviction have always driven me to want to make a difference.” In the early 1980s, Pardis’ mother, Nancy, bought some old textbooks, a chalkboard and a couple of school chairs and set up a makeshift summer school in the family’s home for Pardis and her sister, Parisa, who is two years older. Parisa, assigned the role of teacher, put together lesson plans and gave out report cards; Pardis directed the “performing arts” and helped run phys ed. The wide-eyed, to...

One day as everyone was at Khanom Joon’s house in the living room and Ardi and I were sitting in the family room, a cockroach darted across the floor. We quickly cornered it and placed an empty matchbox on top of it. We then slid the matchbox’s exterior sleeve around it thus trapping the cockroach inside. We then began thinking of ways to wreck havoc with the cockroach. Although we had no specific plan in mind we both agreed that we should somehow involve Nina as the target. “Let’s just call her in here and ask her to open the matchbox,” Ardi suggested. “No that’s too obvious. She’s gonna know that something is up.” We scattered some matches around the matchbox. We figured that eventually everyone would come to this room and seeing the matches and matchbox on the coffee table, someone, hopefully Nina, would attempt to put them back in the box and thus release the cockroach. Scrutinizing the plan we found a number of flaws in it. For starters there was no guarantee that Nina would be am...

The Palme d’Or went to compatriot Jafar Panahi, but Roustaee’s feature won praise as did the performance of its star Parinaz Izadyar. She plays Mahnaz, widowed mother of two in her 40s and hardworking nurse, who rises to the challenge of a series of devastating personal tragedies.  “She finds herself almost in quick sands… but instead of retiring into mourning, she becomes an agent for change and improvement, not just for herself, but also for a younger generation around her,” Roustaee told the Deadline Studio. “Since I was small, I was surrounded by women like Mahnaz, family members, friends, relatives. She is composed of all these women,” he added. Izadyar is joined in the cast by Payman Maadi (A Separation), Fereshteh Sadre Orafaiy (The Circle) Soha Niasti (The Two Lives of Sepideh) and and big screen debutant Sinan Mohebi, in the role of Mahnaz’s unruly teenage son.  Mother and Child is produced by Iranian film company Iris Film. Paris-based Goodfellas is handling internat...