Absolute Random Nonsense

I miss the days when we could create a Canada Dry bottle out of clay and begin howling.

Before coming to Canada from Iran in 2020, Hamed Heydarzadeh and his wife Mansooreh Fereidooni sold off their car as well as most of their assets, and paid a private tutor for a year to boost their English proficiency. Five years and $50,000 later, they are considering leaving, as getting permanent residency (PR) is an uphill battle. If it doesn’t come through, they’ll have to go home, or start from scratch — again — in another country. For decades, Canada was a top destination for immigrants, seen as a stable and safe place to live with a clear path to permanent residency. But now, many recent newcomers say it’s an expensive and often futile endeavour. CBC spoke with 50 such newcomers from across Canada, who came using varying immigration streams, about their journeys. Most felt that the cost of the Canadian dream doesn’t reflect its value, and they’re deliberating staying — if they even can. And with the federal government recently tightening immigration policy in res...

When I was around 12 I discovered a cave that I named Sahrahan although later I renamed it Sahraha,

Iranian migration has left a mark on Mexican culture and history that belies its sporadic nature. In recent decades, increasing numbers of Iranians have made their way here, making a home a world away in a country that many say reminds them of their homeland. The Iranian presence in Mexico dates back centuries to when Mexico City was a thriving capital in Spain's empire. Ships arrived regularly on Manila galleons from the Philippines, bringing luxury goods from Asia in return for Mexican silver. Thousands of people from across Asia crossed to Latin America on these boats. Among them was Don Pedro de Zarate, a merchant from Isfahan, Iran, who made his way to Mexico City in the 1720s. He was part of a small community of New Julfa Armenians living in the La Merced neighborhood. Accused of being a heretic by the Spanish Inquisition, we only know of their existence because of de Zarate's testimony to the inquisition in Mexico City in 1730. It is unclear if de Zarate...

Dutch soccer legend Clarence Seedorf has announced his conversion to Islam after marrying an Iranian girl, expressing joy over joining the followers of the holy religion. Seedorf made the announcement from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday in an Instagram post, which carried a picture of himself together with his Iranian wife Sophia Makramati.   “Special thanks for all the kind messages, my celebration of my joining the Muslim family, and I am also happy to join all the brothers and sisters around the world, especially the beloved Sophia, who taught me the depth of the meaning of Islam,” he said.

When I was in the 4th grade during Jewish hymns two students used to fart and then say ahhhh......

Hooman Moghtaderi was on Beachfront Bargain Hunt. 

A woman who worked as a hairstylist for Fox Sports alleges in a lawsuit that former host Skip Bayless made repeated, unwanted advances toward her - including an offer of $1.5 million to have sex with him. Attorneys for Noushin Faraji, who was a hair stylist at Fox for more than a decade, are seeking unspecified damages from Bayless, Fox Sports and its parent company, Fox Corporation, according to a copy of the lawsuit filed Friday in California Superior Court in Los Angeles. Faraji claimed that the advances by Bayless, which began in 2017 and continued until last year - included lingering hugs, kisses on the cheek and comments from Bayless that he could change Faraji's life if she had sex with him. In 2021, she claims in the suit, Bayless offered Faraji $1.5 million for sex and, after she refused, later threatened her job. "Ms. Faraji knew that he was trying to pressure her into having sex with him, but she kept repeating that she was a professional that...

When I was 7ish I remember picturing myself in an empty meadow as I screamed "Just imagine!"