To Saman: I do not think that Blogging is very effective, because as you said if all have Bloggs, then who can have time to read all the people opinions that are popped up in their bloggs. Can you review like 100,000 persian bloggs to make a picture of iranian opinion about a subject? What makes Hossein Derakhshan being so excited about Blogging is that he'd never experienced any local media, community newsletter, workplace boards, or college gazzette, now with no background in small news services, he owns a blog and he claims that he is the "father of Blogging" in Iran because he has published some webpages in 2001. But many people knew about it, owned blogs and simply used it as another communication device. It is not a revolution, it is just a local gazzette on cyberspace.
- By: Yasi on November 9, 2003

Sanam, you’re right, Sorry that was an unnecessary and unacceptable language, terrible comment actually!
- By: Aziz on November 7, 2003

If everyone were to think like highlander and stop saying what they believe for fear of who else might be hearing it, can you imagine how the world might be so different? There would be no spreading of new ideas, and no change. This paranoia is over the top and unfounded. No one is writing "oh i hate so and so, i want to kill them" or anything; they are expressing their opinions in an eloquent and educated manner, and have every right to do so. If you don't like it, it's very simple, stop reading it. Better yet, if you haven't already, start a blog of your own. But don't insult the views of other people, it will get you nowhere and will get you "go f.. yourself" remarks like the one below.
- By: sanam on November 6, 2003

I guess the comment from highlander could be correct. I mean the second one, about democracy in Iran, democracy starts at our homes not in streets, Iranian attitude towards the democracy is getting better, because our families are chaning from a traditional core to open and individual families and as he said, if we want to have american type of democracy, we need to have same kind of family values as american people have.
- By: Mike Mahmoodi on November 4, 2003

Hey Highlander Thanks for your advise and I just have a goodbye thing for you, go and f.. Yourself! Bloging is not illegal why should someone be worried, you paranoid! Comparing Iran with its neighbours and justifying that we have democracy... is as stupid as your first statement! And it’s not rocket science to see why! At the end of the day you sound like the regime’s TV political experts (if you can call those burgers expert though!) aren’t you one of them? Oh this was about the CAFÉ BLOG, GREAT JOB, AND ALL THE BEST WITH IT! ABSULTLY BRILLIANT
- By: Aziz on November 4, 2003

I guess this is the last comment/visit I am gonna have here (hoder.com)... you need to read more and not just writting off crude thoughs in the internet...but before I leave for the good, I would like to bring the following issues in your attention... first... DO NOT ENCOURGE people to write down their thoughs on Blogs.. because as u may know in developed society, the Big Brother is always watching you, in CCTV's, by your shopping cards, by your credit, over the ISP's, check-in-check-out, even when you use your badge just to get into your work-place they exactly know where you are and by being on the company network, they know what you are doing, each time you touch the keyboard they can track what you are typing... they can locate you, by your cell phone and etc... all you need is just to put your mind in a blog and wait for another MacCarthism to come up, if at that time, your mother would be your enemy for spying you, now there is no need to Spy you, beacause you have speaking loud about your fears and dangerous ideas in your BLOGS!!!!, if you think you are watching the big bro's faults and putting it in your belogs... be sure that there is a watcher watching you... you can be easily labelled.. and if you think that there will not be any other MacCarthism, Communism, etc... you are wrong again, it is in Human nature to seek power and control, democracy is just another way to control people.. just like religons, just like a big government, just like a CCTV that is installed in the doorgate of you apartement, dangerous insects will be smashed by the system... just a reminder that do not believe in what you read about internet, have you ever asked, why there is no ban or regulation on the website you visit? that's because they are trending you, as you visit websites, and do not think it is technologically impossible, you have a serial number in your contract with ISP, you have a serial number for your modem and your computer, and they have everything to map your identity, So once again, DO NOT ENCOURAGE people to write their thoughts on an insecure cyberworld....>>>>>>>>>>> Second, your obsession about Iran...There is democracy in Iran and things are not as bad as you guys think, there has been nothing really shitty in Iran's past and contemparory History like what has happened in almost all of Iran's negibours... According to an study done in Hawaii university which has breifly published in the Atlantic Magazine this month, and if you go to map, you will see for instance, in Turkey between 1914-1918, over 9% of the whole population were democided... in Russia, there has been really huge mass-murdering in several reforms and in Pakistan, there has been murdering of Bangals and Indians, I dont need to mention Afghanistan,and for Iraq, over 183,000 kurds were killed in one shot of Iraqi history...back to Iran, you never seen anything like that, you see that over Zahra Kazemi case, all papers and parlement members accusing others in power of abusing it... , in which of your neighbours you hear same cases like that? In Russia, the richest man of the country goes behind the bars for political reasons, In Turkey women are forced to not wearing veil ( just like Iran but the other way around).. and the whole Turkey, This is the Military that talks... BUT.. I am not saying that, there is a full-version of American Democracy in Iran... People are right in the track, and a fast-forward towards it.. but as I said many times before, if you want an american style of democracy, you must have Amerrican-kina-thinking people in Iran too... but you do not have... so just be carefull when you talk about democracy in two different culture/country... and STOP STANDARDAZING democracy with an american version of it, You hurt democracy more than what mullahs do in Iran... but as I said again, Democcracy is just a way to control people in a very polite way, you are free to scream, but no one seems to hear, because there are all kinds of voices all around... Democracy is the most intelligent way to control intelligent people, as people get smarter, there is a need to smarter way of controling
- By: Highlander on November 3, 2003

Guess that makes us trend-setters. Wish we could have a "Cali Cafe Blog" here.
- By: A persian girl in California on November 3, 2003

have u seen this:http://boingboing.net/2003_11_01_archive.html#106780409868869456
- By: sdamaavand on November 3, 2003

dear hossein thank you very much for your cooment on cafeblog which has raised the visitor of our under cunstruction site up to twice! we are on your disposal for any further information about the cafe and in any way would be happy to offer you a great nonalchohlic! Irish cofee whenever you have trip to Iran.
- By: babak on November 1, 2003

Who do you think you are, you Hossein Derakhshan, also known as "HODER"? Really, do you think you are important or what? A guy who used to write articles on Tehran so-called reformised papers about internet, He helped Mullahs (people whom he is against them) to make a website for Islamic Conference? Then came to Canada ( Surprizingly enough, none of thoes Islamic Gaurd Millitant did not stopped this important figure at the airports in Tehran) then he discovered "weblog" which he appearntly has devoted his life for developing anything related blog's, and he has 4000 regular customers per day visiting his worded and non-sense political-cultural comments. Do you think you are really dangerous for the mullahs and they are waiting to arrest you when you landed on Mehrabad Int'l Airport? I bet now you think I am with thoes jerk mullahs... Once again you are WRONG!
- By: Highlander on October 31, 2003

are you out of your mind? I bet you, the minute you get there they'll beat the shit out of you..why?? prolly a bad influence among iranian bloggers?...I kid you not!
- By: Ahmads on October 31, 2003

are you out of your mind? I bet you, the minute you get there they'll beat the shit out of you...I kid you not!
- By: Ahmads on October 31, 2003

Hey bald hooter, it is better to shut the fuck up and keep your nonsense words for your lazy ass. try to send your resume to some companies and find a job ratehr be a parasite to your wife, you do not get any knowledge even go through 1000 universities because basically you do not know how to read and write in your own language. so SHUT THE FUCK UP...
- By: Kerry on October 30, 2003

You know Mike, and I mean this with respect, but many Iranians are not muslim. In fact, until the 60's religion was seen as unsophisticated by some. All I mean to say is that there was for some time, and may still be, an element of secularism. Now, when that secularism was zealously enforced, Iranians were not happy and had the Islamic revolution, and of course, that has worked out to be zealous and harmful as well. Listen Iranians (I'm Iranian myself) Americans care about you. Many of them want you to be happy, free, wealthy, educated, etc. They also want you to be able to be a great muslim or christian or whatever you want to be. I have always loved america becuase if you are a muslim there, you know it is because you chose to be, not becuase someone else forced you. Think about what a finer compliment to God that must be. Anyway, Iranians, if you read about Americans who do not support you, realize taht they do exist, and rememebr that everywhere there are people with every possible opinion, but in America, these people are allowed to voice their concerns. They may be be wrong, but just to be sure, every voice is allowed to speak his own mind. So, people like Mike and I give you support and are interested in what is going on in your lives, and appreciate your effort to inform us. Good Luck
- By: Rff on October 30, 2003

You know Mike, and I mean this with respect, but many Iranians are not muslim. In fact, until the 60's religion was seen as unsophisticated by some. All I mean to say is that there was for some time, and may still be, an element of secularism. Now, when that secularism was zealously enforced, Iranians were not happy and had the Islamic revolution, and of course, that has worked out to be zealous and harmful as well. Listen Iranians (I'm Iranian myself) Americans care about you. Many of them want you to be happy, free, wealthy, educated, etc. They also want you to be able to be a great muslim or christian or whatever you want to be. I have always loved america becuase if you are a muslim there, you know it is because you chose to be, not becuase someone else forced you. Think about what a finer compliment to God that must be. Anyway, Iranians, if you read about Americans who do not support you, realize taht they do exist, and rememebr that everywhere there are people with every possible opinion, but in America, these people are allowed to voice their concerns. They may be be wrong, but just to be sure, every voice is allowed to speak his own mind. So, people like Mike and I give you support and are interested in what is going on in your lives, and appreciate your effort to inform us. Good Luck
- By: R on October 30, 2003

I would like to post this message to all freedom-craving Iranians. There are Americans, such as my family that take great interest in the daily events in your country. I personally have become elated when you show strength and courage against your horrible government. I mourn all those that have died since 1979 in the name of freedom. However, I get confused when I start thinking about what we as a nation can do about it. The task at hand in Iraq in going to be a long and difficult struggle, however as long as we keep our current persident in office, we will not back down from those who seek to defeat the notions of individual liberty and freedom of speech. It would seem to me that the best way to help yourselves is to help Iraq. The LAST thing the mullahs want is a democracy next door. Allah forbid, it might open them up to harsh criticism and accountability, something they would hate. "it's all Israel's fault that you have 25% unemployment and a hostile America". This line that the love to use would become increasingly hollow. The time for regimes in the Muslim world that stay afloat by blaming Israel for everything is over. Generations of peace-loving Muslims have been born, raised and died under this mantra which only designed to pacify the masses and enrich the ruling elite.(Look at what Arafat is worth and where his wife and daughter live) Its a terrible waste. It needs to stop. You can help end this auful cycle...but what are we, as average American citizens, to do, besides pray???
- By: Michael Kazmac on October 30, 2003

While one can go to Iran and expect a certain degree of safety, it wil be difficult for a healthy adult male to leave the country. If you have friends related to the airports, it will b easier, otherwise, it is a serious risk that you will not be permitted to leave Iran. speaking from experience
- By: Dustin on October 30, 2003

Of course, with all the nonsense that you write in your Persian blog, advocating drug use over and over again, you should be afraid of going back to Iran. Drug use is one thing, but no sane government wants a drug pusher like you to set foot on its territory. Not to mention all the hatred you are spewing out on your Persian blog against Muslims of all walks of life, lumping everything Islamic into a huge bag labeled "terrorism". Not even Iran's recent Noble prize winner is good enough for your highness. You have lost your identity as an Iranian, and your soul as a human. It's not a bad idea to learn some tolerance and understanding from your Canadian and western hosts. The West did not get to where it is now via sustained hatred. You will go nowhere too if you continue your hate and hide behind your ecstacy pills.
- By: Kaveh on October 30, 2003

Too dangerous these days, you should not go there,it's ass in ass, and one may expect to encounter each and everything, meanwhile nothing may happen, that's the quality of ASS in ASS society, nothing (and everything) is expectable!
- By: dave on October 30, 2003

Holy shoot, paper cups in Iran have handles! We of the international community demand you hand over this paper-cup-handle technology immediately. Failure to do so will result in an immediate coffee and tea embargo.
- By: Kofi Annan on October 30, 2003

The Internet (specifically Blogging) will free the World. I'm all behind the $87B being spent in Iraq. But how far would America's interests go if we spent 1B in opening Internet cafes around the world? Or would that just lead to better communication between terrorists? -Rus
- By: rus on October 30, 2003

Dear Hoder I would suggest you go there for 2-3 weeks to make some new reports. I promise you will be a millionair in 1 month, I am telling you based on your talents.
- By: Orkideh on October 30, 2003