PERSIAN TRIBUNE Volume 1, Issue 2

PERSIAN www.PersianTribune.ca • Volume 1, Issue 2

TRIBUNE

The Voice Behind the Music

An Exclusive Interview with

Sussan Deyhim

From the Feature Film ARGO

Canada-Iran What Lies Ahead?

Is Shiraz Wine from Iran?

The Greek Historian & Ancient Persia

Existentialism, Through the Eyes of the Artist

What is a QR Code?

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PERSIAN TRIBUNE

Volume 1, Issue 2

7 History

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Herodotus & Iran

8 Art

Canada Existentialism Through the Eyes of the Artist

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10 Art

Hossein’s Harmony

15 Life

Officer Khoshandish

16 Main Feature

Sussan Deyhim The Voice behind the music from the film of ARGO

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20 Pets

Did contaminated treat imported from China kill pets?

22 Travel

The Hidden Treasure: Niagara-on-the-Lake

Sussan Deyhim on front cover and on this page photographed by Tino Rodríguez and Virgo Paraiso

25 Wines

Myth About Shiraz Wine

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27 Politics

Canada and Iran What Lies Ahead?

29 Real Estate

Some Notes on Investment in Real Estate

32 Health

How to Choose an Orthodontist

33 Social Issues

Ontario’s Anti Bullying Bill

35 Sports AHL or NHL?

36 Book Review In The Lion’s Shadow

by Fariborz Mokhtari

38 Food

Koofteh Tabrizi Meatballs

40 Travel

Feng Shui Your Travels

42 Technology

QR Code Technology

43 Health PERSIANTRIBUNE

Live @ Present

PERSIAN

Letter from Editor THANK YOU, THANK YOU, and THANK YOU. That is all I can say to you all and to all of your kind messages and feedback toward the first issue of PERSIAN TRIBUNE magazine.

We received a great deal of support and encouragement from our Iranian readers while we heard many admirations from outside of the Iranian community. Your responses and support are overwhelming and mean the world to each one of us.

TRIBUNE

Volume 1, Issue 2 Publisher:

Creative Director: Isaac Lotz

So the genie is out of the bottle and we have our work cut out for us and that is because of you and we thank you all for it.

Editor-in- Chief:

Art Director:

Associate Editor:

Graphic Designers:

In this issue we had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with Sussan Deyhim, who without a doubt is an exceptional person but also an internationally accomplished artist in many façades of media.

Persian Tribune Inc. Kiumars Rezvanifar

Shaadi Aryan

Managing Editor:

Kerry Brownell Shadi Raoufi Mark Kowalski

Courtney Boyden

Web Management:

VP of Sales and Marketing:

Contributing Writers:

Sima Aryan

Senior VP Business Development Ramin Deravian

Account Executives: Mehri Rahimian Bobby Boroujerdi Manijeh Sari Amir Amirsolaimani

Print Production Manager Omid Jesmi

You will hear about an Iranian sculptor in Toronto and his way of thanking Canada for giving him hope and helping him during his dark days. You will also read about an unsung Iranian hero from the World War II era, who saved many Jewish lives during his mission in Europe. Finally you will find out if Shiraz wine is from Iran or somewhere else in the world.

Ramin Emadi

David Akhlaghi Sarvenaz Barghgir Dr. Elaine Chin Jasmin Jackman Dr. Davod Kafai PC Blair McQuillan Doris Pontieri Aryana Rezvanifar Dolly Sidhu Shamsi Shahrokhi Mike Ulmer Bryon Wilfert Mehdi Zohouri Ali Ehsassi Edi Grace Ava Homa Steve Conn Dr. Kevin Rod Hon. Kathleen Wynne MPP Dr. Kevin Davis

I hope you enjoy this issue as well and do not forget to visit www.persiantribune.ca.

Kiumars Rezvanifar Editor-In- Chief

Sahar Biniaz holding issue 1 Persian Tribune magazine is published twelve times a year by Persian Tribune Inc. It is distributed free of charge in libraries, business and cultural centers in GTA. Persian Tribune magazine is an independent publication and its contents imply no endorsement of any product or service. Opinions expressed are those of the writers. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission from the publisher.

Address: Persian Tribune magazine 25 Valleywood Drive, Suite 12, Markham, ON. L3R 5L9 Tel: (905)763-1061 Fax: (905)763-8972 Email: contact@persiantribune.ca visit us at www.persiantribune.ca All rights reserved.

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HISTORY Herodotus, considered by many to be the father of Western history, was born between 490 and 480 B.C.E. in the Greek town of Halicarnassus (current day Bodrum in Turkey). During his lifetime, he traveled the known world gathering knowledge and stories which he would use to write his timeless book Histories.

Early in Histories, Herodotus states that he wrote in order to remember the great deeds of Greeks and Persians during their wars and to show the Greeks that they needed to unite in order to succeed.

the same conclusion both times only then would they proceed: Moreover, it is their custom to deliberate about the gravest matters when they are drunk; and what they approve in their deliberations is proposed to them the next day, when they are sober, by the master of the house where they deliberate; and if, being sober, they still approve it, they act on it, but if not, they drop it. And if they have deliberated about a matter when sober, they decide upon it when they are drunk.

(Histories, book 1, chapter 133)

By: Mehdi Zohouri

Herodotus & Iran Unlike the manner in which Iranians or Persians have been portrayed in movies such as 300 (Warner Brothers Pictures, 2006), Herodotus saw Greeks and Persians as the most cultured civilizations of their time. He claims that the Greeks and Iranians were willing to improve their societies by studying and gathering new knowledge from foreign cultures and adopting ideas that were beneficial into their own cultures. Greeks were the heroes of Histories, but Herodotus also respected the Iranians and described them as brave fighting men who were brought up to only speak the truth.

Herodotus knew that history did not occur in a vacuum: the people he was writing about had a past that had led them to their present. He was well informed about Iranians and the Achaemenid (Persian) Empire as his own travels took him through parts of it. During Herodotus’ time there were no border controls, and he utilized his knowledge of the Iranian culture so well that he got around better than most other Greeks. While it is unlikely that he visited Iran itself, Herodotus did have friends in the Achaemenid Empire who came from three different noble families, Zopyrus, Artabazus and Demaratus (a former Spartan king). Herodotus’ writings include many references to the heads of these families, including very detailed accounts of their words and deeds.

One interesting tradition among ancient Iranians that Herodotus makes a point to mention in Histories is their practice of going over important matters twice before deciding on a course of action.

Ancient Iranians would discuss important issues once while they were drunk and once more while they were sober. If they reached

While Herodotus admired Iranians and their culture, he believed in the supremacy of Athenian democracy over other forms of government. In Histories, Herodotus credited the Athenians, not the Spartans, for exerting the very Greek power that was vital to defeating the Achaemenid Empire’s invasion force. He explains that in the end, the Greeks won because they were a more learned race than the Iranians, giving them a crucial advantage in defeating the mighty Achaemenid Empire. However for the father of Western history, ancient Iran was not a cruel and uncivilized empire and Iranians were not monsters.

I wonder what Herodotus would think of - and how he would describe - Iran and its leaders today... n

Mehti Zohouri is a teacher who was born in Iran and raised in Canada.

He has a Master degree in History, a B.A. in Psychology and a Bachelor of Education from Lakehead University. When he is not teaching he goes on canoe trips.

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ARTS

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Canada Existentialism Through the Eyes of the Artist By: Doris Pontieri

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Soren Kierkegaard, considered to be one of the pioneers of existentialism, emphasized the importance of being of a clear mind what one must do, as a truth which is true for oneself, rather than only the importance of what one is to know.

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An artist may capture that i m a g e w i t h t h e camera and paint it with realistic techniques, hence re-creating w h a t h a s already been experienced.

What is the point of th a t? I wo u l d prefer to see the outcome of the artist acting on his feelings about what he just saw and expressing that onto the canvas, thereby exposing a part of him in the piece. Let’s examine the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh. This great artist saw the world for what it was, but his interpretations on canvas were much more about him than simply re-creations of landscapes he may have looked at. Impressionist art must be about the act of painting, not the planning of painting or knowing the outcome before the piece has even begun. The first brush stroke must determine the next, with no forecasting.

As an artist, I am always looking for a deeper meaning to life, but is there one? Human beings will try to understand what ultimately is not understandable and will continue to search for answers in an unending quest for knowledge. If one is to let go of the constant questioning, one is more likely to live a happier and less stress filled life simply by virtue of the fact that the mind can relax with the acceptance that, in the simplest terms, it is what it is. Taking this thought and expanding on it allows me to work on my paintings more freely, instead of dwelling on the knowledge governing the action, and simply channeling the act of doing. Stripping away the bonds of the regulatory life I find myself waking up to each morning, and stepping into the realm of existentialism gives me the freedom to only be responsible for what I am painting... I am not painting for a purpose, I am painting for my purpose. The piece then becomes an expression of my feelings about the art, or the moment, with no Definition of EXISTENTIALISM, hidden agenda. The act of being who Merriam Webster: I am makes me who I am and that is A chiefly 20th century philosophical reflected in the art. movement embracing diverse

In the words of Cosimo Stifani, an art critic who I admire, “The artists who have left a mark in the annals of human history are the ones who have had that d o c t r i n e s b u t c e n t e r i n g o n perspicacious insight and mental analysis of individual existence in discernment in visualizing what the an unfathomable universe and the ordinary eye cannot discern, cannot plight of the individual who must see. To be an artist is to go beyond what t h e o r d i n a r y e y e s e e s a n d assume ultimate responsibility for w i l l f u l l y embrace the world and the acts of free will without any life that oozes forth from our daily certain knowledge of what is right experience, our daily existence.”

I am a teacher of art to adults who have lived and longed to express themselves through the canvas. Teaching technique is the easy part, what I find most difficult to instill in my students is the ability to let go of preconceived notions of what art is supposed to look like. To free themselves to trust what or wrong or good they feel and interpret those feelings into their art. I grew up loving art and watching my artist mother retreat from the difficulties of life and become euphoric while she painted. It was the only time in her life when she was truly able to ‘seize the day’, as every other aspect of her life was lived according to the rules set out for her by family and society.

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Although there are many recognized art forms, I am most drawn to impressionism and because of this, the creation of art has become too broad a term for me. The word art seems to now encompass all things created by the human hand. It is my belief that to look at something in life is to experience it. Once you have seen it, you have had that experience. For example, the Blue Jay eating seeds from the feeder is a beautiful sight.

or bad.

So, in considering where art really comes from, in my opinion, it comes from the artist who has found the freedom to move beyond the knowledge of learning and the confidence to simply create. n Doris Pontieri is an award winning artist and art teacher. Her work is featured in many galleries in Canada and U.S. 1. The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh, 1889 2. Sitar by Doris Pontieri, 2009 3. Sketch of Danish philosophy Søren Kierkegaard

by Niels Christian Kierkegaard, c. 1840 4. Claude Monet, Impressions: soleil levant, 1874 5. Pablo Picasso, Le Moulin de la Galette, Autumn 1900

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ARTS

HOSSEIN’S

HARMONY

By: Ava Homa

My 18-month-old son, Ali, was startled when my employer rang the doorbell on a Sunday morning. I let the man borrow my car and he left his truck with me. It was a nice April morning in 2002, and I had not been able to go back to sleep. I decided to clean the truck instead, to prepare it for my jobs on Monday. Ali toddled after me, sucking on his soother. I hugged him, kissed him, and let him play with the wheel, since the engine was turned off. A Freon capsule was sitting between the second and third row of seats and I was preparing the instruments, the furnace and air conditioning.

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“Is this worth it, after all?” This same, singular question - one I had been obsessed over for six months - occupied my mind again. After twelve years of working as a stone sculptor in Iran, I was finally being offered sizable government contracts.

Since immigrating to Canada, I had only ever been an assistant, and I wondered if it would take me another twelve years - or maybe more - to build up my career.

“Hossein Davari was transported to Sunnybrook Hospital a few hours after the incident, where he was informed that his hands would most likely have to be amputated or he risked having no remaining nerve function in his arms. ” I’m not sure which tore my thoughts apart first, my son panicking or the gas blowing out of the capsule. A powerful, invisible force threw the heavy metal capsule to the back of the truck in less than a second. Ali’s screams left me with no option but to try and stop the blow by holding my hand in front of it. Have I ever made a bigger mistake?

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Canadian Ethnic Media Association CEMA supports the principles of Canadian citizenship, multiculturalism and the right of free expression without ethnocentric bias. for information visit www.canadianethnicmedia.com

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“Hush, azizam, hush. It’s nothing,” I said to Ali, who looked extremely scared. My leather gloves were as ill-equipped to stop the gas as the words with which I tried to calm Ali. I thought of throwing the capsule on the pavement and hugging my kid, but when I glimpsed the skirt of a young girl running after her white puppy, I decided I didn’t want this shock to happen to anyone else’s kid. My hands were feeling numb by this point.

Looking around for ideas, I noticed a smaller tap under the main one and twisted it twice to shut off the flow. My hands felt frozen. Ignoring the sensation, I hugged my little boy and carefully took him inside. It was only after Ali calmed down a bit that I noticed a severe pain in my hands and arms. My wife had returned home by then.

Have you ever noticed that when a part of your body hurts, you automatically put your hand on it to soothe it or calm it down? At this point I wondered what to do when both hands and arms are in ruthless pain...and I don’t remember what happened after.

“During those very tough days of trying to rise above injury, unemployment, loneliness in a foreign country, limited savings, language barriers and other challenges, I noticed something that made me feel satisfied. It wasn’t just the amount of care I received from my nurses and doctors, but I noticed that as a newcomer, I had the exact same rights in Canada as did Canadians whose ancestors lived here! It was only then that I realized that my immigration to Canada, even despite the hardship I was facing, wasn’t wrong.”

Hossein says that it was then that he started thinking about how Canada came to be, evolving into what it is today, and how he might contribute to this fabulous country he called home. He realized that if you traced the lineage of every Canadian’s family, except for aboriginal peoples, you would find someone in them had immigrant status at one point or another. That’s why Canada is an entity in itself, as it shelters people from all over the world. He realized that the immigrants have helped to create a systematic country with rules to protect everyone against discrimination. As his body was recovering, his observations helped his mind to heal too.

HOSSEIN’S

Hossein Davari was transported to Sunnybrook Hospital a few hours after the incident, where he was informed that his hands would most likely have to be amputated or he risked having no remaining nerve function in his arms. Only Hossein’s bones were visible at that point, there was no flesh left to cover them since it was ruined by the Freon gas, which burns flesh more severely than fire does.

After months of therapy, Hossein finally regained the use of his hands. He believes that he owes his hands to Sunnybrook hospital staff, and his wife.

“I would go to the hospital everyday for therapy. Almost all the staff knew me then. Their friendly greetings, smiles and positive attitudes helped me as much as their medical care did. My wife also played a crucial role. She did everything for me, everything, including spoon-feeding me. I couldn’t be more grateful.”

An artist’s worst nightmare is the loss of their hands, and as a professional sculptor, Hossein, was now facing a real danger.

Not only would he not be able to sculpt anymore; he would From the very first day this courageous and fortunate Iranian man not be able to find another job either. could sculpt again, and for the following six months thereafter, 12 • PERSIANTRIBUNE

he devoted his time and energy to crafting a huge sculpture representing harmony. Hossein broke a leg while carving the top of the statue. He fell down and had a cast on his leg for forty days. That neither stopped him from working or smiling.

“The harmony sculpture is a visual representation of the success and opportunities that various generations of people have encountered upon immigrating to Canada. The rock formation on which the statue rests represents the earth (also symbolizing that people from all over the world gathered here to build this nation). The formation holds a large burden built on it, similar to how Canada has been built from bare rock and earth, through the relentless effort of successive generations of Canadians. The globe at the centre of the sculpture represents the cultural diversity that makes Canada unique among nations; a multicultural country whose citizens hail from around the world. The globe itself is surrounded by a crescent shaped ‘C’ with a maple leaf sculpted on it. This symbolizes the common bond that unites the diverse people of Canada, the desire for better life that their ancestors and them to immigrate here.

statue along. Then, Hossein’s plans to present the statue to the Olympics were postponed due lack of pre-arrangements at the time. Despite the high travel expenses and the hardships that would have made the trip look impossible to most, Hossein finds his long trip rewarding.

“A few times a tire needed changing and the mechanics didn’t charge me when they saw the heavy statue I was carrying in honour of Canada. Even a few hotels let me stay overnight free of charge. I will also never forget the tears in a young woman’s eyes as she approached me in Vancouver, clearly able to understand much of the statue’s meaning. In minus-32-degree-Celsius temperatures, Canadians would stop to appreciate the statue as it was presented in the downtown areas of various cities I would pass through. They took pictures with me and my artwork. Some of them would even climb the sculpture.”

To visit the sculpture and chat with Hossein Davari check out “Masterpiece” at 8-315 Steelcase Rd. E. Markham, ON L3R 2R5.

S JOURNEY The gentle sloping curves of the crescent rest gracefully over the globe, showing the welcoming hand that Canadians give to all who immigrate here. The distinct and varying sections of the statue unite in a pleasant coexistence that expresses the peaceful harmony that exists amongst the people of Canada.”

Hossein is planning to donate his Harmony sculpture to the Government of Canada. n

Ava Homa is a Kurdish-Iranian-Canadian writer-in-exile and the author of Echoes from the Other Land. www.Avahoma.com

For the Olympic Games, Hossein drove 4000 km with his sculpture in his Canadian-flag-decorated truck to Vancouver.

Drivers passing him on the road honked and waved at him in excitement and support. Hossein’s long drive brought out even more persistence in him as he was challenged by extremely cold weather, snow and ice-covered roads while towing the seven-ton PERSIANTRIBUNE

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LIFE Homicide Unit. It was a great way to learn about the various units in our organization, but as a new officer the volume of work was also overwhelming at times.”

Officer Khoshandish By: PC Blair McQuillan

Some people are destined to follow a chosen life path. It would seem York Regional Police Sergeant John Khoshandish is one of those people. For reasons even he cannot fully explain, Khoshandish knew from the time he was 15 years old that he wanted to become a police officer. “I channelled my efforts and studies towards a career in law enforcement from a young age,” he said. “I wanted a career where I would be challenged and a career where I could evolve as a person. I just knew that becoming a police officer was the right choice for me.”

With a clear vision of his future in mind, Khoshandish enrolled in the three-year law enforcement program at Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario, at the age of 18. In addition, he entered the Canadian Armed Forces and joined the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. He also volunteered with Victim Services, which assists victims of crime and critical incidents. “Due to my age and inexperience, I felt that joining the military and doing volunteer work would prepare me for a career as a police officer,” he said. “I found both experiences to be quite helpful and I grew as a person because of them.”

In 2000, Khoshandish’s hard work paid off when he received an offer of employment from York Regional Police. “I was the first Persian police officer with York Regional Police at that time,” noted Khoshandish, who came to Canada from Iran when he was 12. “I was very honoured.” Khoshandish’s success did not go unnoticed by his family. His brother was so impressed with - and inspired by - what he had accomplished that he too decided to become a police officer. Shawn Khoshandish was hired by York Regional Police in 2005 and currently works as a detective constable at #4 District Headquarters in the City of Vaughan.

“Shawn told me I had inspired him so much that he wanted to follow in my footsteps,” Khoshandish said. “I was very touched by that. Shawn is a very smart and dedicated individual. I knew he would do well in policing.”

Much like today, York Region’s population was experiencing rapid growth when Khoshandish was hired 12-years ago. The number of people of Persian decent residing in the region was also increasing at that time. This presented unique opportunities and challenges for the new officer. “Obviously, my linguistic skills and the intimate knowledge of the culture came in handy during those years,” Khoshandish said. “I was able to assist in investigations in the Criminal Investigations Bureau, Intelligence Unit and

When not assisting with investigations, Khoshandish spent the first six years of his career working at #2 District Headquarters in the Town of Richmond Hill, as a member of the Uniformed Patrol Unit. However, from the day he started, he had another goal in mind. “I joined the Public Order Unit and eventually became a squad leader,” he said. “I also joined the Search and Rescue Unit and worked to become a team leader there. I did all of this because I was channelling all of my efforts towards my ultimate goal of joining the Emergency Response Unit.”

In 2006, Khoshandish underwent the demanding selection process and ultimately earned a spot in the unit. The following year, he completed additional training and became a team sniper.

“I wanted to be a member of the Emergency Response Unit because you have an opportunity to work through challenging situations in a team environment,” he said. “I craved that kind of challenge and I think it’s the environment in which I work best.”

During his time with the Emergency Response Unit, Khoshandish responded to numerous critical incidents including armed and barricaded persons calls, and at one time was assigned to guard members of the United States Embassy in Ottawa during the 2007 North American Leadership Summit. “I was very fortunate to be able to work with a great team,” he said. “As a group, we felt privileged to be part of these great experiences.”

In 2008, Khoshandish co-founded the Iranian Canadian Police Network. The network is comprised of 33 officers of Persian decent who collaborate on innovative ideas to serve the unique needs of the community. “I think it’s great that an increasing number of Persian officers are serving the public when compared to 12-years ago,” he said. “We have a great group of professionals who volunteer their time and get involved in public education forums and other community events.”

In early 2012, with his time in the Emergency Response Unit nearing its end, Khoshandish felt it was again time to challenge himself. As a result, he began the rigorous selection process of being promoted from Constable to Sergeant. As with other goals he set out to attain, Khoshandish was successful in his quest and in October 2012, he learned he was on the list to become a Sergeant.“I am very proud of the promotion,” he said. “I feel York Regional Police has some of the most dedicated and talented officers in the country. To be recognized among this group is truly an honour.”

Currently assigned to Investigative Services while he waits for a permanent posting as a sergeant, Khoshandish is once again looking forward to new challenges. “I am very much looking forward to what lies ahead,” Khoshandish said. “Whether I take on an investigative role or return to uniform patrol as a supervisor. I’m eager to effectively contribute to my new team and help other officers reach their goals.” n For more information on becoming a York Regional Police officer, please visit www.yrp.ca and click on Recruiting.

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FEATURE

By: Courtney Boyden

The movie ARGO, the tense thriller about the Iranian hostage crisis, has been named “Best Picture of 2012”. We had the opportunity to sit down with Iranian born, international artist and human rights activist Sussan Deyhim and talk to her about her career and role in the collaboration of the beautiful music score for the film (with composer Alexandre Desplat).

Can you tell us about yourself ?

Well I grew up in Tehran and most of my life I lived in Tehran.

My first artistic activity was as a ballet dancer in Iran then I gravitated towards classical ballet. I was in a big European company, Maurice Bejart. They used to come to Iran yearly for the festival of Shiraz, so my first artistic activity was in classical ballet. Then I gravitated towards music, theatre, multi-media, film and other media, and gradually a lot of visual arts, so I’ve done quite a few different mediums in art.

I am basically a conceptual artist. Most of the work that I’ve done in any medium has been on the progressive and conceptual side. So consequently my work still isn’t very well known in the Persian community, but only in the cultural part of the Persian community.

There has also been a lot of work that I’ve done that has been in collaboration with a lot of various well known artists which are more known to the mainstream community.

You’ve done a lot of performances not only in the United States but in many other countries. Can you tell us about that?

I’ve been extensively all over the place that it is very hard to mention a few. I was schooled in Iran and then Europe and then in the US and then back to Europe, my work and travels have been literally all over the place.

I’d like to do a little more in the Middle East just because we have a lot to share. As a progressive artist and as a woman I 16

still think that there is alot to work out in the Middle East, so it would be important to have a presence in places where people can relate to your story and your struggle to become an international artist while you are keeping your true voice in your own culture. And yet you have an understanding of the beauty of tradition and the heritage without getting stuck there to the point that you are always just doing the same thing or hiding behind tradition, culture and pride to the point that nothing interesting happens between the East and West. Either you are doing the same thing or hiding behind traditional culture to the point where it stops you from looking out at so many amazing things that are happening around the globe in every building of art, especially in music.

What was the primary influence in your life growing up?

The influences of my childhood were that I was going to go to medical school. My father was in science and I was very interested in that, but then I met the arts and I met dancing and it took over my life. Basically as a child I understood the blessing and the power of tradition is very much alive. I appreciate the world that is not homogenous, as a result I care profoundly about keeping the tradition alive. But I also profoundly disagree with the traditionalists who are so heavy handed in defending tradition that they don’t allow the new generation to experience tradition and take it someplace else.

So in that way, I am a very progressive thinking person in general and definitely in terms of my heart.

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What would you call the style of your music, since it is an infusion of so many elements?

I lived in Europe for 25 years, for a long time my music has been associated with New York avant-garde, and as much as I can relate to that, and we have to call it something so people can relate to what it is, I also find it limiting, because I sell so many different kinds of music and I really believe so much that the arts need to come out of the capitalization. You have to become sophisticated but not forget about main stream art, street art, the music art, and a lot of collaborations with people from classical music, contemporary classical music, jazz, traditional, folklore, classical music from Iran so it’s really a huge horizon.

I’ve been experimenting on my career, and for years with things that I don’t know, as a result it influences your work and your work is very hard to pin down. Because one day people asked if I can call my work “fusion” and I said no fusion is not the right word because it relates to specific type of 70’s jazz music. Is my music avant-garde? No, I don’t want it to be avant-garde, which immediately makes my music just listenable to sophisticated crowds and it eliminates all other people.

So I try to stay away from being just a musician, but I’m definitely a kind of adventurous experimentalist and so it can be viewed in that way.

You have performed with great performers of the world such as Jerry Garcia, U2, and Bobby McFerrin to Peter Gabriel.

How did you get to be on such a platform and perform and collaborate with these giant names of music?

My work is very recognizably from a very wonderful place called Iran. I on the other hand, my attitude in life and the output of my work is very open minded. I lived in New York, London, Brussels and even in Paris and I think that it is my contacts, the people who came to see my performances gradually. My audience honored my work and I guess my name became more known to different people, different mediums of art and that kind of people approached me to collaborate. You mentioned Peter Gabriel and Bobby McFerrin or U2 using my music to honor Iran’s green movement. Any one of them has global recognition and there is an enormous gratitude on my part to work with some of these amazing people and I’ve learned.

I’ve worked with Bobby McFerrin for 10 years in touring with him on and off for a long time. I was part of a very prestigious record company called Sony Classical and Bobby was up at Sony Classical so we met there. When I worked with Peter Gabriel and Martin Scorsese I was in New York and someone recommended that I should work on the “Last Temptation of Christ “. Every time it is a different situation, I got a phone call from U2’s management they said they were starting their biggest international tour ever and they wanted to honor Iran, they wanted to use 25 seconds of a piece of a music that I had composed for an introduction to one of their songs “Sunday Bloody Sunday”.

So it was like, sure go for it.

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Photo: Tino Rodríguez and Virgo Paraiso

Every single time it has been an amazing surprise and wonderful seeing that my work has been recognized.

I ought to be very happy that every single time it was because of a different occasion with a wonderful artist. I think they are a living learning process.

How do you perceive the post-revolution Iranian music?

It seems like there is a movement and the interesting thing is that most of that is coming actually from Iran, from the heart of the underground music in Iran.

Personally I love listening to Persian classical music. I really like old music but what I don’t like is the attitude that surrounds the audience of classical music. Some of the musicians of classical music are sometimes very heavy handed to the young generation and I find that very dangerous. I think they feel that if we all start experimenting with tradition, it will all disappear before our eyes.

I think there should be a better balance between guiding the interpretation and taking the right steps, instead of tabooing them from touching something that they are not a master of. Well before you become a master at things you have to try it. It is part of the journey. Look at the journey of Buddha, the realization happens after you’ve gone through many victories and half of which have been bad.

I have much younger Iranian artists coming from Iran who know my work and it is very interesting for me that the work has traveled to Iran. It’s been wonderful to work with these younger extremely interesting and intelligent people. Coming from Iran and being so open minded, even under the pressure that they are under, they are very intelligent and collaborative. It’s been really fulfilling working with all these people.

I was listening to your performances with the Polish Radio Orchestra, your voice was not only as a singer but it was as an instrument.

Well I’ve studied so many different kinds of music. I’ve studied the styles from all over the place and wherever I was training I was experimenting with the sounds. I’ve trained with opera singers and once started experimenting and trying the sounds and the vocal challenges sounds of Africa and the sounds of Mozart and then the sounds of Ella Fitzgerald for example.

These are all created with voice, so you know its enormous capacity.

So my major expertise has been how to create and have an instrument flexible to all those different sounds that the human voice can create to the vibration of the music. For example, when I sing an Indian tune or an African tune I don’t want to just imitate the notes, I want to enter the vibration of the music, I want it to be that vibration.

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• PERSIANTRIBUNE

Watching you perform your music I noticed that you transform with your music, you almost channel it.

Do you feel that you channel your music?

Yes I do, I studied for many years and was a ballet dancer and an actor for a long time from the beginning of my career in New York.

I think that the reason why it is a very big and important part in my art, is that when I perform live that people will get alot out of what I’m really about. For me it is performance on stage since I’ve been part of that experiment for a long time.

As a dancer to me the stage is a very sacred place and the performer has to carry the ultimate and sacred art of production. You are there for a message and to involve people in every possible way that you can to your message. I’m told that my presence, my live performances are something that you need to experience and it’s not just in the recordings of what you can see in my work.

Your human rights activity isn’t just limited to Iran, when you are on those stages are you recognized as an Iranian artist or internationally?

I am recognized as an international artist, but I always take pride in being Iranian. I take pride in my life in Iran because I realize it’s something very wonderful in me having been born into a culture as such and it is still very interesting to me to have a childhood and my very youth in Iran and I always honor that.

I’ve done alot for Africa I’ve done a lot for the Middle East. I’ve done lots of events but I always present myself as an Iranian artist. My role is international and the people don’t always believe I’m Iranian because of the pieces that I’ve composed. I’m not really considered so much as an Iranian artist but an international artist.

Is there anything that is your goal or objective, any place or any kind of orchestra that you would like to perform with? What would that be?

I’d love to perform more in the Middle East and Africa, somewhere where it makes more sense if you are in cultures that really need your input. The western world is much more philosophical and aesthetic. It’s always wonderful to be received, but it’s not always easy. What is really challenging is to take something very progressive, and have it also be something so it reaches humanity on a simple level, so that it could be one day at the Lincoln Centre and the next day it could be performed on the street.

Can you tell us how you got involved with the movie “Argo”?

I know a composer that works in the film world, he called me and said he was calling about this movie that he was doing a score for and would like to collaborate. We knew each other from before, but didn’t have the occasion to work together, he called me and said that he would really like to me get involved and that it was about Iran. I said, let’s read the script because I can’t do anything about Iran if I don’t know what it is representing. So they sent me the script and I realized this was an amazing story because it actually happened and I accepted to work with him. We ended up in the studio for a few days, with the composer, orchestra and Ben Afflick. I met a lot of interesting people and the music happened.

Watching that movie, what did you think about it?

How did you feel personally?

Personally I feel that it neither represents me nor the people I know or the people I represent. It is about a very specific time in history, the written history of Iran. It is about a situation that happened. They took over the embassy and this is a true story.

I don’t think the film is reflecting the Iranian people. Ben Afflick has talked many times about this. What you see on the screen is a true story, it happened; it is not representing all Iranians, it represents an era.

Have you ever performed in Canada?

“I’ve performed twice, I have performed once at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Montreal, I’ve performed once in a jazz festival with a very interesting group of people. I haven’t had an invitation from the Canadians... so, knock, knock...”

Links to Sussan Deyhim’s work: www.sussandeyhim.com http://www.sussandeyhim.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeLaY8Iyquk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-soVVPgYW8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLdhrKHIWoE&feat ure=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUWCEwC2g5c Photos:

Tino Rodríguez and Virgo Paraiso (feather image) Tino Rodríguez and Virgo Paraiso (closed eyes surrounded by hair) Vivian Gonzales (profile) Lee Jaffe (images with scarf) Victoria Faust (orange brown image with a mic) Victoria Faust (Florescent image with mic) PERSIANTRIBUNE

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PETS

Did contaminated treats imported from China kill pets?

By: Dr. Davod Kafai, DVM, Ph.D.

Thousands of dogs are ill or dying across North America and it’s been going on for years. No one can say what, exactly, made the dogs sick. But owners say they fed their dogs a popular chicken treat. There are warnings on both sides of the border about treats which are made in China and marketed by some of the biggest pet food companies.

It started with one client’s visit to their veterinarian, sick pets in tow. Some of the symptoms were vomiting, convulsion, lethargy, signs of not feeling well, and accidents in the home. Test results revealed kidney failure and some pets actually died, despite receiving treatment for their kidney failure. Owners believe that jerky treats caused kidney the failure and death of their dogs.

Ingredients found in this product are chicken, glycerine and flavouring. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in United States has received more than 2000 complaints, and conducted an active investigation into these treats. Repeated testing and investigation has not found any direct evidence that the treats are causing a problem (which would lead the agency to advise pulling the treats). It has, instead, issued warnings to consumers about the products. FDA officials are continuing to investigate the production processes at the Chinese plants that make chicken jerky and other types of jerky products. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association conference, there are 15 million dogs estimated to consume these treats.

20

Retailers, pet treat manufacturers and FDA officials all say that there’s no confirmed connection between these treats and harm to pets, nor have manufacturers issued recalls for the products. Officials with Nestle Purina Pet Care Co., which sells the popular treats, have repeatedly said that internal testing has found no problems with their product and that the treats are safe to feed as directed.

Owners created an online petition and within less than a month the petition garnered more than 60,000 signatures. The petition demands that retailers pull the treats off their shelves, at the very least; the stores should give their customers full information about what’s already happened. Some pet owners are frustrated by what they say is a lack of government or industry action to get dangerous treats off the market. Several consumers have sued the manufacturers and sellers of the jerky treats in lawsuits filed.

Consumer pressure can be instrumental in getting these treats out of the marketplace. We have already warned our clients about this matter and asked them to stop feeding their pet this specific treat, or at least reduce the amount to a minimum until further notice. n Dr. Davod Kafai (DVM, Ph.D). drKafai.vh@gmail.com

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TRAVEL

Niagara-on-the-Lake The Hidden Treasure:

By: Jasmine Jackman

I have never won anything, so imagine my surprise when my husband won a VIP trip for two to... wait for it…Niagara-on-the-Lake. “What, no plane-ride to some exotic location?”, I whined.

Winning a VIP trip to the fertile agricultural area seemed more like a consolation prize. Having been to Niagara-on-the-Lake for business meetings in the past and barely venturing outside of the four walls of the hotel, I was prepared to pass on the whole adventure. However, common sense prevailed-four days alone... no kids... VIP treatment…free-who cares where you are? My husband and I drove off to be pampered for four days in wine country. To my pleasant astonishment, our getaway in Niagara-on-the-Lake was just as grand, if not better, than flying off to some foreign country. We have been back several times since. Let me share a little of what you may be missing if Niagara-on-the-Lake is not on your destination list. It is time to discover the treasures hiding in our own backyard.

Wine Country

of limestone-is the same basic soil found in Burgundy and other wine regions of northern France. The varied topography provides excellent drainage and produces vines with the minerals and nutrients needed to produce good grapes for excellent wine.

Niagara-on-the-Lake is charming in the summer…but have you ever considered visiting in winter? Take the freeze out of winter and warm up at one of the several wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake. I know what you are thinking-Canadian wine? Yes, for almost two centuries winemakers in Canada have perfected it to rival the best French wines. Fortunately, Niagara-on-the-Lake falls within the same 41 and 44 degrees north latitude as many of the world-renowned vineyards of Europe. While latitude is just one aspect necessary for the production of good wine, the Niagara region is also blessed with having the perfect terroir: a good growing season and daily temperatures moderated all year- round by surrounding lakes—Lake Ontario, Lake Huron and Lake Erie. The geology of the Great Lakes basin—sandy clay and rock with a base 22

Ontario has taken to the global stage as a leader in the production of ice wine, having produced this dessert wine for the last 20 years from grapes left to freeze naturally on the vine. Ontario also produces high-quality table wines and sparkling wines. The terroir tends to favour cooler climate grape varieties, such as Chardonnay and Riesling for white wines, and Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir for red wines.

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Lodgings

Ghoul-Seeking

In Niagara-on-the-Lake you have the sense that time stands still and you have stepped inside a Dickens novel. In this quaint, well-preserved, nineteenth-century village, you will find over 100 charming B&Bs, inns, and vintage hotels, which offer superior service comparable to any place you have ever been.

In addition, you do not have to leave Rover at home, as many hotels accept pets. There is something for everyone’s pocketbook—even that discerning traveller. We stayed at one of the Vintage hotels-the Victorian Prince of Wales-and found the staff very attentive, and amenities of the hotel and surrounding ambiance exquisite. The rose they include as part

Ghost Walk of Niagara-on-the-Lake offers ghost-hunters an evening of sleuthing. With some of the most violent wars having taken place here in the last 200 years, there are bound to be some non-terrestrial bodies lingering around. If you would like to meet up with them, sign up for the eerie nightly tours. I thought the unexplained bumps at night in my hotel room were more than enough excitement for me but those of you that enjoy a good scare, check it out.

of your evening turndown service was a special touch. With so much to see and do we were unable to enjoy the spa and pool on-site or the raved-about afternoon tea in the drawing room.

Having stayed at their sister hotels in the past-Queens Landing and Pillar and Post for business meetings-I am convinced that they all will exceed your expectations. The properties, service and amenities are all outstanding. You really do feel like you are somewhere in Europe. Most lodgings are located right in the heart of the heritage district. You merely need to step outside your hotel to enter into the beautiful streetscape, steps from the lake and within a stone’s throw of several wineries. Plan a romantic getaway or enjoy the comforts of a B&B weekend with a group of friends. A little planning goes a long way.

Shopping

You cannot visit the heritage district of Niagara-on-the-Lake without stopping by the Just Christmas store for everything Christmas or Beau Chapeau for that perfect hat for an upcoming special occasion. Open all year round, window-shopping along the idyllic main street is a favourite pastime of many visitors. Even discriminating buyers can find something for “the person that has everything”. One-of-a-kind fashion, art stores and specialty shops abound here. The delectable desserts were my weakness. I had to buy something every night.

Parks

There are plenty of beautiful parks and a myriad of vibrant recreational activities from which to choose. Bring your family for a splendid barbecue in the park or spend the day enjoying the fresh breeze watching the boats and birds. Hiking, horseback riding or strolling along the escarpment are also summer favourites. You have an option of renting bikes or bringing your own. We brought our own bikes and used the extra money to do other things. A four-hour bike tour along the scenic escarpment is exhilarating. The trails are beautiful, clean and well maintained, and mainly flat. It is an invigorating way to visit historical sites and country stores, and pop in on wineries along the way. Just follow the wine route signs. Many wineries also offer wonderful bicycle wine tours in the summer.

Fort George National Historical Site of Canada

From April to November you can take a step back in time and relive the experiences of the British Army and their families, sampling the homemade shortbread and tea biscuits made on an open fire, enjoying the music of the Fife and Drum corps and exploring the many buildings on-site. Apart from Fort George, there are other notable historical houses and museums worthy of your time that are sprinkled throughout the town.

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This year the town will be gearing up for many exciting events, re-enactments and celebrations to commemorate the bicentennial.

Shaw Festival

Book your Shaw Festival tickets online at shawfest.com/playbill or call 1-800-511-SHAW. The next time you head to Niagara Falls or are looking for something to do for the weekend, stop at Niagara-on-the-Lake and start a new family tradition. Discover the treasures hiding in your own backyard. I am planning my next trip; afternoon tea at the Prince of Wales and a little window-shopping followed by a Days of Wine and Chocolate tour. n Visit winecountryontario.ca or niagaraonthelake.com to plan your trip.

Open April to October, the Shaw Festival brings plays by Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) and his contemporaries, such as Noel Coward, William Inge and Oscar Wilde, to life.

The professional productions, talented actors and exquisite sets and costumes keep crowds coming back. Four theatres provide you with a variety of brilliant plays and musicals from which to choose. Add a play to your list of things to do while in Niagara-on-the-Lake; it is a perfect ending to a leisurely day.

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WINES

Myth About Shiraz Wine

By David Akhlaghi, Executive Director at The Wine Cave

If you live in Australia you drink Shiraz. If you live in other parts of the world (especially near Avignon in Frances’ Rhone Valley) you drink Syrah. Same grape, different name. Legend has it that during the 13th century Crusades a French knight called Gaspard de Sterimberg discovered wonderful grapes near Shiraz in Persia. And, as winery people tend to do, he ‘liberated’ some cuttings to plant back home at his Hermitage (farm) in the Rhone Valley. The city of Shiraz is the provincial capital of Fars and is around 935 km from Tehran. Shiraz lies at an altitude of 1,600 meters that makes for mild winters and moderate summers.

An ideal climate for grapes. The Shiraz region had some of the world’s earliest vineyards. Greek amphorae have been unearthed in Hermitage but this could work both ways.

It could have been the Roman legions who brought their own wines with them as we know wine was grown in the Rhone Valley during Roman times. Unfortunately, DNA testing by Dr. Carole Meredith of the University of California has shown that Shiraz is a native of the Rhone Valley and not Persia. It was a good story while it lasted.

Syrah accounts for the majority of wines coming from the northern Rhone Valley. Two of the world’s most famous Shiraz appellations are in the northern Rhone Valley: Hermitage and Côte-Rôti. The southern half of the valley is the origin of the Rhone blends, traditionally a blend of Shiraz, Mourvedre and Grenache grapes.

Australia and France seem to be obsessed by the grape.

About 40% of all red grapes planted in Australia are Shiraz. France has somewhat fewer but is still way ahead of any other country. The first cuttings of Shiraz made it to Australia, probably with James Busby in 1832, and were incorrectly labelled Scyras which is a popular northern Rhone Valley variety. The cuttings first reached South Africa from Europe. They were then picked up by the first fleets when they took on provision in South Africa, making their way to Australia. Recent DNA testing by Carole Meredith at UCD and Jean-Micel Boursiquot of France shows Shiraz as a cross between Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza grapes. Dureza is from the northern Ardeche region west of the Rhone Valley. Mondeusa Blanche comes from the Savoie region and the earliest recorded plantings of Shiraz in France date back to 500BC. Grosse Syrah and Petite Syrah is another divergence of the Shiraz branch.

The only difference being berry size. Petite Syrah tends to produce dry, dark wines with lots of tannins, spice and black pepper.

Petite Sirah (that’s an ‘i’ and not a ‘y’) is a completely different grape. In the 1880’s Dr Durif in France was promoting a mildew resistant variety that he naturally called: ‘Durif ’. It was planted in the United States and somehow the naming didn’t make it across, it was incorrectly labelled Syrah. Phylloxera wiped out a lot of the grapes in the late 1890’s and it wasn’t till the 1970’s that Californian Syrah was correctly identified as Petite Sirah. DNA testing in 1991 confirmed the Durif label for Petite Sirah.

Australian Shiraz is made in two different styles. The big, full, rich, tannin laden wines and lighter fruitier ‘drink now’ styles with lots of blackberry and raspberry. You’ll often find a bit of Grenache in with some of the cheaper and nastier ones just for a bit more flavour. But these are a mere smattering of given that there are plenty of fantastic and worthwhile examples around.

The Hunter Valley in NSW produces Shiraz that has a trademark ‘sweaty saddle’ characteristic while the Barossa Valley produces a more peppery and herbaceous style with less fruit nose and more tannin. The cooler climates produce rich fruit (continued on next page) driven wines with lots of pepper. “

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Shiraz is a grape that grows vigorously. It produces large bunches of anywhere up to 130 berries per bunch. They are long and loose, with very good disease resistance. Shiraz does extremely well in our cool climate and thrives in warm spring weather to produce a strikingly peppery wine.

Shiraz grapes are used to create the world famous Grange Hermitage. Now called Penfolds Grange as the name Hermitage was a casualty in the great France versus the rest of the world naming debate. Max Schubert created Grange in 1952. He pioneered the use of refrigeration to control the rate of fermentation and hence the flavour extraction from grapes and the use of new oak barrels to store and mature wines. Both these practices are now standard for premium red wines but were revolutionary in their day. And, it took more than 10 years for Grange to be accepted as a great wine. It was universally criticised when first released and only Max’s determination to see it succeed kept it alive.

Imagine the loss to the wine world had Max listened to everyone and given up.

26

And one final legend on Shiraz grapes, from Cyrus Kadivar, The Iranian: one ancient Persian legend says that Jamshid, a grape-loving king, stored ripe grapes in a cellar so he could enjoy grapes all year long. One day he sent his slaves to fetch him some grapes. When they did not return he decided to go to the cellar himself only to find that they had been knocked out by the carbon dioxide g as emanating from some bruised fermenting grapes.

A rejected and distraught mistress of the king decided to drink this poisoned potion, only to leave the cellar singing and dancing in high spirits. The king realised that this fruity liquid had the wonderful and mysterious power to make sad people happy. When Alexander overthrew the powerful Persian empire he entered Darius’s palace in January 330 BC. During one of the conqueror’s orgies, soldiers raided the wine cellars. In a drunken moment Alexander ordered the destruction of Persepolis. n David Akhlaghi – david@winecave.ca –winecave.ca

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

POLITICS

Canada and Iran What Lies Ahead?

By: Bryon Wilfert

The decision by the Government of Canada to close our Embassy in Tehran and suspend diplomatic relations on September 7th, brought to a crescendo the deteriorating relations which had marked much of the time since 2006.

There is no question that the Conservative Government had continued the previous Liberal Government’s constrained relations with little interaction beyond the basic diplomatic formalities.

As a former Member of Parliament, I engaged the Charge d’affaires Kambiz Sheikh-Hassani on several occasions in pursuit of my constituent Saeed Malekpour, who was on death row, removed from it, and then reinstated after the May 2011 Election.

What will now be the fate of Mr. Malekpour and others is now in doubt.

There is a constant debate as to whether engagement is preferable to isolation. After Cuban President Fidel Castro’s assumption to power in 1959, Canada maintained diplomatic relations while countries such as the United States severed them.

Having a listening-post on the ground providing intelligence can be very useful.

The decision to declare Iranian There is no question that breaking diplomats in Canada personae John Mu nd y, C a n a d a ’s l a s t non gratae and order them out diplomatic relations impacts Canadians of Ambassador in Iran, said in the of Canada did not come as a Globe and Mail that all the reasons Iranian decent - from renewing surprise, given the fact that we listed by the Minister of Foreign passports, to travel documents to had closed our visa section at Affairs for leaving Tehran are actually wondering how they will visit loved the Canadian Embassy a few reasons why we should stay. ones for holidays or in the case of months before moving all Others argued that keeping the family emergencies. inquiries to our Embassy in Iranian Embassy open in Ottawa Ankara, Turkey. This move clearly provided legitimacy for the regime. signalled that we were reducing our footprint in Iran.

Closing the embassy will have no affect on Iranian foreign policy The rationale given by Ottawa was that Canadian diplomats directions. Whether a strike will occur against Iran’s nuclear were no longer safe and that Iran had shown blatant disregard for sites is an open question. One thing is clear: the story does not the Vienna Convention which defines the laws of diplomacy. end here, but a mere chapter in it does. This indeed may prove Canada’s Foreign Minister John Baird noted that Iran to be a more long and difficult story than imagined. “shelters and materially supports terrorist groups, requiring the Government of Canada to formally list Iran as a state sponsor Speculation is far from useful, but suffice it to say that, of terrorism under the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, a law more than ever, Canada will need to work with its friends passed in March 2012 that allows Canadians to take legal action and allies to ensure that events do not spin out of control, leading to conflict that would have devastating results for against terrorists and their supporters, including listed nations”. all concerned. n There is no question that breaking diplomatic relations The Honourable Bryon Wilfert, P.C.,ICD.D is a former MP who impacts Canadians of Iranian decent - from renewing was Liberal Party Critic for Foreign Affairs/Defence. Currently passports, to travel documents to wondering how they will visit Senior Strategic Advisor at Tactix Government Relations/Public Affairs in Ottawa. loved ones for holidays or in the case of family emergencies.

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REAL ESTATE

Some Notes on Investment in Real Estate

By Sarvenaz Barghgir

A new study in August by Genworth Canada reports that average condo resale prices in metropolitan centers such as Toronto are expected to rise in 2013. There are a number of reasons for this. Our city is one of the most immigrant friendly cities in the world. New Canadians are often first time buyers looking for affordable condos. The average age of our existing population is on the rise and with this increase, retiree groups also look for compact living spaces. It is no wonder that within Toronto there are currently many large and small builders putting up sky scrapers and luxury condominiums across the city.

As you venture into real estate investments of your own, keep a few things in mind. Despite the minor corrections and smaller slowdowns, there is still opportunity for wise investment.

Growth within the demographics of first-time buyers and the aging population will continue within Toronto fueling the demand for real estate, particularly within city-centers and downtowns. Invest wisely by choosing properties in highly sought after neighborhoods where rent can carry the mortgage.

For centuries, supply and demand prices have been governed by a single rule of thumb: invest in commodities that are in short supply. Within real estate “land” is the limited entity.

Wise investors put their money here. Properties with lots of possible buyers coupled with rising price patterns mean that time is working to add to the value of your investment. Properties like these will weather any economic adjustments or corrections in the long run.

The most important factor for anyone hoping to succeed in the world of real estate grasping a deeper understanding of the dynamics of today’s real estate market.

Recently some big changes in Canada’s mortgage market came into effect. The majority of Canadians are unaware of the new, stricter regulations. These include limitations on home equity loans above 80 per cent of a property’s value and the lowering of the maximum amortization period from 30 to 25 years.

Knowing your income and plans for the future; being aware of various neighborhood values and prospects as well as predicted mortgage rates and new mortgage rules are only a few of the important factors that a real estate salesperson can help you with. This person can be crucial to guiding you towards better decisions towards financial success from real estate related investments. n

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HEALTH

Cortisol counteracts the effect of insulin thus increasing the blood sugar level which the body thinks we need due to the stress response. This is why chronic stress has been known to lead to diabetes.

Losing sleep over weight loss may keep you fat

By Dr. Elaine Chin, M.D., M.B.A.

“Fatigue also affects the levels of the key hormones which help the body regulate hunger, namely Cortisol, Insulin, and Growth hormones.”

The Growth hormone is critical to metabolism, healing and repair of bones and tissues. This hormone is regenerated each day during our sleep. Insufficient sleep lowers the levels of growth hormone produced, slows the metabolism down and, therefore, results in weight gain.

In our clinic, we measure these three hormones and have repeatedly found imbalances in our overweight or obese clients.

When it comes to fighting obesity, merely cutting calories and upping your physical activity may not help.

According to a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) you also have to get enough sleep. The study suggests that inadequate sleep negatively influences body weight in at least a couple of ways. It also supports similar evidence that my medical team has been gathering.

The CMAJ article notes that people who don’t get enough sleep tend to eat more at night, which undermines efforts to control one’s weight or to diet. Fatigue also affects the levels of the key hormones which help the body regulate hunger, namely Cortisol, Insulin, and Growth hormones.

Cor tisol is usually released in response to stress, sparing available glucose for the brain (affecting memor y), generating new energy from stored reserves (muscle wasting) , and diverting energy away from lowpriority activities (such as the immune system - which leads to more illness). Cortisol is the hormone that arms us for surviving immediate threats or prepares us for the exertion needed when facing a new day. When we are sleep deprived and tired, our cortisol secretion increases.

When we’re tired and haven’t had enough sleep, our bodies will keep on going if we insist. But there’s a cost.

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Traditionally, weight loss recommendations include increased exercise, consuming fewer daily calories and choosing foods that are higher in proteins and lower in fats and carbohydrates.

This combination often does the trick. But surprisingly, some of our clients who diligently followed our health action plan - eating well and committing to an exercise routine - didn’t lose any significant weight. So we began measuring our clients’ activity levels, dietary intake and sleep through a device we call HealthETracker. Our clients wear it 24/7 for several weeks.

In the weight loss resistant clients, we found one common theme. Their quantity and quality of sleep or “sleep efficiency” was low, generally in the 70% range compared to the nor m al g rou p at 9 0 % pl u s. O n ce the sleep deprivation issue was rectified, hormone balance returned to more normal levels and weight began to come off as it did for our other successful clients. For me, this is absolute clinical proof that sleep plays a critical role in curbing obesity.

Our findings echo yet another study by the University of Chi cag o, pu bl i s hed i n the I nter n a l A n n a l s o f Medicine. It compared results between one group of sleep-lab participants who slept 5.5 hours with those of a second group, who got 8.5 hours of sleep every night for a two week span. Both groups cut their calorie intake by the same amount of calories. Those who slept longest lost more body fat and maintained more of their lean body mass than the shorter sleepers.

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This study and the more recent CMAJ article confirm what we’ve seen in practice at our clinic. We tell our clients that as well as knowing hormone counts, it’s just as important to consider your lifestyle ‘counts’, especially your sleep efficiency level. There’s no doubt that without a peaceful sleep, stubborn pounds - for some people - may never budge. n Dr. Elaine Chin immigrated with her parents to Toronto from Hong Kong in 1969 at the age of five. Today’s she’s an internationally recognized expert in the field of personalized preventative medicine and is the Chief Medical Officer of the Executive Health Centre.

A regular contributor to Maclean’s, Canadian Business, Chatelaine and CityTV, she is also a sought after speaker for medical meetings and corporate executive retreats. She earned her MD (1988) and her MBA (1994) degrees at the University of Toronto. She enjoys travelling, skiing and playing and tennis with her teenaged son.

Thanks to United Way funding, over 800 seniors a year can access support programs and a network of friends - in their language. The Seniors Diversity Outreach Program, run by Community & Home Assistance to Seniors (CHATS), reduces isolation and keeps seniors healthy.

Give. Volunteer. Act. www.york.unitedway.ca PERSIANTRIBUNE

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HEALTH

How to Choose an Orthodontist By: Dr. Kevin Davis

and their orthodontic experience. At the office, ask to see the results of patients who have had similar treatments to yours.

• Ensure that the practice is up-to-date on the latest advances in the profession. There have been significant advances in orthodontic treatment in recent years. Treatment should require fewer visits and be much more comfortable than it was even a couple of years ago. Ask which technologies are used to deliver excellent results in less time and with minimal discomfort.

• Review the customer service. Unfortunately, health care offices have a (legitimate) reputation for making patients wait.

Your time is valuable. Assess whether your appointments will be completed on time. When an office runs late, completion of treatment is often delayed. Ask what percentage of the orthodontist’s cases are completed on schedule.

Crooked teeth lower self-esteem. A winning smile demonstrates and improves confidence and health. Orthodontic treatment can transform a shy person to one poised for success. While many people think about metal braces when they picture straightening their teeth, there are also several clear options (such as Invisalign and ceramic braces). 20% of adult orthodontic patients choose these.

You might wonder why you see so many people in braces these days, compared to when you were younger. There are two reasons. Firstly, more and more people realize how important a smile can be. How your peers, teachers, coaches and colleagues interact with you can be directly related to the appearance of your teeth. Secondly, orthodontic treatment is much easier than it used to be. There is less pain, shorter treatment length, reduced expense, and fewer appointments, so more people choose to improve themselves with orthodontics.

Depending on the severity of the problems and the treatment plan chosen by you and your provider, treatment takes 1-3 years.

Braces are just tools; it is the doctor who you allow to treat you or your child that determines your final result. You have only one opportunity to make the best choice. The following list of key components to consider may be helpful in making the right decision to fit your needs.

Key Items to Consider When Selecting an Orthodontist...

Crooked teeth lower self-esteem.

A winning smile improves confidence, beauty and health.

Davis Orthodontics provides specialist care, on-time service and lasting results. Find out how we can help you achieve a gorgeous smile quickly, invisibly, and comfortably.

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Newmarket Office 16635 Yonge Street, Suite 24A Newmarket, Ontario L3X 1V6 905 898 4848

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• Talk to current and former patients. Talk to your friends, classmates, neighbors, and teammates about their orthodontist

davisortho.ca

Yonge

• Review the qualifications and experience of the doctor(s).

Orthodontic treatment requires a considerable amount of technical skill. Some offices utilize the skill of one doctor, while other offices are set up to allow several doctors’ opinions.

Crooked teeth can be corrected by either dentists or orthodontic specialists. Most patients prefer the expertise of an orthodontic specialist, instead of a dentist who does orthodontics among other procedures. Ask if your provider is a registered specialist in orthodontics.

• Fees. Orthodontic treatment is an investment in future success.

Ask if the total fee includes everything or if there are extra expenses for xrays, consultations, and/or retainers.

Like most things, you get what you pay for, but the total fee Pre-K to Grade 12 is not the only consideration. Many orthodontists offer interest-free payment plans. Ask if theGrammar office is flexible in terms of how low the monthly payments can be.

• Ensure availability for appointments and emergencies.

Some practices are only open certain days of the week while others are open full-time. This is important in terms of convenience (for appointment availability) and well-being (in case of discomfort). Furthermore, some doctors are personally on-call 24/7 for emergencies, whereas others ask patients to leave a message so they can be contacted the next business day. Ask if appointments can be scheduled before or after school and who is available if there are any issues while the office is closed.

• Patient motivation. Orthodontic treatment requires the active participation of the patient. Wearing of elastics and retainers and proper oral hygiene are critical to treatment success. Assess the office to determine whether the environment is likely to promote cooperation between the patient and the care providers.

Choosing your orthodontic provider is an important decision.

You want the very best care for yourself and for your children. A little inquiring goes a long way to ensuring that you get the gift of confidence that lasts a lifetime. n Dr. Kevin Davis practices in Richmond Hill, Vaughan, and Newmarket. He earned his Doctorate in Dentistry from the University of Toronto, and his Specialty Diploma in Orthodontics from Harvard University, while simultaneously completing a Masters in Public Health.

Dr. Kevin has taught at Harvard, the University of Toronto, George Brown and Seneca College. He is also active as an Admissions Interviewer for local high school students applying to Harvard. In addition to local charity works, Dr. Kevin has participated in and organized several charity dentistry trips to Nicaragua, Peru, and Guatemala to help local folks who have no access to dental care.

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• 33

SOCIAL ISSUES

KORBINIAN HOLZER #5

DEFENCEMAN

Ontario’s Anti Bullying Bill: Op-Ed - Hon. Kathleen Wynne MPP

I am pleased to say that Bill 13, the Accepting Schools Act, passed through the Ontario Legislature in June 2012, and would like to offer some clarification regarding this Bill.

The current government has made school safety a priority from the get-go, which is why all school boards must have policies and procedures on bullying prevention and intervention.

For the first time ever, we are defining bullying in legislation so that every student, every teacher, every principal, and every parent knows what we are talking about when we say “bullying is not acceptable in our schools”.

The passage of this act creates legal obligations for school boards to address bullying prevention as well as early intervention, progressive discipline, and equity and inclusive education. It will make sure that every student feels safe and accepted at school. Students can only be at their very best when they feel safe.

I understand that there may be misconception surrounding the intention of this bill. Its purpose is protecting every Ontario child’s right to safety. We will not stand idly by as students are bullied or harassed on race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or any other factor.

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Some people have raised concern that this bill will restrict religious accommodation of students, which is not true. I believe that any children who are required to pray during the school day should be accommodated.

One of Ontario’s greatest strengths is its diversity. We believe that all students - regardless of race, gender, religion or sexual orientation - have the right to a safe and positive learning environment and I firmly believe that Bill 13, the Accepting Schools Act, will help achieve that goal. n

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SPORTS

AHL or NHL By: Mike Ulmer, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd.

The American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies provide affordable, competitive pro-hockey to the nation’s leading hockey market.

Now in their eighth season, the Marlies are playing to near capacity crowds at Ricoh Coliseum and regularly graduate players to the Air Canada Centre, home of the Maple Leafs, located a kilometre or two down the Gardiner Expressway.

Maple Leaf defencemen Jake Gardiner and Korbinian Holzer, forwards Nazem Kadri, Leo Komarov and Matt Frattin as well as goalies James Reimer and Ben Scrivens are among Marlies graduates who have already or will soon play for the Leafs.

A new wave of prospects, forwards Joe Colborne, Jerry D’Amigo and Nicolas Deschamps are nearly ready.

Defenceman Jesse Blacker and forwards Greg McKegg and Brad Ross are all 21 or under. Four of the team’s junior prospects, forwards Tyler Biggs (Oshawa) and defencemen Stuart Percy (Mississauga), Morgan Rielly (Moose Jaw) and Matt Finn (Guelph) will be among the next wave of prospects developed in the American Hockey League.

Soon more than half of the Maple Leafs will regularly make the big leagues after stints with the Marlies. That, in turn, will mark the Marlies’ status as one of the best development franchises in the American Hockey League. Even head coach Dallas Eakins is considered a prime candidate for an NHL job.

Balancing the need to compete now and in the future is at the heart of the club’s daily operations. Since young players usually need

time to acclimatize to the robust competition and punishing schedule of the AHL, managers try to win while developing talent. A first-place team that sacrifices development for results is failing in its prime mandate: to identify the best players, polish them and then advance them to the NHL. “The Marlies are a very important part of our overall development model, and an integral part of the structure of our organization,” said Dave Poulin, Leafs vice-president of hockey operations. “We constantly weigh the development of the individual player versus the importance of creating a winning environment. That balance is the key.”

The American Hockey League is, perhaps by design, harder than the NHL. Some road trips can last weeks and bus travel is a staple of the league. Players usually have all week to practice for a weekend packed with games. Players with careers on the rise or facing a downslide are often more desperate than the players who have earned multi-million guaranteed contracts.

A bus ride to Grand Rapids, Michigan or Binghamton, New York is a far cry from the lavish accommodation and travel on the NHL team’s private jet. As well, as the only AHL team that operates in the same city as its parent club, the Marlies know every time they take the ice at Ricoh they are being scrutinized by Maple Leafs decision makers.

The result is an ultra-competitive league and a terrific entertainment option for Toronto hockey fans. The Marlies were finalists for the Calder Cup, emblematic of the AHL championship, last season and have returned a team that should be good enough to advance deep into the playoffs. n

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BOOK REVIEW

In the Lion’s Shadow

by Fariborz Mokhtari Book Review By: Ali Ehsassi While Raoul Wallenberg and Oskar Schindler are household names, few have heard of AbdolHossein Sardari, the eminent Iranian diplomat based in France who heroically shepherded thousands of Jews to safety during the Second World War. While those who have known a whit about Sardari are rare, one would certainly hope that the release of a brilliantly researched new book will rectify this historic oversight.

The manuscript authored by Fariborz Mokhtari entitled “In the Lion’s Shadow: The Iranian Schindler and His Homeland in the Second World War” finally casts light on the heroics of this little known Iranian diplomat decades after the conclusion of the Second World War. The account is a testament to one individual’s refusal to surrender hope while the world around him crumbled, and his steadfast determination to prove resourceful when the tides of hatred overwhelmed Europe.

While a lesser man would have gone with the drift of things, Sardari proved audacious in his quest to remain righteous.

Rather than curse the darkness, the Iranian diplomat opted to light as many candles as circumstances allowed.

When the Second World War arrived at France’s doorstep, AbdolHossein Sardari served as the Iranian diplomat responsible for consular services in Paris when most embassies and legations were compelled to relocate from Paris to the provisional French capital of Vichy. The Iranian Ambassador to France proved no exception, and joined the diplomatic exodus after entrusting responsibility for his country’s legation in Paris to a young Sardari, a recent law graduate from the University of Geneva.

When the Nazis embarked on a genocidal design to deport all Jews from France, Sardari was steadfast in his attempts to foil their sinister scheme. To insulate Iranian Jews living in France from impending danger, Sardari concocted an elaborate legal theory to suggest that Iranian Jews were racially distinct from their co-religionists. After Cyrus the Great freed the Jews from exile in Babylon in 538 B.C., Sardari explained, all adherent of the Jewish faith had departed Persia. As such, all followers of Judaism subsequently found in Persia were not Jewish by blood and race, but rather latter day converts who merely proved receptive to the teachings of Moses. To further buttress his argument, Sardari suggested that the absence of any reference to race or religion in Iranian passports supported his contention that Iranians were not divided by racial distinctions.

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A resourceful Sardari had combined his legal education, diplomatic knack and wits to proffer a sufficiently plausible theory to upend the contradictions and idiocies of Nazi racial classifications. His finely-tuned arguments would withstand summary dismissal by the propaganda organs of the Nazi regime such as the Racial Policy Department in Berlin, the Research Institute for the History of the New Germany in Berlin, and the Institute for Research of the Jewish Question in Frankfurt. While sinister Nazi functionaries pondered the plausibility of Sardari’s theories, the Iranian envoy issued passports to Jews to expedite their escape from Europe. At great risk to himself, Sardari’s gambit saved several thousand Jews residing in Europe from a tragic fate.

The author of this new book provides a compelling account of human ingenuity in a masterfully written account. Mokhtari weaves the moving testimony of survivors of those that fled Nazi occupied France to safety to chronicle an inspiring story that would otherwise have been likely swallowed by oblivion and remained untold.

The author delves into challenges the Iranian diplomat had experienced in his early personal life to explain his boundless compassion for others. After all, Sardari had no reason to be driven in his quest by any sense of guilt that his country was a

cauldron for age-old racial tensions or that the Iranian Government was abetting Nazi atrocities. While many countries had fallen prey to the pernicious effects of anti-Semitism during the early decades of the twentieth century, Iranians had been spared the systematic intolerance that blighted far too many other nations.

The author also traces the many travesties that would regrettably visit Sardari in the decades that followed his good deeds during the Second World War. The place that a great man holds in history, as James MacGregor Burns once noted, “is largely determined by the manner in which he makes his exit from the stage”. Despite suffering a litany of hardships in the decades following the War, Sardari never wavered in his humility. When asked of his wartime heroics more than three decades later in 1978, he simply responded “As you may know, I had the pleasure of being the Iranian consul in Paris during the German occupation of France, and as such it was my duty to save all Iranians, including Iranian Jews.”Sardari’s high-minded refusal to seek publicity or regale others with his heroics, would mean that the Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles and other Jewish institutions would solely have the opportunity to honour him posthumously.

All men die, but few truly live by serving as a beacon of good will for fellow humans. Rarer still are those who scale the heroic heights of nobility without coveting plaudits or courting accolades. n

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FOOD RECIPE

Koofteh Tabrizi Meatballs

It seems that meatball is an international food. It exists as Swedish meatballs, Chinese meatballs, Italian meatballs, Australian meatballs, Indian meat balls, Mexican meatballs, and even Mongolian meatballs to name a few.

They might be all different in the ingredients, but they are all round and delicious looking.

Iranian kitchen has its own version of this round looking food which is prepared differently in various parts of the country.

The famous one is Koofteh Tabrizi, which as the name says, it originated in city of Tabriz in the province of Azerbaijan in the north west of Iran. Koofteh Tabrizi is much bigger than its international siblings. It is extremely delicious and yes... it is round. NOOSHe Jan!!!!

Ingredients: ¾ cup yellow split peas 3 ½ cups water 2 eggs (hard boiled)

1 ½ lbs. ground lamb or beef 1 egg 1 large onion (grated)

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INSTRUCTIONS: Cook the split peas in 3 1/2 cups of water for 30-40 minutes or until they can be easily mashed. Peel the boiled eggs and put them aside. Put the meat in a mixing bowl and add 1 raw egg, onions, lemon juice, and seasoning. Strain the water from the cooked peas, mash well and add to meat mixture. Mix the meat mixture well. Divide the meat mixture into 2 portions. Make 2 big meat balls and put 1 whole hard-boiled and 3 prunes (seeded) in the center of each meat ball. Put the meat balls in a greased pan, add water, cover and bake in an oven at 375 degrees (F) for about 45 minutes.

Makes 3-4 Servings n

2 tsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. cinnamon

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¼ tsp. nutmeg ¼ tsp. saffron 6 dried prunes ½ cup water

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• 37

TRAVEL

FENG SHUI YOUR TRAVELS... by: Dolly Sidhu

Travelling can be a fun and an exciting adventure or a hectic, frustrating nightmare. Whether your travels take you near or far, for short jaunts or extended holidays, the journey can be made safe and fun. Here are simple Feng Shui travel tips that can also help make the trip a pleasure.

1. Before leaving, throw out all perishable food in your refrigerator so that you do not come home to spoiled food or bad smells.

2. Do not invite chaos by leaving chaos behind. By leaving a chaotic home, you will attract the same energy during your vacation.

Have your home in a clean and orderly state. Arrange for a neighbor to take out your trash while you are away. Place symbols of protection facing your main door and all other doors to protect your home from being burglarized. Symbols of protection include images of Kwan Kung, a pair of Fu Dogs, Blue Elephant and Rhino or Mandala painting.

3. Take part of your beloved home with you as you travel. Pack a special travel bag to hold personal things - pictures, scents, incense, wu lou, five element pagoda. Hotel room energy is usually stagnant.

Use incense to clarify and purify the hotel room. Rejuvenate the energy of the room. Place wu lou (for good health) and five element pagoda (to protect against mishaps) on night table.

4. Unpack as soon as you get your destination, so you can quickly settle in and make the space your own. Store your luggage in the closet, since suitcases under the bed represent walking away from a good night’s sleep.

5. If a mirror is opposite to your bed, you will not get a good night’s sleep; call housekeeping for an extra sheet or towel to throw over the mirror at night. As well, if you can see the toilet 40

from the bed it will drain your energy; keep the door closed at night while you sleep.

6. Try to get a room that has the bed in one of your good directions. Do not hesitate to make slight feng shui adjustments for a better energy flow. It is important to sleep with your head pointing towards one of your good directions.

7. Travel on your auspicious date. Check dates that are suitable for all travelling on the Almanac. Avoid bad dates and time.

8. Take a sea salt bath before embarking on a long journey. This is done to wash away any bad energy clinging and symbolically wards off bad chi coming.

9. Carry protective amulets like the five element pagoda, a pair of elephant and rhino, the annual protection amulet and the night time travel protection amulet.

10. After returning from your vacation, immediately open the windows to bring in fresh chi. Turn on some soft music and walk around to create a flow. Say hello to all your plants, animals and every room of the house. Smile and bless everything, say positive things and think positive thoughts. Unpack and put away your suitcases as soon as you get home; suitcases left near the front door represent trying to escape from your current life situation.

For further information, please contact Dolly Sidhu, Master Feng Shui Consultant at World Of Feng Shui 905.660.8899 or www.wofs. ca. World of Feng Shui: 3175 Rutherford Road, Unit 6 Vaughan ON L4K 5Y6 905.660.8899 www.wofs.ca

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• 37

TECHNOLOGY

Don’t be surprised if your next furniture purchase comes with a QR code designed to give you extra help putting that shelving system together!

QR CODE TECHNOLOGY By: Steve Conn

Your smart phone is an impressive piece of technology. It has an equally impressive list of functions that it can perform for you - and that list keeps growing. Did you know that it can also be used like a bar code scanner? That’s right, it can use its integrated camera like a bar code scanner except there is no laser and no bar code. It’s a newer type of code called QR for “Quick Response” and its starting to pop up all around us.

You might have seen one on a product label, or in a brochure or magazine. QR codes even appear on television. And you’re going to see a lot more of them because QR is the latest technology targeting you - the consumer.

First of all let’s understand what this technology is all about.

QR code for mat was originally developed for Toyota to track vehicles during the manufacturing process.

More recently, it has been adapted for use in consumer packaging and advertising and its usage applications continue to expand. The code format is unique in that it does not require a laser based scanner like a typical bar code reader. Instead it can be read using a simple image capturing device - the most common of which is the camera on your smart phone or tablet. Of course, having the camera is not all that you require. You must also download a QR code reader application (app).

These apps are plentiful enough- just use your mobile app store to download (they are usually free). It works like this: you see a QR Code, you launch your QR Scanner app, point the camera at the code and the app opens a web page on the product, or service or whatever it might be. The big difference is: the information page should be formatted for your smart phone or tablet so you’re able to view the information with relative ease.

How does QR technology help us in our day to day life? Let me start by saying that we live in an age of acceleration - especially when it comes to information. Once we identify something of interest to us, we want to know everything about it and as soon as possible. QR code technology gets us there instantly. Whether it’s an online orderingsite, product details, a demo video, directions, a special service, whatever the subject - QR helps us to get the whole picture in the shortest possible time. QR can also be used for providing details where space may be limited.

One of my clients is a paint company. I was thinking how perfect QR would be for them to add to their paint products. I’d rather read the instructions off my iPhone than reading the typical “micro-printed” instructions wrapped around the paint can.

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More and more businesses/advertisers are moving to QR code as a tool to reach their target audience. They understand that “time and space” is a commodity. Advertising time and space is finite. Advertisers have limited quantities with which to target their audiences, whether the medium is magazine, newspaper, flyer, poster, or even television.

The challenge is always the same: maximize time and space to get the point across in the most efficient manner. QR extends time and space for an advertiser with the added bonus of offering dimension. QR especially gives print ads new life by changing up the medium and adding bonus packaging: interactivity. Interactive ads have vibrant color, movement and sound. QR gives ads the opportunity to go further than possible with mere print ads. With QR, businesses/advertisers have the opportunity to take their target audiences with a complete package, whether a purchase of a product or service, subscription, information request/follow up... whatever the call-to-action might be.

As QR gains traction in the marketplace there are businesses/advertisers hastily rushing to implement it without proper thought or planning. As a result there are a large percentage of QR codes directing their target audiences to web links that are not optimized for smart phone viewing. The resulting experience is poor at best and yields very low rewards for the business/advertiser. This goes against the whole “convenience factor” and “ease of viewing” concept that QR code technology is intended to deliver.

For the most part, properly implemented QR seems to work well because it satisfies our desire for instant information.

Businesses/advertisers like it because it has the ability to get their target audiences to the “action taking” stage much faster and much more efficiently. In addition, QR does a product or service more “justice” in an interactive electronic environment where the walls of space and time are removed. Creativity soars and unleashes the imagination.

The bottom line is - anyone armed with a smart phone (and a data plan) has the ability to instantly get detailed specifics on products, services, promotions and pretty much anything... that is of course anything with a QR Code. n Steve Conn is President and Owner of 3-Way Systems Canada Inc. an authorized partner of Mobi Direct (QR mobile response systems) and can be reached at (905) 415-6162 Ext. 26 or by email at sconn@3waysystems.com

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HEALTH

LIVE @ PRESENT THE ONLY WAY TO TAKE CARE OF FUTURE IS TO

By: Dr. Kevin Rod

MD,CCFD,FCFP, DAAPM, DCAPM

So many of us spend precious moments of the present worrying about the future. This habit, if I can call it that, is one that is firmly established in our brains at childhood. We are taught that to be responsible we must be concerned about the future. In fact, we are brought up to measure the value of our existence by our future - or imminent - success. “Winning” or “losing” are treated as determining factors of who we are and how valuable we have made our lives. Since childhood, we have programmed ourselves to avoid at all costs, being label ed a “ LOSER” . The value of winning is repeated so often that it gradually overtakes the fear of losing.

Each of us as little children had to grow and learn how to overcome sometimes difficult barriers and achieve goals we have set. One by one, a line of goals and obstacles to overcome grew so long it became perceivably - and literally - never ending.

Consider how often we were told as children that a GOOD CHILD is the one who does well at school; how a GOOD YONG PERSON is the one pursuing higher education or lofty employment. Little wonder then that the benchmark for being a GOOD ADULT lies in outward demonstrations of responsibility and success. Similarly, A GOOD PARENT is the one that provides the very best facilities for his or her children. A GOOD PROFESSIONAL wouldn’t think of contravening policies or best practices, and so on.

The criteria for being perceived as GOOD surrounds us and is the very motivation for causing us to mar precious moments of our present with concerns of how this time affects our future.

This compulsion, even subconsciously, can often times prevent us from resting or enjoying what we’ve actually achieved! There are still so many other things to be done we tend to neglect to pause, reflect and celebrate accomplishment, or even phases of it. So then, how can one’s success ever be achieved by merely rushing towards or fretting about getting from one goal to the next goal, racing to get each of them checked off a never-ending list? In fact, how can that kind of anxiety have a positive outcome on our futures long term?

While there is value in accepting that there is no certainty in life, we often tend to attempt gaining greater control over the uncontrollable by worrying about it. We worry about that which can go wrong; worry about addressing our short-comings; worry about new short comings we noticed about ourselves and worrying impatiently about the pace at which old ones are being remedied if at all. It’s a perpetual cycle that causes us stress and more worry!

This drains our valuable energy. It tires our minds and wounds our souls. We feel unhappy and without peace.

So the question becomes: how is the pursuit of happiness or success ever achieved with a worn out mind and battered soul?

The reality is, it isn’t!

Retraining our inner programming to focus on the present at every given moment ensures optimum future outcome. The most important discipline a responsible and successful person can adopt is to free one’s mind and soul from worry about the future.

Difficult as this sounds at first, little by little as you experiment with this philosophy behold additional energy and greater success for the tasks of the present (which, in turn, affects the future in a positive manner).

Each step - and each moment - are precious. Successful futures depend on well-respected moments of the present. Inner peace both present and future is the reward for refusing to be so consumed by the future we worry about it every single moment of our lives.

Use each new day to practice this discipline and be patient while you reprogram yourself. But also be sure to take stock of how these changes are affecting your life in a positive and beautiful way. n Dr. Kevin Rod is Director of Toronto Poly Clinic, a group of two multi-disciplinary pain clinics. He is a lecturer with the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) at the University of Toronto and a guest contributor to courses at the Harvard School of Medicine Post-Graduate Association Department of Continuing Education.

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The Art of Living Well Perfected Tridel has always represented the benchmark in condominium living. Now they have perfected it for retirement rental residences. Come celebrate the lifestyle you’ve worked hard to achieve.

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PERSIANTRIBUNE

season

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FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

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Other great 2013 season shows

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MAR 01 Ethan Russell

F E B 04 Martha Speaks

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F E B 15 CAL: Supertramp’s

MAR 07 Toronto Jazz Orchestra

“Breakfast in America”

APR 17 CAL: AC/DC’s “Back in Black”

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