A Photo from Hiking in Tehran

Last Christmas I went hiking with a group of friends in Chin Kalagh in Northwest of Tehran. Chin Kalagh has a decent trail which is not very crowded, unlike Darakeh and Touchal. The slope is mild at the beginning then it peaks up as one goes higher. The peak offers a breathtaking view of Tehran, Sa'adat Abad and Farahzad. My good friend Shayan has taken these photos in his last hike with other students from Sharif GSME. It is so wonderfully beautiful that I thought it should be shared.

Information or Truth

Yesterday I discovered World Affairs Council of Atlanta. Today theme was "Democracy. Democratization. Development". It was a great meeting, the speeches I was able to hear covered information technology transformation, development projects and the importance of democracy in achieving sustainable economic growth.
The interesting part of discussion was about social media and the reality. Many credited Facebook and Twitter with sparking Arab Spring. Speakers told the audience this is simply is not true. On the other hand all present admitted that internet has provided them with access to videos and individuals. However the stream of videos and photos and other contents from crisis areas in the world does not necessarily paint an accurate picture. Many referred to the fact that much of information could be distributed to broadcast a biased image. The internet and social media have reduced journalists' interactions with their subjects as well. Many sit in their offices and collect information via social networks. They even let social networks decide their agenda and headlines.
For me this highlighted the significance of personal motives or utility maximization behavior. Individuals do not send out information to tell the truth, but to tell their side of stories. And not everybody is truthful in recalling events and motives. As one of the audience pointed out "we have the information, but what is the reality?"
I think the greatest challenge in coming years is to overcome the asymmetry caused by personal motivations and interests.

Arresting Data

The administrator of Mesghal.com has been arrested. He has been accused of attempting to distort the market as part of a plot to dis stabilize the economy. Mesghal.com is a website dedicated to covering  currency and precious metal markets in Iran and across the globe. It has become the reference for many who work in these markets in Tehran.

A Contractionary Fiscal Policy

Well here we are the budget is in finally for IRI. It seems they are cutting spending, how successfully? no one will know.

Increasing the Interest Rate

I am not so sure if increasing interest rate will affect M1 in Iran. Still it seems it has been done to encourage people to keep their deposits in the banks. That is being said, I wonder if this means banks are going to charge a higher APR as lenders. One has to wait and to see. All in all currency market seems a bit calmer. Although I do not know if this is due to the government's edicts or its new policy regarding interest rate.
There is one silver line though; Iranian public and media have been talking about economics so much that I think they are going through a crash course on Econ101. I hope this increases the public awareness of market dynamism and shifts in the economy.

Bridge to Iran

Caty Borum Chattoo has kindly forwarded me an email announcing airing "BRIDGE TO IRAN" which a series of documentaries already produced by Iranian filmmakers on Iran. It reads:

San Francisco, Calif., January 23, 2012 – Against a backdrop of rising cultural and political tensions in Iran, Link TV will premiere its four-part documentary TV series, “BRIDGE TO IRAN,” beginning on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Presented by Iranian-American host, Parisa Soultani, the series examines issues such as the role of women in Iranian politics, intimate conversations between the exiled former queen of Iran and a former dissident, and the historically powerful role of the arts – particularly theatre and cinema – within Iranian society. In each episode, in-depth discussions with top Iranian filmmakers provide a unique lens into some of the challenges and realities facing Iranians during a time of increased instability – including censorship, sanctions and safety concerns. New episodes will air at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT on February 14, 21, 28, and March 6 (with repeat broadcasts); more information about all episodes are available online at www.LinkTV.org/BridgeToIran.


“Bridge to Iran,” a co-production of Link TV and CEM Productions, was developed as a response to the cultural and political tensions that have developed between Iran and the U.S. since the Iranian revolution.


Viewable Online at www.LinkTV.org/BridgeToIran
 
---I have visited this website. Some of them are great works such as Iran: A Cinematographic Revolution, which reviews Iranian motion picture industry and traditions, We Are Half of Iran's Population by Rakhshan Bani Etemad is a great look into women's issues and challenges insider. Frankly I am lost what a movie like  The Queen and I  has to say about Iran of today, since it is a biographic work. It might have some value for those  interested in Iran's contemporary history, however I do not see how it adds to its viewers' understanding of Iran of 2012.
Overall this is an admirable effort to bring some understanding of Iran to an American audience. However against a backdrop of war the documentaries do not include anything on the human cost of war. Particularly since the memory of Iran-Iraq eight year long war is so fresh and its wounds are still bleeding. Still they offer a uniquely authentic outlook of Iranian cinema and Iranian women issues. 

Is Economy Sinking

US dollar was traded at 20'000 rials, British pound at 30'000 and euro at 25000! Is the economy sinking? I do not think so. However it sure has hit a crisis. Unfortunately these changes are happening at the beginning of new year shopping season in Iran (Iranian new year begins on the first day of spring). Traditionally this means an increase in demand and prices all over the marketplace. To this if one adds the declining rial, it seems inflation is ready to take off.