Iran History and Facts

The Islamic Republic of Iran, formerly known to outsiders as Persia, is one of the centers of ancient human civilization.  The name Iran comes from the word Aryanam, meaning Land of the Aryans. Sited on the hinge between the Mediterranean world, Central Asia, and the Middle East, Iran has taken several turns as a superpower empire and been overrun in turn by any number of invaders. Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the more formidable powers in the Middle East region—a land where lyrical  Persian poetry vies with strict interpretations of Islam for the soul of a people. Capital and Major Cities Capital: Tehran, population 7,705,000 Major Cities: Mashhad, population 2,410,000 Esfahan, 1,584,000 Tabriz, population 1,379,000 Karaj, population 1,377,000 Shiraz, population 1,205,000 Qom, population 952,000 Irans Government Since the Revolution of 1979, Iran has been ruled by a complex governmental structure. At the top is the Supreme Leader, selected by the Assembly of Experts, who is Commander-in-Chief of the military and oversees the civilian government. Next is the elected President of Iran, who serves for a maximum of two 4-year terms. Candidates must be approved by the Guardian Council. Iran has a unicameral legislature called the Majlis, which has 290 members. Laws are written in accordance with law, as interpreted by the Guardian Council. The Supreme Leader appoints the Head of Judiciary, who appoints judges and prosecutors. Population of Iran Iran is home to approximately 72 million people of dozens of different ethnic backgrounds. Important ethnic groups include the Persians (51%), Azeris (24%), Mazandarani and Gilaki (8%), Kurds (7%), Iraqi Arabs (3%), and Lurs, Balochis, and Turkmens (2% each). Smaller populations of Armenians, Persian Jews, Assyrians, Circassians, Georgians, Mandaeans, Hazaras, Kazakhs, and Romany also live in various enclaves within Iran. With an increased educational opportunity for women, Irans birth rate has declined markedly in recent years after booming in the late 20th century. Iran also hosts over 1 million Iraqi and Afghan refugees. Languages Not surprisingly in such an ethnically diverse nation, Iranians speak dozens of different languages and dialects. The official language is Persian (Farsi), which is part of the Indo-European language family. Along with the closely related Luri, Gilaki and Mazandarani,  Farsi is the native tongue of 58% of Iranians. Azeri and other Turkic languages account for 26%; Kurdish, 9%; and languages like Balochi and Arabic make up about 1% each. Some Iranian languages are critically endangered, such as Senaya, of the Aramaic family, with only about 500 speakers. Senaya is spoken by Assyrians from the western Kurdish region of Iran. Religion in Iran Approximately 89% of Iranians are Shia Muslim, while 9% more are Sunni. The remaining 2% are Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian and Bahai. Since 1501, the Shia Twelver sect has dominated in Iran. The Iranian Revolution of 1979 placed Shia clergy in positions of political power; the Supreme Leader of Iran is a Shia ayatollah, or Islamic scholar and judge. Irans constitution recognizes Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism (Persias main pre-Islamic faith) as protected belief systems. The messianic Bahai faith, on the other hand, has been persecuted since its founder, the Bab, was executed in Tabriz in 1850. Geography At the pivot point between the Middle East and Central Asia, Iran borders on the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Caspian Sea.  It shares land borders with Iraq and Turkey to the west; Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to the north; and Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east. Slightly larger than the US state of Alaska, Iran covers 1.6 million square kilometers (636,295 square miles).  Iran is a mountainous land, with two large salt deserts (Dasht-e Lut and Dasht-e Kavir) in the east-central section. The highest point in Iran is Mt. Damavand, at 5,610 meters (18,400 feet). The lowest point is sea level. Climate of Iran Iran experiences four seasons each year. Spring and fall are mild, while winters bring heavy snowfall to the mountains. In the summer, temperatures routinely top 38 °C (100 °F). Precipitation is scarce across Iran, with the national yearly average at about 25 centimeters (10 inches). However, the high mountain peaks and valleys get at least twice that amount  and offer opportunities for downhill skiing in the winter. Economy of Iran Irans majority centrally-planned economy depends upon oil and gas exports for between 50 and 70% of its revenue. The per capita GDP is a robust $12,800 US, but 18% of Iranians live below the poverty line and 20% are unemployed. About 80% of Irans export income comes from fossil fuels. The country also exports small amounts of fruit, vehicles, and carpets. The currency of Iran is the rial. As of June 2009, $1 US 9,928 rials. History of Iran The earliest archaeological findings from Persia date to the Paleolithic era, 100,000 years ago. By 5000 BCE, Persia hosted sophisticated agriculture and early cities. Powerful dynasties have ruled Persia, beginning with the Achaemenid (559-330 BCE), which was founded by Cyrus the Great. Alexander the Great conquered Persia in 300 BCE, founding the Hellenistic era (300-250 BCE). This was followed by the indigenous Parthian Dynasty (250 BCE - 226 CE) and the Sassanian Dynasty (226 - 651 CE). In 637, Muslims from the Arabian Peninsula invaded Iran, conquering the whole region over the next 35 years. Zoroastrianism faded away as more and more Iranians converted to Islam. During the 11th century, the Seljuk Turks conquered Iran bit by bit, establishing a Sunni empire. The Seljuks sponsored great Persian artists, scientists, and poets, including Omar Khayyam. In 1219, Genghis Khan and the Mongols invaded Persia, wreaking havoc across the country and slaughtering entire cities. Mongol rule ended in 1335, followed by a period of chaos. In 1381, a new conqueror appeared: Timur the Lame or Tamerlane. He too razed entire cities; after just 70 years, his successors were driven from Persia by the Turkmen. In 1501, the Safavid dynasty brought Shia Islam to Persia. The ethnically Azeri/Kurdish Safavids ruled until 1736, often clashing with the powerful Ottoman Turkish Empire to the west. The Safavids were in and out of power throughout the 18th century, with the revolt of former slave Nadir Shah and the establishment of the Zand dynasty. Persian politics normalized again with the founding of the Qajar Dynasty (1795-1925) and Pahlavi Dynasty (1925-1979). In 1921, the Iranian army officer Reza Khan seized control of the government. Four years later, he ousted the last Qajar ruler and named himself Shah. This was the origin of the Pahlavis, Irans final dynasty. Reza Shah tried to rapidly modernize Iran but was forced out of office by the western powers after 15 years because of his ties to the Nazi regime in Germany. His son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, took the throne in 1941. The new shah ruled until 1979  when he was overthrown in the Iranian Revolution  by a coalition opposed to his brutal and autocratic rule. Soon, the Shia clergy took control of the country, under the leadership of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Khomeini declared Iran a theocracy, with himself as the Supreme Leader. He ruled the country until his death in 1989; he was succeeded by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Analysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 451 - 1241 Words

Listen You Moron â€Å"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who do not do anything about it† (Albert Einstein). In Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451, the novel explores censorships role as a hindrance on individuality, and the severe toll it takes on society’s self-awareness. Academia has widely argued the reason behind Bradbury’s dystopian themed work of art. Most interpretations of the novel suggest the work resembles anti-censorship propaganda. On the other hand, Bradbury himself stated: â€Å"I wasn’t worried about censorship-I was worried about people being turned into morons by TV† (Smolla, The Life of the Mind and a Life of Meaning: Reflections on Fahrenheit 451). Through†¦show more content†¦As the novel begins, the reader’s thrown into the twenty-first century following the post-apocalyptic life of Guy Montag. Montag’s presented as an all American citizen; at thirty-years-old, he is a hardworking married fireman who takes pride in his work. However, not by any means is the definition of firemen the same as it is in today’s culture. The actual nature of firemen s jobs in this twisted reality is one where they are sworn to burn all literature. It could be suggested that Bradbury must have been a closet pyromaniac or he had an underlying message to convey about what â€Å"Fire† symbolizes in the novel. In Farheninet 451 the destruction of books by fire seems to represent the destruction of civilization through throttling the amount of useful information available. The novel explores the concept of how censorship limits one s cognizance and ideas, therefore, choking the intellectual thinking process. Censorship takes place across the globe today in many forms and fashions; countries such as Iran and North Korea suppress creativity to the point where artist and musicians have created underground movements to spread the message of the importance of freedom and expression to others. â€Å"Artists are seen as a â€Å"suspect group† that can be targeted at any point. Creativity has become their chosen weapon† (Rigot, Iran: And The Evolution Of Art). In Part one Bradbury describes how society’s become o ver stimulated to the pointShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 451 Essay2089 Words   |  9 PagesThe analysis of Ray Bradbury s dystopian novel, Fahrenheit 451, shows that literature as books, education and alike is abused and criminalized in the hero’s reality, who is Guy Montag. The novel’s setting is when new things seem to have totally replaced literature, fire fighters set flames instead of putting them out, the ownership of books is deserving of the law and to restrict the standard is to court demise. The oppression of literature through innovation and technology can be analyzed throughRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4511743 Words   |  7 PagesIn Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, the protagonist, Guy Montag, suddenly realizes his overwhelming discontent with life when he meets Clarisse McClean, a seventeen year old girl who introduces him to beauty of the world and the notion of questioning ones surroundings. This novel, hav ing been released shortly after the Second Read Scare, a time when fear of communism lead to the baseless accusation of political figures by Senator McCarthy, was received with mixed reviews. However, today more so thanRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4511722 Words   |  7 Pagesthem†. Morrison’s claim can be interpreted as meaning that heroes, whoever they may be, are people who have the courage to revolt against injustices that are viewed by most as fixed or unchangeable parts of their societies. In Ray Bradbury’s acclaimed 1953 novel Fahrenheit 451, the protagonist Guy Montag certainly qualifies as a hero as he rebels against the dystopian society he lives in, which has completely eschewed critical thinking and reading books. Montag begins to realize that this society isRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4511633 Words   |  7 PagesBradbury’s Fahrenheit 451: Dissecting the Hero’s Journey to Dystopic World Each person has a perception of the world. People are capable of judging the place they live in, human beings often find it either satisfactory or not. Creative writers have displayed similar, albeit different worlds in their works. They are similar in the way they portray societies with varied amounts of good and evil which may be reflective of how we view our own. On the other hand, they can also be different, as creativeRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4511193 Words   |  5 Pagestrue today? In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, ideas such as dystopian society, the dulling of emotions, personal freedom, and government censorship are utilized to illustrate how technology, the advancement of society, and government control has blindfolded the population from the creativity, knowledge, and truth of the past. Bradbury employs each of these ideas frequently throughout the novel to further enhance the deeper meaning behind his masterpiece. When one looks at Fahrenheit 451 like a workRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 451 1486 Words   |  6 Pagesthe story. The novel Fahrenheit 451 concludes with a corrupt censored society in which hundreds of oppressed individuals are killed by an atomic bomb leaving Guy Montag and a few others to rebuild humanity. Many will propose that the ending was not appropriate because there were too many questions left unanswered. For example, â€Å"What happened to Professor Faber?† or â€Å"How will a couple of homeless men survive post from a nuclear war?† The conclusion of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 leaves the readerRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 451 Essay1311 Words   |  6 PagesAuthored by Ray Bradbury in 1953, Fahrenheit 451, a descriptively written science fiction, presents its readers with his bitterly satirical view of the foreboding future and the consequences that may come with it. The novel depicts a dystopian society in whi ch freedom of expression and thought is limited and books are outlawed. Written after WWII, when book burning and the blacklisting or censorship of films was a common threat. Technological advances were beginning to spread and therefore, influencingRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 451 1815 Words   |  8 PagesRay Bradbury was a well-known author who happened to write several novels, books, and short stories. He was very famous and I have never read anything that he wrote, until I read this book. I wasn’t sure what to expect because I had no idea what it was about and what kind of story it told. Fahrenheit 451 told a breathtaking adventure, was relatable, and it was almost as if I was submerged in this dystopian society, who was forced to live without imagination, books and a sense of wonder. Mr. BradburyRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4512341 Words   |  10 Pagesrecognizable and typical patterns of behavior with certain probable outcomesâ⠂¬ . While in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, water is used to represent death and rebirth, showing that our experiences can change us, and we can be re-birthed as a totally new person, while in Homer’s Odyssey, water is used to show that life is full of vast trials and adventures to overcome. The archetype of fire is also used in both novels. In Fahrenheit 451, it is used to show that even through destruction can emerge good; while inRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 451 875 Words   |  4 PagesGiridhar Batra Ross-1 Aug 29. 2014 Fahrenheit 451 Essay The Role of Technology as a Theme in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 The average person in our society spends 7-8 hours a day(The Washington Post) using technology; that is stuff like television, video games, surfing the web, etc. Let that set in; that’s a long time. Our society procrastinates also is constantly distracted by technology like no other. We are practically glued to technology; before we become slaves of technology we must change

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Free Essays

The report analyses the process of â€Å"expungement† in detail and does so in a critical manner. The process essentially allows the brokers in the stock market to wipe out any related evidence to their history of financial misconduct from the records that are kept for public access by FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority). The analysis proceeds on the premise that the expungement process that is available as a resort to the brokers is one of the primary reasons why the financial misconduct is not being able to be curbed. We will write a custom essay sample on Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or any similar topic only for you Order Now The analysis cites statistics that the brokers who obtain an order of expungement and have their record wiped are more susceptible to be accused of financial misconduct in the future. FINRA makes available to the public, that is investing in the Stock market, the information related to the brokers online, and an expungement order tends to remove the evidence or traces of infractions in the behavior and conduct of the brokers. This analysis entails the three significant aspects of the way that FINRA functions in respect to the expungement process – firstly, the fact that the expungement process only furthers the infractions that occur, and that the users of this process only tend to deviate more readily in the future; Secondly, the usage of the expungement process is increasingly gender-based since these differences tend to affect the market reputation accordingly significantly; and thirdly, the analysis shifts towards the online website BrokerCheck which makes available the data related to broker misconduct online, and how the investors react to that data. These points have been analyzed in depth by the analysts, and their related literature has been reviewed. Undoubtedly, the first aspect that has been analyzed is done concisely and perfectly. The analysis is balanced as it highlights the pros and cons of the data that has been made available to the public by the FINRA via the website BrokerCheck. It is notable that the data available on BrokerCheck was not accurate which necessitated the process of expungement for the brokers since earlier, due to the inaccuracy of the data, they were unfairly penalized. The analysts made use of data that was available on BrokerCheck in order to conclude as to whether prior misconduct and the expungement lead the premise to further misconduct in the future. However, it is notable that even though the data that has been used is vast and variable, it does not guarantee the accuracy of the results since the data itself is uncertain as to its verifiability. Besides, the report contradicts itself in one way as it states at one point that the expungement process is what will cause misconduct in the future, while on Page 15 of the report, it states that in several of the cases, prior successful expungement contributes to success in the future since those who undergo the successful expungement process tend to learn the process and the procedures. The analysis has strongly suggested at many points within the study that the broker recidivism and the process of expungement go hand in hand, and that the statistics show that the unsuccessful expungements happen because the arbitrators are becoming a tad bit better at guessing whether granting expungement is likely to result in more misconduct in the future in any given case. Besides, the assumption that following a successful expungement, the broker with the expunged record is likely to conduct financial misconduct in future is not entirely correct since there are a variety of other considerations as well that take part in deciding it and play a significant role in the decision. Factors such as gender of the broker and the political considerations also play a significant role, and thus, the outcome may differ depending upon the way these factors play out in the life of the broker. Hence, it is not safe to associate a successful expungement with the tendency of recidivism for the brokers since the circumstances may force an altered outcome to present itself. There are a variety of other factors in this analysis that make the inferences drawn uncertain. One of the primary ones is that the data that has been used is incomplete. Majority of the data that has been made use of in this analysis is only of the registered brokers. However, a minimal consideration has been given to the unregistered brokers. The conclusions have only been generalized for both the registered and the unregistered brokers. This makes the accuracy of the inference to be doubted. Another instance where the analysis contradicts itself is the inference from the initial phase of the analysis that either the expungement be successful or unsuccessful, the inferences as to the future misconduct can be drawn. However, at the later stages of the analysis in Panels D and E, it was found that the financial market did not make any differentiation between the brokers who had clean records or the ones who got their records expunged over time, but who had, at one point of time, one or more instances of financial misconduct. Further, BrokerCheck aptly does not show the records that have been expunged since that would defeat the purpose of the expungement process. It is also to be noted that one of the brokers has had his/her records updated falsely, thereby causing their record to be tarnished. In situations like these, the expungement process is what helps these brokers. Thus, it cannot be said absolutely that the process itself is worth scrapping. All needs to be done is to grant expungement in as limited cases as possible. However, it is notable that the conclusion that has been drawn by the analysts in this paper may not be entirely up to the mark. Although the inferences have been drawn from pure statistics, it is not without a grain of salt that these inferences should be adopted. Further, the process of approval of an expungement by the arbitrators is not an easy task since the process has set standards of an expungement being granted to a broker who has committed an act that counts as financial misconduct. No expungement is granted unless those standards are fulfilled, and further reforms are also suggested to be implemented in order to make the expungement process stricter than it earlier was. It also forces the broker to incur high costs when he/she is seeking expungement relief, and that the expungement will not be granted until and unless the panel has been satisfied that the concerned broker deserves the order of expungement to be passed. Thus, the inferences that have been drawn in this analysis may prove to be incorrect once these proposed amendments to the Expungement rules have been permitted and implemented. These proposed reforms may significantly reduce the number of expungement cases that will come before the Arbitrators. How to cite Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Papers