07Jan 2025 by Yaashaar 1 min read
Honoring the Memory of PS752’s Tragic Losses

Honoring the Memory of PS752’s Tragic Losses

Blog, Politics
I’ll never forget that fateful morning when news broke of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 being shot down just minutes after takeoff from Tehran, Iran. The tragedy took the lives of fifty-five Canadians and thirty Canadian residents, along with 123 other innocent souls. It was unimaginable that something so tragic could occur. I still can’t believe that I lost fellow members of the UBC community on board. Your memory will live on in our hearts and minds forever.Yaashaar
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23Dec 2024 by Yaashaar 1 min read
Feature Fatigue

Feature Fatigue

Blog, Views
Telegram has been re-implementing good old forum features into its app and politely borrowing from other categories too. While the underlying tech is impressive, so far, it’s nothing more than that. The UI/UX gets more complicated by the day. What happened to forums? Exactly. I suspect they’ll eventually have no choice but to shift their focus, and maybe even pivot. Just because you can build it, doesn’t mean it fits. Yaashaar
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20Dec 2024 by Yaashaar 1 min read
Parastoo Ahmadi – Voice Against the Silence

Parastoo Ahmadi – Voice Against the Silence

Blog, Women
Parastoo Ahmadi, a brave Iranian girl, held a symbolic YouTube concert without the obligatory hijab as an act of defiance, performing in a remote location in Iran. As far as I know, it was unannounced to avoid immediate interruption or arrest by the authorities. Without a doubt, this was a historic moment—the first performance by a female Iranian singer without a hijab since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Parastoo had been previously arrested during the Woman, Life, Freedom (#MahsaAmini) protests, but she has never given up. I’m posting this simply to say: I deeply admire her courage in standing up to a regime that has long silenced women. History will remember her voice.
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10May 2024 by Yaashaar 1 min read
This too shall pass: On the loss of my buddy, Alireza.

This too shall pass: On the loss of my buddy, Alireza.

Blog
Lost one of my closest friends of over a decade 40 days ago. Still in shock and can't believe it. He was 37 when he died from being unable to breathe, an allergic reaction, possibly caused by eating a certain fish. Happened in just a few minutes. Tragic and unbelievable. His death is one of the worst things that has happened to me. He was there for me after midnight when I was in the ER a few months ago. I'll never forget you and the joy you brought to our group and my life.Rest in Peace Alireza MalekMohammad ? Yaashaar
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25Sep 2023 by Yaashaar 1 min read
MBS – Owning the Past, Shaping the Optics

MBS – Owning the Past, Shaping the Optics

Blog, Views
Just watched Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's interview with Fox. Some tough questions were posed in this Interview. It's interesting how MBS didn't evade questions, acknowledged one of the great mistakes Saudi Arabia has made Jamal Khashoggi & pointed to some of the outdated laws in his country while sending the msg that he is a reformer and is trying his best to modernize those laws. I wish more leaders of Middle Eastern countries were like him, accepting the responsibility for some horrible events happening during their time and clearly communicating to the world how they are preventing such terrible mistakes from happening in the future. Yet, you must be naive to think that politics and its players’ interests are that superficial and straightforward. Progress often speaks in rehearsed…
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