kikhote

Parliamentary Elections

2011-11-29T00:44:00.001-08:00

After thinking a lot about going to cast my vote or not, I did go this morning (the second day) with a preconceived idea on how to nullify my vote. Many had called for a boycott of the elections and, until last night, I thought I would join the majority of voices asking for the boycott. However, when we found out that the call for the boycott was not followed and that according to many the actual turn out was even more important than that of the referendum, I decided to cast a blank vote, as suggested by other activists who believe these elections are illegitimate and unaccounted for. This morning, when I woke up, I walked to the polling station, and succeeded in casting my vote. I took extra care to do it right but then I wrote on the ballot papers : down down with military rule. My polling station is not very far from the Ministry of Interior and getting there is quite difficult. APCs are all over the place. Big amounts of army personnel are dispersed all along the way. I did not take pictures as I did not feel up to the discussions that would follow. Also today the polling station was quite empty and I finished everything in 5 minutes.

Personal Experience

2011-11-15T03:53:00.001-08:00

I wrote this and published it on February 14 2011, 11:38 on Facebook under the title Tahrir Square: Take care of the Military Police, I meant it as a warning about the way Military Police could handle events

Military Police is not very niceand under Military rule some excesses can be made. So to all Freedom lovers , Ibeg of you, be prudent. An hour ago, Two "Mokhabarat" (army secretservices) came up to my flat and asked me to come down to meet the Lewa(General) . Being a generally obedient citizen respecting laws I followed withoutany resistance.

While going down I found out thattwo journalists from the Al- Jazeera networks had their material confiscatedfrom my own roof top, I do own the building after all.

Trying to get inside towardswhere Mr. General was, even the "Mokabarat" had a wobble with theguarding Military police squad. They didn't want us past their point. Weeventually managed. I was asked to walk up to were the big Newspaper stand isand then I was asked to wait. Mr General, finally arrived and his attitude wasslightly aggressive, his attacks were stoically answered, up to the point whenhe asked if I was Egyptian and when I answered yes he said : "Idoubt", at this we were into trouble because I answered less calmly:"If you doubt my Egyptianity (sic) Then I doubt yours". Our Voiceswere getting higher when the Mokhabarat intervened and the Carrot was there asthe stick didn't work, Actually it is Mr. General himself who called them athis rescue, but that is besides the point.

The Mokhabarat were much nicerand tried to convince me of the importance of the country to start workingagain.

I agreed. The other point hetried to defend was that they needed to keep their being anonymous as they are"Military Intelligence", a point that I could not disagree upon,nonetheless I could disagree about the point that the world needed to know whatwas going on in Tahrir Square . We had a political discussion that was civil,and a religious one where I claimed my Atheism , this was a bit harder toswallow and only went through after a long discussion ended by me saying that"I even watched a few times the program of Moustafa Mahmoud " El 3lmWel Iman" (Science and Creed) when I was much younger, and haven't beenconvinced, this is the point when he finally decided to go and try to convincethe General that I should be released. It took maybe 10 minutes but I wasthanked and asked to go Home.

I tried to ask for opening amahdar to the General but that was not possible it seems.

So that was the situation 9 months ago, only a couple of days after Moubarak was resigned. It is now much worse to follow up about the events that happened since http://www.tahrirdocuments.org/category/military-2/military-tribunals-military-2/ and that culminated with the arrest of Alaa Abdel Fattah, an activist and the man considered as the first Egyptian blogger.

And to read more about the subject of Military Justice or rather Injustice in Egypt and the No to <ilitary trials for Civilians movement you can check out this list of articles http://en.nomiltrials.com/p/press-coverage.html

Tahrir Square: a Revolution minute by minute (almost)

2011-10-25T00:51:00.000-07:00

This Timeline was written minute by minute during the start of the 18 glorious during the internet and communication cut and was posted on Facebook. Today 9 months later I republish it. Believing it to be quite interesting and can make us remember events as they happened

For those more interested in Pictures you can find them on Facebook at

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150383370695512.617584.889875511&type=1

Friday Jan28 2011

15.00 Listening to the tear gasbeing thrown at people trying to reach Liberation Square (Tahrir), Iwonder what is happening. There is a big group of people in Talaat Harb Square,another attack is being prepared. It defend Bab el Louk square where there isanother big group of protesters. I am wondering how they will keep theirpositions, the sound of the tear gas bombs are an indicator that the securityforces are attacking protesters from that side quite strongly, but then theprotesters that were in front of the Opera house started walking through Kasrel nil bridge, and are having some success. Even on those tear gases werethrown . But they keep on advancing.

Now it's a bit later; I cannotcount the tear gas bombs anymore, neither can I count the salvos, but there isa determination to go on by the protesters. I've personally noticed 25 to 30arrests on Tahrir Square although I was not watching all he time; far fromthat. The shouts coming up from the street are not all thumping sounds by thespecial forces, actually the voice of the protesters who are much further iskind of covering this slightly ridiculous "hop hop" they areuttering. But the most noticeable is the sound of the salvos of tear gas. Youwould think, you are in Iraq during the American attacks. Going out to checkthe situation, protesters have been pushed back from the square but are stillholding positions in front of cinema Metro. Bab el Louk is now back in thehands of security forces but they had to extend their defenses, a lot ofarrests happened there more than the first batch I've seen arrested. Kasr elNil was at a point completely full with protesters , but the water canons weresent and the tear gases didn't stop and I think , they were being pushed back.

Funnily, on the Egyptian TV ifyou watch the news, the protesters have left the streets and things are back tonormal. I really wonder when the media censors will stop this somehowcounterproductive technique of hiding news. I wonder though how the liberal anddemocratic government that has been hailed as such until a few days ago by theUS state department risked forcing the mobile companies and the Internetservers to go down. I suppose it will not be good for the business community,it is feeling by now the crunch, and not that we'd have (as Egypt) such aninfluence on the world at large , but when you think that it is everywhere inthe Middle East from Morocco, to Lebanon and Yemen, that is most of the MiddleEast, which might have a not too good effect on an already weakenedinternational economy.

Its a couple of hours later andhere I am restarting my tale, the Kasr el Nil front was disintegrated ,protesters running back in all directions, a few thousand went through Zamalek,passing the gate of the GSC, while others retreated towards Galaa bridge, whereagain protesters have been grouping, as soon as they were grouped the strongestyet attack of tear gas was thrown on them forcing them to break the policeforces again and come back to their original starting point, the Saad Zaghloulstatue, just past the Kasr el nil bridge. Quite ironic, isn't it? Saadafter all was the leader of the only real Egyptian revolution.

The protesters won it out, theydid succeed in taking over the square.

It is now 20 00 hours andLiberation square is still a battlefield. Somehow, everything is a bitstrange; first there was an announcement that the Military ruler hadcalled for a curfew starting 18 00 h till tomorrow morning at 7; and that thearmy was going to take over the streets. Just after that announcement, InteriorMinistry forces, that were still defending out the square looked completelydisoriented and started making strange movements that looked like they wereretreating. Most of the forces defending the square were taken into trucks, andthose left on the field just lost control and were defending themselves. Itseems that at that time, the forces of security were actually over-extended andlost control of a few of those trucks on Ramses Street, and that these wereburnt. By then it was clear that the forces were retreating to the "secondline of defense", they had to try and defend the route to the parliament.The most generous tear gas salvo was sent towards Qasr el Nil, while the policeforces retreated, after the smoke dissipated the protesters had an open way allthe way to an empty Tahrir Square.

12.15; the army came into thesquare, again it was quite strange. First of all the protesters were finallysent out of the square by a powerful attack by the police force still defendingthe Parliament. Before they could regroup though, an army convoy of maybe 25Armed personnel carriers together with 3 or 4 tanks entered TahrirSquare. The protesters came in after them, somehow under their protection. TheArmy just stopped there. That was the moment when the President chose to make avery strange communique, which talked about his "allegiance to the pooragainst the rich" and some other poetically symbolic figures of speech,and finally dispatched the government on the way out, promising to form a newgovernment within 24 hours. Protesters who came in with the army were stillquite a few and some others were still watching from afar not completelyreassured I suppose when the army started distributing boxes with food to thepeople around.

The curfew is not implemented.

The square is still full ofprotesters chanting and just standing by the army tanks .At 1 am, January27, it rained for a couple of minutes and that is perceived as a good omen inEgypt and started a new chant "Al Shaab Yorid Eskatt El Raiss" thepeople want the president's downfall , a close second being "Bossshouf el Geish biye3mel eh" (look see, what the army does)

1.30 a new salvo of tear gas issent from somewhere besides the parliament. The protesters went to the armytanks complaining . A couple left their positions in the square andrepositioned in front of the forces of the interior ministry opening the way tothe protesters thus defending them.

2.00 More tear gas salvos. Butthe curfew is not implemented. Protesters are still in the street somehow underthe protection of the Army. Nonetheless nor the internet nor the mobile phoneshave been reconnected.

3.00 Another couple of minutes ofrain, bring joy to the protesters and the party is going on. There are stillsome explosions and shots somewhere not too far but they become rarer.

4.20 Some shots and explosionsare heard not too far, but protesters are still standing in the square andchanting. The army is slowly getting out of the square, but protesters arestill here, they are tired but from time to time a new round of chants starts.

Is it over ? Has the peoplecalmed down? Well in Tahrir square everything seems fine, but what about Suez ,Alexandria, and the rest of the country?

Why are we still cut out on thecommunication front. The net has still not been reconnected nor are the mobilephones.

Nearly 5 AM, and the chants arestill coming out from the streets and protesters still do not seem keen ofgoing to their homes although the weather has taken a sudden turn to the cold.

I'll now crash hoping to be ableto upload all the pictures and this timeline onto the World wide web, thankingall the people of the world who have been supporting the Egyptian protesters.

12.10 January 29, Woke up at around10 by a stream of phone calls trying to find out what is happening. The firstthing is that the mobile phone networks are now working unfortunately the netis still disconnected. The protesters are still on the square in quiteimpressive numbers. The army is friendly towards the protesters evendistributing bread to protesters and being very friendly towards protesterswanting to have pictures with them. There was a chant that happened fewminutes ago that went "la ekhwan la ahzab, el thawra di lel chabab"(No moslem brotherhood no parties, this revolution is for the youth). A littleearlier though when I went out to see what is going on, I could recognize a fewfaces that are "political activists" , but at that moment theprotesters were into groups that were defending their own agendas, untilsomeone started to shout the youth slogan, at that point the whole group ofprotesters became one and shouted in one voice. Protesters are still coming inthe square and everything seem to be under control. Would just wish that the netwas reconnected.

18.24 Time has run and news areraining hard on us. First the curfew was moved from 18 hours to 16 hours and uptill 8 instead of 7. Truth is though that it has no result protesters are stillin the open and are still showing great love and friendship towards the army.News are a bit worrying though as rumor is that the falling regime has decidedto open up the doors of prisons to common criminals and even providing themwith some armament. News and rumors of looting all over the republic. Later in a surprise move the president has named a vice president, wassomething that he has been refusing to do inspite of the demands of protestersrepetitively for 25 years. Maybe 25 years late. He named Omar Soleiman ( a manwith strong sympathy towards the Americans a former chief of military intelligence) as his vice-president, The truth is though that neither this northe following announcement of a new PM no one has ever heard of deterred theprotesters . They are still in the streets and standing high and shouting atthe top of their voices. They do not seem to settle for less than theyrequest and that is nothing less than the demise of the president. Stillno net connection. I thought it came with having a brand new Vice-president butit does not seem to be the case. By now , there is some kind of civil defensebeing set up by the inhabitants of buildings and of streets that are underattack from the looters.

19.18 some looters went into Heliopolis police station, stole the armaments and are on a rant on the streets, while army trucks are passing by using microphones and announcing that helpwill not be sent to them before tomorrow and that people should defend theirquarters. Army also set up a hot line to call in case of attacks.

January 30, 10 am.

I had to sleep for a while. Wentto sleep out of both exhaustion and depression. Last night I went out twice tothe square. The second time quite late as the fire in the NDP building waslooking as if it was threatening the Museum once again. Fortunately that wasnot the case, nonetheless , by then tempers were short. The army troups havebeen on the streets not sleeping for nearly 60 hours, without sleep. Protestersalso are kind of exhausted. The army is sending new troups who arrived earlythis morning. Rumors are that there are orders to the Army to retreat and letthe police take over again. Somehow this is one rumor I can not believe. But onthe other hand, the "government" has ordered the closure of the AlJezira offices in Egypt and recalled the press cards of their reporters. TheEgyptian TV announced that the minister of information has announced thismeasure. Strange though as the ministry as a whole has been dismissed by thepresident 2 days ago if I remember well, and no new Government has beenappointed. Moreover some of the Egyptian population has started being afraid ofthe looting and the thugs and are trying to convince protesters to calm downand retreat. As of now it doesn't seem to work but who knows what pressure byfamily and friends and tiredness will result.

The mood seems to be slightlydownbeat for the moment.

By the way still no internet andnobody seems to care in the international medias. Internet has been cut foralmost 60 hours now. Not allowed I suppose to show or say what is reallyhappening in Egypt .

A bit before 16.00 hours ,started a very busy traffic of jet fighters, at each passage they are welcome by protesters and cheered up . After nearly half an hour of a show ofpower, involving also some helicopter forces carrier the sky cleared up.

18.00 hours The Curfew issupposed to have started 2 hours ago. The Square is still full of people. Theremust be around 50 to 60 thousands. There are news that the same is happening inAlexandria, Mehalla, and a few others governorates.

January 31, 9.20 am Very Hardnight on the protesters. It was very cold. They had to walk around the square,sometimes even running for a few circles, chanting slogans, in order to heatthemselves up a bit. Nonetheless by now, the numbers have dwindled on thesquare to a mere couple of thousands. This is the first time it dwindles somuch during a night, in a couple of hours protesters will be back in force andalready their numbers is increasing again. Some went to wash up and get food,and some go home to sleep. Today though is different as there has been newssince yesterday that the Police is to start to come back down to the streets.According to "government" or more accurately to the Egyptian TV,traffic police is to take over from the youth who were regulating traffic sincethe protesters took up the square, they also claim that investigators forcrimes will also come down today , I wonder though from where they will beworking as Police stations have been attacked and burnt all over the republic.I believe that by now few of those stations are standing unburnt.

There are moments when evenatheists look for a greater power to pray to. Seems to me to be one of those.The situation is explosive, at any point, there might be orders to the army tostart shooting. Nobody knows though will the orders come down the command, orbe stopped at a certain level and would army officers take over. The least thatcan be said is that the situation is out of hand. Protesters who by now shouldbe called Revolutionaries, have no plan, no figure head, although there aresome trials to push Baradei as the "guardian of the revolution" for atemporary government that would be in charge of implementing a new constitutionand organizing free elections within 6 month. This is all very nice, howeverthere are no news of any contacts between those and army officials. At the sametime, the Egyptian TV is still airing news of the new decisions and decrees thepresident is issuing. No new Government has been named yet, and I wonder whobut the old guard of the regime would now agree to be named.

It was also announced yesterdaythat the curfew is now from 3 pm to 8 am. Very strange this curfew, no one isreally following it but a few law abiding citizens fearing for both their livesand their properties. These fears being amplified by the worrying news aired bythe Egyptian TV. No one though on the Governmental TV is drawing any conclusionnor even questions why were the prisons opened and the common criminals leftout into the streets. They just say that prisoners are now on the loose and arelooting everywhere. The civil defense committees set out by the people in theirstreets have been defending private properties at the best of their abilities,and no news of killings have yet emerged. There is a clear campaign ofmisinformation. Part of the defense of the "old" regime.

11.15 By now the numbers ofprotesters has swelled again to maybe around 10 thousand. Their spirits isstill up. I just heard a few gun shots, but these do not come from the square.

11.37 I wonder what those gunshots were maybe they were just Army trying to keep protesters from getting toonear them. It seems they have got orders not to be anymore inside the crowds soto have ways of moving fast. I wonder what that means.

11.51 More people are comingtowards the square. The level of sound these protesters achieve is quiteimpressing. There are news that the curfew is now from 2pm to 8 am.

12.00 The square now has morethan 25 thousands protesters, and more are coming.Rumors are flying from allsides and involve everything from Army shooting on protesters in Alexandria andother places to even assassination attempts on different personalities.

13.00 Some 40 thousand are now onthe square demonstrating. By now when a helicopter passes by. The crowds cancover he sound of it, and they do, chanting "Erhal" (Leave)

14.00 More rumors saying thatsome army officers have said they had orders to shoot at around 3. One morehour to see. Curfew though is not implemented and there was no announcement tothe people down here to go home or be shot. ???? The new government has beennamed most names are unknown but they are people from the regime and I doubtvery much that the protesters will calm down, or accept them as legitimate.

14.15 Some more marches arejoining in into the square, I believe that by now here must be a minimum of 70thousands down there shouting that the people wants the regime to fall. I havenews that this is happening all over the republic and all over Cairo too. Actually, there are also unconfirmed news that protesters are out in the streetin Beni Soueif, and are marching too. Somehow these are the first news thatUpper Egypt is also joining. Also other rumors say that all the journalists ofAl Gezira that were in their rooms in their hotels were arrested.

15.20 The Square is nearlycovered by protesters and nothing seems to calm them down.

Maybe the president believes thathe is the legitimate president of a country whom at the last election issupposed to have given him 90 per cent of their votes. It seems he believesthese are the real results. I really wonder what he is thinking about or whathe is trying to do. Does he believe he can survive this without a "bloodbath" and is he thinking about just burning it to the ground before flyingout? I wonder. The staccato of the slogans is helping me adjust the rhythm of mytyping, and inspire me it seems.

February 1

2.45 The square still has a fewthousand sleeping in. The weather is cold and people are trying to sleep. Somegot tents, but most will sleep for the 4 th night in the street with nothingbut what they are wearing. Last night though was colder, and it seems thattomorrow it might be even milder. Tomorrow the march to the presidential palacewill start according to the protesters in the street. They promised to gather amillion. I believe they will be gathering at least 1 in Cairo and another onein Alexandria.

10.45 Protesters are gathering.By now here is already 60 thousands already on the street. Rumors are flyingthat even before the start of the "Million's march" towards thepresidential palace, there will be an announcement that the President has flownout of the country. However there are rumors that protesters might decide tostay on the square.

We will not be able to updatethis until the internet connection is restored across the country... we managedto do this with a little help ;)

mercredi 2 février2011, 14:59

Paidmembers of the NDP together with some of government thugs attacked the peacefuldemonstration mounted on horses and camels , there is a war down there theyattacked maybe an hour ago.

We have seen lots of injuredprotesters being taken to the infirmary , within a few minutes someone countedup to 50

please share, and if you can comedown to the Square please do it is a fight for your freedom and your country

mercredi 2février 2011, 16:32

Supporters of Moubarak Haveattacked at around 3 O'clock there are reports of trucks full of supportersbringing them down towards Tahrir Square .but actually the first wave of attackwas a mounted attack, on horses and camels. Many protesters were injured inthis first wave of attack. The numbers of protesters did dwindle for a momentbut then in spite of at least one confirmed death and at least 50 to 60injured, they kind of regrouped. At a point there was rifle shots being heardand it seems it was the army trying to keep the "peaceful" supportersaway. At a point there was a big cloud of white smoke that was somewhere besideSimon Bolivar Square. The "peaceful" and law abiding supporters ofthe regime also attacked from Talaat Harb , Some molotov werethrown from their ranks and the army had to send some warning shots to keepthem at bay. Reports from Simon Bolivar square says that the white smoke wastear gas sent from the ranks of the "supporters". Other reports aresaying that the same thing is also happening in Mohandessin. There are alsoreports that both the US president and the French president called for theimmediate resignation of Mubarak.

The situation has slightly calmeddown in Tahrir Square although the chaos is indescribable

Maybe our status of an hour agoshould be rethought. Maybe it is time for regrouping counting our deads and ourinjured from both sides.

If anything new happens I'll comeback on line telling you

jeudi 3 février2011, 01:05

The situation has kind of calmnow. The protesters were under attack from the Moubarak supporters coming fromAbdel Moneim Ryad Square . The famous attack that started with the horses andcamels. I suppose the horses and Camels were also from Moubarak supporters .This attack has been going on since 3 pm. And at a point was kind of joined byanother attack from Kasr el Nil street but this one was repelled and seem tohave been completely dispersed.On Abdel Moneim square there is kind of a statusquo with the protesters keeping their positions, while the Pro- Moubarak crowdsare standing on the bridge and are sending molotovs and stoned towards thePro-testers. The fight there is still going on, but I was told the Pro-testerswere Grand there.

The Square still stands and theprotesters are still controlling it, but news are out that some attack is beingprepared against them for the early morning are quite persistent.

News from this desk are cut fortonight.

Will resume in the morning.

jeudi 3 février2011, 08:37

Good morning!

The protesters are still hangingon to the Square . Actually news are that they completely scattered the attack,sometime during the night. Another day is starting.

Tahrir Square: Friday , February 3rd 15.10

jeudi 3 février2011, 14:39

The Square is by now full ofpeople while the battle trying to keep pro -Government manifestationsfrom entering into the square. It has been reported and confirmed by manywitnesses that this battle started since 12 noon yesterday , with the furthestpenetration made at around 15.00 hours yesterday, the I suppose by now Iconicmounted attack that has been shown on most TV channels around the world. Thepenetration was successfully stopped and pushed back. After a pathetic battlein which the pro government forces succeeded in taking over two roofsjust in front of the Museum, and started throwing stones and molotovs on theanti Moubarak protesters. A battle followed and raged for long hours, actuallyit still goes on there, in sporadic spurs. The pro-government forces are stillon the bridge and throwing stones , the anti Moubarak protesters are standing abit further down the bridge.

Rumors are flying everywhere.Most of them are quite difficult to believe. However it seems the new strategyof the government is to cut off supply lines to the protesters . Citizenswho are trying to get supplies in do succeed to send in supplies, but I heardof at least 2 accidents involving crowds breaking cars trying to reach hesquare to supply the protesters with food, water, and medical supplies.

TAHRIRSQUARE : Friday 3rd, 2011

jeudi 3 février2011, 17:37

The battle at Abdel Moneim RyadSquare is now under protesters control again . The battle is still going on.Snipers were used by the Government supporting troops. By asking at theinfirmary by the side of the Museum just off the front line. The Casualties fortoday on this specific infirmary has been 2 dead (shot in the head) and 226injured.

Sporadic firearm shots were heardright now, probably the army trying to contain the attacks from the pro Government.

Tahrir Square: Friday 3rd, 2011 19.25 URGENT URGENTURGENT SHARE and send to lawyers

jeudi 3 février2011, 18:38

All of a sudden, now the sound ofthe square is again roaring with anti Moubarak voices and they are shouting atthe top of their voices "ERHAL" (GO AWAY)... Maybe he does notunderstand Arabic that's why I am translating, it seems it is as a reaction tothe TV appearance and the speech of the Vice-president named by the man theywant out, and they do not accept him as legitimate as coming out of a corruptand broken regime after it actually had no more hold to the peace and securityof the Streets of the Capital and a few other towns and cities. I suppose thatthis should be the actual case if shown before the Hague tribunal. Can anyonestart this step. I am calling on International law specialist to check aboutthis.

This also apply to the Newlyappointed Government.

TAHRIRSQUARE: Friday 3rd, 2011

jeudi 3 février2011, 20:11

This note is slightly different.I feel nothing much is happening down stairs at the moment, and somehow Istarted to try and understand what is really happening, I started wonderingabout the hardheadedness of the present regime represented in Moubarakprimarily but also of the people he named. I really think they don't listen. Iave to run for he moment but I will come back.

Now on the square there is apolitical meeting that does not get too much cheering.

TAHRIR SQUARE : Intended to be a status

jeudi 3 février2011, 22:33

Well the situation seems now tobe mostly calm and I am off to crash a bit. I mean I intend to go to sleep . Iam crushing nothing. :)

Tomorrow is a long day and themoment for people to choose between, a false sense of security within a corruptregime or a sense of chaos but with a possibility of starting anew and give achance to honest and hard working people .

I have expectations .... but I'vebeen disappointed so many times that I wonder.

The party has started anew downthere and patriotic songs are blasted through the speakers , and the protesterstoo are I suppose going to sleep a bit. Tomorrow promises to be a long day anda dangerous one.

Misinformation and the Egyptian regime .... URGENT

vendredi 4février 2011, 08:33

As usual our media institutionsare just spreading rumors. I would like the people from my generation and olderones to remember how Victorious the regime was claiming to be until the 9th ofJune 1967. I would like everybody also to remember all the misinformationcampaigns used repetitively to save governments or personalities within thelast 60 years. I want everybody to try and think of how our History has seenrewrote for the personal honor of the rulers and this probably since Ramses theII.

Just think about all this and rememberit is Egypt youth all of them from all parties and different colors of thepolitical spectrum although the majority is just youth wanting the best fortheir future. They don't want to have a corrupt regime. Unfortunately it seemsthe older generations think that security is better than honor and corruptionis better than hard work.

I believe that in this case thosewho are skeptic could at least have he decency to keep silent and Neutral. Eventhe Egyptian army took that choice.

That is all I have to say

URGENT Minister of Defense General Brigadier Tantaouicomes to Tahrir Square

vendredi 4février 2011, 09:51

الجيش المصري جيشنا وحسني مش رئيسنا

TheEgyptian army is our Army and Hosny is not our president

It Seems General Tantaoui came tothe Museum a few minutes ago and this is how protesters welcomed him. Hewanted o talk to the crowds , but it seems protesters told him to go to themicrophone on the Square so all could hear him. He now left this side and noone really knows where he has gone.

Situation on the Square is quitecalm. Protesters are chanting. There are queues on the entrances of the Squarefor security checks but even though it is slowly letting the people in.

TahrirSquare: Status Quo

vendredi 4février 2011, 18:51

Protesters are on the street .They came in in great numbers, there was at a time something like 700thousands. and 700 thousands chanting, can roar quite high believe me. Theprotesters had a couple of unexpected visits , General - Brigadier Tantaoui ,minister of defense, and Amr Moussa General secretary of the Arab league .However both either could not or would not go to where the mics are and theprotesters gather to listen to incoming personalities probably because of thesecurity risks involved for Public men to go through the square.

On the other fronts nothing ishappening. What a day it was!

TAHRIRSQUARE

vendredi 4février 2011, 21:00

I wish everyone who is thankingme for the photos and the trial to keep the Facebook world up to date news tostop doing so. I believe I am doing much less than I should do if I could forthe cause of keeping these kids in the street who succeeded to make the mostferocious police forces retreat and succeeded in taking over the Square withoutviolence, and only using some after they were beaten and had showers of teargas bombs thrown on them.

The kids have made me feel proudof being Egyptian . They made me even prouder of being Egyptian when the sameferocious police forces were sent again wearing plain clothes and again theywere beaten in a street battle and had to retreat again. And the kids arelosing daily friends who fall either because of serious injuries or worse,those with small injuries keep coming back as soon as they can. Nonetheless,they don't take even time to cry for those dead friends and advance to getkilled too. They are real Freedom fighters.

But there are some signs that thenew policy will involve a military siege , letting the kids come out but not inagain.

On the other hand, Misinformationcampaigns are well orchestrated . And families and friends are now pressurizingthe protesters because they are now brain washed by the Egyptian TV and thesecurity forces rumor spreading organism.

The news on the Square are nowvery calm. By now because the weather is cold there is only the die hard whoare still here. Helicopters are flying over the Square much more than usualthough.

TAHRIR SQUARE: Saturday, February 05, 2011. Day 8 ofthe occupation of the Square. URGENT

samedi 5 février2011, 00:41

A small attack just happened fromTahrir Square , involving a few molotov and some fire arm shots. The situationis now again in hand and the attack was small a few attackers maybe in a groupof 10 or so. The attackers retreated after the attack. They just sent theirmolotov shot a few shots and ran away.

Everything is back to normal. Thewhole thing took from 1.26 to 1.35. It is now 1.40 and the whole square ischanting again.

TAHRIR SQUARE: February 05, 2011 12.32 pm

samedi 5 février2011, 11:33

It has been a calm night. Thingsseem to be under control and it is now prayer time. The protesters are stillhere and they seem to be determined.

TAHRIR SQUARE: February 05, 2011 4 pm

samedi 5 février2011, 15:57

As you can see from the photosthe Square is in a party mood still . check the photos.

Nothing really is happening butthere is a sense of expectation all over. Some Army person came and tried tomake an announcement saying that it was now time to go home. Had no effect onthe protesters and they answered "The Army and the people are onehand". Right now just after some kind of Islamic preacher said somethingprobably my moslem friends , he was answered by the crowds "AnaMasri" which in a way was nice. By now people are shouting "TahiaMasr"

TAHRIR SQUARE: Saturday, February 06, 2011. Day 9 ofthe occupation of the Square.

dimanche 6février 2011, 03:48

The night time party is still on.Everything is fine. Up till now there was no attack. One wonders what is instore for tomorrow. Nothing much happened today on the square. But the regimeis trying to rethink its image. Getting rid of some of the figure heads thathad during their long careers had accumulated an enormous amount of populardislike.It has been raining and the night is cold. But in spite of theGovernment concessions, there was a not too diplomatic statement by thealleged Prime Minister saying that the protesters have transformed thesquare into a Hyde Park and that they are safe there and that the allegedGovernment would be distributing bonbons to the protesters.

There is a call for anothermillion man and woman for today. The arm wrestling is still on it seems.

TAHRIR SQUARE: Saturday, February 06, 2011.

dimanche 6 février2011, 10:08

The Party is on. Thenumbers are not impressive, but I have got reports that the entrances to thesquare are kind of blocked and that food has been refused clearance. Buteverything seems calm. There is a Mass planned after the midday prayer. Will keep youposted if anything exciting happens.

TAHRIR SQUARE: Saturday, February 06, 2011. 14.27

dimanche 6 février2011, 14:06

The Party is really getting impressivealthough the entrances to the square have long security measures and the queueat the entrance on Kasr el Nil bridge goes up at least the new Opera. Theremust be close to half a million by now on the square, and many have come andleft, many supporters bring in supply and blankets and then go home to takecare of their daily life.

There's been news that there willbe a concert sometime today.

The Mass did not take placereplaced by a couple of prayers. Pictures will be uploaded but are not too impressive.

To all those who have been openly against the youth ofTahrir Square

dimanche 6février 2011, 18:31

I am sorry to share this with allmy friends but I received a call for all who want a secular Egypt, thisdoes not only apply to the secularity (sic) of the state.

According to the Youth who are inthe movement no one wants that .

They all want a secular Egypt.But they also want a fair Egypt. They have done amazing things while you andyour friends were trying by all the means in your power to scare them off. Orat least I remember a message of yours that implied that they were idiots whodid not know what they were doing and were somehow unaware of realities. Ipersonally wish I had been like them when I was their age.

They want an Egypt that will befrom the people and for the people. An Egypt with laws that make sense and arefair for all.

Something no one of yourgeneration or mine have ever experimented, or even my now dead parents or grandparents . The kids are doing this and on their own maybe can we trust them todo somethings most of us never even dreamed even to do.

I also would like to clarify toyou that for the moment any involvement in Politics for anyone is factually apolitical suicide. Starting to make demands now specially after your initialposition is not very correct morally speaking. :)

TAHRIR SQUARE: Saturday, February 06, 2011. 19.45Heavy firearms shots salvo by army

dimanche 6février 2011, 19:00

Some shots were heard a fewminutes ago. However it seems it was just a defense salvo by the army to keepdemonstrators calm. The incident started when some "thugs" tried tomove the barricades of the demonstrators. The demonstrators took the attackersand were handing them to the army. The behind the barricades demonstrators got slightly excited and the Army had to shoot this salvo in theair to calm the crowds.

And The PARTY is still going ON.There was even a live concert during the day on the square. Some artistsdecided to come and paint the roads on the Square. WOODSTOCK on NILE

TAHRIR SQUARE: Monday, February 07, 2011. Day 10 ofthe occupation of the Square.

lundi 7 février2011, 09:23

The night was calm once again.Last night the new Mohamed Mounir video was released. It asks a question :"HOW?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owLLPzVLtTk

It seems there is somenervousness on the Square right now. Might be an attack.

If I do not write anything withinthe next 15 minutes then it is again a false alarm. Nonetheless I believe thatit is just that a false alarm as the music is still blasted from the loudspeakers.

If not I'll keep you all posted.

Some of the jokes being sent out as smsses

lundi 7 février2011, 11:30

أقوى عقاب لصفوت الشريف وفتحى سرور إن الشعب يمنع عنهم صبغةالشعر

The worst punishment for SafwatAl Sherif and Fathi Sourour is to cut off hair dies from them.

ردا على جمعة الغضب , وجمعة الرحيل , ويوم الشهداء ,وأسبوع الصمود . أعلن الرئيس أنه قررالتنحى فى يومالقيامة

As an answer to AngerFriday, Departure Friday, Memorial Day, and the week of Resilience, Thepresident announced

that he had decided to step downin the Day of Resurrection (Easter Friday)

New word added to the dictionary:Mubarak [V.] : To stick myself. Example: I will mubarak you to the wall

TAHRIR SQUARE: Monday, February 07, 2011. 13.30

par Pierre Sioufi, lundi 7 février2011, 12:33

Another funeral of the Martyrs ofthe Revolution passed through the Square today. It was the funeral of theEgyptian journalist Ahmad Mahmoud who received a live bullet while being in hisoffice in the Al Ahram building. The funeral started from the syndicate ofjournalists in spite that Safwat El Cherif who is still the head of the SupremeCouncil for the Press. Maybe he could also present his resignation from thatpost. Specially after the ridiculous way the government medias have covered theevents.

But in spite of the funerals andthe loss of friends , the Party still goes on

TAHRIR SQUARE: Monday, February 07, 2011. Day 11 ofthe occupation of the Square.

mardi 8 février2011, 09:08

A slow night. An eerie nightactually. For the first time It felt like there were people sleeping. I believeprotesters were just exhausted and crashed as today might be hard , they calledfor another march of the million, the logistics involved in such an event arequite complicated specially that the nerves might be slightly tense.

10.00 Most people are stillsleeping or at best waking up. There is a strange piece of news released by the"Al Jazeera Arabic", that claims that the President might be flyingvery soon to Germany for some health checks. Nonetheless it seems that theSquare either hasn't heard, is cautious about the wording or that it isnot sure how to react. Maybe they can also get the more urgent measuresbeing the dissolution of the National Democratic Party and the two houses.

TAHRIR SQUARE: Tuesday, February 08, 2011. Day 12 ofthe occupation of the Square.

mardi 8 février2011, 17:35

I wonder if occupation of thesquare is the right way to describe what is happening. The biggest march uptill now. And now it is a march, there are news that the Parliament the ShuraCouncil and the Council of Ministers are under siege, or at leastcordoned off by demonstrators.

And still the great Party

however , the status quo is stillstanding. The Government is still claiming that they are in control and readyto negotiate while the fact is that they are facing a general case of civildisobedience and that this is over for them.

I believe the old regime istrying to find some way of securing themselves, nonetheless my personal beliefis that they should go the fastest possible. The more this movement is goingon, the bigger the crowds demonstrating, the more escalation happens and thedemands become more radical.

If the regime would listen to mewho is an independent I would suggest to them to go away right now as thedemonstrators are still mild in their demands.

The situation on the Square isstill the Party , actually some succeeded in building a stage on the square forconcerts and artistic endeavors.

TAHRIR SQUARE: Tuesday, February 08, 2011. 23.47

mardi 8 février2011, 22:56

The situation is getting tenseagain. If here the situation is calm and everything is under control and theParty is still going on.

There has been a hardening ofposition by the demonstrators as they went towards the Parliament and are nowin the Maglis al Shaab street camping in front of the main gate. But havingsecured the street beginning on the side of Kasr El Aini and uptill Falaki street.

Cameras to be positioned on themwould be very welcome by International Press I would imagine.

TAHRIR SQUARE: Wednesday, February 09, 2011. Day 13 ofthe occupation of the Square.

mercredi 9février 2011, 13:43

All is well. Music in the airafter last night's concert when the Song of the Revolution was presented.On theMagliss el Chaab front there are about 400 protesters sitting in underthe protection of the people , some of them being Health Ministry employeeschanting against the Regime. They have control over the stretch of magliss elChaab Street same as yesterday note. check it please.

From our SpecialCorrespondent in Abdine.

Urgent News from Abdine Square Byour : In their first major appearance, the men in black have cordoned offAbdine Square from angry women in black. They were promised housing by thegovernate then told to shove it. Very smart. What a great regime, it's doingit's best to support the revolution.

Dictionary:

Men in black: The Police

Women in black: Lower classCairenes (can bite)

Thoughts about Governments and state of law and otherthings

mercredi 9février 2011, 22:05

Dr. Gaber Asfour , the ministerof Culture of that unexisting and unknown Government we had for the last fewhours , I am not sure it was more than 100, has resigned citing Healthproblems. This I suppose means legally that the Government has failed. Egypttherefore does not have a Government, nor does Moubarak nor Omar Soleiman. SoLegally, the protesters have succeeded in their revolution. We have a President,a Vice President and a Prime minister. But no Ministry.

Moreover the protesters havesucceeded in closing the doors to the Parliament , an unlawful Parliament aseven the Parliament Head (whom the protesters also do not recognize and wantout the man who was a President for a few days during the comedy thathappened after the death of Sadate ) has recognized than more than two thirdsof the members have used unlawful means to get elected. Moreover , theprotesters blocking the doors to the Parliament have actually stopped those"cinematic extras" members of Parliament of being able to meet.

The comedy is going on. Dr. GaberAsfour, was replaced by Dr. Ashraf Zaki, the man who was forced to resign fromthe presidency of the syndicate of Actors not later than this morning.

Surrealistic !!!!

TAHRIR SQUARE IS CELEBRATING

jeudi 10 février2011, 19:19

Tahrir Square has beencelebrating for a long time. Actually celebrations started since the morning,but even the most politicized are also celebrating. Although actually nothinghappened. The whole thing continues to be surrealistic.

The Square though is bubblingwith the sweet taste of victory.

Even if all the news are real,which I still doubt we had too many moments when the Victory seemed so clear.And then some new person would come and say that everything was fine and theywill send us bonbons, or other really unbelievable bullshit.

I personally still demand thedisbanding of the NDP, National Democratic Party. And immediately. Again thisis my personal opinion for a chance to build an Egypt that I would be happy tolive in and proud of being Egyptian for ever after.

With Love to all from MidanEl Tahrir. :)

TAHRIR SQUARE IS CELEBRATING II

jeudi 10 février2011, 20:57

There are millions in the Square.and the news from and around the Square are getting more and moreworrying. I believe that many of the celebrators are getting ugly. Some of thewomen already are leaving the square . The situation is electrical and some usethe crowd for behaviors that can only be described as sexual harassment. Thereare too many people in the Square right now. Maybe is there some who will betrying for a last gap for the regime trying to turn the celebrations into somekind of blood bath. On the other hand, there is also a wedding ceremony goingon somewhere else on the Square.

Incertainty continues and nothingis really clear. Some Rumors say that Mr. Sillysillyman will stay on which isalso completely rejected by the kids of Tahrir Square. I really wonder what isgoing on. I also do not want any more "Free officers" and the such.

Maybe I am just a worryer

we will see

Tahrircelebrations Urgent

jeudi 10février 2011, 21:25

Everyone is here around either aradio or a television waiting for the victory however some of the signs arekind of disappointing. It can be a technique so that if the victory is donethen the Egyptian people will be fine and celebrations must occur.

But for some reason I am stillquite pessimistic as the way I read the news, I kind of feel the same asin 1967 when the information ministry back then was controlled by the Army andmade an amazing brain wash while hiding the shameful defeat until when theyannounced the truth ... people came out chanting "A7a A7a LaTatanaha"

I am so afraid that we aregetting Mr Sillyman as a goodbye present.

let's hope it is only my worrying.

TAHRIRSQUARE urgent

jeudi 10février 2011, 22:05

He doesn't understand at all. WEneed to be 80 millions in the streets. This is just crazy, he does notunderstand. And I was kind of right worrying. tHE HARDHEADEDNESS IS JUSTINCREDIBLE i THINK HE SHOULD JUST UNDERSTAND THAT 60 YEars are maybe too much ,he should get his pension and go.

What he said today is the mostincredible bullshit I've ever heard in my life. As I expecte4d it is stillanother 1967.

I believe the fight will begoing on .

I believe that Mr President justcan not understand that he is one of the main problem , but on the other hand Ithank him because this is maybe the only way we will be able to topple all thedirty rests of a regime that corrupted us all.

Is it so difficult tounderstand that the Egyptian people want now to try and be proud of themselvesand free of this brain wash they had been using for the last 70 years,

THe dissolution anddisbandment of the NDP, I believe it is them who call him and tell him not togo. We are all behind you. Please don't go we will defend you. I wonder thoughhow can he believe that unless he listens to news that are different that tothose we hear. He still believes that he is important to keep the peace of theregion.

I want to warn all thosewho think that his keeping might keep the region in hand are really wrong. Thisis a disaster.

In any case, we wantto thank Mr President for his lovely career but why can't he understand thatthe people have decided that he must go. And the people is the boss of thepresident. Do they have a syndicate for presidents to defend him?

We also have to rememberthat Hosni Moubarak has acted in a movie... Maybe he believes he is a goodactor or a convincing one. Why isn't the oscar given to him ?

TAHRIR SQUARE REVOLUTION - Day 15 of the OCCUPATION ofthe Square

, vendredi 11février 2011, 00:50

Don't know what is the result ofthis second disappointment to the revolutionaries ?

I believe he is trying aided byhis men to keep a hold on power!

Moubarak has dared again todescribe the protesters as sold outs to foreign powers.

This is something that made mejoin the revolutionaries , up till now I was just covering the event trying tokeep a moral and truthful coverage of this revolution. After his provocativestatement, I decided to get down to the streets .

The plans for tomorrow, is thatthe protests should be going on everywhere.

The deposed President (becausethat is what he is actually) should feel that all what is left to him is hisbulls from the NDP, and that every non NDP should be in the streets protestingand chanting .... "Mesh hanrawah , Howa yerawah"

We are not going , he should goand "Erhal" GO.

I also call for all NDP memberswho are not happy with what is happening to actually present their resignationfrom the Party, I mean even Gamal Moubarak did, so why don't you follow him?Wasn't Gamal the hope of the Party?

I call upon all Egyptiansfrom all stratas to just start a civil disobedience movement.

Strikes have started even inthose strongholds of the regime. Many a syndicate has overturned and are now inthe streets demonstrating. We have to be all one hand , and depose him bythe sheer force of numbers.

STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS ad THOSEOF YOUR KIDS and THE FOLLOWING GENERATIONS>

Tahrir Square - New fronts opened - OROUBA palace andMaspero

vendredi 11février 2011, 01:24

From one of ourcorrespondent in Maspero (TV building)

Its now about control of themessage. The cause is clearly just, and the people have clearly adoptedthe message. BUT, the regime, like a wounded beast, in its final deaththroes is still trying to manipulate the minds of the people with all the toolsof the media at their disposal - newspaper, television, and radio. This is the choke point. This is where we need to ensure that we maintainpressure on the regime to a) turn journalists/newscasters to our side byfinally realizing the extent of the popular uprising and b) to prevent easyaccess for the regime to the building - make it much harder for them tocontinue manipulating their message. We did this successfully with thePrime Minister - because of the demonstrations, he couldn't get to his officeand ended up delaying a meeting with the US ambassador for 2 hours. The governmentwill have to make a stand here - they will either need to make sure theycontrol the tools of the media - which would mean violently removing theprotester; or submitting to their demands and Mubarak stepping down immediately

I have just come from the radioand television building and their are about 7,000 people there; with a fewthousand more heading there from Tahrir. The atmosphere is somewhattense. The building is surrounded with tanks and barbed wire. thereare heavily armed soldiers that are not exhibiting any of the friendliness thatthose around Tahrir square normally do. They are not being unfriendly,just very serious. On the first floor balconies of the radio andtelevision building there are two locations with soldiers standing behind heavymachine guns pointing outwards in the direction of the crowd.

The crowds are chanting"down with the fraudulent media, down with the fraudulent broadcasters,down with mubarak"

We also have news that someprotesters the numbers being unconfirmed but thought to be somewhere between400 and 2 thousands have arrived to he Orouba Palace and are standing there,our correspondent in Khalifa el Maamoun.

Rumors have it that the Armyopened them the way to let them pass.

TAHRIR SQUARE : The kids did it ... now what?

, samedi 12février 2011, 12:54

The revolution has pushedout a dictator, and ended a dictatorial regime. WOW. I love it. I hadmoments of discouragement but the kids were there fighting for their cause witha determination rarely seen. They forced the police and their henchmen toretreat . It is true that they were helped by the fact that the uprising wasall over Egypt and the security forces were over extended. Without the battlesbetween the security forces and the activists in Suez City and other towns, therevolution would have failed.

Now the revolution has succeededin removing the dictator. Nevertheless, the situation remains unclear. Whathappens to all the figureheads of the regime? A short list includespersonalities such as Safwat El Cherif, Zakareya Azmy, Fathi Sourour, MoufidChehab and also Hisham Talaat Moustafa. An exhaustive list would include manymore people, but it should not turn into a witch hunt. What is needed is aprocess of political cleansing with prosecution of the corrupt and criminalunder a fair and independent legal system that will give them a chance topresent their case.

The National Democratic Partymust be disbanded. It is not so much a political party as a club of the sameelite that has been ruling Egypt since the mid-40's under different names withdifferent figureheads.

The president should be aboveparty politics.

If the president is a member of aparty then a condition of assuming the presidency should be that he resignsfrom the party.

And I still demand thedisbandment of the NDP

TAHRIRSQUARE: The day after

dimanche 13février 2011, 10:09

As I already pointed outrepetitively, the work to clean up Egypt has just started, if one reads thenewspapers it is very strange, on one hand some publish that PresidentMoubarak went out of Egypt in a Touristic trip, he needs to calm down I suppose,on the other hand there are news of a list of 43 mainly ministers of the oldregime that have been put on a list for those forbidden to leave the country.Already some international analysts are claiming this is more of a militarycoup than a revolution. Somehow the presence of General Tantaoui , the armedforce minister, a close personal friend of the deposed dictator and one of hismost trusted assistants is kind of a sign and symbol that analysts cannotreally miss. I will though point out to Mr General, that there was a man calledMohamed Naguib, a general too, that was overthrown by the people he helped .

There is a support Moubarak groupon Facebook that is doing a counter attack and is trying to stop therevolution. if you want to check it

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192354780783520&ref=notif&notif_t=event_invite

I believe that we need to getsomehow a law that would prevent anyone who had links with the NDP at any timefrom being candidates for any position for the next 4 years.

Brain washing and the Regime (dedicated to Walt Disney)

2011-10-10T06:18:00.000-07:00

Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 11:16am I posted the following on FB - Moubarak had just resigned and the National Media seemed set for a positive development in matters of truth and as a source of information, yesterday though the minister of information accused some State TV anchors to have lost their minds because they were so "excited"

"Brain washing is a very dangerous weapon.
Brain washing works very well.
Brain washing nearly made the revolution abort.
There was a moment during the revolution when I got really scared for it and for the kids. That moment was at a point after the first message by the ex-president when he played on the emotions of the Egyptian People. The savage attacks by the regime's henchmen coupled with the "voices of wisdom" by many trying to convince us that the kids were destroying Egypt and that everything was going to be Hell if they would not retreat has put all of us under amazing pressure.
The Carrot (the empty promises or actually unbelievable ones) and the sticks were used simultaneously, in the form of physical sticks and of rumors that scared us to death. Reinforcing the will of the kids making them even more resolute to face death.

Brain washing is what made the Good People of Egypt come down in the streets demanding another resigning President not to resign after the most humiliating defeat in the annals of modern History. I know many will say that it just came out from the People's pouring emotions towards a very charismatic man. However they will have to work hard to convince me that the hiding of the news of the defeat and the retreat to the "second line of defense" was not gaining time for he rumors machine to work at full blast before hitting the news on the people.

Brains should be awaken and we should never let our Brains to be washed ever again.

Disband the NDP and the Ministry of information

PS this is an article I wrote for a newspaper under foundation called the voices of Tahrir... however I feel the message should be shared asap as the situation is turning sour."

I believe this is as right and pertinent today that it was back then when I published it. I'd now add a couple more demands at the end, I would want the Armies all over the world to be restructured, and the revision and bettering of all educational syllabi ... but then there is such a thing as incurable idealism

Football Fever

2007-10-23T02:27:00.000-07:00

Hooligans are very strange people. On what grounds can anybody attack someone else and in any case what is the point of fighting about a result that has happened , do they think they can change historical facts?
While checking and reordering my dashboard I found this unfinished post and decided to post it now, kind of out of season as Hooligans have not invaded front pages for sometime but maybe because it is out of season it can start an interesting discussion as while people are hot they cannot really think logically and the discussion becomes tainted witha bias to a certain club, player, referee. At these times one would swear these people are defending their inner beliefs to a point that makes you doubt about any inner belief.

Returning objects

2007-09-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

Alisher Usmanov has bought the artwork collection of the late cellist Mstislav Rostropovitch in order to hand it over to the Russian state while the powerful Yale University had to surrender its collection of Peruvian artefacts from Machu Picchu one of the soon to be destroyed (I mean restored) co winner of the seven new wonders of the world.
It seems a fad has started to send back local artifacts is underway with the full backing of finance moguls and of the academical world while international politics just ignores the subject.

That means that the possibility of us getting back the Berlin Cleopatra, the Louvre's Cat and the British museum Rosetta stone is becoming a more plausible one.

Am not sure if one should be happy or one should worry...

will it be enough then?

2007-09-16T07:09:00.000-07:00

Fundamental freedoms are under attack however the freedom to push the button is still allowed to some. (Full text)

According to the BBC, the advances made in individuals surveillance are on the verge of many a breakthrough. This disturbs me deeply.

It seems that 75% of individuals in most of the world do not mind being watched 24/24 all year round, at least according to polls. I believe this has to do with Religion. If one is religious, one knows he is being under the stethoscope of God however this universal "soulprints" (as opposed to fingerprints} of the human race disturbs me deeply. Not because I am defending "His" prerogatives, but out of a deep ingrained need for a place where the masks can fall without no one ever finding out one's private moments.

The "Logan's run" nightmare is even more disturbing than Orwell's "1984", and although "Animal Farm" amazing maxims are freely quoted by today's world leaders, without the shadow of a smile, and with apparent utter conviction, my most feared nightmare is the crystal in the palm of one's hand, or even worse the electronic chip into your DNA through the cell phones waves.

Governments have now outlawed casual smokers. I propose they do the same to cell phone users. I'll keep mine though.

.. in order to change moods I would suggest you watch this , learn the song and form a delegation"Wafd" to present our requests .

+++ +++ +++

People's assembly election mid 90's

I wonder to whom the delegation (if it was ever formed) would present its demands these days, Does anybody know where Napoleon is?

Paradoxically

2007-09-15T15:59:00.001-07:00

More Facebook stories.

On 9/11, the unmasked version of this photo was deleted from Facebook. I wonder why? No explanation. No warning. Nothing. Is El Qaeda controlling Facebook and decided to commemorate their vicious attack by deleting all traces of the twin towers ???

This picture was posted to the "fun wall" of a friend of mine who incidentally is the woman on the picture. A personal picture, then.

I wonder why should we not respect the amazing architecture masterpiece the twin towers have been. I will not dwell into that. The disturbing detail about it is that this "Fun Wall" application is actually controlled by slide.com. So it is difficult to pinpoint who is responsible for this deletion.

A few days later, this picture too was deleted this time definitely by Facebook, as the person who posted a non commented version of it as the logo for a group, was not only sentenced, no death row. Immediate execution and a warning to top it was the unstoppable destiny.

" This decision is final. Thank you for your understanding" (Facebook Theodore)

However this version is still on Facebook in a well named group. Check Teezbook on Facebook.

How many "God Gifts" are there?

Why is there so many groups that are related to religions?

The numbers of which can only be matched by those related to sex?

Who is deciding what can be said or showed on what is after all your own profile?
Is there a hidden agenda?

99% of all groups being quite obnoxious and not flying very high intellectually. The most ridiculous superstitions being discussed by some.

While In real life more and more people seem to have decided to stand up for their right to believe whatever they feel like believing, I cannot help but wonder about this bigot's approach to WWW. I wonder when are we going to start discussing the flatness of Earth or the normalcy of beheading prostitutes , the right of an American federal judge to order around an independent country and the fair punishment for spreading an unfounded rumor.

All this said, and while I am happy to see Mekharbesha still Kicking on Facebook, I do wonder why El resuscitated itself. Facebook is no more a free country than any other. Maybe after all the cat is convinced by the Egyptian saying :

"البلد دي احسن من غيرها"
This country is better than any other

El's story

2007-08-31T13:15:00.000-07:00

Bill Thompson is one of my favorite columnists and he said in a recent recap article celebrating his 5th year as the technical columnist for the BBC that "I care about the ways we manage our online lives, and how we get the balance right between social rules and government regulation, because I don't believe that we can or should leave the rule making to Microsoft, Google or Facebook and that democratic governments are the least worst way of running both the network and society in general."

"Facebook Theodore", or "Big Brother", were the two choices I thought as a title for this post when I started writing it. Then the working title was for sometime "1984 is there" I ended up deciding for a different title.

Facebook is a great social networking facility even if it becomes fast slightly boring and closed on a factual circle of friends. Unless one chooses to be open to all possibilities and letting other people in the "private parts" of their personalities. In order to be able to "free" itself from those social rules, a friend of mine was hiding behind an obvious false identity. It called itself "El Mekharbecha" and mascaraded as an old and wise cat, born in 1932. "Mekharbesh" means in Cairene slang "street wise".

El Mekharbecha was a lovely character that I unfortunately never befriended on Facebook.

El joined groups and causes such as "do not declaw" out of personal interest I suppose, and because of these causes, I suspect El Mekharbecha to have been on the Green side of the political spectrum, this did not prevent it of being Iraqi. Was this a political statement? and ultimately the reason why it was kicked out? Maybe .

Being "Street wise" and slightly bored, El eventually joined slightly racy groups such as most beautiful legs and most beautiful boobs, and posted some pictures on the legs group. For some reason This started a process that finally bloomed into it being kicked out.

Facebook Warning‎
From: Facebook (warning+of1zdo1e@facebookmail.com)

Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 8:22:26 PM
Reply-to: warning+of1zdo1e@facebookmail.com
To: bustancat@hotmail.com

Hello,

You uploaded a photo that violates our Terms of Use, and this
photo has been removed. Among other things, photos
containing nudity, drug use, or other obscene content are not
allowed, nor are photos that attack an individual or group.
Continued misuse of Facebook's features could result in your
account being disabled.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact us at
warning@facebook.com from your login email address.

The Facebook Team

El was slightly upset, specially that it encountered many strange and obnoxious people in some "Facebook" back streets . After the 4th such warning, it purred while moving its tail this sarcastic answer.




[bustancat@hotmail.com - Wed Aug 08 15:36:52 2007]:


Hello, I received 4 of those


It seems I put a lot of borderline pictures ... so could you please
tell me where exactly is the limit and upon which criteria do you
decide so that I can follow the rules as I definitely do not want to
get kicked from Facebook
you are a great team and you are doing quite a nice thing here,
however I do not think I've posted anything that was too ose.


El Mekharbesha


PS do you take into consideration the quality of the picture?

For example it could be nice i you could send the violators ...
the picture that was deleted and explain where does it break the
rules, it could make it easier or the rest of us to find out where
does big brother interfere.

Thanks though for everything and please do send me a link
where the policy is stated in details.
____________________________________________




El was quite fast automatically answered

rt.facebook.com #5936223] AutoReply: I received 4 warnings and 4 pictuires have been erased I was just wondering why‏
From: Appeals from Facebook (appeals@facebook.com)
Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 10:36:53 PM
Reply-to: appeals@facebook.com
To: bustancat@hotmail.com

Hi,

Action has been taken on your account, and Facebook Customer Support has received your inquiry. We will review your situation and get back to you as soon as possible.

Thanks for contacting Facebook.

-Facebook Customer Support

A couple of days later El was thrown out of Facebook while on line doing something or another. Checking out its mail, it discovered the following:

[rt.facebook.com #5936223] I received 4 warnings and 4 pictuires have been erased I was just wondering why‏

From: Theodore from Facebook (appeals-comment@facebook.com)

Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 11:45:14 PM

Reply-to: appeals-comment@facebook.com

To: bustancat@hotmail.com

Hi,

Fake accounts are a violation of our Terms of Use.  Facebook
requires users to provide their real names.  Impersonating
anyone or anything is prohibited. We will not be able to
reactivate this account for any reason.  This decision is final.

Thanks for your understanding,

Theodore
Customer Support Representative
Facebook

Together with El, we discussed its being kicked out and it is from the opinion that what proved to be its undoing was its obvious disrespect for such local minor deities as Youssef Bek Wahbi, Adel Imam and Omar Al Sharif. El had voiced an opinion in a fan group it had created that the best ever performances of these three had come under the directing eye of Fateen Abdel Wahab. It also underlined the fact of the near total lack of information about this Director that it considered to be one of the great Egyptian directors..

I personally believe that this is not the reason, however I can not believe the pictures it got warnings for were a good enough reason to kick the street wise cat out of the box. On the other hand the official reason stated by Theodore of Facebook is slightly unbelievable, as there are many obvious mascarades running freely and happily all over Facebook site and groups. But when gifts of God are bestowed one can only accept .

Somehow what bothers the cat the most is the disappearance of some pictures and thoughts it had posted, and the overtaking by some of the groups it had created and the fact that its brief but productive passage on Facebook has been erased as if it had never existed.

It just contented itself to underline the paradox in the final 2 sentences of the kicking out notification. " This decision is final. Thank you for your understanding" has become its favorite quote since.

Fortunately when this happened it was the beginning of the mating season and the cat had other things to do, so it was not too disappointed with its forced disappearance.

There is another possible thing that Facebook might have been trying to censor and that was this funny video that El had found on the www.

Funny, isn't it?

Toes Story

2007-07-28T04:28:00.000-07:00

This toe is on display at the Cairo Museum and is a serious contender to the title of the oldest practical prosthesis. The actual holder of that title is the Roman Capua Leg that does not exist any more as it was destroyed in an air raid during world war II.

Out of Patriotic reasons I believe that it is actually 700 years older than the lost leg. Nonetheless, I also believe that Ancient Egyptians were quite advanced in the scientific field of medicine, after all there was a quite a long period in history where Egyptians had discovered and were using quite extensively mummification. On the other hand, I am not sure that they were the only ones to do so. I suppose that China and India were also quite advanced in those fields much before Europe and white skin supremacy was at the time the New World Order.

Often I wonder, if the Greeks were a civilizational power (same as US today) or just ignorant barbaric hoards of bandits who pillaged and plundered their peaceful neighbors, same as the Roman who eventually took over definitely were. The same stands actually for all the Empires built by our amazingly crude human race.

Utter Madness

2007-07-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

From time immemorial building big was perceived as positive steps for humanity as a whole. Most advanced techniques and hard working underpaid labor were used extensively in order to build ever more gigantic ... However when a whole town is to be put into one building in one small city... this is utter madness.
More Pollution, more carbon prints for those who will live or work there.... Actually , it does not need to be so, a couple of floors could be dedicated to the recycling of trash, another for the batteries needed to save the energy that could be gathered by solar panels that would replace the windows I suppose that on 160 floors there must be a lot of those ... the rest of the surfaces being covered by the wind power gathering micro windmills that would continue gather power during the nights. I suppose that in this case the shareholders could even make money just by selling their extra electricity... in Europe, actually in Germany, the government started encouraging by lending money specifically for structural changes to home produce clean energy and promises to buy the extra produced by the individual houses.

In the case of the yet to be finished biggest building now in Dubai expected to reach up to 800 meters, I doubt that is the case.

Swan Song

2007-07-16T05:19:00.001-07:00

"The Swan Song" is also a fairly new novel by Mekkawi Said only available in Arabic for the moment, but should soon be translated as it is the kind of literature that appeals to foreign publishers, and globalized culture. It is a well written book and describes the events that lead to the conscious decision of getting out through suicide by a Cairene middle age man disappointed by the present as a way to find the lost treasures of his past. It does not discuss the metaphysical side of the decision but it describes what leads him into the final decision. The anti hero narrator acknowledges "Lately, I started feeling they are surrounding me everywhere. I even started dreaming of them. Whenever, I walk around, either in downtown that I love so much and that I know well, or where I was born and bred the Pyramids area, or even in El Hussein area that I love so much, and all I see is foreigners. All I overhear is different languages but no Arabic.
They always meet me face to face... nobody by my side , nobody behind me... while they are crowded lines of them filling my horizon".
After many events involving memories of a horny and successful movie producer and of his death induced by the appalling way he is treated by his recently turned Islamic fundamentalist son, memories of a money making trip to the Gulf states with a friend and of the loss of his first love due to a one in a million kind of accident, the details of torrid affairs with a girl from Upper Egypt who had been raped by her uncle, and a "foreign researcher" that makes him work (according to the hero) for ends of her own, and those of his friend with a Korean who soon dies of breast cancer, the trip into ordinary madness his friend embarks upon as a result, and many more, he ends by stepping into the vacuum while sucking on a cocktail of medicinal drugs. "The street expands to the horizon it is overcrowded with humans, animals and soulless creatures. I can hear their breathing, and even their moves as they move out to let me through without once looking at me or moving towards me, I start seeing a white stretch of vacuum and at the other side I see many people waving at me, there is Youssef Helmy and his martyred son, my mother and Julia, Hend and Samantha. When I finally step into the stretch of vacuum everything stops and I can not see or hear anything".

The story discusses the many frustrations of a few generations of Egyptians, those born from the early forties to to the late sixties, inspired by some personal experiences of the author and by few "mediatized affairs" that probably influenced a way or another any of those.
But even without the keys to the symbols of the tale, it should still be an enjoyable, compelling and worthy read.

Indignity

2007-07-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

How can anyone do that to anyone? I thought this kind of behavior had disappeared from our modern world. I never could find any logic to it. But it strikes me as even less understandable when it is performed by a group who had to suffer this same indignities less than a hundred years ago. I really cannot understand.

Facebooking

2007-07-09T07:08:00.000-07:00

Facebook is flourishing in Egypt. For the very few who are not familiar to the phenomenon Facebook is just a social networking internet site. Maybe you heard about Myspace (I am registered on it however I haven't checked it for a long time), Bebo, or friendster. They all do more or less the same , they help you keep up with friends and also to make new virtual ones.Strange it never happened with myspace, or the once very popular Hi5 or many other of those networking sites, I used to just mark all invitations as junk. Don't know what attracted me into Facebook. Reconnecting with people one has not seen for long is often a pleasure. But this involves a lot of catching up to do. Moreover having found myself administrating 2 groups it takes also time to check out what happens in those. After adding Brigitte Bardot as my friend, I fell in the trap and now I am kind of addicted to this social networking thing. Maybe that explains my slower rate of posting on this blog. But that is not the only reason.. the truth is I am kind of slightly disappointed with the relative failure of this blog to attract readers or comments, on the other hand news are not inspiring me too much anymore, maybe I should try another news provider than the BBC, but I believe it is the least biased news source one can get, you find examples of US police unexplainable brutality, (is it so unexplainable? within the contest of the Terror fight that has been predicted by UK officials to last up to 15 more years ... it might not be, after all this 70 years old odd looking white female could be grimed and be a Jihadi or even Ben Laden himself whom we all imagine would not have the time nor the cultural background to water a lawn)
In the meantime, Prominent Shiite and Sunni politicians called on Iraqi civilians to take up arms to defend themselves after a weekend of violence that claimed more than 220 lives . But on the other hand Federer did it and wrapped a fifth Wimbledon title during that same week end. So let's wrap it up too with this cute song...dedicated by the Iraqis to the pacifying and peaceful forces that are finishing up the job officially terminated on May 1st 2003. Mesdames et Messieurs, I introduce you to Joe Dassin's Ca ne va pas changer le monde que tu changes de maison, il va continuer le monde et il aura bien raison.

If you feel like you
Watch funny lip synchronization and the tacky video clip production of the song

Have a nice day!

7/7/7

2007-07-07T17:36:00.000-07:00

Well the hour clicked and we now know... I had already mentioned this story. For some strange reason, the pyramids at Guizeh have been disqualified by not entering the contest as it seems that some Egyptians have strongly disapproved and settled for an honorary place within the new wonders instead of putting their National Treasure into jeopardy . well they are not at all in my list. Nor is it I suppose on the list of many others. Wonders are very personal things. I sometimes wonder in front of a badly cooked meal. I seriously do.
I am sorry if I seem as I am letting go of this blog. But I am kind of getting through a phase when I cannot finish writing anything I start... maybe that's what they call a writer's block... the thing is though I am no writer. Strange. Here is another wonder for you, if the badly cooked meal won't do. Keep tuned! my next post will elaborate.

In the mean time I wish to extend my 100 million congratulations for the 100 million clickers (I suspect there are much less than that) that voted, The winners of the contest, although I wonder (That's the third and last one today) why Abu Simbel was not listed, the 70,000 US couples that tied the knot, the 1 million and a half couple across the world (completely unofficial estimate) that did the same, and finally to you .

NB For those who wonder what happened to my votes and how much did they bring on eBay, I have to say I was too busy surfing the BBC coverage of Wimbledon to bother.

A pity

2007-06-24T00:46:00.000-07:00

Few days ago I went to a concert by a lovely Sudanese "Rasha" at the Amir Taz Palace , it is always a treat to go there either through the citadel or through Sayeda Zeinab to probably the best restored Mamluk house in Cairo.

Having gone the day before to the Citadel , I picked the Sayeda Zeinab path this time around, and while going there I felt a profound loss for this amazing art nouveau architectural gem that consisted of a twin villa and was although derelict still standing a few month ago. I dreamt of schemes involving big companies or banks buying and renovating it for their pretigious head quarters .

Alas it will not Happen. This time when I went through there was only rubble. A few years ago, I had more or less the same feeling when I saw the Matatia bldg brought down.

Just for the record, I really believe that those who can bring down historical artifacts are the same brand as the Talebans whatever their religious tendencies, their political ideologies or their main line of business.

Arriving at Amir Taz palace , i was a bit less square with life. I had gone there a few times, The inauguration exhibition was held a year ago with a retrospective of Adam Henein's works. Again I was in awe by the magnificence of that ancestor of condominii, and descendant of antique villages.

In spite of a few problems with the sound system at least the sound was not as bad as the day before at the Citadel for the Souad Massi concert, who had an enormous attendance, packing the esplanade with an impressively sized audience and where strangely enough the two preparing acts before Souad had a decent sound . As soon as she started singing though, the quality of the sound system kind of collapsed. A pity because all who heard her recordings said she is quite amazing.

As everybody was in a "Festive" (Fete de la Musique) mood, nobody really minded and people did enjoy themselves , the site being as amazing as it is. A few of the people who attended though woke up with a headache the next morning.

America, America

2007-06-16T01:34:00.000-07:00

is the title of a film that was nominated for the Oscars in 1963 and was directed by Elia Kazan, based on a novel he wrote about his uncle.
But it is also the half sarcastic repressed outcry by the masses of non Americans when they hear stories such as the Oklahoma time capsule. I mean it is quite ironic that the most advanced technologically and the most powerful military "civilizational force" was not capable of beating rust and decay forces for a mere 50 years.
Well after all I might be exaggerating. It is nothing but a publicity stunt gone sour. But somehow it is not important as the last new model sold under the Plymouth marque was the second generation Neon for 2000-2001.

Royal Collection

2007-06-05T01:31:00.000-07:00

During the first exhibition I did, I used one of the floors to show these coats of arms inspired by the Royal memorabilia that were used to decorate the big ceremonial tents, they used to hang on top of the poles that were holding those tents.

The form of those just inspired me into some personal views of life. So there was the Sumo wrestler that turned upside down transformed into a Pharaoh's head, there was a fish in an aquarium and a badly drawn Marylin with her skirt blown up, a cooking pot, etc...

I wonder what I was trying to do. Because if I was trying to desacralize a symbol, then I was coming far too late, on the other hand if I used the outdated symbol as a symbol then ... it is open to onlookers interpretations.

Diamonds are forever

2007-06-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

Damien Hirst hits again with more macabre "artworks". He set for 12 millions Sterling pounds of diamonds into a skull and evaluated it at 50 million Sterling Pounds about 500 million Egyptian Pounds. The piece called "For the Love of God" must be quite a sight. Hirst claims that the piece is "uplifting and takes your breath away". It was inspired by a turquoise Aztec skull from the British Museum and Hirst hopes that they both will be shown side by side. Modesty does not seem to be one of his forte.
Charles Dupplin (art expert from specialist insurer Hiscox) saluted "another bold move" by Hirst adding that it is "a spectacular piece and undoubtedly the work with the highest intrinsic value in modern and contemporary art".
Definitely one can not stand in front of "For the Love of God" without dwelling upon World's poverty and hunger. Maybe that is the philosophical point to it.

Abdel Badie

2007-05-31T02:03:00.000-07:00

The Gezira Art center is currently displaying Abdel Badie sculptures.
Abdel Badie Abdel Hay was found killed in his atelier in Old Cairo quarter on July 5th 2004 at the age of 88. He had been killed by two youngsters under influence who thought that they would find no resistance in such an old man and a lot of money in such a well known artist home. That was the fate of the boy who was born in 1916 in a village of Minieh.

Abdel Badie started working as a cook in the early 30's in Malawi. His talent as a sculptor appeared later when he tried to join the Egyptian Royal army he was beaten by the British officer in charge after he complained about his being turned down. In a moment of rage he found his path, while playing with a bone doing his first sculpture "Private Abdel Badie" where he portrayed himself beating the offending officer.
He only stopped sculpting when he lost most of his eyesight in the 90's.

In the early 40's he was drawn to the attention of fellow Miniawi Hoda Shaarawi (incidentally nominated as one of the 30 most influential women of the last millenium), who sensing a great talent decided to take him as a cook in her house in Cairo.
While in Cairo nearer to the capital's lights, he started exhibiting in sculpting competitions, being often chosen by the different juries as a winner.
At the death of his benefactor, he opted to go for a couple of years to learn sculpting from the Pharaonic masters in Luxor instead of the Academie in Paris.

When he came back to Cairo, he started executing statues for other artists.
1956 was a bad year, for in spite receiving the honorary prize for the Afro-Asian exhibition, he was incapacitated in a work accident, leading him into a different approach to sculpture , turning to the less exhausting reliefs on Gypsum boards that consist of his series called "the complaints".
In 1973, he was granted the medal of Science and Art by Anwar El Sadat.

The Force

2007-05-26T03:05:00.000-07:00

Celebrating the 30th birthday of the Star wars saga, the US Postal service has issued a series of stamps. A lot of changes happened since the Hoax that started as a politically motivated civil disobedience. Back then in 2001 , a little bit more than 70 thousands Australians claimed to follow the Jedi ways, also the same year Jedi Knights gained official recognition as a religion in the UK. Nowadays, through browsing one can find "A Short History of the Jedi Movement" , an Islamic interpretation of the Jedi creed.

Jediists , if this is how they are called have also launched a website complete with forum and chat rooms.

May the Force be with them !!!!!

Nonetheless, I believe that the set of stamps will be cherished by stamps collectors all over the world. They will want them as mint and as used. One more reason for the hype to roll on.

Occidentalism

2007-05-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

In the Cairo Private Modern art scene, apart from the inevitable Town House gallery which was until recently the only one with a website and although I gladly acknowledge the elegance and the simplicity of their web page, I did not penetrate it because they ask for personal information before letting you in, they also offer you the chance of becoming one of their friends with special treatment promised and discounts on buys for just under a hundred dollars . I'd rather spend those though on something else. Nowadays though Karim Francis Art Gallery has a flashy (in the sense it includes lot of flash animation) but slightly empty and boring website courtesy of his new project funded by the European Community and alternatively the Prince Claus Foundation, whom took the wise decision to underline that the contents of the exhibition "are the sole responsibilities of the curator, participating artists and contributors, and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union. "

The exhibition pamphlet states that :
" Twenty artists from Egypt have been commissioned by Karim Francis to create works of art surrounding the theme of Occidentalism, driven by the question How do you see the West?
Stemming from regular meetings and discussions on the subject that began in April 2006, Occidentalism is a body of contemporary Egyptian art first exhibited in Cairo in May 2007, accompanied by open forums with participating artists, evenings of music and a panel discussion.
As of 2008, the exhibition will travel to various museums of international cities."

Incidentally the name in Arabic translates as "An eye on the West" , that's dangerous they could be accused of spying. Even more so since there are a few openings in Guantanamo, for the inmate positions that is.

The twenty artists include stars such as Adel El Siwi, and Mohamed Abla, a plethora of established artists featuring between others Hazem El Mestekawi, Huda Lutfi, Shadi El Noshakaty, Hisham El Zeiny, Khaled Hafez, Amal Kenawy, Lara Baladi, Ahmad Nosseir and an array of personal choices of the curator.

According to Wikipedia , Orientalism mainly refers to the study by western scholars of the languages, cultures and people of the near and far east during the 18th and 19th centuries. Wikipedia in its entry does not refer to the 20th century. In a sense by then the concept of Orientalism had lost its raison d'etre.

Wikipedia does go on to say that Orientalism can sometimes refer to the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists.

It is therefore possible to believe that Occidentalism would be either the study by eastern scholars of languages, cultures and people of the near and far west (I love John Wayne) or that it could also refer to the imitation or depiction of aspects of Western cultures in the East by writers, artists and designers.

Finally, some logic is invading the Cairo Art Scene. There is after all such a thing as intellectual djihad.

Unfortunately a piece of the puzzle is lost on them, if Orientalism ceased to exist by the early XXth century , then by now Occidentalism should also have ceased to exist. We are now into a different ball game called "Globalization". Maybe it is time for some to sink it in.

The exhibition though is a must see as it is on for a few more days. The "Pension Suisse" is an amazing space. The views from its different balconies are quite a thing. The building is amazing. It also feels good and new to have an artistic squat in Cairo, even if it is a very temporary one. the exhibition ends on May 23rd after an electro- jam session (whatever that means). It is open from 10 to 10.

There is also a few interesting efforts in the lot.

The image above has nothing to do with the exhibition, it is just a thing I did while having fun.

Sandmonkey games

2007-04-29T22:29:00.000-07:00

The Blog "rantings of a sandmonkey" seems to have gone off. The reasons why are explained in his last post. I do hope though that this person will change its mind and start blogging again. I firmly believe that blogging is addictive and I suppose that it is as hard to quit blogging than it is to quit smoking. On the other hand, I understand that people would rather not be arrested and persecuted for what they believe or what they say. In some ways I believe it is easier to become a suicidal bomber than a human rights activist. As a suicide bomber, you do lose your life but do not get imprisoned, which implies torture and abuse. Everyone would rather avoid abuse and torture. Reason then is to avoid the wrath of those who have the power to imprison, torture and abuse.
This is why I fear somehow that the Monkey's attitude might snowball. Many Egyptian bloggers seem to be disappointed and chose to go into a low profile. They are being threatened by courts , state security forces, and other threats seem to be still in the making.
I really do not know what to advise. I wonder is it worth it to fight while those who would really gain for standing up to their rights, do not seem to be interested in doing so.
I will just miss Sandmonkey.
Really hope that the Monkey changes his or her mind.

Faces look ugly

2007-04-11T01:45:00.000-07:00

People are strange, when you're a stranger
Faces look ugly when you're alone
Women seem wicked, when you're unwanted
Streets are uneven, when you're down

When you're strange- faces come out of the rain (rain, rain)
When you're strange- no one remembers your name
When you're strange, when you're strange, when you're strange

(The Doors)

Specially when you are alone or strange, according to Morrison Jim who is now undergoing a rehabilitation process nearly 40 years after his conviction on charges of indecent exposure and more than 35 years after his death in Paris. I discovered this while checking one of my favorite blogs. "Crooks and Liars" was awarded the 2005 best blog award for the non-professional category. Not that I check it daily, but once a week I check Crooks and Liars and "Think Progress" . Those two blogs use a sense of humor that makes me smile quite often. Moreover they both tend to give a somehow lesser mainstream analysis of American Politics. Check them out. While if you don't care about American politics maybe you could go check out the original video clip of people are strange. Quite a treat.

Modeling

2007-04-07T05:09:00.000-07:00

Power catwalk.

Syrian moments

2007-04-04T00:40:00.000-07:00

These pictures were all taken in Damascus , Syria, a year ago. I believe they are nice. But I am too lazy to comment them myself. I would say they are self explanatory and do not need commenting.

Heart to Heart

2007-04-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

In this case, it will rather be natural heart to grown one. A team headed by Sir Magdi Yacoub has succeeded in growing a heart valve from stem cells, he believes that within a decade it will be possible to grow the whole heart using the same procedure. That should mean that other vital organs could also be grown. I am flabbergasted. Can't even start to imagine how it is going to change the world as we know it.
There is a joke they used to say in Pharaonic times about Ramses II as he was given by the high priests a turtle for his Golden Jubilee, he was told that these animals lived for 2 to 300 years and he answered "well, we will see". With the growing of organs now in the realm of the possible, one could imagine a scary future, a return to the dark ages with a political system that would become eternal. This does not change the fact that I am proud of the Egyptian King of Hearts.
Wikipedia Magdi Yacoub
The Royal Society fellowship article calls him the King of Heart. Wasn't this Saddam's Special Security Organization man? Maybe for his security and for an always needed Egypt publicity stunt they should rename him as the Heart Pharaoh.

Ramses II on his way to his new home through Tahrir Square

BBC pictures of Ramses move

Racing towards a Goal

2007-04-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

To be or not to be ?
Being what?
what to be or to become?
blaming the wasp for its venomous sting is after all blaming God for His creation.
blaming oneself for God's Will is also blaming His plan.
So what to do? If one would believe Bond, ,James Bond, that is. One should live and let die. However one eventually dies and let live. I wonder though what is left to live for when the skyscrappers will hit the floor and the camels will not be able to race through the desert.

Pictures from AFP and AP through the BBC

Kings inspired

2007-03-27T02:43:00.000-07:00

Although, Abbas Hilmi was a Khedive, this collectible postcard shows him with the motto "Kings are inspired". Somehow, postcards were already used back then for political propaganda as early as 1904 as can be shown in the postcard above. It is actually a very nice one embossed and the little golden flower under the Starring Khedive is just amazing.

While this postcard that also features Abbas Hilmi is dated 1903 and portrays him alongside the flag. One should notice the naive symbolism as he is also portrayed within a crescent as if he is the star of the flag . In any case Abbas Hilmi was depositioned as the last Khedive of Egypt to be replaced by his uncle Sultan Hussayn Kemal, who was also incidentally chosen by the Brits to hold the title of King of Sudan. The Sultanate existed for three years, and then it became a Kingdom with King Fouad. It was the time when Egypt was called the Kingdom of Egypt and Sudan. It did last until 1953 when Sudan was given the rights to self determination and self government and in 1956 it got full independance status.

Demonstration II

2007-03-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

It all boiled down to a few people arrested and a demonstration of the iron fist in a velvet glove by the security forces (a minute by minute report) . By 21.00, everybody has gone home but for the few unlucky ones that were arrested to set an example. Actually, I wonder about the economical viability of having thousands of security forces headed by a lot of high ranked officers to encircle a few hundreds and to arrest a couple of dozens.
Tahrir Square was not invaded by angry petitioners, actually, it was suggested to them that the syndicate of Journalists was a better place to demonstrate. The few ones who insisted were taken away. Those who went to the syndicate of journalists were encircled on the stairways leading to the syndicate. Someone who was there claimed there were as many as 200 people manifesting, and a few thousands encircling.
Nothing much happened. It seems very few really care.

Constitutional changes

2007-03-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

(click here for to see full comic)
I took this from "Crooks and Liars". I believe it is quite funny that there is the same muted discontent against the Patriot Act and the constitutional changes proposed in Egypt. Seems every country is starting to prepare head ways to accuse of treason anyone who goes out of the ranks. The idea is for us to shut up and do what we are told to and live happily ever after. In any case there are no political paradises even if there are some fiscal ones.

Demonstrations 1

2007-03-25T05:27:00.000-07:00

I live in a house overlooking Liberation Square. Tahrir Square, Cairo.
Which by a strange disposition of time has become the preferred playground of the few politicized anti governmental Egyptian.
I suspect the powerful international Green movement for moving the demonstrations out of the university and into downtown Cairo. It definitely gives Cairo a few hour of rest from pollution and the such. I remember once I was just amazed how much the level of noise pollution came down during a previous demonstration. The guys and girls who were motivated were shouting many slogans not all polite and respectuous. Still they were much less noisy than a normal traffic in the throbbing heart of Cairo, or a normal call to prayer, this often has to fight the noise pollution of Cairo but in these instances it is really impressive, even if the muezzins are not well tuned, timing wise..
I sometimes wonder what is the reason why the government decided to let it happen. I mean after all , a march coming out from Liberation Square would have a strong marketable appeal, it is true on the other hand that any demonstration is kind of overshadowed by the Mogama'a. The Mogama'a is the government, or at least its inescapable symbol.
For details about the demonstrators demands one can read about what the parliament itself is saying.
What started me on this was that I am more and more impressed by the anger management techniques used by the government. Even if the car were not allowed to be parked at both Tallaat Harb and El Tahrir street from early morning. The first anti riots cars only arrived and parked at 14.00 . By 15.00, the barriers are slipped over to their places. So that everything is ready for the media circus being shown. By 20.00 or so, people are expected to have vented down and peacefully go home, after a light stampede initiated by the guarding police forces and with help from the cold bite of the Cairene wind, while later in the year they expect people to be thirsty and want out to drink.. Everything seems to be under control. A few contradicting orders were diligently followed then backed up but nothing more dramatic than a handful of traffic department men, closing Talaat Harb street off befor it was time to. Nonetheless the call for the demonstration is only 18.00, so if anything different happens. I might be back.

America America

2007-03-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

Remember John Bolton? The interim US ambassador at the time of the last Lebanon war. It was when the Israeli army invaded south Lebanon under the pretext of liberating two Israeli fighters abducted by the HezbAllah.

Mr Bolton, a controversial and blunt-speaking figure, said he was "damned proud of what we did" to prevent an early ceasefire. He made his claim to pride in a BBC documentary about that war called the Summer war to be broadcasted in April.
Bolton added that the US was deeply disappointed at Israel's failure to remove the threat from Hezbollah and the subsequent lack of any attempt to disarm its forces. He even acknowledges that the US decided to join efforts to end the conflict only when it was clear Israel's campaign wasn't working.
I refrain from commenting about it.Although I wonder if this invasion was not the fiasco it has been when would they have asked for the implementation of the ceasefire, or would they have rather waited until all of Lebanon was invaded, and then would have they asked for a withdrawal? The US policies are just too ugly and biased to analyze.
Just for the record though, John Bolton's entrée into the administration of George W. Bush began with the Florida vote recount during the 2000 presidential elections. Working closely with his former boss James Baker, Bolton worked to block recount efforts. According to the Wall Street Journal (July 19, 2002), Bolton's “most memorable moment came after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a halt to the recount, when Mr. Bolton strode into a Tallahassee library, where the count was still going on, and declared: ‘I'm with the Bush-Cheney team, and I'm here to stop the count'.”
America America. I wonder where are you taking us.

Bad Reputation

2007-03-21T07:36:00.000-07:00

The poster above is for A woman with a bad reputation, directed by Henri Barakat , starred by Shams elBaroudi.
Shams Al Baroudi is one of the first stars of the Egyptian cinema to have taken the veil. She starred in many movies in the late sixties up to when she decided to go the pious way, eventually wearing a full niqab. Ironically, when she was acting she was quite open about nudity. In any case, she decided for the veil quarter of a century ago, deciding instead to give her time for the glory of Allah.

I had the chance to meet Henri Barakat playing bridge at the Gezirah Sporting club, he was quite a charming little old man, apart of that he is one of those many Egyptian directors that never reached international recognition although deserving it as much as the famed Youssef Chahine, the list includes many others such as Hassan el Imam, Fatin abdel Wahab, Salah Abu Seif and a few others.

a few posters featuring Shams Al Baroudi including Fatin Abdel Wahab's "Happiness Hotel" and the famous "Malatili Bath" by Salah Abu Seif.

Ismail Yassin

2007-03-12T02:08:00.000-07:00

Ismail Yassin (1912-1972) has been and remains one of the favorite comedians in the Arab world. I personally never liked him although I have to admit he was quite funny some times, however he used too many pouting and grimacing. He was the Egyptian version of Norman Wisdom.

Incest

2007-03-08T06:53:00.000-08:00

A German couple seems to walk in the footsteps of many Egyptian Gods and Kings, Goddesses and Queens, and some of the Greeks , Incas and even Biblical figures. Actually most mythologies have stories of incest. The German couple even have four offspring. Three of those were taken away and relocated by the government. The story has run in different places but it feels like a hoax. I wonder though if the BBC, CNN, and all the others do not check their sources. However, even if it is a hoax, it is interesting to see that there were not too many people who commented on blogs. The few who did were on different shades of the anti incest league spectrum, going from defending old morals on the ground of them being old and therefore well tried, to Neo Christian blogs that incidentally are political and fanatical supporters of George Bush, some being less obviously so in spite of some unacceptable comments about Europe and Europeans, through a doubtful sense of humor, while this was the less adamant one.

Does this stem from a disinterest in the question of whether the bases for the illegality (criminalization) of incest are sound? Or do some predict already that it could give a blow to their faith? After all, taboos and religions are closely related. Actually the Bible features at least two stories about incest done by the good guys (those preferred by God almighty), even if Lott did not do it consciously he still got kids from his daughters, while Moses himself, after receiving the 10 commandments, received as a bonus a special permission to marry his half sister. There is also the obviously naive question of how did Adam's and Eve's offspring multiply, and the same naivete stands about Noah and his arch.
My goal though is not to discuss religion.
Anti abortionists view point is quite clear cut, but I am not sure it is as logic as it seems to assume. I wonder what is their point of view about this case.
The truth though is that permissiveness about incest has been correlated with the internet in yet another attempt into diabolizing it and this as far back as 2002.

Portrait Monthly Birthday

2007-03-08T06:45:00.000-08:00

Portrait is a Gallery in Cairo that also publishes a magazine. The Portrait magazine is one year old. Happy Birthday.

If I thoroughly enjoyed the works of the founder of that gallery, my opinion about the magazine and about the exhibitions I saw there is a bit on the reserved side.
To start off, it bothers me that the whole institution is a copycat of the Institutionalized artistic scene, meaning that it has lots of intricate relations with people who are either from within the Governmental circle of Art (Ministry of Culture), or are very much trying to belong to it. The editorial policy of the magazine tends to irritate by its choice of articles, many being pedantic while being clearly flirting with the people in charge. Also some articles are really badly written and would need extensive editing.
An interesting feature disappeared two issues ago, namely the space reserved to the works of children of school age. It was replaced by articles in English that might be interesting from the point of view of international marketing for Egyptian art.
There are also many other critiques that can be lavishly showered on the magazine. The printing, although having gone better in its one year of existence, still could be much improved.
The advertisements within the magazine also have to be rethought as it is quite strange for an art magazine to show the ugly National Paints ads on their back cover. It is understood that to be able to publish art magazines, funds are needed and have to be raised, but maybe an artistic consultant could explain to the advertising companies that those ads act as a double blow to both the magazine and the company that insists on using its international billboard campaign in an art magazine. An idea would be to publish works of art with the company logo attached to it. Or even better, to reinstall the work of children in a page offered by a sponsor, logo and even a short advertising included. Another idea for finding sponsors might be to reach out to the many national and foreign culture centers scattered around.
Finally, it is regrettable that the listing of museums and galleries (even if incomplete) that was included in the first 3 issues has disappeared.

In spite of all this, the fact remains that the efforts involved in the magazine are to be encouraged and applauded. After all any 1 year old has to be considered as a toddler.

USA 1961

2007-03-04T01:44:00.000-08:00

In 1961

John F. Kennedy becomes president of the US

An estimated 1200 anti-Castro exiles aided by the US make a failed invasion of Cuba's Bay of Pigs

Navy Cmdr. Alan B. Shepard Jr. becomes the first US spaceman rocketing 118 miles above the earth

Hurricane "Carla" wipes out Texas gulf cities, claiming 46 lives

Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin makes the first manned space flight

Wayne Gretzky, Henry Rollins, Fabio, George Clooney, Dennis Rodman, and Diana, Princess of Wales are born

New York Yankees win the World series

Green Bay Packers win the NFL championship

Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup

Disney's One Hundred and One Dalmatians is the top grossing film

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller is published

The Miracles' "Shop Around" becomes Motown's first million-selling single

What Happened the Year You Were Born?

It can be fun to check out what happened back then. Unfortunately, the picked events are mostly American . After all in 1961, nobody talked yet about Globalization. Apart for Gagarin one would think everything happened in the US.

I believe though that in Egypt the Agricultural reform laws were passed. Also Marilyn Monroe divorced Arthur Miller. Dag Hammarskjold, UN secretary general was killed in an plane crash. Adolf Eichmann found guilty in a trial in Israel. Patrice Lumumba Prime Minister of Congo was murdered. The French voted massively 75 per cent for Algeria's freedom. The Berlin Wall was built. In England the pill was finally available to all 10 years after its invention. Electric Toothbrush were marketed and Barbie got a boyfriend by the name of Ken. Barrack Obama and Amr Diab were born.The Vietnam war officially begins. Digital photography was invented. Ernest Hemingway commits suicide. Hassan II is proclaimed King.

Also, MAD Magazine pointed out on its cover for the March issue, this was the first "upside-up" year—i.e., one in which the numerals that form the year look the same as when the numerals are rotated upside down—since 1881, and the last until 6009.

So if you are interested maybe a better way of finding out is to do a search on the year you were born and check what Wikipedia says.

Capitalist Vs Socialist

2007-03-03T03:49:00.000-08:00

That was the result I got when I did that test. Strange though how can someone be 3/4 socialist and the rest of him capitalist. I am not sure I am convinced.

You Are 24% Capitalist, 76% Socialist

You tend to be quite wary of businesses, especially big business.
While you know that corporations have their place, you tend to
support small, locally owned shops.
As far as the rich go, you think they're usually corrupt and immoral.

Are You a Socialist or Capitalist?

As far as the rich go I do not think they are specifically more corrupt or immoral than anyone else ... but these are funny quizzes.

Actually I got feedback for the kisser quiz and I was told that the worst result you could get was : Sweet but Shy. It seems that the designers of the test do not think there are bad kissers in the world. In this one too you will always find a percentage of Capitalist or socialist in it. It is all about duality, isn't it?

Nostalgia

2007-03-02T03:49:00.000-08:00

Zogolopoulo No 16 : At the Mousky Bazar

Postcards of Egypt are interesting from many points of view.
For one, Egypt has always fascinated writers and artists. At the very start of photography, early photographers joined the bandwagon of Egyptomania. So from the point of view of the photographic history, it is quite interesting to go through them. I stumbled upon a site that shows a nice array of Egyptian postcards.
For some others though, it is these postcards nostalgic effect that is their main claim to fascination. While for others they are considered as a reminder of days gone by. For example, it would be unimaginable to be able to have people posing in front of their stalls at the Mousky Bazar. Just too many people, moving too erratically.
However one can still see the donkey carriages transporting people in some remote villages, but they are fast disappearing.
The two Zologopoulo postcards are part of my personal collection and I specifically like them for 2 reasons , firstly the size of them is quite unusual and second they are hand coloured.

Zologopoulo No 20 : Cairo Native Promenade

Perfect Kisser

2007-03-02T03:36:00.000-08:00

Another one of those blogthings or should we call them quizzes ? It gave me quite an ego boost, although I wonder how they could find out without actually testing me. Maybe everybody gets the same result. don't know. Check it out .

Perfect Kissing Technique

Your kissing technique is amazing - and you know it.

You have the confidence to make the first move.

And you always seem to know what kissing style is going to work best.

Sometimes you're passionate, sometimes you're a tease. And you're always amazing!

Are You a Good Kisser?

electromagneticum

2007-03-01T10:01:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about blogs and what to do with them. In my opinion, it is a platform for reaching out. A place to leave a fingerprint for the rest of the world. Is it really worth leaving anything to the world? What I mean is that our world has enough bullshit all over , actually one of the biggest problems the world at large is having is to find a way to discard the waste. Ideally all of it. The industrialized world is using the third world to do so, they also tried the oceans and some specifically advanced countries even thought about sending that waste into orbit. Some even try recycling. However all these are just temporary solutions. Kind of an escape into the future. In a way we are just shelving the waste, until some solution to the problem is found. That could take a few generations. However the homo sapiens is a doomed species. Homo sapiens will have to mutate into some other scientifically definable entity, (could be electromagneticum sapiens) if life is to go on and I mean planet earth originated life. According to many scientists, we are on the no return curve as far as Global Warming is concerned, even if we are not there yet. I am not scientifically convinced by any of the two contradicting theories but then I am not a scientist nor would I have been willing to make the effort it involves to become one. I take this opportunity to proclaim my respect for those who undertook scientific careers.
Basing myself on proven historical theories, such large scale and uncontrollable change will be once again a sign for mutational forces to come into play in order to preserve life. But then again there are signs that these mutational forces are already working much faster than they did for the last 2 millenniums if not more. I am basing myself on the spread of mysterious diseases to animals. Mad cow disease and Bird flu to mention the most commonly referred to in news items. They are the result of viruses mutation same as HIV. What has been helping those mutational forces include deforestation, industrial pollution, transportation pollution (cars, planes, trains, etc....)

Some scientist would disagree I suppose and I would have to sit down and listen to these modern sorcerers in awe and respect (probably falling asleep). They do know so much more than I do about all that.

My Onions

2007-02-28T06:37:00.000-08:00

"Mes oignons" (my business). Frenchies can also often be heard using the expression "Te mele pas de mes oignons"(don't meddle with me). Onions are also the friends of the poor. Used to be is more accurate as they have gone 5 times more expensive within a week in India, a similar inflation occured in Egypt a few years ago and since the price never came down.
The pictures above are from the fifties and are set somewhere in Egypt near Alexandria and are a kind of documentation about an onion pickle factory. Those pictures were probably taken by a Greek Alexandrian by the name of Constantin Rittas. I own an extensive collection of his pictures. I also have a few of the portraits he used to do commercially for the Alexandrian beauties. Actually I wanted to do an exhibition featuring his works as I thought that they could do a good show about Alexandrian society from the 40's to the late 70's.
Retournons a nos oignons.
Onions are as important as bread for many around the world who survive mainly on a diet of those two ingredients. I heard about someone who claims that he always keeps a few onion bulbs and a big bag of flour just in case some global catastrophe happens. He says that onions are very sturdy plants, fast growing and that within a few days he could start eating from the bulbs he would have planted, and avoid dying of hunger. All this came back to me when I read that within a week onions have gone up in India from 5 rupees to 25. On the other hand though one should also notice what Fidel said to Hugo :
"The idea of using food to produce fuel is tragic, is dramatic. No one is sure how high the price of food will rise when soy is being used for fuel, with the need there is in the world to produce eggs, milk, to produce meat. It is a tragedy. One of many today."

I wonder where we are going.

Rabena Yostor

weddings and belly dancers by Constantin Rittas

Ebony, Ivory & Jade

2007-02-28T03:41:00.000-08:00

I did not understand what is meant by licking a man. I thought men were sucked in. Never saw the movie but from what I found out about it. It is not really worth watching. The poster though is reminiscing of Charlie's Angels.

However lick can also mean informally to hit or beat, thrash or whip,
to overcome or defeat, as in a fight, game, or contest. Is this suppose to mean that the movie who turns loose 3 foxy mamas has done this as a support for the Women lib movement? Or was it just a statement they added to mellow up the slightly racist title.

King Kong

2007-02-27T02:15:00.000-08:00

Been sometimes since I last posted cinema posters. This time I chose King Kong (1933), the Egyptian one folio posters for redistribution as examples. Those posters have a strange mistake on them as the producer is named as director, and the directors are not credited.

Strangely, the second one was printed in 1977, after the release of the remake produced in 1976, King Kong: The legend reborn. The first one though is probably a bit older.
The King Kong saga does not stop there as there was a new remake in 2005, also there are many other King Kong based movies. to name a few Queen Kong and the Son of King Kong.
King Kong movies are fun to watch. They also are precursors of what has become known as the adventures movies series similar to Rambo, Terminator and the such. King Kong though always lost at the end unlike his human patriotic sequels.

After all the big ape is not an American patriot, and he attacks the US instead of defending them, maybe that is the reason why the King Kong movies feature a scene where the gentle hearted monster dies while watching his beautiful co-star being taken away by the great american forces sent in by the Pentagon.

May God save King Kong.

Speaker's Corner

2007-02-23T05:13:00.000-08:00

The Blogosphere should be considered as a virtual Speaker's corner, and should be defended by all the democrats in the world. By democrats I mean people who believe in democracy and not the American party.

Kareem Amer (AbdelKarim Nabil Suleiman) has been condemned to 4 years in prison for having expressed his views on his blog. I wonder why? After all he just wrote about issues that bothered him, and was ready to receive answers and discuss those views. In a way he was opening up so that he could be convinced of the mistake in his arguments or eventually to prove that his views are defendable. Isn't this what democracy is all about?

I wish every single person in the world to join the Free Kareem campaign and to sign all the petitions that are circulating, I wonder though if it would make any difference.

Happy Golden Pig

2007-02-18T06:56:00.000-08:00

The Year of the pig has started. It has been blackened out even in China though, as China's largest state-owned CCTV recently received an order from the government that prohibits airing of any TV ads that contains images of the pig, what do Internet users think about that? Some started a photoshop contest for the event.
While ever more Internet users are discussing the reasons of this decision. I personally do not know where to stand about it.
Nonetheless I wish you all happy living pigs all over.

Awakening of Egypt

2007-02-15T02:54:00.000-08:00

Bahiga Hafez and Serag Mounir acting out Mahmoud Mokhtar 's "the Awakening of Egypt" during a break while on set of the movie "Zeinab" (from El Kawakeb Jan 28, 1932 scan provided by Lucie Ryzova).

Mahmoud Mokhtar Museum (unfortunately their website is only in Arabic) is ideally placed for people who like to ride the metro, it is much nearer than the Opera itself when you come out at the Opera station and it does deserve a visit, many of our lesser known museums deserve visits, I am specifically thinking of the Manial palace Museum, but there are many more including Mahmoud Mokhtar's.

I do have a not very nice memory of my last visit a couple of years ago but in a way this bad memory was more out my own making. Actually, you are supposed, in fact obliged (for security reasons) to write down your name, occupation and some more personal data). Having paid my ticket the astronomic sum of 2 LE, I was not in the mood for security officers to make me do what they think is their right or at least their job. So when they insisted that I do , I just put my name and under occupation wrote BUM "Saye3". It seems four letter words (in Arabic) are also badly looked upon by those officials and they wanted to arrest me or something , fortunately there was someone from the ministry of Culture that took my provocation less seriously and seemed to be higher ranked than the guys keeping the books at the entrance so I was allowed to enter and visit. My enjoyment was tainted with a bit of indignation.

A few days prior to that I had tried to go to the Egyptian Museum (Tahrir Square) and found out when I uttered a word in Arabic that I had to show my ID and even asked quite seriously by the police what I was coming to do. Somehow as if we Egyptians do not have a right to visit our own historical museum. During the same period, there were rumours saying that Egyptians were not allowed to go to the Pyramids too. Maybe it was just a rumour but somehow I do think that at the time, security forces were given orders not to let Egyptians into any of those touristic places.

While I am interested in arts and museums and am not the shying out type, I must say that they succeeded in making me think twice before even venturing into museum visits, and that even when I have visitors I refuse to accompany them to the Pyramids.

Was that the goal?

Old but Funny indeed

2007-02-14T09:20:00.000-08:00

Not much to say really, just that I already fell in love with that song last Christmas. I also believe it works as well if not better for Valentine's day. So as a preparing statement for the big pinky and flowery day that some will spend on a nice cloud and within a somehow spooky environment, I am just suggesting that this idea is much cheaper and to the point. In case, inbred romanticism does not allow you to be as blunt, you can always get her/him flowers and take her/him out to a candle lit dinner.
The result though is not as predictable .
Have a nice preparation for Valentine's day. Who is he anyhow?
Free nice eCards.

Valentine's Day

2007-02-14T02:57:00.000-08:00

To all Valentine's celebrators around the world!!!!
For Today I'll refrain from telling them what I really think of the concept. Even more I'll join them and share with them some of my personal postcards. These are from the thirties and are quite interesting with all this art deco designs thrown all over.

Have a nice day

Luxor Mac Do

2007-02-12T09:13:00.000-08:00

Another image I took in Luxor, the Mac Donald clown , by a police stand, a few meters away from the Luxor temple. We have to thank globalization for all these ridiculous gimmicks that pollute visually some of the greatest touristic sites in the world. On the opposite sidewalk, I hunted down this reincarnation of Abbey Road. The Beatles are certainly a much nicer icon than Mac Donald.

Personal World Wonders

2007-02-11T06:39:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I talked about this marketing gimmick that encourages each one of us to vote for the new world wonders. And I had promised myself to compile a list of what I believe to be the seven world wonders. Here it is.

Racism

is not only related to genetic race or skin color . It can be also related to age groups, social standings, and sex (sometimes even sexual preferences such as in homophobia), not to religions though as this is another story that relates more to fanaticism. A linguist would know all the very specific isms, however for my purpose it is not the exact word that counts but the underlying concept. Racism has always been the major reason (together with Fanaticism) behind wars. Racist arguments and theories are also used as argumentation for most injustices in the world.

The Apollo Program

or is it Space Travel, in any case, this definitely deserves a place within the modern world wonders. It is somehow the first step that will lead us all towards the goal set by the Greeks which is to get so near to the sun that the wax melts. According to that myth we will fall down when the wax melts and we will not survive it. One though has to say that this doomed result is not the only possibility, inter stellar travel and space wars are not so much out of the books anymore.

Cloning

Eternal life is an old goal imagined by the Pharaohs and unfortunately it still does not work for the human race. Just imagine what would happen if Leonardo or Einstein could have survived forever. The down side would be to imagine what would happen if Hitler, Hussein and Hammurabi were still around. Or if humanity had to bear George Bush Junior ad vitam eternam. In such a case, I personally would not get myself cloned.

Robotics

At last, we (the human race) will have slaves without the accompanying conscious objectors around. I mean who would defend heartily enough a heap of electronic devices? Sounds good, we can be slave drivers but we will not have to deal with the accompanying social unrest that follows the implementation of any living slave system. More

Fanaticism

I refer to Religious Fanaticism. It has been somehow embedded in the religions themselves as all religions tend to be self righteous and at the same time expansionist. There is only a tiny step between evangelizing (sharing one's beliefs through "conviction") and expansionism at any price, using economical arguments, power arguments or even torture and killings. This in turn creates martyrs for the other cause and builds resentment and even more fanaticism. Snow balling is the name of the game.

Nuclear Weapons

Nowadays in the only country that actually used these against cities that were populated by civilians, it has become politically correct to call them Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), specially when they are imaginary and in the hands of "enemies". While existing ones in the hands of "strategical allies" are not to be mentioned, sometimes even encouraged and help is given under the mantle to build even more of these "Nuclear Weapons" , strangely enough these are not considered as WMD. Meanwhile the secret formula should ideally not be mentioned or researched by anyone who is not a strategical ally.

Global Warming

The historical consequences of this one have not yet appeared, in spite of some warning signs by Gaia. Maybe after all science fiction writers got it right when they argued that the only hope for humanity laid in Space Travel and expansionism. But the risks are huge.

Syrian Birthday

2007-02-10T13:17:00.000-08:00

Last year for my birthday I was in Syria, actually in Aleppo, At dinner I took this shot that I really like.

BBC Shoot

2007-02-09T03:12:00.000-08:00

As I was saying I worked with a BBC production early 2005. I was asked to help for casting of the small parts as because of "slight" over spending the BBC needed to hire small parts and extras from Egypt. I was even asked to perform as one of the artists brought in by Champollion to help him draw all the Pharaonic artifacts he needed to be able to learn more about Egypt, which I did.

Champollion was portrayed by Elliot Cowan. He is a warm and nice fellow, actually he seemed to me like one of the few non Egyptians I met on that shoot that I could hit a friendship with. Unfortunately, I lost all ways to get in touch with him when I lost my cellular phone sometime soon after the shoot. Don't know what happened to him, tried to look him up on the net but could not find any of his news. I hope he is still kicking and acting bigger and bigger roles.

This is an Egyptian production assistant that was asked to be made up in order to check the result of the blue dye. Quite striking isn't it?

If anyone is in a hurry to watch it you can order it on Amazon, or wait untill it is shown on a free channel. I heard it was aired quite often. Never saw it myself though.

Aegyptiaca scrubs

2007-02-08T04:22:00.000-08:00

I was in Luxor a couple of years ago on a shoot for the BBC and I found this guy selling loofah. I liked his smiling face and I liked the way he displayed his loofah.

Loofah are used to scrub. They are excellent for skin cleaning and scrubbing. They are supposed to also stimulate the circulatory system and enhance regeneration of healthy skin cells.

The scientific name is luffa aegyptiaca.

The way they look when they are peeled is quite erotical. Unfortunately when bought for washing up they need to be opened. You insert a cutter in one of the holes, open it up ill the other extremity and just unroll from the middle so that they have a bigger surface.

Loofah plants are quite nice but to plant them you need a good spot of quite sunny land, lots of water and something for them to climb on.

Neolithic

2007-02-07T02:21:00.000-08:00

REUTERS/Enrico Pajello (releaseb Feb 6, 2007)

These two who come out a week before Valentine's day are the predecessors of Romeo and Juliette, they've been holding each other , according to the scientists who discovered them near Montova in Italy, for 6,000 years, more or less since the Pyramids were built.
If this is not Love , then what is?
I suppose we are set to get many of these Valentine preparation marketing gimmicks in the few days to come. Nonetheless the picture although macabre is striking.
Would do a lovely "Installation". Who will be the first "artist" to jump into this bandwagon?

Rina Khoury

2007-02-05T13:19:00.000-08:00

An AUC Alumni. Therefore an old friend. Today is her birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YA RINA

Depressing time

2007-02-04T14:54:00.000-08:00

"Art has been kidnapped by seasoned curators, concept writers, art burocrats etc. The individual artist is either repackaged under one agenda or another or dies. All is event, experience, Disney avant garde. Words like experiment, fringe, process etc. are passe. Artists that still clinge to the idea of fringe are either labelled as Don Quichote, ridicule behind their back, or just dismissed as old fashioned, if not totally ignored. Ideas are more important than the quality of the execution. Art is done in a way that a PR person or a critic can explain it in four lines, easy to digest topics full of self importance. The artists seem to be the last in the creative chain, they are just a footnote in somebody`s thesis, an ornament in someone's else agenda. The artists, for their part, are happily jumping into the band wagon - it is about making it, not making art. Even the three year star system (meaning you are a star for three years before you are being kicked out for the next genius) has been shortened to six months. So we have more museums, more theatre spaces, more festivals, full of mediocre art with exhibitions or programs with very important titles and well written brochures but the art itself... (hey, but who cares anyway, it's the event that counts not the individual pieces of art).

The common notion goes like that: Art that has a strong effect on us, it's a good art. But a virus may have a strong effect and yet be not good. The same is true in art. ..." By Yosi Wanunu

In order to read more skip the intro and go into what's cooking the whole site though is interesting.

Born and brought up in Akko/Israel, Yosi Wanunu studied art history, theatre and film in Israel, Europe and the US. In his several years of world-wide theatre travels he trained in many specific theatre and film techniques and styles. Wanunu lived and worked in New York for eight years as a director and scenery and lighting designer, among others in the BCBC, in the Ohio Theatre, La Mama ETC, in the Here and in Richard Foreman’s Ontological-Hysteric Theatre. Since 1997 Yosi Wanunu has been living in Vienna. He is a co-founder and artistic director of toxic dreams.

I never met Yosi Wanunu, however I agree strongly with what he says in this article. Nonetheless , it is an article he wrote sometime ago and in the present state of things I would even argue that what is important is not even the ideas nor the quality of execution but the happily jump in the band wagon, or in less diplomatic terms the ass licking of the "all important" critics curators.

All what I can say is that is depresses me and that I am happy to have found someone who shares my feelings. Is there a way to beat the system from inside. Maybe ... let's hope. However the possibilities are getting slimmer and slimmer as the "sponsors" need someone to tell them in some kind of pretentiously intellectual jargon the importance of the specific move within the history of art, so that they pay back some kind of services rendered without being accountable for it. Most patronage or sponsorships are nothing more than political or social pay offs.

New World Wonders

2007-02-04T08:34:00.000-08:00

Once again I go for a kind of a game. This time though I did not surf into it. I got an alarmed message from an old friend. He was calling upon my nationalism and love for my country. He was saying that our National Glory was in danger. He meant the Pyramids.
Some touristic marketing company decided to pick 7 wonders to replace the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Intrigued I surfed there, did a bit of research, wondered a long time before providing them with my email (twice they need you to reconfirm it). I eventually decided to register to try and save the primordial place of the Pyramids for generations to come (if there is any inspite of Global warming).
Eventually, while I was getting the email confirmation, through which I was given those votes I reassured myself that after all nothing could change the fact that our Pyramids are the longest standing man made Wonder and that was already true when that list was compiled .
The registration process is easy and the voting should be quite easy too. However I found myself in front of 21 choices that are the short list and found out that those short listed are not really (apart from the Pyramids) what I would consider as wonders, well I always dreamt to visit Petra and the concept behind the Great wall of China is staggering (not so much anymore since the US are trying to emulate it)

I have an idea for those useless votes I possess and might not use, maybe I should sell them on Ebay to the highest bidders.

In the mean time GO Egypt Go.

We all have an appointment with HISTORY on 7/7/7

I am also compiling my own list of wonders but for the moment you can check those linked below.

More Links

Wikipedia
ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers (a list of modern wonders)
Infoplease
Machu Picchu
Wonderclub.com
Petra (Jordan)

Dangerous Cats

2007-02-03T19:26:00.000-08:00

I saw this and started to understand why some people are afraid of cats.... It is really bad what these animals can do. I shouldn't have made fun and this video is the proof.
My most sincere apology I should have taken their fears more seriously.

Warning: This video contains material. Not for the soft hearted.

Smoking kills

2007-02-03T03:46:00.000-08:00

What about Pollution? over eating? malnourishment? unprotected sex? Tsunamis and other natural phenomena? Fanaticism? the list could go forever.

What doesn't lead to death???

Portrait: new gallery down town

2007-02-02T02:10:00.000-08:00

Last night, I went to see Ahmad Nosseir's exhibition at a newly opened gallery (It nears its year of existence and is placed on top of El Nadwa Al Thakafeya cafe on Falaky street).

I already knew Ahmad Nosseir's work and must say was positively surprised to see a few works that are straying away from his usual style. When I arrived I saw Nosseir together with Fathi Affifi (an interesting artist himself) discussing animatedly a huge painting. It seemed to me that Fathi was discussing painting technicalities with Nosseir. While I walked through the gallery looking at the exhibited works, I recognized once again the strong influence of the late works of Edward Munch in Nosseir's works. For my eye though I would definitely prefer to have a Munch than a Nosseir (not that I could afford any of them, specially not Munch), and I'd probably hang neither of them on my walls. Too much anxiety and too many monsters are bound to have negative influence on the vibes of a place. This is not to say that I discard them as artists. Both of them have works I like.

Later while talking with Nosseir, I complimented him on the few pieces that I liked and found out that he considered those as unfinished works.

As it was the first time I went to the gallery, I went into the inner sanctum to discover an artist I did not know. Reda Abdel Rahman is the owner of Portrait gallery and some of his works are exhibited in there. I hope to see his works exhibited for the public sometime soon. Reda's work was a discovery for me. What has not been a discovery though was that his gallery does not have yet a website (seems technology is not the forte of Egyptian artists).

Portrait the gallery also publishes a monthly magazine that claims to be the first such publication concentrating on Art in the Arab world. They have already published ten releases.

While strolling out I saw an invite for an exhibition by Dina El Gharib. It will be on at the Gezira Art Center from February 3rd to February 17th. Dina is a very talented and sarcastic artist and her exhibitions are always quite interesting. Strongly recommended.

Omar El Fayoumi

2007-02-01T03:21:00.000-08:00

Omar is a familiar face who haunts downtown Cairo. He often sits at "Zahret El Bostan" Cafe (Garden's Flower Cafe). It seems to be one of his main sources of inspiration. While he is at the cafe, he is rarely sitting alone. In the rare remaining cases, he often takes the Egyptian version of the Rodin's thinker, it has a name in Arabic ... it is "idou 3alla khadou" (a hand on his cheek?). I personally suspect that the main sitting character in his "ahwas" (cafe) paintings is himself.

There is a dark mystical part to Omar, it transpires sometimes in his "ahwas" but mainly in what he is primarily known for.

Fayum Portraits Original Fayum portraits The Met

Many of his works are based on the Fayum portraits, actually he does draw a lot from Orthodox iconography. This might be because he studied the art of frescoes in the Ripen academy of St Petersbourg and thus had to study thoroughly the history and artefacts of Orthodox Christian iconography or maybe because his surname is Fayoumi, might be a bit of both. This side of his work is one that for some personal ethical reasons I dread. I always hated the bazar stuff and the bad copies of pharaonic cats, "adorable?" post card style aquarelles, badly re-printed pictures or postcards, and all the other treasures one can find in any souvenir stall anywhere in the world, even Venice, and nowadays the invasion in these stalls of made in China souvenirs which by being made there nullify their original purpose of being a souvenir from wherever.
What I really fear is that the deserved success Omar is ripping from his researches into the Fayum portraits could flood the markets with crap copies made in Boulac , Choubra or even Omraneya. (Anywhere in Egypt or China)

The brighter side

There is a much lighter side to Omar.The man is someone who enjoys a good laugh, and has lots of appetite for all the pleasures of life. In 1998 in an attempt to fight his demons and frustrations he made a joint exhibition of sculptures together with nudes paintings. Although some established "professional" sculptors were a bit dismissive of his efforts, he succeeded very well in inventing a world of his own, with a few pieces of discharged iron rearranged into pieces. The simplicity of it was the best part of it. No pretense whatsoever, just someone enjoying playing and reinventing. The nude paintings also were quite a change from his usual subjects and somehow a revolution. It probably was a reaction against the irreversable invasion of the streets of Cairo by veiled women always veiling more. The breast naked nun above is the one I liked most because of its double irreverence to the rules of society while not being too provocative. The other nudes were more decorative and introduced references to Matisse and Klimt .

This was an exhibition I enjoyed tremendously, it was set at Espace Karim Francis (another Cairo downtown gallery who have problems connecting with the modern world or even just plain www it seems).

Omar Illustrator

Omar is also a prolific book cover illustrator. He has done cover illustration for many Egyptian books and was chosen by AUC Press to draw many a cover for their translation of their modern arabic litterature series. His first works as an illustrator though were when he worked as an assistant for Gassour (the famous cinema poster printer and designer). From this period he is proud of his design for "Al Mag houl" (The unknown).

Unfortunately, my cinema posters collection is a bit of a shamble, and I could not find a picture of it . It does give me a goal regarding my poster collection. UnEarth "the Unknown" sounds like an horror movie.

I also would like to find a picture of one of Omar's sculptures that emigrated with its owner to the US. It represented a dog in chains and was quite big.

Book covers designed by Omar el Fayoumi for AUC Press
To go directly to the books click on the covers.

Omar's Facts - Omar's Works - More Works - More Works II

Egypt Today: about Omar's last exhibition (2005) by Manal El Jesri

IBM (Insha'allah, Bokra,Maalesh)

2007-01-31T14:56:00.000-08:00

Egyptians have been long time using the IBM system. However IBM on the Nile does not mean Incorporated Business Machines. Old timers here know it refers to the Insha'allah (If God wills) Bokra (Tomorrow) Ma'alesh (Doesn't matter) attitude to life, specially other people lives and time.

First time I heard this interpretation was already in the late 60's, much before Big Blue. And If IBM the company is still blooming its development pales besides the complete generalization of the way of life that completely took over Egypt and Egyptians. Maybe it is just the development of the fatalistic attitude , Middle Easterners have for so long been accused of, taken to an extreme.

The reason why I state this is my complete amazement for something that happened last Tuesday. The theatre where I've been performing has been flooded on the first trial of the new anti fire dispositions, it seems no one thought that theater lights could produce heat and that the sensors heated up would start the floods.

Well now we have the experience, maybe we would learn something from it. But that is just wishful thinking.

The Theater has been closed for 2 days in order to let it dry up in the rays of our ever giving Ra. (crystalinks)

An invitation to live

2007-01-30T16:17:00.000-08:00

This is one of the posters I find interesting. Why do I like it? maybe the title, maybe the simplicity of the design. I am not really sure. As a movie it is not a landmark. As a cast and although it features Mahmoud El Meligui (one of the giants of Egyptian cinema), Mervat Amin, Salah Zulficar, and Ashraf abdel Ghaffour, it is not one of those movies that people remember.
I just felt like showing it.

Alma Mater (We of AUC)

2007-01-29T16:31:00.000-08:00

We of AUC Forever
Raise our voices now together
Time and place shall never sever
We of AUC

College Days and mem'ry

Games, defeat, or victory,
On and all emotions call
And bind our hearts in loyalty together,
Shoulder let us stand to shoulder
Pledge our love as life grows older
Courage ever making bolder
We of AUC

May thy torch eternal burning
Light for us the lamp of learning
That our souls, the truth discerning
Count for AUC

We thy mem'ry treasure,
strive to do thy pleasure
Causing right to conquer might
To give to thee our love in fullest measure,
Holding ever bright before us,
Those ideals our college bore us,
Raising up a mighty chorus,
To our AUC

Posted this because I had to sing it for graduation. Must still be part of the graduation ceremonies at AUC. However while in a nostalgic mood, I could not find it anywhere on the www.
So I thought maybe some AUC alumni would like to remember what they were singing out loud as a replacement to National Anthems or for some as an addenda to their own set of beliefs. I decided to go to AUC and try to find out where could I find it.
I tried the bookshop. It wasn't available. I then went to the Alumni office where I found that text I was looking for but also I found out about a story that I cannot confirm or deny. It seems the Alma mater was not part of the graduation ceremonies during some years. Could not find out the exact dates when this was not sung but it seems to me it was discarded sometime towards the end of the 50's and came back slightly changed in the mid to late 70's.
The big change was that "We" replaced "Men" in the text. There must have been some more changes, but I unfortunately could not find out anymore details.

Orandji

2007-01-28T02:09:00.001-08:00

This little yawning kitten turned out to be the most caressing and trusting tom cat I've ever seen. He was a lovely character.
How come he got called Orandji?
Well, actually he was christened as Goldi, however a friend of mine who does not really like animals, in a moment of genius, watered down with a zist of disgust, told me: "but why do you call him Goldi, he is at best Orandji" and thus he was renamed. I believe she is somehow frightened by cats while she claims they just "disgust" her. Well she is not alone in her case, actually in Egypt, very few are animal lovers, I suppose it has to do with education and inaccurate myths that are fed to us during our infancy and even during our teens.

I would like to thank John Green for taking this video and also taking the time for editing it. When I saw it, memories of this lovely and so gentle cat submerged me. Orandji left his den last year and was never seen again. I remember Orandji fondly and actually miss him sometimes.
John is a guy who lives in Michigan but comes and visit Cairo often. He was somehow discouraged while discussing international politics whith Egyptians. According to him, Egyptians are suffering from a black out of information concerning the Iranian regime. He has another blog in which he discusses the Iranian situation. There I found this funny Iranian propaganda cartoon that somehow ridicules the American military might , strategies and the results it gets. Hope you like it.

Crazy Confessions (E3terafat Magnouna)

2007-01-27T05:47:00.000-08:00

15 more days ... of work.
I do hate anything that has a remote connection to the concept of Work.

Well I am actually performing these days and for at least 15 more nights a play based on "Chekov's Ward No 6" adapted and directed by Samir El Asfouri.
By the end of these 15 performances we will have had a run of 75 nights.
We started actually rehearsals May last year, had 15 performances before Ramadan. Then restarted the run end of November.

Samir is a lovely gentleman. He has a strong attachment to the Taliaa Theater where this play is performed, as he has been the director there for years. In a way, he considers the place as his own.

He had already worked on an adaptation of this short story by Chekov in 1979 on the same premices. He chose to bring back as much of the original cast as he could.

I personally believe that each of the characters in the play is partly a mirror image of Samir himself. I am particularly thinking of 3am Darwish (left in the picture) who is one of the wards inmates who repetitively hammers that this place is what he loves and that he wants no changes to occur and one cannot help but think of Samir himself in one of his speeches about the importance of keeping this specific theater open and working.
Many though believe that the quarter is not anymore compatible with the existence of a theater. One has to say that in order for a member of the audience to get there, he would have to go through an amazing array of streets vendors, to try to get there by car or by taxi is quite complicated, and if you use your car then you would have to park it quite far.

But each of the other characters is also linked to the meanders of Samir's personality. For those who know him well, Samir strips his soul and underlines his frustrations. Those who are interested would be able to track down the relation between him and each of the characters in the play and would be also able to recognize his vision that is at the same time sarcastic and tender in the way he directed his actors. He is making fun of his characters but he accepts them, love them and would want to save them .

On the other hand, Samir also tries and explores the dangers of globalization and the direct danger it has on established systems of managing.

Nermine Zaazaa portrays the new doctor who is sent to the ward as an assistant but who through her becoming looks charms her colleagues and instigate a mutiny against the old director. Soon she gets in charge and the old doctor and even the colleagues who helped her find themselves in the ward. Some critics claimed that she is symbolizing the New Order.

The play is showing at 9.30 everyday but Tuesdays.

Changes are taking place

2007-01-26T14:51:00.000-08:00

Changes are taking place... in the world, many of them, the Americans invented 2 new military technologies. One burns the enemy from as far as 500 meters and is supposed not to be lethal and the other one makes you slip on something called black ice.
Lebanon is at the brink of another civil war.
I am sure I could find many other changes taking place, however those I am referring to are those I want to make on this blog.
This is why I am apologizing in advance for any trouble accessing kikhote in the few days to come.
It is also the reason why my blog is having a slower rate of posting. I am a bit illeterate when it comes to HTML and other programing language names I can mistake for anything from jewels to military planes.
Hopefully, everything will be set by the end of February.
Posts will continue to be posted but the main look of kikhote might be changing slightly over time.

Mashrabia Kitsh

2007-01-26T05:19:00.000-08:00

I went to an exhibition at the Mashrabia gallery . I decide to visit their website. Well their website is a joke. The only link working is the one of the website designer. It makes me wonder a bit about the whole seriousness of the gallery.

Nonetheless Mashrabia gallery is somehow one of the best private galleries in Cairo. They often have exhibitions of some of the stars of Egyptian art and their private collection is one of the most impressing in the galleries of Cairo. One of the other reasons I do have a tender spot for this gallery is my father who visited it in the late eighties and was impressed by the sweetness of the staff to the point he told me about it.

On the other hand though, the locale of the gallery is far from being perfect. Primarily, the ceilings are far too low for a gallery, and I often fear bumping my head when I go there.

They have a joint exhibition right now that shows works by artists Derno Ricci and Carmine Cartolano. They chose to name their exhibition "2kitching" or "dernocarmine". Somehow it seems thay could not translate "2kitching" so in the catalogue and in the invitation you have "2kitching" in latin letters but no equivalent in arabic.

Derno is a photographer who enjoys working in black and white. While Carmine is a teacher who seems to like using photomontages together with brightly colored stickers. I do agree that there is a big research into kitsh and that it seems to be one of the main tendancies in art nowadays, however I wonder why should we exhibit works by foreigners while many display organizers in the city of Cairo and actually all over Egypt do such amazing and naive things with the same techniques. Those at least do not think they are making art even if they actually succeed more striking effects than the intellectuals foreign or Egyptians that try their hand at it. Well, maybe it is only a matter of sponsorship. Big companies who sponsor art shows want to have artists they can show off.

A Party for Boris (2002)

2007-01-25T16:22:00.000-08:00

is a play by Thomas Bernhard. It was produced by Al Hanager Art center in 2002 for the Cairo International Festival of Experimental Theater (CIFET), directed by Mohsen Helmi and based upon a translation by Dr. Ahmad Sakhsoukh with a cast led by Raghda. We performed twice for the festival, then the run was stopped. When the time was ripe to restart our run, Raghda had gone to Iraq with a delegation of Arab intellectuals that went to witness the last days of the undemocratic regime. Actually, they were trying to be human shields in defense of the Iraqi people. The play was resumed with another "grande dame" of acting, Poussy, which involved a few changes in the set and the costumes.

During rehearsals somehow inspired or maybe disturbed by both the play and the political context I was sketching (see below). What else could I do against the obvious need the western world had to unstock their pile of arms that were becoming near obsolete and that they had to use ? Nothing. Nobody was ready to listen. Most Western deciders "believed" actually "knew" of the existence of the famous WMDs. What could anyone do?

Nowadays,

It seems to me they did not use enough of the piled stocks of arms they have against Iraq and want to enlarge the conflict even more so that they can write off the debts incurred while producing those stocks. Iran, Syria and Lebanon seem to me to be likely candidates for the wrath of the masters of the world and for nice juicy rebuilding schemes.

We have a beautiful Egyptian saying it goes "Rabena Yostor"

If you would like to see them as a slideshow then here it is

Some due explanations

2007-01-23T16:24:00.000-08:00

This is just an explanation for those who wonder (it seems though I am the one who wonders about it the most) why do I give so much weight to the horoscopes and the personality test. Why do I think it matters, although I did underline my belief that horoscopes are crap. Why is it so important ?
Seriously, what started me on this blog was this urge of having an audience that would read or see my crap (some friends of mine would now accuse me of fishing and they know me well). Nonetheless, the truth is that my intent was that anyone who would check my blog more than 24 hours apart should find a new thing to read, or to watch, or to see, or to think about, I myself wonder if I will keep it up.
I don't really know if this is just a New Year Resolution. It could be. Yes I am the type of guy who can get passionate about somethings and then just forget them or even worse hiding them in unorganized boxes, also the kind of guy who can break his resolution 15 minutes into the New Year (I actually remember doing exactly that once. The resolution was then to quit smoking.)
All this is an introduction. (My God , how can anybody understand what I am talking about. Please help my readers.)

The Explanation

I found out that the main info about me in my profile were the Moon's whereabouts when I was born, and I thought that maybe I should give more meat to those carnivorous (some of these are vegans) of such details (it seems to be of importance, I don't remember having asked for that to be shown on my profile).

My first exhibition (1999)

2007-01-22T16:36:00.000-08:00

(Al Ahram Weekly's Pack of Cards annoucement for my first exhibition)
Pack of Cards was a column writen by Madame Sesostris (probably a nom de plume) and it had a specific humor to it. I used to check it out when I was still buying and therefore reading newspapers.

A few of my works that were displayed

To see these and more in a slideshow

Egyptian Horoscope

2007-01-21T05:59:00.000-08:00

I am a Thoth

Enthusiastic, enterprising, courageous, likes to take risks.

Colors: male: rose, female: white
Compatible Signs: Bastet, Isis
Dates: Apr 1 -Apr 19, Nov 8 - Nov 17

Role: God of wisdom, scribes, and writing
Appearance: An ibis-headed man, or a baboon. Often seen with the moon on his head in either of these forms.
Sacred animals: ibis, baboon

What is Your Egyptian Zodiac Sign?
Designed by CyberWarlock of Warlock's Quizzles and Quandaries

I am not a believer in horoscopes and all that crap. However we all know our Lunar horoscopes , well if we are a gemini or a leo. But vey few can say off handedly that they are Bastest or Set. Here is a chance to impress your friends.... Maybe.

Personality test

2007-01-19T01:04:00.000-08:00

Me, an Hermit ?

Prudence, Caution, Deliberation.

The Hermit points to all things hidden, such as knowledge and inspiration,hidden enemies. The illumination is from within, and retirement from participation in current events.

The Hermit is a card of introspection, analysis and, well, virginity. You do not desire to socialize; the card indicates, instead, a desire for peace and solitude. You prefer to take the time to think, organize, ruminate, take stock. There may be feelings of frustration and discontent but these feelings eventually lead to enlightenment, illumination, clarity.

The Hermit represents a wise, inspirational person, friend, teacher, therapist. This a person who can shine a light on things that were previously mysterious and confusing.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Up there is my result for that test. being a hermit is not so bad when you have so many cats visiting you. I hope you all enjoy taking the test and finding out what you are.

Egyptians are No 1

2007-01-18T04:39:00.000-08:00

The Egyptian Museum overlooking Tahrir Square traffic

We are the champions.
Well more accurately our diplomats in New York at the UN are.
It seems our diplomats there have nostalgia for our Egyptian traffic.
Home sickness? Or maybe it is just because they are working so hard.

Cairo Traffic is chaotic at best. Namely because we Egyptians have decided that one is allowed to park for a few minutes even in third row as long as the baby needs his lollipop or soft drink, or because this is the only ATM on your way to your shopping errands.

We also decided that red lights mean go upfront as much as you can without getting bumped into and then stop indecisively as maybe you can eat up a few more centimeters that would give you the advantage (when the lights you cannot see anymore turn to green). In the meantime pedestrians have to find a way to slalom between cars to cross the street. Maybe when the Global Warming will make snow fall on Cairo this slalom experience will come in handy

One has to say that pedestrians decided to fight back and are also doing the same all the time.

All this to say that we have been seriously coaching all Egyptians and the visitors for this championship that our diplomats highly earned.

BBC: Egyptian diplomats owe NY city 2 Millions US $ in parking tickets (read article)

J'ai vu des rois serviles ...

2007-01-17T13:48:00.000-08:00

It was 7 am. The Feast prayer was still going on. Saddam had just been hanged and here on that balcony that could have suited a politician for a big speech. I saw this poor animal that was waiting for his turn to be executed. The animal's postures and bows right and left, left me wondering.

Yahia Lababidi

2007-01-16T12:22:00.000-08:00

IF by Yahia Lababidi

If there were more than one of me
I'd shave my head and grow my beard
I'd be a Doctor of Theology

In great coat of myth, impermeable to ridicule
I'd raise my voice and sing
hymns to the Unknown god

Another me would come undone voluptuously
submit to possessions, deliriously
mate with night in vicious delight

...

Order Yahia's Book
Actually if anyone is lucky enough to be in this beautifully over polluted city of Cairo you might also find it at the AUC Bookshop

More Information and more works by Yahia

Why do I advertise Yahia. First because I like him as a person.
But also because there is a couple of photos I took with him on my mind on a trip to Syria. When I came back home from the land of the Phoenicians, Yahia had already gone to the Land of skyscrappers, and I never had the chance of showing them to him.

So here they are. He will recognize those I refer to.

There used to be a slideshow posted here but it was removed because it was causing too many browsers crashing, however you can still see it Here