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Another bad day for Syria
2008-05-13 20:04:00
At last something official came about Tarek , who was arrested without a trial;  kidnapped if I want to be specific; from 7/7/07 "One special date you can't forget " The court at last said its word and it was not a just one as it should be , the court ordered to jail Tarek 3 years for the charge of criticizing  the security authorities !!!????????????? I feel so sad and angry for him and for his mother !! I do not have anything to say , it is something expected for an old dictatorship like the Syria n regime. It is not over in Syria Internet users are reporting that the Arab ic Wikipedia in Syria is blocked !!?? oh yes the Arabic version of Wikipedia is blocked !!?? Wonder why !!?? Seriously it is nothing compared to the English wikipedia and the scandals of the Assad regime there !!?? Well may be they will blocked it too soon ?? Technorati Tags: Syria,Tarek Biassi,Bloggers,blogging,Arab,regional,Mi deast,middle East,Democracy,human rights,wikipedia,geek
More About: Regional , Geek

Walid Jumblatt ; a man for all seasons
2008-05-13 17:13:00
Walid Jumblatt or Jombalt "or even Gombalt" is the perfect example  for how a politician can be as deceivable and liar , he is the perfect example for the term "A Man for all seasons" , I used to admire him in the past , may be because we lack the political leader personality in Egypt but through time I discovered he is that he is not honest or honourable as he claimed , unfortunately I discover this too late in the July 2006 Lebanon war. {To be honest I found through my search in the Internet personal shocking rumours and photos but because I am trying to keep it professional, I will not even hint to it from near or far } Walid Bek Jonbalt is an example for the Lebanese leaders who are acting on behalf of other countries and interests than the Lebanese general interest , not even for the interest of his Druze sect. This man changed in his political position in the last 20 years more than anyone I recall. Just look to the known history of this , the pub...
More About: Seasons , Books , Arab

Mona El-Shazely in D.C : Envy or hate
2008-05-12 20:54:00
Mona El-Shazely ,my favourite TV host in the Egypt ian TV channels made a huge success when she surprised everyone and travelled to the U.S to Washington in order to have an interview with G.W Bush Yes for the first time in the history of the Egyptian TV channels the America n President appears in interview with an Egyptian TV host.               ;       0;      
60;   Mona El-Shazely I know it is G.W Bush , the most hated American President in the middle East and Islamic world and I know very well it is the last attempt to come closer to the Arab people especially Egyptians "Dream TV viewers are mostly Egyptians"  still I am happy for Mona regardless what is said because if I were her place I would be happy and consider this some success in my career from the journalistic point of view regardless of what I believe and think about ...
More About: Media , Women , Hate

Not a secret anymore
2008-05-12 17:18:00
Some times I wonder Where is Egypt from what is going in Sudan ?? It is part from national security and since General Omar Soliman took the file of Sudan we do not know where or what our stand is from it !! To be honest I think the Sudanese issue is from the issues that we do not follow the United States administration in it , thank Goodness for that. I do not know if you know or not but there was an attack on the Sudanese capital Khartoum by the Darfur rebels , yes I know it is strange because this is the capital and should be a fortress to any attack , but what you know , it seems that the Sudanese army need an urgent help for Egypt that Mubarak ordered the EAF to send a couple of air fighters to the capital and an army cargo military plane to the Khartoum on Saturday according to the eye witnesses to Reuters . No body mentioned anything in the news about any aid from kind to Khartoum , all views now towards Lebanon. It is a little dirty secret that may be put the Egyptian reg...
More About: Politics , Africa , National Security , Regional

Follow Up : Egypt's love birds
2008-05-12 11:53:00
Do you remember those two love birds ??? Guess what they tied the knot last month in very luxurious wedding just like Hania and her groom ,whom I also knew that they tied the knot in another very luxurious wedding. This is just to keep up to date and follow up to every thing that happens in Cairo :) The  ad of to Dalia from Fadl is still there in the street by the way. Technorati Tags: Egypt,Society ,Citizen Journalism demcocracy,Egyptian Life,Follow Up,mideast,middle East,Africa
More About: Love , Birds

Follow up : Lebanon ; independent army
2008-05-11 16:12:00
I have never seen such independent army anymore except in Lebanon , seriously the army either follows the President or the Cabinet , it did not happen in place in the world except in Lebanon , an exceptional country for sure . The army in Lebanon may be the last neutral institution in the country , not with this party nor with this party and this something it should be credited for. and it is unusual in Lebanon. I know officially Lebanon got no Defense minister but still officially they follow the cabinet , but they do not actually and this is the best thing because if they followed the orders of this cabinet , Lebanon instead of walking,stopping and avoiding the civil war route will be jumping madly to it. The Lebanese did not listen to the orders of the cabinet to arrest or to fight the Hezbollah or its allies elements , instead it went for months after the 14th of March parties centers in Lebanon and taking their weapons they were hiding ,  these weapons would have do...
More About: Regional , Army , Independent , Arab

Follow Up : Lebanon Crisis , news,maps, cartoons and myths
2008-05-11 15:55:00
News : Today the Arab Foreign ministers are going to meet to Cairo to discuss too late as usual the Lebanese crisis, I do not know what they can do , already the millions Saudi Arabia spent to help the 14th of March parties against Hezbollah did not do anything. The signal of the Future TV channels on the Nile Sat is back , but without broadcasting; only a white screen with a message informing the viewers that they will return so soon. Al Arabiya officially in the last 48 hours became the spokesperson of the 14th of March against Hezbollah in the region. Al Jazeera somehow was neutral. Hezbollah's Al Manar was so clever to air quotes from the late Hariri SR over and over as the martyr Hariri said in their promos. The famous TV host and astrologer Magi Farah met on a daily basis in the last three days with the leaders of the opposition. Things are very quiet in Lebanon , taking in consideration that the army is controlling most of both the pro...
More About: News , Media , Cartoons , Regional

Follow Up : Photos from Beirut
2008-05-11 14:32:00
These are some photos from Carole Kerbage from Beirut yesterday and the days before , thanks again to Farfahinne.The photos include photos of solidarity march with Future TV after its old building was set on fire on Friday , also some photos are from the Strike day , the most recent are on the top Technorati Tags: Lebaon,Beirut,Photos ,Lebanese,Mideast,mid dle East,civil war,clashes,Hezbollah,14th of March,future TV,army,news,follow Up
More About: Lebanon , Regional , Arab

From the treasures of the Egyptian Radio and Television
2008-05-11 12:03:00
The Egyptian Radio and Television got treasures my generation and the previous generation still remember and are proud of knowing them by heart , we are not like the Melody generation. Now the video below is a cartoon made in the 1990s to a Radio Operetta produced I think in the 1950s , yes a very old and beautiful Children Operetta that almost all Egyptians know by their hearts It became a part of our culture , its lyrics and terms are used in our lives , especially in our birthday celebrations. The operetta is about the Birthday of the crown prince of all the forest birds Mr. Abu El-Fasd ,all the birds decided to make a big birthday for the little cute fellow you can see him in the last part of the video , little tiny blue fluffy thing At first there is a part where Uncle Crow , the oldest bird in the forest is telling the bird which of them will play specific musical instrument , for example the the Canary bird will be become the violin and so on . legendary comedian Foua...
More About: Video , Society , Media

Some good environmental news at last
2008-05-10 12:01:00
This is from NPR ,do you know that Aga Khan Foundation is sponsoring another very promising project in Islamic Cairo , in the poor slams which is installing environment-friendly solar hot-water heaters ?? Of course you did not hear about it in our media but you can hear about it here what I did not like is that part about how Muslims in Egypt can Work with Christians hello !!?? this is Egypt; Muslims work with Christians all the time , they are speaking as if it were a miracle Technorati Tags: Egypt,Enviroment,Enviormentalists,News ,me dia,NPR,Podcast,Aga Khan Foundation,Islamic Cairo,Cairo,Society ,International,Egyptia n Life
More About: Media , Health , Nature

And another year passed
2008-05-10 10:13:00
On the 4th of May 2008 President Mubarak celebrated his birthday in the Oraba Presidential Palace to become one of the oldest rulers in the world and also in the history of Egypt including the ancient one "yes the Ancient one" .Not only he is oldest but also he scored a record in staying as a President for 27 years , his competitors are other dictators in the third world who are falling down either by disease in case of Castro or time in case of Robert Mugabe or death as the rest of the leaders of the Arab world and as we are expecting in Egypt. There are generations in Egypt who opened their eyes and saw no other no president except like me , well other generations two or three or even four including the king !!?? Very heavy 27 years they were , I will not say that they were all bad or they were all great but mostly especially in the last years they were like big burden not only on the Egyptian people but the future citizens of this nation , you know what is like ??It is like the ...
More About: National , Democracy , Year

What a coincidence
2008-05-09 17:57:00
This coincidence  shows you how the Egypt , Syria and Lebanon are too close to each whether on the Governmental level or the public level. Last Week Mubarak announced a 30% raise in Egypt Last week Bashar announced a 25% raise in Syria Then this week the Egyptian Government raised the prices of fuel products along with other products Also this week the Syrian Government raised the prices of fuel products along with other products To Lebanon The Pro-American Cabinet that no one wants it more because of its economic and political decisions raised the prices of fuel products along with other products and now people are really angry not because of sectarian reasons or Hezbollah or Iran but because of the prices. Technorati Tags: Lebanon,Egypt,Syria,Economy ,Politics ,Arab ,mideast,Middle East,regional,news,prices

Too late
2008-05-09 17:04:00
Egypt and Saudi Arabia announced that they are going to have an urgent meeting in the Arab League for the Arab foreign ministers after two days from today , oh yes after two days ; on Monday !!?? Either that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are waiting to see which side will win and so they will form a position despite their support to the 14th of March or that they are waiting form some external miracle to come and save  the 14th of March from a bitter defeat !! I do not know what could happen in the next 48 hours , it seems to me that Nasrallah was not kidding when he hinted that he could control Beirut in short time , well he Syria wisely said along Qatar that this is an internal Lebanese issue they do not have to deal with it , did not the world always blame Syria for interfering in the Lebanese issue ?? Well they do not interfere  !! By the way what the Syrian Social party did to the old building of Future TV is unacceptable and insult to Syria and the opposition before ...
More About: Politics , Lebanon , Egypt , Regional

Look who is talking ??
2008-05-09 11:32:00
From fours days ago the Egypt ian Ministers spoke on the News night talk shows to justify the latest economic decisions of the Nazif cabinet. Minister Ahmed Al Magrabhi said on Al Mahwar 90 minutes unrealistic claims that these decisions were taken to help the poor and they will take from the rich and give to the poor !! Sorry the correct terms take from the Capable to the incapable !!?? as you see vague terms !! Define the Capable and the Incapable !! He also mentioned something about the Social justice !! Anyhow I do not think that Choosing Ahmed Al Magrabhi who is heading some committee was a correct choice to speak about the living situation in Egypt , the social justice and the poor Vs. Rich. How will Ahmed Al Magrabhi , the billionaire who lived most of his life in Saudi Arabia will feel or know how the Egyptian Middle and low working class live !!?? Technorati Tags: Egypt,Ahmed Al Magrabhi,TV,Shows,Economy ,prices,citizen Journalism,news,opinion
More About: Media , Talking

No more Future TV for Now
2008-05-09 10:34:00
OK Future TV of El-Hariri in Lebanon , the very famous Future TV is controlled now by Hezbollah elements ,oh yes they invaded it , it turned out that the journalists in Future Media group "Newspaper,Radio and TV" were ordered by the army to clear the Premises for security reason ,also to stop the broadcast of their radio and TV channels temporarily .  there is no signal in the NIleSat whether for Future TV or Future News , surely terrestrial channels are also stopped. Future TV is from the oldest channels on the Nile and Arab Sat since the 1990s , its fame started with the coverage of the Qana first massacre in 1996. Then later the channel became popular in the Arab world for presenting light TV shows like Mesho , Zahi Wahbi show "I do not know what his position now as he is from the South and from the friends of Hassan Nasrallah" and Super Star "The Arabic version of American idol" This is a slap to Future and the 14th of March , already I knew...
More About: Politics , Regional

To Beirut from Cairo
2008-05-08 21:06:00
powered by ODEO Some times songs and lyrics express better than essays and articles, again with Fairoz to  Lebanon Technorati Tags: Music ,Fairoz,Lebanon,War,Culture ,Arts
More About: Cairo

Hassan Nasrallah press conference
2008-05-08 19:41:00
Wow I have just finished watching the Press Conference of Hassan Nasrallah , the head of Hezbollah in Beirut . Again and again I will tell you that this man knows how to speak in a speech , he was clear as usual and controversial as usual. "Sorry my PC crashed several times" He said what can be considered ultimatum to the government that he called "Walid Jonbalt"' government along with the rest of the 14th March that he would cut the hand which will try to get to the resistance weaponry "Hezbollah weaponry" even if it were the hand of his father. To be honest it was not the only ultimatum in the press conference today  , he said warnings more that ultimatums in fact The first warning and the most important one was indirect message to Israel and the IDF that the party is ready to go to war in two fronts , with Israel and with Israel allies in Lebanon . Nasrallah revealed that the party put a group of scenarios for a possible Israeli attack as a...
More About: Regional , Press Conference

To clarify something about Beirut riots
2008-05-08 17:33:00
I am noticing something that the media in the west and east are ignoring the economic factor in the Lebanese issue. people do not understand that the majority of Shiites in Lebanon are from the Blue collar working classes whether from the farmers or from the labours. The last economic decisions to raise the price of fuel and diesel in Lebanon just like another Egypt made this class extremely angry especially their wages were the same ,even after the very fast small raise the cabinet had decided from two days before the protests. The Cabinet decided to raise the minimum wages to become $US 500 , useless raise in front of continuous rising prices. Again this protests were not planned by Hezbollah and allies but it was planned by the Lebanese Labour Unions on objection of the very low minimum wages there , it was planned right after the Mahalla Strike. Hezbollah and allies sponsored it as another means to form a pressure on this cabinet and force it to leave after its provoking dec...
More About: Economy , Regional , Beirut , Arab

To Clarify Something about Beirut riots
2008-05-08 11:01:00
I am noticing something that the media in the west and east are ignoring the economic factor in the Lebanese issue.people do not understand that the majority of Shiites in Lebanon are from the Blue collar working classes whether from the farmers or from the labours. The last economic decisions to raise the price of fuel and diesel in Lebanon just like another Egypt made this class extremely angry especially their wages were the same ,even after the very fast small raise the cabinet had decided from two days before the protests. The Cabinet decided to raise the minimum wages to become $US 500 , useless raise in front of continuous rising prices. Again this protests were not planned by Hezbollah and allies but it was planned by the Lebanese Labour Unions on objection of the very low minimum wages there , it was planned right after the Mahalla Strike. Hezbollah and allies sponsored it as another means to form a pressure on this cabinet and force it to leave after its economic fiasco. A...
More About: Politics , Regional , Beirut , Arab

Photos from Beirut in the bloody wednesday
2008-05-07 20:17:00
These photos are from Getty.com, Time.Com and Elaph.com   Technorati Tags: Lebanon ,Beirut ,Hezbollah,Amal Movement,Strike,Clashes,Photos ,Media,poli tics,regional,mideast,Middle East
More About: Regional , Wednesday

From Mahalla to Beirut ; more than a strike , more than a protest
2008-05-07 20:04:00
I think no one imagined things would be go this route in Beirut ,in today's labour strike and protest except of course who planned to make this way . I mean it is a decision taken in the moment to bring your weapons and start attacking the others in the protests or strike just like this , especially when it involves guns,rifles,Molotov and RBG !!No to mention the army presence !! It is more than usual riots of angry blue collars for sure and because it is Lebanon you should know that this is another round between the on going the opposition and the cabinet. It took an ugly form that reminded the people of Beirut with the civil war ,I know a friend of a friend who told her online that she hided in her bathroom along with her kids when she saw the two fighting parties with big guns in the street, It is enough to see the images to make you feel that you are back again In Beirut of the civil war . Fires every where , the way to the airport was closed and cut , the scene of young ci...
More About: Regional , Protest , Strike

Baby Osama bin Laden
2008-05-07 15:37:00
Guess who  is that cheerful baby ?? He was Osama Bin Laden ; the most wanted man in the world , the leader of the terrorist group Al Qaida and here is the photo of his father Mohamed Bin Laden and his mother Hamida Al-Attas, oh yes his mother I think they did not know what was hidden in the future for their little baby. His father looked like a real Yemeni person , where as his mother reminds me with Famous Egyptian star diva Sohair El-Babaly in 1970s . He looks his dad more , in fact all the Bin Laden offspring looks like big Bin Laden , Ysalem and his crazy daughter look like him. Hamida was the tenth wife of Bin Laden , she divorced him after Osama's birth , she is Syrian from Latakia.I do not know if she is alive or not Here was Osama with the rest of Bin Laden Clan in 1970 in Sweden and here is an image for another two Bin Ladens in Saudi Arab ia , I think they are other half brothers of Osama, I do not know their names. Technorati Tags: Osama Bin Lad...
More About: Baby

I can't say more about
2008-05-06 19:28:00
I hate to say it but I think on this blog I said that Mubarak would go in the Labour and announce some raise then next day the ministers would raise the prices of fuel,diesel and cigarettes . I have nothing more to say except if the Egypt ians do not go to strike because of this ,then it is over I have got nothing to say My friend Tarek said it better, I will say no more Technorati Tags: Economy ,Egypt,Egyptians,Politics ,Citizen Journalism,democracy,Follow Up,Mideast,Middle East,Africa

More photos from Beirut
2008-05-06 18:51:00
My dear friend Razan published more photos from the Protest that took place on the 4th of May in front of our Egypt ian Embassy in Beirut Here it is Strangely no one in the official media or in TV spoke about this protest Technorati Tags: Mahalla,Egypt,Lebanon ,Beirut,Protests,Pho tos,6 of April Strike,4th of May,news,media,Arab,mideast,Middle East
More About: Media , Photos

The First Egyptian Cartoon
2008-05-06 18:20:00
This is the oldest animation in the history of Egyptian Cinema. Historically the art of animation began in Egypt in 1935 by the Brothers Frankel, who managed despite the limited technical potential to produce many of the business and made the first Cartoon Egyptian Character   Mishmesh Effendi They carried out many cinematic tricks, which were very advanced then, like  the integration movement of living with frees animation. I found this animation through my dear Friend Sherif Naguib who closed his blog unfortunately , but thank God for the Facebook , Sherif found it by his turn in a group called Animation department , the video is owned by Tohamy Mohamed Tohamy. Please enjoy it :) Technorati Tags: Egypt,History ,Cartoons,Cinema,Arts,Animat ion,1935,1938,Brothers Frankel,Culture ,Media ,Video ,Facebook,Arab s,Middle East,Africa

What went wrong in the 4th of May Strike ??
2008-05-05 20:25:00
There is nothing wrong in you dummies , there is something wrong in the system A Cultural Film "Film Thakafy" Ok the 4th of May came and it did not go as we all hoped , it was not as we all expected whether from people who too much hope on it or from the regime that put the worst scenario in its mind for it. This strike is not a success like last 6th of April by all measures , still it scored some points. Again it proved how frightened the regime is from any public agreement on moving against it and the evidence is the campaign  that started since 6 April when this strike was announced in the facebook,the evidence is the respond I found here in the poll and also in my Arabic blog poll from a support on the net. Also it  proved that many people want an end for this era , want the better for this country and are total discontent  with the level it reached to , it is not about food international prices crisis , it is more than that . I was having hope...
More About: Politics , National , Egypt , Democracy , Wrong

Happy Cinco De Mayo
2008-05-05 20:13:00
Happy Cinco De Mayo to all Mexicans For those who do not know , we the Egypt ians fought in the battles between the French and the Mexicans , unfortunately we were on the French side , still we achieved some few military victories for French in what was known in the Egyptian Battalion in Mexico. May be next Cinco De Mayo inshallah I will share with you the Chronicles of the Egyptian Battalion I have a confession only today I found a relation between the Cinco De May and the famous Forgotten Egyptian Battalion Technorati Tags: Mexico,Cinco De Mayo,French,France,Egypt,History ,Egyptian Army,Egyptian Battalion,wars,19th century,Latin America,World
More About: International , Happy , Cinco de Mayo

When Blogging saves a life
2008-05-05 10:40:00
It seems the Egyptian bloggers are not leading the change in their country only but also the Saudi bloggers have their share too. Blogging opened a new vent to Saudis to express themselves in a country and society that are from the oldest dictatorships in the Arab world. I think blogging came in the right time for Saudi younger generations just like us , a new vent especially for the young ladies. I will not going to speak more but I mention a little incident that shows that blogging can do something , can reach something socially. There is a Saudi female blogger called Hadeel , a novelist who is popular among the Saudi blogsphere ,this young lady from 10 days ago became very ill and entered a coma suddenly , her father the writer Mohamed El-Khadeif called the Saudi Red Crescent ambulance ,the medics told him that she should immediately enter a hospital to the Incentive Care, they took her to several governmental hospital that refused to take her in either because there was no...
More About: Women , Life

Follow Up : The regional Strike Updates
2008-05-04 17:49:00
May be there were no protests in Cairo , but there was a protest in Beirut for sure , that reminded me how much Mubarak is popular outside Egypt Here are photos from the protests of today from Souwar , a Marxist from Lebanon It is great , in fact it is the first of its kind in the history of Egypt , usually our embassies and presidents are called names because of the President's foreign policies towards this country or this , not because his internal policies. I love the picture where the Lebanese security officer takes the Mubarak Mask , I was surprised in fact. In Jordan things are bit different , I received news that it is not so different in Egypt and there are several arrest campaign , my dear Jordanian friends you I need a confirmation. Anyhow if the Jordanian Regime began to imitate its Egyptian buddy the results can be bad ,it will enter them to dark road !! Technorati Tags: Egypt,Lebanon,Jordan,Photos,News,Mahalla, Strike,5th of May,Citizen Journalism,democracy,...
More About: Regional , Updates , Democracy

Follow Up : The day of the strike ; the birthday was a normal day
2008-05-04 17:18:00
Ok guys here are the latest updates from Cairo and also from Egypt in the 4th of May strike , the birthday of the President. I did update anything since the morning till I reached because I did not find anything worth for posting at least till 12 AM when the news of Mahalla began to come. This was a normal work day for the Egyptians in the capital , I do not know about the universities or the other Governates but in Giza and Cairo , it was a normal. People went to their work after a whole week vacation with headaches from coming back. I heard news about two demos . The First one was cracked by the NDP thugs in front of the Lawyers Syndication downtown , some activists tried to organized but there were too small in number and the police was quick enough to act. The second surprisingly took place in Shobra ,oh yes Shobra , the famous populated Shobra  , no further information about it is available to me right now. It was reported that the anti Forces  were present ext...
More About: National , Democracy , Birthday , Strike