october 03, 2008 01:54pm
Próxima Parada: Egipto is here!

You can now access ProximaParadaEgipto.es and sign up for the authentic tour of Egypt!

You can also take part in the forums under the "La Comunidad" section at www.proximaparadaegipto.es/comunidad.

Under "La Guia" and "La Enciclopedia" you'll find loads of information about the Egyptian culture and tradition, as well as local tips on where to go and what to visit.



So check it out and stop by the forum to let us know what you think.

july 16, 2008 05:35pm
The Mosque of Sedna El Kheshouiee

It's interesting to see how there are so many different worlds inside of Egypt that us Cairenes are clueless about. Perhaps uniting the seven thousand years of civilization will help solve many of the problems that ironically tempt us to leave.

The sad part is that the citizens of the developed world have to go through so much effort to be able to appreciate environments so different from theirs, and in most cases inevitably fail. On the other hand, we, as Egyptians and third-world citizens, are in pole position to grasp the beauty within but tend to look the other way in search of a better life in a place that doesn't even exist.

july 16, 2008 05:25pm
A Lot Closer Than You Think

june 11, 2008 10:18pm
Microbus Egypt: Test Drive Tour

june 09, 2008 11:29am
The Egyptian Freedom of Speech

may 04, 2008 04:56pm
Alfons Mucha's Zodiac

Alphonse Maria Mucha was born in the town of Ivančice, Moravia. His singing abilities allowed him to continue his education through high school in the Moravian capital of Brno, even though drawing had been his first love since childhood. He worked at decorative painting jobs in Moravia, mostly painting theatrical scenery, then in 1879 moved to Vienna to work for a leading Viennese theatrical design company, while informally furthering his artistic education.

Mucha moved to Paris in 1887, and continued his studies at Académie Julian and Academie Colarossi while also producing magazine and advertising illustrations.

Around Christmas 1894, Mucha happened to drop into a print shop where there was a sudden and unexpected demand for a new poster to advertise a play starring Sarah Bernhardt, the most famous actress in Paris, at the Theatre de la Renaissance. Mucha volunteered to produce a lithographed poster within two weeks, and on January 1, 1895, the advertisement for Gismonda appeared on the streets of the city. It was an overnight sensation and announced the new artistic style and its creator to the citizens of Paris.

Mucha produced a flurry of paintings, posters, advertisements, and book illustrations, as well as designs for jewellery, carpets, wallpaper, and theatre sets in what came to be known as the Art Nouveau style. Mucha's works frequently featured beautiful healthy young women in flowing vaguely Neoclassical looking robes, often surrounded by lush flowers which sometimes formed haloes behind the women's heads.

Mucha declared that art existed only to communicate a spiritual message, and nothing more; hence his frustration at the fame he gained through commercial art, when he wanted always to concentrate on more lofty projects that would ennoble art and his birthplace.

This design by the Czech Nouveau artist is from the magazine La Plume, published in 1896.

...and people say graphic design is a new form of art.

april 17, 2008 05:38pm
Reuters cameraman killed in Gaza

april 07, 2008 02:13pm
The Morning After

It was a busy Sunday for the entire Egyptian republic as the protesters and an army of government security forces larger than WWII battalions battled it out in the streets of Mahalla, Cairo, and other major cities. It was a case of a tough life getting tougher for the working class who have witnessed their rights being gradually flushed down the toilet before them, and it seems like there was very little they can do to salvage the simplest of rights which have long been established as absolutely essential in many parts of the world.

The Egyptian government did its homework and sent out its troops throughout the country in an attempt to breakdown any attempt of protest. The government-owned newspapers had published official government warnings towards any citizen that would dare ask for his or her political or social rights.

The following is a photographic report by the Associated Press in Egypt:

There's no doubt that the situation is rather complicated for the working class who have never tasted life without the human-rights violations spice dumped by the Egyptian authority. Between banning strikes, threatening citizens, using force with peaceful demonstrators, and bringing in more and more shipments of political prisoners, there's little room for maneuver for the optimistic Egyptians.

Al Masry Al Youm published a rather illustrative article on its front page to summarize an eventful day for people on all sides of the political spectrum:



On the other hand, the folks at the public Al Ahram center have failed to see that the human race has truly embarked the 21st century and are sticking to the traditional methods of indoctrination and censorship in an attempt to completely cover for what has occured the previous day:



Al Ahram is hoping the huge majority of Egyptians don't have access to other newspapers, the internet, the telephone, or any other remotely technological device that might just hint at the real events.

Although the Egyptian people remain some of the most obedient of slaves towards the ruling power, regardless of its nature, recent events are reason to be optimistic as the people have reached the point where they barely have anything to lose, and the government had gotten to the point of repeatedly failing to dust its acts under the carpet.

Unless the Egyptian authority occasionally listens to its people, things can only get worse for Mubarak, his son, and their friends.

april 06, 2008 03:47pm
Under-Developed vs Over-Exploited

This is how the BBC news website changed the article in less than two hours' time. After the entire Egyptian population had agreed to voice discontent for a change, the Egyptian government was left with a problem so easy to handle, they're probably regretting getting up an hour earlier than usual.

When Sarkozy altered the law to encourage foreign investment at the expense of the job security of the younger ones, the entire nation stood firm and protested.

When Alitalia was slow on providing employee benefits, the entire crew and staff immediately went on strike to prove their worth.

When Metro Madrid drivers felt their safety was at risk, and their value was unnoticed, they went on strike during the morning and afternoon rush hours and had the entire country talking.

But when the Ottomans take power, and only lose it to the British, And when the Kings suck the blood out of the people, and then the "revolutionary" militants take the land and convert into a military dictatorship, and when a "president" reigns for over a quarter of a century - killing, stealing and lying in the process - and looks to relay his muscle to his son, we Egyptians say: Thank God, it could've been worse.

april 03, 2008 02:52pm
Playing Cards in Cairo, by Hugh Miles

Hugh Miles' new book Playing Cards in Cairo is now available. Here's a summary:

Dieting, Dating and Divorcing in the Mother of all Cities

When young journalist Hugh Miles moves to Cairo, his intentions are clear cut, to finish the book he is writing and explore the city. He doesn’t expect to become a friend and confidante to a group of young Arab women who welcome him into their weekly card game, and their lives, sharing with him their hopes, dreams and fears.

“We played cards all summer long. Through long hot nights, over cigarettes and endless cups of syrupy tea, I listened to tale after tale of bullying husbands, overprotective brothers and a litany of sexual harassment by strangers. Roda and her friends would gossip, rant and celebrate life until a mobile would ring and a curfew would call one of them home. Most of the issues we discussed were the kinds of things you might find inside an issue of Cosmopolitan, except that Egypt is a conservative country and such racy magazines are not easily available, so women are obliged instead to turn to their friends for answers to life’s most important questions”

While the women cut and shuffle, Hugh listens to their stories and learns about what it means to be a young Muslim woman, dating dieting and divorcing in a country where traditional Islamic values are in the ascendant. Yosra juggles her duties as an only daughter with an addiction to prescription drugs; Nadia copes with an abusive husband; Reem comes to terms with plastic surgery gone wrong; and her sister conceals her secret love from her family, whilst attempting to breathe life into a clothes shop run by a regime apparatchik with an Islamist vision of retail.

Playing Cards on Cairo is a fascinating sideways look at the lives of young Egyptians that takes Hugh Miles on a romantic adventure that will lead him to Islam and bind him to the Arab world forever.

For more information, visit Hugh Miles' official website: http://www.hughmiles.com/

april 03, 2008 01:06pm
Hiroshima 1945 vs Today

This is what is referred to as determination.

april 01, 2008 12:50pm
Linux to breathe AIR

Adobe has officially released the alpha version of its runtime environment AIR to run on Linux. the Adobe Integrated Runtime has made significant breakthroughs in the past months in bringing Rich Internet Applications to the desktop. Now there are new AIR applications by the minute, all offering advanced features and functionality through simple and professional interfaces on the different desktops. All these applications are platform-free, and only rely on AIR being installed on the system.

Now Adobe has opened the gates for AIR applications to run on all versions of Linux after their runtime has been made available for download and install on the open-source operating system.

With AIR running on linux, Ubuntu users, for instance, can enjoy programs such as: Twitter, kuler desktop, Fresh, Finetune Desktop, DiggTop, and SearchCoders/Dashboard.

The real money-maker in this story is the fact that Adobe itself will be able to make software available for the Linux people. Specialized programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Dreamweaver will all probably switch to AIR in the near future. Meaning that regardless of your operating system, you will be able to use the exact same version of the professional software that had limited availability before.

Such a move would seriously damage Microsoft, as the only reason why millions worldwide hold on strongly to Windows XP and Windows Vista is because of the lack of availability of certain specialized software.

Well, not any more. And unless the software giants at Seattle fight the OS battle with all their guns, their failure and subsequent extinction is inevitable.

Congratulations to the citizens of the free and open-source globe.

april 01, 2008 12:12pm
WordPress 2.5: Pure Class

Just when you thought the open-source community has offered more than enough in recent weeks, the free blog system WordPress came out with its latest version: 2.5

WordPress 2.5 offers even further functionality, simplicity and professionalism. Downloading and installing the script had never been easier, and the famous 5-minute installation process now seems to take less than one.

New features include a comprehensive statistics application embedded within the admin control panel that allows the user to find out all about who visited the website, which posts they read, how much time they spent, etc. Uploading has also become a breeze, now with the simpler interface you can upload several files at once and observe the progress bar for each. No more uploading one by one.

More importantly, the new version of WordPress can now be used as more of a CMS than ever before. Adding pages to your blog/website is as simple as adding a post. Managing the content of each page has also become the sort of process you don't really think about.

If you are new to installing your own blog on your personal website, the steps are really easy:

1. Go to the WordPress website: http://www.wordpress.org/ and download version 2.5


2. Unzip the file and upload it via FTP to your website (using a program such as FileZilla)


3. Direct your browser to the directory where you just uploaded the folder (http://www.myexample.com/wordpress/)


4. Follow the on-screen instructions and VOILA! You have just installed your blog!

It's a truly beautiful thing, the internet, especially since it allows the people to be the people, and share their knowledge.

march 30, 2008 02:30am
Wilders' Fitna: Commercial Hatred

Far-right dutch member of parliament Geert Wilders has released a 10-minute movie preaching anti-Islam and hatred messages publicly on the internet. The movie is on websites such as YouTube and has raised a great deal of controversy.

The short movie starts and ends with an image of the prophet Mohammed as depicted in the controversial Danish cartoons that rocked the streets by protests across the globe. The rest of the motion picture quotes parts of the Qur'an as part of an argument that Muslims worldwide are violent and bloody because the religion itself deliberately requires so. This means that the Qur'an asks for its followers to murder any non-Muslims as part of their duty. The clip also reveals scenes shot from major terrorist acts such as the September 11th attacks in New York City and the March 11th attacks in Madrid.

The message is loud and clear: The Muslims (of all kinds) are out to get you, and there's almost nothing you can do about it.

"Almost" is the keyword here, because what Wilders is truly after is further support for his political party. The "Freedom" party Wilders leads is officially "anti-immigration" and "anti-Islamization", and holds 9 seats out of a possible 150 in the Dutch House of Parliament.

What the far-right racist figure is truly targeting is not to express his personal disapproval of Islam, but rather to demonstrate that Islam and all of its followers are a true threat to the Dutch people. And they only way they can be protected is through voting for his party, and allowing them to handle the issue, just as Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and many others did before him.

Although it is extremely sad that the Dutch constitution allows for such a disgraceful act of racism and discrimination, the same government permitted that Ahmed Aboutaleb become the State Secretary of Social Affairs and Employment. An Arab-Muslim becoming a leading politician in a secular European state, and a fascist extremist taking seats in that very same parliament.

It's a truly strange phenomena, democracy.

View "Fitna" at YouTube

march 30, 2008 01:35am
Teddy Soegiarto in New Web Pick

A piece of digital art by young graphic design Teddy Seogiarto.

march 29, 2008 12:56am
Information R/evolution

march 28, 2008 02:17pm
Where It All Went Wrong For Arsenal

Arsenal suddenly find themselves in third position in the English Premier League after managing only four points from five games to record their worst league form in nine years. Draws with minnows Birmingham, Aston Villa, Wigan and Middlesbrough were topped by a frustrating loss to Chelsea at Stamford bridge.

Arsenal were caught off-guard when they sat comfortably on a five-point cushion at the top of the table, and are now trailing the pack and dream of finishing second.

With strong and solid performances at the start of the season, one can only wonder how did they manage to stick to traditions from old times and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Transition

Many spectators forget that the Gunners are still in the transitional phase with the move to the new Emirates stadium - a three-year block ending this summer. Expectations were always humble for the North London giants, but early season shining wiped out memories and people were placing their bets on Arsene Wenger's men.

Needless to say, the youngsters at Arsenal have proven that they boast a lethal combination of youth and experience, along with that unique creative touch.

Maybe Chelsea and Man Utd should be giving everything they've got in the remaining games this season, because starting next season, there won't be those generous slip-ups by their counterparts at Ashburton Grove.

Squad Depth

A problem that goes hand-in-hand with the new stadium and the tight budget Arsene Wenger has been forced to live with for the past three years, is the lack of options in several positions across the pitch.

Although it didn't really show earlier on in the season, with the schedule at a suffocating level, you need to be able to call on more than one Gunner for cover. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

It all started with injuries to Tomas Rosicky and Robin Van Persie earlier on in the season, and more importantly, the deployment of Ivorian right-back Emmanuel Eboue on the right wing. Eboue has been below-par, and understandably so, playing out of position.

Although Wnger benefits from his defensive know-how, Eboue's limited attacking capability has cost Arsenal more than it has benefited them.

That is simply just another indicator of the lack of back-ups up Wenger's sleeve. Sanderos is the only real fall-back option for the two central defenders, and he hasn't been able to gain sympathy for not playing enough. Justin Hoyte is a disaster at both ends of the defensive line, and has nevertheless made appearances at crucial encounters. Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner both require time to prove their worth.

Henry had implied it before his departure, and at times like this the cry is out loud: Arsenal need a handful of recruits if they are to pose a serious threat on the title bid.

Injuries

Arsenal has always been a team of creative youngsters who lack physical strength, and this has become more obvious this season. Injuries in the dress room are as common as red cards in Steve Bennet's matches. The Gunner had already kicked off the campaign without Van Persie, Rosicky and Walcott.

With more games, and more opportunities for injury, Edurado da Silva took a year off with a horrific challenge by Birmingham's Taylor. and Bacary Sagna will warm the treatment room bench for at least three weeks. Not to mention that Spanish playmaker Fabregas did time himeself.

With at least four competitions to participate in during every campaign, Arsenal is an injury-prone side. And the only solution is to bring new recruits, and build up the squad physically.

Strike Force



With Brazilian-born Croatian Eduardo sitting with crutches in the stands, Adebayor remains the club's only real goal-scorer. Although Van Persie has mesmerized with the target, and Hleb and Fabregas have stepped-up on more than one occasion, Arsene Wenger desperately needs more than one Togolese international to tap the ball in the back of the net.

The Gunners continue with their inevitable efforts to score the perfect goal, and that is mainly due to the fact that Adebayor is the only real all-in-all striker with the ability to place the ball past 'keepers regardless of the angles of the TV shots. He's definitely going to need a helping hand that will give him the freedom to roam about the penalty box and lose his markers without emptying the area completely of red shirts.

Besides, you can't expect the former Monaco striker to be in form for every one of the 60+ game season. Resting him will keep his legs fresh for whenever he's called upon.



With the battle for the Premier League title hotter than ever before, all members of the "Big Four" will have to load up their guns and put on their thinking hats if they are serious in landing the big-money prize.

Arsenal for one will do even better next season than they have during the three-year transitional period. But without some key buys and a physical touch or two, their improvement might go unnoticed with the likes of Manchester United's big name signings and Liverpool's melting pot of footballing schools.

march 28, 2008 12:19pm
Photoshop Express: Yourself

Finally, the long-awaited free online image editing tool from the software giants is here to stay. Adobe has officially released the beta version of its online image-editing and image-sharing tool: Photoshop Express. The online application was built using the Flex framework and Actionscript 3.0, and requires Flash Player 9 to run.

Once you get passed the registration test, the gates to photo heaven will open. Uploading your photos has never been easier, and you don't have to choose them one at a time - Photoshop Express allows you to batch upload.

When registering, you create a unique username that is later turned into the URL: yourusername.photoshop.com, meaning that anyone can visit your personal Photoshop page and browse your photo albums. This way Adobe did not have to partner with anyone, and heated up the personal photo-sharing market competition in the process.

Photoshop express targets mainly regular digital camera consumers - a hefty portion of the digital world, but would not disappoint professionals looking for a quick and easy solution.

One option I find particularly intriguing so that when the photos are uploaded, they are saved at their original file size, but displayed at more appropriate dimensions. This means that browsing the images goes rapidly and smoothly, but at any time, you can download the full resolution photo, link to it, or embed in your website/blog.

So where's the real edge? Facebook. PX created a Facebook plugin which allows you to publish your photos directly onto your Facebook profile without going through the social network's site (after you've signed in and agreed with terms of use). This way users upload their large photos, fill in the captions on whichever ones they care to describe, touch up on a handful, and publish them on both their public Photoshop pages and their Facebook profiles - all in a matter of minutes.

Adobe was quiet a bit behind schedule in launching this free online service, but their expansion of add-ons, options and free services has made up for the wait.

However, if you happen to be one of the 80% of the world population that does not enjoy rapid and consistent internet access, then you're probably better off with a simple photo editor on your computer that allows you to upload the final compressed versions of your images. In which case, stick to Facebook or Flickr.

march 21, 2008 11:54pm
Nissan Showcases Its Electric Cube

The Japanese giants showed off its new car in a gallery in New York. The exciting Denki Cube is powered by electricity and offers a possible solution to the oil crisis this planet is facing.

It might not look so sexy, but neither do the children starving to death in war-torn oil nations like Iraq. This might just be placing humanity on the right start, regardless of the final alternative that the energy-demanding consumer market settles on.

The Denki Cube is loaded with a futuristic-looking dashboard with state-of-the-art technologies deployed in order to provide the driver with navigational indicators (built to work with GPS), and a "shift" display revealing your current state (which would be between neutral, reverse, drive or park).

The battery developed for the automobile gives a range estimated at 100 miles, with a 75 mph top speed.

Definitely not a bad product and perhaps a healthier choice. Let us hope that it is not too little too late of a resolution for the sort of problem that only gets worse when overlooked.

march 17, 2008 06:16pm
China Blocks YouTube

In the name of anti-free speech, the Chinese government has officially censored the number one video-sharing website owned by Google. This came after the government failed to cover for its brutal reaction to the Tibet riots and demonstrations. The following is one of the videos that lead to its decision.

The internet is such a beautiful aspect of our everyday lives specifically for its ability to allow freedom of speech. The internet is truly a tool from the "power to the people" category that for decades and centuries has been blocked out. Now the Chinese government has over estimated its power, and is attempting to stick to the tradition of corruption, torture and indoctrination.

Now it is down to us, the lucky ones who continue to have unlimited access to the information super highway; to spread the words, the images, the videos, the sites, the blogs - the free information. Because it is our right to express ourselves, and it is our right to listen to each other's screams.

China, like many brutal dictatorships throughout history, has succeeded in every battle to ensure granting minimal human rights. But something tells me that this particular battle is too big to be fought in the old fashion.

This time, the people will prevail.

march 13, 2008 01:47am
George Galloway Speaks on "Our" Behalf

An outstanding performance by British Member of Parliament George Galloway in a heated interview on Sky.

Mr. Galloway professionally expresses his discontent with the channel's stance in the controversial Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also cleverly avoids allegations that attempt to show him as supporting terrorist acts, and embarrasses the interviewee in the process.

It gives "us" great honor to be represented by such a prestigious and educated figure in media that can barely view that not so human-rights-violating part of the fence.

march 12, 2008 08:26pm
God Bless the Head of the Giza Authority

As three of my co-workers drove passed the Agouza hospital in Cairo on their way to work, a rather unique incident took place and made for an exciting office story. In reality, it's yet another example of how the Egyptian government desperately depends on indoctrinating its people to protect the authority.

Hazem was in the driving seat as people gathered in a highly-congested street in what immediately showed to be a burglary. A lady was screaming out loud for attention as two young men snatched her cell phone and ran off in an attempt to reach far enough and seamlessly blend into the crowd once more.

However, the heroic robbery was not to be, thanks to the action-loving Egyptians randomly strolling in the streets.

As more and more bystanders relayed and amplified the famous "catch the thief" scream, the mission become impossible for the optimistic thieves. An aging and extremely unmotivated policeman ran so slow, that his failure to be in anyway effective almost stole the spotlight from the actual thieves.

Luckily, Hazem speed up in time and swerved directly in front of them, sending one tumbling on the floor. At the same instant, Ahmed sitting next to him opened the car door to collide with the other and send him following.

But they didn't give up.

Both thieves got up, brushed away their injuries and kept running for their lives. That, until the public bus driver in front heroically pulled the brakes on them and resulted in them being comically rammed into the back of the bus and falling over.

This time it was strike two, so they opted to cross the street and continue the getaway on the opposite side of the road.

By then, the bus travelers stuck their heads out calling for the bystanders at the opposing bus stop. Unfortunately for the robbers, there were enough people at the bus stop to populate a vacant town, with enough desperation for any sort of excitement in their lives to send them pouncing on the criminals like hungry lions on prey.

And that marked the end of the burglars and the restoration of chaos, pollution and the hustle-bustle everyday scene.

Just when you thought the story came to an end, it gets even more exciting.

The following day, Al Gomhouria, a wide=spread, state-run newspaper, published an article of the incident:



As it turns out, the head of the Giza Authority happened to be humbly walking by and intelligently caught the thieves from a distance and heroically saved the day by bringing them to justice and once again helping make the lives of millions of Egyptians even more of a paradise than ever before!

Indeed, God bless our democratic government, and God bless the head of the Giza Authority.

march 12, 2008 12:37pm
Wajeha Al-Huwaider For Women's Day 2008

Perhaps a unique revolutionary video by a courageous Saudi woman who has had enough with the state-backed discrimination against women. Wajeha Al-Huwaider uses the most beautiful aspect of the internet to express her disagreement, and diplomatically asks for women in the gulf state to be given permission to drive.

march 03, 2008 05:29pm
Eternal Sunshine of San Manuel Bueno

They are two different stories, with no relation whatsoever between them, or so it seems.

At one particular point, both meet in an almost identical fashion, and take a beautiful approach to one of the most over-looked aspects of life: memory.

Miguel de Unamuno wrote the short story, "San Manuel Bueno, mártir", in 1930 that takes place in Valverde de Lucerna, a small village located on the edge of an idyllic lake.

The narrator, Ángela, tells the story of how the people of the small village viewed Don Manuel, the priest who was able to convert the stubbornest of atheists. He appeared to be extremely pious and humble. The truth about his religiousness proved to be otherwise, and was not easy to accept.

Looking back at the event years later, Ángela subconsciously erases the past - using snow. The snow covered the mountain, covered the lake, and covered the entire town.

On the other hand, 74 years later, Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet co-starred in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind" that tells a beautiful love-hate relationship between the two.

And although the technology allowed for patients to erase certain parts of their memory, the argument is that what's in your heart cannot be erased, and will therefore happen one way or the other.

The final scene of the movie takes the viewers to a beautiful spot where you watch on wide screen snow falling on the ocean.

The snow was the real tool to cover the past and move forward. But neither Ángela, nor Jim & Kate, could ever achieve that.

Beautiful as it may be, our memories are too complicated to be erased by snow.

Y al escribir esto ahora, aquí, en mi vieja casa materna, a mis más que cincuenta años, cuando empiezan a blanquear con mi cabeza mis recuerdos, está nevando, nevando sobre el lago, nevando sobre la montaña, nevando sobre las memorias de mi padre, el forastero; de mi madre, de mi hermano Lázaro, de mi pueblo, de mi san Manuel, y también sobre la memoria del pobre Blasillo, de mi san Blasillo, y que él me ampare desde el cielo. Y esta nieve borra esquinas y borra sombras, pues hasta de noche la nieve alumbra. Y yo no sé lo que es verdad y lo que es mentira, ni lo que vi y lo que soñé -o mejor lo que soñé y lo que sólo vi-, ni lo que supe ni lo que creí. No sé si estoy traspasando a este papel, tan blanco como la nieve, mi conciencia que en él se ha de quedar, quedándome yo sin ella.

march 03, 2008 04:27pm
Globalization in Egypt

The Western influence in Egypt has reached extreme measures.

march 02, 2008 04:35pm
A Vision of Students Today

march 02, 2008 03:42pm
BBC News: Israel's Gaza Raid In Pictures

Since it's highly unlikely that you'll ever be there to witness the situation, these photos allow us to place that extra cushion in the pillows we sleep on at night knowing that we did dedicate a few seconds looking at some photos. But that's about all we're willing to sacrifice.

february 27, 2008 06:34pm
Blood Diamond: This. Is. Africa.

Ever wondered why the African sand is so red? Have you thought about the real consequences of discovering rich raw materials, regardless of their nature, in a war-torn continent?

This motion picture brings together actors from different schools in an attempt to portray the unbearable truth behind those shining stones sitting comfortably around the necks of many ladies in the west.

What makes this specific demonstration of human rights violations unique than the handful of movies displayed in recent times is that they succeed in combining actual facts and graphical scenes in the most realistic of story lines.

Sometimes it seems more like a documentary, especially when the set is made of European politicians dressed-up in clean suits and taking a drastically contrary approach to the matter than those on the real battle field.

The scenes of violence might not be suitable for the younger viewers, but it's yet another case of a sad-but-true story. And if it's so difficult for us viewers, on our couches at home eating caramelized popcorn, to keep our eyes glued to the screen when any of the numerous violent moments come to life, how come we smile at a diamond necklace?

The answer is that ignorance is not so bliss.

It's the same core with a different interface, and it's a combination of ignorance an lack of interest that covers the truth about those precious pieces. Thankfully, Blood Diamond teaches a lesson that perhaps peels off the artificial skin that once blocked our view, and hopefully people can see diamonds for what they really are: A result of years of non-stop fighting, where homes are destroyed, women raped, men's arms cut off, children kidnapped and trained to be professional rebels, and again.

Sierra Leone is now enjoying rare peace, but the brutal era that the West Africans survived is yet another example, and has to be taken seriously. Interestingly enough, the script brings forward some by-the-ways about how history repeats itself. Regardless of the raw material, (be it rubber, diamonds or oil), and no matter the place, (Nigeria, Sudan or Sierra Leone), in the under-developed (or over-exploited, for that matter), previously-colonized, and corrupt sub-Saharan African nations, it's the same story on and on again.

Blood Diamond takes the viewer on a unique path through the heights of beautiful Sierra Leone where your opinion of who's the hero and who's the crook changes by the minute. One thing is for certain, though, and it's that cutting off the irrelevant and ostentatious luxury of diamonds is the only method to avoid participating in the behind-the-scenes crimes that have have turned the sand red. It's in the hands of the consumers to make it stop.

Throughout the movie, there are many punchlines. The sort of phrases that would make you think about things for a while. One in particular was rather descriptive of the situation in general, abbreviated by some as TIA, because between the illegal weapons, the spontaneous rebel attacks, and children with machine guns half their size, there's no time to say: This Is Africa.

february 17, 2008 11:14am
The Power of Your Voice

february 16, 2008 11:01pm
Egypt: Champions of the Black Continent

It's funny how expensive it is to keep embroidering stars on a jersey. Now the problem has reached a plateau where even Puma cannot figure out how to display all six stars of the Egyptian national team Jersey.

And oh what an addition that is!

Now for a record sixth time, Egypt has beaten Cameroon for the second time this tournament to come out winners and retain the golden trophy. Needless to say, 75 million Egyptians flooded the streets nation-wide to express their joy and happiness at the historical victory that not even the most optimistic would've called before the start of the tournament.

Hassan Shehata

Many have doubted. Some even called for him to take the boot, even after he came out victorious in Egypt two years ago. But now, he has officially silenced even the most cynical of followers, and proved himself at the world African stage. Indeed he is a world-class manager. Strong character, wise risks, and a good match-reader as well. He might have his disadvantages as well, but who cares?

His tactics may be are older than Madonna, his blind faith in some of the players may suggest he is a strict follower of an underground religion, his scary-looking face is not winning him any beauty contests - but he did it. He got the relatively-young Egyptian team back from Ghana proud as ever. His turn-around of the team performance before and after the kick of the African Cup of Nations was more drastic than the dietary commercials on American TV. Indeed, he placed smiles on millions of peoples' faces, amidst problems from all directions of the society.

So to Shehata, I salute. Chapeau.

Emad Meteib

If under-performing was a sin, then the Devil himself is under serious threat of losing his post for good by the Egyptian striker. Emad Meteib can proudly declare that he has gone down in the history books as the only player to ever play so poorly on a championship-winning side. In fact, he might be eligible for the unofficial "Worst Player of the Tournament" award, if only it could be awarded to a player of the same team with the likes of Abd Rabu, Zaki, Zidane and About Treka.

It remains an unsolved mystery how a player that was playing at such high standards three years, can display a performance that confuses him with the 14 year-old Ghanaian ball boys. He was truly an embarrassment to Egyptian football in particular, and African football as a whole. And if his standards remain so lowly, he will seriously tarnish FIFA's reputation amongst fellow organizations.

All six games started, four of which he played the full 90 minutes, and no goals. No goals, nor assists. No assists nor decent passes. No passes nor ball pivoting and counter attack initiation. No ball reception, no fouls conceited, nothing. No defensive assistance, no impressive off the ball runs and no sense whatsoever how he continues enjoying playing time.

Yet Shehata insisted.

Perhaps the only real weakness of an otherwise solid, all-around team, Meteib was repeatedly given the vote of confidence from the Egyptian coach, and half the fans - the Ahly half, that is. It is truly shocking how millions of viewers and supporters would continuously lie to themselves about their star striker. It has reached the extent that professional analysts would actually claim that Meteib's movements were tactical and allowed for placing the goal within range for Amr Zaki and Co. Needless to say, there is less truth in that statement than in Clinton's Monica Lewinksy's scandel-initiating lie.

Egypt can consider itself lucky to have won the African Cup of Nations with Meteib part of every encounter. But let us learn from our mistakes, and give peace a chance.

5-3-2

The second of Shehata's only two problems is nowhere near as big as the first one, but does require sufficient attention. His insistence to shuffle his cards in the way third-world countries used to 20 years ago is no sign of a bright future, and time will definitly tell on this one.

Many modern viewers cannot even remember what a sweeper is, and how his (or her?) role is carried out. And although Hany Said performed brilliantly throughout all battles, his positioning behind two central defenders is fatal. Thankfully, the Pharaohs were not directly punished for it.

So although we've experienced tears of happiness with the memorable victory in West Africa, we can safely assume that a 5-3-2 will not get through customs leading to the World Cup.

february 08, 2008 11:19am
Egypt 4-1 Ivory Coast: Class

Celebrations took the streets of Cairo and the entire Egyptian republic as Amr Zaki and Co. demolished the African heavyweights, Ivory Coast. This video shows a small portion of the revolution that took place all night.

february 08, 2008 11:11am
Moving Mario: Digital vs Mechanical

Step-by-step guide to how Mario has worked over the years starting with the Nintendo Entertainment System days. Only this time, it's all mechanical.

february 01, 2008 03:38pm
Gates to Gaza

I have had the luck to visit the promised land, Palestine, via the Gaza Strip to experience being in a place so talked about in the media, it's hard to remember that it's right next door.

The Stereotypes

Unfortunately, the Palestinians do not enjoy a positive reputation, particularly amongst their neighbors from the Nile. Although very few Egyptians have had the chance to profoundly interact with the Palestinian people, many firmly believe that the Palestinians are responsible for their current occupation, as they were the ones who "sold their land", and allowed for the Zionist intrusion into Arab soil.

In fact, the expression "bite the hand that feeds you" seems to have won exclusive rights to be applied to the Palestinians, not just in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but also worldwide. All sorts of funds and donations are made to aid the struggling Palestinians in an attempt to counter the brutal Israeli Occupation that has gone as far as completely ignoring international agreements and banning aid from reaching the occupied territories. However, many donors fail to see how their counterparts have ever returned or even appreciated that help and sacrifice.

Although it is said that stereotypes always rely on some sort of truth, no matter how small it may be, I opted not to believe in what the general public had to say about our neighbors to the East, and chose to construct an opinion based on the short period of time I was going to be there.

The Border

If the fall of the Berlin wall has made its mark in world history, the bombing, and hence the opening, of the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt should be remembered for years to come.

But it seemed like Palestine had already started about 2 km before the actual border, since the Egyptians were a minority at that point. The Egyptian authority had set a deadline for Gazans to evacuate El Arish in Northern Sinai and retreat to the border area - an order that seems to have been carried out peacefully and according to plan. A 5,000-pound fine to any store open during the last 48 hours might have helped somewhat.

In Egyptian Rafah, trucks and cars from both countries were attempting to survive the harsh weather that has turned the entire region into a mud-fight ring. Yet men and heads of families were right in the battlefield to stock-up on as much necessities as possible and take them back home. There were several "entrances" in the border, the shortest and most direct of which required stepping over and crossing by foot.

Looking back to the Egyptian side was an incredible sight - Is that the place that has acted as a haven for the Palestinians during the blockade? Is granting constant access somewhat of a dream for the 1.5 million Gazans who have taken the fight for survival as a daily routine? Is that the same place over 70 million habitants criticize, trash, and jump at the opportunity to abandon it? It's funny how a hole in the wall can change the view of things.

Ironically enough, it was much more of a hassle to reach Egyptian Rafah than it was to illegally cross the border, which provided no obstacles whatsoever.

The Place

I had envisioned the Gaza Strip to be somewhat similar to lower-income neighborhoods in the City Victorious, and for the most part, that was not far from reality. The buildings are as random as the lottery, with no identity group the blocks together. The streets are wide, well-structured, and surprisingly clean. It seems like the civilization that Egyptians view as behind the rest of us, have a thing or two they can teach.

Many of the residents spend time in the streets, although there were hardly any options when it came to eating out, which inevitably results in families always meeting at the table. And in the main street coming into town from the Egyptian side, there were many basic shops for services such as cell phones (Al Jawal is the only telecommunications provider in the region) and groceries. The business that stole the spotlight were the driving centers - four in less than a kilometer. Although it remains somewhat of a mystery that there is such a high demand for learning to drive vehicles (where very few actually own automobiles), that might be a result of the lack of public transportation and the constant need of importation and shipment.

On a slightly less shiny note, many of the resident's buildings had bullet holes and some were completely destroyed. Indeed it occurred to me how susceptible this region is to attacks without warning. And the people of Gaza are very aware of that, but instead of hiding in, it appears to be more of a motive to come out and openly project their beliefs.

The Politics

Green, Yellow and Black flags covered the windows and balconies of every house as no one is ashamed to openly support or oppose the government run by Hamas. No one keeps their stance to themselves, and everyone is entitled to support whichever group he or she believes will bring an end to their miseries. In fact, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, the majority of the flags are yellow in support of Fatah who have lost control to Hamas in the last elections a couple of years back. Even a third party like the Islamic Jihad has its share of supporters.

Indeed, the Palestinians have a lot to teach us poor Egyptians who are decades behind the political awareness and democratic mentality of the families (men, women and even children included) of the occupied territories.

And while the Egyptians proudly display graffiti from Phoaronic temples thousands of years ago, but wouldn't dare to scribble a thought that does not support the Mubarak dictatorship, our Palestinian counterparts have developed a modern art of political messages sprayed on walls. Some messages much more intellectual that one would expect, and none were erased or painted over as you would see in the handful of attempts carried out in Cairo over the last decade.

During the remembrance of George Habash, a well-organized event took place at the city of Gaza in a conference hall. Thousands flooded the room to watch a video presentation summarizing his life, and listened as a friend took the podium and read a speech about the local hero. As an Egyptian, it was a bit of a shock to see thousands predominantly Muslims appear to celebrate a Christian figure. Occupations can work miracles sometimes.

Coming out of the event, fellow supporters gathered to take turns firing gun shots in the air, apparently to demonstrate their love to George Habash and their determination to go on. I fail to catch the relationship between the action and the cause, and if it's a tradition, then I think it's a custom that should be sacrificed for more meaningful and less violent ones.

Still, the Palestinians boast a democratic society that the people of the entire Arab world wouldn't dare dream of.

The People

Bite the hand that feeds you? What hand? And unless "bite" means constantly invite them over for lunch and offer every single aspect of your humble belongings as a gift, then the origin of this expression is as unknown as the date president Mubarak decides he's had enough and steps down.

Not a single beggar or hassler. Nothing but people asking where we were from, and twinkle their wide-open eyes at the answer - their love towards Egyptians is inexplainable. More than one person would invite us over for tea, lunch or anything available at the time. People would voluntarily give directions and even share their cell phone numbers to assure no Egyptian would face any obstacles during the stay. Surprisingly enough, and even though traveling to Gaza can be less of a hassle than hiking at Mt. Sinai, very few Egyptians have actually stepped foot in Palestine (yet are quick to agree with all of the negative stereotypes).



I had the luck of meeting men and women from different age groups, and I can confidently say that the Palestinians are intellectual peoples, who form their own opinion and laugh at indoctrination attempts. In one small reunion, members of the same extended family (most Palestinian homes have extended families) were of complete opposite sides of the political spectrum, yet carry on with their everyday lives together.

The Arabic

Every Arabic nation claims to speak the best Arabic, the closest to the original, classic version. But at the end of the day, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria know their dialect is a melting pot of Berber, French and Arabic, Gulf Arabs speak a dialect that has evolved quite a bit from the nomadic days in the desert, and the Sham region throw in a bit of English and French here and there. Needless to say, Egypt has pulled out of the race long ago, but can proudly announce that the Egyptian dialect is the most understood and most commonly used. Not to mention that Egyptian is the language of all songs, movies, TV series and programs - almost a standard version.

Until recently, the Jordanians were at pole position with an Arabic that would be very understandable to someone who only knew classical Arabic. Although common words like "chaud" and a tone of voice that's much more attractive on women than it is on men, may be their weak point.

The Palestinians, on the other hand, have very minimal outside influence, and it is very rare to hear words like "jok", "jest" and "orredi" like you do in the gift of the Nile. Their pronunciations of consonants such as "th" and "j" are phonetic. As a first impression, the Palestinians seem to manage pretty well with classical Arabic.

The Future

It's hard to tell where we'll go from here. The average Palestinian family has, or at least starts of with, six children. Soon enough, the population density will reach a plateau, and then the Israelis will be dangerously outnumbered. Some have never tasted independence, and look at death as fair game when it comes to the future. Many feel they don't have much to lose, and maybe even see it as a duty to act when called upon.

Their love towards the Egyptians, and their insistence to live in such tough and brutal conditions under the Israeli occupation, is a jewel so valuable, yet so covered by mud, that it is overlooked by the entire region.

Palestine is the heart of the Arab world, yet we forget about it - until it stops beating, then it's too late.

january 27, 2008 12:35am
Egypt 3-0 Sudan: Sympathize With Gaza

The Pharoahs (eventually) brushed aside their Sudanese counterparts in the "Battle of the Nile" in the second round of the group stage in the ACN. Hosny Abd Rabou opened the scoring with a cool finish from the spot after being pulled down in the area. Substitute Mohamed About Treika came off the bench for the second straight game to score the double and seal the victory for title holders. Now with Sudan officially out of the race, it is up to Zambia to force the upset and beat Egypt with a margin to take its place in the last 16.

The highlight of the match was the second goal in which Abou Treika converted a tough cross by Amr Zaki to slot it home amidst the whole lot of Sudanese defenders, and then lift his shirt to reveal: Sympathize With Gaza. The emotional message comes at a controversial time in which 1.5 million Gazans have barely survived a harsh blockade with extreme conditions by the Israeli forces. While players like Anelka are madly after the big-money contracts, teams like Zambia disputing their bonuses, stars like Mohamed Zidane attempting to stand out and prove themselves, hard-worker Abou Treika had slightly more significant issues on his agenda.

It is a reminder that celebrities of all sorts have a hefty responsibility - their job does not consist of entertaining the public, and home-grown heros like Abou Treika acknowledge so.

So to celebrate the victory, smile at the piece of class and discipline shown by the Egyptian magician, and remember Gaza.

january 26, 2008 03:00pm
Heena Maysara Trailer

A glimpse of the movie that set new standards in Egyptian cinema.

january 26, 2008 02:27pm
Heena Maysara: When Things Get Better

The truth never meant to be easy to comprehend. The "real" situation of the people you barely ever think about (and when you do it's a short moment of superficial sympathy), was never a pleasing sight. It's the sort of life that wouldn't even appear in nightmares. And while the majority of the middle class and upwards are too busy concerned with insignificant daily issues, there lies a huge percentage, and even bigger number, of Egyptians living in ghettos, slums, refugee camps and "arbitrary neighborhoods".

Heena Maysara is a masterpiece brought forward by director Khaled Youssef, who has spent the better half of the last decades in the shadow of internationally recognized Youssef Shahin. Many had optimistic expectations for the rookie, but few, if any, would've ever guessed the real debut would be of that caliber.

A movie that is guaranteed to have you at the edge of your seat for the full 90 minutes - crying, laughing, looking away and glued to the screen. So sad, yet so true, it seems more like a documentary. Although when the truth is not so comforting for the senses, the average viewer would refer to the most effective sleeping pill available: brush the events aside and label them as an exaggeration and an extreme view.

Unfortunately, that is not the case.

Khaled Youssef pulled together a team lead by Sumayya Khashab, Wafae Amer, Ghada abdul Razek and Amr Saad to bring the harsh reality to the pop-corn-munching and soda-drinking crowd.

Heena Maysara is a must-see and an essential eye-opener. It's a true representative of the suffering and the extreme poverty that is inevitably around us. It is a result of years of hard-work, decades of unheard screams, and centuries of power against the people.

january 24, 2008 12:44am
Apple's Prices in the "Air"

It was this time last year that Apple's charismatic CEO Steve Jobs introduced a revolution in the mobile telephone industry. Even after six months of its release, the iPhone remains one of the most talked-about gadgets in the technological globe. What the guys at the labs in San Francisco didn't realize, however, is that introducing such a product with over-whelming hype will always come back to hunt you, and the reason: expectations.

Surely after the dazzling touch of the 3.5-inch screen, Apple were going to introduce a machine of equal "innovation", if not more. Unfortunately for the Apple-enthusiasts, the Microsoft competitors simply ran out of thoughts. After a lot of effort finding that "thing" that would encourage more innocent consumers to pledge allegiance to the brand, Steve Jobs and Co. came up with the not-so-brilliant idea of marketing and selling an extremely thin 13" laptop, known as MacBook Air.

The new generation laptop barely weighs 1.5 kg and is less than 2 cm high - small enough to fit in a yellow office envelope. It comes with built-in wifi and bluetooth connections, as well as one USB port. All variations and models are packed with 2 GB memory.

So where's the catch? Well, this time it's not too difficult to spot it: No CD/DVD drive, a processor of 1.6 GHz and a maximum storage of 80 GB hard disk.

That's not all, the starting price, or the cheapest MacBook Air that can be purchased is on pre-order for $1,800. As if that is not considered as crossing the line, Apple openly and shamelessly display the price for the higher-up model. This one comes with a processor of 1.8 GHz, only 64 GB of hard disk space and is being sold at $3,100 - double the price of other laptops with far more advanced features and capabilities.

It seems like Apple have too much confidence for their benefit, and it is up to the free-thinking consumers to teach them the lesson they need in order to survive in the fast-growing IT industry.

Innovation and creativity were never a piece of cake to produce, and there's a very thin line between pure genius and miserable failure. So thin, it could fit the new MacBook Air.

january 23, 2008 07:59pm
Egypt 4-2 Cameroon: Egyptian Zizou

The defending champions put forward an internationally impressive display as they humiliated the West African Lions in the opening match of group C in the African Cup of Nations, Ghana 2008. Mohamed Zidan and Hosny Abd Rabu bagged a couple each in a historical encounter that put the Pharaohs back on the football map. While all eyes were on the Barca startlet Eto'o who finally joined his team after the Catalan giants were reluctant to let go of him, it was the Hamburg forward Zidan that took the spotlight with a cool and accurate finish and then a left-footed screamer from the edge of the area, putting the game beyond Cameroon's reach.

Coach Hassan Shehata was somewhat lucky as some of his erroneous decisions went unnoticed. His insistence to play the 5-3-2 formation would normally result in an inspiring combination of a toothless attack and a defensive line with more holes than Swiss cheese. While the entire football world is two generations ahead, Shehata's tactics uses a sweeper (if you can recall what that is) and "defensive" wingers to make up for the lack of overall pace. In Cameroon's case, there was very little threat to any of the three core defenders in the first place, and three attempts brought two goals - you do the math.

Given that the game was already won with half an hour to go, introducing Abu Treka was the spot on, but pulling out Amr Zaki was mysterious. As if the forward line wasn't diminished enough, the Egyptian coach opts to hang on to Emad Meteib and pulls out the only one of the initial three attackers that was, and for that matter ever will be, working on his hat-trick. No too costly, Egypt still scored four.

Nonetheless, the pharaohs from the Nile won convincingly and it is one heck of a reason to celebrate. Between Mohamed Zidane and Hosny Abd Rabu, there's quiet a bit to be optimistic about.

january 23, 2008 05:02pm
Gaza Break Out

The appalling situation with fuel-cut Gaza has worsened. The Egyptian authorities are now left with perhaps more complication than the blockade itself; should the Egyptian allow the fellow Arabs to enter for supplies in order to overcome the current crisis, or should they be cautious on behalf of the 23% of the population that are below the poverty line, and watch out for illegal immigration?

Although the Israeli-Palestinian crisis has been somewhat redundant over the years, this particular incident is surprisingly unique as it places Egypt in an awkward situation. What's next for Gaza?

january 21, 2008 12:10pm
Lights Out in Gaza

Five images taken by REUTERS reveal a tiny portion of what life would be like without fuel as 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza suffer the outcome of the Israeli authority's border blockade. Not only households, but also hospitals, schools and all public services are without electricity. Even humanitarian supplies are seen as a threat to the Israeli homeland security.

While we all disagree, the only real action we take is to view images, and then pretend like all is well.

january 17, 2008 08:47pm
Tomorrow Must Be Better Than Today

A comical approach to serious issues concerning the Egyptian society today. This young Egyptian rap group put together simple lyrics that might just get listeners thinking about what they want to do with their lives.

january 07, 2008 10:32pm
Wikia Search: Finally Here

We knew it was going to happen. From the moment the it-watching world witnessed Google take the stage and steal the spotlight, and the faithful believed that it could only be a product of open-source that would dare stand against them. It was perhaps a dream shared by everyone involved, from a Sunday blogger to a hardcore programmer.

Today, the dream came true.

Wikipedia has opened its door to the open-source and open-knowledge world by inaugurating the first, and for that matter the only, open-source search engine giving complete power to the people. Not only is the development up for grabs, but also the design and more importantly, the information. The users will participate in sharing information just as much as in acquiring it.

The new system has been dubbed "hybrid" for combining technologies and techniques. On the one hand, Wikia Search relies on a Web-crawling software called Grub, as well as an open-source search engine Lucene. While to give it a unique edge, it will also rely on human input and products of social networking such as Facebook. It promises to offer the best of Google and Yahoo! Answers in a Wikipedia sort of fashion.

Wikia Search will inevitably require some time to accommodate, (and perhaps assimilate), to the demanding search engine industry, but at the moment it looks very promising.

january 07, 2008 08:16pm
The Machine is Us/ing Us

This brilliant video demonstrates how times have changed in the world of technology, and how the internet has become powerful enough to connect everyone, everywhere. And the only reason why an infrastructure based on telephone lines has so rapidly developed into a world wide web, is because of us, the users. We are inevitably members of the open-source and information-sharing community.

We create the machine, we control it, and we are the ones using it.

january 05, 2008 02:32pm
Maglev into the future

Central Japan Railway Co. has announced it will build the world's fastest maglev system, with 500km/h vehicles running along a 290km route between Tokyo and central Japan. Even though the project will not be complete until 2025, the first phase connecting the capital with the central industrial city of Nagoya could be ready much sooner.

China, on the other hand, is in the process of extending its current line running between Shanghai and the main airport. Germany will follow with the super high-speed train facilitating airport access for the Bavarians in Munich.

The Maglev first appeared in 1984 at the Birmingham International Airport, UK and carried passengers to a nearby railroad station. The service, however, came to stop in 1995 following reliability and consistency issues.

Now the technology is revised and looks to be the public transportation method of the future.

january 05, 2008 12:06pm
Head Tracking with WiiRemote

Johnny Lee reveals experimentation with the WiiRemote and sensor bar to create what is known as head tracking. This could very much be the start of virtual reality gaming, and it's up to the open-source community to flourish with options.

january 05, 2008 11:35am
Intel pull out of OLPC

The One Laptop Per Child Foundation has hit another bump on the road as partners and chip makers Intel pulled out. The news comes as a huge blow to the optimistic project aiming to make this world a better place through providing low-cost laptops for children across the developing world. Now founder and chairman Nicholas Negroponte will have to make a change or two in the road map ahead, as more and more "partners" prove to have their eyes on the business aspects of a project that would be doomed to failure if seen as anything but volunteering to better lives.

Although Intel have yet to publicly explain the motives behind their decision, it is obvious that there are two main parts to it. Firstly, the initial generation of the XO laptops were made running chips from competitors AMD, and therefore Intel's contribution has gone unnoticed, and even worse, their fierce rivals get the credit. On the other hand, Intel themselves have been working on a low-cost laptop, called Classmate, and marketing it in the same regions targeted by OLPC. It seems like Intel are much more interested in making money then in contributing to improving the lives of the upcoming generations. In which case, perhaps the world would be a better place without any of the Intel products altogether.

december 10, 2007 12:18pm
Middlesbrough 2-1 Arsenal: Meant To Be

We all knew it was going to happen. The repeat of the historical unbeaten season of 2003/2004 was not going to be this time around. The season in which the youngsters prove their worth and display an exciting combination of youth, talent and experience has not arrived just yet. Or maybe it did, but it definitely lacks a little factor called squad depth, and it doesn't take a fanatic from the north-east to notice it.

Following the miserable defeat to Sevilla in the Champions League in midweek, any of the North London fans who claimed that it was just a minor dip in the big boom, and used the victory at Villa Park to back it, were brought back to reality when Arsenal only managed a single point from a possible six. Everyone knew that Arsenal were going to suffer some major defeats this season, but few, if any, thought it would be relegation-threatened Middlesbrough who would do the favor for Man utd. Throughout the season, the Gunners proved to perfect the passing game, invent a new tempo, and bring a fighting spirit from the Spartan days. But they always lacked the physical strength, and it's times like these when the three-game a week schedule reveals the cracks in the solid team. With major injuries to playmaker Fabregas, defensive rock Flamini, fast forward Hleb, and all-round magician Van Persie, Arsenal demonstrated the desperate plea for squad depth.

Sure Lassana Diarra is a jewel in midfield, but his lack of experience has opened up the midfield for exploit, especially since out-of-favor Gilberto Silva has been rusty of late. Neither boast enough steam to run the full 90 minutes. Ivoirian right-back Eboue doesn't run out of steam, and is a wise man with his defensive duties, but is toothless in attack. Former Dortmund winger Rosicky entertains with an occasional flair, but requires the room to do so, and with the absence of the midfield backbone, he has failed to step up.

Arsenal's major concern, however, is the Brazilian adaption syndrome that has yet to allow Henry-replacment Eduardo to score his first premier league goal. The 25 year-old has failed to impress and desperately needs to speed up his settlement period or else he'll be warming the bench and looking forward to Carling Cup encounters. And then came Bendtner, the young Dane has mesmerized the North London fans but will still require time to deliver actual substance. It's only fair to give him and fellow youngster Theo Walcott a season or two before demanding returns.

Besides the fact that Wenger has spent peanuts on a team worth quiet a few millions, combined with the stats that reveal that the North London club is the most profitable in the world, Gunners worldwide can relax and enjoy the end of what has been a troublesome era of moving to the new stadium, and look forward to a summer where the French genius will splash a pound or two on the right recruits.

People forget that this moment was meant to happen, they also forget that Arsene Wenger's men are still in the transitional period that ends this summer. If Arsenal weren't meant to shine this season and they're sitting on the top of the table, we can only imagine what's in stake for next season.

december 08, 2007 04:59pm
Cairo Film Fest: Complete Failure

The Cairo International Film Festival has come to an end and has taken its chaotic disorganization with it. The festival, initially aimed at screening independent digital and feature films from around the globe, proved to be no more than an urgent call for a revolution in the Egyptian system. If there is one thing the organization responsible has been able to achieve, it's that they have impressively failed in every single aspect of the festival. It's the kind of horrifying failure that proves itself on and on again, leaving the crowd astonished and thinking: How on Earth did they manage to do so poorly?

During the ten-day intellectual gathering that witnessed journalists, actors, directors and film artists from every corner of the map, sudden changes in schedules were so normal that the guests were too shy to complain. Don Quijote fans, for instance, were out of luck if they had planned to watch the Italian film covering the character from a different perspective - the movie was substituted with a Japanese production about a local brothel. And since the organization felt it was practically the same topic, they decided not to notify anyone about the sudden switch. That was not the only case, they managed to confuse people on a daily basis.

If that wasn't enough, the official website had no useful information whatsoever when it came to changes. It seems like the world wide web has a long way to go before it can prove that it is a useful tool for the organization to use. In fact, the website was not even functional until the day of the opening. And even then, it had more broken links than useful words.

At least there were a handful of theaters taking part in this grand event. Sadly, however, the only digital theater boasted quality that would barely compete with grandma's 11" TV. The colors and the lighting made movies seem like they were shot at least 50 years before their actual time. Not to mention the broken seats and the non-existence of punctuality.

Of the batch of movies selected for screening, very few were of actual quality. The organizers fail to see the clear-cut division between "independent" and "unprofessional". A movie like "Ararat: 14 views", for instance, was shot with a hand-held camera, no lighting, no mics, and practically no story. It was the kind of project that would've easily received a "Fail" in the first course of film school, yet has managed to make it to the international stage, thanks to the Cairo Film Festival.

To top it all off, at the closing ceremony and with the attendance of big-name Harvey Keitel, the "CD" showing the actor's masterpiece "Reservoir Dogs" went missing. After a miserable attempt to locate the CD, the organizers opted to show a different movie altogether.

How likely is it for any of the participants or even viewers to take part in the following editions? Frankly, Egypt can consider itself lucky if they were allowed to even host it in future occasions.

december 05, 2007 02:08pm
Michou d'Auber

Amidst the chaotic disorganization and the continued mistakes of the amateurs running the International Cairo Film Festival comes a movie that has made its mark in the world of independent cinema. While the Armenians were making a movie taking place at the mountain of Ararat that proved to be by far the worst and most pathetic motion picture ever, French director Thomas Gilou was busy working on an absolute masterpiece that was almost too good to be true.

Michou d'Auber takes place in a suburb of Paris during the early 60s, just when the Algerians were about the gain their independence from the brutal colonization of the French. It was a period so forgotten, yet so crucial for today's understanding, and the simplest of references could get you surprisingly emotional. And so it proved.

At a time when the Algerians were seen as nothing but "wogs", in a town where citizens felt it was part of their duties to hunt them, comes an inspirational story about a child of Algerian roots who has had to settle in a foster home temporarily until he and his brother can move back to Algeria with their hard-working father. Given the critical situation their north African colony, his new mother had decided to try to pull him off as a local in an attempt to avoid racial abuse. Little Masoud, or "Michou" as he is to be called, enters an identity crises that leaves the audience more confused than he is.

It's a tale that will make you laugh out loud, like it's okay to be obnoxious, and then cry like there's not tomorrow. A story of courage, love and revolutionary thoughts that guide us until this day.

november 26, 2007 09:37pm
How Dare You Get Raped?

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: home of oil, land of the not-so-free, especially if you happen to be a woman. Just recently the Saudi authorities insisted on proving to the entire world that, not only are they applying Islamic law in a fundamental manner, but also deliberately degrading women.

After an incident in which a 19 year-old women and her secret lover were gang-raped, the Saudi court of justice proved to have mis-read the report mistaking the victims with the criminals. The unknown teenager was on a date with her lover when suddenly two men jumped into the car and drove them off at a site where fellow men were waiting and they took turns raping them both. It's the type of incident that would get a lot of media attention as an example of barbarity and brutal violence, but in this case, it's the punishment that grabbed the spotlights: 200 lashes and up to six months in prison - for the raped woman, that is. Although in all fairness, the court was not as harsh initially (assigning her to 90 lashes), it only jumped to 200 because the defendant dared to plea for media attention in a desperate attempt to make the Saudis realize that what they were doing is slightly on the "extreme" side.

Human rights activists worldwide are left pondering what could possibly trigger a women-rights movement in a society that goes as far as prohibiting women from driving. If such an astonishing incident is left with no particular reaction, there is no reason why the male-dominated kingdom will ever consider becoming more civilized.

Even though the United States has always pushed for democracy in the region, a certain liquid fuel they purchase from the Saudis has let them overlook this incident, and pretend like all is well at the Arab Gulf.