Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Our own NSA scandal

 Instead of speaking about the global NSA scandal and how the United States spied on our communications in Egypt hoping that our current government would do something like other governments when it claims independence and bravery against the U.S , we find out that our phone calls leaked and aired on air on TV.

In the past three weeks , Self claimed TV host, Islamist movements specialist and well known State security writer Dr.Abdel Rahim Ali has been airing phone calls recorded in 2011 for prominent activists that played a role  in the 25 January 2011 revolution on Al Kahera Wal Nas TV channel in order to expose them as fraud and prove that the January 25 revolution was a Muslim Brotherhood Global Conspiracy. It is not a big secret that the TV channel of Advertising tycoon Tarek Nour is a Pro-Mubarak police channel and  it is not a big secret either that Abdel Rahim is connected to state security.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

#EgyGraffiti : The City lady

And here is one of Egyptian graffiti artist Keizer’s latest graffiti painting : The city lady. I call her the city lady but Keizer called her “Set El Settet” which means in English “The lady of ladies”
By Keizer
It is so beautiful and true. Here is what Keizer said about on his official Facebook page.
This piece is dedicated to our working class women that make our daily lives in Egypt possible.
To the beautiful hardworking mothers, bawabas , cleaning ladies ,cooks, farmers, nurses, maids, vegetable vendors and the like.
This one is for you. Thank you .

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Ansar Beit Al Maqids : The real Terrorist Group stands up

Some tweep said that militant Jihadist Ansar Beit Al Maqids group was jealous from the Muslim Brotherhood as the later was designated officially as terrorist organization by the Egyptian government on Wednesday despite the Sinai militant group claimed responsibility for the bombing of Mansoura security directorate and so we had Thursday’s Nasr city homemade bombs.
Of course no one has claimed responsibility for the bombs of Nasr city which injured 5 citizens badly yet.
Well the Sinai based militant group whose operations shocked the Egyptians whether in Sinai or Cairo or Ismailia or Mansoura  released a new video representing themselves to the public again as if it feels offended on how it was ignored by the government.
It is typical Jihadist video , the narrator speaks in Non Egyptian accent Classical Arabic and if I am not mistaken he is not an Egyptian. You got the same rhetoric of Jihadists that considers the army as infidel and agent.
Ansar Beit Al Maqdis’ message to the Egyptian people
Interestingly there is a historical mistake in this video that the army used to launch campaigns against Jihadists during the time of Mubarak , well according to my knowledge it was the police as the army was not allowed to go that deep in Sinai in this way. The video claimed that Beit Al Maqids used to blow the gas pipeline in Sinai during the time of Mubarak , again as far as I know it started to blow up on a regular basis in 2011 after the revolution. 
A friend of mine also noticed that the verses of the Quran read in the introduction of the video was actually related to praying teachings in war time not actually Jihad related verses.
Some experts in Islamist and Jihadist groups say that this was one of the weakest videos ever produced by the notorious group.

Friday, December 27, 2013

The Last Tweet of #Chatah

This is the last tweet by former Lebanese minister Mohamed Chatah on twitter , just one hour before his assassination in Beirut in another huge explosion that rocked the city earlier this morning.
The last tweet just one hour before his assassination.
The more moderate people are killed and forced to shut up , the more  radicals flourish. A fact we know in the hard way in the Middle East !! 

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

#1954Redux : Muslim Brotherhood is officially a terrorist organization

And so the Egyptian government today has designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization officially. It is an official administrative decision based on article No.86 from the Criminal law about terrorism.

The government says that it took this decision after knowing that the MB stood behind the bombing of Mansoura directorate , the bombing which Ansar Beit Al Maqids claimed responsibility today !!! There has been no official direct connection proven so far between the MB and the Sinai based Salafist Jihadist to convict the MB for real in front of law.

It is worth to mention also that on the night of the bombing almost all TV shows and figures urged the government to declare the MB as a terrorist organization , in fact on the same time it was claimed that PM declared as a terrorist organization. There was a huge pressure on the government for real to declare the MB as a terrorist organization but I am afraid that the government shot itself in the foot.

Terrorism won’t stop by this decision.

How are they going to apply it with millions of supporters or hundreds of thousands of supporters in Egypt !? There are no real lists for the MB members so yes it will be fun days of arrests for anybody with no rights at all without the permission. Those are arrested can stand military trials. If any officer opens his fire on alleged terrorist , he won’t be punished because he is fighting terrorism.  The law does not stop here it extended to arresting those who promote the organization through writing , oh yes a witch hunt against writers and journalists !!

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas for everybody celebrating it in Egypt and outside Egypt. There is nothing better than Banksy’s Christmas card this year. It says a lot. It says all.

Well we are having one of those sad Charlie Brown Christmases if you know what I mean in Egypt.Somehow I feel this painting represents the revolution that is barred from freedom , democracy and above all life

#EgyConstitution : “No”as an answer is not an option for real in the Constitution referendum

You vote won't make a difference in the Constitution "Keizer"
From three days ago in the news : The arrest of a leading MB member for printing a “NO for the Constitution” flyers in Damietta.
From two days ago in the news : The governor of New Valley Governorate “A former army major general” says that anyone who dares to spread the “No for Constitution” posters in the governorate will be arrested in accordance with the law !!!!! Man I wonder if a governor in time of Morsi dared to say this , how the media reaction would be and I find myself saying that we are living in a world full of hypocrites.
Moatez Abdel Fatah, the famous political sciences professor turned in to a media celebrity says that even if the people vote “No” in the constitution , the state will make it “Yes” in some public lecture !! He added that some people may accept what used to happen in time of Mubarak just to make sure that the Muslim Brotherhood won’t return back.
Moatez Abdel Fatah : Even if people vote “No” , the state will make it “Yes”
Banners on October Bridge : Say yes to the Constitution. This is is besides it is signed “People who love their country” so the indirect message sent here is that those who will say No to the Constitution do not love their country. TV ads say that we should vote yes to the new constitution to defeat Muslim brotherhood , terrorists, Turkey and the Universe.

Huge explosion hits Mansoura security directorate

Huge explosion has hit Mansour late night from a short time ago. The explosion was heard all over the city and even rocked the houses.
The explosion was too strong that it affected all the buildings in the area for radius of 200 meters according to the eye witnesses. At least 3 are reportedly killed and 50 have been injured. The numbers can increase. I am praying that it would remain like that. Updated at 1:38 PM:  The MOH stated the death total increased to 13 and the injured increased to over 100. It is like a war scene now in Mansoura.
The right part of the security directorate was collapsed. In fact from the photos tweep Ahmed El Shabrawy there is huge destruction as it turned out that this area got lots of old buildings there.
This is the second time a bomb attack would target the security directorate there. It is the largest so far in Egypt.
No one has claimed responsibility so far.
Of course people on twitter sitting on their asses from their homes and even from outside Mansoura as well Egypt are spreading their own analysis who stood behind the attack ad why just one hour after it takes place.
Needless to say, the Muslim Brotherhood is the primary suspect especially some claim that the decision to freeze the assets of more than 100 NGOs in Egypt on Monday most Islamist NGOs is the reason why.
Some claim that the revolutionaries are behind this because they were exposed of receiving foreign money .. etc.
The Muslim Brotherhood supporters are claiming that businessman Naguib Sawiris is behind the blast with his so-called “Christian Militia”
Some say that it is a bombed car while other sitting on their asses copying pasting from each other claim that there were three bombs !!
Yes all this has been said on the Egyptian social media in less than two hours after the blast.
Of course seeing the amount of damage in Mansoura , I would say that this had been planned for in advance from more than a week for instance. It is not something you decide on the same day.
The Muslim Brotherhood is denouncing the attack and so on but no one is buying it. Now TV channels are calling for the complete execution of the MB. 
To be honest I am thinking of Ansar Beit El Maqdus , the militant Salafist Jihadist group in Sinai. Already their operations reached to Cairo so I won’t be surprised that they are standing behind this attack.
May Allah bless the souls of those who were killed tonight and bring peace to the land of Egypt.
Another sad night , they are too many in the past months.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Links and Notes 12/23/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

The #Jan25 now in Nutshell : Sunday The 22nd

Early Sunday  : Cairo misdemeanor court sentences April 6 leading figures Ahmed Maher, Mohamed Adel and revolutionary activist Ahmed Douma to three years in jail and a LE50,000 fine each on charges including organizing illegal protests and attacking security forces at Abdeen Court.
Veto Gate : Douma , Maher and Adel chant down with the military rule after the verdict.
As a reaction the April 6 Youth movement announced that it withdrew from the roadmap. The revolution way Front announced that it would organize a stand tomorrow in solidarity with the revolutionary activists standing trials including those three.
Of course April 6 Youth is now in a very critical position considering the fact that it is being defamed 24/7 in the media as the MB’s civilian secular undercover movement and how it is a foreign funded movement…etc. No much sympathy when you are defamed 24/7 in the media and all people are attacking you.
Felol and Pro-military tweeps and Facebookers are extremely happy for this verdict as they see it the start to the end of those “25 January dogs” who are trying to bring down the state. 

Links and Notes 12/22/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Links and Notes 12/21/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

The Time for Kolena Khaled Said Facebook to be active

Since last 3 July 2013 and the famous Kolena Khaled Said Facebook page has not been active. Since then its admins have not posted a single post.
The last post in the page was the statement of General Abdel Fatah El Sisi on that day

Throughout the page you will know that it was supporting the protests on 3 July 2013. Till this day nothing has been published including some clarification from the admins of the page , at least the main admins “ Wael Ghonim and Abdel Rahman Mansour” to explain the situation for the 3.6 million subscribers of the page.
The page actually still attracts subscribers up till now.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Links and Notes 12/20/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

These Days we are living in #Egypt

For Egyptians and those who understand Arabic this video because it is the best description for these days we are living .. for months now.

These days wer are living

This is from October and it is made by Mohamed Shawky. I am big admirer for his work on his channel El Balacano

And honestly I miss Bassem Youssef

The Completely Forgotten #Rohingya Suffering

Dear friend Jenan Moussa , the amazing Al Aan TV channel has traveled to Burma and filmed there the suffering of the Rohingya Muslim minority after it was almost forgotten in our Arabic media.
Jenan went there to the city of Sittwe to find out that there are 5000 Muslim Rohingya living in a ghetto not allowed to leave it surrounded by radical nationalists Burmese Buddhists. They do not work anymore living in one kilometer ghetto in fear. The people there demand the UN to help them.
5000 Muslim Rohingya stuck in one kilometer “Arabic”
She found out that  Rohinigya people are also banned from receiving any proper health care from any kind. They are not allowed to use the hospitals or clinics in Sittwe.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Links and Notes 12/19/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Links and Notes 12/18/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Constitution 2013 Edition : Let’s get over this shit quickly ya People !!

The controversies of the draft constitution do not want to end. The latest controversy is what Dr. Mohamed Abu El Ghar , the member of the Constitution committee and leader of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party said on TV last Monday about the last minute change in the constitution preamble without the approval of the committee.
Here is the video in Arabic .
In that interview with Rania Badawy on Al Tahrir TV channel , Abu El Ghar says that the text regarding the civility of the state was changed in the preamble with informing the committee after it finalized its work.
The committee voted on a final draft containing the word "civilian rule" in the preamble, while the version submitted by the committee to the interim president on 3 December replaced the phrase with "civilian government." Yes the original text till last minute was “Egypt’s civilian rule ” but it changed suddenly in the final session to “Egypt’s civilian government”.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Links and Notes 12/17/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

And this is how You mix religion with politics my dear

It was a fact that Constitution 2012 edition was enforcing the engagement of Religion in the state.Another fact the Muslim Brotherhood and their allies from Islamists including Nour party then used religion to promote for that constitution just
Myth says that 30 June uprising/revolution/wave/protests was/were against the Muslim Brotherhood and against the use of religion in politics and here I say it is a myth because I see the current ruling regime and its supporters shamelessly use religion in promoting for the Constitution 2013 edition.
Just yesterday Sheikh Ali Goma’a , our former Mufti said that those who would go to vote in the constitution referendum were supported by God !! He also added that we should all mobilize and say yes in order to astonish the world !!
New Old Nour Party's Constitution ad !!
He also added that the Constitution 2013 edition was against corruption and was against atheism !!!!!!! Yes against atheism so believers who want to fight that wave of atheism should vote for the constitution !!
Tell me what is the difference between Ali Goma’a and all the other MB sheikhs that said similar stuff about Constitution 2012 edition and the Constitution 1971 edition amendments referendum !? Of course this is not the first time Goma’a mix religion with politics , he has not stopped since July 26.
Even Nour Party is repeating the same old ads it used in 2012 claiming that Constitution 2013 in order to keep the Islamic identity and reference of the State. Its founder and famous Salafist preacher Yasser El Borhamy says that Constitution 2013 edition is better than Constitution 2012 edition !! 
Anyhow I hate to break the news to all of you , nobody for real knows what God thinks of this constitution or whether the Almighty is standing with this group or that group. Do not use the Lord in your useless endless disgusting earthly power fights.
And I remember Sheikh Emad Effet May Allah bless his soul and wonder why we are stuck in this world with sheikhs like El Borhmay , Goma’a and of course the MB’s religious band of Sheikhs !! The Lord only knows !! 
We hoped that after June 30 that mix of religion with politics to be stopped but we were naive as it seems. 

Monday, December 16, 2013

Links and Notes 12/16/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Remembering #OccupyCabinet Clashes

And it is the second anniversary of the Occupy Cabinet clashes aka the Cabinet HQ clashes in 2011 and as usual there is no justice served at all when it comes to the victims. I do not know what to say except that this is one the milestones that exposed many people in Egypt.
Anyhow for the time being here is a storify report for the rally organized by revolutionary political powers in Egypt to commemorate the clashes and its victims.
The activists in the rally say that they did not take an authorization for the rally and so it can end badly.

#Hala’ib triangle in Photos : The City of Hala’ib

Ok in this cold weather accompanied with a wave of depressing news from Egypt , one can find an escape as well in solace in photos from around the globe and from Egypt itself.
We are back to the Hala’ib triangle photo series. If you remember last month we stopped at the Camel market in Shalateen , well today we will head to the city of Hala’ib itself.
Here is a photo gallery showing the city of Hala’ib itself by Yasser El Rasoul

The city of Hala’ib is not as open as Shalateen , you have to get the permission of military intelligence to film and to photograph in the border disputed city. The city itself is extremely poor as you can see from the photos but the people do not complain from the lack of modernity or lack of infrastructure. When Resala sent a relief expedition there , they thought that they would hear tons of demands but what they heard actually was a simple demand to have a mosque !!
Only today I read the ministry of religious endowment will build new 4 mosques in the city. Of course I believe hospitals and schools as well other infrastructure. I think the government with simple few houses operated with solar energy in this environment won’t cost it huge sum considering the billions spent every year. We are speaking very small population that need true help to feel that they are truly recognized by the state.
From couple of weeks ago , I read a news that the government will start huge development and mining projects in the area. I hope that they are true and not just fake news to cheer up the public in Cairo

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Links and Notes 12/15/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Open The Mosques and Churches ASAP

Egypt is facing one hell of a winter indeed , the coldest since decades thanks to Alexa storm and as a nation with no rain drainages anymore and no real social services to look after the people in these extreme weather circumstances.

News circulating that at least two homeless people were killed in the past 48 hours in Cairo and no one can stop thinking about the homeless in these times or the people in shanty times.

There have been suggestions and pleas to the government online to open the mosques and churches especially mosques that are closed after Al Isha prayer to provide a warm shelter to homeless people. Same thing to the Youth centers closed with no activities now.

I really hope the government for once thinks in a human way and opens the mosques and churches as a shelter to the homeless people especially the street children.

There have been also online campaigns and suggestions to encourage people to buy blankets from downtown Cairo in order to give them away to any homeless they meet in the street. It is great idea.

I believe these online campaigns encourage TV show to launch campaigns like Warm Cairo of Amr Adeeb’s show to donate in specific bank accounts in order to buy blankets for the poor.

As you can see it is the people who are acting now the government as usual. Of course I can not ignore the fact that our streets are drowning in rain water thanks to the fact that we do have not rain drainage anymore. My grandma used to tell me that there were rain drainages systems in major cities in Egypt till early 1960s !!

I think the government should think from now to include in its plan some drainage system in the streets. Whom I am kidding !! Of course the government does not think about this trivial matter !! May be if we had had true representative elected local councils , this matter would have been solved from long time !!

You know how it is a failed stated , by judging on  how it is dealing with circumstances like this and whether it could deal with them whether in the future or even the present.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Links and Notes 12/13/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Pharaoh's Dreams and Visions

Four scenes from Ancient Egypt to 21st century Egypt

Ancient Egypt – Middle Age

Arthur Reginald's Jospeh interpeting the pharoah's dream
The Pharaoh “Whom we do not know who he was” bring prisoner Joseph from prison , he was renowned to have a special gift : To interpret dreams. The pharaoh brought him from prison to interpret two dreams : He dreamt of seven lean cows which rose out of the river and devoured seven fat cows; and, of seven withered ears of grain which devoured seven fat ears. Prophet Joseph interpreted them as foretelling that seven years of abundance would be followed by seven years of famine, and advised Pharaoh to store surplus grain during the years of abundance.
The dreams came true and the pharaoh followed Joseph’s advice saving Egypt from hunger. It paid off and Joseph was released after years in an Egyptian jail unfairly.He became the vizier of Egypt and the rest you know in Torah, Bible and Quran very well. 

Middle ages Syria

A young slave in Damascus told famous Sheikh El Ezz Ibn Abdel Salam that he saw prophet Mohamed “PBUH” himself in a vision telling him that he would head to Egypt and would rule it. The Young slave was not an ordinary Slave boy  in the Middle ages as legends and middle age historians also say that he was the unfortunate heir of Shah Muhammed II of Khwarezm captured by the Mongols and sold in Damascus.
The young slave was then sold to Prince Ezz El Din Aybak , the famous Mamluk prince where he became a Prince and his first aide in Egypt. Sooner the dream came true and the slave boy whose name was then Seif El Din Qutuz , the Mamluk Prince became the third Mamluk Sultan of  Egypt.
Qutuz did rule Egypt and conquered the Mongul armies in an epic battle that would inspire generations and generations. He only ruled Egypt for one year before he was killed by other Mamluks above them Baibars who would rule Egypt for 30 years.

And It snowed in Egypt

And it snowed in Egypt for the first time since decades and here we are not speaking about hail or snow in Sinai or Saint Catherine Mount. No we are speaking about snow in Cairo outskirts.

It is freezing right now. Almost raining from time to time. Alexa is not fooling around. It is extremely cold. The storms in Alexandria led the authorities to close the ports. It is extremely cold and one can imagine how the poor in shanty towns and street children. Sports centers and mosques as well churches should be opened for those but whom shall we address !??

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Links and Notes 12/12/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Links and Notes 12/11/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

#TimePOY ; The Battle that the General's supporters Did not understand


The fake Time Cover
And Time magazine announced its short-list for the its world famous Time's person of the year 2013 and not so surprisingly General Abdel Fatah El Sisi was not among the names in the list. Many hearts and minds in Egypt are angry and broken over the news. After all the Pro-Sisi supporters thought that our so-much popular minister of defense and commander of armed forces will land on the Time magazine's cover next December 11, 2013 after winning the battle against the Turkish Sultan Erdogan in the Face-off and the readers' poll.
Of course the Time itself had to explain how Egyptian media was lobbying for the General's win.
The Pro-Sisi supporters do not want to understand that there is a difference between the Time's person of the Year chosen by the editor of the famous Magazine and the recent Online readers' poll . The Online readers' poll is a new thing added to the Time in cooperation with Twitter.com
The Pro-Sisi supporters do not want to understand that being the Time's person of the Year does not mean you are the greatest and you are being recognized by the world as Mr. Universe. The Time's person of the year is about the Most controversial people of the year that created news and changed the world in their own way. Hitler , Mussolini and Khomini were the Time person of the Year for God's Sake.

Links and Notes 12/10/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Links and Notes 12/09/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Short Films hour : Trapped

This short film is a must see.

Starring Veteran actor Abdel Rahman Abu Zahra and directed by Hatem Tag and Omar A Rashad

Now it is being interpreted in different ways according to where you stand politically , for me the message is clear on the confusion of Egyptians during this critical time with the media incitement and that every family in Egypt is drawn to this conflict in a way or another for real.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Links and Notes 12/08/2013

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.