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Wednesday, 27 Sep 2006
Place: The American University in Cairo
Year: 2006
Setting: Mass Communication Class **
Scene One Enter: Assistant Editor of one of Egypt's leading Newspapers and prominent journalism professor at AUC (for our purposes we will call her Fifi)
* Fifi: The British then, entered Egypt after losing World War One
Class: {silent, eyes full of that horrible endlessly empty pit of nothingness}
Fifi: After losing the war, the British came to Egypt and started planning World War II.
Class: {the void in their eyes deepen}
Fifi: World War II ended in 1942.
Class: {blank agreement}
Scene Two:
Fifi: Mubarak is a good man, I have worked with him a lot, but he is not surrounded by good people.
Scene Three:
Student 1: Wait, so which Egyptian president nationalized the Suez Canal?
Student 2: Wasn't it that same one who made friendship*** with Israel?
Scene Four:
Fifi: Mohammad Ali created the first Egyptian newspaper. The Egyptian newspaper that came before his was better though.
*Events reported are as witnessed by an impartial, trusted observer. Places and times real. Fifi is an anomaly, both to AUC and the universe. She shouldn't be taken as an example. Of Anything.
**An Infamous type of class, belonging to an infamous major, not known for the academic excellence of its students.
*** Grammar usage intentional
Dandash
September 27th, 2006 at 12:25 pm
And people pay for this?
September 27th, 2006 at 12:27 pm
Dandash
Exactly the reason why I switched majors when I studied at the AUC- I spent my freshman year contemplating a degree in mass communication but couldn’t stand the mindlessness of it all- tell whoever gave you this information to switch majors immediately to English and Comparative Literature instead- much better for the thinking woman! You’ll get to read Kafka and Stein- even if you have to put up with reading Walt Whitman- aaargh!
September 27th, 2006 at 12:55 pm
Her (lack of) knowledge about the second world war disturbs me…
1942 - the germans were still winning in the Soviet Union! They only declared war against USA in december of 1941, for crying out loud!!!
The british planning WW2 in Egypt… LOL!
September 27th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
Are people living in Egypt ACTUALLY that ignorant of their own history?!?!?!?
September 27th, 2006 at 1:13 pm
And I though our educational system, which I have worked and taught in, was crap. My sympathies.
Here in the US it is getting harder to find biology teachers and schools able to distinguish between scientific theories and wishful theology attempting to masquerade as a scientific theory.
We all have our particular weighty loads to carry …
September 27th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
The British then, entered Egypt after losing World War One…After losing the war, the British came to Egypt and started planning World War II…World War II ended in 1942.
Apparently it’s what you’re supposed to believe, not what is true, that matters…
September 27th, 2006 at 3:21 pm
hey, what’s wrong with walt whitman anyway?????
September 27th, 2006 at 3:32 pm
The amount of self-restraint your source must have exercised to not raise any objections is overwhelming.
September 27th, 2006 at 4:29 pm
I am already getting bored of the Dandash posts. You know, when you try to be cute or contrive a style to stay in tune with whol vibe of the place. And quoting an AUC lecture, or even complaining about AUC is so yesterday and so uncool.
Go get your own blog ya bet. As for this reader, I am all monkied out. I was directed to the Sand Monkey as a blog of a thinking Egyptian with radical ideas. Instead all we get from him are links to exciting and interesting things created by other people. Perhaps he is past his prime, perhaps there are far more interesting things to do with one’s life, but I am guessing the introduction of a new character is as good a sing as I will ever get that this sitcom should be axed from my network!
Oh and to my best friends tommy, Craig, Raccoon, enjoy your get together at the next elders of zion winter bash!
September 27th, 2006 at 4:59 pm
“Oh and to my best friends tommy, Craig, Raccoon, enjoy your get together at the next elders of zion winter bash!”
LOL…No seriously LOLLLLLL
I would have to agree with you Pepper specially when it comes to the value of this blog. Basically it’s only pro-rightwingers rants. there is nothing there to it. worse still the rants are not political opinions of the writer but simply as you put it links to places with a couple of lines of nonsense.
to me the worst part being that SM is proudly pro american! which means he is pro bush now and would probably be pro X later. Now please tell me if this should be any different from the assholes we have as heads of our governments! isn’t Mubarak Pro america? so is King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and King Abdullah of Jordan, heck Even King Kong is pro America!
those people have been ruling for ages…and no advancement have been made, why would anybody with little brains think that anyone who is pro america will do his country any better?
September 27th, 2006 at 5:01 pm
Adam B,
The british planning WW2 in Egypt… LOL!
That’s because after the British lost World War I, Britain was under zionist occupation and the government in exile had to plan in secret.
Pippy Longstockings,
Oh and to my best friends tommy, Craig, Raccoon, enjoy your get together at the next elders of zion winter bash!
Dunno any zionists, man… they all live in Westwood, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, etc… I live out in the ‘burbs with rednecks, neo-nazis and bikers, and (oddly enough) Iranians. I black neighborhoods to the east of me and mexicans to the west. I doubt there’s a zionist within 20 miles of where I’m sitting.
But if zionists are like tommy and raccoon, I bet they are a fun bunch. A lot better than whatever miserable click you hang with
September 27th, 2006 at 5:09 pm
I would have to agree with you Pepper
What a shocker
Basically it’s only pro-rightwingers rants.
You actually believe right-wingers spend their time reading arab blogs!?
Hate to disillusion you, man, but the only westerners who read arab blogs are leftists (because they view Islamists as their allies of convenience) and people who are at least close enough to moderate to think discussion can do some good.
You’ll know if you ever meet a right-winger because he’ll be shooting at you.
September 27th, 2006 at 5:40 pm
And I like it when young atheletic men rub their bodies against mine. Just a random thought!
September 27th, 2006 at 5:59 pm
Abdullah Says:”Basically it’s only pro-rightwingers rants. there is nothing there to it. worse still the rants are not political opinions of the writer but simply as you put it links to places with a couple of lines of nonsense.”
Public opinion on the subject of Muslims is changing in the West. Slowly but surely. The post-1945 liberal consensus is dying and is being replaced by something much nastier. So you say that this is full of right-wing rants, but let me assure you on the subject of Muslims we all going to be on the Left of public opinion in five years time. Anyone see Aznar demand Muslims apologise for invading Spain and colonising it for 800 years?
Abdullah Says:”to me the worst part being that SM is proudly pro american! which means he is pro bush now and would probably be pro X later. Now please tell me if this should be any different from the assholes we have as heads of our governments! isn’t Mubarak Pro america? so is King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and King Abdullah of Jordan, heck Even King Kong is pro America!”
Well King Kong ought to be - those Yanks not only brought him Fay Wray (and if the King of Saudi Arabia gave me a 25-year-old clone I’d convert tomorrow) but gave him a shot at the Big Time on Broadway. How much more can an Ape ask for? So for the others, the vast majority of Arab “leaders” and their parties are in power because they REJECTED the West. They are in power after kicking the pro-West rulers out of office and often out of the country. Did the West put Nasir in power? No they did not. Did they put Baby Asad in power? Not even his father. Saddam? Nope. The Saudis? All these people were popular as long as they bashed the West despite the fact they ruined their countries. Face it, the only half-civilised and semi-prosperous Arab countries are those with governments the West did install or supported - Jordan, the UAE, Kuwait - and Lebanon when it was run by Christians. Given the utter failure of anti-Western politics to do anything other than make Arabs feel good, perhaps, do you think, it may be time for a change?
Abdullah Says:”those people have been ruling for ages…and no advancement have been made, why would anybody with little brains think that anyone who is pro america will do his country any better?”
Precisely because the more anti-Western you are, the bigger mess your country is in. Countries that embrace America’s offer of free trade and the rule of law are wealthy. See South Korea. Those that reject it are not. See North Korea. Which Korea would you rather be a role model for Egypt?
September 27th, 2006 at 5:59 pm
This has got to be the best ever!
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m169/Bigmack1066/P1010020.jpg
September 27th, 2006 at 6:08 pm
You ever seen a grown man naked, Pepper?
September 27th, 2006 at 7:03 pm
You actually believe right-wingers spend their time reading arab blogs!?
You should, because I know I’m hardly the only one.
If you don’t see a lot of comments from my kind, it’s because we know better than to bother responding to the usual mindless leftist rants of “Chimpy Bushhitler McHaliburton lied to steal oil and make money for Haliburton… Israel is an Apartheid state… 9/11 was an inside job… blah blah blah”.
No point in trying to wrestle a pig- you both just end up covered in crap, but the pig enjoys it. Better to just let the lefties rant and make fools of themselves.
September 27th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
“Hate Like an Egyptian”
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=22735_Hate_Like_an_Egyptian&only
September 27th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Interesting link, Dalia. Has that man been arrested for making religiously and racially motivated death threats? If not (Actually I think it’s safe to assume not
) would anybody object to an extra-judicial action, since Egypt cannot be trusted to enforce international laws and any standards of basic human decency?
September 27th, 2006 at 8:53 pm
Well, Pepper Greg, bless your heart, you sweet thing. Considering that you pretty much sound like a total douche in all your posts, don’t let the virtual doorknob hit you in the ass on the way out.
September 27th, 2006 at 9:10 pm
I read that link on “Hate Like an Egyptian” & other than being disgusted about the way he waxed eloquent about his beautiful dream of killing anyone who might look like an Israeli Jew(what a peaceful man this guy!), I kept noticing his phrase “called the Arab Islamic States”.
Is it just me or does this sound just like the new name for “Pan-Arab Nationalism” ? Used to be nationalism, now it’s religion, but it’s just the same shit in a different package.
September 27th, 2006 at 9:33 pm
Oh, and I like it when I wear Victoria’ Secret lingerie and get spanked by older men…
September 27th, 2006 at 9:48 pm
Craig!
don’t use my neck name! thats not fun!
Dalia,
I have to say I don’t agree with the guy on this one. But why making a big fuss out of it, it’s just an opinion, take it as those “Kill a gay for christ” signs. Or those who want to Nuke the Kaaba. It’s just an opinion, yuo might agree or disagree right?
September 27th, 2006 at 10:15 pm
Also as a side note, this was on relatively popular TV channel. Which testifies to the state of free speech in egypt. I don’t think it’s too bad is it? two people with opposing view points being discussed openly…or would you want the Egyptian government to put the Cleric in prison so you can be happy? nop, I say that was a fairly good example of civilized debate.
September 27th, 2006 at 10:47 pm
Yes, what’s so bad about issuing a fatwa to murder jews on the street, anyway? Everyone does that. It’s just free speech.
Craig!
My name is Abdullah now. I converted. Death to America!
don’t use my neck name! thats not fun!
But you thought it was fun when you stole mine, right? I bet you didn’t even convert to Christianity first either, did you?
September 27th, 2006 at 11:13 pm
Dandash, no one can take SM’s place, but you are a great addition to his blog! I love your style and spirit!!
September 28th, 2006 at 12:21 am
Pepper Greg,
All you got is ” oh my god, AUC is so, like , five minutes ago?” C’mon, even my superficially contrived style and failed attempts at being “cute” are better than that. The point, however, was not a criticism levelled against the American University in particular but a telling glimpse at the state of Arab academia and journalism.
Lynne,
I can feel the love.:) And no worries, there will be no attempts to overthrow the Sandmonkey (as long as he keeps buying me expensive shit).
and a note on being pro American,
If that means not buying in to ridiculous over simplifications of US foreign policy, conspiracy theories about zionist madmen taking over the universe and not boycotting Pepsi every time America doesn’t tickle your tastes-well then I can hardly see that as a negative accusation.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:55 am
“d00d Says:
September 27th, 2006 at 9:33 pm
Oh, and I like it when I wear Victoria’ Secret lingerie and get spanked by older men… ”
Come on Pep, you don’t gotta pretend like you really left this site & aren’t coming back. Nice attempt at keeping your dignity though.
September 28th, 2006 at 1:51 am
Oh and to my best friends tommy, Craig, Raccoon, enjoy your get together at the next elders of zion winter bash!
I’ll be there. You can count on it. I never miss an EZB. I heard we are doing this one in Geneva, Switzerland. Can’t wait.
September 28th, 2006 at 2:04 am
The only way to deal with this sort of thing is drinking.
September 28th, 2006 at 3:57 am
Here I am -another American right winger- reading the Sandmonkey. And just to screw with your prejudices some more, I volunteer my time to two organizations: Red Cross where I work disaster relief operations and the US military where I help with urban combat training.
September 28th, 2006 at 4:08 am
Gosh
To think that I complained about teaching of history at canadian schools.
After reading that I promise I will never (uhh,…….. rarely) do that.
September 28th, 2006 at 4:49 am
Abdullah
So let me get this straight .The Pope was making a quotation from the original source, in this case as an example of the nature of dialogue between two faiths.
Muslims were offended.
If someone will quote from Mein Kampf does it mean that he/she is a supporter of Hitler?
Does anyone who has a gram of sense, really think that the Pope would insult another religion?
The Pope has every right to free speech.
BUT when one of the most well known preachers said on TV, that if he saw an Israeli on the street, in Egypt, he would kill him, Muslims are saying: (Abdullah’s words)
“But why making a big fuss out of it. It’s just an opinion, you might agree or disagree right?â€
Ok. so if non-muslims disagree, we should start to burn down mosques, kill muslims on the streets, call for non-muslims to hunt down and kill this Sheik Safwat Higazi person? Like Muslims did? Muslims burned effigies of the Pope, bombed churches, killed a Nun, clerics called for Muslims to hunt down and kill the Pope.
I am beginning to wonder why so much hate and violence is easily aroused by muslim, especially when they are wrong. How can Muslims expect non-Muslims to have any respect for them and their religion? What have the Muslims accomplished, but to show the world that they, indeed, are a violent, irrational group which the rest of the civilized world must be getting quite tired of.
And one more thing
When Pope John Paul II made his epic pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Palestinian Muslim representatives jostled him on the Temple Mount, shouted at him, and, in one episode of maximum rudeness, abandoned him on stage during an interfaith meeting. Bashir Assad, the Syrian President, treated him to an anti-Semitic rant when the late pope visited Syria.
This is how Muslim’s free speech looks like :
http://hotair.com/archives/2006/09/16/pope-to-muslims-sorry-if-youre-offended/
September 28th, 2006 at 5:33 am
Byzantine Emperor Apologizes to Muslims For Quote.
Watch the video.
http://www.thepeoplescube.com/red/viewtopic.php?t=836
September 28th, 2006 at 6:18 am
“The Pope has every right to free speech”
No, he has every right to submit to the one true god Allah. Anyone who strays from the path of Allah must die.
“How can Muslims expect non-Muslims to have any respect for them and their religion?”
What? You don’t respect my religion? I will kill you. Why don’t you respect the multi-cultural enviorment of the west. We are the victims of western imperialism.
September 28th, 2006 at 6:21 am
Given that I am teaching a ** class and got a degree in a ** department (though I managed to do most of my coursework outside of that department) I cannot tell you how much I agree with your ** footnote!
September 28th, 2006 at 7:56 am
” We are the victims of western imperialism.”
“Muslims want more raisins in their boxes of Raisin Bran
Muslims want more bubbles in their Perrier water
Muslims want lots more absorption in their toilet tissue
Muslims demand that the sun rotate around Mecca ”
Someone said this on some forum
LOL
September 28th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
Going to school for a liberal arts degree is a waste of time and money. They are nothing more than liberal indoctrination these days.
Stick with hard science, engineering, business. The professor’s hatrid of Bush doesn’t get a calculation done, and idiots like her couldn’t make it through the freshman year, much less get a MS or PhD to teach in those fields.
September 28th, 2006 at 8:22 pm
“Does anyone who has a gram of sense, really think that the Pope would insult another religion?”
He would certainly criticize other religions, as he is convinced his is the only right one, and some non-Catholics will take any criticism as an insult. That lecture was quite a strong critique of the Muslim concept of God.
(Which left me thinking that if God exists at all, the Muslim concept seems to be nearer the truth that the Pope’s.)
September 28th, 2006 at 10:24 pm
Don,
Which left me thinking that if God exists at all, the Muslim concept seems to be nearer the truth that the Pope’s.
How do you figure that? The more I learn about the Quran (not even talking about the behavior of muslims) the less I see that is recognizable as “God” to me. I’m really curious, in what way do you think muslims are closer to “the big truth” than Christians?
September 29th, 2006 at 8:04 am
But then again, what do I know. I like to play with long, cold cucumbers, and wear glossy lip stick.
September 29th, 2006 at 8:13 am
Is it just me or do I sense hypicrisy on the part of Christians here regarding the whole spreading religion by the sword? As in, hello! How the hell was Christianity spread in Latin America? Certainly not by giving free massages to the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas. A whole bunch of people were killed. Actually, there were massacred! So it’s not just Islam that does the sword thing, Christianity has a long and distinguished history.
As for Jews, they upped the ante. They closed the club and said you could only be born Jewish, and instead of converting people they just proceeded to occupy their countries and pillage and rape them – just not in the name of religion!
My hat off!
September 29th, 2006 at 9:50 am
SM or Dandash, could you pease do something with the infantile identity thief? Like, uhm, banning the IP, or maybe requesting an airstrike from the Elders or something?
ID thief - beware. The Raccoon Commando from Olympia are on their way to you. Expect to have your reproductive organs gnawed off. And rabies.
October 3rd, 2006 at 7:38 pm
You have a wonderful site! I enjoy it every time I read it.