My Two Wonderful Grandfathers!

My Two Wonderful Grandfathers

Here is some information about my (famous) patriotic maternal grandfather, which you probably already know:

From the newspaper Elmasry Elyoum, dated 11 March 2009:

تصحيح واجب فى ذكرى ثورة ١٩١٩١١/ ٣/ ٢٠٠٩ فى ذكرى ثورة ١٩١٩ من كل عام دأبت الصحف على رصد معطيات وتفاصيل وتداعيات ثورة الشعب، إشارة معظم هذه الصحف إلى مشهد من المظاهرات الصاخبة المنادية بعودة الزعيم سعد زغلول ورفاقه من المعتقل، هذا المشهد يجمع بين الهلال والصليب الشيخ على الغاياتى يداً بيد مع الأنبا سرجيوس.. لكنى أيقنت أن صاحب هذا الحدث بالتحديد هو الشيخ عبدالحليم قطيط وليس الشيخ الغاياتى..
الدليل على ذلك نجده فى كتاب «عصر ورجال» للأستاذ فتحى رضوان نقرأ فى صفحات ٣٠٨ - ٣١٠: سنة ١٩١١ غادر الغاياتى مصر إلى سويسرا، واستطاع أن يحصل على قوت يومه بتدريس اللغة العربية لبعض الشبان العرب.. ولما قامت الثورة المصرية سنة ١٩١٩ أخذ الغاياتى يدافع عنها ويدعو لها، وأصدر من جنيف جريدة «منبر الشرق» وعاد إلى مصر سنة ١٩٣٧.
ندرك من هذه الصياغة أن الغاياتى لم يكن موجوداً بمصر وقت اندلاع الثورة، مع الاعتراف بأنه أحد رموز الحركة الوطنية، وعندما أصدر ديوانه «وطنيتى» أجبرته السلطات على مغادرة مصر بسبب قصائد الديوان الملتهبة، فاختار سويسرا التى مكث بها ٢٦ سنة وتزوج سويسرية وأنجب خمسة أبناء
. أما الشيخ عبدالحليم قطيط فهو أيضاً من علماء وثوار الأزهر، عمل بالتدريس والدعوة والمحاماة والصحافة، وحملته الجماهير على الأعناق مع الأنبا سرجيوس تجسيداً للوحدة الوطنية، رددت الجماهير خلفهما الهتافات الوطنية.. بل أصيب الشيخ برصاصة فى يده خلال المظاهرات.. هذه المعلومة أقدمها طواعية إنصافاً للحقيقة.١٩٣٧

Sheikh Aly Al Ghaiaty

29 May 2009

Hoda Mohamed Aly Nassef

Thank you for this article, but you have the details incorrect. Being the granddaughter of Sheikh Aly Al Ghaiaty (from Mrs. Monirah...a twin; her twin sister died when she was a year and a half old) there are some facts missing. However, it was nice and long overdue seeing my maternal grandfather mentioned again. By the way, his "Swiss" wife became a Moslem and changed her name upon marriage. She was actually the daughter of a Baroness, from the Des Fabres royal family of Spain.

Hoda Mohamed Aly Nassef

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On the other hand, my paternal grandfather, Aly Nassef, was actually a real Beh, ordered by King (or Sultan) Fouad. Attached are some pictures, before and after, he was awarded the medal of his "bahawaya" (Beh, Beq, etc.)...a picture before and after wearing it. A lunch invitation in Tanta, by Sultan Fouad. A picture of the "Nishan El-Nil" (Medal of The Nile) and grandfather Aly (Beh) Nassef, when he was older, wearing the elegant 'tarbouche' of that era.

By the way, Aly Beq had thousands of acres of land in and around Tanta. I remember Daddy telling me that he lost it all....He was the eldest of his brethren, and raised as supported them all, until they finished their educations, and/or were married off.

Daddy also mentioned that his father was a (real) beh, but never bragged about it.
Here is a definition of Beh:

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Bey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bey is a Turkish title for "chieftain," traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups. In historical accounts, many Turkish, other Turkic and Persian leaders are titled Bey, Beg, Bek, Bay, Baig or Beigh. They are all the same word with the simple meaning of "lord." The regions or provinces where Beys (the equivalent of duke in Europe) ruled or which they administered were called Beylik, roughly meaning "emirate" or "principality" in the first case, "province" or "governorate" in the second (the equivalent of duchy in Europe). Today, the word is used as a social title for men (like the English word "mister").

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Hoda (Hanem) Nassef;
Hoda Mohamed Aly (Beq) Nassef :)

WHO did not overrate Swine Flu

WHO did not overrate swine flu, says officials

CAIRO: Hassan Al-Boushra, head of World Health Organization (WHO) office in Cairo, refuted accusations by international experts and journalists who said that the organization overestimated the gravity of the A(H1N1) virus, causing global panic.

During an appearance on “Al-Beit Betak” talk show last Wednesday, Al-Boushra said the WHO raised the pandemic alert to level five, on a scale of six, “because the disease is characterized by human-to-human transmission.”

According to the show’s host, Tamer Amin, the WHO is accused of overplaying the virus in order to boost antiviral drugs’ sales, which would in turn boost western economies suffering from the current financial crisis.

Al-Boushra rebuffed all accusations, indicating that details pertaining to the virus’ gravity are listed on the WHO’s official website.

The Ministry of Health still maintains that Egypt remains free of the swine flu.

Incoming visitors to Egypt undergo medical check ups at the airport, the ministry’s press office said.

Still, Egypt remains adamant in its campaign to cull the country’s pigs and close down pig farms.
Minister of Local Development Abdel Salam Mahgoub told the press that around 500 pig farms have been closed down. In the meantime, the governorate of Giza announced that it has eradicated all pigs located in its slum areas by slaughtering over 29,000 pigs.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Environmental Affairs Maged George sent official letters to Egypt’s governors, detailing sanitary ways to dispose of slaughtered pigs, according to a statement.

The ministry’s statement advised all those involved in the disposing of pigs to wear the specified uniforms as a safety measure.

The ministry also dedicated special cars to carry pigs’ corpses to the designated burial ground.
By press time, the WHO confirmed that 39 countries have officially reported 8,480 cases of influenza A(H1N1).

According to the WHO, Mexico reported 2,895 confirmed cases, and 66 deaths. The United States also reported 4,714 confirmed cases, including four deaths. Canada reported 496 confirmed human cases, including one death and Costa Rica reported nine confirmed human cases, including one death.

24 May 2009
h.n.

Dr Hany El-Barbary, MD, FRCS, winner of First Prize

Announced on 19 February 2009, Dr. Hany M. El-Barbary, MD, FRCS, was winner of First Prize for best research from the ESS for his new innovation: A novel Pelvitrainer, which is an apparatus he built to help young practicing surgeons learn laparoscopic skills necessary to do safe surgery.

The announcement was at the gala dinner of the 27th annual conference of the ESS, held at Cairo's Semiramis Inter-Continental Hotel on 19/2/2009

(Dr. Hany is the son of Prof. Hoda Nassef, creator of this blog.)

New Antiquities Discovered!

Preserved Mummy Unearthed

Egypt's archaeologists unveiled on Wednesday, February 11, a newly-discovered, completely-preserved mummy inside a limestone sarcophagus sealed 2,600 years ago during pharaonic times. The rare intact mummy, covered by a thin layer of dust, was unearthed at the Step Pyramid of Saqqara, one of the earliest large stone structures in the world. It is believed to contain up to 100 gold amulets in the folds of its linen wrappings, Egypt's chief archaeologist Dr. Zahi Hawass said.



(Reuters photos)

G. A. Chandru; An Indian in Japan

Chandruban Ghanshandas Advani / Chandrban G. Advani / Chandru G. Advani

By Hoda Nassef

All the same person!

READ ALL ABOUT HIM; just a brief biography!

An Indian’s History in Yokohama, Japan.

“The family I come from believes in the Hindu faith, and has its roots in the Sindh province, in what is now part of Pakistan…. Under British rule, the people of Sindh were encouraged to travel … and act as … go-betweens between various cultures, in particular in areas of trade and finance.Under these circumstances, my father was sent to Yokohama in 1917. He worked for my grandfather’s company Tarachand Parsram, and was sent to run the Japan branch which was located in Yokohama.”

G. A. Chandru relates the circumstances which led to the beginning of his family’s long history in Japan. An Indian resident whose personal history in Yokohama spans over 50 years, Chandru, the President of Nephews International, energetically details his family’s history as Indians in Yokohama.Chandru’s father had moved to Yokohama in 1917 to manage a branch of his father’s business.

However, after only three years he returned to India to aid in its struggle for independence from Britain. Thus, Chandru, who was born in 1924 in Sindh, never once laid eyes on Yokohama during his youth. Even so, during his childhood he held a great interest in Japan. “I recall how [my father] talked about the very high social and cultural standards of Japan. Whenever someone came back from Japan we received ‘Tombow’ pencils, fancy toys, and were shown the Japanese cameras.

This created in our mind a very special admiration of Japan, of the beautiful designs and perfect performance in the products we saw.”Chandru’s father came to and left Japan during a period when Indian trade of silk, cotton, and yarn was thriving; Indian traders had been active in Japan since the late 1800s.Memorial fountain in Yamashita Park for the Indians who perished in the Great Kanto Earthquake.

However, the prospering Yokohama silk and textile trade would soon be thrown into crisis by the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923. The earthquake, of magnitude 7.9, left Yokohama in ruins, and in the earthquake’s aftermath, large numbers of Indians relocated to Kobe with the aid of the Kobe city and national governments. However, a number of Indians later returned to Yokohama, and it is said that just before WWII, India was Japan’s third-largest trading partner, after the U.S. and China.

Merchants traded on slim profit-margins, turning profits only by moving large quantities of goods. They sold silk at-cost, earning money only on the sale of the wooden packing cases (petti) holding the silk, constructed from high-quality kiri wood.

However, the unfolding of WWII shook the Indian community and many left Japan, preferring that to the alternative of being interned in Japanese camps as British subjects.After the end of the war in 1947, India’s newly-won independence from British rule triggered a religious conflict which tore the country into two: Pakistan, an Islamic state, and India, a secular state.

Chandru’s family became subject to intense religious persecution in Pakistani Sindh, and was forced to abandon everything and take refuge in India. There, Chandru became responsible for supporting his parents and siblings, and he remembers this period as the saddest in his life.

The images of Japan were engraved in Chandru’s imagination, and in 1953 he sprang on an opportunity to try his luck in business in Japan.

“I sensed a bright future [in Japan], a chance to work hard and have my hard work rewarded."

When Chandru arrived in 1953, though Yokohama was still rebuilding, Indian businesses had already planted firm roots. Chandru, who initially worked as the manager of an Indian trading firm located in Yamashita-cho, recalls his early years in Yokohama.

“I worked hard day and night for 6 years…. in my 7th year, I started my own firm…. I called the company Nephew’s International, taking the name from the company which my Uncle has started with his nephews (myself included) in India during the British rule.

”Textiles and fabrics, mainly silk, remained significant exports through the 1950s; however, they were later surpassed in popularity by synthetic textiles such as nylon.

By the 1960s textiles had become less profitable, and the trade of electronics, technology goods and sundries became more common. In general, as Japanese industries expanded their global networks, the need for the middleman was eliminated, and slowly Indian businesses either moved abroad or west to Kobe and Osaka.

Thus by the 1980s, trading in Yokohama had slowed, and many Indians sold their properties in Yamashita-cho or converted them to apartment buildings and parking lots. Some moved to Kobe or Osaka, and others returned to India. Currently there are only a small number of “old-comer” Indian residents in Yokohama remaining; however, there has been a recent influx of Indians coming from the IT hubs of India (Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai) to work in software companies in Yokohama, as well as those who come through their work in multinational finance or engineering companies.
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Chivukula receives GOPIO community service award

Friday, 01.09.2009, 12:20am (GMT-7)

NEW YORK: New Jersey Assemblyman Upendra J. Chivukula was one of the five recipients of the 2009 global service award from GOPIO (Global Organization of People of Indian Origin) awarded at a convention that ended in Chennai, India Jan 7.

Upon receiving the award, Chivukula said he was honored to be counted among GOPIO’s five exceptional award recipients. He said that community service is even more relevant in these challenging times when the world is experiencing one of the most severe economic crises in recent history.

Chivukula (D-Somerset) received the award from India’s Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi at GOPIO’s two-day convention in Chennai held on the sidelines of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. Other award recipients include Baroness Sheela Flather of the House of the Lords in the U.K.; Ambassador Albert R. Ramdin of Suriname; Chandru G. Advani, a community activist from Yokohama, Japan and Loganathan Naidoo, Deputy Mayor of Durban, South Africa.

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GOPIO International Community Service Awards

Global Organization of People of Indian Origin at its Convention in Chennai on January 6, recognized five individuals at its Annual Awards Banquet, with Minister Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs as the chief guest. The awards were established to recognize and honor non resident Indians that have provided significant community and public service or done philanthropic work for the Indian Diaspora and/or to India will be presented and honored at the banquet.

“We at GOPIO feel privileged to recognize some NRIs/PIOs who have contributed significantly to the countries of their adoption as well as to India, and have added a special glitter to the resurgence of India,” said Inder Singh, President of GOPIO. GOPIO Chairman Dr.

Thomas Abraham said, “By honoring those who have worked selflessly for Indian Diaspora causes and India, we are providing exposure of such role models to the next generation.” “This will motivate more NRIs and PIOs to volunteer their time for community causes,” Dr. Abraham added.

The awardees for this year are Baroness Shreela Flather of UK’s House of the Lords. Born Shreela Rai in Lahore, India, she was educated at University College London, and went to the bench in 1971. In 1976 she was elected the first ethnic minority woman councilor in the UK. She was the first ethnic minority Deputy Lieutenant for the Royal County of Berkshire in 1994 and voted Asian of the Year by Asian Who’s Who in 1996. She received an honorary doctorate from the Open University in 1994 and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Leeds University in 2008. She has spoken on a variety of subjects and is office holder of several Parliamentary groups. Baroness Flather championed the construction of a magnificent memorial in London at Hyde Park Corner to commemorate the contribution of nearly 5 million forgotten volunteers from the Indian subcontinent, Africa and the Caribbean in the two World Wars.

Amb. Albert Ramdin was born in Suriname and received his education in Paramaribo and The Netherlands at the University of Amsterdam and the Free University where he studied geography of developing countries with a specialization in social and economic problems of smaller economies in Latin America and the Caribbean. In Suriname, Ramdin is active in several civic and community organizations including many social and cultural organizations with objectives to foster Indian heritage, language and religion. Ramdin has served as Senior Adviser to the Minister of Trade and Industry, where he was intensively involved in restructuring the ministry and implementing an industrial development program. On June 7, 2005 he was named Asst Secretary General of the Organization of American States.

Chandru G. Advani has served as a pillar of the Indian community throughout his 55 years in Japan. He has led both grass-roots and policy level exchanges for the benefit of the Indian community in Japan. He orchestrated the Yokohama-Mumbai sister city relationship in 1965 and has served as President of the Indian Merchant’s Association of Yokohama as Joint Secretary of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and in many other roles critical to the India-Japan relationship. In 2005 he co-founded the Yokohama India Center and is a member of its Board of Directors. He was actively involved in the Japan India Friendship Year 2007. He is a recipient of the Key to the City of Yokohama and the Mumbai Medal of Appreciation, and in November 2008 he was awarded the Yokohama Culture Award, the first Indian to receive this distinction.

Upendra Chivukula is currently Deputy Speaker, New Jersey General Assembly and also a former Mayor of Franklin Township. As an Assemblyman, he serves as the Chairman of the Telecommunications and Utilities Committee in New Jersey, and Member of the Executive Committee at the National Conference of State Legislatures. He authored the Diwali Month Resolution and legislation to create the Asian American Study Foundation to study various issues affecting the Asian American Community. He serves on many community organizations, such as Franklin Township Lions Club and working with various organizations, he raised funds to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina, Tsunami, Gujarat Earthquake and Floods and others. Chivukula is a Leadership New Jersey Fellow, Flemming Institute Fellow and is also Fannie Mae Fellow. He received leadership training at John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and Darden School of Management, University of Virginia.

Loganathan (Logie) Naidoo was born in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. He is presently an Executive Councillor and Deputy Mayor of eThekwini Municipality (formerly Durban Metropolitan Unicity), and Chairperson of the Economic Development and Planning Committee. Vice-Chair of Executive Committee and served in this capacity from Dec 2000 to Mar 2006 and reelected for another term. He served as Executive Chair of North Local Council from 1996 to 2000. Membership in many organizations including Natal Indian Congress (Founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1894) and the African National Congress. Recipient of several commendations including Bronze Medal from the ANC underground ‑ Military Wing Umkhonto WeSizwe where he served from 1979 to 1989. Logie community activities include Durban Arts Association and Tongaat Child Welfare Society. Speaker at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas PBD 2008 in New Delhi. Received the International Friendship Award from the India Festival Committee 2005, for promoting Economic links with the Indian Sub‑Continent.

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Chandru G. Advani

By VIVIENNE KENRICK

This is the India Year in Japan 2007 and the Japan Year in India 2007. It is a significant time for every enterprise interested in the flow of information, goods and people between the two countries.

This is also the 54th year of Chandru G. Advani's living in Japan. Now nearly 83 years of age, Advani is one of the few old-time Indian residents still in Yokohama. He is the third generation of his family that began putting down roots here when his grandfather arrived in 1910.
"My father followed my grandfather to Yokohama in 1917," Advani said. "He managed a branch of his father's business. At that time there were about 100 Indian firms represented in Yokohama. Japan was exporting silk to India, and Indian traders had been active here for many years. My father returned to the family home in Sindh that was then still in India. After partition, that region became part of Pakistan."

Advani was born in Sindh, and grew up there. After regular schooling, Advani joined the business in Sindh led by his father and uncle. "The great earthquake of 1923 greatly damaged Yokohama. Many Indians died, and there is a memorial to them in Yamashita Park.

"Many surviving Indians left, some moving to Kobe. Later, as Indians returned to Yokohama, they helped make India an important trading partner of Japan. Then at the outbreak of World War II, again many Indians left Japan. They were still British subjects who didn't want interment in Japanese camps."

After the war, Advani's parents and his brothers and sisters moved to south India. Advani remembers that time as a period of such suffering he doesn't like to speak of it. "That was the saddest time of my life," he said.

As a religious man during an era of changing attitudes and high tension, he felt targeted. As soon as he could, he followed his family. "All our property in Sindh was taken over. We lost everything."

In south India, Advani hunted for employment. A friend gave him a job in the district of Pondicherry. "That was then a French-dominated seaside district, where Indo-French traders were prominent. I could earn money, and feed my parents," he said. "Then came a chance to come to Japan. I applied, and got the job to be manager of an Indian trading company in Yokohama."

In the early 1950s, Yokohama was already looking up. "I thought I could work hard, and have my hard work rewarded," Advani said. "After a few years I opened my own company. I called it Nephews International in a tribute to my uncle who used this name years earlier in India."
Advani had proved his reliability as an employee and demonstrated he was a true Sindhi known for business skills. Now, as president of a young company in a rapidly-changing world, he had to show his flexibility.

Silk and cotton fabrics faced a new challenge from rayon and nylon and other synthetic materials.

Japanese industry stabilized, producing and marketing electronic goods. Indian businesses felt the pinch.

"Many Indians sold or converted their Yamashita-cho properties, and moved away," Advani said. "Silk was sold at cost, money being made on the wooden cases that carried it.

"By the 1980s, even Yokohama silk scarves were no longer wanted. Only a few old-time Indian residents still stay in Yokohama."

Advani and his company moved with the times, basing their policies on friendship and trust. He set up liaison between Yokohama and Bombay clubs and hotels and promoted the visit to Bombay of the Yokohama mayor.

He initiated a sister-city relationship between the two cities, which resulted in the donation of a Japanese garden to Bombay and the gift of two elephants to Yokohama. He supported setting up the Yokohama-Mumbai Friendship Committee. Among the rewards for this public spirit, he received the key to Yokohama.

Advani's son and daughter are now the family's fourth generation here. He said, "I was the second son in a family of four sisters and seven brothers. The surviving ones live in the USA, India, and me in Japan. Indian families are very close, and we are planning a big party soon in (Bombay). My family will come back to our home in Yokohama where we are surrounded by nice people. We very much appreciate this country."

The Japan Times: Saturday, March 24, 2007

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Mr. G. A. Chandru is a family friend since 40 years.

Hoda Nassef

Sexual Harassment at Work

Sexual Harassment at Work;
Women’s Rights? … or Wrongs?!

By Hoda Nassef


Where are our so-called Women’s Rights in Egypt?

Sexual Harassment on the Workforce is the Rule in Egypt, and other Middle-Eastern countries, and not the exception. It is one big criminal action that we ignore, or dismiss as trivial! We brag about “women’s rights”, just to imitate the western countries, pretending that we are as civilized as they are, with real punitive laws! For women’s real protection? Let’s face facts… and tell it how it is.

How many SILENT women were and will always be especially harassed or abused at the workforce? What did they do about it? Did they protest? Object? Complain? Or just give in, to get that ‘job’? Does the law actually implement protection for women against sexual harassment? If there is no REAL law, then the harassers will continue making life hell for girls and women, thinking it is their holy right to bother women, and we can just like it, or lump it.

Well, it all depends actually on the fair-sex’s personalities, their upbringing, and how desperate they really are for getting the job that they applied for, and are qualified for. Maybe they need the money more than upholding their principles and religious views. Or, let’s admit it… maybe they don’t mind being harassed. You have all types of women, after all, just as you find all types of men…and by this I mean the male employers. Also, there are women harassers as well, but my concern is mentioning only the majority of sex-harassers: men.

Most employers use their positions or their offices to induce or coerce women to accept their unwanted advances; the uglier they are, the more they act the part of Don Juan, because they actually cannot attract any female outside of the office. As for the women who already have a job with the harasser; the higher their pays are, the more they are likely to accept the bosses’ advances, in order to keep their jobs. The unwritten rule is “use it, or lose it”!

And how many times have women tried to apply for jobs, and during the interview or first meeting with their potential male managers or employers, they would be duped into thinking that, ‘oh there’s a decent guy at last…he’s not staring at my legs or other parts of my anatomy’ – only to discover later that they are ‘seasoned’ harassers, and know when to play it down or act cool at first, in order not to scare away the ‘victim’. Yes, victim. She is eventually the victim of his advances, and if she doesn’t like it, then she can quit. He makes that very clear too, eventually, especially after he realizes that he’s not getting to First Base with her, and never will. And so, she usually does quit, instead of telling him to jump in the Nile River, or quit himself!

So, back to job hunting, and new CVs. But, how many times did women have to delete all their previous ‘job experience’? Personally, when I used to job-hunt, I had no way of explaining to my interviewers that I left so many jobs, because my bosses were literally almost chasing me around the desk…his desk or mine, doesn’t matter. Who would believe me? (It would often be in subtle ways, such as ‘accidentally’ brushing against her, while passing by…or on purpose, such as saying lewd words or so-called ‘compliments’.) So, I would often delete some jobs that I quit, thus, leave big gaps in my ‘career’. The next questions, if the interviewers were observant enough, would be why I wasn’t working during so-and-so period, and what did I do between jobs.

Getting pissed off by the inquisition, I would there and then decide that I didn’t want the job anyway, so my retort would often be flippant, such as, ‘I’m filthy-rich, and don’t really need the job,’ or, ‘I’m saving up for a world cruise, and you’re my last stop…for next month,’ … or anything dumb like that, just to get back at the idiots. Once or twice, however, I would admit that I was being harassed by the previous manager(s), and had no choice but to leave. Whether they believed me or not wasn’t the issue, but I avoided lying, whenever I could.

I will give you some hints on the types of harassers, and they come in all shapes, sizes, forms, age, and background. Following is my personal portfolio of all the freaks I’ve met…and each category of Freak consists of 5 to ten of them! I lost count….

Now, meet GM Harasser Number One: He’s ugly, so has an inferiority complex, and wants to prove to himself that he isn’t ugly.

GM Harasser Number Two: He’s an opportunist, and from a low background, and wants to get into the circle of this females’ friends and acquaintances; being attractive to boot is all the better for him, so why not give it a try?

GM Harasser Number Three: He’s a natural womanizer, and conceited, thinking that because he is attracted to the interviewee (you) at first sight, you reciprocate the same attraction!

GM Harasser Number Four: He’s married, but bored with his wife, and wants to renew his libido, stamina, or whatever he thinks is lacking!

GM Harasser Number Five: He’s married, relatively satisfied with his boring wife, but he’s getting on in age – or is middle-aged – or is actually old, and wants to prove that he isn’t; so, the younger she is, the better it is for his ego…libido, whatever!

GM Harasser Number Six: He’s actually drop-dead attracted to you, but you aren’t, and he will employ you, woo you, do anything for you, just to get you in bed, then drop you! (No, I was never that dumb, nor that immoral! So, gals, hang in there, and don’t go on ego-trips yourselves! Don’t believe everything you hear from these horny bastards. These types just go raving mad if you so much as dare to reject them, let alone politely turn them down. Then they turn downright vindictive, so…beware…let them down, nicely, if you can.) For him, it’s a Package Deal on First Sight; the Job AND Him, or you go the highway… and he goes the low way! (I heard that rhyme from one big ass harasser, by the way! He’ll know whom I’m talking about, if he reads this!)

GM Harasser Number Seven: He’s not so hot physically, and deep inside knows it; the less of a man he is, the more he tries to prove that he’s Tarzan…with you as Jane. He’ll stop at nothing to get you, and beware of this type too; he’ll defame your name (behind your back) and tell all his buddies and cronies that you were a one-night stand, or some such scenario. Anything in that line, just to secretly get back at you, and your rejection.

GM Harasser Number Eight: He’s a cool customer and you actually have no clue yet that he has an eye on you. You are employed by this type, and then start working in a relatively relaxed atmosphere, not aware that he is all the time calculating and laying out his strategy to lure you into his trap. Then one day he may casually invite you for lunch or a meal outside, making you believe that the whole company or department would be there. That happened recently to me; my boss invited me for Iftar, after making it known that the company always has one such occasion for the whole staff. Being new on the force, and unaware of the manoeuvre, I innocently asked him, ‘Who’s coming from the Department?’ His answer was a nonchalant, ‘It will be very limited.’ And then he gave me the name of the restaurant to join the staff at the appropriate time. The ‘limited’ staff was himself, alone! So, I was forced on a private date…after the meal, I new it would be the beginning of the end of my short career with them!

Officially Defining Sexual Harassment:

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Sexual harassment at work threatens your self-esteem and confidence; it stops you from working effectively, undermines your dignity, and can affect your health and happiness. Sexual harassment is unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature, and even just one isolated act is enough to amount to it. It could take the form of sexual innuendo or lewd comments about your appearance or sex life, whether these are written or spoken. It could be a physical act, for example, deliberately brushing up against you or trying to caress you. Or, it could be more general, where, for example, the environment of the workplace creates a hostile or humiliating atmosphere for you. This could be the result of sexually explicit material displayed in the workplace, the downloading of internet porn by other employees, or other behaviour that creates an uncomfortable environment. Nobody should be subjected to it. The unfortunate reality is that it is happens all too often.

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
If you are unhappy with the way your employer has dealt with your grievance, or if your harasser is your employer, then you should take legal action. You can bring a sexual harassment claim regardless of how long you have worked for your employer, or how many hours you work. This option is available to you whether you are a man or a woman, and whatever age or sexual orientation you are. If you have previously had a relationship with the harasser then you can still bring a claim. You can bring a claim even if the harassment happened at your job interview.
The employer cannot argue that he or she did not intend to harass. If the behaviour undermined your dignity on the basis of your gender then it is discriminatory by law.

Sexual harassment can occur in a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to the following:

· The victim as well as the harasser may be a woman or a man. The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex.
· The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or a non-employee.
· The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.
· Unlawful sexual harassment may occur without economic injury to or discharge of the victim.
· The harasser's conduct must be unwelcome.

International Laws not Adapted or Applied in Egypt:

Luckily for the American women, a variety of laws exist to protect them. When will these laws be adapted in Egypt? In the USA, for example, your employer has a duty to provide a safe system of work, safe equipment and competent employees. Consequently, he or she has a responsibility to protect you from harassment. They are also protected by the Sex Discrimination Act, which guards you against less favourable treatment because of your sex. Similar laws apply in Scotland as in England and Wales.

It is helpful for the victim to directly inform the harasser that the conduct is unwelcome and must stop. The victim should use any employer complaint mechanism or grievance system available.

When investigating allegations of sexual harassment, EEOC looks at the whole record: the circumstances, such as the nature of the sexual advances, and the context in which the alleged incidents occurred. A determination on the allegations is made from the facts on a case-by-case basis.

If you keep quiet about harassment, the employer might argue that the behaviour was not unwelcome at the time, or that you have fabricated the story after leaving the job. According to an Equal Opportunities Commission report in 2001, however, nearly half of all applicants bringing tribunal claims between 1998 and 2001 had not made formal complaints while still employed. The reasons given were fear of receiving poor references, fear of harming their careers, embarrassment and concern they would not be believed.

Prevention is the best tool to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace. Employers are encouraged to take steps necessary to prevent sexual harassment from occurring. They should clearly communicate to employees that sexual harassment will not be tolerated. They can do so by establishing an effective complaint or grievance process and taking immediate and appropriate action when an employee complains.

Sexual harassment claims are founded on the Sex Discrimination Act, on the basis that the (female) victims were discriminated against because of their gender. Furthermore, if their employers decide not to investigate, and the harassed leave their jobs because they can no longer bear the harassment, then they could claim constructive unfair dismissal. This means the employer's action, or lack of action, caused them to hand in their notice, even though the women/girls were not directly asked to leave.

European Union agencies have recognized that reluctance to complain is a distinguishing characteristic of sexual harassment. Employment tribunals are increasingly acknowledging that workers may have good reasons for delaying their complaint, and they examine the individual circumstances of each case when making decisions.

What action should you take?

If you are experiencing sexual harassment in any or all of its forms, then there are steps you can take. First, you should make it clear that you find the behaviour inappropriate and unwelcome. When you do this, speak clearly and do not smile or apologise. If possible, confront your harasser in front of another person who you trust. You could also write to your harasser, if you find it too difficult to directly confront him or her, and you should keep a copy of the document.
If the behaviour continues, keep a diary of when and where it happened, what occurred, and who was there to witness it. Report the behaviour to your employer, who is then obliged by law to take action to investigate it and prevent it happening again. Take notes of any meetings with your employer about it. Many workplaces will have a specific procedure in place to deal with such complaints.

If other people are experiencing harassment, ask them to keep notes as well and to also make a complaint. If an employment agency organized your work placement, then tell them. If you are a member of a trade union, it is a good idea to let them know about the problems you are experiencing. If your health is suffering, then tell your doctor. In some cases the harassment may technically amount to assault or another criminal offence, in which case you should report it to the police. At a later stage, if the harassment continues, you may need to prove that you took every step to stop the behaviour.

There are many other categories of harassers, but there would be no space to name them all. If you spot one during the interview, don’t think that you can take the job and smugly assume ‘oh, I can handle him.’ Some men stop at nothing. But, I want to point out that I am always conservatively dressed during interviews, and in fact am a bit conservative by nature, so don’t get the impression at the end that perhaps I’m giving out the ‘wrong signals’… I don’t. Or rather, I didn’t.

Unfortunately, there exists no real law for defamation of name, slander, and all types of male abuse and harassment. If on the job or workforce, it’s often a matter of His word, against yours. Hardly any colleague would risk losing his or her job, to take your side! There is no protection for women, and less for relatively attractive women, nor legal punishment for the abusers and harassers.

We women live in a jungle here in Egypt …and that’s a fact. Sexual harassment at work is a subject not mentioned nor defined by any laws here. The ‘victims’ are too embarrassed to complain, and find it futile even if they do. The more attractive she is, the more she has to struggle to survive, and the more she has to prove that she’s not an object of abuse, let alone keep her name and justified honour intact. At the extreme end of sexual harassment, even raped victims prefer to remain quiet, rather than sue the harasser and keep the stigma of shame. Somehow, they are always the ones to be blamed in the end.


h.n.

Bad Summer for Egypt!

BAD SUMMER FOR EGYPT!

Egypt abduction talks 'ongoing'

Egypt says negotiations are still ongoing to secure the release of 19 people abducted in southern Egypt.

A cabinet spokesman said that an earlier announcement by the foreign minister that they had been freed and were safe and well was premature.
The group includes five Italians, five Germans and a Romanian, along with eight Egyptians.

The government says they were taken across the border into Sudan, and the hostage takers have demanded a ransom.

The 19 were seized near the Gilf al-Kebir plateau, close to the Libyan and Sudanese borders.

Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit originally reported their release ahead of a meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in New York.
He said the hostages were "safe and sound".

But the cabinet spokesman, Magdy Radi, later said: "It is premature to say they are released. The negotiations are still continuing."

Tour owner's call

Egyptian officials say contact has been made with the kidnappers in Sudan, and that they are seeking a ransom of up to $6m (£3.24m).

The tourism ministry said those abducted along with the foreigners were two guides, four drivers, a guard and the owner of the travel company who had organised the excursion.

Gilf al-Kebir is a giant plateau famous for its prehistoric cave paintings, which featured in the 1996 film The English Patient.

The BBC's Ian Pannell in Cairo says local guides have indicated that the Gilf al-Kebir area has become increasingly unsafe this year.

Another group of foreigners was held at gunpoint in February and three of their vehicles were taken.

An investigation at the time pointed the blame at smugglers and bandits.
Our correspondent says there has been criticism that the Egyptian military has not done enough to patrol the area despite the increased threat.


Tourist abduction blow for Mubarak

As 11 European tourists are abducted in south-west Egypt, the BBC's Arab affairs analyst Magdi Abdelhadi assesses the likely fall out of the incident.

Egypt is a popular destination for European tourists
Tourism matters a lot for the Egyptian economy. It brings in some $8bn (£4.3bn) a year, which is more than 6% of the country's gross domestic product.

One of the most likely consequences of a kidnap incident like this is that it will dent Egypt's reputation as a safe destination for foreign tourists.

It is thought that five Italians, five Germans and a Romanian were taken along with eight Egyptian travel guides and drivers last Friday.

The abduction is believed to have taken place near the Gilf al-Kebir plateau in southern Egypt. Unconfirmed reports say the hostages have been taken across the border into Sudan.

The Egyptian tourism minister says negotiations are under way to secure their release.

Bad news

Whatever the motives of the kidnappers, be they political or just criminal, there is no doubt that the incident is a serious blow to the administration of President Hosni Mubarak.

The kidnap comes at the end of a period of bad news for Mr Mubarak's government that has prompted growing calls for a change of leadership inside Egypt.

Mr Mubarak has been in power for nearly 30 years. His critics will see the kidnapping of foreign tourists as yet another example of government failure, despite the exceptional powers given to the police and the enormous resources allocated to security.

Earlier this month, the authorities were accused of responding slowly to a massive rock slide at a shanty town near Cairo that killed more than 100 people.

And before that, the city's fire brigade failed to extinguish a blaze that destroyed a historic building (actually AN OLD PALACE used for the parliaments) in central Cairo housing the upper chamber of parliament.


h.n.

"Bedouin Obama"!!!

'Bedouin' Obama!
Nearly 8,000 Arab Bedouins in northern Israel are claiming kinship with US president-elect Barack Obama. (Reuters)

Islam Online News:


CAIRO — Already having relatives extending from Hawaii to Kenya, nearly 8,000 Arab Bedouins in northern Israel are also claiming kinship with America's new president-elect, Barack Obama.

"We knew about it years ago but we were afraid to talk about it because we didn't want to influence the election," Arab Bedouin elder Abdul Rahman Sheikh Abdullah told The Times on Thursday, November 13.

"We wrote a letter to him explaining the family connection."

Abdullah, from the village of Bir al-Maksour in Galilee region, says his 95-year-old mother first noticed that Obama looked like one of the African migrant workers in the British-mandated Palestine in 1930s.

One of those migrants, who sometimes used to marry local Bedouin girls, was a relative of Obama's Kenyan grandmother, says Abdullah. Abdullah says he has papers and pictures supporting his claim, but would not divulge them until Obama is in the White House. "We want to send a delegation to congratulate him, and we know we'll get an answer soon."

Obama was elected America's first black president last week after crushing his Republican rival John McCain.

Born in Hawaii, the Illinois senator is the son of a Muslim-turned-atheist Kenyan father and a white American mother.

He lived from ages 6 to 10 in Indonesia with his mother and Muslim stepfather. Bedouins are traditionally pastoral semi-nomadic Arab tribes indigenous to the Negev region.

“Relative Obama”

Bedouins have been distributing sweets and dishes of baklava and pastries in celebration of Obama's election win.

"We knew he'd win," Abdullah said, constantly interrupted by a barrage of phone calls from well-wishers. "We have always been a lucky family.

Two baby boys born into Abdullah's large clan have been named Obama. Congratulators have been also flocking to Abdullah's region to pay their respects to the "Bedouin Obama".

"Everyone is talking about [Sheikh Abdullah's ties to Mr Obama] . . . They believe it," said Sheikh Issam al-Khalil from the occupied southern Lebanese town of Ghajar.

"The sheikhs from all the villages are talking about it. There's a whole delegation of Druze leaders coming from the Golan Heights to congratulate him."

Many Bedouins hope that their "relative" Obama will solve their problems. "We hope to God that Obama will solve the problem of Ghajar," said Khalil. Abdullah, the Bedouin elder, is also hopeful.

"We hope he'll end all wars and intervene here to solve our problems in Israel. The Bedouin are the people who suffer the most here."




Hoda Nassef

Don Quixote...or, Who Shot the Donkies?!

Don Quixote – or: Who Shot the Donkeys?

By Hoda Nassef

(An Egyptian Mini-Don Quixote)


When something goes right in Egypt, I simply Love My Country and praise the Good People and Good Deeds, while smiling with contentment like a Cheshire Cat. But, when something goes wrong, I become a Part and Parcel of the disgruntled Voice for the People of Egypt, like waving an Invisible Sword of Justice – as Don Quixote – fighting by pen instead of a sword for my family’s legal rights first, and ‘my People’ second, however often it falls flat and in vain, and then waiving my rights not out of resignation, but out of sheer exhaustion, with the results more like “Who shot the donkeys of Egypt?”…and then I go on to my next Quest, or it is thrown upon me.

h.n.

Genius & Philosopher George Carlin Dies

George Carlin mourned as counterculture hero

GEORGE CARLIN DIES AT 71

By KEITH ST. CLAIR, Associated Press Writer 21 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television. Some People Are Stupid. Stuff. People I Can Do Without. George Carlin, who died of heart failure Sunday at 71, leaves behind not only a series of memorable routines, but a legal legacy: His most celebrated monologue, a frantic, informed riff on those infamous seven words, led to a Supreme Court decision on broadcasting offensive language.

The counterculture hero's jokes also targeted things such as misplaced shame, religious hypocrisy and linguistic quirks? “Why”, he once asked, “do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?”

Carlin, who had a history of heart trouble, went into St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon complaining of chest pain and died later that evening, said his publicist, Jeff Abraham. He had performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.

"He was a genius and I will miss him dearly," Jack Burns, who was the other half of a comedy duo with Carlin in the early 1960s, told The Associated Press.

The actor Ben Stiller called Carlin "a hugely influential force in stand-up comedy. He had an amazing mind, and his humor was brave, and always challenging us to look at ourselves and question our belief systems, while being incredibly entertaining. He was one of the greats."
Carlin constantly breached the accepted boundaries of comedy and language, particularly with his routine on the "Seven Words”? All of which are taboo on broadcast TV to this day.
When he uttered all seven at a show in Milwaukee in 1972, he was arrested on charges of disturbing the peace, freed on $150 bail and exonerated when a Wisconsin judge dismissed the case, saying it was indecent but citing free speech and the lack of any disturbance.

When the words were later played on a New York radio station, they resulted in a 1978 Supreme Court ruling upholding the government's authority to sanction stations for broadcasting offensive language during hours when children might be listening.

"So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I'm perversely kind of proud of," he told The Associated Press earlier this year.

Despite his reputation as unapologetically irreverent, Carlin was a television staple through the decades, serving as host of the "Saturday Night Live" debut in 1975, noting on his Web site that he was "loaded on cocaine all week long” and appearing some 130 times on "The Tonight Show."
He produced 23 comedy albums, 14 HBO specials, three books, a few TV shows and appeared in several movies, from his own comedy specials to "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" in 1989 a testament to his range from cerebral satire and cultural commentary to downright silliness (sometimes hitting all points in one stroke).

"Why do they lock gas station bathrooms?" he once mused. "Are they afraid someone will clean them?"

In one of his most famous routines, Carlin railed against euphemisms he said have become so widespread that no one can simply "die."

"'Older' sounds a little better than 'old,' doesn't it," he said. "Sounds like it might even last a little longer. ... I'm getting old. And it's OK. Because thanks to our fear of death in this country I won't have to die. I'll 'pass away.' Or I'll 'expire,' like a magazine subscription. If it happens in the hospital they'll call it a 'terminal episode.' The insurance company will refer to it as 'negative patient care outcome.' And if it's the result of malpractice they'll say it was a 'therapeutic misadventure.'"

Carlin won four Grammy Awards for best spoken comedy album and was nominated for five Emmys. On Tuesday, it was announced that Carlin was being awarded the 11th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which will be presented Nov. 10 in Washington and broadcast on PBS.

"Nobody was funnier than George Carlin," said Judd Apatow, director of recent hit comedies such as "Knocked Up" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." "I spent half my childhood in my room listening to his records experiencing pure joy. And he was as kind as he was funny."

Carlin started his career on the traditional nightclub circuit in a coat and tie, pairing with Burns to spoof TV game shows, news and movies. Perhaps in spite of the outlaw soul, "George was fairly conservative when I met him," said Burns, describing himself as the more left-leaning of the two. It was a degree of separation that would reverse when they came upon Lenny Bruce, the original shock comic, in the early '60s.

"We were working in Chicago, and we went to see Lenny, and we were both blown away," Burns said, recalling the moment as the beginning of the end for their collaboration if not their close friendship. "It was an epiphany for George. The comedy we were doing at the time wasn't exactly groundbreaking, and George knew then that he wanted to go in a different direction."
That direction would make Carlin as much a social commentator and philosopher as comedian, a position he would relish through the years.

"The whole problem with this idea of obscenity and indecency, and all of these things" bad language and whatever?" "It's all caused by one basic thing, and that is: religious superstition," Carlin told the AP in a 2004 interview. "There's an idea that the human body is somehow evil and bad and there are parts of it that are especially evil and bad, and we should be ashamed. Fear, guilt and shame are built into the attitude toward sex and the body. ... It's reflected in these prohibitions and these taboos that we have."

Carlin was born on May 12, 1937, and grew up in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan, raised by a single mother. After dropping out of school in the ninth grade, he joined the Air Force in 1954. He received three court-martials and numerous disciplinary punishments, according to his official Web site.

While in the Air Force he started working as an off-base disc jockey at a radio station in Shreveport, La., and after receiving a general discharge in 1957, took an announcing job at WEZE in Boston.

"Fired after three months for driving mobile news van to New York to buy pot," his Web site says.

From there he went on to a job on the night shift as a deejay at a radio station in Fort Worth, Texas. Carlin also worked variety of temporary jobs, including carnival organist and marketing director for a peanut brittle.

In 1960, he left with $300 and Burns, a Texas radio buddy, for Hollywood to pursue a nightclub career as comedy team Burns & Carlin. His first break came just months later when the duo appeared on Jack Paar's "Tonight Show."

Carlin said he hoped to emulate his childhood hero, Danny Kaye, the kindly, rubber-faced comedian who ruled over the decade Carlin grew up in, in the 1950s, with a clever but gentle humor reflective of the times.

It didn't work for him, and the pair broke up by 1962. "I was doing superficial comedy entertaining people who didn't really care: Businessmen, people in nightclubs, conservative people. And I had been doing that for the better part of 10 years when it finally dawned on me that I was in the wrong place doing the wrong things for the wrong people," Carlin reflected recently as he prepared for his 14th HBO special, "It's Bad For Ya."

Eventually Carlin ditched the buttoned-up look for his trademark beard, ponytail and all-black attire. But even with his decidedly adult-comedy bent, Carlin never lost his childlike sense of mischief, even voicing kid-friendly projects like episodes of the TV show "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" and the spacey Volkswagen bus Fillmore in the 2006 Pixar hit "Cars."
Carlin's first wife, Brenda, died in 1997. He is survived by wife Sally Wade; daughter Kelly Carlin McCall; son-in-law Bob McCall; brother Patrick Carlin; and sister-in-law Marlene Carlin.
___

Associated Press writer Christopher Weber contributed to this report. Hoda Nassef edited some of the punctuations & contributed the title and photo.

How To Save The Airlines

How to Save The US Airlines!

Dump the male flight attendants. No one wanted them in the first place. Replace all the female flight attendants with good-looking strippers! What the hell --- They don't even serve food anymore, so what's the loss?

The strippers would at least triple the alcohol sales and get a 'party atmosphere' going in the cabin. And, of course, every businessman in this country would start flying again, hoping to see naked women.Because of the tips, female flight attendants wouldn't need a salary, thus saving even more money. I suspect tips would be so good that we could charge the women for working the plane and have them kick back 20% of the tips, including lap dances and 'special services.'

Muslims would be afraid to get on the planes for fear of seeing naked women. Hijackings would come to a screeching halt, and the airline industry would see record revenues. This is definitely a win-win situation if we handle it right --- a golden opportunity to turn a liability into an asset.

Why didn't Bush think of this? Why do I still have to do everything myself?


Sincerely,

Bill Clinton

Mrs Suzanne Mubarak, Patronage of Heritage

Mrs Suzanne Mubarak Becomes Patronage of Heritage

By Hoda Nassef

On 17th of April 2008, the First Lady, Mrs. Suzanne Hosni Mubarak, agreed to take the international NGO association“Save the Heritage of architect Hassan Fathy”under her wings.

HOW IT BEGAN:

Last December 2007, Dr. Leila El-Wakil, (PhD in History of Art), along with the professors of the Department of Art History & those holding a Masters Degree in Environmental Sciences of the Geneva University, Switzerland, implored us to: “SAVE THE NEW GOURNA”, of Hassan Fathy.

Save Hassan Fathy’s New Gourna

Introduction:

The professors of the Department of Art History and of the Master in Environmental Sciences of Geneva University wish to make an emergency appeal for the registration of the village of New Gourna (Egypt). This exceptional masterpiece of contemporary architecture has been known worldwide and belongs to the artistic as well as intellectual heritage of Humanity.

This heritage has already been severely damaged to somewhat general indifference. Every measure should now be rapidly carried out to preserve what is left, restore what has been altered and reconstruct what has disappeared to bring it back to its original form and signification.

Hassan Fathy’s New Gourna village cannot simply disappear in inertia and unconcern. The lessons of know-how/savoir-faire, human solidarity and appropriate technology put in the hands of a poor community are served by an extraordinary formal modern architectural language. They should continue to testify to future generations, as the architect himself would have wished, the possibilities of reasoned development in emergent countries.

The Importance of Hassan Fathy’s works…

His career cannot be limited to this only realisation. Hassan Fathy (1900-1989) is among the most important architects of Africa and the Middle East. As an intellect, writer, humanist, architect and scientist, he deeply influenced generations of architects and engineers throughout the world by his constructions as well as by his thoughts.

Hassan Fathy was born in Alexandria and worked mainly in Egypt except during five years he spent in Greece were he worked in the very cosmopolite Dioxides Agency in Athens (1957-1962). He became internationally famous after the success of the publication of Gourna, a Tale of two Villages in 1969, republished in 1973 under the name of Architecture for the Poor: An Experiment in Rural Egypt. The tremendous impact of the book shook the whole world and had significant repercussions in the western academic circles.

The richness of Hassan Fathy’s anthropological thought, his authentic social concern and the wisdom of his reasoning underlying the architectural experience, have had an international impact which has yet to be assimilated in the era of the sustainable development we are now entering. The notion of “appropriate technology” formulated by Hassan Fathy in the twilight of his life has not been sufficiently acknowledged, in particular in emergent countries.

Hassan Fathy had a prolific mind and was impassioned for numerous subjects. He designed and constructed projects of various natures; from modern constructions in armed concrete in the 1930’s and private residences built with stone to projects of the “Ideal City” for Baghdad and Karachi during his Greek period. He addressed all types of programmes such as villas, farms, mosques, social health centres, schools, theatres, peasant villages and tourist villages. As a true researcher in the field of architecture and construction, he endeavoured himself to develop construction technologies inventing solutions appropriate to the climatic circumstances of hot arid countries. Although the project of NEW GOURNA is one of his important works, his career cannot be limited to this only realisation.

Architect Hassan Fathy was a defender of traditional know-how and art crafts, which were threatened to disappear in favour of industrialized products imported from the West. Ideologically close to the artists of his time, like the group of the “Friends of Art and Life” founded in the 1930’s around the personality of Hamed Saïd, he preferred techniques which required the hand of man, believing they could bring happiness and dignity.

Hassan Fathy whilst being conscious of the importance of educating his compatriots and contemporaries, left numerous works and reports and gave a multitude of conferences. The memos, drafts, booklets scribbled with thoughts, notebooks and sketches are innumerable and constitute the most considerable part of the archive’s collection currently conserved at the American University in Cairo (AUC Rare Books Library) and Special Collections (RBLSC). The classification of this material which is ongoing widens the knowledge of the vast and prolific production of this man. During his life, he never received the recognition and grandstand he deserved, even though in his late years, strangers from all over the world desirous to benefit from his precepts, visited his house in Darb el Labana every day.

Although Hassan Fathy was marginalized in his country, he was related to the international intelligentsias and he dedicated part of his career to expertise in the fields of development, African architecture and heritage. The thousands of photographs conserved at the RBLSC prove that he travelled in numerous countries all over the world in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the United-States. As a consultant to international organizations and UN agencies, he elaborated development projects for countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Palestine and Pakistan.

During his travels, he would always closely study the local architecture, whether modern or vernacular, as well as art crafts. These experiences were part of his training as an architect and a theorist. Therefore he often illustrated his conferences and articles with examples of architecture or town-planning he discovered abroad.

The misfortune seems to be fiercely attached to Hassan Fathy’s production as several significant buildings have already disappeared: the Bosphore Casino (1932) commissioned by the Koudsy brothers on the Train Station Square (Bab el-Hadid) in Cairo has fallen, several Deco villas from the 1930’s have been pulled down, the villa he built for his wife, Aziza Hassanein, was destroyed during the creation of the Maadi corniche and the legendary house of the artist and potter Hamed Saïd in el-Marg is now surrounded by a hostile environment. At present, the villa Toussoun Abu Gabal is threatened by the land-bank implemented in the surroundings of the new Four Seasons Hotel. Recently, two houses built in the village of New Bariz (Kharga) have suffered renovations which totally altered them.

Hassan Fathy, along with contemporary figures such as Naguib Mahfouz, Um Kalthoum or Yussef Shahin, incarnates the Egyptian genius. Nowadays, who would even think of letting the Trilogy of Mahfouz, Um Kalthoum’s songs or the cinematographic heritage of Yussef Shahin disappear? Meanwhile, because of quasi-general inactivity and fatalism, the outstanding executions of a prominent architect are falling one after the other and NEW GOURNA is gradually vanishing.

New Gourna:

An Outstanding ConceptionHassan Fathy’s owes his international recognition to the publication of Gourna, a Tale of two Villages which recounts the adventure of the construction of the village of NEW GOURNA. The project and execution of this model-village for a poor traditional rural community, at the dawn of the 1950’s, constitutes an experience without precedent in Egypt. If the book narrating this experience still has an international echo today, the village which testifies of this unique and original attempt is in an advanced state of deterioration.

In 1945, The Department of Antiquities and the Director of Excavations assigned Hassan Fathy to execute a new village, upstream of the old village of Gourna, behind the Memnon Colossuses. This pilot-village should relocate the inhabitants of Old Gourna far away from the ‘pharaonic’ sites. The Gourna residents will oppose a strong resistance to this displacement. Recently, more than half a century later, they have been constrained by force to leave their houses in Old Gourna destroyed by bulldozers.

This project addressed to the modest Egyptian peasantry should be put in parallel with the researches of modern European architects of the Interwar: in the domain of social housing for the working-class (Britz or Siemensstadt in Berlin by H. Sharoun, W. Gropius, B. Taut or the Kiefhook housing project in Rotterdam by J.J.P. Oud) and in the field of model villages of the Reconstruction which are starting to be seriously studied (Bousquel in France by Bossu and projects by Thomas Sharp in Great-Britain).Before projecting anything, Hassan Fathy analyzed the existing situation. Indeed, he tried to improve the sanitary facilities and enhance the living conditions of the Gourna fellahs while preserving their cultural traditions. In order to build a new village that can answer the needs and customs of the inhabitants, he carried out a meticulous ethnographic approach by observing the functioning of Old Gourna. He studied the familial (badana) and social structure of the clans or tribes and the way of life of the ‘Gournis’. These observations will dictated the village-planning principles.

Hassan Fathy also analysed the lucrative activities of the Gournis: in addition to land cultivation which provides them with insufficient resources, are the licit incomes from art crafts and the illicit ones from fraudulent antiquity commerce. This fact will favour his idea of promoting a large variety of art crafts in the new village by perpetrating existing local traditions and reintroducing ancestral know-how.

In his search for low cost constructive solutions, Hassan Fathy used the technology of raw earth which he had already successfully experimented with in many circumstances. The material is costless and requires a technique that the Nubians still master. He wished to hand over this knowledge to the Gournis to enable them to build their own houses themselves without the need of an architect. This self-help system would guaranty the durability of the village because it could develop itself in a sustainable way without an architect or professional masons for which the Gournis did not have the means. This pilot-project was to serve as a model for the construction of other low cost villages in the poor rural areas of Egypt.

An Exceptional Execution

The site of Gourna is located on the western bank of the Nile at the level of Luxor with which it constitutes Ancient Thebes. The western bank bears the pharaoh’s necropolises (the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens and the Tombs of the Nobles), which number among the most visited sites of Egypt. As from the eighteenth century, inhabitations have been built close by the tombs. This is what we call the Old Gourna that has just been evacuated and demolished since December 2006 despite international protests.Hassan Fathy was to design the project on a flat parcel in a 50-acre hosh of farmable land, bought from Boulos Hanna Pasha, protected by dykes and situated close to the main road and the railway. It is on that peace of land that he freely designed the project of a pilot village to relocate 7000 Gournis. Between 1946 and 1949 he accomplished only a part of the designed plan. The work was suspended for lack of political support.

This village resembles neither the traditional villages nor the attempts to design modern Egyptian villages. It can be qualified as an ideal village in as much as the Saline de Chaux by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux was an industrial ideal town at the end of the Enlightenment. Hassan Fathy built Gourna in accordance with his (high) idea of what should be an Egyptian village at the in the midst of the twentieth century. The richness of the profoundly humanist programme of New Gourna constitutes a Unicom in the history of village-planning. It resulted to a very ambitious project, maybe too ambitious for its time and place.The fellah was to be lodged with his family and animals in a house designed according to his own needs. He would breed his stock, cultivate the land in the surroundings of the village and also produce art crafts (weaving, pottery etc.) in the crafts school and the khan. He would sell the harvest of his farming in a nice shaded market and his art crafts products in a hall built for this purpose. He would practise his religion either in a Mosque with pure lines or in a church (which was not constructed). He would dispose of a meeting place for celebrations and feasts. His children would be sent to two distinct schools, one for the girls and the other for the boys. He would participate in the popular folkloric entertainments taking place in the theatre or on the esplanade situated just behind it. Part of the constructions (mosque, theatre, khan, market etc.) still exists today and does not appear as over dimensioned, considering the fact that Fathy was planning a possible population growth of 20.000 inhabitants.

Hassan Fathy was to design the project on a flat parcel in a 50-acre hosh of farmable land, bought from Boulos Hanna Pasha, protected by dykes and situated close to the main road and the railway. It is on that peace of land that he freely designed the project of a pilot village to relocate 7000 Gournis. Between 1946 and 1949 he accomplished only a part of the designed plan. The work was suspended for lack of political support.

This village resembles neither the traditional villages nor the attempts to design modern Egyptian villages. It can be qualified as an ideal village in as much as the Saline de Chaux by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux was an industrial ideal town at the end of the Enlightenment. Hassan Fathy built Gourna in accordance with his (high) idea of what should be an Egyptian village at the in the midst of the twentieth century. The richness of the profoundly humanist programme of New Gourna constitutes a Unicom in the history of village-planning. It resulted to a very ambitious project, maybe too ambitious for its time and place.The fellah was to be lodged with his family and animals in a house designed according to his own needs. He would breed his stock, cultivate the land in the surroundings of the village and also produce art crafts (weaving, pottery etc.) in the crafts school and the khan. He would sell the harvest of his farming in a nice shaded market and his art crafts products in a hall built for this purpose. He would practise his religion either in a Mosque with pure lines or in a church (which was not constructed). He would dispose of a meeting place for celebrations and feasts. His children would be sent to two distinct schools, one for the girls and the other for the boys. He would participate in the popular folkloric entertainments taking place in the theatre or on the esplanade situated just behind it. Part of the constructions (mosque, theatre, khan, market etc.) still exists today and does not appear as over dimensioned, considering the fact that Fathy was planning a possible population growth of 20,000 inhabitants.

Hassan Fathy was to design the project on a flat parcel in a 50-acre hosh of farmable land, bought from Boulos Hanna Pasha, protected by dykes and situated close to the main road and the railway. It is on that peace of land that he freely designed the project of a pilot village to relocate 7000 Gournis. Between 1946 and 1949 he accomplished only a part of the designed plan. The work was suspended for lack of political support.

This village resembles neither the traditional villages nor the attempts to design modern Egyptian villages. It can be qualified as an ideal village in as much as the Saline de Chaux by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux was an industrial ideal town at the end of the Enlightenment. Hassan Fathy built Gourna in accordance with his (high) idea of what should be an Egyptian village at the in the midst of the twentieth century. The richness of the profoundly humanist programme of New Gourna constitutes a Unicom in the history of village-planning. It resulted to a very ambitious project, maybe too ambitious for its time and place.The boys’ school (which has been demolished) was situated in the North-West sector of the village.

The design of the village, deliberately irregular, between grid and radio-centric systems, was to develop the imaginary and encourage a rich and varied architecture. The village is divided in four major parts, separated by streets of at least 10m. large, corresponding to the four Gourna tribes.

A system of secondary streets, not exceeding a width of 6m., protects the intimacy of the badanas and dissuades strangers from entering. The inner court houses are assembled in more or less complex sectors open at the angles. This design deliberately avoids any systematic or symmetrical character and repetitions which lead, as says Fathy, “to boring ranges of identical housings that are considered to be what the poor deserve … and are harmful to the human well-being of Man.”

To solve the economic question of the rural village programme, Hassan Fathy used raw brick. This choice is determined by his knowledge of architecture and monuments of upper-Egypt. Indeed, in regions which are poor in wood, one has to imagine other roofing systems. The vaults and cupolas in raw brick like the Ramasseum, Bagawat and the Fatimid mausoleums, will served him as models to roof his first experimental farms and the houses in New Gourna.

During every epoch, the elementary technology of mud brick has been a traditional material in Egypt, particularly in rural areas. The material itself, at immediate disposal, and the fabrication of the raw bricks, dried in the sun, is simple and low-cost. By applying the system of catenary vaults which he improves, one can build a house entirely in earth. The building of such a house requires only two persons.

This innovative formal language of Hassan Fathy at the time of its creation will have a long posterity in Egypt and around the Mediterranean. Today, in Egypt, one commonly uses the term of “Hassan Fathy style” even if it does not design raw earth constructions but designs any architecture using vaults and domes. Numerous tourist settlements and holiday houses reveal this general gusto.

Exceptional character and uniqueness of New Gourna:

In the aftermath of the Second World War, the idea and the execution of the village of New Gourna constitute an experience without precedent. It is both unique in its time and premonitory of the preoccupations that were to come. The idea of a self-help system among the peasants so they can build their own houses adapted to the climate with a simple and low-cost technology is an exception. Hassan Fathy was sensible to the question of social housing as an architect and as a man and sincerely wished to enhance the living condition of the peasants. He invented a model housing plan, based upon constructive and typological models from the historical range of Egyptian constructions. This concern for re-linking with the lost traditional know-how embraces the theories underlying the question of sustainable development.

Because of the extreme abundance of heritage from all epochs, Egypt is essentially preoccupied by antiquities, Islamic and Coptic arts and does not yet recognise the more recent heritage; this is why the concern for the village of New Gourna has not been considered as a priority. Nevertheless, it constitutes an exceptional cultural conception and heritage.

The New Gourna, Hassan Fathy’s pilot project, which has been partially constructed, is at present abandoned and in peril. Even though the theatre and the mosque have been restored and are in a good state of conservation, some of the buildings suffer from lack of maintenance and savage transformations. Other buildings, like the boys’ school and the art crafts hall of the village, have been purely and simply destroyed.Consequently…

The professors of the Department of Art History and of Masters in Environmental Sciences of Geneva University in Geneva, take the initiative to demand for an international registration of the New Gourna as a “Listed Heritage.”

H.N.

Being A Mother

BEING A MOTHER

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, "I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you."

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my Mother, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.

"What's wrong, are you well?" she asked. My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. "I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you," I responded "just the two of us." She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like that very much."

That Thursday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's.

"I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed," she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about our 'date'."

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.

After we sat down, I read the menu as her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mother sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. "It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said. "Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favour," I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation - nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie time!

As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again. . .. but only if you let me treat you." I agreed.

"How was your dinner date?" asked my wife when I got home. "Very nice, much more so than I could have imagined," I answered. A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to go help her.

Sometime later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the restaurant Mother and I had dined at. An attached note said: "Dear son - I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I would be able to be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your lovely wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son."

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: "I love you" and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than our family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off until 'some other time.'

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby.... that somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, "normal" is history.

Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the first....that somebody doesn't have two or more children.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labour and delivery....that somebody never watched her "baby" get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten...or on a plane headed for military "boot camp."

Somebody said a Mother can stop worrying after her child gets married....well that somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a Mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a Mother's job is done when her last child leaves home....that somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your Mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her... that somebody isn't a Mother.

Pass this message along to all the "Mothers" in your life and to everyone who ever had a mother. This isn't just about being a Mother; it's about appreciating the people in your lives while you have them....no matter who that person is:

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle".

H.N.

Quotes from Congressmen & Congresswomen

Real quotes from congressmen & congresswomen in the USA!

Written by an American:

Why Our Country Is In TroubleA Washington DC airport ticket agent offers some examples of why our country is in trouble! True Events!

1. I had a Maine Congresswoman ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the window.

2. I got a call from a candidate's staffer, who wanted to go to Capetown. I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport information. She interrupted me with, "I'm not trying to make you look stupid, but Capetown is in Massachusetts ." Without trying to make her look stupid, I calmly explained, "Cape Cod is in Massachusetts , Capetown is in Africa ,"Her response - ......(I'm too polite to write it down!)

3. A senior Vermont Congressman called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando . He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that's not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state. He replied, "Don't lie to me, I looked on the map and Florida is a very thin state!"

4. I got a call from a lawmaker's wife who asked, "Is it possible to see England from Canada ?" I said, "No." She said, "But they look so close on the map."

5. An aide for a cabinet member once called and asked if he could rent a car in Dallas . When I pulled up the reservation, I noticed he had only a 1 hour layover in Dallas . When I asked him why he wanted to rent a car, he said, "I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to drive between gates to save time."

6. An Illinois Congresswoman called last week. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:30 am and got to Chicago at 8:33 am. I explained that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois , but she couldn't understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the plane went very fast, and she bought that.

7. A New York lawmaker called and asked, "Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to whom?" I said, "No, why do you ask?" She replied, "Well, when I checked in with the airline, they put a tag on my luggage that said (FAT), and I'm overweight. I think that's very rude!" After putting her on hold for a minute while I looked into it (I was laughing) I came back and explained the city code for Fresno , CA is (FAT), and the airline was just putting a destination tag on her luggage.

8. A Senator's aide called to inquire about a trip package to Hawaii . After going over all the cost info, she asked, "Would it be cheaper to fly to California , and then take the train to Hawaii ?"

9. I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman who asked, "How do I know which plane to get on?" I asked him what exactly he meant. He replied, "I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these damn planes have numbers on them."

10. A lady Senator called and said, "I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola , Florida . Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?" I asked if she meant fly to Pensacola , Fl. on a commuter plane. She said, "Yeah, whatever, smart-ass!"

11. A senior Senator called and had a question about the documents he needed in order to fly to China . After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded him that he needed a visa. "Oh, no I don't. I've been to China many times and never had to have one of those." I double checked and sure enough, his stay required a visa. When I told him this he said, "Look, I've been to China four times and every time they have accepted my American Express!"

12. A New Mexico Congresswoman called to make reservations, "I want to go from Chicago to Rhino, New York ." I was at a loss for words. Finally, I said, "Are you sure that's the name of the town?" "Yes, what flights do you have?" replied the lady. After some searching, I came back with, "I'm sorry, ma'am, I've looked up every airport code in the country and can't find a Rhino anywhere." The lady retorted, "Oh, don't be silly! Everyone knows where it is. Check your map!" So I scoured a map of the state of New York and finally offered, "You don't mean Buffalo, do you?" The reply? "Whatever! I knew it was a big animal."

Now you know why the US Government is in the shape that it's in!

H.N.

Amazingly Simple Home Remedies!

AMAZINGLY SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES

1. IF YOU'RE CHOKING ON AN ICE CUBE, SIMPLY POUR A CUP OF BOILING WATER DOWN YOUR THROAT. PRESTO! THE BLOCKAGE WILL INSTANTLY REMOVE ITSELF.

2. AVOID CUTTING YOURSELF WHEN SLICING VEGETABLES BY GETTING SOMEONE ELSE TO HOLD THE VEGETABLES WHILE YOU CHOP.

3. AVOID ARGUMENTS WITH THE FEMALES ABOUT LIFTING THE TOILET SEAT - USE THE SINK.

4. FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE SUFFERERS ~ SIMPLY CUT YOURSELF AND BLEED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THUS REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON YOUR VEINS. REMEMBER TO USE A TIMER.

5. A MOUSE TRAP PLACED ON TOP OF YOUR ALARM CLOCK WILL PREVENT YOU FROM ROLLING OVER AND GOING BACK TO SLEEP AFTER YOU HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON.

6. IF YOU HAVE A BAD COUGH, TAKE A LARGE DOSE OF LAXATIVES. THEN YOU'LL BE AFRAID TO COUGH.

7. YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'T MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE DUCT TAPE.

8. REMEMBER - EVERYONE SEEMS NORMAL UNTIL YOU GET TO KNOW THEM.

9. IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.

DAILY THOUGHT:

SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING, BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.


H.N.

Second Wives

Second Wives

By Hoda Nassef


Having a second wife here in Egypt, does not mean that the grieving widow finally remarried, nor does it mean that the divorced man chose his proper mate and had a second chance; it means that he has two wives, both alive, and sometimes actually living under the same roof!

In the ‘Islamic World’, men can have more than one wife. A foreign friend recently told me, ‘Lucky Egyptian men…they can have TWO wives!’ I answered, ‘Not all, and not really lucky, but silly, as marrying second wives in Islam should be under strict Islamic rules.’

This is a repeated and gross misinterpretation of the facts in Islamic marriages, seen through the eyes of most foreigners, and most religions as well.

Strange as it may seem, the poorer and less educated men often have a wife or two, and maybe three! They marry more than once, although they are less able to afford even the ‘first’ wife, than the ‘upper class’ men, and can barely support her, let alone support himself plus a second wife. They would rather be a ‘polygamists’ - (in the eyes of the Europeans) – than commit the BIG immortal and immoral sin and be eternally cursed to damnation for fornication outside of wedlock!

On the other hand, many ‘educated’ men prefer to have secret illicit affairs, than get caught with their pants down by their wives! Having affairs here, as elsewhere abroad, is quite common – and kept ‘under cover’. He might brag about it to his close male friends, but acts pious in public and portrays the image of The Perfect Husband and citizen.

As for the majority of the ‘Second Wives’ who know in advance that their husbands are already married, many young ladies target men who are already well off, have good careers, and are financially stable if not actually rich, rather than wait years for young suitors or boyfriends to reach that status, and find it a sort of conquest to take another (and much older) woman’s husband.

The Second Wives usually calculate that they will have to put up with the hassles of the First Wife as well as problems from children of the first marriage, along with the husband’s wrinkles and perhaps impotency, as a price to pay for the ‘easy road’ to wealth and status, knowing that they will be properly pampered by the foolish husbands for marrying someone much younger than the First Wife; cunningly knowledgeable that the husbands’ psyche or egos are easily vulnerable and inflated for having such a catch at their Twilight Age. Consequently, neither of the newlyweds have any remorse for breaking up the first marriage, if it comes to that.

Having two wives is not outlawed in Islam, as in Christianity. However, there are new-founded laws to protect the first wife’s rights – the foremost is that she must be told in advance from her spouse that he is marrying another woman. She then has the option to either stay married, or ask for a divorce.

Usually she remains married, if he does not prefer to divorce her, simply because she has no other means of livelihood. Sometimes she is even relieved, being already frigid from long years of insignificant sex or none at all. As long as he kept the money rolling in, she didn’t mind!

But, laws are meant to be broken, and not obeyed, and usually the First Wife finds out about the Second wife, only at her husband’s funeral!

Paradoxically, is statistically known that women out-number men now worldwide, by almost four times. Is that perhaps one of the reasons Allah has allowed a Moslem man to marry more than one – up to and not exceeding four. It is seen as a sort of sanctuary for Single Women, if they chose to be a ‘dorra’ (second wife) - and a Safety Zone for lusty men not to stray.

There are various other reasons why a single woman may marry a man who is already married, and vice versa. As one strange example, I know a lady who married years ago, with the full knowledge that her man was already married. She also had a couple of bad marriages in her past, and he seemed a ‘good catch’ even then, for a divorced young woman. They stayed very happily married for several years, until he passed away. She was much younger than her husband, and has many more years ahead of her, but would not want to remarry because she would lose her pension from her deceased husband.

Both wives attended the funeral, but avoided each other like the plague. Later on…much later, I asked her, ‘Why did you REALLY marry him? You had a job, a child from the first marriage, a nice flat in the suburbs, plus a beach house.’ Her surprising answer was: ‘We played Bridge or Poker almost every night and had our own poker game ongoing for years, with the same group. Poker nights, with a couple of drinks, made life worth living. His wife hates cards.’ You could have knocked me with a feather! But I put on MY poker face, nodded quickly and politely agreed, while I hurried to the door after barely saying a brief goodbye!

As another example, in the eyes of an upper-class man who married a Second Wife, while dining at the Automobile’s Club downtown, I asked the distinguished middle-aged gentleman why he re-married - (after 25 years of happy matrimony!) - since his First Wife was such a wonderful woman, pretty, liked and respected by everybody, and raised their children to be happy and successful citizens, as well. His new wife was ‘a virgin’ when they married, according to him, and obscenely much younger than both of them – almost their own children’s age.

Without blinking, he drawled out, ‘You know, the same old story: stimulus. She made me feel young again.’

To each his own! She exploited him for his status and wealth, but he also exploited her youth and beauty.

H.N.

The Many Faces of Hilarious Hillary!

The Many Faces of Hilarious Hillary!

(Sorry ya madam! I don't really know you, so you might be a nice person. Thank God for YOU...that I'm not an American, or they might vote for ME instead!!!)

H.N.

The Story of Mother's Day

The Story of Mother's Day

By Hoda Nassef

The earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday". Celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter*), "Mothering Sunday" honoured the mothers of England. During this time many of the England's poor worked as servants for the wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants would live at the houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday the servants would have the day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch.

As Christianity spread throughout Europe, the celebration changed to honour the "Mother Church" - the spiritual power that gave them life and protected them from harm. Over time the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration. People began honouring their mothers as well as the church.

In the United States Mother's Day suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe (who wrote the words to the Battle hymn of the Republic) as a day dedicated to peace. Ms. Howe would hold organized Mother's Day meetings in Boston, Mass. ever year. Later on, a Father's Day was announced, during a separate month.

In 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia, to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death, i.e. the 2nd Sunday of May. By the next year Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia.

Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessman and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. It was successful as by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.

While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.

In Egypt, the late Egyptian journalists and twin bothers Ali and Moustafa Amin, emulated Mother's Day to be celebrated on 21st of March of each year, just as they emulated and adapted the global Valentine's Day that is celebrated on the 14th of February, to make it an Egyptian 'eid el hobb' (Feast of Love) on November 4th instead. However, some sources in Egypt later preferred to call it 'Family's Day', making it more profitable commercially.

In any case, I take this opportunity to wish all beloved and noble mothers, grandmothers and aunts, a Very Happy Mother's Day!

H.N.

Leap Year

LEAP YEAR

By Hoda Nassef

I just realized that this February has 29 days! So, it is ‘leap year’ as they call it. I looked it up for precise definition: Leap Year is a noun. Definition: A year in the Gregorian calendar having 366 days, with the extra day, February 29, intercalated to compensate for the quarter-day difference between an ordinary year and the astronomical year.

While I was going to school and living in America with my family, Leap Year meant that any female had the right to run after any man of her choosing, for a date to start with, and even proposing marriage was considered ‘ethical’ and alright!

Not now. Women are bold even in the Middle East, and run after men anyway, but with more guile and cleverness. They even propose marriage, yet make their unaware ‘victims’ think that they are the ones who proposed marriage to them! After all, men here, and most men all over the world, still like to think that they are the ‘Hunters’ and the little women are their ‘Preys’!!!

But in Islam, we should not forget that it is actually ‘proper’, as Sayeda Khadiga actually proposed to Prophet Mohamed (P.B.U.H.) – AND she was also 15 years older.

On the other hand, nobody is remotely close to sayedna Khadiga, nor will there ever be again another Messenger of Allah...our last holy Prophet.


H.N.

Six Ways to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

Six Ways to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimers' symptoms can start in your forties. Main symptoms begin with forgetfulness. A person starts to forget things, and concentration as well as memory diminishes bit by bit. Main cause is due to stressful outside factors, such as a stressful environment, worries and emotional stress.

What follows are six important food and lifestyle factors that can dramatically reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

1. Drink Vegetable Juices
A study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Medicine indicates that people who drink three or more servings of fruit and vegetable juices per week have a 76 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared to people who drink less than one serving per week.

2. Ensure Regular Intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience indicates that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, dramatically slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease in mice (building and maintaining a healthy nervous system).

3. Strive To Reach and Maintain A Healthy Body Weight For Your Height
According to research that was presented at the 58th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in April of 2006, people who are overweight when they are in their 40s have a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life than those who are not overweight when they are in their 40s.

4. Enjoy Activities That Mentally Stimulate You
If your daily work doesn't require you to solve problems and be creative, consider adopting hobbies that do.

5. Avoid Aluminum
According to the National Institutes of Health, 'certain aluminum compounds have been found to be an important component of the neurological damage characteristics of Alzheimer's disease.'

The most common sources of aluminum exposure are:

· Processed cheese and cornbread
· Some over-the-counter drugs such as antacids and buffered aspirin
· Aluminum cookware, especially when alkaline foods (like green vegetables) or acidic foods (like tomatoes) are cooked in them
· Antiperspirants

6. Avoid Vaccines and Other Potential Sources of Mercury

The most common sources of mercury exposure are:

· Amalgam dental fillings
· Seafood, particularly large fish that are high in the food chain
· Broken compact fluorescent light bulbs

H.N.

Law of The Seed!

Law of the Seed

Take a look at an apple tree. There might be five hundred apples on the tree and each apple has ten seeds. That's a lot of seeds! We might ask, "Why would you need so many seeds to grow just a few more apple trees?" Nature has something to teach us here.

IT'S TELLING US:

“Not all seeds grow. In life, most seeds never grow”.

So if you really want to make something happen, you had better try more than once."

THIS MIGHT MEAN:

You'll attend twenty interviews to get one job. You'll interview forty people to find one good employee.

And you might meet a hundred acquaintances just to find one special friend.

When we understand the "Law of the Seed", we don't get so disappointed.

We stop feeling like victims.

We learn how to deal with things that happen to us.

Laws of nature are not things to take personally.We just need to understand them - and work with them.

IN OTHER WORDS:

Successful people fail more often. But they plant more seeds.

When things are beyond your control, here's something that you must NOT DO so as to avoid misery in your life:

- You must not decide how you think the world SHOULD be.
- You must not make rules for how everyone SHOULD behave.
- Then, when the world doesn't obey your rules, you get angry!
- That's what miserable people do!

ON THE OTHER HAND, LET'S SAY YOU EXPECT THAT:

-Friends SHOULD return favours.

-People SHOULD appreciate you.
-Planes SHOULD arrive on time.

-Everyone SHOULD be honest.
-Your husband or best friend SHOULD remember your birthday.

These expectations may sound reasonable. But often, these things won'thappen!
So you end up frustrated and disappointed.

THERE'S A BETTER STRATEGY:

Demand less, and instead, have preferences!

For things that are beyond your control, tell yourself:

"I would prefer this, but if that happens, it’s OK too!"

This is really a change in mindset. It is a shift in attitude, and it gives you more peace of mind ...

You prefer that people are polite ... but when they are rude, it doesn't ruin your day.

You prefer sunshine ... but if it rains, it is ok too!

TO BECOME HAPPIER, WE EITHER NEED TO:

a) Change the world, or

b) Change our thinking.

It is easier to change our Thinking!

IN A NUTSHELL:

It is not the problem that is the issue, but rather it is your attitude attending to the problem that is the problem.

It's not what happens to you that determines your happiness; it's how you think about what happens to you!

H.N.

MURDER ON THE NILE!

Map of Diving Areas

Murder on the Nile!

By Hoda Nassef


Colonel Sameh Adel Mesharafa (Officer in the Egyptian Marine Guards & National Underwater Photographer Champion) was born in Egypt on 25th February 1959, and graduated from the Egyptian Police Academy in 1979. It is interesting to know his criteria included training in firearms, firefighting, diving, and all types of life-saving and crime prevention skills. He completed an intensive six-month diving course with the Marines in 1981 - diving both in fresh as well as salty water. This enabled him to choose his specialty as a first-rank officer in the Egyptian Marine Guards, with its headquarters situated in Garden City, Cairo. Then, to broaden his spheres, Col. Mesharafa achieved his Bachelors degree in Commerce from the Cairo University in 1985 and then took a computer course at the American University in Cairo. Now, he has his own diving center in Cairo (Scuba Fun Club, in Digla, Maadi) where his rates are the best in Egypt, as far as I know. The good thing about his diving courses (for foreign guests) is that the fees are equal to what the Egyptians pay, and his course is considered fifty per cent less expensive than other dive centers.

Sameh Mesharafa is a board member of the Egyptian Underwater Sports Federation, (sports and life-saving) which is affiliated to the Ministry of Youth, and recently also a member of the international board “Confederation Mondiale d’Activités Sportifs“ (CMAS) situated in Italy.

Mysterious Drowning in Hurghada

According to Mesharafa, smuggling via the Nile is nil. It occurs instead usually at ports or along the seacoasts. But Col. Mesharafa was sent to investigate the recent October 2002 drowning of three Diving Instructors in Hurghada. One (Polish Diving Instructor) managed to emerge, but his two colleagues, (also Polish and diving instructors) were probably held down by their heavy equipment (which included 7 air tanks) and sunk into a deep abyss beneath the normal diving limits. There bodies were never recovered. During that same week, Colonel Sameh Mesharafa made a round on all the diving centers in Hurghada to check out all the boats and diving equipment available and ensure their validity and safety.

Murder on the Nile!

According to Col. Mesharafa, murder usually occurs more in the Giza district, rather than in Cairo. Usually, the murder occurs elsewhere, but the body is dumped into the Nile. However, the main types of crime occur more in hiding the crime instrument into the Nile, such as concealing the clues or tracks of the criminal involved, by throwing the weapon into the Nile, rather than throwing the body of a victim. So, unsolved murder cases sometimes occur if the gun, knife or other weapon is embedded into the Nile River. Sometimes a whole safe deposit box could be thrown into the Nile, after stealing the inside contents, to hide the culprit’s fingerprints.

Suicides

As for suicides, I asked Mesharafa, “How many suicide cases per year? And, statistically, who are the likely suicide victims by drowning - males of females?” To my surprise, he said that suicides are plenty, and occur at a rate of at least one suicide attempt per month. Usually males! Kasr El-Nil Bridge is the infamous suicide launching pad, unlike previous years (in which Abu El-Eilla Bridge was formerly the guilty witness), and the most preferred bridge for suicides. He added that ironically, no one throws himself from the 6th of October Bridge, because it is too high, and they are ‘afraid to hurt themselves’! He laughed and said that women make the poor men jump to their wet graves! I contradicted, and said that it is probably due to the increasing unemployment rate. Besides, I think females are more prone to suicide by available means at home, such as poison, a razor blade, etc.!

Unwanted Hero

I asked Mesharafa if he ever won any medals for saving someone. And he said that once, when there was a German delegation from the Red Cross, and while he was with them in front of the Shepheard’s Hotel, he got a duty call announcing that a young lady just threw herself into the Nile. In two seconds, Colonel Mesharafa navigated pell-mell to the scene of the suicide attempt, with the German delegation in tow, and was just in time to catch her by her hair, and drag her up to safety. Then, he performed first aid mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and saved her life. Afterwards, he got a lot of press reviews and acclaims through the Red Cross, in Germany, who thanked him for his bravery. However, the ungrateful drowning woman said, “Why did you save me? I wanted to die!” He said that she is still alive, and to his knowledge, has not attempted another suicide.

Col. Mesharafa explained that most Police Guard boats patrol the Nile River, and some stay afloat underneath the bridges, specifically for suicide attempts! There are at least 400 police boats (small and big) along the Nile River. The other boats within the Red Sea area are military boats, belonging to the navy, and not police boats.

Marines’ Retirement Age

As for the retirement age from the Marines, Col. Mesharafa said they apply the normal retiring age (60 in Egypt), with the difference that from 45-up, a Marine Guard works in the supervisory capacity for the team, rather that dive and participate in diving. But, these Marines are trained to keep fit. For instance, in the hour I chatted with Colonel Sameh Mesharafa, I noticed his beautiful smile ‘TV toothpaste ad’ (touch wood!!) He doesn’t smoke. He doesn’t drink coffee. He is probably also a ‘health food’ nut, and probably orders only Diet Coke! (Col. Sameh Mesharafa, I suggest that you add one more course to your criteria: nutrition and health behaviour!)

Nile Pollution

To Colonel Sameh Mesharafa’s expert knowledge, the two worst Nile pollutants are the floating hotels’ dish and laundry detergents, and chemical waste discharged from factories, as well as all the restaurant boats. He reassured me that all harmful factories have closed down or have been lawfully relocated elsewhere, with the exception of one or two, in which they use special filters. However, he said that the filters are not adequate for pollution prevention, and added that these remaining factories will soon be shut down or relocated, as well.

Diving in Cairo!

You can learn how to dive in the city, before going to the beach resorts! Now, during his spare time, Col. Sameh Mesharafa gives diving lessons, right here in Cairo, and teaches diving at the Oasis Diving School in Maadi and other schools. I asked him how could a person learn to dive, in the center of the city away from the sea. He informed me that there are some diving centers in Cairo, and the beginners start with special training in swimming pools. In his diving center, the whole intensive course takes about 3 days: first, the students take five diving lessons in a swimming pool, then they go to Ein El-Sokhna for a one-day 15-meter dive, and finish their course at Sharm El-Sheikh for 15 to 20 meters dives. The successful divers are all given diving certificates, which enables them to dive anywhere in Egypt, and abroad. The certificate is graded in levels 1 to 3 ‘stars’, and one must earn at least a 2-star diving certificate in order to dive. (Fee of this course includes the certificate, and the transportation to Ein El-Sokhna, but understandably, divers have to pay their fares to and back from Sharm El-Sheikh.) As for the diving instructors themselves, they also have grades 1 to 3-star certificates, but their certificates differ from the divers’ certificate, and are much more difficult to achieve. At present, Colonel Mesharafa is a 3-star (highest ranking) diving instructor.

Dive Clubs in Egypt

Colonel Mesharafa stated that there are 650 to 750 dive clubs in all of Egypt, but only 5 in Cairo. As for the Red Sea area: in Sharm El-Sheikh, Dahab, Taba, Nuweiba, 350, and Hurghada, Marsa Allam and Safaga, over 280 dive clubs.

Underwater Photography

I asked Mesharafa when had he developed his u/w diving talent. He answered that he was already a talented land (above water) photographer, so when he started diving, he loved the beauty he saw underneath, and decided to learn underwater photography. Only two years afterwards, he entered his first competition; the first international competition in Sharm El-Sheikh in 1986, with 70 international contestants. By the way, his favourite colour is turquoise, and he likes to listen to light music, singers Abdel-Halim Hafez, and Anoushka.

He also teaches underwater photographing, for professionals divers. I enquired if his students generally they take diving courses to learn how to dive, or to learn how to photograph. His answer was “yes”, to both. “There are some”, he stated, “who really want to learn underwater photography, but you have to be an extremely good diver to begin with.”

I asked if the sea creatures and fish look the same beneath the water, as when they are photographed, and he answered that if you don’t have a flashlight, and don’t already know the natural colours, then they look different. But once the spotlight or flash bulb depicts them, you see their natural colours. In short, they are the same as seen in photographs.

Photographing in the Nile is different. He tried it, but said that visibility ‘is zero’; after 5 meters the water is dense and murky due to the mud sedimentation. Also, the current is very strong; after three minutes in the water, you find yourself pulled two or three kilometers downstream.

The Red Sea water is different, he said, and the Nile River doesn’t have the same beautiful coloured specimens and sea creatures as in the Red Sea. “You must never dive alone”, he added. There has to be a minimum of two divers; one, the photographer, and the second, as a model (to be included in the photos and scenery) while at the same time to carry the spare flashlight and equipment.

Photography Competition Category:

To participate in international underwater photography competitions, you must produce three types of photos:
1. Wide Angle
2. Close-up
3. Marine Life (this may, or may not, include a diver in the scenery)

Each diver has to have at least four films available. Out of the four films, he will select only 6 photos in which to enter the competition. Then the panel of judges will evaluate his selection, along with all the other competitors.

Photography Competitions & Prizes

Sameh Mesharafa entered his first local competition in 1992. He participated in his first international competition in 1996 in Sharm El-Sheikh, which was one of the biggest underwater photography championships. There were about 80 competitors, from various countries, and it did not daunt him that he achieved 24th place for a “close-up” photo. He said that close-up photos are difficult, because there are no ‘zoom’ lenses underwater, therefore the photographers must really get close. At a later date, he achieved 11th place in a competition in Hurghada, which was organized by an Italian association. He won other prizes and reached second place in one and first prize in another. Now, he is the top ceded champion on a national level for underwater photography, and has won prizes consecutively for the past four years, starting in 1998, where he won second prize, for a “close-up” photo. In 1999, he was awarded three prizes for 3 photos: one “close-up”, and two “wide angle” photos. In 2000, he participated in an international championship in Safaga where his group represented Egypt, and the group won 9th place for the world cup, in which 70 countries participated. Col. Mesharafa attended also the the international competition, in December 2002, in Jordan, but we did not discuss the winners, or if he participated in the contests.

Best Underwater Photographers in Egypt.

“In your opinion, who are the best underwater photographers in Egypt?” I enquired. He named quite a few, but topped his list with: Saieed El-Sheemy, Tamer El-Ena, Ayman Taher, Rafel El-Ma’ary, Hossam Nassef, Hatem Sany-el-din and Hana’ Nessim . (Only one woman!)

Starting Age for Underwater Photography

Colonel Sameh Mesharafa said that you could start at any age to learn how to dive, but preferably not before fourteen. If you are already a good land photographer, he said, then you can also become a good underwater photographer. According to him, any person can enter any type of photography competition, and does not necessarily have to be a member of a Photography Federation. His should hand his request to the Ministry of Culture in Cairo, who will then advise the candidate on the procedures.

Equipment Needed

Col. Sameh Mesharafa explained that the first thing you need to buy, is the ‘mask’ (like goggles), the fins, and the “B.C.D.” contraption (which is like a jacket that connects to the air tank. When I said, “You mean ‘oxygen’ tank,” he answered, “No, just plain air.”) Of course you need to get the diving suit as well, and a ‘regulator’ (an extension which attaches to the air-tank), an ‘octopus’ (which is a spare regulator with a longer extension). You could by these items, and all other accessories at some of the diving centers in Cairo before leaving to the beaches, (including Mesharafa’s Scuba Fun diving center in Maadi).

Cameras for Beginners & Professionals

The best type of camera, for beginners, is the “Sea & Sea Motor Marine”, which is a reasonably affordable and lightweight camera (Japanese-make that comes with its flash). As for professional and intermediate photographers, Nikon’s specialized series for under water “Nikonos” (Nikonos III, V, RS). The latest model is Nikonos RS, consisting of two flashes and the lenses. It costs (now hold your breaths, ladies and gentlemen)…L.E.40,000 – (the price of a tiny chalet!) There are more expensive models, believe it or not. Needless to say, this is an extremely expensive hobby, so if you’re not very rich, then you have to be really great at underwater photography in order to sell your work somehow. The problem nowadays, say Mesharafa, is that most advertisers just sneak pictures from the internet, which costs them nothing. Thus, less work for the talented divers! And, less money. Also many normal land cameras can be used with watertight housings. Usually most shops don’t keep specialized underwater cameras at stock. However, I believe any authorized Nikon dealer can make a special order, or you could ask a traveling friend to buy it from abroad. You could buy your diving gear from Cairo, before going to the beach resorts, from many shops, and even at some large chain supermarkets, such as the Alfa Supermarket. Or, take a chance a buy directly from Sharm El-Sheikh. There are many shops there for diving gear, especially in Na’ama Bay.

First Steps in Diving

“What is the very first thing you must teach your divers?” I asked, to which he replied: “The first thing one must learn in diving is how to clean the ‘mask’. That is, when water seeps through the mask underwater, one must learn how to remove the water inside without deluging the mask, then how to put it back on dry. The second lesson is how to keep your balance and buoyancy underwater, while at the same time carry your camera and equipment.

Egypt’s Diving Areas

Egyptian diving areas stretch 2,250 kilometers from the Suez Canal in the North to the Yemen in the South, the Red Sea contains more than 1,000 species of fish and has over 2,000 kilometers of fringing reef, making it one of the most bio-diverse seas in the world. Extreme heat in this region results in a very rapid rate of evaporation that results in a high concentration of salt. This makes the Red Sea among the saltiest bodies of water on Earth. Sharm El Sheikh is situated right on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, and marks the point where the Red Sea splits into the gulfs of Suez and Aqaba.

Sharks!

If you encounter a shark, don’t panic! If a shark comes near your body, look back at it! But, be wary if it is face to face, and will show you the narrowest part of its body; i.e. the face and both eyes. The best thing to do is to avoid putting yourself as a prey to the shark. Usually you do that by trying a fast escape, but violent movements and splashing about will create a low frequency in the water, which will attract the shark. It can swim 110 km per hour. If you can swim faster, then attempt the speedy getaway! But, the best thing is to try to swim out of the area very slowly, keeping your eyes focused on the shark. Stay calm and swim calmly. If it comes too near, push it away with any hard object, or even with your foot. This will discourage the attack.

Decompression Units

Decompression units are mandatory in all areas of diving. It could mean the difference between life and death. Also, getting the patient there in time is of vital importance. It’s no use having decompression units or hospital facilities, if there isn’t any speedy and efficient way to get there! A few years ago, there was only one Decompression Unit in Sinai (and three others belonging to the Navy). Now, according to Col. Mesharafa, there are at least 7 in Sharm El-Sheikh, about four in Hurghada. Remote Marsa Allam has the latest one, installed nearly four years ago. Dahab and Nuweiba have none, but plans for installing one soon, is in effect.

To conclude the interview, I asked Col. Sameh Mesharafa if he had a choice to do it all over again, and start from the beginning, what would he have chosen to be? He answered with his radiant smile: “I think I would prefer to be simply a diving instructor!”

H.N.

The Legend of Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Legend

More than 2,000 years ago in Rome, there was a Christian doctor named Valentine. According to legend, Valentine had special abilities that allowed him to cure many diseases. However, a Roman emperor named Claudius did not like Valentine's Christian beliefs. At that time, most Romans believed in different gods and goddesses. Claudius sent Valentine to prison where he was sentenced to death for his unpopular beliefs.

While he was imprisoned, Valentine became friends with the jailer's blind daughter, and he used his special abilities to cure her blindness. Valentine was killed on February 14, but before he died, he sent a special note to the girl and signed it "From Your Valentine." This note of friendship was the world's first Valentine message.

H.N.

"El-Rayess"

“El-Rayess”

By Hoda Nassef

Over 6 feet tall, with a waistline circumference of about the same in inches - (obese) - when entering a place he emanates an exuberant aura and confidence. But, despite his exuberance and jolly exterior, inside is a determined man made of steel. And, despite his very big and ample waistline, he’s as quick and light on his feet as a dancer! Sometimes he curses and shouts at his staff, other times he’s as calm as a purring kitten. Although the mess on his desk looks like Hurricane Katrina hit it, one can only remotely guess what goes on in the very orderly mind of Mr. Mohamed Ali Ibrahim.

However, when I met him again after many years, I noticed that the sparkle of laughter in his eyes was clouded with sadness; he had lost his best (and “only”) friend at the end of 2006. Although he has many friends, I felt compassion for him, as being a single child and losing both parents in his twenties, the recent loss of his dear friend (Mohamed Hamid Hassan, who was also a journalist and was more like a brother that he had longed for and never had) he felt truly alone, except for his wife and children.

Mohamed Ali Ibrahim (Ali) was born in Cairo on 23 November 1950, to Mr. Ibrahim and Mrs. Fatma. The two families merged their wealth by marriage in 1949, and raised Mohamed in the province of Beheira, his father’s home town. He moved back with his parents to Cairo where he continued and finished his education her only son when he turned four. His father worked as an Undersecretary at the Ministry of Social Affairs for three consecutive ministers. In 1972, he graduated from Al Alson at Ein Shams University and then obtained an MA in Mass Communications from the AUC in 1974. He has a longstanding wife of 25 years and two children he dotes on; a daughter who’s 22 and a son, 16.

The journalists amongst themselves call their editors-in-chief ‘el-Rayess’ (the Boss) so I interviewed one of the top Egyptian editors-in-chief to know more about him and learn what’s going on these days in Egyptian journalism…

Q. What traits or attributes did you inherit from your parents?
A. Generosity from my father and straightforwardness from my mother.

Q. Any reporters/journalists or writers, in the family?
A. No.

Q. Were you interested in writing or journalism as a child?
A. No. At first I wanted to become a doctor, but then I didn’t get the required grade, so I studied languages and my first job was in the offices of the presidential palaces (‘el-riyassa’) in Abdine in 1972 as a translator from Arabic to English and English to Arabic. It was then I discovered that I had talent in translating and I was quite good at writing. My love of writing grew from thereon. My peers in the Arabic translating department advised me to study a bit more Arabic in order to turn to journalism. I took their advice and also took the 2-year course of Mass Communications at the AUC. During that time, I started working at the MENA newspaper (Middle East News Agency).

Q. When did you start professionally as a full-fledged writer?
A. In 1976.

Q. Who are your favorite writers and journalists, then and now?
A. There are many types of writers; short stories, fiction, facts…? As an English novelist, in my opinion Thomas Hardy was the best. In Arabic, of course Naguib Mahfouz. As a playwright, Tewfik El-Hakim. Youssef Idris crowns them all for short stories.

Q. Who’s your favorite journalist nowadays?
A. Abdallah Kamal. He’s the editor-in-chief of the Rose El-Youssef magazine.

Q. Why is he your favorite?
A. Because he is ‘very informative’ and has a talent in turning at the very end of his narratives to the same point, but in a different style.

Q. Do you write all your articles by hand, despite your latest tech PC?
A. Yes, because previously I wrote for a long time in English, by hand. It comes faster to me that way. I know how to type a bit in English, but not in Arabic! So, I write my Arabic articles by hand too. I think I rather enjoy writing by hand.

Q. You used to write columns when you were at the Egyptian Gazette and write columns now. Could you clarify?
A. At the Gazette I used to write in the Gazette newspaper, El-Messa newspaper and Horreyati magazine. Now I have columns in the Gomhuria newspaper and Horreyati magazine.

Q. Like all Sagittarians, you’re an extrovert and love traveling. What countries have you been to, job-related and on your own?
A. I traveled to 71 countries all over the world. I paid for some of the trips that were not job-related. The countries I visited are almost from all the five continents. If you have place, I will give you a list!

Q. What’s your favorite country?
A. Ireland. I have fond memories there.

Q. As for your love of Ireland, how would you like Egypt to become another Ireland?
A. I don’t wish we become another Ireland. Egypt is unique. It is incomparable to any other country.

Q. As an Egyptian citizen, what’s your dream, hopes and aspiration for Egypt?
A. I wish it would become like India. It’s a very populous country…. (It’s the second most populous country in the world.) On the other hand, they are democratic and very progressive. They managed to overcome all their socio-economic problems.

Q. I see. India is also very advanced in technology…
A. Yes, they come second in exporting PC software, after USA. Also, they are very advanced in movie productions and are competing with Hollywood now. (Bollywood!)

Q. Who is or was your favorite Indian leader?
A. Indira Ghandi.

Q. Then what’s your passion for Oman that you mentioned so often in your Arabic articles?
A. I like Oman too. The people there are very generous and kind; a lot like the Egyptians. I worked there for two years. It’s a rich country and high in technology.

Q. You were editor-in-chief of the Egyptian Gazette from 1991 till July 2005. How were you appointed as editor-in-chief of the Egyptian Gazette?
A. As I was working in the Dar Al-Tahrir Publishing House writing for the El-Messa & Gomhuria newspapers, and have good English language background, when the editor-in-chief of the Egyptian Gazette Mohamed El-Ezaby retired, I was chosen and promoted to his post.

Q. Do you consider yourself lucky, or motivated?
A. Both!

Q. Ousting of editors and chairmen: the move came in July 2005 from at least two courts who issued orders stripping existing newspaper editors and chairmen of their posts for having worked past the mandatory retirement age of 65 for journalists. Is that correct? Was the motive political?
A. No political motive. Most of them were around 69 or over 70 years old. Retirement age for journalists is 65. (For the majority of other jobs in Egypt, retirement age is 60.)

Q. Did the President of the Shura Council (the nation’s Upper House of Parliament) Mr. Safwat El-Sherif, orchestrate this move? Why?
A. Mr. Safwat El-Sherif is the Head of the Higher Press Council. He is also the Head Speaker of the Shura Council and according to his job he is entitled to supervise all journalism in Egypt.

Q. He was formerly the Minister of Information for twenty-two years…
A. Yes, but even now as the Head Speaker for the Shura Council, one cannot say that the move was mainly from him; it was orchestrated by many other ‘bodies’.

Q. Was the move also due reportedly to ‘corruption’.
A. I know nothing about that.

Q. Can this happen again, with another pretext besides passing the age limit? Do you feel safe?
A. They (the government) can do whatever they want and at any time. What’s wrong with that? ‘Change’ is good! ‘Change’ is for the better.

Q. What do you think of the government during the last twenty years as in constitutional amendments, policy changes, press freedom, libel and/or prison threats to liberal journalists, etc.?
A. Our government is democratic and the Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif is educated and intelligent, so I think we are on the right track. As for freedom of the press, as I already mentioned we have more freedom than before, as long as one does not insult or libel.

Q. How many employees are there in the press and media?
A. In the Gomhuria establishment there are 4,500 employees including labourers, engineers, technicians, journalists, reporters, administrative and financial staff, and so forth. In all the newspapers of Egypt, there are more than 50,000 personnel. This includes the national newspapers, such as the Ahram, Akhbar, Gomhuria, ‘Rosa’ (Rose El-Youssef) and 6th October magazines, El-Mussawar, and so forth. There are writers with contracts and writers as journalists; we work as journalists and at the same time we can write! As for the Gomhuria newspaper, there are about 15 to 20 journalists or writers, with regular columns.

Q. What about the gossip in advertising, and how you take very high ‘incentives’?
A. They are not ‘incentives’ as you say; it’s called ‘commission’, and I never take any commission.

Q. Is it a general rule that the chairman, editor-in-chief, advertisers and the advertising department, take more ‘commission’ than the rest of the writers and employees?
A. Not in my establishment.

Q. I read that Dar El-Tahrir is indebted LE 375 million to Banque du Caire and the National Bank of Egypt.
A. Where did you get that number? The debt for the Dar El-Tahrir Publishing House (Gomhuria) is around LE 500 million, including debts to the banks you mentioned and other banks!

Q. L.E. 500 million?
A. Apart from the construction of the building, the companies within the complex are indebted as well: the company for advertising (‘El-Ealanat El-Masria’), the company for distribution & circulation (‘El-Tawzee’a El-Mutahida’), ‘The Eastern Company’, for printing and Dar El-Gomhuria (or El-Tahrir Publishing House) that combines all the publications, which amounts to about eight newspapers and magazines. By the way, there’s a LE. 7 billion pending debt for all the newspaper establishments in Egypt: Ahram, Akhbar, Akhbar El-Yom, Al-Gomhuria, Rose El-Youssef, Dar El-Hilal, Dar El-Maaref, El-Ta’awen, Dar El-Shaab – I think that about rounds them up.

Q. Yes, but it’s all really one, in the end. And despite the debts, when you took over you renovated your office very lavishly. I see that it is very, very posh indeed ... I like the new regal colour scheme; off-white, cream, beige, brick, crimson and gold, with the huge palatial crystal chandeliers highlighting your good taste. You pointed out some of Mr. Samir Ragab’s old navy blue leather furniture, which are sort of pushed under the stairs that leads to your private 9th floor office-bedroom. By the way, will the debts be dropped, or paid?
A. I don’t know.

Q. If you don’t know, then who does?
A. I’m not the government. This is according to what the Shura Council decides.

Q. Mr. Samir Ragab still writes his columns, but in July 2005 his job was divided for two people; yourself and the Dar El-Tahrir Publishing Chairman, Mr. Mohamed Abu El-Hadeed, who writes occasionally as well. However, you seem to be the decision-maker.
A. I’m the decision-maker only in publishing the newspaper, but not in financial matters.

Q. What was your salary at The Egyptian Gazette and now in the Gomhuria newspaper? I read some exaggerations about your salaries, as editors-in-chief. I read that you are paid a quarter of a million, or at the very least LE.10000 as a monthly salary. Is that correct? You mentioned the exact amount a few months ago…in your Arabic daily newspaper Al Gomhuria, but I forgot. Could you tickle my memory?
A. As editor-in-chief of the Egyptian Gazette I was paid a bit over LE. 2000. As for my salary now at the Gomhuria newspaper, I get paid less than LE. 4000 per month, including my articles, which is part of my job.

Q. There are current rumors about the privatization of all newspapers in Egypt. Does this elate or worry you? What’s the low-down on this rumour? They say that privatization is a solution to corruption. In fact, the anti-corruption campaign promoted this idea…before you took over, of course.
A. I’m not worried at all because I know there will be no privatization.

Q. You don’t want this to happen, though?
A. That’s not correct. I don’t mind if it would be for the good of the establishments, but if that means they will close down certain publications, or layoff personnel in the process just to save money, then I don’t want privatization.

Q. Journalist Galal Aref of the Akhbar El-Yom newspaper is now the new Chairman of the Press Syndicate (or ‘Head of the Journalists Union’) and was chosen over Ibrahim Nafie. Does he still write, and where?
A. Yes, he replaced Ibrahim Nafie and he writes also in the Akhbar El-Yom newspaper.

Q. Who chose Mr. Ramadan Abel-Kader, as your replacement in The Egyptian Gazette?
A. The Shura Council.

Q. What time and days do you go to your office?
A. I go around 10 o’clock, more or less, every day of the week except Fridays, unless there is an emergency meeting.

Q. Is this job stressful, and what price did you pay for it, if at all?
A. Yes, definitely stressful. My health pays the price! I used to walk, but I stopped walking. I used to exercise, swim and play tennis, and now I have no time for that. So, I will get afflicted with all types of diseases related to stress, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and so forth.

Q. Which you are inflicted with, as I read from your own words in your recent columns. You can still do all that, on Fridays?
A. I reserve Fridays for my family.

Q. You had an ‘open door’ policy at the Egyptian Gazette. Is it now difficult to meet you?
A. I’m still accessible and have the same ‘open door’ policy.

Q. Could you describe your first impression of President Hosni Mubarak? And, when did you meet? Did you have a tête-à-tête with him?
A. I was impressed by his personality, his simplicity, his directness and frankness. I met him once before the group of editors boarded his private plane on his European Tour last year, but we had no private tête-à-tête. My first conversation was published in all the newspapers in May 2006.

Q. I heard that the President’s son, Mr. Gamal Mubarak, will marry the beautiful Khadiga on the 4th of May, President Hosni Mubarak’s birthday. Are you invited?
A. I don’t know yet. Maybe all the editors-in-chief are. (All the editors-in-chief were not invited.)

Q. Could you describe the President’s private plane? Was it different?
A. The same, more or less, like any other plane, except that it is divided in two; one half for the ministers and another half for the press or editors-in-chief, TV media and the presidential staff.

Q. Special stewardesses?!
A. Like all other air-hostesses!

Q. Are you a ‘spokesperson’ for the government?
A. No.

Q. How far, free or effective has journalism reached since you started your career, and where do you think it is taking us?
A. We have more freedom of expression than before.

Q. And...how does the government reflect and affect in the end in the media and newspapers? Is there really 'freedom of the press'...or are we being brainwashed into believing that?
A. I don’t work in the media, so I will not talk about it; my field is journalism.

Q. After the President, who are the most fascinating people you have met or interviewed?
A. Quite a few, including (Chancellor) Dr. Helmut Kohl and Gerhard Schröder of Germany; Altal Bihari Vajpayee and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhuttu of India (God rest her soul in peace), and ousted Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

Q. Who’s the most charismatic and most intelligent Leader of State, in your opinion?
A. The most charismatic and the most intelligent leader in the world, is President Hosni Mubarak.

Q. What about art...what celebrities did you personally interview, in or out of Egypt?
A. No one.

Q. Your organization makes at least two multi-million concerts or shows per year –who arranges them and chooses the performers, and do you take the revenues? Is it for charity, and is it worth it?
A. No, not for charity; mainly for publicity. Press establishments have a social role in society, apart from politics and news; and that’s one of Gomhuria’s policies. As for revenues, on the contrary, sometimes the Gomhuriya pays for these concerts. And, yes, I think it’s worth it.

Q. Who’s the highest-paid artist or performer?
A. I think it’s (singer) Amr Diab.

Q. But you didn’t have Amr Diab in your concerts. You had the drop-dead gorgeous, voluptuous entertainer (supposedly singer) Lebanese Haifa Wahby and I think also the adorable beautiful Lebanese singer (but whose voice is as good as her looks) Nancy Aagram. Do you know how much were they individually paid?
A. I don’t know really. The PR department handles this.

Q. What’s your favorite music and who are your favorite singers? Do you attend their shows?
A. I don’t listen to music, but I like songs. In English, I used to like crooners Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck and Frank Sinatra. In Arabic songs, I liked listening to Abdel-Halim Hafez and Shadia. Now, I prefer listening to songs by Assala and Angham, but I don’t attend their concerts.

Q. What sports do you like to watch and are you affiliated to any football team?
A. I like to watch tennis and football, and I’m ‘ahlawy’ - (National Football Team fan.) I used to play tennis 15 years ago and still swim in the summers when I go to the beach or pools in or around Cairo.

Q. Are you a sports/social club member?
A. After my family and I moved to Nasr City from Abbassia last year, we became members of Nasr City Club, Nasr City Ahly Club and Zohour Club – also in Nasr City.

Q. I read that you own some land somewhere. Is it a farm? Do you breed animals? Were any members of your family farmers and what do you cultivate there?
A. My wife’s family and I own jointly about 100 fedans in El-Beheira province.

Q. Favorite food?
A. Cheese, sea food, steak, salads and fruit.

Q. Far from work, who do you trust the most?
A. Life has taught me a very important lesson: trust no one. I don’t trust anybody.

Q. Who are your true friends?
A. Nobody. My only real friend died last year.

Q. Do you have any rivals at work, or enemies?
A. No, I don’t have any enemies. As for work, I have no rivals; I’m very strong!

Q. You are very self-confident. So, as the Gomhuria newspaper is considered the 3rd in line, after the Ahram and Akhbar newspapers respectively, what are you doing, if at all, to become the first?
A. Al Gomhuria was never the third in line; it is actually the first or second in sales and circulation. Since I took over, sales have increased a lot, which means there are more readers now and more revenues. That’s a good start. Maybe partly in thanks to my new writers along with the old; the sales department for the overall distribution in and out of Egypt; the public relations department for their promotional ideas and sales gimmicks (such as attaching free CDs to some of the weekly magazines) - along with organizing our Ramadan Iftars and the bi-annual concerts, and so forth.

Q. What are your personal fears? Joys?
A. I have no fears. My personal joy is to see my children happy.

Q. Nothing makes you cry?
A. Nothing.

Q. In your mind, what’s your worst and best traits?
A. I think that I’m sometimes a bit hot-tempered. My best…I think I’m kind.

Q. What’s your motto in life?
A. ‘Dedication is a short way to success.’

Q. You are very ambitious, so what are your future goals?
A. No, I’m not very ambitious. My goals in life: to have good health, happiness and career satisfaction. That’s very important to me.

Q. Do you think you got all what you wanted from life, or more than you expected?
A. I got more than I expected.

Q. There’s a rumour that you’re quite a ladies’ man and appreciate the beauty of a woman. What’s a beautiful woman, in your opinion?
A. I think a completely beautiful woman doesn’t exist! She has to combine all women in one! Like you! (Flatterer!) No woman is completely beautiful, or rather, each woman has her individual type of beauty; it varies from one to another.

Q. What about beauty in nature? What’s your favourite scenery?
A. I like sunsets.

Q. If you were not a journalist or writer, what would you have liked to have been?
A. A bone doctor. (orthopaedic surgeon)

Q. Finally, who would you have liked to have met, but didn’t get the chance to, and why?
A. Really? I was very keen on meeting King Hussein of Jordan. He was a man with strange and interesting paradoxes. I had thousands of questions I wanted to ask him, if we had ever met.

Q. As for women? Who would you like to meet, or have met?
A. Ava Gardner for her looks and Meryl Streep for her big brains. (Huh! How should HE know? Big something else in his imagination, probably!)

Q. What about comedians? Who makes you laugh?
A. Ahmed Rizk makes me laugh. And, Adel Imam.

Finally....I tossed at him:
Q. ‘Did you use your Jacuzzi?!’
He smiled and answered,
A. ‘No. I have a phobia of getting electrified in the water!’

So, it wasn’t a rumor! And, I caught him at ONE thing he feared! I had a tour of the place and asked to see the Jacuzzi. Phobia or not, I think he wouldn’t use it anyway; it somehow seemed too small for him…



Feb. 2007

H.N.

How HR Manage the Changing Management!

How Human Resources
...Manage the Changing Management

By Hoda Nassef

Human Resources has many roles to play as a strategic business partner. HR managers are often called upon to oversee the change initiatives designed to get other managers and employees side by side with an organization’s business goals.

Change management is one of the most difficult and the most important tasks facing Human Resources. The key is to pursue a step-by-step approach where small changes build on each other. Effective communication, consistency, and a positive attitude towards change provide a solid foundation for attaining organizational change.

When dealing with change, there should be consistency in:

§ words and behaviour,
§ compensation,
§ performance appraisals,
§ promotion policies,
§ subordinate actions, and
§ organization structures.

A consistent message tells employees what to expect, as well as what they need to do, to make the company successful. A positive attitude towards change can be created through experience, team building retreats, strategic planning sessions, focus groups, or interactive workshops with management.

Reasons for failure include:

§ Inconsistencies between management’s words and their actions;
§ No system to evaluate the change and what it is to accomplish;
§ No change in compensation, performance appraisal, information or organization systems;
§ Management by ‘best seller’;
§ Unrealistic time goals for change; and…
§ The assumption that training is all that is needed for change to take place.

Identifying opportunities for improvement:

§ Keep up to date with developments in your sector – make sure you get valid, relevant, reliable information from various sources on developments in materials, equipment, technology and processes.
§ Consider the importance of these developments to your organization – carry out a regular review of developments and analyze their significance to your organization.
§ Pass information on developments to the appropriate people – if you think it is important, make sure your colleagues, members of your team and senior managers, are aware of its significance.
§ Identify opportunities for improvements – use information on developments to identify opportunities in quality.
§ Monitor and evaluate your operations continuously – always look for areas where improvements can be made and take appropriate action.
§ Identify any obstacle to change – take appropriate measures to alleviate any problem that may prevent improvements being made.

Assessing the pros and cons of change:

1. Get complete and accurate information – make sure you have sufficient, reliable information on current and proposed services, as well as products and systems, to allow you to make a reliable assessment.
2. Compare the advantages and disadvantages – use qualitative and quantitative techniques to assess the pros and cons of current and proposed services, products and systems.
3. Assess the implications of introducing changes – changes may affect cash flow, working practices and conditions, health and safety, team morale, supply and distribution networks, and customer loyalty; anticipate and assess the likely effect of changes.
4. Take into account previous assessments of introducing change – look at how realistic previous assessments turned out to be and use these to modify your current assessment.
5. Present your recommendations to the appropriate people – make your recommendations to senior managers or specialists in a way that helps them make a decision and in time to allow the decision to be put into effect.
6. Amend your recommendations in the light of responses – make appropriate alterations to your recommendations on the bases of the responses you get from senior managers and specialists.

Planning change:

1. Provide clear and accurate information – let those affected know about the proposed change in time for them to prepare effectively.
2. Get people involved – give people the chance to comment on the proposed change and help in the planning.
3. Make the case for change – give a clear and convincing rationale for the change and support this with sound evidence.
4. Identify potential obstacles to change, and find effective ways of avoiding or overcoming these obstacles.
5. Develop a detailed plan, including:
- the rationale
- the aim and objectives of the change
- how it will be implemented
- who will be involved and their individual roles
- the resources required
- the time scale
- how the plan will be monitored
- how you will know that the change has been successful.

Negotiating and agreeing on the introduction of change:

1. Present plans on projected change – communicate the changes and the anticipated benefits for your organization and for individuals, to team members, colleagues, senior managers, and others, in order to gain their support.
2. Conduct negotiations in a spirit of goodwill – make sure you retain people’s support and find mutually acceptable ways of settling any disputes.
3. Make compromises where appropriate – it may be necessary to make compromises to accommodate other priorities, but make sure these compromises are consistent with your organization’s strategy, objectives and practices.
4. Reach an agreement in line with your organization’s strategy, and revise your implementation plans accordingly.
5. Keep records of negotiations and agreements – make sure your records are complete and accurate and that they are available for others to refer to if necessary.
6. Where you could not secure the changes you anticipated, tell those affected in a positive manner – sometimes you are disappointed in not being able to obtain the changes you wanted due to other organizational priorities; explain the reasons for this in a way which maintains people’s morale and motivation.
7. Encourage all relevant people to understand and participate in the changes – explain the changes and their effects to people, and gain their support.

Finally, implementing and evaluating changes:

1. Present details of implementation plans to all concerned – make sure that you brief everyone involved in or affected by the changes, and the possible impact on their area.
2. Encourage people to seek clarification – check on their understanding of their role and encourage them to ask questions.
3. Use resources in the most effective way – plan carefully so that you meet the new requirements as cost-effectively as possible.
4. Maintain quality of work – ensure that work is maintained to a satisfactory standard during the period of change.
5. Monitor the changes – check to see that the changes have been implemented according to plan and that they result in the improvements anticipated.
6. Modify implementation plans and activities in the light of experience – you may need to modify the way you implement changes to cope with unforeseen problems.
7. Evaluate the benefits of the changes – compare the new way of working with the old: are the benefits as expected?
8. Review the change process – review the whole process of identifying, assessing, negotiating, agreeing, implementing and evaluating change; note ways of doing it better next time and make appropriate recommendations to senior managers, colleagues and specialists.




H.N.

The Lost Land ... and People

The Lost Land ... (and people)


By Hoda Nassef

This is not a religious article depicting biblical or Islamic facts…but a recent history of the Nubians, whose lands were inundated and submerged by unnatural forces; i.e. the human hand.

This first happened in Nubia in 1933, when the Aswan Dam was elevated for the second time and all the villages of Nubia were submerged. At that time, the Egyptian government had allotted the relatively trivial sum of L.E. 750,000 as an indemnity to the Nubians for the 35,000 houses which were to be destroyed. Finally, the Nubians accepted the government’s offer with reluctance and started building just one year before their houses were submerged. No two houses were the same and each was more beautiful than the last; each village created its own character. Construction in the villages went ahead unimpeded. All were built at the same time because the Nubians, being remotely situated and living in isolated villages, had always depended on their own resources in building their houses. They had no contractors, engineers or architects, to help them.

The Nubians natural talent for aesthetical rural housing constructions inherited from their ancestors, became a study for masters in architecture, such as the renowned Architect Hassan Fathy and his followers. Fathy stated that the Nubians managed construction from scratch, mainly because they retained a roofing technique in mud brick, using vaults and domes, which had been passed down to them from their forefathers.

The earliest example of this technique was found by Garstang, in his excavations at Bayt Khalaf, in Minia. The buildings dated back to the 3rd dynasty. Later examples are the Necropolis of Giza and in the granaries of Ramesseum at Luxor, dating from the 6th and 19th dynasties respectively. In the Ptolemaic necropolis of Hermopolis at Tuna El-Gabal, such vaults were used to carry staircases, and in the early Christian period, there is a compound of 250 shrines, built in mud and roofed in vaults and domes – all in the same material. Most shrines built in this fashion at Bagawat in the Kharga Oasis around the 4th century, are still standing.

From the Islamic period, we have examples in which the same technique is applied in a most elaborate and sophisticated way, as the tombs found in the Fatimid Necropolis at Aswan, dating from the 10rh century.

Unfortunately, the Egyptian peasant abandoned this technique, except in Nubia, where it has prevailed. If it were not for this technique, which allowed Nubians to use mud brick for roofing their houses in 1934, it would have been impossible for them to rebuild so cheaply and in such a short time. Moreover, the Nubians’ roofing technique allowed them to display their artistic and architectural capabilities, in designing their houses.

Nubian vernacular (local traditional) architecture continued to be ignored by the rest of the world, until 1963 when the region was to be flooded for the third time. (The first was after the British built the original dam at Aswan in 1898, known then as the “khazan”. The second time was when the dam was elevated in 1933, and the third time was the construction of the High Dam itself in 1964.)

As the antiquities in Nubia were to be submerged, the world tried to save them, particularly the temple of Abu Simbel. The acting Minister of Culture, Dr. Tharwat Okasha, invited 20 artists and architects to visit the region before it disappeared. The Nile steamer “Dakka” was put at their disposal for that purpose, but the guests chose to visit the villages rather than the antiquities. Consequently, this visit was merely one of reconnaissance – too limited to make any proper record of Nubian vernacular architecture. It needed a more comprehensive survey in which measured drawings would be made of the architectural styles of the different regions of Nubia, namely the Kanuz, the Arab (Mahas) and the Nubi.

Architect Hassan Fathy was then commissioned by the Ministry of Culture to design the Higher Institute of Social Anthropology, which was to include an open-air museum and in which the architecture of the different regions of the country was to be represented. Nubia, he quoted, was given priority due to it being on the verge of disappearance. “We now had the opportunity of recording its architecture in a thorough and comprehensive way. But, this was all that was done officially to record Nubia’s peculiarly beautiful architecture,” he said.

Two of Hassan Fathy’s students and followers, literally followed ‘the master’ but without the allotted steamer. Instead, they took the journey (in 1963) without realizing that they were travelling the same way as the ancestors of the Nubians: a 300kms trek on foot from Aswan to Abu Simbel upstream, then they hand-built a raft which floated them downstream! In ancient Egyptian murals, boats sailing upstream from Abydos to Thebes, are shown to have sails, using the prevailing northerly winds. But boats going downstream from Thebes to Abydos, are depicted with oars and no sails, to show that they were going against the current. Together with Architect Hassan Fathy, the group comprised of only two social anthropologists and three architects. The big steamer could have accommodated 20 more passengers, if they wanted.

Dr. Omar El-Hakim was one of the students and followers. He said that the Nubian relocation should be an example for future rural redevelopment and settlement procedures, highlighting the significance of vernacular architecture in resettlement projects. “The people must be consulted about and included in the process of building their own environment.”

The ‘Nubian experience’ with its inherited techniques should continue to prevail, as it is an architectural style appropriate to Egypt’s habitat, environment and the needs of the communities they serve, as well as a less costly yet more realistic alternative to contracting for mass-produced housing with its expensive new technology.

Nubia is gone, for the progress of Egypt, but the Nubians still exist! They are scattered around Egypt, mainly neglected and living in slum areas. It is not their fault that their land was taken away from them. They deserve to earn a decent living, but the majority find jobs only as porters.

H.N.

Brain Power & Positive Thinking

12 Tips to Success:

BRAIN-POWER & POSITIVE THINKING


By Hoda Nassef


Basically, BRAIN POWER is achieving your goals by thinking positive and willing yourself to a better way of life.

The most precious gift God has given to all His creatures on earth, is the Brain. It is also the most complex, potent, and most neglected or wasted organ in the body.

As we grow older, many problems arise and affect our brains. These problems or maladies arise not from failure on the part of the brain, but from it being used the wrong way. Did you know that the older we get, the better our brains become? If we use our brain all time, and use it well, it actually improves with age! However, the brain is no different from the rest of the body; the more we train it, the stronger and fitter it gets. ‘Mental gymnastics’ are just as important as physical gymnastics.

The brain is the source of all our motives, actions, and ideas. It is the most complex organ in the human body, as well as the least known. Through prolonged study and experiment scientists have been able to map out the various parts of the brain with considerable accuracy. Certain areas are responsible for our sensory impressions, such as vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch. These are the “sensory” areas. The “motor” areas control our muscles in walking, resting, eating, speaking and working. The front part of the brain, just behind the forehead, is the “silent” area, i.e. where are located our general personality, our sense of justice, moral values, truth, honesty, good judgement, and other abstract characteristics. The cerebral cortex contains the cells that enable us to think, to reason, to draw sensible conclusions and to listen to the voice of conscience. Man is the only creature whose brain triples in size during the first year of life.

The cerebral cortex can be also subdivided into two hemispheres: the left and the right, with two different functions. The left cerebral hemisphere controls the right side of the body, and the right cerebral hemisphere controls the left side of the body. It is also said that the left side relates to intelligence, whereas the right side, to creativity. Therefore, the left hemisphere is engaged in logical thinking, evaluating, criticizing and analyzing work, with detail, while the right hemisphere works with intuitive, creative, three-dimensional aspects, and with whole concepts. We can come to the conclusion that the left side is the most important cerebral hemisphere for linguistics, analysts, mathematicians, for example, and the right side of the brain is most important for painters, designers, artists, salespersons, etc. By a stretch of the imagination, we can safely assume some of the related characteristics of the two cerebral hemispheres, as demonstrated in the following chart:

LEFT:
1. Controls the right side of the body.
2. Processes one piece of information at a time.
3. Visualizes and thinks in pictures.
4. Controls speech, grammar and word order.
5. Governs mathematical information.
6. Analyses, evaluates and criticizes.
7. Center for memory of words and numbers.
8. Controls common sense and intelligence.

RIGHT:
1. Controls the left side of the body.
2. Works with wholes, and not details.
3. Visualizes and thinks in pictures.
4. Governs movements and physical activity.
5. Governs drawing and painting.
6. Center for intuition, spontaneity, & feelings.
7. Center for memory of experiences, people, etc.
8. Controls creativity and intuition.

It is obvious that for some activities the left side of the brain is needed most, and for other activities, the right side of the brain. When the two hemispheres work together to contribute to a result, the brain is working at its best. Too often a person has one or the other side dominant. A balance is ideal. In the technique know as “brain storming”, both sides are used equally and result in balance – or genius.

Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci are two such examples of genius. They both had equal superbly balanced brains of right and left hemispheres. For example, Leonardo da Vinci was not only genius in art, but also able to invent machines and create graphic illustrations as well as mechanical formulae for his inventions.

Many of us have neglected the development of our “right brains”. Perhaps because during our early school years, talent was not developed in schools, or art classes and music lessons were considered a waste of time. Whether art would become a career in the future, or not, we did not realise then the use that could be made of our right brain all through our lives. By simply exercising some form of art in early childhood, it would have been a stimulus in itself for developing and expanding the use of the right side of the brain, affecting positively the rest of our lives.

If you are physically tired or going through some traumatic events in your life, your brain may receive some warnings signals, such as when you:

· Tire too easily
· Read too slowly
· Eat too much
· Get headaches
· Suffer gastric ulcers or asthma
· Lose control over emotions
· Forget appointments
· Lose concentration
· Make too many mistakes
· Decrease body immunity
· Become prone to illness
· Become physically sick

Many of these psychosomatic illnesses (such as asthma, gastric ulcers, and migraines) are due to stress. Stress may even instigate and cause all types of cancers. So, avoid stress. (Easier said than done!) You have to will yourself to get better. The expression is “to think positive”. You will soon lose the above symptoms, if you train your brain or learn how to use it better.

If we understand how the brain operates, we can improve our health, work, and life in general, in 12 different ways. With reference to Dr. Clifford R. Anderson’s book “Modern Ways to Health”, published by Southern Publishing Association, USA, and experts in their book “The Human Factor” published by the Scandinavian School of Service, the following are twelve tips to “Brain Power” and ‘positive thinking’ in achieving your ultimate goals. Perhaps your ultimate goals may differ from one person to another, but you can achieve anything, if you believe in yourself, think positive, and practice self-control. By proper use of “Brain Power”, you can:

1. Communicate better
2. Be more creative
3. Be fitter physically
4. Improve memory
5. Avoid fatigue and stress
6. Make better decisions
7. Gain an overall view of things
8. Be more relaxed
9. Develop willpower and self-discipline
10. Solve problems faster
11. Learn faster
12. Achieve goals and enjoy life.

It’s not too late! Both sides of the brain can still be developed. You can even think yourself into good health; you can stop smoking, lose weight, avoid migraines, and improve your physical and mental performance. “Brain Power” can also help you to improve in your job performance, or inspire you to change your whole career to suit your needs and dreams. It can be done. Habits can be changed. How? The problem is we tend to be unable to see the long-term pleasure of a slim figure, for example, because the view is obscured by the short-term pleasure of consuming an ice cream or a plate of “mah-shi”! Or, we avoid the short-term pain of physical exercise, or the ‘unbearable’ thought of a day without cigarettes!

The method of achieving a number of long-term goals is quite simple, but finding the self-discipline to tackle them is much harder. “Brain power” is one way to help yourself. But first, you must want to help yourself.

What is ‘Brain Power’? It is basically self-control. Meditation, yoga, or visualization (in subconscious or conscious ‘film replays’) is another method of “Brain Power”, to make long-term goals attainable. It is a self-governing technique, and its method of use is really very simple. All you have to do is imagine yourself (several times a day) starring in a film! You can visualize all the things and all the situations in the whole of your life that you would like to change, then ‘play’ it through (your subconscious film) as often as you need it. Subtly put, this is also self-hypnosis. Think in colours. Think in pictures. You are thus appealing to the right side of your brain, and so making a much more lasting impression. You can use “Brain Power” to:

1. Counteract stress – (make a ‘relaxation film’ for yourself)
2. Make physical changes – (lose weight, or improve your body fitness)
3. Imagine a better life – (your job, your career, home, house, sport, friends, associates)
4. Know yourself better – (discover subconscious things you may wish to develop or adapt)

If you decide to change something or reach a new goal with “Brain Power”, make sure you relax and visualize 2 or 3 times a day, for a period of time. First, apply some deep breathing and relaxation exercises. Start your first ‘film’ of the day when you are totally relaxed. Then, ‘play-back’ throughout the remainder of the day and as often as you like.

But don’t expect a miracle in two days! Give yourself a chance – give yourself time, keep visualizing, and it will work. You will notice that your behaviour will change. By positive thinking and determination, I guarantee that you will soon reap the benefits. Remember also to believe in yourself. Most important of all, whatever your religion is, have Faith in God.


H.N.

The Danger of 'Phenylpropanolamine' in Medicine.

IMPORTANT DRUG RECALL

By Hoda Nassef

I got this alert many times, via e-mail actually, throughout this year. Therefore I cannot say for sure if this is an 'new' drug recall or repetition of the 'old' alert. In any case, I am sure not many have read about it, and certainly not in Egypt, as perhaps....who knows...some pharmacies or doctors may still be distributing or selling these mecicaitons. Although most doctors and pharmacists should know about the drug recall even before it is sold in the market (pharmacies) perhaps some don't have a conscience, and will sell anything!

So, here it is again:

All drugs containing any ingredient or amount of PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE are being recalled. They advised us to STOP TAKING anything containing this ingredient. Why? It has been linked to increased hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in brain) among women ages 18-49 in the three days after starting use of medication. Problems were not found in men, but the FDA recommended that everyone (even children) seek alternative medicine.

Here is an alphabetical list. The following medications contain the drug ingredients of phenylpropanolamine:

Acutrim Diet Gum

Appetite Suppressant

Acutrim Plus Dietary Supplements

Acutrim Maximum Strength Appetite Control

Alka-Seltzer Plus Children's Cold Medicine Effervescent

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold medicine (cherry or orange)

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine Original

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Cough Medicine Effervescent

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Flu Medicine

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Sinus Effervescent

Alka Seltzer Plus Night-Time Cold Medicine

BC Allergy Sinus Cold Powder

BC Sinus Cold Powder

Comtrex Flu Therapy &Fever Relief

Day & Night Contac 12-Hour Cold Capsules

Contac 12 Hour Caplets

Coricidin D Cold, Flu & Sinus

Dexatrim Caffeine Free

Dexatrim Extended Duration

Dexatrim Gelcaps

Dexatrim Vitamin C/Caffeine Free

Dimetapp Cold & Allergy Chewable Tablets

Dimetapp Cold & Cough Liqui-Gels

Dimetapp DM Cold & Cough Elixir

Dimetapp Elixir

Dimetapp 24 Hour Liquid Gels

Dimetapp 4 Hour Tablets

Dimetapp 12 Hour Extentabs Tablets

Naldecon DX Pediatric Drops

Permathene Mega-16

Robitussin CF

Tavist-D 12 Hour Relief of Sinus & Nasal Congestion

Triaminic DM Cough Relief

Triaminic Expectorant Chest & Head

Triaminic Syrup Cold & Allergy

Triaminic Triaminicol Cold & Cough

I just found out and called the 800# on the container for Triaminic and they informed me that they are voluntarily recalling the following medicines because of a certain ingredient that is causing strokes and seizures in children:

Orange 3D Cold &Allergy Cherry (Pink)

3D Cold &Cough Berry

3D Cough Relief Yellow 3D

h.n.

Liver and Brain-Damaging Habits

Health Tips for the Brain and Liver

Compiled by Hoda Nassef

1) Some brain-damaging habits are:

1. No Breakfast People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

4. High Sugar consumption Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6. Sleep Deprivation Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.

7. Head covered while sleeping Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects. 8. Working your brain during illness Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts Thinking is the best way to train our brain; lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain.

(2) The main causes of liver damage are:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main causes.

2. Not urinating in the morning.

3. Too much eating.

4. Skipping breakfast.

5. Consuming too much medication.

6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food colouring , and artificial sweetener.

7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.

8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver. Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store. We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adapt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to "schedule."

Because:

Evening at 9 -11 p.m: is the time for eliminating unnecessary / toxic chemicals (detoxification) from the antibody system (lymph nodes). This time duration should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If during this time a housewife is still in a tense state such as washing the dishes or monitoring children doing their homework, this will have a negative impact on her health.

Evening at 11 p.m - 1 a.m: is the detoxification process in the liver, and ideally should be done in a deep-sleep state.

Early morning 1 - 3 a.m: detoxification process in the gall, also ideally done in a deep-sleep state.

Early morning 3 - 5 a.m: detoxification in the lungs. Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough for cough sufferers during this time. Since the detoxification process had reached the respiratory tract, there is no need to take cough medicine so as not to interfere with toxin removal process.

Morning 5 - 7 a.m : detoxification in the colon, you should empty your bowel.

Morning 7 - 9 a.m : absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, you should be having breakfast at this time. Breakfast should be earlier, before 6:30 am, for those who are sick.

Breakfast before 7:30 a.m is very beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who always skip breakfast, they should change their habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast late until 9 - 10 a.m rather than no meal at all.

Sleeping so late and waking up too late will disrupt the process of removing unnecessary chemicals. Aside from that, midnight to 4:00 a.m is the time when the bone marrow produces blood. Therefore, have a good sleep and don't sleep late.

H.N.