By- Mai Shams El-Din and Ingy Hassieb

Come lunchtime, at The American University in Cairo’s Kattameya campus, there is hardly any place to stand in line at El Omda, and Tabasco, as members of the AUC community cluster by the two food vendors offering the most generous meals necessary to re-charge for the remainder of an exhausting college day.

 “We are getting carts,” said Kim Jackson, associate vice president of the office of student life and chair of the food services advisory committee. “Food carts.”

 One year has passed since AUC moved to the new campus. Despite a set of disruptions in the academic environment, with bus schedules, Internet, and housing, administrators have worked tirelessly to handle them. Supplying food, particularly, was at the top of the list. Yet, complaints have been consistent and similar over the past year, and so plans to improve the services are still part of the current administrative agenda.

 The location of food outlets was one of many concerns that 2300 members of the AUC community expressed in a food survey administered, last November, by the office of student life and the advisory committee.

 “The food carts will add variety and place substantial food options down by [the Humanities and Social Sciences Building] and that end of campus so that people who mainly work from there don’t have to walk all the way up [to the food courts],” Jackson said. “Many people at the other end of campus complain about having to walk a way to get anything substantial to eat and then they come up here and the outlet is not even open.”

 According to Heba Hassan, AUC project manager for Delicious Inc., the food service provider for the university, three of the carts have already been approved by the university and will start operating in the middle of the coming spring semester. 

 But, location is not the AUC community’s only issue.

 “The food quality is really bad if you compare it to the amount of money we pay,” said Zeina Bisharat, a political science junior.

 Both Jackson and Hassan said the preliminary results of the food survey show displeasure with the quality of the food in terms of both freshness and health, as well as the costs entailed and the operational hours.

 “I usually have packed lunch from home. I only eat on campus if I am stuck” said journalism senior, Rania Nafei. “It is expensive and it is not healthy.”

 The vendors, said Hassan, have costs to make up for such as rent and electricity among other things.

 “The prices are the same outside of AUC, if not less. It is all costs and at the end of the day it is still a business for them,” she said. “But we want to help the students.”

 The food carts would offer healthier food options, Hassan added, as one of the carts will serve fresh salads, and the other Lebanese food.  The third cart has been signed off to GoGo Juice, which sells fresh fruit drinks and already occupies a space near the sports complex on campus.

 “It feels like change has occurred slowly and not enough, but I can tell you, working with Delicious Inc, they really do try,” said Jackson. “They have been in a tough spot along with the rest of us and they have heard and are trying to address the concerns.”

 A YEAR OF CHANGES

When the campus first opened, the only operational outlet had been Cilantro coffee, but now, most people eat on campus “at least once a day,” according to the food survey responses.

 “The people providing food for us are exploiting us because they use the fact that there are no other food outlets to their advantage,” said Bisharat.

 Many students agreed that, at the moment, Tabasco and El Omda are the best available.  

 “Tabasco is good and the prices aren’t that expensive,” said Amr Sammak, architecture senior. “[El Omda] is clean for foul, ta’ameya and Koshary. It’s cheap and it’s filling.”

 Nafei said that Tabasco is her best option.

 “I think they’re the cleanest, or at least they appear to be,” she said. “The salads are always clean and the vegetables are always fresh. I trust them more than El Omda.”

 On the other hand, Bisharat finds the outlet too pricey for a student budget.

 “Why are they so obsessed with brands like McDonald’s and Subway? They get DVDs to put in Quick and sometimes you can’t even find the basic necessities like bread and vegetables,” she said. 

Karim Elhassan, a sophomore who lives in the on-campus dormitories, cooks his own food but does not buy his groceries from Quick 24, the only supermarket available on campus.

 “I buy my food from Spinney’s and cook in the dorms,” he said. “All of the products [at Quick] are imported and are very high-priced.”

 THE HOURS

“Operation hours are not good at all,” said Sammak, who participated in the food survey. ”There’s no variety because everything closes at 6 PM except Tabasco.”

 The issue, though, is yet to be addressed.

“Once the Institutional Research office compiles the final report I will send that to the president and the vice president and call for another meeting,” Jackson said. “All along there has been ten people telling the university and Delicious these issues, but now we have 2300 people saying it. So I’m hoping that will underscore the urgency to address these issues.”

The preliminary results were made public to the AUC community through the Dec. 13 issue of the weekly newsletter, Road 90, and the report will be finalized during the winter session.

 “[The office of Institutional Research] tallied all responses for the food survey, but they also tallied the responses that people wrote in the end when they ask you if there’s anything else you want to say–well it was 79 pages full of comments,” she said.

Bush administration dirt is all now out - thinkprogress.org

Those emails, according to the CNN website “date from 2003 to 2005, and had been “mislabeled and effectively lost,” according to the National Security Archive, a research group based at George Washington University” . What a shocking statement!!! mislabeled and effectively lost!!!! What kind of Mafia gang was ruling the world for the last 8 years??

The date in which these emails started to appear was during Iraq war, isn’t it?? What kind of information that was hidden in these emails that has something to do with Iraq’s invasion?

I can imagine what such emails contain. Of course they knew that there were no Weapons of mass Destruction, of course they were not there for regime change, and of course what was written there just reveals how much dirt that America and the entire world was living in during these years.

What about all this now, doesn’t this put Mr. Bush adminstration’s integrity into question (using the same term that politicians used for Blair’s latest confessions about Iraq)?? and why are we seeing all this dirt just like now?? When were all those great technicians a couple of years ago?? why we just see all this dirt after Bush leaving the office?? It is the same as what happens in the “third world”. You know what, everyday I check the news I realize that there is no difference between both worlds when it comes to politics, same dirt, same conspiracy, same hypocracy, same shame, and same evil!!!!

Commenters now see such a confession puts Blair’s integrity into question, meaning that regime change would not have been a good justification of war. 

The international community has just started to question Blair's integrity- CNN.com

Every day I check the news, I feel how much hypocratic this whole world of politics is becoming. So you don’t think that participating in this war at first place is not putting Mr. Blair’s integrity into question?? Leaving 5 million orphan children (nearly half of Iraqi children) is not putting his integrity into question??? 28% increase of malnutrition is not putting his integrity into question? Having 70% of Iraqi children with psychological problems and 68% of the population with no access to safe drinking water are not putting his integrity into question???

Ok people, I don’t call this a confession, but another misleading statement. The confession that we should all require is when we can see both Blair and Bush in the International Court of Justice, being accused of war crimes, confessing that they invaded Iraq not because of weapons of mass destruction or because of regime change, but for exploiting the Iraqi money, OIL, and souls…….   

By- Mai Shams El-Din

CAIRO- Muslim Sufi Chanting, Christian Hymns, Nubian Songs, Egyptian Poetry, and old oriental music represent a unique cultural mix that Egyptians never imagined that it would make sense. Yet, Ana Masry “I’m Egyptian” band just brought this mix into reality in the mindsets of all Egyptians.

"Ana Masry" represents an unusual cultural mix

“Ana Masry band has a very unique message and have a very unique vision that wants to promote, which is the idea of an all-embracing, all-inclusive Egyptian identity,” said Ihab Abdou, founder of the band.

“We want also through our music to remind people who as a country we always been a melting pot and a mosaic for a lot of different identities and this is exactly what we try to promote and present through our music.”

The Message

Established in November 2007, Ana Masry band began performing at the American University in Cairo (AUC) in Howard Theatre and they used to perform on a regular basis there. Dr. Ashraf Fouad, Director of Music Series and Professor of Music Theory and Composition at AUC witnessed the establishment of this band when they first performed at AUC.

“What I like about Ana Masry is that it is a band with a message, and the message is set very clear through its title,” he said. “I’m Egyptian and period, no attachment to this, and everything else is dissolved in this adjective: Egyptian.”

The diversified image that Ana Masry is trying to draw could be simply an attempt to do what politics failed to do: reaching out for people and trying to represent the uniqueness of the Egyptian cultural identity.

“Our dream is to go and tour Egypt, all over the country, all villages, all mall communities, presenting this message of co-existence, peace, tolerance and diversity, and may be one day trying to present our message to our Diaspora in different countries , whether in north America , Europe , Australia and otherwise.” said Abdou passionately.

Many observers appreciated how “Ana Masry” band is preserving Egyptian identity even if in the type of music they use for their songs.

The band rocked AUC campus a month ago

“What I appreciate about Ana Masry that they are not affected by other traditions in music, and the band wants to keep and preserve its own heritage, and this is different from other bands are performing right now.” confirmed Fouad.

Reactions to the new band

During their performance in Malak Gabr Theatre at AUC two weeks ago, Ana Masry impressed AUC students who came to listen to this new trend in music.

Rana Othamn, Marketing Coordinator at the PVA Department at AUC expressed her great astonishment for the message of Ana Masry since she has never heard of them before.

“They are very new and creative, I have never imagined that I would be that happy after listening to them,” she said.

After the concert was ended, Othman insisted on talking to Abdou personally to tell him one sentence “Thank you for being creative, thank you for being new, and thank you for being different.” said Otham with a great sense of enthusiasm.

Othman is inspired by the unifying message that they are presenting, which should make them stand out from other types of music that other bands are performing.

“Ana Masry is doing a great job; their concerts are almost full house. In Ewart Hall concert last week, people were standing, and audience kept flooding all the time.” said Fouad.

Abdou express the reactions towards the new trend of music that targets Egyptians and who they really are.

“We have seen a lot of tears, we have seen a lot of laughter, we have seen people thanking us for reminding them of this message they might have forgotten, we have seen people come to us and ask us to present at other places because they believe the message is important to promote more,” said Abdou. “I think the strongest source of energy to us is this support from the media, from the people and this belief and this thirst for such a message.” added Abdou.

Ramy Ramadan, a singer and a composer in the band recalled how he joined the band and how its message touched him.

“I attended a concert for Ana Masry band in Cairo University, their music and lyrics really affected me and touched my heart,” said Ramadan. “At that time, I have written some lyrics that may suit the message of the band. The lyrics was names “Oh Egypt, show me your tenderness”, they liked the lyrics, and I started working with them.”

 More media spotlights needed:

Established in 2007, Ana Masry is still a newly established band that not all people are still aware of in Egypt, yet it seems that it is not only because it is a new band, but may be some other types of music are getting more popular due to commercialization.

“Other bands singing romantic songs are booming faster because they are commercial, and commercials are easy to sell,” said Fouad. “When you have a message like this, it takes time. There are still new, and they will get media attention soon.”

Ramadan sees that although the band is now starting to compete with other famous bands, it still needs more.

“The band lacks the financial and media support,” said Ramadan. “We are receiving less media attention because we are not singing romantic songs like the other more famous bands do.”

It seems that this is Berlusconi's bad luck - alarabiya.net

Seems that there is a new trend of anger steam release that  is taking place among people to get rid of their anger from world leaders. President Bush having a shoe thrown at him a year ago by an Iraqi journalist in Iraq during a press conference seems to better a better goal keeper when he succeeded in avoiding the shoe, while Berlusconi failed to avoid the hit, and now he his face covered in blood in all news outlets ..

What is going to happen for the attacker? Is the world going to deal with him as a hero like what happened with the Iraqi journalist, or Mr. Berlusconi is going to have a better luck ….

One more final though, what if that happened in another part of the world in the country that I’m thinking of right now??? I cannot even imagine …

Shouldn't media care more about this family? babble.com

Now everybody is crying over his beautiful family whose reputation has been completely ruined for his shameful acts, but I would like to comment on is how media is responding towards the issue. 

Yesterday, I was watching “The Insider” on MBC4, and they made a special series for the scandal. I was not shocked by the scandal as much as I was shocked by the rumors circulating about Wood’s naked photos as one of his mistresses has offered Playgirl to publish the photos. Playgirl claim that they had the photos and they are “in the process of authenticating the photos to see if the offer is real”. As if the only ethical dilemma involved here is that they should make sure that the photos are really for the Woods. 

What is this irony that the media is living in? Is that what you are only concerned about? Making sure that the photos are really Tiger Woods’?? What about his family? What about his kids when they see their dad’s naked photos everywhere? Isn’t that unethical? Aren’t we feeling sorry for how much he ruined his family’s reputation?? What about you media people? Aren’t you now adding more to this destruction?? 

Please if we are concerned about the ethics of the profession, if we are really concerned about the reputation of his wife and kids, stop this massacre, and stop this irony that you media people are getting lots of money out of. 

What I have been always wondering about is the irony that the West is insisting to live in. They pretend to promote freedom and “first world” values, but why all this just disappears when it come to Islam?? Isn’t the prevent of building minarets is a human right violation by preventing people from practicing their religious duties?? If you do not want to allow building minarets, you are free to do, but please do not pretend that you are the protectors of human rights and proponents of freedom, because you are simply not!!! What about your Muslim citizens, why should they be deprived from their rights while other fellow citizens enjoy the same right?? Now it becomes a discrimination against certain religious group, aren’t these the words that you “civilized” people always say???

The effectiveness of right wing's propaganda is far reaching- about.com

One more part of the hepocracy is the logic behind such a ban. The right-wing parties there assume that it is an attempt to prevent the expansion of Muslim thought in the West, in fear that it would become a threat to the “western values”. My question is, do you think that banning a minerat would ever stop such an expansion? Where are your minds people?? Where is your “rationale” that you have been always proud that your “civilization” is all about? Yes, I understand that may be the banning is more symbolic, but still it would never affect the Islamic expansion, but rather it will enhance it.

I cannot deny many aware and sincere attempts against such a ban, but what is painful, according to one of the people with whom I discussed this issue is that radical conservatives are more effective in policy making. My reply to that this happens because they firmly depend on stereotypes and misconceptions to play on people’s buttons.

One important thing that I would like to comment on is the reactions in the Muslim world, especially in the Arab countries. Condemnation of such act with mushrooming all over the Arab world, while just couple of weeks ago,a decision regarding religious freedom was taken and violated the rights of Muslims in country that is supposed to have a Muslim majority.

In Egypt, when Ministry of High Education decided to prevent girls wearing Niqab ”face veil” from joining on campus dorms, a decision followed by The Grand Sheikh of the Al-Azhar University’s decision to ban wearing it in Al-Azhar female schools. Me personally, I do not think that Niqab is obligatory for women, and I will never think of wearing it, but this does not mean that we disregard people wearing it. I totally respect women wearing niqab and I respect their choices, and we should all condemn such acts taken against their rights.

How can we blame the West for its discrimination against Muslims while Muslim countries themselves abuse the rights of Muslims living inside the Muslim territories? The Muslim world, especially after 9/11 attacks, is living in a weird state of denial. We have seen our religious values stereotyped by the West, and instead of preserving them and trying to unveil the real inner beauty of them, we started to detach ourselves from them. We started to deny our identity instead of proudly declaring it… 

kuwaiti Prime Minister- Al-Jaeera English

The reasons behind the draft were due to allegations of “misappropriation” of millions of dollars in the last run ups of elections in 2008.

I really like this “misappropriation” thing ……. and am now questioning how many “misappropriations” in money and souls of Egyptians is taking place in our beloved country every day. I’m just wondering about when there might be an “intifada” in the Egyptian Parliament to even appeal to draft a very small motion to unseat one poor secretary of one of the ministers in the cabinet!!!! Just a small thought!!!!!

It seems that technology and social connection has become more than only a source of entertainment, but a very important source of identity declaration. Facebook profile and tweets are now becoming like your personal ID that you hold in your pocket. Your profile says something about you.

I suggest that now any employer would require a copy of the applicant’s Facebook profile or tweeting history instead of the resume, since people are now more passionate about developing and updating them more than they update their resumes.

 Just wondering what else technology is hiding for us !!!!