fun sentence opening

The Huffington Post’s description of Egypt begins with the following phrase:

“Established in 3100 B.C., Egypt…”

Carter speaks

The views of JIMMY CARTER, about whom I have always heard warm words in Egypt.

self-defense committees

THIS has been one of the most interesting things to happen so far.

China Miéville’s thoughts

I was discussing Egypt with China earlier today. He worked there for awhile some years ago too, and so we share some personal experiences as well as a general fondness for the country. Now you can read his current thoughts HERE.

the latest

I’m getting lots of indirect communication from Egyptians who are in Tahrir Square right now and very excited.

One said that a soldier on one of the tanks told her not to worry about the F-16’s flying over, that it’s bark without bite.

video from Philip Rizk

Rizk was an American University in Cairo graduate student when he was detained last year for several days. He’s still in Cairo for a bit longer, and took THIS FOOTAGE in the Imbaba neighborhood, which is west of the Nile from Zamalek.

life in the waiting zone

I’m being treated with much hospitality in Bombay, and will be residing in the artists’ rooftop studio for another day before going to live where I was two weeks ago, also a comfortable and hospitable place in the Bandra neighborhood.

Tonight was a screening of work in progress by Sebastien, a German filmmaker who has a lot of powerful raw footage of Dubai. I found it utterly engrossing for the entire 2+ hours. No voiceovers at present, just lengthy shots of various pieces of infrastructure and other points of interest at the fringes of the city. Post-screening party at another rooftop at a nearby private residence.

excerpts from the manual

The Atlantic has an English translation of portions of the manual circulated to protestors ahead of time. HERE.

the magnificence of Cairo

This comes from Ahmed, one of my students. The Mosque of Muhammad Ali at the Citadel of Saladin.

news of a friend via the NY Times

Can’t contact any of my friends in Egypt, but have learned through the New York Times what my friend and colleague Dr. Nathaniel Bowditch is up to:

Nathaniel Bowditch, 44, an assistant professor of philosophy and an associate dean at the American University in Cairo, has barricaded his family inside the apartment where they have lived for almost five years.

He and his wife, Eden, have three children, but one of them, a 12-year-old daughter, is in Abu Dhabi. The family was going to try reunite in Rome as early as Sunday, he said by telephone.

For now, they are living an oddly conflicted existence, he said. Even though they are “hunkered down,” he said, his chief concern was not their safety but the lack of information and the uncertainty over how long the siege would continue.

“No one is feeling panicked in terms of day-to-day necessities,” he said. “The concern is more structural. How will this work? What will happen? What should I do with my kids? We won’t starve or freeze, but am I going to have a job? Will my kids’ school open in a week?

Not having Internet access and, for a time, not having cellphone service, he said, was “profoundly unnerving and isolating.””