Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible.”
T. E. Lawrence , The Seven Pillars of Wisdom.
Sunday 12 April 2009
Thursday 9 August 2007
We Are Too Many
I was thinking today while driving on my way to work which I consider a nice relaxed cruise for 18 kms on an un-crowded, well paved, well signed Portuguese highway. Fortunately always against the traffic while people go to work in the City, I would be getting out, Lucky me!!.
This gives me time to think to myself what is the big difference between Egypt and Portugal besides population 75 million against 8 million. I mean we have much more resources than they have. Moreover they are considered one of the European countries always having yearly problems with their deficit and really one of the countries that is on the margin of international politics but trying hard for a come back the last 4 years.
Anyway, I thought to myself Egypt has 75 million people is that normal, no it is not. WE ARE TOO MANY!!!!!!! with no conditions what’s so ever, no education (which I believe that is our main problem) the regime didn’t want educated people, the intellects are dangerous opposition.
Just think of how we studied back in school and the interesting contents of our books this was the breeding grounds for ignorance (I find it funny to say that I learned more about ancient Egypt from discovery and History channels than when I was in my homeland). it is a sad and desperate situation that I don’t see how we can possibly resolve practically, the gap in the Egyptian society is already horribly widen.
On the other hand, the main problem is corruption but I believe that corruption in my point of view exists everywhere in any country and in any institution, the only difference is that there are countries more corrupt than others or people corrupt more than others.
And in this current example, I can give you a logical example that I heard while in Tunisia when I had this one funny discussion with older people in my family.They told me that the big difference between Tunisia and Egypt which are both receiving foreign aid is the level of distribution of that aid within the society on government projects, infrastructure and so on. Logical Huh?
Of course corruption exists but with 8 million for god sake any project or public investment is shortly felt in the society, like for example in Tunisia the literacy is zero compared to us, so what I am saying even if 50% of aid is held by the regime the rest automatically is passed to other levels for the country development.
This is exactly the opposite of what happens in Egypt, I personally think that with 75 million people versus the amount of aid we get has passed the point of no return. I believe that the majority is held directly in the first level for the governing guard and to reinforce and protect the regime and very little cascades to levels below that’s why we see less effective projects or shortly visional projects that add very little or no benefits to the public. They have to keep the regime war machine up and running at the same time THEY ARE TOO MANY !!!!!.
I don’t think Mubarak now can be considered entirely problem, it just went already out of hands, we are self-destructing ourselves slowly but surely. I don’t know why we need such a powerful army while our neighbor the so called boogyman and secret enemies have definitely very little to be bothered with or worry about, they probably said we leave it to nature it will take care of it.
Solutions………I guess I will have to think about it on my way back home.
This gives me time to think to myself what is the big difference between Egypt and Portugal besides population 75 million against 8 million. I mean we have much more resources than they have. Moreover they are considered one of the European countries always having yearly problems with their deficit and really one of the countries that is on the margin of international politics but trying hard for a come back the last 4 years.
Anyway, I thought to myself Egypt has 75 million people is that normal, no it is not. WE ARE TOO MANY!!!!!!! with no conditions what’s so ever, no education (which I believe that is our main problem) the regime didn’t want educated people, the intellects are dangerous opposition.
Just think of how we studied back in school and the interesting contents of our books this was the breeding grounds for ignorance (I find it funny to say that I learned more about ancient Egypt from discovery and History channels than when I was in my homeland). it is a sad and desperate situation that I don’t see how we can possibly resolve practically, the gap in the Egyptian society is already horribly widen.
On the other hand, the main problem is corruption but I believe that corruption in my point of view exists everywhere in any country and in any institution, the only difference is that there are countries more corrupt than others or people corrupt more than others.
And in this current example, I can give you a logical example that I heard while in Tunisia when I had this one funny discussion with older people in my family.They told me that the big difference between Tunisia and Egypt which are both receiving foreign aid is the level of distribution of that aid within the society on government projects, infrastructure and so on. Logical Huh?
Of course corruption exists but with 8 million for god sake any project or public investment is shortly felt in the society, like for example in Tunisia the literacy is zero compared to us, so what I am saying even if 50% of aid is held by the regime the rest automatically is passed to other levels for the country development.
This is exactly the opposite of what happens in Egypt, I personally think that with 75 million people versus the amount of aid we get has passed the point of no return. I believe that the majority is held directly in the first level for the governing guard and to reinforce and protect the regime and very little cascades to levels below that’s why we see less effective projects or shortly visional projects that add very little or no benefits to the public. They have to keep the regime war machine up and running at the same time THEY ARE TOO MANY !!!!!.
I don’t think Mubarak now can be considered entirely problem, it just went already out of hands, we are self-destructing ourselves slowly but surely. I don’t know why we need such a powerful army while our neighbor the so called boogyman and secret enemies have definitely very little to be bothered with or worry about, they probably said we leave it to nature it will take care of it.
Solutions………I guess I will have to think about it on my way back home.
Tuesday 7 August 2007
Ana,Me,moi,myself,io, eu.... 5 languages, 5 cultures, 5 prespetives
Believe me it is not easy to start a blog, I guess best is to give you a genuine idea about who I am and where I come from is the start point.
I was born and raised and lived almost 25 years of my life in Egypt, I was brought up in Alexandria and belonged to mixed family ( Greek, Italian and Tunisian) origins which was translated to a common stereotype Alexandrian back in the 40 ies that is when my father and mother were married. I left Egypt 6 years ago for Portugal, where I am living and working right now. I got to finish my bachelor of science in BA from Alex University.
I am the son of a highly regarded deceed Textile industrial entrepreneur that had decided to sell all his 3 textile factories during Nasser regime and my Greek mother is a typical hard working mother strong, tough, honest, caring and above all made me what i am today. I admire her a lot but it is hard to be her though many times I wished I could confront things the way she does. It is funny because I am married to a woman which is in many ways like her.
Well if you ask me how do you identify yourself, I will tell you right away that I am Egyptian, it is hard to not cherich 25 years of your life in this beautifull country that gave me my good and bad times.
But at the same time I love Italian football when I visit my family in Italy and appreciate Greek food when I visit my Greek family in Geece and off course my Tunisian clan which I find it impressively big.
What brings me here???? Blogging is in fashion and I thought to myself lets dress to impress.
Got you for a while!!!
My simple reason is to voice my opinion on the many issues that take place in my life and on what ever is going on in Egypt from the sadest, dramatic to the funniest. I will attempt to put in words whatever I see important to voice or fancy. Further more explain Middle East views for everybody to understand which very few people can convey about Egypt.
During this process I think I might be boring, repetitive but will do my best to be informative and insightfull.
Bear with me…..
I was born and raised and lived almost 25 years of my life in Egypt, I was brought up in Alexandria and belonged to mixed family ( Greek, Italian and Tunisian) origins which was translated to a common stereotype Alexandrian back in the 40 ies that is when my father and mother were married. I left Egypt 6 years ago for Portugal, where I am living and working right now. I got to finish my bachelor of science in BA from Alex University.
I am the son of a highly regarded deceed Textile industrial entrepreneur that had decided to sell all his 3 textile factories during Nasser regime and my Greek mother is a typical hard working mother strong, tough, honest, caring and above all made me what i am today. I admire her a lot but it is hard to be her though many times I wished I could confront things the way she does. It is funny because I am married to a woman which is in many ways like her.
Well if you ask me how do you identify yourself, I will tell you right away that I am Egyptian, it is hard to not cherich 25 years of your life in this beautifull country that gave me my good and bad times.
But at the same time I love Italian football when I visit my family in Italy and appreciate Greek food when I visit my Greek family in Geece and off course my Tunisian clan which I find it impressively big.
What brings me here???? Blogging is in fashion and I thought to myself lets dress to impress.
Got you for a while!!!
My simple reason is to voice my opinion on the many issues that take place in my life and on what ever is going on in Egypt from the sadest, dramatic to the funniest. I will attempt to put in words whatever I see important to voice or fancy. Further more explain Middle East views for everybody to understand which very few people can convey about Egypt.
During this process I think I might be boring, repetitive but will do my best to be informative and insightfull.
Bear with me…..
My First Entry
First I would like to thank in my own simple words Sandmonkey in recognition of his work as I consider him a hell of an Egyptian blogger which undoubtedly made me read all of his entries actually identifying myself with his honest, critical, cynical and straightforward way.
At the end of the day it worked as an inspiration for me to start thinking about my blogging and thought to myself let me try it out, I don’t have even the slightest idea if I will fail or prevail…….what I know I will give it my best shot in my own way.
Sandmonkey you will be missed
At the end of the day it worked as an inspiration for me to start thinking about my blogging and thought to myself let me try it out, I don’t have even the slightest idea if I will fail or prevail…….what I know I will give it my best shot in my own way.
Sandmonkey you will be missed
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