"The United States is a nation of laws: badly written and randomly enforced"
Frank Zappa
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
To our Ahmed and Ahmed the terrorists
To our Ahmed and Ahmed the terrorists
who tend to get arrested in American airports for blogging
recommended
hilarious
first time I saw it pissed my pants laughing
198
197 is the number of this post
وصلت القاهره امبارح من نبراسكا مرورا بشيكاغو والمانيا .. الرحله كانت اقل تبعا من الذهاب والحمد لله وصلنا الوطن وبوسنا ارض المطار
الرحله الاولي كانت لواشنطن ونيويورك واماكن تانية زي ساركيوز وهوستن ونورث كارولنيا
.. مبصوط اني كنت واحد من تمانية اللي عملوا كلوا ده ..ومبصوط اني كنت محظوظ في اني اروح نبراسكا .. ومبصوط اني كنت في فريق واحد مع ميرال .. اللي كانت ساعات بتلعب دور انيس عبيد بمنتهي الشطارة ..
مبصوط ان البرنامج كان مع مركز أدهم وكل الناس اللي هناك مستر لوريس وصوفيا وكارول وساره
واخيراً .. سعادتي كلها اللي عمال احكي فيها ... كانت هتبقي ناقصه كتير لو كان الموضوع كله مر من غير شئ معكنن حتي لو صغير واتفه من اني اذكره ..
عشان كده التوازن الكوني يبقي معدول يامانكي
اللي اقصده انه .. بذمتكوا .. مش لو كان البلوج مر بسلام من غير تعليقات أحدهم النكره اللي كان بيتفنن في ان تعليقاته تًبظ صفار وبياض
كان هيبقي دمه تقيل .. اهو كده برضه " ماك سينس " .. وبمناسبة الصفار والبياض .. انا كلمت الميلودي مان يتصرف معاه .. اهو .. هما أجدر بالتعامل مع بعض
-
ولا لو مثلا بعد الرحلتين دول مكناش قرينا بوست إحداهن اللي يفطس من الضحك .. واللي قالت فيه كلام كتير مكنش فيه صح غير انها هبله وحمقاء .. ومش اي حمقاء يعني :-)
.. نهايته .. مبروك ياشباب .. مش مبروك عشان اوباما كسب ولا مبروك عشان ماكين خسر .. مبروك عشان احنا عملنا المهمه كامله وبنجاح
اقابلكوا في نجاح تاني
محمود صابر
القاهره , مصر
8 -11-2008
6.30 PM
6.30 PM
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Funny Mexican and his Obama song
The Funny Mexican and his Obama song
A funny and original Latino Obama song
I met this guy in front of the Skyline polling center in Alexandria, Virginia
this song is his writing and singing
his name is Carlos Solis
Thursday, November 6, 2008
عندما صاحت السيدة كارول: لقد فعلها أوباما..فعلها..فعلها يا ميشيل
كانت ثلاث خطوات فقط تفصل بين السيدة كارول صاحبة هذا المنزل وبين راشيل الفتاة ذات ال14 ربيعا التي أمسكة لوحة مرسومة لباراك أوباما ووضعتها بجوار وجهها وهي تتابع أخبار الانتخابات علي شاشة سي إن إن.عندها صرخت راشيل : "اووووووه لقد حصلنا علي نيوهامبشير"..عندها قفز الجميع فرحا،فقدت حسمت نيوهامبشير امرها لصالح باراك اوباما. وعندما قطعت راشيل هذه الخطوات الثلاث وضعت علي الطاولة التي تتوسط الصالة طبقا من البطاطس الشيبسي امام ما يقرب من عشرة مراهقين سود يتابعون ما يجري في كل ولاية،عن طريق الانترنت وشبكات التلفزيون الامريكي.
وحينها قالت لها إحدي الصديقات اللوائي يملأن المنزل:لي صديق يتصل من ولاية أخري يقول لي نحن نسير بصورة جيدة..أوباما يحصد الاصوات ياكارول..إنه يفعلها..عندها مالت كارول علي الارضية الخشبية لصالة منزلها ثم لمستها طويلا بينما تضغط علي اسنانها فرحا "تاتش وود".
كارول سيدة سوداء في نهاية الثلاينات،لديها ثلاثة اطفال،وتحظي بمكانة عالية بين مجتمع الافروامريكيين في مدينة سيراكيوز بنيويورك،لذا فقد كان طبيعيا ان تختار ثماني عائلات من اصول زنجية بيتها لتترقب فيه نتيجة الانتخابات.
الدخول الي بيت كارول لايستدعي الكثير من التدقيق كي تدرك انك في عالم متكامل خاص بالسود.فبين حوالي 22 شخصا في هذا المنزل ،قبيل اعلان النتيجة، كان الجميع يرتدي تي شيرتات تحمل صورة اوباما او ملصقات تشير الي تأييده،بينما اختار تشارلز(15 سنة) ارتداء تي شيرت يحمل صورة القس البروتستانتني مارتن لوثر كينج،بينما موسيقي الراب تصدع من مكان ما،ويقوم كل ثلاث دقائق تقريبا احد المراهقين ليرقص علي ايقاعها.
تنحيت عن طريق السيدة كارول وهي توزع المزيد من بوسترات التأييد علي الطاولة لأجدها تضع علي احدي الرفوف عددين من إحدي المجلات المختصة بعالم السود،كان غلاف العدد الأول يحمل صورة اوباما،بينما الثاني يحمل صورة ميشيل زوجته،وبعدهما بعدة سنتيمترات كتاب اوباما الاشهر "من أحلام والدي".
وعندما دخلت السيدة ميشيل التي تبدو في أواخر الخمسينات ،هلل المراهقون احتفاءا بها وهللت السيدات اللوائي برفقة كارول،فقد كن مشغولات حينها باعداد اكواب البيبسي وأطباق الفراخ المحمرة والمكرونة والحلوي.
قالت لي ميشيل :"أوباما هو الشخص الصح في المكان الصح،انه الرجل الذي سيضع الامور في نصابها". قلت لميشيل هل لي أن أسألك لماذا اشعر ان تأييد هذا المنزل لاوباما راجع بالمقام الاول لانه اسود؟ فردت :"انه يعكس عالما يفيض بالانسانية،انه يمثل خلفية ما تدعو للتفاؤل،الامر ليس لانه اسود فقط..انظر الي ما يمثله باراك اوباما".
ولم تكد تكمل جملتها التالية حتي صرخت راشيل :" ياهوووووووووو لقد حصلنا علي بنسلفانيا" فهلل الجميع وتركتني راشيل وراحت ترقص مع الصبية المراهقين فرحا بفوز السيد اوباما بولاية أخري...وصاحت كارول :"أوباما يفعلها..انه يفعلها يا ميشيل!".
ساعتها
أخذت فيفان ذات الستة عشر عاما زمام المبادرة وقالت لي :"انا أنتمي لعائلة من الطبقة المتوسطة..ببساطة شديد سيهتم بي اوباما ولن يفعلها ماكين"
أخرجت السيدة كارول من الثلاجة تورتة (يصل مقاسها تقريبا الي 40 سم في 20 سم) يحمل نصفها صورة مرسومة لباراك أوباما، ولدي رؤيتها هللت النساء وأطلقن صيحات الفرحة.لكن شيئا ما حدث جعل كارول تحبس أنفاسها .."لقد ضاعت نورث كارولينا" هكذا همست راشيل!
لم يبدد صمت ضياع نورث كارولينا وانحيازها لصالح جون ماكين سوي المزحة التي أطلقتها بيري ذات الخمسة عشر ربيعا وهي تخاطبني :"أتود أن تعرف لماذا أشجع باراك اوباما؟" أومأت لها أن نعم،فأمسكت صورة زيتية له ووضعتها بجوار وجهها وقالت :"لانه يشبهني..ألست تري؟ إنها ذات الملامح". هنا تقول "جاكي" ذات السبعة عشر عاما: لا نعتبر ان اول رئيس اسود هو باراك اوباما..فلدينا جون إف كيندي وبيل كلينتون!
ضحك الجميع،من المزحة التي ترمي الي انهم سود يؤيدون مرشحا اسودا..هكذا هي الحقيقة أو جزء منها!
عندها سألت تشارلز ذي السبعة عشر عاما :"لماذا ترتدي تي شيرت يحمل صورة مارتن لوثر كينج الليلة؟"..فرد تشارلز :"أنا أشجع باراك اوباما..وقد كان لكينج حلم..ولاوباما حلم ايضا..انه نفس الحلم..أنا اشجع الحلم".
ثم أردف تشارلز :"انا اتفق معه في سياساته سيما فيما يخص الخارج والقضايا الاقتصادية وموضوع الطاقة" ثم يستدرك :" ماكين رجل جيد ايضا..لكني أميل لاوباما".
تعبت من طول الوقفة التي امتدت لثلاث ساعات تقريبا،وحينها جلست بجوارهم علي الكنبة،وتناولت الصورة الزيتية لاوباما التي تناولتها بيري منذ قليل،فإذا في الصورة تغييرات في الملامح عن الشكل الاصلي..هذه الصورة جعلت اوباما زنجيا اكثير من اللازم!..لقد وسعوا فتحتي انفه وغيروا شيئا ما في ملامحه..عندها لاح تي شيرت تشارلز الذي يحمل صورة مارتن لوثر امام وجهي،فإذا بشبه كبير بين الرجلين بعد التعديل!
هنا يقول جورج الذي يرتدي تي شيرت كبير يحمل صورة اوباما :"سياسة اوباما الخارجية ومقاربته الاقتصادية تروقاني جدا..بينما ماكين ليس كذلك يا تشارلز".
جاءتني السيدة كارول وقالت لي برقة بالغة :ألا تريد أن تتناول أي شيء؟ فشكرتها بشدة،فكررت:من فضلك ان احتجت شيئا ما قل لي،وبينما نتبادل الابتسامات الرقيقة صاحت بييري :"أوووووووووه بنسلفانيا معنا..بنسلفانيا لنا!".
حينها هلل الجميع وصرخوا وراح الاطفال يمرحون هنا وهناك بينما البالونات الحمراء لا تفارق ايديهم،ومن وقت لاخر يوقعون شيئا من مكانه هنا او هناك،الي ان اصطدم بي احدهم،ذو اربعة سنوات فقط،سألته عن اسمه فقاله لي..لم اسمعه جيدا فتهجاه بعنف ! لم استوضحه فسألته لماذا تشجع باراك اوباما،فوضع اصبعه في فمه وقال :"لانه لطيف!".
هنا التقطني فرانك ذو الاحد عشر عاما بعدما انهي مكالمة هاتفية مع احد الاصدقاء وقال لي :"يقولون ان اوباما اشتراكي..انا أؤيده، واعتقد ان شيئا من الاشتراكية مطروح فعلا في سياسته،لكنه شيء سيقودنا للامام وسيحسن اوضاعنا".
وصل المنزل في هذه اللحظة الي درجة من الزحام لايمكن وصفها،الضجيج من كل مكان،راشيل ترقص علي اغنية راب،جورج يتناول طبقا من الحلوي ويقطع الطريق من وقت لاخر،كارول تتمم علي ضيوفها،ميشل تلتقط صورا فوتغرافية من وقت لاخر وتهلل وتصيح "أوباما ياهووووووووووووو".
إلي أن بث التلفزيون تقريرا تفصيليا عن الوضع أشار الي تقارب نسبة الرجلين،عندها وجم الجميع وشهقت كارول،وصمت الاطفال وخيم صمت ما علي المكان لمدة دقيقة تقريبا،بدت خلاله اطباق الحلوي كما لو كانت تشاركهم الصمت هي الاخري وبدا كل شيء في المنزل محبطا،حتي الاثاث نفسه.
راح الحاضرون يستأذنون رويدا رويدا،واضطررت لترك منزل السيدة كارول فقد وصلت الساعة الثانية عشر الا عشر دقائق تقريبا،وحين قطعت المسافة عائدا نحو الفندق،بينما الطرقات هادئة جدا،سمعت صيحات النصر :"أووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووه..فعلها أوباما..فعلها"
تسجيل لفيديوهات التغطية الحية للإنتخابات الأمريكية أمس
تسجيل لفيديوهات
التغطية الحية للإنتخابات الأمريكية أمس
لمن فاتته التغطية الحية أمس يمكنك مشاهدة تسجيل للفيديوهات التي تم بثها على
الهواء مباشرة من تليفون العبد لله المحمول مباشرة للمدونة في تجربة ربما هي الأولى
من نوعها في المدونات المصرية ونقلة نوعية مطلوبة في تغطية المدونات للأحداث تثبت
أن المدونات أيضا تستطيع نقل الأحداث على الهواء وقت حدوثها
نعتذر عن قلة جودة وتقطيع الفيديوهات حيث ان سرعة الشبكة كانت تتارجح بشدة أمس ربما
بسبب الضغط العالي عليها بسبب الإنتخابات
لكن دعونا نزعم أن التجربة الأولى للمدونات في التغطية الحية قد نجحت
ولا إيه رأيكم
بقى أن نجربها في مصر
فيديو من مركز تطوع لحملة أوباما في اليوم السابق للإنتخابات
لجنة إنتخابات
العبد لله قدام اللجنة
هو فين الأمن المركزي الأمريكاني
أمريكي مغربي يدلي بصوته
أمريكي فلسطيني أدلى بصوته
أمريكية منقبة أدلت بصوتها
الراجل اللي بيشتغل في البنك الدولي
المكسيكي الظريف وصورة أوباما
أغنية من تأليف المكسيكي الظريف عن باراك أوباما
إغلاق لجنة الإنتخابات في فرجينيا
حفلة مشاهدة لنتائج الإنتخابات والإحتفال بفوز أوباما
إعلان فوز أوباما على السي إن إن
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
And from heaven, the rains fell
Bring It On!
Charlotte, North Carolina, Last Obama rally of the campaign-24 hours before he was declared president of The Free World
Are you America?
Of all the unexpected occurences that fill my life as I tread on the path that I forge myself as I go along- I never would have expected to one day be able to say I had seen the president of the United States in person. Not only because it is so far fetched but because its not particularly a life goal I aspire to, and seeing the American president sounds like its something that would only happen if you really, really want it to.
Before someone calls me out on a technicality- yes, I do count seeing Obama the day before the elections, November 3rd, to count as seeing the U.S president.
Zeinab and I ended up at the last Obama rally of the presidential campaigns in Charlotte, North Carolina. In the span of a few hours we had met a group of Canadians in the lobby of our hotel in Chapel Hill, NC, who had actually driven down from Ottawa to help campaign for Obama and were about to take the 2 hour drive from Chapel Hill to Charlotte in order to see the rally, and do some volunteer campaigning in the last hours where their efforts could still make a difference on what they called "the road to change". Zeinab and I were welcomed by Mitch, Bart, Tyler, Michael and Adam to join in. We went to Charlotte, we canvased, we door-to-doored, we got volunteer tickets, we went to UNC Charlotte, we shuttled, we queued, we stood in the rain, and in the end, we were only 10 feet away from the man who would be the president 24 hours later.
Because we had canvased for the campaign, we were given priority tickets and ended up so close to the podium I could see Barak Obama's facial expressions, I could see his pupils darting from side to side, and slow down as he spoke of the passing of his grandmother. I could see his hand gestures as he articulated the promises we will inevitably discover if he will keep. And I stood in the midst of the ritual chanting his supporters boomed, in unison, totally engulfed, although I was not one of them. So this is what its like to have a leader, I thought, to want one, or respect one, or find one. Interesting. Everything in America is fun though, what would elsewhere be an intensely policed and secured gathering, burdened by the idolization of national emblems, in America, is a toe-tapping Country music, and people throwing back small American flags back into the crowd to fight over, while the rain hits down on cotton caps with Obama's smiling face printed on the front in a combination of bright green and red, and puns like "Barack to the Future." Someone passed me a flag to, because my hands were busy holding the camera, it was thoughtful of that stranger I suppose. I took it from them kindly, but I didnt know what to do with it. I stood there filming and tapping my toes and rocking in the rain, totally engulfed, but not one of them.
Before someone calls me out on a technicality- yes, I do count seeing Obama the day before the elections, November 3rd, to count as seeing the U.S president.
Zeinab and I ended up at the last Obama rally of the presidential campaigns in Charlotte, North Carolina. In the span of a few hours we had met a group of Canadians in the lobby of our hotel in Chapel Hill, NC, who had actually driven down from Ottawa to help campaign for Obama and were about to take the 2 hour drive from Chapel Hill to Charlotte in order to see the rally, and do some volunteer campaigning in the last hours where their efforts could still make a difference on what they called "the road to change". Zeinab and I were welcomed by Mitch, Bart, Tyler, Michael and Adam to join in. We went to Charlotte, we canvased, we door-to-doored, we got volunteer tickets, we went to UNC Charlotte, we shuttled, we queued, we stood in the rain, and in the end, we were only 10 feet away from the man who would be the president 24 hours later.
Because we had canvased for the campaign, we were given priority tickets and ended up so close to the podium I could see Barak Obama's facial expressions, I could see his pupils darting from side to side, and slow down as he spoke of the passing of his grandmother. I could see his hand gestures as he articulated the promises we will inevitably discover if he will keep. And I stood in the midst of the ritual chanting his supporters boomed, in unison, totally engulfed, although I was not one of them. So this is what its like to have a leader, I thought, to want one, or respect one, or find one. Interesting. Everything in America is fun though, what would elsewhere be an intensely policed and secured gathering, burdened by the idolization of national emblems, in America, is a toe-tapping Country music, and people throwing back small American flags back into the crowd to fight over, while the rain hits down on cotton caps with Obama's smiling face printed on the front in a combination of bright green and red, and puns like "Barack to the Future." Someone passed me a flag to, because my hands were busy holding the camera, it was thoughtful of that stranger I suppose. I took it from them kindly, but I didnt know what to do with it. I stood there filming and tapping my toes and rocking in the rain, totally engulfed, but not one of them.
change is possible
yes ...
amirca chosed the change ..
maybe obama wins not the best thing for all democracy dreamers in meddle east contrys !.. and maybe the relitonships betwin the new american adminstraiton headed by obama going to support all the dectatoric regims.... becouse obama want to be good with the all ..
but obama elected .. means change is possible ..
and now it's our time to do it in egypt and in any country need real change even if with out any out side effect!
-------
Mahmoud --
I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.
We just made history.
And I don't want you to forget how we did it.
You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time for change.
I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign.
We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.
But I want to be very clear about one thing...
All of this happened because of you.
Thank you,
Barack
amirca chosed the change ..
maybe obama wins not the best thing for all democracy dreamers in meddle east contrys !.. and maybe the relitonships betwin the new american adminstraiton headed by obama going to support all the dectatoric regims.... becouse obama want to be good with the all ..
but obama elected .. means change is possible ..
and now it's our time to do it in egypt and in any country need real change even if with out any out side effect!
-------
Mahmoud --
I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.
We just made history.
And I don't want you to forget how we did it.
You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time for change.
I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign.
We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.
But I want to be very clear about one thing...
All of this happened because of you.
Thank you,
Barack
Where do we go from here?
Watching the news channels in the US this morning, I am both amazed and amused by their inability to deal with the Obama win. It's like the old song lyrics go: "The Battle is done, and we kinda won, so we sound our victory cheer. Now tell me, where do we go from here?"
CNN is still a cornucopias of holograms and colors, with them still stressing over the number of senate and house seats whose ballots haven't been counted yet, and getting the right amount of popular votes for each candidate, because while it was important to let McCain know that he lost, it's even more important to twist the knife, because, otherwise, where is the fun in that?
MSNBC , on the other hand, has calmed down a little bit since yesterday cry-a-thon (seriously, news anchors were crying from Joy. So much for media unbiasedness), and are now getting down to the business of "Who will be in an Obama government", and arguing over every hypothetical appointee- even though Obama didn't choose anybody yet. Bush is so not mentioned anymore I think he should like bomb somebody, as if to remind the people that he is still around, and has 2 more month in office, during which he can still kind of do damage. Come on Bush, be a maverick: Bomb Vietnam or something. They will never see it coming!
A brief switch to the land of BET (that's Black Entertainment Television for you, whitey) has shown a a talk show where the host was asking a number of very well dressed Black folks what they should do to help the first black President, and one of them said that they now have to become more responsible, better husbands and wives, make sure that their kids stay in school and get an education,so that Obama can have- and I am not even kidding here- a "grassroots army of supporters" ready to come to his aid when he needs it. And that's when I switched the channel, because if you were waiting on a President from your same ethnicity to make sure your kids get an education, for no other reason than have them become soldiers for his cause, then, ehh, I don't even want you to vote. Nothing personal, You just don't sound all that well in the head to me.
And finally- and I have kept the best for last- Fox news. Oh Fox news. Watching Brit Hume yesterday referring to himself as a "Child of the civil rights movement" just made me fall off my bed and into the floor laughing my ass off. Way to Go Brother Brit. And then this morning they had Karl Rover Over to explain to them what happened: The news anchor asked bewilderingly "we always thought the country was center right, is this no longer the case?", to which Karl assured him that it is the case, by stating that Obama's policies of "cutting taxes for 95% of the american population" and "not having the government in complete control of health care" are both right-wing positions, and that's what won him the election. So Obama is a right-winger now? And here I thought he was a socialist communist godless muslim. My bad. So, I guess, for all you right wing people out there, Hurray for us. One of us just became President. Let's break out the champagne.
As for Palin, my dear lovely Palin who I will miss so much (and yes, I still have a crush on her: A beauty queen who runs shit in her own state, likes having kids -i.e. screwing- and her hobbies include shooting wolves from Helicopters? I WANT THAT!! Any Junior Palin's out there? I am single, baby. Hit me up), there is nothing on her since she last appeared crying yesterday. Whether she is the future of the republican party, or the next White Oprah, we don't know, but I know that she shouldn't run in a national election again. As this father of a friend of mine said to me yesterday "Palin..good for erections..bad for elections". Wise words from a wise man, one that we all could learn from.
And last, I leave you with this average Obama Voter, who will most likely hate him once he actually has to govern the mess that is the USA today.
And if you are curious why she will hate him, just watch this video, and just wait for the day when Black voters will turn on Obama and say things like "well, you know, he is half-white!"
Until that day comes, my friends, smoke'em if you got'em.
CNN is still a cornucopias of holograms and colors, with them still stressing over the number of senate and house seats whose ballots haven't been counted yet, and getting the right amount of popular votes for each candidate, because while it was important to let McCain know that he lost, it's even more important to twist the knife, because, otherwise, where is the fun in that?
MSNBC , on the other hand, has calmed down a little bit since yesterday cry-a-thon (seriously, news anchors were crying from Joy. So much for media unbiasedness), and are now getting down to the business of "Who will be in an Obama government", and arguing over every hypothetical appointee- even though Obama didn't choose anybody yet. Bush is so not mentioned anymore I think he should like bomb somebody, as if to remind the people that he is still around, and has 2 more month in office, during which he can still kind of do damage. Come on Bush, be a maverick: Bomb Vietnam or something. They will never see it coming!
A brief switch to the land of BET (that's Black Entertainment Television for you, whitey) has shown a a talk show where the host was asking a number of very well dressed Black folks what they should do to help the first black President, and one of them said that they now have to become more responsible, better husbands and wives, make sure that their kids stay in school and get an education,so that Obama can have- and I am not even kidding here- a "grassroots army of supporters" ready to come to his aid when he needs it. And that's when I switched the channel, because if you were waiting on a President from your same ethnicity to make sure your kids get an education, for no other reason than have them become soldiers for his cause, then, ehh, I don't even want you to vote. Nothing personal, You just don't sound all that well in the head to me.
And finally- and I have kept the best for last- Fox news. Oh Fox news. Watching Brit Hume yesterday referring to himself as a "Child of the civil rights movement" just made me fall off my bed and into the floor laughing my ass off. Way to Go Brother Brit. And then this morning they had Karl Rover Over to explain to them what happened: The news anchor asked bewilderingly "we always thought the country was center right, is this no longer the case?", to which Karl assured him that it is the case, by stating that Obama's policies of "cutting taxes for 95% of the american population" and "not having the government in complete control of health care" are both right-wing positions, and that's what won him the election. So Obama is a right-winger now? And here I thought he was a socialist communist godless muslim. My bad. So, I guess, for all you right wing people out there, Hurray for us. One of us just became President. Let's break out the champagne.
As for Palin, my dear lovely Palin who I will miss so much (and yes, I still have a crush on her: A beauty queen who runs shit in her own state, likes having kids -i.e. screwing- and her hobbies include shooting wolves from Helicopters? I WANT THAT!! Any Junior Palin's out there? I am single, baby. Hit me up), there is nothing on her since she last appeared crying yesterday. Whether she is the future of the republican party, or the next White Oprah, we don't know, but I know that she shouldn't run in a national election again. As this father of a friend of mine said to me yesterday "Palin..good for erections..bad for elections". Wise words from a wise man, one that we all could learn from.
And last, I leave you with this average Obama Voter, who will most likely hate him once he actually has to govern the mess that is the USA today.
And if you are curious why she will hate him, just watch this video, and just wait for the day when Black voters will turn on Obama and say things like "well, you know, he is half-white!"
Until that day comes, my friends, smoke'em if you got'em.
البرقية المنتظرة
بعث الرئيس حسني مبارك برقية تهنئة الأربعاء إلى الرئيس الأمريكي المنتخب باراك أوباما.
وأعرب الرئيس مبارك فى البرقية عن التطلع لإسهامه (أوباما) البناء في حل القضية الفلسطينية وتحقيق السلام العادل والشامل باعتباره المتطلب الرئيسي لأمن واستقرار الشرق الأوسط.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
BREAKING NEWS - MCCAIN CONCEDES, OBAMA WINS ELECTION!!!
ITS OFFICIAL... OBAMA WILL BECOME PRESIDENT!!!
I am calling it for Obama
There is no way for McCain to win this at this point. Obama won, people. He did it.
Yasir, you owe me a Sushi Dinner!
Yasir, you owe me a Sushi Dinner!
أوباما/ماكين..خده ستة رايح..خده أربعة جاي
معلوماتي تقول أن هناك مرشحان رئيسيان للانتخابات الامريكية:باراك أوباما وجون ماكين،لكن الأمر الواقع،ومن قلب إحدي اللجان الانتخابية في نيويورك، يجعلني أقول لكم أن أوباما ينافس نفسه تقريبا.
إلا إذا كان روهيرو كاليرو مرشح حزب العمال الاشتراكيين للرئاسة بصدد تفجير مفاجآة تاريخية.(ملحوظة:لا يعرف كاليرو سواي ووائل عباس وفيدل كاسترو وسيث الصديق الشخصي ورفيق النضال لكاليرو).
لم يسعدني الحظ بالتقاء أي من أنصار السيد ماكين،كل الشباب في اللجان الانتخابية يقولون: أوباما..السيدات الثلاثينيات والاربعينيات يقلن :أوباما..يرتدون التي شيرتات التي تحمل صورته،يتحدثون عن التصويت له كما لو كان أمرا بديهيا.
الناس في الشوارع تحمل شعارات تأييده كما لو كان أوباما تيارا بأكمله وليس مجرد مرشح.
ومن هنال يمكننا فهم بيل كلينتون حين ساق أربعة أسباب لتأييد أوباما ،أولها :الفلسفة..فلسفة أوباما.
مراسلكم من أهدي حتة في العالم
لا شك أن ساكني سيراكيوز قد قطنوها منذ زمن قريب لايتعدي العشر سنوات،فهدوء هذه المدينة ينتمي إلي اليوم الذي فرغ فيه الله من صنع الأرض،ومنذ تلك اللحظة لم يسكنها_أي سيراكيوز_ أحد،وهو ما يفسر أن تراكمية السكني علي مدار عشر سنوات_ان اتفقت معي في التقدير_ لم تبدد هدوء وسكون ملايين السنين من عمر الكوكب الأرضي الأنيق.
ومن ثم أقول لك_ بقلب جسور_ أن هناك عيبان أساسيان لمن تلقي به الأقدر لتغطية أحداث الانتخابات الأمريكية في سيراكيوز..
الأول أن هدوئها يغلف كل شيء،حتي أخلاق ساكنيها،وهو ما يعني أنك بالتبيعة لن تشعر أن هناك انتخابات ولايحزنون،إلا من جملة عابرة هنا أو هناك.
الثاني أنك في أي لحظة قد تجد نفسك الشخص الوحيد الذي يهيم علي وجهه في طرقاتها،وهو ما يعني أن إمكانية انجاز اي قدر من العمل شيء شبه مستحيل..إلا إذا كانت مهمتي متابعة شؤون الفراغ،وهي _لعمري_مهمة جليلة لا يتأتي لمثلي أن يقوم بها بمفرده.
وبناءا علي ما سبق يمكن القول أن التقاط مشاهد مصورة ليوم الانتخابات يكاد يكون شيئا عسيرا..لكن الذي أعدكم به علي نحو يقيني ..أن بحوزتي الكثير والكثير من اللقطات نصف النادرة للسناجب وهي تمرح هنا وهناك.
Being in the vicinity of The Man Himself
They said he moved crowds, stirred up the passions of millions and brought the masses together in rapturous dancing and weeping all at once.
They said he offered hope to the desperate and amelioration to the devastated; he championed the underdog and spoke truth to power.
More importantly, they said, he could unite us. He would bring together the rich and the poor, the educated and the illiterate, black and white, Arab and Jew, conservative and liberal, gay, straight and all the shades in between.
They said he was the man for this century, and no one else could do it. The true cosmopolitan who would usher in a new humanitarian age of pax americana. Crowds would flock and swarm to see him, to be in his invigorating presence and hear his scintillating speeches everywhere from North Carolina to California, from Berlin to Jakarta and from Nairobi back to Chicago.
They said all of this, so we made the pilgrimage, threw caution to the wind and set out to see the man who would usher in a new age. Word of mouth had it that he would be 130 miles away to give his last speech before the Fateful Day. Through previous and very kind acquaintances we were put in contact with a group of strangers-to us and to the land- who were on a journey inspired by Him. It would cost all the riches and sustenance we had to get there and back, we could end up stranded in a strange land with no roof over our heads and no method of transport, but something urged us to go on.
We entered their vehicle not knowing their names, but soon found out that we were among kindred spirits. The vehicle-named the Road to Change- was bursting with energy. In the true spirit of the diversity he claimed to represent and encourage we journeyed together, children and adults, men and women, gay and straight, white, black, latino, and Arab, healthy and disabled, Western and Eastern, Muslim, Christian and other-all seven (and what an enchanted number that is) of us, on our way to find the great man, the one and only O. It seemed that history was aware of us at that moment because we had acknowledged that it was putting on one of its best performances, or so the epic novelist writing this would say.
After hours and hours of trudging through rain and steep inclines, and after earning our golden ticket to see O by means of braving through the terrifyingly immaculate terrain of American suburbia, delivering the message of O from doorstep to doorstep, we had merited the right to meet Him.
For hours the crowds waited in angst and excitement, women broke into tears at his mention, paeans of joyous celebration in preparation for his coming abounded, and music and dance filled the open field where he was to make his appearance and speak to us.
Finally, it was time. Prayers were said. Songs of reverence to the Higher Cause were chanted. The crowds cheered, and and right there, a few feet away from me, almost within touching distance, entered the one and only Barack Hussein Obama to deafening screams and applause and chants of "Obama, Obama" and "Yes We Can." And then he spoke. And after every other uttered phrase, the crowd shouted amens. It was a religious experience par excellence, and as one ardent supporter I had the honor to befriend put it, " The man is almost godly." Tens of thousands stood behind us, and there we stood almost at the very front, able to see the wrinkles on the face of The Man Who Could, the almost next president of the United States of American, and Leader of the Free World.
After hours of waiting, he was gone in 20 minutes, but he left everyone buzzing and determined to go out and find that one last American who still hadn't voted and make sure they go to vote for Barack Obama, today, on the 4th of November.
The rest of our story is history. Through the blessings of what has come to be known as "Obama Karma" after walking across dangerous highways in cold wet weather for what seemed like forever, we parted with our companions, a magical bunch in themselves, and were rescued by two other extraordinary and kind strangers who offered us a ride back to our resting abode which was three hours away.
And today? All we can do is wait and see if the prophecy will fulfill itself; if all the drama, and passion and fervor and romance and hope, if all that hope, will be vindicated.
Monday, November 3, 2008
بث حي بالفيديو من واشنطون للإنتخابات الأمريكية
بث حي بالفيديو من
واشنطون للإنتخابات
الأمريكية
الوعي المصري تقدم لأول مرة في المدونات المصرية
أول بث حي تجريبي للفيديو مباشرة من التليفون المحمول
تابعوا الإنتخابات الرئاسية الأمريكية في بث حي بالفيديو رأسا من موقع الحدث
بواشنطون دي سي وولاية فيرجينيا بالولايات المتحدة
مواعيد البث سيتم إرسالها أوتوماتيكيا عن طريق تويتر وجايكو للمشتركين
كما ستظهر في مستطيل تويتر على المدونة
فتابعونا
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تابعونا أيضا على رسائل تويتر وجايكو
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هذه الصفحة تعرض آخر فيديو تم تصويره فقط
لمشاهدة الفيديوهات السابقة من التغطية الحية إذهب إلى الوصلة التالية
http://bambuser.com/channel/waelabbas
وإضغط
Video Archive
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ملحوظة
البث تجريبي كما قلنا وحدوث خلل تقني ربما يكون متوقعا لكن ربنا يستر
وتعجبكم التغطية
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في حالة حدوث خلل فني سنحاول إعادة البث على الوصلة التالية
http://qik.com/waelabbas
مكالمة - ساركوزي - وسارة بايلن
ده تسجيل للمقلب اللي عمله مذيع كندي في سارة بايلن في التليفون على الهوا
لا ويقولها مستشاري للشئون الأمريكية - جوني هاليداي - وهي تقول له أيوة أيوة
ويقولها مراتي جامدة قوي في السرير
بس اشتغلها صح وهي شربتها العبيطة
هاهاها
لو ما تعرفوش مين جوني هاليداي أزعل قوي
عموما مش ها أتنطط عليكم
ده أشهر فناني موسيقى الروك الفرنسيين
الصراع أساس البقاء
يشعر صديقي قرد الرمال بالقلق على مستقبل أمريكا الرأسمالي من أوباما، يري أن السياسية التى ينادى بها أوباما تعتبر تعدى على القيم الرأسمالية السامية التى قامت بها أمريكا، وأحد النقاط التى تقلقه، والتى قضينا ليلة كاملة نتناقش فيها هى مطالبة أوباما بتحويل انتخابات النقابات العمالية من انتخابات سرية إلى علنية. لأن هذا الأمر سوف يمنح النقابات العمالية قوة أكثر، وبالتالى سوف تعمل النقابات على ابتزاز أصحاب الشركات والضغط عليهم، لتحقيق مطالبهم، وهو ما يراه القرد أمر غير عادل، وخطر على استمرار تلك الشركات، لأن العمال سوف يستنفذون أصحاب الشركات حتى آخر سنت فتنهار الشركة...
أفكار صديقي القرد لا تعبر فقط عن رأيه الخاص بل أيضاً عن مجموعات آراء الأخوة الجمهوريين المتشددين الذين لم يستوعبوا بعد أن التاريخ تجاوزهم كحالة السيدة الفاضلة باميلا التى مازلت أذكر لقائنا بها في نيويورك وترديدها المضحك لعبارة "أوباما الشيوعى أوباما الشيوعى".
بناء على ما سبق، أحب أن أسجل هنا بعض الملاحظات التى لا أقصد بها الرد على صديقي القرد أو السيدة الفاضلة أو المتعصبين الرأسماليين، بل أحب فقط أن أؤكد على مجموعة من الاستنتاجات التاريخية المنطقية:
-لا يوجد شخص خالد، وفي المقابل لا توجد فكرة خالدة، الأفكار تتطور وتدفع بعضها البعص، نحو ما هو جديد دائماً، والأفكار القديمة يتم دفنها بمرور الوقت، لتتحول إلى تربة لأفكار جديدة تثمر وتفيد البشرية بثمارها.
-تنتمى الرأسمالية مثلها مثل الفكر الماركسى إلى مجموعة أفكار الحداثة الغربية التى ظهرت منذ أكثر من قرن، وهو ما أعتقد أن الإنسانية قد تجاوزته، لأننا نعيش في حقبة تاريخية تقوم في الأساس على التنوع العرقي والثقافي والصراع الوحشى بين كل الأفكار والمفاهيم المختلفة، لهذا لم يعد هناك مكان لايدولوجيا قديمة وبائدة لا تقبل أن تطور من نفسها، وتحتكر الحقيقة لنفسها.
-تشجيع أوباما لاتحادات العمال والنقابات المهنية، من الممكن بالفعل أن يؤدى إلى تحول هؤلاء العمال إلى مجموعة من الحمقي الذين يتبعون أفكار قياداتهم النقابية دون الكثير من التفكير، وبالتالى يقومون باستغلالهم، لكن حتى لو حدث هذا السيناريو غير المتفائل، فهناك جانب إيجابي آخر وهو أن هذه القيادات العمالية سوف تمثل ثقل وقوة أمام القيادات الرأسمالية والاقتصادية التى تسيطر على الكونجرس، والإعلام والشركات والكبري، وهذا التوازن في القوى لن يجعل الصراع أكثر عدالة بالطبع أو تكافؤً، بل سيجعله أعنف وأكثر سخونة، ومن خلال هذا الصراع والجذب والشد، سوف يتبقي الفريق الأقوى، طبقاً لقانون الانتخاب الطبيعى المقدس.
-لا يوجد أى علاقة بين السيد الفاضل أوباما والشيوعية، وذلك ببساطة لأنه لا توجد أى علاقة بين الحزب الديموقراطى ومفهوم الحزب الثوري الماركسى، والشيوعية ليست مجرد حكومة مركزية تتحكم في مواطنيها وتصرف عليهم.
-انتخاب أوباما ووصوله للحكم ليس معناه أبداً تحويل أمريكا على دولة شمولية، يتحكم فيها أوباما من خلال سحر عينيه، ويخضع فيها الأمريكان إلى كاريزماته الخارقة، لأنه إذا فشل –وهو غالباً ما سيحدث- يمكن للأمريكان تغيره، لذلك لا داعى لهذه الحالة من الهلع.
One question to annoy them all!
Hey, are you a dick? Do you want to annoy both Obama and McCain supporters? There is one easy, nondiscriminatory way to do it, and it's with the same question.
How to annoy an Obama supporter:
Go right to him/her and ask : "So, when was it exactly that experience no longer mattered??"
How to annoy a McCain supporter:
Go right to him/her and ask : "So, when was it exactly that experience no longer mattered??"
They will respond with: "Good Question. I agree!"
To which you reply with; "Well, then how do you explain McCain picking Sarah Palin?"
Word of advice: Don't do this to your friends. This is a very charged election and they don't mind throwing things at you.
Those undecided voters must be arabs
As someone born and raised in the devil’s anus known as the middle-east, I have cultivated a very special outlook when it comes to politicians: they are all fake, lying, two-faced, soul sucking cash whores (No offense to actual whores intended, of course). It doesn’t help of course that the supreme majority of our elections are rigged, the supreme majority of the political promises that are made are broken and the supreme majority of those elected have no interest, what s ever, in actually representing the people that voted for them. So when you talk to an arab about a political election, it’s actually pretty common to see them saying “what’s the point? Nothing will change”. Double goes for any US election, for that matter.
You see, traditionally arabs are more inclined to vote and identify with republicans: They support traditional family values, no abortion for women, a government that stays out of their business and against the spreading of the gay Virus by any means necessary. This is why the overwhelming majority of arab-americans in 2000, and the majority of arabs in the arab world, supported the candidacy of George W. Bush when he was still running for president, and also, because they didn’t want a Jew “a heartbeat way from the Presidency”. They thought that once Gore was in Power, the Mossad would assassinate him and the new President Lieberman would send US armies to occupy arab and muslim land. So….ehhh… they voted for Bush. Nice going there, arab world.
So it is kind of understandable, that after 8 years of Bush rule, arabs are pretty much confused in regards to who they should support. Their values are still republican in nature, but they also don’t want to vote for the Party of Bush. Arabs needed hope. Someone who will rise to the occasion. Someone who will assuage their anxiety, after 8 years of living in fear that they might wake up and find the statues of their dictators being torn down, and democracy getting offered to them on a silver platter. Someone who won’t make them feel that they might be sent to Gitmo every time they have to go through special screening at passport control. Someone who will show them that he is not an enemy of the arab, muslim and tanned people. And God answered their prayers, and gave them a Black guy with an arab name and a muslim family background, who talked a good game and who told them- well, kind of hinted actually- that he will be at their side, and then to prove it, went to AIPAC and gave the elders of Zion who run it the oratory equivalent of oral sex.
So as you can imagine, it’s hard to be not cynical about the whole thing if you are an arab. Sure, McCain would like to return Iran to a more peaceful stone-like age, but Obama wants to send troops to northern Pakistan- the only muslim country with Nukes and an unstable enough population to use them- and return us all to the stone age. Arabs do have hopes that Obama is just saying that to get elected though. That in reality, if he could do it without America watching, he would give us one of those winks Sarah Palin has become so famous for, as if to tell us “Just kidding arab world. Just kidding! And as for the Israel supporting stuff, I am just saying that now. Just wait till January and we shall see about that.”
And that, in a nutshell, is how arabs are perceiving the two choices. Our only hope , ironically, is in the belief that Obama is lying to get elected, and that he is secretly on our side, because McCain has made it to explicitly clear that he isn’t anywhere near it.
And they say the choice couldn’t be easier. Ahh..decisions, decisions.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
أن تتناول إطفارك في الغابة
الوحدة في ساركيوز تدفع شابا نصف متزن مثلي إلي أن يتناول إفطاره في الغابة التي تقع علي بعد عشرة دقائق من المشي السريع خلف الفندق..هنالك بالأعالي حيث ينبغي أن تتسلق الطريق لا أن تقطعه سيرا.
ذهبت إلي متجر cvs وكالعادة اشتريت بعض البسكويت والكوكيز والشيكولاتة وزجاجة نيسكويك(ملحوظة :بنكهة الفراولة)،ثم تحركت إلي أعلي باتجاه الغابة،كان الجو باردا بصورة لم يألفها جسمي من قبل،أخذت أتمخط رغما عني،بينما عيناي تدمعان،وقدماي تخذلاني ب"التمطوح" يمنة ويسرة،والكاميرا تكاد تنزلق من يدي،بينما طيف ياسر خان يعابثني وهو يقول لي : وضع التصوير الذي تتخذه خاطيء..فاضطر لا شعوريا الي تدارك ما أفعله..
استقررت علي أريكة خشبية عتيقة وسط الغابة بينما السناجب تعبث هنا وهناك.
فتحت كاميرا الفيديو التي تحولت فجأة من بلية ورزية إلي هدية سماوية ..جعلتني اكتشف "المزيد" من مهاراتي الكامنة،فأنا مشروع مخرج ومصور ومؤلف وربما ضابط مخابرات أيضا،أو قس بروتستانتي شاب..وكلها مهن أفضل حالا من التخطيط المستقبلي للتحول للبوذية إن شئنا الصراحة.
أحاول للمرة الألف مع الكاميرا كي تتحول من نظام التصوير الليلي الي الوضع النهاري،ولا فائدة..يتغشاني نعاس البرد الصباحي في الغابة بينما يداي تصران علي استشكاف موضع التحويل للنظام النهاري.
أضع الكاميرا جانبا،وأتناول الكوكيز واشرب النيسكويك،وأتذكر بعض المقاطع من خطاب أوباما الأخير..ثم أقرر التحرك نحو متجر "الأشعة السبع" المتخصص في الاتجار في السلع الروحانية :( تماثيل بوذا،فخاريات آسيوية،أحجار كريمة،بخور،كتب قراءة المستقبل،منحوتات علي شكل تنانين صينية،هراء،أدوات نصب،أوراق تاروت...إلخ إلخ)..إنها الرأسمالية حين تتاجر في بوذا.
لكن المتجر أغلق أبوابه..ربما لأن اليوم هو الأحد حيث لايتحرك أحد في المدينة كلها غيري،أعود من نفس الطريق،وقبيل الانحراف تجاه الغابة ألتقط فلاشا من وسط أوراق الشجر المتساقطة،وأقرر فتحها لدي عودتي للتعرف علي هوية صاحبها وردها له.
أعود إلي الفندق حيث موظف الاستقبال يشبه "أب الاعتراف"..وحيث موظفة المطعم التي أشك في نواياها تجاهي كلما جاءت إلي بصينية العشاء..فنظرات عينيها تنبيء بأمر من اثنين: إما أنها تود أن تغتصبني وإما أنها ممن يفضلون تناول غداء الويك إند مكونا من شوربة العظم البشري،بجوار سلطة الكرنب الروسية.
أدخل غرفتي وقد أنهكني البرد و"كرمش" جلد يدي،أستلقي علي السرير،بينما شاشة اللاب توب تنبهني من وقت لآخر إلي انني أحادث أميرة أو أشاكس حربية،أو أناقش براء في بعض النقاط التقنية في التصوير..أو أن محمد عليّ الدين يصرخ فيّ بالنيابة عن استاذ خالد :اكتب اسرع من كده وراعي فروق التوقيت..رسالتك لازم توصل اسرع من كده...اشتغللللللللللللللللللللللللللللللللل...
أنام مكاني بينما شاشة السي إن إن أمامي :أوباما/الانسحاب من العراق/ماكين/بالين/فلوريدا/نيفادا/الديمقراطيون/السود/الضرائب/التصويت/فارق النقاط.....
Detained
One of the most important things I gained from my visit to America was a change in my point of view, a new appreciation for many works of American art. Woody Allen movies about New York, for example, now have a different feel to them. Paul Auster’s New York Trilogy became even more marvelous. And at 10PM when I found myself detained at New York’s JFK airport, I felt the true feelings of Viktor Navorski – as if he were actually sleeping right next to me.
The events were like an extra-long documentary film on the life of a small fly in the New York airport. I arrived at the airport at 3:15 and my next flight to Austin, Texas was leaving at 5:40, so I was in a rush, worried about getting my papers stamped and going through security checks. But I never imagined that such a nightmare could happen to me because I have a bit of luck. That’s why I continued smiling when the officer put my passport in a red file folder and asked me to follow him to the interrogation room.
The same thing happened to me at the Washington airport, and the whole thing didn’t take more than 30 minutes, complete with repeated apologies from the officers for the delay, and for their being forced to conduct all these measures. Most of the time, the issue comes down to my name in English, written “Ahmad Salih,” which is a pure Arabic name shared by many. Because of this, things can usually be sorted out by a few questions on my height, weight, eye color. But this time, as soon as I entered the detention room, my smile disappeared and a true state of fear and stress took hold.
The place perfectly resembled any Egyptian police station, except for the picture of Mr. George Bush handing on the wall in place of Mubarak’s, and that the officers’ clothes were blue rather than white. The American officers had the same cold, dumb faces of their Egyptian counterparts. I told the officer at the beginning about my flight leaving in two hours, but he told me to sit waiting until they called my name.
I sat waiting for an hour not doing anything but gazing alternately at Mr. George Bush and at the faces of the officers, and at the hour hand, which wasted an hour of my time to catch the plane with oppressive speed. I began to worry and my stress increased, so I approached one of the officers and told him that I had a plane to catch in two hours, but he glared at me with an air of self-importance and contemptuously scoffed “I can’t help you. I’m just doing my job.”
After about an hour and a half the officer sitting at the desk yelled “Saaylih, Aaaahmaad” so I went over to him, and he began asking me the exact same questions his colleague had asked me, and I gave him the same answers. “I will spend a week in the US, and am here as part of a program organized by the American University in Cairo and USAID to cover the American elections. I gave him the document I was carrying from the university. He read it with intense concentration then asked me his next smart question, “Are you a student?” I responded, “No, I’m a journalist.” His next smart question, “So then, why did the university send you here?” I began explaining to him that the trip is part of a program from the Kamal Adham Center for Journalism Studies and its programs are not just limited to students.
This back and forth didn’t happen in the easy manner that I describe here. Rather, it was interrupted by his asking me to remove my hand from the desk, and stand back further from the station so I had to raise my voice. Finally he told me to sit back down and wait. I told him that my flight was in less than forty minutes and that I was a foreigner and wouldn’t know what to do if I missed the plane. He raised his eyebrows, pointed to my passport, and said “I want you to go sit there because what we’re doing is more important than the plane.”
I didn’t get the full meaning of what he said, but did understand that he was a picture of the stupidity of authority. The man had an officer’s power, the entry stamp, and was not afraid to enjoy using his authority to the utmost. The only solution was not to engage in conversation with him or provoke him, and to think about the next step – losing my trip to Austin.
I sat waiting. The room contained other Arabs, a Pakistani woman, an Israeli woman, and, of course, some Latin American comrades. Some of them came in after us, but finished their paperwork and left before us. A Latina chick in a red dress came into the room and got her passport back in under twenty minutes – along with a broad smile from the officer, who then looked back down and went back to glaring.
When I got my passport back after four hours the plane had left and I was alone in the New York airport. I went to the airline counter and told my story to an information desk employee named Said. He smiled broadly and said, “We can’t help you. You need to purchase a new ticket.” Sensing a complete loss, I began to think about the options in front of me, saying to myself, “Why don’t I just go outside and abandon myself in the streets of New York, and begin a new, more bohemian, life?” In reality, I just went out to have a cigarette and tried to think more calmly. Less than three minutes later, as the tips of my fingers were turning blue, I decided against the streets of New York. Generally, I don’t recommend anyone going out in New York in winter.
Finally, I decided to buy a new ticket whatever the price, but immediately hit a roadblock when the employee told me that I couldn’t buy a new ticket. The problem was there were no direct flights to Austin, so I had to wait till the next morning when, at nine AM, I would board a plane to Atlanta, and from there on to Austin. I didn’t absorb the full extent of the situation, but it was clear that I would have to spend the night trapped in the airport.
I tried to call my friends or acquaintances, but the phones were disabled or broken। The one working communications device was a public computer. A dollar got you three minutes of slow internet, so I was only able to send a short email to my traveling companions, before going up to the second floor where the restaurants were to get a bite to eat. Then I began an extended tour of the airport.
-----------------------
The events were like an extra-long documentary film on the life of a small fly in the New York airport. I arrived at the airport at 3:15 and my next flight to Austin, Texas was leaving at 5:40, so I was in a rush, worried about getting my papers stamped and going through security checks. But I never imagined that such a nightmare could happen to me because I have a bit of luck. That’s why I continued smiling when the officer put my passport in a red file folder and asked me to follow him to the interrogation room.
The same thing happened to me at the Washington airport, and the whole thing didn’t take more than 30 minutes, complete with repeated apologies from the officers for the delay, and for their being forced to conduct all these measures. Most of the time, the issue comes down to my name in English, written “Ahmad Salih,” which is a pure Arabic name shared by many. Because of this, things can usually be sorted out by a few questions on my height, weight, eye color. But this time, as soon as I entered the detention room, my smile disappeared and a true state of fear and stress took hold.
The place perfectly resembled any Egyptian police station, except for the picture of Mr. George Bush handing on the wall in place of Mubarak’s, and that the officers’ clothes were blue rather than white. The American officers had the same cold, dumb faces of their Egyptian counterparts. I told the officer at the beginning about my flight leaving in two hours, but he told me to sit waiting until they called my name.
I sat waiting for an hour not doing anything but gazing alternately at Mr. George Bush and at the faces of the officers, and at the hour hand, which wasted an hour of my time to catch the plane with oppressive speed. I began to worry and my stress increased, so I approached one of the officers and told him that I had a plane to catch in two hours, but he glared at me with an air of self-importance and contemptuously scoffed “I can’t help you. I’m just doing my job.”
After about an hour and a half the officer sitting at the desk yelled “Saaylih, Aaaahmaad” so I went over to him, and he began asking me the exact same questions his colleague had asked me, and I gave him the same answers. “I will spend a week in the US, and am here as part of a program organized by the American University in Cairo and USAID to cover the American elections. I gave him the document I was carrying from the university. He read it with intense concentration then asked me his next smart question, “Are you a student?” I responded, “No, I’m a journalist.” His next smart question, “So then, why did the university send you here?” I began explaining to him that the trip is part of a program from the Kamal Adham Center for Journalism Studies and its programs are not just limited to students.
This back and forth didn’t happen in the easy manner that I describe here. Rather, it was interrupted by his asking me to remove my hand from the desk, and stand back further from the station so I had to raise my voice. Finally he told me to sit back down and wait. I told him that my flight was in less than forty minutes and that I was a foreigner and wouldn’t know what to do if I missed the plane. He raised his eyebrows, pointed to my passport, and said “I want you to go sit there because what we’re doing is more important than the plane.”
I didn’t get the full meaning of what he said, but did understand that he was a picture of the stupidity of authority. The man had an officer’s power, the entry stamp, and was not afraid to enjoy using his authority to the utmost. The only solution was not to engage in conversation with him or provoke him, and to think about the next step – losing my trip to Austin.
I sat waiting. The room contained other Arabs, a Pakistani woman, an Israeli woman, and, of course, some Latin American comrades. Some of them came in after us, but finished their paperwork and left before us. A Latina chick in a red dress came into the room and got her passport back in under twenty minutes – along with a broad smile from the officer, who then looked back down and went back to glaring.
When I got my passport back after four hours the plane had left and I was alone in the New York airport. I went to the airline counter and told my story to an information desk employee named Said. He smiled broadly and said, “We can’t help you. You need to purchase a new ticket.” Sensing a complete loss, I began to think about the options in front of me, saying to myself, “Why don’t I just go outside and abandon myself in the streets of New York, and begin a new, more bohemian, life?” In reality, I just went out to have a cigarette and tried to think more calmly. Less than three minutes later, as the tips of my fingers were turning blue, I decided against the streets of New York. Generally, I don’t recommend anyone going out in New York in winter.
Finally, I decided to buy a new ticket whatever the price, but immediately hit a roadblock when the employee told me that I couldn’t buy a new ticket. The problem was there were no direct flights to Austin, so I had to wait till the next morning when, at nine AM, I would board a plane to Atlanta, and from there on to Austin. I didn’t absorb the full extent of the situation, but it was clear that I would have to spend the night trapped in the airport.
I tried to call my friends or acquaintances, but the phones were disabled or broken। The one working communications device was a public computer. A dollar got you three minutes of slow internet, so I was only able to send a short email to my traveling companions, before going up to the second floor where the restaurants were to get a bite to eat. Then I began an extended tour of the airport.
-----------------------
Translated by will ward
نبراسكا كمان وكمان
لغاية قبل معاد الطيارة بساعتين كنت في مكتب المونتاج بخلص تجربة جديده ليها علاقه بالتدوين والإنترنت في مصر
وكنت فعلاً بقالي اكتر من تلات ايام ممبانمش في اليوم اكتر من ساعتين .... يوم السفر كنتمعتمد اني هعرف انام في الطيارة وحيث ان الرحلة طويلة ..فهضيع الوقت بالنوم العميق
وصلت المطار الساعه تلاته ونص .. قبل معاد الطيارة بساعتين .. ولاني " شنتل " زي ما ميرال قالت فاستنيت ميرال حوالي عشر دقايق بره المطار ودخلنا سوا
المهم زي ما ميرال حكت الطيارة كانت محجوزه كلها .. وقالولنا ان فيه اوفر .. ان اننا ناخد طيارة تانية ويدفعوا تعويض " فارغ " .. مكنش قدامنا خيارات تانية ..
hglهم بقي ان الحوار ده كله حصل في تريمنال تو .. والمكان هناك رخم اوي عامل زي .. مش عارف عامل زي ايه .. بس هو وحش يعني
المهم الطيارة التانية بقي كانت في ترمنال وان
هناك روحت عشان افطر .. ملقتش غير ماكدوندلدز .. دخلت سئلت اللي شغالين فيه .. مفيش هارديز هنا ولا كوك دور .. قالولي وهما بيضحكوا مفيش غير احنا .. قولتلهم طب انا مش بحب ماك .. بس هاكل منه عشان مضطر بس :(
-
اول ما وصلنا امسرتدام .. درحه الحرارة كانت حوالي سته مئوية .. يعني كنا متلجين .
ولما وصلت شيكاجو الامور مشيت لطيفه .. لغاية الفحص الامني قبل طيارة نبراسكا ..
طبعا وكالعاده وربنا ما يقطعلنا عاده .. اخترت للفحص المتمحص المسمي .. بالاديشنال اسكانينج !
ومحسوبكم بقي متعود .. اول ما دخلت .. ولقيتهم هيخلوني ايشنال اسكانيننج .. قولتلهم بالانجلبيزي .. ايه ده انا اخترت للايدشنال .. واو .. انا بحبه اوي .. كنت هتشائم لو كنت عديد من غيره ..
يلا بسرعه .. بقي عشان عندي طيارة تانية
--
المهم بعد عناء الرحلة الطويلة .. وصبلنا عشان نلاقي شنطنا ضايعه .. ووصلتلنا بعديها
باكتر من يوم !
-
امبارح باليل وعلي محطة الام اس ان بس سي
كان جون ماكين وساره بالين موجودين لايف ... في شو اللي فهمتوا منه انه للتهريج اكتر ..
ساره وماكين قالوا ايفهات كتير اوي ... سئلت نفسي ياتري ال" الجوكس رايتر " ده واخد اد ايه ؟
والترانير اللي ممرنهم علشان يقولوا الايفيه صح .. واخد اد ايه ؟
اصلا الجوز دمهم يلطش .. فاكيد خدوا منه وقت كتير اوي
--
غالبا هترحك بعد دقايق وهروح علي ولاية " ايوه " .. وهنقابل هناك ناس كتير من مكاتب المرشحين
لو اللاب توب مستعبطش معايا .. لانه من ساعة ما جيت وهو عايش في دور الاهبل طحن .. لدرجة اني حاولت اشتري امبارح نخسه فيستاا واريح دماغي .. ارخص نسخه لقيتها99 دولار المهم .. لو اللاب توب طلع جدا هحاول اكتب التطورات والابداتس !
وكنت فعلاً بقالي اكتر من تلات ايام ممبانمش في اليوم اكتر من ساعتين .... يوم السفر كنتمعتمد اني هعرف انام في الطيارة وحيث ان الرحلة طويلة ..فهضيع الوقت بالنوم العميق
وصلت المطار الساعه تلاته ونص .. قبل معاد الطيارة بساعتين .. ولاني " شنتل " زي ما ميرال قالت فاستنيت ميرال حوالي عشر دقايق بره المطار ودخلنا سوا
المهم زي ما ميرال حكت الطيارة كانت محجوزه كلها .. وقالولنا ان فيه اوفر .. ان اننا ناخد طيارة تانية ويدفعوا تعويض " فارغ " .. مكنش قدامنا خيارات تانية ..
hglهم بقي ان الحوار ده كله حصل في تريمنال تو .. والمكان هناك رخم اوي عامل زي .. مش عارف عامل زي ايه .. بس هو وحش يعني
المهم الطيارة التانية بقي كانت في ترمنال وان
هناك روحت عشان افطر .. ملقتش غير ماكدوندلدز .. دخلت سئلت اللي شغالين فيه .. مفيش هارديز هنا ولا كوك دور .. قالولي وهما بيضحكوا مفيش غير احنا .. قولتلهم طب انا مش بحب ماك .. بس هاكل منه عشان مضطر بس :(
-
اول ما وصلنا امسرتدام .. درحه الحرارة كانت حوالي سته مئوية .. يعني كنا متلجين .
ولما وصلت شيكاجو الامور مشيت لطيفه .. لغاية الفحص الامني قبل طيارة نبراسكا ..
طبعا وكالعاده وربنا ما يقطعلنا عاده .. اخترت للفحص المتمحص المسمي .. بالاديشنال اسكانينج !
ومحسوبكم بقي متعود .. اول ما دخلت .. ولقيتهم هيخلوني ايشنال اسكانيننج .. قولتلهم بالانجلبيزي .. ايه ده انا اخترت للايدشنال .. واو .. انا بحبه اوي .. كنت هتشائم لو كنت عديد من غيره ..
يلا بسرعه .. بقي عشان عندي طيارة تانية
--
المهم بعد عناء الرحلة الطويلة .. وصبلنا عشان نلاقي شنطنا ضايعه .. ووصلتلنا بعديها
باكتر من يوم !
-
امبارح باليل وعلي محطة الام اس ان بس سي
كان جون ماكين وساره بالين موجودين لايف ... في شو اللي فهمتوا منه انه للتهريج اكتر ..
ساره وماكين قالوا ايفهات كتير اوي ... سئلت نفسي ياتري ال" الجوكس رايتر " ده واخد اد ايه ؟
والترانير اللي ممرنهم علشان يقولوا الايفيه صح .. واخد اد ايه ؟
اصلا الجوز دمهم يلطش .. فاكيد خدوا منه وقت كتير اوي
--
غالبا هترحك بعد دقايق وهروح علي ولاية " ايوه " .. وهنقابل هناك ناس كتير من مكاتب المرشحين
لو اللاب توب مستعبطش معايا .. لانه من ساعة ما جيت وهو عايش في دور الاهبل طحن .. لدرجة اني حاولت اشتري امبارح نخسه فيستاا واريح دماغي .. ارخص نسخه لقيتها99 دولار المهم .. لو اللاب توب طلع جدا هحاول اكتب التطورات والابداتس !
IOWA BA2A!!
This post is just to inform y'all that the Nebraska team, consisted of the 'shentle' Mahmoud Saber and my humble self are going on a road trip to De Moines in the great state of Iowa today. Obama was just there yesterday rallying tens of thousands of his supporters in the purple state. Des Moines is about 3 hours away from Lincoln by car... The angellic journalist, Rhonda Roumani will drive us there where we'll meet with people from both parties and maybe check out some early voting precincts.
Which us good luck! Hopefully we'll bring back some cool coverage for you to enjoy.
Which us good luck! Hopefully we'll bring back some cool coverage for you to enjoy.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Those Crazy Supporters
John McCain has a problem with his supporters: there is a segment that is intent on saying lots of dumb and stupid thing, no matter how much damage it could do to his campaign, in the name of "speaking truth to power". This has happened so frequently that the Maverick from Arizona is no longer taking questions from his audiences in his signature "Town hall meetings" with his supporters. Hell, he is no longer doing the Town hall thing at all anymore:
Cause straight talk is only allowed one way at McCain rallies, and god knows we don;t need anymore crazy people making McCain look bad. The man does have Sarah Palin as a VP after all. But McCain is not the only one having problems with his supporters. Obama has his share of people saying stupid shit on his behalf. Take Erica Jong for example, and the crap she said to the itlaian publication Corriere Della Sera.
Oh no. Naomi Wolf is worried? Erica had to go to an acupuncturist? Jane Fonda is suffering back pains from stress and sleep-less nights filled with crying from the possibility that McCain might win? Quelle Horrore.
That is not all though. Not only will a McCain Presidency mean that Jane Fonda's back might never heal, it could actually spark a second american civil war. Oh yeah.
And here we all thought he was pulling out of Iraq. That shrewd Bush. He is so smart, even though he is "the dumbest President ever"™.
By the way, is anybody else laughing at the image of Dick Cheney leading american soldiers into battle against american citizens in the street? Why didn't she add that he would be wearing a Nazi uniform, a monocle and smoking a cigar when he is leading the SS troops while she is at it? Cause yes, a man who never went into combat and has a bad ticker is the right man to lead soldiers against the citizenry. Honestly Erica, if you are stupid enough to think this is an actual possibility, then you really did need that valium. Can I also recommend Prozac? Just a thought.
And last but not least, there is a Texas man who committed suicide , and the only thing he wrote in his suicide note was for Obama to hep his family. Now that's a believer, don't you think?
The town hall format was supposed be the Republican nominee’s favorite campaign forum, highlighting his shoot-from-the-hip style, his broad knowledge on a slew of issues and his irreverent wit. He loved it so much that he challenged Obama to a string of town hall debates. But with their potential for amplifying unscripted outbursts and attention-diverting disasters, the microphones at high school gymnasiums and basketball arenas across the swing states have gone silent during the final stretch of the presidential campaign. McCain, a man who has prided himself on discussions with the common man, has not entertained a single question from audience members since Oct. 10, when he faced a belligerent crowd in Lakeville, Minn., that at times turned against him.
The disappearance of the town hall format from McCain’s campaign is striking, political observers said, offering a vivid example of how a signature strength became a potential liability and was abandoned. (Obama, too, has done away with the town halls, last taking questions from voters on Sept. 12 in New Hampshire.) “The town hall format proved to be a little embarrassing for the campaign, and it built a negative picture about what this campaign is all about,” said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, adding that the encounters were “too costly.”
Over the past few weeks, McCain has replaced his beloved town halls with large rallies, press statements delivered at factories and in hotel ballrooms, “town square” stump speeches given in the center of small towns, and stops at restaurants and other local landmarks.
Cause straight talk is only allowed one way at McCain rallies, and god knows we don;t need anymore crazy people making McCain look bad. The man does have Sarah Palin as a VP after all. But McCain is not the only one having problems with his supporters. Obama has his share of people saying stupid shit on his behalf. Take Erica Jong for example, and the crap she said to the itlaian publication Corriere Della Sera.
"The record shows that voting machines in America are rigged."
"My friends Ken Follett and Susan Cheever are extremely worried. Naomi Wolf calls me every day. Yesterday, Jane Fonda sent me an email to tell me that she cried all night and can't cure her ailing back for all the stress that has reduces her to a bundle of nerves."
"My back is also suffering from spasms, so much so that I had to see an acupuncturist and get prescriptions for Valium."
Oh no. Naomi Wolf is worried? Erica had to go to an acupuncturist? Jane Fonda is suffering back pains from stress and sleep-less nights filled with crying from the possibility that McCain might win? Quelle Horrore.
That is not all though. Not only will a McCain Presidency mean that Jane Fonda's back might never heal, it could actually spark a second american civil war. Oh yeah.
"If Obama loses it will spark the second American Civil War. Blood will run in the streets, believe me. And it's not a coincidence that President Bush recalled soldiers from Iraq for Dick Cheney to lead against American citizens in the streets."
And here we all thought he was pulling out of Iraq. That shrewd Bush. He is so smart, even though he is "the dumbest President ever"™.
By the way, is anybody else laughing at the image of Dick Cheney leading american soldiers into battle against american citizens in the street? Why didn't she add that he would be wearing a Nazi uniform, a monocle and smoking a cigar when he is leading the SS troops while she is at it? Cause yes, a man who never went into combat and has a bad ticker is the right man to lead soldiers against the citizenry. Honestly Erica, if you are stupid enough to think this is an actual possibility, then you really did need that valium. Can I also recommend Prozac? Just a thought.
And last but not least, there is a Texas man who committed suicide , and the only thing he wrote in his suicide note was for Obama to hep his family. Now that's a believer, don't you think?
عــــــــــــــــــــــالــــــــــــــــــق
أحد الاستفادات الهامة التى اكتسبتها من تلك الزيارة لأمريكا هو تغيير وجهه نظرى، وإحساسي بالعديد من الأعمال الفنية الأمريكية، أفلام وودى ألن مثلاً عن نيويورك أصبح لها طعم آخر، ثلاثية نيويورك لبول أوستر أصبحت أكثر غرائبيه... وهكذا فحينما كانت الساعة 10 مساءاً ووجدت نفسي عالقاً في مطار JFK في نيويورك أحسست بالمشاعر الحقيقة لفيكتور نافورسكى، لأنه ببساطة كان نائماً بجوارى.
ما حدث كان فيلم تسجيلي طويل للحياة الليلية لذبابة صغيرة في مطار نيويورك. وصلت إلى مطار نيويورك في الساعة 3.15 وموعد طائرتي الثانية المتجهة إلى أوستن تكساس كان 5.40 لهذا كنت في عجلة ولدى تخوف من أن تطول إجراءات ختم الأوراق والفحص الأمنى، لكن لم أكن أتصور أن هذا الكابوس من الممكن أن يحدث لى، لأنى امتلك بعض الحظ على الأقل، لهذا فقد حافظت على ابتسامتى حينما وضع ضابط الأمن جواز سفري في ملف أحمر وطلب منى التوجه خلفه إلى غرفة الفحص.
مررت بنفس التجربة في مطار واشنطن ولم يأخذ الأمر أكثر من 30 دقيقة واعتذارات متكررة من الضابط على تأخيري واضطرارهم لأجراء كل هذه الفحوصات. الأمر في الغالب يعود إلى اسمى بالانجليزية الذى يكتب "صالح، أحمد" وكما ترون فهو اسم عربي صميم يحمله الكثيرون، وغالباً الأمر لا يتجاوز السؤال عن الطول والوزن ولون العينين، لكن ما أن دخلت غرفة الحجز حتى اختفت الابتسامة وسيطرت عليا حالة حقيقية من البضان والتوتر.
المكان يشبه بالضبط أى قسم شرطى مصري، صورة الرئيس السيد جورج بوش معلقة على الحائط بدل، صورة مبارك، وملابس الضباط باللون الأزرق بدل الأبيض، لكن نفس ملامح الوجوه الباردة المتبلدة لضباط الشرطة المصريين هى نفس ملامح الضباط الأمريكان. منذ البداية أخبرت الضابط أن لدى طائرة آخري بعد ساعتين، لكنه طلب من الجلوس والانتظار حتى يتم النداء على اسمى..
جلست منتظراً لكن الوقت أخذ يمر، ساعة كاملة عبرت وأنا جالس لا أفعل شيئاً سوى التنقل بعينى ما بين صورة السيد جورج بوش، ووجوه الضباط، وعقرب الساعة الذي كان بالطبع يتحرك بسرعة هاضماً الوقت ومضيعاً فرصتى في اللحاق بالطائرة، بدأت في القلق وازداد التوتر، فذهبت لأحد الضباط واخبرته أن لدى طائرة آخري بعد ساعتين، لكنه نظر إلى شذراً وبازدراء وتعنت وعنجه ثم قال لى "لا أستطيع مساعدتك، نحن نمارس عملنا"
بعد حوالى الساعة ونصف هتف الضابط الجالس على الديسك "صالهه اهمد" فاتجهت إليه، ثم بدأ في توجيه نفس الأسئلة التى سألها زميلها وأجبت نفس الاجابات.. سوف أقضي أسبوع في الولايات المتحدة، وأنا هنا جزء من برنامج تنظمه الجامعة الأمريكية في القاهرة وهيئة المعونة الأمريكية لتغطية الانتخابات الأمريكية، وأعطيته الخطاب الذى أحمله من الجامعة، فأخذ يقرأه في تركيز شديد ثم سأل السؤال الذكى التالى "هل أنت طالب؟" جاوبته "لا أنا صحفي" فسأل سؤال ذكى ثانى "إذن لماذا ترسلك الجامعة إلى هنا؟" أخذت أشرح له أن الرحلة جزء من برنامج لمركز كمال أدهم للدراسات الإعلامية ونشاطه لا يتوقف على الطلبة فقط..
هذا الحوار لم يكن يتم بهذا الشكل السهل الذى اكتبه به، بل في المنتصف كان يطلب منى أن انزل يدى من على الديسك، وأن أقف بعيداً عن المكتب، وارفع من صوتى وفي النهاية طلب منى الجلوس والانتظار، فأخبرته أن لدى طائرة بعد أقل من أربعين دقيقة وأننى غريب ولا أعرف ما الذى أفعله إذا فقدت طائرتى، لكنها رفع حواجبه وأشار إلى جواز سفري "أريدك أن تجلس هناك، لأن ما نفعله أهم من الطائرة"
لم أستوعب عبارته، لكن استوعبت أن أواجه صورة من صور غباء السلطة، الرجل معه سلطة الضابط وخاتم الدخول، وسوف يمارس هذه السلطة ويستمتع بممارستها إلى أقسي درجة، والحل الوحيد هو عدم الدخول معه في مناقشات أو استفزازه، والتفكير في الخطوة التالية لضياع الرحلة إلى أوستن.
جلست أنتظر، الغرفة كانت تحتوى على جنسيات عربية آخري، باكستانية، إسرائيلية، وبالطبع الرفاق اللاتينيين، بعضهم جاء بعدنا لكنه أنهى أوراقه وانصرف قبلنا، مزة لاتينية في فستان أحمر دخلت الغرفة وحصلت على جواز سفرها في أقل من عشرين دقيقة مع ابتسامة عريضة من الضابط، بينما يكتفي بالنظر من أعلى لأسفل... شذراً
بعد أربع ساعات حصلت على جواز سفري، كانت الطائرة قد أقلعت، وكنت وحيداً في مطار نيويورك. ذهبت إلى مكتب شركة الطيران، وحكيت لموظف الاستعلامات الذى يحمل اسم سعيد على القصة، فرسم ابتسامة عريضة، وقال لى "لا يمكننى مساعدتك يجب أن تشتري تذكرة جديدة" حينها أحسست بالضياع الكامل، أخذت أفكر في الخيارات الموجودة أمامى، وحدثت نفسي وحادثتنى "لما لا أخرج واترك نفسي لشوارع نيويورك، لنبدأ حياة جديدة أكثر بوهمية"... وبالفعل خرجت لتدخين سيجارة، محاولاً التفكير بشكل أكثر هدوءاً، لكن في أقل من ثلاثة دقائق كانت أطراف أصابعى قد تحولت للون الأزرق... مما جعلنى ألغى نهائياً فكرة النزول لشوارع نيويورك، وعموماً لا أنصح أى أحد بالمغامرة في نيويورك في الشتاء.
في النهاية قررت شراء تذكرة مهما كان ثمنها، لكن حينما وصلت لشباك الحجز وشرحت للموظفة حقيقة الوضع أخبرتنى، أنه لا يوجد داعى لشراء تذكرة جديدة، لكن المشكلة انه لا توجد رحلات مباشرة إلى أوستن، وهو ما يعنى أننى يجب أن انتظر حتى صباح اليوم التالى الساعة التاسعة لكى أركب الطائرة المتجهة إلى أطلانطا، ومن أطلانطا إلى أوستن... لم أستوعب الوضع لكنى فهمت أنه يجب أن أقضي الليلة في مطار نيويورك عالقاً.
حاولت الاتصال بأي واحد من أصدقائي أو معارفي لكن التليفونات كانت معطلة أو لا تعمل، جهاز الاتصال الوحيد الذى فتح معى كان كمبيوتر عام، متصل بالانترنت الدولار الواحد يمنحك ثلاث دقائق من الاتصال البطيء بالانترنت، لهذا لم أستطع سوى ارسال ايميل مختصر لرفاق الرحلة ثم صعدت للدور الثانى حيث المطاعم لتناول أى وجبة ثم بدأت في جولة واسعة لاستكشاف المطار.
وصلت للدور الثانى، وجلست على أحد المقاعد، بجوارى كان هناك عشرات الأشخاص معظمهم أسيويين أو من الدول اللاتينية الشقيقة، أخرجت الكتاب الوحيد الذى كان معى "عام وفاة ريكاردو ريس" لخوسية ساراموجا، جلست اقرأ في الرواية التى تدور أحداثها في لشبونة بين بطلين رئيسين ريس الطبيب والشاعر وبيسوا الكاتب التجاري والشاعر المفضل لدى بعد جويس منصور، عند منتصف الليل كانت صالة المطار كلها عبارة عن سرير نوم كبير، الجميع نائم على الأرض أو على المقاعد، أقرأ فصل من الرواية وأنام، أحلم أحلام قصيرة تطاردنى فيها حروف لاتينية تحاول التنكر في هيئة كلمات برتغالية، أنام وأصحو، أصحو وأنام وبرودة المقعد الحجري تخترق ظهري، أخذت أكح وقدرت أن ريس قد نقل إلى الانفلونزا، لكن تعافيت في الفصل الخامس مع ريس، أخذنى فيكتور في جولة أخيرة في المبنى عند الساعة الخامسة، ثم انتقلت للبوابة أربع وركبت الطائرة المتجهة إلى أطلانطا.
FROM THE HEARTLANDS OF NEBRASKA...
Our trip to Nebraska was a very long and eventful journey which finally landed us in the American heartland of Lincoln, Nebraska. Our Lufthansa flight was supposed to take off at 5:30am, October 30th, from Cairo to Frankfurt. We arrived at the airport at exactly 3:30am, me and Mahmoud met outside the airport and entered together. We stood in line to check our bags and ourselves onto the plane until our turn came and Mahmoud was "shentle-man" and let me go first as the etiquette says. I checked my bag in, it was one underweight bag, took my boarding pass and the passport information card and went to a chair to sit and fill it out, while Mahmoud took his turn. A while later and still no Mahmoud. That was when I found out that Lufthansa overbooked the plane and Mahmoud's getting on the plane is in jeopardy. I freaked.
That's when one of the Lufthansa agents came over to me and Mahmoud and made us an offer. A certain amount of foreign currency in exchange of us giving up our seats. But since Mahmoud had no seat yet and it seemed like they needed my seat, we agreed after we saw the new itinerary. Instead of flying at 5:30am, we'd leave at 9:45am to Amsterdam on Egypt Air, then from Amsterdam to Chicago on KLM, and the last connection from Chicago to Lincoln was the same flight from our old itinerary - on United.
We took the new tickets and the voucher for that certain amount... elly fih el naseeb... and took the next plane.
____________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT ANECDOTE:
Right before we boarded the plane - GUESS WHO WE RAN INTO?!?!?!
AMR ADIB - FROM ORBIT'S AL QAHERA EL YOUM!!
As I usually do in the presence of famous people, screamed his name as he walked by to the extent that I may have scared him a little. He was very friendly and said hi as we shook his hand. He asked us where we're going, and we told him to the US to cover the elections... that's when the following words exited his lips:
"Really?? You're the '8 Bloggers' going to blog the US elections?"
AMR ADIB KNOWS ABOUT US!
To me - that is impressive, just thought I'd let you all know... the world is watching!
BRAVO YAWLAD - INTO DELWA2TY OFFICIALLY MOHEMEEN!
EXCEPT TAB3AN WAEL WHO WAS A STAR LONG BEFORE ANY OF US :)
____________________________________________________________________
RE-UNITED:
Anyway we then boarded the plan to Ams and when we got there I bought a stock of Dutch Waffles.
A while later we boarded a KLM plane to Chicago. It was long and boring and the male flight attendant had over average activity in the brain attitude centers.
The second we landed, they called my name and told me to report to the front of the plane. That was when my knees went cotton candy.
I reported to the front of the plane only to be notified that my bag did not make it to Chicago and will be shipped to my final destination the next day.
It would be two days before I was reunited with my stuff.
Two days fighting on the phone with Egypt Air, KLM, and United, before my bag finally was delivered to me this afternoon. You guys have no idea how its like to stay without clothes in this cold for two hours until the washing machine washes and dries your only outfit. Anyways... its these experiences that train you to not go insane from the stupidity of those who are placed in positions that affect your life - like airline phone representatives.
____________________________________________________________________
AMERICAN MUSLIMS TODAY RADIO SHOW:
Two days before we came here I was informed that a radio interview me and Mahmoud have conducted with American Muslims Today's Yusuf Wells when we were here in Nebraska in September was uploaded here. Go ahead and listen to it and let us know what you think. We will be meeting up with Mr. Wells this week to meet and discuss issues with members of the Nebraska Muslim Community.
____________________________________________________________________
Overall, we're glad and excited to be back here in Nebraska. Hopefully we can bring you election coverage worthy of your interest. Wish us luck!
MIRAL BRINJY
Lincoln, Nebraska.
That's when one of the Lufthansa agents came over to me and Mahmoud and made us an offer. A certain amount of foreign currency in exchange of us giving up our seats. But since Mahmoud had no seat yet and it seemed like they needed my seat, we agreed after we saw the new itinerary. Instead of flying at 5:30am, we'd leave at 9:45am to Amsterdam on Egypt Air, then from Amsterdam to Chicago on KLM, and the last connection from Chicago to Lincoln was the same flight from our old itinerary - on United.
We took the new tickets and the voucher for that certain amount... elly fih el naseeb... and took the next plane.
____________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT ANECDOTE:
Right before we boarded the plane - GUESS WHO WE RAN INTO?!?!?!
AMR ADIB - FROM ORBIT'S AL QAHERA EL YOUM!!
As I usually do in the presence of famous people, screamed his name as he walked by to the extent that I may have scared him a little. He was very friendly and said hi as we shook his hand. He asked us where we're going, and we told him to the US to cover the elections... that's when the following words exited his lips:
"Really?? You're the '8 Bloggers' going to blog the US elections?"
AMR ADIB KNOWS ABOUT US!
To me - that is impressive, just thought I'd let you all know... the world is watching!
BRAVO YAWLAD - INTO DELWA2TY OFFICIALLY MOHEMEEN!
EXCEPT TAB3AN WAEL WHO WAS A STAR LONG BEFORE ANY OF US :)
____________________________________________________________________
RE-UNITED:
Anyway we then boarded the plan to Ams and when we got there I bought a stock of Dutch Waffles.
A while later we boarded a KLM plane to Chicago. It was long and boring and the male flight attendant had over average activity in the brain attitude centers.
The second we landed, they called my name and told me to report to the front of the plane. That was when my knees went cotton candy.
I reported to the front of the plane only to be notified that my bag did not make it to Chicago and will be shipped to my final destination the next day.
It would be two days before I was reunited with my stuff.
Two days fighting on the phone with Egypt Air, KLM, and United, before my bag finally was delivered to me this afternoon. You guys have no idea how its like to stay without clothes in this cold for two hours until the washing machine washes and dries your only outfit. Anyways... its these experiences that train you to not go insane from the stupidity of those who are placed in positions that affect your life - like airline phone representatives.
____________________________________________________________________
AMERICAN MUSLIMS TODAY RADIO SHOW:
Two days before we came here I was informed that a radio interview me and Mahmoud have conducted with American Muslims Today's Yusuf Wells when we were here in Nebraska in September was uploaded here. Go ahead and listen to it and let us know what you think. We will be meeting up with Mr. Wells this week to meet and discuss issues with members of the Nebraska Muslim Community.
____________________________________________________________________
Overall, we're glad and excited to be back here in Nebraska. Hopefully we can bring you election coverage worthy of your interest. Wish us luck!
MIRAL BRINJY
Lincoln, Nebraska.
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