$100 for each child

In the BBC today:

Children in developing countries are being supplied with $100 laptop. I wish all Egyptian children are getting the same treat. Only education and technology can help us out of our problems.

حملة جمع التوكيلات للبرادعي

Today in Alquds:

هنا تجدد الأمل.. والسؤالان الهامان هنا هما: (لماذا) يجب دعم البرادعي و(كيف) ندعم البرادعي.. أما لماذا فلأنه شخصية محترمة دوليا وصادقة في تعبيرها عن وطنيتها والأهم أن مطالبه تعبر عن مطالب المصريين وقامته أعلى من أن تسحقها العائلة كعادتها مع كل من يحاول التصدي لجشعها واستبدادها! والمصريون في حاجة إلى شخصية واضحة محددة تقودهم! فمصر لم تصل بعد إلى دولة مؤسسات راسخة والشعوب عموما تحب أن يكون لها قائد (يحمل عنها) عبء التقدم نحو الهدف.. حينها تكون الشعوب مستعدة للمضي (وراءه).. وأحد أهم أسباب فشل المعارضة الاحتجاجية في مصر أنها لم تنجح في خلق شخصية كاريزمية شجاعة ومخلصة وقادرة على القيادة.. لكن هناك دورا هاما للنخبة الواعية في مصر فعليها انتهاز تلك الفرصة للخروج بمصر من نفق العائلة المظلم.. فرصة البرادعي!
أما كيف ندعم البرادعي فهناك إيحاء من تاريخ هذا الوطن يلح هنا.. فعندما أراد سعد زغلول التفاوض مع الإنكليز جمع توكيلات من المصريين ليتحدث باسمهم.. إذن دور النخبة الواعية في مصر أن تعلن (حملة جمع التوكيلات للبرادعي)! نجمع له ملايين التوكيلات ليتحرك باسمنا نحن المصريين

Ya Rab

Ya Rab khalsna min elhezab elwatni.

البرادعي: سأكون مستقلا

Today in Aljazeera:

قال المدير العام السابق للوكالة الدولية للطاقة الذرية محمد البرادعي إنه إذا قرر خوض انتخابات الرئاسة المقبلة في مصر فإنه سيخوضها مستقلا.

وفي تصريحات نشرت اليوم في القاهرة رفض البرادعي الترشح للرئاسة المصرية عبر أي حزب سياسي، مجددا رفضه خوض الانتخابات بدون تعديل الدستور الذي قال إنه يحرم الشعب من اختيار من يمثله بلا عوائق.

وأعرب البرادعي الحاصل على جائزة نوبل للسلام عن استعداده للتحرك السلمي المنظم لتعديل الدستور المصري. وأكد أنه لا يحمل إلا الجنسية المصرية نافيا ما تردد عن جنسية له سويدية.

وكان البرادعي قد تلقى عرضا من أعضاء حزب الوفد المعارض لتولي زعامة الحزب حتى يتمكن من الترشح لمنصب الرئاسة.

وبعد ذلك بدأ يتلقى الدعم من عدد من وسائل الإعلام المستقلة، كما أنشأت مجموعات من أنصاره صفحات على موقع فيسبوك للعلاقات الاجتماعية طالبت فيها بـ"التصويت للبرادعي".

مصر امام مخاض حقيقي

Today in Alquds:

مصر وباختصار شديد، امام مخاض حقيقي، بدأت ارهاصاته بارتباك اجهزة اعلام الحكم وحوارييه في افتعال ازمات، وقطع علاقات مع معظم الدول العربية، وحالة الحراك السياسي التي بدأت تتفاعل قبل الازمة الكروية الاخيرة مع الجزائر، واطلق رصاصتها الاولى السيد محمد حسنين هيكل، بمطالبته بمجلس امناء يحكم مصر، لفترة مؤتقة، ويشرف على انتخابات رئاسية نزيهة، واطلق رصاصتها الثانية السيد عمرو موسى عندما لم يستبعد نزوله الى حلبة المنافسة في اي انتخابات رئاسية مقبلة، ولكن قنبلة الدكتور البرادعي التي انعكست في بيانه الاخير، واستعداده المشروط لخوض معترك الرئاسة، 'جبّت' كل ما قبلها، ووضعت مصر امام عملية التغيير، وهي قادمة لا محالة.

مصر الانتكاسة الرمزية الكبرى

Today in Al-Jazeera:

ومع تسلم الضباط الوطنيين في مصر والعراق وسورية والسودان والجزائر.. وضع مفهوم المواطنة على قربان الوطن وتمت التضحية باستقلال القضاء باسم قضاء الثوار، وصودر حق الخلاف باسم الوحدة الوطنية. وبذلك ضرب التسلط العربي المقومات الجنينية للمجتمع المدني التي نشأت في ظل الأنموذج الليبرالي الاستعماري والمقاومة الوطنية. ولا ضير بعد هذا أن نشهد نماذج لا تعرف معنى مذكرة التوقيف ويختفي فيها الأفراد دون حسيب ولا متتبع ولا مطالب، ويسجن رواد المعارضة السلمية لربع قرن دون محاكمة، ثم يجري الحديث عن ثورة وجمهورية واشتراكية وتحرر إلى ما هنالك من شعارات مفرغة من كل معنى.

......

وفي هذا السياق، يمكن اعتبار مصر الانتكاسة الرمزية الكبرى لأنها تحمل مواصفات أساسية للدولة وليست حكومتها مجرد سلطة كما هو الحال في تونس وسورية وليبيا والسودان واليمن.


Wow! Egyptians have to do something to save our name! Can please someone outside the National party help us!

د‏.‏ عبدالمنعم سعيد

Today in Al-Ahram I read the article by Dr. Said critizing El-Bradie for demanding the new election in Egypt to conducted according to international standards and at the sametime demanding that it is done under the court supervision.

Well, ... I think Dr. Said is mistaken. You can see through out the article that he has personel attack on El-Bardie trying to paint the picture that El-Bradie was not performing good enough in his position at UN (he already got Noble prize for what he did !!!) You can also notice Dr. Said is also insulting Amr Mousa implicitly while talking about El-Bardie.

I think all this because the National Party is scared from Mousa and El-Bardie. I am very excited by their fear. I think we will soon see a change in Egypt and the National Party days will be over.

Whether it is Mousa or El-Bardie ... I do not know. But diffinitely Egypt deserves better than the National party. I hope that day would come soon!

Congratulations to Algeria

I was hoping Egypt would go to the finals. But Algeria is also close to our heart and our blood and as long their people are happy about going to the finals, I am happy too.

Congratulations and please do a good job in the finals and try to win in South Africa as many matches as you can cause you are the only Arab team there!

Congratulations to Algeria!

Egypt and Algeria (Robots only)

Over here in the USA they use this strong emotions associated with sport competition to the better good. When two universities are fighting hard in the football field, they use this to ask the students to fight over who will donate more blood to the hospitals or which univeristy will donate more food for the poor.

So is my Egyptain wish for today:
I wish Ahmed Azz or Nagib will announce that he will donate 3 millions (similar to the prizes to the football team) to the Algerian or the Egyptian university that can make a football team out of robots that can win against the Algerian robotic team.

This way you motivate the universities in the two countries and the whole Egyptian and Algerian people to make hugh progress on science.

If only a rich wise guy in Egypt can read my post. I wish Ya Rab!!

75 million children without primary schools

Today at the NewYork Times:

"There are still 75 million children who are not attending primary school around the world. We could educate them all for far less than the cost of the proposed military “surge” in Afghanistan."

Wow!

Here is my Egyptian Wish for today: President Obama declares that the budget for the proposed surge in Afghanistan will be devoted to educate 75 million children in the world by American Teachers. This way Obama creats jobs for Americans (with current 10% unemployment) and gives a better future to children allover the world, whiten America image in the world (after all what happened in W's years) and save the world from hate (education = understanding), wars (education = peace), and poverty (education = wealth).

قادها السيدان علاء مبارك وجمال مبارك ???!!

In Al-Ahram today:

وقد عاشت جماهير مصر الوفية لحظات عصيبة طوال المباراة.......‏ حتي كان المشهد الأخير ....... ....‏ تتويجا لملحمة شعبية وجماهيرية قادها السيدان علاء مبارك وجمال مبارك في المدرجات‏.‏

I think it is over, let us have a royal family in Egypt and get done with this :(

How did Al-Ahram get that low?

Also to refresh my Arabic language, can someone tell me the difference between شعبية وجماهيرية ?

power in restriction and holding back

In the BBC today:
By John Taylor; Duran Duran bassist

"The power of that single television appearance created such pressure, such magnetism, that I got sucked in and I had to respond as I know now previous generations had responded to Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan show, or The Beatles, or Jimi Hendrix. I believe there's immense power in restriction and holding back."

Reading this I wondered is this "immense power in restriction and holding back" the reason why Islam requires women to cover up their bodies?

مصر والجزائر

In Almasreen today:

إن المتابع لأحوال الشعبين المسلمين فى مصر والجزائر هذه الأيام لا يمكن أن يتصور أن هذه رياضة وأن هذا لعب وأن هذين المنتخبين فقط يتنافسان على مكان فى بطولة كرة بل والأعجب أن غاية ما يمكن أن يحصدوه هو تجاوز الدور الأول فى جنوب أفريقيا ولو حدث هذا فاعلم أن بلد هذا المنتخب لن تنام وأن هناك من سيموت بأزمة قلبية وهناك من سيسمى مولوده باسم صاحب الهدف وهناك ملايين لن يناموا وسيخرجوا إلى الشوارع ويسهرون حتى الصباح ولن يسمعوا أذان الفجر وإن سمعوا فلن يلبوا وإن لبى بعضهم فسيصلى ببدنه وقلبه هناك يدق من الفرحة وعقله يستعيد الأهداف واللقطات المثيرة

ستخرج الجماهير تلوح بعلامات النصر وتطلق أناشيد النصر

أما إن انهزم الفريق فستكون ليلة حزينة وربما مات البعض من الكمد أو طلق البعض زوجاتهم

The Future of Egyptian political system and Heikel's view

I just read what Heikel said about forming a national committee to write a new constitution and have 3 years transition period to have a new election. Meanwhile the country will be run by Mohamoud Rahsid as prime minister and Yousef Ghali as his finance minister.

I respect Heikel's experience very much but I do not like the idea of starting from scratch.
I think we can improve what we have. We have election. It is fake as many reports say but we have the process. The way to go is to fix this. How we can improve the process. Can we ask the army to supervise the election! Heikel keep saying the army is the only force in the country in the absence of any other real force.

Although I respect Amr Mousa, Zoeil, Baradai, ... etc. I do not know why should they write the constitution for me. Why do not I (that is to say thru the guy or the lady whom I voted for to represent me in the parliament) write the constitution myself.

Let us have a fair election that would result in real parliament that can then fix the constituion, remove (and not add) many of the laws we have.

Let us have a parliament that can help us to fix the education, clean the river, move the ministers into to middle of the egyptian deserts. Let us have a parliament that can protect our courts and judges independance.

Heikel said that we do not have politics in the real sense in Egypt. All political parties are useless including MB. This is true but let us have free election. Get people freely electing their representitives into the parliament. Let those members do their best and let the people judge their performance after 4 more years in another free election.

Democratic parliament may not be the ideal system but so far it seems that it is the most practical system to succeed on this planet.

Vote for عمرو موسى

Reported in Alquds Alarabi:

عمرو موسى said:

ليس لدي تفكير محدد في مسألة الترشح للرئاسة ولكن من حق كل مواطن مؤهل أن يطمح لمنصب يحقق له الإسهام في خدمة الوطن بما في ذلك المنصب الأعلى، أي منصب رئيس الجمهورية.. وهذا ينطبق عليّ كما يمكن أن ينطبق عليك وكما يمكن أن ينطبق على جمال مبارك.

I think he will be much better than Gamal Mobarak.

Ramadan Kareem

Ramadan Kareem for everyone. Hope this month helps us to be better muslims and humans, more productive, and more kind to others.

Omer Khirat music, Aline, Pascal and Haifa

I have not seen music clips in few months. Yesterday I saw both Aline Khalaf and Pascal Meshalani on ART America channel. To my surprise both of them were wearing very low cut dresses so you can see the majority of their breasts as well as very short so you can see the majority of their legs! Wow! what happened. Both of them are already well establised singers with a base of fans. Why do they need to do that. They also have very nice voices. I like to hear Aline Khalaf voice when I am driving because it cheers me up. Did they have to do that? Is this the Haifa Wahbe's effect?

By the way I saw Haifa Wabhe dancing in the movie Dokan Shehata. To my surprise (or not) she did the same "dancing move" she did on stage? She should work more on her dance moves since we already establised that she has no singing talent so at least she should become professional in her dancing. My advice: more dancing lessons for Haifa! Sorry Haifa I do not mean to be mean with you.

I am listening now to Omer Khirat music and it still inspires me now as it used to when I was school student studying while listening to his music back in Egypt. Every time I hear his music I sense the music telling me: You have to work hard! Life is not easy. It is full with challenges and we have to be patient and patient and patient. I actually feel this is part of the Egyptian culture! Be patient!

Good news!

Long time no blogging. Well two good things happened the last two months that I got very busy. Will try to blog more often.

دعاء

Ahmed Bahgat wrote today in Al-Ahram:

اللهم إنا نسألك بدعاء آدم وحواء‏:‏ ربنا ظلمنا أنفسنا وإن لم تغفر لنا وترحمنا لنكونن من الخاسرين‏..‏

اللهم إنا نسألك بدعاء إبراهيم وإسماعيل‏:‏ ربنا تقبل منا إنك أنت السميع العليم‏,‏ ربنا واجعلنا مسلمين لك ومن ذريتنا أمة مسلمة لك وأرنا مناسكنا‏,‏ وتب علينا إنك أنت التواب الرحيم‏..‏

ونسألك بدعاء نوح‏:‏ استغفروا ربكم إنه كان غفارا‏,‏ يرسل السماء عليكم مدرارا‏,‏ ويمددكم بأموال وبنين‏,‏ ويجعل لكم جنات ويجعل لكم أنهارا‏..‏

ونسألك بدعاء سليمان‏:‏ رب أوزعني أن أشكر نعمتك التي أنعمت علي وعلي والدي‏,‏ وأن أعمل صالحا ترضاه‏,‏ وأدخلني برحمتك في عبادك الصالحين‏..‏

وندعوك بدعاء يونس‏:‏ لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين‏..‏

وندعوك بدعاء محمد عليه الصلاة والسلام‏:‏ إن صلاتي ونسكي ومحياي ومماتي لله رب العالمين لا شريك له وبذلك أمرت وأنا أول المسلمين‏..‏

Morning Joe

This morning I was having breakfast watching to NBC’s Morning Joe. They were discussing whether those who authorized torture in American Prisons should be persecuted when Joe asked which is worse torturing prisoners or killing hundreds of thousands of German women and children in World War II; should we go ahead and persecute Ted Roosevelt for killing innocent Germans?

I could not help but to remember that the Prophet Mohammed instructed Muslims to avoid killing women, children and old people when fighting wars. Even trees were protected as well as churches and synagogues. Muslims armies were instructed not to touch these places.

I also could not help but remember that the Prophet Mohammed also forbidden Muslims from torturing their enemies saying only god can do that.

Scientists Academy

Building on the amazing success and popularity of the Lebanese program Star Academy (which would motivate and encourage the next generation of Arab Singers, Dancers, and Actors) an Egyptian TV station decided to make a similar program: This time it is called Scientists Academy.

Here are the details.

The program funded by a generous donation of one of the leading Egyptian Buisnessmen will recruit 20 young men and women from all the arabic world. These young people will live, dine, play (Videogames and not in the swimming pool like LBC star academy), and learn together for almost four months the basics of science and engineering. Every Friday (prime) there will be an elimination process based on the votes of the judges who are presidents of the leading universities in the arab world.

The Egyptian TV station announced that Every prime the players (the young men and women) will be competing to design and build devices that are badly needed in the Arab world. Examples of these devices include:

1- A remote controlled Airplane model.
2- A solar powered water pump.
3- A sea water desilnation device.
4- A bicycle that can move on sand.
5- A wind-powered electric generator for a small house.
6- A robotic watch dog.
7- A compact Mushroom Growing Kit.
8- A solar powered Air conditioner.
9- A painless insuline needle.
10- A solar-powered submarine model.

One of the Arab unviersity presidents that will serve as judges in the weekly competition said that she is very excited about the competition. She also said the level of the judges (university preidents) will bring a lot of exposure and prestige to the competition.

She also said that the minister of higher education in her country told her that the time that she will spend on the show will be very rewarding for her country despite her responsibilities as a unviersity president because it will help them recruit young men and women into science and technology and compete with popular career choices among young people now like dancing and singing.

"Although I will be fair when judging between the different players," she said, "I wish the young woman from my country win the competition."

The manager of the Egyptian TV station said they are grateful for the Egyptian businessman whose donation made this show possible.

عمر خيرت - اللقاء الثانى

Did you notice how good عمر خيرت music is?

it takes a genius to keep Egypt poor

I heard a lecture about how "it takes a genius to keep India Poor." The speaker was saying how India will naturally become super rich, super powerful in the near future because it has all the resources and the means to go that way.

I though about my beloved country; Egypt, and I think the same applies to Egypt.

We are almost 80 million Egyptians. Even if there are only 1% of us who are honest, just, smart, and hardworking then those almost 1 million super Egyptians will change our future to the better. We do not need all our Egyptian scientists to be Ahmed Zweil, only 100 Zweils in Egypt are enough, each in his/her field. We do not need all singers in Egypt to be like Om Kalthoum. If we have Ali Elhagger and Mounier then this is enough for now. We do not need every Egyptian to be perfect; only 1% should take care of us.

I think there is no way Egypt will remain poor/weak/corrupt for long. Change is coming to an Egyptian near you!

عدوك إبليس

Ahmed Bahgat wrote in Al-Ahram today:

صور أبوسعيد الخراز العلاقة بين إبليس والإنسان فقال ـ اعلم ان عدوك إبليس لايغفل عنك في سكوت ولاكلام‏,‏ ولاصلاة ولاصيام ولابذل ولامنع ولاسفر ولاحضر‏,‏ ولافي كسل ولا في نشاط‏,‏ ولافي ضحك ولافي بكاء‏,‏ ولافي اخفاء ولا في إعلان‏,‏ ولافي حزن ولافرح‏,‏ ولاصحة ولامرض‏,‏ ولامسألة ولاجواب‏,‏ ولاعلم ولاجهل‏,‏ ولا بعد ولاقرب‏,‏ ولاحركة ولاسكون‏,‏ ولاتوبة‏,‏ ولاإصرار‏,‏ ولايغفل عنك إبليس في هذا كله‏.‏

A message to President Obama

In Al-Ahram, Ahmed Bahgat wrote today:

السيد الرئيس المنتخب باراك حسين أوباما
Mr. Elected President Barrack Hussein Obama,

تحية طيبة‏..‏ مقرونة بتهنئتكم باختيار الشعب الأمريكي لكم رئيسا للولايات المتحدة الأمريكية بعد معركة انتخابية اتسمت بالديمقراطية تابعها العالم بأسره في وسائل الإعلام المختلفة‏.‏
A kind greating, combined with a congratulation for being chosen by the American People to be a president for the United States of America after an election fight that was democratic and was watched by the whole world through different media means.

أقدم لكم نفسي‏..‏ أنا جنرال مصري متقاعد تفتحت عيناي علي إصابة شقيقي الأكبر الطيار بإصابة بالغة إبان حرب فلسطين عام‏1948,‏ وإصابة ابن شقيقتي في حرب‏1967,‏
I present myself to you; I am a retired Egyptian general. I opened my eye on my older brother (fighter pilot) being seriously injured in the Palestine war in 1948, and my nephew injured in the war of 1967,

ونجاتي شخصيا من موت محقق أربع مرات أولاها خلال حرب العدوان الثلاثي علي مصر عام‏1956,‏ والثلاث الباقية بطول يوم‏5‏ يونيو الذي يشكل افتتاحية حرب عام‏1967,‏
and I personally have survived absolute death 4 times, first during the triple attack on Egypt in 1956 and the other three times during the day of 5 June at the begining of the war of 1967

وعندما تعرضت لموقف عصيب أثناء حرب الاستنزاف علي الجبهة المصرية‏(1967‏ ـ‏1970)‏ سألت نفسي سؤالا حاسما إذا كانت كافة الكتب السماوية والدراسية قد أكدت أن اليهود هم أبناء عمومتنا فلماذا أقاتلهم؟‏!‏
and when I was faced with a tough situation during the fighting of 1967-1970 I asked myself a serious question: If all the religuous books of Jews, Christians and Muslims have confirmed that the Jews are the Arabs' cousins, then why should I fight them?

وللاجابة علميا علي هذا السؤال بدأت مشوارا طويلا من الدراسات توجتها بحصولي علي درجة الدكتوراه برسالة عن حرب فلسطين عام‏1948‏ التي شكلت الجولة الأولي من جولات ما يسمي بالصراع العربي ـ الإسرائيلي‏,‏ والذي امتد زمنيا لنحو‏60‏ عاما لم ينجح المجتمع الدولي خلالها في تحقيق السلام الشامل في الشرق الأوسط‏.‏
To answer this question scientifically I have started a long journey of studies crowned at the end with earning a PhD sudying the Palestine war of 1948 which represents the first round of what is called the Arab-Isreal struggle, which has lasted for 60 years during which the international community failed to achieve a lasting peace in the middle east.

إنني علي يقين أنك قد اطلعت علي كتاب الرئيس جون‏.‏ف‏.‏كيندي بعنوان صور من الشجاعة‏,‏ وكتاب الرئيس جيمي كارتر بعنوان لماذا لاننشد الأفضل والذي استهله بالتساؤل هل في مقدور حكومتنا أن تكون أمينة‏,‏ مهذبة‏,‏ صريحة‏,‏ عادلة‏,‏ رحيمة؟‏!‏ وهل يمكن أن تتسم بالكفاءة؟ وآخر كتاب ألفه الرئيس ريتشارد نيكسون بعنوان أمسكوا اللحظة‏,‏ والذي ذكر فيه صراحة أن حل مشكلة النزاع العربي ـ الإسرائيلي يصب في خانة تحقيق الأمن القومي للولايات المتحدة وإسرائيل‏.‏
I am sure you have seen the book of president JFK titled "images of bravery," and the book of president Carter titled "why do not we seek the best" which he started by asking whether it is possible for the government to be honest, polite, frank, just, and merciful? and can it be efficient? and the last book of President Nixon titled "hold to the moment" in which he openly mentioned that the solution of the Arab-Israel conflict is in the best interest of the national security of the USA and Isreal.

ومن ثم لا يخالجني أدني شك في أنك سوف تبر بوعدك قبل توجهك مساء‏22‏ يوليو‏2008‏ لزيارة إسرائيل والأراضي الفلسطينية بالعمل علي التوصل إلي تسوية سلمية بينهما من أول يوم لك في السلطة‏,‏ كما أنني علي يقين بأنك سوف تصنع التاريخ وتفعلها يا سيادة الرئيس‏,‏ وستكون وسيطا نزيها وصادقا تؤمن بالحق والعدل‏,‏ فكل الحكم والامثال الصالحة قد سجلت‏,‏ ولم يبق سوي وضعها موضع التنفيذ‏.‏
I have no doubt that you will fulfil your promise that you made before your visit on July 22, 2008 to Isreal and Palestanian land that you will work on reaching a peaceful agreement between the two sides starting on your first day in the office. I am also sure that you will make history and do it Mr. president and you will be an honest true broker who believes in justice and rights. All the wisdom and righteous proverbs have been recorded and what remains is their execuation.

تمنياتي لك بموفور الصحة والنجاج والتوفيق‏..‏
I wish you plenty of health, success, and conciliation ...

لواء دكتور إبراهيم شكيب
General Dr. Ibrahim Shakib

This was the end of what Ahmed Bahgat wrote in his column. Now, the first thing that could jump to your mind is: Why do Arabs and Israel need the USA to be in the middle. Why can not they solve their problems themselves? The answer came to me yesterday when I was hearing president Carter explaining to Larry King on CNN that the USA role is important because the USA is the strongest supporter of Israel, he went to explain that the USA pays $100 million to Israel per day! and more important than the money is the political support in the security council. That is why the USA role is crucial to bring peace to the middle east!

Nation of Christians and Muslims

From Obama's speech today:

"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth..."

"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect."

"To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."

Obama commenting on Powell

In NYTIMES today:

“It’s easy to slip into superlatives when you talk about Colin Powell,” Mr. Obama said, going on to speak of Mr. Powell’s “quiet, remarkably consistent loyalty to a set of principles: truth, loyalty and determination.” He added: “The lesson he’s learned from his own rise is not his own greatness but his nation’s greatness.”

الارض

أحمد زكارنة wrote today in Almasreen:

علينا أن نجهز الارض قبل زراعتها..ونجهز ادواتنا قبل الشروع في العمل

يا رب‏

بقلم : أحمــد بهجــت today in Al-Ahram:

إذا قال العبد‏:‏ يا رب‏...‏
قال الرب جل وعلا‏:‏ لبيك يا عبد‏..
دعونا في بداية العام الجديد نقول‏:‏ يارب‏..‏