Take your news with a grain of salt

Apparently Ahmadinejad isn't so popular with the real powers-that-be in Iran.

I just noticed

that the wrapper on my bottle of Egyptian-sourced Nestle water reads, "Premium Natural Drinking Water. Safe. Healthy." Since when does a company need to proclaim that its water is "natural," "safe," or "healthy"?

Right on

Bizabt tikida! (exactly!)

Explaining jihad

Here's an interesting video that was recommended to us by our Islamic Jurisprudence professor in regards to the "Verse of the Sword" (ayat 9:5 from the Qur'an). It's brief, but still goes into more detail than Fox News or the New York Times.

He's gotta start somewhere

Ehud Barak says something sensible for a change.

Two interesting links from Egyptian media

"Veil your lollipop." The comments below the blog post are pretty interesting, too.

Not sure why this American tourist thought leaving a video with Marriott reception, and asking them to make copies of the video was a good idea. Apparently she didn't know that Egypt is a police state.

Another interesting study abroad blog

Jabeen, one of my classmates at American, is also blogging about her experiences while on our study abroad program in The Hague and during an internship in Jerusalem while living in Ramallah (West Bank, Palestinian Occupied Territory). Her perspective on living & working there is one that you could go a lifetime without being exposed to, such is the sad state of American media coverage of anything Israeli. So you should read her blog, too!

Stuff White People Like

Not sure how many readers have checked out this site, but you really should. It's pretty dead on. Lawyers make the list!

Hungover, but legitimate, venting

In need of nutrients, I just went downstairs to the dorm "cafeteria" to buy some juice, and a 7-Up for Nabil, who's been really sick all day (we've both been vampires today--lights off, curtain closed, sleeping alot). I pay for my merchandise, and the clerk hands me 12.50 in EGP--a 10 pound note, two 1 pound coins, and a 50 piastre note. Then I notice a vending machine in the cafeteria. So I amble on over to the vending machine. There's no price anywhere on the machine, which doesn't accept bills. Shouldn't be a problem, I say to myself, because everything in this country is cheap. So I put in a 1 pound coin and press the 7-Up button. Except that 7-Up costs 2.50. And I have only 2 coins worth 2 pounds. I ask the clerk for coins, and he immediately tells me that he has none. I go to the reception desk, and no one has coins. I try the security office, and no one has coins.

Getting change in this country is a HUGE problem. No one has it. Vendors, and even some restaurants, want--indeed, almost expect--exact change. When you have only big bills, as an American law student is likely to have (since every time you exchange money you get big bills), and your bill is small, vendors actually get frustrated by your attemp to pay for your stuff with a big bill. In retrospect, I'm a little surprised the clerk could give me 12.50 back from a 20 pound note. I wonder whether it says anything about Egypt that buying a soda from a vending machine is a chore?

Happy Birthday, America!

Now go eat a hot dog, drink a beer, watch baseball and enjoy tonight's fireworks! Sadly, I will likely do none of these things today...