I'm writing from New York, my last stop on this side of the Atlantic for the summer. My feelings about Egypt are a mix of eager anticipation and dread. I received an email last nights from one of my flatmates letting me know that, while I've been gone, somehow the internet, one of our AC units, our phone, and the washing machine have all gone out. The feeling in the pit of my stomach that forms when I think back on the anxiousness I had last May in part because of the landlord has done much to quell my looking forward to returning to old friends, jumping in and getting moving on my thesis work, starting my fellowship position on the new campus, and maybe traveling a bit.
What's more, AUC's website is currently down and I have no indication that my tuition has yet been waived. On top of that, I have no idea how to get my transportation arranged for. Ma3lesh! I'll have to wade through that mess when I arrive.
Thankfully this time, vis-à-vis the landlord, there's less at stake. I already have the contract signed. While I won't be there at the beginning of the month, I've suggested my flatmates refuse to pay rent since the landlord is violating the contract. Apparently he told Phil and Cyn that they somehow broke the already moribund AC and the ailing washing machine. Phil has been on the phone with the internet company ceaselessly and the landlord refuses to change carriers. Maddening!
Anyway, I'm soaking up my last bits of carefree enjoyment while in the Big Apple. I met up with a friend of my Egyptian CMRS colleague Reham's and am meant to grab lunch with the student who I sublet to this summer. If anyone has sage advice about Egyptian landlords, I'm all ears.

Meanwhile, check out how Cairenes are celebrating Ramadan, courtesy of Daily News Egypt.

In other news, the pirate-fighting fisherman have returned home to a hero's welcome in Egypt.

As the trial of alleged Hezbollah operatives got under way in Egypt with some of the accused alleging torture at the hands of the Egyptian government.

Hamas is accused of abusing prisoners in Gaza. See a clip from Al-Jazeera here.

As Egypt sets about restoring a historic Jewish temple, some speculate the move is a way to mitigate the controversy surrounding UNESCO head-hopeful, Faruq Hosni who infamously declared in parliament, "I'd burn Israeli books myself if I found any in libraries in Egypt".

The Seattle Times reviews Café Riche in downtown Cairo. In my humble opinion, much of the charm of the place waned when the Egyptian people suffered the loss of "the tolerant atmosphere of old Cairo". The service the single time I went there was, despite the utter warmth of the waiter, horrid. The food wasn't much better. The article touts it as a breakfast place and I'll have to admit I haven't tried it, but the offerings at places like Maison Thomas are comparable (scrambled eggs, bread, etc.) If you're looking for breakfast in Cairo, though, and you're hoping for something American-style, Lucille's in Ma'adi (find their breakfast menu here) is the way to go. For something more Egyptian (and much cheaper than any of the other choices), a humble bean cart or fuul and ta3mayya at to-go place are my preference.

  As I've been laid low by a migraine, I'm not going to do much more than link you to a few news stories this evening:

UN calls Egyptian mass pig slaughter a mistake.  Christians riot.

Hamas and Fatah give unity talks one "last" go in Cairo.

The LATimes profiles the founder of the largely unsuccessful 6 of April opposition group.

  I neglected to mention a couple of extraneous but delightful observations yesterday.  When Erin and I were riding in the cab to Carrefour, we saw a pick-up truck carrying a perfectly smug-looking trio of camels.  I've seen a dozen men packed into a pick up, I've seen just about every type of produce piled from the bottom of the bed of trucks to twice their height, but I've never seen dromedaries being spirited away from central Cairo.  I'm not sure what they were up to or why they looked so non-plus about their journey, but Erin and I spent the rest of our own trek to the store guessing.  Perhaps this means we have no lives.  It's better than thinking about the economic crisis or swine flu or group work (the last is the far gravest threat, I'm convinced).

 While shopping, we also spied a women wearing a niqab carrying around a toy sword in fron the Nike store and all through Carrefour.  It was far funnier to see than it is to describe.

 The taxi ride back was more like a carnival ride than a form of transport as there were no shocks and each tiny bump sent us flying into the beige cloth drooping down from the ceiling.  Oh, Egypt.

 Today I had an economics-heavy session of Migration and Development which wasn't the most rousing thing I've ever experienced.  Cynthia, who's now entirely moved in, cat and all, and I joined Ross for dinner at the fatatri place on Tahrir for dinner. Fiteer was a cheap, delicious, and Egyptian dinner option, but not the least greasy.  Ma3lesh.  I can spend the summer munching on organic mixed greens in America...or tamiflu.

  Speaking of swine flu (since everyone else is), Egypt seems to be just as alarmed at the prospect of a pandemic as other countries who have halted pork imports, issued travel advisories, etc.  Some members of the lower house of the Egyptian parliament have called for the nation's 250 000 plus swine to be put to death immediately.

  

Other news:

  A Saudi-based IGO pressures a controversial video game manufacturer to remove a combat game from its site that allowed players to pit religious figures such as Muhammad and Jesus against one another.  

  A brother of a Hamas spokesman was arrested on the Egyptian side of the border with Palestine today.

  

  The European Union plans to strengthen ties with Egypt according to the Czech presidency.

  

  I polished off my Migration and Development reaction paper today, only to move on to the final draft of my thesis proposal.  The latter is actually quite enjoyable since a thesis is so much more a personal thing.  

  All over the news are reports of the swine flu and its pandemic potential.  Some nations are even issuing travel warnings to not only Mexico, but the States as well.  It's strange to feel so unaffected by virtue of being in Egypt.  Usually it's the other way around: "Oh good, another case of bird flu?  Parasites in the water?  Bilharzia in the Nile? Pollution so thick you can taste? Wish I were in America."  For now, I'm glad the pigs are so far away.

News:

  An entry in a Discover Magazine blog discusses bird flu in Egypt and swine flu in the Americas and peoples' reactions to them.

  Factional violence continues to threaten unity in Palestine (video) :  Muslim Brotherhood distances itself from Hizbullah terror cell