Happy New Year everyone.
A year has past and we’re on the threshold of a newer one. Personally, 2007, probably like any other year, had its good and bad things. At the beginning of 2007, precisely on January 15, my beloved grandmother passed away, a person who loved me like no one else. I simply don’t understand how she still appears in my dreams almost a year after her passing away.
On my professional level, I moved to Luxor to work as a sales manager. In spite of the fact that I am very bored in this city, I do consider the move to be positive. Living on your own teaches you a lot and meeting a lot of people has also helped my interpersonal skills.
On the political level, I think 2007 was a good year in Iraq. Violence has decreased dramatically, thanks to the Sunni tribal leaders who turned against Al Qaeda. The number of Iraqis and coalition forces killed has decreased even though 2007 was the most deadly year for US soldiers (because of the surge that exposed more troops). Last December, 534 Iraqis were killed, 1,752 were killed during the same month last year. 22 American soldiers were killed in December 07, that’s the second least month since the war started. The least month was February 2004 that witnessed 20 deaths. 112 soldiers were killed in December 2006. (For more numbers check the excellent http://icasualties.org/oif/)
My hope for Iraq is the continuation of this decline in violence and the witnessing of a political agreement between its 3 major segments.
Lebanon, unfortunately, continues to suffer from the evil protracted by Syria and its cohorts. My hope is that in 2008 the Lebanese finally settles on a president, Syria leaves them alone, gioco poker gratispoker no onlinecarte pokertornei poker onlinesexy poker onlinegioco poker online gratissexi poker onlinedownload pokerstrip poker on linestreep poker onlineamerican pokergioco poker per pcfull tilt pokerscommesse on linegiochi streep pokeraces texas holdempoker gioco completodownload gioco poker gratisgioco video poker gratispoker texas holdem gratispoker ittexas holdem online gratisstrip pokergiocare a pokeronline poker gameonline casino pokerstreep poker on linestreet poker onlinegiocare a poker gratispoker texano gratisgiochi poker per pcpoker tournament softwarepoker gratis italianostrep poker on linegioca poker online gratispoker on line italianostrip poker pc gratisdownload poker on linegiochi online di pokergioco poker gratis,gioco poker,gioco carte pokergiochi 7 card stud in linea,giochi seven card stud,7 card studpoker roomspoker per pcpoker multiplayer onlinegioco poker on linegiochi di poker on linepoker giochi scaricareeurobet pokerstreep poker gratis7 card stud online and Lebanon becomes the jewel of the Middle East once again.
Now to the US. The prospect of a women president in the White House excites me but I personally don’t think Clinton is fit for the job. On November 4th, I would like to see John McCain elected. He is the only one with the experience to fill this position. I know McCain doesn’t excite the hardcore Republicans that much, but currently the polls show that he’s the only one capable of defeating Hillary.
Now to Egypt. 2007 didn’t have much for my country. However, I believe the most significant thing that happened are all these protests by the laborers and government employees. I think we’ll see more of these especially if the government decided to mess up with the subsidies.
As for my blogging, I am not sure when I’ll resume full time blogging. So please stay tuned.
May you all have a splendid new year.
Jeez, BP, I haven’t been here in a while. Quite a change! Anyway, Happy New Year to you too! May it be good for all of us.
Comment by Matt — January 1, 2008 @ 7:24 pm
Happy New Year Pharaoh. May you continue to reign over us.
Comment by anand — January 1, 2008 @ 10:54 pm
Hallo Pharaoh,
Can’t help thinking it would be disastrous if a member of the party that launched the war in Iraq came again into power.
Experience is certainly important in a leader but not that much. I would give preference to intellectual capacities as well as to his/her aims.
Anyway, it is not up to us to decide.
Georg
Comment by Georg — January 2, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
Happy New Year 2008 BP.
And I agree on McCain, for different reasons; for all his faults, he is the most credible presidential candidate by far.
Comment by Jeha — January 2, 2008 @ 11:01 pm
Happy New Year, BP -
Wishing you Joy for the Good Times and Strength for the Bad in 2008.
Comment by Adriane — January 2, 2008 @ 11:21 pm
Happy New Year BP! I hope this year in your new city will be a good one!
Comment by Yaeli — January 3, 2008 @ 3:20 pm
Happy New Year, Big Pharaoh!!
Comment by Louise — January 3, 2008 @ 4:22 pm
happy new year
Comment by Nomad — January 3, 2008 @ 9:24 pm
Happy New Year BP.
Comment by ella — January 4, 2008 @ 4:16 pm
Yeah, Happy New Year man! Glad you did well on a personal level!
Comment by Outlaw Mike — January 7, 2008 @ 11:01 pm
The U.S. did elect one non-southern governor in the last 32 years. Guess it could happen again.
Comment by Perry — January 8, 2008 @ 1:43 am
Good to see a life-sign. Happy New. Stay sharp.
Comment by halalhippie — January 12, 2008 @ 11:53 pm
Thank you for coming out to wish us a very happy New Year! I hope you will get back into your former habit and post here and there as the mood strikes you: you have been sorely missed!
I also (selfishly)wish you a calmer, easy year on the work front, the best of health, success in all your endeavors and above all peace and love.
However my dear friend, you have read the American people wrong if you really think that Senator McCain, worthy as he really is, can win the presidency; as it stands the majority of American voters are set to elect a Democrat, just look at the polls….
Multiple reasons account for this shift in American politics: the mortgage/housing crisis, the unemployment figures on the rise, the wars both Afghanistan & Iraq which has greatly contributed to the economic downturn, and last but not least the lies told by the Bush admin. to bully its way into a huge mess. And I have not even spoken of Pakistan, the thorn in GWB’s crown…
Now the choice afforded by the Democratic party is quite historic in that both of the candidates, from whom the winner will be chosen, are truly ground-breaking in terms of what they do represent to Americans: Obama: the 1st black President
Clinton: The 1st woman President.
I personally think Hilary will win mainly because more than half of the American voters are women and this is their first true opportunity to elect a sister to the presidency, I believe most women will cast their vote for her because they view her as capable, experienced and tough, the latter is an essential element in the making of a president.
Comment by northern shewolf — January 14, 2008 @ 8:23 pm
Nice sentiments northern shewolf,but a senator hasn’t been elected since Nixon. For a sitting senator,you have to go back to JFK. No JFK’s in this race.
Elections have gone to southern governors since the primary systems were reformed three decades ago. GWB was the exception to the rule. Being Reagans veep was enough to get him in for a single term. It’s possible Huckabee could lose,but I wouldn’t bet on it.
Comment by perry — January 15, 2008 @ 10:08 am
Hey everyone:
It would be much appreciated if you could visit my new blog:
www.slickblog.wordpress.com
I am trying to lift it off the ground so it would be appreciated if you could comment, thank you.
Comment by slickleb — January 16, 2008 @ 12:44 am
God, and your Grandmother, have been kind to give you the comfort of her visits in your dreams. How said it is for the democrat party to be reduced to putting a figurehead woman or black person in the whitehouse. As a 58 year old woman from the USA, I must say is that the best my generation and sex could field. God help us. Elect a WOMAN because she is the wife of bill and a WOMAN and that is the sum total…how sad.
Please resume your blogging, your insite was helpful.
Best,
Judith
Comment by Judith — January 19, 2008 @ 1:43 pm
I’ve got a question about the US political race that I need to have answered by a Middle Eastern person, BP.
Sen. Obama was once a Muslim. His father was Muslim and he was raised being schooled in the Muslim way.
Now he is a Christian.
Doesn’t that make him an apostate?
If so, how would more radical Muslims, such as in Saudi Arabia, react to having an apostate for a US president?
Wouldn’t religious prudence require them to snub Obama if he is elected, to not receive him for state events and not attend US events, given that they execute the apostates among their own people?
This has been puzzling me.
I hope someone here can give me a clue about this.
Comment by mamapajamas — January 20, 2008 @ 4:07 am
northern shewolf… do you honestly believe that the women in the US are stupid enough to vote for Hillary’s vagina?
That is what you have determined.
I will not vote for a rabid socialist of ANY sex or color… and that eliminates both Hillary and Obama.
Hillary, BTW, is the only candidate in this race who has poll stats of “will not for for this person under any circumstances” in the high 40s to low 50s percentage rate.
Comment by mamapajamas — January 20, 2008 @ 4:13 am
I’m with you mama. Hillary is not a strong woman, she is a conniving crook. People worry about Obama’s past, but do they know her personal assistant, Huma, is a Saudi. Grew up in wahhabist SA, came here for college and after graduation, went to work for Hillary. Considering how much money Bill has made in the ME these past 7 years, and her personal ties, I would think there is a degree of conflict of interest. Not to mention her Stalinist tactics in bimbo eruptions, Hillarycare, cattle futures, foes getting audited, missing FBI files on the opposition found in her office, and Sandy Berger, who stuffed in his pants/then destroyed classified documents incriminating Bill, is now working on her campaign.
And McCain is bad news because he has crapped on the First Amendment with McCain/Feingold that gave rise to the 527s much to billionaire socialist democrat owning Soros’ delight. Then he was all for the McCain/Kennedy amnesty bill, and the DREAM act which was backdoor amnesty through illegal’s children.
If people paid just a little bit of attention to how these candidates stood or were responsible for, the issues, they would laugh Clinton, Obama, and McCain right out the door.
Comment by Annie — January 20, 2008 @ 9:55 pm
If the vote is between McCain and Hillary,…what’s the difference? He’s a war hero, I’ll grant that, but he’s socially as liberal as she is…From overseas you might not see it but he has no concept of the Constitution and is the lead name on the bill that has done the most damage to the US Constitution since Roosevelt’s New Deal.
Comment by doug in Colorado — January 25, 2008 @ 4:07 pm
Hi, hope all is well. Miss your postings. Will be starting our Egyptian tour on Feb. 4th and will be in Luxor on the 14th and 15th. What would your weather be like, and is it alright to where shorts if the weather is hot? Our tour doesn’t recommend it, but I see a lot of pictures with people wearing shorts. Hope your new job is going great. Best of luck.
Bob Rubel
rrubel@bellsouth.net
Comment by Bob Rubel — January 28, 2008 @ 1:29 am
WELL!
God bless you, Big Pharoah. I do miss your posts. It is good to hear an intelligent voice from your part of the world.
Take care of yourself - Paul
Comment by Paul K. — February 19, 2008 @ 1:17 am
Hey BP! How’s everything going? Miss your posts!
Comment by Suzanne — March 2, 2008 @ 3:43 pm
Miss you.
Comment by Kristine — March 7, 2008 @ 11:01 pm