Welcome home Nor

:) We are glad you are fine..
welcome back to p and q...

when yo are ready..please sum up for us ..what ever that's on your mind

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And trust me, the Lebanese people didn't take a breathe yet

I'm not home yet, Nana, actually I'm at my uncle's since he's the closest to el tahrir square and the farthest from dad. roads are still blocked. thankfully.

I promise to sum things up once I just take a breath.

and thank you, Britt, physically I am fine yes, except my head and minor bruises here and there.

things are not calming down, I wish they will settle soon, things are getting out of hand fast. those people are desperate enough to kill us all without a second thought, which is what they're doing.

Why did you say you are hiding from your dad..?

and I mean welcome back to us safe :) not home as home..although I hope you will really get back home with this president out of the thorn..

I'm glad your ok Nor!!

He wouldn't allow me out to any of this, not when it is not safe, yet i'm not hiding, as in really hidding, nope, just going around having him give me an order to stay out of this and tensing things up more with me disobeying him, so i'm not letting him get a hold of me to tell me anything first place. makes things easier.

as to Mubarak, now it's more of a play of who can hold his breath longer, us or him and his government. I'm not sure the country can go on longer than a few days like this to be honest. all kind of goods and services are running out, if not cut.

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Thanks, Chelsey!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

he governmet should turn against him..that would be the only solutions but haa" la tendahy ma fey 7adan.."

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NOTE:

" la tendahy ma fey 7adan.."

^^an Arabian song.. out of irony.

Oh Nor I am so glad to see you <3

The government was our problem at first not him, we just wanted him to dismiss it and assure he won't be running for the presidency again, then things got complicated, especially after the way he acted, people saw red and even won't wait till the next elections in September, they just want them all out now.

Jenn! <3 Egypt is burning, Jenn, even Cairo museum is in between burning or being stolen. =[ we made a human shield to protect it twice. but it seems like someone is insisting, all the fires won't just catch except the nearest buildings to it! and there is no police or even fire fighters to help. you should come see the pyrimids as soon as this settles down, who knows, I'm afraid to wake up tomorrow and not find the cairo tower. no kidding.

Ooh ya and eghhhhhhh Egypt's channel

what kind of LIARS rule that channel...omg
it's funny! I was watching last night at 12:20 am and they showed us the millions in tahreer square and said " people protesting to support Mubarak"

but too bad the camera shows someone holding signs that says " fal yaskot mobarak"
(wanting to dismiss mubarak" and so they
immediately stop broadcasting and show us a black screen for seconds lol...how embarrassing

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you should come see the pyrimids as soon as this settles down, who knows, I'm afraid to wake up tomorrow and not find the cairo tower. no kidding

^^lol do you mean "la7e2 7alak"

(can't be translated a Lebanese expressions/slang" no harm

Our national channels were playing a comedy film. our national news were saying everything is under control and the few trouble makers were seized. they were playing a recorded picture of the nile and a very calm cairo.

happens everywhere.

however yesterday we were attacked by pro-Mubarak supports yes, it was a massacre. especially that they had weapons, bombs, lime water and fire bombs and were not young people, we saw death then.

Mmmmm do you think the worse passed...or the worse will come yet?

Honestly? yet to come. things are getting worse by the minute. even if Hosni left, the people won't have it now, they want him trailed. that's one of the reasons why he's glued to his chair so far.

The country is an economic mess, a political mess and a social mess. and there is the possibility of other countries stepping in, whether in influence or in person, not that they haven't all these years to be honest, they have. there is a possibility of other people stepping in as well to take over what the people did and fought for. people like El Baradei.

I have seen and read some of what is going on, it is a sin what some will do to history, but I am just honestly glad to hear from you and Nee and know you are both ok.

People like El Baradei.

^^^^

people like El Baradei.
people like El Baradei.
people like El Baradei.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

ya

people like El Baradei.!!!!

>>what's your opinion of El Baradei ;)

A sin doesn't seem to describe it, Jenn. shame.

My opinion of El Baradei? AN OPPORTUNISTIC!

Now I know why you are a poet. Well said dear

Happy to find out you're ok, Nor.

It is so good to hear from you Nor.

So glad to know you're well, Nor! :]

Why why why why why do museums always seem to get targeted, or at least caught in the crossfire? There is some sort of weird symbol there about how people destroy their history in their insistence to kill each other.

Very glad to see you here, Nor. I know you'll do what you need to do, but please stay as safe as possible while doing it!

Nor glad you are well...stay safe!

Wishing you all the luck, stay safe

"Why why why why why do museums always seem to get targeted, or at least caught in the crossfire? There is some sort of weird symbol there about how people destroy their history in their insistence to kill each other."

^What a shame...hopefully cooler heads prevail...and they try to protect their treasures...not only do they belong to Egypt...but to all of humanity!

It's really sad what's happening over there at the moment. It looks like such a beautiful country!

I am very happy that you are ok, Nor.

** This is one messy and awfully long post, I know, however I addressed each person alone, so you needn't read the whole thing, just skip to your part. sorry, no energy to re-read and edit/remove parts.
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Britt:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_ElBaradei

that's the info, as to my opinion, as I said he's an opportunist, he's never done anything for Egypt or even cared, his been most of his life abroad. I don't know what does he want actually, just forcing himself at everything and on us like that and saying he's talking in OUR names! Bet they told him the Egyptians are naive people who are so desperate for a new face other than Mubarak that they'd back anyone, well we're not! but don't get me wrong, it's not because he's lived abroad more than he ever did here that I'm against him, no, it's more of his attitude all those years, I mean look at our decent people/scientists/Doctors, living abroad as well now, (sir) Magdi Yacoub, he made a hospital here in south Egypt where he treats children with heart problem, does surgries and all for them for free, he and the doctors there, his team plus others he picked from here and is training them while he's here volunter for such. of course there is also (Dr.) Ahmed Zewail or (Dr.) Farouk El-Baz who did all they can but the government wasn't helping, they brought projects, people and everything, still the government wouldn't allow them, still they gave lectures while here and met people and such.

you see, Those people, those examples, they come here yearly and do all they can for the people here and the country, they care, the people trust them and they've been with us through thick and thin, not someone who doesn't even come here to start with and even when he does come here he's been doing nothing but sitting in a garden and talking with the media (other than the 10 minutes with us in the uprising then he said he couldn't stand more in such) I mean the nerves of the man!

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Billy Rob, Thank you, that's very kind of you. and yes, actually I would love if the USA stayed out of this as well, but it's too much to ask it seems. People here are scared to death, those sitting home glued to the tvs and not out with us I mean, they're scaring them by saying there are outside/exterior/foreign forces and hands behind what's happening (sounds familiar?) and that that's why the USA is taking such an approach towards Mubarak now or at least was. that and that they want to turn us into another Iraq or Afghanistan, they even (paid I guess?) some people to say that they've been trained in the united states at how to over throw the government and the whole system. they're acting as if Israel and the USA are standing at our boarders waiting for Mubarak to leave so they can come in in in!

They even spread videos, mind you, with blonds and foreigners speaking broken or no arabic at all and sitting in the middle of tahrir square and said that's proof that we (the protesters) are driven and blinded and traitors. and that's an example of who's there and ''what's'' there.

It's the same disgusting plan used everywhere, it seems, to scare people enough and tell them how their homeland, lives and safety are threatened so that they, the government, have a green card to do ANYTHING, no questioned asked, not to mention an extended stay. come to think about it, it's just the names that differ, where you are they tell you ''Muslims'' and ''terrorists'', here they tell us ''external/foreign forces'' and ''Israel''.

as to our military/army, yes, people danced in the streets the moment we had news they're coming for us, literally danced in the streets, here the military have our trust, respect and hearts actually, always did, through out the history of Egypt, ever since we were a monarchy. although they're are in an I-certainly-don't-envy-you situation. it's so sad our police are such (insert a cuss word here).

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''Why why why why why do museums always seem to get targeted, or at least caught in the crossfire? There is some sort of weird symbol there about how people destroy their history in their insistence to kill each other.''

not at all, Sib, that's totally not true, the insistence was NOT to kill each other, sorry if that's what you understood from my previous post, the insistence was of some on causing choas, spreading fear and robbing everything, then setting the buildings (mostly governmental buildings) aflame (as ordered), most people who fell or died in this, they did because they were protecting such properties.

you see, It was all planned by our mighty government, the police withdrew totally and was no where to be found, prisons opened and prisoners let free with orders to cause chaos and fear, then all important (government-wise) buildings were set aflame, at the same time mind you, in every part of Egypt and with no firefighters whatsoever available, they just poofed into thin air. The government wanted to get rid of all papers in those buildings, if you ask me. Then, of course, all the people/criminals they've set free, plus other that they paid, were set on us to scare us away and cause a mess enough to make the army interfere, needless to say we hadn't even a stick on us and they, the prisoners, were armed (not all in guns, some if huge wooden sticks or knives and the strangest things, some even had an iron stick, one of those you use in buildings). talk about horror. especially with the National party building burning next to Cairo museum and them moving towards it, but we did make a human shield to protect the museum, it is in the heart of the place, so it was in danger the whole time, especially with another building going up in flames (that's why I said someone was insisting) so we were in between fire and armed robbers, with no firefighters and with no police whatsoever and of course with one of Egypt's most important museums right there, even Dr. Zahi Hawass joined us when he failed to get any help from anywhere, he was standing right with us, until army tanks arrived. thank goodness.

however, I have to say that the museum was saved by a miracle because we moved there after some people had already broke in, but thankfully they just robbed the souvenirs shops thinking that's it, others who broke into the museum itself had no idea where was the treasure room, thankfully, although they did ruin a mummy, two actually as I heard, when they dropped it while they were looking for the treasure room, but considering what's in there, we're considered lucky.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L92iLoTS3Sg&feature=player_embedded#

and thank you, we're all trying to stay as safe as possible, I'd talk more about it but this is getting too long already. Today we have another million-person gathering.

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Jane, Michael, Novalyn, Debbie, Nitin and Deana thank you.

They said it's part of some sort of training international programs by the UN and Human rights under different names like fighting for freedom and how to totally paralyze all government institutions in times of war, how to gather in large groups, organized ones. They also added, a bit of spice to the whole story saying, they were trained by Israelis. total bullshit if you ask me, first if there is any of these programs they'd be taking it here in the middles east not in the USA, at least if those people are smart enough to make such programs to overthrow governments and they'd be using people from here, second Israel is just next door, come on! third Mubarak is on very good terms with Israel, very very good terms, his departure wouldn't benefit them, on the contrary.

Not to mention the stories didn't make sense, especially the details. somethings like the amount of money they're paid for these programs, I mean it's them who should pay for the training and be paid? especially if these are hush-hush kind of trainings under different names? they can't be that obvious, more of stupid, if you ask me.

But when fear is a factor, Britt, rarely anyone listens, one of the interesting stories was the authorities finding a foreigner, an american women they said with a camera man and she claimed she was a reporter BUT she had no passport or any ID on her and when they checked the cam they found (surprise!) she's been capturing videos of our army tanks and where they are. I mean hello, so it's a war now? plus all kind of satellite and technology have vanished they had to do that in person? by videoing the tanks? and they couldn't even issue a fake passport or a reporter's fake ID for the person if that was true? I mean puh-lease!

another story was of another injured foreigner going to a hospital and he had someone from his embassy with him and everyone was like why why why? he's a spy, of course, especially that the person didn't say a word but all the talking was done by whoever from the embassy that was accompanying him. but if you look at it, if the person is indeed a spy, wouldn't he be more than capable of speaking himself? he was probably a poor tourist in shock or doesn't even know the language or his way out and in with every road blocked, hell I didn't, and of course there is someone from the embassy with him, the country is unstable, it's normal you'd contact you're embassy and ask for help and have someone with you, actually they'd rush to you, there is no way a foreigner unattended can find his way around especially with all main roads blocked, let alone an injuries one and looking for a hospital in that mess.

Too much 007 if you ask me.

as to the foreigner in the tahrir square, of course there are foreigners, but they're not leading us or giving us money or meals to stay there and scream bloody murder, they're are actually reporters and people from Amnesty International and such. some of them were even arrested and attacked with us. talk about embarrassing and shameful.

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Heard they're using the same attitude with you guys there but more of using words like ''muslim brotherhood'', ''terrorist'' and ''islamic state''?

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''Do the people of Egypt know who they want as their new leader?''

There are people that no one would have a word against, actually everyone would agree if they ran for the presidency, people like Amr Moussa for example.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amr_Moussa

but it's not that easy except after amending some articles in the constitution, articles that Mubarak amended/ruined to put so much limitations, impossible ones, to ensure no one but Mubarak or his son can ran for such.

I don't believe any of such is true, the stories about foreigners that is, I've been out there since the 25th, I'd know if there was something suspicious, especially that it is, us, students that carried on such protests from the start. They were interesting to hear, however. I think they were the only thing that made me go laughing at one time. but then what do I know.

''That bit about the foreigner being able to find their way around especially in such chaos doesn't make much sense.''

He wouldn't be able to if he had a plane, his way to the main roads, mind you, let alone a hospital! he probably got himself lost and was injured, so as I said, it's normal he'd have someone from his embassy with him. but try to tell people here so, no use. to them he's a spy already and he's here to overthrow the government or at least drive us to do it. I wish things were that exciting.

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If I feel sorry for anyone exact group at the moment, it's the banned Muslim Brotherhood. actually, they made it clear they want the example of Turkey as an Islamic state and not Iran, it's technically impossible for Egypt to turn into Iran, not to mention that they said they just want to practice politics, have a role, but not rule. they just want to join the people's assembly. they are not really creepy, I've been talking with them the last two weeks, they're fine. but don't worry, no one would elect them if they even ran, not enough to make them win at least, not even close.

I, however, am very open about the whole thing, I just need to see their program, and from what I've seen so far it's very civil, not that religious. They're not that closed minded, if it makes anyone feel any better, the son of their last leader is married to Adel Imam's daughter. but then again, people here fear them as well, or more of don't feel comfortable towards them. talk about weird.

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it's funny they're telling you there we'd be turning into Iran, and they're telling us here we'll be turning into Iraq and Afghanistan. what can I say: GOVERNMENTS!

well, we're very open to turn into Iran, it can not happen, not to mention no one would allow it or even wants it. even the muslim brotherhood themselves, again, they want the example of Turkey as an Islamic state and not Iran. but even if they had a change of mind the people would eat them alive.

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mubarak supporters turned out to be the police that disappeared, without their uniforms of course. go figure. and yes, they attacked us, let alone the reporters. we were shouting ''peaceful, peaceful'' because that's what our protests were, but we might as well have been talking to ourselves.

no idea about who's dead, the government won't give out any info at all.

The protests are over? we were more than a million people today and more were still coming as I left, although they were blocking most roads! but as I said, we're peaceful, we just go there and protest, so I guess they're ignoring us.

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Mr Wisner, Frank Wisner that is, is arising too much negative emotions here. I don't recall even George W. Bush being cursed that much here xD

and yes, Amr Moussa was removed from his position in the government because Mubarak was afraid by how the people actually love and respect him, too much, he's such a decent, educated and smart man, with clean hands and Mubarak wanted his place, as president, reserved for his son and wasn't willing to take any chances, you see, so he kind of removed Amr Moussa from the way.

Did not read the new posts yet; but that Avatar is just too funny Nor..indeed!! Ironic

"shar al balya ma yod7ek"
^^
Arabian proverb.

"''Why why why why why do museums always seem to get targeted, or at least caught in the crossfire? There is some sort of weird symbol there about how people destroy their history in their insistence to kill each other.''

not at all, Sib, that's totally not true, the insistence was NOT to kill each other, sorry if that's what you understood from my previous post, the insistence was of some on causing choas, spreading fear and robbing everything, then setting the buildings (mostly governmental buildings) aflame (as ordered), most people who fell or died in this, they did because they were protecting such properties."

Thanks for that clarification, Nor. I think I was speaking irrationally earlier. : ) Thanks for keeping us all posted on the events in Egypt - we are lucky to be able to hear the news from someone who is actually a part of the action.

I thought the same, Nana. well, what can I say.

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Sib, it's ok, really, I think my post was unclear. I also happen to think I'm posting all the horrible events, If I'm honest the last two weeks have been an eye opener to me, actually more of a heart opener (if there is such word).

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It's another story inside el tahrir square, it's beautiful, they are beautiful, the people, so is their spirit and unity. despite everything, despite that we're all are very different, be it in style, age, life, social rank, education or thoughts and believes, despite that even our reasons behind us being there are, in essence, different. It was never in the way.

when you first step there, the scene is not a common one, you find some really modest people sitting and chatting or eating, while others sit with a book, a quran or a bible, some with laptops, others playing a guitar, others listening to their ipods, others selling or distributing things, others sitting around a small fire they made and others singing national songs, others taking videos and pictures and others sharing numbers, emais and such, others sitting on tanks and talking with soldiers.

But no one really judges you there, some went because they wanted a better life, others went to protect the people since every person counts, so we need to be in big numbers, others went because of their love of arts, science or music and wanted more attention to be given to such fields and knew none would be given under such government, others just wanted a decent living, others wanted no more corruption, others wanted fairness, others wanted their rights back and others wanted a future, different faces than the ones we've had for 30 years and political correctness.

One of the most interesting sights was on a man who looked and sounded extremely religious talking with a woman who looked anything but that, was it any other day the man would have turned his head the other way if she crossed his path, but there they were sitting and chatting and he was calling her ''sister'' and she was telling him ''do you think so?'' in english xD it's hard to explain.

There were also other scenes of Christians protecting us by making a human chain around us as we prayed, and we protecting them when they were praying for the martyrs the next day, not that this is uncommon, but the tension suddenly was gone. There was even a wedding there mind you, in the middle of everything and people cheering, they bride and groom wanted to share their happiness I guess.

This spirit was an old wives tale until then, something your grandma said and bragged about then sighed upon while stating how much things changed nowadays, suddenly it was there.

I've had people in their late 40's or 50's talk and say they thought we were a useless generation and apologized and said they were wrong that we are the generation of victory, that we might after all be able to do what they couldn't, that we made them feel young again, made them live the dream. They talked with us without complaining about everything we are and everything we are not, but with acceptance, the supported us and suddenly the whole misunderstanding and generation gap was lifted. vanished.

There were people who put themselves infront of you at the first sign of trouble, people you don't even know, they made shifts to protect you should anything happen, shifts that changed every four hours, their sign was a whistle, as simple as that.