Eccentric Flower talk:201101/Egypt

ProfRobert:

I'm not an expert, and indeed may have been brainwashed by what little I've been exposed to, but in my mind, the MB was on par with Hamas; that is, fundamentalist terrorists first, and everything else second. I had the impression that the mass murders at Luxor were carried out by affiliates of the MB. I'm very open to education and correction if I'm wrong.

What happens in Egypt is whatever the army decides is going to happen. The commanders may decide Mubarek has outlived his usefulness and try to back some new, feel-good dictator who can promise the illusion of reform. Or they may take the Iranian approach and just start slaughtering people (and that's with or without Mubarek). I feel for the folks over there. Egypt is a spectacularly beautiful country and the people are really very nice -- even the hucksters at the souks aren't malicious.

I respect your desire not to engage on the Israel issue, but I would point out that being "pro-Israel" is a highly ambiguous phrase. One can be "pro-Israel" -- that is, supporting its right to exist -- and not be "pro-everything-Israeli-governments-do." Another problem is that if the issue is framed that way, then "not being pro-Israel" could create the impression that one is "anti-Israel," which is a very different position than "I am anti-Israeli government policy."

-- 21:26, 28 January 2011 (GMT)

Columbina:

I have not gotten that impression from Economist coverage of the Muslim Brotherhood, but I admit that has been almost my only source. US periodicals are like "huh, what's an Egypt?" and I don't have any good overseas sources in a language I can read. At any rate they certainly seem like the slight lesser of two evils at the moment, but I might be wrong too!

The problem with your analysis - which I think is probably correct - is that no one is really sure who is in charge of the army anymore. Sure, okay, it does what it wants, but who is really driving the bus?

-- 21:40, 28 January 2011 (GMT)

Bunny42:

You are so correct about the Obama administration's pandering to Mubarak. Biden said on Public Radio the other day that he shouldn't be referred to as a dictator at all. Not to say that others haven't supported him, over the years, but Biden's comments were pretty overt.

I heard another radio source today commenting that the Egyptian people were actually greeting the army in the streets, slapping them on the back and welcoming them. Just preferring the devil you know doesn't seem like enough justification to back him, if his own people want him out. Smacks of Imperialism, doesn't it.

-- 22:11, 28 January 2011 (GMT)

Thomas:

Off topic, but as you do not follow me on Twitter, so you would not see if I asked by tweeting in answer to your tweet (not to get lost in sound of all this twittering ...)

By mentioning the Google logo in honor of Jules Verne you do open door to the natural follow up: "And what is your favorite work by Jules Verne? Is it different from the one you liked better as a child?"

I would not ask the next question from anyone who would not introduce their short attention span like a favorite cousin to everyone, but did you have any trouble with getting into Verne when preteen?

... you can go on! Who would not have MANY things to say about Verne!

-- 14:18, 8 February 2011 (GMT)

Columbina:

I hate to admit this, but while I respect Verne as an important early SF influence and all that, I found his stuff very hard to read as a kid, have never re-read any of them (I probably should now), and don't retain a strong impression of any of them. Sorry that's disappointing.

-- 15:34, 8 February 2011 (GMT)

Thomas:

Hm, so even if you like languages and puzzles, the attempts to figure out the letter in bottle in castaways has left no trail, moved ńo curiosity?

Then again - as for me Verne is before all nostalgia, anything I could say would be more about me and less about Verne.

And I am not at all sure that you SHOULD reread any Verne. Just like I question the wisdom of local literature teachers, who have made Verne mandatory reading in schools here.

That reminds me - whom would you think should schoolchildren local to you read instead of Verne (as an example of someone having similar place in the particular genre for American readers).

-- 17:25, 8 February 2011 (GMT)

Jette:

I loved "20,000 Leagues" as a child and I was grown up before I learned I had been reading a severely abridged version in my childhood. Tried to read the unabridged version and got bored. Can't get interested in the movie either, for whatever reason (I think it's because I find Kirk Douglas irritating).

But I do love today's Google logo.

-- 17:46, 8 February 2011 (GMT)