852) I just wanna Leave !

I just wanna leave ...

Leave What? I don't know ..

To where? I don't know ..

By when? I don't know ..

And How? I don't know ..

I just wanna leave ..

Life or Place .. I don't know

Sooner or Later .. I don't know

Near or Far .. I don't know

Easy or Hard .. I don't know

I just wanna leave ...

M.O.H.@.L.Y

850) FREEDOM ... A Gift and A Choice !

I have always thought highly of freedom, and I have always had it on the top of my personal values. 

Seriously, I do realize now that Freedom is the most precious gift God has given us, and we have to use it wisely in order to keep & preserve. Excessive use of freedom can make us risk loosing it, while not using it turns us into half-humans imprisoned within our own soles.

I have just witnessed -and still witnessing- such terrible experience of loosing freedom for someone very close to me, and the thought of loosing it is really scaring me to death. I can't even think clearly to write about it properly. I am sorry.

M.O.H.@.L.Y

833) إنسان ؟!!

ما زال قلبى دافئا 

و مازالت روحى حرة

فما بال جسدى هامدا 

و ما بال نفسى مُرة

* * *

يضحكنى طفل و تثيرنى إمرأة

و يقشعر بدنى للاَذان

و عندما أخلو لنفسى

أشعر بأنى بارداَ كالأوثان

* * *

أمازلت بشراَ أنا

أم أصبحت حجرا صوان؟

أبالحب أحيا و بالرغبة أنتشى

أم أنا صنماَ فى جسد إنسان؟

  

Mohaly
رأس السنة 2012-2013

829) Close, Lock, and Seal !!

Since the Islamic stream came to power, I have noticed that there are certain words and expressions that prevailed over others like Closing, Banning, Controlling, Dominating, Monitoring, ..etc rather than Opening, Creating, Cooperating, Respecting,.etc. There are many incidents and issues, but lately the Egyptian society, media, and intellects, were consumed in the issues of closing stores at 10pm, and banning the porno sites. Actually, I am for having a regulation for opening and closing of stores, and I am against the negative effect of porno sites. However, I totally refuse both decisions..

Let me start with the latest, PORN Sites...Before you think that I am promoting Porn Sites, just answer the following questions:

1. Does the government have a certain definition for Porno sites? Other than the explicit fornication sites, do you consider an article or a blog, or facebook page that contains people on the beach or scientific illustratiomn of body parts as porn? What is the criteria for classifying or banning a website?
2. Do people log onto porno sites by their own will, or is it obligatory in the web browser? I.e. If someone decides not to log to porn sites, will he/she ever be exposed to them unless he/she digs for it?
3. Can we really technically control it? I worked for 10 years in the Internet field and managed mega portals like Microsoft Network, and I can assure you that the 100+ Million pounds they gonna spend will be invain as there are many ways to open these sites ranging from stuff for free to application for $10 or $15!! needless to say that the Internet in Egypt will be slower as well.
4. Who will pay the 100 Million Pounds (announced in Al Ahram)? and how does this come as a priority in public spending?
5. Did anyone consider the side-effect of this decision in our world positioning in the Telecommunication and Internet field? 

I am afraid that this kind of banning will be a Trojan horse for controlling the content of the net, and blocking whatever pages or application the government doesn't like .. famous bloggers like Wael Abbas, or Alaa and Manal or Mona El Tahaway or even this humble blog can be banned just for claiming that they contain something "doesn't fit with the values of the society" .. Give me a break!!

Moving to the 2nd very much related issue, Closing the Shops @10 and restaurants @12 ... Let me throw a couple of questions as well:

1. On What basis was this decision taken? 
2. Why cant it wait till the election of parliament to be fully discussed and apply it in the right way at the right time?
3. Did the government consult with the owners, and civil societies to study the pros and cons?
4. Did the government consider the Egyptian culture with all its ups and downs and how to apply the decision while taking it into consideration?
5. What alternative solutions will the government provide for the side effects of the decision (like increasing in un-employment, security issues, fighting illegal trade and "ghorza" that will flourish after closure hours,...etc).

Again, I am afraid that it is all revolving about the same ancient obsolete ideology of banning and bestowing !!!! the divine supreme government that has "ra3aya" or "3abeed e7sanhom" not civil citizens.

Mohaly

753) BEING EGYPTIAN 2.0 !

Yesterday 11.02.2011 was the happiest day of my life.... Egypt is finally in the hands of the Egyptian People, Egypt is free, and we were part of making history... One Day I will take my little son or daughter on my lap and tell them how did their father fight through Writing, Lecturing, Protesting for weeks, and even Defending his home and family in the streets...Allah Akbar, thank you God.

It was a dream that finally came true through unity, determination, and sincerity. 

I have always believed in Egypt and have always loved her to the extent that some of my friends have mocked me for having its flag in my room, and national songs in my car, refusing job offers with triple my income in UK and Gulf areas, giving lectures for free, and even my work as VP of Nahdet El Mahrousa. But this mocking just gave more power, and Khaled Sa3eed's death was a turning point... since the day Khaled Sa3eed died, I have decided to speak up and not to be afraid... through the blog, facebook, and even in public...my mother was so worried, and they have tried to hack my account twice, but I have seen people dying for Egypt and it just gave me more and more determination and freed my heart from any fear...and thanks to the admin of Khaled Sa3eed (Wael Ghoneim) who kept inspiring me and others as well to continue, and of course our brothers and sisters in Tunis who gave us the final push and helped us throughout the revolution. I can finally celebrate my birthday now.

But this article is not about me or others...it is about US all...I have written many times saying that: "If this generation won't change Egypt, it will never change", and "If Egyptians have a vision and mission to unite around, you will see miracles"...and thank God...thank God...thank God that I have lived and witnessed my beloved country FREE...

I have worked in the Internet field for many years, and used to hold almost the same post Ghoneim is holding in Google but for its competitor MSN, and I really liked him calling this revolution  REVOLUTION 2.0 as an indication of revolution on everything and system that has been rotten in Egypt... but allow me to say that I think that Revolution 2.0 is almost over, and EGYPT 2.0 has just started... In order to launch Egypt 2.0 a huge work and responsibility is waiting for us. We have just finished dealing with the past, and now we have the challenge of building our won future.

I will be mostly dedicating the blog in the coming period for a new series called EGYPT 2.0 about how can we all contribute in building a new Egypt that we can continue to be proud of, and can one day pass it on as a treause to our kids.

I will be mainly talking about:

- Life: Having a Mission
- Work: Productivity vs. Activity
- Home: Being a Productive Family
- Society: Integration and Solidarity
- World: International Image and Positioning

For now, have some rest for a couple of days, take your time to reflect and realize, and let's start this week to build our country... It is now ours, and it is our responsibility.

I will try my best to cover all the aspects of developing this country... I will integrate old articles and new ideas..and I will need your help in discussing them here to inspire each other and keep the beautiful spirit that has inspired the whole world.....We owe it to ourselves, and  TO THE BEAUTIFUL PURE MARTYRS who lost their lives defending our case. Please if you are reading this, stand up for 1 minute of silence in respect for their souls.



We have amazed the world with our civilization, inspired the World with our Revolution 2.0, & we'll impress the world with EGYPT 2.0 in-shaa-Allah...

Long Live Egypt ... Long Live the Egyptians

I am reborn :)

Mohaly

........................................................

E G Y P T   I S   F R E E    

........................................................

Mohaly :)

648) Personal ::: My Very Lucky Day !

Sorry for being late, but it was a hell of a week. I will wait and answer the questions of Vision part 1 in Vision part 2 later next week, but today I want to share with you some stuff that are very much related to this topic.

I just want to share with you some incidents of a weird day...

1. In the morning I was in the Airport cafe waiting for my plane heading back to cairo, the waiter spilled water on my laptop and the mother board was bye bye... almost total loss and I had to get a new one.

2. My Omega watch (expensive begad) suddenly was cut into 2 dropping to the floor and hitting a metal protrousion on its way to the floor ending up in pieces!

3. I was supposed to stary 45 mins at the airport, I stayed 5 and half hours coz of the plane delay.

4. I returned back to Cairo to find my Car motor dead; i.e. i just gotta renew it and buy a new one.

5. During the 5 hours, I had some quality time to think. As you know my main job is teaching at AUC + corporate trainings. This is in addition to being the consultant and board member of a development company. After deep thinking about some accumulative incidents that I didn't like or accept, so I decided not to renew the consulting contract with this company, and hence losing a significant percentage of my income.

The weird thing is that in spite of such huge losses in one day, I am satisfied and grateful. I dunno why, but I feel that is the right thing, I feel even better, I feel free!!

Can you link this with my questions in the last post?

Mohaly

642) Being Yourself 10 - Final Episode!

Don't ever let anyone make you feel that he has control over your life. You are the one who decides how much power you give to other people, and to what extent they can interfere in your life.

Even God -All Mighty- just tells you the right way and strategy, gives you the freedom and choice, accepts your mistakes if you regret it, and only judges you at the end where He balances the good / bad deeds and actions.

So how come you pend your security in life on someone.Your security comes from within.

..... Your boss may secure you in business today, but business changes, and he may be the one who fires you tomorrow.
..... Your lover may give you emotional security today, and may be the one who dumps you tomorrow.
..... Your friends and connections may give you social security today, but may turn against you tomorrow.

So focus, and know that you are the one who chooses either being a slave for other people's choices, or freeing yourself and knowing that the only source of security is YOU.

You try your best at work, with the people you love, with friends, and enjoy the happy moments... If things aren't as before, don't feel weak or rejected, it may be a sign for "a need to change" ... not only the people, but the way you link your life with them as well.

For those believing in God: Take a "Neyyah", do your best, and thank God on whatever outcome, you are the winner in both cases. Know that only continuous relation that gives you complete security is your relation with God. It rewards you in both good and in bad, and sometimes even the bad turns out to be .. for better.

For those who don't believe in God: Don't sink in materialistic life, have a way out, do what you gotta do, but don't link your happiness or security on others coz it will be a fragile security. Focus on yourself and don't let others control you.

I love you Guys,
Mohaly

634) The Swiss Minaret !

I have visited Switzerland before, and I loved the country and people too. I got the feeling that they have chosen the hardest option of being unbaised and respected them for such challenge.

I hoped that the swiss people have had proven to the world how unbiased and coherent they are, and instead of voting against building minarets, they could have simply voted for having the most prominent swiss product "Clocks" fixed over each new minaret -check the picture-. It can be a beautiful architecture holding a practical instrument that can be of benefit for everyone without positiong it as a "Muslim Missile"!

Mesh Keda wala eih 3ala Ra2i Fouad El Mohandes.

Mohaly

611) Being Yourself :: Episode 4 - Social Obligs!

I know that many people may attack me for this post, but that is my opinion, I have to be myself :)

One of the things that provokes me especially in the Arab Culture that people spend sooooooooooo much time in what they call "social obligations" where:

- they visit people they dont wanna visit or dont wanna visit now,

- eat something that they don't wanna eat (and sometimes say wow delecius!),

- sometimes travel to places they dont wanna go with people that they dont wanna travel with,

- inviting people that they dont wanna invite to their home, or even receiving them without prior notice and showing that you are ok!

- and many others (you name it) where you give this poker face (wesh gebs)!

Half of my quarrels with my family is because of "social obligations", look at the word OBLIGATION, 7aga mostafeza!! and everything is just FAKE, hugs, smiles, talk, everything EXCEPT the time passing that will never comeback :(

How can I wake up and decide upon the face I am gonna wear for today's event!!! Why can't I just be myself?!

What will happen if we decided to do what we feel comfortable with and be ourselves WITHOUT BEING RUDE? What will happen if I appoloiged to someone that I cant go out today or I cant recieve him/her in my home today, or that I can't eat heavy stuff, or , or , or.

Will they get mad at me? from my own personal experience, may be for a while, but then people will know that IT IS YOU, and that is who you are and how you wanna lead your life. Believe me, I tried it and people still like me, but without having to be -most the time- doing stuff that I don't wanna do.

Mesh keda bardo?!

Mohaly

610) Being Yourself :: Episode 3 - It's Your Goal !

Q: Why do people lose interest -or the required enthusiam- in achieveing their goals?

A: I think the main reason is that many people write down what others need or expect from them not what they really want.

Examples:

1. Those who want to live without the burdens of 9 to 5 job and they are talented enough to work as artists, writers, free lancers...etc but because the people around them are terrifying them from this life, they start un-dreaming their dreams!

2. Those who get hight scores in Thanawia Amma, and want to major in something they like, and end up majoring in Teb & Handasa to please their families!

3. The sweet couple who dream about their home, but family obligations change this dream to different goals.

4. Ha Meen Yezawed...

No matter how werid your dream or goal is, no one knows you better than yourself. Fight for your right to have and achive your own goals. Fight for your right to have enthiusiam in what you are doing. Have your path clear and be acctountable for your choices. Aboos Eidak Be Yourself !

Mohaly

531) Ayman Nour, & the Khelf Khelaf system!

Although Ayman Nour dah mabyenzeleesh men zor, but I am glad that he is set free, still there are some questions though:

- Why did he enter the prison?

- Why is he out of the prison just couple of months before it is over?

- Why now and not before?

Many speculations, may be the new US admin, may be internal, but the thing we are sure of that this regime just loves doing the stuff when least expected and resisting it when it is most demanded!!

Mohaly

519) He goes, He comes, & the Country wins!

It is really amazing for our Arab and 3rd world nations to see a president who has been there for 8 years just leaves like that and delivers all the power he has to someone who has a completely different ideology and background, why? Because people said so.!!

Seeing Bush -with all his faults- that cooperative in this smooth transition, and how the tradition has got 5 American presidents in the same place (while we celebrate that we got 5 Arabs on the same table in summit lunch!), this tells you why Americans have to be proud with their liberty and democracy.

Americans don't have history or heritage as we do, but they have something much more precious; FREEDOM!

Mohaly

P.S>  I was sick at home all day on Tuesday and this was good as I have seen it all (5 hrs).

517) La Torad Wala Tostabdal - Part II !

Ok, in the last post, we discussed the causes, but now the important question is: How can we enforce the after-sales culture in our society? 

There is "Gehaz 7emayet El mostahlek" (Customer Protection), that should play the biggest role, but what about the people, they should play a role too..

1. You never buy something valuable without having a documented after sales proof.

2. When you experience bad after sales, you have to report it immediately to the Customer protection.

3. If it is an international brand, send email to the headquarters, I did it before with Nokia, and they really bahdelo raya.

What else guys? We need to be more proactive...

Mohaly

417) Reaction El Shabab fe Modet El Hijab!!

P.S> Click on the picture to see it enlarged.

This is how they see different kinds of Hijabs in Syria. If they came to Egypt, they would have added much more categories of the Hijab (Spanish we Italian we French, we 7ata Borkina Fasso)!

I am wondering if El Hijab ba2a moda! maba2ash 7ad 3aref heya el bent el 2odamo de mo7agaba wala la2 aslan men el eli banat ba2et telbes, we 3agabi!!

Mohaly

301) Fawazeer Ramadan 19 - 7oreyat El Sa7afa!!

19. Ahram Today Front Page; Can someone explain how come one piece of news is saying we have freedom of expression, and the news above says 4 Chief Editors are sentenced to jail because what they have written?

Mohaly

291) Fawazeer Ramadan 14 - Khaddam Gazmetek

Yesterday one of my very close friends got this message from someone called "Khaddam Gazmetek" on facebook, she was shocked and furious at the same time, and ended up reporting him to facebook.

هاى انا دكتور 28 سنه من القاهرة بدور على بنت للجواز بشرط انها تسيطر عليا و تتحكم فيا و تخلينى عبدها و زى الكلب تحت رجلها تضربتى و تشتمنى و تزلنى و تكون الكلمه و الامر ليها هى و انا مجرد عبد ليها و خدام تحت رجلها انفذ اوامرها و اوطى ابوس رجلها و تحسسنى ديما انها هى كل حاجه و انا مجرد كلب زليل تحت رجلها مقدرش اتحرك من غير امرها
لو تحبى فعلا انك تتحكمى فى راجل تسيطرى عليه و تزليه بجد انا مستعد للارتباط الجاد و مستعد اعيش عبد تحت رجدلك طول العمر

This is the most decent dictionary definition I found for Masochism: The deriving of pleasure (mostly sexually), or the tendency to derive pleasure, from being humiliated or mistreated.

14. Did we reach the point that sadist and masochist are big enough to start expressing it publically? and if so, how to stop it before it starts turing to a lifestyle as it is in some parts of the western world?

Mohaly

272) Momken Net3araf!!

Yesterday I had a meeting at 10pm for the MILE organization (I am its Egypt team leader), el mohem... While I was there with my friend Sherif (Establisher) who came from UAE for just 2 days for our meetings, we suddenly found my mobile asking me if i can accept a bluetooth message from "TOTA.TOTI". I definitely rejected (waste of time, virus,..etc reasons).

Less than a min, same message appeared on my and Sherif's mobile as well..we ignored and continued the meeting...5 mins later Sherif got the message again, so he decided to accept and see...surprisingly we found message saying "momken ne3araf ;)" ...so we laughed and said meen el ray2a el fadya di (hopefully el ray2a mesh el raye2!) ....

5 mins later we got another message "ana 3ayaza ashoufak!" at this moment there were only 3 girls in cilantro and it was obvious that it was one of them specially she was starring at us all the time.. We couln't turn the bluetooth off coz we needed it.

We just ignored the whole thing and moved on with our meeting till they left. I cant believe the girls attitude, and specially in Ramadan....Feen el 7aya?

Mohaly

207) Do you love yourself?

Should we love ourselves? Why? and To what extent?
Mohaly

197) Why are Egyptians so Noisy?!

I got this on my mail and thought of sharing it with you guys...I think it is worth reading and discussing...
Mohaly

Away from stereotypes and generalizations, why are we –Egyptians- so noisy? Why are we loud?
Down the street, at home, in a train, in a cinema, in the opera house, even in the desert!
When I say we, I don’t exclude myself and I don’t mean all Egyptians. The beeping horns, the loud music, the f__ mobile phone tones…what is it? Did we develop a “culture of noise”? Or has it always been the case?
I’m trying a naïve synopsis, and you are all invited to disagree, agree, and comment, to the end of the list:

First: Freedom & Ignorance
Given the high rate of illiteracy (let alone the decay of ethics), many Egyptians don’t even know what freedom means. They don’t know what it means enjoying their lives (sometimes, through very noisy practices) without offending or annoying others. None of us was spared a noisy street wedding or a funeral’s loudspeakers next door.

Second: Despair & Selfishness
I think there are millions of Egyptians who feel that “we’re going nowhere, we stand no chance”. If the ship is sinking anyway, then at least let’s enjoy our last hour! We will do it selfishly and noisily!

Third: Passiveness
A legacy of oppression, ignorance and absence of basic human rights fermented into a passive attitude towards everything and everyone, including those idiots who play their music at loudest, those who talk and laugh loud down every street and corner, to the end of the list.

Fourth: Heritage & the Big City
Since day one, a newborn is exposed to every form of noise that there is! Zaghareet, seboo3, loud birthdays…they grow up into a city of 18 million plus…a city of over a million cars…a city that never sleeps.

Fifth: Attention
A guy wants to impress a girl, and because he (and probably she) knows no other means to impress a lady other than money, muscle and property, he draws her attention using the common language of noise (honking, latest song, mobile ring tones, etc! You only need one train ride to experience the entire range of the mobile phone ring tones on earth…
And because I’m not a money and muscle guy, I come to realize that I am “only a voice in a city of noise” as Chris de Burgh once said! But no…Templars: We are all responsible…be positive…don’t be noisy…don’t let noise rule.