The Weekend Cometh

But not for you suckers in the West! Oh yes, the sweetness of life in the Islamic World- where Friday and Saturday form the weekend. Sunday is engrained in me- Sunday is always going to be chilled (especially considering that each day is of my own devices) but the tough edge of Friday is gone, and by Wednesday the week is almost done.

I was wondering where this shelving of Sundays comes from. Or rather more accurately, considering Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath and Christianity sprung from it, where did we get our chillaxing Sundays from?

The wiki oracle reveals, that the Roman Emperor Constantine on Mar 7, 321 decreed Sunday (dies Solis) as the Roman day of rest ,"On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed".

Put slightly differently, "in 321, in a move to spite Jews and accommodate Christianity with prevailing pagan ways, Constantine made the day of Sol Invictus a holy day and a day of rest for the Christians -- Sunday".

Oh Constantine! You reviver of the secret police, supporter of slavery, and First Christian Emperor of Rome.


So Sunday is Sol Invictus day? Hmmm Sneaky.. But there's more from the Oracle-
"A festival of the birth of the Unconquered Sun (or Dies Natalis Solis Invicti) was celebrated when the duration of daylight first begins to increase after the winter solstice,—the "rebirth" of the sun". "History records that December 25 was only adopted in the fourth century as a Christian holiday by the Roman Emperor Constantine, to encourage a common religious festival for both the Christians and the Pagans.".

So Christmas... is the Sol Invictus Uberday. Especially in the Southern Hemisphere- where we Xmas by the beach. I can imagine the Aussies now, "Hot Day, Cold Beer- celebrating Sol Invictus Uberday since second- century Syria". And the prayers that evening, "Dear Sol, I ate some real crook prawns, green ones. If you could help me guts I'd be real 'ppreciative. Cheers".

Beats from the Wild Blue Yonder

A few months ago I was chilling in "Albert and Arthurs Pad of Change" trying to do a little personal reflection. I had listened through some tracks I usually use for that kind of thing, but it just wasn't getting me there mentally so I started trying out some new things. At one point I had my favourite film, Waking Life by Richard Linklater, playing in the background so that the dialogue was rolling gently over the funky beats of Hungary's Yonderboi which I had playing in the fore.It sounded awesome.

Waking Life is... (deep breath).. a collection of 15 philosophical monologues, strung together as a dream sequence, all filmed out of Austin, Texas, on digital film that has been animated over by various artists. It is a film that defeats other films in countless ways. First, its unrivalled content. Second, the artistry in which each individual screen is composed- you can literally stop this film at any given second and it looks beautiful. Third, the soundtrack is powerful and original. And finally, the connectivity of the concept is amazing- it discusses dreams in a dream story, with a technique that renders the film itself with a dream-like quality. Even if you don't buy movies, buy the Waking Life DVD, you will watch it countless times and be better for it.

László Fogarasi Jr, aka Yonderboi, is a Hungarian DJ/Composer who kicks ass. The Oracle says his music is "somewhere between Future Jazz, Downtempo and Trip Hop"- but I have no idea about such classifications. He has two very sweet albums; "Shallow and Profound" and "Rough and Rare". If you buy music, buy "Shallow and Profound" its a worthy addition.

Anyway, coming back to the "Pad of Change" and the moment of awesomeness. I realised then that I had a new project for my time in Egypt. I needed to mix up an album, bringing together Waking Life with Yonderboi- a salute to the incredible work of Linklater and Fogarasi, a tribute to unlikely synergies in the universe.

Now, I am a complete novice at mixing and Im using some cheap software. But such is the mastery of these artists, that it actually seems to work. Here is a sample of the Linklater/Fogarisi Mix: "Yonderboi Finds Philosophy", Track 6: No Answer From Boatcar Guy.

(Vocal samples: Waking Life, Beats: Yonderboi)

Reworked Issue

I went for a walk at the sea and decided that my first attempt was unclear and kind of sucked. So I rewrote it. Both links are updated.

Issue One: We experience a world of models, not objective reality

I took to these months of sabbatical in Egypt with a number of objectives. First, to reflect upon and close a five-year chapter of my life. Second, to spend a good teal of time writing and thinking about my understanding of philosophy. Third, to plan the next 5 year chapter. And finally, to do some other wonderfully creative things I would otherwise never get around too.
This is-

ISSUE ONE:
"“We experience a world of models, not objective reality"
(1 page .pdf)

This is the first in a series of some extracts from my contemplations that Im happy to share. I've tried to keep it simple and uncluttered for the blog format, but it means I couldn'’t include much justification, referencing or further explanation. And for those who aren'’t so philosophically inclined, I did promise this.

An alternative pic, from the cover of Chris Kohlers book. 

Powering Up

Well over the weekend I finally slipped into high gear of productivity. Last night I was up till 4 am writing and then went to bed only to contemplate models of consciousness for another hour before slipping off to sleep as the first call to prayer raised with the dawn. By the by, my building is opposite a rather small mosque. On fridays the alley is covered with large cloth awnings and the road itself is filled with the "congregation", or "the faithful". Im unsure of the name to use, but "muslims" is obviously wrong, as most streets in alex would be filled with muslims- being the vast majority of egyptians.

This week I will post some of my first musings on consciousness and meaning (with an alternative link to "animals who look like there owners" for the less philosophically inclined). I also managed a bit of work on some other projects I had planned for this sabbatical and if I can find suitable hosting I will upload the first edition of net radio show I put together, including my first attempts at a DJ mix. And all this.. absolutely free.. Which is only slightly less than the general cheapness of egypt. I just bought 2 falafel sandwiches, a bag of 5 pita breads and a small bottle of pepsi for 2.75 egyptian pounds. This is less than 40 eurocents. If I was so inclined I could go ride the tram to anywhere in Alex, drink fresh juice, and surf the net for an hour for another 3.25. With my final pound gone to purchase drinking water my singular Euro is thus spent and lifes material need superbly sated.

Ah, one day I will tell this to my children in the form of a story that begins, "when I was your age", although time and occasional senility will cause me to forget to include the "in Egypt" part.

Goodthinked Design

On the Island of Jura, Scotland for most of year Nineteen Forty-Eight, one of the geniuses of the 20th century, George Orwell, wrote his masterwork. The novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four" describes a "totalitatian dystopia"- or a scenario where the government has absolute control of a system in which people are living nightmarish existences. Part of its genius is the envisioning of the totalitarian communist state that would shape much of the later half of the century. Another equal accomplishment is in it's description of how peoples thinking, their culture and even their experience of consiousness could be controlled through changing language. In this grey landscape Orwell demonstrates Newspeak- an adapted language to remove the the ability to conceptualize revolution, and lead people to what is called doublethink- described as

"the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them. ... To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then, when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed, to deny the existence of objective reality and all the while to take account of the reality which one denies—all this is indispensably necessary." 1984

Changes in the US cultural landscape in the last five or so years has shown a marked change of language. One of the saddest casualities is the bastardisation of "freedom". The encroachment of imperialism upon this high held value is sickening and the world will long pay the nausea. It is now unacceptable to the liberal mind that "freedom" is worth fighting for, that it is an inalienable right to rally around. Another is the "culture of life"- which is a rebranding of anti-abortionism, rather than say, finding out how we can limit the destruction of the species that form life. Hell, I would have settled for an old timey harvest-moon festival.

Scientists, like most of those guided by the light of reason, have not featured much on centre stage and mostly left this politico-cultural transformation. Until recently that is. Fundamentalists in the US have been trying to get some doublethink happening around "Evolution". This pisses of scientists big time, as evolution is basically the underlying mechanism of genetics and broader biology. The attempt at doublethink gets them going even more now they find they're being labelled, not as scientist but "evolutionary theorists". So whats the wrap? The argument runs a bit like this-

• Evolution. It's just a theory, right? The "Theory of Evolution"?
• This theory has some randomness in it right? (ie random selection, mutation etc etc)
• I have another theory. It is that stuff is hella complex, no ways a random theory could make such complex stuff.
• Thus my theory says there must be an intelligent designer of this complexity thats guiding the creation, not this random natural selection.

OK- old timey creationism vs evolution. By the by it's called "the teleological argument", an argument for the existence of God based on supposed evidence of design in nature". Scientists all say "no ways" don't try and misuse science to justify your own assumptions about God, and so it has been argued out for well over two centuries. And also reasonably well buried as an "issue of faith". But what is interesting is in the current rehash of the argument, is it follows with

• Hey, these are both theories, right?
• As you scientists must agree, "Objectivity results from the use of the scientific method without philosophic or religious assumptions in seeking answers to the question?" (intelligentdesignnetwork)
• Then let's teach both these theories in school, nay, in Biology class. For the good of objectivity and... of the children who really are, the future of science.
  

At this time something special happens. Scientists Power Up. If they were transformers they would have formed a giant robot by now.
"Enough! You may question and misrepresent our most proven concepts, ignoring the fossil record and reams of genetic data, you may abuse the common understanding of the word "theory", you may snidely claim the objectivity to which we have devoted our discoveries ... but not in Biology class".
They are pissed. It's their Israel-Palestine and they're not letting go. This is not doublethink at the edge, in some relative environment of opinion and gossip. This is doublethink in the pure light of reason and experiment. This is the "denial of the existence of objective reality and all the while to take account of the reality which one denies" (1984).

Well that give us the last of the three principles of the totallitarian government described in Nineteen Eighty-Four. "IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH". And I think we are already familiar with the first, "WAR IS PEACE". Which leaves only "FREEDOM IS SLAVERY". And with so purchasing and electoral options, flavours and forms of entertainment, how could this be slavery?

"In Oceania at the present day, Science, in the old sense, has almost ceased to exist. In Newspeak there is no word for 'Science.' The empirical method of thought, on which all the scientific achievements of the past were founded, is opposed to the most fundamental principles of Ingsoc (the guiding philosophy)." 1984

For the lowdown on evolution from a real scientist try Richard Dawkins, Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford.

Synergies, a Salute and So on

A few days ago an expat friend who lives in my building gave me a book that Tom left when he was in Alexandria a few months back. Actually the book was one I vividly remember seeing Tom locked upon, drinking intensely from the pages in a manner that is uniquely his. And so by the by this copy fell upon my way and I too have been so locked. The title reads "Slaughterhouse Five; or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., a Fourth-Generation German-American Now Living in Easy Circumstances on Cape Cod (and Smoking Too Much) Who, as an American Infantry Scout Hors de Combat, as a Prisoner of War, Witnessed the Fire-Bombing of Dresden, Germany, the Florence of the Elbe, a Long Time Ago, and Survived to Tell the Tale: This Is a Novel Somewhat in the Telegraphic Schizophrenic Manner of Tales of the Planet Tralfamadore, Where The Flying Saucers Come From". (1969)

Possibly the best subtitle given an English text and for a book so good that Joseph Heller, author of "Catch 22", endorsed it as a damn fine absurdist/humanist war story. The Banned Book Project says it was "Banned by almost everyone at some point since its publication. Burned in Drake, N. Dak. (1973). Banned in Rochester Mich. because the novel "contains and makes references to religious matters" and thus fell within the ban of the establishment clause. Challenged at the Owensboro, Ky. high School library (1985) because of "foul language, a reference to 'Magic Fingers' attached to the protagonist's bed to help him sleep, and the sentence: 'The gun made a ripping sound like the opening of the fly of God Almighty.' " Challenged, but retained on the Round Rock, Tex. Independent High School reading list (1996) after a challenge that the book was too violent."

It's beautiful and illustrative and absurd and too real and is told to the reader like some confidante, drunken uncle who knows you understand his kind of crazy. I shall not parade samples of his genius and ruin the meal - if you like wonderful things, and you do, read this book. But I digress. Whilst reading this felicitous copy I switched to a cultural landmark of our times, John Stewart's "Daily Show", and surprisingly John was interviewing this same Vonnegut, now at age 82. He looked like the confidante uncle would at his age and luckily for us his kind of crazy still had the ring of laughter, truth and vinegar to it. So synergies and salutes to this great man, who by the by falls in league with both Albert Einstein and Bertrand Russell as World Federalists- ie those who advocate a democratic federal world government. Please tell these fathers of modern physics and western philosophy that they were not "in touch with reality".

"Here we are, trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why". - Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse 5

They know how to bling in Alex. This is the 3 foot flamingo next to the pool at the cafe I dined at this evening. "Oh my Charles, the Flamingos! How Ionian".  

A salute to the Omar, the 10-year old Oman born Egyptian who taught me how to count in Arabic 

The Great Tao doth provide

Two wonderful weeks in Africas biggest city led me to believe that I would not find the mental space I sought there- so I have turned north, towards the Mediterranean where for thousands of years people have sat and drank juice/traded grain/compiled existing written knowledge/looked up and thought "hmmm". I have come to rest in fair Alexandria- or "al-ʼIskandariyyah"- a "little place" of only 3.5 million (or 6, or 9 depending on the city limits). I have only been here a few days but from the moment I felt the warm sea breeze I knew that this is the place I came for. Much more to write in days to come, but so far Im set up in my own wonderful apartment 5 minutes from the sea so there is plenty of everything for all. A salute to Deinocrates of Rhodes, committee president of the "Found Alexandria" project.

Sweet Victory 

I win


Moved from Cairo to Alexandria.

Ayman Nour: hits the Fan

If only I was the editor of some egyptian english language newspaper- imagine the front page puns. But enough malarky. Previously I have written about Ayman Nour, يمن عبد العزيز نور, runner up in Egyptian elections (8% official, up to 30% say some observers), and leading proponent for real change in the Egyptian system. (see photos from the largest rally of the elections below).

Some history. After five rejections from the Government he founded the al-Ghad (Tomorrow) Party. Then he "was imprisoned by the Egyptian government for 45 days this year on charges that he forged signatures on a candidate petition... released after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice cancelled a trip to Egypt to protest his detention". And has published a book advocating liberalism over Islamist politics, Yawmiyat Suhufi Mushaghib (The Memoir of a Troublemaking Journalist). Key indicators that he is definitely a man to watch, and perhaps one for Egyptians and the International community to pin their hopes to.

Nour was interviewed through a translator at his home in Cairo by Sharon Otterman on Sept. 5 (before the elections).

More info: Middle East Quarterly: Ayman Nour

The Faluka

Faluka boat we rode at midnight upon the Nile.

The Nile

Awesome Nile (and view from our balcony).

Bad, but not sooo bad.

Every Egyptian Ive talked to has a story about the elections; their name had been taken off the role, their friends had not been allowed in, if you voted for Mubarak you got a chicken, etc etc. But how much would the vote rigging have influenced the outcome- official with 88% of the vote to Mubarak and 7% to his closest contender Ayman Nour? The University of Pitsburgh School of Law Publication, The Jurist, summarises authoritively.

"The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) [advocacy website] issued a joint report with 21 other rights groups Saturday on last week's Egyptian presidential elections [JURIST news archive], concluding that although up to 15 percent of the votes cast may be questionable, there was lass fraud in Egypt's first ever contested elections than in past ballots. Monitors reported widespread fraud and violations [JURIST report] during Wednesday's election and a losing candidate has alleged fraud in the vote count, but EOHR said that the amount of fraud would not be enough to over turn the victory of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. One of the main problems during Wednesday's vote was that groups of voters were bused to polling stations and were allowed to cast ballots without showing registration. The EOHR also reported low voter turnout, saying that actual turnout was likely less than the official figure of 23 percent."

So yes it seems "officially dodge"- but not dodgey enough that anyone is at all surprised- and apparently a hell of a lot more real than the previous "presidential ratifications". So bad Mubarak- but a move in the right direction. How 'bout we do it for real next time?

And though I do not endorse free electoral chicken- it can be oh so tasty.*

*By F.D.A standards McChickens must actually include at least 7% "electoral chicken", or other B list "electoral meats".

WonderClubbing?

Oh yes Indeed. Tonight I�m going to a party/club event at... The Pyramids. I don�t care how awesome your local club is, how underground the scene, or excellent the vibe- show me your Wonders of the World.

Scarily little is know about the Ancient Egyptians use of Photoshop.

Elections in Cairo

Yesterday Egypt held Presidential Elections! Go voting its your birthday!

The BBC Says "While pro-government papers overflow with praise for what they see as the start of a new democratic era, independent and opposition papers highlight flaws in the vote and the need for faster and more radical reform".

I think both pretty much right. Its an incredible step, and one that will hopefully lead to chain reaction of similar steps- however there are still massive things that need to change before a real democracy is built.

Everyone I talked to up till the vote took the outcome of the election as given - Mubarak to be returned once more, for good reasons and for bad. The outcome was a foregone conclusion- but the reason is deeper than issues of vote rigging or unbalanced access to media alone. Egyptian power structures have reached a balance that seems to work for a hell of a lot of people- and looking at what it is really balancing here, things could be a lot worse. The balance between a police state which has had the military deployed for 30 years, with the resurgence of extremism who want a much more conservative Islamic state, with the largest base of moderates Muslims in the region, with the oldest and one of the most respected Islamic bodies (Al-Azhar) in the region, and to mix it up - a country with a 42% illiteracy rate. Now how is democracy meant to work here again? A tough act- and so the “support the Status Quo” argument has a bit more to lean upon than the "dictator model" alone would suggest.

The general consensus is that these elections have been a step in the right direction- the very act of comparing candidates and having people speak out for change is an important cultural and political development. However, a huge amount needs to be improved in the coming 6 years if the next election is to be close to “free and fair”, but it does give a timeline for change and a base to compare the political futures with. Voting and a freer and fairer media is only part of the battle- what can democracy mean with almost half the country unable to read the information on which they are meant to be deciding? The bigger issues- poverty and education- must be at the forefront of change if real progress in democratic instititions are to have a meaningful effect in bringing political freedom to this country.

A salute to all Egyptians who voted yesterday! May it truly be a landmark in your history.

More 

Pictures taken from my apartment on Tahir Square of a rally for Ayman Nour the leader of al-Ghad (Tomorrow) party. He is the youngest and most controversial challenger, a lawyer and journalist who is the favourite of all educated students I have met in Cairo thus far.

Notes from the Cafe

Oh, the hilarity of macroeconomic humour. ".... the supply and demand curves NEVER ACTUALLY MEET!!!!! " Dont stop me. Its "The Economist" or bust.

Im quite disappointed. Ive discovered that I unlike some of my friends (see uberThea and the adventures of a global Maltese) I dont secretly speak Arabic. Apparently Aussie slang is a couple of language familes away and the closest thing to "no wuckerz" is "ana aheb il murur"* and that totally misses the "do-it-yourself" Aussie feel.

Things here are going pretty well thus far with photos and such to come soon.
*I like traffic police

Egyptianess market turnaround

Despite some uncertainty earlier in the day Arthur has experienced the biggest one day increase in Egyptianess since an early April high. Experts believe this trend is only due to increase in coming months due to a stronger euro and a steady supply of mango juice and victory schwarma. Despite recent logistical challenges in the marketplace, analysts are happy to note that the June-July crash in Egyptianess has bounced back so definitely, with some suggesting a peak around the end of Ramadan.

Safe and happy in Cairo. Peace.