The Man with the Plan

An Inside Look at Our Student Leader

Youssef Talaat

The first senior to apply for colleges, the first senior to take the SAT II, and the first senior to get a job; Aly El Attal always leads. Aly is a sensible risk-taker, who calculates his every move. As a nonconformist, Aly does not adapt well to routine systems, but he still greatly values customs and traditions. Aly may seem languid and relaxed, but in reality, when Aly has a goal in mind, he does everything in his power to achieve it.

Even though he has only been at Schutz for five years, Aly El Attal has become one of the trademarks of this school. His active participation in the student government has made him well known among his peers. Schutz has taught Aly that “there is more to life than just academics.” Over the years, Schutz has changed Aly into a well-rounded, cultured person who cooperates with students like him from all around the world. One of the most memorable moments Aly has had at Schutz was playing the tabla in the volleyball tournament and cheering for the falcons among other teams from all over the world. Aly will also miss the general feeling of care and consideration that is shared here at Schutz as well as seeing his friends and sister everyday in school. Aly would like to thank Schutz for making him into the person he is today and would like to tell everyone to “keep up the school spirit.” Before graduating, Aly would like to advise the junior class to “make the most out of high school, enjoy every bit of it, and never stop working because everything counts!”

After graduating from school, Aly aims to attend Columbia University to study Industrial Engineering; however, he has other options in New York, Boston, Chicago, and London. After university, Aly hopes to work in various companies around the world and eventually obtain a Master’s degree so that he can have the proper education and experience needed to take over his father’s business.

Aly believes that his parents, siblings, and friends have all helped mold him into the rare person he is today. One thing no one tends to realize about Aly is that he is incredibly organized and pays tremendous attention to detail in his work. Three words that best describe Aly are “loyal, hard-working, and unique.” Aly considers his father to be his role model because he is a cultured, hardworking, and successful individual.

Little Miss Engagée

Schutz Has its Very Own Bride-to-Be

Heba El Sahn

People say that teenagers nowadays are less and less interested in the important issues of life, and instead fill up their heads with meaningless gossip. Well, obviously, they have not met Alaa El Damaty! Whether the discussion is about politics, history, religion, or anything at all Alaa always has something to say.

Alaa El Damaty has always been a little bit mature for her age. As a little girl, she used to spend her time conversing with adults about politics and matters of business. Alaa has attended Schutz since third grade. She states that being at this school made her a more open-minded intellectual.

Known for being talkative and always fighting for what she believes is right, Alaa is sure that a career in politics will be the way to go. She states “Such a career will allow me to express myself and give me a chance to represent the people and affect change." She will probably go to the American University in Cairo for some time and then transfer to a college in Boston. This midway transfer is because Alaa wants to support and live with her husband to-be, Marwan Moussa, who will pursue his studies in Boston.

With this little piece of information, the course of the interview changed considerably. The topic discussed now of course was her fiancé Marwan, whom she got engaged to this year on October 5th. When asked about how he affected her, Alaa replied with a blush and a shy smile, "Marwan is my backbone that supports me. He is always pushing me to become a better person."
While most seniors find the prospect of succeeding in college overwhelming, Alaa raised the bar to a whole new level. She is planning to attend college, get married, and change the world all at the same time. One would think that the load would intimidate Alaa even a little bit, but instead she simply refers to her favorite quote saying, “Impossible is nothing.”

Anonymity Becomes Injurious

The Internet Becomes More than Just Harmless Fun

Noureen Ben Halim

Bullying has been known for a long time to be the harassment of others. It is the intimidation of one person by another. But due to 21st century technology, bullying has been transformed. Bullying no longer takes the form of threats, peer pressure, and discrimination, but also happens online as well.

Cyber-bullying, or the bullying of others through the use of the internet, allows a person to remain anonymous while harming others. Networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, have become popular among teenagers nowadays.

There are countless examples of cyber-bullying. A bully sends a friend request, the teenager accepts it, and bam, a stranger has access to the victim’s profile. The person starts receiving threatening emails, messages, or even having pictures of themselves posted on websites by anonymous users. Another way a teen may be mistreated via the internet is when the bully creates a fake profile, with the teen’s name, picture, and even personal information. A third way is through MSN, AIM, and Yahoo instant messengers. Chatting with strangers and sharing pictures or webcam is dangerous. Even receiving anonymous files through Bluetooth on cell phones could actually be a disguise for a virus.

While some bullies realize the effect that they will have on the people they bully, others just want to have “harmless fun.” It is not harmless, it can hurt people emotionally.

Things can be done in order to avoid the bullying. 1) If they encounter anything on the internet that may be harmful to someone, they should not laugh at it; it may be adding to the harm. 2) If a teenager is in a bullying situation, responding to the bully in an equivalently threatening way is not the solution. That will make the victim a bully. 3) The best way to end cyber-bullying is to report any threats, messages, posted pictures, or anything offensive to someone to the networking site.

Everyone should be aware of this phenomenon. It targets many young people, especially teenagers. It can be emotionally harmful and abusive. In order to avoid it, teens should be circumspect about what they do on the internet. A person can never be 100% sure of the identity of others on the internet.

The Making of a Legend

Destination: #1 Premier League

Aya Kordy

Amr Hassan Zaki was born on the 1st of April, 1983. He started his soccer career playing in Mansoura club. As a striker, he became recognized and was then transferred to ENPPI in the League for the 2004-2005 seasons and assisted the club in being a runner-up in the Egyptian Premier League, their finest position ever to achieve.

After impressing all of Africa in 2006, Zaki signed over to El Zamalek, one of the well-known clubs in Egypt. However, after the Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow offered him a two million dollar contract, Zaki decided to accept the proposal. Nonetheless, he did not play a single match for Lokomotiv.

As a result in, 2006, Zaki moved back to Egypt and played for El Zamalek. After proving himself once again in Ghana 2008, Zaki became one of the paramount players impressing Africa and the world, as he was also one of the top strikers in the cup. On the 22nd of July 2008, Zaki’s soccer career took off when he signed a one-year contract with Wigan Athletic team. At the beginning of the English Premier League’s season, Zaki scored numerous goals getting him on top of the scoring charts along with Jermain Defoe.

Subsequently, on the 28th of September, Zaki scored against Manchester city, followed by two other goals against Liverpool congealing his position as top scorer in the English Premier League.

Over and above, Zaki has been nominated for the best African player on October 14, 2008, as a result of his fantastic start in the English Premier League. Zaki’s Career has gone thorough a forever professional path. He was Egypt’s hero, now he is slowly becoming the world’s.

An Unstoppable Addiction

TV Shows Play a Big Role in Schutz High School students’ Lives

Aly El Attal

TV shows have become part of many Schutz students’ everyday lives. After surveying the majority of the Schutz high-school students, it became clear that the most popular TV shows on campus are One Tree Hill, Prison Break, Gossip Girl, and Grey’s Anatomy (in that order). From what was observed, some Schutz high schoolers do not watch any TV shows, some watch one or two, and others watch over five shows, which could take up to four hours every week.

One Tree Hill tells the stories of several young men and women as they move from high school into the real world. Prison Break is about two brothers and their fellow inmates taking down a corrupt “company” within the government after escaping from prison. Gossip Girl describes the lives of Manhattan’s elite youngsters and a middle-class Brooklyn family struggling to adapt in the chaotic lives of the rich. Grey’s Anatomy revolves around the lives (personal and professional) of the doctors and interns at Seattle Grace Hospital.

Of these top-rated TV shows, Prison Break is considered an all-time favorite for current and past Schutz students. Michael Scofield’s witty and risky plans never fail to impress and baffle the viewers. Rafik Zaher, a senior, said, “my heart races in every episode because of the suspense and pressure the characters are put under.” Ingy Fahmy, a junior, added, “each TV show has its own world and it’s great being part of each one.”

Even though they are entertaining, TV shows can distract students from studying. Watching one or two episodes a week might not affect a student’s academic focus, but watching more than that could get in the way of studying. A student should watch as many TV shows as they would like, keeping in mind that they need to focus on their top priorities, namely education.

Setting a Precedent for Years to Come

Schutz Holds Afterschool Activities for Grades K-8

Alaa El Damaty

In response to many parents' demands, Schutz is running a series of afterschool activities in basketball, drama, music, newspaper, cooking, art and stories, fitness, etiquette, and karate. The first session began on October 20th, and it has been so far a great success.

In the past, a number of different sponsors, such as the PTA and senior classes, have chosen to take over the afterschool activities. They have not always been a success, as many lacked organization. For the past two or three years, this activity seems to have been buried and forgotten about. Many of the parents complained that their kids are not doing any extracurricular activities in school, especially with most of the Junior Varsity sports cancelled. Therefore, the Administration, decided to revive this program under the supervision and coordination of Coach Tamer Melek.

When asked, most of the parents and students agree that so far, the activities have been successful. Most agree that the activities are very well organized, and the parents can follow what, where, and when their children are doing with great ease. Also, most commend the punctuality of the activities.

The price for each activity is 150 L.E. per session. Some activities even require additional fees. The parents question where the money is going. Is this a fee to cover the costs of the activities, or is it a fundraiser that the administration is having? Coach Melek guaranteed that it is just a fee to cover the costs of the activities.

Not only is the goal of this project to improve the skills of the students in the classes they like, but also to encourage student involvement in school activities and to boost the level of teamwork among the students. We hope that this year will set a precedent for the years to come. "I like the activities because you could get practice in a lot of different things. I'm so excited to learn the new cooking recipes!” said Kawthar El Naggar, grade four.

Don't miss the fun; hurry and choose an activity to join!

!Tying the Knot, and Flying to Egypt

!A New Addition to the Schutz family, All the Way from Kansas

Noureen Ben Halim

They have many differences. She is an active sports person. He is an outdoors person. Although they have many differences, their similarities bring them together and make them who they are as a couple. Mr. Seth Spurlock teaches High School Mathematics, and Mrs. Kristal Spurlock teaches 7-8 Study Skills, and is a teaching assistant for K-6.

To them, teaching is a privilege. Mr. Spurlock says, “I love working with kids”. Mrs. Spurlock enjoys seeing kids grasp a concept of something important and knowing that her teaching has sent a significant message across.

Although they have taught before, this is their first year internationally, specifically Egypt. When asking them why they considered Egypt, they replied, “The history attracted us.” We certainly hope they are enjoying it! However, when thinking about it, for many newcomers it is hard to adapt to Egypt, its culture, and its food. For the Spurlocks, this is not a problem. Mrs. Spurlock, says “It wasn’t about the food and culture as much as it is about living in a building!” Mr.Spurlock has lived in buildings before so he is more used to it.

The Spurlocks enjoy a lot of outdoor activities such as scuba diving, and they love to relax in the water. They also love to go dancing together. The highlight of their year was getting married! They got married in March, on a beautiful cruise ceremony! When asking them if they had a vision for their future, they both smiled at each other and said, “We would love to start a family soon.”

A Mother's Day Present

An Attempt by Mona Nawal Helmy to Carry Her Mother’s Name

Alaa El Damaty

In hearing the name Mona Nawal Helmy, a feeling of awkwardness prevails. In Egypt, it is uncommon to have a middle name of Nawal, a woman's name. Mona Nawal Helmy is an Egyptian feminist and writer. Lately, she has been brought to the attention of the media for her claim that children should carry their mother's, not father's names, as shown in the name "Nawal Helmy"

On Mother’s Day, Mona Nawal Helmy said, “What am I going to give my mother, a present? A shoe or a dress? So my present to my mother is to carry her name.” In Egypt, a surname usually consists of the paternal family name. Despite her obvious feminist intentions to revive the reign of matriarchy in Egypt, Mona claims that adopting the mother's name will solve the problem of two million illegitimate children in Egypt. According to Helmy, if a child has no father, he/she carries the mother's name but is considered illegitimate by Egyptian law and is denied basic human rights. Adopting the mother’s name will end prejudice against a child that does not know who his/her father is. The child would not be then called "ibn haram", (son of sin); he would not be denied his rights.

Mona's solution to the problem of illegitimate children opens up a can of worms. In providing a solution to a minor problem, she creates an even bigger problem. It is not feasible to carry the mother's name instead of the father's name, defying Christian, Muslim, and Egyptian laws just to solve the problem of two million illegitimate children. She must address a more viable solution to that problem.

Many find Mona Nawal Helmy's opinions to be radical. Her views are condemned by many Muslim scholars who strongly believe that she violates the dictates of the Shari'a. She was even sued for denouncing Islam by lawyer Nabil El-Wahsh. Mona Nawal Helmy was also condemned by Al-Azhar and many political institutions.In legal terms, Mona Helmy is not allowed to adopt her mother's name.

While some see her feminist views as reformist, most see them as radical. One year has passed since this controversy, and things have calmed down. The Egyptians have forgotten about her claims, and the status quo remains unchanged. The total dismissal of her views shows that feminism in Egypt still has a long way to go.

When surveyed, 85% of the Schutz population thought that Mona's claims were radical; 90% voted to dismiss the idea of adopting the mother's name. The fact that most Schutz students, which represent a sample of the liberal, educated population in Egypt, also opposed her views, only adds more to the fact that Egyptians reject radical feminism and are not ready for a radical/reformist view such as Mona's views. An effective way of introducing change is to avoid ideas that clash with the values and core beliefs of the community.

Nemat Shafik: A Local Heart with a Global Mind

A Schutz Graduate Influences Millions

Aly El Attal

Nemat Shafik, a Schutz graduate, is currently the Permanent Secretary of the Department for International Development, where she manages a fund of 11-15 billion dollars to aid the world’s poorest countries, mainly in Africa and South Asia. Ms. Shafik worked at the World Bank for fifteen years, where she reached the position of Vice President of Private Sector, Infrastructure and Guarantees. She also taught at Georgetown University and Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy-League university.

Nemat graduated from Schutz in 1979, a year before Massimo Laterza, the Dean of Students. Massimo recalls that Nemat was a cheerleader, and was “very active and sociable.” She enrolled at the American University in Cairo (AUC) for a year and completed her undergraduate degree in Economics and Politics at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She continued her education by earning a master’s degree from London School of Economics and a doctorate degree from Oxford University.

Minouche, as she is commonly known, was raised in the US and moved to Alexandria as a teenager, where she attended Schutz. This move changed her because it made her become more laidback. She feels that Schutz was a “liberating experience” because it was more tolerant than her previous school in the US. Even though she graduated thirty years ago, Nemat vividly remembers Schutz. When asked what she remembers most about it, she said that she remembers everyone playing volleyball and hanging out in front of the school. She also remembers that the school used to have musical performances in which students from all grades participated. She asked whether “the small canteen in the middle of the school” still existed! Ms. Shafik also remembers some people, especially George Meloy, the former headmaster. She recalls that he held weekly school assemblies. Ms. Shafik’s message to Schutz students is to appreciate “the diversity of the students because that is what makes Schutz special.”

On a more personal note, Nemat is married with twin six-year-olds, Adam and Nora, and three teenage step children. Ten years from now, Nemat plans to raise her children as teenagers and take a job with less managerial duties. She also wants to focus more on teaching and research. Other than the fact that she worked hard, Nemat credits her good teachers and bosses for her success because she thinks that choosing good teachers and bosses is vital. She is thankful that she worked with “people who challenged her and gave her opportunities.” As a professional person, Nemat is able to evaluate herself. She identifies her strength as being able to work with people and ideas together, while most people can only work with one or the other. She also identifies her weakness as being a little impatient.

Nemat Shafik is a fine example of a person who has succeeded by overcoming cultural barriers and taking on great responsibilities. It gives Schutz students great pride to know that someone who, at one point, was just like them is doing something significant in the world.

Meeting the Walshes

A Couple with a Multicultural Flair

Mahmoud Ben Halim

His first impression of Egypt was that the people are very friendly, helpful, and family-oriented. Mr. Frank Walsh, the Upper School Principal, graduated from Brown University, majoring in Economics. Mr. Walsh had his masters done in the Southern university of Maine. After his many years of teaching social studies, Mr. Walsh was asked to become an assistant principal. Mr. Walsh tried it and liked it and continued as a principal for 17 years. He has a lot of experience working with teenagers since he has been to many international schools in Ethiopia, Venezuela, Qatar, Niger and Egypt.

Mr. Walsh compares our school to other schools by saying that other schools have more international students. His first impression of Schutz is that it has a strong history and a nice size, and people get to know each other very easily. The thing he finds most interesting about his career is the fact that he gets to travel to new places and experience dealing with multicultural students. The most difficult aspect of Mr. Walsh's career is dealing with people from different backgrounds, but he manages to deal with this difficult aspect by being a good listener. Mr. Walsh thinks that it is harder to show people the quality of the school because of its location. Mr. Walsh thinks that we should move on and expand the Schutz population. Mr. Walsh wants to promote English at all times. He feels that this is a great concern currently.

Mrs. Jane Walsh, the Head Librarian, was fascinated by Egypt's history and really liked the way people are very friendly. Mrs. Walsh graduated from Wheaton College and majored in Psychology. She holds an MA in reading from the University of Southern Maine. Mrs. Walsh has worked at seven schools, four of which were overseas. The most fascinating aspect of being a librarian is that fact that she gets to work with people from different cultures. Mrs. Walsh thinks that students at Schutz are family- oriented and have strong academics. She also thinks that the campus's small size enables students to be family-oriented. Mrs. Walsh thinks that the most difficult aspect of her career is adjusting to being a librarian and a teacher. Mrs. Walsh likes the Schutz campus but thinks that it should be improved. The surrounding is very crowded, and traffic is becoming a major problem. When asked what she would change about Schutz students, she mentioned that she wants them to read more books! Mr. and Mrs. Walsh are new to our school, but it seems that they have already become part of the Schutz family.

The Leadership Challenge

A Real Leader Inspires and Teaches Others

Heba El Sahn

Last September, the High School Leadership conference was held from September 25th through the 28th at the Cairo American College. The Schutz representatives were: Nada Abou-Gad, Mostafa Barakat, Arnab Chaudhuri. Khaled El Naggar, Heba El Sahn, Malak Kira, Rana Ragab, and Ankita Ray.

The conference was interesting, with many activities, and full of hard work. It started off in the gym with Rich, a representative from the Organization Project Adventure, teaching the students his very own "Chick-a-Boom" dance. This was to get everyone hyped up for the many activities to come. Rich thinks that an individual must challenge himself constantly. He then challenged the students to do rock-climbing.

Ankita Ray was the only Schutz representative that was up to the challenge, and she succeeded in going up the wall and ringing the bell at the end. The students were then placed into small groups and workshops where they were brainstorming fundraising ideas, learning about what kind of leader are they, developing their leadership skills, and exchanging ideas with various students. The SAS students came back to school with many new plans in mind, and they are determined to implement them.

The last day of the conference, two great speeches were given. The first was by the CAC Philosophy teacher; and she compared and contrasted good and bad leaders with one another. This was done by watching many video clips, then later discussing them. The speaker was dramatic and very convincing. The keynote speaker of the conference was Youssef Boutros Ghali, the Egyptian Minister of Finance. A charismatic speaker, he was able to easily catch the attention and gain the respect of the students. The Minister explained that a true leader goes by the 4 Cs:
1) Having conviction in what he is doing
2) Convincing others to follow him
3) Carrying out his message
4) Compromise with other people (since our plans rarely go out the way we plan)

The two speakers agreed firmly on one important matter: a leader should not only inspire others to do the right thing, but he should also teach people about leadership. The Schutz students came back to school fully understanding the concept that being a leader is the easy part; however, teaching others about leadership is what counts and that is the real challenge.

The Spirit Is in the People

Cherishing the Past and Embracing the New

Youssef Talaat

It takes a lot of courage to let go of the past and accept the new, but we must live for the future because there is no real hope in the things we cannot change. We live in an ever-evolving world where change is inevitable, and those who live in the past ultimately fall behind. The past is crucial as our mistakes and experiences enable us to grow and teach us valuable lessons about life. However, we should utilize the past to learn about the future.

In January 2009, the school will be 85 years old and the Board of Trustees will hold a contest, where students, teachers, administrators, board members, and alumni will compete to design a new logo for our school. The logo will still contain the Falcon, but the Board is looking to modernize our 85-year-old emblem, which comes as part of our newly implemented strategic plan.

A procedure such as this is very likely to come with much controversy, especially if it comes along with a change of location. However, it should be noted that no one entity makes a decision such as this by itself; an action such as this is intended to involve the entire Schutz community. Alumni and people who have grown with this school for many years might oppose the whole idea of changing our symbol, and that is why their input is critically needed.

Some of you might think that to lose both the campus and the logo is overwhelming and too much to handle. Our old falcon and campus have a substantial amount of sentimental value, but changing them does not mean we are forgetting about the past. Changing our logo and campus does not symbolize losing Schutz’s “spirit”. The spirit is not in the classes; it is not in the desks or chairs; it is not in the courts or fields; it is not in the logo or the campus; the spirit is in the people—the good people of this school.

?What Happened to the Egyptians

Shame on the Egyptian Streets

Malak Kira

What used to be a respectful, educated, and religious society in Egypt is now facing a decline in moral values. What is happening right now is totally the opposite of who Egyptians used to be. Harassment is becoming a pressing issue, and it is getting worse each day. Respect is diminishing every day from the streets. Some men give themselves the right to leave a black mark in the lives of Egyptian women. Freedom of movement and personal safety is disappearing among the Egyptian community. Even veiled women are victims of the men’s degrading actions.

On October 23rd , over Eid-El-Fitr break thousands of young men followed three girls around the streets of central Cairo. The victims were veiled and unveiled women who happened to be on their own. As the police failed to protect these women from getting harassed and tortured by these men, shopkeepers and taxi drivers had to intervene to save their lives.

These Egyptian men who sexually harass women do not view women as their equal. They feel more muscular when they have power over women. They treat women as their servants with no respect nor privacy. They always have the impression that it is tolerable for them to do whatever they want just because they are “men”. According to the statistics released by the Egyptians Center for Women’s Rights (ECWR), sixty-two percent of men admitted that they have sexually harassed a woman. Eighty-three percent of Egyptian women experienced harassment. Various Egyptian men have lost their boundaries and limit; they have harassed veiled women and even the women who are wearing the niqab. Such acts force women to blame themselves for what they have done to them. These harassers claim that women bring it to themselves. It is time for the women in Egypt to have their voices heard.

The massive cost of marriage and the fact that sex outside marriage is forbidden might explain why this is happening. A mixture of desire and hatred exists in the minds of these men, desire for what they want and hatred at what they cannot have. Egyptian culture is becoming violent. The belief that the only way they can get what they desire is by violence and cruelty; the belief that respect cannot get you what you want anymore is disturbing. The government needs to create a new law that clearly defines sexual harassment as a crime.

According to another survey by ECWR, ninety-eight percent of foreign women that visited Egypt experienced sexual harassment. What do foreign women have to say about Egypt when they go back to their country? Is this the impression Egyptians want to give about their country? These people are ruining their country's reputation and should get penalized. The expressions that we used to hear while growing up, such as "Egypt is the mother of the world" and "Egypt is the land of protection and safety" are contradicted by the actions of these men. It is a shame that moral values have gone to the worse, what happened to the Egyptians?

Ask Mahmoud

Mahmoud Benhalim

From: Anonymous
Q: I have been dating my boyfriend for a very long time and I do not have feelings for him anymore. I am interested in this other guy but think I am cheating on my boyfriend. What should I do?
A: I think you should take a deep breath and really think about whom you really want and who is best for you. Then you should either continue in the relationship or tell your boyfriend that it is over and that you do not have any feelings for him any more, and that you want to move on.

From: Kawakeb
Q: Dear Mahmoud,
Im very skinny and I try to gain weight by eating Mc Flurry's, but every time I eat it I feel that I go to other planets. What should I do?
A: Don’t eat them. Stop eating them or you will disappear, and that will be a problem or try to minimize the amount of Mc Flurry's you eat. Also ask McDonald’s for records of any people who ate Mc Flurry's and went to other planets. Maybe it is the three time-amount of Oreo that you put in to it, maybe that is the problem. Take care, this is serious man!

From: Smelly guy
Q: I have bad body odor during PE. What should I do?
A: Ever heard of something called deodorant. This is the number one solution for bad body odor. Also, take more showers.

From: Anonymous
Q: I met this guy who is perfectly good looking. He has a very good personality, but there is just one problem im 15 and he is 20. Is a five-year age difference too much of a difference for dating?
A: It depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for a serious relationship, then five years of difference is not a lot, but if you are just passing time and having fun then I think you should consider someone your age or maximum one year older or younger. It all depends on what you want from the relationship.

From: Anonymous
Q: I have a huge crush on this incredibly hot guy, but he is dating another girl. What should I do? Help Me!
A: Basically what I have to say to you is that if the girl is a close friend of yours then back off, but if the girl is not your friend then make a move on him but slowly and try to show him something new to you that she does not have. In other words, get his attention.

From: Anonymous
Q: Dear Mahmoud, I have a boyfriend who is extremely over protective, like no joke!! He flips out whenever I do anything out of the normal. I tried talking to him but he is beyond stubborn. Please tell me what to do with him.
A: Take it easy. I think your boyfriend really cares about you and wants all your best. Just tell him that you want him to relax, and if he insists just go with the flow as they say and don’t upset him. I think that you should sit with him and explain to him the reasons why he shouldn’t be overprotective make him see the logic of your point of view.

Trial of a Rebellious Pen: An Interview with Ibrahim Issa

Despite an Obvious Lack of Democracy, a Courageous Opposition Exists in Egypt

Aya Kordy

The journalism class had the opportunity to interview one of Egypt's most powerful journalists, revealing what happened behind the scenes with President Mubarak and how Ibrahim Issa will always write about the truth no matter how many times he is sent to jail. This interview was a great privilege and honor for the journalism class as it was a terrific opportunity to know how journalists struggle to search and publish truthful facts in the world. Ibrahim Issa was born on November 9, 1965. He studied Mass Communication and started his journalistic career as an intern in Rose al-Youssef magazine in 1984. At the age of 23, he became the Desk Editor of Rose al-Youssef. In 1995, he assumed the position of Editor-in-Chief of the controversial Al Dostoor newspaper.

When did you start writing? When did you find out that you were a gifted writer?
-As a young boy, writing has been my passion; I always used to win journalism contests, I used to write the morning news for the school radio, and send letters to the children’s magazine "Samir. I published my own magazine in Cairo, called "Al Haqa'iq", meaning "The Truth", and circulated it in my home governorate El Monofeya. However, you know what would take the wind out of your sails? When I was in Junior High, I would literally say, and I am quoting myself, "I'll go to the Mass communication Faculty, major in journalism and work in Rose al-Youssef", just as if one could read the future. I am revealing that entire story to prove to everyone that perseverance, will and dreams are very important, as I advise all young journalists to possess their dreams. Can you recall Martin Luther King's tremendous speech "I have a dream"? That is all I am trying to say.

Ever since you started writing about the president's health, did you have any evidence? If yes, how did it reach you?
- The common practice in newspapers anywhere in the world is that you can never reveal what your sources are, and as a journalist it is your duty to double check the accuracy of the information. If you reveal your source, you will be held accountable and may be convicted. However, let me tell you what I wrote and why I was convicted. I wrote two articles entitled "Fireworks" and "Gods Do Not Fall Sick", in which I mentioned the right of citizens to know about their rulers' health. I also discussed that our president reached a very old age where senility starts happening. That is all I said, yet they sent the articles to court and the case has been there for the past thirteen months. However, till this day no one denied the information I released, so I believe they sent me to court as a result of my opposition in general against the president.

Did you expect to be convicted?
- Every time I write an article, I expect anything. But my answer would be no. Strangely enough, when I wrote these two articles in particular I did not think they would take me to court as I believe I wrote much more critical articles against the president.

What were you going to do if the presidential pardon had not been released?
- Nothing, what could I possibly have done? I know that I am not like Thomas Freedman who can write about Bush saying he is mentally ill and still go home and live a normal life. Ttherefore, I am fully aware that I do not have the same privilege as journalists in Europe and in the States do. Thus, I believe we are paying the price of working in Egypt.

Can you relate to us the important highlights of the conversation with the Prime Minister?
- He passed on a message informing me that no personal problems exist between the president and me, and that was a message sent from the President himself, which was an honor for me of course.

Did the pardon make you change your attitude towards President Mubarak in your writing?
- First, I must say that I thanked President Mubarak for the pardon. I called the prime minister, and I expressed my great appreciation in press releases. Nevertheless, that does not mean that I do not still disagree with the president's politics.

What do you think is the real reason behind the Presidential Pardon?
-I think President Mubarak realized how much of an issue it is to jail a journalist and how big of a scandal it will cause nationwide and all over the world. There is also the realization that Egypt is one of only twelve countries in the world that has laws which can jail journalists.

What do you think about the current trials of other Egyptian journalists?
-I believe it is preposterous! It is enough to say that there are one thousand cases against journalists in Egypt.

Do you believe that democracy exists in Egypt?
-Of course not! When you have thirty three legal clauses that could send journalists to jail, then this country has not got the slightest idea about democracy. Nonetheless, courage of the Egyptian opposition exists in Egypt.

What is your political orientation?
-I am liberal, I believe in the freedom of speech and I believe in social responsibility and justice.
As an American school we have a Journalism class where we learn the basics of journalism and get a general idea about the life of journalists.

Why do you think such a class does not exist in the Egyptian Schools?
-Because education in Egypt reflects the image of the Egyptian society and also its political and social reality. When you are in an American school it is like being in America; therefore, being in an Egyptian school is just like being in Egypt. The entire idea of the government possessing freedom of speech starts when people are still young at school learning the ABC's of life.

What do you think is the future of journalism in Egypt? What is the message that you want to convey to young journalists?
-I strongly believe that the future of journalism is very promising. As for my message it is to love being a journalist as it is a very lovable job and be educated as much as you can, as education is what you are going to need down the road.

Global Economic Meltdown

Major Markets Worldwide Face Jeopardy

Heba El Sahn

Everyday new statistics are coming up about the economic meltdown that is taking place worldwide. People are buzzing about the actual crisis or its result on the present markets. The poor are suffering more and more as the days go by because of the increasing food prices. Successful business men and landowners are also feeling the blow and are trying their best to protect their assets. The meltdown is a serious issue which threatens investors and affects the population all over the world.

One needs to know what caused this problem in order to understand the extent of its effects. For the past years before the crisis, interest rates have been in their all-time lows. This occurred when there was an increase in money supply and thus more money has been able to go around. When interest rates are low, this generally causes the economy to develop since more people and institutions can have access to money easily. This in turn, gets them to spend more freely and so increase the growth of the economy. But in the case we are dealing with, the interest rates went down to historical lows, and this got the usual economic growth to backfire.

When the cost of borrowing money decreased, financial institutions got to have a money surplus. They started to offer loans to risky borrowers who were less likely to pay them back. While this was all right for a time, (even getting the economy and the institutions to profit), after a while its negative effects started to show. The practice started to spread more and more, with little regulation, and as expected these risky borrowers were not paying their loans. To balance this, lenders charged high interest rates. The high interest of course pressures the borrowers and makes them more likely not to pay their credit.

The consequence of the current economic meltdown is sending shockwaves worldwide. The US received the hardest hit by putting many of its vital companies in jeopardy. The US is now facing a crashing stock market alongside a rising unemployment rate. Iceland is currently in an economic depression, and economists state if the case worsens the country might be facing national bankruptcy. Many of the world’s leaders are doing their best in coming up with a solution. The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, is proposing a series of summits to be held to figure a way out of the current calamity.

The economic meltdown is a serious problem that until now no profound solution has been found to. Economists are currently stating that this crisis will not be solved anytime soon. The economic recession will go on for around two years. On the good side, however, inflation will decrease. To solve this predicament, key actions must take place. Liquidity must remain so that can promote investment. Also, there must be better regulation of the banking world and its activities. The government has to take charge with the economical and financial actions of the country at least until the crisis is under control. The election of Barak Obama as president got many entrepreneurs to become hopeful. They trust that he will take the right steps and measures in trying to fix the economic meltdown