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Much more than the buzz-word of the day...Insightful commentary and amazing links
By Tarek Atia
Grab bag
My sewage is better than your sewage: A critical look at metaphorical criticism
A recent issue of Al-Ahram (28 January 2001) featured two very interesting items.
At the bottom of the front page, where the paper usually includes tiny blurbs about different things going on around the world, one of the items was headlined, "Overflowing sewage threatens America!".
The item, adapted from a Reuters story, is basically about a study that revealed that infrastructure repairs of sewage systems in American cities will require some 23 billion dollars a year in funds that don't currently exist. An expert is quoted as saying that if the money is not available by the year 2020, sewage system mayhem will occur.
"Experts say that America faces a shortage of funds for waterworks and sewage repairs, even though Washington is the nerve center of economic advancement."
Basically, the article seems to be saying, "Look we're not the only ones having problems. Even these guys, supposedly the world's greatest superpower, are suffering from sewage problems as well."
What's telling, though, is that the item itself clearly shows that, 1)American policymakers admit they have a problem, and 2)are looking at the problem from a very-long term perspective, and trying to find ways to allocate the necessary funds in time, before the problem reaches endemic proportions.
That, rather than the smarmy, "You're not so great yourself!" tone, should have been the lesson here.
But being smarmy is obviously much easier.
Witness, later in the same issue, a photo caption entitled, "Clinton's fall!". Al-Ahram obviously finds it hilarious and telling that former US President Bill Clinton recently tripped over his dog's leash while taking the mutt out for a walk. The photo shows Clinton being helped off the ground by a couple of his security guards, and the caption informs us with glee that hardly a week has passed since Clinton left office, and that already he's falling down all over the place.
I was born on Good Morning America
It looks like ABC is gearing up to take reality TV to another level.
Next Tuesday, 6 February, 2001, the network's long-running Good Morning America show will be featuring a live broadcast of a childbirth. "It's something unique and exciting, and with all the human drama of the everyday miracle,'' one of the show's producers told Reuters. Apparently, this isn't the first time the network has featured a live birth, but this time the stunt has been carefully planned to help boost ratings of the show, which is lagging behind its competitors, during the all-important "sweeps" week. The delivery, by the way, will be shown from the point of view of the mother.
Note: An Egyptian magazine called Alive featured photos of a birth in one of its issues a few years ago.
A similar complaint
Egypt has changed a lot in the last few years; one change most people have noticed is that, in general, girls are wearing more revealing clothes than before. Some would say that's just a flashback to the 60s, when miniskirts and such were practically the norm.
In any case, the same trend seems to be taking place in the States. This Time magazine article informs us that Britney Spears is inspiring younger and younger girls to wear skimpier clothing. The teen pop star is a walking contradiction; she dresses provocatively, but is always careful to boast of her virginity. That mixed message seems to have filtered down to girls as young as 5 years old, who now get into miniskirts, tube tops, and baring their midriff. The craze for all styles Britney has even inspired many schools in the US to impose "strict" dress codes that do not allow skirts higher than a few inches over the knee, or bare stomachs.
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