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Monthly Archives: March 2014
customer service orientation is a misleading label
Customer orientation: not so easy to instil in an organization. I have some background in the hospitality industry. Can one get more prototypical as far as serving goes? The industry label itself is a one-word metaphor of what its members claim … Continue reading
re-blogging Egypt’s instability by the numbers
Every so often, I come across an analytic piece about Egypt that stands out. With thanks to The Arabist (again), who brought this to my inbox: an article by the Middle East Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about … Continue reading
Posted in society
Tagged Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Egypt, JJ Cale, Michelle Dunne, political analysis
1 Comment
five centimeters per second
The announcement on ahram online about the Japanese Embassy in Cairo screening some animation films by Makoto Shinkai made me check out the one described as his best work to date. What do I know about Japan, but it struck me … Continue reading
patriarchy
One of the things that bothers me most living in Egypt is the restrictions on the way females can lead their lives. I’ve written about this before, and am hesitant about it. Cairo-based writer and journalist Ursula Lindsey said it better … Continue reading
Posted in society
Tagged Egypt, Hind Aleryani, Middle East, pariarchy, Shereen El Feki, Ursula Lindsey, Youssra El Hawary
2 Comments
Nijmegen and Cairo: happy running
I’ve written a lot about running lately. So my mind has been on it even more than normal. It’s always funny to notice how a focus of attention seems to correlate with coming across unexpected ‘relevant’ information. Go on holiday … Continue reading
Posted in (trail) running, society, un nimweegs rondje
Tagged Cairo, cairorunners, Egypt, girl power, mudsweattrails.nl, Nijmegen, parkour, political analysis, salomon, Tehran, urban trails, William Pharrell
1 Comment
humanae
I am totally convinced that the we’re all living in a socially constructed world – ever since I read the seminal Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann 1966 classic at university – and that the media play a central role in … Continue reading
Posted in society
Tagged Angelica Dass, creativity, educational philosophy, information assessment, skin colour
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famous dead actor and philosopher
Yes, I thought Philip Seymour Hoffman was a great actor, but I haven’t actually seen many of his films. He died of a drug overdose, a cocktail of uppers and downers, apparently accidentally, which indicates a great need for self … Continue reading
Posted in psychology
Tagged death, greek tragedy, happiness, love, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Simon Critchley
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Egypt outlook
Not good. I won’t beat around the bush. I moved here from Nepal, a country dear to me, and one that I left disheartened by its stagnant political economy. But I have to admit that I will leave Egypt even … Continue reading
Posted in society
Tagged army, Brotherhood, Egypt, Kate Perry, Michael Jackson, orientalism, political analysis, Quicy Jones, The Arabist, Toots Thielemans, Ursula Lindsey, Yasser Elmanawahly
4 Comments
the fuzzy category of trails
Fuzzy categories offer an endless source of fascination. Take the relatively new concept of running trails. Let’s not start in prehistory, but just go back half a century. when running – as a sport – could reasonably be classified into … Continue reading
Leo & Tineke Vroman
Leo Vroman, one of our national literary icons, recently died. Poet, artist, scientist, and above all – for me – someone who manages to move me to the core. And I don’t really know why. It’s not his poetry – … Continue reading
witch world
How many worlds can one live in? Plenty turns out. Physically, I’m in Cairo (Egypt) most of the time. But is that therefore the most important world I live in? The neighbourhood I frequent is quite small, so Cairo, would … Continue reading
Mustang, one more time about the running
I said earlier that the Mustang trail race is not an extreme multi-day event. That, mind you, is not to say that it is easy. And that, in turn, is not going to deter anyone interested in a race like … Continue reading
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