I read Brad's blog with interest and he makes many important points. I thought I'd tell you what piracy in the third World is like. I live in the Middle East . Most computers bought here have copies of Windows that serve a warning every time you open your computer: "This copy of Windows is not authentic. Please contact us for advice." Fact is every computer leaving the shop has a non-authentic copy of Windows pre-installed. The same applies to Microsoft office. It is the norm in Egypt and...

The President of Sudan, Omar Al Bashir, regarded by many as a war criminal, has decided to whip his flock into a frenzy over a re-print of the Danish cartoons . He has banned Danes and Danish products from his ravished country and has brought thousands of Sudanese out in protest into the streets of Khartoum. Don't these people work? Don't they have nothing better to do than march through streets promising to cut Denmark's throat.  These are the protestors who marched a few months ago in ou...

My wife (God bless her), intrigues me with some of her housekeeping habits. I tend to ignore most but she is a hoarder, "destroyer " of appliances, and, at times, a threat to the household. So I'll set the scenes and Joeuser wives can have a go at their husbands in response! Why do wives: Try to stuff 15kg of washing into a 7 kg washer and complain that the machine is producing dirty clothes and trying to bounce itself all over the laundry room? Try to soften butter in a microwave...

At long last some of the suspects behind the most vicious attack on American soil will stand trial. Personally, as I believe in the death penalty. I hope they will be executed. However, and I often seek advice from my American friends---so please enlighten me- I wonder why they are being tried at Guantanamo. Here are the things that worry me:

Egypt kicks off against Cameroun in twenty minutes time. It is the final match of the African Cup Of Nations tournament and this city of Cairo has been feverish, itchy, jubilant and excited since they qualified for the final a few days ago. You cannot get away from the flag waving, marching supporters,wedding-like groups of cars hooting in unison. This is a huge city--twenty million people and counting--and they are all thinking about the same thing-Football. My typing is slow and the kick-of...

Recently one of my students told me that he was using his mother's Facebook account. I was quite shocked because this (very savvy), child is only 9 years old. I have had to tell young children that Facebook and other sites which expose your persona are dangerous. In fact I think Facebook itself can be dangerous for adults too. It sounds fun and it can encourage friendships between mates but don't Joeusers think that we are exposing ourselves to people with ulterior motives. OK, so as an adult...

Remember, you guys get more insight than I do. Nevertheless another bash at predictions including the dropouts: Clinton: Going strong into Super Tuesday. Obama: Ahead in SC but loses Florida to Clinton. I think both are neck and neck into Super Tuesday. Huckabee: Hopes on Missouri. I think he'll be out soon. Romney: Still there and getting nasty with McCain campaign. Thomson: Out. Edwards: Out. Guiliani: Out. Last but not least , my man McCain is still there after FLA. A s Super...

The World has become small enough through technology for everyone to watch the build up to the American Elections. I'm enjoying the action, the debate and the move towards Super Tuesday. I am not qualified to understand American politics but I am getting a flavour of what's happening and I can, forgive me , give my own views. I felt the Hillary/Obama debate was badly handled by their advisors. It has received "negative press" and has achieved nothing. However, it's early days and this is ...

I live in Egypt and GW visited here today (not in Cairo---he's not terribly welcome here and the chaos that would have ensued had he come here, may even have led to me closing my school. (I'm not just talking traffic deadlock or a city ringed by troops--I'm talking massive anti-Bush protest). GW is supposed to be an ally of Egypt but unfortunately due to the Iraq war and Condi cutting aid because of poor border control into Gaza, there is a slight falling out. Anyway, he flew into Sharm El...

Perhaps some of you know that there are moves afoot in the UK to transplant organs from the deceased to those needing them without the consent of the family. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has decided that this may be a way of saving more lives. He is right but the decision is not his to make (echoes of Edinburgh body snatching come to mind when a Scotsman is involved!). When a government that is mired in enough problems as it is, seeks to pounce on the cadaver then I think they are trying to...

Daniel Arap Moi led Kenya for 24 years. It was a time of peace and democracy in Kenya but behind the scenes there was corruption on a huge scale and the slums of the poor grew larger. As the Land Rovers toured the Masai Mara and Serengeti with khaki clad millionaires the average Kenyan began to sink into poverty. The slums grew as Moi and his henchmen filled their pockets and promised reform that did not come. Moi's successor, Mwai Kibaki, promised to uplift Kenyans and provide employment and...

Dancing was our great joy at New Year. On New Year's eve we would swing around the floor to a big band --doing the foxtrot and the cha-cha and waltz. My wife and I did this for thirty years in the company of great friends and a snappy few drinks. There would be sing-songs and foot tapping and too much champers. We were applauded for our ballroom antics in whichever country we were living at the time. Those great social events were so special and we shall never forget them. Old age catches up ...

Benazir Bhutto was assassinated earlier today and the aftermath is likely to unsettle an already volatile Pakistan. This courageous woman, called the Angel Of The East and Champion Of The Poor, was a natural leader who rallied millions of Pakistanis behind her. I have always admired her courage and her determination to unite Pakistan. I leave any speculation about the perpetrators of her death to Political commentators who are more savvy about the politics in the country than I am, but it ...

My wife says I'm an atheist but I'm really a realist--a person who examines every situation carefully rather than being led by the blind, including some churches and their leaders who do very little for the good of mankind. Many churches are also peopled by hypocritical congregationists who place their fat, comfortable girths onto a pew and rejoice in the fact that life is great and they are doing their Christian duty by attending worship "hour". I use "some" and "many" carefully as there are...