This Sucks!

The Internet is working so slow it's like watching paint dry. Ugh, this happened the same day VB arrived back in Cairo (yesterday.) VB will try to make amends ASAP, with a double header Funkengroovin Wednesday, if need be. For now, here's the lowdown:

Internet outage hits business from Cairo to Colombo

"CAIRO (AFP) — Damage to undersea Internet cables hit business across the Middle East and South Asia on Thursday, including the vital call centre industry, prompting appeals for people to limit their surfing.
Around 70 percent of Internet users in Egypt were affected when two submarine cables in the Mediterranean Sea were damaged on Wednesday, also rupturing connections thousands of kilometres (miles) away."


And, if that ain't bad enough, for those of you trying not to get foreclosed on, or calling a service center for help:

"In India, the Internet-dependent outsourcing industry was severely disrupted, with businesses saying it may take up to 15 days to return to normal.
"Information-technology companies, software companies and call centres that provide online services to the UK or the US East Coast are the worst affected," said Rajesh Chharia, president of the Internet Service Providers' Association of India.
India's 11 billion dollar outsourcing industry employs 700,000 people working for companies that deliver services ranging from answering customer queries to analysing equity markets for global clients."


I would love to add the video of Sen. Ted Stevens describing how the Internet is a series of tubes, but that's a total no go right now.

Again, THIS SUCKS!!!!!

Funkengroovin Wednesday - Confusion Reigns Supreme Revisited

One Thing Leads To Another


Remember this Bus?


And the blog about it:? Well, when Vagabondblogger isn't in Cairo, carousing around looking for VW's, she's in Connecticut reading. One of the new books she recently bought is, Volkswagens Of The World. Apparently some guy, Simon Glen, traveled the world photographing, and documenting a variety of Volkswagen cars and buses, and their derivatives (a little compulsive wouldn't you say?)

VB found a very similar looking Bus photo: "A 1978 Brazilian six-door Transporter Type 201 Microbus Luxo."

From there VB decided to do a more specific Internet search. Even though you can find anything you want on the web, when you're looking for something you don't know anything about, it's pretty much like looking for a needle in a haystack. So check out this Bus VB found at TheSamba.com. Very similar. It's a Brazilian six door transporter.

And, as in Cairo, when it comes to Brazilians, their VW's may not be what they seem to be. According to Malcolm Bobbitt, author of The Volkswagen Bus Book:

"...There was also a problem, in the materials sent from Germany did not always compliment production then current in Brazil. Thus, the situation often arose that vehicles that were seemingly representative of a particular era were adorned with fittings, such as doors and trim items, from previous models.

There were a number of anomolies concerning Brazilian-built Transporters in respect of styling arrangements being peculiar to other models. Hence, some Bay Window Microbuses were fitted with side and rear windows of a pattern similar to those seen on the Split-Screen Samba. Specific to Brazilian production was a water-cooled Bay Window diesel-engined model, complete with an external radiator fixed to the nose of the vehicle."

If that's not bad enough, according to Simon Glen (the dude who traveled the world):

"In 1975 its successor, although fitted with a single carburettor, 1600 twin port engine, and looking like a second generation Type 2 from the front, was really just a 1957 Type 2 with a second generation, one piece wind-screen, front panel, front doors, and dashboard fitted to the front. From the front doors back the body was still the first generation shell, which was how it remained in production until 1997! ...From 1976 the 1600 twin port engine was standard and there was a 'Luxo' model of the Microbus with a unique arrangement of doors on both sides....." (Photo below)

It's pretty obvious that the section between the two side doors was welded onto the bus, in the photo VB took at the Car Market. It's not a very good job either. That was never an issue. VB wanted to know where the hell these guys got this idea from? (Dangling, VB knows this.) So, she found out. And as odd as she and The Boss Man thought Cairene VW's were, apparently it's a worldwide phenomenon.


TheSamba.com got their photo from an old car site in Japan. This site has some amazing VW's and their uses. For those photos go here. VB's fave is Heidi Pizzaria, which you can get to by scrolling down. They've even installed a brick oven!






Check out the labels under the photos called "cut," which gives you inside views of the Buses. So, VB is adding these two pages as links, since they're totally awesome! This site will keep you busy for hours. Also, when you scroll down, and leave your pointer on one of the cartoons it will show you the actual machine. VB thinks she wants to start a traveling hookah / sheesha business now - discussions are in progress with the kinder.


For views of other rare Buses:
Dream bus for VW fanatic, has an article and photos about a restored 1953 Samba.


And things get stranger. Would you use a bus as a trailer? If so, take a look at DoubleDutch Bus. Unfortunately, their link "It's genetic" is only in Dutch, but you'll get the picture. They provide many photos, and some explanations in English, with a post of how the trailer came to be, but again, only in Dutch! Pictures abound, and if you're like VB, then a picture speaks a thousand words, and what else do you need, huh?



NEWS:

Conocophillips Corporate Archive -
William Stout, left, with a Scarab.
A Visionary’s Minivan Arrived Decades Too Soon

"Built by a pioneering aircraft designer in the 1930s, the Scarab was a milepost on a road not taken.

On a rainy day in 1936, Mr. Stout and his Scarab visited one of the new cottage-style Phillips gas stations, at Third Street and Keeler Avenue in Bartlesville, Okla., in the heart of the oil patch. A Phillips executive greeted him; in the background of a photo from that day, bystanders look skeptically at the vehicle shaped like a loaf of home-baked bread. The tall, mustachioed Mr. Stout is wearing an overcoat in the photo, and looks like a scientist from one of the “Thin Man” films of the era.

The Scarab’s layout is worth a second look for designers working to pack maximum utility into modern vehicles. It can be seen as the forerunner of the Volkswagen Microbus, the Renault Espace and other one-box designs.

By 1935 he was publicizing the Scarab, which took its name from the beetle held sacred by ancient Egyptians. Its layout was like that of the VW Beetle, however greatly stretched: engine in rear (a Ford V-8), housed under a vast curve of complex grillwork. Mr. Stout praised the car’s aluminum construction and hoped to build 100 a year. He courted Philip Wrigley, of the chewing gum empire; the tire magnate Harvey Firestone; and Willard Dow, of Dow Chemical."



Worried about cats crawling onto your engine to keep warm in the winter? Well then, don't go to New York City, where you will find Under the Hood, a Cozy Rat Retreat.
"It turns out that rats, of which New York City has an ample supply, love to cozy up inside car engines this time of year.

Ignition wires seem to be a particular favorite, he said.

Mr. Gruber, who often finds telltale chicken bones and candy wrappers, said he sees cars with the problem about twice a month; they have often been parked near Riverside Park.

Paul D. Curtis, an associate professor at Cornell University who specializes in wildlife management, said rodents in general tend to be attracted to plastic tubing and wires. “They do need to chew constantly to wear down their incisors,” he said, “and there’s something about the texture of the plastic that they really like.”

Another article, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles: "60 Years VW Bulli - The Book" goes to print, (about the Bulli Anniversary bash in Hanover, which VB posted here,) is in the news again. Unfortunately, if you get on the sales website, You can't even find it, anymore. VB was able to locate it it in December, but mailings were not offered to U.S.A. residents. If anyone has a heads-up on where we U.S. citizens can purchase the book, or what's happened to it, please let VB know. She was hoping to get a copy, and is very disappointed by the lack of availability. VB just loves how the media announces this stuff, but doesn't follow up on ordering information. BTW, this is exact same article as before (you'd think the news media could come up with an updated version. What's it been - Close to one month?)

Great Site:
Ever wonder what movies and TV shows your favorite car has been in? Well, now there's a database available: Internet Movie Cars Database. You can search by make or do an advanced search by model. Surprising information including photo shots from the actual scenes.



Blink 182-First date (Check out the split-window featured in the video.)

Funkengroovin Wednesday Not! - I'm A Loser!

I'm a loser, haha, two times now. (1) I submitted a photo essay to the National Geographic Photo Contest, and I lost! (Sorry I don't know any monks from Nepal. Why are monks so popular anyway?) Sorry for the non- Funkengroovin Wednesday post, but (2) I had difficulties with the photos I loaded. A couple of weeks ago Blogger (not me - the Internet program) had a problem with enlarging photos. Well, it didn't end there. There were also problems with the photos that were uploaded during that time period. You know like the "Would You Buy This Truck" post. Since I had gone through my links, and then the photos, which weren't working late last night, I just gave up. Give Vagabondblogger a break - It's Christmas, or Eid, or Hanukkah, for God's sake! The holidays warrant a drippy story, and this is just one of millions and billions. I will reload the photos (and the truck ones too) in a day or two, and post a belated Funkengroovin post. Ergo, I am posting my pathetic, sappy, embarrassingly lame photo submission for a diversion.

So, here it is "The Story" I submitted to National Geographic: (As usual click on the photos for a larger view, and descriptions are below the photos.)
______________________________________________________

While at a souvenir shop in Cairo, Egypt, I asked to see several of the cat statuettes. The elderly shop owner said, “Misses please do not call them cats. It is disrespectful. They are Bastet! The goddess of pleasure, joy and dance.” I told him of: how I was a dog lover, how my dog had passed away in Cairo a few months earlier, and how I was getting a new puppy to bring back with me. He retorted, “please, please don’t get a new dog. Loosing something so important in your life leaves a great hole in your heart. If you bring another puppy here, you will loose it too, and you will have another hole.”

Two weeks before my dog passed away, a young feral cat showed up on the porch ("The Golden Boy"), and much like the tale of The Three Bears, stole my chair. He had been hanging around the apartment building, near the garbage can, but eventually found my private little niche on the side porch. As I was about to clean out the dog food bin, I thought, instead of throwing it out, the young cat might appreciate it. At first I dropped handfuls on the porch, then eventually fed him from plastic bowls, calling him to the front porch with a "psst." Our secret relationship lasted about two weeks. The message had gone out to the neighborhood ferals, "new feeding station now open for business." One thing led to another, and as I got to know him, I learned more about the feral cats in my neighborhood, of their personalities, and how they survive in Cairo. It might be just another feeding hole to them, but for me, it has been a healing experience.

King of the Porch
The Golden Boy in all his glory, sleeping on my chair. A non-aggressive cat, flight before fight type, he survives by evasion.


Girlfriend
Golden Boy’s pregnant girlfriend started to show up for feedings too, always bumping heads when they met. Still a small kitten herself, with all the markings of a roughed up street cat, she’s the only cat who rubbed up against me, and allowed me to pet her. Patient and kind, until her pregnancy progressed, she has now disappeared.


The Bad Ass Cat
This one followed Girlfriend over then fence, into the yard. Afraid of nothing he seemed to have been around, seen it all, and is quite the whiner, albeit usually ignored by the others. He is not posing for me, but focusing on the cat lying underneath the car directly behind me.


Cat Fight
Immediately before the joust, a lot of caterwauling takes place. This garbage bin bully, who has become quite a nuisance, goes after every cat he encounters, and now confronts Bad Ass Cat. Pickings during Ramadan are slim during the day, and that's when this extremely aggressive cat arrived. Fighting is one danger, but the municipality sanctions the use of poisoned food, and shooting strays. A practice considered inhumane to The West, but common elsewhere in the world, it has become a local controversy, as of late.


Momma
Once the smell of food gets around, other cats start visiting too, including nursing moms. Some people provide food for the cats, but they are mostly expats, who come and go throughout a cat's lifetime. This mom hides out at a villa that had been a well-known source of food. That expat family has now moved on and the new family has chosen not to feed them.


Comfort
Once trained, the kittens are literally abandoned, aggressively rejected, and Momma has actually resorted to violence as the young grey, whimpering, kitten approached her. This may be the feral cats' version of tough love. Unwanted, they care for each other. Here the bigger male, spoons with his sickly smaller sister, who cries constantly for her mother.

Blue Eyed Sex Maniac
When Mom goes into heat, all sorts of males show up (as if the food isn't enough of an invite.) Obviously not afraid of a human hiss, he stares, demanding lunch.

Startled
Eventually more pregnant cats come by, but are shocked when I show up to size up the feeding situation, sometimes inadvertently scaring them away. This one was quite startled.

Deep Thoughts
A far away gaze - perhaps wondering where he hid that feather he stole from me? A cat’s life in Cairo is a hard one. The Golden Boy has a moment of deep concentration, and I wonder what thoughts go through his head. He often sits by the screened doors, looking in (as if, with a bit of desire) and watches me, like we humans watch animals in a cage. He will enter the house, but only to investigate, and then scampers away.


The Come On:
The Golden Boy, at ease on the porch, has since become a helpful caretaker to the two abandoned kittens. Here he lays back, in his “come on, let’s play” pose. Although I realize we have a connection, we will never be able to live together. He will always be a feral-wild and independent, never a pet. But he has opened a new door for me, one of respect for cats, and most importantly, he is the bastet who helped close the hole in my heart.

As of this post, according to The Boss Man, The Golden Boy has not been seen for days. The two kittens are still around, but I will know more when I actually get back to Cairo in late January.

More information on Egypt's policy towards stray cats and dogs, as well as their slaughterhouse procedures from SPARE - Society of Protecting Animal Rights in Egypt:
Amina Abaza's Article in The Adelaide Advertiser Newspaper

The world may not be so wonderful right now, but we can always wish, dream, and hope.


What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

Funkengroovin Wednesday - Fall Colors

Vagabondblogger apologizes for the late posting - for her excuse - read on.


(The two tone van was spotted on Road 9, near the carpet salesman's corner.)



Since Vagabondblogger left Cairo in late October, she was sure she would miss the fall trees, which are usually spectacular, especially on the east coast. She has met Emiratis from the U.A.E. who made yearly pilgrimages to Boston, and it's northern neighbors, just to view the changing colors of the trees. A week or so before
VB left Cairo, she saw a sign, which she did not recognize. It meant, "yes VB, you will see wonderful colors when you return to the States." The sign? An orange and cream colored Vanagon and two bugs, one yellow and one orange, that changed color in the shade.


Thankfully, weird climate changes are taking place - well, thankful for the late color, but maybe Al Gore might think it's a sign of more nefarious doings.

Now Vagabondblogger is visiting The Mistake By The Lake. VB lived here for about nine years on and off. The Boss Man said they were going somewhere special. He was able to find one of the only hotels in town that took dogs, but no wifi (among other things)! Thus, complicating VB's life. Then Lotus chewed through the phone wire (it was already hanging by a thread.) In addition, both The Boss Man and VB, drove through pouring rain, along the highway following Erie Canal route, for ten hours on Monday just to get here! Remind VB never to let The Boss Man make arrangements for travel again.

Most of the leaves have fallen and the weather is definitely taking a change towards the wetter and colder climate we usually experience. So enjoy the colors while they last, cause after that rain, most leaves have now fallen.


( Yellow bug, found in Maadi Digla.)

(Orange bug found in Maadi Digla as
Vagabondblogger was walking from Kimo Market to Miriam Market. This bug appears to be in very nice condition.)

VB will try to post some news updates later, but for now, thanks to Nevin, from LIMBO for this link on some amazing tricked out and totally reconfigured bugs: What can be done with a VW Beetle, Part 2, at Dark Roasted Blend.






























Bruce Springsteen - Pay me my money down - Erie Canal

My Apple iTV Life

Below, L-R: Scenes from Mad Men: Left & right - parking lot (right - with Betty Draper);












Betty Draper discovers the sensational sexuality of an unbalanced washing machine (sit on it girl!)


Vagabondblogger noted in another post (here), the hissy fit NBC and Apple had over their iTunes contract. Obviously, NBC did not read Vagabondblogger's memo. There's nothing quite like being ignored, is there?

Vagabondblogger downloaded a bunch of free shows from iTunes. She liked several so much, she decided to subscribe. For awhile Vagabondblogger had tried to access the new episodes of HOUSE, which is shown on the FOX Channel, but no new episodes were offered on iTunes. On the other hand, new episodes of My Name Is Earl, which is shown on NBC, were offered. That's because HOUSE is produced by Universal Studios a subsidiary of NBC, and My Name Is Earl is produced by Twentieth Century. After doing a little research, here's what Vagabondblogger discovered: The following shows are produced by Universal Studios a subsidiary of NBC, and thus the new season will not be offered on iTunes:

30 Rock (NBC) / Andy Barker, P.I. (NBC) / Angela's Eyes (Lifetime) / Battlestar Galactica (SciFi)
The Black Donnellys (NBC) / Curious George (PBS) / Eureka (SCI FI) / Friday Night Lights (NBC)
Heroes (NBC) / House (FOX) / The Land Before Time (Cartoon) / Law & Order (NBC)
Law & Order: Criminal Intent / Law & Order: Special Victims Unit / Monk (USA)
The Office (NBC) / Psych (USA) / Raines (NBC)
American Dreams (NBC) / Complete Savages (ABC) / Committed (NBC) / Crossing Jordan (NBC)
Las Vegas (NBC) / Law & Order: Trial by Jury (NBC) / The Office: An American Workplace (NBC)
Will & Grace (NBC)
Blow Out (Bravo) / The Biggest Loser (NBC - Reveille) / Dennis Miller (CNBC)
Fear Factor (NBC) / Last Call With Carson Daly (NBC) / Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC)
Nashville Star (USA-Reveille) / Queer Eye For Straight Guy(Bravo) / Queer Eye For Straight Girl(Bravo)
Saturday Night Live (NBC) / The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (NBC)

Notice Project Runway, Top Chef,and Top Design are not on the NBC Universal Lists, even though they are played on BRAVO, a member of NBC Universal. Why is that? These shows are all produced by independent companies. On the other hand, The Black Donnellys (see above list) was a mid-season offering by NBC, which after ooh, say three weeks (?) they cancelled, but offered the continuing saga on, iTunes! NBC cancelled Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, which was not a huge hit, but had a good following and excellent reviews, and then substituted The Black Donnellys - same, same, as they say here in the Middle East. Maybe NBC should rethink their programming, cuz some of us out here are starting to think that they don't know what they want, or what the viewers want. Maybe they don't care either, but they are starting to display some very unstable tendencies. Here's another example of NBC's total insanity, for those of you making your own YouTube videos - beware. NBC Universal has become so anal, and zealous about prosecuting copyright violations, some people have decided to fight back: Standing Up To Takedown Notices

On a chilly February day, Stephanie Lenz decided to show her family and friends what her bouncing baby boy could do. She plopped 13-month-old Holden, then learning to walk, on the floor, cranked up Prince's song "Let's Go Crazy" and whipped out the digital camera.

In the 29-second YouTube video that resulted, Holden smiles and bobs up and down to the music. According to Universal Music Publishing Group, he also helps his mom commit a federal crime: copyright infringement.

"The idea that putting a little video of your kid up on YouTube can mean you have to go to court, and maybe declare bankruptcy and lose your house, is just wrong," Lenz said. "I don't like being made to feel afraid, and I don't like being bullied."

Thanks go out to NBC for not only trying to squeeze the consumers dry, but for assaulting perfectly innocent people in their quest to make another buck! Copyright has little to do with NBC Universal's strategy. This type of move just puts the capital g on the word Greed! Aw - let's just capitalize the whole word: G-R-E-E-D!

Now that Vagabondblogger has vented her anger (again), at NBC Universal, let's look at the bright side of TV life. Not only is the 'Colbert Report' going global, but the Daily Show is actually on Showtime daily now! Last week Vagabondblogger was flipping channels, and saw Jon Stewart, on the Daily Show, interviewing Ben Affleck about his new movie Gone Baby Gone! It has happened that fast folks!

The new 40-episode half-hour has been especially adapted for international auds and will be distributed alongside the original series, which has been picked up by CTV in Canada and Foxtel in Australia since its international launch last year.

The "global edition" concept has proved a success for "The Daily Show," which has built a strong following on international broadcasters such as CNN,Blighty digital web More4, CTV in Canada and France's Canal Plus. Most recently MTV Nets Intl. has struck deals for the series with broadcasters including Showtime in the Middle East, DBS in Israel, CNBCe in Turkey, DR in Denmark, OBN in Bosnia and Norway's NRK.

Also, the latest show on Vagabondblogger's favorites list, Mad Men, is now airing locally (in the Middle East / Africa) on MBC 4 ! It started October 21st. Vagabondblogger had hoped to get this post out in advance. Here's an article from TimeOut Abu Dhabi with more information. And the good news doesn't stop there: AMC Renews Mad Men For a Second Season. The second season will consist of 13 episodes beginning in the summer of 2008. The Season One finale aired on Thursday, October 18th at 10PM | 9C.

Ever since the show started Vagabondblogger was able to download her show on Friday evenings here in Cairo. Two weeks ago a glitch occurred. I'm sure Apple received loads of angry letters (not from Vagabondblogger though) since the new show did not become available until that next Wednesday. Then on Friday, as usual, the most recent one became available too. Apple sent Vagabondblogger an apology, and credit for a free TV download of her choosing. For anyone who questions Vagabondblogger's recommendations, let her add that this show is produced and created by the same man (and many of his staff) responsible for the Sopranos. It was offered up to HBO, and other networks first. They have no idea what they lost. A.M.C. will start re-running Mad Men early November for those in the U.S.A.. As they say, "check your local listings."

From Salon Magazine: (Vagabondblogger is quoting here bits taken from the article, without divulging any spoilers. Salon.com requires a subscription.)

You really have to hand it to the writers of "Mad Men" for offering us scenes that are not only utterly original and imaginative, but that also reflect, with every word, the central premise of the show: Is it possible to foster close connections in a society that, for all of its potential, is built on the laws of supply and demand and is, therefore, cold and unforgiving by nature?

In each scene, the writers revisit the impossibility of living an honest life in an essentially corrupt world.

The sad message of the show is that, in a world built on lies, ethics are a barrier to both success and happiness.

The characters of "Mad Men" are thus resigned to live double lives, and the more comfortable they are with their deceit, the happier they'll be.

This is what a good dramatic work should do: ask important questions that have no easy answers. But that's not all we get from "Mad Men." We get weighty, nuanced scenes that we've never seen before, and that we can't predict as they're unfolding. We get fantastic acting, incredible art direction, and dynamic, fun storytelling with a wicked sense of humor. "Mad Men" is easily the best new show of the year, a true work of art grounded by sharp social commentary and poetic insights into the American experience.

You can also watch some of your favorite shows on the Internet, since Networks Start to Offer TV on the Web. The article lists each major player, and needless to say, NBC comes on the scene a bit late, and with little to offer. For you expats out there, these Web shows are only available for Internet users in the U.S.A.

The TV networks have begun to put programs on the Web. The selections are crisp, clear, legal and free. But there aren’t many choices, and they don’t stay on the Web long enough.

I've listed channels and times for both Mad Men and the Daily Show at the end of the blog, using GMT.

Since plenty of new shows have started their new seasons, Vagabondblogger has been asked over and over again, "what are you watching?" Everyone has a list of what's on their iPod playlist, well this is what's loaded onto Vagabondblogger's iTV:
Kitchen Nightmares - FOX (as usual with an "in your face" dose of Gordon's tyranny);
I Love New York- VH1 (purely brazen, trashy entertainment - New York is definitely a skank);
America's Most Smartest Model - VH1 (dumber than dumb but with Ben Stein, who is actually smart, a radical Republican, but still funny),
Mad Men-AMC (need I say more on this one),
Aliens in America - CW (reminds Vagabondblogger of That 70's Show, but with sentimentality),
Numbers-CBS (I can't explain why I love this show - Okay, Okay - mathematician brother reminds Vagabondblogger of Number One Son.)

Below L: Gordon Ramsey does not like the Korombiedes made by the Greek owner's mom, at the Seascape Restaurant.
Below R: Tiffany, I mean, New York, who apparently got fitted for her outfit before her breast enlargement surgery!

Middle East / Africa Schedules:GMT
Mad Men: MBC4
>Sundays: 20:00, 23:30 / Mondays: 14:00 / Fridays: 02:00
The Daily Show: Showtime Comedy Channel:
Mondays: Global Edition 19:00 / Tuesday - Friday: 19:00
The Daily Show: Showtime Comedy Extra:
Mondays: Global Edition 21:00 / Tuesday - Friday: 21:00


Okay, while Vagabondblogger was writing this post, and watching TV, she saw an ad for a totally great show, Big Love, on America Plus. (Yes, we have both Orbit and Showtime, but in different rooms.) Those of you out there reading this, who have more than one wife, will totally relate! Warren Jeffs, the overlord of his sect,only wishes he had it this good, but, like NBC he got a bit greedy, and decided to marry many more woman, including underage girls (which equals rape.) The Boss Man would like three wives too, but can't afford it, plus Vagabondblogger thinks he has does not have the stomach for all the cat fighting that goes on. Or maybe he would, if it was all about him. But then, on the other hand, the main character requires Viagra to keep up with all of his husbandly duties.

MAD MEN CAMPAIGN (Arabic)

Weekend News Roundup

Today's roundup includes and article about King Abdullah's new preppy boarding school in Jordan. For any expat who is dissatisfied with the school options offered in their overseas locale (especially in the Middle East), this school just might turn out to be a great alternative to sending the kids far off, to the the U.K. or U.S.A. for boarding school. Also, a cleric is suing over Egypt's new ban on female genital mutilation; an Egyptian newsman has been missing for four years with neither clues nor media attention; And the usual on the Muslim Brotherhood, Human Rights and Censorship articles.

(Not Deerfield Academy.)
Can Arab Preppies Save the Middle East?

...For Abdullah Ibn Hussein, now known as His Majesty King Abdullah II, the carefree years he spent at Deerfield Academy in western Massachusetts (class of 1980) were formative. Deerfield introduced Abdullah to a much broader range of friends than is normally available to young Arab princes; and the character-building crucible of dormitory life taught him Yankee egalitarianism, self-reliance and how to clear dishes from the dinner table.

In 2006, he lured Deerfield's then headmaster Eric WidmerDeerfield teachers from the green hills of New England to his semi-desert realm with a heady challenge: Create a new generation of Middle Eastern leaders from all backgrounds and faiths whose commitment to global citizenship would help transform the region. King's Academy opened this fall with about 100 students — the first co-educational boarding school in the Middle East. (Victoria College, a boys boarding school founded by the British in Alexandra in 1902, was nationalized and effectively gutted by the Egyptian government in 1956.) Though the students now hail mainly from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and elsewhere in the Arab Middle East, King's hopes to eventually attract students from Israel and the West as well.

F.G.M.:
Cairo's Litigious Cleric

Fighting Secularism in Court

CAIRO, Egypt -- Amid a widening cultural war between secular and fundamentalist Muslims, a conservative cleric here is pushing his own courtroom offensive against everything he deems un-Islamic.

More than a decade ago, Yusuf El-Badry -- religious scholar, former parliamentarian and onetime mosque preacher in New Jersey -- pioneered the practice of suing ministers, poets, academics and religious scholars in Egypt's courts to promote his strict interpretation of Islam. The approach was simple and often effective: use Egypt's legal system, which is based on Western and Islamic law and is mostly independent, to counter what he sees as a dangerous wave of secularism.

Last month, Mr. El-Badry went to court to contest a government ban on female circumcision, a popular practice here. Meanwhile, a recent libel ruling in his favor has Cairo's intellectual elite up in arms.

EGYPT:
The Forgotten Man

Despite appearances, Helal, a senior editor at Egypt’s leading daily, the Arabic-language Al-Ahram, seems no closer to returning home than he did on the sweltering summer day of August 11, 2003. That afternoon, Helal was said to have headed home from a routine day at Al-Ahram. And then he simply vanished. No one has heard from him since, and there are few clues as to his fate.

Despite Egypt’s shoddy human rights and press freedom record, the “enforced disappearance” or murder of a journalist is rare. One involving senior staff at a prominent, pro-government paper such as Al-Ahram—its chief editor is appointed by President Hosni Mubarak—is unheard of. Helal’s family and a few journalists have searched for answers to no avail, and Egypt’s vast security apparatus claims it hasn’t been able to crack the case. The near-total absence of information about his fate has perplexed and unsettled Egyptian journalists.

Whatever role Egyptian security may or may not have played in Helal’s disappearance, many observers find it difficult to believe that the authorities have no information about the editor’s fate. Egypt’s multilayered security apparatus is among the most sophisticated and omnipresent in the region, employing thousands of agents and informants. The area where Helal was said to have gone missing is regarded as one of the most secure in the entire city.

On August 11, 2007, the silence continued as the fourth anniversary of Helal’s disappearance passed largely unnoticed. Before his death, Nobel laureate Mahfouz wrote a short, dream-like narrative about a missing man, whom biographer Stock identified as Helal. In “Dream 151”—included in the compilation Dreams of Departure translated by Stock—the author writes: “Under the tree we would sit with him, for evenings of both enjoyment and of learning, when once he excused himself in order to take his medicine. He went up to his flat—but didn’t come back. When one of us went to check on him, he found the apartment locked up tight from the outside. So began a fruitless search for him in all his haunts, as anxiety gripped us all equally—those who loved him, and those who hated him, and those who were indifferent to him, as well. Meanwhile, at our mosque, the imam led the Prayer for the Absent on the soul of the one who was no longer seen.”

Unmasking Egypt's Islamists?

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has some explaining to do.

On Human Rights, U.S. Seems to Give Egypt a Pass

Democracy campaigners in Egypt say that while Washington may criticize Egypt’s human rights failings, it does little to follow up to ensure results.

With Mr. Nour in prison and Mr. Ibrahim on the run, with a human rights organization recently shut down, with journalists being imprisoned, with arrests of those out of step with the government, there is little evidence that Egypt — or any other nation in the region — is under any real American pressure for democratic reforms and human rights.

An explanation on why the sky was so overcast earlier this week here in Cairo: "Black Cloud" Of Pollution Hits Cairo Once Again

Cairo, Egypt (AHN) - Several Egyptian cities are suffering from what people are calling "the black cloud" for the ninth year in a row. The rice peel burning season has started and cities like Cairo and Delta region cities Gharbiya and Domiyat are being hit hard. Farmers claim that they burn the rice peels because the government doesn't supply them with any other options.

Cairo is one of the most polluted cities worldwide.

A recent study found the burning of leftover waste causes 36 percent of Cairo's pollution, industrial exhaust contributes to 32 percent, car exhaust accounts for 26 percent, while agriculture disposal burnings add only 6 percent to the problem.

Discovering Egypt's hidden treasures

“In Egypt, anything is possible, with a little bit of money,” says John Fareed, a partner in U.S.-based marketing firm Fareed & Zapala. Half-Egyptian, Fareed summered in Egypt as a child and still travels there frequently for work. When last in Cairo, he took a private tour with an independent guide who checked out well with his hotel concierge. After visiting a few of the major attractions, the guide brought him to a working archaeological dig, and for an extra fee of approximately $40, got him access inside and permission to shoot flash photography.

TODAY'S ANCHOR CHAT: HODA KOTB

So both your parents were born in Egypt, were you born in Egypt?

Hoda: No I was born in Oklahoma. Grew up some in Morgantown, West Virginia, and mainly in Alexandria Virginia. And we went overseas back and forth. We lived in Egypt for a year, and Nigeria.

CENSORSHIP:
Crackdowns On Bloggers Increasing, Survey Finds

Government repression in some countries has shifted from journalists to bloggers, with the vitality of the Internet triggering a more focused crackdown as blogs increasingly take the place of mainstream news media, according to Lucie Morillon, Washington director of the advocacy group Reporters Without Borders.

"Countries that were not sentencing journalists to prison terms anymore have been doing it these last months for bloggers. This is the case in Egypt and Jordan," she said yesterday as the group released its sixth annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index. Egypt ranked 146th and Jordan 122nd in press freedom among the 169 countries for which data were available.

Iceland topped the list for press freedom in the survey, and Eritrea ranked last.

Yes, this happened in the old U.S. of A: Journalists Briefly Face Charges in Arizona

PHOENIX, Oct. 19 -- The two owners of the nation's largest chain of alternative weekly newspapers were arrested and jailed late Thursday after publishing the contents of a grand jury subpoena seeking, among other information, details on each and every reader who logged on to a Phoenix newspaper Web site since 2004.

This afternoon, after local residents and national First Amendment advocates voiced outrage over what they viewed as an effort to intimidate a newspaper critical of a local official, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas announced that no charges would be filed against the executives or their reporters and that a special prosecutor hired to investigate the newspaper for possible criminal violations is being fired.

The arrests of Michael Lacey, 59, executive editor of Village Voice Media, and Jim Larkin, 58, the chain's chief executive, followed an Oct. 18 article that appeared under their bylines in Phoenix New Times, the company's Phoenix newspaper. The article included a copy of the grand jury subpoena that had been issued in August seeking information about reports the newspaper had published concerning Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's real estate holdings.

Arpaio, sometimes called "the toughest sheriff in America," had long been the focus of Phoenix New Times articles, including revelations of unusual deaths in the sheriff's jails. The article on his real estate holdings included a notation of the sheriff's home address.

In addition to reporters' notes and other documents on the internal workings of the newspaper, the grand jury subpoena demanded "the Internet Protocol address of anyone who accessed the Phoenix New Times Website from January 1, 2004 to the present," and the site users visited "prior to coming to the paper's website."

The subpoena also told the newspaper executives that disclosure of any grand jury proceeding, including receipt of the subpoena, was a crime. When the newspaper published an article about it, the two executives were arrested.

An Assault on Media Diversity and Democracy

...Bush's chairman of the Federal Communications Commission has initiated a scheme to radically rewrite media ownership rules so that one corporation can own the daily newspapers, the weekly "alternative" newspaper, the city magazine, suburban publications, the eight largest radio stations, the dominant broadcast and cable television stations, popular internet news and calendar sites, billboards and concert halls in even the largest American city.

This "company-town" scheme, which would be achieved by lifting current limits on media cross-ownership, is the long-held dream of media moguls such as NewsCorp's Rupert Murdoch and Tribune Company-buyer Sam Zell. With one FCC vote, media billionaires will be able to become media multi-billionaires by controlling the entire communications landscapes of major metropolitan areas -- and by extension whole regions and states.

Weekend News Roundup

Vagabondblogger hopes the first article answers all your questions regarding Islam and space travel. As usual, the regular dose of censorship, and F.I.S.A. related articles are also included.


ISLAM:
HOW DOES AN ISLAMIC ASTRONAUT FACE MECCA IN ORBIT?

Allah is watching – even in outer space. And that poses a problem for a devout Muslim astronaut who is scheduled to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a Russian rocket this week.

Imagine trying to pray five times a day in zero gravity while having to face an ever-shifting Mecca hundreds of miles below. How do you ritually wash yourself without water? And, now that it's Ramadan, how do you fast from sunrise to sunset when you see a sunrise and a sunset every 90 minutes? Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, a Malaysian astronaut, must decide before the Oct. 10 launch.

Five times a day (before sunrise, at midday, in late afternoon, after sunset, and at night), earth-bound muezzins call Muslims to prayer. A spaceship traveling 17,400 miles per hour orbits the earth 16 times in a day. Does that mean praying 80 times in 24 hours?

The next problem: Where is Mecca?

The attitude while at prayer is also an issue. In zero gravity, the sequence of the praying postures – standing, bowing, kneeling, and prostrating oneself – is difficult at best.

Before worship, a Muslim must perform ritual washing – cleaning face, hands, arms, feet, and hair. The problem: Water on the ISS is so precious that even sweat and urine are recycled.

Then there's diet. Pork and alcohol are forbidden. Animals to be consumed for food must be slaughtered in a particular way. All food must be halal (allowed by Islamic law). But how can the astronaut know if the food aboard the ISS is halal?

Meals raise another complication. Ramadan – the holy month during which Muslims abstain from all earthly indulgences (including eating) during daylight hours – doesn't end until Oct. 13.

Laughing at "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week"

An ex-senator that opposes individual rights of women; a pundit that calls people "faggots" and considers Islam a "cult"; a Christian scholar who is considered a "polemicist" and an "Islamophobe" by conservative Christians themselves; and an intellectual who has received millions from "far right" organizations since 2001, are rising up for the rights of women, gays, and religious minorities in the Muslim world. This laughable spectacle is called the Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week. It will be coming to a university near you on October 22 - 26.

CENSORSHIP:
Bono speaks out against torture - and gets censored

Archbishop Tutu barred by U. of St Thomas because of criticism of Israel

Now it’s official: winning the Nobel Peace Prize doesn’t protect you from charges of anti-Semitism if you criticize Israeli human rights violations. Neither, apparently, does being one of the most compelling voices for social justice in the world today, or even getting an honorary degree from and giving the commencement address at Brandeis.

Minneapolis/St.Paul’s City Pages just reported that members of the St Thomas Justice and Peace Studies program were thrilled when Bishop Tutu agreed to speak at the University– but administrators did a scientific survey of the Jews of Minneapolis, which included querying exactly one spokesperson for Minnesota’s Jewish Community Relations Council and several rabbis who taught in a University program– and concluded that Tutu is bad for the Jews and should therefore be barred from campus.

To make matters worse, when Cris Toffolo, the chair of the Justice and Peace Studies program told Tutu what happened and warned him of a possible smear campaign, she was immediately demoted.

Utah mine investigation documents should not be public, agency says

(CNN) -- Court proceedings of the investigation into the collapse of Utah's Crandall Canyon mine should not be made public, argue attorneys for the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

The documents included MSHA's response to a federal lawsuit filed in Utah earlier this week by news organizations, including CNN, The Associated Press, The Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret Morning News.

The suit seeks to stop the investigation into the mine incident until a judge decides whether the proceedings should be open to the public. It also asks for a temporary restraining order to stop investigators from conducting closed proceedings.

The suit also demands that a transcript of all closed hearings be released immediately.

On August 6, six miners were trapped when the Crandall Canyon mine caved in. Their bodies have not been recovered. Three other people, including an MSHA inspector, died as they attempted to rescue the trapped miners August 16.

Cubans go to unusual lengths to post blogs

HAVANA (Reuters) - When 32-year-old Yoani Sanchez wants to update her blog about daily life in Cuba, she dresses like a tourist and strides confidently into a Havana hotel, greeting the staff in German.

That is because Cubans like Sanchez are not authorized to use hotel Internet connections, which are reserved for foreigners.

WHEN US-MADE 'CENSORWARE' ENDS UP IN IRON FISTS

ONI researchers are conducting tests that have so far found censorship in 24 of 40 countries. Testing involves local users in each country trying to access various websites. Certain patterns and failure messages emerge, indicating which filtering system a country uses.

The software companies involved sell this technology primarily to private companies in the US and abroad. Companies use these tools to keep employees from accessing pornography sites and websites infected with viruses.

Repressive governments also turn to these American systems, not only to filter out porn and viruses, but also to block political, religious, and other websites.

A Websense spokeswoman denies the firm has sold software to Iran, which would be illegal.

ONI also found in 2005 that Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates, countries with Internet censorship, use SmartFilter. The company wouldn't confirm or deny.

"We are a US organization that adheres to US rules. We only do business with organizations and countries we are approved to do business with," says Mr. Chatterjee.

That position is echoed by Blue Coat Systems Inc., whose sales materials have boasted that Internet access across Saudi Arabia is "monitored and controlled" by its technology.

Moves are afoot in Washington to take a harder line against censorware exports. High-profile congressional hearings last year examined the roles of Yahoo!, Google, Microsoft, and Cisco in helping China censor the Internet. Rep. Christopher Smith (R) of New Jersey has introduced the Global Online Freedom Act, a bill that would, among other things, study the feasibility of restricting censorware exports.

There is some debate over whether such filtering software merits real concern. In Burma, the regime ultimately decided to shut off the country's Internet access after it appeared unable to selectively filter out antigovernment communication.

Internet-censorship tools can be defeated with the use of proxy servers. But many people living under repressive government are not going to hear about, or dare to try, methods to get around Internet fire walls, say experts.

"Some people say [censorware] is ineffective because dissidents can get around it," says Seth Finkelstein, a programmer and anticensorship activist. "I say political control doesn't have to be 100 percent to be effective. Controlling the ability of the vast majority of the population to see outside information is still very effective for the goals of the totalitarian regime."

F.I.S.A.
Former CEO Says U.S. Punished Phone Firm

Nacchio's account, which places the NSA proposal at a meeting on Feb. 27, 2001, suggests that the Bush administration was seeking to enlist telecommunications firms in programs without court oversight before the terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon. The Sept. 11 attacks have been cited by the government as the main impetus for its warrantless surveillance efforts.

The allegations could affect the debate on Capitol Hill over whether telecoms sued for disclosing customers' phone records and other data to the government after the Sept. 11 attacks should be given legal immunity, even if they did not have court authorization to do so.

In May 2006, USA Today reported that the NSA had been secretly collecting the phone-call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by major telecom firms. Qwest, it reported, declined to participate because of fears that the program lacked legal standing.

In a statement released after the story was published, Nacchio attorney Herbert Stern said that in fall 2001, Qwest was approached to give the government access to the private phone records of Qwest customers. At the time, Nacchio was chairman of the president's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee.

"Mr. Nacchio made inquiry as to whether a warrant or other legal process had been secured in support of that request," Stern said. "When he learned that no such authority had been granted and that there was a disinclination on the part of the authorities to use any legal process, including the Special Court which had been established to handle such matters, Mr. Nacchio concluded that these requests violated the privacy requirements of the Telecommunications Act."

Funkengroovin Wednesday - Afterview

I was going to post a "Funkengroovin Preview", but TeData decided at exactly 4:30 PM on Sunday it was changing over it's system, you know "improvings it," and my Internet went dead, as well as my Vonage phone. They sent a young MB looking guy, in jeans over, who fucked with my MAC for over an hour. He tried that last month, but I wouldn't let him near my machine. No one around here seems to understand Mac's. They promised to send someone else over in the morning - "inshallah mumpkin boukra" (tomorrow, God willing). The Boss Man went through the words "fuck," "fucked up," and "fucking" every other breath (the ugly American.) Fortunately MB looking man laughed at it all. They said they had installed a better system from the U.K. Oh, let me ask a rhetorical question here, "Is Bill Gates from the UK? Is Steve Jobs from the UK? Did the UK invent the Internet? Are all the Indian ITT wizards from the UK?" Needless to say, that did not impress me.

Monday I found the new TeData number in the back of a magazine, after having called wrong numbers all morning long. One of the numbers, which I had gotten from a book belonged to a woman I phoned up twice. The second time, she said, "Don't hang up! I want to help you." I explained my problem (that I was trying to call TeData,) and she gave me the number for information. I decided to wait until the maid arrived, for help with any Arabic I might need, but then I found the TeData number on the back page of a CSA Magazine the Boss Man brought home, coincidentally the night before.

I called. I waited. I was transferred. I waited again. I was transferred again, and constantly told, "I am now transferring you to a techhnikal assistant." I was transferred again, to a "technician". Apparently not technically inclined enough though, as his reply to me was, "We do not soupporrrt Muckintoush." Meanwhile, it took me about an hour to figure out what the young MB dude did to my computer, and to undo it all.

Fortunately we have a friend who came over with his IBM, and he was able to figure out that our router went dead after the TeData "improvements." He got us use of a (temporary) working router, and sometime Monday evening we were back in business. He's even going to take the old router back for us, to exchange for a new one. The man is amazing! Needless to say we will need to bring a superior gift for him, when one of us returns from the States, later this fall. I think the Boss Man was talking about an Apple product - not sure, but I know he'll love it! We will convert these skeptics, one by one, slowly, killing them softly with lovable Apple products (uh, no iPhone, though).

Monday evening, which is when I usually post my "Funkengroovin Preview" we were back in business, but I was about 24 hours behind on my blog.

Both the young lady on the other end of my wrong number, and our friend were awesome in helping us out. The people here in Egypt are totally giving. I don't think I've ever lived in a country where people are so friendly, considerate, willing to make fun of themselves, plus who scream and get all emotional just like Greeks! So for all my Egyptian and Muslim friends: Ramadan Kareem. BTW, I gave the boab money to go buy a Ramadan light. I told him to buy one he liked, since he sits out there, and has to look at it all day and night. He said, in his thirteen years working here, no one has ever given him that discretion, nor paid for a light.

What did Jerry Lewis say, LaLaLa, Nice laddeeee!" - Nooooo. I am not nice! I was just so embarrassed because everyone else had Ramadan lights and we didn't. I can't believe the other folks in this apartment building don't give a hoot, and they're all Muslim! I think the boab is very happy though.

My mom always said, "What goes around comes around."

Now, that I've gotten my computer problems off my chest, here's the "Preview" a bit late - which makes it an "Afterview", I guess.

Anybody remember Ted Bundy?
Bundy, Ridgway 'murderabilia' among Internet sales

WASHINGTON - Round and chrome, it looks a lot like your average hubcap from a vintage VW Bug. But this one is special. And it's for sale.

It's off the tan 1968 Volkswagen Beetle that Ted Bundy drove as he roamed the West in the mid-1970s murdering young women. From Washington state to Colorado to Utah, Bundy is considered among the most diabolical serial killers in U.S. history.

The starting bid for the hubcap from Bundy's Beetle is $3,500.

Here's a preview of a new car from Volkswagen. Personally, I don't like the way it looks - fugly. Interior and exterior photos are included in the article.
The Volkswagen up!

Frankfurt Preview: Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Life

A Successor to the Hippie Van

It has become the favored vehicle for a new generation of van fans, argued Paul Saffo, the futurist and Stanford University teacher, in his blog at saffo.com. The Sprinter, he wrote, became the spiritual successor to the Volkswagen Microbus of the 1960s and the Ford Econoline and other vans of later eras, noting that private individuals “began purchasing Sprinters, turning them into mobile homes, windsurfing carriers, pedigree dog show transporters and, of course, surfer vans.

Rise of the replica cars

Volkswagen T2 van The classic "Kombi" camper van was never luxurious but romantics still prefer it to modern tourers. VW Brazil is still manufacturing a version and you can buy a brand-new T2 Rio camper – but with the reliability and build quality of a modern Volkswagen.

The motor is water- rather than air-cooled (it's from a 1.4-litre Golf). Otherwise, this is as faithful a Sixties camping experience as you can get. From £21,688, danburymotorcaravans.com.

The Who to rock International Bus Meeting - Nice photos here.

That’s exactly what the song ‘Going Mobile’ is about: “Well I'm gonna find a home on wheels, see how it feels, / Goin' mobile/ Keep me moving/ I can pull up by the curb, /I can make it on the road, /Goin' mobile
I can stop in any street/ And talk with people that we meet”.

The Who vocalist Roger Daltrey is a Volkswagen Bus enthusiast too and says he is looking forward to the event. “All of us in the band are Volkswagen fans. I’ll give my vocal chords an oiling and then give it all I’ve got, until everyone is singing along … ´f-f-fade away´,“ Daltrey promises.

International VW Bus Meeting - Go to the Gallery for some great Type 2 photos.

How to renovate a VW bus in just 73 complicated steps

Ailments and Antidotes

SHUDDERING Acuras and grease oozing from the dashboards of Mazda CX-9s are among the latest technical service bulletins compiled by alldatapro.com.

Technical service bulletins, or T.S.B.’s, offer insights into some recurring problems. The bulletins are not recalls; they are notices provided by manufacturers to the service departments and mechanics of their dealerships. Except where noted, manufacturers did not mention in the reports whether the repairs would be covered outside of the warranty.

VOLKSWAGEN Owners of some 2004-8 Volkswagen Touareg S.U.V.’s may find their door handles stuck open. In TSB 5707-06 issued May 3, Volkswagen officials noted that while the handle may become stuck, the latch remained operative. Adding a metal retaining clip inside the door trim should snap things back into place.

How many times have I heard the Boss Man say, "That car is a piece of shit?" (aka P.O.S.)

Well, from TIME Magazine, here's an official list of The 50 Worst Cars Of Al Time, with emphasis on The Edsel.


Maybe some the new Chinese made cars will make the list eventually. Germans See Imitation in Chinese Cars,

FRANKFURT, Sept. 11 — It’s hardly surprising that a car that bills itself as the “ultimate driving machine” would inspire imitation. But to BMW, the CEO, a Chinese sport utility vehicle, is less respectful homage than brazen knockoff.

“We did not like it,” BMW chief executive, Norbert Reithofer, said curtly in an interview here.

Neither did DaimlerChrysler, which is taking legal action against Shuanghuan to prevent it from selling the Noble, a subcompact that bears an uncanny resemblance to Daimler’s Smart minicar. The Noble did not appear at the show, though the importer, China Automobile Deutschland, insisted that it decided on its own not to distribute the car in Germany.

“Naturally, our cars are inspired by European carmakers,” said Karl Schlössl, a German who is the chief executive of China Automobile. “But we reject the charge that they are copies.”

At a circuslike news conference, Mr. Schlössl refused to speak the name BMW, instead referring to it as “that company.” He spoke of having a southern German accent that would make him at home in the hallways of the Munich-based BMW, and he introduced a tall blond woman as his companion.

Mr. Maxton said Chinese carmakers sometimes copied the exterior of a car from one model, and the interior from another. In the case of the CEO, for instance, it is not clear that the BMW X5 was the sole inspiration for its design. Auto critics have said that while the rear end of the vehicle is a dead ringer for the X5, the front end looks more like a Toyota Land Cruiser.

BMW emphasized that under the hood, the CEO is no X5. Small wonder: the X5 starts at 59,000 euros ($86,830) in Europe; the twin-turbo diesel model on display here goes for 92,000 euros ($126,040). Mr. Schlössl said the CEO would sell for a base price of 25,900 euros ($35,483).

For now, the Chinese are struggling with more basic issues, like designing a safe car. Two carmakers, Brilliance and Landwind, suffered when their cars performed abysmally in crash tests conducted by the German automobile club ADAC.

Landwind has stopped selling while it retools its cars to improve their safety, according to Peter Bijvelds, a Dutch car dealer who holds the distribution license for the brand.

Brilliance, which collaborates with BMW in assembling cars in China, insisted it had improved its safety standards, though it still received only a middling score in a subsequent crash test. It presented its new compact, the BS2, as a low-cost alternative to the Volkswagen Golf.

Little Britain - Carol Beer