Avenue of Rams

This is another article on the fast-paced excavation of the ancient avenue of rams, with everything in its path being demolished for the people's own good, that is according to the governor of Luxor. The evicted residents are being offered money or another flat for their demolished homes.

The precedents are not good for the residents of Luxor, who need only to look at the people evicted from Gurna a couple of years ago, many of whom are less than happy and facing problems receiving water and electricity in their new government-provided homes.

There is also talk that the excavation of the avenue is turning up mostly battered and unrecognizable pieces of statuary (rams).

The Pyramid of Userkare

Archaeologists are searching at South Saqqara for the pyramid tomb of the ephemeral second king of the sixth dynasty, Userkare.

Words from the Governor

The governor of Luxor, Samir Farag, defends the demolition taking place to build the avenue of rams. Governor Farag said at the Lions Club symposium, "No one can scare me. No one is more important than the government, and I will not be threatened by the media or the press."

Perhaps the governor forgot the president for life when he made that statement, but the point is well-taken nonetheless. Also apparent that the governor feels he is being threatened by the media; perhaps it's his fear of the truth that's the threat.

The governor goes on to say that the government "will remove anything that stands in the face of development." Governor Farag mentions that people being evicted from the site are receiving compensation, whether that compensation is fair or not is an issue not addressed in his threatening presentation.

Slapping Zionists

Zionism appears to be all the talk over at Egypt's cultural ministry, with Dr. Zahi Hawass in a recent interview saying that he gave the Zionist enemy a real slap in the face. Dr. Hawass feels his recent cancellation of an inauguration ceremony for a recently restored Cairo synagogue made his point.

Dr. Hawass confirmed that Israel is the Zionist enemy, and not those annoying Western Zionists that Dr. Hawass' boss blamed for his UNESCO loss last year.