Egypt Christians rally behind rival of Islamists

Egypt Christians rally behind rival of Islamists — In the small southern Egyptian town of Azaziya, where almost all the residents are Christians, few doubt that nearly everyone who can is going to vote for Ahmed Shafiq, ousted leader Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister and his longtime friend, in this weekend's presidential election.

Shafiq's candidacy has dismayed many Egyptians who believe the Mubarak-era veteran will preserve the old regime's authoritarianism. But even if some Christians share those reservations, they view his opponent in the race as far worse: Mohammed Morsi, of the Muslim Brotherhood, which Egypt's Christian minority fears will turn the country into an Islamic state.

"Our goal is a civil state. We don't see anyone else who can protect this except for him," Montaser Qalbek, the son of Azaziya's town leader, said of Shafiq.

FILE - In this Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011 file photo, an Egyptian Coptic Christian woman, left, is comforted by a Coptic nun, right, as she cries out in emotion following morning mass inside the Saints Church after 21 worshippers were killed in an apparent suicide bombing in Alexandria, Egypt. Despite his rhetoric and promises to uphold the civil nature of Egypt, Shafiq seemed to some Egyptians an odd choice for Christians who suffered attacks under Mubarak's near 30 year-rule, culminating in the bombing of a church in Alexandria that killed 21 people attending a New Year's Even Mass more than a year ago. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

In last month's first round of the presidential election, which narrowed the field from 13 candidates to two, Shafiq received nearly all of the 4,500 votes cast in Azaziya, a town in the southern province of Assiut. Qalbek said he expects more than twice that number to turn out for the Saturday-Sunday run-off and that they will again overwhelmingly back Shafiq.

That determination is likely to be mirrored across the Christian community, which makes up 10 percent of Egypt's population of 85 million. Many Christians see the vote as a clear-cut choice between a secular state and one in which an Islamist agenda slowly takes root. Leaders of the Orthodox Coptic Church, to which most Egyptian Christians belong, and Christian activists have been working hard to get the community to the polls, said Yousef Sidhom, editor of the weekly Watani newspaper and a Coptic Church official.

While they have been cautious not to use the pulpit, priests and influential congregants have been expressing support for Shafiq at church-related activities, Sidhom and other Christians said.

Those Christians who vote will back Shafiq because they are fearful of the Brotherhood's "hidden agenda," Sidhom said.

"There is a Brotherhood strategy to work toward building an Islamic country."

Sidhom says there are concerns the Brotherhood will keep Christians out of some government positions, tax non-Muslims, base education around Islam and create a foreign policy that favors Muslim over non-Muslim nations.

The Brotherhood has long insisted it won't discriminate against Christians. In his run-off campaign, Morsi has vowed Christians will have full rights equal to Muslims' and said he might appoint a Christian as one of his vice presidents.

"We don't believe this," said Sidhom. "They just want to lure people to vote for Morsi."

The campaign has already turned bitter, reflecting what could be a close race. Morsi and Shafiq each won about a quarter of the vote in the first round, with Morsi coming out ahead by a hair.

Morsi has sought to appeal to moderate and secular Muslims by drumming up fears of a continued Mubarak-style, military-backed police state if Shafiq wins.

Shafiq, a former military man like Mubarak, is stoking fear of the Brotherhood. "The Brotherhood represents darkness and secrecy," he said at his first press conference after first round results were announced . "They don't want to take us 30 years back, but all the way back to the dark ages."

The message resonates with Christians. They are already feeling insecure with the recent death of their leader, Pope Shenouda III, on top of the post-Mubarak rise of Islamists and a lapse in security across the nation, which saw a rash of sectarian violence. In a gesture of solidarity, Brotherhood leaders attended Shenouda's last Christmas service, in 2011, and in his sermon the pope said Copts and Islamists would work together for Egypt's sake. But the event did little to reduce Christians' mistrust of the group.

The region's turmoil has deeply unsettled the Middle East's Christians. Syria's Christian minority, for example, has largely stuck by President Bashar Assad, fearing the strength of Muslim hard-liners in the uprising against his rule. For a worst-case scenario, Christians can look to Iraq, which many Christians have fled after their community and others were repeatedly targeted by extremist militants in the chaotic years after Saddam Hussein's 2003 toppling.

Mubarak's regime was hardly ideal in many Christians' eyes. They complained

of discrimination and suffered sectarian violence, culminating in the bombing of a church in Alexandria that killed 21 people at a New Year's Mass more than a year ago. Young Christians played an active role in last year's 18-day uprising against Mubarak and in protests against the military generals who took Mubarak's place in power.

Still, Mubarak was seen by many in the community as their protector against Islamists, and Shenouda strongly backed him.

Some of that strongman image seems to have rubbed off onto Shafiq. In the first round, there were other secular candidates, such as former foreign minister Amr Moussa and socialist candidate Hamdeen Sabahi, but they did not get the mass Christian support Shafiq did.

In Azaziya, Qalbek — once a member of Mubarak's ruling party — said he urged fellow townspeople to back Shafiq because of his military background, which many believe makes him the generals' preferred candidate and gives him the needed strength to blunt Islamists.

"Yes, there was injustice in the old regime," said Qalbek. "But why should I turn to something new? What does something new hold for me?"

Support for the divisive Shafiq has caused a backlash. Christians complain that after the first round, they have been harassed in the streets and at work. Witnesses in Assiut say a Muslim baker refused to sell bread to Christians.

Revolution-minded Christians — and Muslims — who want neither an old regime figure nor the Brotherhood are left in a quandary.

Farid Edward, a 21-year-old activist, said he voted for Sabahi in the first round because "he represented a secular state and the revolution." Now he is joining a growing movement to boycott the runoff.

"If I am thinking just about Christians, of course I will vote for Shafiq not Morsi. But if I am thinking also as an Egyptian and what is best for the country I won't vote for either Shafiq or Morsi," he said.

While the Coptic Church says it takes no official position on candidates, Edward says some local church leaders urged people to back Shafiq.

"I feel that not all the church officials have that revolutionary sense and understand us as youth," he said.

The generational divide among Christians spilled over into the streets in October, when youth defied their leadership by protesting outside Maspero, the state TV building in Cairo, against attacks on churches. A violent military crackdown on the protest left 27 people dead.

Paul Sedra, an expert on Egypt and professor at Vancouver's Simon Fraser University, said Copts feel more vulnerable now than they have in decades.

"We have a church basically without a leader, a community that suffered through the Maspero massacre ... and the Muslim Brotherhood ascendant in the political realm," he said. "This gave them a far greater feeling of instability and that gave Shafiq far greater votes."

In the province of Assiut, home to a large Christian community and birthplace of Pope Shenouda, Qalbek predicts unanimous support for Shafiq.

"All the votes of Christians in the run-off will go to Shafiq. That is what the revolution wanted, a civil state based on democracy," he said. ( Associated Press )

Blog : Luxurious | Egypt Christians rally behind rival of Islamists

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Why girls hang out with sexier friends?

Why girls hang out with sexier friends? - Fish resort to hanging out with friends who are more sexually attractive than themselves to put off unwanted male attention, a new study has suggested.

Carried out by the Universities of Exeter and Copenhagen, the study focused on the Trinidadian guppy, a species of small freshwater fish. It showed that the females choose companions that are relatively more attractive than themselves and in this way reduce harassment from males.

The research showed that the tactic is successful and by ensuring they are less attractive than other group members, the fish experience less harassment and fewer mating attempts from males.

Male guppies are well known for frequent and sometimes constant harassment of females. This puts a significant burden on females, sometimes preventing them finding food and escaping from predators.

Females pick sexier friends to avert unwanted harassment from males (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

Females are 'receptive' for a few days in each month. During this time they emit a sexual pheromone that attracts males and allow males to glide into a position that facilitates mating.

The researchers used guppies descended from those living in the Aripo River in Trinidad. They identified which females were currently receptive to male sexual attention and which were not. They then monitored the amount of time both receptive and non-receptive females chose to spend with either receptive or non-receptive females.

They found that non-receptive females spent significantly more time with receptive, and therefore more sexually attractive, females and that, by doing so, they received far less attention from males.

In fact, they even chose water in which receptive females had recently swum over water that had housed other non-receptive fish. This showed that they picked up on chemical cues emitted by receptive females and found this to create a more appealing social environment.

"It is now becoming apparent that males of some species choose to associate with relatively less attractive males to increase their chances of mating," Lead researcher Dr Safi Darden of the University of Exeter said.

"We wanted to see if females also chose their same-sex companions based on attractiveness, but in this case, to reduce unwanted attention."

"Our results support the idea that social structure can develop around relative attractiveness and mating strategies. Although we focused our study on one species of fish, I would expect that this strategy would be seen in other species where females face similar levels of unwanted sexual attention from males," Dr Darden added. ( indiatimes.com )

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New dating site helps college students find love

Michelle Przybyksi, 26, and Andy Lalinde, 33, pose with their dog Domino at West Point last month. The couple met through an exclusive online dating website for college students

New dating site helps college students find love -- Though they had perhaps crossed paths several times on campus, it was only when Andy Lalinde was scrolling through images of cute girls online that the one with brunette hair standing in some South American country caught his eye.

He opened her profile and saw her name was Michelle Przybyski. She was 26 and studying to be a nurse. Better yet, she lived only a few blocks away. With nothing to lose, Lalinde wrote a funny message proclaiming his love for nurses and hit send.

One walk of four hours with Lalinde's dog, Domino, around campus and a date at the library (that didn't really involve studying) later, the two Columbia University graduate students applied for a marriage license in New York just 10 days after meeting in person.

Why so soon?

"I think when you know, you know," Michelle said.

While they could have passed each other walking to class, it took Datemyschool.com -- an online dating website exclusively for college students -- to bring them together and officially exchange vows on April 29.

With countless dating websites such as match.com, eharmony.com and okcupid.com, the online dating market is a bit crowded. But Date My School has inched its way in and formed a niche for students searching for a boyfriend or girlfriend who shares the same educational goals and understands school comes first on the priority list.

Lara Hirner, a grad student at Columbia University's Teachers College, has gone on dates to the opera, Central Park and ice cream shops with guys she met on Date My School.

"The guys place the same priority on education and the same passion for their careers as I do," Hirner said. "We're also at similar places in our lives, being students, which makes it easier to relate."

Columbia University students Balazs Alexa and Jean Meyer started the dating website on campus in November. This month, the site launched at 140 more schools nationwide, giving more college students the opportunity to meet their future husbands or wives.

Alexa and Meyer, both recent graduates of the Business School, came up with the idea after a girlfriend complained that there was not enough testosterone in the School of Social Work. On the flip side, men in the Business School often wished for more women study buddies.

If potential lovers weren't meeting in the classroom, the university needed a better platform for both sexes to interact.

The solution: A dating website exclusively for college students.

With more than 20,000 registered users, the site continues growing and has doubled its members in the past four months. Some have compared it to Facebook -- pointing out that the social network was also open to only college students when it began.

But Alexa insists Date My School is not the next Facebook.

"We expanded in a similar manner that they did initially, but then they opened it up for everybody in the world," he said. "We will never do that."

Only students or alumni with an active university e-mail account can register on the site. From there, users can narrow their searches to students attending specific schools. They can go one step further and select to meet only students with majors such as business, art or engineering.

In its first few months, Date My School was only offered to undergraduate and graduate students at 20 schools, including Columbia, New York University, Harvard University and MIT.

The site took off at a rapid pace, as 1,300 students at Columbia signed up in the first week.

"I think we are responsible for more than half of the dates and meetings between students on campus," Alexa said.

He added that the site is successful because it's safe, and it works.

"Usually, people have a date within the same day they register," Alexa said. "If you go to any other dating site, you have to have conversations with other people for weeks before you can be sure it's safe, that (the person) is not a freak."

With Date My School, there's an initial trust that stems from choosing dates who share common interests and live on campus or attend a nearby school.

That's the beauty of Date My School, says Julie Spira, an online dating expert and author of "The Perils of Cyber Dating."

"A student at GW might want to meet someone to date at American University," she said. "Now, it's both technically and geographically possible for them to find love online."

The site fills a void for college students in the online dating world. According to Spira, about 25% of match.com users are 30 years or younger, and there's no guarantee they're college grads. Date My School is the only dating site that specifies the user's alma mater.

"If somebody really has their heart on meeting somebody from Princeton, this is a great way to narrow down the search," Spira said.

While Date My School's creators want to distance themselves from Facebook, Spira credits it for lifting the stigma surrounding online dating. Spira, who tried online dating in 1994 before match.com and eharmony.com existed, explained that people now feel comfortable talking to others and forming relationships online.

"If it wasn't for Facebook's popularity ... it wouldn't have allowed online dating to really become what I feel is now social dating," she said.

The Pew Internet & American Life Project surveyed the number of online daters in 2006. Results indicated that one in 10 Internet users have tried online dating sites.

The number is much higher today, according to Alexa, but people still avoid online dating because they're embarrassed or believe dating sites are a waste of time.

"They think that if they go to a bar, it is still more easy to get a date," he said.

But for students who are swamped with hours of studying and lab research, meeting someone at a bar or party is just not that simple when there's no time to socialize.

Karent Zorogastua, a second-year grad student at Columbia's School of Public Health with a hectic schedule, registered with match.com but stopped after guys she was not interested in contacted her.

"There was one guy who looked like Flavor Flav, and I was like, 'Oh no, this is not working for me,' " she said. "Nothing against Flavor Flav, but he's not my type."

Zorogastua said she'd be more willing to give Date My School a go, since she could narrow the search to a student also in an intense grad program who understands she doesn't have to time to commit to a serious relationship.

"A lot of people knock it, they just thinks it's kind of cheesy, but you know what, it's an option," Andy Lalinde said.

Before registering on Date My School, the 33-year-old wanted to be in a relationship but was just too busy to go out.

"It was always just me, the dog and school," Lalinde admitted. He says he has Date My School to thank for meeting his wife and now helps his friends write profiles because his humorous tone is what attracted Michelle.

Alexa and Meyer, 29-year-old best friends who have made running Date My School a full-time job, plan to continue expanding the site across the United States and eventually France, where Meyer is from. A recent $500,000 grant from investors and future business prospects are helping them turn their match-making service into a profitable venture.

And with the thousands of datable women at their fingertips, you'd expect the guys to be at the movies every night. But Alexa said they have a strict policy that forbids dating anyone on their site.

"Of course, girls are writing to us all the time, but we try to resist," he said. ( cnn.com )

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Online dating? Why no one wants you

Online dating? Why no one wants you -- If you're young, urban and didn't import a significant other from college, it's pretty likely that you're on an online dating site. Let's just admit that right now.

Online dating doesn't make you a creepy loser. Your collection of taxidermied frogs does. Moving on ...

Tons of folks are hooking up with future life partners (or dates or flings or accommodating couples) via the Web nowadays. People who aren't completely awkward, that is. And the place where that awkwardness has the most opportunity to shine is, undoubtedly, in your first message to a potential swain.

Granted, a lot of online dating is scrolling through photos, immediately weeding out "not my type," "holding a baby" and "just a torso," but even if someone deems you attractive (ironic mustache and all), a travesty of a first message can ruin all chances of romance.

Your missive doesn't have to be Pulitzer-worthy, by any means -- although spell check really doesn't hurt -- but there's a whole passel of openers that will get you deleted from a digital dater's heart.

1). The generalizer

Example: hey, wuts up?

Why no one wants you: You're probably stupid. Or possibly illiterate. What's going on with you? Something cool? OK, tell him/her about that, instead. Nothing at all? Go out and cultivate a hobby of some sort, and then get back to us.

2). The autobiographer

Example: Hi! My name is Sandi! I moved to L.A. from Oklahoma a couple of months ago and, I have to say, I'm lovin' it! I just adore walking my 6-year-old Pomeranian, Marshmallow, along Venice Beach!

I'm currently working as a receptionist at a dentist's office, but when I'm not answering all those phones, I really enjoy kicking back with some Lilian Jackson Braun (that cat is SO SMART, solving all those mysteries). Oh! Did I mention I majored in Life Sciences in college and lost my virginity at age 27? Anyway, tell me about YOU!

Why no one wants you: Well, what else is there to find out? We kind of feel like we've already dated you, and we were bored the first time around.

You wouldn't sit down at a bar and tell someone your life story (that role is reserved for the old and deranged), so choose something you and the dude have in common and start with that. There's plenty of time later to run out of things to say.

3). The "eccentric"

Example: Holy Cheezburgers! You sure are a purty lady! I would love to take you down to the playground and push you on the swings! And then we can go to the zoo! Or to the ocean to build a giant sand castle by the sea!

I'll stomp on it and you'll be pissed, but you'll get over it because I'm just so gosh-darned charming. (I'll also be wearing a rather irresistible bow tie -- with a motor!) Write me back, sweet child o' mine -- that sure would be fine (that rhymed!).

Why no one wants you: We are afraid you will murder us in our sleep. Hey, it's great that you're a nonconformist who has his own trained tarantula circus, and any girl who's into well-behaved bugs is sure to dig you, but trying too hard to be interesting is just that: trying too hard.

4). The robot

Example: Hi! I came across your profile and it intrigued me. I'm looking for a smart man with passion and drive, and you seem to be it! Want to get a drink sometime?

Why no one wants you: You probably sent the same message to half of OKCupid ... and Match.com ... and eHarmony ... and JDate. Yeah, dating is a numbers game and whatnot, but no one wants to be number 1,000. Take, say, three minutes to pound out a more personal message. As we have already established (see #2), we don't need your life story.

5). The creeper

Example: I want to ****** ***** with your **** ******. And then ***** **** all night long. Oh, here's a picture of my junk.

Why no one wants you: We'll let you know after we examine that snapshot. Kidding (maybe). You know that section where the girl/guy has indicated what s/he's "looking for"? Unless "casual sex" is listed, cease and desist with the sexting.

6). The gusher

Example: Oh my, you are extremely handsome, you know that? Like, you look like a movie star! And you like all of my favorite books! "The Da Vinci Code!" It changed my LIFE! I'm sure you're WAY TOO AWESOME to ever go for a girl like me, but, wow, man, I hope you deign to answer this lowly message because your eyes are like starshine.

Why no one wants you: Kindly detach yourself from my leg. According to an OKCupid study, calling someone "sexy," "beautiful" or "hot" is a huge turnoff in a first message. If you ever want to stare into those "starshine" eyes in person, hold the compliments until you're trying to get into said person's pants.

7). The wordless wonder

Example: You have been added to PatrickBatemanIsTheMan's Favorite's List!

Why no one wants you: This is the grown-up equivalent of asking your friend's friend to ask me if I like you -- but, you know, not so grown-up. Man up and say something, while avoiding numbers 1 through 6, that is. ( cnn.com )

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What's in a ring? Palace confirms that Prince William will not be wearing a wedding band when he marries Kate Middleton

What's in a ring? Palace confirms that Prince William will not be wearing a wedding band when he marries Kate Middleton - Prince William has decided not to wear a wedding ring following his marriage to Kate Middleton, palace officials have revealed.

According to senior royal sources, the Prince discussed the issue with his fiancée but has chosen not to. 'It is simply down to personal preference,' an aide said.

Kate, 29, will wear a band fashioned from a lump of Welsh gold already owned by the Royal Family which will be given to her in the traditional way during the April 29 Westminster Abbey wedding ceremony, the Mail can reveal.

Breaking with tradition: Prince William will not be wearing a wedding ring after his marriage to Kate Middleton on April 29

The use of Welsh gold in royal wedding bands is a long-standing tradition.

Most male royals do wear a wedding ring of some kind, with the exception of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Like many members of the upper classes, Prince Charles wears a gold wedding ring under a signet ring on the little finger of his left hand given to him by the Duchess of Cornwall.

His signet ring bears the fleur-de-lys crest of the Prince of Wales and is believed to have been a gift from his parents.

He also wore a ring given to him by his first wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, until the day after his engagement to Camilla.

William's decision not to sport a wedding band is likely to cause some surprise, however, as it is so commonplace nowadays.

Symbol: Prince Charles wears a wedding ring under a signet ring on the little finger of his left hand given to him by the Duchess of Cornwall, who he married in 2005

But a St James's Palace aide insisted that it was a decision that Kate was happy with.

'It was something the couple discussed but Prince William isn't one for jewellery - he doesn't even wear a signet ring - and decided he didn't want to. It really is just down to personal preference,' they said.

'Catherine will wear a ring fashioned from a lump of Welsh gold owned by the Royal Family that has been smelted down. The couple have both had a hand in the design. This is the ring Prince Harry will carry and hand over in the traditional way.'

Another source added: 'It is quite common for men in that strata of society not to wear a traditional wedding band. If they do, they tend to wear it with their family signet ring but William doesn't have one of those.'

Most male royals, including Prince Edward (left), do wear a wedding ring of some kind, with the exception of the Duke of Edinburgh (right)

Prior to the Second World War is was unheard of for men to wear wedding rings. It then became customary for soldiers serving overseas to wear a wedding band to remind them of home and their commitment to their wives and families.

The popularity of wedding rings for men has since soared, but there is still divided opinion on whether wearing one is obligatory or not.

Although wearing a wedding ring for men in the past was not crucial, most modern brides would not hear of her new husband’s fourth finger going unadorned.

David Miller, director of Debretts, a leading authority on etiquette, said: 'Wearing a wedding ring used to be uncommon for men but now it is quite accepted practice. That said, it really is a matter of personal choice and members of the Royal Family often chose to wear it with a signet ring on the little finger of their left hand.

'Although this is a very modern royal wedding in so many ways, I think there will be a few surprises of this kind to come.'

According to some customs, the wedding ring forms the last in a series of gifts, which also may include the engagement ring, traditionally given as a betrothal present. This tradition was already in use in Ancient Rome and is possibly much older.

After marriage, the ring is worn on the hand it had been placed on during the ceremony. By wearing rings on the fourth finger, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. ( dailymail.co.uk )

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The Secrets Your Partner is Keeping From You

The Secrets Your Partner is Keeping From You - Have you ever wondered what secrets your significant other is keeping from you? Even the most committed, honest partners often have one or two secrets they keep from their loved ones. So what are the most common secrets men and women keep from each other?

He doesn't want you to know that he struggles with body image issues, too.

It is customary to see a woman order a salad with dressing on the side and a diet soda. But if a man makes such an order, it is seen as a little... strange. After all, many women still expect their men to be meat-and-potatoes kind of guys who don't put too much thought into calories or body image. But, believe it or not, men can be just as sensitive about their appearances as women, and some go to many (secret) lengths to look their best. Yes, he might be having beers and wings in front of you and your gal pals on Saturday night, but that doesn't mean he doesn't eat lean in the privacy of his own home!


She really wasn't afraid of that big scary spider in the sink.

In today's age of equality and female empowerment, women are no longer treated with the kid gloves of chivalry by their male partners. Don't get me wrong, gender equality is great... but sometimes women still want to be treated with extra care. So how do they accomplish this? By playing the damsel in distress! Whether it is running from the "scary" spider in the sink or shrieking in the middle of a scary movie, women often play into their need for a "knight in shining armor" by putting up a frightened front... even when they aren't!


He is much more jealous than he lets on.

Men know that giving you the green light to have a "girls' night out" will pay off when its his turn to hit the town with his buddies, but that doesn't mean he doesn't cringe a little when he sees you leave the house in your little black dress. It isn't that he doesn't trust you, but he has the inside track to the way men think... and as much as he might deny it, he worries about you going out and being deterred by someone new. But, don't worry! A little jealousy will make him that much more appreciative when you come home as committed to him as ever!


She doesn't really want to hop on the baby bandwagon just yet.

Most men think that women have biological clocks the size of Texas, and while we do tend to swoon over our friends' special bundles, that doesn't mean we are ready for one of our own yet! Thanks to reality television, women are more aware than ever of the horrors of pregnancy and childbirth (think stretch marks, weight gain, nausea and labor!), and it makes the process a little daunting. Not to mention, most women want to climb the corporate ladder as high as they can before Mommy rituals begin, so postponing pregnancy is becoming a popular trend.

So tell me... what small (or not-so-small) secrets are you keeping from your spouse? ( lifestyle.yahoo.com )

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