Join JAW on Facebook. Follow JAW on twitter.

  The Eg-Update Archive

by John Anthony West


SUPPORT JOHN’S CANCER FIGHT!



It Is Not Over! Not by a long shot. This is the web guy writing, last I heard, (which was a while ago), John was back in hospital but was in general doing a wee bit better in his wonderful recovery from Stage 4 cancer at the center in Texas.He was the editor of a magazine before the monsters got him, consider perhaps the Clay Roup route. It all helps. Good thoughts. Prayers. Good karma. It works. Send some?

We are with you in this fight John, every step of the way.

https://fundly.com/john-anthony-west-project

John Anthony West, the Emmy award winning Egyptologist who took on the ‘Quackademics’ and conventional dating of The Sphinx is now taking on Cancer.

World renowned Egyptologist, writer and satirist John Anthony West has spent the majority of his life fighting academia with his controversial theories of ancient Egypt. In the first days of 2017 John was presented with a new fight, this time he is battling cancer instead of the “Quackademics” (one of many JAW’isms).

For those not familiar with John’s work, one can start with his 1993 Emmy award winning documentary, The Mysteries of the Sphinx, narrated by Charlton Heston. John first hypothesized and then proved geologically that the Sphinx is vastly older than the conventional date of 2500BC taught in schools. Simply put, he has changed the way we look at the history of our civilization.

John West was adamant about using alternative methods over the extremely harsh ‘standard of care’ treatment that would be tough on any person at any age.

The great news is that John has been accepted in the renowned Burzynski Clinic in Houston, Texas. Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, much like John, is a genius that the establishment does not know how to deal with. The FDA has continually harassed Dr Burzynski for using non standard of care methods, even though his treatment has shown more promise than traditional protocols. His patients testimonies have led to the FDA to consistently fail in their stubborn litigious pursuits.

Most non-traditional cancer treatments are disregarded from health insurance policies, giving most little choice in the matter. In addition to being radically cheaper, Dr Burzynski’s patient case studies have detailed incredible results. Be that as it may, the majority of health care institutions do not acknowledge. This of course requires people like John Anthony West to settle his medical care out of pocket.

We cant let that stop these two from trying.

The Rogue Oncologist meets the Rogue Egyptologist, soon with your help.

We estimate the medical obligations, financial commitments, and on-hold Egypt tours for 2017 to be $155,000. 100% of all funds will go to John West and his family. We also welcome your ideas and suggestions to help out this living treasure to continue his pursuits.

###
 
Peace to you all.
 
Hi fellow Grockles, Zeke asked me to post the following, which is to a pretty sporty event! The link: http://www.denoflore.com/john-anthony-west-project/ The page: FEB 10th! John Anthony West Project Telethon w/ Graham Hancock, Randall Carlson, Robert Schoch, Laird Scranton, Edward Nightingale, and MORE! MAKE DONATIONS TO JOHN’S CANCER TREATMENT THROUGH CLAY ROUP’S OFFICIAL FUNDLY CAMPAIGN HERE! Presented by Sacred Geometry International and Den of Lore, in cooperation with Clay Roup – For the most important show we will ever do, and on this very special night, John Anthony West’s friends & colleagues come together to help spread the word of John Anthony West’s fight, discuss his work, and share warm stories of the man himself. Between each guest, we will be announcing the updated amount of funds raised for Clay Roup’s Official Fundly campaign, the bonus thank-you-gifts being offered for making a donation, and at what giving level they are available at. GUESTS Graham Hancock, Randall Carlson, Dr. Robert Schoch, Laird Scranton, and Edward G. Nightingale. Scotty Roberts has stepped out for medical reasons. Thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. GET WELL SOON SCOTTY! We will miss you, but hope for your speedy recovery! More to be added! GUEST CO-HOSTS Dr. Robert Schoch – Author, & Professor Boston University Edward G. Nightingale – Researcher & Author Seriah Azkath – Host – Where did the road go? Camron Wiltshire – Sacred Geometry International SPECIAL THANKS Jimmy Church from Fade 2 Black Darren & Graham from Grimerica Greg from The Higher Side Chats WHY A TELETHON? John Anthony West’s work has touched millions of people’s lives the world over, and fought against close-mindedness and ignorance, while promoting critical thinking on where our true history and our culture’s past could come from. Now it is our turn as a community to give back to someone who has given so much to us.

SUPPORT JOHN’S CANCER FIGHT!



It Is Not Over! Not by a long shot. This is the web guy writing, last I heard, (which was a while ago), John was back in hospital but was in general doing a wee bit better in his wonderful recovery from Stage 4 cancer at the center in Texas.He was the editor of a magazine before the monsters got him, consider perhaps the Clay Roup route. It all helps. Good thoughts. Prayers. Good karma. It works. Send some?

We are with you in this fight John, every step of the way.

https://fundly.com/john-anthony-west-project

John Anthony West, the Emmy award winning Egyptologist who took on the ‘Quackademics’ and conventional dating of The Sphinx is now taking on Cancer.

World renowned Egyptologist, writer and satirist John Anthony West has spent the majority of his life fighting academia with his controversial theories of ancient Egypt. In the first days of 2017 John was presented with a new fight, this time he is battling cancer instead of the “Quackademics” (one of many JAW’isms).

For those not familiar with John’s work, one can start with his 1993 Emmy award winning documentary, The Mysteries of the Sphinx, narrated by Charlton Heston. John first hypothesized and then proved geologically that the Sphinx is vastly older than the conventional date of 2500BC taught in schools. Simply put, he has changed the way we look at the history of our civilization.

John West was adamant about using alternative methods over the extremely harsh ‘standard of care’ treatment that would be tough on any person at any age.

The great news is that John has been accepted in the renowned Burzynski Clinic in Houston, Texas. Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, much like John, is a genius that the establishment does not know how to deal with. The FDA has continually harassed Dr Burzynski for using non standard of care methods, even though his treatment has shown more promise than traditional protocols. His patients testimonies have led to the FDA to consistently fail in their stubborn litigious pursuits.

Most non-traditional cancer treatments are disregarded from health insurance policies, giving most little choice in the matter. In addition to being radically cheaper, Dr Burzynski’s patient case studies have detailed incredible results. Be that as it may, the majority of health care institutions do not acknowledge. This of course requires people like John Anthony West to settle his medical care out of pocket.

We cant let that stop these two from trying.

The Rogue Oncologist meets the Rogue Egyptologist, soon with your help.

We estimate the medical obligations, financial commitments, and on-hold Egypt tours for 2017 to be $155,000. 100% of all funds will go to John West and his family. We also welcome your ideas and suggestions to help out this living treasure to continue his pursuits.

###
 
Peace to you all.
 


jawsphinxhttps://fundly.com/john-anthony-west-project


Click here to support The John Anthony West Project by Clay Roup fundly.com.


The Emmy award winning Egyptologist who took on the ‘Quackademics’ and conventional dating of The Sphinx is now taking on Cancer.

Dec '16- A month later, JAWs getting dizzy spells during his Enneagram Trip to Egypt. He goes to Albany Medical for checkup and tests upon returning.

· Jan '16- Two weeks ago the Albany Medical CAT and MRI results back. As John puts it, "I got a bad read". John has cancer.


Current- This weekend his son Zeke put out word to his upcoming group that is slated for Feb 15th, which is not likely. Obviously any indications of this sort are not to be taken lightly. The promising news is that Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski in Houston has looked at John medical results and has agreed to take him in. No surprise that insurance wont accept alternative cancer treament centers, so we are starting a fundraiser for him. Graham Hancock is also involved, and he is going to help get the word out to guys like Rogan and others in the community.

All ideas and comments on how to help John are welcome. You will see a few ideas posted on the Fundly site, and please send those in. As for communications, Zeke is helping out with emails and Im also including him here. You can always give me a shout as well

Clay Roup

Our dear friends at Magical Egypt in Oz are already well into helping :)




Eg-Update 44.0.2 Lecture with gbh

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Eg-update #44a (?)

Hello Everyone,

I am (in a sense) sorry to tell you that as of this morning, our talk is sold out.

If convenient for you, you can show up at the Church and hope someone cancels out, or doesn't pick their ticket. But that's the best I can do.

The evening will be video'd however, and that should be available sometime very soon. So the information won't be lost, but it is not the same. Sorry!

John


Eg-Update 44.0.1 BREAKING NEWS



Hello everyone,

As of this writing 312 out of the 340 available tickets to our joint 11/29 evening in NYC have been sold.

Anyone expecting to get tickets at the door might want to book now to avoid getting turned away if it's a sell-out.

jaw

Eg-Update 44.0



Hello All


Dates are now finalized for my February 2017 Egypt Trip.


Depart JFK (or elsewhere in the Western hemisphere) February 17 2017 -- Return March 3 2017.


The itinerary is the same as the standard trip already posted to my website, except that I've added a free day, which we can very much use!


This adds $100 on to the listed price. Thus $5595 instead of $5495. International airfare is NOT INCLUDED. Domestic airfare within Egypt is included, as are many other features that are expensive options on other tours, or, more commonly, not available at all.


Many more people have inquired about this trip than I have room for. Apart from my website and this Update to my mailing list, it will also go up on Facebook, and I'll be talking about it on a few blogs/interviews coming up shortly.


If you are certain you want to go, please let me know asap.


If you can put in a deposit right away, so much the better. If not I can wait as long as I know you're definite about signing on. Just let me know so I don't overbook, or tell people there's room when there isn't.


Remember there's a discount ($150) if you pay by check or wire transfer (Wire transfer info is on my website)


Note: Of possible interest to all living within striking distance of New York City. I will be doing a joint lecture/interview there (first time ever) with Graham Hancock on November 29. This should be a lively, entertaining and informative evening. As this is written (11/18) tickets are 2/3 sold out so if you plan to attend it might be wise to book in advance. Here is the link:


https://www.eventbrite.com/e/graham-hancock-and-john-anthony-west-an-unprecedented-dialogue-tickets-29225636666


I hope to see you in Egypt or at the upcoming NYC event ... or both.


Cheers!


John


PS If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email, call or skype me.


John Anthony West
675 Manorville Rd.
Saugerties NY 12477

Tel: 518-678-2160

Web site: www.jawest.net

Skypename: JAWSPHINX

To join my private mailing list and receive occasional updates and Egypt Trip information, click here http://lists.jawest.net/listinfo.cgi/jawlist-jawest.net

To listen to my PhoenixFire Audio blogs click here http://jawphoenixfire.blogspot.com

###

Eg-Update 43.0


Hello Friends and Egyptophiles, (especially insomniacs and night owls among you)


Here is a last-minute notice that I will be interviewed by George Noory tonight 11/10/16 on the very popular Coast to Coast audio show. Actually, it's not even tonight but early morning Friday (1 AM - 3 AM) East Coast time. If you can't or don't want to (and I wouldn't blame you if the latter) tune in at that ungodly hour not to worry. The show will be archived and available to all.


Cheers!


John Anthony West


(And here it is! - Webmaster)


coast to coast am - november 10, 2016 Secrets of Ancient Egypt / Intuitive Wisdom

Peace Radio

Published on Nov 11, 2016

coast to coast am - november 10, 2016 Secrets of Ancient Egypt/ Intuitive Wisdom

Date: Thursday - November 10, 2016

Host: George Noory

Guests: John Anthony West, Kala Ambrose


Author, lecturer, and guide, John Anthony West, delivered a seismic shock to archaeology in the early 1990s when he and geologist Robert Schoch revealed that the Great Sphinx showed evidence of rainfall erosion. Such erosion could only mean that the Sphinx was carved during or before the rains that marked the transition of northern Africa from the last Ice Age to the present epoch. In the first half, he discussed his revolutionary reinterpretation of the ancient civilization of Egypt which challenges the timeline that had previously been accepted as dogma. This is not just a question of how old their civilization was, but the astonishing degree of sophistication they had in their building of what amounts to the "most spectacular sculpture on Earth," he remarked.

Further, the temples near the Sphinx are built from stones weighing up to 150 tons slotted together like a jigsaw puzzle in a way that could not be even be reproduced with today's technology, he marveled. While West doesn't entirely rule out the ancient ET hypothesis, he finds no evidence for it. He believes a lost civilization with advanced skills, predating the known ancient Egyptians, created the Sphinx. He also talked about how the pyramids at Giza seem to be connected as part of a mysterious grand unified plan or machine. The focus of all Egyptian religion deals with the quest for immortality, he added.





-

JRE #852 - John Anthony West from JoeRogan on Vimeo.



Eg-Update 42.0


Trailer to Eg-Update 41


         Breaking News


John Anthony West in CA September 27 - October 1 2016

Hear ye, hear ye! All who live within striking distance of Rancho Mirage in southern CA.


1. 9/30-10/2. I will be featured in the 2016 CPAK (Conference on Precession and Ancient Knowledge).


CPAK is always a rewarding experience with its varied cast of knowledgeable and worthwhile speakers. Google it up. I will divulge much new Lost Civilization news and discuss major developments in our ongoing Battle-to-the-Death with the Quackademic Establishment and its dreaded Paradigm Police. The Strongest Thing in the World (“the idea whose time has come,” as Victor Hugo put it) establishes itself ... only when “The Second Strongest Thing in the World” (the Idea whose time has not yet gone) has been vanquished. (Its denouement may not be that far off.) Apart from the weather and this year’s desert setting, at CPAK there is also ample time for schmoozing and socializing. Try to be there if you can.


Hear ye, hear ye! All who live anywhere else in the world where there’s Internet.


2. Prior to CPAK on 9/27 (1 -3 PM PCT) I will be one-on-one live with the irrepressible Joe Rogan on his popular, no-holds-barred podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience.


We will of course be talking about things Egyptian, but also my next trip there (10/21 – 11/4 2016), the new book I’ve spent the last two years editing and contributing to: The Dead Saints Chronicles: A Zen Journey Through the Christian Afterlife by David Solomon (for more info google it up on Amazon). But we will doubtless also be ranging far afield into all manner of uncharted, and probably wild territory -- wherever our conversation leads us.


If you can’t tune into it live, fear not. It will be archived…probably for Eternity.


Jaw


PS. Also, coming soon and fleshing out this Eg-Update:


Further detailed thoughts on the “S” Word (Safety) prompted by the latest terror attacks in France, Belgium and Elsewhere, which have changed the general perception of the terrorist landscape.


News from Egypt in detail. Many promising new developments. On our recent “rekky” we meet amiably with the new Minister of Antiquities and also with the Director of the immense, soon-to-be-opened G.E.M. Grand Egyptian Museum.


Significant additions and updates to the Reading List; more on The Dead Saints Chronicles.

  Egyptophiles: FADE TO BLACK!

I rang in the new year with an extensive three hour skype interview with Jimmy Church on FADE TO BLACK, which is part of Art Bell's DARK MATTER NETWORK.

It aired Thursday, January 2, 2014 7 PM. It was a wide-ranging and lively gig!

And here it is!

Enjoy!

John Anthony West

 

Eg-Update 34.0!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

April 19 @ 2 PM.@ SPAF (Saugerties Performing Arts Factory)

As anyone who cares about art knows, there is a particular power to the “Retrospective” that showcases the life work of a given master. This show is unique in that it is, effectively, a “Retrospective” of the “ideas and ideals” that have inspired so many of those masters over the millennia,... but with emphasis upon contemporary painters and architects consciously working within the great tradition.

This brilliantly curated exhibition is one-of-a-kind and not to be missed for anyone living within striking distance of Saugerties NY (Mid-Hudson Valley and 12 miles east of its better-known neighbor, Woodstock NY.) See below.

John Anthony West

In praise of the exhibition - “It’s a joy for the eye as well as the mind.” “It was a lovely opening and a strong exhibition.” “Such an elegant show!”

THE PERFECT MEASURE - THE GOLDEN RATIO IN CONTEMPORARY ART Exhibition at The Gallery at the Factory at SPAF - 169 Ulster Avenue Saugerties, NY 12477

Gallery Hours: Fri, Sat, Sun 12-5

EVENTS

Saturday, April 19, 2014 - 2 pm - Lecture: John Anthony West, Egyptologist

The Perfect Measure in Ancient Egypt and the Foundations of Sacred Science

JAW

“Number, measure, proportion, geometry, harmony... their interactions make up the Language of the Gods. The “gods” of ancient Egypt themselves are embodiments of Cosmic principles, not figments of primitive imagination as our Quackademic Community would have us believe. In this talk we will discuss the scientific/mathematical foundations of the “Sacred”, show why it really is Sacred, and why it should matter to us today if we have any hope at all of extricating ourselves from the mess we've made of our world.” - John West

Upcoming events

Saturday, April 26th , 2014 - 2 pm -

Workshop for children and adults: David Stoltz, Sculptor: Constructing Geometric 3-dimensional polygons

David Stoltz has conducted innumerable workshops for children of all ages. His constructions in a variety of metals and plastic are placed around the Hudson Valley and in playgrounds. No materials or skills in geometry or mathematics are required to build beautiful tetrahedrons and icosahedrons to take home.

Saturday, May 3, 2014 - 2 pm -

PowerPoint Lecture: Geometric Influences on Palladian Architecture: Palladio’s Villa Emo and Thomas Jefferson’s Rotunda at the University of Virginia by geometer

In this talk, we discuss how these iconic buildings achieve dynamic unity among parts and whole through Golden Mean and other proportions.

4 pm - Infinite Measure Workshop by Rachel Fletcher.

Taking drawing compasses in hand, we learn simple geometric methods for composing harmonious spaces and places, then observe these proportions in world-famous art, architecture, interior and landscape designs.

For more information go to: www.MuseumoftheGoldenRatio.org

MUSEUM OF THE GOLDEN RATIO - A GEOMETRY OF LIFE AND ART

WWW.MUSEUMOFTHEGOLDENRATIO.ORG

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MUSEUMOFTHEGOLDENRATIO

 

 

Eg-Update 33.0

Next Egypt Trip + Party Invitation!



1. The next Magical Egypt trip is scheduled for October 23 - November 5, 2014.

I will have an updated itinerary posted to the website shortly. I am no longer including the international airfare in the base price, so there is no longer a Land Only Option. It's now the same price for everyone. And everyone gets their own tickets to and from Egypt.

Domestic airfare within Egypt is included, however.

There have been number of changes made to the itinerary. A few features that were options before are now included in the tour, a few new features have been added. But otherwise, it's mainly the same.

Price is $4995 double accommodation. There is a discount if payment is made by check or wire transfer rather than by credit card.

In a subsequent Eg-update I will re-expound yet again upon the recurrent safety question. But briefly: so far, however unsettled the political situation may be, nobody is after us. And in all likelihood, nobody is going to be.

But because the Presstitutes of the world obdurately neglect to mention this important fact, tourism at this writing is still a fraction of "normal". However tragic this may be for the millions of Egyptians whose livelihoods depend upon tourism, for those of us savvy enough to recognize the situation for what it is, it is a fantastic opportunity.

The chances are that by October, no matter what may happen between now and then, tourism will still be running way below normal. So sign on now and take advantage of the situation. It's unlikely to last much longer.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Invitation to a non-Egyptian themed party.

My talented, beautiful, fearless (and terminally uninhibited) actress/model daughter, Zoe, is throwing an open house party. The invitation below should be self-explanatory.

If you live within striking distance of Kingston NY, make an effort to attend! (Not everyone knows where Kingston NY is. It's ten miles SE of Woodstock NY, which everyone knows.)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Penthouse Party

I am having a signing party to celebrate my feature in the March 2014 issue of Penthouse Magazine. on Friday, April 4th

It starts at 9PM followed by a special performance at 10PM by an awesome Irish band! The T-McCann Band!

I will have copies available to sign for $15 inside. You are also welcome to bring your own copy too.

This is an Open Public event!! So tell your friends, and join the party!

The event will be Hosted at:

The BSP Lounge
323 Wall St.
Kingston, NY
12401

Hope to see you there!

Zoe

PS Signing event link on FB...

https://www.facebook.com/events/465704610223127/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

Regards,

John Anthony West

Eg-Update 32.0

Last call for the March 12th - 25th trip

plus a safety status report!



To all interested in a Magical Egypt Trip:

As if the news out of Egypt were not confusing and unsettling enough over the past three years, the recent terrorist attack in the Northern Sinai on a minibus carrying Korean tourists added to the uncertainty.

A threat to begin targeting tourists as a policy was subsequently issued by the terrorist group claiming responsibility for the Sinai attack. This was widely disseminated by mainstream and cable news presstitutes, with their customary lack of professional investigative assessment -- as though the threat were tantamount to a fait accompli. And this, understandably enough, exacerbated fears of travel to Egypt.

A threat, however, is by no means a fait accompli. In this case, to rationally assess it, it should be viewed in a context that is both complicated and, by and large, unacknowledged in the scaremongering/sound-bite world of Presstitution.

I understand, of course, that it's easy to believe I have a vested interest in not sharing in those fears... but the truth is that I still have a lot of work to accomplish in my stay on this planet, and if I really believed there was a real danger that a trip to Egypt would prematurely put an end to those plans, I would stay put at home. Even so, I also realize that a knowledgeable independent report could be invaluable.

To gauge the climate realistically I've attached an Assessment of the Situation written by my friend, Col. (Ret.) "Pete" McIllwain. Pete was on a trip with me back in '99 and he has been an invaluable source of considered and inside information on all matters relating to terrorism and terrorist psychology ever since.

Prior to retirement he spent years in Pakistan as American Consul in Islamabad. He has over 30 years of experience in first hand dealings in such matters, and since retirement he has often been called on as a consultant for the U.S (and other) governments.

Here's a paragraph from his detailed CV "Col. McIllwain is a former Senior Operations Officer with the CIA’s National Clandestine Service (NCS). During the course of a 22 year career with CIA he served in 54 different countries and was permanently assigned in five countries. Career highlights include service as Deputy Chief of Base in Berlin at the time the Berlin Wall fell; as Deputy Chief of Station in Israel during the time of the Wye River Accords; as the CIA’s longest serving Chief of Base in Peshawar, Pakistan; as the most senior CIA officer on the ground in Afghanistan for the first three months after September 11th, 2001; and finally before retiring, as Chief of Station in Rangoon, Myanmar (Burma)."

Though long, I am sending this out to anyone even potentially interested in a trip Egypt, both to allay undue fears and to provide a realistic assessment of the situation by a man who --unlike mainstream, network and cable news presstitutes -- actually knows what he's talking about, and, even more important, can speak from vast personal experience.

Attacks Involving Egypt’s Tourism Sector

The Facts

According to a report on February 20, 2014 by STRATFOR Global Intelligence:

--On Feb. 16, a bus transporting tourists was attacked in Taba, Egypt, when a suicide bomber boarded the bus and detonated his device. The blast reportedly killed the Egyptian bus driver, two South Korean tour guides and one South Korean tourist.

--Taba is a small town on the Sinai Peninsula that sits on the Red Sea and is located across the border from Eilat, Israel.

--The bus that was attacked was transporting a group of South Korean tourists from St. Catherine's Monastery, a popular tourist attraction located at the foot of Mount Sinai, into Israel. The tourists in the group were reportedly members of a Korean church group who were on a tour of holy sites in Egypt, Israel and Turkey.

--Ansar Beit al-Maqdis claimed the attack in a statement posted to the prominent jihadist forum al-Fida, which is one of two normal distribution channels for communiques from the group. In its statement, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis claimed that the attack against the "tourists heading to the Zionist entity" was part of its "economic war campaign" against the Egyptian regime

--This claim of responsibility is in marked contrast to Ansar Beit al-Maqdis’ previous attacks inside Egypt, which have focused on attacking security and intelligence forces and has purposely attempted to avoid targeting civilians.

The Background

Since mid-2011, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis has become the most active and deadly terrorist group in Egypt. Initially, the group focused its attacks on Israel and conducted a string of rocket attacks targeting Eilat from Sinai as well as a number of bombing attacks directed against natural gas pipelines running from Egypt to Israel.

In August 2011, the group conducted an armed ambush of an Israeli bus on a highway near Eilat that resulted in the deaths of eight Israelis. The Feb. 16 attack in Taba was therefore not the first time that Ansar Beit al-Maqdis has targeted a bus transporting civilians, merely the first such attack in Egypt.

Ansar Beit al-Maqdis has launched numerous attacks against buses transporting Egyptian security personnel using roadside bombs, suicide vehicle bombs, small arms and rockets.

Attacks against tourists actually have been rare occurrences in the past 13 years since 9/11. The most well-known is perhaps the attack in the Khan al-Khalili Bazaar, a popular tourist attraction, in February 2009. The attackers used two rudimentary pipe bombs and one French woman was killed. Six days later, an American expatriate living in Cairo was attacked by a knife-wielding assailant in the same bazaar, but survived the attack. However, attacks such as these have been very rare indeed in the core area of Egypt. Those that have occurred have been quite simplistic and in no case did they result in mass casualties. The jihadists who have perpetrated these attacks to date have simply not had the tradecraft or reach to conduct spectacular attacks in core Egypt, far from their bases of operation in Sinai.

Assessment

The most obvious reason the particular bus may have been singled out for attack by a suicide bomber- it was a bus from Israel, almost certainly bearing Israeli license plates, which might cause an attacker to assume he had a bus load of Israelis for a target of opportunity, not South Koreans.

On the other hand, the history of the Ansar Beit al-Maqdis in mounting attacks against buses initially caused us to wonder if the Feb. 16 attack on what was, after all a nondescript white bus of the same sort known to be used to transport Egyptian security personnel, might have been a case of mistaken identity rather than it being an intentional attack against tourists. If so, their belated claim of responsibility and declaration of "economic warfare" against the Government of Egypt by announced intention to attack more tourists in future might actually have been an attempt to cover up the mistake on the part of Ansar Beit al-Maqdis operatives, possibly in the belief that the Government would blame them publicly even if they remained silent.

Also, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis leaders may have concluded that if they claimed responsibility, followed by threats to harm any and all tourists visiting Egypt, it would turn the tables and embarrass the Government- for not providing adequate security for tourists. Thus their claim of responsibility would serve a strategic propaganda objective- by conveying the impression of Government ineffectiveness in the face of growing reach and prowess of the insurgents in general and Ansar beit al-Maqdis in particular. That is why one may call it "making the best of a bad situation".

Currently, it is difficult to assess the real intentions of Ansar Bait al-Maqdis and how much effort it actually will put into its claimed campaign against the Egyptian tourist sector. Indeed, a sustained campaign against tourists would also bring foreign pressure on the Egyptian regime to focus more effort on combating the group.

In addition, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis' claimed economic warfare strategy presents other risks for the jihadists. Their longstanding policy of attacking security forces and avoiding civilian casualties has helped them gain recruits and has not overly tarnished the group's public image. Attacking tourists, and also killing and injuring Egyptians who serve them, changes that dynamic.

Also, because so much of Egypt's economy is tied to tourism, should Ansar Beit al-Maqdis' economic warfare campaign come to be seen as deeply hurting people's livelihoods, and if the group begins to kill more civilians in attacks on soft targets, it is quite possible that it will succeed in souring public opinion against it. As that master of insurgent warfare Mao Zedong once put it- "the Guerrilla is a fish that swims in the sea of the people". Surely the leadership of Ansar Beit al-Maqdis' must recognize that if they adopt a real program to attack tourists in Egypt it may very well pose a significant downside existential risk for the group outweighing the possible benefits.

Comments and Recommendations

So, what happened in Sinai? Was it most likely a classic case of the old "being in the wrong place at the wrong time" scenario? Over the course of the past year the whole of the Sinai, including the area around the tourist resort of Taba, has descended into a kind of open war zone. We believe it is significant that the tour guides and tour operators were South Korean Christians, operating out of Israel, not Egypt. They probably had little or no area knowledge or connections to local Egyptian security personnel or, for example, Bedouin tribal leaders in the Taba area, who could have given them warning that something untoward was about to happen in the area. The very idea of running foreign tourists from Israel through Taba to Saint Catherine's and back, admittedly once a staple of the tourist industry in that area, under present conditions is arguably the height of irresponsibility on the part of the tour agency. In fact, until the Egyptian Government cleans the Islamist insurgents out of their bases in the Sinai, there should be NO tourist activity in the Sinai, or for that matter anywhere east of the Suez Canal;

Will Ansar Beit al-Maqdis now begin moving to attack tourists in the Egyptian core (anywhere along to course of the Nile)? Maybe, but the usual sites where tourists congregate, such as the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, are not really "soft targets" from an attackers perspective because there is a significant presence of armed "Tourist Police" at most of these locations. And now that the Ansar Beit al-Maqdis has announced they will attack tourists, these police will have been alerted and will be on their guard.

One place one should be a bit wary about, at least until this situation clarifies, is any place without a significant Tourist Police presence, and where insurgents would know numbers of tourists are likely to congregate, thus making a high density target for a suicide bomber, for example. The front entrance to large hotels, the lobby of any hotel where there is not a “airport like” security screening system in place and highly visible security guards of police present, and at wharfs where tourist congregate to board Nile cruise boats, come to mind as places which, while they cannot be avoided altogether, risk can be mitigated by being alert and by not congregating and moving through these potential threat areas without lingering.

That brings us back to the crux of what went wrong in Taba. Clearly much of the blame can be laid at the feet of a tour agency not staffed by experienced Egyptians and competent tour guides. Their failure to be aware of the local security threat situation and make adjustments accordingly was almost certainly a key factor in the tragedy. This company contrasts starkly with the method of operation of a premier Egyptian tourist guide agency such as Quest Travel in Cairo. Quest's Proprietor, Mohamed Nazmy, is arguably the best there is in Egypt. In addition to the always superb logistics, Mohamed is known for being wired-into the local security situation, and to have excellent contacts among the local security service personnel and police officers. In the past Mohamed and his crew of tour guides have been known to gently and seamlessly steer his clients out of harm’s way- usually without them even becoming aware of a potential problem.

The bottom line, if tourists are frightened away from Egypt by mere verbal threats, however dire sounding, then the putative terrorists "win," without ever having to lift a finger. On the other hand, any potential or even real danger can be mitigated substantially by taking some simple but well thought-out precautions, practicing a heads-up awareness of what is going on around you and more especially by engaging the most competent tour service available. Those who take council of fears generated by others stand to miss the experience of a lifetime.

There moral of this story: the chances are very good that, at least as far as the Nile Valley is concerned, terrorists are unlikely to attack tourists, and the chances are exponentially better that if they do, our little group will not be in the line of fire. (That is just a simple statistical reality, it is not wishful thinking!)

And remember, with the Egyptian military in charge and a lasting truce established, it will not be long before tourism returns en masse. As this is written, Egypt is still empty. There is still time to sign on to the March 12th-25th trip.

You cannot imagine, if you have not experienced it first hand, the difference between those wondrous temples and tombs experienced empty of tourists and those same temples and tombs when packed Superbowl full. If you can swing it, this will be your trip of a lifetime.

And if you can't manage that last minute, please spread the word.

I hope to see at least enough of you in Egypt to make this upcoming trip a reality.

Regards,

John Anthony West



Eg-Update 31.0

the (hopefully)

upcoming March 12 - 25th trip!

I am in Egypt as I write this. Egypt is practically empty of tourists --thanks to incessant and unconscionable Presstitute scaremongering.  It could not be more peaceful here ... at least as far as we are concerned.

Despite all the sanctimonious crap you read (mostly from American sources) about "bringing democracy to Egypt", the vast majority of Egyptians do not give a damn about "democracy". Especially not democracy, American style.  They want peace and some sort of economic improvement and they are overwhelmingly convinced that their best chance for both resides in the hands of the military.

II think they are probably correct. For anyone interested in an Egypt trip there is a window of opportunity that will not last long (and that may not happen agan)..  Egypt experienced nearly empty, as it is now, is a breathtaking experience!  At some point, even the Presstitutes may have to leave off the scare tactics, and when that happens the tourists will return in a tsunami. So if you are one of those contemplating a trip and can join on for March, go for it.  It could be the chance of a lifetime!

Remember this!  That in all the turmoil of the Revolution and its aftermath, not one single tourist has been actually targeted and killed. If you are American, you might want to compare that to the statistics of your hometown ... whatever it may be.

My standard itinerary as currently posted has been somewhat tweaked, upgraded and improved, but I've not yet had a chance to post it to the website, and it's difficult to do that just now from Egypt.  But what is there now is essentially correct and will give you the basics. The cost is now $4995 -- which does not include the international airfare, but does include the domestic within Egypt,

If you have any questions, you can reach me by email.  I return to New York on 2/15.

I hope to see you in Egypt in March.

Regards,

John Anthony West

Eg-Update 30.0

Special Opportunity -- URGENT

Breaking News

Hello Everyone,

On January 29th, the fourth of my annual Egypt trips with the Enneagram Institute* will begin.

Normally, this trip is reserved for the Institute's members, and normally it fills up well in advance and there's a waiting list.

But this year has not been "normal" - even by the abnormal standards of post-Revolution Egypt. As of June, the trip was effectively full-up, but the coup by the Egyptian military and subsequent waves of protest around Egypt put everything on hold. Up to a few weeks ago, I wasn't really certain the trip would take place. And in that uncertain atmosphere a number of people who'd signed on, canceled out.

There are now a few spaces available for non-Institute members, and this is a very special trip.

It is restricted to 16 participants, and has a number of features that (for a variety of reasons), I cannot include in my standard trips.

It is two days longer than the standard, in which we visit a few more sites and/or have a bit of otherwise unavailable downtime. But the chief distinction is that in Upper Egypt, instead of staying in a hotel, or taking one of the regular Nile Cruise ships, we have a private yacht, the luxurious 8 cabin Afandina to ourselves for the full week.

The Afandina is a "dahabiyya", a sailing vessel directly descended from the boats of the Pharaohs, a type of boat that was still being operated back in the 19th Century (See Florence Nightingale's vivid account in her Letters from Egypt 1849-1850) only to disappear in the 20th., It has re-appeared in the 21st, minus the oarsmen, but plus many welcome modern conveniences, The Afandina, owned and operated by my good friend and our Egyptian tour operator, Mohamed Nazmy, is unquestionably the best of the dozen or so that smoothly ply the Nile. (When Suzanne Mubarak wanted to treat friends and family to a Nile cruise, it was the Afandina she commandeered.)

Normally, booking the Afandina would add more than $1500 to the price of my trip (one reason why I can't include it as a standard feature). But for the Enneagram Institute, and because of our 30 year harmonious working relationship, Mohamed gives me the Afandina at a very special price.

Anyone interested may pull up the dedicated Enneagram pages on my website (that I do not normally make available to non-Institute people since we always fill the trip with Institute members.)

http://jawest.net/enneagraminstitute.htm

http://jawest.net/enneagram/TermsAndConditions.htm

* If you are unfamiliar with the Enneagram Institute, it is a Gurdjieff-related/Gurdjieff-inspired school. As you may or may not know, I have been involved with the Gurdjieff "Work" since 1966. It was only because of that involvement that I was able to comprehend R.A Schwaller de Lubicz at all and do my bit to make "Symbolist Egypt" available to the general public. Find out more about the Institute at http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/

So...over to those of you who have the interest, wherewithal and schedule that may allow you to take advantage of this rare opportunity.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ON SAFETY IN EGYPT

If you have been following the news from Egypt, you may have noticed recently a drastic reduction in both the number and severity of the protests; indeed, the relative absence of news of any sort. My own friends in Egypt, some Egyptians, others foreigners there for longer periods of time, continue to report that as far as tourism is concerned, it is all perfectly safe (as it has been all along).

But since that fact has been unanimously ignored by the world's media, tourism is down to a trickle, which is ghastly for the poor, beleaguered Egyptians, but for those of us aware of the reality of the situation, it provides an almost unprecedented opportunity to visit Egypt and have the temples, tombs and pyramids almost to ourselves.

The power of the Brotherhood has been broken, probably permanently.

Despite ongoing sporadic protests by disenfranchised remnants of the movement (most taking place far from anywhere we'd be going), I think it is safe to say that there is not going to be a civil war or any other major conflagration for the foreseeable future.

Once it is generally perceived as safe (that is to say, when the Presstitutes of the world take it upon themselves to actually acknowledge what has been the case all along) tourism will return en masse and soon!

In other words, if you want to experience this Enneagram trip under the circumstances that we have enjoyed ever since the Revolution of 2010, with Egypt practically empty, now is the time to do it. When the crowds come back, and come back they will, it will not be the same.

I hope some of you will take advantage of this opportunity.

Merry Christmas!

John Anthony West




Eg-Update 29.0! -- Breaking News

John Anthony West & friends

at CSS 7/27-28

Hello All,

Anyone living within striking distance of Rosendale NY (mid-Hudson Valley) might want to attend Ancient Mysteries/Modern Psyche, an exhilarating weekend of lectures and festivities at Stephen & Robin Larsen's spacious mountain retreat, The Center for Symbolic Studies

See http://symbolicstudies.org/ for complete details.

The program headlines JAW, and also features a number of erudite speakers each of whom will illuminate aspects of a theme we all believe critical; not only to understanding, but also to surviving and thriving the chaotic age that is already upon us.

For those of you who can make it, I look forward to seeing you there.

All the best, John Anthony West

PS And for those in the immediate vicinity, please study the poster at the top left of the CSS web site announcing my talk at the Rosendale Theater on July 24th. This is intended both as a stand-alone event specifically devoted to the ancient Egyptian doctrine of immortality, and also as a kind of in-depth trailer for the upcoming full weekend.

PPS For anyone needing further info, feel free to email, skype or call me personally.

John Anthony West
675 Manorville Rd.
Saugerties NY 12477

Tel: 518-678-2160 www.jawest.net

Skypename: JAWSPHINX

To join my private mailing list and receive occasional updates and Egypt Trip information, click here http://lists.jawest.net/listinfo.cgi/jawlist-jawest.net

To listen to my PhoenixFire Audio blogs click here http://jawphoenixfire.blogspot.com/

 

Eg-Update 28.0!

Off with the pith helmet, on with the beret

Hello all,

I hope you will accept my customary apologies for the customary long interval between updates. But the older I get, the busier I get. - it isn’t supposed to be that way. And meanwhile the degree of systemic disorganization remains a constant. I sometimes wonder how I manage to get anything done at all. And yet, somehow or another, things get done ...

There are four new or recent significant developments to relate. Here I will pass on only the most pressing. The other three should follow within the next week or so:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1. I temporarily trade in my trademark pith helmet ... and don the Bohemian beret I began with all those years ago.

Long url  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/572692663/jarry-a-spectacle

Short url  http://kck.st/11TGp3I

I hope to see anyone living within convenient striking distance of Saugerties NY (nr. Woodstock NY which I mention to save all Eg-Update recipients search time...  since almost no one has ever heard of Saugerties, and almost everyone knows where Woodstock is) at one or another of the performances of my play.

You will find practically everything relevant to the upcoming event if you surf around the Kickstarter site, so there is no need to elaborate here. Except perhaps to mention that that Kickstarter facility (and others like it) represent, for me, the realization of a dream.

Very early in my long career I realized that the people with the money controlled the project, any project, and that there was no way for the creator of the project, be it a book, play or movie to ensure that it came out the way it was envisioned.

Publishing was slow, clumsy, often exasperating, but relatively benign; theater and TV were both frantic and problematical and film (Hollywood particularly) was little more than a pool full of piranhas and barracudas. At the bottom of the pecking order was the creative individual responsible for keeping all these “industries” in business. An inside Hollywood “Polish” joke goes: “Did you hear about the Polish starlet who had an affair with the screenwriter?” ... (that’s the joke.)

Yet, all along, I also knew that out there in the big, wide world there were people who, if only they could be accessed, would support a project for its artistic merit rather than its profit potential. (Do not get me wrong: there is nothing wrong with making money out of creativity! But when profit is not only the guiding principle but the only principle, the entire system goes toxic.

Thus, long before anyone coined the term “micro-financing” I was dreaming “micro-financing” but it was only a dream. There was no practical way to get to those hypothetical supporters.

The internet has changed all that. It is now possible to do an end run around our irremediably toxic “system” by exploiting “the system’s” own strengths. A single click of the button gets this Eg-Update to the 1556 people on my mailing list. Those of you who see fit to do so, will, I hope, send it to on to others, who in turn...etc., etc.

I await the results with anticipation and, I confess, a rare, if guarded, optimism.

John Anthony West

PS. A disclaimer: Whatever the results of the Kickstarter campaign, JARRY will go on as scheduled. That is a certainty. I’m not trying to cajole anyone into supporting the production. But I will inevitably take the Kickstarter results, whatever they may turn out to be, as significant, one way or another.

 

Eg-Update 27.0!

Egypt Trip March 20 - April 2, 2013

I'm sure that, like me, all of you with an interest in an Egypt trip have been paying close attention to the news from Egypt over the last few months.

And, in all likelihood, like me, you were wondering whether Egypt would descend into open civil war (making trips inadvisable or even impossible, should the US government declare a ban for US citizens on travel there -- as it did for the first Gulf War) or if the opposing Egyptian factions would come to some sort of (no doubt) grudging agreement and my trips could go on unimpeded.

The recent referendum about the new constitution and its subsequent passage looked as if it might prove to be the deciding factor, one way or the other: flash point igniting widespread chaos, or an opportunity for some sort of functioning truce.

The latter seems to have more or less prevailed, though nobody seems very happy with it. I was always hopeful (not just out of self-interest, but from years of experience with Egypt and Egyptians) that there would be an accommodation, and right now that seems to be the case.

This is not to say that it couldn't change overnight, but I think the situation looks sufficiently stable to go full steam ahead with trip plans.

So I’m now actively looking for people for the March 20 - April 2 2013 trip (I have enough signed on already so that it is sure to fly, barring some unforeseen crisis) and for trips for the autumn season.

If all goes well, there should be two though I don’t have exact dates yet: one late Oct-early Nov, another maybe early December.

Assuming these trips go on as planned, you can be sure that you will be seeing Egypt under the most favorable travel conditions imaginable. It will be practically empty as long as the press keeps hyping the protests! (Horrible for the already poor Egyptians, but fantastic for us ...It’s an ill wind, etc....)

So get in touch if you’re interested.

If anyone wants/needs to discuss any aspect of the trip with me in more detail, please email, call or skype me.



Eg-Update 26.0!

October 25 - November 7 Egypt Trip.

As this is written, the situation in Egypt seems to have achieved a steady state of dynamic simmer. And it seems to me pretty likely to stay that way. At least for the near-term future.

The loose but numerically strong coalition that is the Muslim Brotherhood butts heads with the Military who, naturally and predictably, declines to relinquish its power (notwithstanding the pious admonitions and hand-wringings of Hillary Clinton and assorted Democracy-boosting, hypocritical Western windbags) .

Some of you may remember me predicting this as the most likely post-Revolution scenario: i.e., that, effectively, the Egyptians, being the Egyptians, will find a way to muddle through without self-destructing.

Both my Egyptian friends and American/European friends living in or traveling to Egypt report back that tourism is way down but safe and we are, as always, warmly welcomed. With luck it will stay that way. But the longer it stays peaceful, the sooner tourism will recover and the crowds will return in force. This is great for the Egyptian economy, of course (and I do not begrudge them that!), but it’s hardly conducive to experiencing Symbolist Egypt as I like to experience it.

In other words, if you’re contemplating a trip, you should do whatever you can to go sooner rather than later.

And spread the word.

I hope to see you in Egypt in October.

Regards,

John

PS. More on this to come shortly, as well as reviews of a number of extraordinary and essential, under-the-radar-screen books that have appeared over the past few years (and that, with my customary procrastinitis) I’ve not managed to tell everyone about.

John Anthony West
675 Manorville Rd.
Saugerties NY 12477

Tel: 518-678-2160 www.jawest.net

Skypename: JAWSPHINX

To join my private mailing list and receive occasional updates and Egypt Trip information, click herehttp://lists.jawest.net/listinfo.cgi/jawlist-jawest.net 

To listen to my PhoenixFire Audio blogs click here http://jawphoenixfire.blogspot.com/



Eg-Update 25.0


Friends and Egyptophiles,

1. Upcoming lecture. This is a last-minute, barely-advance notice for a one-hour lecture I'll be giving tomorrow, Saturday July 28th, at The Center for Symbolic Studies in near-by New Paltz, NY. http://symbolicstudies.org/ Google it up. the seminar is called As Above, So Below and features an unusual and interesting mix of speakers talking on a number of topics directly or tangentially related to the hermetic theme... and all in a wonderful rural setting.

It's also exceedingly reasonable, so anyone who lives nearby and has not made concrete plans for tomorrow might enjoy attending.

Why is this notice so late? In part it's because I was only invited to speak very recently, but beyond that, my genetic, perhaps terminal procrastinitis delayed this notice even further. (As Oscar Wilde should have said, but didn't: "I have been thinking about procrastinating but never seem to get around to it.")

So, the customary apologies, and maybe a few on this list will find their way there.

To those who would have liked to attend, but cannot on such short notice, I hope you will accept my customary and sincere apologies. (I don't mean to be glib. I'm really sorry. I never seem to get my act together in a timely fashion and often wonder how, over the course of more than fifty years of writing, I've managed to finish anything at all.)

More news coming up soon. Stay tuned.

Regards,

John

ETA: John is speaking from 1:45-2:45.

Eg-update 24.0

Hello everyone,

This is to let you know that I will be on the Joe Rogan show tonight
(June 8th @6:30 PM EST)

www.joerogan.net

Apologies for the last minute notice, but since the podcast will be archived, you won’t have to miss it if you can’t tune in when it’s live. It’s more or less open-ended and could go on for two hours or more. (You can download it and listen to it in your car on the next 1000 mile drive you take.)

Joe Rogan is a former mixed martial artist, turned talk show host and comedian .. with a substantial following and a keen interest in ancient Egypt and related matters. As a comic he’s rather more George Carlinesque than Stephen Colbertian which suits me just fine; a heavy hitter, rather than a Colbert/Stewart/Maher-class featherwit.

If you get to tune in, enjoy! There is A LOT to talk about.

All the best,

John Anthony West



Eg-update 23.2

Hello Everyone,

A quick update to let you know that on the weekend of April 6/7/8, 2012, I'll be doing an evening series of three Egypt lecture at an elegant Pennsylvania Pocono Mountain resort/spa The Lodge at Woodloch in Hawley PA.

http://www.thelodgeatwoodloch.com/   Click on Speakers and Events.

Anyone keen on a pampered, upscale, spring spa weekend with evening onslaughts of symbolist Egypt might like to sign up for it.

Guests at the spa have first priority for lecture seats, but if the auditorium is left with some empty seats, non-guests will be welcome.

So anyone living within striking distance who'd like to come to the talks but not necessarily stay at the Lodge should call or email Renee Gamboni 570-685-8549 or Rgamboni@thelodgeatwoodloch.com to inquire about availability and other details.

They should have a pretty good idea by now as to whether or not there will be room for non-guests.

With luck I'll see some familiar faces there!

Much more info coming sometime soon. A lot going on re: ancient Egypt around here!

Next Egypt trip is scheduled for October 25th - November 6, if anyone is interested. Details are not yet up on my website.

All the best,

John

 

Eg-update 23.0

Hello Friends and Egyptophiles,

At long last, a long-delayed, oft-promised Eg-update, mostly devoted to upcoming trip information, and sent with my customary profound apologies for getting such information to you so late

(As Oscar Wilde should have said, but never did: "I have been thinking about procrastinating, but never seem to get around to it.")   But, as somebody else once said, "Better late than never," which is not always or necessarily the case.

So be it. 

The next Egypt trip, conditions permitting (and enough participants signing on) is March 13 - 26, 2012.

Our itinerary follows and below the itinerary, see my comments on the unfolding situation.

It's my regular itinerary with a few interesting additions.  An extra day to take in Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples on our way to Aswan, Abu Simbel is now included and not an optional additional expense, and the pyramid meditation and private early morning visit to the Great Sphinx are now also included, and not options. The price has been adjusted accordingly.


Egypt Itinerary with John Anthony West

 

March 13 — March 26, 2012

  • Day 01 — Tue Mar 13th Departure from New York to Cairo
  • Day 02 — 14th  Arrival at Cairo airport, pick up and transfer to Oberoi Mena
  • House Hotel, day of rest
  • Day 03 — 15th Private visit to the Sphinx enclosure, explore the Great
  • Pyramids of the Giza Plateau & Solar Boat, Lunch
  • Day 04 16th  Visit Saqqara and Dahshur, Lunch
  • Day 05 — 17th Fly to Luxor. Check into Sonesta St. George Hotel. Visit Luxor Temple at night
  • Day 06 — 18th Visit Dendera & Abydos
  • Day 07 — 19th  Dawn at Karnak Temple, Luxor Museum
  • Day 08 — 20th Visit the West Bank, Valley of the Kings (including Ramesses VI), Hatshepsut temple, Ramesseum, Nobles tombs, Lunch
  • Day 09 — 21st Depart for Aswan , stopping at Edfu and Kom Ombo, Check in Movenpick Aswan  Hotel.
  • Day 10 — 22nd  Philae Temple & unfinished obelisk (Ancient quarry)
  • Day 11 — 23rd  Coach to Abu Simbel, return same day or overnight at Abu Simbel
  • Day 12 — 24th Fly back to Cairo. Visit Cairo Egyptian museum. Check into Mena House Hotel
  • Day 13 — 25th Private visit inside King's chamber of the Great Pyramid
  • Day 14 — 26th Breakfast followed by final departure (arrive home same day)

Including:

  • - Private visit to Giza Plateau.
  • - Private visit to Sphinx enclosure.
  • - Private visit inside King’s Chamber
  • - Daily breakfast.
  • - 03 lunches on Pyramid day, Sakkara day & West Bank day.
  • - Farewell dinner
  • - All tours in Cairo, Luxor & Aswan as indicated.
  • - All transfers from / to hotels and airports.
  • - Private guide throughout the trip.

Excluding:

  • - International air ticket.
  • - Health & Travel insurance.
  • - Tipping for guide, escort, drivers & hotel staff.
  • - Pyramid view rooms supplement is $ 70 per room per night.
  • - Airport departure tax if any.
  • - Meals not included in itinerary
  • - Domestic flight tickets Cai / Lxr / Asw / Cai $ 325, please request 60 days in advance

Pre Arrival and post departure if requested:

Mean House Oberoi :

Double room $ 300 per room per night including breakfast

Single room $ 250 per room per night including breakfast

Pyramid view supplement $ 70 per room per night


Extra Transfers:

Anyone is arriving or departing on different dates pre or post will be charged $ 35 per person one way from airport to hotel or vise versa including meet & assist at the airport.

Per person in double           $ 5500

Single supplement               $ 795 

Land Only Option                 $ 4600

 

JAW comments: This is written on January 25th (I'm about to head off for Egypt and will return on February 13.  But I'll have the computer with me and should be in relatively easy email contact for anyone needing further information.)

The next few days may determine the near-term (and maybe the long-term) future of tourism in Egypt.  As it now stands, despite political unrest, nobody so far is out to get US.  This is the important thing to remember.  Apart from the loony religious Salafists (not really Muslims, but rather, Muslimbeciles) the Egyptians like having us there and need having us there, and so far this applies even to the ultra-conservatives ... at least in the sense that they're not making trouble. 

But the result of the political unrest, which is pretty much the only aspect of the ongoing situation that is covered substantially by the media, is to scare away tourists.  Tourism is now running at under 40%, which is terrible for Egypt's always fragile economy, but a huge plus for us.  The temples, pyramids, tombs and museums, relatively uncrowded, make for a very different Egypt experience! 

I could be very wrong about this, but my hunch is that the military and the moderates of the Muslim Brotherhood will reach some sort of workable compromise (if for no other reason than to keep the loonies at bay.)  If that happens and Egypt is perceived as stable, one consequence will be a resurgence of tourism.

In other words, the window of opportunity to experience Egypt uncrowded may close, and pretty quickly.  By October, it could be business almost as usual. 

And if a workable compromise isn't effected, then Egypt could well descend into chaos, and governments might actually make it illegal for their citizens to go there. The U.S. did that during Gulf War I.  It could happen.   

So, for the above reasons, anyone interested in a trip would do well to act sooner rather than later, if at all possible.  

I do hope March happens, and hope you're aboard. 

Regards,

John

 

John Anthony West
675 Manorville Rd.
Saugerties NY 12477
Tel: 518-678-2160 www.jawest.net

 

PS.  While I do not make excuses for getting this information out so late, it is a fact that I am busier than I have ever been in my already long life.  All sorts of interesting projects are in the offing, and I will do my best to get an account of this out to everyone and up on the website some time soon. 

1.  There are a number of important new books published recently that I want to review (even if briefly) and recommend.

2. Robert Schoch and I have formed a production company, Akio Enterprises, (which I'll explain in detail in due course) looking to produce both documentary (and maybe even feature) films and books as well.  We thought we had the financing together for our ambitious follow-up to Mystery of the Sphinx but unfortunately that seems to have evaporated. 

Nevertheless, we now have the "smoking gun" evidence we have long sought (Goebekli Tepe in Turkey) and we are convinced that we will be able to get the funding together to produce Zep Tepi and the Dawn of Civilization.  It may not be long before the quackademics are smoked out of their ivory towers once and for all,

In tandem with Akio Enterprises, we now also have a plan to activate our long-hibernating but still-breathing Foundation, and we also have enthusiastic and knowledgeable people aboard to make it happen via micro, (and, with luck, not-so-micro) funding.  For starters, Schoch and I are actively compiling/writing a book about our decades-long but still ongoing Sphinx battle (working title: "Dancing Down the Bridge of Sirah: A Scientist and a Scholar Fend off the Unicorns and Take On the Paradigm Police" ... explanation to follow ...eventually)

Curious note:  For decades, back before the computer was invented, I dreamed about a way to do an end run around the cannibals and barracudas of Hollywood and mainstream television via some grassroots system of funding.  But I could never think of a practical way to make it happen.  The digital revolution now makes that possible.  Stay tuned!  Now it will happen.

PPS.  I've mentioned this before.  Much of my time the past few years has been devoted to working with my firebrand friend and colleague, trend forecaster Gerald Celente. Most of the turbulence going on now, and which will surely get much worse over the the next few years, was predicted in The Trends Journal, which has grown from an 8 page black-and-white newsletter into a substantial full color, take-no-prisoners unique magazine.  It features art work and spectacular graphics from Eugene Gregan and Anthony Freda, two of America's most talented artists, and articles by a number of extraordinarily knowledgeable contributors. Celente has a proven, uncanny knack for connecting the dots in three dimensions.  I am co-writer/historian/philosopher/sometimes-comedian-in residence. Check out www.trendsresearch.com     

That's it for now.  More to follow.

 

Eg-update 22: The Five Star Revolution.

Hello Everyone,

It has been a very long time between Eg-updates. A lot has been going on, most of it good, but taking up so much time there's none left to do anything but work.

Most of this is explained in some detail in the latest PhoenixFire audio blog. Number 10. Enjoy.

http://jawphoenixfire.blogspot.com/.

 

Friends, Grockles, Egyptophiles,

A brief message ... more to come ... sooner or later.

Coming soon - I hope - in depth reviews of some significant, recently published books and other new material.

Lately, I've been snowed under working with my old friend and colleague, trend forecaster Gerald Celente. Most of the stuff going on now, he (we) predicted long ago, and there is more -much of it unwelcome- to come. Google up Gerald as well.

Best,

John

John Anthony West
675 Manorville Rd.
Saugerties NY 12477

Tel: 518-678-2160
www.jawest.net

To join my private mailing list and receive occasional updates and Egypt Trip information, click here http://lists.jawest.net/listinfo.cgi/jawlist-jawest.net

To listen to my PhoenixFire Audio blogs click here http://jawphoenixfire.blogspot.com/


Eg-Update 21.0:

THE FOUR COWBOYS OF APOCALYPSE 2.0

The Four Cowboys of the Apocalypse

PART 1, CAPITALISM

click here to play the show

Everyone is familiar with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, though not all know their pedigree. It’s the name given to the revelation of the future granted to St John on the Isle of Patmos. The horsemen themselves are Pestilence, War, Famine and Death (not necessarily in that order, depending upon which reference is consulted.) Their names (which might disincline people from wanting to bet on them in the Kentucky Derby) have made the word ‘apocalypse’ almost synonymous with Doomsday, which is, strictly speaking, incorrect. It derives from a Greek word meaning to ‘reveal’ or ‘disclose’ and by extension , it means a prophesy or vision of the future, not necessarily an ominous one.

Doomsday is quite another matter, more appropriately linked to another familiar word from Revelation, Armageddon, the site of the final decisive battle on the Day of Judgment, in which the Lamb bests the Whore of Babylon … and throngs of otherwise certifiable people are whisked off to heaven. It’s not easy to make rational sense out of Revelation (which doesn’t mean it can’t make sense on some other level) but it does read like it’s been written on something at least as potent as ayahuasca, though there’s no record of John visiting the Brazilian rainforest. On the other hand, who knows what they had growing on Patmos?

In any event, The Four Horsemen are pretty obvious. They ‘ve been around and universally active since long before St. John’s time and still are; no surprises there, and no need for further elaboration beyond perhaps noting that of the four, only War is directly attributable to errant, defiant, violent humanity. Unless, of course, it is argued (and so it is by some) that the other three horsemen are set loose in divine retribution; for a variety of human abominations –homosexuality, pre-marital sex, smoking or ingesting illegal substances, not wearing a seat belt, and so on.

The Four Cowboys of Apocalypse 2.0 are much less obvious, yet in one way or another they aid and abet the original Four. In the Walt Disney 3D, HD Western/Action-Thriller/Horror/Farce called Western Civilization, they are the self-appointed posse, riding white geldings; wearing white Stetsons, galloping roughshod over the globe and spreading ‘tidings of comfort and joy’.

When examined closely, The Four Cowboys are no less destructive than the original Four Horsemen, maybe ultimately more so since they come in disguise. All of them are played, with characteristic ineptitude, by John Wayne. They differ from the Four Horsemen in that they are all, each one, directly and unmistakably human generated.

They are: Capitalism, Patriotism, Democracy and Technology

In PhoenixFire 9 (and 10, and maybe 11) we deal with them in turn.

The role of Capitalism is easiest to understand, almost obvious in fact, except to the leaders and economists of almost every country in the world. This Cowboy occupies the whole of PF9, which may sound excessive, but is nevertheless appropriate, since it is this Cowboy that is largely responsible for the financial debacle now unfolding globally, and from which there is no foreseeable release or return.

The other three Cowboys will be discussed in subsequent PhoenixFires.

click here to play the show

Featured music track "Shake" by Stepford Wives

Links: The Emperor's new clothes (Con't.) a short story by JAW
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Omni magazine

Best,

John Anthony West



Eg-Update 20.0

PHOENIXFIRE 8 CONSIDER THE KALI YUGA. click here to play show

I am author of the month on Graham Hancock's website, there you can find an essay relating to the Yugas and the cyclical view of history.

Some useful links: Richard Heinberg Sri Yukteswar

Eg-Update 19.0:

Friends. Grockles, Egyptophiles,

PHOENIXFIRE 7

Due to an extended bout of inefficiency it’s taken all this time to get to my latest PhoenixFire audio show. Some accuse me of procrastination, but actually that’s not the case. It’s true that I often think about procrastinating, but I never seem to get around to it.

So, here’s the latest:

ATLANTIS HERE, ATLANTIS THERE, ATLANTIS DAMN NEAR EVERYWHERE.

We’ve given up on Galactic7 Radio, but you can access the show any time by just clicking on the blog. http://jawphoenixfire.blogspot.com. As you will see when you read the shownotes, this is not anybody’s normal take on the infamous ‘A’ Word. Audio quality on this one isn’t great, but it’s not our fault, it’s Skype’s, who for some reason didn’t appear to give us the usual bandwidth, necessary to ensure crisp quality. But it’s serviceable.

MAGICAL EGYPT TRIPS.

There is still time (just!) to sign on for the October 23rd trip. I very much would like to see more people signing on for subsequent trips. Those of you who’ve been on my trips know what they offer, so tell your family and friends; in fact, badger them!

CPAK CONFERENCE (Conference on Precession and Ancient Knowledge)

This again promises to be an extraordinarily fascinating weekend. It’s not quite full, so if you’ve had thoughts about coming last minute, seats are available. For info click on the banner ad on my home page.

11TH HOUR WEEK LONG CONFERENCE IN MEXICO

Unfortunately, this, despite its unusual spectrum of speakers and adventurous format, did not generate enough interest to carry it through. The promoters plan to try it again next year.

MYSTERY OF THE SPHINX.

For those who don't know, our classic MYSTERY OF THE SPHINX has been available in DVD format for a while; but it's now been updated with some interesting new material. If you want copies, you can get them from me. $20 plus $5 for postage. Also, very interesting, it will soon be accessible on the web on a cheap pay-per-view (probably $1.99, maybe even less)

There is other interesting news to communicate but there’s no time for that just now. I’ll be getting Eg-update 20.0 out reasonably soon, barring, of course, another bout of virulent inefficiency.

For those attending CPAK, I look forward to seeing you all there. For everyone else, whenever it may be.

All the best,

John Anthony West


Eg-Update 18.1:

I should have included this -more detail on CPAK- in Eg-update 18.0.  But here it is separately.

'The 4th Annual Conference on Precession and Ancient Knowledge (CPAK 2007) at UC San Diego this October 6th and 7th is just over 2 months away and I’m truly excited about this years lineup of presenters, including myself, best selling author Graham Hancock, engineer and Giza expert Robert Bauval, geologist Robert Schoch,  archaeoastronomer Walter Cruttenden, megalith researcher John Burke, subtle energy specialist John Dering, metaphysical researcher Marie D. Jones, Dogon cosmologist Laird Scranton, and Earth energies expert Richard Leviton.  I invite you to join us in uncovering the mysteries of the ancient world.  Together we will explore the hidden purpose of megalithic structures, hear new evidence of past higher cultures, contemplate the astronomical driver of the cycle of the ages, and discover the amazing depths of lost knowledge.

The goal of the conference is to explore the myth, folklore and astronomical beliefs of ancient cultures and to examine what those beliefs might mean for us living today. Most of the speakers at CPAK 2007 have some suspicion that our histories of the world may not be correct and that ancient knowledge may be more profound than modern textbooks have led us to believe. Still, we seek proof and understanding. To this purpose we gather on an annual basis to examine the evidence, explore new findings and new theories, as we try to better understand the past and the subtle forces that may be affecting the present and future world around us.

Now through September 1, 2007, registration for the conference is just $239.  That’s $60 off the registration fee at the door and well below the fees of other similar events.  Additionally, If you sign up and get a friend to register as well (and they enter your name in the ‘How did you hear about CPAK’ field on the registration form) then both of you will receive a free copy of the award winning documentary ‘The Great Year’ written by Walter Cruttenden and narrated by James Earl Jones.

This year’s Conference on Precession and Ancient Knowledge is shaping up to be one the most unique and inspiring events of its kind and I look forward to seeing you there at the UC San Diego in beautiful La Jolla, California this fall.  To sign up today, please visit www.cpakonline.com or call 949.399.0306.

I hope to see a lot of you there!

Best,
jaw


Eg-Update 18.0: CPAK, 11TH HOUR, STAN TENEN on Coast to Coast, Egypt in October

Friends, Grockles, Egyptophiles,

This brief update is to remind you, if you've not yet done it or have forgotten, that I'll be speaking at two very interesting venues in upcoming months.

1 & 2. CPAK (Conference on Precession and Ancient Knowledge) Oct. 5-7, 2007, and 11TH Hour down in Mexico, NOV 11th-17th. For full details, rosters of unusual and informed speakers, etc. please go to my website www.jawest.net and click on the relevant links.

Both of these conferences promise to be extraordinarily valuable and will deal with material not easily encountered elsewhere, in any event, not in one place and of course, not 'in person'.

3. COMING UP MUCH SOONER (August 5/6): Stan Tenen will be interviewed on Coast to Coast.

Tenen is hardly a household name (at this moment) but he's been doing groundbreaking scholarship for decades on the origins of the Hebrew alphabet, and on the hidden (in plain sight) profound cosmological / geometrical / metaphysical aspects of the Torah.

His work is by no means easy to follow, but it has recently received a huge (if inadvertent) boost from new discoveries in Establishment Science.

An essay by him will shortly appear in an M.I.T. publication. (Those readers who've been following the ongoing battle all us 'alternative' scholars are obliged to wage in in our respective fields will appreciate what's involved in a consent-to-publish by M.I.T.!)

Once the essentials are grasped, you will understand that Tene's work is not only important scientific scholarship and a demonstration of the depth of knowledge available to ancient civilizations, but it also has the potential to actually make constructive waves within the current political/philosophical dilemma facing our beleaguered planet.

With three hours to explain, expound and answer questions on air, you'll get an idea of what's involved.

Listen in or download...Here are details:

Stan's segment is from 2-5AM Eastern Time, Monday August 6 (on the West Coast, that's 11PM-2AM Pacific Time, Sunday/Monday August 5/6), and people can go to www.meru.org (Stan's website) for more information. You can google up Coast to Coast to find a local station carrying the show.

4. EGYPT TRIPS

The upcoming Egypt trip (Oct. 23 - Nov.3) now has enough people signed on to make it fly. But I could sure use a few more! I'd very much appreciate it if those of you who've been on my trips and know what's involved would get the word out to friends, family, co-workers...the world at large.

More coming soon ... as and when I get my act together. (I am one of those unfortunates born with TWO Achille's Heels, and both of them are organization.

Best,
John Anthony West

Eg-Update 17.3   Friends, grockles, Egyptophiles.

PhoenixFire is burning NOW!

Our first program aired on 1/9

Here's a high quality link that's good 24/7:

Go to our blogspot http://jawphoenixfire.blogspot.com and there you will find find notes and links relevant to each show, including a direct link to high quality archived shows.

17.2   Friends, grockles, Egyptophiles,

Announcing: Our maiden PhoenixFire Radio broadcast is on TONIGHT (Jan 9) at 8PM (USA Eastern).

PhoenixFire is produced, edited (with music and sound effects) by my stepson, Geraint Hughes.

For our dedicated blog go to http://jawphoenixfire.blogspot.com

If you miss the show tonight, there will be several re-runs.

Welcome to the conflagration!

jaw


Eg-Update 17.0    Friends, grockles, Egyptophiles,

Starting the New Year I will have my own weekly streamed radio program.

Egypt, of course, will be a central subject, in much more depth than I'm able to get into on normal radio or TV interviews. I'll also be delving into many other topics that I rarely have the opportunity to explore publicly. It should be fun, though with my unalterable talent for disorganization, it may take a few programs to achieve some measure of 'professional' coherence. So, if you tune in from the get-go, be forgiving.

Here's a (provisional) list, not necessarily in this order, of planned programs.

Notes from a Heretic’s Notebook – autobiography

Symbolist Egypt: The Doctrine of the Return to the Source

Darwin Debunked, Darwin De-clawed, Darwin Dethroned (Your Friendly Neighborhood Armchair Anthropologist discusses the Cargo Cult of the West)

Einsteins of Old: Ancient Symbolism/Modern Astrophysics

Son of Mystery of the Sphinx - Geo-panel – the Quest to Rewrite History. Further evidence.

Number – Ancient Key to the Kosmos

Consider the Kali Yuga – Precession of the Equinoxes and the Great Year

Atlantis Here, Atlantis There, Atlantis Damn Near Everywhere.

The Four Cowboys of Apocalypse 2.0: Capitalism, Patriotism, Democracy and Technology

Science, Education and the Media: Jesuits of the Church of Progress

Debunking Debunkery: JAW Takes on the Mind Gestapo and the Paradigm Police

Constructive Destruction and Positive Negation – 3 ways to learn lessons

Standup Metaphysics 3.0: Comedy as a Religious Experience (w/jokes)

The Tomorrow Show with Jerry & John: JAW and Gerald Celente (Trends 2000, Warner Books 1997) discuss what’s likely in store. Maybe weekly as well.

Some of the above may be dialogues with knowledgeable colleagues.

That's it for now. Enjoy the holidays!

jaw

FYI: If you want to reply to any of my Eg-updates, please make sure to email my personal email address: JAWSPHINX at jawest dot net.

If you would like to join my Egypt email list and get Eg-updates periodically before they get posted to the site please click on http://lists.jawest.net/listinfo.cgi/jawlist-jawest.net and enter your email address.

Thanks,

John Anthony West


This page is devoted to the archiving of John Anthony West's Eg-Update news bulletins which are sent to subscribers.

Thank-you.

John Anthony West is available for Seminars and lectures by arrangement.




J.A.W. Credentials

 

 

 

PhoenixFire!

Visit the blog for listening access.

Catch every enlightening broadcast...

Email!

If you would like to join John Anthony West's Egypt email list and get Eg-updates periodically, please
go to http://lists.jawest.net/
listinfo.cgi/jawlist
-jawest.net

and enter your email address.

Note: If you need to copy and paste this url, be sure to get it all, with no spaces.

© John Anthony West 2009