Is this a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the pyramids without the crowds?

Egypt. Just imagine if more leaders in their field, in Australia, were ebullient, spoke up publicly about issues and 'stuck their neck out' beyond a letter or two to the editor.  But, I imagine, in Australia, their contract would not be renewed.
Most leaders are so establishment. A typical yes man CEO at the university will have had a long round of highly respectable positions of status within the city. Renounce the power and give an opportunity to new blood.

Frangapanni days in the Banana Republic!

Bananas might be considered a herb and their price has just doubled supposedly to aid growers whose crops in the far north have all been destroyed by last weeks cyclone. 

Bananas grow quickly in leaps and bounds and are a source of carbohydrate and good stuff including potassium. Along with sweet Cavendish and small Lady Finger that we see, the tropical islands have many traditional varieties, small and very large, a significant part of the trad diet, eaten raw or usually cooked and, depending on texture, are boiled or roasted or might go into an earth oven (mumu style). Food is cooked wrapped in the wonderful broad green biodegradeable leaves which also serve as a plate or take-away container. All of which is probably well known to any curious globe trotter - not that the writer is one of those, curious yes.

I believe our regions have regulations about growing or moving banana plants and NSW has crops on the steep little hill sides around Coffs.  Some plants are seen here and there around Newcastle.    

Into rehab!
Becoming homeless.
Jungle habitat is shrinking in Sumatera.
Live simply that others may simply live.

With decline and ennui in a week of extreme summer days and nights, it was difficult to cope with the antics  on Big Love (SBS TV) but a new series will bring some entertainment from that stressed out group.  Previewing the HBO series on the web site would spoil all the hysteria.  What makes Bill tick?  Enigmatic. Traditionalist. The good life. Inward looking. 
TV has travelled non-stop past Comedy Central, all change, mind the gap, no sign of those shows anymore, perhaps the creators are snowed up in a blizzard.
No Country for Old Men is different although sub-titles would lead to better understanding of the commentary about society.  

光荣的中国兔年新年的新年
Year of the Rabbit..
...the sun rises in the eastern sky and hundreds of birds sing in harmony....

from Chinese Propaganda Posters. From the collection of Michael Wolf. publisher Tashcen. Gorgeous and sinister in equal measure - The Independent London

Unhinged by heatwave. Is this a mirage?

Things to do in a heatwave. Kids yell and swing from the tree or paddle in circles. Unless one has footware on, swimming holes are nice but initially very creepy places to touch bottom.
With those fears how would a holiday in Egypt rate? How would it be to witness a revolution first hand? From here it actually sounds tempting. Not meaning to trivialise the struggle.
There was some disappointment once when a typhoon changed course away from a Pacific island I visited. Windows were boarded up in readiness and situation was tense but all was in vain.
Far north Queensland currently has the biggest ever cyclone looming off shore. Scarey.