Is Egypt A Hot Mess?

Sorry for the long absence, folks. Real life intervenes sometimes (as do waves of laziness and boredom) and I decided to take a step back from UYR.

The Daily Dish has been gamely compiling action and reaction around the world during this pronounced expression of unrest in Egypt. All of this while Andrew himself recovers from a serious respiratory infection (thankfully, not related to his HIV).

Personally, I can't help but think that the Egyptians in the streets lack a major focus to turn their protests into a real instrument for change. Reports of the internet and wireless networks being down, businesses closed, etc., to be sure, but where are the strikes that will shut down the government, or at least civil society? The Army has not (yet) fired upon the protestors, but all it takes is one general with a thirst for power and some trumped-up excuse to bulldoze the people into submission a la Tiananmen Square for that to happen. For now, all I've seen are people pissed off about how shitty their lives have been, and no single leader to emerge to direct their anger in a specific way. Mubarak shows no signs of stepping down just yet; that may change in time. But, so far, I don't see a revolution happening. And, unless there is some sort of change resulting from all these protests, major media will start to curtail their coverage.