Trivia roundup

Preparing for Aida
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Excitement reigns at Pittsburgh Opera, where a huge cast is preparing to perform "Aida," one of the most popular and spectacular of all operas. Giuseppe Verdi's intoxicating music evokes Egyptian antiquity for a romantic triangle set in the context of warring nations.

Stellar mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, making her role debut as Amneris and her first Pittsburgh Opera appearance says, "Very few operas are so full of such pomp and circumstance. It's unbelievable how much great full-bodied music is in this opera and yet it ends in a whisper -- just brilliant!"

Cleopatra ready to rule north America
Adventure Gamers

The Adventure Company announced that the newly-renamed Cleopatra: Riddle of the Tomb has now shipped to North American retailers.

Surprisingly, Cleopatra is not particularly central to the story of Riddle of the Tomb. While the game takes place during her reign, at a time the country is engaged in civil war, players are cast in the role of an astrology apprentice named Thomas. Young Thomas has fallen in love with his master's daughter, and when both she and his mentor are kidnapped, it's up to players to sift through a complex conspiracy to save them, while traveling through historical Egyptian locations like the Library of Alexandria.

Drawing of UFOs found on cave walls in Egypt
The Spoof
(specially for Francis!)

Archaeologists in Egypt say they have discovered ancient cave drawings that they believe could be of a UFO painted by man over 3000 years ago.

Professor I Knutt said the discoveries prove his theory that life on earth came from the stars and that man was transplanted on earth as an experiment or as a colony for another planet.

"I've been saying it for years. We did not evolve from monkeys, we were not created by God, we came from space. The evidence is all there. Now these drawings of a UFO in ancient Egypt prove it" said Knutt.

Knutt's theory that humans were transplanted on earth from a distance planet is based on his belief that all major religions look to the skies for their God. He also claims Jesus was from the distance planet, as well as all the Hindu Gods, Adolf Hitler and Big Foot.

Playing with Egypt on your mobile
Mobile News

Egypt has supplied the inspiration for several mobile games, some ace (Pyramid Bloxx, Luxor 2) and some not quite so ace (Asterix and Cleopatra).

Hopefully The Egyptians will fall into the former category. It's the new mobile game from HandyGames and is a strategy title that sees you defending Ancient Egypt (known as Brand New Egypt at the time, presumably) from armies of mythical monsters.

The game has 25 levels to strategise your way through, constructing buildings, beating up bosses, and calling on 12 gods for special abilities.

Will Smith, The Last Pharaoh?
ComingSoon

The film centers on Taharqa, who was king of Egypt (from 690 BC to 664 BC) and a member of the Nubian or 25th dynasty of Egypt. He was the son of Piye, the Nubian king of Napata who had first conquered Egypt, and the younger brother and successor of Shebitku. The story is about Ethiopians battling Assyrians for the throne of Amun-Ra.

"It's an open writing assignment from Will's company. It's something he's taken a big interest in," Hauty said.