AD-LIBanaises

موقف لحظة

2006-11-29T23:28:00.000-08:00

موقف لحظة

2006-11-28T21:20:00.000-08:00

Andrew Butters is incompetent

2006-11-24T21:39:00.000-08:00

Speaking of articles that are repuslive and a waste of paper:

Andrew Butters is incompetent.

Case in point: "Beirut buries a dream" published in Time Magazine on November 24th, 2006. This is what I wrote them in response:

I thought I should let you know that your coverage of Sheikh Pierre Gemayel's burial is inspiring nothing but contempt among Lebanese who attended or watched coverage from abroad. Does the Time even send people on the field, or does it just look at the pictures and make up a story? The title of the piece alone is the complete antithesis of the event, which in reality breathed new life into the Beirut Spring, as we were all aware of even as we made our farewells. Nobody, not even the bereaved father who kicked off the rebirth himself, would describe this day as "Lebanon burying a dream".

Furthermore, the article comes across as positively drooling over the prospect of a new civil war. Did Mr Butters look closely at the crowd and at the signs promising "war no more"? We already know he completely overlooked the fact most of them made positive statements about Lebanon and loving life, because "carrying catchy anti-Syrian slogans" served his slant better. Did he even listen to the contents of the speeches? Or was he too busy fantasizing over the exoticism of the Lebanese mosaic of sects gathered in the same sacred place to grieve together? That must be something new to him indeed, because his writing doesn't betray any real understanding of social dynamics – at least, no more than a tourist would pick up in passing.

By the way, this took place Thursday, not Friday; the liturgy is not in Assyrian, it is in Syriac; Pierre Amine Gemayel never led the Phalanges, his GRANDFATHER, Pierre Gemayel first of the name, did. So much for intelligent reporting.

Shame on you and on Mr Butters for such a slanted and shallow piece of misinformation, and for such low journalistic standards.

So let's revise the facts a little. Andrew Butters has been in Beirut for 3 years, and he comes up with a piece like this. A piece that shows:

- In 3 years he has not learned a word of Arabic, because obviously he couldn't read a single one of the signs in the language (and did not ask a single person what they said).

- He does not speak to the locals to understand what's going on, and did not wait or ask for a translation of the speeches before sending off his article, making it something a clueless tourist could have written. His writing is, at best, a form of neo-orientalism, far less interested in informing the readers than in painting an exotic picture to them.

- After 3 years in Lebanon and presuming to write about sociopolitics he doesn't know there are 2 distinct Pierre Gemayel, one of which passed away in 1984.

- After 3 years in Lebanon and presuming to write about religious sects he doesn't know Maronite liturgy is in Syriac, which also shows that when he is ignorant about something, he simply makes assumptions to fill the gaps. "Arcane Assyrian"? Iraq is on the other side of Syria.

- He makes whatever generalisations will give his articles a dramatic edge ("carrying catchy anti-Syrian slogans") and even makes up facts ( "not a single Shia bandanna in sight", doubtlessly due to the combined fact he doesn't speak Arabic, did not speak to anyone present, and never even stepped among the protesters).

- In sum, he's either incredibly naive/ignorant, and should be removed until he has gained enough real knowledge to be allowed to write, or he's of such dishonesty to his readers, presenting them with his own fantasy of a place where he lives not for the sake of journalistic investigation but for the thrill of being here, that he simply should be barred from writing. Pop journalists and tourists have no business covering serious events, and we have more important things to worry about than how western publications are misrepresenting us again.

More of Butters' writings, no less colonial and un-knowledgeable, can be found on his website: www.andrewbutters.com

Where the boys are...

2006-11-04T00:31:00.000-08:00

This article from the New York Times has been circulating the Lebanese blogosphere the past couple of days.

I find the article degrading to all women in Lebanon. This article was written in an extremely shallow level. The ration of women to men being 5:1 might actually be true although there aren't statistics to prove it.

It is obvious that the author of this article, Katherine Zoepf, did not do her homework properly. It seems like this lady simply visited the clubbing districts in order to write this article instead of visiting different areas of Lebanon.

It is a known fact, that many Lebanese women dress "freely" but not all Lebanese women dress that way, and the reason they do dress freely is not to grab attention of the Lebanese men living abroad visiting Lebanon.

This article make women in Lebanon seem so desperate for marriage where in reality, if we are simply going to talk about the women clubbing, most of them are university students and/or career oriented women not so desperate for marriage as they claim. Also, if the author of the article is going to discuss marriage, she should be aware that the average marriage age in Lebanon has gone up to the age of 27 for females, whereas she has interviewed 19 year old girls!

I also find it degrading for men, to place a quote in the article that all men who stay in Lebanon are not-ambitious, have closed mentalities and stay to find a virgin to marry. In my opinion hat quote is hilarious. Many men prefer to stay in Lebanon, in their homeland for their love for it no matter how hard things may get; a lot of men stay in Lebanon instead of travelling to the Gulf countries so that they can continue enjoying the freedom they have there rather than being closed up in Gulf countries; and I think most people are aware of the sexual life available in Lebanon.

I simply find this article repulsive and a waste of paper.

Ramadan Kareem

2006-09-23T02:06:00.000-07:00

Takabbala Allah minkoum ma takaddama w ta2akhar insha2allah. Fee aman Allah :)

Ahayat Wakfat 3izz :D

2006-09-22T06:21:00.000-07:00

for Lebanon...

2006-07-25T00:36:00.000-07:00

Lebanese Chant 1...

2006-07-19T00:14:00.000-07:00

Lebanese Flag

2006-07-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

For everyone who's been looking for a Lebanese Flag to place on your blog, blogger profile, MSN etc. please save this picture and feel free to use it.

May God bless you all.

Take care.

PS: Thank you Delirious for the image.

Wikbirna!

2006-07-15T00:12:00.000-07:00

It is things like that happening in Lebanon now that proves more innou we're growing up and leaving behind all the responsibility-free life we once had. Before my responsibilities started by looking after myself, my clothes, my toys, then my books then my homework then my grades then my work then my life but now i have to look after MY FAMILY and MY Relatives in particular not to mention friends.

Had to spend all yesterday glued to the TV screen with the phone held between my shoulder and ear because i'm using my hands to speak to people from LEB on my MSN list to get the latest updates and pictures. Felt that i had to call everyone i knew in Leb to make sure they are fine. I talk to my parents every hour to make sure they are fine. I talk to my relatives who are divided into 3 groups in 3 different places in Leb to make sure they are still alive with the bombings above/next to them. Then i would have to play the mediator role to tell each group that the others are ok. Yes too much worrying and RESPONSIBILITY.

It feels really damn frustrating to see all those people dying for no reason but the possibility of a FREE-Lebanon (which we all know is impossible). You feel even worse to see all bridges and transportation connections being ruined like that. It reminded me of the time when i used to ruin my sister's LEGO structure to piss her off!

Donno what to say nor how to express myself but all i know is that i wish that all of you are in good health and may God protect you all and bless you and all those you love and care for. Winshillah all of this would come out with something WORTH all the current suffering of the LEBANON resident people.

Fee aman Allah.

cat fight

2006-06-02T06:36:00.000-07:00

scene: I'm on the way into my building entrance. carrying a huge pile of empty boxes cos i'm moving. I bump into my neighbor, she lives directly below me. we moved in at the same time, even hung out at first. then suddenly she just stopped calling. she used to date one of the guys in the group and that probably made her feel uncomfortable. i start a conversation.

- hi X

- hiiiii ma 3riftik!

- immm (maybe cos you havent called in 4 years?)..keefik?

- nis7aneh inteh!

- imm yimken (really??? thanks for telling me i had no idea)

- la2 3an jadd nis7aneh (i want to rub it in some more)

- eh bass its weird you say so cos my weight hasnt changed in the last 4 years (4 years..hint hint? and even if it did over my dead body i'm not telling you)

- yeah bass there's something different (akeed nes7aneeeeeehhhhh)

- eh maybe cos I'm tired..I'm finishing up packing moving (tab khalas masheena get over it, ba3dein iza ana nes7aneh inti shou?!)

- khay that's the best thing you would do (you're too noisy thank god i'll get rid of you)

- yeah i know (i swear there was nothing going on between me and your ex, we were just friends, and he told me that you think i'm noisy which is SO NOT TRUE)

- i'm thinking of going back to lebanon (i know you had a fling with XY so stop pretending)

- oh yeah? that's a big decision (you hear the clock ticking dont you)..dont you like it here?

- yeah but if i'm gonna go back it has to be now..it's now or never (i need to get married have kids shou baddik yeneh 3annis?)

- good luck then (eh yalla nontor l3arees, thanks for helping with those boxes!)

- see you (not)

women..

ATC in Lebanon ;)

2006-05-28T02:30:00.000-07:00

Yes finally i will be visiting Lebanon after 10 months ;) I will be there on the 1st of June inshallah, and staying for two weeks. Minshein heik i thought i would tell you all here on the blog so that we can plan an outing for the bloggers if you are interested but this time with me JOINING in. Ya3ni mish mitil kill marra bithari2souna bil emails wil souwar wil posts etc.

Until i have an available phone number in Lebanon you can email me at headscan@gmail.com to keep in touch and check out the plan you came up with.

Yalla hope to see you all soon ;)

Have a lovely day :D

ciao

Lebanese chicks and stereotypes

2006-05-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

Here's a very cute/funny song by Lebanese rappers Aks'ser, depicting Lebanese Princesses at their worst.

Lyrics are in arabic and I understand 80% of them.. so WHO of our fabulous female contributors will volunteer for translation? :-)

(aks'ser - ping pang pong)

Movie Review: Zozo

2006-05-23T01:35:00.000-07:00

Last night, I watched Zozo, a movie written and directed by Josef Fares. The movie is about a 10 year old kid living in Beirut in 1987. His grandparents moved to Sweden and him and his family were getting their papers ready to move there since warfare in the streets was accelerating. The day their papers got finalized and they were packing to leave, Zozo left the house to buy water and during that time a shell explodes in his home killing his family. Zozo walks to the aiport on his own and moves to Sweden. In Sweden, Zozo has a difficult time fitting in with the people around him and with his eccentric grandfather.

I personally liked the movie. It had me clutching to my pillow at times and at times it had me close to tears. I was disappointed with the ending. I thought it was too abrupt. Maybe I just got attached to Zozo and wanted to make sure he lives a happy life. The cinematography of the movie was beautiful and I believe Joseph Fares did an excellent job directing. Imad Kreidi, the kid who played the role of Zozo is a fantastic young actor and so is Elias Gergi, Zozo’s grandfather. His character was adorable and hilarious. I believe this is a must see movie. A movie I would not forget.

Don't You Just Love Those Forwards?

2006-05-17T00:32:00.000-07:00

Top Ten Reasons Why God Created Eve:

10. God was worried that Adam would frequently become lost in the garden because he would not ask for directions.

9. God knew that one day Adam would require someone to locate and hand him the remote.

8. God knew Adam would never go out and buy himself a new fig leaf when his wore out and would therefore need Eve to buy one for him.

7. God knew Adam would never be able to make a doctor's dentist's or haircut appointment by himself.

6. God knew Adam would never remember which night to put the garbage on the curb.

5. God knew if the world was to be populated, men would never be able to handle the pain and discomfort of childbearing.

4. As the Keeper of the Garden, Adam would never remember where he left his tools.

3. Apparently, Adam needed someone to blame his troubles on when God caught him hiding in the garden.

2. As the Bible says, "It is not good for man to be alone."

And, finally, the Number 1 reason why God created Eve....

1. When God finished the creation of Adam, He stepped back, scratched his head, and said, "I can do better than that."

Who Said I Have To Wait To Be 64?

2006-05-12T02:16:00.000-07:00

خلص يا بنات... أنا تعبت من الشغل. قررت بدّي اتقاعد ولاقيلي شي ابن حلال اتجوّزو واقعد بالبيت كلّ النهار أعمل ولاد ومجدّرة. شو رأيكن؟؟

Cest décidé, je prends ma retraite! Y en a marre du boulot! Je vais de ce pas me trouver un zentil mari qui me fera de zentils zenfants et je resterai à la maison toute la journée à cuiziner et à m'occuper d'eux!

I've taken a major decision: I'll retire from my tiring work, find myself a sweet hubby dear and make babies and mjaddra all day long at home. Whaddy'all think?

سلوى

2006-05-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

كنت عم فكّر بلعبة كنّا نلعبها نحنا وصغار. كنت عم فكّر قدّيشها كانت قاسية، وقويّة، وبتوجّع... علينا نحنا الصغار.
كنت عم فكّر بكلّ واحدة فينا وقفت جوّة الدّايرة، وحطّت إيدها عخدّها، لأنّها بيوم من الأيّام ما كان عندها رفيقة.
كل واحدة فينا سمّوها سلوى.
ولمّا سألوها:
"يا سلوى، ليش عم تبكي؟"،
ولمّا قالولها:
"قومي نقّي شي رفيقة"،
دارت سلوى بإصبعها عالبنات، وقالت: "بشعة... بشعة... بشعة... بشعة... بشعة..."
وبالآخر، سلوى نقّت الرفيقة الحلوة.
الحلوة بس.

يا ترى، شو صار بسلوى اللي فينا اليوم؟ بعدها محبوسة جوّة دايرة، عم بتفتّش عرفيقة؟

Lack of Productivity

2006-05-08T14:14:00.000-07:00

After weeks of bottoming, then hitting rock bottom, and analzying with different friends on why I have been bottoming, I think I may have reached a conclusion: Lack of productivity. I haven't felt productive recently, work-wise or social wise. When I am not productive I basically feel useless, and/or that my life is useless and that I am rotting! Well... at least I feel that I am rotting. I get my excitement and my adrenalin from being productive.

So, now that I think I may have found the reason to my "bottoming" I have to solve it to "upper" up again. There are many ways to do so, such as finding a productive hobby, or changing my entire life. I know hobby sounds easier but life-change sounds more intriguing.
I got a job offer from Lebanon, a good position, a decent salary and package. I always said that if I found a good offer in Lebanon I would move back. Now, I don't know if I want to. Yet, I would like to shop for more offers in Lebanon.

Moving back to Lebanon would be a major challenge...(continue reading)

Movie Review: Memoires of A Geisha

2006-05-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

I finally got to watch Memoires of a Geisha last night. The movie, just like the book is interesting. The actual topic is interesting, and learning all about Geishas and how they become Geishas is also interesting. The movie is alright to watch. I didn't find it fascinating but I can say I watched it from start until end without getting bored. I know a lot of you love this movie and recommend everyone to watch it... you know who you are... I recommend people to watch it but I can't go on and on talking about what a great movie it is.

Greetings from Callipyge, Eve, Linalone, Mana, and Delirious!

2006-05-05T23:11:00.000-07:00

With the hope that someday all the AD-LIBanaises will be grouped in one picture!

Movie Review: Nineteen Eighty-Four

2006-05-03T03:34:00.000-07:00

I thought I can start by posting movie reviews that I already post on my blog.

I read Georges Orwell’s book 1984 around 5 years back. My little brother, Patrick recommended the book to me. I really liked the book, although once again, some of you might find it slow and disturbing but I do believe that’s how it should have been read so that you completely feel the totalitarian society.

Recently, going through Mark’s list of movies on the home server, I found the movie. I had to watch it. I downloaded it a few days ago but I wanted to watch it when I relaxed and was able to concentrate at it since I was really looking forward to it.

I must say it is extremely rare to find a movie done well from a book or a comic. They usually disappoint me. Therefore, I totally am impressed with the movie 1948. The director, Michael Radford, did a brilliant job depicting the book. The torture scenes were gruesome and the final rat torture scene was spine-chilling.

I am glad I watched this movie.

New Template

2006-05-03T02:40:00.000-07:00

Welcome to your new environment!
Hope you girls will start posting more! :P
Give us your feedback!

Get up, Stand up

2006-05-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

"If particular care and attention are not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation."

–Abigail Adams

Best Wishes ;)

2006-04-15T22:43:00.000-07:00

bloggers' meshwar..

2006-04-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

my legs! every single little tiny muscle hurts..oh how we cursed him (our tourguide), and oh what an amazing journey it was.
where do i start? at breakfast of course. nidal, our tour guide, let us stop for breakfast only after we promised him that we will go to the washroom immediately after we ordered our food, and each one of us HAD to use the washroom whether we needed it or not!! no room for negotiation.
shortly after that, we arrived at this "little" hill called Jabal Moussa. Looking at it from a few meter distance made it seem like a delicious piece of cake. and oh how wrong we were, right Linalone? ;)
so we had to climb the hill. which was a complete hilarious utter failure. and because of that i unfortunately have to say "thank God for men", for without them we would still be trying hard to make it up that "little" hill.
i have not seen anything as beautiful..or divine..or peaceful. the fog, the flowers, the trees, the dew, the bells of the herd, the chirping of the birds..seriously, it was breathtaking.it felt as though we were intruding and nature's serenity, and everything became most glorious when we were silent (well, actually we were ordered to remain so, at first i didn't get it, but then it all made sense).
surely, shortly after that (we've been walking for a few hours) things became literally painful, and we really wanted it to be over, Eve? Jamal and Asaad (how are your ankles?!)? I admit that I was cursing a bit on the way down, together with my german/turkish new friend who was tripping every few seconds, just like the rest of us, it was hilarious. he was cursing too, I guess that's how we ended up fighting our way downhill,together.
all in all, it was amazing! i don't have a picture of all the bloggers who were there, but if someone does please post some (make sure we all look kinda decent please!)..

May You Be Blessed

2006-03-23T10:06:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share this with everyone. Enjoy.

May You Be Blessed

(click to watch clip)

xoxo

-La La

To You, Mom

2006-03-20T23:12:00.000-08:00

For all the fights and quarrels that I intentionally provoked, I'm sorry
For all the whining and bitching, I'm sorry
For all the mean things I said and did on purpose, I'm sorry
For all the thank you's and I'm sorry's I didn't say, I'm sorry
For taking everything you did for granted, I'm sorry
For all the times I pretended I didn't care, I'm sorry

For all the times I wasn't there, I'm sorry

For all the times I blamed you for everything, I'm sorry

For all the times I did exactly the opposite of what you advised me to do, I'm sorry

For the love I rarely expressed, I'm sorry

For all the times I was obnoxious because it felt easier than being sweet, I'm sorry

For all these I'm sorry's I will never have the courage to tell you, I'm sorry

Happy Mother's Day

please enter your password..

2006-03-17T08:06:00.000-08:00

I recieved the most amazing email yesterday. A lady "from back home", stumbled upon my blog by chance while reading a comment i wrote in another. she actually enjoyed reading my ramblings and even felt connected with some of them. I was really positively happily surprised. But this is not the issue here. As it turns out, we're from the same place, and we have met before, on several occassions like weddings (don't like weddings) and dinner parties (love good food). Places where I "had to" be to get my parents off my chest (you're going like this?! aren't you gonna get your hair done at least?? put some lipstick for God's sake), all dressed up in painful high heals so not to embarrass my poor mom, when if it was up to me I would have gone with no shoes at all, especially if it's a summer party in the garden, or on the swimming pool terrace (that's where "cool" Lebanese wedding parties are set, and sometimes the actual ceremonies--yeah, i know).

My point is, you go to those places, and have meaningless five minute conversations with other human beings, both of you thinking that there is no way on earth there's something in common between you and them. and then you get this email, from someone you think of as a none-in-common-but-nice person, and as it turns out, you both touched each other in a way that would probably not have happened back at the cocktail party.

so, what's the moral of the story..God bless the internet? slightly..I've been exposed to so many daring creative meaningful ideas here that it's made a significant difference to the way i think. I even shamefully admit that without this i may have missed out on getting to know how my brother and my dear cousin felt about certain issues. but more so, why can't we have more of this in real time? why don't we give each other a chance to evolve when we're literally face to face. I'm not saying that we never do. I guess what i'm saying is that i'm learning to look closer and deeper, and sometimes just simply look in a direction that i haven't looked before.

let's do it, people!

and thank you, Mme O.

Loulia, You'll Love This!

2006-03-09T01:24:00.000-08:00

Thursday, March 09, 2006
Women's Day underscores citizenship rights proposal
By Meris Lutz Special to The Daily Star

BEIRUT: International Women's Day may have passed quietly for most people, but all Lebanese - men and women - may soon have reason to celebrate if MP Ghinwa Jalloul's proposal to extend the citizenship rights to women succeeds.
The proposal, which Jalloul submitted two weeks ago, would allow women to pass on their nationality to their children and spouses, giving them equal citizenship rights to men.
Jalloul said pressing security concerns and Parliament's National Dialogue make it difficult to give the issue the attention it deserves, but that "we will not wait forever; Mothers' Day is on the 21, if we couldn't do it for women's day it could be on Mothers' Day."
There is no doubt that the Lebanese woman's lot has improved over the years, if slowly. Before 1946 a Lebanese woman who married a foreigner would lose her Lebanese nationality, and just three years ago working women were unable to receive fringe benefits like health care. Now, thanks to Jalloul, they not only receive those benefits but so do their children, regardless of nationality.
"The reason citizenship hasn't been dealt with before is that it's a cultural issue; citizenship is something related to blood, and this is through the father only in Lebanon," she said.
Jalloul also said politicians were afraid that allowing women to pass their nationality on to their husbands and children would disturb the delicate balance of the confessional system and open the door to Palestinian assimilation.
"Women, in many respects, have come a long way," she said, adding: "I would want to see the cultural barrier that prevents women from moving forward brought down completely. ... Men have been ahead of women for a long time."
The theme of women's citizenship rights was echoed at AUB on Wednesday, when the Women's Right's Club and the Collective for Research and Training on Development-Action (CRTDA) hosted a panel discussion, "My Nationality, a Right for Me and My Family," after three days of hard campaigning.
Women's Rights Club president Rania Jaber opened the discussion by announcing the campaign had collected over 450 signatures for their petition to change the law that prevents women from passing their citizenship on to their families.
The panel consisted of two lawyers, Iqbal Doughan, president of the Working Women League in Lebanon, and Ossama Salman; as well as Nadira Nahas who is married to a non-national, and Gina Bashier Muhyeldeen, who doesn't have Lebanese citizenship as her father is Iraqi.
"Why should we be forced to leave the country we grew up in?" asked Muhyeldeen, a law student.
"I can't work here, and in Iraq there's a war. I need to help my mom, but I can't. My brother has to go to work in Iraq in the middle of the war even though he was born here," she added.
The panel called on the government to change any law that prevented women from having the same rights as men, in accordance with the Lebanese Constitution, article 7 of which says men and women should be treated as equal citizens.
"We need to continue to fight in this country because it is our country and no one can take out rights," Muhyeldeen said. "We're either citizens or we're not, where's the Switzerland of the Middle East?"

Copyright (c) 2006 The Daily Star

International Women's Day

2006-03-07T11:24:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is not Mother's Day; it's not Valentine's Day all over again either.
It's not another occasion for men to express their fondness of us.
It's not a lame excuse to party all night, nor an occasion to offer flowers or gifts.

Tomorrow is a moment of respect. an ode to femininity. a time to reflect. a call for change. a thought, carefully treasured for you: my mothers, sisters, daughters, friends, virtual friends, working wives, household wives, grocery store ladies, scary childhood dentists, unloved teachers, strangers smiling at me in a crowded street … you, my "ordinary" women, makers of my history, who have shaped me into the woman I am today.

To all of you, today I say: thank you.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

2006-02-20T03:20:00.000-08:00

you say we've got nothing in common..
no common grounds to start from..
and we're falling apart..

How important are common grounds? are we better off with people that are so similar to us in temperament and character, or do opposites really attract in this case?

How about culture? different cultures clash all the time, but do they ruin relationships or nurture them? do you prefer going out with someone of the same or different culture, why? how about spending the rest of your life and starting your little breed of culture-mix??

and i said "what about Breakfast at Tiffany's"
she said "i think i remember the film..
and as i recall i think we both kinda liked it"
and i said "well that's one thing we've got"..

Canadian photographer Finbarr O’Reilly wins premier award

2006-02-11T00:54:00.000-08:00

The international jury of the 49th annual World Press Photo contest selected a color image of the Canadian photographer Finbarr O'Reilly of Reuters as World Press Photo of the Year 2005. The picture shows the emaciated fingers of a one-year-old child pressed against the lips of his mother at an emergency feeding clinic in Niger. A devastating swarm of locusts and the worst drought in decades left millions of people short of food in the African state. The picture was taken in Tahoua, northwestern Niger, on 1 August 2005.
World Press Photo jury chairman James Colton described the winning image: "This picture has haunted me ever since I first saw it two weeks ago. It has stayed in my head, even after seeing all the thousands of others during the competition. This image has everything - beauty, horror and despair. It is simple, elegant and moving."

Funny how pictures that show all the misery of humanity compete for the best prize each year...
Full gallery of winning photos since 1950 here.

لا أفهم

2006-02-03T03:36:00.000-08:00

لفتت انتباهي خلال الفترة الماضية الحملة الشعواء في كل وسائل الاعلام ضد الدانمارك. و لقول الحق استفزتني كل تلك المقالات و الدعوات الى المقاطعة و المطالبة بالاعتذار.
قبل أن أدخل في هذه المسالة أود أن اتطرق الى موضوع حرية الرأي. كيف لنا أن نحاكم بلدا أو نقاطعه لانه ديموقراطي و حرية الرأي لديه ليس لها ما يحدها. كيف لنا أن نتدخل في شؤون بلد و نحن الذين نتذمر من التدخلات الاجنبية في بلدنا. نعم ما نفعله هو تدخل في الشئون الداخلية للدانمارك.
كيف نحس بالاهانة لأنه تم تصوير نبيا لنا ممن لا يؤمنون به و نحن الذين من المفترض أننا نؤمن برسالته و ديانته لا نتاون اليوم بعد الآخر عن الضرب بعرض الحائط بأبسط حقوق الانسان.
لماذا نهاهجم الدانمارك و من قبلها فرنسا لمنع هذه الأخيرة الحجاب في المدارس، كيف نفعل ذلك و نحن نفرض ارتداء الحجاب على الأجنبيات و غير المسلمات في السعودية. كيف نقبل على انفسنا أن نفرض ما نشتهي من قوانين و نعاقب من يخالفها و لا يحق للدول الاخرى ان تفعل ما تشاء على اراضيها. ألسنا من نطبق منطق العين بالعين السن بالسن.
لماذا نطلب احترام معتقداتنا و ديانتنا و نحن لا نحترم معتقادات الاخرين و نتهمهم بالكفر لمجرد انهم ولدوا مع دين معين. أنا مثلا ولدت لأبوين مسلمين و هذا هو كل ما يربطني بالاسلام. لم أختر أن لكون مسلمة كما لم يختر غيري ان يكون يهوديا أو مسيحيا أو بوذيا..... كيف لي أن أعتبر أن دين و معتقدات الآخرين ليست صحيحة بل مختلقة أو محورة على مر الزمن, لماذا افكر أنا بذلك و لا أتوقع من الآخر أن يفكر نفس الشيء عن دياناتي.

E-couples

2006-01-19T02:08:00.001-08:00

Je rencontre de plus en plus de couples qui se sont rencontrés à travers leur blog ou bien tout simplement via le chat. Des rencontres qui se sont dégénérées, ce n’est pas le mot exact, en relation sérieuse et durable. Cela vous dit de raconter des histoires semblables ?
Moi je suis passée par la. J’ai fait une rencontre, à partir de liens sur des blogs que je visite régulièrement, d’un mec superbe Majd(on a meme cree un blog ensemble). Une rencontre qui a changé ma vie a jamais.
J’ai remarque les commentaires qu’il laissait chez d’autres bloggeurs puis j’ai visité son blog. Apres avoir lu une grande partie de son archive, je l’ai ajouté à mon liste de contacts sur MSN Messenger et la tout a commencé, on a « chatté » ensemble pendant deux mois plusieurs heures par jour au bout desquels sur un coup de tête je l’avoue, je l’ai invité à venir à Beyrouth. C’était un jour pluvieux, le pauvre, lorsqu’on s’est rencontré, il était trempé jusqu’aux os ; on a passé deux jours qu’on est loin d’oublier un jour.
Des là, tout s’est accéléré ; maintenant on est amoureux jusqu’aux bouts des ongles.

English Summary: Do you know couples who have met via chat or blogs and who have ended with a serious relation?I have myself met a magnificiant guy throutgh the net. I have read several of his comments on blogger's post then visited his blog. I was impressed by his writings so i added him to my MSN messenger list. We chatted for 2 months then i invited him to Beirut
where we have spent 2 unforgetable wonderful days. I can admit now with no fears, we are passionate LOVERS.

Move On

2006-01-16T06:46:00.000-08:00

You dumped him. Now, he is over you.

Of Bias and Prejudice

2006-01-13T23:48:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I wonder about people. Really. How does one get so obtuse? Are you born with it or is it acquired?
There's this hunk of a coworker of mine. 30 years old. All muscles and no brain.
He came up with a wonderfully Freudian hypothesis about another coworker of ours - which neither of us can stand by the way, but that's another story. She's 35, single, and without an ounce of humor in her body (she pretends she is the best thing that happened since Bill Cosby, but she fools no one - elle est vraiment insupportable!). A bit on the short side, with short hair and no taste in clothes.
But I digress.
So his hypothesis is that this girl is a lesbian. Why? Well not only because she is a single woman with short hair, but also because she talks to him while looking him straight in the eye (!!!). In his opinion, women should talk to guys they don't know with a bit of shyness, and it bothers him that she is so blunt and direct. And this - in his dictionary - makes her a lesbian!
He was so adamant about it that he didn't even listen to what I had to say about the matter, and I couldn't argue further with him because the woman in question walked in abruptly.
So - what do y'all think about this?

Lebanese bloggers meet

2006-01-12T03:16:00.000-08:00

You can let go of my arm now Delirious, I'm writing it!

Yesterday saw 3 eminent representatives of AD-LIBanaises (Eve, Public Relations; Delirious, Communications Desk; and myself, Foreign Affairs) enjoying a new bloggers' meet in The Coffee, Monnot, recommended by one Maldoror who clearly wished to save his energy to be the life of the party, given he lives around the block. There were familiar faces, such as Ahmad - to me the only familiar face bar the aforementioned 4 – and a great deal of new blood: Nabil (Nobilis), Michael Totten, Charles, François, and I'm terribly sorry but I can't remember the names of the others though I do remember faces and conversations. The point is, that was a lot of guys for only three attending women, but Eve and Delirious smoothly hosted talks and innocently shuffled the seats every now and then. Which as far as breaking up political discussions went, was an inefficient tactic to say the least. At least we managed to keep the sugar out of Maldoror's hands.
From the look of things though, we'll need to plan the next meet at a stadium or some other place that can handle us all.

"Tear"ing us down?

2006-01-10T15:22:00.000-08:00

A document I've been translating stirred my curiosity today about why we cry, and why is it that we, as women, are often accused of resorting to our "crocodile tears", to make the best out of a certain situation. I mean you've probably heard it all: women's tears are "the world's greatest water power", "stronger than any acid", and "every woman is wrong, until she cries". Confessions of a misogynistic mind, you'd ask?

First, since it's really "uncool", according to our prejudgments, to see a man crying, it turns out that women do it 64 times a year, as an average, while men just 17. (Frankly, I'd like to hear what our fellow male bloggers have to say about those 17 times! What do you say girls? Would they be able to name the top 10 times they gave up to their tears, during the past year for example?). Now let's hear what we're accused of. It seems we have figured it all out; it's mechanical: We just release a salty, protein-rich fluid from our lachrymal apparatus, improvise adjustments in the muscles of our facial expression, add a few non-specific and incomprehensible vocalizations, and convulsively inhale and exhale air with spasms of the respiratory and trunk muscle groups! Hmm, we can turn everything into art, even crying!

Now, whether those were the observations of really desperate husbands or not, and whether women cry because of lost loves, a silly romantic movie, or just because of onions, the truth is: it makes us feel better. What's more, researches have proved that emotional tears contain 20-25% more protein, including various hormones; and that a "good cry" helps in removing excess chemicals, which are not very good for the body. We live longer, have less heart problems, a more beautiful skin, because of crying. It's also a way of communication; perhaps the only way to express ourselves when words fail us, and we're only left with this call for help, attention or forgiveness. Some may call that manipulation, but all of the above show it's a perfectly healthy situation, don’t you agree? Let's not forget that if we can conquer the strongest of men with just a couple of our tears, that shows we're not the weakest human gender after all!

W ba3dein, there are a couple of historic examples worth mentioning. Yes, guys, you cry too! Indeed, Francis of Assisi is said to have gone blind from too much crying. In the 12th century epic, Song of Roland, the lords of France weep bitter tears, pull their beards and faint from grief. And then, there's always Bill Clinton who constantly manage to tear up at need (Once, notoriously, Clinton was laughing and joking with colleagues at a funeral when he noticed he was being filmed. So he immediately became serious and welled up)… Anyway, who says manly tears are something to be ashamed of? Don't you just feel like giving him a big hug, and telling him that everything will be alright in the end?

*For more information about crying and tears, check this interesting article*

Eid Mubarak

2006-01-09T13:11:00.000-08:00

When you thought you knew it all...

2006-01-08T16:13:00.000-08:00

I just learned that the word necrophilia is the erotic attraction to dead bodies.

That's gross...so gross

Venetian Glass

2006-01-08T15:51:00.000-08:00

As one who sails upon a wide, blue sea
Far out of land, his mind intent
Upon the sailing of his little boat
On tightening the ropes and shaping fair his course
Hears suddenly, across the endless sea
The rhythm striking of some towered clock,
And wakes from thoughtless idleness to time;
Time, the slow pulse which beats eternity!
So through the vacancy of busy life
At intervals you cross my path and bring
The deep solemity of passing years
For you I have shed bitter tears
For you, I have relinquished that for which my heart cried
in selfish longing.
And tonight, having just left you,
I can say:
"Tis well, Thank God I have known a soul so true, so nobly just,
so worthy to be loved!"

by Amy Lowell, as tears drip from the heart

The Top 10 Lies Happy Husbands Tell

2006-01-04T23:16:00.000-08:00

"Sure, honey, that dress looks fine."
Why he tells it: Hassle avoidance

"I can fix it."
Why he tells it: Ego protection

"I was not looking at her boobs."
Why he tells it: To achieve a delicate balance between marital harmony and 4 million years of biological conditioning

"Nothing's wrong."
Why he tells it: To lick his wounds in private

"I tried to call you."
Why he tells it: Self-defense

"I don't want to have sex unless you want to."
Why he tells it: To avoid seeming like a sex-crazed monkey

"I'm the best, baby."
Why he tells it: To make you glad you married him

"My old girlfriend? She was just okay."
Why he tells it: Self-preservation

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman."
Why he tells it: Desperate self-preservation

"I'll never lie to you."
Why he tells it: To live happily ever after

The wounds of the war haven't healed

2006-01-03T06:08:00.000-08:00

The following article brings up an essential question that is being asked in Lebanon and no one really has the correct answer to it. Should the Lebanese forget the past? Forget the war? Forget their loved ones who are missing or dead? Or do they need to find out the truth for closure? How difficult is it to find the truth? What are the consequences of finding the truth?

What do you think should be done?

Mothers Press Issues of War That Lebanese Want to Forget
Loved Ones Still Missing From Years of Conflict

By Anthony Shadid
Washington Post Foreign Service
Monday, January 2, 2006

BEIRUT -- On this morning, as on every morning since Oct. 17, 1985 , Audette Salem cleaned the rooms of her son and daughter. She left his razor, toothbrush and comb as they were on the day her children were abducted from the streets of Beirut during Lebanon 's civil war. She fiddled with her daughter's makeup and straightened her bed. She dusted the three guitars, the papers still on their desks and the pack that holds a 20-year-old cigarette, the artifacts of two lives interrupted.

"Everything is there as they left it," she said. "I haven't changed a thing, nothing at all. It's all still there."

At 70, quiet but determined, Salem is a woman who clings to memories in a country that prefers to forget.

In the heart of downtown Beirut , ravaged by a brutal 15-year civil war, then rebuilt into a graceful, if somewhat soulless, urban hub, Salem joins other women every day in a protest demanding to know the fate of their children. Many believe they languish in jails in neighboring Syria . Others are not sure. Behind them, their children's faces stare from pictures tacked to billboards, blank faces with generation-old haircuts, the dates of their disappearances reading like a war memorial yet to be built.

Continue reading here

A New Year Wish

2006-01-01T22:42:00.000-08:00

I wish this will be the year when our country's legislation will cease to be so blatently sexist and will allow Lebanese women to be rightful holders/transmitters of their citizenship.
Perhaps, then, my passport will mean a little more than just the visa it is right now.

Some people have given me shit for saying things like that or thinking this way and that my love for the motherland should supersede my selfish interests. Yeah, well, I love Lebanon's soil, I love my fellow countrypeople, I love the smells, sights, sounds of it all. But I'll have no respect whatsoever for ANY Lebanese governing institution or politician so long as they'll have none for me.

So let them keep their precious little booklets and papers. Mine sit at the bottom of a dusty drawer, while the French version is neatly put away. I don't necessarily like France better than Lebanon. But France, at least, does not treat me like a meaningless second class citizen.

Yes ladies. If you don't have the power to bring your loved ones into the Lebanese tribe, then you're a second class citizen. You're still cute, sexy, fun, smart, intelligent, a contributor to the country's GDP, a voter and so forth. But you have no say in the admissions process. Part of the system and all that.

How utterly depressing.
Happy New year.

Happy New Year

2005-12-31T16:08:00.000-08:00

I don't know about the rest of you, but 2005 was a great year for me. I truly loved it.
I partied my head off tonight saying goodbye to 2005 and only hoping that 2006 will be just as good of a year, if not greater.

I wish you all a happy new year, and truly wish this year will be a great and peaceful year for all of you!

Wrinkle Moi!

2005-12-21T03:51:00.000-08:00

The reflection in the mirror vividly displays my aging process. I don't mind it. I compare my pictures from when I was 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, to my pictures now at 25. The aging process is magnificent... I love it! Every tiny wrinkle I have is from the amount of times I have smiled, laughed, frowned, or cried. My brief history is apparent on my face.

I don't understand why people want to have all sorts of surgeries to look younger, or to look different.

I watch old movies, or old video clips, and I watch the recent ones. The women were naturally beautiful before. Each in her own way. The apparent fakeness today has caused a uniform identity for all... a non- existent identity.

What do you think?

Un p'tit truc pour vous faire sourire :)

2005-12-20T23:27:00.000-08:00

Que serait-il arrivé si les rois mages avaient été des femmes?
...Elles auraient demandé leur route,
... seraient arrivées à temps,
... auraient aidé à l'accouchement,
... auraient nettoyé l'étable,
... auraient fait une fondue,
... auraient apporté des cadeaux utiles.

Qu'auraient-elles dit en partant?
... les sandales de Marie ne se marient pas avec sa robe,
... le bébé ne ressemble pas à Joseph,
... j'en reviens pas qu'ils gardent des animaux à la maison,
... il paraît que Joseph est en chômage,
... vierge? à d’autres!

Season's Greetings

2005-12-18T21:49:00.000-08:00

From a Lebanese-American perspective...

2005-12-16T10:24:00.000-08:00

The other day as I was watching the funeral, a cold tear ran down my cheek. Sadly to say, I think I was crying more for Lebanon than for Gebran. Sitting on my couch, in my home, in the city of Los Angeles, in the State of California, in the United States of America, I mourned yet again for Lebanon. Despite the comfort I live in this country and the security it gives me (well, sometimes) no matter what I will always love Lebanon because it is also my country. Feeling rage, anger, sadness, and even hostility, I couldn't help but ask "when will this end?" No really, will this ever end?

I couldn't help but say to myself "This isn't fair. Why can't the Lebanese just live? This is their/our country." Maybe the answer to this is simple. Maybe it's complex. I couldn't help but notice the pictures Delirious took from the funeral. Perhaps she's right...we must take action.

Ultimately in the end, it's the power and the mass of the people who have the most power. Some just don't know it. Whether we're calling for reform in the U.S. or for justice and truth in Lebanon, in the hands of the people lies the power to change.

I leave you all with a mix of great quotes...

The Lebanese have the right to be free on their soil. - Gebran Tueni
I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves. - Ernesto Che Guevara
He who awaits much can expect little. - Gabriel García Márquez
One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others. - Niccolo Machiavelli

By the way, we haven't been properly introduced.
Name: La La
Age: 23 in 32 days
Location: Los Angeles
Marital Status: Happily Single
Occupation: Designer & prospective law student.

Pity The Nation That Raises Not Its Voice Save When It Walks In A Funeral

2005-12-15T02:36:00.000-08:00

Eve and I went down to Place de l'Etoile and An Nahar building yesterday, and she took these pictures. You can find more of them here.

Gebran Tueni used to say he admired Che Guevara for his character, for defending till the end the cause he believed in. Che Guevara died for a cause in a country that was not his, Gebran died for a cause that was his. Or was it? What or who did Gebran die for exactly? Those teenagers who were waving yesterday the flags of the different parties they belong to and chanting "Killon 3indon rou2assa w ni7na 3inna 7mar"? Those others who were cursing Syria, using cheap blasphemy and jokes before the remains of a man who was much greater than that?This Shi'ite man who told me this morning: "I hated his guts because he hated all Muslims"? The dazed and bewildered men and women who walked silently holding his picture high, numb with grief? His toddlers Nadia and Gabriella, for whom he wanted to offer a better Lebanon? His wife, Siham, whom he loved so dearly, or his two daughters Michelle and Nayla, the "eye of AnNahar that will never rest until the assassins are found and freedom is attained"? His father Ghassan, who buried yesterday his last remaining child with stoicism and dignity?
Gebran Tueni belonged to that special breed of people who follow their ideals and adhere to their principles no matter what it costs them. We, the Lebanese people, do not deserve to have such a person among us, for we do not appreciate their value. We, the Lebanese people, deserve what is happening to us because we are not taking action. We, the Lebanese bloggers are only good for raving and ranting, hidden behind our nom de plume, nom de guerre, or whatever. After crying our hearts out, chanting our slogans, and promising the latest martyr "We will never forget you, you will always live in our hearts"... we go back to our daily lives, the sun continues to shine, and life goes on.
Tayyeb W BA3DEIN?

Meet the Bloggerettes

2005-12-11T22:46:00.000-08:00

Meet the contributors of this blog! If I have forgotten anyone girls, please let me know!

Mana
Location: Beirut
Age: 26
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Graphic designer, illustrator, journalist

Callipyge
Location: Austin, Texas
Age: 26
Marital Status: Just married
Occupation: Advertising consultant (for now... it's freelance)

Maha
Location: London, UK
Age:26
Occupation: Communication

Eve
Location: Beirut, sweet Beirut
Age: 25
Marital status: Single
Occupation: Translator

Linalone
Age:25
Location: For the moment Lebanon
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: None for the moment.

Thuraya (Aroundtheclock24_7 is my blog's nick)
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Age: 27yrs
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Graphic Designer

Zanzounito
Location: Texas...yeeeehaw!
Status: Single and LOVIN' IT!
Occupation: Student
Age:22

Delirious
Location: Beirut
Age: 27
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Translator, project coordinator, freelance journalist

Rampurple
Age: 25
Location: Kuwait
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Advertising

Malaka

2005-12-07T23:18:00.000-08:00

This text was sent to l'Orient Le Jour by an anonymous author. Although they usually do not publish mail that is unsigned, they chose to make an exception for it:

Elle s’appelle Malaka. Dans ma langue maternelle, son nom signifie reine. Dans la sienne, je ne sais pas. Dans son pays, elle est titulaire d’une licence d’enseignement. Dans le mien, elle est femme de ménage dans un institut de beauté. Sa nationalité, je ne sais pas. Le son et le timbre de sa voix me sont également inconnus. Son regard soumis et son sourire qui ressemble à une cicatrice ne me sont que très familiers. Elle est là à longueur de journée, Malaka. Dans cette pièce minuscule, elle souffre les ordres de sa patronne, et les sautes d’humeur de quelques dizaines de femmes aux sourcils soigneusement épilés et aux ongles fraîchement laqués. Elle est tour à tour accusée de paresse, d’hypocrisie et de lenteur. Elle est prisonnière, Malaka. Une reine enfermée dans un donjon. Quand je lui souris, c’est une cicatrice qui se dessine sur son visage...

English version:

Malaka is her name. It means a queen in my native language. I do not know if it has the same meaning in hers. In her country, she has a teaching degree. In mine, she works as a cleaning lady in a beauty parlor. I do not know what her nationality is. I also do not know how her voice sounds like. I’m only familiar with her obedient look and scar-like smile. Malaka is here all day long. In this tiny room, she puts up with the orders of her boss and the mood swings of a few dozen women with carefully shaped eyebrows and freshly lacquered nails. She is accused of laziness, hypocrisy, and slowness. Malaka is a prisoner, a queen locked up in a dungeon. When I smile at her, a scar appears on her face…

2005-12-06T04:34:00.000-08:00

Ya Ahla W Sahla ;)