tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53391653734924336802011-11-10T18:08:58.449-08:00"I have nothing to say"m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.comBlogger3951100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-27941214474159433982011-11-10T18:06:00.000-08:002011-11-10T18:08:58.486-08:00

Interesting conclusions:The Gallup data show it is not so straightforward, rather: 1. The majority of Lebanese can be classified as tolerant, based on a key Gallup measure. 2. Muslim Lebanese are at least as likely to want to permanently migrate as are Christian Lebanese. 3. The reasons Lebanese of all faiths cite for wanting to leave are about far more mundane, economic issues.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-80823987139119696992011-11-09T17:47:00.000-08:002011-11-09T17:49:22.212-08:00

Hariri's twitter accountHahahahaha.Kudos for putting himself out there and interacting with everyone, but please, please, use semi-correct grammar and punctuation.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-51032688445007052412011-07-15T19:00:00.000-07:002011-07-15T19:17:18.196-07:00

Respect. Watch the video on youtube (and part 2).I saw Walid give a talk, probably around 4 - 5 years ago. This guy was basically a nobody at the time, but there was security all around the premises. He put on quite a show then, and it's quite sad that he still has a following.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-789852956702654002011-01-29T09:39:00.000-08:002011-01-29T18:31:57.223-08:00

Sigh. It seriously saddens me.Like most people with some interest in the MENA region, I've been watching the Tunisian and Egyptian events. As elated as I am, I feel slightly nostalgic for the days when dictators were real men. You know, the days when they'd slaughter several thousand people to keep their power.Nowadays, we just have people like la vache qui rit.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-20948297683250337132011-01-12T09:15:00.000-08:002011-01-12T09:18:03.316-08:00

This is more interesting than the Bold and The Beautiful. Did anyone used to watch that soap opera?Lebanon's national unity government has collapsed after 11 ministers from Hezbollah and its allies resigned.Energy Minister Gibran Bassil said the decision was prompted by a dispute over the UN tribunal investigating former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's murder.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-76454234515748492752011-01-05T08:32:00.000-08:002011-01-05T08:35:24.560-08:00

No, this isn't an article from the notorious Onion. It's from BBC. I think it's hilarious, since Israel doesn't need to send vultures to spy on Saudi - they can just talk to the Saudi Royalty.Israeli officials told Ma'ariv they were "stunned" by the allegations and concerned that the bird could meet a horrible punishment in the notoriously severe Saudi justice system...."Now, this poor bird is

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-40391625154382747842010-12-08T10:51:00.001-08:002010-12-08T10:55:01.311-08:00

I guess it's true - Saudis really DO care. /sarcasmSaudi Arabia proposed creating an Arab force backed by US and Nato air and sea power to intervene in Lebanon two years ago and destroy Iranian-backed Hezbollah, according to a US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks.The plan would have sparked a proxy battle between the US and its allies against Iran, fought in one of the most volatile regions

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-32654674871119464882010-11-29T13:55:00.000-08:002010-11-29T14:05:21.640-08:00

The best comment I've read about the Wikileaks is:This is like going to a party, getting smashed off your face and spilling your guts about everyone in the room, feeling really great and cathartic about it. Then waking up the next morning and realising that you've made yourself look a right wanker and there's nothing you can do about it.Quite interesting material to be found. For ex//General

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-2685170390973163882010-11-12T20:10:00.000-08:002010-11-12T20:11:14.856-08:00

Interesting video making the rounds.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-86213207496222434652010-11-02T14:14:00.001-07:002010-11-02T14:17:05.905-07:00

"It’s called Lebanon Directory, and by typing in a person’s 9-digit phone number, anyone using the application can find out the name of the person who owns the number and their home address....Abi Farah plugged in her license plate number and got the following: Her home address, her marital status, her husband’s name and her car’s make, model and year. If the owner of a license plate number has

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-42287825561364578692010-10-25T11:15:00.000-07:002010-10-25T11:17:46.912-07:00

This website is genius. More info here.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-30937827666444558272010-10-17T16:55:00.000-07:002010-10-17T16:56:32.617-07:00

I read about this, but didn't bother watching the opening sequence of a recent Simpsons' episode, until today. Intense.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-27569262488624545802010-10-14T20:30:00.001-07:002010-10-14T20:43:22.426-07:00

Some people worship Eminem.Some people worship the USB co-inventor (very random, but the video is quite cool. Except for the last 5 seconds, which are really *@#.).And in some countries, like Lebanon, political nuts politicians are hailed.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-83159803458112406662010-10-11T17:21:00.000-07:002010-10-11T17:27:07.304-07:00

I received this picture via email (thanks D.) just in time for Halloween, and it has already been posted on Remarkz.Although there is a small chance that this isn't exactly the gloriously exalted Hakim, if it is indeed him, then this picture was most definitely a sign of things to come ...

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-82061369236927887092010-10-06T22:24:00.000-07:002010-10-06T22:31:59.415-07:00

One of the problems of having your laptop open is that when you get home, even if after midnight, you - or at least I - check email + facebook. And I see this "wonderful" article that a friend posted, published in NowLebanon. Unfortunately, I didn't get past the first few paragraphs.I stopped here:Perhaps we should not be surprised by Hezbollah’s logic. After all, Hezbollah started a war when

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-79726523790259954852010-09-30T23:08:00.000-07:002010-09-30T23:18:04.268-07:00

Regardless of CNN's regular impotence when it comes to actually reporting news, it does occasionally come in useful. I stumbled across this article on a friend's facebook wall, which details this archive of images in the Arab world.The website is lacking, but if you refresh the homepage, you can see quite a few cool pictures. And more pictures are available here.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-18799608292485521002010-09-08T18:19:00.000-07:002010-09-08T18:23:50.147-07:00

TFTBT: Too funny to be true.For example ... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11200278

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-20916752620327955442010-08-28T14:33:00.000-07:002010-08-28T14:40:15.545-07:00

Yesterday, I received an email with the following sentence (and which has nothing to do with the title of the post):Congratulations! Your dissertation/thesis id 0000000540 has been approved by the Office of the University Registrar.Please find the comments as: Congratulations!.which for me, marks the end of an era in my life. And today, I stepped onto a plane and left California, probably for

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-62580199651558024662010-08-23T19:19:00.000-07:002010-08-23T19:25:46.291-07:00

The great thing about this article by Now Lebanon is that they name names. A list of clubs and their policies with respect to "maids" is available, which is much better than saying "some clubs have atrocious policies." Oh, and the lead picture isn't so bad either.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-73606626001391394952010-08-18T20:36:00.001-07:002010-08-18T20:36:32.346-07:00

I thought this was quite amusing.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-11425990861869541792010-08-17T23:45:00.000-07:002010-08-17T23:56:01.587-07:00

For whatever reason, my homepage is set to cnn.com. That doesn't really mean much, since my browser is always open, and thus, never really goes to the preset homepage on its own. However, every now and then I do check up on the news ... which of course includes CNN.Now, if you were to check the US edition of CNN, you would be hardpressed to find a reference to the flood in Pakistan, which has

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-12952493413030218372010-08-05T17:55:00.000-07:002010-08-05T17:56:21.434-07:00

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cThe Killing Treewww.thedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorTea Party

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-54761439306746586572010-07-20T17:41:00.000-07:002010-07-20T17:46:04.759-07:00

"The court is obliged to protect the public interest from sophisticated, smooth-tongued criminals who can deceive innocent victims at an unbearable price - the sanctity of their bodies and souls," Segal wrote.H/T: Babylon & BeyondWhile I don't exactly condone the act of pretending to be someone else to get laid, this is a bit silly. The guy apparently seduced well, and the gal was well seduced.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-30324321907867395802010-07-07T14:28:00.000-07:002010-07-07T14:29:46.926-07:00

Mediaite has the internal memo, which says “we believe that her credibility in her position as senior editor for Middle Eastern affairs has been compromised.”Nasr tweeted this weekend: “Sad to hear of the passing of Sayyed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah… One of Hezbollah’s giants I respect a lot.”In other news, after Germany's performance today, I have to wonder: How the hell did they beat Argentina?

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-29089692167449420382010-06-30T15:11:00.000-07:002010-06-30T15:14:29.286-07:00

So, in the previous post I copy-pasted an article from NowLebanon.Along with that excerpt, the following got pasted:To read more: http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=181336#ixzz0sNROALJUOnly 25% of a given NOW Lebanon article can be republished. For information on republishing rights from NOW Lebanon: http://www.nowlebanon.com/Sub.aspx?ID=125478The link contains the following:NOW

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-57519613708792738452010-06-30T15:06:00.000-07:002010-06-30T15:11:58.346-07:00

I've been blogging since mid-2005, and one of the reasons I never blogged via my real name is a slight "fear" that Lebanon can go crazy every now and then. State Prosecutor Judge Said Mirza arrested on Monday three people for libel and defamation of President Michel Sleiman on Facebook as well as other internet portals, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.Mirza then transferred the case to

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-10566918137757111232010-06-25T13:49:00.000-07:002010-06-25T13:51:12.081-07:00

I thought this was hilarious. Shameless stolen from Qifa Nabki.Israel launched its latest spy satellite, Ofeq-9, earlier this week. The high-tech satellite will orbit the earth at an altitude of 500 km, and boasts a multi-spectral Jupiter space camera which has a resolution of under 50 centimeters, enabling it to spot even the smallest objects. Read the rest, here.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-34844889985587996692010-06-24T15:03:00.000-07:002010-06-24T15:07:44.861-07:00

Eyewitnesses report that although most of those attending produced valid residency cards, this did not spare them from being handcuffed, beaten and racially abused. According to Sudanese and Lebanese newspaper reports (in Arabic), the detainees were referred to as animals who "learned how to wear nice clothes" and "black pieces of coal", and lined up flat on their bellies. Some members of the

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-22159591641637268572010-06-21T14:27:00.000-07:002010-06-21T14:34:12.166-07:00

A decently good article on the super night clubs littered all over the country. “Lebanese girls take work,” said one super nightclub owner who agreed to speak to GlobalPost on the condition that his name not be used. “You have to take them out to dinner, meet their family.”“But the artists, the girls at the super nightclubs, you can meet them, take them out, go skinny dipping and have fun, and

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-90414039191441115302010-05-31T18:19:00.000-07:002010-05-31T18:22:34.207-07:00

"Meanwhile, Israeli troops boarded a blockade running ship headed for Gaza armed with paint guns (yes, really) and were attacked at once by assailants wielding clubs and knives. Several people were killed and more were injured. Weapons caches were found on the boat, and some of wounded treated in Jerusalem were apparently wearing camouflage." If they were only armed with paint guns, then how were

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-24919282147690429782010-05-31T00:34:00.000-07:002010-05-31T00:36:52.538-07:00

More than 10 people have been killed after Israeli commandos stormed a convoy of ships carrying aid to the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army says.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-22998517336827518852010-05-17T10:40:00.001-07:002010-05-17T10:40:45.407-07:00

Now that's a mouthful, but it makes me all giddy on the inside.More here.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-87939957909421119462010-05-02T13:08:00.000-07:002010-05-02T13:10:06.127-07:00

For people like Audette, any truth which is uncovered about the war will have come too late.She lived in her protest tent for 1,495 days, giving up the comforts of a real home to brave hot summers and blustery winters in the company of others who had lost relatives.But last May she was killed by a speeding car as she crossed the road near her tent.At her funeral, held at the tent, more than 100

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-45107226656783813212010-04-25T13:14:00.000-07:002010-04-25T13:16:01.760-07:00

Now, don't ask how I found this. When someone showed it to me, I thought it was quite funny.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-62559185656051856572010-04-24T11:37:00.000-07:002010-04-24T12:12:18.439-07:00

The inspiration for the surf club came from overseas, thousands of kilometres away in California.Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz is a surfing legend.The 89-year-old has been surfing for more than 70 years and still surfs today.Several years ago he read an article in the Los Angeles Times newspaper about a couple of men surfing in Gaza."I saw the picture of the two Arabs in the newspaper and they had one

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-89402572745381793572010-04-13T19:34:00.000-07:002010-04-13T19:35:46.546-07:00

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-72728354161513033642010-04-12T17:39:00.000-07:002010-04-12T17:41:39.036-07:00

How has this not made it onto my Facebook feed by fellow Lebanese enthusiasts? ;)Go to number 6.At one time the plains and mountains of Lebanon were densely covered with majestic cedar trees. Today, the remains of the immense forests are found on the high slopes of Mount al-Makmal in northern Lebanon. The last ancient cedars face a severe threat from rising temperatures and decreases in

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-80343054999330879272010-04-09T13:45:00.000-07:002010-04-09T13:48:42.441-07:00

As a result of the impunity of politicians and their conspiring media outlets, words and principles in Arab countries - especially Lebanon - account for little.But one politician stands out for always sticking to his principles: Samir Geagea....Samir Geagea is proving to be the only man of principles in Lebanon. For that, he should be applauded as the last freedom fighter in the Middle East, at a

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-65698101650607383722010-04-02T21:08:00.000-07:002010-04-02T21:12:31.335-07:00

Mr Jumblatt has said his criticism of Mr Assad was "inappropriate".Regardless of where you stand, Jumblatt is a character. Seriously.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-54094738868507700962010-04-02T21:05:00.000-07:002010-04-02T21:07:56.487-07:00

Its architect also said he had received complaints about the woman's naked legs. Having "impure" thoughts because of a woman's "naked legs" is one thing.Having "impure" thoughts because of a statue's "naked legs" is something else completely.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-49026556619519283622010-02-23T13:54:00.001-08:002010-02-23T13:59:08.200-08:00

Yes, I'm still alive. If you're at all familiar with Uncyclopedia, you may have checked out the page on Lebanon, which is something worth reading along with wine / whiskey / your favorite drink.This page, from Encyclopedia Dramatica, is also worth reading.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-42825058031024515822009-12-03T12:37:00.000-08:002009-12-03T12:39:29.226-08:00

It should be obvious by now that I am fascinated by the PostSecret Project.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-35773134314158651932009-11-23T21:40:00.001-08:002009-11-23T21:41:26.223-08:00

What do Best Buy, Eid Al-Adha, and Christmas have in common?

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-59571125051402526532009-10-31T14:47:00.001-07:002009-10-31T14:48:10.463-07:00

Wow. I must have been really disconnected from the news the last couple of weeks to not hear about this.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-36471288188757625182009-10-30T12:33:00.000-07:002009-10-30T12:36:27.998-07:00

Lol.Check it out: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=156088141574&ref=nfSeriously, reading some of these things makes me think of those douchebags you see in clubs shouting loudly and crushing beer cans on their heads. I really don't know why that image comes to mind, but it does.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-56265827044852911642009-10-14T17:41:00.000-07:002009-10-14T17:46:41.151-07:00

Good-by to Leila Abu-SabaThere is an odd affinity between bloggers. I have never met Leila, but this has saddened me.Rest in peace.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-26933700390135492902009-10-07T19:09:00.000-07:002009-10-07T19:11:38.766-07:00

The FBI has determined that the passenger removed from the United Airlines flight this morning posed no “identifiable threat” to the plane or passengers and that no criminal charges are anticipated.The passenger got up from his seat about 8:30 a.m. to use the restroom and would not comply with the flight crew's instructions to return to his seat, Eimiller said. The captain of the plane then

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-90027370595191027992009-09-27T17:09:00.001-07:002009-09-27T17:09:51.131-07:00

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-47836500674234385982009-08-27T07:12:00.001-07:002009-08-27T07:12:33.922-07:00

This was sorta creepy to look at.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-61247618656851832282009-08-27T06:57:00.000-07:002009-08-27T07:07:32.179-07:00

But if an officer is determined to apply the law, things can become extremely serious. All couples, under the age of 18, caught making out are taken to the station and the parents are called. If the couple is over 18, they can end up in jail for a month after being taken to court.I thought it was premarital sex that could get you in jail - not just making out. Anyways, it's interesting how

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-54647821718982825272009-08-21T14:02:00.000-07:002009-08-21T14:03:52.196-07:00

... and then I woke up.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-18172699470341668142009-08-20T08:38:00.000-07:002009-08-20T08:39:48.524-07:00

This ... is pretty cool. (H/T "Blogging Beirut")Go to bing.com - it's interactive.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-12377393009818020742009-08-18T09:09:00.000-07:002009-08-18T09:16:57.564-07:00

While Lebanese women are hailed as being among the most beautiful on earthHaha, according to whom? We really are full of ourselves.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-72725085671285858942009-08-06T17:05:00.000-07:002009-08-06T17:10:50.030-07:00

Saw this quiz here, and because I obviously have nothing better to do with my time, decided to take it.It's sorta interesting. I usually tell people that I'm rightist, and at first they don't believe me. Then I open my mouth ...My Political ViewsI am a right social libertarianRight: 4.74, Libertarian: 5.12Political Spectrum QuizMy Foreign Policy ViewsScore: -4.12Political Spectrum QuizMy

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-59138444804260034292009-08-02T11:43:00.000-07:002009-08-02T11:47:35.469-07:00

I saw this article last night, and thought it was a really interesting read. Of course, it's not an article that people will plaster their facebook wall with.While homosexual activity (technically, sexual relations that officials deem “unnatural”) is illegal in Lebanon, as in most of the Arab world, Beirut’s vitality as a Mediterranean capital of night life has fueled a flourishing gay scene —

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-39886253101088913902009-07-29T19:59:00.000-07:002009-07-29T21:12:46.221-07:00

This evening my facebook homepage was overloaded with people posting this:Beirut: Best Party City?We are an easily pleased nation.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-80191425227287620142009-07-14T18:11:00.001-07:002009-07-14T18:11:23.281-07:00

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1198

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-23931092062102035742009-07-10T14:38:00.000-07:002009-07-10T14:40:11.642-07:00

Frankly, I think the media has way too much time on their hands if they're busy analyzing if certain guys were checking out girls.But the video is funny nonetheless.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-17211955809555591832009-07-09T12:21:00.000-07:002009-07-09T12:25:50.843-07:00

'Dirty' Industries: Just between you and me, shouldn't the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs [Less Developed Countries]? I can think of three reasons:1) The measurements of the costs of health impairing pollution depends on the foregone earnings from increased morbidity and mortality. From this point of view a given amount of health impairing pollution

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-70559341418645256242009-07-03T11:00:00.000-07:002009-07-03T11:02:48.231-07:00

Sorry for the lame title, but really couldn't resist.Ms. Hilton is in Beirut. Haha.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-42710315003139124972009-07-02T12:29:00.000-07:002009-07-02T12:51:17.156-07:00

Islam, followed by more than 85% of the country's population, prohibits sexual relations between unmarried couples. With marriage expenses climbing amid the country's poor economic status, sexual harassment incidents have been on the rise.(H/T BG)Wow.Not that I disagree with the ruling. Well justified actually.But last I checked, Christianity also "prohibits sexual relations between unmarried

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-31495286055910629992009-06-30T12:11:00.000-07:002009-06-30T12:12:13.842-07:00

Nearly all forms of modern entertainment - particularly those that bring men and women together - are regarded by conservative Saudis as morally corrosive and can, in their eyes, undermine the religious foundation of the Saudi society and state

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-66644051148739806822009-06-28T20:49:00.000-07:002009-06-28T21:03:44.172-07:00

The Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has designated the 39-year-old leader of the Sunni majority, Saad Hariri, as the country's new prime minister, asking him to form a new government.One day I'll look back and laugh. Actually, I'm laughing now.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-24687341731120689382009-06-25T19:08:00.000-07:002009-06-25T22:41:57.477-07:00

I was thinking back at how long Jackson actually been part of my life, and I actually can't remember. I haven't really listened to his music in years, up until my last trip to Beirut when my sister wanted the song Dirty Diana, and I ended up downloading the entire History album. We had a video with quite a few songs from the Thriller album, including the Billie Jean concert above. I must have

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-56081985216377419582009-06-25T15:35:00.000-07:002009-06-25T15:40:38.339-07:00

Love him or hate him, a legend is apparently dead.Memories of the pre-teen me moon-walking to songs like Thriller and Smooth Criminal are still fresh in my mind.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-64018417267148377082009-06-25T07:49:00.000-07:002009-06-25T07:51:08.812-07:00

I don't read the dailystar much anymore, although I do check it more often then Meow Lebanon - which isn't much, so that doesn't really tell you anything.It happens that today there is a new article by Young.I'll buy you a drink if you can reach the end.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-62700186619626148302009-06-24T21:22:00.000-07:002009-06-24T21:25:56.772-07:00

I see I've been out of the loop for a while.Although the "Meow Lebanon" commentary is a bit obtuse.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-58906801923113160922009-06-23T20:51:00.000-07:002009-06-23T20:55:02.068-07:00

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cCrisis in Iranthedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorJason Jones in IranYes, I used "heart" as a verb. Blame it on those damn Americans.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-86055617289529705862009-06-22T19:04:00.000-07:002009-06-22T19:09:38.700-07:00

A while ago I started searching for some fitness blogs to see how I could augment my workout. The only one I ended up adding to my RSS feed was this one.Besides the quite good information it has on (I've used it revamp things), take one guess why it appealed to my ... sense of erudition.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-63584149736956873392009-06-18T07:12:00.000-07:002009-06-18T07:13:54.894-07:00

Even though I don't think he's an angel sent from heaven, I do think Obama is damn cool. And this only makes him cooler.But for the man described as the most powerful in the world - yes, he can kill a fly with a single blow.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-86012194188875290352009-06-15T20:59:00.000-07:002009-06-15T21:02:20.119-07:00

I find all of this interesting (see pictures), but I have very little idea what is going on. All of my information is from news sources, and if it's anything like how well the news reflected Lebanon over the past few years ... then it probably isn't very close to what is actually happening on the ground. Any recommended articles?

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-76270383622328611182009-06-14T14:03:00.000-07:002009-06-14T14:04:38.260-07:00

Netanyahu set rigid conditions for moving forward. Among them: unequivocal Palestinian recognition of Israel as the Jewish national state with Jerusalem as its capital, and full demilitarization for a Palestinian state -- no army, no rockets or missiles, no control of airspace....Obama welcomed Netanyahu's speech as "an important step forward" and said the president remained committed to a

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-66350456272227154332009-06-11T08:38:00.000-07:002009-06-11T08:39:09.240-07:00

When his Royal Highness needs to get some work done, he can take the elevator up to his boardroom and play with the touch screen TV's or the holographic projection system.And finally in the lineup of ludicrous additions - get this - the well being room has a floor made from a giant screen, showing what the plane is flying over.Total price? About $488 Million Dollars.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-25905559944731164532009-06-11T08:36:00.000-07:002009-06-11T08:37:15.170-07:00

A photo released by the White House, which shows Obama talking on the phone with Netanyahu on Monday, speaks volumes: The president is seen with his legs up on the table, his face stern and his fist clenched, as though he were dictating to Netanyahu: "Listen up and write 'Palestinian state' a hundred times. That's right, Palestine, with a P." As an enthusiast of Muslim culture, Obama surely knows

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-21809682501707084772009-06-09T23:03:00.000-07:002009-06-09T23:13:33.069-07:00

"I think he would want me to do what's good for Lebanon, do what would unite the Lebanese people, and ... concentrate on the economy and the security and stability of Lebanon."Because that's what democracy is all about ...Do you think it'll actually happen? Actually, reading this reminded me of lame post I wrote way back in the day. Hehe. It is sort of fun reading it 3 years later. The

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-67191595149023977812009-06-08T16:03:00.001-07:002009-06-08T16:15:52.622-07:00

There is nothing quite as fun as sitting in the airport in the wee hours of Monday morning watching more than 50 people surrounding the TV in anticipation of who won. (That's a lie - there are a couple of things that are an order of magnitude more fun, but let's not go there right now.)There was one guy who just wouldn't believe the results, and called quite a few people to make sure, all the

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-69099859448210573622009-05-29T02:36:00.000-07:002009-05-29T05:07:17.742-07:00

Hahaha. This article appealed to my geeky side.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-16828817837078221582009-05-18T22:31:00.000-07:002009-05-18T22:42:48.618-07:00

"I do not know how we got to this spot," Ruth said in emotional testimony. "I do not know how this happened."The answer isn't that difficult. He went to war. He killed people. He got shot at.I'm not trying to excuse his actions (far from it), but only when people admit that war fucks you up will they stop trying to use it as a solution to every itch they have.Actually, it'll take more than

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-75698871299376412182009-05-13T08:10:00.001-07:002009-05-13T08:15:22.342-07:00

I see this headline on CNN on mines, and I was slightly confused. There is rarely just a random reference to something in Lebanon, let alone something like this. And then it hit me, and I do a search for the word Israel, only to find one reference.War was raging in southern Lebanon at the time. Muhammad and his father thought there was some sort of ceasefire in place, so they felt relatively

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-88271152415994179212009-05-10T16:59:00.000-07:002009-05-10T17:01:39.274-07:00

Apparently even Queen Rania is on it.I find the whole tweeting business slightly weird.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-52534047674405971842009-05-06T17:17:00.000-07:002009-05-06T17:31:12.432-07:00

But at Saudi Arabia's only beauty pageant, the judges don't care about a perfect figure or face. What they're looking for in the quest for "Miss Beautiful Morals" is the contestant who shows the most devotion and respect for her parents.You gotta love them Saudis. Hehe.**Note: Regardless of how bigoted, discriminatory, or anti-Saudi this statement may appear, I actually love Saudis because ...

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-76094553504392133682009-05-06T10:09:00.000-07:002009-05-06T10:11:06.929-07:00

Women may be allowed to join the exclusive ranks of the world's smallest army, the head of the Vatican's Swiss Guard says.What is this world coming to!?!? ;)

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-70702872295553602882009-05-04T19:34:00.000-07:002009-05-04T19:39:16.780-07:00

The man said he was a regular, and came to the bar in order to relax and see beautiful young women after a tiresome day of work. He said he buys champagne from time to time in order to take a girl out the next day. When asked who his favorite girl in the bar was, he looked this reporter in the eye and said, “You are.” And with that, it was time to leave.Smooth...Seriously though, this is quite a

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-16386811095072629172009-05-01T20:14:00.000-07:002009-05-01T20:39:50.098-07:00

This is actually an interesting video, so I feel slightly guilty for the following criticisms.1 - Why is Gemayzeh constantly upheld as proof of change in Lebanon? The crowd that goes there belongs to a very specific social class. That is almost as bad as pointing to the house parties Iranians have back home (and if you don't know about them, then ask around. They are insane.) and claiming the

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-73312811728745725712009-04-30T17:36:00.000-07:002009-04-30T17:45:48.221-07:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the EconomyThe full video is actually here. Go to 5:20.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-4173081179446867812009-04-29T19:24:00.000-07:002009-04-29T19:26:07.006-07:00

I don't know how legit it is, but this is by far the funniest ad I have seen in quite some time.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-10485323048298712922009-04-29T11:09:00.000-07:002009-04-29T11:10:33.489-07:00

"Great decisions are made during pillow talk, so we are asking the two ladies at that intimate moment to ask their husbands: 'Darling can you do something for Kenya?'"But the BBC's Anne Waithera in Nairobi says the campaign is likely to meet stiff resistance from some men.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-49204602500609605112009-04-24T11:20:00.000-07:002009-04-24T11:24:03.178-07:00

Yahoo is to close its personal web hosting site GeoCities later this year.I had my first website hosted by geocities, so I am slightly emotional over its closure.I love this line in the article thought:"I think GeoCities was the first proof that you could have something really popular and still not make any money on the internet."You'd think people would learn, but it doesn't seem like it.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-58905368341004418572009-04-21T17:11:00.000-07:002009-04-21T17:17:14.348-07:00

This article is quite silly, but what is interesting is that the generalizations the author makes are unbelievably similar to those that Lebanese tend to make:> Israel is a country held together by argument. Public culture is one long cacophony of criticism. > Subordinates in companies feel free to correct their superiors. People who move here from Britain or the States talk about going through a

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-4025763095959661382009-04-20T23:35:00.000-07:002009-04-20T23:56:41.284-07:00

Best ignored, however, is the notion that Lebanon should have set up some kind of truth and reconciliation commission. This has long been a beef of those who say there never was closure on the war years. Indeed, there wasn’t, but an officially-sanctioned mechanism to arrive at some kind of consensual final committee document was always bound to fail. The Lebanese got over their conflict

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-48986286347463155492009-04-19T12:51:00.000-07:002009-04-19T13:00:15.374-07:00

I came across this post in +961 today, and because of my unexplainable fascination with Jumblatt I thought I would post it here.I've just skimmed the first page at this point, but the quotes at the bottom are ... interesting. Page 1Page 2Page 3Page 4Page 5Page 6Page 7Page 8

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-19920186933287749632009-04-15T23:34:00.001-07:002009-04-15T23:36:38.862-07:00

Another gem from xkcd.com. I actually found this funny because there once was a time when the exact same thought ran through my head. Of course, I didn't think of building a time machine, but that just reflects a lack of creativity on my end.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-63282999623188817722009-04-15T23:19:00.000-07:002009-04-15T23:27:34.442-07:00

If you've never come across GoRemy, well ... let this be an introduction. I came across his website - ok that's a lie. Someone sent me his website - a couple of years ago, when I first watched this song, which is hilarious.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-51703581188831452922009-04-12T22:02:00.001-07:002009-04-12T22:05:09.651-07:00

I have spent way too much time today trying to figure out which of these stereotypes I fit in. Any ideas?

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-40324998862371837612009-04-02T10:43:00.000-07:002009-04-02T10:51:03.882-07:00

Most bizarre, and unexpected, was the extraordinary presence of lingerie shops everywhere we visited. At the smart ABC mall in Beirut's Ashrafieh neighborhood, I counted six of them next door to each other. But their garish wares were also on display in small towns on the road to Mount Lebanon and in predominantly Shia Tyre, on the edge of Hizbollah's mini-state in the south. Lingerie, even if

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-78931035849377398992009-04-01T23:39:00.001-07:002009-04-01T23:44:03.090-07:00

I'm supposed to be somewhat fit.I can run 3 miles in 20 minutes. I don't do that often because it kills me, but I can.So I decide to buy a jump-rope, because I thought it would be an "easy way" to get some exercise in the morning when I wake up.All I can say is: hahahahahahahahahaha. I have been walking with a severe limp for the past three days, and I can't even do it for more than 50 seconds

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-67443001364414148112009-03-30T22:16:00.000-07:002009-03-30T22:20:30.519-07:00

What I learned from my three street encounters in Beirut was that there is more than one version of that “street,” and that the street itself is not by any means one-way.(Excuse the title, but apparently, that's Hitchens' email address.)I've never seen him, but from his writings Hitchbitch seems like the type of guy who truly believes his words are wise. No one burst his bubble, please.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-36384241001470916662009-03-26T12:59:00.000-07:002009-03-26T13:04:07.099-07:00

This pics brought back memories of a little m. on a camping trip in Oman's Wahiba Sands. Although it was a fantastic trip, let me tell you that waking up and seeing snake tracks in the sand is not exactly the best feeling in the world.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-58427032530536123822009-03-24T19:47:00.000-07:002009-03-24T19:50:51.139-07:00

Somewhere, deep deep down, I'm actually quite romantic. Well, sometimes at least. And this comic captured how I've felt a couple of times in my life.From www.xkcd.com.

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339165373492433680.post-21975307361670584752009-03-19T16:38:00.000-07:002009-03-19T17:10:41.524-07:00

"Fewer and fewer Lebanese are solely Francophone today," Gaillard said. "English is paramount in the media, advertising, music and cinema industries as well as on the Internet whereas French is regressing in those areas."I have technically taken 6 years of french. I have very little to show for it though. Thinking about it, my mandarin is probably better than my french. However, one of the

m.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13218154252840804691noreply@blogger.com3