Mind Soup

Screenshot from Gino Raidy's acceptance speech at The Social Media Awards Pan Arab Web Awards Academy Sues Blogger Rita Kamel Over Blog Post I am no stranger to being threatened for my outspoken opinions about social issues in Lebanon.  In 2010, I was “let go” from a staff writer position at one of AUB’spublications because I wrote a blog post on my personal blog that someone in AUB’s higher management did not like. In 2011, I got a call from a so-called-lawyer of a burger joint (which has went bankrupt since) threatening me with a lawsuit over negative tweets about their food quality. I laughed in her face at the time since she did not even know the difference between Facebook and Twitter and I had documented proof that the owner of the place had created an account for the purpose of bashing me. I was not the first or last victim of corporate bullying in Lebanon or around the world. In 2010, Octavia Nasr, a renounced Lebanese journalist, was fired from her position...

Photo by Naharnet Every week while on my way back to my home-city in the South of Lebanon, I pass by an infamous area called Ouzai.This area is getting more hideous week by week due to the cramming of construction that is going on there. This construction, as you might have guessed, is as illegal as most of Dahye and the South. It seems that Hezbollah is gradually taking over the place. A common trend is fulling constructing a one-floor building (with painting it and occupying it) and then continuing to construct more floors. This way they can claim that the building has been there for a while and not brand new (not that it would make much sense). What's even more irritating is that they are even taking the law into their own hands there. Members of Hezbollah start asking for IDs of people they think are suspicious, as if they are the ruling power in Lebanon. Kinda reminds of stories my parents used to tell me during the Lebanese Civil War where different political groups...

Clark Kent and Lois Lane snapshot from Smallville I was watching Smallville yesterday (a series that depicts the life story of Superman --  totally recommended by the way ) and I just had to take a snapshot of Lois Lane's rules of reporting. So here they are (text in parenthesis are my own amendments): Always know your source (but never reveal it unless you really have to). Always make a good first impression and don't screw up with your boss (but if you screwed up badly, get prepared to kiss up for some time) Do whatever it takes to get the story (except getting killed) If something seems to weird to be true, it usually is (unless you're living in Smallville, then that's a different story) Never take deadlines too seriously (unless your working in a nuclear plant) Triple check your facts (especially if your writing a front-page article) Put all the good stuff at the beginning (because let's face, if your reader is going to snooze before the end of the fi...

What better way to end a great year than to sit down and think about the great memories and opportunities it has brought you. Overall this year was a very good year, perhaps one of the best years I've lived so far. This year has been full of achievements and memories that I would like to share with my readers as a tribute to my readers. January: Though I did not know it then, this month has probably set the ground-stone for my career life. In this month I took one of the major decisions that I will ever make. During a period where all my friends were filling in medical school applications, begging for recommendations and stressing over their grades, I decided, and after three years of premedical studies, that I will not be applying to any medical school and forgo the idea of med-school. This decision has came after a lot of considerations and consultations with family and close friends. It was not an issue of grades nor the issue of time, but I had a more clear vision where I wa...

My reader's probably know that I have been a staff writer (on-again off-again) during the past year for Outlook, AUB 's "official" student newspaper. I am very pleased to announced that today afternoon, and after giving it much thought and discussions with very close friends, I have resigned from Outlook. Originally, I had a more criticizing, straight to the point and possibly harsher resignation letter, but due to the requests and recommendations from highly influential people, I decided to go with a more "professional" approach. I didn't want to get in trouble for 'pointing the countless flaws' of the new editor-in-chief [who may or may not be related to powerful figures at AUB]. After all, I don't want to get stuck (again) in AUB's secret intelligence tangled web and get fired tyrannically from something totally unrelated ( reminder ). So below is my simple resignation letter addressed to Outlook's board and staff: Dear Ou...

I have, of course, been outraged at armed men boarding ships in international waters, killing passengers on board who attempt to resist and then forcing their ship to the hijackers' home port. I am, of course, talking about the Somali pirates who are preying on Western ships in the Indian Ocean. How dare those terrorists dare to touch our unarmed vessels on the high seas? And how right we are to have our warships there to prevent such terrorist acts. But whoops! At least the Israelis have not demanded ransom. They just want to get journalists to win the propaganda war for them. Scarcely had the week begun when Israel's warrior "commandos" stormed a Turkish boat bringing aid to Gaza and shot nine of the passengers dead. Yet by week's end, the protesters had become "armed peace activists", vicious anti-Semites "professing pacifism, seething with hate, pounding away at another human being with a metal pole". I liked the last bit. The fact that ...

Dear readers, I'm sure you have noticed that a few days ago, Mind Soup have welcomed a new contributing blogger, Daisy. This is to officially announce that she is not going anywhere anytime soon. ;) Daisy is an aspiring scientist, an activist and a personal friend. She has also dabbled in journalism for quite some time now. You might also notice that she has a striking resemblance to  Morticia Addams  from the Addams Family , except for the hair. (or maybe not?) I'm sure you will be entertained and interested by her numerous posts on Mind Soup. Daisy, on behalf of the Mind Soup team, I would like to welcome you to the team :)

This article is featured on the Support Freedom of Speech Blog . --- A month ago, I got recommended by a friend to work for Align, the official Olayan School of Business (OSB) monthly electronic newsletter at the American University of Beirut (AUB). I applied and immediately got accepted. AUB Campus Two weeks ago, the letters of acceptances to the AUB Medical School were sent out to senior premedical students. In short, several very qualified candidates did not get acceptance letters while others with much lower grades got the approval. The role of ‘wasta’ (i.e. connections) was very apparent, especially with the new rolling-out admissions system they are implementing. In a spontaneous effort to expose the truth while trying to cheer the deserving people up, I published an opinion piece on my personal profile on Facebook and my personal blog “ Mind Soup ” discussing the effect of ‘wasta’ and favoritism on decisions made by several departments in AUB whil...