I was honored to be interviewed on Future TV's English News last week. Check out the video below where I talk about the state of social media in the Arab World , the Lebanese o…
[Communicated via e-mail to the AUB community]
Dear AUB faculty, students, staff, and friends,
You will have heard that Sir James Wolfensohn has decided not to attend the Commence…
James Wolfensohn
[Communicated via e-mail to the AUB community]
Dear AUB faculty, students, staff, and friends,
You will have heard that Sir James Wolfensohn has decided not to attend the Commencement ceremonies on June 25, during which the university had intended to award him an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters and had anticipated hearing him give the keynote speech at graduation.
His decision was taken in the aftermath of a petition that was organized by several faculty members at AUB, then circulated to the faculty and student community, as well as to our alumni, who were specifically encouraged not just to sign the petition but to write letters of protest. In the wake of predictable coverage by the media, the press in Lebanon have given wide notoriety to the issue as well, apparently based primarily on the wording of the petition, which is highly selective in the information it provides. The coverage has been mostly, and unfairly, critical of James Wolfensohn.
Neither the petition nor the media will inform you of Wolfensohn’s long and devoted record of work on behalf of the Arab world. I believe a more accurate picture, based on facts rather than insinuations is required. Please note the following:
The petition does not mention that:
On taking office as president of the World Bank, Wolfensohn initiated semi-annual meetings with the finance ministers of Arab countries, creating a dialogue that built greater understanding of the region’s problems. He traveled dozens of times to the region and was received at both official and community activist levels; many of these contacts remain his close personal friends, including Palestinian and Lebanese leaders.
As Special Envoy for the Middle East for the Quartet (the United Nations, the European Union, Russia, and the United States), Wolfensohn was given the delicate task of coordinating Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and leading reconstruction efforts in the area. After one year in office, Wolfensohn resigned from his position, protesting the Quartet’s decision to boycott and freeze aid to the Palestinian Authority following the Hamas victory in the January 2006 elections.
In an article published in 2007 reflecting his support for strengthening Palestinian sovereignty, Palestinian institutions, and a sustainable Palestinian economy, he explains his reasons for opposing the Bush Administration’s policies towards Palestinians after Hamas won the elections in 2006: “The reality is that you have 1.4 million Palestinians living in Gaza and you can’t wish them away, you can’t leave Gaza as a place where the rich and the intellectuals and the powerful can get out, and leave just people who can’t make a living – or can make a living if they could but have no leadership. And military use of subjugation doesn’t solve the problem, it seems to me.”
In recognition of his efforts to rebuild Gaza, Wolfensohn received, in 2007, the Palestine Prize for Excellence and Creativity by the Palestinian Authority.
Following his retirement as Special Envoy, Wolfensohn devoted significant attention towards issues related to the youth in the Arab world. He personally contributed a donation of more than $1 million towards those efforts, the main part of which was located at the Dubai School of Government as a joint venture with the Wolfensohn Foundation. Over 30 monographs and books have now been published on the topic of Arab youth, and the Foundation is looking for institutions that could house this research effort more centrally in the Arab world. Ironically, before this week, AUB might have been regarded as a natural collaborator.
Wolfensohn was part of the founding Board of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, headed by Maestro Daniel Barenboim and the late Edward Said, an orchestra that promotes intercultural dialogue, trains Arab musicians and creates opportunities for them to perform around the world.
Wolfensohn has, on record, criticized Israeli military operations in the Palestinian territories and, in support of the Palestinian people, has often voiced strong criticism in Israel and the United States against their policies. In an article published in 2004, he was quoted as saying, “Israel’s military operations pertaining to the demolitions of thousands of homes in Rafah are reckless, and leave tens of thousands of people without a roof over their heads… As a Jew, I am ashamed of this kind of treatment of people.”
As a university we recognize and respect the diversity of opinions that must be expressed on campus, and it is the right of faculty and students to disagree with decisions made by the administration. The policies of the World Bank are controversial in many countries and are rightfully a topic of discussion and debate in academic circles.
As an institution devoted to critical thinking and the judicious weighing of evidence, however, AUB is not well served by petitions that are deliberately slanted to serve narrow interests regardless of facts. Co-opting the opinions of fellow faculty, students, and alumni by a pretext of authority, such campaigns are fundamentally dishonest and diverge from our university’s commitment to the pursuit of knowledge as grounded in intellectual integrity.
Let us acknowledge that ours is a complex region that is undergoing unprecedented change, and that it needs people, like James Wolfensohn, who have the ability to reach out across cultural and political boundaries to improve the human condition. We are saddened by the fact that AUB will not be able to honor him this June, when we had hoped we might bring his many positive contributions on behalf of the Arab world to the attention of a wider audience, especially here in Lebanon.
Sir James Wolfensohn needs no personal defense from me. Thoughtful people who know his record honor this dedicated public servant, who has taken a courageous stance in defense of Palestinian rights and in support of a just resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Arab world needs more friends like him.
Below is one of the most simple yet touching TV commercials that I have seen in a long time. The simplicity and yet complete relevance to the topic at hand is striking (especially…
Below is one of the most simple yet touching TV commercials that I have seen in a long time. The simplicity and yet complete relevance to the topic at hand is striking (especially with Gebran Tueini's quote - may he RIP), and the visuals compel you to focus on every detail.
I usually do not like political advertisements, and this one is not entirely political but advertising for Annahar newspaper (which tends to have a political side), but I felt that it was much more creative than other advertisements in this category. This campaign was done by GREY. Let me know what you think.
UPDATE: Apparently, this ad has been inspired (I don't want to say stolen) from a Chinese Ad for CCTV. Thanks Nadim for the info.
Yesterday, Mind Soup has turned two years old. I can't really believe it. It still seems like yesterday when I spontaneously decided to start a blog and worried about design l…
Yesterday, Mind Soup has turned two years old. I can't really believe it. It still seems like yesterday when I spontaneously decided to start a blog and worried about design layouts and content.
Now, after two full years I stand proud of my commitment to my blog and it subsidiaries. This year has brought a lot of accomplishments which include:
having the great Daisy join in and continuously post about her experiences and opinions
being featured in several newspaper and magazine articles both online and offline.
being the first google search for several articles.
300,000 hits on several pages
integrating with several social media sites such as facebook and twitter
giving me the inspiration to establish Online Collaborative and enriching my interest in social marketing.
being known as a relevant source of news and opinion articles and a place where freedom of speech is exercised
Even though this year has also brought me some bumps on the road because of my willingness to speak freely, this has not only enriched my knowledge and made me famous (to some extent), but have engraved moral and ethical attributes to my personality.
However, all of this wouldn't have been possible without my faithful readers who keep checking the blog and contribute through comments on blogger, buzz or by emails. I am glad and grateful to have such a wonderful readership; you are what keeps us going.
Today has been a very long day indeed, a long fruitful day.
AUB's Online Collaborative had its debut today during Clubs day where cabinets and active members of clubs and soci…
View of Club's Stands next to West Hall
Today has been a very long day indeed, a long fruitful day.
AUB's Online Collaborative had its debut today during Clubs day where cabinets and active members of clubs and societies gather around West Hall to recruit members.
After struggling with the board for around an hour, we were set to go. The collage of social networking logos attracted many students who came closer to ask questions or take a flyer.
Other students had surprised or even disgusted looks when they saw our stand. They don't know how important and crucial our work is. Many thought that we are a group of people addicted to facebook and trying to recruit facebook addicts into one group.
Our humble board
Boy, they are so wrong.
What they don't know is how the whole world has its eyes fixated now on digital media, especially social media.
News outlets are leaning more and more towards online media. Many politicians, organizations or event planners are preferring to be interviewed by bloggers and online newspapers, and breaking news is usually first published on the internet, mainly on sites such as twitter.
Universities and companies are recruiting highly-trained and educated individuals for work, masters and doctorate degrees, internships or even conferences and workshops using professional social networking services such as Linkedin.
AUBOC President Mohammad Hijazi and
Secretary Tala Kardas
Blogging is also a rapidly developing method for students and business people to share their opinions on crucial issues that relate to their fields of interest. Experts say that a personal blog will become a prerequisite to many job applications or getting promoted in companies.
It is surprising how quickly the Lebanese youth have been integrating themselves into the digital era. The Lebanese scene on twitter is astounding, and might I add, very refreshing. The Lebanese are also leading the Arab world in the blogging sector on so many levels, from politics and news, to photography and comic blogs.
So what does all this have to do with AUB's online collaborative?
Perhaps students don't see this very clearly right now, but many faculty and staff at AUB have expressed their great interest in an our organization. Some of the will even help promote us to their students. And here is why:
AUBOC will help student bloggers promote their blogs and attract more readers from the Lebanese and Arab scene who are interested in the topic of each individual blog.
AUBOC will help students, clubs or staff/faculty start off their own blogs while providing them the basic tools and knowledge needed to launch a professional blog and customize it according their own taste and preference.
AUBOC will introduce individuals to the Lebanese on twitter and organize tweet-ups for them to meat each
other and make new friends.
AUBOC will aid soon-to-be graduates to use professional services such as Linkedin to secure a career or a graduate program at universities around the world.
VP Joseph Saba
AUBOC will relaunch the Lebanese Bloggers Convention (which was cancelled last spring) with much greater support from the Lebanese bloggers community, famous sponsors and highly-valued international institutions.
AUBOC will hold workshops and conferences to enlighten students about digital photography, comic blogging, basic HTML editing for blogs, twitter, etc...
AUBOC will be screening related movies, among other events which are planned to enrich students knowledge about these topics.
To benefit from all of the above, all you have to do is to sign up to be an official member today (Wednesday) on West Hall from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Believe me, you will not regret it.
GLOBAL VOICES ADVOCACY : Ali Abdulemam, a leading Bahraini blogger and Global Voices Advocacy author, was arrested earlier today by the Bahraini authorities for allegedly spreading…
Bahrani Blogger Ali Abdelemam
GLOBAL VOICES ADVOCACY: Ali Abdulemam, a leading Bahraini blogger and Global Voices Advocacy author, was arrested earlier today by the Bahraini authorities for allegedly spreading “false news” on BahrainOnline.org portal, one of the most popular pro-democracy outlets in Bahrain, amidst the worst sectarian crackdown by the government in years, and accusations of a supposed “terror network” involving several political and human rights activists. The BahrainOnline portal is censored in Bahrain. He sent an email earlier today mentioning that he got a call from the Bahraini national security just before his arrest, then arrested him and alleged that he was trying to flee.
Reportedly the Bahraini government has a long track record of using torture against dissidents http://bit.ly/9kZyJQ and their TV has been broadcasting hateful sectarian messages to justify its crackdown
Ali was arrested before also for content published on his portal, and he contributes occasionally to Global Voices Advocacy and Global Voices Arabic Lingua.
Message Ali sent to his friend before he was arrested
Update #1:
An online campaign calling for his freedom is now active.
HEALTH JOCKEY : A previous investigation on rhesus monkeys claimed that TRIM5a safeguards these animals from HIV. It was affirmed that after the protein latches on to a HIV virus, …
3D Model of an HIV Virus
HEALTH JOCKEY: A previous investigation on rhesus monkeys claimed that TRIM5a safeguards these animals from HIV. It was affirmed that after the protein latches on to a HIV virus, other TRIM5a proteins accumulate and destroy the virus. This protein is also present in humans but was assumed to work in the opposite way. Instead of protecting against HIV, it seemed to guard against some other viruses. TRIM5a which may contain almost 500 amino acid subunits is predicted to be an effective therapeutic agent by the researchers. The investigation was triggered for figuring out the components in TRIM5a which allow the protein to destroy viruses.
Edward M. Campbell, PhD, of Loyola University Health System senior researcher alleged, “Scientists have been trying to develop antiviral therapies for only about 75 years. Evolution has been playing this game for millions of years, and it has identified a point of intervention that we still know very little about.”
During the investigations, experts apparently identified six individual amino acids in a very rarely known region of the TRIM5a protein. These acids were affirmed to help the protein prevent viral infection. After being altered in human cells, these amino acids may make the protein lose its ability to block HIV-1 infection. The research is being carried forward to discover an amino acid, or combination of amino acids, that enable TRIM5a to destroy HIV. By assaying these vital amino acids, researchers can probably genetically engineer TRIM5a and make it more beneficial in humans.
Rhesus Macaque Monkey (Wikipedia)
Understanding the mechanism may help develop drugs that mimic TRIM5a action. The research employed a wide-field ‘deconvolution’ microscope to observe that way amino acids modify the behavior of TRIM5a. Fluorescent proteins were attached to TRIM5a to make it glow. It was mentioned that the research was undertaken on cell cultures and not on rhesus monkeys. The experts at present are fluorescently labeling individual HIV viruses and measuring the microscopic interactions between HIV and TRIM5a.
The research will be published on September 15, 2010 issue of the journal Virology, and is now available online.
And I thought we've got it bad in Lebanon. Apparently, in China its far worse.
According to Associate Press on Monday, thousands of cars were stuck on the road in a 100-kilome…
And I thought we've got it bad in Lebanon. Apparently, in China its far worse.
Photo Credits: AFP
According to Associate Press on Monday, thousands of cars were stuck on the road in a 100-kilometer (62-mile) traffic jam leading to Beijing that has lasted nine days.
"The Beijing-Tibet expressway slowed to a crawl on August 14 due to a spike in traffic by cargo-bearing heavy trucks heading to the capital, and compounded by road maintenance work that began five days later," the Global Times said.
The state-run newspaper said the jam between Beijing and Jining city had "given birth to a mini-economy with local merchants capitalizing on the stranded drivers' predicament by selling them water and food at inflated prices."
That stretch of highway linking Beijing with the northern province of Hebei and the Inner Mongolia region has become increasingly prone to massive jams as the capital of more than 20 million people sucks in huge shipments of goods.
Traffic slowed to a snail's pace in June and July for nearly a month, according to earlier press reports.
The latest clog has been worsened by the road improvement project, made necessary by highway damage caused by a steady increase in cargo traffic, the Global Times said.
China has embarked in recent years on a huge expansion of its national road system but soaring traffic periodically overwhelms the grid.
The congestion was expected to last into mid-September as the road project will not be finished until then, the newspaper said.
The roadway is a major artery for the supply of produce, coal and other goods to Beijing.
MIND SOUP : Apparently, Apple doesn't think very highly of its customers.
According to The Independent, the iPhone 4 that was released in the UK ten days ago has a major fault.…
MIND SOUP: Apparently, Apple doesn't think very highly of its customers.
According to The Independent, the iPhone 4 that was released in the UK ten days ago has a major fault. The phone that costs £599 (around 900 US dollars) has to be handled very delicately as not to touch the aerial which is embedded inside the casing.
Angry costumers were told to pay an extra £25 ($37.5) for a rubber bumper which presumably solves this problem.
Apple has reportedly told its employees not to promise the costumers free rubber bumpers even though the flaw in the phone is the company's fault.
In a leaked memo, Apple says "We ARE NOT appeasing customers with free bumpers – DON'T promise a free bumper to customers."
The memo also instructs staff to tell costumers not to cover the lower left hand corner of the phone and explain to the customers that "the phone's wireless performance is the best we have ever shipped."
The Independent stated that "the company is already facing lawsuits from at least three customers, relating to antenna problems with its latest model, but Apple's chief executive, Steve Jobs, insists that owners need to 'just hold it right'."
This is probably another of Apple's strategies to keep its products rolling out in the market. This strategy entitles producing flawed products and releasing them into the market in order to continuously keep releasing updated versions to make more money.
It is silly that the company will not cover the expenses of its own faults, even if it will boost its image greatly.
As for me, I'd rather stick to stable and un-flawed phones for the time being, no matter how shinny and attractive some phones' exterior may be.
MIND SOUP : A couple of days ago, the news of Octavia Nasr being fired from CNN envaded the Lebanese and Middle Eastern media. It may has come as a shock to the society, yet this d…
MIND SOUP: A couple of days ago, the news of Octavia Nasr being fired from CNN envaded the Lebanese and Middle Eastern media. It may has come as a shock to the society, yet this denial of free speech has been demonstrated very widely across various prestigious institutions in the region and world-wide.
To re-cap, Nasr who held the position of senior Middle East editor at CNN was laid off earlier this week after 20 years of work because she praised the late Hezbollah Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah on twitter. "Sad to hear of the passing of Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah. One of Hezbollah's giants I respect a lot," she posted Sunday morning.
This tweet was immediately picked up by Israeli supporters and Nasr was criticized and attacked for sympathizing with Fadlallah. The Simon Wiesenthal Center in the US demanded that Nasr "apologize to all victims of Hezbollah terrorism whose loved ones don't share her sadness over the passing of one of Hezbollah's giants".
By then, the tweet was immediately removed, and Nasr responded on Tuesday with a blog on the CNN website that her initial message was "simplistic" and "an error of judgment". She said that the respect she has for Fadlallah is mainly because of his stance on women's rights and his demands to stop "honour killings".
The next day, Nasr was reportedly called to Atlanta, CNN's headquarters to meet with her bosses who, according to The New York Times said in a memo: "We have decided that [Nasr] will be leaving the company."
The memo added: "At this point, we believe that her credibility in her position as senior editor for Middle Eastern affairs has been compromised going forward."
Regardless of my opinion on Hezbollah, I think it is very unfortunate that Nasr was fired for simply giving her condolences on Fadlallah's death. It is only common courtesy to praise a dead person, especially that Nasr has met and interviewed him back in 1990.
This clearly shows how unprofessional prestigious institutions can be regarding minor incidents, especially ones relating to personal means such as social networks.
CNN likes to think of itself as one of the leading news institutions that likes to convey the truth to the public (regardless of what it actually does), so it might as well respect the freedom of speech of its employees.
مع إقفال محل أبو ناجي، بداية جديدة «كش... ملك». هذه هي قواعد اللعبة في شارع بلس الذي لا يملّ من تغيير معالمه. إلا أن للتغيير ضريبة تظلّ باهظة على «السكان القدامى»، رغم اعترافهم بأن…
مع إقفال محل أبو ناجي، بداية جديدة
«كش... ملك». هذه هي قواعد اللعبة في شارع بلس الذي لا يملّ من تغيير معالمه. إلا أن للتغيير ضريبة تظلّ باهظة على «السكان القدامى»، رغم اعترافهم بأنه «سنّة الحياة»، كما يقول أبو ناجي، مدير أقدم سوبرماركت في الشارع. على عكس الكثير من جيرانه الذين رُحّلوا، هو لن يذهب بعيداً، فقد هُجّر فقط لمسافة بضعة أمتار، كانت كافية لإشعاره بالغربة
رنا حايك
«انتقل محل أبو ناجي». تصوّر طالبة من الجامعة الأميركية اللافتة المعلقة على محلّ مختوم بالشمع الأحمر وبأختام رسمية: «لا يجوز فضّها تحت طائلة الملاحقة الجزائية»، لترسلها إلى متخرّجين يعيشون في الخارج. فلكلّ من طلاب الأميركية ذكرياته مع هذه البقعة الصغيرة من الشارع التي تشكّل الطبقة السفلية من مبنى سيهدَم قريباً، كما شرح كيو الشامي، من مكتب مالك العقار، رجل الأعمال، تحسين خياط. «كان الإيجار قديماً، حاولنا رفعه منذ سنوات حين اشترينا المبنى لكن المستأجر رفض، فرفعنا دعوى، وحكمت المحكمة لمصلحتنا. أخيراً، قرّرنا هدمه لأننا نملك عقارات أخرى وراءه تشكّل مساحة شاسعة إذا ما جمعت معه. هكذا، نستطيع خلال السنة المقبلة بناء مجمّع من طبقتين فيه محال ومطاعم وممرّ ستُصمَّم جميعها بما يتماشى مع روحية المكان، فتكون بمثابة قرية صغيرة تنشّط الدورة الاقتصادية في المنطقة ويستفيد منها الطلاب أيضاً»، يشرح الشامي. قد يكون التغيير حتمياً، وهو يلحق بكل معالم المدينة، لكن، في بلس، له وقع آخر. ففي ذلك الشريان الحيوي للمدينة، ثمة رونق خاص لعلاقات «السكان القدامى» مع المكان الذي يحتضنهم ومع طلاب الجامعة الأميركية.
فالشارع الذي تمدّه الجامعة الأميركية بحركة تجارية لا تهدأ، وبتراث ثقافي، تتهاوى معالمه الحميمة كقطع «الليغو» أمام الوتيرة المتسارعة لدينامية التجديد. تجديد تضيع معه علاقات الأفراد بأمكنة سكنوها وسكنتهم، وبأفراد آخرين. بعضهم يرحَّل إلى غير رجعة، كفاديا جحا، التي حملت عام 2007 إرثاً عمره 60 عاماً لـ«مكتبة راس بيروت» ورحلت. المكتبات تتقلّص أمام مدّ المطاعم والمصارف والمحال. أما البعض الآخر، فينجو بالاحتيال على عجلة التغيير ويجد له «مربط عنزة» في بلس، ليبدأ من جديد. وبعيداً عن المجاز، يبدأ أبو ناجي (محمود المير)، الستيني، فعلاً من جديد، لأنه، بعدما أدار لمدة 32 عاماً محل أبناء عمّه، انتقل اليوم إلى إدارة محلّه الخاص. لن يلفظ شارع بلس أبو ناجي، فهو، لم ينتقل أمتاراً فحسب، بل إنه لا يزال أيضاً يدير محلي أبناء عمه «الأفران الوطنية» و«le sage». لا أحد من متخرّجي الجامعة الأميركية، منذ عام 1978 حتى اليوم، لا يعرف أبو ناجي. بابتسامته السّمحة، واحتضانه للطلاب الذين يسمّيهم «أبنائي»، بنى هذا الرجل طوال سنوات عمله في سوبرماركت «Epi d’or» المواجه تماماً للبوابة الرئيسية في الجامعة الأميركية، سمعة طيبة مع محيطه. «كان المحل كبيت بالنسبة إلى الطلاب. وكنت كأب لهم لا كتاجر. يشكون لي همومهم، يأتي أهاليهم في بعض الحالات للتعرّف إليّ، أسلّف الأجانب منهم المال إذا ما تأخّرت حوالات الأهل. باختصار، كل زبون يدخل إلى محلي يخرج صديقاً»، يقول، ذاكراً كيف لم يهن عليه مشاهدة أحد أحبائه من الطلاب ذات ليلة، وهو في حالة سكر شديد أفقدته احترامه، فأجرى معه حديث والد مع ابنه في الصباح التالي، أو كيف اصطحب طالبة أردنية ذات مرة إلى منطقة الدورة، التي كانت تجهل كيف تصل إليها وحيدة، لتشتري الهدايا لعائلتها. ولا ينسى أبو ناجي إيفاء أم ناجي حقّها. فهي كانت تعدّ أطيب سندويشات «بطاطا حرة» للطلاب المحرومين من الأكل البيتي.
«يضربون المواعيد لبعضهم البعض هنا، وهنا يتركون الأغراض لبعضهم البعض. يأتون كل صباح، يشترون القهوة ليحتسوها على درج الجامعة. أما بعد التخرج، فكلهم يعودون»، يقول أبو ناجي الذي أكثر ما يفرحه هو رؤية «متخرّج ومتخرّجة تزوجا، يصطحبان أبناءهما ويأتيان ليعرّفاني إليهم». غضب الطلاب كثيراً لخبر إغلاق المحل ولو أنه سينتقل إلى عدة أمتار فقط. «اقترحوا عليّ أن يقطعوا الطريق وأن يعتصموا، لكنني لم أرضَ، لا أريد لهم أن يتأذوا. فأنا مقهور، والمحل كان قطعة مني، مبارح هربت هني وعم بيحطوا الشمع الأحمر لأني ما كنت قادر شوف المشهد. لكن هاي الدنيا، ما فينا نعمل شي».
ولكن، يبدو أن غضب الطلاب يتجاوز قضية أبو ناجي الذي يعتبرونه «رمزاً بالنسبة إلينا وإلى جميع المتخرّجين من قبلنا. له موقع مميز في قلوبنا ونعامله كأب وليس كتاجر، لأنه، على الأقل، وبغض النظر عن طيبته ومحبته لنا، لم يكن يوماً من النوع الاستغلالي، ليفكّر مثلاً في رفع أسعار محتويات دكانه، مستغلاً عدم وجود دكان آخر في الشارع»، كما يقول الطالب علي نور الدين. فهاجسهم يكمن في التحوّل الذي سيطرأ على طلاب جامعتهم وتمليه «ثقافة المول، الذي يشاع أبنه سيُفتتح بعد هدم المبنى، بعد أن تستبدل ثقافة الدكان مع كل ما يستتبعه ذلك من فارق اجتماعي وثقافي، وخصوصاً مع حظر التدخين في الجامعة. أكيد سينتقل الطلاب إلى ثقافة استهلاك أوسع في مقاهي المول الجديد»، كما يضيف نور الدين.
لزملاء أبو ناجي في المحل حزنهم أيضاً. زهير عمار، الذي يعمل معه منذ 23 عاماً يأسف على المحل القديم الذي «تجمعني بجدرانه وكراسيه علاقة خاصة». أما الطلاب، فـ«إخوة وأصدقاء. يتصل المغتربون بي من الخارج للاطمئنان علينا. كنا نعاملن كإخوة. اللي بطنوا عم توجعه نعملّو زهورات، اللي راسه عم يوجعو نعطيه بانادول». أما كريم خير الله، فيقف في «le sage»، المحاذي للمحل القديم، الذي ينتظر حسم مصيره هو الآخر لكونه تابعاً للعقار المنوي هدمه. «مسألة أيام» يقول، معلقاً «المالك عنده عشرات الأبنية بهالشارعين، وبعد ما عمّر قبل بكم متر bliss 3000 جايي دورنا. الله يشبّعه!»
قد يجد الطلاب في المول، إذا ما افتُتِح، محلاً لبيع الأجهزة الإلكترونية، ولكن، قد لا يجدون فيه «فيش أميركاني» لا بد منه لوصل حواسيبهم بالكهرباء في مكتبة الجامعة، لأن تاجر الجملة قد لا يكترث لتأمين تفاصيل لا تخطر على بال، يطلبها الطلاب، كما يفعل أبو ناجي الذي كان يملأ محله بالسلع وفقاً لمتطلبات أحبائه.
ما بدّي إتقاعد
66 عاماً هي عمر أبو ناجي. إلى جانب وظيفة دامت 23 عاماً في الأمن الداخلي، أدار الرجل الدكان الوحيد في بلس ونجح في أن يصبح معلماً من معالم الشارع. لم يتعب بعد. هي سمة جينية. فوالده ظل يعمل حتى سن متأخرة، رافضاً دعوة أحد أبنائه الميسورين إلى ترك العمل لأن دعوته بدت له «كإنك عم بتقلّي انتهيت». أبو ناجي يعد بالمثل.
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 hijacke…
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 the person being beaten was apparently shooting another human being with a rifle didn't quite get into this weird version of reality.
Turkish medics carry a wounded activist released after Israeli soldiers stormed an aid convoy on its way to Gaza [via]
Turkish family protests that their sons wanted to be martyrs – something which most Turkish family members might say if their relatives had been shot by the Israelis – had been transformed into confirmation that they had been jihadis. "On that aid ship," a Sri Lankan texted me this week, "I had my niece, nephew and his wife on board. Unfortunately Ahmed (20-year-old nephew) got shot in the leg and now treated (sic) under military custody. I will keep you posted." He did indeed. Within hours, the press was at his family's home in Australia, demanding to know if Ahmed was a jihadi – or even a potential suicide bomber. Propaganda works, you see. We haven't seen a frame of film from the protesters because the Israelis have stolen the lot. No one has told us – if the Turkish ship was carrying such ruthless men – how their terrible plots to help the "terrorists" of Gaza were not uncovered in the long voyage from Turkey, even when it called at other ports. But Professor Gil Troy of McGill University in Montreal – in the rabid Canadian National Post, of course – was able to spout all that gunk about "armed peace activists" on Thursday.
I wasn't personally at all surprised at the killings on the Turkish ship. In Lebanon, I've seen this indisciplined rabble of an army – as "elite" as the average rabble of Arab armies – shooting at civilians. I saw them watching the Sabra and Shatila massacre of Palestinians on the morning of 18 September (the last day of the slaughter) by their vicious Lebanese militia allies. I was present at the Qana massacre by Israeli gunners in 1996 – "Arabushim" (the equivalent of the abusive term "Ayrab" in English), one of the gunners called the 106 dead civilians, more than half of them children, in the Israeli press. Then the Israeli government of Nobel laureate Shimon Peres said there were terrorists among the dead civilians – totally untrue, but who cares? – and then came the second Qana massacre in 2006 and then the 2008-09 Gaza slaughter of 1,300 Palestinians, most of them children, and then...
Well, then came the Goldstone report, which found that Israeli troops (as well as Hamas) committed war crimes in Gaza, but this was condemned as anti-Semitic – poor old honourable Goldstone, himself a prominent Jewish jurist from South Africa, slandered as "an evil man" by the raving Al Dershowitz of Harvard – and was called "controversial" by the brave Obama administration. "Controversial", by the way, basically means "fuck you".
There's doubts about it, you see. It's dodgy stuff.
But back to our chronology. Then we had the Mossad murder of a Hamas official in Dubai with the Israelis using at least 19 forged passports from Britain and other countries. And the pathetic response of our then foreign secretary, David Miliband? He called it "an incident" – not the murder of the guy in Dubai, mind you, just the forgery of UK passports, a highly "controversial" matter – and then... Well, now we've had the shooting down of nine passengers at sea by more Israeli heroes.
The amazing thing in all this is that so many Western journalists – and I'm including the BBC's pusillanimous coverage of the Gaza aid ships – are writing like Israeli journalists, while many Israeli journalists are writing about the killings with the courage that Western journalists should demonstrate. And about the Israeli army itself. Take Amos Harel's devastating report in Haaretz which analyses the make-up of the Israeli army's officer corps. In the past, many of them came from the leftist kibbutzim tradition, from greater Tel Aviv or from the coastal plain of Sharon. In 1990, only 2 per cent of army cadets were religious Orthodox Jews. Today the figure is 30 per cent. Six of the seven lieutenant-colonels in the Golani Brigade are religious. More than 50 per cent of local commanders are "national" religious in some infantry brigades.
There's nothing wrong with being religious. But – although Harel does not make this point quite so strongly – many of the Orthodox are supporters of the colonisation of the West Bank and thus oppose a Palestinian state.
And the Orthodox colonists are the Israelis who most hate the Palestinians, who want to erase the chances of a Palestinian state as surely as some Hamas officials would like to erase Israel. Ironically, it was senior officers of the "old" Israeli army who first encouraged the "terrorist" Hamas to build mosques in Gaza – as a counterbalance to the "terrorist" Yasser Arafat up in Beirut – and I was a witness to one of their meetings. But it will stay the same old story before the world wakes up. "I have never known an army as democratic as Israel's," the hapless French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy said a few hours before the slaughter.
Yes, the Israeli army is second to none, elite, humanitarian, heroic. Just don't tell the Somali pirates.
Skip to footerI 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.
This article about an albino dolphin is relatively old (it's from March 2009), but I still felt it was worth sharing. I had no idea that such dolphins existed. I've repost…
This article about an albino dolphin is relatively old (it's from March 2009), but I still felt it was worth sharing. I had no idea that such dolphins existed. I've reposted the article below and if you want to see the original one by the Daily Mail, just click here.
"Caught on camera: Is this the world's only PINK dolphin?
These are the stunning pictures of a rare pink bottlenose dolphin spotted swimming in a Louisiana lake.
The mammal was pictured by local charter boat captain Erik Rue, who has been studying the dolphin since it first surfaced in Lake Calcasieu, an inland saltwater estuary, north of the Gulf of Mexico in Southwestern USA.
Since it was spotted with its pod of normal coloured dolphins last year the animal has been wowing visitors on the lake. Capt Rue, 42, originally saw the dolphin, which also has reddish eyes, swimming with a pod of four other dolphins, with one appearing to be its mother which never left its side.
Stunning sight: The rare albino dolphin has been spotted by excited visitors to Lake Calcasieu in Louisiana. 'I just happened to see a little pod of dolphins, and I noticed one that was a little lighter. It was absolutely stunningly pink', he said.
'I had never seen anything like it. It's the same colour throughout the whole body and it looks like it just came out of a paint booth. The dolphin appears to be healthy and normal other than its colouration, which is quite beautiful.
'The mammal is entirely pink from tip to tail and has reddish eyes indicating it's albinism. The skin appears smooth, glossy pink and without flaws. I have spotted it about 40 to 50 times in the time since the original sighting as it has apparently taken up residence with its family in the Calcasieu Ship Channel.
'As time has passed he has grown and sometimes ventures away from its mother to feed and play but always remains in the vicinity of the pod. 'Surprisingly, it does not appear to be drastically affected by the environment or sunlight as might be expected considering its condition, although it tends to remain below the surface a little more than the others in the pod.'
The striking mammal is thought to be the world's only pink bottlenose dolphin. Capt Rue added: 'I feel very fortunate to have seen this incredible mammal and lucky to be able to work and live in the area where such a fantastic creature frequents.
'Our guests are always thrilled at the opportunity to spot such a unique mammal and we look forward to it being around for some time to come.' Regina Asmutis-Silvia, senior biologist, with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, called the dolphin 'truly beautiful'.
'I have never seen a dolphin coloured in this way in all my career', she said. 'While this animal looks pink, it is an albino which you can notice in the pink eyes. Albinism is a genetic trait and it unclear as to the type of albinism this animal inherited.
'It is a truly beautiful dolphin but people should be careful, as with any dolphins, to respect it. Observe from a distance, limit their time watching, don't chase or harass it."
PROVO, Utah — Gary Coleman, the adorable, pint-sized child star of the smash 1970s TV sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" who spent the rest of his life struggling on Hollywo…
PROVO, Utah — Gary Coleman, the adorable, pint-sized child star of the smash 1970s TV sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" who spent the rest of his life struggling on Hollywood's D-list, died Friday after suffering a brain hemorrhage. He was 42.
Life support was terminated and Coleman died at 12:05 p.m. MDT with family and friends at his side, Utah Valley Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Janet Frank said.
Coleman, with his sparkling eyes and perfect comic timing, became a star after "Diff'rent Strokes" debuted in 1978. He played Arnold Jackson, the younger one of a pair of African-American brothers adopted by a wealthy white man.
"It's unfortunate. It's a sad day," said Todd Bridges, who played the older brother Willis. "It's sad that I'm the last kid alive from the show."
The series lives on thanks to DVDs and YouTube. But its equally enduring legacy became the troubles in adulthood of its former child stars.
Dana Plato, who played the boys' white, teenage sister, committed suicide in 1999. Bridges was tried and acquitted of attempted murder.
Coleman's popularity faded when the show ended after six seasons on NBC and two on ABC.
He remained estranged from his parents Sue and Willie Coleman, who said they learned about his hospitalization and death from media reports.
Sue Coleman said she wanted to reconcile and had been patiently waiting for her son to be ready.
"One of the things that I had prayed for was that nothing like this would happen before we could sit with Gary and (wife) Shannon and say, 'we're here and we love you,'" Sue Coleman said. "We just didn't want to push him."
She would not discuss the cause of the estrangement.
In 1989, when Gary Coleman was 21, she filed a court request trying to gain control of her son's $6 million fortune, saying he was incapable of handling his affairs. He said the move "obviously stems from her frustration at not being able to control my life."
Coleman chafed at his permanent association with "Diff'rent Strokes" but also tried to capitalize on it through minor reality shows and other TV appearances. His adult life also was marked with legal, financial and health troubles, suicide attempts and even a 2003 run for California governor.
Coleman suffered continuing ill health from the kidney disease that stunted his growth. He suffered the brain hemorrhage Wednesday at his Santaquin home, 55 miles south of Salt Lake City.
A statement from his family said he was conscious and lucid until midday Thursday, when his condition worsened and he slipped into unconsciousness. Coleman was then placed on life support.
"Diff'rent Strokes" debuted on NBC in 1978 and drew most of its laughs from the tiny, 10-year-old Coleman.
Race and class relations became topics on the show as much as the typical trials of growing up.
Coleman was an immediate star, and his skeptical "Whatchu talkin' 'bout?" — usually aimed at Willis — became a catchphrase.
In a 1979 Los Angeles Times profile, Sue Coleman said her son had always been a ham as a small child. He acted in some commercials before he was signed by T.A.T., the production company that created "Diff'rent Strokes."
The attention his starring role brought him could be a burden as well as a pleasure.
Coleman said in 2001 that he would do a TV series again, but "only under the absolute condition that it be an ensemble cast and that everybody gets a chance to shine."
"I certainly am not going to be the only person on the show working," he said. "I've done that. I didn't like it."
Coleman's kidney disease required dialysis and at least two transplants. As an adult, his height reached only 4 feet 8 inches.
He continued to get credits for TV guest shots and other small roles over the years. But in 2001 he said he preferred earning money from celebrity endorsements.
"Now that I'm 33, I can call the shots," he said. "And if anybody has a problem with that, I guess they don't have to work with me."
Coleman was among 135 candidates who ran in California's bizarre 2003 recall election to replace then-Gov. Gray Davis, whom voters ousted in favor of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Coleman finished in eighth place with 12,488 votes, or 0.2 percent, just behind Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt.
Running for office gave him a chance to show another side of himself, he said at the time.
"This is really interesting and cool, and I've been enjoying the heck out of it because I get to be intelligent, which is something I don't get to do very often," he said.
Legal disputes dogged him repeatedly. And in a 1993 television interview, he said he had twice tried to kill himself by overdosing on pills.
He moved to Utah in fall 2005, and according to a tally in early 2010, officers were called to assist or intervene with Coleman more than 20 times in the following years. The responses included a call where Coleman said he had taken dozens of Oxycontin pills and wanted to die.
Some of the disputes involved his wife, Shannon Price, whom he met on the set of the 2006 comedy "Church Ball" and married in 2007.
In September 2008, a dustup with a fan at a Utah bowling alley led Coleman to plead no contest to disorderly conduct. The fan also sued him, claiming the actor punched him and ran into him with his truck.
Coleman was born Feb. 8, 1968, in Zion, Ill., near Chicago. His mother told Ebony his kidney disease was diagnosed when he was 2. He underwent his first transplant at age 5.
He attracted attention when he took part in some local fashion shows and people suggested he should get work performing in commercials, which he then did, she said.
She stayed with her son in California while he was making "Diff'rent Strokes," while her husband Willis, a pharmaceutical company worker, stayed behind in Illinois. [via]
Remember a while back, I was writing for Align, the business school newspaper at AUB, and then dramatically got fired for expressing my opinion on my personal blog? ( more info ) Wel…
Remember a while back, I was writing for Align, the business school newspaper at AUB, and then dramatically got fired for expressing my opinion on my personal blog? (more info)
Well get this... They still published my articles online, without mentioning my name. I'm pretty sure this breaks some copyright laws or something. What crime did I commit for them not to mention my name? Last time I checked, I didn't murder anyone.
Well at least google knows the truth!
It's bad enough that they haven't paid me yet for the two months I worked there. Well, to be fair, none of the other staff writers got their pay checks yet! Imagine that. People working for almost four months now haven't been paid a dime. I am seriously glad that I got "fired" early on. Way to be proffessional, Align!
Here's a few photos from the AUB Yearbook reception dinner that occurred on Monday May 24. I am the associate editor in chief of the 09-10 edition of the AUB Campus yearbook, …
Here's a few photos from the AUB Yearbook reception dinner that occurred on Monday May 24. I am the associate editor in chief of the 09-10 edition of the AUB Campus yearbook, so I got to say a little speech!
So that's me giving the speech!
This is the majority of the members of the yearbook team.
A photo with the greatest friends :)
Maurice, our editor in chief, giving his speech.
Cutting the cake with Dean Kisirwani and distinguished guests.
With members of the AUB Student Affairs Office: (L-R) Rania Murr, Dr. Maryam Ghandour, Therese Miri'b, Nisrine Fattouh, Mohammad Hijazi, Hiba Hamade, Maurice Salem, Ramza Saad
Don't Ask!
Here's my thank you speech that I gave on that wonderful night:
Good evening.
Dean Kisirwani, Dr. Nizameddine, Dr. Talhouk, distinguished guests, fellow members of the campus yearbook team. I would like to thank you wholeheartedly for being with us tonight to celebrate the yearbook team.
I will start off this delightful evening by introducing the Campus Yearbook editorial cabinet for this year.
Our Editor in Chief, Maurice Salem
Nadine Gaith, associate editor in chief
Mohamad Chehab, our Team Coordinator
and myself, Mohammad Hijazi, also associate editor in chief.
First of all, I would like to thank our faculty advisor Dr. Rabih Talhouk who has demonstrated astonishing commitment to the AUB Campus yearbook. Currently, Dr. Talhouk is working not only on our edition of the yearbook, but also on the previous two editions which have been delayed for technical reasons.
I would also like to thank the Dean's office and the Office of Student Activities for always supporting us and helping us out every step of the way.
Our team this year consists of forty dedicated members distributed among seven teams, each of which plays a crucial role towards successfully completing the yearbook. I will briefly introduce these teams now for a chance to get to know how the yearbook team is organized.
The bulk of yearbook is controlled by two teams:
- The faculties and schools team, whose editor is Camille Salem, collects photos of all the undergraduate and graduate students, and allows the students change their ID photos or remove them from the yearbook. Most importantly this team also oversees the graduating students photo-shoot, that welcomed more than 1,200 graduating students this year.
- The adminstrative departments team, whose editor is Dahlia Al Assi. The main role of this team is to collect photos of faculty, staff and administration, as well as letters from key figures at AUB, such as the president, the provost, and the deans.
Other teams are just as crucial. These teams include:
- The photography team, whose editor is Reva Al Kassis, works very hard to take photos of sport events, campus events and even important people at AUB. This team has to communicate very well with the rest of the team in to collect these information smoothly.
The sports team, whose editor is Lojain Kamel, collects photos of the AUB varsity teams as well as photos of events such as championships and important games.
The campus life team, whose editor is Maysam Al Kai, manages photos of major campus events such as elections, ceremonies, concerts, and Outdoors. We are proud that this year this team has organized and set-up a funny photo booth in the Outdoors festival during this past weekend.
The campus activities team, whose editor is Maria Jarawan, collects photos of clubs and societies, in addition to non-administrative departments at AUB such as the museums, as well as USFC and SRC.
Yet, the escence of the yearbook is the design team which consists this year of 5 dedicated graphic designers who designed more than ten amazing posters for the graduating students photo-shoot, as well as the yearbook logo. They are currently working on finalizing the design of the book.
On behalf of the editorial cabinet, I would like to thank the editors and their teams immensly for their great work and commitment to the team. Hopefully, the high standards that we set this year will remain as guidelines for upcoming yearbook teams.
I will leave the floor now to Maurice who will talk more about our accomplishments this year.
(L-R) Maya Terro, Mohammad Hijazi, Forat Al Hattab, Jawad Kamal, Rima Akoum, Camille Salem, and Farah Salhab
The dance floor.
(L-R) Nadine Ghaith, Mayssam Al Kai, Forat Al Hattab, Maria Jarawan, Camille Salem, M Waleed Noaman, Mohammad Hijazi, Nour Tauk and Sara Abu Zaki
Sawt Al Niswa interviewed students involved in the strike against the 31% increase to tuition. This increase to tuition is part of AUB’s intention in making quality education less…
Sawt Al Niswa interviewed students involved in the strike against the 31% increase to tuition. This increase to tuition is part of AUB’s intention in making quality education less accessible to middle class student. Independent students are now leading the initiative after the USFC failed to lead a united student movement. (link)
Below are some articles from renowned newspapers and blogs across Lebanon and the region that discuss the Student protest at the American University of Beirut due to the shift fro…
Below are some articles from renowned newspapers and blogs across Lebanon and the region that discuss the Student protest at the American University of Beirut due to the shift from the 12-credits system to the 15-credit system which increase the tuition for newly enrolled students (as of Fall 2010) up-to 25%.
English Daily Star: AUB students hold strike against hike in tuition fees (link) Star Scene: AUB students protest against tuition increase (link) Now Lebanon: Strike at AUB (link) Demotix: Students of AUB university in Lebanon protest rise in tuition fees (link) This is Beirut: Empty classrooms a week before finals at AUB! (link) iloubnan: AUB students go on strike protesting increase of tuition (link) Gino's Blog: The AUB Problem Breakdown (link) Farfahine: Letter from AUB students: Support us to take our campus back. (link) Blog Under Construction: AUB Students Boycott Classes (link) Sawt Al Niswa: Stike: It is your right, For your right and theirs (link) Occupy California: American University of Beirut on Strike (link)
Arabic Al-Mustaqbal: الجامعة الأميركية.. بلا زيادة أو نقصان (link)
Al-Nahar: إدارة الأميركية لا تتراجع عن الزيادة والطلاب يستعدون لتصعيد تحركهم الاحتجاجي (link)
Al-Akhbar: طلاب الأميركيّة و الـ 25%: لن ندفع (link) Al- Safir: تحرك حاشد في الأميركية ضد رفع الأقساط: لا لـجامعة البرجوازيين (link)
Al- Markaziya: طلاب الأميركية تظاهروا احتجاجاً على ارتفاع الأقساط (link)
French
La Nation Libanaise - Mouvement Patriote Libanais: Grabuge à l’Université Américaine de Beyrouth (link)
Follow the protest on their official twitter page here.
If you have written an article about the AUB Student Protest and I haven't linked to your article, please post a link in the comments section so that I can update the list.
Today, I attended the tuition increase town meeting that was held by members of the AUB Administration (President Dorman, VP Kenny, Provost Dallal, Dean Kisirwani, etc) and I was …
Today, I attended the tuition increase town meeting that was held by members of the AUB Administration (President Dorman, VP Kenny, Provost Dallal, Dean Kisirwani, etc) and I was reporting the event live on twitter via @mhijazi.
This was my first experience with twitter reporting, and I am glad to say it was very enjoyable.
Tomorrow, I will be covering parts of the protest via twitter also, and between my classes. (No, I am not skipping classes, here's why)
Below are the tweets related to today's meeting from newest to oldest, so I would recommend that you read from bottom to top.
Dear bloggers,
I was informed today that the Students Affairs Office at AUB has decided to cancel the Lebanese Bloggers Convention due to the Tuition Increase protest.
I will be …
Dear bloggers,
I was informed today that the Students Affairs Office at AUB has decided to cancel the Lebanese Bloggers Convention due to the Tuition Increase protest.
I will be discussing this issue with the Dean's Office for the possibility of postoning it rather than cancelling it. If will post updates here later. Below is the e-mail sent from the Coordinator of Student Affairs (Hiba Hamade) to Outlook Editor in Chief (Yahia Hamade).
I was honored to be interviewed on Future TV's English News last week. Check out the video below where I talk about the state of social media in the Arab World, the Lebanese online community, the Social Media Awards and University for Seniors. I'm also very humbled to have been called The Social Media Consultant of Lebanon.
I was honored to be interviewed on Future TV's English News last week. Check out the video below where I talk about the state of social media in the Arab World, the Lebanese online community, the Social Media Awards and University for Seniors. I'm also very humbled to have been called The Social Media Consultant of Lebanon.
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