Spotlight on You

The School

2011-06-20T13:09:00.001+03:00

The School, a set on Flickr.

Baalbek - Lebanon

2011-06-18T17:50:00.001+03:00

Baalbek, a set on Flickr.

by bahaafe

Bahaafe's photostream

2011-06-18T17:49:00.003+03:00

Bahaafe's photostream on Flickr.

The Old House

2011-06-18T17:49:00.001+03:00

The Old House, a set on Flickr.

THESE WERE DRAFTS, DRAFTS OF THE PAST

2010-12-17T01:04:00.000+02:00

DEC 16, 2010 BY BAHAAFE 7 COMMENTS POSTED UNDER: BAHAAFE
THESE WERE DRAFTS… DRAFTS OF THE PAST
SOME FEELINGS I HAD … THAT I THOUGHT THEY WILL LAST
AND AS I CLEAN MY CLOSET … FOR NEW START FOR ME
I WILL LET OUT MY FEELINGS AND WORDS FOR YOU TO SEE…

THESE WERE DRAFTS, DRAFTS OF THE PAST

Tomorrow is for us to write

2010-09-20T00:25:00.000+03:00

The days lost track , and time went back
To a chair in a coffee shop , you next to me.
You ordered a cake with a strawberry on top,
i ordered black coffee, dark as all my old days.

I was so nervous and had many things on mind,
I lit my cigarette and let smoke drew my words and lines
I told you my story, and the thoughts i had on mind
The book of my life was opened all clear in-front of your eyes.

The stories were sad and painful , and the words were wet with tears
but with the end of each chapter, i felt you closer to me
Then we came to a blank page with both our names on top
and i asked you if you would join me in writing the rest of days
You took the pen and wrote with an ink from our tears and bloods
“Yesterday was a story , tomorrow is for us to write”

73353600 (sec)

Tomorrow is for us to write

Beirut … The Remains Of The Past

2010-07-16T21:34:00.003+03:00

Beirut, one of the oldest cites in the middle east , it geos back in history to more that 5000 years. This city that we live in stand on the memories of many cultures that have been living in it before " Phoenician, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Crusader and Ottoman remains " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beirut#History . Its sad that we can harldy find any place of these cultures, few are saved and others were destroyed either by nature force or by war. And unfortunatly and till this moment the destroyng of this city's heritage is continuing

I know this topic has been mentioned in many blogs and my news articles but what made me talk about it now is an Egyptian movie.
Well yes an Egyptian movie that
I accidentally stumbled while moving through the channels.
The movie; and as mama told me, goes back to the early 70's or late 60's.
In one of the scenes and the actors were in the boat by the Pigeon Rocks in Raouche, and as the camera was moving I saw this building , it was still new and young same as "Mirvat Ameen" was :) . Its been there facing the Pigeon Rocks for more than 50 years, a part of the place and its history.

I feel afraid that this building will be destroyed for the sake of a new tower or hotel, same as many buildings have been demolished and erased form the history of Beirut . I'm worried that one day the building ; that has passed the Lebanese Civil war and the Israeli attacks, will not exist and might be replace with a Mall or 5 star residence.
I hope that this building will get back its beauty ( like the actor did with the botox ) and stand for a longer time facing the Pigeon Rocks.
I really hope to see some action to save remains of the past.

Peace..

Lets Say Goodbye

2010-07-14T09:48:00.000+03:00

Its time to leave, for us to part,for each to choose his path in life.
For once we were walking together, I know its hard but its the time to leave.
We leave with sadness and words unsaid, a fake smile saying I'll be fine.
But I will miss you , and so will you, I guess now its time to leave.
Lets pause the time for one more minute , there are some pictures I need to take.
I need to save this corner in mind , cause this will be the last goodbye.
Lets say goodbye. Lets have a hug.... Oki see you later... or lets just pretend...

Take Me UP

2010-07-13T20:57:00.002+03:00

Children

2010-07-11T18:16:00.005+03:00

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Night In Motion

2010-07-10T08:49:00.001+03:00

Beiteddine Festival - IL DIVO Concert

2010-07-09T05:51:00.004+03:00

It has more than 3 years that I havent been to The Shouf ( Mount Lebanon) and yesterday was a chance for me to go there, since I was attending the Il Divo Concert in the Beiteddine Festival 2010.

I was really amazed how the clean road was from Damour all the way to Baakline ,where the buses took us to the Beiteddine Palace.

Wiki Stop : Beiteddine Palace

The palace was built by emir Bashir Shihab II in the period between 1788 and 1818. It was the emir's residence until 1840. Afterwards the building was used by the Ottoman authorities as the government residence. Later, under the French Mandate following World War I, it was used for local administrative purposes. The General Directorate of Antiquities restored the palace after it was declared a historic monument in 1934. After independence in 1943, the palace became the summer residence of the president of republic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beiteddine_Palace

The Event was very organized , and with the concert was an exhibition of ( Al Jameel Award ) and the Photographic Gallery of the 25 years old Beiteddine Festival.

The IL DIVO Concert was a dream for all ladies and the performance was more than great . Four Magnificent voices in such a magical Palace was enough to make that night amazing

Here are some Pictures of the event.

Octavia Nasr and CNN

2010-07-08T06:26:00.001+03:00

In a Country that declares Democracy like USA , it is a bit weird to see such a behaviour for a leading World News Station like CNN. And Firing Octavia Nasr For just showing some sympathy for the Death of AL Alamma 2alsayid Fadlalah is a real shame.

But the apology and explaining and regretting what She said is not an act that i expect from a journalist like Octavia Nasr , she who believes in freedom of speech should have kept her opinion and not apologize.

I'm Sorry for her being fired, and for her apologizing.

The Flame

2010-07-03T20:26:00.000+03:00

This flame is eternal and will never die,
It will fight with the thunder, will fight the rain and will fight wind.
But this storm will rest one day
And the flame of love will light the sky again

Lonely .....

2010-07-01T17:37:00.000+03:00

She sat by he window, watching the car lights drawing shadows in the streets,
Shadows of strangers walking, with no addresses , names or face.
Her eyes were shouting in the silence of her life, shouting his name through the crowds of the dark,
calling his soul to join her for the night , to light up the fire cold in her heart.

Baablek ... where time stopped before 9000 years from now

2010-06-29T19:09:00.001+03:00

Read more about Baalbek under this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baalbek

Lebanon arrests three for alleged Facebook slander of president (AFP)

2010-06-29T08:20:00.000+03:00

BEIRUT — Lebanon arrested on Monday three people who allegedly used the social networking website Facebook to slander President Michel Sleiman, a judicial source said.

"General prosecutor Said Mirza ordered the arrest of Naim George Hanna, 27, Antoine Youssef Ramia, 29, and Shebel Rajeh Qasab, 27, after authorities interrogated them on charges of libel, slander and defamation against the president on Facebook," the source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Mirza also issued a warrant for the arrest of a fourth Lebanese, Ahmed Ali Shuman, on the same charges.
By law, Lebanon's general prosecutor must take action in any case of libel, slander or defamation against the president or any "sister state" of Lebanon regardless of whether a plaintiff comes forward to press charges.

The justice ministry said the case met the requirements f

or a slander and defamation lawsuit, adding "media freedom in Lebanon and any civilised country reaches its limits when the content is pure slander and aims at undermining the head of state."
"The inappropriate comments published on websites are subject to prosecution and punishment as they meet the requirements for litigation as stipulated in the media law and penal code," the statement said.
The original Facebook posts were not accessible on Monday.

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved.

شارع الحمرا… أطفالنا لغتنا… بالعربي

2010-06-26T11:45:00.000+03:00

[gallery]

الحمرا ... شارع بينبض بالعربي

2010-06-26T11:30:00.000+03:00

[gallery]

الحمرا…. بالعربٍي | مهرجان اللغة العربية - نحن لغتنا

2010-06-26T09:33:00.000+03:00

[gallery link="file" orderby="title"]

بالعربي … لأن هيدي لغتي

2010-06-25T19:23:00.000+03:00

يمكن إنو إكتب بالعربي بالنسبي لإلي شي شوي صعب ، بس مش مستحيل.
صعب لأنو بالشغل ما بستعمل العربي و صعب لأنه إلي زمان ما كتبت بالعربي.
و بس مش مستحيل لأن هيدي لغتي
وبتضل هويتي و فيا كتب جدي و فيا حيكتب ابني
مش مستحيل لانو بس اسمع فيروز بتمنى لو فيِّ إكتب شعر لتغني , مع انو مَنّي شاعر
ولا مستحيل لأن بالعربي وبكلمة وحدة فيِّ قول ... بحبك...
بالعربي

Po-Tomato

2010-06-23T15:52:00.000+03:00

My Father Planted a Potato plant next to a tomato plant and a weird thing happened
the potato plant is now giving potato from the roots and tomato from the top
Check the pics

زرع أبي نبات البطاطس بجانب الطماطم وحدث شيء غريب
البطاطا تعطي البطاطا من الجذور والطماطم من أعلى

The Potato

The Potato

The Tomato

The Tomato
The Potato | The Tomato :)

Why Lebanese Women Demonstrated Today

2010-06-20T16:52:00.000+03:00

BeirutSpring : http://beirutspring.com/blog/2010/06/20/why-lebanese-women-demonstrated-today/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+beirutspring/fb_feed+(The+Beirut+Spring)

Photo Credit, Asaad Thebian)

Rita Chemaly explains:

Although men and women in Lebanon are entitled to most of the same rights, women are still struggling to achieve full gender equality under the law. Specifically, a Lebanese woman married to a foreign man does not have the legal right to pass her nationality to her husband or children, while a foreign woman marrying a Lebanese man is entitled to citizenship for herself and her children.

and

Transmission of nationality is not a mere legal formality: it also carries social and financial consequences. Because these husbands and children are considered residents and not citizens, they must obtain residency and work permits and renew them each year. This is a costly procedure involving a tidy sum, roughly $2,000 to $3,300, massive red tape and long hours of waiting in line at the General Security office.

I think this is absolutely abhorrent, you should help with this by joining their facebook page

http://beirutspring.com

Shades of the Unknown World

2010-06-20T12:21:00.001+03:00

http://bahaafe.com/blog/2010/06/shades-of-the-unknown-world/

Qadisha Valley to dropout from World Heritage List

2010-06-19T05:01:00.000+03:00

Qadisha Valley , which was once a Natural paradise and was choosen by the unesco to be one the world heritage list , is now IN DANGER. UNESCO threatens to drop Qadisha Valley from World Heritage List and this is very serious, and still no acyion has been taken form the lebanese government.

Qadisha, one of the deepest and most beautiful valleys in Lebanon, is indeed a world a part. At the bottom of this wild steep-sided gorge runs the Qadisha River whose source is in the Qadisha Grotto at the foot of the Cedars. And above the famous Cedar grove stands Qornet el Sawda, Lebanon's highest peak
http://www.qadishavalley.com/

Check these topics about the Qadisha valley
- Developing lebanon : Oh the wonders of the world!
http://humandevelopmentinlebanon.blogspot.com/2010/06/oh-wonders-of-world.html
-YaLibnan : Unesco threatens to drop Qadisha Valley From World Heritage List
http://www.yalibnan.com/2010/05/20/unesco-threatens-to-drop-qadisha-valley-from-world-heritage-list/

Other Links

http://www.qadishavalley.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kadisha_Valley

Stop the slavery in Lebanon

2010-06-16T05:02:00.000+03:00

....
Over the years, we have recorded in these pages the nearly unavoidable consequences of such a system: Lebanese employers confiscate the passports of their foreign wards and subject them to the spectrum of abuse, from beatings and sexual harassment to the withholding of wages and confinement. A number of nongovernmental organizations have released countless reports – entirely verified and credible reports, we should add – of foreign workers driven to attack their employers, to flee unbearable conditions and even to commit suicide. We wholeheartedly condemn the abuse of our fellow humans through trafficking, and we demand that our legislature without delay approve the basic elements of international law in order to defend those who cannot defend themselves.

Read All the Article : http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=17&article_id=116000#axzz0qzhVLGHX

STOP THIS LAW

2010-06-15T07:25:00.000+03:00

Stop this Law

Hope someone will listen, thanks for all the post , and sorry if i missed any, well i'm sure i missed .....

This is Beirut | http://thisisbeirut.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/stop-this-law/

lebanese nightS | http://layalk.net/2010/06/15/stop-this-law-stopthislaw/

Maya's Amalgam | http://mayazankoul.com/2010/06/14/internet-joke/

Global Voices | http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/06/15/lebanon-outrage-over-blocking-of-voip/

Salim AL Lawzi | http://salimallawzi.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/stopit/

Tayyar. org | http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/ar-LB/internet-lebanon-pb-1387934.htm

Naharnet.com |http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&0CB03870D668DD30C225774200539332

Al Akhbar | http://www.al-akhbar.com/ar/node/193760

From oppressed Jews to oppressed Palestinians (via tweetextensions.com)

2010-06-09T07:49:00.000+03:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of June 7, 2010. …
From oppressed Jews to oppressed Palestinians

Read More

via tweetextensions.com

Yup, we killed an ocean (via Sparkling By The Way's Blog)

2010-06-02T10:13:00.000+03:00

A Real tragedy .....

This whole oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has really upset me. This is odd because I am not an exceptionally "green" person. I mean, I am not opposed to recycling or low emission cars, but occasionally I will still toss a recyclable item in with the regular garbage and I refuse to start a compost bin. So, to be having nightmares about this … Read More

via Sparkling By The Way's Blog

Best Dressed Of The Week – Penelope Cruz In Elie Saab Couture

2010-05-30T20:45:00.003+03:00

This has to be one of Pen’s best looks this year. She was absolutely glowing.

http://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/2010/05/30/best-dressed-of-the-week-penelope-cruz-in-elie-saab-couture-kristin-davis-in-vintage-jean-desses/#comments

http://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/2010/05/24/cannes-film-festival-closing-ceremony-penelope-cruz-in-elie-saab-couture/

http://bahaafe.com/blog

Sarah Jessica Parker: Elie Saab Outfit

2010-05-26T16:07:00.002+03:00

Sarah Jessica Parker arrives at the Sex and the City 2 premiere after-party held at Lincoln Center on Monday (May 24) in New York City.
The 45-year-old actress chose a black lace mini dress with long sleeves and structured lace panels at bodice by Elie Saab for the after-party.
Read more: http://justjared.buzznet.com/2010/05/25/sarah-jessica-parker-elie-saab-for-satc2-after-party/#ixzz0p2aJpIwx
http://justjared.buzznet.com/photo-gallery/2453470/sarah-jessica-parker-sex-and-the-city-2-premiere-after-party-03/

Smile

2010-05-25T00:10:00.001+03:00

Byblos /Jbeil - Life Style

2010-05-05T08:48:00.002+03:00

Zuhair Murad dresses J Lo at Met Gala 2010

2010-05-04T13:26:00.004+03:00

According to Stylefrizz

" Jennifer Lopez went for a glitzy number while attending the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute 2010 Gala: Zuhair Murad’s dress was Red Carpet appropriate and still a safe sartorial choice.

Tom and Jerry by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera

2010-04-25T02:44:00.005+03:00

Joseph Barbera (pronounced bar-BEAR-ah) was born in the Little Italy section of Manhattan, New York to Lebanese parents.

William Hanna (pronounced han-Nah) was born in Melrose, New Mexico to Lebanese parents.List of Lebanese people

Hanna and Barbera won seven Academy Awards and eight Emmy Awards. Their cartoons have become cultural icons, and their cartoon characters have appeared in other media such as films, books, and toys. Hanna-Barbera's shows have a global audience of over 300 million people and have been translated into more than 20 languages.

Hanna-Barbera Productions became by the late-1960s the most successful television animation studio in the business, producing hit programs such as ''The Flintstones'', ''The Jetsons'', ''Jonny Quest'', and ''Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!'' by the end of the decade.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hanna

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Barbera

http://www.tomandjerryonline.com

http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Hanna-Barbera_Studios/

My Work Pets

2010-04-18T23:41:00.003+03:00

تنذكر تما تنعاد - Lebanese Civil War 13 April 1975

2010-04-13T09:01:00.002+03:00

The Lebanese Civil War (Arabic: الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية‎) was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 130,000 to 250,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people (one third of the population) were wounded, half of whom were left with lifetime disabilities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Civil_War

من أجل دعم سميرة في معركتها لإنتزاع حقها في الجنسية

2010-04-11T14:09:00.004+03:00

يصادف 13 نيسان 2010 الموعد المحدد لجلسة استئناف الحكم القضائي الجريء الذي أصدره القاضي جون القزي في حزيران 2009 الذي حكم للسيدة اللبنانية سميرة سويدان بمنح جنسيتها اللبنانية لأولادها من زوجها الأجنبي المتوفي.

وفي 13 نيسان 2010 ستقف سميرة سويدان في مواجهة مع الدولة اللبنانية من أجل انتزاع حقها بمنح جنسيتها لأولادها.

إدعموا/إدعمن سميرة سويدان في معركتها للحصول على حقها بالجنسية كمدخل لتكريس حقها بالمواطنة؛ وشاركوا/شاركن في الإعتصام الرمزي الذي سيتم أمام قصر العدل في منطقة جديدة المتن -البوشرية بدءاً من الساعة 10 صباحاً.

للمزيد من المعلومات حول الحكم القضائي
http://nationalitycampaign.wordpress.com/court-ruling-lebanon/

Posted by Farfahinne
bahaafe

بدّي إفرح ببلدي.. وإن لم يعترف البلد بحقّنا في الفرح

2010-03-17T16:47:00.003+02:00

عرس جماعيّ «مدني» غداً.. تأكيداً على حريّة الاختيار

هاني نعيم

غداً، يحتفل المدنيّون اللبنانيّون بمرور اثني عشر عاماً على إقرار مشروع قانون مدني اختياري للأحوال الشخصيّة. حينها، أقرّت الحكومة القانون الذي تقدّم به رئيس الجمهوريّة الراحل الياس الهراوي، إذ صوّت 20 وزيراً، مع ورقة بيضاء، من أصل 30 وزيراً. لكن هذه الموافقة لم تكن تعني أن مشروع القانون في طريقه للتصويت عليه في البرلمان وإقراره بشكل نهائي، ففي بلاد الطوائف والحروب الأهليّة الدوريّة، تبقى سلطة المؤسسات الدينيّة أعلى من السلطات السياسيّة والمدنيّة.

هكذا، وبضغط من تلك المؤسسات التي شعرت بأن الأمور تخرج عن إرادتها، أجبرت الحكومة على وضع مشروع القانون في الثلاّجة.. والنسيان.

يومها، اعترض المدنيّون ـ العلمانيّون على تجميد المشروع. أطلقوا، بدعوة من «حركة حقوق الناس» حملة وطنيّة شارك فيها 75 حزباً وجمعيّة ونقابة، ومعها حركات شبابيّة ونسائيّة من كل البلاد. ورغم النشاطات الواسعة للحملة، فهي بقيت تحت سقف المواجهة المطلوب.

ومنذ ذلك الحين، كرّست الحملة يوم 18 آذار من كل عام كذكرى: «يوم وطني لحريّة الاختيار».

غداً، يعود المدنيّون إلى الساحة، بدعوة من «شَمْل» (شباب مواطنون لبنانيون لا عنفيون) للاحتفال على طريقتهم بهذا اليوم، والمطالبة من جديد بإقرار قانون أحوال شخصيّة لبناني.

«نشاط غد هو جزء من حملة مطلبيّة واسعة»، تقول منسّقة النشاطات في «شَمْل» ساندي متيرك. وتضيف: «هذا العام أخذنا على عاتقنا استكمال الحملة التي بدأت منذ 12 عاماً، مستفيدين من التجربة السابقة».

تفصح ساندي عن أن الحملة ستترافق مع اقتراح قانون مطوّر صاغه مؤسسا «الهيئة اللبنانية للحقوق المدنيّة» الدكتور وليد صليبي وأوغاريت يونان. أما ما يميّز هذا القانون عن سابقيه فهو أنه «ليس مجرّد قانون زواج مدني، بل يشمل كافة الأحوال الشخصيّة للمواطن، ويجمع زبدة القوانين المطروحة سابقاً».

الدعوة إلى العرس الذي سيُقام غداً مفتوحة للجميع: للشباب والصبايا الذين يحبّون بعضهم بعضاً خارج إطار الطوائف، للذين يريدون الزواج مدنيّاً، للمتزوّجين مدنيّاً، وحتّى للذين يريدون التزوّج دينيّاً، ولكنّهم يؤيّدون حق الآخرين بالزواج المدني.

عند الرابعة من بعد الظهر، سيجتمع المحتفلون في ساحة رياض الصلح، ليتوجّهوا إلى ساحة النجمة أمام البرلمان، بملابسهم الخاصة بالعرس. بذلات رسميّة للشباب، وفساتين عرس للصبايا. وطبعاً، لن تغيب الزغاريد والرقص وفرقة الدبكة. أما الشعار الذي سيرفعه المشاركون فهو موحّد: «عقبال ما يصير عنّا قانون لبناني للأحوال الشخصية». من هنا، يمكن فهم عنوان النشاط: «عرس مع وقف التنفيذ».

هذه الخطوة هي فسحة تعبير لكثير من الشباب الخارجين من حصار طوائفهم القاتم. الشاب وليم محفوض والفتاة نادين سامكو المخطوبان منذ أكثر من سنة، والآتيان من طائفتين مختلفتين، سيشاركان في العرس الرمزي. خصوصاً أنّ العرس الفعلي مؤجّل لحين تسيير المشاكل الاقتصاديّة، كما أن الذهاب لقبرص للقيام بالزواج المدني مكلف أيضاً، يقول وليم.

ورغم أن القانون المقترح عادة من المنظمات المدنيّة يكون ذا صفة اختياريّة، يؤيّد وليم «الزواج المدني الإلزامي» على أن يكون الزواج الديني اختيارياً لمن يريد. لذا، «ولو كنّا من ذات الطائفة أنا وشريكة حياتي لكنّا تزوّجنا مدنيّاً. هو خيارنا الوحيد».

يشرح وجهة نظره قائلاً بأن «قانون الأحوال الشخصية المدني هو حق طبيعي وبدائي في كل مجتمع قائم على قيم إنسانيّة، لذلك فإن المطالبة به واجب إنساني»، معتبراً أن النظام القائم ليس الجهّة الملائمة للمطالبة بهذا الحق، لأن هذا الحق هو النقيض الطبيعي لهذا النظام. ويلمّح إلى ضرورة رفع سقف المواجهة مع السلطات الدينيّة والطائفيّة والسياسيّة للحصول على الحقوق المدنيّة.

يُشارك النادي العلماني في الجامعة الأميركيّة في بيروت، في النشاط. وهو كان قد بدأ التحضير لعرس رمزي للزواج المدني في آذار الحالي، في الجامعة. «ولكننا اجّلنا النشاط للمشاركة في «اليوم الوطني لحريّة الاختيار»، على أن نقوم بنشاطنا لاحقاً»، يقول مسؤول الأنشطة في النادي فادي جرادة.

أما عن إمكانيّة إقرار قانون أحوال شخصيّة مدني، فيشرح رئيس النادي العلماني علي نور الدين بأن «الطبقة السياسيّة بكل أطيافها، ستتعامل معه كسائر القوانين الإصلاحيّة الأخرى. رفضوا قانون خفض سن الاقتراع إلى سن الثامنة عشرة، وبذات الذرائع سيعودون ويرفضون قانون الأحوال الشخصية المدني». ويعتبر علي أنّ النفاق السياسي هو الأساس الأخلاقي الذي تعمل به الكثير من الأحزاب السياسيّة. إذ تتبنّى شعارات الإصلاح والعلمانيّة والتغيير وإلغاء الطائفيّة لاستقطاب الشباب، وبعد استخدامهم في معاركهم ومغامراتهم السياسيّة يتهرّبون من الإقرار بالإصلاحات بذرائع طائفيّة.

منذ اغتيال رئيس الوزراء السابق رفيق الحريري، الذي جمّد القانون المدني للأحوال الشخصيّة سابقاً، زادت الطوائف شراسة وقوّة. تقسّمت البلاد إلى فدراليّات غير معلنة، في ظل «كوما علمانيّة»، وانحسار اليسار لمجموعات هامشيّة، وطفرة «منظمات المجتمع المدني» غير البنّاءة.

ومقارنة بتسعينيّات القرن الماضي، يبدو أن العلمانيّين والمدنيين اللبنانيّين فوّتوا على أنفسهم فرصة ذهبيّة لإقرار حقوقهم ودفع المجتمع نحو «المدنيّة». حينها، كان الجو الاجتماعي في البلاد يحافظ على حد أدنى من الانفتاح على التعدد، أكثر من يومنا هذا. إذ شهدت البلاد أحداث عنف طائفي مسلّح طوال الأعوام الماضية، بلغت ذروتها في السابع من أيار 2008. وتعيش البلاد الآن مرحلة من الهدنة الهشّة، التي قد يفرطها مجرّد حادث عابر، كاحتمال مشاركة لبنان في قمّة الجامعة العربيّة مثلاً.

علمانيو اليوم يقولون لو رُفع السقف أكثر وقتذاك، وتمت مواجهة المؤسسات الدينيّة التي «حللّت دماء المدنيين» لكان اختلف الوضع. وعلمانيّو الغد قد يقولون، لو دفع آباؤنا ثمن المواجهة، وأوقفوا زحف الأصوليّات، لكان أفضل بكثير من تكرار حروب «داحس والغبراء» التي لا تنتهي.

غداً، يجدد المدنيّون حملتهم المطلبيّة بإقرار حقوقهم الإنسانية والمدنيّة، فهل يكونوا على مستوى التحديات؟

غداً، التجمع أمام ساحة رياض الصلح، ابتداءً من الرابعة بعد الظهر.

الاربعاء 17 آذار 2010

جريدة السفير
bahaafe

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

2010-03-14T22:30:00.004+02:00

At length did cross an Albatross,
Thorough the fog it came ;
As if it had been a Christian soul,
We hailed it in God's name.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

bahaafe

Elie Saab. - Rachel McAdams -- Oscars 2010 Red Carpet

2010-03-08T03:01:00.002+02:00

Rachel McAdams wows the crowd on the red carpet at the 2010 Oscars, held at the Kodak Theatre on Sunday (March 7) in Hollywood.

The 31-year-old Canadian actress chose an Elie Saab Haute Couture strapless gown made with panels of organza and mousseline with a sweetheart neckline and hand pleated bodice in a romantic print containing shades of pinks, blues and greens.

Rachel finished her look with a lilac satin clutch by Ferragamo.

bahaafe

Elie Saab. - Anna Kendrick Shines in Rosy Pink Dress at 2010 Oscars

2010-03-08T02:32:00.002+02:00

Actress Anna Kendrick arrives at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards held at Kodak Theatre on March 7, 2010 in Hollywood, California. (Getty Images)more pics »
Anna Kendrick was one of the first Oscar nominees to walk the red carpet at the 2010 Academy Awards, and she stole the show in a dusty rose-colored, off-the-shoulder gown, designed by celeb favorite Elie Saab. The soft color looked lovely against her pale skin tone, and she seemed perfectly at home in the choice.

http://www.zimbio.com/Anna+Kendrick/articles/RYR3swcOMPM/Anna+Kendrick+Shines+Rosy+Pink+Dress+2010

Kil Deek 3a mazbalto saya7 - كل ديك ع مزبلتو صياح

2010-03-07T19:36:00.003+02:00

bahaafe

Armenia-Turkey: US Congressional panel adopts Genocide resolution

2010-03-06T13:52:00.000+02:00

Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian
In what turned out to be a nail-biting vote, the US congressional House Foreign Affairs Committee today voted on a non-binding resolution recognizing the massacre and deportation of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire as Genocide. Although accepted as such by many other countries, as well as by most historians, previous attempts to translate resolutions into actual bills have faltered after officials in Washington warn of the consequences of alienating Turkey, a key ally in the region.

Last year, citing momentum in attempts to get Armenia and Turkey to resolve their own painful past, US President Barack Obama avoided terming the massacres as Genocide despite pre-election pledges to do so. Since then, however, many analysts consider that Turkey has not fulfilled its promise to ratify two protocols signed in October which would establish diplomatic relations between the two estranged neighbors and establish a historical commission to resolve the issue once and for all.

Eventually, the resolution was passed by 23 votes to 22 and both Armenians and Turks live-tweeted the process, although both were unhappy with persistent delays, despite interpreting them in different ways. Many were also confused by the lack of an immediate vote tally.

Souad Massi - Ya Qalbi

2010-02-21T03:51:00.001+02:00

Alexander McQueen RIP

2010-02-12T01:22:00.000+02:00

ON BEHALF OF LEE MCQUEEN'S FAMILY, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN TODAY ANNOUNCES THE TRAGIC NEWS THAT LEE MCQUEEN, THE FOUNDER AND DESIGNER OF THE ALEXANDER MCQUEEN BRAND HAS BEEN FOUND DEAD AT HIS HOME. AT THIS STAGE IT IS INAPPROPRIATE TO COMMENT ON THIS TRAGIC NEWS BEYOND SAYING THAT WE ARE DEVASTATED AND ARE SHARING A SENSE OF SHOCK AND GRIEF WITH LEE'S FAMILY.

LEE'S FAMILY HAS ASKED FOR PRIVACY IN ORDER TO COME TO TERMS WITH THIS TERRIBLE NEWS AND WE HOPE THE MEDIA WILL RESPECT THIS.

WEDDING FOLIES 2010 - Beirut

2010-02-06T20:03:00.001+02:00

Wedding Folies ... an events that takes place for the 7th year in BIEL - Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center , and since am not into marriage plans, i never thought of attending such event. But this year a friend of mine got us invitations so we decided to go. The sections in the events hall were fancy and glittery, many models were dressed as brides to get attention to their stand, decorated cars, flower arrangments , food catering, all the things that a bride might dream to put in her wedding. but all these will not make a wedding complte if there was no wedding dress, and for that we decided to watch the fashion show which was taking place in the event.

When we entered the hall , a tv presenter was trying to give a report to her tv station (mbc) but her voice was so tired because of the cold weather. We walked to our seats , the second raw and for the first time i was face to face with the (VIP class people ) a silicone made faces . i was shocked how all the photographers in the event were rushing to take pictures of the VIP'S rather than taking the pictures of the fashion show, but later on i knew that these ladies pay money for the picture so that they will appear in every single news paper and social magazine.... It was fun seeing these people for the first time not from a magazine , but live , and this time to see more clearly not just the face lips and boobs and eyes, but that fake way they act and fake life they live away for the real pain and suffer the Lebanese people are living.

Here are some pics i took in the event

The fake Society

bahaafe

and HE said .... Let there be SNOW

2010-02-04T00:03:00.000+02:00

Beirut - as mentioned in " LIFE IN THE HOLY LAND "

2010-01-27T22:20:00.000+02:00

We gallop over the sandy beach to the Nahr Beirût, entranced by the landscape. The promontory of Beirût, crowned with its cream-coloured sandstone houses, palaces, churches, and mosques, its colleges and schools rising from the water's edge to the ridge of the cape, the pine-crowned ridges of Lower Lebanon to the east, form a picture only equalled by the Bay of Naples . . . .We now enter Beirût, the metropolis of modern Phœnicia, and its most beautiful and most enlightened city. Its situation is all that could be desired, on the northern slope of a promontory which runs west for three miles from the, Nahr Beirût to Râs Beirût . . . .Here where the changes of temperature through the successive months of the year are so gradual that autumn fades imperceptibly into winter, and winter itself is a genial spring, and spring warms into summer with hardly a change of half a degree a day, you have the perfection of climate, and do not wonder that the Greek poet should call it "the nurse of tranquil life." (Source: Picturesque Palestine, vol. 3, pp. 33-34.)

Beirut and St. George's Bay, with Snow Clad Sunnin

Beirût is the Berytus of the ancients, and was probably founded by the Phœnicians . . . . Strabo first mentions the city in 140 B.C., when it was destroyed by Tryphon during the reign of Demetrius Nicator. The Romans rebuilt it and colonised it with veterans of the fifth Macedonian and eighth Augustan legions. It was here that the two sons of Herod the Great were tried unheard and in their absence, and condemned to death by their cruel and unnatural father. The Elder Agrippa greatly favoured the city, and adorned it with a splendid theatre and amphitheatre, besides baths and porticoes, inaugurating them with games and spectacles of every kind, including shows of gladiators. Here, too, after the destruction of Jerusalem, Titus celebrated the birthday of his father, Vespasian, by similar exhibitions in which many of the captive Jews perished. In the middle of the third century a celebrated Roman law school was founded here. Students flocked to it from all countries, including Gregory Thaumaturgus and Apion, the martyr . . . .From 250 A.D. to 550 was the golden age of literature in Beirût, which reached its zenith in the reign of Justinian, who regarded the Beirût school with special favour. (Source: Picturesque Palestine, vol. 3, p. 34.)

Beirut, Street Scene

On the 9th of July, 551, this city was destroyed by an earthquake, and its learned men went for a season to Sidon. In the seventh century Khaled, "the Sword of Mohammed," swept over the land. Beirût fell into Muslim hands, and its decline was rapid and complete. In 1110 Baldwin I., with the Crusading army, captured Beirût, and they long held it as a religious and military centre, the Maronites of Lebanon acting as a friendly barrier to the Muslim hordes of the east. Saladin occupied it for a short period, but the Christians were not permanently displaced until after the battle of Hattîn, in 1187. From that time until the days of the famous Druse prince, Fakhr ed Dîn, it continued in obscurity. This energetic man rebuilt the city and planted new pine groves. In 1840 the English fleet bombarded the city to expel the Egyptian army of Ibrahim Pasha. In August, 1860, it was occupied by six thousand French troops, sent by Napoleon III., with the consent of the European powers, to check the tide of massacre and civil war which had overwhelmed the land. (Source: Picturesque Palestine, vol. 3, pp. 34-35.)

A Beirut Castle

http://www.lifeintheholyland.com/beirut.htm

Lebanon Spring Started in December

2010-01-27T17:08:00.000+02:00

Beirut - Ethiopian jet crash

2010-01-25T22:55:00.000+02:00

It was a shocking news to start the morning with... but not painful more that the news was on the families of the 83 people on the crashed Ethiopian airplane. It was a black Monday in Lebanon,

Addis Ababa-bound Flight ET409 burst into flames and crashed into the Mediterranean shortly after take-off from Beirut airport in stormy weather.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8478828.stm

Lets pray for the souls of the victims of the crahed plan , and hope that god my be with the families and help the overpass this pain.....

Pray ......

Beirut is reborn as a glitzy playground for tourists (www.usatoday.com)

2010-01-24T03:32:00.001+02:00

By Veronica Gould Stoddart, USA TODAY

BEIRUT — On a mild Tuesday evening in downtown Beirut, the city's young and beautiful are bellying up to the hottest night spot, the bohemian Gemmayzeh neighborhood. Model-chic Beiruti women, sporting skinny pants, stiletto boots and cascading tresses, cluster in groups or with dates inside the hip bars, pubs and restaurants that line this milder Middle East version of Bourbon Street.
Not far away, in the Old World-style Albergo boutique hotel, visiting Michelin-starred chefs from France are dishing out meals for a sold-out crowd that takes Beirut's sophisticated dining scene for granted.

By Bryan Denton for USA Today

During the summer, the trendy flock to swank rooftop clubs — Noir, Sky Bar or White Bar, where Champagne bottle service can run $10,000 — to dance till dawn.

Call it Sex and the City meets South Beach.

Beirut's sizzling nightlife, from gritty to glam, helped drive a record tourism year in 2009. Overcoming a reputation as a Middle East trouble spot, Lebanon welcomed nearly 2 million visitors last year, a 39% increase over 2008. It was the No. 1 destination for tourism growth in the world, according to the World Tourism Organization.

'Joie de vivre' draws Arabs, Westerners

"Lebanon is back," Nada Sardouk, Lebanon's tourism director general, told the Middle East news agency AMEInfo.com in December. "We've had 80% to 90% hotel occupancy this year. But it's more than about just numbers. ... It's about the joie de vivre."

That exuberance is drawing mainly Gulf Arabs for the liberal lifestyle, Mediterranean climate and beaches; returning Lebanese expats; and intrepid Westerners. After years of political turmoil and war, a newfound security and calm has settled over this parliamentary democracy, ushering in a renaissance, however fragile. Although Lebanon is still on the U.S. State Department travel warning list, Beirut itself was virtually free of sectarian violence last year. The peace dividend is evident in tony new hotels, sleek malls and office towers, and a vibrant arts and music scene, which draws the likes of Snoop Dogg and international DJs.

One anticipated newcomer is Le Gray, a chic boutique hotel that British hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray opened in November. Over roasted quail in its rooftop Indigo restaurant, Campbell Gray gushes about this city of 2 million. "Beirut is a real city, with real history and edge. That makes it sexy," he says. "I find it beguiling, exciting, damaged, vain, beautiful. This is the new hot place."

Four Seasons president Kathleen Taylor is equally bullish. "We're very pleased with our timing," Taylor says of the new seaside Four Seasons, which opened this month. "There's a real resurgence of interest in Beirut."

Hotel guests will find a heady mix of cultures and religions — European flavor, French colonial legacy and Middle Eastern intrigue in arguably the most tolerant city in the Arab world. In this pluralistic society with 18 religious groups — primarily Muslims and Christians — one's religious affiliation defines one's politics. "My identity is my religion first, and Lebanese, second," says Rita Aad, who works for a foreign embassy.

The mosaic can be disorienting: Mosques sit cheek by jowl with churches and monasteries. Image-obsessed women in revealing outfits — some showing off their nose-job bandages — stroll alongside women covered from head to toe. The muezzins' lilting call to prayer mingles with European techno blaring from passing cars. And the trilingual locals are apt to greet each other in a mélange of Arabic, French and English while cheek-kissing — three times, no less.

As this onetime Paris of the Middle East dons its new face, gleaming skyscrapers brush up against pockmarked cement skeletons that still await makeovers 20 years after the end of Lebanon's civil war. Meanwhile, Beirut's 5,000-year-old historic core is being transformed by urban development group Solidere. Restored golden limestone buildings, aglow at sunset, now house cafés and boutiques, where fashionistas can mainline Cartier and Fendi.

This area "symbolizes the whole country," says Solidere's development head Angus Gavin. "All the different religions are represented here."

Indeed, layers of history reveal a Roman bathhouse, St. George's Greek Orthodox Church, the landmark Mohammed al-Amin mosque and showpieces from the Ottoman and French Mandate eras. To reconcile Beirut's brutal past — the city has been destroyed and reconstructed seven times — Solidere is creating a Garden of Forgiveness and an interpretive heritage trail that's due this spring.

New buildings are going up, too. Traditional souks have been reborn as a modern open-air mall lined with designer stores. In the new Sayfeh Village, the moneyed live in chic pastel condos surrounded by antique shops and galleries.

"Beirut bounces back quickly," Gavin says. "It's an extraordinary characteristic of the Lebanese, like a life force."

A playground among the ruins

That survivor mentality causes people to seize the moment — partying with passion, despite power outages and brutal traffic. "Beirut is like a Lebanese Babylon, where Arabs can dance on tabletops, swim in bikinis and kiss their girlfriends in public," says British journalist Warren Singh-Bartlett, a 12-year resident. In summer, the famous beach clubs hold their own against the playgrounds of Greece and Spain.

Whether on the beach or in the smoky cafés — Lebanon has one of the world's highest smoking rates — conversation inevitably turns to politics, given the volatile history and many minorities all jockeying for position.

With a frisson of danger never far from the surface, "there's a subversive appeal," Singh-Bartlett says. "You go to a swanky restaurant serving Japanese-Spanish fusion and leave and see bombed-out ruins. But you don't have to worry about being mugged on the street, only about being invaded."

Indeed, the legendary Lebanese warmth and hospitality engenders a sense of safety. When this visitor asks directions of a male pedestrian, she is graciously offered a ride to her destination — and doesn't hesitate to accept.

"Beirut is a very strange and complex city," says Sandra Dagher, Lebanese co-director of the year-old Beirut Art Center, a warehouse-turned-exhibit space that would be right at home in SoHo. That complexity is on full display along the Corniche, the palm-lined boulevard hugging the coast for miles, which draws tout Beirut. On soft evenings, people gather to suck on hookahs packed with flavored tobacco while knots of men pole-fish patiently. Young couples stroll hand-in-hand, oblivious to soldiers in fatigues.

And everyone, it seems, deeply inhales the balmy sea air as if to hold onto this moment of peace forever.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2010-01-21-beirut-bounces-back_N.htm

Beirut

2010-01-23T23:13:00.000+02:00

Beirut a city that Breaths freedom , a city that knows how to live the pain and turn it into smiles, a city where ciaos is there rule and rules are made to be broken, a space to scream cry laugh learn, a place to find yourself in and a place you get lost in , its the city of contadictions, reliogons and love.

Beirut my city, the place i love, and belong to. For those who dont know beirut , this page is to post all what you can find in beriut ..... peace

Snow Is Here

2010-01-23T19:38:00.003+02:00

Finally and after wainting long SNOW IS HERE :)

Mzaar Kfardebian web cam is now showing the snow covering the place

picture is displayed on
http://www.skileb.com/webcam/mzaar/

Saudi girl, 13, sentenced to 90 lashes after she took a mobile phone to school Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1244689/S

2010-01-22T17:01:00.001+02:00

By MAIL FOREIGN SERVICE
Last updated at 12:45 AM on 21st January 2010

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1244689/Saudi-girl-13--sentenced-90-lashes-took-mobile-phone-school.html#ixzz0dLyoxocr

A 13-year-old Saudi schoolgirl is to be given 90 lashes in front of her classmates after she was caught with a mobile camera phone.

The girl, who has not been named, was also sentenced to two months in jail by a court in the eastern city of Jubail.

She had assaulted her headmistress after being caught with the gadget which is banned in girl schools, said Al-Watan, a Saudi newspaper. The kingdom's use of such punishments has been widely condemned by human rights organisations.

Brutal: public floggings, such as in this archive picture, are a common punishment handed down by religious courts in Saudi Arabia

Three years ago 16 schoolchildren, aged between 12 and 18, were each sentenced to between 300 and 500 lashes for being aggressive to a teacher.

Under Saudi's Sharia or Islamic law, flogging is mandatory for a number of moral offences such as adultery or being alone in the company of an unrelated person of the opposite sex. But it can also be used at the discretion of judges as an alternative or in addition to other punishments.

Al-Watan said a court in the northeastern Gulf port of Jubail had sentenced the girl to 90 lashes inside her school, followed by two months' detention.

The punishment is harsher than tha dished out to some robbers and looters.

Saudi Arabia, a leading US ally in the Middle East, is an absolute monarchy controlled by the Al-Saud ruling tribe, and lacks any legal code.

Absolute monarchy: King Abdullah, ruler of the oil-rich state, meeting Gordon Brown on a 2007 visit to Downing Street

King Abdullah has promoted some social reforms since taking the throne in 2005 but diplomats say he is held back by religious clerics and princes.

Cinemas and music concerts are banned, while many restaurants and even some shopping centres cater to families only, especially on holidays.

Religious police roam streets to make sure no unrelated men and women mix.

The Saudi court system is exclusively controlled Wahahbi/Salafi clerics, and bans the employment of non-Salafi citizens, especially as judges.

Saudi Arabia is the world's leading country in the use of torture-by-flogging, public beheadings and publically crucifying condemned prisoners.

The country crucified two people in 2009, including one in the capital Riyadh during President Barak Obama’s visit last April.

In September, 20 Saudi teenagers who ransacked shops and restaurants were publicly flogged.

Newspapers reported that the teenagers received at least 30 lashes each in a public square.

Save Our Station

2010-01-21T23:35:00.003+02:00

A group of Lebanese photographers has been gather by there love to our history our heritage and our country , all through their lens. This love was to save , preserve and classify the Tripoli Railway Station.

Many new pappers and tv stations has covered this event that took place in Beirut Ministry of Tourism - Glass Hall - Hamra Str.

Photographers that participated in this event are (Abou Taam Abbass - Alameddine Maya - Beyrouth Mokhtar - Elias Ata - Jabra Saydé - Korek Mahmoud - Mneimneh Husam - Sammour Richard - Seifeddine Mohamad(Mido) - Semaan Hanna. )

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=246021658902&index=1

These are some posts from some newspapers that covered the event

صرخة «فوتوغرافيّة»: أنقذوا محطّة طرابلس

زينب مرعي

معظم أجزاء القطار صدئة، بعضها بلون التراب وبعضها الآخر مهترئ. الصور طغى عليها لون الصدأ، فيما رثى المصوّرون، بالأبيض والأسود، قطارL>orient express في محطة طرابلس. معرض «أنقذوا محطتنا» في القاعة الزجاجيّة لوزارة السياحة، هو المشروع الرسمي الثاني لمجموعة «أصدقاء محطّة السكّة الحديديّة في طرابلس»، إذ عرضت سابقاً شريطاً وثائقياً بعنوان «إعادة إحياء شرايين لبنان»، تناول المحطة التي اقترب موعد الاحتفال بمئويتها (2011)، فيما هي غارقة في النسيان والإهمال.

«أصدقاء محطّة السكّة الحديديّة في طرابلس» الذين اتخذوا لهم موقعاً على «فايسبوك»، يناضلون للحفاظ على ممتلكات محطّة طرابلس. أبرزها قطاران ألمانيان يعودان إلى عام 1885، وأربعة قطارات أخرى تعود إلى عام 1901. وهم يطالبون بتصنيفها كمحطّة أثريّة وتحويلها إلى متحف. المجموعة التي يديرها الياس خلاط، تواصل جمع التواقيع على عريضة أطلقتها سابقاً في طرابلس، في مناسبة المعرض الحالي الذي يشارك فيه عشرة مصوّرين.

معرض فوتوغرافي لإحياء السكّة الحديد التي كانت تصل طرابلس بباريس

الأعمال الفنيّة هي سلاح أساسي لتسليط الضوء على أهميّة المشروع. لذا سيسافر الفيلم والعريضة إلى «معهد العالم العربي» في باريس في 7 شباط (فبراير) المقبل. ولا يخفي خلاط طموحه بإعادة دورة الحياة إلى محطة طرابلس التي تأمّمت في عهد الانتداب الفرنسي، إذ يخطط لإشراك مندوبي السكك الحديد الفرنسيّة في النشاط الباريسي، من خلال دعوتهم إلى المعهد.

السكّة الحديديّة التي يدور حولها معرض الصور، تأسست عام 1911 وكانت تصل طرابلس بباريس. ثم توقّفت كغيرها من السكك في لبنان مع بداية الحرب عام 1975. وكان سكّان طرابلس قد أسّسوا بأنفسهم هذه المحطة، كشركة مساهمة، ليواجهوا التهميش الاقتصادي الذي لحق بمدينتهم لدى تأسييس خط بيروت ــــ دمشق (1901). اليوم الطريق أمام «أصدقاء محطة السكة الحديدية في طرابلس» صعبة وطويلة. يدرك خلاط أنّ العريضة وحدها لا تكفي: «نحتاج إلى مشروع قانون كي تتمكّن وزارة السياحة من تصنيف المحطة وممتلكاتها بالأثريّة... بما أنّ مديريّة الآثار لا تعدّ نفسها معنيّة بهذا المعلم المهم في تاريخ لبنان الحديث».

معرض صور جماعي لأصدقاء في الحمرا
محطة قطارات طرابلس أنقذوها !

قطارات يأكلها الصدأ على السكة. (وسيم ضو)

في 21 تشرين الثاني الماضي، إجتمع عباس أبو طعم، مايا علم الدين، مختار بيروت، الياس عطا، سيدة جبرا، محمود قرق، حسام منيمنة، ريشار سمّور، محمد سيف الدين(ميدو)، وحنا سمعان، في محطة قطارات طرابلس، وأمضوا النهار في تصوير مختلف الزوايا لتليق اللقطات بالمحطة التي يعملون ما في وسعهم لحمايتها وتصنيفها معلماً تاريخياً. وكانوا إلتقوا عبر الـ"فايس بوك"، بعدما إنضموا إلى المجموعة التي ألّفها إبن طرابلس، الياس خلاط وأطلق عليها تسمية "أصدقاء محطة قطارات طرابلس". وبعد النهار المشوّق، إختارت مايا علم الدين والياس خلاط 50 صورة تعبّر عن واقع المحطة المنسيّة وكان أول من أمس إفتتاح المعرض الذي يلخّص سيرة المحطة في القاعة الزجاجية في وزارة السياحة في شارع الحمراء. واختار الأصدقاء عنوان: انقذوا محطتنا"(save our station-sos)، ولم يمنعهم الطقس العاصف من أن يلتقوا في وزارة السياحة التي غصّت بالمهتمّين بهذه القضية التي يأمل الياس خلاط والأصدقاء في أن تغيّر مصير المحطة لتجعلها مستقبلية الطلّة.

http://www.annahar.com/content.php?priority=2&table=tarbia&type=tarbia&day=Thu

« Save our Station » : un SOS pour l’ancienne gare de Tripoli

http://www.iloubnan.info/ArtetCulture/reportage/id/724/titre/«-Save-our-Station-»-:-un-SOS-pour-l-ancienne-gare-de-Tripoli

Qui va donc réveiller la «diva» de Tripoli?

http://www.lorientlejour.com/category/Culture/article/644269/Qui_va_donc_reveiller__la_<>_de_Tripoli%3F.html

A try

2010-01-20T21:56:00.001+02:00

a try .... not more

Lebanese Women Rights & Nationality Law Project -

2010-01-20T11:29:00.004+02:00

The current nationality law in Lebanon (decree 15 dated January 19, 1925) discriminates against Lebanese women and undermine their status as equal citizens. Lebanese Women married to foreigners cannot grant their nationality to their children and spouses and thus, they are deprived of their basic rights as citizens. The nationality law is negatively affecting not only Lebanese women but their families as well. Some of the negative aspects are access to education, access to health and social services, and the right to work in certain professions.

Such discriminatory laws send the message that women do not enjoy a direct relationship with the state. Until women in Lebanon are recognized as full nationals and citizens, they cannot participate fully in public life, nor claim the other rights to which they are entitled as equal members of their societies.

It is time to reform the current Lebanese nationality law
It is time to reiterate women’s right to equality
It is time to isolate politics from equality

Lebanese women should have the right to grant their nationality to their spouses and children. This is their right and it must be acquired.

Therefore,

We the undersigned, call on the Lebanese government to reform the legislative decree No. 15 of January 19, 1925 (Nationality Law) towards equality between men and women.

Taken from http://www.lwrnl.org

to sign the petition check this link

http://www.lwrnl.org/index.php?page=supporters

BBC News - German government warns against using MS Explorer

2010-01-17T18:39:00.001+02:00

The German government has warned web users to find an alternative browser to Internet Explorer to protect security.

The warning from the Federal Office for Information Security comes after Microsoft admitted IE was the weak link in recent attacks on Google's systems.

Microsoft rejected the warning, saying that the risk to users was low and that the browsers' increased security setting would prevent any serious risk.

However, German authorities say that even this would not make IE fully safe.

Thomas Baumgaertner, a spokesman for Microsoft in Germany, said that while they were aware of the warning, they did not agree with it, saying that the attacks on Google were by "highly motivated people with a very specific agenda".

"These were not attacks against general users or consumers," said Mr Baumgaertner.

"There is no threat to the general user, consequently we do not support this warning," he added.

BBC News - German government warns against using MS Explorer

Be my painting

2010-01-17T00:24:00.003+02:00

My wings are broken , i cant fly with my dream

My voice is gone , i cant say a word

My colors are dry, i cant draw my life

My wings are broken , i cant fly with my dream, lift me up and fly with me.

My voice is gone i cant say a word, read my eyes and sing my words

My colors are dry i cant draw my life, be the colors, be the water ,be my painting

Pon And Zi Quotes

2010-01-14T23:17:00.002+02:00

• Oww! You Kissed My Eye, Buttwipe!

• I'll Just Pretend To Hug You Until You Get Here.

• Even If You Were Horrifically Disfigured In A Freak Accident And Looked Like Thiiiis I'd Still Love You.

• Hugs $5

• 'I Love You'.,,,'Lalala..lala..la'

• Keep Me Safe While I Sleep.

• Holding A Heart : I Hope Now That I Took It Out, You Will Keep It Cuz I Don't Have A Clue How To Put It Back. And If You Don't Want It Cuz It's Full Of Blood. Don't Worry Cuz I Can Wash It Off, And Put A Ribbon Around It. Anyways Just Wanted To Say I Love You...By The Way, I'm About To Faint, So Take It Fast...

• Aww...The Sky Is Crying.

• Pointing At A Flower : You Should Meet My Girlfriend. I Bet She Could Teach You How To Be Pretty.

• Pouting : When I Put My Lips Like This, I Want You To Kiss Me.

• I Made you A Cookie But I Eated It.

• You Won't Go To Heaven Because You'll Make The Other Angels Look Ugly.

• Looking at Heart On Floor : Oh, Look It's Beating For You.

• If My Heart Had a Face, It Would Be Smiling.

• Teddies Don't Hug Back, But Sometimes They're All You Have.

• You Made My Heart Too Happy, So I Vomited Blood.

• Can You Get The Plague From Loving Someone Too Much?

• Wake Up, Love! The Sun Came To See You!

• If I Promise Not To Kill You, Can I Have A Hug?

• Hands Over Heart Please Don't Break This.

• Even Heaven Is Hell Without You.

• If I Can't Hear Your Heartbeat, Your Too Far Away.

• I Went To Pick Your A Flower, But It Was A Venus Fly Trap And It Bit My Head, So I Killed It And Got You This Piece Of Grass Instead.

• 'Did You Know That When A Penguin Has Found It's Mate, They Stay Together for The Rest Of Their Lives?'...'Be My Penguin?'

• Holds Umbrella Over Other : If You Get Wet, You'll Get Sick.

• Hearts Blown Up : Look what You Diiid! It Started Feeling Funny When I First Saw You And Nooow Look At It...

• No Matter How Much I Practise, I Can't Get Drawings Of You Pretty Enough.

• I Tried To Write A Poem Today, But I Had A Writers Block...So, This Is All I Came Up With: 'Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue, There's Only One Way To Say This, And Thats "I Love You"'

• Hugging Each Other : Did You Swallow A Magnet Too? I Feel Like I Can't Pull Away.

• Holding Bleach : If You Stop Loving Me...I'll Swallow It.

• Pointing To A Big Bug : Umm, Be Happy, Ok? I Killed It For You.

• Holding A Dandelion : I Wish You would Love Me.

• Reaching : I Would Hug You If My Arms Weren't So Nubbly.

• Holding Key: I give You The Key To My Heart.

• Under Water If You Leave I Might Die.

BBC News - Haiti earthquake: Thousands feared dead

2010-01-14T00:26:00.001+02:00

Haitian President Rene Preval has said thousands of people are feared dead following a huge quake which has devastated the country's capital.

Mr Preval said the UN mission chief in Haiti was among the dead, but the UN cannot confirm this. It said 14 other UN staff had died and 56 were injured.

The 7.0-magnitude quake, Haiti's worst in two centuries, struck on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive told US network CNN he believed more than 100,000 people had died

BBC News - Haiti earthquake: Thousands feared dead

Our Common Ground - The Lebanese La�que Pride

2010-01-12T20:17:00.001+02:00

Our Common Ground

I am a lebanese citizen,
I believe that all women and men "are born and remain free and equal in rights",
I believe that my country should give equal civil and political rights to all,
I am for the lebanese State's neutrality toward religion: neutrality means making no difference
between a religion and another, and no difference between religion and non-religion,
I am against the interference of religion in the functionning of the lebanese State,
just as I am against the interference of the State in the citizen's religion,
I believe in democracy, in freedom of speech and opinions.

Our Common Ground - The Lebanese La�que Pride

.. من قتل المصريين في يوم العيد؟

2010-01-12T12:32:00.002+02:00

جريدة السفير

علاء الاسواني

في العام 1923 تشكلت لجنة لوضع أول دستور مصري.. إلا أن الوفد (حزب الأغلبية آنذاك) أعلن مقاطعته لهذه اللجنة، لأنها تشكلت بالتعيين لا بالانتخاب الحر. وبالرغم من ذلك فقد ضمت اللجنة مجموعة من أفضل العقول المصرية وشهدت سجالا سياسيا وفكريا رفيعا حول البنود المقترحة للدستور المصري.. وقد ارتفعت أصوات تنادي بالتمثيل النسبي للأقباط، بمعنى أن يكون للأقباط دائما نسبة معينة من المقاعد في المجالس النيابية والمحلية. تحول الاقتراح بسرعة إلى قضية رأى عام كبرى.. المؤيدون للتمثيل النسبي كانوا يريدون إنصاف الأقباط وتفويت الفرصة على التدخل البريطاني في مصر بحجة حماية الأقليات، أما المعارضون فكانوا يرفضون اعتبار الأقباط أقلية دينية بل يعتبرونهم مواطنين مصريين يجب أن يُقّيموا بمعيار الكفاءة وحدها... المدهش أن معظم من عارضوا التمثيل النسبي كانوا أقباطاً.. فبالإضافة إلى الدكتور طه حسين المسلم عارض الاقتراح المفكر سلامة موسى والأستاذ عزيز ميرهم الذي جمع توقيع خمسة آلاف قبطي من المعارضين والقمص بطرس عبد الملك رئيس المجلس الملي العام ورئيس الكنيسة المرقسية الكبرى وأقباط آخرون كثيرون. وهكذا سقط الاقتراح ليسجل الأقباط واحدة من أعظم الوقائع في تاريخنا الحديث عندما رفضوا التمتع بامتيازات طائفية تحت أي مسمى .. تذكرت هذه الواقعة وأنا أقرأ عن مذبحة نجع حمادي البشعة التي راح ضحيتها سبعة أقباط تم قتلهم بالرصاص أثناء خروجهم من الكنيسة يوم العيد.. السؤال لماذا رفض الأقباط منذ 90 عاما أن يتمتعوا بأي امتياز طائفي ولماذا يذبحون اليوم في ليلة عيد الميلاد على أبواب الكنائس؟!

... هذه في رأيي بعض أسباب الأزمة:
أولا: يؤكد لنا تاريخ مصر أن الفتنة الطائفية تنتشر دائما في أوقات الإحباط القومي. في بداية القرن العشرين انتابت المصريين حالة من اليأس بسبب الاحتلال البريطاني سرعان ما تحوّلت إلى فتنة طائفية قبيحة (لعبت فيها الأصابع البريطانية كالعادة) ووصلت إلى ذروتها ما بين عام 1908 وعام 1911، ولكن ما إن جاءت ثورة 1919 حتى انصهر فيها الجميع، بل إن بعض الأقباط مثل القمص سرجيوس، وكانوا من دعاة الفتنة، فتحولوا مع الثورة إلى أكبر المدافعين عن الوحدة الوطنية. في مصر الآن الكثير من الإحباط والكبت والفقر والظلم. هذه العوامل كلها تؤدي بالمصريين إلى التناحر الطائفي .. تماما كما تؤدي بهم إلى العنف والجريمة والتحرش الجنسي.
ثانيا: في العام 1923 عندما رفض الأقباط الامتيازات الطائفية، وبالرغم من الاحتلال البريطاني، كانت مصر تناضل لتؤسس دولة مدنية ديموقراطية يتساوى فيها المواطنون جميعا أمام القانون. كانت هناك قراءة مصرية متسامحة للإسلام أسس لها الإمام المصلح محمد عبده (1849 ـ 1905) الذي استطاع أن يخلص العقل المصري من الخزعبلات والتعصب. فشهدت مصر نهضة حقيقية في كل المجالات، مثل تعليم المرأة والمسرح والسينما والأدب. ولكن منذ نهاية السبعينيات، بدأت مصر تعرف فهماً آخر للإسلام، الفكر السلفي الوهابي المتشدد الذي اصطلح الفقهاء المصريون على تسميته بفقه البداوة... وقد ساعد على انتشار الفكر الوهابي عدة عوامل: أهمها ارتفاع سعر النفط بعد حرب أكتوبر مما أعطى للجماعات السلفية قدرات مالية غير مسبوقة استعملتها في نشر أفكارها في مصر والعالم، كما هاجر ملايين المصريين للعمل في دول الخليج، وعادوا بعد سنوات مشبعين بالأفكار الوهابية، وقد انتشر هذا الفكر برعاية مؤكدة من أجهزة الأمن السياسي في مصر، التي تعاملت دائما مع مشايخ السلفيين بتسامح كامل، بعكس القمع الشديد الذي تمارسه ضد الإخوان المسلمين.. والسبب في ذلك أن السلفية الوهابية، تساعد على ترسيخ حكم الاستبداد لأنها تدعو المسلمين الى طاعة الحاكم وتحرّم الخروج عليه ما دام مسلماً.. المشكلة أن الأفكار الوهابية تحمل رؤية معادية للحضارة بمعنى الكلمة، ففي ظلها يكون الفن حراماً والموسيقى والغناء حراماً والسينما والمسرح حراماً والأدب كذلك .. الفكر الوهابي يفرض على المرأة العزلة خلف النقاب أو البرقع التركي الذي تحررت منه المرأة المصرية منذ مئة عام.. وهو يعلن بوضوح أن الديموقراطية حرام، لأنها تعني حكم الشعب، بينما الوهابيون يريدون تطبيق حكم الله (وفقا لإرادتهم بالطبع).. الأخطر في الفكر السلفي الوهابي أنه ينسف فكرة المواطنة من أساسها. فالأقباط في نظرهم ليسوا مواطنين بل أهل ذمة، أقلية مهزومة مستسلمة في بلاد فتحها المسلمون. كما أنهم كفار مشركون قريبون من كراهية الإسلام والتآمر عليه، لا يجوز الاحتفال بأعيادهم ولا مساعدتهم في بناء الكنائس لأنها ليست دور عبادة بل أماكن للشرك بالله. ولا يجوز للنصارى في نظر الوهابيين أن يتولوا الحكم أو قيادة الجيوش مما يعني انعدام الثقة في ولائهم للوطن.. وكل من يتابع صورة الأقباط في عشرات القنوات الفضائية ومواقع الإنترنت السلفية لا بد أن يحس بحزن. فهذه المنابر التي يتابعها ملايين المصريين يومياً تعلن بوضوح كراهيتها للأقباط واحتقارها لهم، وكثيرا ما تدعو الى مقاطعتهم وعدم التعامل معهم... الأمثلة بلا حصر لكني سأورد هنا ما قرأته في الموقع السلفي الشهير «حراس العقيدة» الذي خصص موضوعاً كاملاً بعنوان «لماذا المسلم أفضل من القبطي ..؟!» فكتب ما يلي: «أن تكوني فتاة مسلمة قدوتك زوجات الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم اللائي فرض عليهن الحجاب أفضل من أن تكوني مسيحية قدوتك الزواني»... «أن تكون رجلا مسلما مجاهدا تدافع عن العرض والدين أفضل من أن تكون مسيحيا سارقا مغتصبا قاتلا للأطفال». «أن تكون مسلما قدوتك محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وصحابته الكرام أفضل من أن تكون مسيحياً قدوتك بولس الكذاب وأنبياء زناة».
مع انتشار كل هذا العداء للأقباط ألا يصير الاعتداء عليهم طبيعيا بل محتوماً؟!..
ثالثا: انتقلت عدوى التطرف من المسلمين الى الأقباط فنشأت أجيال منهم منعزلة عن المجتمع وتورط بعض الأقباط في خطاب التعصب والكراهية ذاته وليس هناك أشهر من القس زكريا بطرس الذي تفرغ للطعن في الإسلام وإهانة المسلمين (والذي لا أشك في قدرة الكنيسة على إسكاته فورا لو أرادت). لقد أسبغت الكنيسة حمايتها الكاملة على الأقباط لكنها زادت من عزلتهم وتحولت من سلطة روحية الى حزب سياسي يتفاوض باسم الشعب القبطي (تأمّل دلالة التعبير ).. وخوفاً من صعود الإخوان المسلمين أعلنت الكنيسة على لسان كبار مسؤوليها، قبولها التام لفكرة توريث الحكم من الرئيس مبارك الى ابنه جمال.. هذا الموقف، فضلاً عن كونه يتناقض مع التاريخ الوطني العظيم للكنيسة، فإنه يلحق بالأقباط أشد الضرر لأنه يقدمهم وكأنهم عملاء للنظام المصري ضد بقية المصريين.. كما أن بعض أقباط المهجر، في ما يبدو، لم يتعلموا شيئاً من دروس التاريخ فقرروا الارتماء بكل قوتهم في أحضان الدول الأجنبية التي لم ترد الخير لمصر قط، والتي رفعت دائما شعار حماية الأقليات كذريعة لأطماعها الاستعمارية... أقباط المهجر لهم مطالب، عادلة في معظمها لكنها للأسف طائفية تماما، بمعنى أنها تريد حل مشاكل الأقباط بمعزل عن مشاكل الوطن.. إن أقباط المهجر يفعلون اليوم عكس ما فعله أجدادهم العظام الذين رفضوا التمثيل النسبي في العام 1923. إنهم لا يطالبون بالعدل والحرية للمصريين جميعا بل يلحّون في تحقيق امتيازات طائفية لهم فقط وكأنهم يقولون للنظام المصري «أعطنا نحن الأقباط الامتيازات التي نطلبها ثم افعل ببقية المصريين ما تشاء فإن الأمر لا يعنينا».
إن مذبحة نجع حمادي البشعة لا يجوز أن نراها إلا بطريقة واحدة: «إن مواطنين مصريين قد قتلوا يوم العيد وهم خارجون من الصلاة».. إن الأبرياء الذين سقطوا قتلى وهم يتبادلون تهاني العيد، مصريون مثلي ومثلك، عاشوا معنا وحاربوا معنا ودافعوا عن الوطن بدمائهم.. إنهم مصريون، يتكلمون ويفكرون ويحلمون مثلنا تماما.. إنهم نحن.. والذي قتلهم ليس من أطلق الرصاص عليهم.. بل قتلهم نظام فاسد مستبد جثم على صدور المصريين ونهب أموالهم وقمعهم ودفعهم الى اليأس والتطرف والعنف...
..الديموقراطية هي الحل

http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=1434&ChannelId=33261&ArticleId=832&Author=علاء%20الاسواني

Nature says it all

2010-01-11T22:48:00.005+02:00

The love that still dare not speak its name

2010-01-11T22:36:00.002+02:00

In the week that two Malawians go on trial for violating anti-gay laws, Daniel Howden finds that their experience is all too common in a continent of legalised homophobia

Uganda's capital, Kampala, accusing Paul Semugoma, a doctor, of being a predatory homosexual, actively recruiting younger men into his "vice" with the help of foreign conspirators. His home and business addresses have been published online and he has received a string of death threats. "They are saying that I'm the 'gay tycoon', spreading the infectious disease of homosexuality in Uganda," he says with a bitter laugh. "It's such nonsense."

In reality, he is a respected doctor who has volunteered his time to help with HIV and safe sex education programmes and writes a weekly medical advice column for a popular newspaper. But in the last month he has been publicly outed as a homosexual four times with government officials offering money to anyone willing to inform on his private life.

The doctor is living a lonely preview of the nightmare that life is about to become for the gay community in Uganda if new legislation is passed this month making homosexuality punishable with life imprisonment or even the death penalty. Uganda's minister for ethics and integrity has said it will be every citizen's duty under the new laws to denounce friends, family or acquaintances they suspect of being gay.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/the-love-that-still-dare-not-speak-its-name-1863913.html

Children Suffer The Most As A Result Of The Siege On Gaza

2010-01-10T16:09:00.004+02:00

Text and Photos by Ayman Quader, Gaza

http://peaceforgaza.blogspot.com/2010/01/children-suffer-most-as-result-of-siege.html Gaza, January 8, 2010 (Pal Telegraph)This is the story of Mahdi abu Zer, 14 years old, living in a very marginalized area called the Qarah district, Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip. His father was killed leaving the family in dire need of support. The re-marriage of his mother has made Mahdi's life even worse rather than better. Mahdi and his other two siblings were forced to leave her and live under the guardianship of their jobless grandfather along with their aunt. Mahdi's home was completely destroyed two years ago as a result of the ongoing incursions in their area . Since that time, the entire family consisting of 3 members has been living miserably in a tent of 17 square meters. To make things worse, reconstruction material has been denied access in Gaza due to the ongoing Israeli blockade on Gazasince June 2007, preventing building and raw materials from entering. Life here is really tough and unbearable for this tiny family. " I can never forget the days of the recent war. It was the time my home was completely bulldozed and bombed two years ago". "During the war we moved to be sheltered by our relatives who are not far from us".

Mahdi is now in Grade 8 and his education progress records are good but life always deprives him of its beauty. The living conditions of the family is gravely harsh and intolerable. As the family lives in a tent, they can not bear the cold weather in winter nor the heat in summer. Gloomily, they have become completely dependent on the aid that regularly offered from the social affairs and other such organizations. These agencies deliver basic requirements of goods such as ( flour, cooking oil, beans….. ) but no essentials containing calcium C which means Mahdi has not received vegetables, fruit, milk and other foods that contain calcium C. This affects Mahdi negatively in terms of health and education. As mentioned above, Mahdi is 14 years old. As a result of the lack of vitamins, particularly Calcium C, he recently lost two teeth. His body is critically weak as a result as well.

Concerning Mahdi's educational progress, it has been turned up-side down as he is severely suffering from malnutrition. His scholastic achievements have fallen due to the dreadful environment he is living in. Waleed Saqa, Mahdi's teacher of English, stated that " Mahdi's behavior is a significant result of the conditions surrounding him. He feels that the entire world is fighting against him which affects him negatively in dealing with his school mates. He plays violently with his friends. That is because of the deprivation that he is experiencing" the teacher stressed.

With very little sources of income, Mahdi and his younger brother Mohammed go searching for scraps of iron and aluminum to sell in order to raise funds for their school expenses, which are very low.

The childhood of Mahdi leaves a few unanswered questions.... Why must life be like this for his family? What does the future hold for him? Is there not a UN resolution about rights of children? Why should children in Gaza be treated in this manner? Will peace be prevail one day?

Street Art 2

2010-01-10T15:49:00.011+02:00

فلنشطب طوائفنا!

2010-01-08T13:04:00.004+02:00

مقدم بواسطة Farfahinne فى 10 أبريل, 2009 - 10:06am.
المصدر:
التجمع اليساري من أجل التغيير

يمكنكم تحميل نسخة PDF من طلب شطب الطائفة وتقديمها إلى مأمور النفوس أو المديرية العامة للأحوال الشخصية مرفقة بصورة عن الهوية أو صورة عن اخراج القيد، وصورتين شمسيتين مصدقتين من المختار في حال طلب اخراج قيد فردي.

http://www.tymat.org/?q=node/1758

Street Art

2010-01-08T09:35:00.007+02:00

ah Really !!!!!!!!

Impressive

It was just a.... reality

2010-01-06T23:56:00.002+02:00

I closed my eyes, and the past passed by, memories of tears and pain, cries hate and shame.

I breathed deep and spelled your name, and your face was there, the smile i know, the eyes and touch.

Then a glow appeared, a light of the unknown, the tomorrow we fear, you took my hand and we passed through the light.

It was just a thought , a dream a vision ... a reality

2010

2009-12-31T00:24:00.001+02:00

Peace, Love, Health, Hope

YouTube Blog: Shining a Light on Human Rights Abuses Through Film

2009-12-27T19:59:00.001+02:00

From the Iran protests to the uprising of monks in Burma, YouTube has become a place where citizens can expose human rights violations and promote free expression. This month, we were excited to see many of you help the organizations that regularly combat injustice and abuse around the world, by creating a video for one of them through Video Volunteers.

Spurred by Morgan Freeman's heartfelt call-out video and International Human Rights Day, which occurred earlier this month, you submitted videos on behalf of nonprofit ....

YouTube Blog: Shining a Light on Human Rights Abuses Through Film

Climate change is on the move

2009-12-25T13:01:00.000+02:00

Ecosystems will need to shift by about a quarter-mile per year to keep up with climate change in the future, says a Nature paper published today.

Many studies have looked at how plants and animals will need to shift location in order to adapt to changing temperatures, for example moving northward in the northern hemisphere as things get toastier closer to the equator. But the new work examines the speed at which critters will shift across various temperature gradients. "Things are on the move, faster than we anticipated," team member Healy Hamilton, of the California Academy of Sciences, told Reuters.

As one might expect, topography turns out to play a big role in how far animals must move. Rugged areas such as mountain ranges have many microclimates that can be entered just by shifting a little up or down in elevation. Flatter areas such as valleys mean more miles need to be covered.

"How far do you have to go from a given point to change your climate? On a mountain, it's not very far,” lead author Scott Loarie of the Carnegie Institution for Science in California told Discovery News. “But if you're in the middle of the Amazon basin, you have to go very far to change your climate."

The bottom line? Conservationists looking to preserve habitats might need to look at larger areas to save in flatter areas than in mountainous ones.

Posted by Alex Witze on December 24, 2009

http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/2009/12/climate_change_is_on_the_move.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+news/rss/the_great_beyond+(The+Great+Beyond+-+Blog+Posts)

Lebanon: Dont Break the Egg!

2009-12-24T23:09:00.002+02:00

The Egg, the Blob, the Bubble, the Dome… In the heart of Beirut, the shell of the egg-shaped structure that once was the avant-garde cinema of the late City Center complex is soon to be demolished to be replaced by a section of the Beirut Gate project.

Global Voices Online � Lebanon: Dont Break the Egg!

Uganda: President Says He Will Block Anti-Gay Bill � Global Voices Online

2009-12-24T23:05:00.001+02:00

Uganda's proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 still awaits a final decision by the country's Parliament, but the country's Daily Monitor newspaper reported Wednesday that President Yoweri Museveni has “assured the US State Department of his willingness to block the Bill”:

President Museveni has reportedly assured American authorities that he will veto Ndorwa West MP David Bahati’s proposed anti-gay law, a position that breaks with his recent stance and the statements of officials in his government.

Uganda: President Says He Will Block Anti-Gay Bill � Global Voices Online

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

2009-12-24T15:04:00.000+02:00

Mexico: Marriage and Adoption for Gay Couples in the Capital

2009-12-23T23:41:00.001+02:00

Gay marriage has been legalized in Mexico City, after reforms made to the civil code by the Legislative Assembly on December 21. In the same meeting, a law was passed allowing gay couples to adopt children.

Global Voices Online � Mexico: Marriage and Adoption for Gay Couples in the Capital

Global Voices Online

Philippines: Poll body rejects election bid of “immoral” LGBT group

2009-12-18T01:19:00.001+02:00

For promoting same sex relationship which is contrary to religious beliefs, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has rejected the petition of gay group Ang Ladlad to be recognized as a party that can run in the 2010 Philippine elections. As expected, the Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender (LGBT) community is not happy over this ruling.

The 2010 presidential elections will be held on May. Ang Ladlad will participate in the elections through the partylist system. According to the Philippine Constitution, 20 percent of members of Congress should come from partylist groups which represent the country's underrepresented and marginalized sectors.

http://globalvoicesonline.org

Global Voices Online � Philippines: Poll body rejects election bid of “immoral” LGBT group

قُرص الأسبرين

2009-12-18T01:07:00.000+02:00

قرص الأسبرين

ليسَ هذا وطني الكبير
لا..
ليسَ هذا الوطنُ المربّعُ الخاناتِ كالشطرنجِ..
والقابعُ مثلَ نملةٍ في أسفلِ الخريطة..
هوَ الذي قالّ لنا مدرّسُ التاريخِ في شبابنا
بأنهُ موطننا الكبير.

لا..
ليسَ هذا الوطنُ المصنوعُ من عشرينَ كانتوناً..
ومن عشرينَ دكاناً..
ومن عشرينَ صرّافاً..
وحلاقاً..
وشرطياً..
وطبّالاً.. وراقصةً..
يسمّى وطني الكبير..

لا..
ليسَ هذا الوطنُ السّاديُّ.. والفاشيُّ
والشحّاذُ.. والنفطيُّ
والفنّانُ.. والأميُّ
والثوريُّ.. والرجعيُّ
والصّوفيُّ.. والجنسيُّ
والشيطانُ.. والنبيُّ
والفقيهُ، والحكيمُ، والإمام
هوَ الذي كانَ لنا في سالفِ الأيّام
حديقةَ الأحلام..

لا...
ليسَ هذا الجسدُ المصلوبُ
فوقَ حائطِ الأحزانِ كالمسيح
لا...
ليسَ هذا الوطنُ الممسوخُ كالصرصار،
والضيّقُ كالضريح..
لا..
ليسَ هذا وطني الكبير

لا...
ليسَ هذا الأبلهُ المعاقُ.. والمرقّعُ الثيابِ،
والمجذوبُ، والمغلوبُ..
والمشغولُ في النحوِ وفي الصرفِ..
وفي قراءةِ الفنجانِ والتبصيرِ..
لا...
ليسَ هذا وطني الكبير

لا...
ليسَ هذا الوطنُ المنكَّسُ الأعلامِ..
والغارقُ في مستنقعِ الكلامِ،
والحافي على سطحٍ من الكبريتِ والقصدير
لا...
ليسَ هذا الرجلُ المنقولُ في سيّارةِ الإسعافِ،
والمحفوظُ في ثلّاجةِ الأمواتِ،
والمعطّلُ الإحساسِ والضمير
لا...
ليسَ هذا وطني الكبير

لا..
ليسَ هذا الرجلُ المقهورُ..
والمكسورُ..
والمذعورُ كالفأرةِ..
والباحثُ في زجاجةِ الكحولِ عن مصير
لا...
ليسَ هذا وطني الكبير..

يا وطني:
يا أيّها الضائعُ في الزمانِ والمكانِ،
والباحثُ في منازلِ العُربان..
عن سقفٍ، وعن سرير
لقد كبرنا.. واكتشفنا لعبةَ التزوير
فالوطنُ المن أجلهِ ماتَ صلاحُ الدين
يأكلهُ الجائعُ في سهولة
كعلبةِ السردين..
والوطنُ المن أجلهِ قد غنّت الخيولُ في حطّين
يبلعهُ الإنسانُ في سهولةٍ..
كقُرص أسبرين!!..

بيروت في 8/1/1985

Even Heaven Is Hell WithOut You

2009-12-16T01:05:00.002+02:00

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Offers Hope During Suspended Climate Conference | Hopenhagen

2009-12-15T23:06:00.000+02:00

As the Hopenhagen Ambassador, I'm supposed to be spreading and collecting messages of hope. But to be honest, it isn't easy being hopeful right now.
According to a recent post by Andy Revkin of the New York Times, the pledges that countries are making right now likely corresponds to almost four degrees Celsius of warming by the end of the century. The IPCC says that four degrees of warming would reduce crop yields around the world and result in the extinction of perhaps more than forty percent of all plants and animals. Sea level would likely rise by more than three feet, forcing hundreds of millions of people to abandon their homes. Almost all countries agree that we should keep warming under 2 degrees, yet the current pledges don't line up with this goal.
Nobel Peace Prize winning Archbishop Desmond Tutu spoke at a rally today during "Hopenhagen Live." I attended the rally, where Desmond talked about the injustice of climate change. To give you a sense of the event, below is the first 28 seconds of the speech where Desmond greets the audience.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Offers Hope During Suspended Climate Conference | Hopenhagen

Tunisia: Student Jailed for Media Interview

2009-12-15T22:41:00.000+02:00

Tunisian student Mohamed Soudani, 24, disappeared on October 22, 2009, in Tunisia after giving interviews to Radio Monte Carlo International and Radio France International.

Soudani was missing for 18 days until Tunisia’s police contacted his family inform them that he is detained in the Murnaguiya prison about 15km away from the capital Tunis
Global Voices Online
Global Voices Online � Tunisia: Student Jailed for Media Interview

Puerto Rico: Hate Crime Against Gay Teenager Causes Outrage

2009-12-12T11:37:00.000+02:00

Nineteen year-old Jorge Steven Mercado dreamed about working in the fashion industry. He was also a volunteer in organizations advocating for HIV prevention and gay rights. But, last week his body was found dismembered, decapitated, and partially burned, in a rural area in Guavate, Cayey, Puerto Rico. Activists from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community in Puerto Rico immediately described this brutal slaying as a hate crime. Not a single crime has been processed under the Puerto Rican Hate Crime Law since it was approved in 2002. Penalties are higher if the Hate Crime Law is applied....

Global Voices Online � Puerto Rico: Hate Crime Against Gay Teenager Causes Outrage

HIV as a death sentence, literally.

2009-12-10T12:13:00.000+02:00

Everybody knows that a diagnosis with HIV is not the death sentence it used to be years ago, due to many improvements in anti-retroviral drugs and the emergence of new therapies.

However, some politicians in Uganda are trying to change that, literally.

Lawmakers in Uganda are trying to pass a new anti-homosexuality bill that would make it even more difficult for someone to be gay in that country. Mind you, homosexuality is already illegal in Uganda, but the new bill will introduce even tougher penalties for being gay/engaging in homosexual acts.

The bill has a lot of disturbing penalties and clauses in it. The most disturbing however is the clause in the bill that allows the state to execute anyone who tests positive for HIV. Yes, you read that right. People who test positive for the virus that causes AIDS can be put to death.

Other oddities of the bill include a measure that will allow prosecution of gays that have engaged in homosexual acts outside of Uganda but can still be put on trial for it in Uganda itself. Sounds more like a lynching campaign to me.

I will spare you the annoying details, however the bill is rife with various basic-human-rights-insulting-clauses. Feel free to browse it at this link. Just a quick review of the table of contents is sufficient enough to give any human being a severe headache.

China: the US and EU must present deeper cuts - COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009

2009-12-09T15:35:00.000+02:00

China: the US and EU must present deeper cuts - COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009

2009-12-09T15:34:00.000+02:00

China: the US and EU must present deeper cuts - COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009

What Is Global Warming?

2009-10-15T11:05:00.002+03:00

The Planet Is Heating Up—and Fast

Glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, cloud forests are drying, and wildlife is scrambling to keep pace. It's becoming clear that humans have caused most of the past century's warming by releasing heat-trapping gases as we power our modern lives. Called greenhouse gases, their levels are higher now than in the last 650,000 years.

We call the result global warming, but it is causing a set of changes to the Earth's climate, or long-term weather patterns, that varies from place to place. As the Earth spins each day, the new heat swirls with it, picking up moisture over the oceans, rising here, settling there. It's changing the rhythms of climate that all living things have come to rely upon.

What will we do to slow this warming? How will we cope with the changes we've already set into motion? While we struggle to figure it all out, the face of the Earth as we know it—coasts, forests, farms and snow-capped mountains—hangs in the balance.

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-overview.html

سجِّل! أنا عربي - محمود درويش

2009-09-29T09:16:00.004+03:00

سجِّل! أنا عربي
ورقمُ بطاقتي خمسونَ ألفْ
وأطفالي ثمانيةٌ
وتاسعهُم.. سيأتي بعدَ صيفْ!
فهلْ تغضبْ؟

سجِّلْ!
أنا عربي
وأعملُ مع رفاقِ الكدحِ في محجرْ
وأطفالي ثمانيةٌ
أسلُّ لهمْ رغيفَ الخبزِ،
والأثوابَ والدفترْ
من الصخرِ
ولا أتوسَّلُ الصدقاتِ من بابِكْ
ولا أصغرْ
أمامَ بلاطِ أعتابكْ
فهل تغضب؟

سجل
أنا عربي
أنا اسم بلا لقبِ
صبورٌ في بلادٍ كلُّ ما فيها
يعيشُ بفورةِ الغضبِ
جذوري...
قبلَ ميلادِ الزمانِ رستْ
وقبلَ تفتّحِ الحقبِ
وقبلَ السّروِ والزيتونِ
.. وقبلَ ترعرعِ العشبِ
أبي.. من أسرةِ المحراثِ
لا من سادةٍ نجبِ
وجدّي كانَ فلاحاً
بلا حسبٍ.. ولا نسبِ!
يعلّمني شموخَ الشمسِ قبلَ قراءةِ الكتبِ
وبيتي كوخُ ناطورٍ
منَ الأعوادِ والقصبِ
فهل ترضيكَ منزلتي؟
أنا اسم بلا لقبِ

سجل
أنا عربي
ولونُ الشعرِ.. فحميٌّ
ولونُ العينِ.. بنيٌّ
وميزاتي:
على رأسي عقالٌ فوقَ كوفيّه
وكفّي صلبةٌ كالصخرِ
تخمشُ من يلامسَها
وعنواني:
أنا من قريةٍ عزلاءَ منسيّهْ
شوارعُها بلا أسماء
وكلُّ رجالها في الحقلِ والمحجرْ
فهل تغضبْ؟

سجِّل
أنا عربي
سلبتَ كرومَ أجدادي
وأرضاً كنتُ أفلحُها
أنا وجميعُ أولادي
ولم تتركْ لنا.. ولكلِّ أحفادي
سوى هذي الصخورِ..
فهل ستأخذُها
حكومتكمْ.. كما قيلا؟

إذن
سجِّل.. برأسِ الصفحةِ الأولى
أنا لا أكرهُ الناسَ
ولا أسطو على أحدٍ
ولكنّي.. إذا ما جعتُ
آكلُ لحمَ مغتصبي
حذارِ.. حذارِ.. من جوعي
ومن غضبي

Pepsi VS Cola ( 1885 -2008)

2009-09-08T14:55:00.002+03:00

Day Cow

2009-07-31T11:06:00.000+03:00

Day Cowhttp://tinyurl.com/kqptkt
"

Litago ku-kunst

2009-07-31T10:33:00.000+03:00

Litago ku-kunst: "Me The Cow :p "
"

Give me the chance

2009-07-28T14:15:00.002+03:00

Give me the chance to say yes
Give me the chance to try
Give me the chance to change

Give us the chance to be, to exist, to become stronger, to stand up together now more than ever

Just Say I love Him

2009-07-24T16:07:00.002+03:00

Just say that I need him as roses need the rain
And tell him that without him my dreams are all in vain
Just say I love him loved him from the start
And tell him that I'm yearning to say what's in my heart
Just say that I need him as roses need the rain
Tell him that without him my dreams are all in vain

If you should chance to meet him anytime anyplace anywhere
Say I was a fool to leave him
Tell him how much a fool can care
And if he tells you he's lonely now and then
Just won't you tell him that I love him
And want him back again

If you should see him anytime anyplace anywhere
Tell him I was a fool to leave him
Tell him how much a fool can care
And if he tells you he's lonely now and then
Won't you just say I love him and want him back again
Won't you just say I love him and want him back again

My Stars

2008-03-11T22:34:00.002+02:00

Caramel- Best Lebanese Movie (2007)

2008-03-06T11:21:00.007+02:00

The film premiered on May 20 at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, in the Directors' Fortnight section .It ran for the Caméra d'or.

Caramel was distributed in over 40 countries, easily becoming the most internationally acclaimed and exposed Lebanese film to date. Audiences around the world have embraced the simple but effective story of five Lebanese women tackling with forbidden love, binding traditions, repressed sexuality, the struggle to accept the natural process of age, and duty vs. desire. Labaki's film is unique for not showcasing a war-ravaged Beirut but rather a warm and inviting exotic locale where people deal with univeral issues.

The title Caramel refers to an epilation method used in the Middle East that consists of heating sugar, water and lemon juice. Labaki also symbolically implies the "idea of sweet and salt, sweet and sour" and showcases that everyday relations can sometimes be sticky but ultimately the sisterhood shared between the central female characters prevails.

The shooting of Caramel ended just 9 days before the Israeli war against Lebanon in July 2006, and was released exactly one year after the shooting began in Cannes. An old clothes shop in the Beirut District of Gemmayze was transformed into a salon where the shooting of the film took place. Caroline Labaki, Nadine's sister, was the one responsible for Costume Design. The music was composed by Khaled Mouzanar. Shortly after the movie release, Labaki married him.

The film is Lebanon's official submission to the 80th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.

Awards
Directors' Fortnight selection 2007.
San Sebastian Film Festival Youth Award 2007.
San Sebastian Film Festival TCM Audience Award 2007.
San Sebastian Film Festival Sebastiane Award 2007.
Abu Dhabi Black Pearl for Best Actress for Nadine Labaki, Yasmine Al Masri, Joanna Moukarzel, Gisele Aouad, Siham Haddad and Asiza Semaan during the Middle east International film festival 2007.
Variety Middle East Filmmaker of the Year for Nadine Labaki during the Middle East International film festival 2007.

Nominations
Best Feature film in Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2007.
Achievement in Directing for Nadine Labaki in Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2007.
Performance by an actress for Nadine Labaki, Yasmine Al Masri, Joanna Moukarzel, Gisele Aouad, Siham Haddad & Asiza Semaan in Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2007.

NEW Born (Sarry Jaber)

2008-03-05T23:09:00.004+02:00

Love .... More thas a word

2008-03-05T22:00:00.004+02:00

Love feels no burden,

thinks nothing of trouble,

attempts what is above its strength,

pleads no excuse of impossibility...

It is therefore able to undertake all things,
and it completes many things,
and warrants them to take effect,
where he who does not love would faint and lie down.

Love is watchful and sleeping, slumbereth not.
Though weary, it is not tired;
though pressed, it is not straitened;

though alarmed, it is not confounded...

- Thomas A. Kempis -

Hope .... Light... Life...

2008-03-02T11:05:00.013+02:00

This is Me

2008-02-28T23:19:00.017+02:00

Should i worry for 2moro?
why?
am i living today to worry for 2moro?
the answer is NO. i'm not living as wish to be. few are..
i miss friends who left away and i cant reach....
i miss love thats seem to be impossible to have or even give...
i miss the smile on a child's face.....
i miss hope that died in the sad eyes....
i miss myself ....
can i come again to life?
time is good enough to change things