Stories about Lebanon from October, 2007
Lebanon: Polemic and nature
Moustafa from Beirut Spring's blog noted in one of his latest posts that Lebanon is “dropping French.” Somehow that claim is true; Lebanese francophone blogs are few and different from those in English, and are also less popular. However, they present a face of Lebanon that we would like to...
Lebanon: Arts and Artists
The Lebanese blogosphere is not solely composed of political blogs you know, and thank God for that. Some artists are using blogs to display their paintings, music and other artistic creations. Moussa Bashir tours the blogosphere, opening up a whole new world of culture and arts.
Lebanon: On Facebook
“The beauty of Facebook is that you can add friends to your list who don’t have the least interest in staying in touch with you either! So, it is now your chance to take revenge and impose yourself,” writes Ahmad about the social networking website Facebook.
Lebanon: Al Jazeera Interview
Lebanese academician and blogger Dr As'ad Abu Khalil links to his interview with Al Jazeera here. The interview was on the private security firms in Iraq.
Lebanon: Westernized Lebanese
“It's very common for the Western journalists to talk about “Westernized” Lebanese. It seems, however, that with this term they are identifying only one part of what is the West […] In reality they are only identifying those middle class characteristics found across the globe in this globalized world,” writes...
Lebanon: Politics and Soccer
“The Lebanese treat their politics like other countries treat soccer. ‘All the props are there. You have team flags with various colors, you have buses that shuttle the fans, you have the bitterness and ecstasy that follow defeat and victory, and you always blame the referee,'” writesBeirut Spring quoting a...
Lebanon: Wine
“The wine industry of Lebanon: $25 million a year, of which $10 million are from exports. 7 million bottles a year, of which 3 million are exported,” reports Dr. Rami Zurayk.
Lebanon: On the pre-election meetings
“So Christian “leaders” can do little at this stage. Pace any past pretence at grandeur, they forget that their past divisions have reduced them to bit players in a widening sectarian fight …” says Jeha about the meetings taking place between Christian leaders to prepare for the presidential elections.
Lebanon: On how to become a political leader
Cold Desert dissects some political prototypes. In this post, he explains how to become a political leader: “there is a single prerequisite; you need to be the son of a political leader. This political leader should have a very strong public base who would follow him blindly.”
Lebanon: No News
“You would think that, five days from the Parliamentary session which will supposedly elect Lebanon's next President, Beirut would be abuzz with news. You would be wrong,” writes blogger David Kenner.
Lebanon: Row over billboard ads
“Hands off the chair!!! … Or so it goes among many politicians, at least those concerned that this little ad…” wrote Jeha about an ad from OGERO, the state Telecom company, that was considered demeaning to the presidency.
Lebanon: Amnesty on Palestinian rights
“Amnesty International has published a damming report on the rights of Palestinian refugees (or lack of) in Lebanon,” writes Sursock, who posted parts of the report.
Lebanon: Religion, the State and flexible politicians
“It was not me who changed, it was the problem that changed!”, Lebanon Update quoting a Lebanese leader while showing how politicians easily change positions and how religion and the state are mixed.
Lebanon: On Judaism and Zionism
“…in Lebanon that there are Lebanese Jews who enjoy the full right as anyone else. The problem of Judaism is Zionism, it transformed them from a sect to a race. […] A lot of the Lebanese factions think that a Jew and a Zionist are the same. When Finkelstein, Chomsky,...
Lebanon: A Lebanese Jew
“I am a Lebanese Jew [and] I was forced to change my family name because my family origins are from Wadi Abu Jmil. I still live there under a false name, my family did not emigrate during the war, we hid in a sieged town in the Shouf district …”...
Arabeyes: Eid Al Fitr Celebrations (Part 2)
The Holy month of Ramadan culminated with Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations throughout the Muslim world. Here's what bloggers are saying about the occasion in the second of a three-part series. Today's tour takes us to Kuwait, Libya, Lebanon, Palestine and Israel.
Lebanon: We are sinking
“It’s like the ship is sinking, and everyone is trying to get off. Is the ship really sinking? I don’t know. When do you realize – while on a sinking ship – that the thing is sinking? When people are abandoning ship? In that case; we're sinking!” writes Sietske in...
Arabeyes: Eid Al Fitr Celebrations (Part 1)
The Holy month of Ramadan culminated with Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations throughout the Muslim world. Here's what bloggers are saying about the occasion in the first of a three-part series. Today's tour takes us to Lebanon, Libya, Israel, Morocco and Iraq.
Lebanon: Headed on a Spiralling Path
It has been relatively clear that Lebanon is headed on a spiralling path – back to revisit its own tragic past. The new generation destined to repeat the tragedies of their fathers and forefathers albeit with a new twist or two… posts R on Voices on the Wind from Lebanon.
Lebanon: Dark Days Ahead of Presidential Elections
Only dark days are coming to this forsaken nation when the presidential elections arrive, unless we have a strange “divine” miracle to get both camps reconcile for the future of the people who will suffer from another potential civil war, notes MFL from Lebanon.
Lebanon: Bittersweet Blogging
Louis-Noel Harfouche has returned to blogging about Lebanon in a new post about the Arabic language. “And bitter[sweet] and disheartening as it (and its people) are at times, Lebanon remains an infectious, delicious, long-savored and addictive torment,” he explains.
