Blatant Racism

Lebanon still has a lot to go when it comes to issues of race, class and religion.
Just check out this article and you'll know what I mean.

Now Lebanon link

This is racist and absolutely unacceptable.

BG

LZ in Cedarland

"Hey guys! I apologize for not posting. Initially it was because I was in my Northern Lebanese mountain village with no internet access. Now that I am working in Beirut during the week, my excuse is much more shameful. Blogspot.com is in Arabic and I cannot figure out how to log on and post. Sigh, sad I know. That would also explain why BG is posting this message for me instead of me posting it myself.

As a side note, I have only just discovered the amazingness that is Beirut Taxi Drivers and the service system. Someone needs to make a movie about it.

All my love,

LZ"

BG

Really?!

British National Party leader had this to say about immigrants and people of ethnic background in his country:

"Britain is full, overcrowded and clearly terribly terribly unstable as a result of this multicultural experiment."

And what about those immigrants that want to come to the UK?

"What needs to be done as an example is to sink a couple of boats near the shores of Libya - throw them lifebelts so they can paddle back, so they understand they will never get to Europe."

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Elsewhere on the beloved European continent . . .

The Greek police has demolished a camp used by immigrants and according to the story, the camp had become some sort of an "eyesore".

"The camp had been a source of tension with many Greeks who regarded it as a major eyesore for themselves and for tourists arriving from Italy."

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All this sort of makes the treatments of Arabs and Muslims in America post 9-11 seem like a stroll in the park.

BG

Ahmadinejad got owned

This is exactly why Obama kicks ass!

BG

VOTE for Jeita Grotto

Watch the following video.

BG

I was only shooting at the enemy, I swear!

Lebanon's Central Security Council (CSC) fully banned gunfire during political, religious and social events.

Eh, should it not be banned in ALL events and at ALL times?!
One has to wonder in awe when trying to decipher how the minds of our beloved leaders function!

Useless person in power: Listen haboob, it's summer season and all and we are expecting a lot of tourists this year, could we possibly keep the gunfire to a minimum.
Useless person working for useless person in power: eh, you're right! I mean after all, we are invested in this s**t. That would not be such a bad idea after all. Let me call these guys over at CSC and I'll have them issue a statement or something. People usually buy that kinda crap. Tikram 3aynak, walaw?!

Ridiculous.
Shameless.
Scandalous.

BG

Note: BG et LZ are highly appreciative of the actions of our reformist interior minister Ziad Barood. This is by no means a scathing post on his job or performance in particular, but at the entire lifestyle of Lebanese government's "business as usual" attitude.

Sad 3

"We've heard stories of gay-specific torture where men have glue in their anuses and they force-feed them laxatives."

If that's not torture, then I don't know what is?!

BG

Beiteddine Festivals Update #2

A nice video with some history of Beiteddine Palace and an intro to the current lineup of the Beiteddine International Festival.

VIDEO

The video is from AnnaharTV, which you should know about by now. If you don't then please explore it. I love most of the subjects they try to tackle with these videos especially so that we tend to forget that Lebanon is not all politics. Most of the blogs/coverage that comes out of Lebanon is politics heavy and AnnaharTV is a nice change.

BG

Chatter box

Yet another classic from Joe Biden.

"That S.O.B is rolling over in his grave right now."

As to why he is allowed to drift off scripted speech is beyond me.

It remains to be seen how many insurgents or Saddam sympathizers will find this extremely offensive and will thus go off on a killing spree.

BG

Score one for the ladies! #2

It is indeed a good week for women in the Middle East!
Now, mind you lot's of work still needs to be done but there has been a few stories that are encouraging.

The first one comes out of Syria where Bashar Al Assad has decreed that men convicted of honor killings should get harsher sentences. Get this though, he increased their sentence from a 1 year to a whopping 2 year imprisonment! Still a ludicrous sentence for murder, but better than nothing I guess!
LINK

The second one comes out of Egypt where the government has finally done something about the rampant sexual harassment woman experience on a daily basis. This apparently had been a recurring problem in Egypt where woman just don't feel safe on the streets. A sexual perpetrator had been charged with 45 years in prison. A tough and very much needed sentence.
LINK

Both these stories are welcome developments coming out of the Middle East where women still lag considerably behind men when it comes to their rights and social equalities.

BG

Lost in Translation

I love it when I read articles on Lebanese non-Arabic sites. Some of them are just beyond entertaining!

Check out the following news article on Naharnet.

Cabinet on Low Fire as Preparations for Lebanon-Syria-Saudi Summit Underway

So, there is this saying in Arabic that goes "3ala nar khafifa", literally translating into something being cooked at low temperature or low heat. When used figuratively, one is indicating that someone/something is just going to take his/her/its' time to finish doing something.

Oh Ahmad, how is that deal going with Tony?
Ahmad: 3ala nar khafifa habibna, 3ala nar khafifa.

Now, let's just translate that into English shall we?

Oh Edd, how is that deal going with Anthony?
Edd: on low fire love, on low fire.

It just doesn't work.

You would think people over at Naharnet will either start learning proper English soon, or hire someone who knows proper English.

I just find it entertaining!

BG