tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428055076289131512024-03-05T08:58:51.529-05:00BabaGannouj et La ZaytouniA blog on Lebanon, the Middle East and BeyondBabaGannoujhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03570939229812220715noreply@blogger.comBlogger242125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-31851492445360215602010-04-29T12:00:00.018-04:002010-04-29T14:05:44.986-04:00Lebanese Girls the Most Beautiful or Lebanese Doctors the Most Skilled?Now for some <span style="font-weight:bold;">god unknown reason </span>I was thinking about <span style="font-weight:bold;">Heidi Montag</span> last night and the <span style="font-weight:bold;">disgusting thing she has done to herself</span>. <br /><br />If you don't know who the hell I'm talking about, go ahead and pat yourself on the back--you really shouldn't have any idea who this fame-whoring individual is--but just for this post's sake, I will briefly explain that she gained some fame on MTV's show 'The Hills' and then after getting a little notoriety proceeded to try to gain some serious celebrity by: <span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><br />1)</span> staging a <span style="font-weight:bold;">fake wedding </span>with her boyfriend, <span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><br />2)</span> writing a <span style="font-weight:bold;">book called "How To Be Famous"</span>, and <span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><br />3) </span>even coming out with an <span style="font-weight:bold;">album</span> ("<span style="font-weight:bold;">The Superficial</span>"--<span style="font-style:italic;">perfect title if I ever heard one</span>) that sold a total of <span style="font-weight:bold;">658 copies nationwide</span>. Which, considering the tabloids and Perez Hilton and all that crap that gives her media attention, is <span style="font-weight:bold;">unbelievably</span>, <span style="font-weight:bold;">ridiculously </span><span style="font-weight:bold;">bad</span>.<br /><br /><br />Anyway...Heidi's latest stunt is getting a boob job, and then getting <span style="font-weight:bold;">10 [plastic] surgeries in one day</span>, making a once very <span style="font-weight:bold;">pretty girl</span> into a <span style="font-weight:bold;">monster</span>:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBBZPX0A5ZCr5QsY01bBn_qHm43ybyBgmT7cKQblMEUpf6O49i-erg4N2XYiltpqpB_-H_y6Xf4dvJlB_kbYtm4AvzNSokiFacCgkXTLLRzkPToHQyq9tI5WR58oUu774_gv0ufba75A/s1600/Heidi+Montag+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBBZPX0A5ZCr5QsY01bBn_qHm43ybyBgmT7cKQblMEUpf6O49i-erg4N2XYiltpqpB_-H_y6Xf4dvJlB_kbYtm4AvzNSokiFacCgkXTLLRzkPToHQyq9tI5WR58oUu774_gv0ufba75A/s400/Heidi+Montag+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465595439688761426" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Heidi Montag</span> Before (L) and After (R)<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOp9TtZCoWarOpg-tVThRcGxWwrthlaj6AJs7DFL2esPmQVIiWPuAgubLpIRRmXwM5IJpW8YrGLJeMdS9L8UBOtWHnWxr0HVHLP0uMGum2FQCz2ljaEdj3Rc6YcAx5H_xxSCzEzDsX-E/s1600/Heidi+Montag+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery+2.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOp9TtZCoWarOpg-tVThRcGxWwrthlaj6AJs7DFL2esPmQVIiWPuAgubLpIRRmXwM5IJpW8YrGLJeMdS9L8UBOtWHnWxr0HVHLP0uMGum2FQCz2ljaEdj3Rc6YcAx5H_xxSCzEzDsX-E/s400/Heidi+Montag+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery+2.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465612510097940642" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Point of all this?</span><br /><br />Now I in no way endorse or support the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Lebanese addiction to Plastic Surgery</span>--I am completely 100% against it. 18 year old girls having nosejobs claiming <span style="font-style:italic;">"Oh I really needed it because I had a <span style="font-weight:bold;">la7mieh </span>in my nose and couldn't breathe properly" </span>and then proceeding to get three more nosejobs so only a sliver of a <span style="font-weight:bold;">Michael Jackson nose</span> is left.<br /><br />I find it <span style="font-weight:bold;">extraordinarily sad </span>and <span style="font-weight:bold;">amazingly creepy</span> when I am sitting in the salon in my grandparents house with my Lebanese female friends and family members and <span style="font-weight:bold;">my mom and I are the only two the haven't had any work done</span>...this is no exagguration sadly, a quite regular occurance (which also means I have to watch myself before I stare at <span style="font-weight:bold;">Nawal al Zoughby</span> on the TV and go: <span style="font-style:italic;">"I can't believe she did plastic surgery! She looked so much better before! How stupid!" </span>and then turn around to stare and <span style="font-style:italic;">mart khaleh</span> who has a nose job...)<br /><br />No, no, I do not in anyway support this <span style="font-weight:bold;">Lebanese '<span style="font-style:italic;">marad</span>'</span>...but I have to say.....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXCXLV36f-ttEuwWEnXRZBEz8JyjtlruUq_JVKADJv0hHSYCR5OMAslTypcda8uwPX2vo1HPSSbPN19DxiLK-b8RlQWWParpxFFjf67qJXiIqHyw8F1XPWWwKD8nE35sVWJiPWVM2Z98/s1600/Katia+Harb+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXCXLV36f-ttEuwWEnXRZBEz8JyjtlruUq_JVKADJv0hHSYCR5OMAslTypcda8uwPX2vo1HPSSbPN19DxiLK-b8RlQWWParpxFFjf67qJXiIqHyw8F1XPWWwKD8nE35sVWJiPWVM2Z98/s400/Katia+Harb+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465595461730741906" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Katia Harb</span> Before (L) and After (R)<br /></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69ba-xz5CYLSOns8YNxjBgT2nXY5kmJZ9Rkw677qHXESEem41LGt4PjehtLUdRqBrB6VZKFFmrnOsVZ29oSEvcpjJo1p1VKCx9-xiGS18lYFr137LtkqrEe6NA7C4upp02KparbwdbyI/s1600/Haifa+Wehbe+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69ba-xz5CYLSOns8YNxjBgT2nXY5kmJZ9Rkw677qHXESEem41LGt4PjehtLUdRqBrB6VZKFFmrnOsVZ29oSEvcpjJo1p1VKCx9-xiGS18lYFr137LtkqrEe6NA7C4upp02KparbwdbyI/s400/Haifa+Wehbe+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465595459187132514" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Haifa Wehbe</span> Before (L) and After (R)<br /></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHxwQMlLx_XmKtFg045TK-K3ViXPVjUX1dU9fI9xaFlECE3khBSXYUX5wg0uZPhsMxKezXWHyO0VYYksKJeaA6cKuN2tMRZvvv7RGe7_MuGGh27OuXF0M1DzMZWP18aQoYrzdJRGx9kE/s1600/Elissa+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHxwQMlLx_XmKtFg045TK-K3ViXPVjUX1dU9fI9xaFlECE3khBSXYUX5wg0uZPhsMxKezXWHyO0VYYksKJeaA6cKuN2tMRZvvv7RGe7_MuGGh27OuXF0M1DzMZWP18aQoYrzdJRGx9kE/s400/Elissa+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465595448726047106" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Elissa </span>Before (L) and After (R)<br /></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06-R_QZXSirhMA5BNnXTCgealUsb0uobXw-X1aLy05QZOlCiNt9R6xS0Mv_eauO7Ola8TTx71vPUb7EckVGs4MzGHsm6rLDNwAz-Kl9PzdCkGqkawVmCpNfaUfeCEoSOBmx8IH7uFXqQ/s1600/Aline+Khalaf+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06-R_QZXSirhMA5BNnXTCgealUsb0uobXw-X1aLy05QZOlCiNt9R6xS0Mv_eauO7Ola8TTx71vPUb7EckVGs4MzGHsm6rLDNwAz-Kl9PzdCkGqkawVmCpNfaUfeCEoSOBmx8IH7uFXqQ/s400/Aline+Khalaf+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465595446144660978" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Aline Khalaf</span> Before (L) and After (R)<br /></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0WOLRx3fd5AIFrEpniPhQFzNthlY3pH0sIXs_HhlOzi9tfC_U7Mssfstu1ukIswqZj1UrsPfG_I56l5DEGs0G7xXv31o34dNxMjXU4jwGenBREAeAuIBwm1ATMsJOLTh81BxAUq3rhM/s1600/Pascale+Machaalani+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0WOLRx3fd5AIFrEpniPhQFzNthlY3pH0sIXs_HhlOzi9tfC_U7Mssfstu1ukIswqZj1UrsPfG_I56l5DEGs0G7xXv31o34dNxMjXU4jwGenBREAeAuIBwm1ATMsJOLTh81BxAUq3rhM/s400/Pascale+Machaalani+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465596000445220386" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Pascale Machaalani</span> Before (L) and After (R)<br /></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiJNd093Kyc2600dK3oU_9AUTIgsxkyamPr8fnXnmtHisdDwJRCPjrCALePPxDBCxita6y3Xlqo5lR9Ix2riBr0R3OWCmlKxncbjkkly4uFIHJuVvS4eYphbDIHq2hob1gUufjJQMQ1M/s1600/Nancy+Ajram+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiJNd093Kyc2600dK3oU_9AUTIgsxkyamPr8fnXnmtHisdDwJRCPjrCALePPxDBCxita6y3Xlqo5lR9Ix2riBr0R3OWCmlKxncbjkkly4uFIHJuVvS4eYphbDIHq2hob1gUufjJQMQ1M/s400/Nancy+Ajram+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465595996435976610" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nancy Ajram</span> Before (L) and After (R)<br /></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAnPefN-mIrGpUr3ISJ51vllNvamqS3kxzTY0w-Dob7dK-coz3iiEG8uogmnXKT2JlAB8B8haSREPpQB_ZNjy-VrbNPELSHbw5wlEIACXm5ITttT2XpruYWO6tJC0BllA2GzNQL-AytM/s1600/Najwa+Karam+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAnPefN-mIrGpUr3ISJ51vllNvamqS3kxzTY0w-Dob7dK-coz3iiEG8uogmnXKT2JlAB8B8haSREPpQB_ZNjy-VrbNPELSHbw5wlEIACXm5ITttT2XpruYWO6tJC0BllA2GzNQL-AytM/s400/Najwa+Karam+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465595989527642530" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Najwa Karam </span>Before (L) and After (R)<br /></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_5hLFTRCEH9lmJjtvTVMNRfo20vEwADkllAi72hj8aXfbA6KVgzpOeIgaE5YBD1kFWcNheFEGGawVJJ7De8UVAd0o1PGq2LH5HupSbzxbgQqVhq752_m2814YqDuNNAC3b3IMKZerTM/s1600/Razan+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_5hLFTRCEH9lmJjtvTVMNRfo20vEwADkllAi72hj8aXfbA6KVgzpOeIgaE5YBD1kFWcNheFEGGawVJJ7De8UVAd0o1PGq2LH5HupSbzxbgQqVhq752_m2814YqDuNNAC3b3IMKZerTM/s400/Razan+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465595981058843490" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Razan </span>Before (L) and After (R)<br /></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxV9SJ2sdP_SHkgy-MSp8cgGp66-nzXxh1gQMTtBTyG9iwvdcN2QvYW7UpWqRWgCBqc-OXGsdZjZ2dgCJy3aDsMTd-8WeSlyAscBrwCIjzaLAyJ91oBK7U3pkPYlZGHkdcYE5l11YEzA/s1600/May+Hariri+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxV9SJ2sdP_SHkgy-MSp8cgGp66-nzXxh1gQMTtBTyG9iwvdcN2QvYW7UpWqRWgCBqc-OXGsdZjZ2dgCJy3aDsMTd-8WeSlyAscBrwCIjzaLAyJ91oBK7U3pkPYlZGHkdcYE5l11YEzA/s400/May+Hariri+Before+and+After+Plastic+Surgery.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465595979844075762" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">May Hariri</span> Before (L) and After (R)<br /></span><br /><br /><br />.......<span style="font-weight:bold;">Heidi Montag should've gotten her work done in <span style="font-weight:bold;">Lebanon</span></span>.<br /><br /><br />~LZ<br /><br /><div id="pd_rating_holder_1905119"></div><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />PDRTJS_settings_1905119 = {<br /> "id" : "1905119",<br /> "unique_id" : "default",<br /> "title" : "",<br /> "permalink" : ""<br />};<br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://i.polldaddy.com/ratings/rating.js"></script>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-73297282830704016932010-04-28T15:19:00.005-04:002010-04-28T15:34:03.793-04:00BetLZ News 4.28.2010<span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><a href="http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidDS28042010_dsart2%284%29/Water%20Taxi%20Project%20could%20help%20free%20up%20Lebanon%27s%20roads">Water Taxi Project could help free up nation's roads</a> / Daily Star <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Will it be based off of the <a href="http://www.elhub.net/">ElHub design</a>?? This would be AMAZING! (If it's actually feasible) For more info on Public Transport in Lebanon also read this <a href="http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=157254">NowLebanon article</a><br /></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqb_27N8QFda5XoZrq2N2bzMgsdIfQevpSTmLdVCqt1_28REMgQHDOmHVuLuHJJQVS94n9wSDxffE-7feT5JPehGAMUpnz5MQWarVuxuuzGvEVYQLHm8aBUJdRSQer2Ow8WS4kQy2JSw/s1600/elhub+lebanon+ferry+public+transportation.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 363px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqb_27N8QFda5XoZrq2N2bzMgsdIfQevpSTmLdVCqt1_28REMgQHDOmHVuLuHJJQVS94n9wSDxffE-7feT5JPehGAMUpnz5MQWarVuxuuzGvEVYQLHm8aBUJdRSQer2Ow8WS4kQy2JSw/s400/elhub+lebanon+ferry+public+transportation.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465273569579244338" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;">ElHub proposed Ferry Stops</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3881999,00.html">Lebanon transfers soldiers' remains to Syria </a>/ Ynet<br /><br /><a href="http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/04/28/general-ml-egypt-hezbollah_7554895.html">Egypt hands life sentences to 3 Hezbollah members </a>/ Forbes<br /><br /><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-28/pilot-strike-to-disrupt-mea-operations-chairman-says-update1-.html">Pilot Strike to Disrupt MEA Operations, Chairman Says</a> / Bloomberg<br /><br /><a href="http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/article.php?section=airports&article=airport-show-ier-wins-mea-kiosk-deal-at-beirut">Airport Show: IER wins MEA kiosk deal at Beirut</a> / Arabian Aerospace<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=114288#axzz0mPufDjBG">Threat of catastrophic earthquake looms over Lebanon</a> / Daily Star<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=46136">Almost a legend (Interview with Robert Fisk)</a> / Sun2Surf<br /><br />Blog: <a href="http://www.gourmet-chick.com/2010/04/beirut-gourmet-chick-in-lebanon.html">Beirut (Gourmet Chick in Lebanon)</a></span><br /><br />~LZLaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-37783355057625908612010-04-27T17:24:00.003-04:002010-04-27T17:28:43.153-04:00BetLZ News 4.27.2010<span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8645273.stm">Ex-hostage John McCarthy thanks man who freed him</a> / BBC News<br /><br /><a href="http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/0/AF4AE869932A2C80C225771200310D73?OpenDocument">"Beyond Beirut" Launched to Stimulate Rural Tourism</a> / Naharnet<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3881607,00.html">Lebanese news site says hacked by Israelis</a> / Ynet<br /><br /><a href="http://www.basilandspice.com/journal/lebanon-2010-becoming-secular-unlikely.html">Lebanon 2010: Becoming Secular--Unlikely</a> / Basil & Spice<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=114247#axzz0mKSTlyAF">UNIFIL donates 24 vehicles to Lebanese Armed Forces</a> / Daily Star<br /><br /><a href="http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Egypt/315207">Fadel Shaker Retiring</a> / Al Bawaba<br /><br /><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/the-luxury-resort-in-the-middle-of-a-war-zone-1955156.html">The luxury resort in the middle of a war zone</a> / Robert Fisk<br /><br /><a href="http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/0/85DB90EEF5567B28C2257712003C81DE?OpenDocument">Lebanon to Hand Over Syrian Soldiers' Remains to Damascus</a> / Naharnet</span><br /><br />~LZLaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-29513512820953758182010-04-27T11:02:00.008-04:002010-04-27T12:06:27.313-04:00Batroun Panoramic View<span style="font-weight:bold;">A nice way to start off the day...</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bapSd6BG5JfhSis7MXrVSHMo8UwFQtNRxJEmXJxTLRIGzujEGnT9fTrQT0pEeURPlmgTZgRYoVCyI13TSnS6T1RoaTry5CJiWymu5pCLelM5NzdtKGRyIOkY5Yjb9BOfay5Fqx-Ai-U/s1600/batroun+beach+panorama.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 117px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bapSd6BG5JfhSis7MXrVSHMo8UwFQtNRxJEmXJxTLRIGzujEGnT9fTrQT0pEeURPlmgTZgRYoVCyI13TSnS6T1RoaTry5CJiWymu5pCLelM5NzdtKGRyIOkY5Yjb9BOfay5Fqx-Ai-U/s400/batroun+beach+panorama.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464832954787018530" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Yeh, I wish I was there too..</span><br /><br />~LZ<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Source: <a href="http://zeegrizzly.deviantart.com/art/Batroun-Beach-Panorama-162110675">Zeegrizzly</a></span>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-81600633626275876382010-04-27T10:20:00.003-04:002010-04-27T10:55:49.369-04:00Lebanese held in SyriaLebanese Military Judge Saqr Saqr gave <a href="http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&85DB90EEF5567B28C2257712003C81DE">his orders</a> on Tuesday to authorities to hand over the remains of two <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100421/wl_mideast_afp/syrialebanonunrestarmy">Syrian soldiers found</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beqaa_Valley">Beqaa valley</a> in Lebanon sometime last week.<br /><br />My question to you is: what is Lebanon getting in return? What about all the bodies of Lebanese citizens (soldiers and civilians alike) that are in Syria? What about all the living Lebanese that are rotting in some basement in some Syrian jail? Do we hear anything about these people? Does the Syrian government ever hand any of them over? Do we even hear our own Lebanese government ever complaining or demanding their release?<br /><br />Judge Saqr should have issued an order to hold the remains with Lebanese authorities to use as leverage in negotiations to get Lebanese held in Syria.<br /><br />Or are Lebanese only Lebanese and worthy when they are held in Israeli prisons and morgues?<br /><br />The ones we got held in Syria are just on vacation, you know, taking a stroll around Damascus.<br /><br />Shame on Lebanon and its government for neglecting its people in this manner.<br /><br />We go to war with the Israelis to return Lebanese held in Israel, while we bend backwards for the Syrians with nothing in return.<br /><br />Shameful.<br /><br /><br />BG<br /><br />For more information on Lebanese detained in Syria, please visit the following website: <a href="http://www.solide-lb.org/">S.O.L.I.D.E.</a> They have done an excellent job in keeping the story alive.BabaGannoujhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03570939229812220715noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-60501822122316396452010-04-26T14:03:00.004-04:002010-04-26T14:34:22.925-04:00BetLZ News 4.26.10 - Part #2<span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Yeh..seems my publishing of today's news was a bit premature...here's round #2</span><br /><br /><br />**Headlines**<br /><br /><a href="http://gulfnews.com/news/region/egypt/retrial-of-duo-in-suzan-murder-begins-today-1.617854">Retrial of duo in Suzan murder begins today</a> / GulfNews<br /><br /><br />**Business**<br /><br /><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-26/saudi-prince-alwaleed-plans-rotana-share-sale-within-two-years.html">Alwaleed Plans Rotana Share Sale Within Two Years</a> / Bloomberg<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ameinfo.com/230708.html">Habtoor Hotels races ahead at 2010 Arabian Travel Market with renewed enthusiasm</a> / AMEInfo<br /><br /><br />**Arts**<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-o0jj8NBKrmVNHhq1TBdirHVQ4C0bxcehh9OlNeEsSjQ130PSFnLw7CONW9vojQHg7JWRpZQschoUyUT71Ch0pjv-KNWzCHQCuAbYR2OfvTMVOkWPlXCax9r0t8tT9_SDIu34zIfQ3w/s1600/samir+kassir+award+2010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-o0jj8NBKrmVNHhq1TBdirHVQ4C0bxcehh9OlNeEsSjQ130PSFnLw7CONW9vojQHg7JWRpZQschoUyUT71Ch0pjv-KNWzCHQCuAbYR2OfvTMVOkWPlXCax9r0t8tT9_SDIu34zIfQ3w/s400/samir+kassir+award+2010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464516277295654898" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurojar.org/en/euromed-articles/samir-kassir-award-confirms-its-notoriety/9318">The Samir Kassir Award confirms its notoriety</a> / Eurojar<br /><br /><a href="http://artaub.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/exhibition-aub-ceramics-annual-exhibit/">Exhibition: AUB Ceramics Annual Exhibit</a> / ArtAUB<br /><br /><br />**Misc**<br /><br /><a href="http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/EDIS-84VKG8?OpenDocument">Lebanon: Annual Report Published</a> by Red Cross / ReliefWeb<br /><br /><br />**Travel**<br /><br /><a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1904594">Beirut - Feisty, Feasting, Fun</a> / Lonely Planet<br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lauravanwaas/3/1272271685/tpod.html#_">A little home improvement</a> / TravelPod</span><br /><br />~LZLaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-56367905276585766852010-04-26T11:40:00.004-04:002010-04-26T12:10:22.744-04:00BetLZ News 4.26.10<span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Woww....there's a lot of news today, so we're doing categories for your browsing convenience!<br /></span><br /><br />**Headlines**<br /><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8642911.stm">Young Lebanese demonstrate for secularism in Beirut</a> / BBC News<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSffoT3B8o0UjmZu08tBrbWOXoPXfqXpbxiD_tSaC6DhZxpaABn-y4oM2rMnRHhldqerjoTYKkP-eG_MXqGqiZNoWDA7jZxd4v50tUoQx7gKp37HEvWMauVZ5VDFcp5I-_hUFpbSxKY4w/s1600/lebanon+laique+secularism+march.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSffoT3B8o0UjmZu08tBrbWOXoPXfqXpbxiD_tSaC6DhZxpaABn-y4oM2rMnRHhldqerjoTYKkP-eG_MXqGqiZNoWDA7jZxd4v50tUoQx7gKp37HEvWMauVZ5VDFcp5I-_hUFpbSxKY4w/s400/lebanon+laique+secularism+march.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464478424472528162" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQg66w0teN99RM5FrIU9ZEwkAqupLadd3L0ve3IAVlBU0pvUZI1xNVGoB6hUrjSujDrlUHeUw5zsbkCfNA116_dK3VCe1qa2DIeXRuXhDUy8RLeFz1Q1LWFW9naz04Dd6q80BjkbsnKEU/s1600/lebanon+laique+secularism+march+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQg66w0teN99RM5FrIU9ZEwkAqupLadd3L0ve3IAVlBU0pvUZI1xNVGoB6hUrjSujDrlUHeUw5zsbkCfNA116_dK3VCe1qa2DIeXRuXhDUy8RLeFz1Q1LWFW9naz04Dd6q80BjkbsnKEU/s400/lebanon+laique+secularism+march+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464478420291181250" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBP5acxgnGtOvQ6t4UqecWRDxuIgZL4UnDoVCoBl1dlGugobsEkaDgWVLsuTnY5wA__qtN4S16XeGw1u0upP4pjh_OB4WwQTLIA1msUyq5muKPknQ7RnSPVR1DKDCO5EFvs9JgXHJ-xw/s1600/lebanon+laique+secularism+march+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBP5acxgnGtOvQ6t4UqecWRDxuIgZL4UnDoVCoBl1dlGugobsEkaDgWVLsuTnY5wA__qtN4S16XeGw1u0upP4pjh_OB4WwQTLIA1msUyq5muKPknQ7RnSPVR1DKDCO5EFvs9JgXHJ-xw/s400/lebanon+laique+secularism+march+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464478412651157090" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Source: <a href="http://blkbtrfli.wordpress.com/2010/04/25/leb-laique-in-pictures/">Lebanese Voices</a></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.laredosun.us/notas.asp?id=6492">Victims of harassment speak out in Lebanon</a> / LaredoSun<br /><br /><a href="http://news.am/en/news/19945.html">Over 60.000 Armenians participated in Beirut procession</a> / News.am<br /><br /><br />**Arts/Fashion**<br /><br />بيروت عاصمة للموضة / Beirut Fashion Capital<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xXB9mTrEVEc&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xXB9mTrEVEc&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><a href="http://www.greenmuze.com/climate/cars/2587-fabric-covered-vw-bug-.html">Fabric Covered VW Bug</a> / GreenMuze<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYIodyb1jBRh3kMOLd6vLOhLwnifA_wDt6zWAs2qNnY1FErSrOIt96vkbL7nwESaTliGHqM14lo3sV-gJq9Pq06qsLIVLes9ZTF6STweeZkWjSATMVEVJjW0TINoiqKKy8jaMSXAnio8/s1600/lebanese+designed+VW+beetle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYIodyb1jBRh3kMOLd6vLOhLwnifA_wDt6zWAs2qNnY1FErSrOIt96vkbL7nwESaTliGHqM14lo3sV-gJq9Pq06qsLIVLes9ZTF6STweeZkWjSATMVEVJjW0TINoiqKKy8jaMSXAnio8/s400/lebanese+designed+VW+beetle.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464476281493569938" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">A classic Volkswagen Beetle covered in reclaimed vintage fabrics was quite the hit at the recent Milan Design Week 2010. Created by Lebanese based designer duo Hoda Baroudi and Maria Hibri, the festive Bojka Bug is covered in an array of colourful upcycled fabrics and tapestries.<br /><br />The Bojka Bug was auctioned off on eBay for €1,004 (US$1,334) with proceeds benefiting children in Haiti via the Fondazione Francesca Rava.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/23/AR2010042300033.html">War is hell (on art, too): Lebanese art of 'Convergence' at American University</a> / Washington Post<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.corinnemartin.com/?p=1707">Running Horse Gallery, Beirut: Counting Thoughts</a> / Corrine Martin<br /><br /><br />**Business**<br /><br /><a href="http://sify.com/news/uae-donates-10-aircraft-to-lebanon-army-news-international-kexpudcfhia.html">UAE donates 10 aircraft to Lebanon army</a> / SifyNews<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ameinfo.com/230575.html">Le Royal hosts prestigious event for 'The Leading Hotels of the World'</a>/ AMEInfo<br /><br /><br />**Tourism**<br /><br /><a href="http://www.prleap.com/pr/152621/">Why should Lebanon be your next Summer Destination </a>/ PR Leap<br /><br /><br />**Weird/Misc**<br /><br /><a href="http://www.chinapost.com.tw/art/lifestyle/2010/04/25/253898/Evil-eye.htm">Evil eye lives on in Lebanese tradition </a>/ The China Post<br /><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8641099.stm">The virginity industry</a> / BBC News<br /><br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/apr/24/billy-bragg-barnbrook-st-george">Billy Bragg and BNP clash over St George's Day </a>/ The Guardian (Billy Bragg lets BNP know that St. George is Lebanese)<br /><br /><a href="http://appshopper.com/travel/beirut-genius-map">Beirut Genius Map</a> / AppShopper <br /><br /><br />**Blogs**<br /><br /><a href="http://markandegypt.blogspot.com/2010/04/lebanon-is-gorgeous.html">Lebanon is Gorgeous</a> / Mark and Egypt<br /><br /><br />Join the <a href="http://twenty-four-7.org/">24/7 campaign </a>(named accordingly because migrant workers work 24/7 = slavery) to fight for rights for Migrant Workers in Lebanon! Sign the petition!</span><br /><br /><br />~LZLaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-14773866377899951732010-04-26T11:29:00.002-04:002010-04-26T11:49:25.203-04:00Women's Nationality CampaignThe movement to grant women in Lebanon equal rights compared with their men compatriots especially when it comes to nationality issues has just gained some ground.<br /><br />The council of ministers has just approved a law that allows men married to Lebanese women and their children the right to get permanent residency status in Lebanon. (Relevant law can be found <a href="http://www.pcm.gov.lb/Cultures/ar-LB/Menu/%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A1/%D9%85%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA%20%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A1/Pages/j20100421-HaririS.aspx">here</a>. Link is in Arabic, bullet point #12. You can also find a video explaining all this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9VakvqIyFg">here</a>.)<br /><br />While the new law is a step forward for women and their rights in Lebanon, it still falls short of the full implementation of the law that should grant full rights to all citizens of Lebanon, including the right to transfer citizenship to spouses and children. We here at BetLZ have touched on this subject before, <a href="http://betlz.blogspot.com/2010/03/womens-rights-across-middle-east.html">here</a>, <a href="http://betlz.blogspot.com/2010/03/2-womens-rights-across-middle-east.html">here</a>, <a href="http://betlz.blogspot.com/2010/03/betlz-news-3410.html">here</a>, <a href="http://betlz.blogspot.com/2009/06/score-one-for-ladies.html">and here</a>.<br /><br />Albeit a small step towards full rights for women under the law, we congratulate the government for its courageous step in the right direction.<br /><br />BGBabaGannoujhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03570939229812220715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-59524745368034739452010-04-23T16:25:00.009-04:002010-04-23T16:54:16.154-04:00Beirut, I Love You (I Love You Not)I just stumbled across this and I <span style="font-weight:bold;">ABSOLUTELY LOVEEEEE</span> it, you guys have to watch! it's a <span style="font-weight:bold;">short film</span> called <span style="font-weight:bold;">"Beirut, I Love You (I Love You Not)"</span><br /><br />Some of you will recognize the <span style="font-weight:bold;">opening song</span>--it's <span style="font-weight:bold;">"Raksit Leila"</span> by the Lebanese band <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mashrou3 Leila</span> which reminds me of the opening of the second "<span style="font-weight:bold;">Flying Kebab</span>" episode (<span style="font-style:italic;">see below</span>) also the "This is Yasmine...Yasmine likes..." bit is inspired by <span style="font-weight:bold;">Amelie </span>(<span style="font-style:italic;">see clip below</span>). The part after where we see the progression of Yasmine and Tarek's relationship (good to bad times) I recognized as from the short film with Natalie Portman in the movie "<span style="font-weight:bold;">Paris, je t'aime</span>" undoubtedly the inspiration for this movie's title (<span style="font-style:italic;">see below</span>)<br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/g1uDyqPYLVM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/g1uDyqPYLVM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Info:<br /><br />Beirut, I Love You (I Love You Not), a Beirut-ish tribute to Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Amelie Poulain, is a short film by “An Orange Dog Productions” about (fleeting) love & the little pleasures in life, all set and in relation with the very inspiring city of Beirut. <br /><br />The film has already been selected in: – The Swansea Bay Film Festival – UK (2010) – The International Youth Film Festival – UK (2010) – The International Film Festival of Egypt (2010) – The Lebanese Film Festival of Montreal, Canada (2010) – The Creative Commons Salon in Amman, Jordan (2009)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Amelie Likes...</span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mmllotLUU38&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mmllotLUU38&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Flying Kebab - Episode # 2</span><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/u1MtOYyZL1s&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/u1MtOYyZL1s&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Paris Je t'aime, Faubourg Saint Denis </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">(Skip to <span style="font-weight:bold;">3:35</span> for the part i'm talking about)</span><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7omytFn4M74&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7omytFn4M74&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />~LZLaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-31521847270831586862010-04-23T14:54:00.001-04:002010-04-23T17:04:40.473-04:00BetLZNews 4.23.2010<span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/travel/cruises/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=89421.blog"><br />Report: Club Med cancels cruise call in Lebanon after protests from Jewish groups</a> / USA Today<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlz32P_Dp-6dxJIEs9HI3J3PdnRgLE47d9G6tjlWeev9xTVMdhNz4srASLLB8kap1uTBGy3Kg81k0N77uH4FrQe1o4MkeQDKIQFWx2wAOozx-FjxLCA7llJpMlgPH4wXNvrpFgLl1WbeM/s1600/glasss+blowing+lebanon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlz32P_Dp-6dxJIEs9HI3J3PdnRgLE47d9G6tjlWeev9xTVMdhNz4srASLLB8kap1uTBGy3Kg81k0N77uH4FrQe1o4MkeQDKIQFWx2wAOozx-FjxLCA7llJpMlgPH4wXNvrpFgLl1WbeM/s400/glasss+blowing+lebanon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463441106831144946" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2010/0423/In-Lebanon-the-last-of-the-first-glass-blowing-artisans">In Lebanon, the last of the first glass blowing artisans</a> / Christian Science Monitor<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/04/23/beirut.writers.festival/">Beirut festival puts young writers on the world map</a> / CNN<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTHdcBRoAYi4FhXA2iWSS4N8bAhTBOyNMheRSqU6NOvNJF39PbP_cuCLHTgAzmVgt2iCAvpjo8Wb4289HazphvkKvqUUsDLO-DCwR8iCjMtmzWe_Wk55W57Hpbkx9w0FcJfleOssDWDI/s1600/beirut+cnn+pic.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTHdcBRoAYi4FhXA2iWSS4N8bAhTBOyNMheRSqU6NOvNJF39PbP_cuCLHTgAzmVgt2iCAvpjo8Wb4289HazphvkKvqUUsDLO-DCwR8iCjMtmzWe_Wk55W57Hpbkx9w0FcJfleOssDWDI/s400/beirut+cnn+pic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463441103830371714" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/offers/7610461/Chateau-Musar-Telegraph-Wine-focuses-on-this-Lebanese-wine.html">Chateau Musar: wine from Lebanon</a> / Telegraph<br /><br />BLOGS:<br /><br /><a href="http://jacandchalky.travellerspoint.com/29/">Lebanon - Beirut</a> / Jac & Chalky's Excellent Adventure<br /><a href="http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/justajaunt/1/1271140191/tpod.html"><br /><br />Chapter Seven: Beirut, Amman</a> / Travel Pod</span><br /><br />~LZLaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-2268302832902961982010-04-23T10:20:00.006-04:002010-04-23T11:25:35.275-04:00Shankaboot - Lebanon's "First Web Drama"Most of you have already probably heard of "<span style="font-style:italic;">Lebanon's first web drama</span>" <span style="font-weight:bold;">Shankaboot</span>. It follows a <span style="font-weight:bold;">poor young Lebanese boy called Sleiman aka "Shankaboot" </span>who lives in Beirut and <span style="font-weight:bold;">makes his living as a delivery boy on his '<span style="font-style:italic;">moto</span></span>'.<br /><br />The series is really well made in my opinion, and the actor that plays Shankaboot as well as the extras in the series are great! The girl Rouweida however, in my opinion, really overacts everything...which can get pretty annoying<br /><br />I personally love the <span style="font-weight:bold;">extras </span>the most--so typical Lebanese sometimes it almost seems as if they don't know they're in a series...It makes for a really nice, <span style="font-weight:bold;">realistic</span> effect--unlike the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Flying Kebab</span> series (more on this in a later post) which was great in the cinematography and music but pretty atrocious in the acting<br /><br />Anyway, here is an <span style="font-weight:bold;">article </span>I recently stumbled across on Shankaboot, as well as all the episodes to date, enjoy!<br /><br /><br />_____________________________________________<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lebanon's 'Shankaboot' brings Arab drama online</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">By Natacha Yazbeck (AFP) </span><br /><br />TAALABAYA, Lebanon — Driving through Beirut's maze of alleys can demand a certain death-defying flair. So it comes as no coincidence that the hero of the Arab world's first webdrama is a delivery boy -- and his noisy, trusty moped.<br /><br />The online series follows happy-go-lucky Lebanese delivery boy Sleiman as he zooms through the streets on his "Shankaboot," a name invented for his scooter and title of the drama, delivering food, medicine, a gas cylinder or an oversized floral lampshade which he balances on his head.<br /><br />"What we aim for is to <span style="font-weight:bold;">keep the series close to ordinary, daily life, to the way people are on the streets</span>," said Katia Saleh, producer of the <span style="font-weight:bold;">first Arabic-language online sitcom</span>.<br /><br />Funded by the BBC World Service Trust in cooperation with Saleh's production house Batoota Films, S<span style="font-weight:bold;">hankaboot pays tribute to aspects of Beirut overlooked on local television: quirky city residents, underage drivers, class, drugs and prostitution rings.</span><br /><br />While films, music and television must first pass muster with Lebanon's general security, <span style="font-weight:bold;">using the Internet as a medium has given Shankaboot unprecedented freedom.</span><br /><br />As the online use of Arabic grows at record speed and more and more young Arabs gain access to the Internet, Shankaboot makes a change from the diet of Latin American and Turkish soap operas so popular in the region.<br /><br />The script is witty and crude at the same time, <span style="font-weight:bold;">echoing the everyday vernacular of the Lebanese rather than the polished Arabic of dubbed soaps</span>.<br /><br />"What's popular in the Arab world is Mexican and Turkish drama, and I think Shankaboot has appealed so widely to so many people first because it is well-made and second because it speaks to them," Saleh told AFP on the set in the eastern village of Taalabaya where the crew was shooting season two.<br /><br />"It speaks their language."<br /><br />While the Beirut cityscape is dotted with landmarks easily recognisable to anyone who has visited, director Amin Dora instead chose to <span style="font-weight:bold;">focus on the city "as Beirutis know it."</span><br /><br />"In season one, what I aimed for was to <span style="font-weight:bold;">reflect the reality of life in Beirut</span>," Dora said. "We avoided everything artificial. We want to show Beirut as it is."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisdwnBR3AABv9SnaSg0kbyF3I4AIyp9VMy8BCHETVck8UZkrHXEMNeaMxi_gM0eXp_XPYUNuF1ljM2hK9YdNfenBxVIRTKeGE4A3aPrjGo6g6pVzkxu4WYP9GAK6SJ_Au6vwSz3QHH7U/s1600/shankaboot.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisdwnBR3AABv9SnaSg0kbyF3I4AIyp9VMy8BCHETVck8UZkrHXEMNeaMxi_gM0eXp_XPYUNuF1ljM2hK9YdNfenBxVIRTKeGE4A3aPrjGo6g6pVzkxu4WYP9GAK6SJ_Au6vwSz3QHH7U/s400/shankaboot.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463346869767649346" /></a><br /><br />The <span style="font-weight:bold;">quest for authenticity also prompted Dora to cast first-time actors in most of the key roles</span>.<br /><br />"I think what really helped the authenticity come through was the acting, which is a direct reflection of the reality of the people of Beirut," Dora said.<br /><br />Starring as <span style="font-weight:bold;">Sleiman </span>is first-time actor <span style="font-weight:bold;">Hassan Akil, 17,</span> who like his peers was attracted to the project's script and medium.<br /><br />"I don't watch Lebanese television at all. I think it's totally fake," Akil told AFP on set. "I don't think I would have continued to play Sleiman if the script was fake ... But this is something else, and I'm proud to be contributing to it."<br /><br />And even before its official launch in May, Shankaboot has already become a hit in the online world with more than 7,000 views and 5,000 Facebook fans, or "Shankaddicts."<br /><br />"I'm very surprised - and happy -- with the <span style="font-weight:bold;">series' success among Lebanese expatriates and foreigners</span>," said Dora. "After the Arab world, most of our hits come from the United States.<br /><br />"A major concern for us was download time, because we didn't want the viewer to give up on the downloading process," he said of the five-minute episodes.<br /><br />The first season is made up of <span style="font-weight:bold;">11 episodes </span>during which viewers meet the lovable Sleiman, the beautiful runaway Ruwaida and the enigmatic Chady, whose story is not unveiled until season two.<br /><br />Sleiman and Ruwaida's lives become intertwined when, chatting on his phone as he speeds down the street, he knocks her over down as she emerges from a bus.<br /><br />As the complex plot unravels, the series looks at issues of abuse, drugs, and poverty, dotted with generous doses of comic relief.<br /><br />Season two takes Sleiman, Chady and Ruwaida to the eastern Bekaa Valley -- Lebanon's Wild West -- and introduces characters from rural life, far removed from cosmopolitan Beirut.<br /><br />Actor Nasri Sayegh, who plays the dark, sinister Chady, said what drew him to the project was its loyalty to the reality of life in Lebanon.<br /><br />"Lebanon's 'nakha,' its unique flavour, comes out on the screen ... In season one it was Beirut and in season two it is the Bekaa. You can see it, smell it, taste it," said Sayegh, 31.<br /><br />"Sleiman is the main character," the actor added. "But the real hero is the city" -- from Beirut to the Bekaa and wherever else the noisy little Shankaboot takes the series.<br /><br />_____________________________________________<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Episode 1 - Delivery Interrupted</span><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/90iHTFd4wTo&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/90iHTFd4wTo&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Episode 2 - Labneh on the Roof with Haifa </span><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fp1AjPwcqu8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fp1AjPwcqu8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Episode 3 - A Fistful of Sandals </span><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HDvpMzRdeDw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HDvpMzRdeDw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Episode 4 - Into the Spider's web</span><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HNi_Otb57Z4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HNi_Otb57Z4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Episode 5 - Down to Earth</span><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xn7mCpmnLFo&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xn7mCpmnLFo&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Episode 6 - Chantal Superstar? </span><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/euRHQCguIfg&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/euRHQCguIfg&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Episode 7 - The Chrome Phone</span><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qIxsjSOACnE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qIxsjSOACnE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Episode 8 - Undercover Chadi</span><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9HOGv4o8mY4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9HOGv4o8mY4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br />For <span style="font-weight:bold;">future episodes</span>, check out the <span style="font-weight:bold;">official site of Shankaboot</span> <a href="http://www.shankaboot.com/#">here</a>.<br /><br />~LZLaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-5723179837785831522010-04-19T15:47:00.006-04:002010-04-19T16:15:37.908-04:00BetLZNews 4.19.2010<span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">People are LOVING them some Lebanon right now...the good articles/reviews/blog posts keep coming in day by day, check out some of the most recent ones below along with some other newsworthy articles:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2010/apr/19/beirut-arab-literary-world">Stranded in Beirut, the Arab literary world takes wing </a>/ The Guardian <span style="font-style:italic;">(Thanks to the Icelandic Volcano, 39 of the best minds in Arab Literature ended up spending some more time in Beirut! A REALLY INTERESTING read!!!)</span><br /><a href="http://www.1000lonelyplaces.com/romantic/four-seasons-spa-beirut/"><br />Four Seasons Spa-Beirut </a>/ 1000lonelyplaces.com<br /><br /><a href="http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Lebanon/314788">AUB Mechanical Engineering Department issues statement warning about ineffectiveness of smoking and non-smoking areas </a>/ AlBawaba<br /><br /><a href="http://www.askmen.com/specials/2010_top_29/19-beirut.html">Beirut is #19 on the TOP 29 Cities to live in List by AskMen.com</a>--<span style="font-style:italic;">some of the judging categories?? Cost of an Ipod Nano, Vacation Days, Ration of Men to women, Cost of a Nissan 370Z, and Clean Air factor...</span><br /><a href="http://www.fr2day.com/travel/beirut_like_nice_but_safer"><br />Beirut - like Nice but safer </a>/ FR2DAY<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle/article-23825144-middle-eastern-promise-beirut.do">Middle-eastern promise: Beirut</a> / London Evening Standard<br /><br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/apr/16/beirut-hay-festival-city-guide">Insider's guide to Beirut</a> / Guardian<br /><br /><a href="http://www.greenprophet.com/2010/04/19/19910/lebanon-hybrid-auto-show/">Lebanese Prefer “Green With Envy” Maseratis Over Eco-Friendly Hybrids Cars</a> / GreenProphet<br /><br />Check out <a href="http://beirutntsc.blogspot.com/2010/04/clement-tannouri-lebanon-seen-from-sky.html">this AWESOME post</a> with AMAZINGGG aerial photos of Lebanon by Clement Tannouri<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br /><br />Also--did anyone know that there was a winery in Batroun called Boteaux de Botrys?? Check out their very nice site <a href="http://coteauxdebotrys.com/en/">here</a>. Has anyone tried it? Is it any good?</span></span><br /><br />~LZLaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-54166277357694447462010-04-15T15:08:00.005-04:002010-04-15T15:18:05.866-04:00BetLZNews 4.15.2010<span style="font-weight:bold;">So...the news today is SUPER BORING!<br /><br />This is the most interesting thing I stumbled across:</span><br /><br />____________________________________________________________<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Glamorous Pro Shannon Elizabeth To Join World Team Poker’s Team Lebanon</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">April 15th, 2010 Author: S. Taylor</span><br /><br />If an article in Pokernewsdaily is to be believed, then American Pie actress and poker pro Shannon Elizabeth will be competing at this year’s World Team Poker event, but not as a Team America player.<br /><br />Instead, because of her father’s Lebanese origins she is eligible to partake in the event as part of Team Lebanon and so will be taking her place with fellow team members at the Golden Nugget in Downtown Las Vegas on 19th May.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx75h3x3-_DR-Q2t_o2VRg3eSIY3B5fIkwO9cPxhY-sava4eHp4rpHfU2Khegu4BocwOnjevGLGb_SMIg119l-wjg8w4f3urdBSRWc50DhPZtK9Hft6s0NarvotACSAt7_0KaW9lozn4o/s1600/shannon+elizabeth+poker+team+lebanon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx75h3x3-_DR-Q2t_o2VRg3eSIY3B5fIkwO9cPxhY-sava4eHp4rpHfU2Khegu4BocwOnjevGLGb_SMIg119l-wjg8w4f3urdBSRWc50DhPZtK9Hft6s0NarvotACSAt7_0KaW9lozn4o/s400/shannon+elizabeth+poker+team+lebanon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460443979819672786" /></a><br /><br />Born Shannon Elizabeth Fadal, the Hollywood actress rose to prominence after her appearance in the 1999 hit movie American Pie. She then went on to enjoy a successful acting career, starring in such films as Scary Movie, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and Thir13en Ghosts. She also posed nude for Playboy and in 2008 was Maxim’s cover girl.<br />Elizabeth considers poker her “second career” and is considered by many as one of the leading celebrity poker players. She cashed four times at the World Series of Poker in 2006 and 2007, and finished 3rd at the NBC National Heads Up Poker Championship in 2007 collecting $125,000 prize money in the process.<br /><br />Despite previously stating; “I’m half Arabic, but I am 100 percent American,” it is doubtful whether Shannon Elizabeth would have made it onto a top tier American Team which includes such players as Doyle Brunson, Mike Matusow, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Jennifer Harman, Howard Lederer, Erik Seidel, Allen Cunningham, and Annie Duke.<br />Consequently, Elizabeth will be hoping to use her poker skills to forward the chances of Team Lebanon, which also includes fellow Lebanese pros Dany Georges, Freddy Deeb, Joe Awada and Mark Betor. Collectively the team has accumulated around $7.5 million in career tournament earnings.<br /><br />In total, there are 16 countries competing at the World Team Poker event, all hoping to secure bragging rights for their country for a whole year. They are Armenia, Australia, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, England, Germany, Greece, Iran, Israel, Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, and Vietnam.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Source: <a href="http://www.onlinepoker.net/poker-news/poker-tournaments-news/glamorous-pro-shannon-elizabeth-join-world-team-pokers-team-lebanon/5455">Online Poker</a></span><br />____________________________________________________________<br /><br />Go team Lebanon!<br /><br />~LZ<br /><br /><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-20686517883657176952010-04-14T15:36:00.006-04:002010-04-15T15:16:29.760-04:00Lebanese Culture on focus at Alliance Française NYCImagine my surprise when I received my monthly <span style="font-weight:bold;">Alliance Française NYC brochure</span> and a <span style="font-weight:bold;">Lebanese Cedar with the word "Liban"</span> underneath it was on the <span style="font-weight:bold;">cover</span>!<br /><br />As it turns out, the month of <span style="font-weight:bold;">May </span>will be <span style="font-weight:bold;">devoted to Lebanon</span> at the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Alliance Française NYC</span>, and there are some truly AMAZING events--so if you are in NYC or have friends in NYC I suggest you go/let them know...here is the info:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjLR4r2-MciRppe8D4j-IK8UptxytjJXx017nkwk3mbvAZWNZUnitvrIL2GzPA9n1zhfL7hmoLi11101LF7zb6H8aMYYfQ6DiMzJh-XFFOqNljzkgkx2cfUWLQfjROjnOlGYLDJCCmP8/s1600/f-2010-05-world-nomads-lebanon3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjLR4r2-MciRppe8D4j-IK8UptxytjJXx017nkwk3mbvAZWNZUnitvrIL2GzPA9n1zhfL7hmoLi11101LF7zb6H8aMYYfQ6DiMzJh-XFFOqNljzkgkx2cfUWLQfjROjnOlGYLDJCCmP8/s400/f-2010-05-world-nomads-lebanon3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460081397157810562" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">World Nomads:<span style="font-style:italic;"> LEBANON</span><br />May 2010</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">World Nomads, FIAF’s annual exploration of transculturalism in the 21st century, is intended as a forum for dialogue between cultures. It returns this May for its third edition to focus on Lebanon, a country whose rich heritage has long captivated imaginations around the world.<br /><br />All across the globe, members of the extraordinary Lebanese diaspora have broadened the cultural landscape and enriched international discourse. The powerful interplay between memory of homeland and life in new societies has shaped the work of important contemporary Lebanese artists.<br /><br />World Nomads Lebanon presents a month-long series dedicated to some of the preeminent Lebanese artistic voices active in the fields of music, cinema, literature, architecture, theater, and the visual arts in the world today.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">As with its previous editions, World Nomads Lebanon is created with luminary curators—thanks in particular to Rasha Salti—and presented in partnership with esteemed New York-based cultural organizations, which this year include Alwan for the Arts, Architizer, ArteEast, Kleio Projects, and PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbOtwfTzjKouSmc_80TVkz2Wx3MTKzyKtk_rVgmuNyTQ28ebJTaKiiKpsjWXW39lucH5v2zB2OBeIX7IThosQGYnHOdxHOxsevPI3ozWa15FmoQDC2I1lLdVIgD56tk990omk7W3_AGY/s1600/alliance+francaise+nyc.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbOtwfTzjKouSmc_80TVkz2Wx3MTKzyKtk_rVgmuNyTQ28ebJTaKiiKpsjWXW39lucH5v2zB2OBeIX7IThosQGYnHOdxHOxsevPI3ozWa15FmoQDC2I1lLdVIgD56tk990omk7W3_AGY/s400/alliance+francaise+nyc.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460081403034777954" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">PROGRAM</span><br /><br /> <br />**Music**<br /><br />Opening Concert <br />Bassam Saba Ensemble <br />Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 8pm <br />Florence Gould Hall <br /><br /> <br />**Literature **<br /><br />Elias Khoury <br />Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 1pm <br />Le Skyroom <br /><br />Rawi Hage <br />Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 3pm <br />Le Skyroom <br /><br />Alexandre Najjar <br />Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 5pm <br />Le Skyroom <br /><br />Meet the Writer... en français ! <br />Alexandre Najjar <br />Monday, May 3, 2010 at 4:30pm <br />Haskell Library <br /><br /> <br />**Theater**<br /><br />Talk with Wajdi Mouawad <br />Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at 7pm <br />Le Skyroom <br /><br />Staged Reading: <br />Wajdi Mouawad & Jane Birkin <br />Friday, May 21, 2010 at 7pm <br />Florence Gould Hall <br /><br /> <br />**Architecture**<br /><br />Talk with Bernard Khoury <br />Thursday, May 6, 2010 at at 7pm <br />Tinker Auditorium <br /><br />Public Space: Memory, Boundary, Catastrophe <br />Thursday, May 13, 2010 at 7pm <br />Le Skyroom <br /><br />Modern Architecture in Beirut: <br />Reconstruction and Cultural Identity <br />Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 7pm <br />Le Skyroom <br /><br /> <br />**CinémaTuesdays**<br /><br />World Nomads Lebanon: Cinema <br />Tuesdays, May 4–25, 2010 <br />Florence Gould Hall <br /><br />Around Town <br />The Calm After the Storm: <br />Classic and Contemporary Lebanese Cinema <br />Film Society of Lincoln Center and ArteEast<br /><br /> <br />**Visual Arts**<br /><br />Nabil Nahas <br />Cedrus Libani: Roots & Memory <br />Saturday, May 1–Saturday, May 29, 2010 <br />FIAF Gallery <br /><br />My Umi Said... <br />New Work from Lebanon <br />Friday, May 7–Friday, May 28, 2010 <br />Kleio Projects <br /><br /> <br />**Special Event**<br /><br />An Evening with Carlos Ghosn <br />Monday, May 24, 2010 at 7pm <br />Le Skyroom <br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">To see the site, click <a href="http://www.fiaf.org/events/spring2010/2010-05-world-nomads-lebanon.shtml">here</a></span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">For the printable event brochure, click <a href="http://www.fiaf.org/events/documents/FIAF-WorldNomads2010.pdf">here</a></span><br /></span><br />~LZ<br /><br /><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-43270663686132892202010-04-14T15:24:00.007-04:002010-04-15T15:16:42.986-04:00BetLZNews 4.14.2010<span style="font-weight:bold;">NEWS:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hu5bYHvCnkWbuRJF7j6ti3pf3iQA">Kidnapped Syrian, Lebanese workers freed in Nigeria </a>/ AFP<br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gs5Hv13iWcdC_rifehBiobIrR4FA">Israeli court allows Arab Israeli to collect prize</a> / AFP<br /><br /><a href="http://www.arabiansupplychain.com/article-3970-photo-special-aramex-reveals-first-hybrid-bike/">Aramex reveals first hybrid bike </a>/ Arabian Supply Chain<br /><br /><a href="http://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/8022-sixth-sense/">Sixth sense </a>/ Hotelier Middle East <span style="font-style:italic;">(Interview with Campbell Gray on Le Gray Beirut)</span><br /><br /><a href="http://starscene.dailystar.com.lb/featured/2010/04/western-media-keeps-ruining-beirut%E2%80%99s-image/">Western Media keeps ruining Beirut’s image</a> / Star Scene Daily Star<br /><br /><a href="http://www.aub.edu.lb/news/archive/preview.php?id=105901">Endowed scholarship fund established in memory of Karim Habr</a> / AUB News<br /><br /><a href="http://www.onewed.com/blog/savvy-scoop/category/dresses/2010/04/14/spring-2011-bridal-runway-reem-acra-wedding-dress-collection/"><br />Spring 2011 Bridal Runway: Reem Acra Wedding Dress Collection</a> / Savvy Scoop<br /><br /><br />BLOGS:<br /><br /><a href="http://pepijnvandenwallbake.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/beirut-taxidrivers-part-i-how-this-city-works/">Beirut taxidrivers Part I: How this city works</a> / Pepijn van den Wall Bake<br /><br /><a href="http://pepijnvandenwallbake.wordpress.com/2010/04/14/beirut-street-art-continued/">Beirut street art continued</a> / Pepijn van den Wall Bake <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">(See our post on Lebanese Graffiti <a href="http://betlz.blogspot.com/2010/03/lebanese-graffiti-walls-of-beirut-are.html">here</a>)</span><br /></span><br /><a href="http://confessionsofavegetarianshark.blogspot.com/2010/04/beirut.html">Beirut </a>/ Confessions of a Vegetarian Shark</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />From a <a href="http://flavorwire.com/83573/guessing-game-edible-flags?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+flavorwire-rss+(Flavorwire)">cool blog post</a> that featured edible flags, I stumbled across ours: </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvcimk96vAEOvHx3TIzgWc7M972Ex8ijhKpLKqUipsz_Gjw3hyoshQOIRMv91dl8OeIJFn9i8MBH1Zl0cQSAiVNijB4zhtl6h8yBMYUmkeKO_vyyRptcOF2iV1DfMdD57kvBfwjNffwI/s1600/Lebanon+edible+flag.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvcimk96vAEOvHx3TIzgWc7M972Ex8ijhKpLKqUipsz_Gjw3hyoshQOIRMv91dl8OeIJFn9i8MBH1Zl0cQSAiVNijB4zhtl6h8yBMYUmkeKO_vyyRptcOF2iV1DfMdD57kvBfwjNffwI/s400/Lebanon+edible+flag.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460078273168599458" /></a><br /><br />~LZ<br /><br /><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-44784015244539703652010-04-14T12:50:00.003-04:002010-04-15T15:16:53.663-04:00MLKThis month marks the 42nd anniversary of the death of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.">Dr. Martin Luther King</a>. There has been an effort underway for years now to establish a memorial in his name in Washington DC that would be fitting of a man of his stature.<br /><br />I would like to direct you to the following link so you guys can read more about the man whose legacy made a lot of things possible for a lot of people. The link has tons of useful information, and get this, it has a toolbar that one can download and when used donates money to the foundation!<br /><br />http://mlkmemorialnews.org<br /><br />Please consider helping out in any way possible you can. Whether that means spreading the word around by blogging or tweeting, downloading that toolbar or even donating money to the organization. They are not that far away from their fund raising goal and any amount small or large helps.<br /><br /><br />One last thought/idea: where's Lebanon's MLK?<br /><br />BG<br /><br /><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>BabaGannoujhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03570939229812220715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-9764463120326581602010-04-14T11:18:00.011-04:002010-04-14T11:57:44.073-04:00Khaled el Haber - Share3 el Hamra / خالد الهبر - شارع الحمراFor my <3 :
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<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YeHcy9tjVUU&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YeHcy9tjVUU&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
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<br /><3
<br />LZ
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<br /><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-17578806378804831332010-04-12T14:45:00.012-04:002010-04-12T15:09:43.850-04:00Lebanon Motor Show 2010!Being in the USA I sadly could not go to the<span style="font-weight:bold;"> Auto Show in Lebanon </span>(the 12th annual I might add after a 5 year break) but I thought I would gather what images I could from the internet and share with you<br /><br />The show is running from the <span style="font-weight:bold;">9th </span>to the <span style="font-weight:bold;">18th </span>of <span style="font-weight:bold;">April </span>in <span style="font-weight:bold;">Biel</span>, Beirut with <span style="font-weight:bold;">250 exhibitors</span> and the organizers are expecting <span style="font-weight:bold;">150,000 visitors</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">15,000 sales</span>!! Talk about some serious $$$<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihO5IVelZT9Ya0Gq48R1Ub7t6iIV-e_uDUrEeBVxHNbEJUya0ht6D0ePR-0udEw8Vq3ah0PncURHtJdkxpZTXjZO_vBumG43135AtUNQIwKg6I9DIdwZ0bg0GpZIRBzSXTaWt8HVLZ50/s1600/lebanon+motor+show+2010+11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihO5IVelZT9Ya0Gq48R1Ub7t6iIV-e_uDUrEeBVxHNbEJUya0ht6D0ePR-0udEw8Vq3ah0PncURHtJdkxpZTXjZO_vBumG43135AtUNQIwKg6I9DIdwZ0bg0GpZIRBzSXTaWt8HVLZ50/s400/lebanon+motor+show+2010+11.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459325697545618178" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHD2CQQAFRC9n-wWiYVvH7zHU_911L16nRCWG3WBYoZmHi8ikWNE2GzHII7Z8mYltr08iEJRE4PE8cf92sY6n3qhg1GVkBJbpR-5tmUriBGZ8wd5Ds1N2qwRTBCURXlYir3Uyiyf8bFc/s1600/lebanon+motor+show+2010+10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHD2CQQAFRC9n-wWiYVvH7zHU_911L16nRCWG3WBYoZmHi8ikWNE2GzHII7Z8mYltr08iEJRE4PE8cf92sY6n3qhg1GVkBJbpR-5tmUriBGZ8wd5Ds1N2qwRTBCURXlYir3Uyiyf8bFc/s400/lebanon+motor+show+2010+10.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459325692454984338" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbxdhOStPHGSPGp3OL6U7e8-Cvw8hBSlxw9Jdy6xzXPdbDWp-wBhZhew1fld6W52MVYiTOOiWU0qWBnpQLjL8ai8yPIFzu8fwnqpAsIWX3_i5JjqisyhiFxMNr8GrAHU9NViX70E-4vw/s1600/lebanon+motor+show+2010+9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbxdhOStPHGSPGp3OL6U7e8-Cvw8hBSlxw9Jdy6xzXPdbDWp-wBhZhew1fld6W52MVYiTOOiWU0qWBnpQLjL8ai8yPIFzu8fwnqpAsIWX3_i5JjqisyhiFxMNr8GrAHU9NViX70E-4vw/s400/lebanon+motor+show+2010+9.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459325684687604226" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuU2zIxS1elND9XtGayqQCqxQZgieF74PZ0-wY_omGIbi71Wrwf_PNy_hyphenhyphenYaTeHAGsP7pZ7CBrsD3LVQRf0gcVhEmb7rH7yFv8CC56UVgWmbd3f5FfVerkMp9PqH1GaHyoYUbiR1Y3Mjs/s1600/lebanon+motor+show+2010+8.jpg"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiquJBPLPxQ50tw3B6tueuY6zUIiVyUi7JV4iv43N27_04w9edjvRkVF14dY3PSl_Ni1Y7DJakrqs-z6HLwqGbRHKlbBIBlQr5FbbsD1yYDnIy3ypTMDkm27xWMcO7DDX9TJMu6QPFe-1k/s400/lebanon+motor+show+2010+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459325127477368306" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQAbJrFfvwaVHjDeqe0Oe3rBvfNuvTRXu1Movm-wImaW9lVmXO5cOkrqXkV9f-HYxHtuw0mXOzcQQKYwwrLxYaL2-NvjqSCqoPsnBIdVc3pqlVy3W-DNoDLrefvyrxSDMxj0aG2ujWDY/s1600/lebanon+motor+show+2010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQAbJrFfvwaVHjDeqe0Oe3rBvfNuvTRXu1Movm-wImaW9lVmXO5cOkrqXkV9f-HYxHtuw0mXOzcQQKYwwrLxYaL2-NvjqSCqoPsnBIdVc3pqlVy3W-DNoDLrefvyrxSDMxj0aG2ujWDY/s400/lebanon+motor+show+2010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459326716993308114" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5iguyp_tKqorWVmUwDcBLHGOVs9k2Xn0Q9uErVaqmXaSwuTiOZSx5OyjInTc905gjoFaHlhhr-J30ZpqHPEaRft4WayJnNffADlwemr8ctZjeE2hbm2ZeANzLhrcsKElj5eIKk5fzWA/s1600/lebanon+motor+show+2010+13.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5iguyp_tKqorWVmUwDcBLHGOVs9k2Xn0Q9uErVaqmXaSwuTiOZSx5OyjInTc905gjoFaHlhhr-J30ZpqHPEaRft4WayJnNffADlwemr8ctZjeE2hbm2ZeANzLhrcsKElj5eIKk5fzWA/s400/lebanon+motor+show+2010+13.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459326711049852354" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNfEx2P6PB-zKMghNdSYko3HW_owwZ0JWjt2d_csiX5gSLEXSGttr3Q881SKUG-al6TE8Q8T5FhBwNUIZURMXhAzkwG_jDCxfvgqpkpZApggcMa45-LCq_3GcQd2hQ8DFjsxYR-f7UP4/s1600/lebanon+motor+show+2010+12.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNfEx2P6PB-zKMghNdSYko3HW_owwZ0JWjt2d_csiX5gSLEXSGttr3Q881SKUG-al6TE8Q8T5FhBwNUIZURMXhAzkwG_jDCxfvgqpkpZApggcMa45-LCq_3GcQd2hQ8DFjsxYR-f7UP4/s400/lebanon+motor+show+2010+12.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459326710629587154" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Thanks to <a href="http://jobox.blogspot.com/2010/04/beirut-motor-show-2010.html">JoesBox</a> and <a href="http://www.carmiddleeast.com/article-1-1425-lebanon_motor_show_2010">CarMiddleEast </a>for the images</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">VIDEOS</span>:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">OTV Lebanon Motor Show 2010</span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DfYJKbhSGGc&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DfYJKbhSGGc&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Lebanon Motor Show 2010</span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iogfXi6VNJY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iogfXi6VNJY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />I know what my bf is thinking--<span style="font-style:italic;">"What does she know about cars?"</span>--well you know what, i know which one is pretty or not! (I kid, I know more than the 'average' girl....)<br /><br />He promised me he'd buy me a <span style="font-weight:bold;">bugatti </span>if I could tell him the <span style="font-weight:bold;">specifications of its engine</span>--oooo he's going to regret that!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Bugatti Veyron Fbg for Hermes:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LS8fahkVGHfvte-J8cRABlZ5utTIhjZoWzPnv_gPjCiBB59KCGeMepzYQ3VRdg68Yx5xWGb2k2uOZi19rPJsTHBZGjLPCDwsYimUI7EjOHe9jLsu1UpovOM7LwaLvEEh3q1i9ul1wLc/s1600/bugatti-hermes-veyron-01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LS8fahkVGHfvte-J8cRABlZ5utTIhjZoWzPnv_gPjCiBB59KCGeMepzYQ3VRdg68Yx5xWGb2k2uOZi19rPJsTHBZGjLPCDwsYimUI7EjOHe9jLsu1UpovOM7LwaLvEEh3q1i9ul1wLc/s400/bugatti-hermes-veyron-01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459328694173979042" /></a><br /><br />Start working on your <span style="font-weight:bold;">liquidity </span>baby!<br /><br /><br />~LZ<br /><br /><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-51215628184011290312010-04-12T14:28:00.004-04:002010-04-12T14:37:08.897-04:00BetLZNews 4.12.2010<span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://asiawrites.blogspot.com/2010/04/beiruts-39-writers-under-39.html">Beirut's 39 Writers Under 39</a> / Asia Writers<br /><br /><a href="http://www.carmiddleeast.com/article-1-1425-lebanon_motor_show_2010">Lebanon Motor Show 2010</a> / Middle East Online<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/04/10/young-minds-shine-beyond-beirut/">Young Minds Shine Beyond Beirut</a> / MidEast Youth<br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ghJCW5f2l6jMxiPk7nMUFwrnK-Ng">Glitz and glam eclipse hybrids at Lebanon car fest </a>/ AFP<br /><br /><a href="http://blogs.thenational.ae/the_grid/2010/04/lebanon-may-drop-import-tariffs.html">Lebanon to drop tariffs on hybrid cars</a> / The National</span><br /><br /><embed src="http://media1.nfb.ca/medias/flash/ONFflvplayer-gama.swf" width="516" height="337" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="mID=IDOBJ14943&image=http://media1.nfb.ca/medias/nfb_tube/thumbs_large/2010/Beirut-Not-Enough-Death_BIG.jpg&width=516&height=337&showWarningMessages=false&streamNotFoundDelay=15&lang=en&getPlaylistOnEnd=true&embeddedMode=true"></embed><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">BEIRUT! NOT ENOUGH DEATH TO GO ROUND (1983)</span><br />"A moving and graphic portrait of the people of war-torn Beirut in their day-to-day struggle to survive in the rubble and despair that war has brought upon them. Filmed shortly after the 1982 massacres at Sabra and Chatila, the film gives a vivid picture of the plight of these people and of any people who are too poor to escape the ravages of war."<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Love the stereotypical Lebanese profiles in this commercial for Le Charcutier Aoun:</span></span><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/r7d8GlpAjpU&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/r7d8GlpAjpU&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />~LZ<br /><br /><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-6874720438656719422010-04-09T14:13:00.006-04:002010-04-09T17:17:57.874-04:00BetLZNews 4.9.2010<span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://desmena.com/?p=1836">Residential project in the Gemmayzé area of Beirut designed by Lebanese architects Bernard Khoury</a> / desMena<br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://sdgln.com/entertainment/2010/04/07/destination-gay-beirut-and-beyond">Destination: <span style="font-style:italic;">Gay Beirut and beyond -The first gay familiarization tour of Lebanon has arrived </span></a>/ SDGLN<br /><br /><a href="http://www.wwd.com/markets-news/reem-acra-names-president-3029341?justin=3029341">Reem Acra Names President </a>/ WWD<br /><br /><a href="http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/0/8E263256B4747402C22577000031E973?OpenDocument">Booby-Trapped Grenade Detonated in Chtaura, Another Defused in Tyre</a> / Naharnet<br /><br /><a href="http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=172698">Meet Salwa, Lebanon's anti-sexual harassment mascot</a> / Jerusalem Post<br /><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hussain-abdulhussain/lebanons-samir-geagea-a-m_b_530976.html">Lebanon's Samir Geagea: A Maverick </a>/ Huffington Post<br /><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-09/syrians-lebanese-abducted-by-gunmen-in-oil-rich-nigerian-delta.html"><br />Syrians, Lebanese Abducted by Gunmen in Oil-Rich Nigerian Delta</a> / Bloomberg<br /><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-09/byblos-bank-acquires-solidaire-banque-internationale-update1-.html"><br />Byblos Bank Acquires Solidaire Banque Internationale (Update1)</a> / Bloomberg<br /><br />Holy crap!!!!:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.wikeez.com/en/people/nancy-ajram-same-outfit-twice-7047">Nancy Ajram: Same Outfit Twice! </a>/ Wikeez</span><br /><br />~LZ<br /><br /><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-26398230626177558282010-04-08T14:10:00.009-04:002010-04-09T12:39:42.815-04:00BetLZNews 4.8.2010<span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hNJ0BiascSvmKGGocgK2jaXaYmgwD9EUVCE00">Rival groups clash at Palestinian base in Lebanon</a> / AP<br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurojar.org/en/euromed-articles/lebanese-initiative-energy-savings/8963">A Lebanese initiative for energy savings </a>/ Eurojar<br /><br /><br />Blogs on Lebanon:<br /><br /><a href="http://annekegerloff.blogspot.com/2010/04/beirut-panorama_08.html">Beirut Panorama</a> / ANNEKE GERLOFF<br /><br /><a href="http://landofghosn.blogspot.com/2010/04/dbd.html">The DBD</a> / Land of Ghosn</span><br /><br />~LZ<br /><br /><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-7829705555712684602010-04-08T09:52:00.010-04:002010-04-09T12:40:15.761-04:00Some great [Lebanese] news!What do you say to starting off the day with some EXCELLENT news??<br /><br />I think it's a SPLENDID idea!<br /><br />How about trying this on for size--<span style="font-weight:bold;">a smoking ban in public plans in Lebanon is expected to take effect within a year</span>--oh yes!! You can go ahead and read that again! This is somewhere on par with the Syrians forced to flee the country as in: <span style="font-style:italic;">"I never though I'd live to see the day when this would happen in Lebanon."</span><br /><br />This monumental decision <span style="font-style:italic;">obviously </span>occurred because <a href="http://betlz.blogspot.com/2010/04/good-cause.html">we asked you to join</a> the "<span style="font-style:italic;">Ban indoor smoking in public places in Lebanon</span>" group on facebook two days ago--congrats guys! You did it! :P<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX14I7tEbu8Zn4lo1-rpzUhosND7gv54IHff1YvU2hOc00ISt_-wWSHfQ-cJUlCklLYs9yQvIgAB2rDIKXX01PjFzi6xyOWC1_wuGXpLSmbU4UV-aAgIT7kKhpVi70ZeIBSrwsFQ1WSAc/s1600/smoking-420-022610041024.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX14I7tEbu8Zn4lo1-rpzUhosND7gv54IHff1YvU2hOc00ISt_-wWSHfQ-cJUlCklLYs9yQvIgAB2rDIKXX01PjFzi6xyOWC1_wuGXpLSmbU4UV-aAgIT7kKhpVi70ZeIBSrwsFQ1WSAc/s400/smoking-420-022610041024.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457768672749707698" /></a><br /><br />Ok, so what are the <span style="font-weight:bold;">details </span>and the <span style="font-weight:bold;">loopholes/catches</span> you may ask?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Pros:</span><br />- smoking banned in <span style="font-weight:bold;">all public places within a year</span> (according to George Saadeh, head of National Tobacco Control Program at a debate on the issue Tuesday at the AUB)<br />- ban would encompass all public spaces, including <span style="font-weight:bold;">restaurants </span>and <span style="font-weight:bold;">cafes </span>(and <span style="font-weight:bold;">clubs </span>i'm assuming??)<br />- ban affects not only cigarettes but <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">nargileh </span></span>and all other <span style="font-weight:bold;">tobacco products</span><br />- ban will be enforced by <span style="font-weight:bold;">fining </span>violators: up to <span style="font-weight:bold;">50,000LL</span> for an <span style="font-weight:bold;">individual </span>violator and <span style="font-weight:bold;">1 million LL</span> for <span style="font-weight:bold;">owners </span> of establishments where violations occur<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">But MOST IMPORTANTLY:</span><br />- smoking will be reduced<br />- you won't die of secondhand smoke every time you go out<br />- you wont come home with your clothes smelling like you've just escaped a burning building<br />- overall smoking in the population will decrease in the long run<br />- quite simply people will lead healthier lives<br /><br />and what do we have for the cons?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Cons: </span><br />- the only exempt public spaces from the ban would be <span style="font-weight:bold;">outdoor spaces</span> (how very French of us)<br />- <span style="font-weight:bold;">Enforcement</span>--take the Beirut Airport for example--smoking is banned indoors and yet right below the non-smoking sign is an ashtray. <br />- it still hasn't been enforced yet, no official legislation has been signed, so it's really just us <span style="font-weight:bold;">trusting politicians</span>, and yeh--i don't like the sound of that, so i'll believe it when i see it<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8xnr8_CiqlYaYiphzknnk40Fnc-wmTSMIb0Od0KHukuXvfoARphnTXFMIBaR1qGJ3L6WV2FniNpgNwwVFX-9AqvgEsFfH4T8eo3Dn7HyybVsGhSRMACxT_3sAnHxinCKdkrP6vZqAW8/s1600/_32380_Lebanon_smoke.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 384px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8xnr8_CiqlYaYiphzknnk40Fnc-wmTSMIb0Od0KHukuXvfoARphnTXFMIBaR1qGJ3L6WV2FniNpgNwwVFX-9AqvgEsFfH4T8eo3Dn7HyybVsGhSRMACxT_3sAnHxinCKdkrP6vZqAW8/s400/_32380_Lebanon_smoke.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457768665550873378" /></a><br /><br />Yeh...I would say the Pros outweigh the Cons...<br /><br />Whats next? Ban on <span style="font-weight:bold;">tobacco product advertising</span>?? <span style="font-weight:bold;">Health warning</span> on cigarettes? <span style="font-weight:bold;">Higher prices</span> for cigarettes???<br /><br />Read the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Daily Star article</span> <a href="http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=113536#axzz0kW1JIVXr">here</a><br /><br />So I want to be more cautious before I celebrate--because after all it is Lebanon--a place where <span style="font-weight:bold;">optimists often have their souls crushed by 8-inch platform diamond-studded heels</span>--but I can't help but smile :)<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Monsieur, tfee il sigara iza bit reed! Il tadkheen mamnou3. Merci"</span><br /><br />~LZ<br /><br /><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-29454173733507144282010-04-06T10:16:00.006-04:002010-04-09T14:19:38.409-04:00A good cause...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGh9XOa_LKgJ2WU1UcQoJfKYQ2FwcFn6rfHfeuOvvKaSj1Mnh_x3oN0YMp_-4T6CQXmHMEzD8aG0jvOdxJW6jLgJVOQXdlQOjfcJNvATk_n8NV2HL4dDYtyVn3x2CZioHFUtjPfegtAE/s1600/WHO6L.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGh9XOa_LKgJ2WU1UcQoJfKYQ2FwcFn6rfHfeuOvvKaSj1Mnh_x3oN0YMp_-4T6CQXmHMEzD8aG0jvOdxJW6jLgJVOQXdlQOjfcJNvATk_n8NV2HL4dDYtyVn3x2CZioHFUtjPfegtAE/s400/WHO6L.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457036714413109778" /></a><br /><br /><br />Good morning! (or if you're in Lebanon it's the afternoon...)<br /><br />Received this email from BG this morning and thought it would be a good idea to share with the masses and hopefully garner some publicity for these highly admirable organizations:<br /><br />--------<br /><br />Dear friend,<br /><br />You are invited to visit <a href="http://www.yasa.org/ar/Default.aspx">www.yasa.org </a>about <span style="font-weight:bold;">road safety</span>, <a href="http://www.lassanet.org/index_ar.asp">www.lassanet.org</a> about <span style="font-weight:bold;">school safety (Lebanese Association for School Safety Awareness)</span>, <a href="http://www.lfpc.org/index.asp?ln=ar">www.lfpc.org</a> about <span style="font-weight:bold;">fire safety (Lebanese Fire Prevention Committee)</span>, <a href="http://srfo.org/index.asp?ln=ar">www.srfo.org</a> about <span style="font-weight:bold;">food safety (Scientific Research Foundation)</span> and <a href="http://www.lasip.net/index.asp?ln=ar">www.lasip.net </a>about <span style="font-weight:bold;">sport safety(Lebanese Association for Sports Injury Prevention)</span>.<br /><br />All sites are in English and Arabic. YASA and LASSA have French also.<br /><br /> <br />We are waiting [for] strong cooperation for safety promotion and injury prevention in the Middle East region.<br /><br />Thanks in advance<br /><br /> <br />YASA<br /><br /><br />P.O.Box 45-083<br /><br />Hazmieh<br /><br />Lebanon<br /><br />Tel: +961 - 5 - 452587<br /><br />Fax: +961 - 5 - 952587<br /><br />www.yasa.org<br /><br />Email: yasa@yasa.org<br /><br />SAFETY STARTS WITH ATTITUDE<br /><br />---------<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlee8e4__kKJ8DTPgfym1wXveqYr5bYz7PxDQVP5FGRjw9AfavkaMYqi01YEgywZ4VxWiWOLYE7K39XutxbF1JVLqBRh27-tiA4Ik1CuFGvlHRKlGppibzGHnOSu4VDYk6wjkGMrovns/s1600/PosterCross1L.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlee8e4__kKJ8DTPgfym1wXveqYr5bYz7PxDQVP5FGRjw9AfavkaMYqi01YEgywZ4VxWiWOLYE7K39XutxbF1JVLqBRh27-tiA4Ik1CuFGvlHRKlGppibzGHnOSu4VDYk6wjkGMrovns/s400/PosterCross1L.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457036705566657234" /></a><br /><br />Though <span style="font-weight:bold;">YASA </span>is the best known, all these other organizations fall under the "<span style="font-weight:bold;">YASA Group</span>".<br /><br />To join the <span style="font-weight:bold;">facebook groups </span>and show your support, click here:<br /><br />- <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2330818065&ref=ts">YASA</a><br />- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4768683445&ref=search&sid=1368840126.1902792901..1&v=info">Lebanese Fire Prevention Committee</a><br />- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8389265886&ref=search&sid=1368840126.2711701718..1">Lebanese Association for Sports Injury Prevention</a><br />- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=40362417919&ref=ts">Food and Agriculture Safety-SRF</a><br /></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5uVbn4UyR338VNOmuX-D8_L_SxofDRe1HpBajTVB0DgXQqkHjA0114uliLOzq5ojLBkJwyHiIFE-KAKPRxRSaoEzRP06Dfr9UaKYX_o1IygXHUYGFvma3R1jy3s3V8dEmgQ_rnpl8IQ/s1600/WHO5L.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5uVbn4UyR338VNOmuX-D8_L_SxofDRe1HpBajTVB0DgXQqkHjA0114uliLOzq5ojLBkJwyHiIFE-KAKPRxRSaoEzRP06Dfr9UaKYX_o1IygXHUYGFvma3R1jy3s3V8dEmgQ_rnpl8IQ/s400/WHO5L.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457036710472322050" /></a><br />And while we're at it, why don't we throw in some of <span style="font-weight:bold;">our personal favorite Lebanese Causes</span> on facebook that are not YASA-affiliated! <br /><br />- <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2326284108">All for civil marriage in Lebanon</a><br />- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=315046347533">All for public transport in Lebanon</a><br />- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=247315628566">Ban indoor smoking in public places in Lebanon</a><br />- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=78821672549">Against Removing Beirut Gardens</a> (<span style="font-style:italic;">I actually have no idea what the status is with this project--does anyone know?)</span></span><br /><br />and OF COURSE--by FARRRR the most important:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2350624285&ref=search&sid=1368840126.2557063689..1">I love Mika !</a></span><br /><br />~LZ<br /><br /><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-82932231089227730662010-04-05T11:45:00.013-04:002010-04-09T12:42:00.510-04:00Lebanese Divas<span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />The business of… Lebanese divas<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Elissa, Nancy and Haifa are known for their music, acting and sex appeal. But for some, they also represent big business.</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIb4XGHyVSU9289vW4OUdBdXaE-cpTE3Fz2bh5y9mejglYGycKHkDW0g6zdB_KHip8CISXwLYrGjPAFYYG_lGgiypO4xHrW5ZIoSqSGEKWGRNTNt3SSZsdWxW1ICm9cyyBfpTpm1gm2s/s1600/elissa+nancy+ajram+haifa+wehbe+lebanese+divas.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIb4XGHyVSU9289vW4OUdBdXaE-cpTE3Fz2bh5y9mejglYGycKHkDW0g6zdB_KHip8CISXwLYrGjPAFYYG_lGgiypO4xHrW5ZIoSqSGEKWGRNTNt3SSZsdWxW1ICm9cyyBfpTpm1gm2s/s400/elissa+nancy+ajram+haifa+wehbe+lebanese+divas.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456680447264741938" /></a><br /><br />Lebanese divas are popular for many different reasons: their music, their acting (or sometimes, their inability to act) and, commonly among gentlemen, their sex appeal.<br /><br />But some people love stars such as Haifa Wehbe, Elissa and Nancy Ajram for an altogether different reason: their money-making abilities.<br /><br />Record companies, advertisers, marketers and promoters have all signed lucrative contracts with Lebanese divas. Here we take a look at some of the biggest deals – and how the singers themselves have raked in millions.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Stars 1</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk6zO6kw2weCFAOFajUCpB5z1jucfnGbi5hpNfmKg2iV6OucVUO70vCdTajReqGUb-1JOe3SiIhSWwaa7LkrltcX5U2fo2O8IIYY4XGQghE4ZpO2jOlpYJ3Eecr1PTl2G53nDAgj9QVs/s1600/elissa+pepsi+advertisement.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk6zO6kw2weCFAOFajUCpB5z1jucfnGbi5hpNfmKg2iV6OucVUO70vCdTajReqGUb-1JOe3SiIhSWwaa7LkrltcX5U2fo2O8IIYY4XGQghE4ZpO2jOlpYJ3Eecr1PTl2G53nDAgj9QVs/s400/elissa+pepsi+advertisement.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456680846408393122" /></a><br /><br />Elissa (pictured) is one of the best-known female singers in the Arab world – and is also one of the richest, with her wealth estimated at more than $33 million. Strong record sales helped her along the way: she was named the best-selling Middle East artist in 2005 and 2006, and has sold close to 18 million albums worldwide. She was also one of the first Lebanese divas to sign a sponsorship deal with Pepsi.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Stars 2 </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9PTJqVoEQk-hU7RN9p7Rt37hYmQ4UGtHZrY9ZEQCZc8ibwaWd74SNWRJYxhcOESehzU-gPq284lc4Ufo05wm8ehv_SmK-SUPgweiGEXh_fyS8m1p9xmtt9PQapuvYkAT2HoB6xSIzmY/s1600/haifa+wehbe+louis+vuitton+advertisement.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9PTJqVoEQk-hU7RN9p7Rt37hYmQ4UGtHZrY9ZEQCZc8ibwaWd74SNWRJYxhcOESehzU-gPq284lc4Ufo05wm8ehv_SmK-SUPgweiGEXh_fyS8m1p9xmtt9PQapuvYkAT2HoB6xSIzmY/s400/haifa+wehbe+louis+vuitton+advertisement.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456681270819505506" /></a><br /><br />Fellow diva Nancy Ajram is just 26 years old (much younger than Elissa, who is 38), but she has already amassed a personal wealth of more than $16 million, mainly through album sales and commercials.<br /><br />Haifa Wehbe (pictured), full of sexual suggestiveness, is the bad girl to Ajram’s ‘girl next door’. She first captured attention at the age of 16 when she won a beauty contest in South Lebanon; by 1996, she had appeared on over a hundred magazine covers. She is among the richest Lebanese pop stars, though the extent of her wealth is unknown.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Industry</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircXUdrozF5S5LjPiRyI1xdJa2m4DVs6TVCjjv6_8H0TZkhr_IIuY-qOUB7Sav4pB1sIYsj6frxl4CR3S8ilmt1NZNSvh-pt9haPd_9bgO8CAj99yfv_FDJ9PTxI7NiwQ8u8xKG9QPr18/s1600/nancy+ajram+lebanese+diva.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircXUdrozF5S5LjPiRyI1xdJa2m4DVs6TVCjjv6_8H0TZkhr_IIuY-qOUB7Sav4pB1sIYsj6frxl4CR3S8ilmt1NZNSvh-pt9haPd_9bgO8CAj99yfv_FDJ9PTxI7NiwQ8u8xKG9QPr18/s400/nancy+ajram+lebanese+diva.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456681524617467298" /></a><br /><br />Lebanese performers are celebrated throughout the Arab World – and consequently have high sales figures. For example, Ajram (pictured) has sold over four million albums in Lebanon and ranks as the third best-selling female artist in Lebanese and Egyptian music history.<br /><br />Lebanon is one of the powerhouses of Arab music. While traditional folk music remains popular, modern music combining Western and traditional Arabic styles, pop, and fusion are becoming more and more popular.<br /><br />Despite problems with piracy and illegal music downloads, the World Intellectual Property Organization says that Lebanon's music industry is mounting and could reach leading status in the region.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Advertising </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipwS5b9bQLaBWjz1AAadLiF-8IqKLf3D9jSn_XW1cre9Ss68Sk9c8AqqLLMcYaF05QM-FmAbMK1pA44AbgUG6vnSqJ09SXiFKFK5CCApCXU0xIXUI7Iw_iGdf-0YZH_jiwzTxucgafAD8/s1600/nancy+ajram+coca+cola+advertisement.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipwS5b9bQLaBWjz1AAadLiF-8IqKLf3D9jSn_XW1cre9Ss68Sk9c8AqqLLMcYaF05QM-FmAbMK1pA44AbgUG6vnSqJ09SXiFKFK5CCApCXU0xIXUI7Iw_iGdf-0YZH_jiwzTxucgafAD8/s400/nancy+ajram+coca+cola+advertisement.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456681786577078546" /></a><br /><br />Ajram, Wehbe and Elissa have all signed high-profile advertising deals with international and Arab companies.<br /><br />Elissa has worked with the likes of Pepsi, Lux, Lazurde jewels, Ray Ban and Samsung mobiles, in deals thought to be worth a total of $1 million per year.<br /><br />Ajram has signed deals with Sony Ericsson, Damas, and Coca-Cola, while Haifa has worked with Pepsi, Chopard and Louis Vuitton.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Merchandise </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTgBWN59xfwYqzlszcB80pNJ_eZ4RrL-oycdCop6zirHmHnO-jDfOSWA45SdJjsg3_-qD3DKR7hzfNgvdEEic8vTSKO3EPJubJHg9uRvumziHjQOZBZa8BTar2FGNwOEGhaHx-ata57c/s1600/elle+d%27elissa+elissa+perfume+georges+stahl.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTgBWN59xfwYqzlszcB80pNJ_eZ4RrL-oycdCop6zirHmHnO-jDfOSWA45SdJjsg3_-qD3DKR7hzfNgvdEEic8vTSKO3EPJubJHg9uRvumziHjQOZBZa8BTar2FGNwOEGhaHx-ata57c/s400/elle+d%27elissa+elissa+perfume+georges+stahl.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456682088650222338" /></a><br /><br />In 2007, Elissa was chosen by French company Georges Stahl to create her own perfume, Elle D’Elissa – which we were told was the “first international perfume for an Arab artist”. She also worked with Samsung for the launch of a music-enabled phone that contained three of her songs.<br /><br />One of the most successful merchandising deals was Nancy Ajram`s work with Sony Ericsson, which involved the launch of a special edition of Walkman series model W595i, which incorporates the star`s signature. The phone cost AED400 more than the same version of the phone without the star’s signature<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Concerts </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-cK1ZqgDORBQbLvMolD-percYuwfR82WWps9fTjYhwQzBR4E-wLctexucv6BmrPRKM-RKLKKWyTm0JBUkaeBREMImlKHqouPP4v_aozbtXDBaw4iT-gVVL-36RfSz-Ov5dLSlVh_MIw/s1600/haifa+wehbe+lebanese+diva.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-cK1ZqgDORBQbLvMolD-percYuwfR82WWps9fTjYhwQzBR4E-wLctexucv6BmrPRKM-RKLKKWyTm0JBUkaeBREMImlKHqouPP4v_aozbtXDBaw4iT-gVVL-36RfSz-Ov5dLSlVh_MIw/s400/haifa+wehbe+lebanese+diva.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456682339163240114" /></a><br /><br />Which of the performers charge the most to appear on stage?<br /><br />This question was answered last New Year’s Eve, when all three Lebanese divas put on concerts.<br /><br />It was reported that Elissa earned $130,000 for her performance, while Wehbe received $80,000 and Nancy got $70,000. Fans paid between $250 and $1,000 for a ticket to attend Nancy’s event, while Haifa’s fans paid $350 and $700 for a ticket.<br /><br />-- <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.kippreport.com/2010/04/the-business-of%E2%80%A6-lebanese-divas/?category=6">Kipp Report</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Who would've thought that Elissa charges more to perform than Haifa or Nancy? I mean I personally would pay to see Elissa and not Haifa but I thought Haifa would certainly be the highest grosser...Also--Elissa is 38?? Really?? It's a plastic surgery miracle!</span><br /><br />~LZ<br /><br /><a name="fb_share" type="box_count" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php">Share</a><script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>LaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3142805507628913151.post-14457610877717915602010-04-05T11:37:00.002-04:002010-04-05T11:44:20.673-04:00BetLZNews 4.5.2010<span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/federal-judge-awards-beirut-bombing-victims-13-billion/story?id=10263343">Federal Judge Awards Beirut Bombing Victims $1.3 Billion </a>/ ABC News<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ameinfo.com/228543.html">Byblos Bank launches the IPT-Byblos Bank MasterCard </a>/ AME Info<br /><br />Driving around on the Lebanese roads with all those trucks with oversize loads of rocks and such that are completely uncovered--I always try not to drive behind them in fear that something will fall off, and sadly, it has:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/newsdesk.nsf/0/3562EB9F866EB754C22576FA00485925?OpenDocument">Large Rock Smashes Passenger Van in Tyre, One Dead </a>/ Naharnet<br /><br />Also, I've been stumbling across these more and more--blog posts of foreigners that have visited Lebanon--I know how we Lebanese LOVE to hear foreigners complementing our country :) so here you go:<br /><br /><a href="http://americaninaraby.wordpress.com/2010/04/03/beirut-memorialized/">Beirut Memorialized </a>~ An American in Araby<br /><br /><a href="http://virtuphill.blogspot.com/2010/04/breakfast-in-beirut.html">Breakfast in Beirut</a> ~ VirtuPhill</span><br /><br />~LZLaZaytounihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181438472397236877noreply@blogger.com0