Photoshop, Middle Eastern style!

Disclaimer 1: I am neither a March 14th supporter nor a March 8th supporter.

Disclaimer 2: I think Nefertiti would have looked gorgeous the way she was, no cosmetics needed.

Having said that, who can forget last year's (or so) huge photoshoping incident with Gen. Michel Aoun and his FPM??? Well, in case you're one of these who forgot, here's a reminder.



Basically, this was a rather lame attempt by the general to accuse a Lebanese Forces supporter of opening fire on the opposition's protest.

Well as coincidence has it, it turns out that these "photoshoping" or "doctoring" techniques might have a genetic or hereditary (if that's not redundant, i don't know what is) link. Maybe it's a Middle Eastern/Mediterranean trait.

Check this story out: Egypt: Photoshop, Pharaoh Style

It turns out as well (more redundancy for you) that sculptors may have enhanced Nefertiti's image a bit. You know, some old style botox type of thing.



She definitely looks good in the enhanced form, I wonder what she would have looked like without all the cosmetic "sculptory" (don't even know if that's a word or not, but i'm making it one!)

I am waiting for some archeologist/virtual modelist to come up with one . . . . .

BG

PMS-ing

This is a very interesting article.

Back to basic bio!

It would have been nice if that BBC article had a corresponding curve with women's shopping habits. I know i'd like to see one. There must a parallel study for male behavior too.

BG

Hillarious

hmm, makes you wonder what kinds of things these ministers also charge to their accounts?
Wife must be furious, that guy is definitely in the dog house now!
It would be awesome if we can get a detailed list of the sort of things Lesbonese ministers charge to state accounts.
I also think the titles of the porn movies should be made public.
That should be fun.

BG

There we go again

"The conclusions of this research are a welcome reminder that what lesbian and gay people need is equal treatment by society, not misguided treatment by a minority of health professionals."

AMEN to that!

BG

Lebanese Syrian Relations 2

FINALLY

Syria finally appoints its ambassador to Lebanon.
After years of not recognizing Lebanon as an independent sovereign nation, Syria has finally succumbed to international pressure to recognize its' tiny neighbor as an independent entity not part of its' own greater geographical existence. It remains to be seen if the Syrians will actually follow up this recognition of independence by not interfering in Lebanese internal affairs and not undermining Lebanon's sovereignty.
We can only hope that Lebanese Syrian relationships are finally on the right track.

This is certainly a first step in the right direction.
A plethora of issues remain to be solved:

• final and concrete demarcation of the border that separates the two countries
• review of the various treaties signed under Syrian occupation that are mostly one-sided and favor Syria
• dismantling of the various pro-Syrian Palestinian military posts
• and most importantly, the return/fate of the various Lebanese prisoners in Syria

Youtube Video

BBC Story

BG

Lebanese Syrian Relations

I wonder for how long are the Syrians going to keep on playing the same game?

Since Lebanese independence in 1943 and they still play by the same book: undermine Lebanon's independence as much as possible, and never ever try to even hint that you recognize Lebanon as an independent sovereign nation.

This is classic Syrian behavior towards Lebanon!

They were not-so-much-conspicuously absent from Monday's opening of the Lebanese embassy in Damascus.

The best part is their reason for not attending: Oh, we thought that the opening of the Lebanese embassy was yesterday, so we did not attend today!

Oh really?
So let me get this straight. You thought that it was yesterday (meaning Sunday) and thus you did not show up on Monday?

So, I'm confused.
Did they show up Sunday and there was nothing going on?
How do you manage to screw up an entire diplomatic affair like this one?

And let's assume for once that they are not lying, so let's assume that they did really think it was taking place on Sunday and that they showed up on Sunday. Wouldn't you think that they will find out that it was really Monday and not Sunday and then would have eventually attended the Monday opening?

How do they get away with saying stuff like that in public?
Oh, not to mention that they still have not named their ambassador to Beirut, even though it's been over month since the Lebanese have done so.

Just give it up already. Lebanon is its' own country and you just need to recognize that and move on!

Relevant links: Naharnet story, and Youtube video, and BBC story.

BG

Excuse me I am a girl

Recently I came across a bunch of articles that caught my attention.
The first article was from BBC and it was about the UAE government targeting "masculine women". The government's entire explanation for this is to "help women avoid what is seen as delinquent behavior", otherwise known to the rest of the civilized world as homosexuality.

This is the link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7940501.stm

The other "gem" I found online was an interview by the NYTimes Magazine with Jehan Sadat, the widow of the late Anwar Sadat. Upon being asked as to the status of gays in Islam or Egypt, she answered the following: "Homosexuality is against Islam. Here in Egypt, there are not many homosexuals, not like the United States. There are some. We’ve had them since the Pharaohs."

My usual attitude in life is: to each his/her own.

But I find it weird that she really believes that there are more homosexuals in the US than Egypt. Now to be fair, she goes on to say that it is "more or less closet gay" that they have in Egypt, but still. A weird answer to a weird question anyway, I really did not see how this question connected with the rest of the interview anyhow.

Here's the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/magazine/15wwln-q4-t.html


Oh, and as an aside: my friend (who is also gay) and I were talking the other night and we decided to start using the word faggot extensively in our daily conversations and interactions with other people. Just use it for everything and to everything, thus rendering it part of the mainstream and by doing so, make it an overused, banal, non-offensive part of the English vocab.

PS: This idea is not based on any scientific background or on any previously successful similar experiment. Oh, and I was drunk when I came up with it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but chances of success are pretty close to zero.

BG

Palestinian Mockery

So if I get this straight, the Palestinian people are stateless and hundreds of thousands of them are refugees in other countries and even thousands are refugees in their own land and most if not all don't have citizenships and/or passports, but a screaming MP from the UK get a Palestinian passport?

Yes, UK MP George Galloway, who is pretty much famous for being a trouble maker (I suggest you read his wiki page), received a Palestinian passport from non other than Ismail Haniyeh. The passport was given in recognition of Galloway's tireless support for the Palestinian cause.

Now I understand that the guy is really vocal on Arab issues, and he's some sort of an internet sensation with the Arabs, they just absolutely love his rant videos on YouTube. But does he really deserve a passport for that? What about all the other passport-less Palestinians who have more of a right to these passports than a vocal UK MP? Hundreds of thousands of refugees have access only to what is called a travel document and this screaming buffoon from the UK gets a passport. One other thing, what authority does a Hamas leader and FORMER PM have in issuing these passports anyway, or will this passport only be valid in Hamasistan?

I wonder if this guy will ever try to use his new passport. Maybe then, after being humiliated because of the passport he carries, he will really understand the injustice dealt to our peoples. (PS: I am in no way summing up the entire injustice dealt to the Arabs by narrowing it down to airport security, but I mean it in a general racist sense)

Because, up until now, his vocal propaganda is all theatrics to me.

BG

It's a vagina, so what?

It is a sad day anywhere in the world when anything gets censored, but it is even a sadder moment for me when things get censored in Lebanon. You know, given the whole thing with me being Lebanese and all.

Lebanon, marketed as a bastion of freedom in the middle east, has an unfortunate history with censoring various works of art, whether they be movies, books, plays, or pretty much anything that offends some people's feelings.

We have had a few issues with censored stuff in the recent past. Things that come to mind immediately are the banning of the Da Vinci Code book since it offended the catholic church. Or the recent attempt to ban Waltz with Bashir, which as far as my knowledge extends, they recanted on that decision.

The most recent censoring fiasco revolves around the movie HELP by a new-comer to the directing scene, Marc Abi Rached. The movie tackles a bunch of issues surrounding, among other people, the life of a prostitute with a gay roommate. The Lebanese government initially gave the OK for the movie on the conditions that it be restricted to 18 and older individuals and that a scene showing female genitalia be blurred. The director happily obliged. Yet after the initial screening of the movie, the government recanted the permit and banned the movie.
Now I understand that the movie deals with certain taboo issues in the middle east and that it might have some nudity scenes that are not so Kosher for some Lebanese, but seriously??

And speculations are going crazy right now as to why the movie was banned. My favorite is that the government did not want to embarrass MP Andraos, whose daughter appears fully naked in the movie, since he might be running for re-election and that something like this might hinder his chances of winning. Because you know Lebanese will vote for their representatives in parliament according to the candidate's daughter's vagina! For one thing, I would have thought that this would get him more votes, I know I'd vote for him after this!

But on a more serious note, whatever the reasons are for banning the movie, it's a shame for Lebanon and an affront to our freedom of expression. No movie should be banned under any circumstance. If you as a government think that it might be harmful to minors or what have you then rate it and prohibit minors from watching it.


You can find a video from LBC's news hour in Arabic about the ban at the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxTZ7-r_4hM

And an English story with a video that has the trailer at the following link:
http://observers.france24.com/en/content/20090303-naked-woman-banned-lebanese-cinemas-help

No matter what the reasons are, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME.

BG

Drama with a twist

Who doesn't enjoy a theatrical performance every once in a while? What about one were the cast of actors is all men (hmm, I know I'd like that!). Now how about a theatrical performance in an old dilapidated prison in one of the highest security facilities in Lebanon were all the actors are convicted men?!
Yep, you read that right.




Zeina Daccache, the director and creator of this prison drama, is actually a popular actress in Lebanon. She plays a "funny" character on basmat watan, a popular political satirical show in Lebanon.
You can find an interview with her at the following link:
http://www.banadoura.com/articles.php?id=53

and by the way, I'm loving that banadoura.com site. If for nothing else, just for the name.

Back to the theater story. So this whole idea was supposed to be some sort of drama therapy for the prisoners. I liked the idea of it. I know drama and acting can be therapeutic, and very enjoyable especially when used as a means for self-expression. I certainly loved acting (way back in high school), and it was very useful for me in terms of self expression especially in terms of escaping into a totally different persona and getting out of "my shell" so to speak.

You can find a BBC story at the following link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7914973.stm

And a YouTube video from LBCI at the following link (in Arabic):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWcBOJLYZPw

Enjoy

BG

If I ever think of marrying a woman from Maarakeh, stop me

That is of course not me talking in the title. It is actually Timur Goksel speaking at a conference at the American University of Beirut (AUB). He used to be the chief spokesperson to the UNIFIL (the UN military force tasked with keeping the peace in southern Lebanon). I personally love this guy. I grew up watching him on TV. He came on practically every night during the nightly news sections, given that there were security incidents almost every night in the south when I was growing up and I've also followed his news closely since his retirement from his post at UNIFIL. He usually does interviews and TV appearances every once in a while.

On a side note: I don't know if my fascination with this guy is due to my fascination with press conferences in general and the process of Q & A. I've basically dreamt of having press conferences since I was a little kid. I have always imagined situations where I stand in front of so many microphones to answer tons of questions with smart, quick, crude, crass and often acerbic responses.

But anyway, back to subject.

His most recent gig was as a speaker at a conference at AUB. You can find the Daily Star's report HERE.

What is most intriguing in that story is Goksel's amazement as to how the UNIFIL or any other policing force in the south was unable to detect or discover Hizballah activities when it came to underground tunnel building. I have to say, I find that equally amazing. Where does all the dirt go, asks Goksel. He goes on to say that the UNIFIL force has never been able to find all the dirt dug up from these tunnels. Kids eat dirt all the time, I wonder if Hizballah supporters' kids have a higher incidence of kidney stones??!! Nah, just kidding.

The best line comes when he is describing a battle with the Israelis in a town called Maarakeh. Apparently women in that town came out of their houses and starting attacking Israeli tanks with pots and pans! Way to go women power! Ahem, ahem LZ. (In case you haven't figured this one out yet, LZ is my fellow co-blogger La Zaytouni, who is in Paaaareee for now and whom I miss daily.)

Here's your line: The strength of the women and their determination impressed him. "I said if I ever think of marrying a woman from Maarakeh, stop me.

Given his description, boy am I glad I don't have that problem.

BG

What country?

A series of security breaches have happened in Lebanon recently that pose a serious threat to the government's legitimacy as an effective protector of the state and it's people. There was the abduction of an engineer that works for MEA a couple weeks ago or so followed by the murder of another MEA employee, this time a pilot. All sources in Lebanon argue that both incidents are unrelated. However, of note, is the fact that they all happened in and around areas occupied/controlled by armed/security forces of Hezballah. A couple days ago, a yet unidentified armed group, sent a few rockets towards Israel. A few actually landed in Lebanon and never made it across the border. Again, this happened in Hezballah areas and under the jurisdiction/watchful eyes of the UNIFIL force, originally there to prevent this same exact kind of activities.

Equally important but on a different security scale is the hand grenades that have been launched at a few March 14th offices including the LF and Phalanges offices. These might have more of an election relevance rather than a security/resistance/let's pick a fight type attacks.

The most serious affront to state security happened with the attack on the police officer in Beirut's suburb. According to various sources, his and his driver's weapons were confiscated along with their Jeep. If police officers can't even protect their own, how the hell are they going to protects citizens?

you can find a video about the officer attack at the following link (in arabic):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg2RqI-8Ekw

All these are of course dangerous situations that might easily spiral out of control.
The south Lebanon situation can easily become very dangerous given that Netanyahu is back.
The situations occurring in and around Hezballah areas have become way too common, and the government needs to assert itself and kick some serious ass.
As for the LF and Phalange situations, I think they fall into pre-election campaigning, Lebanese style, and are not much of a serious security issue, an unacceptable one nonetheless.

BG

Happy maroon day

Yesterday was St. Maron's day in Lebanon. So if you are a reader of our blog and are a Maronite and give a hoot, then happy St. Maron's day.

A very interesting cartoon appeared today in Annahar newspaper about the status of the Maronites politically.

The voice coming out of the church is calling out to St. Maron, and on each side of the church, different people and ringing the bell to different tunes. This might just be quintessentially a Lebanese thing, but each party in Lebanon has its own "tune". People would beep their car horns to in a certain way indicating their political affiliations. The guy on the left in the cartoon is ringing tara rat tat tat, ren ren ren (or tara rat tat tat, ge ne ral) so he is a aounist, the guy on the right is going, ren ren, ren ren ren, ren ren ren ren, ren ren (or ren ren, ren ren ren, ren ren ren ren, ha kim) so he is a geageaist. I really like the satire on the divisions within the Maronite community.

On a different note, I am impatiently waiting for the Israeli election results. I am personally wishing for a Kadima and Livni win, but it seems that although she's behind in the polls, she might after all end up with enough seats in the Knesset to be an obstacle for Netanyahu. He is far too much to the right for my own taste and possibly very detrimental to peace. Not that she is going to usher in a period of calm and peace herself, but options for peace and a two state solution under her leadership might be better served.

On a personal note, I am still dissapointed and possibly even MORE so now than before with him.

BG

Greetings from Paris!

Hey!

I'm away in Paris now so you can bet that my posts shall sadly get fewer as I take in the city of lights. Although if you ask me, NYC should really hold that title...

Thought this article from the Wall Street Journal titled "Celebrities Raise Reem Acra's Profile" on Reem Acra's sudden increase of fame might be of interest, since I've been following her recently:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123380456247450897.html?mod=WSJ_topics_obama

The Acra dress Jill Biden wore that's mentioned in the article:

All my love,

A bientôt!

~LZ

Bobcorrn continued...

Hope you guys enjoyed the 2 other movies, and, as promised, here are the remaining 2:

#3

WOW. My father put this on the TV (mom and I instead wanted to watch the Red Carpet for the SAG awards) and since I was cooking dinner in the kitchen I could only hear the program. It was reporting the current situation in Israel, focusing on the living conditions of the Palestinians there, and I was amazed by how fair (READ: "not slanted in favor of Israel" as all American media is) the reporting was. I couldn't see the TV, but I was sure it was BBC or some public program like Bill Moyers on PBS. Imagine my surprise when I found out it was CBS' "60 Minutes!"

What is going on? Really, CBS is finally doing some fair, unbiased reporting in regards to Israel? What gives? Maybe the recent month-long genocide in Gaza did it, or maybe "change" really has come with this new president?

Either way, you NEED to watch this documentary "Is time running out for a 2-State Solution?": http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/23/60minutes/main4749723.shtml

(It's segmented into several short videos)

Again, WOW.

#4

Also watch "OUTFOXED: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism" about how, pretty much, Rupert Murdoch is the devil and has a monopoly over media in the US and thus a very large amount of the "news" (READ: "far-right conservative propoganda") that Americans receive, and how this determines things such as, i dunno, say, who runs the most powerful country in the free world--kinda important.

Think corruption is only limited to Lebanon and the third world? Think again

The documentary focuses on FOX "News" with real producers and reporters, etc that worked for the station coming out and speaking about how much of a biased, corrupt enterprise FOX is (I particularly love the part about the reporter that was suspended for not making Reagan's birthday seem like Sky Bar on Saturday night)

Watch it for free here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6737097743434902428&q

Enjoy!

~LZ

Baba Saab & Mama Acra

Paris Fashion week is going on! (And wouldn't you know it, right before I head off to Paris myself!)

I called Elie Saab and asked him to postpone his fashion show for a few days until I get there, but he apologized, something about finding another venue in time....

Anyway, even though I couldn't go, doesn't mean no one did. (Shocking, I know) Kanye West, actress Mischa Barton and glamour girl Dita von Teese were all there representin' for me:

To see a slideshow of his dresses from the runway show, go here:

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2009CTR-ESAAB

Also, just to keep you updated on who's been recently wearing my 2 favorite designers:

Actress January Jones from Mad Men in Elie Saab

Actress Gabrielle Union in Reem Acra

Mischa Barton in Elie Saab at the Elie Saab fashion show in Paris

Angelina Jolie in Reem Acra

Maybe Reem and Elie will see this and take pity on me and send me a dress? Or how bout you two just adopt me? Please?!

Reem, Elie--i love you!

~LZ

Take THAT Shimon Peres!

You MUST watch this!!! (It's very short, I promise!)

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=11780310

Watch the Turkish PM (my new favorite person--maybe not wise since I know nothing else about him, but my new favorite person nonetheless) stick it to Israeli President Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Peres tries to make some retarded and so-ridiculously-untrue-I-don't-even-know-how-to-begin-debating-it argument that Israel only retaliates and is never the aggressor and that overall (as in EVER) Palestinians have killed several thousand Israelis, and it makes no difference that that was over a 60-year period whereas Israel did JUST that in 20-odd days.

Good argument Peres, I'm guessing you weren't on your high school debate team

Can you believe they wouldn't let the Turkish PM speak?? I LOVE his exit!

You go Recep Tayyip Erdoğan!!!! (That would be his name...)

~LZ

Married at puberty?

There is this interesting program that is broadcast by LBCI called "Ahmar bil khat el 3areed" which roughly translates to "Red in bold font or handwriting" which is used to signify the taboo of subjects that this program ends up discussing. I don't get LBCI at my house so I unfortunately can't follow the program but I do every once in a while catch a few clips on youtube.
A recent episode was discussing the subject of homosexuality. I have not seen the entire episode, so I can't speak as to if I was favorable of the way they handled the subject or not, but a small clip available on youtube caught my attention.

You can find it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG_9V9lHDbs

In this clip, a doctor (it is not apparent from the clip what kind of doctor he is) gives his opinion and solution (as if it were a problem to start off with) to the matter. So, of course there is the normal diatribe against gays: this is "shaz" or aberrant/pervert behavior, behavior that is outside the "normal" and so on and so forth.
His reasoning for the existence of homosexuality is that people in arab countries have these repressed sexual desires that they cannot fulfill with people of the opposite sex and thus end up looking at options with people of the same sex. Then he proceeds to give a solution. He postulates that the only solution is early marriage. He goes on to say that society should instate that early marriage thing as a solution. If people "knew" that they will definitely be married by the age of 20-21 then they will not even "think" of indulging in "wrong behavior" even just to "experiment" and this way you will ban them from "perversion".

Yep, that's right. Genius, why haven't people thought of this before? That's exactly how things happen. When I was growing up, sometime after puberty I had decided that marriage was too far away and that because I can't get married right away, then I should start messing around with guys, you know, just because I was sexually repressed. Maybe if my mom had assured me of marriage when I was growing up, I wouldn't have turned out to be gay. Argh, does anybody else find this stupid? I hate it when people try to shove down your throat what they think is right. Why can't people be left alone to run their own lives. How about that for a solution? Stay out of my business, and I'm sure as hell ain't getting involved in yours, especially not if you are that retard of "Dr." who still lives in the dark ages.

Equally disturbing is people's opinions on the matter. A short movie about what people would do if they found out that one of their close ones was gay is appaling. Reactions range anywhere from I'll kill them to I'll shun them. One guy had a favorable opinion and was barely broadcast for a microsecond. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK-2DnJz_JU

The creme de la creme goes to the woman who says: allah la yjaribna, roughly translated to "may god not test us" in making one of her close ones gay. Like its a disease or something.

BG

Get some bobcorrn out....

No plans this friday/saturday night? (don't lie, it's ok)

Things going slow at work?

Care to watch some movies/documentaries?

Well, I've got 4 for you, and best part? They're completely free! Yeh! (Come on ppl, we're in a recession--who can pay $12 to go to the movies anymore??)

#1)

First is the very popular 'Waltz with Bashir.' I know other bloggers have been posting ways to get it through torrent, but I'd like to not download a virus and crash my 625th computer thank you very much (also, i probably just wouldn't know how to work it) so here's a site where you just click a link and 'voila!', you watch!

I haven't actually seen the movie yet so can offer no opinion on it, i can say however that i wish the Israeli director would have made some comment on the genocide going on in Gaza when he accepted his speech, instead of making EXACT SAME SPEECH (did he think no one would notice?) at the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice awards (To see it at the Golden Globes - fast forward to 4:13 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--d7I7Dp5xM ) about the babies born on set instead of the ones dying in Gaza as he accepted his award--I guess that would be too much to ask, but it would have been a very nice, humane touch.

Anyway, enough chatter, to watch 'Waltz with Bashir': http://watch-movies.net/movies/waltz_with_bashir/


#2)

Now, moving on to #2. The following was recommended to me by a very close friend studying journalism. It's by American journalist (as per my father, "one of the last great journalists" and "in a league of his own") Bill Moyers, titled "Buying the War". Its about how the international media completely screwed up in doing its due diligence on Iraq and WMDs, and how that was allowed to happen. The main question asked is: "How did the evidence disputing the existence of WMDs and the link between Saddam Hussein to 9-11 continue to go largely unreported?" Though I personally think that question could be better worded (ironically, at 1st glance it makes it seem as if Moyers is implying a link btwn Hussein and 9-11) my friend RAVED about this documentary, so watch it for free here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/generic.html?s=moyj06p24f
(If for some reason that's not working for you, type in "Bill Moyers" and "Buying the War" into youtube.com)


You know what, that's quite a lot to take in, and since I don't want to overwhelm you with info (and actually think you should take the time to watch these) i'll save the 2 other movies for another posting in a few days.

Enjoy, and please let me know your thoughts once you do watch them!


~LZ

Fantastic

So this whole idea of promoting a better middle east and letting democracy reign from the euphrates to the jordan rivers and all that bushism talk has really done the region more harm than good. And it certainly does not help at all that the region and the arab and muslim street are boiling with anger right now especially after all what has been going on in Gaza.
People are becoming more extreme and more fundamental and are harboring bigger and bigger animosities and hatred to Israel/America/Western countries. Peace seems even more of long shot than it was years ago, or even a month ago before the Gaza offensive.
Even countries that had been at peace with Israel or had normal relations with it have become more and more critical.
Along the lines of that, check out Turkey's PM's response to "not being given the right to respond" to Israel's Peres over at Davos:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/davos/7859417.stm

Also on a funnier note, check out the newest of the new fads in town, the infamous shoe:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7859444.stm

You gotta love these guys.

I highly appreciate and respect Erdogan's actions. Kudos for somebody to finally stand up to Israeli bias.

I can't say the same about the shoe. As an art and sculpture lover, I think that thing is an abomination. However, I assure you that the imagery is not lost on me, and I can see how this is important to some Iraqis. I can however say that I am glad the ugliness is at least green. I think it was a good idea (aesthetically of course) to have trees coming out of it.

BG