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Outlook

V . XLI, 5. 2, W ednesday vol ol XlIvN,, oM n. ay o 4 2012 VTol . XLIV, No. 21 1, 2011 ueSday , november

The IndependenT STudenT publIcaTIon SInce 1949

The Big Game Ghida Ismail Staff Writer For the past 104 years, a football match has taken place every spring between the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (FEA) and all the other faculties (Faculty of Arts and Sciences, FAS, OSB, etc.) in the American University of Beirut.

In recent years, the game passed unnoticed, with little fanfare and attention. However this year, the game was all but unnoticed.

The game, organized by the sports director in AUB, Ghaleb Halimeh, was scheduled to take place on Friday April 27 at 6pm in the green field. The FEA mission was to attract as many of its students as possible. In fact, many emails were sent to the students inviting them to attend and a promo video was prepared to support the FEA team. The FEA slogan was “We are the Game” and moreover, fan T-shirts were being sold. The FEA supported its team by planning a parade from Bechtel, the engineering department, to the green field led by a band of musicians. The Dean of Engineering and Architecture, Makram Suidan, claimed, “Our aim is to revive the spirit; this is how it was when I was a student.” Issam

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Srour, part of the engineering management department added, “Ten years from now, when the students graduate, one of the few things they’ll remember is these kinds of events.”

As for the FAS, as soon as they heard of FEA’s plans, they decided to prepare a parade of their own starting from the chemistry stairs to the green field. In fact, students received a “top secret” email informing them that they would “have a parade that was bigger and better” than that of the FEA and encouraging them with the words: “bring your friends, your drums, and your FAS colors of white and gold”.

When it was time for the game to begin, and after most of the FAS and the other faculties fans had been seated, the engineering and architecture parade made its appearance, forming one red crowd. Mayar Akrameh, a mechanical student, said “It was nice how we were all united together.”

The grandstand was packed, FAS and all the faculty fans on one side and the FEA fans on the other side equipped with drums and noise makers. Fahed Alloush, a business student, was

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impressed with “how they revived this tradition and how people of all ages were there watching.”

Once everyone had been seated, the AUB cheerleaders emerged to lead the players onto the field. Each player was accompanied by a child, like in the professional football games. After the players were announced and all the pictures were taken it was time for the match to start.

The first and unique goal was scored by the FAS during the first halftime of the game. Adam Bitar, engineering student, described the goal: “the left winger stormed down the side, hit a perfect cross to the middle, the main striker beat the defenders, got a beautiful touch in with the side of his foot and scored a sublime goal, worthy of Robben. The goalie had no chance against that.”

At the halftime, the cheerleaders performed their show, cheering for both sides.

With a final score of 1-0, the FAS came out victorious this year and received a trophy.

However the best player award went to a player from the FEA team, Jihad Farraj and all the players involved received medals.

97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide Frederic Abou Jaoude Staff Writer The Armenian Massacres took place in the last decades of the 19th century and first decades of the 20th century, during which 1.5 million Armenians perished. The Ottoman Empire was defeated in World War I and the Republic of Turkey was established in 1923. Turkey inherited the legacy of the Armenian massacres from the Ottomans and refuses to this day to recognize these massacres.

On Wednesday April 25, a panel discussion was organized at 6pm in Charles Hostler Auditorium. between AUB professors Dr. Ohannes Guekjian and Dr. Selim Deringil. It was titled “Genocide Recognition within Turkey: The Government, The Scholars, and The Public,” and began with the personal experience of an AUB Armenian student who described his nostalgic life away from his country of origin. There was an agreement

before the discussion to differentiate between the Turkish government and the Turkish citizens.

Dr. Guekjian emphasized on the fact that not all Turks deny the genocide and that there exists “pretty well organization” between Armenian and Turkish historians. He continued to describe the period 2001-2004 where attempts were made to solve the Armenian-Turkish diplomatic problems with the help of the American State Department Officer David Phillips. The differences began in 2003 when the idea of the Armenian genocide was brought up and in 2004 Turkey announced the failure of these talks. Dr. Guekjian explained how the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) reported in February 2003 that “the Armenian massacres included all the elements of a genocide.” Furthermore, it was insisted that no legal, financial or territorial atonements could Continued on page 4

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Arab Spring In AUB

www.aub.edu.lb/outlook

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Engineering Soiree

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Bliss Street, West Hall 208 tel: 01 350 000 ext. 3193

photo taken by Frederic Abou Jaoude

Hollywood Director Sinkowski at AUB

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Investigation

Page 2 Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Impacts of the Arab Spring on AUB Frederic Abou Jaoude Staff Writer The Arab Spring of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria did not only affect these Arab countries themselves, but also had an impact on the American University of Beirut. One of the positive impacts is the victory of the morals adopted by the university such as liberty and freedom of speech. The student body in particular at AUB was the most inspired by the Arab Spring because the youth were the ones who planted the seeds that spread to all Arab nations and grew through Facebook and Twitter to harvest the revolutions.

This whole new generation raised by AUB will build the future in accordance to the principles embraced by the Arab Spring. Nadia Hijab, the director of Al-Shabaka Palestinian Policy Network, described this new age group as the “rebellious generation”. In her article titled “The Rise of the Intifada Generation”, Nadia Hijab claimed that the Arab people have awakened from a lengthy deep slumber and will form an “Arab region built not on ethnic or religious purity but bound by a common striving for human rights and fundamental freedoms”.

In addition to this new-found hope, selfdetermination, and lack of restrictions, AUB students were impressed by how much Arab citizens could accomplish in such relatively

short time. Lebanese citizens in general and AUB students in particular learned to be more outspoken, more open-minded, more confident, more ambitious and more audacious. The protesters in Tunisia taught students to be more outspoken to an extent where if dialogue did not reach what is wanted, then burning one’s own body is the alternative to spread the word just like Muhammad Bouazizi flamed himself out of expression.

The activists in Egypt taught AUB peers to be more open-minded in spite of the diversity portrayed in the university just like Sunni Muslims and Coptic Christians in Egypt became more candid towards one another. The advocates in Libya taught the Lebanese youth to be more confident by means of being able to do the impossible just like overthrowing Gadhafi was considered to be unviable. The demonstrators in Yemen taught the undergraduates to be more ambitious and to aim high, similar to how Yemenis did not only demand the president to step down, but also demanded him to be judged in court and justice to be served. The rebels in Syria taught AUB colleagues to be more audacious despite difficulties just like Syrians are brave enough to stand up against a very powerful and robust regime.

“The Stagger” a political blog titled “Is Lebanon Immune to the Arab Spring” compared what is happening in Arab Spring nations with what happened previously in Lebanon. According to this blog, “the Arab Spring brings back memories of the 2005 Cedar Revolution” which was strongly backed by the Lebanese youth and university undergraduates. The Staggers continued to relate the two incidences by describing how “a quarter of the Lebanese population took to the streets” in 2005 just like millions of Egyptians filled Tahrir Square last year.

It is clear that the Arab Spring already has influenced the current AUB students who’ve witnessed it, and it may perhaps affect the generations yet to come. Though, some results of the Arab Spring are negative by creating intense disagreements about the contextual backgrounds of the Arab Spring. Even though the positive outcomes outweigh by far the negative ones, the latter may overshadow the preceding. That is why it is very important that AUB students receive only the positive effects and disregard the negative ones in order to prevent any disputes that would return the university and the entire Arab world back to the time before the outbreak of the Arab Spring began.

AUB Red Cross Club in collaboration with Sanofi Pasteur presents Youth Department

hosted by

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Campus News

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

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AUB Engineering students enjoy an evening outdoors Rayane Zahreddine Staff Writer The AUB Engineering Soirée was organized last Monday, April 23 on the roof of the Charles Hostler Center. Engineering students from all disciplines as well as a few students from other majors gathered and enjoyed the fresh spring air.

The AUB Civil Engineering Society (CES) and Engineering Student Society (ESS) organized the event, which was the first of its kind. The event lasted from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm.

The students expected “tasteful music, flavorful food, refreshing refreshments, and a good time” and they weren’t disappointed. The music set up a pleasant mood for socializing, with students sitting in groups on the steps discussing topics and catching up in a casual atmosphere. The food consisted of pizza and sandwiches and the refreshments were soft drinks. The sandwiches were the product of “Mommy Made,” a community service project founded by a group of AUB students which aims to help marginalized mothers become self sufficient and accordingly, all the proceeds from the sandwiches would go to them. In addition to that, the location

contributed to the quality of the soirée as when it was still daytime, the roof looked nice with all its nature and green grass, and when night fell the roof was illuminated and became even more charming.

The organizers shortly interrupted the event only to draw the name of three winners in a raffle with three $50 prizes. One of the lucky winners, second year Mechanical Engineering student Adam Bitar said: “I’m very proud to receive this honor especially today of all days where I decided to be more positive and outgoing. I wish they [the organizers] had put more thought into the gift seeing as it’s just literally $50 so I think I’m going to donate it to a worthy cause or treat my friends because… why not?”

That the students enjoyed the event as was clear with Civil Engineering senior Hussein Mdeihli saying: “The soirée was very pleasant, and the food, drinks, and music were good. The idea of who was making the sandwiches was especially a wise choice. The gathering was excellent except that there was no dessert.” Third year Chemical

Engineering student Mira Toukan and Biology senior Tara Bardawil added that “the gathering was a very nice idea and the ambiance was beautiful” and that “the music was OK and the food was good”.

For the organizers, the event was a great success. Christopher Sassine, President of the Civil Engineering Society said: “It was a risk expecting a large number of people for a new event on campus, especially since it took place on a Monday evening, but the number of attendees surpassed our expectations. Both societies worked hard to ensure that this event would turn out to be successful, and it was great to see that over 150 students attended. This will surely go down as an annual event that the students will be looking forward to.” Emile Zankoul, President of the Engineering Student Society added: “It was a very fun and enjoyable event! A new one that should become an FEA tradition.”

Latin Night 2012 a campus sensation Sean Thomas Contributing Writer Last Tuesday night, 600 plus students gathered in front of Fisk Hall on the Green Oval to watch AUB’s Latino Club perform its annual Latin Night, in which members of Salsa Club and Latin Club, in flowing dresses and sleek, open-collared shirts, perform a number of choreographed, Latin-inspired dance routines.

The performance combined a modern theme – hence the trendy, digital-style poster advertising Latin Night 2012 – with traditional styles of dance. “We wanted the audience to be familiar with the music,” reflected Karim Itani, Latino Club’s president. “Our main objective was for both club members and the audience to enjoy themselves, to laugh and leave the stage happy.”

Itani chuckled and then referred to when the male dancers stripped and tossed aside their shirts, and then teasingly unbuckled their belts, as the audience roared with amusement.

The showcase included thirteen dances – a Latino Club precedent – incorporating salsa, tango, merengue, cha cha cha, salsa rueda, bachata, and jive. Despite the students’ inexperience – many of the club’s members are first years and have little to no background in dancing – “[the students] wanted to be challenged and kept pushing for more,” explained Nasib Al

Choikani, Salsa club’s chief instructor. Many of the dances “were extremely difficult and intended for professionals,” Al Choikani added pointing to routines in which one male student danced salsa with two female students, and one female student with two male students, either involving tremendous coordination. “We wanted to spice things up,” added Itani in reference to the diversity of styles and techniques employed.

“I thought it was an incredible performance, and the talent showcased was amazing!” exclaimed Sarah Geller, a Junior at AUB. “It was awesome, and the dancers really looked like they we’re enjoying themselves as well as showing the audience something a little out of their comfort zone,” commented Caitlin Kaldany, a Junior.

“They’ve proven to everyone that under stress, they can perform very well,” said Itani when explaining the time constraints and academicrelated preoccupations faced throughout preparation for Latin Night. “We were under a lot of pressure, and I was nervous for the students… but they put on a great show…and I want to thank them for their time and effort.”

“This year’s Latin Night was very special because we normally have a number of professional dancers who perform solos, but this year we

didn’t have any solos because the students had little experience dancing. In spite of this, they performed better and were more talented than in past years. This is the first time I’ve seen this,” commented Al Choikani. “I’m very proud and very honored they performed so talentedly.”

When asked why interested AUB students should join Salsa Club or Latin club or both (either are under the umbrella of AUB’s Latino Club), Itani smiled and replied without hesitancy, “We are like one big family. It’s a fun and easy way to make close, lasting friends,” and it provides “a friendly, comfortable environment,” something, Itani concluded, is good for shyness.

The show’s final performance saw dancers in jeans and white T’s, jiving to Michael Jackson’s “The way you make me feel” as they motioned for the rest of Latino Club’s members, and then to the audience, to join on stage. Latin Night 2012 concluded with a horde of students – Club members and regular students alike – filling the stage, dancing and rubbing shoulders in a torrent of liveliness.

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Campus News

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide continued

Frederic Abou Jaoude Staff Writer be made. In 2007, David Philips initiated a letter signed by at least fifty international scholars in order to improve bilateral relations between Armenia and Turkey. However, according to Dr. Guekjian, the “huge gap in perceptions” between the two sides did not allow this attempt to succeed despite the fact that the Armenian President Sarkisian visited Turkey and Turkish President Abdullah Geul also visited Armenia a few years ago.

Dr. Deringil began his word with a basic question: “What do the Armenian massacres mean in context of dominant political culture in Turkey?” Dr. Deringil participated in a 2005 conference entitled “The Ottoman Armenians and the Decline of the Empire” as a member of the organizing committee. This meeting aimed to bring about the issue of freedom in Turkey.

He said that “Armenia has become a symbol for Turkey to transform into a true democratic nation and dare I say a normal nation” and described how the Turkish government has been lying to its people for eighty years. Dr. Deringil

also added that the Republic of Turkey is “built on blood”. He illustrated how the conference was supposed to be held in May but eventually got postponed. “Just the night before the meeting and as I was leaving my office, I heard the X Turkish justice minister speak on the television that he will attend the conference”. This led to delay talks since it was previously announced that no officials will be allowed to attend. He explained how this meeting was delayed again and again from May to September as a result of official Turkish intervention. Dr. Deringil, who believes that Turkey will never provide territorial compensations to Armenia, claimed that “one of the worst things that happened to Turkey was the loss of the Armenian population”.

In the end of the discussion, the audience was given a chance to ask questions to be answered by the professors. When asked about whether the cause of the Armenian genocide was religious or national, Dr. Guekjian claimed that religion had nothing to do with the incidents and that the main cause was “extreme nationalism” where the

Turks were dividing people into who is worthy of joining the great empire and who is not.

When asked about what has been achieved so far in terms of recognition and reparation, Dr. Deringil answered by saying that Armenians were able to “break a wall of silence” in which the word “genocide” no longer stands as a taboo but is actually being used more often inside Turkey.

At the entrance of the conference, the following quotation by William Saroyan was posted: “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water, burn their homes and churches.

Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a new Armenia”.

Folk concert commemorating the Armenian Genocide at AUB Hrag Vosgerichian Staff Writer & Event Photographer On the occasion of commemorating the 97th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, the Lebanese Armenian Heritage Club (LAHC) at AUB coordinated a folk concert on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 8pm in Assembly Hall. Two Armenian modern folk bands, Mihr and Garabala, brought their participation to the successful event.

To initiate the start of the event, Kourken Kadehjian, president of the LAHC, addressed the attendees, highlighting the importance of the event in memorializing the Armenian genocide

photo taken by Hrag Vosgerichian

and in strengthening Armenians’ attachment to their culture, heritage and motherland. He expressed that the concert is a continuance of the previous year’s similar and commemorative classical concert.

Next, Garabala took the stage. Aline Naccachian (lead vocals), Khachig Demirdjian (violin and vocals), Hrag Karakashian (guitar and vocals) and Aram Papazian (drums) were part of the modern-day Armenian band. They performed traditional Armenian songs: Noubar (a maiden), Sari Siroun Yar (mount’s pretty maiden), Shalakho

(a traditional dance), Aghounig (little dove), Mokats Harser (a popular Armenian song) and Habrban (a popular Armenian song).

In the second part of the folk concert, Mihr performed Hamam, Wedding Song, Gakavig (the partridge), Nazani and Dork Ankegh. The contemporary band’s members were wearing traditional Armenian attire during their performance. The members of the band were Simon Kalaydjian (piano), Haig Gragian (guitar and lead vocals), Nayiri Kalaydjian (vocals and flue a bec), Hrag Papazian (duduk and vocals), Martin Nassif (bass) and Aram Papazian (percussions).

For more than one hour, and with around 200 attendees present, both bands completed their outstanding performances, which were worthwhile for paying their priceless tribute to the one and a half million Armenian martyrs. They revived the ancestral spirit among the attendees and instilled the growing cry of thunder inside every Armenian’s heart. Talar Mekhitarian, an attendee of the concert and a psychology junior at AUB, stated that “Centuries of oppression on my people have left us clenching our identity, tight-fisted and stubborn – refusing to die and calling for our native lands. This successful folk concert indeed reinforced that aspect of Armenian culture in me.”

Campus News

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

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Lecture discusses sexuality in Lebanon Karen Sertin Staff Writer & Photographer A person’s sexuality includes various aspects of a human being. No matter what those aspects are, it is supposed to be personal, just like a person’s religious beliefs are personal. However, it is difficult for these concepts to remain personal when society imposes a variety of definitions. Dr. Faysal El-Kak, president of the Lebanon Society of Obstetrics & Gynecology, came to AUB to give interested students an overview of information about sexuality and Lebanon’s ignorance towards it on April 25.

“Sex is boring, sex is only for reproduction, sex is only for a married couple,” echo many voices. But sex is so many other things to every individual.

Dr. El-Kak explained that the fact of the matter is that no matter what anyone believes about sex, sexuality should consist of a few things, such as freedom of choice, pleasure, and a positive experience. If it lacks any of these things, it could easily cause people to have anxiety and therefore avoid the situation. This could be due to an incompatible relationship, an arranged marriage, rape, marital rape, or peer pressure. A person has

to be comfortable and ready to go through this experience in order for them to have a positive attitude about sex. Sex, if it is experienced in a positive manner, can help people express love, bond, and so forth.

Despite the positive aspects of sexuality, there are some unplanned risks that come with it.

Everyone has heard of unplanned pregnancies, STDs, and different kinds of diseases. The problem is that the vast majority of Lebanon knows very little, if not almost nothing, about the health risks that come with sex and how they can be contracted. The simplest solutions are typically to use condoms by both men and women. Most people do not even know that there is a condom for women. An alternative for a woman who does not feel comfortable using one is to use birth control pills, patches, or other forms of intrauterine devices (IDUs). Using such simple devices prevents the spread of many diseases and the occurrence of unplanned pregnancies. A new formula has been made recently in the form of a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. Any of these

minor forms of actions decrease the chances of unplanned sexual issues.

The words, “Do not think that sex is the same as in movies, what is seen in movies stays in movies,” are very important to remember in order to have a pleasurable and safe experience. More detailed information can be obtained by visiting the Lebanon Society of Obstetrics & Gynecology website at www.lsog.org.lb.

Some sexual facts people do not know: 1) A woman can get pregnant even from “outercourse”, making it crucial that people use protection.

2) In the whole world 40 percent of women have claimed that they have been in a violent sexual experience.

3) STDs can be transmitted to a person, but the symptoms can remain “silent” for a long period of time.

“Beyond the Void” by Stephan Exsternbrink Assaad Khoury Staff Writer “The city is a product of society” said German architect Stephan Exsternbrink in his lecture entitled “Beyond the Void” on Wedneday, April 25, in the Architecture Department. His lecture, although featuring the technical aspects of his work, also focused on analyzing intercultural differences in utilizing and designing public spaces in Asian and European contexts.

Exsternbrink, who is currently living in Korea, has gained considerable experience in the Asian society and how differently public and private spaces are taken in.

Exsternbrink began the lecture by briefly describing the urban environment in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, and how different it is from Europe. A distinct feature of Seoul is that the river banks are void of human activity, contrary to what is usually seen in European countries. “It is a country very much influenced by war”, he continues, highlighting the fact that it is both the people and the architecture that help in determining the character, or the aura, of the city.

Furthermore, Exsternbrink explained his focus on human relations and differences in illustrating the architectural dissimilarity between Seoul and Amsterdam. After having performed his own

social experiment to study the behavior of the inhabitants of Korea on a train, he concluded that they behave very privately, leaving little or no opportunity for public and intellectual interaction. Seoul is layered and small scaled with no two buildings looking exactly the same, but as a product of modernity, it has witnessed a rise in apartment block type buildings that are not so common to Seoul. Amsterdam on the other hand expresses unity and little diversity as its buildings are inspired by the historical city center.

“It is very strange creating a building and then blocking the view, from the inside out with advertisements!” said Exsternbrink. In Seoul, no building is left unmasked, with advertisements and signage covering most of the exterior, including windows; so much so that is dulls the senses, he explained. The extremely stressed signage and illumination of the buildings strains perception and it is not uncommon to find more than one ad belonging to the same advertiser within inches of each other on the same building.

In opposition to this, he continued, are the subtle, pale, and precise ads and signs exhibited on an exterior building in Europe.

Aside from the exterior, Externbrink displayed interior designs for “Hollys Coffee” in Seoul,

produced by his own design studio. He clarified how the variety of seating plans and seating types within the shop would appeal to everyone. The most distinct feature of this shop was, however, a section in which customers could sit in a Far Eastern fashion, cross-legged, appealing to the more traditional patrons.

Towards the end of the lecture, upon being asked about the concept being the reason for the name “Beyond the Void,” Externbrink answered by saying that there is no one definition, but in short, what is meant by void is the nonfunctional spaces and how creative one may be with them. Second year Architecture student Ali Khodr said, “It was an interested combination between exterior and interior articulations that define the program behind space.” Others found interest in the cultural aspect present such as second year Architecture student Laura Mashini: “The lecture showed a very interesting interaction between space and culture. It was also very inspiring since they mixed two completely different cultures in architecture.”

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Campus News

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

From Batman to B’Sharre Rana El Jarrah Staff Writer On April 24, Hollywood producer Ron Senkowski gave a lecture about the importance of finding your passion in life, calling it the “fast lane”. He also mentioned that the important thing to keep in mind while discovering your own fast lane is that you will fail but this failure will lead you on the right path. Senkowski shared his personal experience in discovering his own fast lane. He mentioned the seven days and the seven decisions that have made him discover his fast lane, along with the life lessons he learned on the way.

The first day that changed his life was the day he took the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

During the exam he felt that he needed to answer his own question: “why should I become a lawyer?” with his conclusion being that he shouldn’t become a lawyer. Lesson one in life is: “you shouldn’t be afraid to change lanes”. The second day that changed his life was when he got

a job because he kept a smile on his face. Lesson two is “establish yourself and enter a room with a smile”. He quit after one year because he knew this is not his fast lane. Day three took place in film school. The professor came in and asked “who is a director?”, no one but Senkowski raised their hand. Senkowski got to direct the end of the year movie. Lesson three is “be the first to raise your hand”.

Senkowski wanted to direct movies so he went Hollywood. On day four, he got a phone call from Warner Brothers and they hired him. His first job was working on Batman Forever. After this job, he became Michael Mann’s assistant. The job was great but he was living in the shadows of someone else so after three years he left. Lesson four is “you must get out of the shadows if you have a passion inside you ready to take over the world”.

Day five was when a studio agreed to produce his own script and allowed him to be the director.

Lesson five is “let go of what makes you secure and embrace the unknown”. Day six was when Senkowski wanted to produce a movie his own way without going to a studio. He convinced a director and a main actor to join him on the project. Lesson six is “think outside the box, and leverage competition”.

Then there was a detour in his life. He was working in Ohio with a vendor when he saw a book. Day seven came two years after seeing the book. Senkowski called the vendor and told him that he was willing to help with the process of making the book into a movie. The book was “The Prophet” by Gibran Khalil Gibran. Senkowski is honored to be working on this project and this led him to B’Sharre to visit Gibran’s museum.

He loves Lebanon and loves being here. He concluded by saying “once you believe in your dreams the universe will dream with you”.

Who will be the world’s economic giants in 2050?

Frederic Abou Jaoude Staff Writer It is more or less obvious today which countries are considered to be the economic giants of the world. According to “Economy Watch,” the top five nations with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010 were respectively: the United States of America, China, Japan, India, and Germany. However, the new leading economic nations of the future will surely surprise you.

“Yahoo Finance” issued a list of the top economic nations expected to rise by the year 2050. These countries were predicted by economists while unspecialized people would never have imagined that such “developing” countries could grow so quickly.

India, yes India, will probably be the world’s number one economy instead of the United States. Previously, India’s economy was never this bright. The country had a slow rate of growth for many years, but in 1991 everything changed.

India’s economy became liberal and from that year on and experienced a never-before-seen rise in its annual GDP. This will allow the South Asian peninsula to rise from the fourth ranking nation to the first ranking worldwide according to a report set forth by Knight Frank.

The second nation expected to arise by 2050 is China. Though still stable in its world rank, China’s economic growth is actually not stable.

With the large economy that it is, China may be the only country in this list whose rank may not surprise anyone. The main adversity that China

faces is its increasingly enormous population that represents an economic disadvantage and as a result, the Chinese government is working on decreasing it. Having previously surpassing Japan, China’s growth is no match for India’s development by the year of 2050.

The USA; the nation you were most probably waiting for will drop from the world’s leading economic nation to third place. The United States of America will remain in the top three in the future but at less than forty trillion dollars which is half that of China’s approximately eighty trillion dollars. What is unquestionable is that the U.S. will continue to be an economic and financial superpower despite being outshined by two other nations.

The nation predicted to rank fourth by 2050, is Indonesia. This South-Eastern Asian nation which many consider as “undeveloped,” is in fact one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

The main reason behind this great development is due to a decision taken by the government to encourage private investment. Indonesia possesses large natural and human resources in addition to its huge potential for growth. This country’s GDP is supposed to increase by 6.8 percent on an average until 2050.

The fifth largest economy expected to subsist in 2050 belongs to a nation which has never reached the top five in its history. This nation which is part of the BRICS coalition is Brazil. Brazil’s agricultural,

manufacturing, and services industries permitted it to overtake the United Kingdom as the world’s sixth largest economy just last month. Being rich with natural abundance, Brazil is not thriving to stay the leading South American nation, but will compete with other international nations to be one of the future economic giants.

Who knew that a mere forty years would hold so much global change? The world is changing speedily and especially at the economic level. Developing countries will no longer be developing but will become the top ranking nations in the world. Industrialized nations will have to accommodate the fact that they will no longer be the only economic leaders international wise. If this dramatic transformation continues, who knows which countries will be the world’s economic giants by 2100!

photo from google.com.lb

Arts & Culture

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

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How food can affect your mood Rola Ghaddar Contributing Writer Who of us does not eat uncontrollably when stressed or anxious? We tend to eat anything that comes in our way when we’re desperate to get out of a certain mood, thinking that eating delicious foods like brownies, chocolate bars, and chips will help. However, what these snacks will do is add extra calories to your daily intake and make you gain weight. What most people ignore is that certain foods can have an effect on your mood.

This article will inform you of what foods will help you get out of a certain mood or state of mind.

To begin with, if you’re stressed don’t go eating all the food in the world; a square of dark chocolate will help you release the pressure and feel calm.

A recent study showed that people who ate 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate every day for two weeks had lower levels of stress hormones. Make sure you’re eating the genuine dark chocolate that contains 70 % of pure cocoa; true cocoa is rich in

theobromine, a biochemically active compound that affects the nervous system.

If it’s 3 am and you’re still staring at the walls in your room waiting to fall asleep, go for two cups of air-popped popcorn. Popcorn will increase the carbohydrate level in your blood allowing your body to make serotonin - the hormone that relaxes your system and makes you fall asleep.

However, what most of us do when they fail to sleep is drink warm milk, the bedtime classic.

Milk contains protein and certain amino acids that can actually block the build up of serotonin.

So let’s pretend it is Saturday night and you had one-too-many drinks but you can’t afford the headache, queasiness, and fatigue that are more commonly known as a hangover. Enjoy two eggs before going to sleep to minimize the illness of the next day. Eggs contain a certain substance called N-acetyl-cysteine which slows the absorption of alcohol and speeds up the breakdown of alcohol

in the liver.

You just had lunch and you’re falling asleep in class; you need a quick boost of energy. Go for dried fruits which are a good source of added sugar and natural fruit sugar that will immediately raise your blood sugar levels.

However, we don’t want this process to happen again within an hour, so what I recommend is to eat them with pistachios which contain both protein and fibers. This will slow digestion which prolongs fullness and makes the glucose stay for a longer time in your blood stream.

If you have a really important event coming up and you can’t afford to get sick, you need to eat something that will boost your immune system.

Watermelon contains vitamin A, C, B6, and antioxidants. These nutrients will boost your immune system and will help you stay on the safe side.

Food Column: Do you trust your water bottle?

Loulwa Kalache Staff Writer “Water has no taste, no color, no odor; it cannot be defined, art relished while ever mysterious.

Not necessary to life, but rather life itself. It fills us with a gratification that exceeds the delight of the senses.” - Antoine De Saint-Exupery.

We take water for granted, regarding it as something that is always available, clean and cheap. No one can deny that water has become a priceless resource controlling the politics of the world. In some countries, a gallon of water is more expensive than a gallon of oil, leading to water being called the blue gold.

Lebanon has always been regarded as a country bountiful of water but it is no longer considered as such. Lebanon is facing a major water crisis since water consumption is growing at a steady state due to the growth of population and rapid urbanization. More so, despite all the rain that fell heavily this winter, drought is still threatening this Lebanese summer since there is no clear governmental plan to use the water efficiently.

A Daily Star report (“Water crisis looms in Lebanon”) states that: “The problems facing Lebanon are numerous: Illegal wells are introducing seawater into an aquifer and reducing the water table, while industrial waste is polluting the Litani River and turned the Beirut River blood red last month. The nation has few dams and reservoirs to retain the heavy rainfall in the winter months and water officials say consumption is almost entirely unregulated.”

“Tahkik,” a TV program on MTV, documented “Water treasure in Lebanon”. The presenter

Claude Hindi shed light on the looming water pollution crisis while also tackling the issue of bottled water safety. The report states that 35% of drinking water is sold by companies without any license and 60% of Lebanese people buy it, especially in poor areas like the Beirut suburbs.

Astonishingly, any person with $4,000 can open a place to sell you water and there is actually no proper inspection on them. “Tahkik” went to different places that claimed they tested and treated their water. After taking samples and microbiologically testing them, it was discovered that four out of the six were polluted and unsuitable for drinking.

Safe drinking water is surely not 100% sterile as it can contain negligible amounts of contaminants without posing any health risk. Contaminants can be microbiological or chemical such as pesticides and minerals, but if exceeded high levels, they can cause illnesses. Tap water may be disinfected with effective, continuous, and inexpensive techniques such as chlorine, chloramine, ozone, or ultraviolet light. As for bottled water, it is disinfected using a more expensive technique of ozone.

Drinking water became merely a business and the report defined four types of this business: Underground resource from artesian wells: need a budget of $20,000 to $100,000 as they apply high standards of treating, purifying, and packaging water by using sophisticated multi-equipped system. However, they only constitute 20% from the market.

Other Companies: constitute 40% of the Lebanese

market and need merely $3000. They usually purify water through the use of one equipment type only.

Water tanks from tap water: located mostly in suburban areas and beside any supermarket, sells the gallon for 750 L.L. Water Tanks sold in trucks without any hygienic considerations that sell people one gallon for 500LL. The report states clearly that there is a newly implemented law that forces most water selling businesses to purify and treat water properly according to certain standards. They also need an industrial investment and a “republic” approval. Ironically, the special trucks equipped to transport the water that are made completely from stainless steel to maintain quality are still under pending approval while other unequipped trucks are roaming the streets.

This negligence has to stop. Our government has to start acknowledging that the real threat to our national security is the one affecting our health whether from the water we drink, the food we eat, the air we breathe, or even the traffic jam we get stuck in.

For more info on treatments, please go to: http:// www.epa.gov/ogwdw/faq/pdfs/fs_healthseries_ bottlewater.pdf MTV ‘s “Tahkik” Report : http://mtv.com.lb/ Tahkik/Water_Treasure_In_Lebanon

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Arts & Culture

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The frog experiment Emile Wehbe Former Chief Chemist at the Chemistry Department Laboratories In the year 1958 I was teaching Chemistry at Mousytbah Babtist High School in Beirut. A rumor at that time was going around that some students in the highest two classes of this school were smoking marijuana. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug among high school students.

The headmaster of this school at that time was Mr. Finly Graham. He asked me to deliver a lecture to the highest two classes of this school showing the dangers of this bad habit. So I immediately thought of demonstrating before their eyes the frog experiment. I brought two living frogs and two beakers full of water and an electric heater.

The first beaker I filled with water at 35 degrees Centigrade and I asked the electrician in the laboratory of the school to regulate the electric heater so that it would raise the temperature of the water in the first beaker one degree centigrade per minute. So when the water was 35 degrees, I started to raise the temperature of the water

one degree per minute. At this temperature I immersed the first living frog. So after 65 minutes the temperature of the water reached 100 degrees Centigrade, the boiling point of water. At this temperature, the frog was in a state of complete coma, a state of profound insensitivity.

For the second part of this experiment, I boiled the water in the other beaker to 100 degrees and I immediately plunged the other living frog in this boiling water. In less than one second, or rather in no time at all, this second frog jumped out the poiling water, sane and safe.

What does this experiment teach us? In the first case, frog, number 1: If a student is approached by a fellow student to take a sniff of marijuana and he accepts this offer, he is caught and this is the first step in developing this bad habit of practicing drug ecstasy, like the first frog who was attenuated to the gradual heat.

He should behave at this critical moment like the second frog which jumped out immediately from the boiling water in the second beaker.

I would like to mention some bad effects of practicing the smoking of drugs entering our high schools, colleges and universities nowadays.

Marijuana is reported as the illicit drug of choice on campus. Illicit drug use factors into tragedies that include rape, overdose, vandalism and death, let alone memory loss, diminished concentration and attention in the classroom, increased absenteeism, impaired academic performance, and physical illness.

Second hand effects: Students who abstain often suffer second hand effects from the behaviors of students that use drugs.

Non-binging and abstaining students may become the target of insults and arguments, physical assaults, vandalism and humiliation.

So my humble advice to all students, boys and girls in high school, colleges and universities, live a clean life having complete faith in God, and you will be the most effective and the happiest person God created.

Movie Review: Iron Lady Ian M. Gibson Copy Editor The biographic film is, in many ways, a cinematic conundrum. As the story of an individual, it is hopelessly bound to the tight restrictions of a fairly-linear narrative format. To not comply is to show too little of the person’s history; to fit too well to it is to simply generalize the movie as a whole. Iron Lady, a late 2011 film that has only recently come to Lebanon, tackles this difficulty in an interesting but ultimately dissatisfying way.

Starring Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher, the first female Prime Minister of Great Britain, Iron Lady is an inherently emotionally charged film. By focusing on such a politically divisive figure, one whose actions lie in the too-close-forcomfort recent past, the story itself invites the viewer to partake on the level of remembrance and belief. It tells the story of young Maggie, daughter of an uncomprising grocer, who rises into conservative politics in spite of both her gender and the brandy-and-cigars state political establishment. She sticks to her ideology and her gumption, becoming a member of parliament and eventually head of the nation.

It is a fairly straightforward story, but Iron Lady presents it with a unique twist – the framestory.

Each of the historic elements is presented not as present-action but rather as the memories of now aging and mentally unstable Thatcher. Skipping between the sadness of the present and elements of the past, the film attempts to weave together both the strong historic character of Thatcher

and her present, immensely personal condition.

But such a format can only succeed if both components support one another, a strength that Iron Lady unfortunately lacks in. The flashes into the past are filled with the same bland convention that plagues the biopic format as a whole. Every situation is filled with immensely inflated importance, featuring caricatures that spit-out compacted lines of Manichean dialogue.

It becomes painful to watch as director and writer attempt to squeeze an immensely complex political history into two-minute snippets. There is no sense of reality as the viewer becomes disengaged with what is an obviously constructed view of the past.

The present storyline, however, is as immensely powerful as the background plot is staid. Old Lady Thatcher wonders about her house under the watchful eyes of armed guards and impatient caretakers, attempting to understand what has become of her life. Add to this the ever-present hallucinations of her dead husband and one can’t help but weep at the sad scene. It is in this element that one feels the closes with this historic figure – not in the boring reenactments of past events but rather in the touching reality of a once powerful figure grown old and forgotten.

Meryl Streep, who won an Oscar for her work in this film, brings to life Margaret Thatcher in a way that runs counter to the biopic format. By presenting her so convincingly and as a figure

of the present, the audience connects with the character not as a fragment of history but rather as an ever-present manifestation of human nature. It is simply a shame that half of Iron Lady browbeats this character into the formulaic nonsense of the genre.

Poster from: www.collider.com

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Engineering soiree Weam Al-Awar & Rayane Zahreddine Photographers

Spotlight

Random Facts A little from everywhere

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

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Zeina Mhaidly Staff Writer

Life Size mummy out of McDonald’s Food!

Russian woman aims to become most realistic HUMAN DOLL! World’s fastest man on four legs!

Ben Campbell, a man who describes himself as “some kind of artist” built a life size mummy using $200 worth of McDonald’s burgers. In his work he tried to focus on the link between ancient Egypt and the modern world which he considers to be “immortality”. As Egyptians were obsessed by achieving immortality through customs such as mummification, Campbell believes that we as well are obsessed with immortality and try to achieve it by pursuing celebrities and building organizations. Therefore, the McDonald’s mummy was his best way to make this point.

http://www.odditycentral.com/news/russian-woman-aims-to-

Kenichi Ito, a 29 year old man who lives in the Suburbs of Tokyo, has learned to become the world’s fastest man on four legs. His passion for monkeys led him to spend eight and a half years of his life walking around his neighborhood on his hands and feet. Ito has now entered the Guinness World Record for running 100 meters in just under 20 seconds. He looks for inspiration from the animal world by using the Internet and a season ticket to the local zoo. “You know, my face and body kind of look like a monkey, so from a young age everybody used to tease me, saying ‘monkey , monkey!’ But I wasn’t really bothered because I really liked monkeys, and somewhere inside of me I had this ambition to adopt one of their traits” said Kenichi.

become-most-realistic-looking-human-doll.html

http://gawker.com/5905115/some-kind-of-artist-constructsmummy-out-of-mcdonalds-food-to-make-some-kind-of-point

Valeria Lukyanova, a 21 year old woman, is the closest anyone has ever come to looking like a real life Barbiedoll. Lukyanova claims to be one of the most famous women on the Russian-language Internet. Although Valeria looks very unreal and plastic, and although her face is expressionless and her body is disproportionate, she claims that every part of her body is natural except for her breasts. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-22/

Jody Smith: the mum who weeps diamonds

A perfume that smells like a Mac Book Pro!

Jody Smith, a 35 year old woman suffers from Cystinosis, a rare disease which causes a build-up of an acid called cystine.

The acid forms as tiny crystals that gather in her heart and lungs and fall from her eyes as they become watery. Jody describes the tears to be painful although they might be seen by others as diamonds and hopes to find someone who is able to help her find a cure for her disease. So far, no cure has been found for Cystinosis which affects and harms sufferers’ kidney functions.

science/31382121_1_monkey-olympic-sport-wild-boar

A Coke for a Hug! A new Coca-Cola machine at the University of Singapore is programmed to dispense a can of coke whenever someone wraps their arm around it. The machine has the words “Hug me” written in the Coca-Cola signature font. The idea is the result of a marketing campaign conducted by the company called “Open Happiness”. “Whether you were hugging the machine or experiencing the event online, our goal was the same – to put a smile on your face and share that emotional connection,” stated Coca-Cola spokesman Leonardo O’Grady.

http://news.yahoo.com/perfume-smells-macbookpro-143500345.html

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/ health/4271209/The-mum-who-weeps-diamonds.html

If you love the smell of an Apple product, you can now travel to Melbourne, Australia and savor the aroma without having to buy a new Mac Book, iPad, or iPhone. A group of artists called the Greatest Hits in Australia used the help of “Air Aroma,” a scent solutions company in France, in order to be able to come up with the scent of a Mac Book pro’s box plastic wrap, paper and plastic packing material, the ink on the sides, and the aluminum laptop inside. The scent was created in order to establish an atmosphere for an art exhibit called “De Facto Standard” and will unfortunately not be available for personal use.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/04/17/vending-machine-gives-freecokes-in-exchange-for-hugs/

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Latin Night Pia Chaib Photographer

Spotlight

Viewpoint

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

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A little of patience The decline Lojine Kamel Editor-in-chief

“Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you, but not in one ahead.” Bill Mcglashen.

Patience is probably the world’s rarest commodity. We are a world so pressured by time that we often forget what breathing feels like. In this day an age, when time management and multi-tasking are prized above all things, simplicity just isn’t what it used to be.

When was the last time you did something just because you wanted to? When was the last time you sat down and took the time to read a book for pleasure? When did you last sit on the grass just for the sake of feeling it?

I don’t blame you if it’s been a while. Technology runs our lives, and it’s often high-speed or bust.

Friends and family are often the hardest to deal with. When you see someone everyday, it’s easy to forget to be polite and easier still to brush them off. “They’ll forgive me,” we say, our guilt fading away with each occurrence.

What’s so contradictory is that these same acts of impatience that we may (and should) feel guilty about are a completely different story when they are inflicted on us by others. An impatient person is regarded as rude and unkind by people, yet those same people probably have bouts of impatience as well.

Sometimes its just a case of “one of those days.”

I myself lashed out at a stranger only last week, and though my reason was valid, I still felt bad at the way I handled the situation. Patience is not one of my virtues, though I admit I don’t try nearly as hard to acquire it as I should.

I often think about what other people must think of me when I am impatient. And though we all would like to say it doesn’t matter, our reputation precedes us. Sometimes we cannot help our mood, but most of the time we can. Yet patience is the world’s rarest commodity.

Do you have it?

Ali Kassem News Executive Clothes are a necessity. For many, they are a fashion statement, an expression of identity or a simple social obligation. For some, they are lacking. We live in Lebanon and we spend most of our time at the American University of Beirut.

Some people seem to think that such facts justify the lack of clothes. They do not.

Without the details, foreigners have come to Lebanon and expressed their surprise as to the number of prostitutes present in the country and how such commerce is so widely and openly exercised. Naturally, it is not so but these foreigners seem to believe that what our fellow citizens wore befitted prostitutes.

Why would people not wear clothes? Attention seems to be the most obvious of answers but the degree to which people have went to please others is disturbing. The human being is a free being and enslaving one’s self to society is, simply put, an injustice. People may look at those that do not have much clothes on but they do not look in respect. The looks and their intentions vary, but they are never of respect.

This does not only apply to the female gender, although it is more of a pressing issue there. It also applies to males.

The other day, I was entering Jafet and there was a class of high school students getting a tour of the library. A certain AUB “jock” entered the library and the high school students diverted their attention from the librarian to the guy’s shorts saying things like “look at the shorts, look at the shorts!”

On the female side, the situation is more drastic. As part of the materialistic worldview that dominates the minds of some, females have been turned from the human intellect and soul they were meant to be into artifacts of desire.

Now, the attention a female gets is inversely proportional to the size of her shorts. Sadly, many females no longer find this a disturbing fact and they consider it as “3ade.” Truly, it is anything but “3ade.” Loosing one’s honor is not

“3ade,” loosing respect is not “3ade” and loosing poise is not 3ade.

It gets worse. Assuming that the students of this university, in particular, have decided that clothes are a socially forced artifact and that they would not like to ascribe to such social norms they have the right to do so. Nevertheless, they will be held responsible, in both lives. The right they do not have is that of hurting others and that is exactly what they are doing. A certain number of students at this university ascribe themselves to certain religious norms and values that prevent them from this materialism, this objectification of the female gender and this loss of self-respect. These people, upon seeing the show of materialism on display will get uncomfortable; their rights are transgressed upon. Upon seeing the saddening figures around our lovely campus they are led to places they do not wish to seek. Upon seeing the horrors on our campus, they are saddened, disrespected even.

Respect is a major human worth, beyond religion and society. Humility, honor and human value are as well. People seem to forget that and they have come to put aside all to please others.

Even worse, what others? Others that are fleeting and transient, others that are weak and in need, others that will only befriend so long as they benefit.

Society has drawn low, very low. Lebanon, in fear of being called “backward,” has drawn low. I do not fear being called “backward” because what I ask for is the very opposite of backwardness.

I know it is the proper thing, the civil thing.

Whether others do is their own matter. If the lack of clothes is a sign of modernity than pigs have outdone man for centuries.

A last plea: If you refuse to respect yourself, with all due respect, respect others. Do not make them see such disturbing scenes. Do not make them feel like the world is not worth living in.

May things that have “private” in their definition are to be kept private.

Errata In Issue 16 of Volume 44, the Outloud “As it is Israeli Apartheid Week, do you think that the situation in Israel is at all similar to the apartheid that occurred in South Africa in the ‘90s? What is you opinion on the issue overall?” was mean to address the situation in “Occupied Palestine” and not Israel.

In Issue 20 of Volume 44, in the article entitled “AUB jazz club provides a deeper appreciation for jazz,” by staff writer Dania Machlab, the song “Blue Monk” was mistaken for “Cruela de Vil”.

In Issue 20 of Volume 44, the article entitled “How to teleport, but not really,” was incorrectly attributed to Karen Sertin. The correct author of this article was Kanzi Kamel.

Point/Counterpoint

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Viewpoint: LGBTQ at AUB Lama T. Zakharia Staff Writer Among a few other universities in the Middle East, AUB is regarded as one of the most liberal academic institutions ever to exist. Over the years, it has addressed issues key to our generation, society, and even the very world we live in. While AUB strives to produce intellectual beings ready to face the real world outside the sheltering walls of its large campus, some issues remains neglected by many.

For example, a diverse group of people characterizing themselves as non-heterosexuals are continuously demanding public awareness and basic respect. LGBTQ (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer (or Questioning)) individuals are a present subculture around the world. Because AUB can be claimed to be our “mini-Lebanon”, the argument follows that some issues misunderstood by the general population can be better comprehended when presented on a smaller scale. The remainder of this article discusses how LGBTQ students at AUB perceive varying attitudes towards their sexual

orientations.

Lina; a 20 year old lesbian, has learned to deal with the negative views towards her sexual orientation rather passively. She might hear people saying “Sho ya shab!” or “Hey, dude!” as she walks down the streets of Hamra. Yet, the case remains that women with a mannish appearance or attire tend to draw people’s attention. Sometimes, she’s noticed some staring at her-rather intently-as she walks around campus.

Also a student at AUB, Samer left AUB dorms because of stories related to a “distorted” gender expression. Even though he wasn’t dating Peter, the guys at the dorms nicknamed them the “Lady Gaga and Madonna of dorms.” Some would follow Samer mimicking moaning sounds as a joke, sticking condoms on his door knob, or even plastering rape signs on his door. That being said, Samer and Peter still view AUB as being more accepting towards them than other areas around Lebanon. As a matter of fact, both agree that females in general are more receptive to their

thoughts and behavior than other male students.

Khaled; a Masters student at AUB, admitted that it was hard to cope with it but ultimately he had learned to cope with it as he became accustomed to being gay. He explained that a person should not build their life based on their sexuality. “Sexuality is not your whole character, it is only part of it,” he said.

Whenever such a topic surfaces, a common disagreement arises. People tend to view any group of people who choose to stray from the norm as sharing one common perspective.

Having interviewed only five non-heterosexual people at AUB, each had his or her unique thoughts and concerns regarding this matter. In conclusion, it is important to note the value of not holding prejudice against the things we do not understand. We must investigate and look at the different viewpoints, including the opposing ones. If we find that our initial position is the right one, let us keep it. If it turns out we were in error, let us correct.

Viewpoint: Please me at any price Mohamad Sibai Staff Writer The other day, I saw a couple holding hands along Hamra Street. Normally I would never look twice, but something was not right. They both had short hair, facial hair, and rough voices.

The sight was disturbing. Call me sexist, call me whatever you like, I couldn’t get that image out of my head for the whole day. I couldn’t believe what I saw, I know that Lebanon aims to be an ideal “secular” country, but if this is what “secular” is then maybe it’s not such a good idea.

Homosexuality has always been a controversial subject in the world, not just Lebanon. In the United States some states have legalized sexual marriage while others have outlawed the act.

Almost every holy religion has condemned it.

Islam condemns it to a point where the culprits are to be stoned to death. The Bible states “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them” (Leviticus 20:13).

Judaism also condemns those who commit such

an “abomination.”

Even if I were to put religions aside, our cultures, logic, morals, and humanity have and hopefully always will condemn such acts whether in public or in private. Some have previously asked the question: “Why would God create people like that if he didn’t want us to do it?” People are not born homosexual, usually one changes as he is growing from the infant stage up until puberty, some even later than that. This is, according to psychologists, due to certain factors during infancy and homosexuality can be treated in various ways.

I have seen the protests all over the world on the news, and it wasn’t something I saw to be logical, or human for that matter. I mean, lets stop for a minute and say that it was okay to be gay all over the world and have a chain around a man’s neck and have him dragged around. How would that serve mankind any good? It obviously wouldn’t.

The pair (if not more) would never have offspring, the rate of STDs would skyrocket, and any

morality that society still had would disappear amongst a myriad other plights. In that logic, if homosexuality is legalized world-wide, then let’s legalize marijuana as well. If homosexual’s excuse is “ it’s what makes us happy,” then what will stop others from taking the same stand?

The point is, religion has done well in keeping society working well and efficiently in a respectable manner. God has set the rules for us to abide by, not to make life hard on us, but to make it better and easier.

“Homosexuality in Russia is a crime and the punishment is seven years in prison, locked up with the other men. There is a three year waiting list.” Yakov Smirnoff The lust, the hunger, the addiction. Men hungering for gay pleasure are willing to withstand the freezing environment of a metal cell in Russia just to please their insides. Is this what the human race has become?

Viewpoint

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

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On Lebanon, Anonymous, and internet hacktivism Ian M. Gibson Copy Editor The recent hack of 16 governmental websites brings whiffs of the Arab revolutions to the digital shores of Lebanon. Raise Your Voice, the group claiming responsibility for the attacks, posture themselves as the protectorates of Lebanon’s besieged proletariat. “We are simply a group of people who could not [sic] bear sitting in silence,” they say on their Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, and hacking tag. Their brazen show of internet vandalism gained the attention of Al-Akhbar, The Daily Star, and the BBM/BMW generation, raising questions as to their origin and intent.

What is more interesting, however, is Raise Your Voice’s stated affiliation with the larger, more infamous hacktivist collective Anonymous. The smaller, Lebanese-focused group claims ties with Anonymous both through a literal proclamation of “We are Anonymous” as well as a general adoption of their slogans, symbols, and scaretactics. But a closer look at Raise Your Voice, specifically in their unit structure and attack strategy, brings serious doubt as to the legitimacy of their links with the more infamously successful hacktivist group.

In terms of organizations, be they based in the real world or online, Anonymous is significantly unique. The group operates through a paradoxical combination of anonymity and transparency, focusing less on the specifics of individual members and rather on the strength of a varied but unified mob. The strict and absolute anonymity of the group, based around the posting principles of 4chan and other chanbased imageboards, provides an environment that is impossible to replicate in the real world. And even most other websites, such as forums, blogs, and social networks, implement registration standards that prohibit anonymity and enforce user-based interaction.

What Anonymous provides is an entirely new form of digital communication. There is no hierarchy, no command structure, no complex membership process or strict ruleset to adhere to; Anonymous is simply a one-of-a-kind anarchic collective. Members of the group interact as nameless equals, participating in a hivemind of internet culture and cyber activism. They share information, write press releases, and coordinate attacks in a free and open manner without regard for class, social status, or even concealment.

Raise Your Voice, however, exhibits almost the exact opposite behavior. Their identity is secretive without any truly open means of communication or interaction. Whereas Anonymous operates on the open prairies of 4chan and in the endless rooms of several highly-broadcasted IRC servers, Raise Your Voice likely lurks in encrypted chat channels and nested hushmail accounts. This difference in secrecy and selective membership

is immensely important, especially in light of Raise Your Voice’s presumed goals. If one is to take both their digital stunt and their assertive title seriously, doesn’t that require a collaborative public uprising? If this little band of internet ruffians really does want to sway the discontented masses of Lebanon into an open revolt, they should not attempt to do so from behind a shadowed curtain.

But this act of concealment, understandable as it is given the precariousness of both cyber jurisprudence and Arab security apparatuses, is not the only issue with Raise Your Voice’s tactics. Rather, their decision to use a direct hack of websites points to a less-than-peaceful mindset that usually causes more harm than good in a popular revolution. By penetrating governmental websites, wiping their indices, and then defacing them with their own propaganda, Raise Your Voice has essentially ignored peaceful resistance, hopped over civil disobedience, and landed squarely within the realm of criminal shenanigans. They have, before their planned revolt has even started, already tainted it with illegal acts.

Anonymous at least has the sense to operate in a more crowdsourced, pacifist fashion. Their most frequently used and arguably most effective weapon is that of the DDoS (Direct Denial of Service) attack. By encouraging a large number of people to repeatedly access the same website, typically with the aid of a snarkily-named homebrew program, Anonymous is capable of taking large web entities offline for extended periods of time. Mastercard, Visa, the RIAA, and even Paypal have all experienced the harm such an angry mob attack can do. Of particular importance to this discussion is the fact that a

photo taken from youtube.com

DDoS attack neither penetrates nor damages a website, focusing on denying accessibility rather than destroying property. If the DDoS campaigns of Anonymous are seen as a digital sit-in protest, then the hacks of Raise Your Voice would be a convoy of cyber car bombs.

None of this would be an issue if Raise Your Voice really was affiliated with Anonymous; their harsher-than-usual tactics could be explained as the fine-tuned aggressions of a larger communal entity. But the truth is, Anonymous has never heard of Raise Your Voice. A visit to their IRC server reveals a long list of operations currently in action – OpSyria, OpBlackout, OpIran, etc.

There is no mention of Raise Your Voice or AnonLeb or Lebanon; there are no pointers to a more secretive group that operates with their permission; and there is no trace of any link whatsoever between the world’s largest hacktivist collective and the script kiddies who hacked the websites of a third-world government. For all the namedropping and logo-stealing and rhetoricrepeating of Raise Your Voice, the fact is that they have no legitimate link with Anonymous.

With the prevalence of Photoshop and Youtube and 9gag, it’s become incredibly easy for any person to wear the façade of an internet culture they have no claim to. It’s happened before with the douchebaggery of LulzSec; it continues today with the mass aggregation and marketization of memes; and it will happen without end so long as mainstream society flaunts their interaction with the internet without understanding the reality of it. For all their self-righteous hacks and rabblerousing words, Raise Your Voice is nothing more than the latest iteration of individuals who rush to put-on shiny pants despite them being two-sizes-too-big.

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Outlook Team

‫االربعاء‪ 2 ,‬ايار ‪2012 ,‬‬

‫صفحة ‪17‬‬

‫ثورية‬ ‫و�صية‬ ‫ر�سالة اىل بوعزيزي‪:‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫حممد بزي ‪ -‬ر�سالة اىل املحرر‬

‫أخي و عزيزي «بو عزيزي»‪،‬‬ ‫ما أ ُ‬ ‫همه بصخْ رِها‪..‬‬ ‫خاطب رجالً خ ّلى روحه لترْب ٍة ْ‬ ‫ليض َ‬ ‫رب ّ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫وما أ ُ‬ ‫خاطب رجالً ْ‬ ‫جس ِدها‪..‬‬ ‫نفسه ل ُيط ِفىء ر َ َم َ‬ ‫ضاء َ‬ ‫أش َع َل َ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫وما أ ُ‬ ‫خاطب رجالً ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ضعيف النّفس ُمنت َِحرا‪..‬‬ ‫أظنّه‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫أنت بنارِك هذه ُ‬ ‫ش ْعلة احلُريَة‪..‬‬ ‫إنمّ ا َ‬ ‫أي ْ ْ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫سباتِه بنورِك ّ‬ ‫الذك ّية‪..‬‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ا‬ ‫شعب‬ ‫ت‬ ‫قظ َ‬ ‫ِ ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫العقول األب ّية‪..‬‬ ‫فداك برا ِع َم‬ ‫وأز ْ َهرْ َت ب ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ض ِة الغن ّية‪..‬‬ ‫فكر‪ ..‬ول ِن ْع َم الن ّْه َ‬ ‫نعم‪ ،‬إنّها ْ‬ ‫نهضة ٍ‬ ‫أنسج على َمدار ِ ِك القارِىء بأ ّن الفكرَ عنوا ُن‬ ‫ن‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ني‬ ‫وكم يرو ُق‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫لم أو هو ّية‪..‬‬ ‫ع‬ ‫بال‬ ‫ة‬ ‫حيا‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫يكون‬ ‫فال‬ ‫ة‪..‬‬ ‫ي‬ ‫احلُر‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫صرَت األ ْع نُي أنوار َ البرِّ ّية‪َ ،‬‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫العقل أنا األُطروحة‬ ‫ش ِه َد‬ ‫إنّه ُم ْذ أب ْ َ‬ ‫ال َبه ّية‪..‬‬ ‫فعارٌ و ُ‬ ‫املال والول ِد دو َن‬ ‫ظن أ ّن احلياة‬ ‫رجل ّ‬ ‫ألف عارٍ على ٍ‬ ‫بجمع ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫احلقائق اخلف ّية‪..‬‬ ‫معرف ِة‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫في البالد العربية‬ ‫ّبضات الثور ّية‪ ،‬بدأت حتْيا ِمن غ ْفل ِتها األزلِ ّية‪..‬‬ ‫أرى الن‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫العلْ ِو ّية‪..‬‬ ‫ت َعودُ إلى َم ْجرى ِعزّها‪ ،‬أرض ال ِعلْ ِم وال ّروح ّية ُ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫والم لألبَد ّية‪..‬‬ ‫لتنشرَ ْ‬ ‫مج َد ال َقل ِم إلى ال َع ِ‬ ‫ضات القَو ّية‪..‬‬ ‫ايات ال َعل ِّية‪ ،‬واأليَادي األب ِ َّية‪ ،‬والق ْب ِ‬ ‫فاعلمي أ ّيتُها ال ّر ِ‬ ‫س ّ‬ ‫الظاملة ِمن‬ ‫ياح ال َعت ّية إ ْن ت َ َب ّ‬ ‫صرْ ِت بهشاش ِة األن ُف ِ‬ ‫أن ِّك كال ّر ِ‬

‫البشر ّية‪..‬‬ ‫تج ّبر ّ‬ ‫أمالك بَل ّية‪..‬‬ ‫بكل ما عن َده ِمن‬ ‫وأن ِّك زِلزا ٌل يقر ُع امل ُ َ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ف ف ُت ْبليه م ّيتا هزليا‪..‬‬ ‫بح ّد ّ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫تسلُكني قلوبَهم َ‬ ‫الس ْي ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫وحد ِة ال ّرؤية واملَن َْهج ّية‪..‬‬ ‫ير‬ ‫غ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ز‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ال‬ ‫رام‬ ‫م‬ ‫لغي‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ت‬ ‫لن‬ ‫ّك‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ِ ْ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫َ ِ ِ‬ ‫وأن ِ‬ ‫الس ْبخ َة ال ّن ِد ّية‪..‬‬ ‫وأ ّن هذه ّش ٌ‬ ‫عوب خَ لَت‪ ،‬قد ُجزّئت ألنّها أضا َعت ُّ‬ ‫ف واأل ْوتادِ ا ّ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫جلبل ّية‪ ،‬كرَمادٍ تناث َر‬ ‫ي‬ ‫الس‬ ‫ض‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ق‬ ‫كم‬ ‫ك‬ ‫وأن ِّك بال ُ‬ ‫ّ ْ ِ‬ ‫متاس ٍ ِ َ ِ‬ ‫األس ُطرِ ال ّز َمن ّية‪..‬‬ ‫ريح ُه على ْ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫سوى َم ْهزل ٍة‬ ‫وأن ِّك بال وعي بقدر ِة‬ ‫احلاكم الطاغية ْ‬ ‫لس ِت ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫وأضحوك ٍة غب ّية‪..‬‬ ‫طرح املدى واأل ُف ِق ال َب ّر ّية وال َب ْحر ّية‪ ،‬وأطلقي العنا َن‬ ‫فم ّدي ع ْين ْي ِك َ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫صري ب ِ ّ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫كل داهية وما جرَ َفتْه‬ ‫ب‬ ‫تت‬ ‫ّى‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ح‬ ‫ة‪..‬‬ ‫ي‬ ‫و‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ُف‬ ‫ق‬ ‫األس‬ ‫إلى‬ ‫َ ّ‬ ‫ْ ِ ُ ِّ‬ ‫نهم األز ُمن ا ّ‬ ‫جلو َهر ّية‪..‬‬ ‫ِم ُ‬ ‫َعم‪ ،‬إنّه الت ُ‬ ‫لك أ ّيتُها األيادي العنبر ّية‪..‬‬ ‫ن ْ‬ ‫ّاريخ يحكي أساطيرَ اجمل ِد ِ‬ ‫أز ْكى العطور ِ ريحاً‪ ،‬ألن ِّك تعرفني ع َبقَ احلُر ّية‪..‬‬ ‫عزيزي بو عزيزي‪,‬‬ ‫أُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫بتواض ِعها الفكرِ ّية واألدب ّية‪ ،‬فسا ِم ْحني على‬ ‫هديك كلماتي‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫سطرِ ال ِع َبرِ ِمن أمنوذ َ​َج ِت َك القياديَة‪..‬‬ ‫تقصيري في َ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫سل ْ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫العالم ومعها رسائال عفيفة كاجملدل ّية‪..‬‬ ‫إلى‬ ‫َها‬ ‫ت‬ ‫أر ْ َ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫أجسادا ً هزّاز ًة ِمن ق ْبض ِتها على جمر ٍة‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ح‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ّها‬ ‫ن‬ ‫بأ‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ش‬ ‫ب‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ّني‬ ‫وأن‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ْ َ‬ ‫َ ّ‬ ‫لهيبة‪..‬‬

‫الصحاري نخل ًة وعلى ا ّ‬ ‫جلبال األرْز ِة ّ‬ ‫الذهب ّية‪..‬‬ ‫وأن ْ َب ْ‬ ‫حول ّ‬ ‫تت على ُق ِ‬ ‫ْ َ‬ ‫ّاريخ َمدار ِ َج التّح ّل ِق ِمن ّ‬ ‫األبراج‬ ‫الذ ّل إلى‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫وأسقلت على الت ِ‬ ‫السماوِ ّية‪..‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫بكوكب‪ ..‬ك ّلها مرآ ُة‬ ‫‪..‬‬ ‫‪..‬‬ ‫بنجم‬ ‫جنم‬ ‫بشمس‬ ‫وشمس‬ ‫وكوكب‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ف ال ّ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫لالستبداد ّية‪..‬‬ ‫للظ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫َه‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ناجر‬ ‫حل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫دى‬ ‫ص‬ ‫َ‬ ‫لم ال ْ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫تذهب بغيرِ احلَقّ أسير ًة ردِ ّية‪..‬‬ ‫لن‬ ‫ال‬ ‫‪،‬‬ ‫ك‬ ‫لنفس‬ ‫ّا‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫د‬ ‫وع‬ ‫ذاك‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫وح فح ّلقَت بأجن ُِح احلُر ّية‪..‬‬ ‫كيف ال َ‬ ‫وأنت أفدي ْ َت ال ّر َ‬

‫‪Photo from: www.alsufi.net‬‬

‫الأق�صى و كيلو البندورة‪...‬‬ ‫منى �أيوب ‪ -‬كاتبة �صحفية‬ ‫نادى حتى بح صوته‪ ،‬و لكن ال حياة ملن تنادي كما يقولون‪.‬‬ ‫أتراه كان ينتظر ردا‪ ،‬أو أنه فعل ذلك كي يرضي ضميره و ينام‬ ‫مستريحا ظانا أنه قام بواجبه و استراح؟‬ ‫« يا مسلمني !! يا عرب!! أنفذوا األقصى‪ .‬األقصى في خطر!»‬ ‫ملن تراه ينادي؟ من هم هؤالء العرب؟ و من أولئك املسلمون؟‬

‫مذياعه يعلو مسجدا صغيرا يقبع في زاوية من زوايا اخمليم‪ ،‬و‬ ‫حوله أشباه بيوت تعلو أسقفها ألواح تنك أو «زينكو» كما‬ ‫يحلو ألصحابها أن يسموها‪ .‬و هذا املذياع «املبارك» الذي ينشر‬ ‫هذه الرسالة العظيمة يعمل على كهرباء مولد الطاقة الذي‬ ‫أهداه أحد فاعلي اخلير للجامع منذ سنة‪ ،‬و الذي جتمع تبرعات‬

‫‪Photo from: www.mnfonline.com‬‬

‫ب»القطارة» أيام اجلمعة لسد احتياجاته من الزيت و املازوت‪.‬‬ ‫و في أسفل اجلامع غرفة صغيرة‪ ،‬تسكن فيها امرأة عجوز رحل‬ ‫عنها األحبة و األبناء منذ زمن‪ .‬شردتهم الدنيا‪ .‬إبنها األكبر ال‬ ‫تعلم عنه شيئا‪ ،‬و األصغر مسافر منذ سنني إلى أستراليا هاجرا‬ ‫حياته القدمية قاطعا صلته بكل ما فيها‪ .‬وحده خادم اجلامع‬ ‫يحنو على هذه العجوز فيأتيها بقوت يومها مبا تيسر له من خبز‬ ‫و فول و بعض الفاكهة‪.‬هنا الكل سواسية أمام منشار الفقر‪ .‬ال‬ ‫فرق بني كبير أو صغير‪ .‬فأنى ألحد أن يفكر بهذه العجوز و اجلوع‬ ‫يأكل أمعاء األبناء ملتهما صحتهم و عافيتهم؟ و بالقرب من‬ ‫اجلامع بقايا مدرسة‪ .‬نعم يرتادها الطالب يوميا‪ .‬أما عن قيمة‬ ‫العلم فيها و مستواها التعليمي فلن أسأل‪ .‬سمعت يوما أنه‬ ‫مت ضبط كمية من اخملدرات فيها‪ .‬أو لعلها واحدة من اإلشاعات‬ ‫املغرضة؟‬ ‫على بعد أميال من اخمليم يقبع االقصى حزينا تهدده احلفريات‬ ‫بالسقوط و خطط الصهاينة التهويدية بطمس هويته‪....‬‬ ‫و على منبر اجلامع يرتفع صوت الشيخ لتدب احلماسة في قلوب‬ ‫الغيورين ليهبوا و ينقذوا األقصى‪ ...‬و يعلو الصوت و يعلو‪.‬‬ ‫و على بعد أمتار منه‪...‬أمتار فقط‪...‬في دكان «أبو أسعد» ‪،‬‬ ‫يقف «أبو سعيد» مستفسرا‪ « :‬بأدي كيلو البندورة اليوم؟»‬ ‫‪ ...‬فيتنهد « ابو سعيد» و يجيب‪ « :‬يا أبو سعيد‪ ،‬دخلك اميتى‬ ‫يا حاج رح تدفع لنا الديون الي عليك؟؟»‬

‫االربعاء‪ 2 ,‬ايار ‪2012 ,‬‬

‫صفحة ‪18‬‬

‫احلب و اجلنون‬ ‫الزهراء ماجد ‪ -‬كاتبة �صحفية‬ ‫قالت لي‪« :‬ارسمي‪ .‬هذه هي موهبتك اآلن‪« .‬وأبهريني بها كيف‬ ‫أنّها استطاعت أن تغ ّير مجرى حياتك»‪ .‬قلت لها‪« :‬أمهليني‬ ‫لكي أحترف الدور»‪.‬‬ ‫هكذا كان اللقاء األخير ليلة األربعاء‪ ،‬في «توستماسترز»‪ ،‬هذا‬ ‫النادي العاملي الذي يأخذ فرعه في اجلامعة األمريكية في بيروت‪.‬‬ ‫أحب املشاهدة واحلضور وأن أمني مواهب‬ ‫وأنا‪ ،‬مشاركة فقط‪ّ ،‬‬ ‫اإللقاء والقيادة والكالم‪ ،‬باللغة اإلنكليزية‪.‬‬ ‫ولكنني أجتنّب القيام واملشاركة‪ ،‬ليس خجال ولكنه اخلوف الذي‬ ‫مينعنا من اخلطأ‪ ،‬أو اخلوف من النتيجة التي يبنيها عقلنا على‬ ‫أجبرت على املشاركة‪ ،‬أل ّن‬ ‫أساس الوهم املصطنع‪ .‬غير أنني‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫صديقتي مشكور ًة‪ ،‬اختارتني‪ .‬كان املوضوع عبارة عن موهبة‬ ‫تختارها هي‪ ،‬ونحن اخملتارون علينا أن نقتبس هذه املوهبة بجدارة‪.‬‬ ‫وكان طلبها أن أرسم لها ما يخترق القلب ويترك األثر‪ ،‬فما‬ ‫وجدت أكثر من القلب ما يصل إلى القلب لكي أرسمه‪ ،‬وباللون‬ ‫لك قلباً‪ ،‬لست أجد أقرب منه‬ ‫األحمر‪.‬فقلت لها‪ »:‬سأرسم ِ‬ ‫إهمال‬ ‫وأي‬ ‫قلبي‪،‬‬ ‫فذاك‬ ‫حذاري‪,‬‬ ‫لقلبك وقلب احلاضرين‪ ،‬ولكن‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫بي األذى»‪ .‬قد تكون‬ ‫له سيهمل وجودي وبالتالي سيلحق ّ‬ ‫هذه اخلطوة بعني الكثير من الق ّراء سخيفة أو ساذجة ولكنني‬ ‫تقدما لي أ ّوال من ناحية املشاركة واختالق األفكار بظرف‬ ‫وجدتها ّ‬

‫ّ‬ ‫عدة‬ ‫أقل من دقيقة‪ ،‬ومن ناحية أخرى‪ ،‬فتّح كالمي عن القلب ّ‬ ‫أبواب‪ .‬فما قد قلته في ستّني ثانية كان محور االختالف والضياع‬ ‫أهم األعضاء في جسم االنسان‪،‬‬ ‫لدى الكثير‪ .‬فالقلب هو من ّ‬ ‫من الناحية الفيزيولوج ّية والناحية العاطف ّية‪ .‬من اجلميل أن‬ ‫يكون لهذا القلب دورا ً ليرشدنا للحب ولكننا عبثا ننسى كيف ّية‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫التحكم به‪ ،‬فننساق ويصير الكثيرون مهووسني بدربه من دون‬ ‫كاف إلكمال‬ ‫االنتباه لدرب العقل الذي ينبغي له أن يديرنا بنضج ٍ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫بوعي سليم‪ ،‬لكي ال نفشل باجملاالت احليات ّية وننساق في‬ ‫حياتنا‬ ‫املتاهات التي ال خالص لها‪ .‬من الرائع أن نكون مهووسني أحيانا‪،‬‬ ‫ولكن اجلنون املستمر يذهبنا‬ ‫أحب اجلنون؛ هذه طبيعة االنسان‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وأنا ّ‬ ‫إلى بئر بال قرار‪ ،‬ويكون املصير األخير هالكا وصدمات متتالية‪.‬‬ ‫لذلك علينا أن نأخذ املاء من البئر وأن نعشق بعقالن ّية لكي ال‬ ‫نتسبب باألذ ّية لقلوبنا‪ .‬أعجبتني جملة في شعر حملمود درويش‪،‬‬ ‫تتحدث عن اجلنون املقصود بكالمي‪،‬‬ ‫كنت قد قرأتها منذ يومني‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وهي‪« :‬يعجبها اندفاع النهر في االيقاع‪ .‬كن نهرا لتعجبها»‪.‬‬ ‫هذا هو اجلنون‪ ،‬اجلرأة التي تبنى على الصراحة والراحة النفس ّية‬ ‫حيث ال يكون للكذب مكان‪ ،‬فنستعمل ما ميليه علينا عقلنا في‬ ‫احلب طريقا للمنارات اخملتلفة‪.‬‬ ‫الدرب السليم ويصير ّ‬ ‫بصحة هذا القلب‬ ‫نهتم‬ ‫ومن الناحية الفيزيولوجية‪ ،‬علينا أن‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬

‫عبر ممارسة الرياضة املنظومة وأكل الغذاء السليم لكي نحافظ‬ ‫على سالمته ونبتعد عن األمراض التي تهدد حياتنا ّ‬ ‫كل يوم‪.‬‬ ‫علينا أن نحافظ على النعم اإللهية في حياتنا لكي ال نفقدها‬ ‫يوما ما فنندم على إهمالنا لها‪ .‬عندها‪ ،‬ال سالمة تق ّوينا على‬ ‫بصحة ج ّيدة‪ ،‬أل ّن فاقد الشيء‬ ‫احلب وال على إكمال احياة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫فعل ّ‬ ‫ال يعطيه‪.‬‬

‫‪Photo from: photos.mrkzy.com‬‬

‫الثورة يف ر�سومات‬ ‫�أ�سامة خري‪ -‬م�ساهم �صحفي‬ ‫مكسر ٌة ملفوفة بالقماش و بضع أقزام‬ ‫أقيم يوم األربعاء املاضي معرض لرسومات علي فرزات عند بالزا الرسوم ُوضعت ي ٌد مدممّ ٌة‬ ‫َّ‬ ‫مسامير فيها و مكتوب باألسفل «يد الشعب فوق‬ ‫ويست هول حيث قامت مجموعة من الطالب املستقلني و بدافع يحاولون غرز‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫خصص‬ ‫األلواح املع ّلق ِة عليها ال ّر‬ ‫جانب‬ ‫حسهم االنساني بآالم الشعوب و أيديهم»‪ .‬الى‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫االعجاب بابداع فن فرزات و ّ‬ ‫سومات‪ّ ،‬‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫أوجاع ال ّر ّسام بتنظيم مجموعة من الرسوم الكاريكاتور ّية و الطالب لوحا كي يعلق عليه الزّائرون رسائل الى سوريا‪ .‬و ما كاد‬ ‫نشرها في املعرض الذي أقيم للغرض في الهواء الطلق‪.‬‬ ‫نهار ذلك اليوم ميضي حتّى كان ذلك اللوح متخما ً بالرسائل التي‬ ‫كانت احدى الرسمات تتناول زعيما ً عرب ّيا ً يتوجه بالبارودة الى كتبها املا ّرة متأثرين مبا رأوه من رسومات‪ ،‬فكان من كتب «نتمنّى‬ ‫جندي عد ّو و اما الرصاص فينطلق بعكس االجتاه ليقتل أحدا ً لكم املزيد من االبداع و التّأ ّلق» و أضاف آخر «للباطل جولة و‬ ‫من الوطن‪ ..‬احدى الرسمات تناولت ساحة محكمة و متهم للحقّ جوالت» و زاد أحدهم «نتمنى لكم نيل ما تطلبون على‬ ‫سحب ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫تستحقون»‪ .‬و عند استطالع آراء املا ّرة تراوحت الردود‬ ‫يؤكد على أ ّن «واحد زائد واحد قدر ما‬ ‫يج ّره األمن ليسجن و هو يُ َ‬ ‫يساوي اثنان» و القاضي أمامه بحالة جنونية ير ّد بأ ّن «واحد زائد بني االعجاب و الالمباالة و الرفض‪ .‬فيصل قال أنّه يفضل أن‬ ‫عما قد ّ‬ ‫يعكرها‪ ،‬و علي أبدى سخريته‬ ‫واحد يساوي خمسة»‪ .‬و رأينا في رسمة أخرى شجرة كبيرة تبقى أجواء اجلامعة بعيد ًة ّ‬ ‫بالسخيف مسبغا ً عليه‬ ‫وصفه‬ ‫جذعها ضعيف و نباتها مخيف مقابل وردة صغيرة أصلها في ممّا يقوم به أولئك الط ّالب و‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫األرض عميق و جذعها عتيق متثل التناقض بني النظام و الثورة‪ .‬شبهة االستغالل السياسي كما لم يخف رغب ًة بالتشفي‪.‬‬ ‫أما طارق فقد ابدى اعجابه بجرأة الطالب و ابداع الفنان متمنيا ً‬ ‫كما أ ّن احدى املع ّلقات سخرت من أسلوب احلوار الذي يتبعه‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫احلكام‪ ،‬حيث يدخل ضابط الى غرفة انسان يحطمها و يضرب تكرار هكذا أعمال في املستقبل‪ .‬كما لم يهتم سمير و سارة و‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫الشاب ميينا شماال قائال» له «باحلوار يعني باحلوار» و هو يدوس لينا باملعرض فامتنعوا عن تبيان رأيهم مبا رأوه‪.‬‬ ‫على ما تبقى من جريدة تتكلم عن الدميقراطية‪ .‬و في آخر مم ّر‬ ‫منظمي املعرض‪ ،‬قال أنّه متعدد األهداف و‬ ‫كرمي‪ ،‬أحد‬ ‫ّ‬

‫بعيد الرؤى‪،‬حيث اعتبر أنّه جنح في عرض جماليات رسوم‬ ‫العاملي املتألق كاألستاذ فرزات في حرم اجلامعة‬ ‫الكاريكاتوري‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫كي يستفيد من خبرته و ذوقه اجلميع اذ أنهم باالضافة الى‬ ‫االطالع على لوحات هذا الرسام الكبير قد اكتسبوا نظر ًة أوعى‬ ‫و أشمل ملتط ّلبات فن النقد خاصة في بلداننا العربية كما أنّنا ال‬ ‫ننسى الهدف األسمى للمعرض و هو أن يعرف الطالب حقيقة‬ ‫خافية عنه و يتذكر معاناة الفنانني و الشعوب الكاظمة نفسها‬ ‫حكام َظلَمة و أنظمة عفنة‪ ،‬تكسر أيدي من يبدع فيها‬ ‫حتت نير‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫و تخطفه و ّ‬ ‫تعذبه و ما خفي من اجنازاتها أعظم بينما تطلق‬ ‫توجه البارودة لعدوها كي تقتل‬ ‫ضباطها كي يحاوروا أبناءها و ّ‬ ‫أبناءها‪.‬‬ ‫كان هذا املعرض مرآة رأينا من خاللها ارقى انواع الفن الثوري‬ ‫يح ّول الفنان فيها رسومه إلى صورة تُظهر لنا مأساتنا‪...‬‬ ‫بعضهم تذكر ناجي العلي‪ :‬يحدث للفنان امللتزم بقضيته أن‬ ‫يدفع ثمن ما يكتب أو يرسم أو يغني‪ ،‬ال يهم‪...‬ما يهم األن أن‬ ‫أحدا ً ما في هذا العالم –من األن فصاعدا ً‪ -‬لن مينعنا من أن نحلم‬ ‫مبا نريد‪ ،‬ونريد ما نحلم‪.‬‬

‫العميد جورج جنار‬ ‫فايز يو�سف باز‪ -‬مكتب احلماية والأمن‬ ‫حضرة العميد جورج ّ‬ ‫جنار احملترم‪،‬‬ ‫إن شمعة روحي تنحني بنورها املتواضع لتتبارك من شمسك‬ ‫الشارقة كما تنحني اجلبال أمام الرجال العمالقة أمثالك‪ .‬يا‬ ‫احلب واخلير واجلمال‪ ،‬ولم ّ‬ ‫تكل من كثرة‬ ‫من أعطيت من ينابيع‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫العطاء‪ .‬يا من ارتفع نوره املنبثق من شواطئ اجملد الى علياء‬ ‫السماء‪ ،‬فأمسى جنوما تضيء الليالي احلالكات‪.‬‬ ‫انت اجملد واجملد‬ ‫بودعك‬ ‫بدمعة حزن يا عميد ّ‬ ‫بيمشي معك‬ ‫جيال الرفعتا‬ ‫تاريخ مجدك انكتب باجلامعة‬

‫عالنجوم بترفعك‬ ‫اسمك بيبقى باجلامعة آثار‬ ‫شو ما صار‬ ‫فكرك نور بشع عطول املدى‬ ‫الرجال الكبار‬ ‫البحر منك يا بزنس بغار‬ ‫سجل إنتصار‬ ‫وجيال تكتب على شواطئ الكون‬ ‫يا عميد جنار‬

‫خالد خلود الدهر‬ ‫وبالعلم بيتخلدوا‬ ‫شراعك على ال ّيم‬ ‫معلم األجيال‬

‫بتحدها‬ ‫البزنس منارة والسما‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫متدها‬ ‫عاملدار ّ‬ ‫عميدها بحر العلم واملعرفة‬ ‫من مدها‬ ‫احلرف من عنّا يح ّيي األمم‬ ‫القدم‬ ‫إن عطش األرز وصف ّرو غصونو‬ ‫القمم‬

‫وسحب العلوم‬ ‫البحر حدها وتالشى‬ ‫أمجادنا تاريخنا نحن‬ ‫جناحك من الغيم بيروي‬

‫االربعاء‪ 2 ,‬ايار ‪2012 ,‬‬

‫صفحة ‪19‬‬

‫جيلنا وم�أ�ساة الكتاب‬ ‫مدى الدب�س ‪ -‬كاتبة �صحفية‬ ‫«اذا كانت صيدلية بيتنا تفضح لآلخرين أمراضنا ‪ ،‬فان مكتبتنا هنا يصب في قراءة الكتب النوعية طبعا ً‪.‬في تلك املعرفة‬ ‫قد تقول لهم أكثر مما نريد أن يعرفوه عنّا»‬ ‫كتب رمبا يتآكلها الغبار النّنا‬ ‫الكامنة في مكتباتنا النوعية‪ ،‬في‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫أحالم مستغامني ‪ -‬فوضى احلواس‬ ‫عبارات انطباعية كثيرا ما تشوبها‬ ‫نكتفي بترداد ما ورثناه من‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫يسمى‬ ‫كامال‬ ‫أسبوعا‬ ‫نيسان‬ ‫من منكم يدري ا ّن في آخر‬ ‫السطحية ‪ ،‬ونرفض التّعمق املعرفي‪.‬‬ ‫«األسبوع العاملي للمكتبات»؟ ‪ .‬انّها مناسبة جديد ٌة مترعلى في الفترة االخيرة أصبح رائجا ً عند اللبنانيني تناول اسم الكاتب‬ ‫زمن تُغلق فيه البرازيلي «باولو كولهو» ‪ ،‬فعلى كل لبناني أن يكون قارئا ً لألخير‪،‬‬ ‫مسمعي لكنّها فكرة تستحق التوقف عندها في ٍ‬ ‫«الفاست‬ ‫مكتبات «احلمرا» العريقة لتحل محلها مطاعم‬ ‫حب االطالع موضة‬ ‫كان‬ ‫متى‬ ‫لكن‬ ‫كتبه‬ ‫مبيعات‬ ‫ازدادت‬ ‫وبالفعل‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫فود»‪ .‬ا ّن اليوم العاملي حملو األمية هو أكثر شهر ًة‪ ،‬واعتدنا فيه موسمية؟ ومتى كانت الثقافة احلقيقية حفظ اسم كتاب ما‬ ‫مرب ومر ّبية في املنزل واملدرسة واجلامعة ومختلف وجهل رسالة الكتاب نفسه؟‬ ‫أن ن َُح ّيي كل ّ‬ ‫ويهب كتابا ً‬ ‫املنظمات االجتماعية وكل من ينشر األفكار الن ّيرة‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫وسط متدهور الثقافة ‪،‬‬ ‫مؤسف حقا ً أن نرى جيالً ينمو في‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫وقلما ً ف ُيهدي االنسان سالح ارتقائه احلقيقي‪.‬‬ ‫الصحارة» في وسطنا اجلامعي‬ ‫متدهور القيم‪ .‬حتّى «وجه ّ‬ ‫كتب خاص ٍة وهو غافل أبجدية املوضوع‬ ‫ولكن من قال انّه علينا االكتفاء بتخفيض نسبة األمية (أو قد يستعجل نشر‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫املعدل الثقافي العام؟‬ ‫محوها) بدل أن نطمح الى تغذية‬ ‫اذ هاجسه النشر والشهرة ال حتقيق املعرفة‪ .‬فيمسي محض‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫حتتوي‬ ‫بيروت‬ ‫في‬ ‫االميركية‬ ‫اجلامعة‬ ‫ال أبالغ اذا قلت أ ّن مكتبة‬ ‫حد القول‬ ‫مقلد بدل أن يكون مبدعا‪ .‬حتّى أ ّن ادونيس وصل الى ّ‬ ‫أكثر من مليون كتاب في طوابقها اخلمسة ‪ .‬رفوف كثيرة وكتب بأن معظم الشعراء وهم يكتبون ويستخدمون اللغة‪ ،‬يُشعرونك‬ ‫مكان آخر ‪.‬‬ ‫أفق أرحب‪ .‬أسألكم بأنهم موجودون في مكان ‪ ،‬واللغة العربية في‬ ‫غنية تشتاق ملن يسافر في صفحاتها الى ٍ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫أو‬ ‫الفصل؟‬ ‫في‬ ‫الشهر؟‬ ‫‪ :‬كم كتاب يطالع طالب جامعتنا في‬ ‫الدرجة‬ ‫في‬ ‫هو‬ ‫والشاعر‬ ‫مثقف‬ ‫األولى‬ ‫الدرجة‬ ‫في‬ ‫هو‬ ‫املبدع‬ ‫ان‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫السنة؟‬ ‫األولى ذواقة متمرس بجماالت اللغة‪.‬‬ ‫في ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫إلى‬ ‫املطالعة‬ ‫نقص‬ ‫الب‬ ‫الط‬ ‫يعزو‬ ‫األحيان‬ ‫من‬ ‫الكثير‬ ‫في‬ ‫كلمات في الهواء بدون أي خطة‬ ‫كي ال يكون كالمنا مج ّرد‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫الدراسي الذي مينعهم من توسيع دائرة قراءاتهم واقعية نحو توسيع ال ّثقافة وتعميق احلس األدبي سنلجأ الى‬ ‫الضغط ّ‬ ‫ومطالعة دروسهم االلزامية‪ .‬واحلق يُقال ا ّن منهاج اجلامعة توفير اقتراحات عملية‪ .‬لن ألزم الق ّراء بجنوحي الى شعر‬ ‫االميركية ليس ن ُزهة على الكورنيش‪ .‬وهدفي هنا هو تسجيل أدونيس ودرويش وكمال خير بيك وروايات أحالم مستغامني‬ ‫الدراسي‬ ‫اعتراض على هذه احلجة‪ .‬ففي‬ ‫خضم ّ‬ ‫وغسان كنفاني‪.‬ولذلك طلبت من الشاعر وال ّروائي ‪ -‬أستاذ األدب‬ ‫الضغط ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫جسدية‬ ‫راحة‬ ‫الى‬ ‫ليم‬ ‫الس‬ ‫العربي في اجلامعة األميركية خريج جامعة «ييل» الدكتور ف ّواز‬ ‫وزحمة االمتحانات يحتاج الطالب ّ‬ ‫نوع من ال ّرياضة طوقان اقتراح أسماء بعض اجملموعات الشعرية والكتب العامة‬ ‫وراحة نفسية‪ .‬قد تتحقق األولى في ممارسة ٍ‬ ‫البدنية مثالً‪ .‬لكن األصعب يكون في حتقيق ال ّراحة النّفسية‪ .‬لنطرحها في «األوتلوك» على الق ّراء‪.‬‬ ‫وفي اعتقادي ا ّن الراحة النفسية ال تكتمل الاّ في اتساع األفق‬ ‫َعلَ ْت وجه الدكتور طوقان ابتسامة مشوبة باألسى عندما‬ ‫النفسي وذلك يحدث تلقائيا ً في حلظات املطالعة‪ .‬اجللسات سألته عن أسبوع املكتبات والقراءة‪ .‬فمازحني قائالً ‪« :‬لم‬ ‫مع األح ّبة ‪ ،‬أو سماع املوسيقى الكالسيكية أو التأمل في أسمع بالقراءة من قبل ‪ ،‬ما هي القراءة؟ ومن يا ترى ما زال يقرأ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫احلب‬ ‫والفن والبيئة ولكن اهتمامنا في أ ّيامنا هذه؟» بعض االقتراحات التي رآها الدكتور أساسية‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الطبيعة ك ّلها قراءات في ّ‬

‫تتمثل في روايات جنيب محفوظ ومنها (اخلريف والسمان –‬ ‫اللص والكالب)‪ .‬من ال ّروائيني السوريني اقترح حنّا مينا (رواية‬ ‫الطاهر ّ‬ ‫ياطر ) ‪ ،‬كما اقترح أيضا ً ال ّروائي اجلزائري ّ‬ ‫وطار ومن أهم‬ ‫فسمى‬ ‫(الالز)‪.‬أما للروائي السعودي عبد الرحمن منيف‬ ‫رواياته‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫رواية (األشجار واغتيال مرزوق)‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وجهنا صوب‬ ‫احلديث‬ ‫عر‬ ‫الش‬ ‫لدواوين‬ ‫وبعد سؤالنا عن اقتراحاته‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫(محددا ً قصيدة اخلطاب) ‪ ،‬ونحو ديوان (رندلى)‬ ‫نزار ق ّباني‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ومسرحية (اجملدلية) لسعيد عقل‪.‬كما أشار الى أعمال بدر‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وأكد ضرورة‬ ‫السياب في العراق وأمل دنقل في مصر‪.‬‬ ‫شاكر ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫االطالع على أصالة أحمد شوقي‪.‬‬ ‫نختم بالقول أ ّن احلياة أقصر مما نتو ّقع ولذلك علينا استثمار‬ ‫فرصنا فيها على أفضل نحو‪ .‬ساعتان من الفيسبوك ال ضرر‬ ‫ان أصبحت ساعة لفيسبوك وساعة لكتاب ادوارد سعيد‬ ‫مثالً‪ .‬جيلنا يتعرض للكثير من االنتقادات لسطحيته وضحالة‬ ‫معلوماته ‪ ،‬وجيلنا يلبس التهمة بابتسامة املذنب املستسلم‪.‬‬ ‫هل نستفيق بعد فوات األوان؟ أم أنّنا نعتمد التبرير القائل بأن‬ ‫العالم ك ّله يتجه نحو املعلوماتية وااللكترونيات ويتناسى أدباءه‬ ‫ومكتباته؟‬ ‫هل سأضيف يوما ما أن كالمي بات مرثية بدل ان يكون شهادة‬ ‫والدة؟‬

‫�ضحايا املخدرات الإجتماعية والتكنولوجية‬ ‫فريال فقيه‪ - ‬م�ساهمة �صحافية‬ ‫إذا اردنا تعريف اخملدرات‪ ،‬فهي كل مادة تساعد على الهروب من‬ ‫الواقع وتسبب االدمان لكل من يستهلك هذه املادة بصفة دائمة‪.‬‬ ‫فهل تظنون أن اخملدرات في عصرنا اقتصرت على الكوكايني‬ ‫والهرويني وغيرها من هذه املواد السامة؟ بالفعل تظل هذه‬ ‫اخملدرات الوحيدة التي قد تقتلنا جسديا ً وتستهلك أجسادنا‬ ‫حتى تنعدم احلياة منها‪ .‬لكن ماذا عن باقي اخملدرات التي قد تؤذي‬ ‫تفكيرنا وثقافتنا ونفسيتنا إذا لم نتحكم باستخدامها؟ نذكر‬ ‫منها الصفحات اإلجتماعية على االنترنت واأللعاب االلكترونية‬ ‫وشبكات االتصال اجملانية على الهواتف اخللوية اجلديدة ‪،‬‬ ‫واملسلسالت التركية‪.‬‬ ‫كل هذه األشكال اجلديدة من اخملدرات تساهم في تفكك‬ ‫القيم واملبادئ التي تعلمناها منذ نشأتنا‪ .‬فالصداقة لم تعد‬ ‫تعتمد على الصدق والثقة املتبادلة واحملبة‪ .‬والصديق لم يعد‬ ‫موجودا «وقت الضيق»‪ ،‬بل فقط عندما يكون «أونالين» على‬ ‫الواتساب‪ .‬إذا لم يكن االتصال على االنترنت ممكناً‪ ،‬ال يبادر أحد‬ ‫مبكاملة األخر‪.‬‬ ‫من التكلم ننتقل إلى األحكام املسبقة التي نكونها عن‬ ‫األشخاص مبجرد إلقاء النظر على صفحتهم على الفيسبوك‪.‬‬ ‫وكأن الفسبوك وسيلة مخابراتية نستخدمها لنالحق ما يفعله‬ ‫اآلخرون أو ما يحبوه‪ ،‬أو ما يلبسوه‪ ،‬وما هو دينهم وعمرهم‪،‬‬

‫وفي أي مدرسة أو جامعة يلتحقون‪ .‬ونعتبر هذا كافيا ً ملعرفة‬ ‫شخصا ً ما‪ .‬ولم نعد نعايد أحدا ً إال إذا الفيسبوك ذكرنا بذلك‪،‬‬ ‫من الواضح كيف مكانة األشخاص في قلوبنا كبيرة‪ .‬نسينا‬ ‫احملبة وذوق األخالق‪ .‬كم نحن سطحيني !‬ ‫من اخملابرات ننتقل إلى عالم األلعاب‪ ،‬ألن األلعاب على الهواتف‬ ‫اخلليوية مخدرٌ أخر‪ ،‬لكن هذه املرة مخدرٌ للوقت‪ .‬نقص الفواكه‬ ‫على شاشات الهاتف‪ ،‬لكن ال نتجرأ أن نفعل ذلك في املطبخ‪.‬‬ ‫نعيد الكرة مرات عديدة لنتحدى الرقم القياسي‪ .‬في هذه‬ ‫األلعاب دافع التحدي كبير‪ ،‬وفي الواقع ال نتحدى أي موقف‬ ‫صعب أو أي مواجهة قد نقع فيها‪ .‬في الواقع اعتدنا التهرب‬ ‫ألنها أسهل بكثير من املواجهة‪ .‬متاما ً كالذين يتعاطون اخملدرات‪.‬‬ ‫من األلعاب ننتقل إلى مشاهدة املسلسالت التركية التي‬ ‫أصبحت أحب ما على قلوبنا‪ ،‬نحن الفتيات خاص ًة‪ .‬فنعيش‬ ‫في هذه املسلسالت قصص احلب التي ال نعيشها في احلياة‪،‬‬ ‫ونشارك في أعمال املافيا املمنوعة في الواقع‪ ،‬ونقارن قصصنا‬ ‫بقصصهم‪ ،‬وشخصيتنا بشخصيتهم‪ .‬نقلد اللهجة السورية‬ ‫فقط ألنها لهجة املسلسالت التركية‪ .‬مواضيع احللقات تكون‬ ‫أولوية أحاديثنا اليومية‪ .‬وفي بعض األوقات نتشاجر بسبب‬ ‫بعض أحداث هذه املسلسالت‪ ،‬أو نتجادل بسبب إختالف ارائنا‬ ‫جتاه جمال بعض املمثلني األتراك‪ .‬فال نشاهد نشرات األخبار‪،‬‬

‫ونتناقش في أوضاع البلد ألن املسلسالت تدير حياتنا في هذا‬ ‫البلد! ‪ ‬‬ ‫نحن مخدرون‪ ،‬واخملدرات إدمان التخلص منه شبه مستحيل‪.‬‬ ‫عندما نصبح جميعنا ضحايا اخملدرات االجتماعية‪ ،‬كيف من‬ ‫املمكن أن نصل إلى مركز إلعادة التأهيل؟ ‪ ‬هذا إن كان هكذا‬ ‫مركز موجود بعد وإن كنا مؤهلني لنصبح غير مخدرين‪...‬‬

‫‪Photo from: www.gannty.com‬‬

‫جزء ‪ ،44‬عدد ‪18‬‬ ‫االربعاء‪ 2 ,‬ايار ‪2012 ,‬‬

‫اعت�صام ّ‬ ‫الطالب ‪ :‬نعم ملقاطعة الكافترييا‬ ‫رنا حربي‪ -‬م�ساهمة �صحفية‬

‫شهدت اجلامعة االميركية في بيروت حتركا ً طالبيا ً حاشدا ً أمام‬ ‫الكافتيريا‪ ،‬نهار األربعاء في ‪ 25‬نيسان ‪ 2012‬وذلك احتجاجا ً‬ ‫على رفع األسعار التي وصلت الى حد مضاعفة أسعار بعض‬ ‫املنتوجات مثل عبوة املياه التي أصبحت ب‪ 1000‬ليرة بعد ما‬ ‫كانت نصف ذلك السعر‪ .‬اتسم االحتجاج مبالمح دميقراطية اذ‬ ‫شارك فيه طالب من مختلف األحزاب والتيارات واألندية وكذلك‬ ‫أفراد مستقلني وذلك للتشديد على ا ّن غالء األسعار يطال‬ ‫اجلميع وليس مقتصرا ً بأثره على جهة واحدة دون اخرى‪ .‬بعدما‬ ‫جتمع الطالب حوالي الثانية عشر ظهرا بدأت النداءات املنددة‬ ‫لهذا االرتفاع في األسعار هاتفني شعارات مثل « معتصمني‬ ‫كل النهار حتى تخفيض األسعار»‪ .‬كذلك حمل املشاركني‬ ‫الفتة كتب عليها عبارات صارخة تهدف اليصال رسالة معينة‬ ‫منها ما هو موجه الدارة اجلامعة ومنها موجه جلميع األحزاب‬ ‫والتيارات ‪.‬وأطلقوا هتافات مثل «فينا نطالب بحقوقنا الوضع‬ ‫صار كتير قاسي ‪ ،‬ما بدنا مطالبنا تتوسخ بالسياسة»‪ .‬من‬ ‫اجملموعة املشاركة كان طالب مستقلني ميثلون أنفسهم‬ ‫ويقولون ان قضيتهم مجردة من اي انتماءات أو أبعاد ‪ ،‬وكذلك‬ ‫االندية املوجودة في اجلامعة والتي تنتمي إلى مختلف األفرقاء‬ ‫السياسيني‪ .‬متيز االحتجاج بالكثير من التنوع ‪ ،‬اذ شدد جميع‬ ‫اعتصام يطالب بحقوق مشروعة‬ ‫االطراف على املشاركة في‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫ويقف في وجه التعدي على حياة الطالب املعيشية‪ .‬وفي حديث‬

‫مع نائب رئيس اجمللس الطالبي في اجلامعة ماريو أبو زيد رأى أ ّن‬ ‫االندية في اجلامعة موجودة خلدمة الطالب وايصال مطالبهم‬ ‫للجهات املعنية وهذا التحرك الطالبي هو عبارة عن وسيلة‬ ‫راقية وسلمية يستطيع الطالب من خالل أنديتهم أن يوسعوا‬ ‫الدعوة على نطاق أكبر‪ .‬وعند سؤالي عن اجلهة او النادي الذي‬ ‫بدأ احلملة ملكافحة الغالء ر ّد ابو زيد بالقول أن جميع اجلهات‬ ‫املشاركة قد حتدثت معه نهار االثنني في ‪ 23‬نيسان عن نيتهم‬ ‫أما عن‬ ‫بالقيام بحراك طالبي للمطالبة بحقوقهم املهدورة‪ّ .‬‬ ‫أسباب هذا االرتفاع فيقول ماريو ان اجلامعة سمحت ملوزع‬ ‫الطعام ان يزيد األسعار من ‪ %10‬الى ‪ %30‬بينما هو قرر زيادتها‬ ‫بني ‪ %50‬الى ‪ .%100‬ويكون بذلك قد ضاعف أرباحه بطريقة‬ ‫غير مشروعة وغير منطقية محوال ً اجلامعة االميركية في‬ ‫بيروت الى صورة مصغرة عن الواقع االقتصادي في لبنان حيث‬ ‫ان الغالء املعيشي قد تس ّرب الى الداخل‪ .‬هذا االحتجاج تخلله‬ ‫بعض االستفزازات البسيطة جدا‪ .‬اذ رفض طالب مستقلني‬ ‫تسييس التحرك ‪ .‬يقول ناجي عون في هذا الصدد « الدعوة‬ ‫الى خفض األسعار يجب أن نكون مجردة من أي رمز سياسي قد‬ ‫يقلل من مصداقيتها»‪ .‬فالرسالة التي يريدها ناجي وأصدقاءه‬ ‫هي رسالة حرة يرفضون ان تكون مستخدمة ملصلحة مجموعة‬ ‫معينة‪ .‬ويؤكدون ا ّن التحرك مطلبي بالدرجة االولى منتقدين أي‬ ‫أما الياس خليل مندوب نادي‬ ‫هدف سياسي او نوايا مبطنة له‪ّ .‬‬

‫اوﺗﻠﻮك‬

‫«فريدوم» فقد شدد على ضرورة مشاركة ناديهم في اعتصام‬ ‫يهدف الى حتسني وضع الطالب في اجلامعة وضمان حقه‪ .‬كما‬ ‫ان «الفريدوم» وكذلك «السوشال» عمدا الى توزيع عبوات من‬ ‫املياه مجانا ً وذلك كما يقول خليل بهدف تعويد الطالب على‬ ‫أما جاد دميان ممثل نادي «سوشال»‬ ‫احضار عبوات املياه معهم‪ّ .‬‬ ‫اعتبر انه من حق كل النوادي املشاركة في هذا املوقف احملق‬ ‫ضد غالء األسعار‪ .‬فالبرغم من ان مطالبهم كانت مسيسة‬ ‫الدعوة على حد قول األخير امنا املطالب تطال أي طالب عاقل‬ ‫ونشيط‪.‬‬ ‫من املالحظ ان هذا التحرك يختلف عن غيره النّه وحد مطلب‬ ‫االكثرية الطالبية‪ .‬بالرغم من بعض اخلالفات الفردية اال ان‬ ‫املطالبة بحقوق الطالب ضد سياسة الغالء هو مثال على‬ ‫احلياة اجلامعية الدميقراطية والسلمية السائدة في حرمنا‪ .‬ومن‬ ‫الالفت أيضا قيام الدكتور أحمد دلاّ ل بالتحدث في هذا اإلعتصام‬ ‫الطالبي املوحد‪.‬‬ ‫واجلدير بالذكر أيضا هو قيام الطالب املشاركني بالتواصل مع‬ ‫العميد نظام الدين الذي ساندهم في مطالبهم معتبرا اياها‬ ‫محقة واتفق معهم على تشكيل جلنة تقوم باملسائلة والوصول‬ ‫الى حل جذري يرضي ادارة اجلامعة والطالب‪.‬‬

‫يف عيدهم نرفع �صوتنا لن�شكرهم‬ ‫�سارة �أحمد الديراين‪ -‬كاتبة �صحفية‬

‫فى عام ‪ 1869‬شكل عمال صناعة املالبس فى مدينة فيالدلفيا‬ ‫ومعهم بعض عمال األحذية واألثاث وعمال املناجم في أمريكا‬ ‫منظمة سميت آنذاك «مبنظمة فرسان العمل «‪ .‬وكانت هذه‬ ‫النقابة مبثابة تنظيم يكافح من أجل حتسني وضع العمال‪ ،‬من‬ ‫خالل املطالبة برفع األجور وتخفيض ساعات العمل ‪.‬‬ ‫ومع تطور احلركة النقابية العمالية في أمريكا‪،‬‬ ‫جنحت مجموعة من القيادات النقابية فى تكوين هيئة قومية‬ ‫للعمال عام ‪ 1886‬سميت «باإلحتاد األمريكي للعمل»‪ .‬إهتم‬ ‫هذا اإلحتاد بتبني وتنظيم اإلعتصامات العمالية من أجل توحيد‬ ‫جهود العمال إليصالهم إلى مطالبهم‪ .‬ومن أهم ما قام به هذا‬ ‫اإلحتاد هو تنظيم إضراب عمالي عام يهدف إلى تخفيض ساعات‬ ‫العمل من إثني عشر ساعة إلى ثماني ساعات فقط‪ ،‬وذلك في‬ ‫مختلف امليادين وخاصة الصناعية‪ .‬وكان األول من أيار هو اليوم‬ ‫الرسمي لهذا اإلضراب‪ .‬وفي األول من أيار ‪ 1886‬شهد العالم‬ ‫أكبر عدد من اإلضرابات العمالية حيث وصل عدد اإلضرابات التي‬ ‫أعلن عنها فى هذا اليوم إلى نحو خمسة آالف إضراب واشترك‬ ‫فى املظاهرات ‪ 340‬ألف عامل وكان الشعار املطلبي املشترك‬ ‫ألحداث هذا اليوم هو «من اليوم وصاعدا ً ليس على أي عامل‬ ‫أن يعمل أكثر من ‪ 8‬ساعات»‪ .‬وقد إعتبر الكثير من املؤرخني أن‬

‫هذا اليوم كان يوما ً إستثنائيا لم يشهد مثله تاريخ العالم إلى‬ ‫حد اآلن‪ .‬وتكرميا لهذا اليوم اإلضرابي العام الذي حقق الكثير من‬ ‫النتائج اإليجابية التي حسنت ظروف العمال في أمريكا‪ ،‬والذي‬ ‫شجع عمال الكثير من الدول األخرى بالقيام بنفس اإلضرابات‬ ‫حتى حتقيق مطالبهم‪ ،‬فتكرميا لهذا األمر‪ ،‬إتفق الكثير من دول‬ ‫العالم وأهمها أمريكا فرنسا وبريطانيا على إعتبار هذا اليوم‬ ‫يوما للعمال بإمتياز وذلك تخليدا ً لهذه الذكرى‪ .‬وفيما بعد‬ ‫إعتمدت معظم دول العالم ‪ 1‬أيار عيدا رسميا للعمال‪.‬‬ ‫فما هو واقع العمال اليوم وماذا يعني لهم هذا العيد؟‬ ‫كما ذكرنا سابقاً‪ ،‬عيد العمال جاء لتكرمي جهود العامل وللتذكير‬ ‫بأهمية الدور الذي يقوم به‪ .‬ولكن واقع الكثير من العمال في‬ ‫عاملنا العربي سيء جدا ً ألنهم لم يأخذوا حقوقهم الكاملة‬ ‫إلى حد اآلن‪ .‬فمن هنا ميكننا القول أن الهدف من هذا العيد‬ ‫ليس فقط التذكير بجهود العمال قوال‪ ،‬بل ينبغي أن يترجم هذا‬ ‫التقدير على أرض الواقع بتحسني وضع العمال ومساعدتهم‬ ‫في تأمني ظروف حياتية أفضل لهم ولعائالتهم‪ .‬وما أقوله‬ ‫هنا جاء إستنادا ً لقول أحد العمال الذي سألته عن رأيه بعيد‬ ‫العمال‪ ،‬فأجابني‪« :‬نحن ال نطالب بإجازة في هذا اليوم بقدر‬ ‫ما نطالب بتحسني وضع العامل اللبناني بشكل خاص‪ .‬وذلك‬ ‫ألن معظم العمال اللبنانيني يعانون من إنخفاض في أجورهم‬

‫وعدم املعاملة اجليدة في بعض االحيان‪ .‬وأنا أطالب الدولة بإلغاء‬ ‫هذا العيد إذا بقي واقع العمال في لبنان على هذا النحو ألنه‬ ‫ال جدوى من إعطاء يوم عطلة للعمال أن لم يكن بلدهم‬ ‫يحترمهم في بادئ األمر‪».‬‬ ‫وحتى عامنا هذا ما زال العالم يحتفل بعيد العمال‬ ‫بإعتباره عطل ًة رسمي ًة تعطي للعامل قسطا ً من الراحة‬ ‫وتذكره بأهمية الدور الفعال الذي يقوم به‪ .‬ومن هنا وبإسمي‬ ‫وإسم جميع العاملني في جريدة األوتلوك نقدم كل الشكر‬ ‫والنثاء جلهود كل العاملني في اجلامعة األمريكية ونقول لهم‬ ‫‪ « :‬أن جناح هذه اجلامعة لم يكن لو ال جهودكم وجهود كل‬ ‫املوظفني الذي سلفوكم ‪ ،‬فشكرا ً لكم على كل ما تقدمونه‬ ‫لنا من خدمات ورعاية ‪».‬‬

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