I never really get why Lebanese are so excited to run for municipal positions. Unless you are the “mokhtar” or head of the municipality, you don’t get paid any salary and spend most of your time doing services.

Check out Burj Hammoud’s municipal unit for public work for example. It is located under a bridge near the famous garbage mountain! A Horrible location and i bet its employees have miserable wages!

The 24-year-old Lebanese beauty is thought to be the first Arab-American to ever hold the title. Fakih was among the 51 contestants who participated in a controversial photo shoot showing this year’s hopefuls in nothing more than lingerie. [eonline]

Mabrouk to Rima!

I am a regular Formula1 viewer yet i missed out on that news. Jean Todt was apparently in Lebanon almost a month ago with FIA Vice President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and had a meeting with President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

I wish we would have a second chance to host the Beirut GP. That would be awesome!

Chahe posted about a car that climbed over that separator a while ago. Another one did the same yesterday but this time the opposite way and i was there to see it.

It is very weird to see people climb over it, i mean it’s big and very noticeable.
How can someone miss it ?

With the summer approaching, the Lebanese beaches will be filled with Lebanese girls dressed up in their bikinis.

Well guess what, all the girls are breaking the law! Yup, according to a 1941 law that is still unchanged until today, “Women are prohibited from donning a two-piece and hitting the beach.”

The punishment? a fine of 250 Lebanese-Syrian pounds, a currency that no longer exists!

Another absurd law, dating from the Ottoman rule, is using the words “insane” or “fool” for people having “Alzheimer’s”, “Parkinson’s”, or even “coma”.
Why is that so? Because those words were not yet introduced until today to the Lebanese legal system.

I should try and get the original arabic version of those laws. This is hilarious!

Guess again, This is Bassem Feghali.

“She too is entitled to a day off!”

That’s a very cool awareness campaign. Hoping more Lebanese will understand maids are workers and human beings like us and not slaves.

On my way to work this morning, i was surprised to see so many army men on the maritime road in Dbayyeh. Turns out they closed down the roads for some reason causing a huge traffic.

I check the news and it says they were performing some military drills in Marina this morning!!

Like seriously! Who had the brilliant idea of organizing drills on a Friday morning at one of the most frequented roads in Lebanon?

Moreover, the drills started at 9 pm or so. I was never in the Lebanese army (Thank God), but i do know army people around the world get up very early for training.

You want to show respect to some Lebanese institutions, specially the army but you just can’t help it sometimes, specially when they pull something like that.

Ventriloquist comedian Dan Horn is coming to Beirut where he’ll be performing with his cast of puppets on the 14,15 and 16th of May 2010. [Details]

Placebo live in Concert in Lebanon on June 9 at Forum De Beyrouth
Placebo, the Rock band that sold over ten million albums worldwide at the Forum de Beirut on June 9. Tickets available at Virgin Megastores.

Raul di Blasio Live @ Music Hall (Starco Center, Beirut) for 3 consecutive nights (24th, 25th, and 26th of May 2010).

This cafe is open at the entrance of Marina-Dbayyeh and is right next to the sewers pipes that drop all Mount Lebanon’s shit into the ocean.

Not sure what sort of clientele this cafe is targetting? The Ninja turtles maybe?

We did not only break the Hummus record but also the Falafel one. Lebanese chefs produced 5,173 kilos of deep-fried falafel.

More food, money and time wasted!

Is she pinching the poor little kid ?

Thanks Ray!

BBC published an article last night called “Beirut struggles to survive peace” which talks about how Beirut is losing its charm and soul. I’m glad I’m not alone in thinking downtown Beirut is crap. I hate it and would rather spend my time wondering around Burj Hammoud or Achrafieh discovering hidden treasures then spend a minute walking in downtown Beirut. [Link]

Here are some rare pictures of Lebanon from the 19th century. [habeeb.com]