This is honestly pathetic! As if Inter Milan or AC Milan or Barcelona are recruiting undercover Christian preachers and sending them out to the world disguised as football players.

Those logos they speak of are probably 100 years old or more.

Wow! i never thought the day would come when i hear Abu Naji’s shop will close or be demolished. He was part of the AUB culture and was more popular than anyone else on that street. Abu Naji even has his own fan club on facebook.

The good news is that he is moving few meters away from his old shop.

Abu Naji’s shop goes back all the day to 1978. Reading this reminded me that it’s been ages since i went to have lunch at Universal Snack, the best place to eat on Bliss street.

Parkings nowadays are turning into a multi-functional business specially in Beirut where you have to leave it for a valet guy to park it, so that they fit as many cars as possible. (Reminds me of the Unblock me game)

So anyway i was headed to Hamra and had to park for few hours and stopped at the first parking i spotted:

Me: “Mar7aba m3allim, badde soff chi 4 se3at, 2adde bitreed?”

Parking Dude: 7adertak mechterik? iza baddak ba3mellak 2ichtirak chahre iza baddak teje kel yom.

Me: La2 bass el yom, 2adde bitreed?

Parking Dude: 10,000 LL

Me: Walaw?

Parking Dude: Bass minghassellak el siyyara iza baddak.

Me: La2 ma3lesh.

Parking Dude: wou minzabbetlak el darbe min wara. Fi 3anna garage.

Me: Gher marra.

Parking Dude: 3meltella mecanique?

Me: eh eh min zamen.

Parking Dude: Teb 8000 LL mnee7a?

Me: La2 merci.

Parking Dude: 7000 LL?

Me: Bye

I ended up parking somewhere nearer to my destination and for only 4000 LL.

I think they should rephrase that warning label!

It definitely looks nicer than the store they had before. It’s basically the same stuff they used to sell before but in a different setting.

Placebo landed in Beirut few days ago and will perform their concert tonight at the Forum de Beyrouth.

However, similarly to what happened with Gad el Maleh last summer (and unfortunatelly worked), some Lebanese activists are trying to stop Placebo from playing by claiming they are Israeli supporters.

Why so?
Because they played in Israel.

Like serious, wtf is wrong with those people? Placebo is one of the most famous bands in the world and it is normal that they play all over the world including Israel.

“The band must choose either to play in Lebanon or to play in a state that continuously violates rights,” Idriss said on behalf of the groups, which include the Campaign to Boycott Israeli Supporters in Lebanon and the Campaign for the Lebanese Boycott of Zionism. “

How backwards this guy is? And who does he think he is to impose on Placebo where to go?

Another smart ass activist told Agence France Presse that Molko’s comment showed Placebo “ignored the massacre last week against the Freedom Flotilla and went even further, announcing their support for Israel,” Rana al-Masri, one of the activists spearheading the boycott campaign, told Agence France Presse.

I checked to see what Molko’s comment was:

The interviewer then asked if it was important to have Israel’s endorsement these days, to which Molko quipped: “Yeah, if you want to go sailing.” [Naharnet]

How is that endorsing and supporting Israel? And Is Molko a politician to give his opinion on that matter? He is probably more worried about his makeup than what’s been happening in the world.

Added to that, if you check his profile:

“Born to an American international banker father of French-Italian heritage[1] and a Scottish mother, Molko’s family moved frequently during his childhood including spells in Scotland, Liberia, Lebanon and Luxembourg.” [Wiki]

You’d notice he’s been in lebanon. Did they ban him from playing in Israel? I think not!

I think we should start a petition against those activists and jail them for backwardness and public harm as well as projecting a bad image of Lebanon.

My friend from the Beirut Spring had an opinion on the matter as well.

Now that’s an awesome ad! [YouTube]

Obtained via facebook

Not sure if you can eat them though.

A friend of mine sent me a link to a list of movies and shows that are banned in Lebanon. Some of the stuff on the list was a bit shocking like an episode of Mad Men, two seasons of The West Wing and even The Nanny?! Weird stuff.

On the positive side at least they give reasons why. For example:

The West Wing (Season 1 & 2)
Reason: Offensive to Arabs

True Lies
Reason: Picturing Arabs as terrorists

The Nanny (TV Series)
Reason: Jew Content

The Great Escape
Reason: Produced by black listed company (MIRISH)

Jackass
Reason: Obscene contents

Monty Python fans will be disappointed with the list since a lot of their movies are banned. Here is the link to the full list [PDF]

Thanks Alex

Very Nice calendar, check it out!

Not sure what the car owner intends to do with this roof spoiler, improve the aerodynamics of this crappy car or maybe fly with it.

I was getting ice cream from a place called Sibon (which means in French so delicious) when i noticed they have Knefeh and Meghleh flavours. I decided to try them and i must say they are not the best of tastes, but are not that bad.