CNN just released their “Ten must-read blogs from the Middle East” and both Maya and I have made the list! That’s pretty cool, check out the article [Here]

Wish I could tell you her name but I am unable to decipher it. Is it Haoya? Haaya?

I also wish I could tell you her album’s name, but I could not understand it as well: “bteskout …. kteer hayk”
WTH does that mean?

My advice to this new singer is to show more of her breasts or ass if she wants to sell any cds.

Since Mark had posted about Al Jadeed’s report on our national anthem [Link], I’ve seen the video several times and done some research and I am deeply convinced that AL Jadeed just wanted some attention and nothing more, specially when they got Ghassan Rahbani to enlighten us on this issue!

Minute 0:29 The memo sent noticed a similarity between the Lebanese National anthem adopted in 1927 and the Moroccan Royal anthem adopted in 1956.

Minute 1:03 The video being shown was shot in 1959 and the sound in the background was supposedly from that year or later.

Minute 1:49 The Reef Republic anthem was destroyed in 1926 and “Nasheed el Reef” written in 1924 without a tune. The music for the National Anthem was prepared in 1925 [Link] by Wadih Sabra, which means that the lyrics were done in 1925 or before (Given that a competition was organized to choose the best tune).

As far as the lyrics are concerned, they are very different from the Reef anthem except they both were done on “Ba7r el Raml” which was widespread back then.

As far as the music is concerned, there’s no proof that Mohammad Flayfel did the music and there’s no mention of when he did it. Add oto the fact that his own son clearly stated that his father did not do it.

Therefore, and in the lack of any proof that the music was done by Mohammad Flayfel, Moroccans are the ones who stole the anthem and set it as the royal anthem and not us.

Last but not least, the LAST person allowed to talk about plagiarizing tunes is Ghassan Rahbani and the Rahbanis in general. I love Fayrouz and all but it is a known fact that a considerable number of her songs are adaptations of old tunes.

For those who are unaware of this fact, check out those songs and let me know of what they remind you.
Polyushka Polye
Mozart Symphony #40
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto Movement 1 Allegro

Don’t get me wrong as I am not trying to claim Fayrouz is bad or fake. On the contrary, I find it normal for artists to get inspired from beautiful music and re-adapt it with their own country’s lyrics.

Having said all that, let’s hope this Masquerade that Al Jadeed started is thrown in the trash can where it belongs. Our Lebanese National Anthem is unique and beautiful and its lyrics are great, so let’s play it loud and proud. [National Anthem]

Beirut NTSC posted cool pictures back from the Lebanese war (Tezkar wou ma ten3ad). Check out [Part1], [Part2], [Part3] and [Part4]

Why the hell is Steve Jobs in the background of that poster? The good thing though is that it is indeed an Apple authorized training center. [Link]

So first it turns out Rass al 3abed wasn’t our creation, now it turns out our national anthem is copied as well. Watch from 1:28 [YouTube]

Update: I think we should get System of a Down to write a new national anthem for Lebanon since you could count them as a Lebanese band. If they refuse we can always ask Scorpions.

I pass by this ad everyday but I’ve just noticed that there’s Stallone in the picture on the left ? Or Maybe I am mistaken?

If I had any authority or power, I would demand that the person who designed this abomination and the guy who approved it be hung by the testicles.

If the goal of this bridge was to increase traffic, then I say “Job well done!”.

It’s not enough that the bridge in the middle of the highway right next to one of the busiest spots in Beirut and is causing disgusting amounts of traffic, the road right before City Mall is not asphalted! All the cars have to come to an almost complete stop about 50 meters before the bridge and slowly go down a 30 centimeter slope…

The project itself is incomplete. There is garbage everywhere under the bridge! Barrels, cement bags, wheelbarrows, mountains of waste, and my personal favorite: the homemade ladder leaning against the column.

I live exactly 12 kms away from my work and it takes me exactly 1 hour every morning to drive that distance

When you check out the renderings of the bridge and the surroundings (below), you can only but wonder the level of intoxication of the designer who came up with this engineering marvel. The only part that looks real is the traffic on top of the bridge. The rest is just pure fiction.
When has there ever been in the history of this country just 1 car on each side of the damn road??

Pictures of the rendered images from www.plus961.com

I usually delete promotional SMSes even before reading them, but this one I liked.

I like that Khoury Home has a Hotline, it’s always a hassle trying to contact those electronics and appliances stores and getting the right person.

They are working slowly but it’s looking really nice. Below is how the house looked like 10 months ago.

The Daily Star website has finally been redesigned! It’s the third time since it’s gone under a major redesigned since it was launched back in the late 90s but even after the second redesign though it still looked and felt like an outdated news site from the 90s. It seems the third time is the charm since the new site is a lot cleaner than before, easier to use and also easier to read.

But, the only reason the site is great is because the old site was horrible. I personally think the new site lacks any personality when say compared to gulfnews.com or arabianbusiness.com. The header says it’s still in “BETA” stage so there might be more changes coming. In any case, check out the redesigned site [Here]

Thanks Haissam

Yemeni TV Saba2 broadcasted the longest breaking news ever and could be entering the Guinness book of records for it.
[Link]

I was expecting some sex movie or nude scenes but instead all I got was some dirty talk. It is quite funny how Arabs consider such silly things as scandalous. Also, I had no clue Razan Maghrabi was Lebanese.

As a result of this “scandal”, Razan has encountered a nervous breakdown. [Link]

I read today on Kataeb portal that a young Lebanese called Vicken sent ex-Lebanese president and martyr Bashir Gemayel’s poster to Roger Water’s office hoping that he will include him in his concert as one of the world’s martyrs. [Link]

And it seems that Waters liked the idea and showed Bashir’s picture during his concert in Milano which took place few days ago. [Link]

Pretty cool!