I went to pick up the 4G SIM and Dongle for the test pilot phase today from Alfa’s premises. The 4G SIM won’t be activated though before the official launching date which wasn’t communicated yet but should be soon.

The testing is for only one-month and I will have 10G to try out on the Huawei dongle.

Picture from Maya Zankoul

I was very surprised to read Brofessional Review’s post on Maya, not because it was critical of Maya’s work, but because it was highly subjective, disrespectful and unfair. However, it’s their right to criticize the way they see fit and I will not bother reply as I am not fit to discuss illustrations and what makes someone a real illustrator, but I thought a word of support to Maya, who is one of BlogBaladi’s biggest fans (and vice-versa) and one of the nicest people you could ever meet, was the least I could do.

After all, it is not just Maya’s talent that got her to where she is today, but the way she was able to communicate her ideas in a fun and creative way. In fact, sometimes I would spend an hour writing a post that she would summarize in an illustration/doodle/WhateverYouWannaCallIt.

Keep doing what you do best Maya!

Update: I recommend you read BeirutSpring’s post on this matter [Here].

Source

Pope Benedict XVI is almost 86 years old, had a stroke in 1991 that reportedly temporarily affected his vision. He fell in 1992 and 2009, and also had either arthritis or arthrosis, a similarly painful and debilitating joint condition. His doctor also advised him against taking any more transatlantic trips. [Source]

Here’s what came in his resignation letter:

Dear Brothers,
I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering.

However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is. [CNN]

As you can see, his arguments are not convincing at all and very doubtful.

On a serious note, the pope’s resignation might pave the way for electing the first black pope in the Catholic Church’s history. Read more about Cardinal Peter Turkson [Here].

Picture via Joe

BlogBaladi was among Communicate Magazine’s Top 10 Lebanese Blogs in their “2013 book of tens”. The supplement includes Top 10 of viral campaigns, copycats, local videos, blogs and other social-media related topics.

Other blogs mentioned (in no specific order) include:
- Beirut Spring
- A Separate state of mind
- Plus961
- Marketing in Lebanon
- Gino’s Blog
- Toom Extra
- Joe’s Box
- Broffessional Review
- Beirut NTSC

Communicate magazine can be found in most libraries.

That’s a pretty cool website to learn the most used Lebanese words and sentences. I like how the lessons are divided. The first 5 are for free but you have to pay for the rest. You can check out more about Abjadiye [Here].

You are of Lebanese origin, or you are a friend of Lebanon wishing to communicate with fellow Lebanese or simply understand their conversations, Abjadiye.com is
for you.

You are a business-man, the Lebanese spoken language will be your passport to the entire Middle-East.

PS: This website could come in handy if you are reporting a kidnapping.

I hope he doesn’t end up in courts like WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange did.

Twenty-one-year-old college student Nadim Kobeissi is from Canada, Lebanon and the internet. He is the creator of Cryptocat, a project “to combine my love of cryptography and cats”. Cryptocat is an encrypted web-based chat. It’s the first chat client in the browser to allow anyone to use end-to-end encryption to communicate without the problems of SSL, the standard way browsers do crypto, or mucking about with downloading and installing other software. For Kobeissi, that means non-technical people anywhere in the world can talk without fear of online snooping from corporations, criminals or governments. [Link]

Via Patrick

[High-Res] [Source]

I was checking out on lebmanbojumbo’s blog the “Migrant’s workers rights and obligations booklet in Lebanon”, and I honestly don’t know what to think of the Cultural Practices and Social Manners sections [Manual].

Here are some of the recommendations for all domestic workers coming to Lebanon and my comments:
- In Lebanon, people may sometimes speak with a loud voice but this does not always mean that they are angry with you or don’t like you. They just communicate in a different way from what you may be used to.

How about Lebanese learn to talk quietly and respectfully to others including their domestic workers?

- They often say “NO” by raising their eyebrows, shaking their head from one side to the other or raising it high.

WTF? Seriously?

- You could be asked to wear a veil in a Muslim family.

So much for freedom of religion. How about ask the domestic worker if she minds before being asked to wear a veil or a cross or whatever?

- It is quite common for people in Lebanon to entertain a large number of guests till late hours of the night in their homes.

You are a slave. Deal with it.

- Your employer may ask you to work in the evening or on weekends.

You are a slave. Deal with it.

Najib forgot to post the list so here it is, the Top Ten blogs according to Communicate magazine… *drum roll* …and the winners are:

1) Beirut/NTSC*
2) Beirut Drive-by*
3) Joe’s Box*
4) UxSoup
5) Marketing in Lebanon
6) Joernals
7) The Social Media & Personal Branding Blog
8) NittyGriddy
9) Ink on the Side
10) Gino’s Blog*

The one’s with *’s are my personal favorites. Check out the latest issue of Communicate [Here]

I enjoy reading Communicate Magazine and we’ve been featured in that magazine quite a few times, but their top ten Lebanese blogs list in the December 2011 issue is very disappointing to say the least. Don’t get me wrong as there are some great blogs featured which I enjoy reading and follow daily but if the list is based on how consistent the blog is in terms of posts, some of the top ranked blogs in the list barely post once per month. If it is based on the blog’s popularity, some are so lousy they aren’t even ranked in Lebanon.

Put aside BlogBaladi as I am not writing this post because we weren’t included, but how can you make a list of Lebanese blogs and not mention the BeirutSpring or Trella.org for example?? Those blogs, along with few others, have been here forever, are daily updated, very interesting to read and are popular not just in Lebanon, but in the whole area.

I know it’s just a list, but given that the magazine has a whole section dedicated to the Lebanese Blogosphere, they should know better.

Update: Apparently the list is based on blogs related to marketing & communication only and the blogs aren’t in order. They should have mentioned that as it makes more sense now.

BlogBaladi was featured once again in the October 2011 Communicate Levant issue. This time, the post mentioned was the one entitled “Answering Lebanon’s Ministry of Tourism ads“.

You can check out the other fellow bloggers mentioned [Here].

BlogBaladi featured in the Communicate Levant Edition Magazine in its February 2010 edition. This is the second time we are mentioned in the Blogosphere section of the magazine.

Just found out via the blog This is Beirut that Blog Baladi was one of the Lebanese blogs featured in Communicate Magazine. That’s pretty cool. [Link]