Feb Humanities by Welcome to Ya 7elween!

A Woman of Valor Magazine

By Dr. Laurence Ajaka

Women have rightfully taken their place at the top of the pecking order in all walks of life after decades, nay centuries, of fighting for their rights. This would not have come to be if not for women, such as Dr. Zeina Zeidan, an exceptional woman that combines the strength of character and intelligence with goodwill and humility. She is known to uphold the creed that «Success often comes to those who dare to do things, and rarely for the shy that are too afraid of the consequences ». Her strong belief in this quote drove her onward to positions that were formerly reserved for men. Born to an illustrious family in Beirut, she was thrown into the social whirl at an early age. Her intelligence and creativity were obvious since childhood while her educational accomplishments marked her genius in the fields of business, auditing, and finance. After securing her Bachelor’s at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, she went on to complete her higher studies in France. Beyond higher studies, Dr. Zeina Zeidan possesses sharp instincts, a natural charm and an uncanny attention to details which are considered a trio of successful traits that have propelled her to the top of her profession. Such success eventually led her to be in charge of an up and coming international company known as “Royal Financials” As a leading strategist and an expert in managing brokerage firms, Zeidan plans to expound on ROYAL Financial’s current policies and encourage more investors into accessing and investing in financial markets that are, according to Zeidan, the core of any economic development. There are plans to increase cooperation with the Central Bank of Lebanon to promote the electronic platform the latter is currently developing, something ROYAL has been pioneering in Lebanon and the GCC area throughout the last decade. As the chairperson of the board, Dr. Zeidan is unequivocally focused on implementing corporate governance at Royal Financials, along with policies and procedures for every department. Such a move allows a more efficient and streamlined workflow that can be monitored and improved with time. Beyond efficiency, implementing corporate governance is key in achieving the long term goals of Royal while expanding its global reach. As an international citizen, Zeidan is keenly aware of the importance of marketing; any product needs to cater to the needs of the local and international markets in order to achieve true success. What sets ROYAL Financials apart from similar firms is the transparency it showed its client base by always pointing out the real risk of financial markets. Any investment can go south, so it’s important that anyone looking to make investments, to study their choices carefully and be willing to handle losses in some cases. Furthermore, consulting with a personal financial advisor and obtaining education about the markets could help individuals make more informed decisions. Dr. Zeidan is a firm believer in virtue in all things because, without inner peace, one cannot face the world. Her greatest influence remains Mahatma Gandhi whose philosophy is essential for every choice she makes. Finally, this remarkable woman continues to build on her ability to recognize and resist temptation, something noteworthy when you consider she deals with the fate of so many with every decision she makes.

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My advice for you on this Valentine’s Day is that you don’t have to be all stressed out and worried about what you should bring to your beloved one. A simple customized gift and heartfelt words will melt your sweetheart’s, heart. Magazine

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Love in the Time of Lust Magazine

By Dr. Laurence Ajaka

I have never been able to wrap my mind around the need young people have to start off relationships at such a young age. They are not in possession of the intellectual or emotional maturity to invest in a meaningful one that would ultimately lead to marriage. Perhaps they do it for the sake of companionship, entertainment or fear of being alone. It seems people‘s emotions are insignificant enough to be trifled with on a whim. If this persists, we are to expect a generation of men and women who wouldn‘t think twice about sexual inhibition, even to the point of regarding prostitution as a norm, just because of these random relationships that begin and end in a minute. With Valentine‘s Day approaching, all I seem to hear about are plans for that day; plans that, mind you, have no connection to the real meaning of the occasion. It celebrated love, but it was a universal love for God before everything else and your family, friends and even those unknown faces suffering at the other end of the world. It pays homage to love in whatever form it may take and never these tacky and almost paganistic rituals. In short, the more money the man spends, the more likely the woman will sleep with him. This is just one manifestation of how we have come to view life; it‘s all about being destructive when life ought to be constructive. Precious years are being invested in futile pursuits instead of setting in motion plans for a valid goal capable of enhancing one‘s situation. Instead, during the stretch between 18 and 30 years, young adults go around sniffing for a sham of a relationship that ends as soon as it takes to assuage the lust they felt for one another. What is even grating is the hoopla and circus they create all over social media about this unbinding tale of passion, that incidentally started three days ago. It is as if people are so desperate to believe the lie that they go into a feverish attempt to grasp onto empty promises. The only real thing is the shame and emptiness they feel afterward when they realized they lost another piece of their souls and defiled the sanctity of their bodies for empty promises. Anyone who is under the misconception that sexual engagement is the basis for a real relationship needs only to glance around to the broken remnants of thousands of failed attempts that focused on lust instead of understanding and respect. Lust only enhances what is already strong and alive, but it can never breathe life into a dead carcass. When love is real, one look into the eyes of your beloved is enough to turn your life upside down and you will never feel quite the same again.

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In the Name of Allah Magazine

By Dr. Laurence Ajaka

One would be hard pressed to find a human being devoid of some sort of religious or secretarial belief as such faith is as natural and innate as drawing breath. The Greek historian Plutarch was quoted to have said: “Looking into history, you can find cities without walls, kings, wealth or theater, but you will never find one without a religion or temple”. The necessity of religion for human beings goes beyond bringing order to their existence because they, alone, were blessed with a conscious brain capable of questioning the universe from its biggest galaxies to its smallest subatomic particles. We are the only creature on Earth wondering about the who, why, where, when and what is next. These questions plague each one of us, and our best source of solace and knowledge regarding these questions is religion. God did not leave his flock to flounder in the dark, and He sent forth many prophets to preach His message. Later on, religion was often inherited from the immediate family and environment because it represents the source that answered these critical existential queries. The holy aspect of these answers is what brings forth the blind faith and belief in these dogmas. Throughout it all, we fail not to forever remain fierce and adamant in defending them. As life progressed to encompass the whole world within the screen of a small mobile phone, individuals who were previously isolated are nowadays thrown into constant contact with their surroundings. With our sacred beliefs being questioned, and each party resolute about their own righteousness, how can we all coexist without this harsh conflict? Perhaps the ideal place to start is refraining from ridiculing and blaspheming other people’s beliefs under the freedom of speech defense. While the latter is indispensable for our modern societies, such attacks serve no purpose short than igniting sparks that can spread like wildfire all around the globe in a matter of hours. Those secure in the validity of their views need never reduce this value by employing such underhanded tactics. They are the only tool for the lost and hopeless, and religion was built on impermeable proofs and persuasion, never empty slogans. MAGAZ INE TEMPL ATE / O C TO B ER 2013 / w w w.your magaz i ne.co m

Brain Power By Dr. Laurence Ajaka

The brain is the last organ to reach full maturity, anatomically speaking, in the body; it takes more than two decades of constant external stimuli to complete the process. If a child exists in a stimulating environment of family, friends and wealthy experiences, the brain will develop to encompass and process such richness and diversity. Should it be depleted of enough incitements to trigger these vital neural connections, the brain will, in turn, reflect this as well. The children will develop to portray their direct environment. This comes into play when one considers the distinctive fact that 95% of the choices adults make are preconceived by the subconscious. This is hardly comforting as the subconscious is still nebulous in so many ways making its possible effects impossible to predict. It is only with the conjugation of the neural development and accounting for the external stimuli that one reaches some sort of a consensus or analytical platform that allows humans to make sense and perhaps predict the choices made by the subconscious. Hence, the approach that most universities and colleges adopt when attracting prospecting students is flawed because they rely on attracting the student and not the parent. Putting such power exclusively within the hands of an 18-year-old is dangerous as their brains have yet to mature enough to undertake such a choice.

Prince or Princess Magazine

By Dr. Laurence Ajaka

Today’s families are highly exposed to controversial issues at very young and impressionable ages making it nigh impossible for parents to navigate the traitorous waters of topics such as homosexuality and alternative families. This topic is being widely circulated in Lebanon after one mother bought her daughter a book by the name “Princess Nina” after being assured by her daughter that it was available in the school library and was even read to them at school. The story goes that Nina was a beautiful and accomplished princess whose hand was sought in marriage by princes far and wide, but somehow none was able to capture her heart. It wasn’t until she met another beautiful princess that she fell in love and ended up being married to her. It’s not a stretch to imagine the horror of the mother who first discovered what she had bought for her daughter to read. As modern, sophisticated and open-minded as we would like to be, ours is still a conservative community with religious and social reservations. Such a book and content is not to be within easy access to such impressionable minds. Having made a stride forward, our society no longer persecutes homosexual individuals and their lifestyles is no longer pursued despite still being frowned upon. Their personal choice goes against everything our society values of having a mother and father raising a family within the sanctity of marriage. The same argument that homosexual individuals use demanding respect can also be countered by demanding they too respect what they refer to as a “traditional family”. That mother, and all those like her, is allowed her outrage and indignation. Children are very impressionable and inquisitive by nature. Their physiology is wired to soak in as much knowledge from their immediate sphere to hone their emotional and biological readiness for survival. That is a long-winded way to say children imitate what’s around to survive and flourish. It is our right, as a community, to demand that such alternative influences not be brought forth to our children as the more they are exposed to them, the more likely they will accumulate in their subconscious and influence their life decisions. The more such options are normalized, the more susceptible to these choices they become. Children deserve to grow up secure in their natural choices instead of being pressured into trying and adopting alternative lifestyles that they would have otherwise been oblivious to. Most parents react emotionally to having their children being exposed to homosexuality and mixed families. They go into panic and try so hard to disavow these choices that they instead awaken the interest of children in such topics. Children are as prone to the age-old adage about the forbidden fruit and will be even more excited and curious about exploring such options if they are aggressively rejected. The better option is to play into children’s egocentric nature by giving a neutral answer such as “Some people decide they want a different kind of family, but we believe in the one God said we should have”. Such a simple explanation will smooth over matters, and the child will probably move on to a new topic in less than a minute. One point is valid whether one agree to homosexuality or not; at the end of the book, the author describes how Nina starts to experience emotions while stroking the princess’s hair and having butterflies in her stomach. Such talk is inappropriate no matter whatever family unit a child comes from. It has a sensual and erotic content that is surely to open up new topics that children also have no business witnessing or discussing. The author compromised the message intended by the book and any semblance of credibility for the topic being discussed. Our children and their precious innocence have to be guarded against such topics. We live in a country of law, and as such, the pertinent authorities need to take measures to make sure this book, and any other similar publications, are removed. This goes beyond just some concerned parents and to the very fabric of our existence and culture.

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Bipolarity at Its Peak Magazine

By Dr. Laurence Ajaka It’s extremely difficult to maintain a friendship when one is facing serious mental health issues such as depression and bipolar syndrome. Some friends will prove to be more faithful than the average norm and exert a real effort to stay part of such a patient’s life, but the symptoms can get too intense for them to handle especially dangerous mood swings and mania. These episodes have the ability and tendency to wear down even the most patient and sympathetic souls. Maintaining such a friendship is a test and requires much fortitude as both sides need to accept being offended while refraining from retaliation. What is most challenging is the unpredictability of what a mental health patient might do. While some are stable, most are prone to change in a matter of few seconds. Therefore, anyone in close proximity of them must be willing to forgive and forget in a show of humility that is very difficult for some. It could very well necessitate humbling oneself time and time again, so it could be challenging finding someone worth the constant groveling despite being the wronged party. And here a question arises about whether these mental patients are so flawed and disturbed to the point they will end up ruining every relationship they ever have or not. The answer is that they might very well spell a death sentence to all their relationships. Humans by nature are selfish and sensitive. When we are suffering from a plight, our main focus is about getting well again. It puts us in a state of mind closed off from the rest of reality where the one and only concern is getting back on our feet. Empathy takes a back door to other concerns, and the state of affairs of other people will be of little concern. In the midst of such turmoil, the fracturing relationships all around us will pale when compared to the turmoil we feel from within. It can even escalate to a point where mentally ill patients come to expect special treatment and live in a universe of their own. This is commonly known as the “mental bubble”. Within the mental health community, this mentality is often accepted and encouraged. The patient is told to focus solely on recovery and taught to be selfish. We are justified by being sick and needing the same care any serious physiological patient might suffer from. But along the way, we might end up losing the friendships and relationships that made the life we strive to restore worth fighting for. We cannot go so far into the rabbit hole that we forget what lies beyond our small and immediate periphery.

The Pathway to True Happiness Magazine

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The Career of Women: Between Employment and Entrepreneurship! By Dr. Madonna Salameh Ayanian It is undeniable that all over the world several endeavors are being undertaken to support women and further encourage them to partake in private and public activities. Women are constantly improving their skills eager to prove themselves successful wherever they are. However, several obstacles seem to hinder them from fully venturing into new heights or even reaching their full potential. Before any new decision are to be made, numerous questions echo leading to an internal turmoil that women try to resolve, most of the times with no clear answers; shall I seek or accept a new challenge? Am I up to it? Who will handle the family matters? Will I be able to succeed at home and at work? What if I fail? Women across the world have been able to reach middle-level management positions at an almost equal ratio to men; however, the breakthrough towards top management positions remains low - not exceeding the 20% at the international level. In Lebanon and the Middle East, the situation is further dramatic: gender inequity is boldly apparent at all levels, and in some countries, women are far from gaining their very basic rights. Governments and private institutions do now recognize the value of a diverse workforce even though the contribution of women to an improved society and corporate performance is undeniable. In the public sphere, laws are being reformulated, quotas are being set and initiatives are being designed to support women activities and participation. In the private sector, HR policies are being reconsidered to incorporate the female component at the core of their philosophy. With corporate governance being the main pillar for todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth and internationalization, it is no surprise that the situation has begun to change towards an improved representation of women at all levels. In recent years, the general economic crises have created distrust in corporations: layoffs were undertaken to individuals who gave their all and had significantly contributed to the growth and success of these same corporations. This situation spurred the rise of entrepreneurial activities generating opportunities for both genders to capitalize on, and specifically for women.

In a traditional setup and normal career path, advancement to the highest positions of GM, CEO, board member, etc. is controlled by variables that are certainly not limited to performance appraisal. Networking mostly after working hours, mobility and travel, long working hours are described to be important ingredients for reaching and maintaining a top managerial position. Those very elements are perceived negatively by most women who want to follow the normal cycle of student, fresh graduate, employee, wife, and mom pattern, as they seem to be the very reason that women consider these positions as hostile and might internally avoid working towards them. To overcome all these issues, entrepreneurship appears to provide certain equilibrium for women whereby their work-life balance ratio is controlled according to their personal encounters and situations. As a matter of fact, women can capitalize on their talent and build a business following a model that is simpler and could be managed according to their desired rhythm. Furthermore, technology has made things easier enabling women to connect with their target market in a cost efficient manner. Success stories of women who were able to make it constitute a strong inspirational element as women associate themselves with other successful women and are encouraged to follow their steps. Entrepreneurial activities tend to capitalized on oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talent; they seem to be mostly related to services and solution providers, fashion, beauty, artwork and more. We are now at a turning point in history where women will be given the chance to lead whether within corporations or as successful entrepreneurs. Will they be up to the challenge? Will they help shape a better word? Only time will show.

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Top Ten

Worst GMO Foods By Ya 7elween Staff

Genetically modified foods (GMO foods) have been shown to cause harm to humans, animals, and the environment, and despite growing opposition, more and more foods continue to be genetically altered. It’s important to note that steering clear of these foods completely may be difficult, and you should merely try to find other sources than your big chain grocer. If produce is certified USDAorganic, it’s non-GMO (or supposed to be!) Also, seek out local farmers and booths at farmer’s markets where you can be ensured that the crops aren’t GMO. Even better, if you are so inclined: Start organic gardening and grow them yourself. Until then, here are the top 10 worst GMO foods for your “do not eat” GMO foods list.

2006, there was 96.7 million pounds of glyphosate sprayed on soybeans alone.

Found in tofu, vegetarian products, soybean oil, soy flour, and numerous other products, soy is also modified to resist herbicides. As of now, biotech giant Monsanto still has a tight grasp on the soybean market, with approximately 90 percent of soy being genetically engineered to resist Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup. In one single year,

7. Cotton

3. Sugar According to NaturalNews, genetically-modified sugar beets were introduced to the U.S. market in 2009. Like others, they’ve been modified by Monsanto to resist herbicides. Monsanto has even had USDA and courtrelated issues with the planting of it’s sugarbeets, being ordered to remove seeds from the soil due to illegal approval.

mones. In fact, Monasnto’s health-hazardous rBGH has been banned in 27 countries, but is still in most US cows. If you must drink milk, buy organic. 9. and 10. Zucchini and Yellow Squash Closely related, these two squash varieties are modified to resist viruses.

The dangers of some of these foods are well-known. The Bt toxin being used in GMO corn, for example, was recently detected in the blood of pregnant wo4. Aspartame men and their babies. But perhaps more frightening Aspartame is a toxic additi- are the risks that are still ve used in numerous food unknown. Even while theproducts, and should be se foods should be on your avoided for numerous reaGMO foods list so that they sons, including the fact that are avoided, you can buy it is created with genetically 100% organic to be safest. modified bacteria. With little regulation and 1. Corn 5. Papayas safety tests performed One of the most prominent This one may come as a sur- by the companies doing the genetic modifications GMO foods, avoiding corn is prise to all of you tropicalthemselves, we have no a no-brainer. If you’ve watfruit lovers. GMO papayas way of knowing for certain ched any food documentahave been grown in Hawaii what risks these lab-created ry, you know corn is highly for consumption since 1999. foods pose to us outside of modified. “As many as half Though they can’t be sold what we already know. of all U.S. farms growing to countries in the Eurocorn for Monsanto are using pean Union, they are welThe best advice: steer clear genetically modified corn,” come with open arms in the of them altogether. and much of it is intended U.S. and Canada. for human consumption. 6. Canola Monsanto’s GMO corn has been tied to numerous One of the most chemicalhealth issues, including ly altered foods in the U.S. weight gain and organ disdiet, canola oil is obtained ruption. from rapeseed through a series of chemical actions. 2. Soy Found in cotton oil, cotton originating in India and China in particular has serious risks. 8. Dairy Your dairy products may contain growth hormones, since as many as one-fifth of all dairy cows in America are pumped with these hor-

Why Do We Give Roses on Valentine’s Day By Ya 7elween Staff Thinking of purchasing a bouquet of flowers for your sweetheart this Feb. 14? By now you’ve probably noticed a strong link between Cupid and red roses, making this classic bloom the obvious choice — but have you ever wondered why we give roses on Valentine’s Day in the first place? While the flower itself has a long and storied history dating back to the very first rose bush planted in 2,000 B.C., the association between red roses and romance is surprisingly recent. While flowers have had symbolic meanings across cultures for thousands of years, the expressing of sentiments such as love and passion through different varieties of flora was perfected during the Victorian era. This symbolic tradition is called floriography or the “language of flowers” — a not-so-secret code where each type of flower communicated a unique message to the receiver. Even the color and arrangement of the blooms held significance. The interest in floriography was born from strict Victorian etiquette which dictated that flirtations and the open expressing of feelings, such as love, grief, or jealousy, was not proper in polite circles of society. Extensive flower poetry and a number of flower dictionaries were published over the 19th C=century, detailing each flower’s meaning, and how to present, receive, and combine flowers to communicate an intended message. While we no longer have to rely on pointing our tussie-mussies, also known as “talking bouquets,” in different directions to express interest (we’ve got text messages for that!), some Victorian flower etiquette has carried over into the modern age. According to floriography, the red rose is said to be an expression of passionate or true love, hence its association with Valentine’s Day. A pink rose signifies warm affection, while yellow roses are associated with joy, friendship, new beginnings, and, of course, Texas. Valentine’s Day is historically supposed to coincide with the beginning of spring and birds’ mating season, a time when garden roses would start to bloom. However, come mid-February, we are usually still knee-deep in snow, and the majority (about two thirds) of those long-stemmed beauties we find in flower shops and grocery stores are imported from the Columbia and Ecuador. Along with the tradition of giving flowers, we can also thank the Victorians for Valentine’s Day’s commercial success. The Victorians were the first to mass produce elaborate valentines and make the giving of cards common practice. “Papers made especially for Valentine greetings began to be marketed in the 1820s, and their use became fashionable in both Britain and the United States,” explains About Education. “In the 1840s, when postal rates in Britain became standardized, commercially produced Valentine cards began to grow in popularity.” The practice of giving Valentines and small gifts surged in the 1860s, and was even criticized by the The New York Times — so it seems the holiday always has had its detractors. To this day roses remain one of the major symbols of the love holiday. So whether you love or despise roses, just remember to take the thorns off.

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