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‫اوﺗﻠﻮك‬ ‫اوﺗﻠﻮك‬ First AUB PhD graduate in Cell and Molecular Biology Lojine Kamel Editor-in-Chief

Known as one of the most prestigious institutions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the American University of Beirut (AUB) has recently crossed another milestone with the introduction of a PhD program in Cell and Molecular Biology. Their very first graduate, Dr. Akram Ghantous, completed his PhD only this year, much to the excitement of the Biology Department and AUB as a whole.

Biology professor Dr. Nadine Darwiche served as his thesis advisor, and was “a great support throughout my PhD” insisted Ghantous. He also always felt “fortunate” to having Drs. Hala Gali-Muhtasib, Heikki Vuorela, Marwan ElSabban, Najat Saliba, and Rabih Talhouk as his PhD committee members. Add to this that he strongly acknowledges the Germany embassy in Lebanon, the German government, and

‫اوﺗﻠﻮك‬

the laboratory of Dr. Regine Schneider-Stock (Friedrich-Alexander University of ErlangenNuremberg, Germany) for supporting his PhD research.

As the first PhD graduate in the entire Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) since the Civil War, over 30 years ago,, Ghantous was subject to several new policies and regulations. “I often felt like a guinea pig,” relayed Ghantous, speaking of the newly developed PhD program. He spoke of the immense pressure he experienced during his last semester, including tight schedules, having PhD committee members from Lebanon and abroad, research duties, academics, graduating demands, and even proctoring, not to mention the demands of being a family man.

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Investigation: What have the SRC’s been up to this year?

Sarah Khalil Staff Writer The Student Representative Committee usually gets the most attention at the start of every academic year at AUB during the busy election season. After candidates campaign to their hearts’ content, the votes are cast. For the remainder of the year most of us forget about what’s going on behind the scenes and we take for granted that each committee in every faculty is working hard to improve some aspect of student life. Seeing as the year is just about drawing to a close, Outlook decided to check up on them.

Each SRC president was asked questions regarding three simple topics.

1.

What have the faculty’s SRC’s plans for this Academic year been so far?

2.

What has been accomplished?

3.

What obstacles have you been facing in

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The 4th annual Civic and Volunteering Fair

www.aub.edu.lb/outlook

accomplishing your goals?

Unfortunately, there was no response from the Faculty of Medicine SRC, but all others answered graciously. See what your faculty has been up to: Karl Hilal, president of the FAFS SRC, was satisfied with how things have turned out, describing the plans as having been “well prepared and successful.” The main events have been Christmas and Easter parties, in collaboration with the Nutrition, Food sciences, and Agribusiness societies at AUB. Currently, the SRC is working on an AREC Day, a sports even in the Bekaa that all members of the AUB community will be invited to attend, and the annual Gala dinner for this year’s graduates..

Lack of time, according to FEA SRC president Wissam Bechara, is the biggest obstacle for his

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Lebanese media targeted by Syrian fire

plans, which is extremely evident in all that’s been going on. Of its original plans of a FEA ski trip, charity mission, the annual AUB rally paper, sports tournaments, and myriad faculty improvements, two have been accomplished – the ski trip and charity event, the latter of which was facilitated by a successful stand-up comedy show. Meanwhile, sports events are in the works, with one basketball tournament being planned for the end of the month, and the rally paper gathering sponsors. Other improvements to the faculty, which are confidential at the moment, are slated to take place during the summer session, so FEA students can expect to see any number of noticeable changes at the start of the Fall 2012-13 semester.

Continued on page 4

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Campus Easter Egg Hunt readoutlook@gmail.com

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Campus News

The 4th annual Civic and Volunteering Fair Ghida Ismail Staff writer For the fourth consecutive year, the center for civic engagement and community service (CCES) organized the Civic and Volunteering Fair in the American University of Beirut. The event took place on Wednesday April 4; stands were set up in front of West Hall and the Green Oval, where over 60 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were present from 10 am till 4 pm.

The aim of the fair,as stated in the Fair’s booklet, is to connect NGOs and AUB centers and groups ”involved in civic and outreach work with students, faculty, staff and the public at large”. On the one hand this volunteering fair gives an opportunity for these NGO’s to spread their message as well as display their projects and activities and recruit volunteers. On the other hand it gives students the chance to contribute to their society by helping out these NGOs. Lina Farraj, the Executive Officer of the CCECS, explains “Our objective is to make links between AUB and NGOs, that way NGOs will have more

exposure. Furthermore, volunteering work is very important, and student should have the chance to be part of the community.” Youssef Yassine an engineering student, claims, “This event brings out the humanity in everyone.”

Some NGOs went out of their way to transmit their message like IndyAct. This NGO had a young girl,with a painted black face and a scared and awkward expression circulate during the day while holding a globe in her hand; she was described by students as “odd” and “creepy”. If a student approached her, she wouldn’t say a word, she would only give him/her the globe, scream and run while hiding her ears, as if the globe was a bomb. This act’s objective was to make student understand that the earth has become a ticking bomb, and people shouldn’t sit this one out, they should do something about it.

This year’s volunteering fair was sponsored

by Banque Libano Francaise, Byblos Bank and Radio on. It included different events; at noon,

an opening ceremony took place in Bathish Auditorium, where different speakers addressed the guests, among them CCECS director Dr. Mounir Mabsout, the Dean of Student Affairs Dr Talal Nizameddine, and last but not least, the former minister and civil society activist Ziad Baroud. At 4:30 pm, students and guests were invited to the screening of the movie “Beirut” narrating events that happened to one Ethiopian domestic worker, also in Bathish. Finally, to end the day, a closing concert by AUB’s got talent winners Saray Band and Bailando dance group took place in Issam Fares Hall, hosted by the stand-up comedian Mazen Abdallah.

The fair was opened to AUB as well as the outside community. In fact, Saint Mary’s Orthodox college, had its students visit the volunteering fair for the first time exposing them at an early age to the outside community as well as giving them the occasion to discover AUB.

Abortion in Lebanon: Morality, women sexuality, and networks

Rayane Zahreddine Staff Writer

The classic debate of whether abortion is a moral act or not was not the discussion in the last Center for Behavioral Research (CBR) Brown Bag Session, but rather the question of how the Lebanese society deals with this issue. Zeina Fathallah answered the question by sharing her thesis “Moral work and network building around abortion in Lebanon” with a small group of interested scholars in the social sciences on April 3 in AUB. Fathallah completed her PhD at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris (EHESS-Paris) last year, focusing her research on medical sociology, sexuality, and women issues.

“Abortion is a major issue in the lives of women; it is related to sexuality, motherhood, motherhood transmission from mother to daughter, family, kinship, religion, norms, accessibility to healthcare, and power relationships between patients and professionals,” said Fathallah.

The law only authorizes abortion if it is to save the life of the pregnant woman, otherwise any woman who undertakes or helps another woman undertake abortion is imprisoned, and the medical professionals implicated are imprisoned and their practice stopped. As for religion, the Sunni allow abortion until the end of the fourth month of pregnancy, the Shia accept it to save the life of the pregnant woman, and the Druze and Christian religions prohibit it. Despite all these constraints, abortion is common in Lebanon among both single and married women of all sects.

Fathalla’s thesis aimed to study abortion as “a problematic crisis in women’s lives in Lebanon,” to investigate the practice of abortion “through the voices of women, men and medical professionals,” to understand the impact of the experience on women’s live and other actors and how they “created a space of autonomy and built moral work in a clandestine context,” and finally to study “the couple dynamics and issues of guilt, responsibility, and the management of the secret”.

It took Fathallah six years of fieldwork to gather 199 semi-structured interviews as well as stories and observations. The sample included 84 women aged between 18 and 64 who have undergone an abortion (41 were single and 43 married), 28 partners, 35 physicians, 15 midwives, 20 pharmacists, and 17 allies who helped with the abortion. “The sample is not statically representative of the Lebanese population. However, the various networks used in order to constitute this sample, the long duration of the field work, and the sample size allow us to conclude that we have sufficient and significant information about the phenomenon,” Fathallah said. “The hardest part was to conduct interviews,” she added, “They were very strong and I felt solidarity with the women who told me their stories.”

The main topics in understanding women’s sexuality were the decision of a single woman to lose her virginity, temporary marriage,

contraception, and hymenoplasty. Important variables were the marital status of the women and their social class. In some cases it was the pregnant woman who decided on the abortion, but sometimes the pressure from her family or her partner forced her to do it. Many women felt guilty and attached to the fetus, while others assumed their decision and weren’t tormented.

With regards to the physicians, they were described as “agents of reparation and not of change because they put the woman back into normality, but they are not militant of women autonomy”.

The attendees examined the findings with Fathallah and encouraged her to publish her thesis. The issue of education and safe sex as important variables was raised. In addition, the place of the operation in the trajectory of the woman’s life was discussed, as was the society’s evaluation of how abominable the act was.

Fathallah added that recognized networks for abortion do not exist since “abortion is not in the public debate in Lebanon and is not going to be tackled yet, but it has an escape window in Lebanon”.

After the session, Fathallah said, “Even though it was a long process, I enjoyed working on this dissertation. The session went very well, I got a lot of feedback to reflect on my study, and the fact that the group was small made it easier to engage in discussions.”

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

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Campus News

Need Career Guidance?

Karen Sertin Staff Writer & Photographer

Tara Nehme is one of the many entrepreneurs in this world. Her current job is at her own company that she founded in February, called TickleMyBrain. “Ticklemybrain.com” is a site that helps students get jobs and succeed at them. Even though the presentation started 35 minutes later than it should have, and ended only 20 minutes after it began, it was a fun-filled presentation about Nehme’s journey to her current career.

Nehme started the presentation by stating that there were three stories that had to be told.

The first story was about her very first job interview. Nehme graduated from AUB in 2009, and she was looking for a job as a consultant while she did not even know what a consultant was. She explains that in order for anyone to do well in a job interview, you have to first start a “job hunt” well before graduation day, and it has

to be organized. In order to organize a “job hunt,” people need to ask themselves where they would like to start off. A helpful hint that Nehme gave was that a person should never keep their “eggs in one basket.” What Nehme meant was that a person should apply to a variety of job vacancies, rather than assuming that a certain one will most definitely hire them.

She went on to stress, and she could not “emphasize enough,” how crucial resumes and cover letters are in order for someone to get into the job they truly want. Therefore, both have to be perfectly written out and one careless mistake could cost a person that job.

Another very important factor is the interview.

No matter what interview it is, a person needs to practice it. Nehme says that many people do not believe that an interview needs practice, especially not about the personal questions, since everyone thinks they know themselves that well. Nehme claims that everyone who goes to an interview has to practice exactly what they are going to say about themselves and about the company.

In order to do that, research about the company is crucial and practice is most certainly needed.

Of course, it is normal to be nervous. However, at the interview, it is imperative to be calm and collective. Nehme explains that the interviewer is testing you; he or she could be purposely mean just to see how the interviewee will react and

behave in the situation. So, it is very important to be prepared, both emotionally and mentally.

The second story was about how she had the “best job” ever, and even still, two weeks after getting promoted, she quit her job. In simple terms she explained that her job was to “put people in jail.” In her brief description about her previous job, she had to analyze transactions being made by different companies and such, and if someone were to do something illegal, she was allowed to arrest them. Another advice Nehme gave was noting the fact that staying in a job is a lot harder than getting it. This leads to her final story about ticklemybrain.com. She had friends who came to her for advice on how to fix their resumes and she saw some seriously absurd resumes and answers to questions like “what are your interests?” So, after a while of seeing these kinds of problems and how lost some students were, and hearing an inspiring commencement speech by Steve Jobs (basically saying to “do what you love”) she quit her job and started her own business by creating a site called ticklemybrain. com. In Nehme’s own words, it is a “dynamic, youth driven career resource portal.”

It helps in writing resumes, and helps lost and confused students find a career they would truly love. Additionally, it ranges from those kind of problems and everything in between about jobs, all the way to finding out how a person should resign.

with the most number of points won. On the first day the Civil department scored a breakthrough as its soccer team, which included many skillful players, bested all the other teams with no trouble.

On the second day, the Mechanical department greatly augmented its scores as its players and audience were extremely enthusiastic to win.

Nevertheless, the Civil Engineering department managed to score the highest number of points, and hence came out victorious in this tournament.

According to Chris Sassine, the CES president, “The objective of this tournament was to organize a fun tournament that would create a competitive atmosphere between the FEA departments. It was great to see all the participants keen during the tournament, and the best part was that the Civil Engineering department won.” Ghida Ismail, CES record keeper, added “We wanted to encourage everyone to participate; therefore we included fun and easy to play games like dodgeball, a sack race, and a 3-legged race.”

On the other hand, Ayoub Abi Rafeh, a Chemical Engineering student said: “I think the CES had a great idea; we were so excited to be part of the football teams. However, the organization should have been better and there should have been more coordination with the participants. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our time and we all know it is hard to organize something within AUB, and to satisfy everyone.”

Eventually, most of the opinions emphasized that the FEA faculty is in great need of activities like this to bring students together and give them a greatly needed break from exams. Moreover, the CES society pointed out that this event is merely the start of a wide range of extracurricular activities and that they are aiming to broaden their events to include all faculties in AUB.

CES Olympics Raed Kuntar Contributing Writer The Civil Engineering Society (CES) hosted the CES Engineering Olympics on April 11 and 12. For the first time, the activities were not limited to one sport but included a wide range of sports including dodge-ball, football, a relay, swimming, a sack race, a 3-legged race and rope pulling. The tournament took place on the green field for the football games and all the races, as well as in the Charles Hostler’s courts for the dodge-ball games.

A stand was set up at Bechtel for students to register in the tournament. The participating players were divided into Civil, Mechanical, and Chemical Engineering students, and all competitions were held between teams of these departments, to eventually determine which department would be qualified as the winner. The Electrical and Computer Engineering department did not participate in the tournament.

In each game, the teams of the different departments would collect points that were counted in the end of the tournament; the team

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

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Campus News

First AUB PhD graduate in Cell and Molecular Biology continued

Lojine Kamel Editor-in-Chief

However, Ghantous was instrumental in achieving several privileges for future PhD students; among them AUB provided insurance, housing, and a summer-term pension. “I hope that my experiences help to change this exciting PhD program for the better,” he explained.

Former Dean Khalil Bitar and Dean Patrick McGreevy, from FAS, have been very supportive regarding these and other PhD-related issues.

The support Ghantous received from AUB strongly influenced his decision to pursue his PhD studies at this institution. Ghantous had ranked first in Lebanon twice (2006 and 2010) for the International Fulbright for Science and Technology, the most prestigious international award for PhD studies, and had opportunities to pursue his PhD at leading institutions worldwide.

After careful deliberation, Ghantous eventually chose AUB. Ghantous defended his doctoral thesis on January 20, approximately four years after he joined the PhD program.. He ranked first in all graduate courses and has attained the highest averages in the majority of these courses in the entire Biology departmental records, some of which extend to over than ten years. Dr. Ghantous has thus far published several articles in several notable scientific journals, including his highly cited article, titled “What made sesquiterpene lactones reach cancer clinical trials?,” which was published in Drug Discovery Today, and for which he was

congratulated by the journal’s editor. Ghantous’s PhD research focused on “Epigenetic inhibition of tumor promotion by Parthenolide: Role of NF-kappaB and p21” which, in layperson’s terms, translates to parthenolide’s new involvement in epigenetic cancer therapy, essentially at low doses that have minimal adverse effects – an essence of epigenetic therapy. Parthenolide, a sesquiterpene lactone, is one of the most promising drugs in cancer clinical trials today, and “we have shown that it epigenetically inhibits tumor promotion, a rate-limiting step in cancer development”, explained Ghantous.

He emphasized that parthenolide can prevent pre-cancerous cells from becoming malignant by targeting epigenetic mechanisms.

The field of epigenetics is very recent. Both genetics and epigenetics are heritable but the latter, unlike the former, is reversible, serving as an attractive target for chemoprevention. If genetics is the hardware of the computer, then epigenetics is its software and can hence program the computer in a reversible manner.

Ghantous has been instrumental in establishing AUB as the leading expert in sesquiterpene lactones. Ghantous explained that he and Dr. Darwiche had already received several emails from notable universities asking to review international articles in this field, and prestigious universities in Europe and the US offered collaboration in this regard. In fact, a known

institution in the US had already sent the AUB team the most potent parthenolide derivative that is being currently tested in cancer clinical trials and is the only small molecule that currently kills cancer from its roots by targeting cancer stem cells.

Ghantous is currently teaching Biochemistry in Lebanese American University (LAU), a post he was offered two weeks after graduating.

Ghantous’s independence in research is reflected even earlier on during his PhD as he was principle investigator (PI) or co-PI on several research grants, which is uncommon for PhD students worldwide. In addition, Ghantous has been presented with post-doctoral fellowships, including a junior professor position in Germany, for the following year.

Already a distinguished expert in his field, Ghantous has undeniably given AUB a competitive advantage and overlap in the fields of Biology, Medicine, Chemistry, and Biostatistics. Though it remains a mystery as to what he may choose in his near future as the offerings are generous, it is without a doubt that we can all expect great things from Dr. Akram Ghantous.

Investigation: What have the SRC’s been up to this year? continued

Sarah Khalil Staff Writer

Rim Mechekrany’s description of the OSB SRC’s workings suggest an emphasis on investing more on the academic aspects of student life. Other than holding a Christmas celebration for the whole faculty, its major accomplishment has been the annual “What’s Your Concentration” lecture, which invites doctors from each concentration to lecture Business students at all levels on their fields in order to aid them in choosing their own concentrations. The SRC is also currently processing results from a student survey to target specific improvements to the faculty. The main future plan is a Lebanon-wide SRC case competition, which will take place in the first week of May. The FAS SRC president, Maan Al Halabi, has a

plethora of majors to consider when organizing for the faculty, and so the SRC’s actions involve quite a bit of variety. Focus was on Freshman life: the major accomplishment of the FAS SRC this year has been the introduction of orientation presentations to Business Freshmen. Other plans involve repairs of FAS printers and washing machines, the addition of more dormitories, research labs for Psychology, and the location of this year’s Gala dinner, which will be Chateau Rweiss.

The FHS SRC’s most salient achievements this year under President Seraphine Zeitouny has been the series of lectures at Bathish these past few weeks during awareness week: “Yummy…

Think Again” and “Sex! Sexuality and Gender

Diversity”. Plans for “a microwave, fridge, and the fixing of the coffee machine and the lighting in the student lounge” and “benches at the entrance of the FHS” have been deployed, among many other infrastructural improvements. The FHS will be providing healthy snacks at AUB Outdoors and holding 2 Laughter Yoga sessions this month.

One difficulty cited by nearly every SRC president has been problems with funding and negotiating with the administration to go through with plans. With all that the SRC does for the AUB community, we should hope that this situation improves in the near future so that there are less things being planned, and more being done.

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Campus News

Lebanese Media Targeted By Syrian Fire Frederic Abou Jaoude Contributing Writer Once again, the media falls as a victim of political and military issues in Lebanon. Unfortunately, a Lebanese cameraman was killed on April 9 while doing his duty in covering the Syria crisis.

The incident took place on the Lebanese-Syrian borders while Ali Shaaban was shot dead in front of his two colleagues Hussein Khreiss and Abdul-Azim Khayyat. Working for “Al-Jadeed” television, the crew was bombarded by bullets launched from Syria in the the northern area of Wadi Khaled.

Ali Shaaban, thirty years of age, was supposed to get married on the following Sunday. He is the only son among a family of three other daughters. Tahseen Khayyat, the owner of “Al-Jadeed,” claimed that the Syrian attack on their TV station was on purpose. Al-Jadeed broadcasted that the crew’s vehicle was raked with 40 bullets and one of them hit Ali’s heart directly which immediately led to his death. Ali Shaaban was taken to Al-Salam hospital near the town of Qobeiyat then later moved to Rafik

Hariri hospital in Beirut. Meanwhile, Khreiss who survived the confrontation talked to a few reporters and told them that “gunshots fell like rain” furthermore insisting on the fact that they were located inside the Lebanese territories.

Almost all Lebanese sides condemned the distressing occurrence. President Michel Sleiman demanded through a telephone call with the justice minister that the incident be clarified and investigations pursued in order to know exactly what happened. Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he would ask the Syrian authorities to investigate about the shooting.

Both men also offered condolences to Al-Jadeed staff and administration. Speaker Nabih Berri called the victim’s father to offer condolences besides the ministers of Amal who visited the Shaaban residence. Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri described what happened as “an attack on Lebanese sovereignty” and the coalition of March 14 blamed the government for its lack of control of the situation in the Lebanese-Syrian

frontiers. Syria’s official news agency “SANA” blamed what it described as “terrorists group” for the cameraman’s death.

The next day, Ali Shaaban’s body was buried in his home village of Mayfadoun in the South.

Many reporters and political figures participated in the funeral while a minimum of three television stations were broadcasting the ceremony. This was not the first confrontation on the boundary lines of the two nations; several other Lebanese citizens have been victims, mainly in the northern Akkar and north eastern Biqa’ regions.

Lebanese media should never be harmed because it works on discovering the truth about events as a part of its job. We hope that this will be the last time innocent Lebanese blood is shed.

In order to prevent any other similar hitches the Lebanese government should at long last take a stand to protect the Lebanese citizens.

For the Victims of the Sectarian System: 37 Years On Issam Kayssi Staff Writer

On the eve of the thirty-seventh anniversary of the start of the Lebanese Civil War, the AUB Secular Club organized a lecture and discussion entitled “For the Victims of the Sectarian System”.

The event aimed to analyze the sectarian political system that is the reality of Lebanon and the state of secularism in the country. The lecture featured guest speaker Dr. Fawwaz Traboulsi, an associate professor of Political Science and History at the Lebanese American University, who also gives a class at AUB and has been a visiting professor at New York University, University of Michigan, Columbia University, and others. Traboulsi’s books, papers, and articles have dealt with several topics such as social movements, folklore and art as well as politics and history in the Arab world. He is a weekly columnist at the Lebanese Al-Saffir and his latest publication, “A History of Modern Lebanon,” has been hailed as the first comprehensive history of Lebanon in modernity.

The lecture began at 1:00 pm at West Hall’s

Bathish auditorium with a few words by Rackel Mezher, the Secular Club’s current president.

Mezher welcomed the different attendees, introduced the room to the topic and what the discussion at hand was about, then, after a few words about Traboulsi, handed him the floor.

Traboulsi, renowned for his prowess in articulating detailed historical events, took the chance to talk about the reasons for the beginning of the Civil War and made sure to note that one should not forget the events of 1958 which should be considered the first civil war for Lebanon as we know it today. He claimed that between 1964 and 1974, “all sectors of Lebanese society wanted change [in the Lebanese system] but no change was granted.” He went on to state the two lessons to be learned from the war: first, no part of the population who imposes demands by force will get any result except the possibility of war, and second, whoever introduces outside actors on the population will be devastating all Lebanese.

For Traboulsi, a lot of misapprehension is found when dealing with the sectarian regime-system.

Due to the current lack of state responsibility, the population will fall back to sectarianism and family for security. The dangerous aspect of sectarianism is that it introduces the “sacred” into politics, the latter not being open to controversy.

The civil war, in retrospect, makes Lebanese habituated to the current regime by convincing them with false peace, and sectarianism

camouflages economic authority.

So what are the elements in the constitution for the overcoming of sectarianism one might ask?

Firstly, the creation of the senate which renders the current parliament nonsectarian. That is to say that post-1990, the Lebanese live under an unconstitutional government, unwilling to apply the constitution clauses. Blatantly speaking, there is no reason (or logic) why the President should be Maronite, the Prime Minister Sunni, and the Speaker of Parliament Shiite. “We are “celebrating” eighteen years of an unconstitutional regime,” Traboulsi adds. “What should be done is the application of the constitution.”

Can the regime be toppled like we saw earlier this year in some Arab countries? It’s not that simple for the historian. There was a certain naiveté by activists trying to “topple” the regime last year; it won’t happen that way. Even in the Arab countries, the figureheads were kicked out, but to truly change a regime, the process needs time.

Following Traboulsi’s talk, an interesting Q&A began. In response to why should secularism be “imposed” on the population, Traboulsi replied that secularism should definitely not be imposed on anyone and moreover that the substitute for political sectarianism is not (simply) secularism but actual democracy. The discussion was concluded with Mezher reminding the attendees that more debate is welcome and of a few upcoming events the club is participating in.

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Campus News

Speak No Evil: “Midnight in Paris” movie screening Nerses Arslanian Contributing Writer The Special Olympics Club organized a screening of Woody Allen’s highly acclaimed Midnight in Paris in Concorde on April 3, an event that was used to fight against the improper usage of the “R-word.”

Asmahan Saleh, the President of the Special Olympics club, said that the major aim of the club was “to facilitate the integration of people with mental and physical disabilities in society.”

She pointed out that one of the major events of the club each year is to raise awareness of the frequently misused “R-word,” which, in popular media, has been placed on a par with other expletives, making some people believe that the censorship of another word was just a step too far for the sake of political correctness.

However, for those who have a family member or a close friend afflicted with a mental disability, the use of that word is carried out with more caution

and regard because they are more naturally aware of how society abuses the meaning of that word.

Individuals have the right to say whatever they want, whenever they want; that much can be said on behalf of freedom of expression. When they are in a comfort zone with our friends, they can speak without the fear of being called insensitive or bigoted. But when they use a word that already is designated with it’s own meaning out of context, they are, intentionally or not, abusing the seriousness of its original meaning.

That’s the case when they see a really bad movie and express their dissatisfaction by saying that the movie was “gay”, or when they ace a difficult test and tell their friends how they “raped” it. They never think of the marginalized homosexuals and traumatized rape victims when they use these words so lightheartedly. One member of the Special Olympics Club acknowledged this,

saying, “It must be hard to persuade people to choose their words carefully, especially in casual talk. But it’s the least they can do.”

Before filing into the cinema entrance, some attendants took pictures of themselves holding slogans inscribed on decorative cardboard while standing in front of a large piece of canvas bearing signatures of the many people who acknowledge the cause. Club members planned to show a short clip before the movie that talks about the treatment of the handicapped in society. Unfortunately, due to problems in converting the video clip, the audience would have to do without it.

In the end, however, the club managed to round-up a sizable crowd and spread the word on not using the “R-word.”

Light it up blue Assia Noureddine Contributing Writer

“Hi. I am a child with Autism. Sometimes I behave unpredictably in normal conditions, but I’m not naughty. I cannot speak well and have difficulty understanding social situations and language.”

This was the campaign motto conveyed by the Lebanese Autism Society in AUB’s College Hall on April 3. The campaign followed the Autism Awareness Day on April 2, with an aim to spread awareness of autism. The event was organized by the Psychology Department and the Psychology Student Society of AUB in association with the Lebanese Autism Society.

The LAS is a non-governmental organization founded in 1999 by parents of children with autism, as well as various professionals. This institute aims to provide autistic people and their

families in Lebanon with all possible support and manner of services and has launched three distinct programs with the objective of early diagnosis and intervention, as well as working with autistic people of different ages.

Additionally, AUB joined the ‘Light It Up Blue’ campaign and lit up the campus College Hall in bright blue lights. President of the LAS, Ms. Arwa El Ameen Halawe, present at the event with her family, stated that “the color blue is a symbol of hope,” explaining the reason behind choosing this color globally.

Autism is a matter not many speak of even though it happens to be of the utmost importance.

Just because our family, friends, or neighbors may not have the disorder, it doesn’t make it any less important. As we speak, many autistics

may be facing difficult situations as a result of “normal” people not understanding them and not knowing how to interact with them. What’s worse, some may simply choose to treat them as a different type of person. However, the difference is not being denied here; rather it is being emphasized in order to express that these people need extra care and attention compared to other individuals because of their disability in proper communication.

Among the people who attended was Mr. Fadi Maalouf, a child psychiatrist at AUB. Two participants that happened to get the chance to be a part of this event came from Kenmour Middle School in Washington DC: Ms. Maha Fadli, the principal of the school, and the Head of the Special Education Department, Ms. Bernardette Woodbury who stated how proud and encouraging she was for seeing this kind of progress happening.

Still one does not have to be working with autistic children to actually care. Rather, the subject of autism is important to all and should be taken under consideration more often. The significance of such a campaign and it being carried out in AUB, organized with the help of the AUB community, shows that AUB is aware about autism and hopefully aims to spread awareness concerning this subject. An event like this should be looked at as a step forward that may carry with it a lot more to help people become better and live a more happy and healthy life.

Campus News Autopooling for university students starts with AUB

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Rana El Jarrah Staff Writer We have all been stuck in horrible traffic, be it in the morning or in the afternoon. Students worry about getting stuck in traffic and plan their daily schedule around it. Many AUB students say that they are willing to stay late on campus just to avoid the traffic, whether they live in or outside of Beirut. In Lebanon, most people drive to work or to university alone in their own car. This makes a 1:1 ratio of passenger to car. Imagine if each car coming to university had four students instead of one; the ratio would become 4:1 and would decrease the number of cars on the road and hopefully decrease the traffic congestion.

The Greenpeace club at AUB has undertaken an initiative to implement carpooling in our community. They hosted an awareness week about living in a greener environment. It was not the usual awareness about recycling and saving energy. Instead, they focused on introducing the idea of carpooling to AUB students. Some of the

students knew what carpooling meant; others did not, while very few actually carpooled to university.

In order to make carpooling accessible to all, a website has been started to facilitate communication (autopooling.com). Using the website is secure because you have to register using your AUB imail. When you sign up, you state if you are a driver with a car or if you are a passenger who needs a ride. The registered trips are available to all, and once you find the convenient trip for you, you contact the driver or passenger. There are 165 registered trips to and from AUB. This initiative started by targeting AUB students. However it has expanded to 13 other universities as well. The other universities are: Notre Dame University, Lebanese American University, Université Saint-Joseph, American University of Science & Technology, Université Saint-Esprit De Kaslik, University of Balamand,

Lebanese International University, Beirut Arab University, Haigazian University, Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts, Middle East University, Arts, Sciences & Technology University, and Université Antonine. All the information for any university is found on the website. Each university has its own private carpooling network. Students can only participate in their institute’s carpooling network, making the website a secure place to register for carpooling.

Carpooling has several advantages. Some of these include saving money on fuel with the driver and passenger(s) sharing the fuel expenses, having less cars on road which leads to less traffic congestion, getting a break from driving every day, and meeting new people.

Carpooling is a simple initiative that can make a great difference on the roads.

AUB students consolidate with Syria’s activists …

Karim Zahed Staff Writer Several students and activists in different universities across Syria have been facing difficulties due to the current political situation in the country. As a result, the theme “Students for Free Syria” was born last month here in AUB; a stronghold for democracy, diversity, and freedom of expression ever since it was built.

Now even though they rally for a “free Syria,” some of these students have informed Outlook that the group’s main objectives are not concerned with the complex regional situation that sparks an endless debate of whether it should be considered righteous or treasonous.

Rather, it calls for a free Syria in which any person has the right to express their opinion without the infamous fear of being prosecuted; what all parties of the conflict declare support for. One of the main organizers, Bachar ElHalabi, stated that they “are trying to make an impact on our fellow friends at AUB,” and expressed that what is being done is “only the minimum of compassion.”

Hence the ‘SFS’ had their second event of the semester near West Hall under the name ‘Candle Light Vigil for Syria’ at noon on Wednesday, April 4 in consolidation with the Syrian students that are facing hardships during this time of instability. White flowers were distributed in remembrance of Ghayyath Matar, a peaceful activist who was known for handing flowers before he died last year. Those who are actually concerned with what is going on on the other side of the border, as well as tens of bystanders,

gathered for a moment of silence in appreciation of the sacrifices the Syrian population is making every day. Some followed that moment by sharing their opinions by writing quotes on pieces of paper while others lit candles in front of the flower bouquet.

This event, as well as the ‘Flash Mob for Syria’ that happened on Wednesday, March 3 attracted the interest of the media as well as that of several celebrities. Famous Syrian pianist Malek Jandali,

who had conducted a concert more than a year ago here in AUB, thanked on his Facebook page the AUB students for their support of a democratic Syria; the Syria everyone hopes for.

El-Halabi wished to end his letter by saying “God bless every revolutionary in the world calling for freedom. For freedom, always and ever…”

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Campus News

The 6th Annual Research Day in Issam Fares Hall

Ghida Ismail Staff Writer

“Newton needed an apple; Galileo needed a telescope and Archimedes a crown, what is needed for you?” asked Abdo Jurjus, Lebanese Association for the Advancement of Science (LAAS) President, during his speech in this year’s Research Day. The 6th Annual Research Day took place on Saturday April 14, in the Issam Fares conference hall, organized by the Standing Committee On Research Exchange (SCORE) and part of the Lebanese Medical Students’ International Committee (LeMSIC) in collaboration with Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA), Honor Medical Society at AUB and LAAS. The day started at 8:30, with an opening speech by Bassel Nazha, chair of Research Day’s 2012 Organizing Committee, followed by speeches given by Ghazi Zaatari , chairperson of the department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Abdo Jurjus, LAAS president.

It was then time for the first wave of oral presentations by Dr. Abu Daya, Dr. Awada, Dr. Makoukji and Dr. Ghazi on their topics of research.

After the presentations had taken place, the guests had the chance to discuss with the presenters their research during a first poster

session and coffee break. Afterwards, it was time for a guest speakers corner, under the title “Two Kidneys, Two Journeys, One friendship”, given

by Kamal Badr, the Associate Dean for Medical Education and Fuad Ziyadeh, chairperson of the Department of Internal Medicine. Dr. Anwar Bekhazi was honored for his lifetime support of student-led research. A second wave of presentations also occurred, delivered by Dr. El-Halaby, Dr. Dany, Dr. Kabbach and Dr. Naser.

At 12:45, the research workshop started including an introduction by Mona Nabulsi, coordinator of the research workshop, as well as AUB students’ project presentations. Finally, before lunch, the awards were presented. In fact there were different awards: The AOA best oral presentation, The LAAS best poster presentation (both monetary awards), the SCORE/Nemer fellowship award in which the winner gets the opportunity to work as part of Dr. Mona Nemer’s research team, the SCORE Dean’s office travel award where the winner receives up to $3000 to cover the travel expenses relating to presenting his/her work at an international conference, and finally the SCORE/Issam Fares Institute (SIFI) award: 1000$ is awarded to the best research

proposal.

The objective of this day is to encourage research among medical students and to attract the attention on the importance of it, as a matter of fact, Bassel Nazha claims that “it is no longer an option not to explore what is out there. Getting involved in research, besides being an adaptation to meet the increasing expectations, is a unique way to develop one’s critical thinking and to contribute to the advancement of knowledge.” Moreover this day gives medical student the opportunity to present their research after hard work. Dr. Ghazi, one of the presenters, stated “It is gratifying to see that research is being given importance; after all the hard work it’s good to present.” Dr. Makoukji, also one of the presenters, added “I’ll know what other people are working on, take ideas from others, and maybe also collaborate to enlarge the research.” This annual event’s success has also encouraged other universities to have their own research days.

Yummy… Think Again: The Case Of Food Safety In Lebanon Rola Ghaddar Contributing Writer “Safe food is considered a human right,” said Dr. Rabih Kamleh. After the contaminated meat incident that took place in Lebanon, unsafe food was found in our stores and restaurants.

Consequently, we all began to mistrust food safety and suspect the contamination of food.

The Food Science Society and the Student Representative Committee (SRC) of the Faculty of Health Sciences organized a lecture under the name of “Yummy?... Think again” to raise awareness about this topic. The lecture took place in West Hall, Bathish Auditorium, on Tuesday April 12, and it was split in two parts; the first was presented by members of the Food Science Society and dealt with information about unsafe food and how to avoid it, while the second part was delivered by Dr. Rabih Kamleh, an assistant professor who throughout his lecture showed us the reasons for all the chaos in food safety and recommended solutions.

What are high risk foods, how to know whether a restaurant is clean, what not to eat, how to

store leftovers, when to use the microwave are all questions that were answered by members of the Food Science Society, including Ghida El Baba, Maysaa Dimachk, and Rita Feghaly.

If you’re a sushi lover, you’re going to be shocked by the data reported in a study done on sushi in Lebanon by senior food science students, Rawan Hammound and Jinan Kanj. It showed that 87 percent of all sushi samples taken from different shops- including very fancy ones- were unacceptable and contained a very high number of harmful microorganisms that could cause food poisoning. Another study was presented by Mona Harbali on Sabra Market where samples of raw chicken and meat, veggies, dairy product, cream filled cakes, and water were tested with results showing a very high bacteria count. After the presentation of such findings, one would definitely have to think again before going out to dinner with friends to a sushi restaurant or buying foods from Sabra Market.

In his lecture, Dr. Kamleh shed the light on

the serious problem in the law concerning food safety in Lebanon. What was most shocking was that nine authorities - including the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Public Health, and the Ministry of Economy - are in control of the food related laws and are one of the reasons why these laws are hardly applied.

Another reason is that food inspections in Lebanon are not scheduled and organized which makes restaurants and markets get away with their mistakes. For instance, before the media pinpointed the issue, problems like contamination were hardly noticed and this was assured firstly by reported data on contaminated food in Lebanon (shawarma, qashta, kishek…) and secondly by some untruthful shelf life of processed foods (dairy products). Finally, Dr. Kamleh proposed a Food Safety Law based on international standards and the implementation of just one food safety authority to keep things under control.

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Health & Nutrition

”Breast-Fed is Best-Fed” May Bassam Sibai - Registered Dietitian Special-to-Outlook

Generally speaking, good health is the most crucial resource we have.

Although we can buy more and better health care products and services, we cannot buy good health. Consequently, the health and socioeconomic benefits of breastfeeding are a vital part of good health not only for infants but also for mothers. Recent research conducted has clearly shown that a dose-response relationship exists; the more human milk an infant consumes, the more bountiful the benefits conferred. These benefits are most apparent during the perinatal period (after the day of birth) and have long-lasting effects that promote optimal health through the lifespan of the breastfed infant and his mother. However, identifying the numerous benefits of breastfeeding is only the first step.

Thus, in this regard, to reap the health and economic profits associated with breastfeeding, society and government must support breastfeeding promotion which most likely will necessitate a coordinated regional, .national, and international breastfeeding program For instance, the Women, Infant, and Child (WIC) program in the United Stated was initiated for low-income pregnant, lactating or nonlactating postpartum women and their infants up to five years of age (USDA/FNS). The main goal of this federally funded program is to improve birth outcomes, early childhood development by providing nutrient-dense supplemental foods, nutrition education, and health care referrals for those who are found to be at nutritional risks. In light of this, the time has come for breastfeeding to be a public health priority. At this point many questions arise regarding how breastfeeding benefits infants, and mothers ?

reduce the risk of developing ovarian, uterine, and breast cancer. As was pointed out previously, exclusive breastfeeding helps in loss of the excess weight acquired during pregnancy compared to bottle feeding mothers. For instance, it is estimated that breastfeeding burns an average of 500 to 700 calories per day. Additionally, prolonged breastfeeding prolongs anovulation which can delay the return of fertility. Studies have shown that women who have breastfed are at lower risk for fractures as a result of osteoporosis. It is also interesting to note that in many recently published articles, it has been stated that mothers who breastfed their newborn infants may also experience psychological benefits such as boosted self-confidence and reduced postpartum depression (PPD).

Furthermore, it remains a fact that breastfeeding facilitates bounding because it is a continual, reciprocal relationship between mother and child (skin to skin contact). Accordingly the process of attachment is more perfectly fulfilled in the act of breastfeeding than in any other context .

Long term health benefits of breast-milk for infants

For your information refer to the following website: http://www.

Extensive research on the biology of human milk and on the health outcomes associated with breastfeeding has established that breastfeeding is more beneficial than formula/bottle feeding. In addition, human breast milk contains an abundance of factors that are active against infection. The reason behind this is that the infant’s immune system is not fully mature until about two years of age, so the transfer of these factors from human milk provides a distinct advantage that infants fed formula do not experience. Specifically, human milk contains immunologic agents such as secretary antibodies which are in turn responsible for enhancing the immune system in infants (Godfrey & Lawrence, 2010). Therefore, breastfed infants experience fewer cases of infectious and non-infectious diseases as well as less severe cases of ear, respiratory, gastro-intestinal (diarrhea), and urine infections. Also human milk helps protect babies against diabetes type I and II, obesity, and eczema and also lower the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (AAP, 2012). One might ask: is mother’s breast milk sterile? Yes, another beneficial effect of human milk is that it is 99.9% sterile. It is important to know that breast milk does not contribute to dehydration. To the contrary, human milk is about 80-97% water, and healthy infants except under extreme circumstances, get enough water by breastfeeding (Ajab Khan, 2011). Besides all of these advantages, it is valuable to point out that the fat content of breast milk is rich in brain building omega-3 fatty acids essential for optimum growth and development of the an infant’s brain and neurological system as well as for fast development of eye cells associated with improved vision

As a conclusion, the nutritional composition of breast milk coupled with the health advantages of breastfeeding are reasons that advisory bodies recommend this form of infant feeding as the best practice. Hence, human milk is uniquely suited to meet the needs for infants, clearly because it provides all the vital nutrients necessary for the growth and development of the newborn baby. To that end, breastfeeding is the supreme decision, since artificially-fed children have an increased risk of long-term diseases with an immunological basis .

cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm

Do you know that: It is not recommended at all to breastfeed if the mother is HIV positive or receiving certain medical treatments

Improved Maternal health

According to the American Academic of Pediatrics (2012) the importance of breastfeeding for mothers lies in the fact that all mothers who breastfed experience less postpartum (the period after delivering their infants) bleeding, return to their pre-pregnancy figure faster, and

www.weburbanist.com

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Health & Nutrition

Snacks 101 Rola Ghaddar Contributing Writer Your stomach is rumbling, but dinner is still a couple of hours away. What should you do, wait until your next meal or go for a snack? What most nutrition experts recommend is to go for a snack that will temporarily silence your hunger and make you eat less in the next meal.

Studies show that when you deprive yourself of food for a long period of time, you’ll end up being hungry to the extent that you may lose control of your eating and consume more calories.

However, one should be careful when choosing a snack, starting by avoiding empty calories and looking for food that prolongs fullness.

To begin with,many snacks may contain empty calories-calories from solid fats (butter, beef fat and shortening) and/or added sugars. These calories have little or no nutritional role in our body, they only supply energy and they provide

a lot of calories in a small volume of food. These empty calories make food more appealing and delicious. Cakes, cookies, pastries, ice cream, doughnuts, sodas, energy drinks, processed fruit drinks, and many others, provide the most empty calories and so one should definitely avoid them when looking for a snack.

Now that we know what we should avoid, let’s take a look at what we should search for in a snack. A very important criterion is how long a snack can keep us full. Some think that the amount of food is what makes you full; however, there are some other characteristics in food that can lead to fullness, like water and fiber content.

When we’re referring to water content, we mean the water as a component of the food itself. As we all know water contains no calories; therefore, as the water content increases, the energy density -the calories in a certain

volume of food- decreases. For instance,fruits, vegetables, cooked grains and low fat milk can be the perfect snack for you.

Fiber is not digested easily in our body, so it tends to stay a longer time in our stomach, which will promote a feeling of fullness. Examples of snacks with high fiber content include granola bars, corn flakes, fruits and vegetables.

To sum up, here’s a list of healthy snacks you can consume during the day:apple, bananas, hummus, dark chocolate, carrots, oatmeal, low- sugar smoothies, watermelon, green salad, pineapple, granola, dried fruits, cucumber and many others that can fit the criteria listed in the article.

Did I Actually Just Wash My Hands?

Mysaa Dimachk Special-to-Outlook “Did you wash your hands?” How many times have you been asked this question? Probably a lot. So, what is the big deal with hand washing and why is it so important?

Simply put, washing your hands prevents the spreading of bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. As students, we constantly come into contact with surfaces that carry large amounts of microorganisms. Door handles, desks, and even our cell phones are just a few examples. Use your hands to eat your lunch after you come into contact with any of these surfaces and you have just earned yourself a high risk of getting sick from food poisoning.

So, if you just wash your hands all will be fine, right? Unfortunately, that’s not completely correct. As Food Science and Management students, we have tested the effectiveness of hand washing with different washing agents in the lab. Three students each grew separate colonies of the microorganisms on their hands before hand washing, after hand washing (without drying), and after hand washing (with drying). One student used regular liquid soap, the second used a bar of antibacterial soap, and the last used ethanol.

The first student (who used regular liquid soap) found that the amount of microorganisms before and after hand washing remained the same. Regular soap did nothing to kill the microorganisms. The next student used a bar of antibacterial soap. To our shock, the amount of microorganisms increased! Antibacterial soap is meant to kill microorganisms. However, when used in the form of a bar, it does not do its job. Other than the fact that hands filled

www.elementshealthspace.com with microorganisms are constantly touching this bar, we should remember that bar soap is left out in the open for microorganisms in the air to come and settle on. The next time you use are deciding whether to buy liquid or bar soap, choose the liquid soap. The last student used ethanol, which cleared the hands of most microorganisms. Ethanol is usually an ingredient in hand sanitizers, so rest assured that when you use hand sanitizer, you are actually killing the microorganisms on your hands. Our results also indicated that drying your hands with a clean towel or napkin further decreased the amount of microorganisms. After washing, make sure to

dry.

Now, what does this have to do with AUB? Well, we all know from experience that soap in the bathrooms of AUB removes grime and visible dirt, but apparently that’s all it removes.

We checked out what type of soap AUB uses in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, and it’s not antibacterial. AUB also apparently uses the same soap all over campus. So, from now on, after washing your hands, ask yourself, “Did I actually just wash my hands?”

Campus News & Spotlight

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

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Hop to it: The Easter Egg Hunt at the Green Oval!

Karen Sertin Staff Writer & Photographer It was a bright sunny day, on April 7, 2012.

There was a nice breeze going around AUB and the birds were chirping. It was 9am, and the campus was deserted because Easter break had finally begun. On this beautiful day, AUB hosted a chocolate Easter egg hunt at the Green Oval and the vicinity located around it.

Pink, red, orange, brown and yellow wrapped chocolate eggs of all sizes were scattered around the Green Oval, on the stairs of Fisk and Bliss Hall, on the benches and in any area with grass.

The wrappers all glimmered nicely in the sun.

The AUB students who volunteered to help host this event were waiting for the children to arrive. There were even students from the Red Cross that came in case there would be any form of emergency. The hosts wore bunny ears and some wore silly hats. They got their faces painted with cute whiskers on their cheeks and black-tipped noses to resemble bunnies to get into the spirit of Easter.

About 15 minutes later, children from eight

different NGO’s had arrived. There were so many of them, and they were so excited to be at AUB. Before the Easter egg-hunt had begun, they gathered at West Hall to get their faces painted by the hosts and collect colorful paper bags to place their chocolate eggs in. Soon, the children would begin their egg hunt.

Once they finished their face painting, the kids were assembled into single form lines, and they were off the start their egg hunt at the Green Oval. As they reached the Green Oval, some children’s Arabic songs could be heard, and as soon as they saw the glimmering wrappers sprinkled everywhere, they scurried around to collect them; and just like that, in a span of about 15 minutes all the eggs around the Green Oval parameters were completely gone, and everyone was content. Also, as a gesture of selflessness, the kids who had plenty of eggs gave some of the other kids who did not have as many.

The children were then given croissants and chocolate milk for brunch. They sat down in

several small circles on the grass of the Green oval and enjoyed their meal. They were then handed out eggs on a stick, along with some stickers and markers in order to color them.

After a while, there was some dancing and kids running around trying to chase a girl in a chicken costume. Everyone was laughing and smiling and having a great time; the kids were so enthusiastic and appreciative. Face painting, dancing and egg decorating were constantly being done. Closing this event, a show was put on for the children. After the show ended, they all gathered up and left AUB’s campus.

British writer to reveal secrets of risk intelligence at AUB Outlook Staff Writer and entrepreneur Dylan Evans will reveal some of the results of his ground-breaking research in risk intelligence for the first time in a public lecture at the American University of Beirut (AUB) on Friday, April 20.

The talk will take place in the Maamari Auditorium at the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business at 5:30 PM. It is open to members of the public and there is no charge for admission.

Evans will talk for the first time about his new book, Risk Intelligence: How to Live with Uncertainty, which was published in the US by Free Press (Simon & Schuster) on April 17.

In the book, Evans argues that there is a special kind of intelligence for dealing with risk and uncertainty. It doesn’t correlate with IQ, and most psychologists have failed to spot it because it is found in such a disparate, rag-tag group of people - American weatherforecasters, professional gamblers, and hedge-

fund managers, for example. Evans will show just how important risk intelligence is, and explain why many people in positions which require high risk intelligence - doctors, financial regulators and bankers, for instance - seem unable to navigate the domain of doubt and uncertainty.

Jimmy Wales, the Founder of Wikipedia, describes Evans’ book as “a manifesto for a new approach to knowledge and uncertainty”, and says, “It will change the way you think.”

Evans launched a website in 2010, with a test you can take to measure your own Risk Intelligence Quotient, or RQ. Over 40,000 people have taken the test so far, and the surprising findings that have emerged from this data are revealed in the book. The test is available for free at projectionpoint.com, along with the author’s blog at blog.projectionpoint.com.

Dylan Evans is the founder of Projection Point,

the global leader in risk intelligence solutions.

He received a PhD in Philosophy from the London School of Economics in 2000, and has held academic appointments at King’s College London, the University of Bath, the University of the West of England, and University College Cork. Evans is currently spending the spring semester as a Visiting Professor of Psychology at AUB. His talk will be co-hosted by the Psychology Department and the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business.

Dr. Evans said: “I’m very happy to be giving my first ever talk about my new book here in Beirut. It’s a wonderful city, which always seems so upbeat and resilient despite its tragic history.

But perhaps this makes it a rather appropriate place to launch a book about risk intelligence.”

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Outloud

AUB Civic and Volunteering Fair 2012-04-04 Assaad Khoury Staff Writer Mohammad B. Azzam Photographer

Animals Lebanon:

Cedars for Care:

TheeAnimal Encounter:

Children’s Cancer Center:

Balsam:

Children of Adam Club:

“Animal abuse is wrong. Join us to make it illegal.”

“Our mission is enacting a law for animal welfare”

“Our mission is to spread awareness of wildlife in Lebanon through captive breeding, rehabilitation, and releasing animals back into the wild.”

“Our vision is to ensure that palliative care is available and accessible to all people in Lebanon.”

Beeatouna:

“Our primary aim is to promote good environmental practices among the Middle East and North African communities for a sustainable development.”

Operation Big Blue Association: “We clean up beaches and rivers in cooperation with banks and schools.”

“We aim at providing a better and safer environment for people, and therefore a better world.”

“To provide access to free treatment and care to all children with cancer in Lebanon and the region, without any discrimination.”

“The Children of Adam club aims at bridging the sectarian differences in Lebanon through awareness campaigns and social interactions, as well as filling the cultural gaps between youths of all ages.”

Civil Engineering:

“We aim at spreading happiness through helping others every chance we get.”

CISV International:

“We are a global community of dedicated volunteers creating opportunities for all ages to experience the excitement and enrichment of cultural diversity through our educational programmes.”

Outloud

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Train/Train:

Page 13

Smile Foundation:

“ We aim at increasing [the] awareness of Lebanese civil society about the importance of trains and working on revitalizing the Lebanese railways.”

“A stay in the hospital can be a daunting time for children, away from home and the people they love. Imagine their delight when Clown Doctors transform the room into a magical space.”

Ibsar:

Green Hand Organization:

“Our mission is to promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for the purpose of enhancing the wellbeing of people and nature by providing an open, innovative, and collaborative platform.”

Mentor Arabia:

“We envision a drug-free Arab world where children and youth are given the opportunities to lead healthy lives.”

Lebanese Autism Society:

“The Lebanese Autism Society advocates for the rights of individuals with autism and to provide them and their families support and services, from early childhood to adulthood.”

IndyACT:

“IndyAct believes that great changes in this world are transpired by a small number of individuals. This section explains the basis of IndyAct existence.”

“Green Hand is establishing an interactive Botanical Garden in Aley city, where it will act as a resource center for farmers, students, and community, in addition to protecting the wild species of Lebanon.”

The Village:

“The Village is a success story of sustainable agriculture and income generation and empowerment of people living in rural villages across Lebanon.”

Bicharaf:

“Bicharaf aims at promoting academic integrity and ethical awareness among students, faculty, administrators, and business professionals.”

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Page 14

A little from everywhere Zeina Mhaidly Staff Writer

Bride charged with faking cancer for NY wedding and honeymoon in Aruba

Hands-free Umbrella to help battle 17-year old boy sells kidney to buy rain! iPhone and iPad!

Jessica Vega, a 25-year old woman was accused of fraud for claiming to be an ill bride in order for her to be able to gather donations for her dream wedding in New York and honeymoon in Aruba. The woman claimed to have leukemia in 2010 and accepted thousands of dollars as donations. A newspaper, the Times Herald record, posted an article about her illness and about her wish to marry the father of her daughter before she dies which helped increase the amount of donations. Her husband, Michael O’Connell told the same newspaper that his wife was faking the illness four months after they went back from Aruba

Five people in Southern China have been charged with intentional injury in the case of a Chinese teenager who sold a kidney so he could buy an iPhone and an iPad. The young kid is now suffering from renal deficiency and his illness is deteriorating with time. The five people involved in this case include the surgeon, one of the defendants who received $35,000 to arrange the transplant and three more defendants. The money received by the defendant was shared with Wang who received $3,500, the three other defendants and the surgeon. Wang lives in a poor neighborhood where people usually leave in order to find a better life. Moreover, the prices of the iPods and iPads in China are high amounting to $633 and $474 respectively

A hands-free umbrella - or “Nubrella” as it is called - is the new idea of a 49 year old man, Alan Kaufman. The invention resembles a bubble wrapped around the head and shoulders of the holder and comes either in black or see-through style. It is strapped and held on a shoulder support and weighs over 1 Kg. when not in use, the wearer doesn’t have to hold it as it goes behind the head like a hood. This new idea was thought by Kaufman to be useful for millions of people who work outdoors and are tired from holding an umbrella. Moreover, the umbrella is affordable costing £40

Japan’s Lady of eternal youth: a 43 year International Pillow fight day in 10,000 Easter eggs tree in Germany old woman!

Taiwan: a way to release stress

Masako Mizutani, a 43 year old Japanese woman has shocked Japanese people with her agedefying looks. The woman resembles a 20 year old lady when her age is in fact is way far from that which led people to call her “Japan’s Lady of eternal Youth”. Masako revealed some secrets about the different ways she adopts in order to take care of her looks of which are drinking plenty of water, eating healthy and balanced diet in addition to using creams, sunscreen, cleansing, toning, moisturizing, and getting plenty of sleep and avoiding smoking. Masako has two kids and one of them is 20 years old http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/06/uschina-kidney-idUSBRE8350B020120406

The international pillow day that was officially announced in 2008 took place on April 8 in Taiwan. Around 100 participants gathered in Taipei and held pillows as organizers counted down. The fight lasted for 15 minutes and feathers and pillows were flying through the air. Participants claimed that his event helps them relieve all the stress caused by their daily activities, problems and financial situations http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_ news/2012/04/10/11123996-bride-charged-withfaking-cancer-for-ny-wedding-honeymoon-inaruba?lite http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/masakomizutani-japans-lady-of-eternal-youth.html http://www.3news.co.nz/Taiwanese-release-stressin-pillow-fight/tabid/417/articleID/249869/Default.aspx

Volker Kraft, a German 76-year old retiree, has decorated his tree for Easter with 10,000 colored eggs. Starting with 18 eggs in 1965, the number of decorations started increasing year by year, and by last year reached 9,800. At the beginning, the eggs used were plastic, but soon Kraft switched to real ones. The old man is assisted by his wife and children in the decorations and the tree now is a tourist attraction. Kraft said that he’s stopping at 10,000 since he has no more storage capacity. In Germany decorating trees for Easter is a tradition but usually on a smaller scale http://news.yahoo.com/germany-10-000-eastereggs-grace-tree-114951839.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/ howaboutthat/9195303/Hands-free-umbrella-tohelp-battle-April-showers.html

Arts & Culture

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Page 15

Irtijal Experimental Music Festival Kanzi Kamel Staff Writer Though invisible to the untrained eye, hidden beneath the crevices of Beirut lies something rather remarkable. While the common stereotype of a Beiruti is the clubber, pubber, and debaucher, there is an entirely different community of people left undiscovered. These people—the musicians, artists, dancers, and intellects—are perhaps the only ones who understand the beauty of Lebanese culture.

Held in Masrah Al-Medina, Irtijal, an annual experimental music festival in Lebanon, just completed its 12th year. The six-day festival was comprised of artists from all over the word— primarily Europe and Lebanon. Though, when one hears the words “experimental music”, one might expect trash cans, plastic tubes, or glowin-the-dark paint; Irtijal was anything but.

In an oddly formal, yet entirely comfortable atmosphere, professional musicians came together in a curious and entirely wonderful

way. Imagine standing in a room full of classical musicians who never before met. The first picks up his guitar, and plucks a steady melody. The second draws her bow across the strings of a cello in harmony with the first. The rest of the musicians follow suit, and soon, a beautiful medley of instruments fill the room with their spontaneity.

Imagine that, and you’ll have something akin to what Irtijal is.

While there’s no doubt that the festival was well rehearsed, the devious grins shared between musicians before breaking into an incredible duet was all too authentic. Even more so was the passion the audience felt in the musicians while playing their music. It’s a rather lovely sight to see someone enjoying their work as much as these individuals did.

Despite the splendor of the music, there were some downsides to the festival. For lengths at

a time, if one did not speak French or Arabic, they’d be lost. At one point, the incredible internationally renowned guitarist, Pablo Marquez, had an extended solo, whist a slideshow of the life of Jesus played on the screen behind him. Arabic and French captions narrated the pictures that told the story, and there was no English translation. Still, that did not prevent the audience from enjoying the pure intensity of Marquez’s talent.

Overall, the festival was an immense success.

It amassed all sorts of people in Beirut into one atmosphere, and serenaded them with ingenious musical talent. It’s a wonder that such a festival was hardly publicized in Beirut.

Then again, to quote an ancient Lebanese proverb, “that which is most beautiful is often kept underground.”

had just met its doom. Less than a minute later after seemingly turning the ship in a direction to avoid a head-on collision with the iceberg, a piece from below scraped along the starboard of the vessel.

Chaos erupted aboard the ship, and with not enough life boats to save everyone some people had to be left behind. Out of 2,224 only 710 were saved while 1514 died that night, freezing to death in the ice cold water of the Atlantic.

“Nearer, My God, to Thee” the symphony played as the ocean liner was devoured by the black waters. The screams of many echoed in the minds of those who survived, yet the most horrible sound of all was the silence that followed.

“The band played one version of ‘Nearer, My God, to Thee’ of which there are three and the one they played was the one that was played in church. I saw that ship sink, I never closed my eyes. I didn’t sleep at all. I saw it, I heard it, and nobody could possibly forget it. I can remember the colors, the sounds, everything.

The worst things I can remember are the screams. It seemed as if once everybody had gone, drowned, finished, the whole world was standing still. Then there was nothing, just this deathly, terrible silence in the dark night with the stars overhead.”

Those were the words of Eva Miriam Hart one of the Titanic’s survivors, who was 7 years old at the time titanic sank.

“The unsinkable ship”; just that idea was

probably one of the main reasons that caused the loss of so many lives. Now many years later, thousands still gather to remember the great ship and the doomed voyage, witnessing the after math of human arrogance.

The ship of dreams Jude Baddar Special-to-Outlook April 1912; a voyage that will be remembered for many years to come, “The ship of dreams” now lying at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

Titanic one of the most tragic ship wrecks of the 20th century just reached its hundredth anniversary of sailing and sinking not only to the depths of the ocean, but to that of many hearts.

The ocean liner left the English port of Southampton to cross the Atlantic Ocean to reach New York. The 2,224 passengers boarded the ship thinking about how lucky they were to get a chance to sail aboard the largest man-made object at the time, none of them suspecting the horror that lay only five days ahead.

Thousands gathered at Southampton on April 10 to witness this magnificent vessel, fascinated by its structure as it stood there displaying its beauty. Many boarded the ship seeking new lives, new beginnings, and a better chance at life.

Among the most prominent passengers where the American millionaires, John Jacob Aster IV and his wife, as well as Margret “Molly” Brown; later known as “the unsinkable Molly Brown”.

Assuming it to be unsinkable, passengers headed to their chambers and retired for the night oblivious of the events to come. It was a chilly night on April 14th, dark and moonless, yet despite warnings that were sent its way, Titanic refused to acknowledge any of them and kept sailing full speed ahead into an area known for its huge icebergs. At 11:40 P.M. the alarm was sounded, an iceberg was seen ahead, Titanic

Note: Fact: About 80 Lebanese boarded Titanic among the many different nationalities Fact: The creator of Hershey’s chocolate was supposed to board on the Titanic, but since his wife got sick, he decided to skip that trip!

www.starway.org

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Arts & Culture

Movie Review: Wrath of the Titans Dima Nasser Staff Writer It’s still early in the year and Wrath of the Titans has already scored the title of second-highest grossing film upon debut, reaping a whopping 112 million dollars in the international box office. But don’t be fooled by the limelight it has garnered.

A decade has passed since Perseus, played

by Sam Worthington, defeated the Kraken and made a peaceful life for himself and his young son, Helius, as a fisherman. That is until Zeus, Perseus’ father, comes to enlist his help because the gods have lost control over the titans. Total world annihilation is at stake, as it usually is with most overwhelming fantasy movies. Despite his stubborn refusal, Perseus, the hero of the movie, is eventually dragged into this exclusive war among the gods that takes place in the underworld. He makes some friends along the journey, more enemies, and overcomes a series of struggles that eventually find him the victor.

It’s nothing out of the ordinary for a classical Hollywood narrative.

That’s all good and well, except for a nagging feeling at the end of the movie that certain expectations remain unfulfilled. The viewer expects some outstanding victory worthy of

the tribulations that the heroes undergo, and a restoration of the glory of the gods – as it should be with Greek mythology. Alas, Poseidon and Zeus forfeit their lives and Hades is the last man standing among the divine trio. He is literally demoted from god to mortal by the end of the movie and the last we see of him is a crumpled old man hobbling off into nowhere.

Disappointing is the word that comes to mind with regards to the dialogue. One half of the film’s discourse bleeds with excess humor where it does not belong. Admittedly, the role of Perseus’ failure-of-a-sailor cousin Agenor does lighten the intensity of some scenes. However, the lack of any other facet portrays him in only one light - useless and buffoonish. His entire performance makes him look like an extra, not a co-star or sidekick.

The other half of the film’s dialogue is wooden, solemn, and overly done – especially in the scenes between Zeus and Perseus. The entire film is either trying too hard to make you laugh or simply sink your senses with the gravity of impending doom upon mankind. The extremes are disorienting and leave the viewer wondering at the end of the film, “Was that it?”

The only surprising aspect within the storyline is that Hades, played by Ralph Fiennes, joins forces with the heroes at the last minute, fighting alongside Zeus and Perseus against Kronos, the evil father of the almighty gods.

Still, it’s difficult to imagine Ralph Fiennes as a convincing reformed villain when he is most famous for his consistently evil role as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series. The viewer keeps thinking he’s going to turn back against them at any moment, and so the actor’s performance loses some of its luster.

Finally, the ending of this 99-minute charming action-adventure sequence leaves us with a couple loose ends. The budding romance between Perseus and Andromeda is left hanging. The cruxes of Greek mythology, these high and mighty gods, lose but the villain does not win.This gives the viewer ambivalent feelings about the movie as a whole. However, the movie ends with a little “aw” moment in a new twist, making the viewer feel a little better about sticking around until the fade-out.

Would you eat like our ancestors?

Loulwa Kalache Staff Writer

Have you ever wondered what our ancestors used to eat? How male bodies were fit and masculine and females were of medium weight yet healthy? They never counted calories, and they ate whatever they liked without any dietitian dictating those annoying “no carb”, “no fat”, and sometimes “no eating” diets.

Scientists claim that this pragmatic shift in human diets is primarily due to natural selection and the adaptation of humans. Human tools have been developed extensively from simple wooden cutting tools to the modern multifunctional microwave oven.

Indeed, the tremendous inventions in agriculture and animal husbandry and the technologies of food processing, packaging, and distribution, have made food near-by and available all year

around.

Scientists have also attributed these changes not only to the industrial revolution, but to social changes, such as the change in family structures from a minimum of six members to two members only. Eventually, this affected eating rituals, with such families sitting together at the same table and sharing a meal. The changes in daily habits such as commuting and transportation have affected the availability of food around us, making it easier for us to grab our favorite meal whenever we are craving it.

Not to be forgotten is how “sit-in” activities, such as watching TV or surfing the Internet, have developed bad eating habits like nibbling.

These changes have doubled in rate since only two centuries ago. Obesity is now considered

by the World Health Organization as an epidemic disease, increasing the risk for gout, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, kidney stones, and cancer.

This is why some dietitians urge that the solution is following the diet of our ancestors.

This is called the Paleo diet, which is based on a simple notion that an effective diet is the one to which humans are best genetically adapted.

So what did our ancestors eat? They ate what they hunted and found: meat, chicken, eggs, fish, nuts, leafy greens, vegetables, tubers and roots, occasional berries or seasonal fruits, and seeds. Grains weren’t eaten until a thousand centuries ago. These grains have carbohydrates that cause the body to store fat, proteins like lectins, and gluten that the body can’t usually digest.

Dairy wasn’t in their meals, as scientists assert that most humans are lactose intolerant and those who aren’t have some kind of aversion to milk. This is observed by the fact that no animal drinks milk beyond the infancy stage.

As much as this Paleo diet seems natural, it has also received a bit of controversy. Dietitians have not yet found any backlash effect, except for the fact that it is expensive compared to other diets. Another thing to note is how much dedication it requires to avoid grains, sugar, and processed foods, all major components of our eating habits today.

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Arts & Culture

A whole new world Ghida Ismail Staff writer Aladdin once sang to Jasmine “I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder, over sideways and under, on a magic carpet ride.” We, as children, wished we could take part on this magic ride…

However haven’t we actually experienced this ride at one point of our life or more? When we are in class and we doze off and our imagination runs wild in what we call a daydream, or when we deeply wish for something and we find ourselves dreaming consistently about it, aren’t those examples of our imagination taking us on a magic ride? Or even when we look at old photographs, recalling old souvenirs, aren’t we taking a ride along memory lane? Sometimes, even while doing a banal action like walking down the street, we detach from reality and visit a world of our own creation. In fact,it happened

to me.

Once, while I was walking the sidewalk next to my house at 8 pm, I saw an old man wandering all alone, a bag in hand. Since that instance, I have seen this old man everyday on this same sidewalk around the same time with the same bag.

The deep sadness in his eyes was as striking as it was emotive. He triggered my curiosity and my interest. What was his story? Was he homeless?

What was the reason behind his sorrow? Had he lost all his family and preferred to live on the street than in a life filled with hurtful memories, taking with him from this past life only a bag?

There are only so many scenarios my thoughts could produce about this mysterious old man. I remembered a poem I had come across during my years in school, “Les fenetres “of the French poet Charles Baudelaire, translated to “ The

Windows”. Baudelaire begins his poem with “He, who looks through an open window from the outside, never sees as many things as he who gazes at a closed window.” I had never fully appreciated the meaning of those words before now. In fact without knowing a single fact about this man, I had created the story of his life. Had I known this man, I would have been powerless, and imprisoned by reality’s constraint, exactly like an open window which does not give us the chance to imagine and to truly see beyond actuality as a closed one would.

I eventually discovered that this man was in actuality, leaving his home every night to feed the cats, and the mystery bag contained nothing more than the food. The reality was deceiving.

Why Women Allow Men to Vote Kanzi Kamel Staff writer The cliché that is “ignorance is bliss,” was created by a man—Thomas Gray, a famous American poet, who in fact wrote these very words in 1792. As the generations have passed, men all over the world have taken this platitude to heart and sure enough, they have remained quite oblivious to, well, everything.

Whilst hurricanes rage, buildings collapse, and Vladimir Putin persists, the minds of men remain steadfastly detached from the goingson of the world. At times, women like to amuse themselves with this enduring marvel, yet they prefer to sit back and let their husbands battle out petty manners with ego (and often times, a measuring tape) as their only defenses. So it was for centuries, that is, until the right to vote came along.

Men like George Washington, King Tutankhamen, Mao Zedong, and other leading figures have come to define the race of men as it were. Women—whom are scientifically proven to have a firmer grip on reality—are not like men in many ways. Indeed, they did not even attempt to “compete” with some of these blindly ambitious men (with a number of exceptions of course— Cleopatra was far too liberal), until those very same men began to disassemble the world piece by piece.

Since that moment, unbeknownst to men, women have been in charge of all governments.

Examples of this can be found quite simply throughout history. Case in point: the (speculated) torrid affair of Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski. The situation took a toll on

Clinton’s image in the eyes of the republicans and the democrats. Their iconic president’s reputation was marred by his debauchery; he no longer depicted the “American Dream”. On the sidelines, hidden from view of the public however, was the enigmatic Hillary Clinton.

Where was she during her husband’s bout of depravity? Hillary’s voice had gone unheard in the mayhem of her husband’s hanky-panky.

But Mrs. Clinton was far more devious than she appeared.

What the people failed to realize during the great Clinton scandal was that Miss Lewinski was not just an intern… but also a mole—Hillary’s mole, in fact. You see, by branding herself the cuckold, Hilary effectively gained the sympathy of the public. Moreover, by not divorcing Bill, she used her position of the slighted First Lady to her advantage. Despite losing to the more influential half-black candidate, Hillary Clinton is now one of the most powerful women in the world—all at the expense of her husband. Well played, Hillary.

What then, you say, does any of this have to do with the right to vote? Logically speaking, one must be rational enough to assess the capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses of each candidate to make a fully informed vote.

Bluntly speaking, men are incapable of doing such. They allow their prejudices, biases, and ego to overwhelm judgment. Nevertheless, men claim that they invented the idea of voting, and therefore have first rights to it. True to their giving nature, women allow men to carry on

under that assumption. Yes, we do allow men to vote, and it shall continue as such, despite them not having the proper capacity to do so.

It wouldn’t make a difference anyhow. Women have the last say in all political affairs, it’s true, despite the fact that men think otherwise. To deprive them of that right would, quite frankly, just take too much energy and not have any affect at all on the outcome of the election. After all, as Emma Goldman once said, “if voting changed anything, they’d make it illegal.”

http://2012.drupaldownunder.org/sites/default/ files/000000voting.jpg

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Arts & Culture

Editorial: Printed or online?

Lojine Kamel Editor-in-Chief http://www. litstack.com/

“I know every book of mine by its smell, and I have but to put my nose between the pages to be reminded of all sorts of things.” George Robert Gissing.

The smell of books, the crinkle of spines, the feel of paper! Nothing can ever be as nostalgic as your first book. Nothing can ever be as potent as the feel of a newspaper fresh off the stands.

Growing up, my home-away-from-home was undoubtedly my public library. I would bike or walk there two or three times per week, and check out nearly half a dozen books at a time, only to be devoured within days. To me, the printed word was the manifestation of my imagination, with black and white letters forming into dragons, dinosaurs, and cowboys.

The highlight of my week (or rather every couple of days) was running my hands down the spines of new and old books alike, and (though I never admit it) dog-earing my favorite pages.

about the feel of flipping through pages and underlining sentences that online and electronic media fail to replicate.

Though I do believe online e-readers are wonderfully economic and practical, I will never buy one. Not to discourage readers, but I personally feel that a book is not a book unless it is bound. A newspaper is not a newspaper if As I got older, my passion for reading turned to does not crinkle. newspapers, and my love of fantasy became a transfixion of current events. Though I watched Online media is the new-age brother of its ancient news channels and read from websites online, written counterpart, and history predicts that it the newspaper remained my preferred mode will soon out-do its older sibling. Yet we may of information. There is something so personal

cling on the tender hope that libraries and book stores may somehow fight against economic downturn and lack of readership. The latter is a much more serious concern at present, with nearly 10% of the Lebanese adult population illiterate, and nearly 40% of its surrounding countries, Morocco, Egypt and Yemen.

Though it saddens me that this generation’s first book will be online, electronic media does provide a more accessible resource to help fight illiteracy. Nostalgia is a poor contender in the battle of practicality, and new ways often best the old. In the case of e-readers, we must weigh

Respect Mohamad Sibai Staff Writer Since the creation of man, nothing was ever valued more than self-discipline and respect.

Almost every religion points out the importance of respect and places harsh punishments on those who show disrespect. Most religions promise hell and torture for disrespecting others (especially parents). Today, respect is something that has gone out of style, gotten old, and become insignificant. This can be observed through many characters in life, such as children, adults, and especially teenagers.

One may overlook the actions of a small child and even a teenager, but an adult? If those who claim to be the wisest can’t see the error of their ways, then who can?

Every week day, I wake up early, at around 6 in the morning, and take the local bus to university. One day, I was sitting in the bus when a passenger asked the driver, who appeared to be as old as my grandfather, to stop so she could go down. So the driver stopped and the young passenger handed the driver a five thousand bill.

He looked at her with his shrewd eyes and started yelling and cursing to the girl. He was furious at

the fact that she didn’t tell him that she didn’t have change. I listened to the driver complain about the incident for the rest of the trip, he was trying to get the rest of the passengers approval on what he had just done. Sadly, many gave him that approval and encouraged him to do it again, rather than asking him to be patient and calm.

After I got down from the bus that day, I was furious at what our society had become. I kept thinking about it the whole day, it overtook my mind. This was not just an event that happened and rarely occurred, no. I had seen this before in various places across Beirut, where grown men would flirt with girls younger than their own daughters, guys would follow women on their motorcycles, not to mention the dirty looks old men would give to young girls along the street.

Where has everyone’s dignity gone to? Do they know that they have started a chain that will affect the many generations to come? Today, I see children as old as 5 years old between the alleys on my way to my house, conversing in offensive words towards one another, explicitly describing a sexual intercourse he claimed to have with the

other child’s mother. It’s disgusting.

We as a society must wake up and see the error of our ways. In the age of Hannibal, any disrespect was punished accordingly by the government. Today, there are no laws against disrespect, no one is held responsible for such things. I can only hope that people all over the world, not just Lebanon, will look in the mirror one day and see that what most of us have succumbed to in the golden age. Our technology and intelligence may be growing every day, but our lake of respect is slowly drying up. We have to protect that lake with our new found knowledge, or else risk dying of thirst.

Outlook Team Chairperson Editor-in-Chief Associate Editor Arabic Editor Photography Editor Layout Editors Webmaster

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Talal Nizameddin Lojine Kamel Nour Jane Kachicho Nouhad Awwad Mohammad B. Azzam Nadine Razzouk Layla Smaili Jad Shammsseddine

Public Relations Manager

Emile Zankoul

Member at Large

Camelia Harb

Business Manager Business Executives Proofreader

Timmy Malkoun Amer Farhat Marc Ziade Ian Gibson

News Executives

Dalia Hosn Ali Kassem Mona Ayoub Heather Jaber

Photographers

Tugce Coskun Nadi Nassar

Staff Writers

Cartoonists Deedee El Jilani Ghassan Nassar Jad Jari Assaad Khoury

Amer Sare Mohamad Alameh Robert Isaf Dania Machlab Mada Dibs Mohammad Yaghi Heather Jaber Rayane Zahreddine Hadi Mehio Lama Zakharia Rami Panayoti Zeina Mhaidly Sarah Al-Dirani Karim Zahed Rida Daher Loulwa Kalache Hrag Vosgerichian Gregoire Dugueyt Ghida Ismail Edward Abou Jaoude Jon Martin Cullell

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Page 19

‫صفحة ‪٢٠‬‬

‫االربعاء‪ ،‬اذار ‪2012 , ١٨‬‬

‫الجئ‬

‫منى �أيوب كاتبة �صحفية‬

‫ال �شيء ثابت يف هذه احلياة‪.‬‬ ‫ميكن للمرء �أن ينام الليلة لي�صحو غدا على واقع خمتلف متاما‪.‬‬ ‫كل �شيء قابل للتغري يف غم�ضة عني‪.‬‬ ‫حدثتني جدتي مرة‪« :‬كان جدك رجل �رشطة مهم جدا‪ ...‬كان �أجره‬ ‫�شهريا « هل قد» ‪ -‬و تفتح ذراعيها‪ -‬و كان لدينا بيت كبري‪� ،‬أكرب‬ ‫بيوت ال�ضيعة على الإطالق‪ .‬كان �أمامه «�سطيحة» وا�سعة –‬ ‫يجتمع عليها الرفاق و الأحبة‪ .‬ليال لل�سمر و �أخرى للحب‪ .‬كل‬ ‫�شيء كان جميال‪».‬‬ ‫�أكرث من �ستون عاما مل تكن لتن�سي جدتي املركز املهم و البيت‬

‫الكبري و ليايل ال�سهر‪� .‬أكرث من �ستون عاما مل تكن لتوقظ‬ ‫جدتي من �صدمتها‪� :‬أنها يف ظرف يوم و ليلة ‪ ،‬حتولت من «�ست‬ ‫ال�ضيعة» �إىل «الجئة»‪ .‬حتولت من �سيدة جتود بعطائها على‬ ‫فقراء ال�ضيعة �إىل معوزة تنتظر دورها للم الإعا�شة ال�شهرية‪.‬‬ ‫البيت الكبري ُهجر لت�صبح بع�ض مداميك مهرتئة م�أواها اجلديد‪.‬‬ ‫و جدي ‪ ،‬رجل ال�رشطة املهم على زعم جدتي‪� ،‬أخذ يبحث يف‬ ‫«الأحوا�ش» عن لقمة العي�ش ليعيل عائلته امل�رشدة‪.‬‬ ‫رحم الله جدتي‪ .‬مل �أتيقن يوما حقيقية بيتها الكبري‪ ،‬و مل �أعرف‬ ‫حقا ما �إذا كان جدي بالأهمية التي �أرادتها له ‪ .‬غري �أين �أعلم جيدا‬

‫�أن كل هذه ال�سنني مل تكن لتن�سي جدتي فل�سطني‪ ،‬و الأر�ض‪،‬‬ ‫و «الدار» و الأيام اجلميلة اخلالية‪...‬مل تكن لتن�سيها القدر الأليم‬ ‫الذي حولها فج�أة �إىل «الجئة» ‪ .‬الأر�ض لي�ست �أر�ضها‪ .‬ال �شيء‬ ‫ملكها‪ .‬الأر�ض و الدار يعيث فيهما املحتل خرابا‪ ...‬تق�صفان‪...‬‬ ‫تدمران‪...‬حترقان‪...‬و ما باليد حيلة‪.‬‬ ‫الجئة فل�سطينية‪� .‬أنا و جدتي و كل عائلتي جمرد « الجئني»‪.‬‬ ‫مل �أفهم يوما معاناة جدتي‪ ،‬و مل �أ�شعر مبعنى «اللجوء» �إىل �أن‬ ‫ر�أيته ب�أم عيني‪ .‬ر�أيته يف «الالجئ ال�سوري»‪ .‬و من يدري ما‬ ‫تخبئ الأيام ؟‬

‫نب�ض عروب ٍة ام وهج ح�ضارة ؟‬ ‫�سوريا ‪ُ :‬‬ ‫مدى ال ّدب�س‪ ،‬كاتبة �صحفية‬

‫‪http://www.alalamiatv.com/news_ar/wp-content/‬‬ ‫‪uploads/2012/02/map1_187709210.jpg‬‬ ‫‪http://www.syrianconsulate.org/Gallery/Damascus.jpg‬‬ ‫يف دم�شق‬ ‫ت�سري ال�سماء على الطرقات القدميةِ‬ ‫حافيةً حافيه‬ ‫فما حاجة ال�شعراء للوحي والوزن والقافيه ؟‬ ‫ حممود دروي�ش‬‫عندما نذكر دم�شق تنفتح بوابة التاريخ امامنا بكل مداها وعلى‬ ‫ال�سباقة يف فجر‬ ‫م�رصاعيها ‪ .‬تطلّ اوغاريت ملكة الأبجدية ّ‬ ‫وهدير‬ ‫واحد‬ ‫نغم‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫احل�ضارة ‪...‬من قمم حرمون اىل �أمواج بردى ٌ‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫واحد‪.‬‬ ‫وت�رشق ز ّنوبيا من م�شارف َتدمر‪.‬‬ ‫تطلّ �أرواد ومملكة ماري ‪،‬‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫كما يومئ البطل يو�سف العظمة من مي�سلون و�سلطان‬ ‫با�شا الأطر�ش من جبل العرب‪ .‬والذي يدقق يف العهد اجلديد‬ ‫وخ�صو�ص ًا الأناجيل الأربعة التي تعرتف بها الكني�سة �رشق ًا‬

‫وغرب ًا ف�سيجد � ّأن الأناجيل ذكرت �سوريا دون ان تذكر لبنان‪.‬‬ ‫وقد ذكرت �سوريا باملعنى اجلغرايف ‪ --‬التاريخي ‪ --‬احل�ضاري‬ ‫‪-‬ال�سيا�سي‪.‬‬‫القراء � ّأن �سوريا مهد احل�ضارات ولذلك قال‬ ‫نقول ذلك ليعرف ّ‬ ‫«ان لكل ان�سان‬ ‫رئي�س بعثة �أجنبية للآثار ومدير املتحف االيطايل ‪ّ :‬‬ ‫أ�صلي ‪ ،‬و�سوريا‪� ».‬أي � ّأن ل�سوريا ف� ً‬ ‫ضال على‬ ‫وطنني ‪ :‬وطنه ال‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫االن�سانية قاطبةً باعتبارها �شعاع احل�ضارة ال ّأول والأكرث عراقةً‬ ‫وخ�صو�ص ًا ما اكت�شفه العامل يف بداية القرن املا�ضي من حروف‬ ‫الأبجدية الأعرق والأغنى يف تاريخ ال ّتمدن ‪� ،‬أعني اكت�شاف‬ ‫«�أوغاريت ‪ -‬ر�أ�س �شمرة» قرب الالذقية حيث ّمت اكت�شاف معامل‬ ‫احل�ضارة الأوىل التي هي �أعظم ثورة ثقافية حدثت يف العامل‪.‬‬ ‫ا�ستتب العلم واملعرفة‬ ‫فلوالها ملا حدث التوا�صل احل�ضاري وال‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ثم ثورة االت�صاالت واملعلوماتية التي غيرّ ت وجه العامل يف‬ ‫ومن ّ‬ ‫ال�شكل وامل�ضمون‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬

‫تقدم يعنينا يف �سوريا �أمنها وا�ستقرارها‬ ‫بناء على كل ما ّ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫أحد على �أحد يف‬ ‫�‬ ‫يزايدن‬ ‫فال‬ ‫و�سيادتها‬ ‫وتقدمها‬ ‫ووحدتها‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫يحبون �سوريا حقيقةً هم‬ ‫حبها واحلر�ص عليها‪ّ .‬‬ ‫ان الذين ّ‬ ‫ا ّدعاء ّ‬ ‫الذين يرف�ضون التدخل اخلارجي يف �ش�ؤونها ويرف�ضون العبث‬ ‫ب�سلمها الأهلي كما ي�أبون ا�ستدعاء الأ�صابع الأجنبية وحتويل‬ ‫ومدنها الآمنة اىل �ساحات حرب ال تفيد اّال‬ ‫حاراتها وقُراها ُ‬ ‫اّ‬ ‫املرتب�صني بحا�رضها وم�ستقبلها‪.‬‬ ‫ال‬ ‫اعداءها وال تخدم‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫فكفى متاجر ًة ب�شعارات ُتناق�ض املمار�سة ومبزاعم تنايف احلقائق‬ ‫الداخل وال ُيطبخ يف اخلارج ‪ ،‬وكل‬ ‫‪ّ .‬‬ ‫ان الغد ال�سوري ُي�صنع يف ّ‬ ‫ما عدا ذلك فهو من ال�شرّ ير‪.‬‬

‫االربعاء‪ ،‬اذار ‪2012 , ١٨‬‬

‫االعت�صام املفاجئ حول �سوريا ‪ :‬قراءة يف‬ ‫املظهر واخللفيات‬

‫صفحة ‪٢١‬‬

‫حتقيق بقلم رنا حربي‬

‫قر�أت نهار الثلثاء يف ‪ 3‬ني�سان ‪ 2012‬مقا ً‬ ‫ال بعنوان «اعت�صام‬ ‫مفاجئ» بقلم ال ّزميلة وال�صديقة هيا االتا�سي حيث حتدثت‬ ‫عن جمموعة افراد قرروا امل�شاركة يف اعت�صام �صامت امام‬ ‫ان ال‬ ‫ال»و�ست هال» يهدف اىل اي�صال ر�سالة ان�سانية يزعمون ّ‬ ‫ابعاد �سيا�سية لها و�أن غايتهم الوحيدة هي توعية طالب اجلامعة‬ ‫على «احلالة امل�أ�ساوية التي يعاين منها ال�شعب ال�سوري ولفت‬ ‫النظر اىل معاناة هذا ال�شعب‪».‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫هذا االعت�صام كان حق ًا مفاجئا لي�س فقط للطالب بل الدارة‬ ‫فتجمع عميد �ش�ؤون ّ‬ ‫الطالب ومعاون العميد يف‬ ‫اجلامعة �أي�ض ًا‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫حميط االعت�صام مع بع�ض الطالب امل�ستغربني بعد دقائق من‬ ‫بدء التحرك‪ .‬والّن املو�ضوع ال يحمل االلتبا�س عمدت اىل هذا‬ ‫التحقيق‪ .‬قمت بزيارة مكتب من�سقة �ش�ؤون الطالب الآن�سة‬ ‫يتقيدوا بالقانون اجلامعي‬ ‫هبة حمادة التي �أكدت ّ‬ ‫ان امل�شاركني مل ّ‬ ‫الذي ين�ص على ان �أي فرد او جمموعة راغبة يف �إقامة ن�شاط‬ ‫معني �ضمن احلرم اجلامعي عليها احل�صول على املوافقة من‬ ‫العميد قبل االقدام على �أي خطوة‪ّ .‬اما ه�ؤالء املعنيون فلم يطلبوا‬ ‫اذن ًا من اجلامعة مما جعل اداريوها اّ‬ ‫وطلبها بال علم وال خرب بهذا‬ ‫ال ّن�شاط‪.‬‬ ‫نحن واجلامعة طبع ًا مع حرية الر�أي والتعبري الدميقراطي ولكن‬ ‫�ضمن ّ‬ ‫النظام ‪� ،‬ضمن القانون ‪ ،‬وبتجرد كامل من اي اهداف‬

‫خفية تزعزع اجلو العام يف اجلامعة‪ .‬القانون اجلامعي موجود لكي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫نتقيد به والدميقراطية ال تعني التعدي على النظام اجلامعي الذي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ال�سليمة يف هذا احلرم‪.‬‬ ‫يرعى احلياة االجتماعية ّ‬ ‫ان‬ ‫نحن ال نعلم ان كانت اجلامعة �سرتف�ض �أو تقبل طلبهم اال ّ‬ ‫الأ�سئلة تبقى ‪ :‬ملاذا مل يطلب ه�ؤالء الت�رصيح؟ خا�صةً اذا كانوا‬ ‫وان ما يقومون به ال ي�ؤدي اىل‬ ‫يعتربون ر�سالتهم ان�سانية بحتة ّ‬ ‫ا�ستفزاز!!!!‪ .‬ملاذا مل يعلن ه�ؤالء عن �أنف�سهم؟ ملاذا مل يفتخروا‬ ‫ويعتزوا بال ّن�شاط بدل التخفي وال ّتهرب؟ ملاذا خافوا من التحدث‬ ‫اىل الأوتلوك لك�شف املالب�سات؟ ملاذا تعر�ض البع�ض منهم‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫لطالب يعار�ضونهم بالر�أي يف و�سط اجلامعة؟‬ ‫جردوا ر�سالتهم من �أي معان �سامية حاولت‬ ‫ه�ؤالء بب�ساطة ّ‬ ‫االتا�سي تلبي�سهم اياها‪ .‬اجلميع حتت �سقف القانون والغاية مهما‬ ‫كانت نبيلة ال تربر الو�سيلة الال �رشعية ‪ ،‬اخلارجة عن القانون‬ ‫اجلامعي‪.‬‬ ‫ان اجلامعة كانت لرتف�ض اي ن�شاط يحمل بعداً ان�ساني ًا‬ ‫ال �أعتقد ّ‬ ‫ان احلدث الأخري كان يف باطنه ر�سالة �سيا�سية وفئوية‬ ‫تثقيفي ًا اال ّ‬ ‫ولذلك ّمت تهريبه‪ .‬هذا موقف فئوي �شا�ؤوا ام �أبوا ‪ ،‬موقف يثري‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫املبطنة‬ ‫البلبلة واال�ستياء عند الذين يعار�ضون الأفكار اخلفية‬ ‫التي يريد ه�ؤالء املعت�صمون توجيهها عرب حركات وعبارات‬ ‫�ضد جهة �ص ّنفوها هم باجلهة التي تقوم باالجرام‪.‬‬

‫ان الطالب املوجودين مل‬ ‫تقول كاتبة مقال «اعت�صام مفاجئ» ّ‬ ‫يفهموا هذا التحرك وذلك لعدم معرفتهم مبا يجري يف �سوريا»‪.‬‬ ‫امنا نحن بدورنا ن�شك ان طالب اجلامعة الأمريكية غري ّ‬ ‫مطلعني‬ ‫على ما يجري يف �سوريا احلبيبة‪ .‬بل نرى يف تفاجئهم تفاجئ‬ ‫العامل ولكن املعار�ض ‪ ،‬تفاجئ الطالب كما تفاج�أ اجلامعة بحدث‬ ‫غري معلن‪ .‬من امل�ستغرب كيف ّمت الربط بني التفاجئ واجلهل‬ ‫دون �أي دليل على وجود اجلهل �أ� ً‬ ‫ان‬ ‫صال‪� .‬أخرياً نحن ال ننكر ّ‬ ‫فكرة االعت�صام ال�صامت هي و�سيلة راقية للتعبري اال ا ّنها يف‬ ‫وحتد ل�سلطة اجلامعة على‬ ‫ظروفها الأخرية خمالفة للقانون‬ ‫ٍّ‬ ‫طالّبها‪.‬وملن يعترب �أن ما ح�صل �شيئا عاديا لأننا مل نرى �أي ردة‬ ‫فعل لإدارة اجلامعة فهو خمطئ جدا‪ .‬لأنه بهذه الطريقة �سيعمد‬ ‫�آخرون اىل القيام بن�شاطات دون �أي �إذن وتعم الفو�ضى وعندما‬ ‫�سيطالبون �سيتحججون بهذا احلدث و�سيتهمون اجلامعة �إما‬ ‫بالكيل مبكيالني و�إما باالنحياز‪ .‬وهذا ما ال نقبله على جامعتنا‬ ‫العزيزة التي عودتنا على النظام والإحرتام‪ .‬واذن‪ ،‬نحن ن�أمل �أن‬ ‫اجلامعة �سوف ت�أخذ االجراءات الالزمة لي�صبح االجراء املتخذ‬ ‫عمق ال�شرّ وخ ما بني �أهل‬ ‫در�س ًا ملن يتجاوز القانون والأ�صول ُ‬ ‫وي ّ‬ ‫اجلامعة �أ�ساتذ ًة واداريني ّ‬ ‫وطالبا‪.‬‬

‫لبنان بطعم ال�شكوالتة ال�سوي�رسية!‬ ‫فريال فقيه م�ساهمة �صحفية‬

‫ما �أجمل الأيام التي نعي�شها الآن ‪ .‬تبد�أ نهارك بالذهاب �إىل‬ ‫ب�شاب يقول‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫اجلامعة فتمر ل�رشاء القهوة ال�صباحية‪ « .‬ت�صطبح»‬ ‫« من �أميتني �صارت تنكة البيب�سي ب‪ 1000-‬لرية؟»‪ .‬مت�ضي‬ ‫ب�ضع خطوات و تلتقي ب�صديق يغلق باب �سيارته وبدل ال‪-‬‬ ‫»�صباح اخلري» ي�شكي همه قائ ً‬ ‫ال ‪ »:‬راح انك�رس هال�شهر! حت�صري‬ ‫تنكة البنزين ب‪»!!٤٠ ٠٠٠-‬‬ ‫عبارات �أخرى كهذه نرددها يف احاديثنا‪ ،‬ونحن ما‬ ‫ ‬ ‫زلنا يف �أول �شبابنا‪ .‬وال�سبب �إرتفاع الأ�سعار و�إزدياد �صعوبة‬ ‫الأو�ضاع املعي�شية يف بلد عا�ش وما زال يعي�ش ال�صعوبات على‬ ‫انواعها‪ .‬ومل يتوقف الأمر على البيب�سي �أو البنزين‪ ،‬فاملطاعم‬ ‫باغلبها غريت قائمة طعامها‪ ،‬لي�س لتغيري ت�صميمها‪ ،‬بل لتغيري‬ ‫ا�سعارها‪ .‬رغيف اخلبز تقل�ص‪ .‬حجم الب�سكويت‪ ‬تقل�ص‪ .‬كل‬ ‫�شيء تقل�ص حتى املطالبة بحقوقنا‪ .‬كل �شعوب الدول املتح�رضة‬ ‫تتظاهر لتطالب بحقوقها ‪ -‬وهذه ميزة الأنظمة الدميقراطية‬ ‫املنتخبة من ال�شعب لل�شعب ‪ -‬فلماذا ال نكون �شعبا متح�رضاً؟‬ ‫بحقوق مت�سنا جميع ًا ‪� :‬أغنياء‬ ‫ملاذا ال نتوحد ونتحرك للمطالبة‬ ‫ٍ‬

‫وفقراء‪ ،‬م�سيحيني وم�سلمني ودروز‪،‬موالني و معار�ضني‪ ،‬مثقفني‬ ‫وجاهلني؟ ال يكفي ولن ينفع �أن نلوم الدولة والأزمة الإقت�صادية‬ ‫لنعترب �أنف�سنا ممار�سني للدميقراطية‪ .‬فاملمار�سة ت�أتي بالفعل‪� ،‬أي‬ ‫بالتظاهر والتحرك واملطالبة‪ .‬وامل�شكلة هنا «معي�شية»‪ ،‬لي�ست‬ ‫�سيا�سية وال طائفية‪ .‬فكيف لنا �أن نعي�ش �إذا �سلبت منا حقوقنا‬ ‫«املعي�شية»؟ �سوف نغدو كاملري�ض دون دواء‪ .‬واملر�ض مزمن‪.‬‬ ‫علينا �أن نفهم‪ ،‬بل نعلم‪� ،‬أن الأمر ال يتوقف على ‪ 500‬لرية‬ ‫م�ضافة على �سعر م�رشوب �أو علبة �سكاكر‪ .‬و دفعنا لآالف‬ ‫الدوالرات �سنوي ًا كق�سط جامعي ال يعني �أنه ميكننا �أن نغ�ض‬ ‫النظر عن الغالء �أو �أن منتنع عن التحرك واملطالبة‪ .‬فنحن‪،‬‬ ‫ك�شعب ومواطنني لبنانيني‪ ،‬ال نح�صل على ت�أمني �صحي حمرتم‪،‬‬ ‫وال على تعليم جماين حمرتم‪ ،‬وال على تقاعد حمرتم‪ ،‬وال حتى‬ ‫على مياه �أو كهرباء دائمة التوفر‪ .‬ف�أين تذهب ال‪ 500-‬لرية‬ ‫امل�ضافة؟ يجب �أن نطالب ب�ضمانات‪ ،‬بتف�سريات‪ .‬على الدولة �أن‬ ‫تكون �رصيحة مع �شعبها‪ ،‬متام ًا كما يفعل الأهل مع اوالدهم‪.‬‬ ‫�أين فكرنا واجتهادنا وثقافتنا؟ ال�شهادة التي نعمل من �أجلها هي‪،‬‬

‫قبل �أن ن�صبح مهنيني‪ ،‬لتجعل منا مواطنني �صاحلني‪� ،‬أذكياء‪،‬‬ ‫اوفياء‪ .‬الفر�ض الوطني واجب علينا كمواطنني منتمني اىل هذا‬ ‫املجتمع‪ ،‬مثل الفر�ض اجلامعي �أو املدر�سي لأنها ت�ؤهلنا لأيام‬ ‫منتحن فيها‪ ،‬و�أنا مت�أكدة �أننا لن نقبل بالف�شل‪ .‬يقال اننا «قادة‬ ‫الغد»‪ ،‬فكيف لنا �أن نقود ونحن مل نتعلم القيادة بعد؟‬ ‫ال ت�ضحكوا على مقولة « لبنان �سوي�رسا ال�رشق» لأنها‬ ‫حقيقة �آتية‪ .‬لكن ما ال ن�ستوعبه بعد هو �أن الفرق كبري‪ :‬ل�سنا‬ ‫�سوي�رسيني‪ :‬البطالة موجودة‪ ،‬والفقر موجود‪ ،‬واحلقوق م�سلوبة‪،‬‬ ‫والراحة معدومة‪ .‬فيا لبنانيون‪ ،‬ا�ستيقظوا من احللم ال�سوي�رسي‬ ‫لأن طعم احلياة يف لبنان ما زال بعيدا عن طعم ال�شوكوالتة‬ ‫ال�سوي�رسية !‬ ‫‪http://the-best-tour.com/wp-content/up‬‬‫‪loads/2011/12/Biggest-chocolate-bar-in-the‬‬‫‪world-511.png‬‬

‫االربعاء‪ ،‬اذار ‪2012 , ١٨‬‬

‫صفحة ‪٢٢‬‬

‫مق�صلة ال�صمت‬ ‫ال�رصيع كاتب �صحفي‬ ‫عامر‬ ‫ّ‬

‫ملاذا نكتب؟ وملن؟ �أملجرد �سد ثغرات تعرتينا؟ �أم لنك�سب عي�ش ًا؟‬ ‫�أم لنك�سب حياةً؟‬ ‫بد�أ الأمر بفكرة �ألهبت ر�أ�س �صاحبها‪ .‬فنمت وتكونت يف ت�سعة‬ ‫ثوان ال تعرف عنوان الزمن‪ .‬وعندما نزف‬ ‫�أ�شهر‪� ،‬أو رمبا‬ ‫ت�سع ٍ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫القلم ُج ْرح �أفكارٍ �أخرجت من خلف الأبواب املو�صدة‪ ،‬باح الورق‬ ‫ل�سان لطاملا اختبئ يف زوايا ذلك الفم املطبق‪.‬‬ ‫مبا ا�ستع�صى على‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫نلج�أ �أحيان ًا �إىل الكتابة‪ ،‬لنجدها الجئةً �إلينا‪ .‬تبوح مبا غفل �أو‬ ‫تغافل عنه الكائن النهاري الذي ي�سكننا‪.‬‬

‫لكن رمبا هنالك �أ�شياء عالقة بني الكالم والكتابة‪ ،‬كال�صمت‬ ‫مث ً‬ ‫ال‪ .‬فال�صمت بحد ذاته لغة‪ ..‬وكحال كل اللغات‪ ،‬فيه من‬ ‫ال�شعر والنرث‪ ،‬والهدوء وال�رصاخ‪ ،‬واملو�سيقى وال�ضجيج‪ ،‬وحتى‬ ‫أمور ممكنةٌ يف احلديث ال�صامت ال بل‬ ‫الكذب واملراوغة‪ ،‬كلها � ٌ‬ ‫ويفهمها اجلميع بغ�ض النظر عن لغتهم الكالمية‪� .‬أما الكتابة‬ ‫فال�صمت يح�رض فيها �أي�ض ًا‪ ..‬بالنقاط‪� ،‬أو بامل�ساحات البي�ضاء‪،‬‬

‫�أو بعدم الكتابة‪.‬‬ ‫قليلون هم من يجيدون التحدث دون احلاجة لال�ستعانة‬ ‫بالكلمات‪ ..‬وقليلون هم من يتبادلون هذا احلديث‪.‬‬ ‫مهوو�س بالكالم‪ .‬من�شي يف �شارع َم َل ُأه‬ ‫جمتمع‬ ‫نحن نعي�ش يف‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫حانات ومقاهٍ تفرت�ش الكلمات‬ ‫املارة ب�ضو�ضاء الكلمات‪ .‬منر �أمام‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫�سائق‬ ‫أجرة‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫�سيارة‬ ‫يف‬ ‫الداخل‪.‬‬ ‫�أمام �أبوابها ل�ضيق املكان يف‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫يرى يف ثرثرته ت�سليةً له ولزبائنه‪� ،‬أو (والعياذ بالله) يف ثرثرة‬ ‫مذياعه‪ .‬والتلفاز �أو مواقع ال�شبكات الإجتماعية لي�سوا ب�أح�سن‬ ‫حال‪ ،‬فالطاغي هو الرثثرة‪ .‬حتى �أنا يف مقايل هذا �أثرثر لأملأ هذه‬ ‫الزاوية‪.‬‬ ‫امل�شكلة لي�ست بتلك القدرة التي متيز بها الب�رش عن نظرائهم من‬ ‫املخلوقات‪ .‬امل�شكلة بطريقة تبذيرنا لهذه املقدرة‪ .‬يرى الكثريون‬ ‫يف ال�صمت مدعا ًة لل�ضجر‪ ،‬لكن امل�شكلة بالكالم املعلب اجلاهز‬ ‫(الذي نحفظه ونردده عندما ننفذ من الكلمات) ال يف ال�صمت‪،‬‬ ‫أمر ميكن �أن نتفهمه لإن�سان ال يجيد �إال الكالم‪،‬‬ ‫�أما ال�ضجر فهو � ٌ‬ ‫ففع ً‬ ‫ال‪ ،‬ال�صمت بالن�سبة �إليه مدعا ُة لل�ضجر‪.‬‬ ‫جمل�س يزايد النا�س فيه‬ ‫�أو يف حالة �أظرف‪ ،‬عندما يجل�س امر�ؤ يف‬ ‫ٍ‬

‫على بع�ضهم‪ ،‬يتكلم الأول‪ ،‬فيقاطعه الثاين‪ ،‬فريفع الثالث �صوته‪،‬‬ ‫فيعود الأول �إىل ال�ساحة ب�رشا�سة من فقد موقعه‪ ،‬وتتواىل‬ ‫الأحداث بح�سب درجة معرفتهم ببع�ض ودرجة «حت�رضهم»‪ .‬ال‬ ‫يهم ما يحدث‪ ،‬فبمعظم النهايات تلك‪ ،‬يرجع كل فرد �إىل عزلةٍ‬ ‫�أكرب من التي كان بها قبل هذا «احلوار»‪ ،‬ل�سبب ب�سيط‪ ،‬هو عدم‬ ‫متكنه من �سماع وفهم غريه‪ ،‬لآنه كان من�شغ ً‬ ‫عبارات‬ ‫ال بتكرير‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫انتقاها وحفظها لريددها يف املنا�سبات موحي ًا ب�ش�ساعة معرفته‪،‬‬ ‫فال�صمت يعني جهله وهزميته املعنوية‪� ،‬أو هكذا يظن‪.‬‬ ‫لي�ست امل�شكلة يف النطق‪ ،‬فالنطق ميزة الب�رش‪ .‬امل�شكلة يف‬ ‫ا�ستخدامنا الباذخ للكلمات‪ ،‬هادرين بذلك قدرتنا على انفاق‬ ‫�أفعالنا‪.‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫تاركا جلوارحي حرية‬ ‫�أما �أنا‪ ..‬ف�س�أدع ل�ساين لوظافه احليوانية‪،‬‬ ‫التعبري!‬

‫�أين هو قانون العنف �ضد املر�أة اليوم؟‬ ‫�سارة �أحمد الديراين كاتبة �صحفية‬

‫‪http://www.annabaa.org/nbahome/nba78/014.htm‬‬ ‫بعد �إحياء اليوم العاملي ملناه�ضة العنف �ضد املر�أة يف لبنان‪ ،‬ال‬ ‫زالت اللبنانيات يطمحن باملوافقة على �سن وتطبيق ت�رشيع‬ ‫حماية الن�ساء �ضد العنف اال�رسي‪ .‬الت�رشيع الذي للأ�سف يلقى‬ ‫معار�ضة وا�سعة من قبل بع�ض اجلهات ال�سيا�سية والدينية‬ ‫خ�صو�صا بالن�سبة للفقرة املتعلقة باالغت�صاب الزوجي‪ .‬فال�س�ؤال‬ ‫ً‬ ‫الذي يطرح نف�سه اليوم هو‪ :‬ما الذي حتتاجه املر�أة اللبنانية اليوم‬ ‫للح�صول على �أب�سط حقوقها حلماية نف�سها؟‬ ‫منذ مدة و نحن ن�سمع عن اجلدل وال�سجال القائم حول القانون‬ ‫املقرتح من قبل بع�ض جمعيات املجتمع املدين‪ ،‬حول العنف‬ ‫الأ�رسي والعنف �ضد املر�أة‪ .‬وكانت قد �صدرت م�ؤخراً مواقف‬ ‫عديدة من علماء دين وجهات دينية ترف�ض القانون املقرتح‬ ‫جملة وتف�صي ً‬ ‫ال‪ .‬ويف املقابل‪� ،‬صدر رد �آخر خمالف لهذه املواقف‬ ‫الراف�ضة‪ .‬حيث �إعترب بع�ض علماء الدين الآخرين �أن من �أ�سباب‬ ‫رف�ض القانون املقرتح هو �أن يف بع�ض بنوده حماكاة للقانون‬

‫الغربي‪ ،‬خ�صو�صا تلك البنود التي تتعلق ب�إبعاد الزوج الذي‬ ‫ميار�س العنف عن بيته و�أ�رسته ملدة حمددة‪ .‬و هم يعتربون �أن‬ ‫هذا النوع من احللول يخالف الت�رشيعات الدينية التي بني عليها‬ ‫املجتمع لعقود كثرية‪ ،‬و �أن هذا النوع من احللول من �شانه ان‬ ‫يهدم مقومات الأ�رسة ال�سليمة‪..‬‬ ‫يف هذه املقالة ال �أريد �أن �أتخذ موقفا م�ؤيداً �أو معار�ضا لهذا‬ ‫القانون املقرتح‪ ،‬بل �س�أقوم بطرح بع�ض الأ�سئلة املرتبطة بواقع‬ ‫املر�أة اللبنانية اليوم وعن العنف �ضدها‪ ،‬وكيفية حمايتها من‬ ‫�أنواع العنف الأ�رسي‪.‬‬ ‫يف البداية ال بد من �أن نو�ضح بع�ض �أ�سا�سيات و�أركان الزواج‬ ‫احلقيقي‪ .‬من �أهم الأمور التي توطد العالقة بني املر�أة والرجل هو‬ ‫�شعور املر�أة بالأمان واحلماية من قبل زوجها‪ .‬ولكن عندما ميار�س‬ ‫الزوج العنف الأ�رسي �ضد زوجته‪ ،‬فهو بذلك يهدم العامود‬ ‫الأ�سا�س لهذه البيت الزوجي وذلك ب�سلبه للمر�أة الإح�سا�س‬

‫بالأمان‪ .‬وبالتايل‪� ،‬إىل من ميكن �أن تلج�أ الزوجة يف هذه احلالة؟‬ ‫تلج�أ الكثري من الن�ساء �إىل من يثقن بهم؛ �أوال �إىل الأهل ثم‬ ‫رجال الدين املقربني لعر�ض م�شكلتهن عليهم كونهم الأعلم‬ ‫بال�رشيعة ومبا ير�ضي الله و رغبة من �أهل ه�ؤالء الن�ساء‬ ‫«بلملمة» املو�ضوع والبحث عن ال�سرتة كما ن�سمع دائما‪.‬‬ ‫وبعدها ت�أتي مهمة رجل الدين الذي يقوم بوعظ الطرفني‬ ‫و�إعطائهم بع�ض الإر�شادات الزوجية‪.‬و قد تنجح �أو تف�شل تلك‬ ‫املحاوالت‪� ،‬أو قد تف�ضل املر�أة اللجوء �إىل القانون من خالل‬ ‫تقدمي دعوة يف املحاكم الروحية املخت�صة؛ طبعا �إذا كانت متلك‬ ‫اجلر�أة الكافية ملواجهة معار�ضة الكثريين‪ .‬وهنا يكمن ال�س�ؤال‬ ‫الأهم‪ :‬هل متلك هذه املحاكم ال�رشعية ال�صالحيات �أو القوانني‬ ‫الكافية التي تخولها التدخل وال�ضغط على الزوج للإقالع عن‬ ‫�إ�ستعمال العنف �ضد زوجته؟‬ ‫من الوا�ضح �أنه ال يوجد مثل هذه القوانني �إىل الآن‬ ‫ ‬ ‫لأنها لو كانت موجودة لكانت �إ�ستخدمت عند ال�رضورة‪ .‬فما‬ ‫�أود قوله الآن هو �أنه لي�س من حق رجال الدين الوقوف �ضد‬ ‫هذا القانون الذي من �ش�أنه �أن بن�صف املر�أة وحقوقها فقط حتت‬ ‫ذريعة �أنه مناف لل�رشيعة الإ�سالمية و�أنه قانون م�شابه للقوانني‬ ‫الغربية‪ .‬فما هو جرم هذا القانون الذي �سين�صف املر�أة اللبنانية؟‬ ‫هل جرمه هو �أنه م�شابه لبع�ض القوانني الغربية؟ �أم انه خمالف‬ ‫ل�رشيعة الإ�سالمية؟ �أم �أنه من ال�رضوري �إعتبار �أن كل قانون‬ ‫متوافق مع القوانني الغربية ينبغي �أن يكون خمالفة لل�رشيعة؟!‬ ‫و�إذا كان ما يدعيه البع�ض حقيقي ب�أن هذا القانون يخالف‬ ‫ال�رشيعة الإ�سالمية‪ ،‬فلم ال يو�ضح �أين هي هذه املخالفة؟ �أو‬ ‫مل ال يحاول �أن ينقح هذا القانون لكي ين�صف املر�أة ويتما�شى‬ ‫مع ال�رشيعة بدل �أن ين�سفه ومي�شي تارك ًا ورائه م�صري ن�صف‬ ‫املجتمع اللبناين املتمثل بن�ساء لبنان كله؟‬ ‫�أما �إذا كان يف ال�رشيعة قانون ين�صف املر�أة ويدفع عنها العنف‬ ‫الذي تتعر�ض له �رشيحة وا�سعة من ن�ساء املجتمع اللبناين‬ ‫فليربز نف�سه وليظهر �إىل حيز الوجود حتى تتمكن املحاكم‬ ‫ال�رشعية �إ�ستخدامه و�إن�صاف املر�أة يف ق�ضايا العنف الأ�رسي‪.‬‬ ‫ويف اخلتام ال ي�سعني �سوى القول‪ :‬ابحـــثوا عن قانون‪ ،‬ال يهم‬ ‫�أكان هذا القانون يف ال�رشيعة الإ�سـالمية �أم خارجها‪ ،‬ولكن‬ ‫�أن�صفوا املر�أة !!!!‬

‫صفحة ‪٢٣‬‬

‫االربعاء‪ ،‬اذار ‪2012 , ١٨‬‬

‫ندوة حول قانون العنف الأ�رسي‪ :‬قانون للمر�أة �أو للأ�رسة؟‬ ‫مدى ال ّدب�س كاتبة �صحفية‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫نظم نادي «�إن�سايت» نهار ال ّثلثاء الثالث من ني�سان ندوة حول‬ ‫قانون العنف الأ�رسي‪ ،‬بحثت وجهتي النظر حول املو�ضوع‬ ‫املقرتح‪ .‬الأوىل م ّثلها الدكتور عماد احلوت ‪ ،‬وهو نائب يف‬ ‫الربملان اللبناين وع�ضو يف اللجنة الفرعية ملناق�شة قانون‬ ‫العنف الأ�رسي ‪ ،‬و الدكتورة فاطمة �شعبان‪ ،‬و هي خمت�صة‬ ‫يف طب الأطفال وع�ضو يف جتمع اللجان الن�سائية‪ .‬يف اجلهة‬ ‫املقابلة كانت املحامية �إقبال دوغان‪ ،‬رئي�سة رابطة املر�أة العاملة‬ ‫يف لبنان ورئي�سة �شبكة حقوق الأ�رسة‪ ،‬واملحامية غادة ابراهيم‬ ‫وهي نا�شطة حقوقية ومدربة يف موا�ضيع الإتفاقات الدولية‬ ‫وم�ؤ�س�سة �صفحة «حقوقيات»‪.‬‬ ‫�شارك يف ال ّن�شاط مم ّثلون عن بع�ض اجلمعيات املدنية ال ّنا�شطة‬ ‫�أبرزها جمعيةكفى‪ ،‬بالإ�ضافة �إىل مم ّثلني عن بع�ض الأندية يف‬ ‫اجلامعة وبع�ض ّ‬ ‫الطالب املهتمني‪.‬‬ ‫عريف الندوة كان تلميذ املاج�ستري يف اجلامعة الأمريكية رامي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مراد ‪ ،‬و قد �أ�شار يف مقدمته �إىل �أن الق�ضية ت�ستحق االهتمام‬ ‫يحرم‬ ‫رغم � ّأن القانون املقرتح مل يقابل باجماع مع ان اجلميع ّ‬ ‫مر بها‬ ‫العنف‪ .‬تال املقدمة عر�ض لفيديو �أو�ضح املراحل التي ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وذكر باتفاقية «�سيداو» التي وقّع عليها لبنان يف‬ ‫القانون ‪،‬‬ ‫‪ ،1996‬والتي تهدف اىل الق�ضاء على جميع �أ�شكال التمييز‬ ‫بحق املر�أة‪.‬‬ ‫بد�أت الفقرة االوىل بكلمة لكل امل�شاركني ‪ ،‬تلتها فقرة حوار بني‬ ‫ال�ضيوف و احل�ضور؟‬ ‫املداخلة الأوىل كانت للمحامية غادة �إبراهيم التي قالت ‪« :‬ا ّننا‬ ‫نرف�ض العنف‪ .‬العالقات الإن�سانية ت�سمى عندما يتوقف العنف‬ ‫‪ ،‬هكذا ننتهي من االزمات‪ .‬علينا مواجهة هذه الآفة مبختلف‬

‫الطرق‪ .‬احللقة الأ�سا�سية يف املجتمع هي الأ�رسة ‪ . .‬قانون حماية‬ ‫املر�أة هو مدماك �أ�سا�سي لبناء الأ�رسة بطريقة دميقراطية مما ين�شئ‬ ‫ثم ت�ضيف ‪ « :‬العنف ينتج عنف ًا»‪ .‬عن‬ ‫جمتمع ًا ٍ‬ ‫خال من العنف‪ّ ».‬‬ ‫«او ً‬ ‫ال‬ ‫�سبب تخ�صي�ص الن�ساء بهذا القانون‪� ،‬أو�ضحت �إبراهيم ‪ّ : :‬‬ ‫لأ�سباب قانونية‪ ،‬فلبنان ملزم بتطبيق االتفاقيات التي وقّعها مع‬ ‫ان املر�أة هي الأكرث‬ ‫االمم املتحدة ‪ .‬و �أي�ضا لأن التقارير تو�ضح ّ‬ ‫حرم و�أد البنات يف‬ ‫تعر�ض ًا للعنف‪ .‬و رغم ّ‬ ‫ان الدين اال�سالمي ّ‬ ‫اجلاهلية ‪� ،‬إال �أن اباحة ممار�سة العنف بحق الن�ساء بقيت تقليداً‬ ‫اىل حد الوهم ف�أ�صبح �رضب االب البنته واالخ الخته حالال ال‬ ‫ان القانون يطال كافة �أبناء املجتمع‬ ‫حراما‪ ».‬كما �أكدت �إبراهيم ّ‬ ‫الن ثقافة العنف موجودة يف كل املناطق وكل الطوائف‪،‬‬ ‫و ذلك ّ‬ ‫و الطلب الأ�سا�سي هو ان يخ�ضع اجلميع لقانون واحد‪ .‬كما‬ ‫وان املعركة‬ ‫ان «القانون له �صفة جزائية تعاقب املجرم ‪ّ ،‬‬ ‫�أ�ضافت ّ‬ ‫لي�ست بني الن�ساء والرجال بل بني العنف والال عنف ‪».‬‬ ‫� ّأما مداخلة املحامية اقبال دوغان‪ ،‬فقد حوت الكثري من املعلومات‪.‬‬ ‫مر فيها القانون‪ ،‬و �أظهرت‬ ‫فهي قد �أعطت فكرة عن املراحل التي ّ‬ ‫�إح�صائية ت�شري �إىل وجود حوايل ع�رشين حالة من ال�رضب املربح‬ ‫التي �أدت �إىل القتل هذا العام‪ .‬و بناء عليه ‪ ،‬ا�ستنتجت دوغان ب�أن‬ ‫�سكوت املر�أة يزيد العنف و �أن عليها املطالبة بحقوقها‪ ،‬و كان ال‬ ‫بد من �إحداث مثل هذا القانون ك�إجراء ردعي حلمايتها‪.‬‬ ‫� ّأما الدكتورة فاطمة �شعبان ‪� ،‬أحد معار�ضي تخ�صي�ص القانون‬ ‫للمر�أة ‪ ،‬قالت‪ « :‬اخلالف هو على كيفية معاجلة العنف ولي�س‬ ‫ان هذا‬ ‫كونه حا�صال �أم ال‪ .‬اال�ساليب القانونية لي�ست احلل‪ ،‬بل ّ‬ ‫املو�ضوع يجب ان يعالج �إجتماعي ًا قبل ان يعالج قانوني ًا‪ ».‬و�أ�شارت‬ ‫ان التبليغ عن العنف يف كل املجتمعات ن�سبته قليلة‪ ،‬لذا‬ ‫اىل ّ‬ ‫ف�إنه ال ميكن ان يقر هكذا قانون يف غياب االح�صاءات ‪.‬و من‬

‫االنتقادات التي وجهتها �إىل القانون هو عدم و�ضوح م�صطلحاته‬ ‫‪ ،‬فت�ساءلت عما يعنيه بال�ضبط «العنف املعنوي» مثال‪ ،‬بالإ�ضافة‬ ‫�إىل تخ�صي�صه للمر�أة مما يتناق�ض مع مبد�أ العدالة االجتماعية‪.‬‬ ‫كما �أ�شارت اىل �أن اخلالفات العائلية هي من �صالحيات املحاكم‬ ‫ال�رشعية و ال يجب على �أحد �أن يحتكر املدافعة عن املر�أة �أو‬ ‫اعتبارها قا�رصاً حتتاج اىل من يدافع عنها‪ ..‬ورداً على اعتبار‬ ‫القانون جزءا من التزام لبنان باالتفاقيات الدولية‪ ،‬قالت « اتفاقية‬ ‫ال�سيداو خطرية فهي تلغي املهر ‪ ،‬و قانون املرياث والطالق»‪.‬‬ ‫منطلق �آخر‪ّ ،‬‬ ‫ان االتفاقيات الدولية ال تلزم‬ ‫من‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫اكد النائب احلوت ّ‬ ‫لبنان بو�ضع قوانني جديدة �ضد التمييز ‪� ،‬إمنا تلزمه ب�إلغاء تلك‬ ‫املوجودة لديه �إذا كانت متيز بني اجلن�سني‪ .‬و مع هذا‪ ،‬ف�إن لبنان غري‬ ‫ملزم بهذه الإتفاقات ب�شكل كلي لأنه �سجل حتفظات عليها لدى‬ ‫توقيعها‪ . .‬و انتقد القانون املقرتح ال ّنه مطابق لقانون العقوبات‬ ‫يف معظم تف�صيالته ‪ ،‬مما ي�ؤدي �إىل تعطيل للقانون العام يف‬ ‫حال �إقرار القانون اجلديد‪ ..‬كما وانتقد تخ�صي�ص القانون للمر�أة‬ ‫حتديدا قائال‪« :‬اذا �رضبت �أختي �أدخل ال�سجن ‪ ،‬ب�س اذا �رضبت‬ ‫�أخي هناك فراغ؟»‪ ..‬و�شجع احلوت على اال�ستفادة من الفر�صة‬ ‫الذهبية التي �أعطانا اياها املجتمع املدين لإ�ضافة التعديالت‬ ‫الالزمة على هذا القانون‪.‬‬ ‫يف حديث �صحفي مع رئي�س ال ّنادي �أحمد حميو �سئل الأخري ‪« :‬‬ ‫هل �صحيح ا ّنه قدمت �شكاوى ح ّتي يقبل ال ّنادي باظهار وجهتي‬ ‫ال ّنظر امل�ؤيدة للقانون كما الوجهة املعار�ضة؟» ف�أتى ر ّده ‪ « :‬اخلطة‬ ‫الأ�سا�سية كانت ا�ست�ضافة احلوت ‪ ,‬و دوغان و �شعبان ‪ ،‬فتدافع‬ ‫دوغان عن القانون ‪ ،‬و تقف �شعبان �ضده ‪ ،‬و يلتزم احلوت موقعا‬ ‫حياديا غري �أنه مت اال�ستجابة لفكرة �أحد �أع�ضاء النادي بجعل‬ ‫املناظرة بال�شكل الذي ظهرت به»‪.‬‬

‫بحر � ّأم‪.....‬‬

‫نهاد غازي عواد حمررة ق�سم اللغة العربية‬

‫‪http://www.shutterscript.com/wp‬‬‫_‪content/files/Mediterranean_Sun‬‬ ‫‪Dip/Mediterranean_Sun_Dip.jpg‬‬ ‫دائما ما نتغنى ب�أنف�سنا ب�أننا نتميز عن �سائر املخلوقات بالعقل‪.‬‬ ‫هذا العقل الذي �ساهم يف تقدمنا وتطورنا‪ .‬دائما ما نتبجح ب�أننا‬ ‫«كال�س» ونتكلم �أكرث من ثالث لغات‪ .‬فاللبناين مميز �أينما ذهب‬ ‫ب�أناقته ونظافته وترتيبه وووو‪ ....‬فال حدود ل�صفاتنا العظيمة‪.‬‬ ‫ولكن هل فكرنا يوما ما هو م�صري ف�ضالتنا؟؟ ّ؟!!!‬ ‫يف لبنان معظم جماري ال�رصف ال�صحي ت�صب يف البحر‬ ‫بطريقة مبا�رشة �أو غري مبا�رشة‪ .‬ففي اجلبال �إما ال يوجد �شبكة‬ ‫�رصف �صحي‪ ،‬فيعمد ال�سكان �إىل حفر جور �صحية لتغو�ص‬ ‫الف�ضالت يف املياه اجلوفية التي بدورها تتفجر ينابيع‪ .‬و�إن‬ ‫وجدت ال�شبكات فال معاجلة وال �أي اهتمام بل �أغلبها ي�صب يف‬ ‫الأنهر والتي غالبا ما ينتهي بها املطاف يف البحر‪ .‬وكنت �أمتنى‬ ‫لو �أن هناك جمال لأ�شارككم ما لدي من �صور مل�صبات ال�رصف‬ ‫ال�صحي يف كل من �صيدا و�صور وعاليه وطرابل�س‪� .‬أما مدينتنا‬ ‫�ست الدنيا بريوت فق�ساطل ال�رصف ال�صحي ت�صب مبا�رشة‬ ‫يف البحر بدون وا�سطة النهر‪ .‬هذا البحر اجلميل يف هذا البلد‬

‫ال�سياحي ام�سى بحر لل�رصف ال�صحي‪.‬‬ ‫الدولة غائبة ورحمة الله الوا�سعة على �شعب لبنان العظيم‪ .‬ال‬ ‫�أدري ب�أي روح �أو �إدراك �ستقدمون على ال�سباحة هذا ال�صيف؟!!‬ ‫ما هو �شعورك و�أن تعلم �أنك ت�سبح مع الف�ضالت؟!�أين جماعة‬ ‫«النياء» الذين ينتحبون نهارا كامال اذا انك�رس �أحد �أظافرهم؟‬ ‫الكلمات تخونني لو�صف الواقع‪ .‬بلد الو�ضع الإقت�صادي فيه‬ ‫يرتاجع ب�شكل ملحوظ‪ .‬بلد ال �سالمة للغذاء فيه‪ .‬بلد ال مكان‬ ‫لأ�صحاب الكفاءات واملهارات فيه اال اذا كانوا «مدعومني» من‬ ‫الزعيم الفالين‪ .‬بلد احلد الأدنى للأجور فيه ال يتعدى ال�سبعمائة‬ ‫�ألف بينما يبلغ ثمن تنكة البنزين ما يقارب الأربعني �ألفا‪ .‬حتى‬ ‫ريا�ضتنا املف�ضلة –ال�سباحة‪�-‬رسقوها‪ .‬ومع هذه �شعب نائم يف‬ ‫�سبات عميق‪ .‬ملاذا؟ لأن م�صالح زعيم الطائفة تق�ضي ب�أن يظل‬ ‫فمه مغلقا‪ .‬والأف�ضل �أن يظل مغلقا هذا ال�صيف بينما ي�سبح‬ ‫املواطن ال�صالح حتى ال يح�س بطعمة غلبت ملوحة البحر‪.‬‬ ‫ما الفرق بني �أن تقف على ال�شاطئ يف الهواء الطلق وتتبول وبني‬

‫�أن متثل �أنك �إن�سان متح�رض وتتبول يف احلمام؟ النتيجة واحدة‪.‬‬ ‫الف�ضالت تذهب اىل البحر‪ .‬هل توهم نف�سك ب�أنك متح�رض فتعزز‬ ‫ثقتك بنف�سك �أم �أنك حتاول خداع الآخرين بذلك؟ �أعتذر منك �أيها‬ ‫اللبناين فالواقع البيئي الذي تعي�ش فيه ال يدل على �أي نوع من‬ ‫احل�ضارة والنظافة‪ .‬وجتاهلك لذلك يزيد الأمور �سوءا‪.‬املثل يقول‬ ‫«اعمل منيح وكب بالبحر» فقط «املنيح بينكب « بالبحر‪ .‬ولي�س‬ ‫النفايات وجماري ال�رصف ال�صحي‪.‬‬ ‫ويبقى الأمل بلبنان دائم الإخ�رضار وببحر نظيف‪.‬‬

‫جزء ‪ ،44‬عدد ‪19‬‬ ‫االربعاء‪ ،‬اذار ‪2012 , ١٨‬‬

‫عيد الف�صح‬

‫نهاد غازي عواد‪ ،‬حمررة ق�سم اللغة العربية‬

‫القى عيد الف�صح ظالله على اجلامعة فكان �إحتفاال للأطفال‬ ‫نهار ال�سبت الفائت‪ .‬لي�س �أي �أطفال‪ ،‬انهم �أطفال لبنان الأكرث‬ ‫�إحتياجا وفقرا‪� .‬شارك يف الإحتفال حوايل ‪ 260‬طفل من ع�رش‬ ‫جمعيات‪ ،‬مبعدل ‪ 25‬طفل من كل جمعية‪ .‬كان احلفل برعاية‬ ‫مكتب �ش�ؤون الطلبة وقد �أ�رشفت ال�سيدة هبة حمادة على‬ ‫تفا�صيل احلفل حتى انتهائه‪ .‬بداية الإحتفال كانت يف التا�سعة‬ ‫�صباحا مع و�صول �أول البا�صات‪ .‬وما هي اال ربع �ساعة و�إكتمل‬ ‫العدد‪.‬‬ ‫بداية النهار كانت مع �رسد للق�ص�ص يف قاعة بطحي�ش‪ ،‬حيث‬ ‫ا�ستمتع الأوالد بهذا احلدث املعريف‪ .‬تاله تلوين بع�ض وجوه‬ ‫الأطفال ثم التوجه اىل «الغرين �أوفال»‪ .‬هناك ا�ستمتع الأوالد‬

‫بالرق�ص والرك�ض‪ .‬و�أكرث ما �أحبه الأوالد هو جتميع بي�ض‬ ‫ال�شوكوالتة‪ .‬كان البي�ض منت�رشا على �أدراج»بل�س هال» و»ف�سك‬ ‫هال»و «الغرين �أوفال»‪ .‬بع�ض الأطفال ملأ كي�سه والبع�ض‬ ‫الآخر مل يكن موفقا‪ .‬و�أجمل �شيء هو الإيثار الذي قام به من‬ ‫لديه الكثري من بي�ض ال�شوكوالتة ب�إعطاء بع�ض من البي�ض‬ ‫ملن مل يجمع منها‪ .‬كان الأطفال يتنف�سون فرحا‪ .‬قال �أليك�س‬ ‫(كاريتا�س)‪« :‬مب�سوطني كتري‪ ،‬حبينا كل �شي»‪ .‬فاطمة(دار الأيتام‬ ‫الإ�سالمية)‪« :‬انب�سطت وحبيت امل�رسحية»‪ .‬مهدي(بيت اليتيم‬ ‫الدرزي)‪»:‬مب�سوط بلم البي�ض» و�أخرج ح�صى من جيبه وقال‬ ‫يل» عم فكر العب زقطم»‪ .‬ميثم(دار �إلهام ويو�سف)‪»:‬مب�سوطة‬ ‫كتري والق�صة كانت حلوة كتري‪ ،‬انب�سطت وانا عم جمع بي�ض»‪.‬‬ ‫هي فرحة ا�شتاقت لها هذ الوجوه الربيئة‪ .‬وجوه حكم عليها الدهر‬

‫ال�شهيد مطهري‪�« ..‬شعلة يف الظالم»‬

‫بالأ�سى منذ نعومة �أظافرها‪ .‬وجوه مل ت�ستطع �أقالم التلوين‬ ‫�إخفاء ت�أملها عرب الأيام‪.‬‬ ‫بعد جتميع البي�ض‪ ،‬مت توزيع الغداء وهو كروا�سون من �سقراط‬ ‫ومياه من عالية وهما الذين رعوا الإحتفال‪ .‬لفت نظري ردة فعل‬ ‫الأطفال‪� .‬أب�سط الأ�شياء كانت تبهرهم‪ .‬حتى املل�صقات والبي�ض‬ ‫املعد للتلوين الذي مت توزيعه بعد الغداء‪ ،‬اهتموا بها ب�شكل كبري‪.‬‬ ‫مل تقت�رص الفرحة على ال�صغار بل اعتلت وجوه املتطوعني �أي�ضا‪.‬‬ ‫عبري �شاليت (�أي �سريف)»‪ :‬نحن لدينا ثالثة قيم هي‪ :‬الإحرتام‬ ‫واحلب والتقبل‪ .‬نحن نهتم بخدمة املجتمع وتنميته وتوعيته‪� .‬أنا‬ ‫فرحة جدا ب�سبب فرحة الأطفال‪ .‬ويجب على تالميذ اجلامعة �أن‬ ‫ي�شاركوا �أكرث بهكذا ن�شاطات»‪ .‬نها(�أيادينا)‪ « :‬هذا اليوم كتري‬ ‫حلو‪ ،‬الزم كل م�ؤ�س�سة تعمل هيك �شي مرة للأوالد‪ ،‬الولد بحب‬ ‫اخل�ضار ليف�سح عن حالو‪ ،‬فرحانة مع هالأوالد‪ ،‬الزم بكل منطقة‬ ‫يكون يف جنينة لالوالد‪ ».‬جنوى‪�( :‬أم طفلتني �سكينة والآء)‪:‬‬ ‫«مب�سوطة كتري عل�شان م�ش ب�س والدي مب�سوطني‪ ،‬كل الأوالد‬ ‫مب�سوطني‪ ،‬ان�شاءلله تنعاد هالفرحة‪« .‬‬ ‫بعد تلوين البي�ض‪ ،‬قام املتطوعني بتلوين جميع وجوه الأطفال‬ ‫الذين تعالت �أ�صواتهم �أكرث من �صوت املو�سيقى وهم يلحقون‬ ‫ببنت على هيئة دجاجة‪.‬‬ ‫ختم احلفل بعر�ض بهلواين فني وتوزيع ق�ص�ص كهدايا على‬ ‫الأوالد‪ .‬ليغادر الأطفال بعد الظهر بقليل‪.‬‬ ‫كانت جنمة اجلمعيات هي جمعية �أيادينا التي ا�شرتكت مع‬ ‫اجلامعة باحتفال عيد امليالد�شابقا والآن �إحتفال عيد الف�صح‬ ‫وقريبا يبد�أ التح�ضري لعيد التنكر‪ .‬على �أمل �أن يكون هناك نف�س‬ ‫احلما�سة وحب العطاء يف االحتفال القادم‪ .‬وكل عام وانتم بخري‪.‬‬

‫الزهراء ماجد‪ ،‬كاتبة �صحفية‬

‫م�ستعد لل�شهادة‪ ,‬لقد‬ ‫«خذين معك ف�أنا‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫فقدت ابني العزيز قطعة من ج�سدي»‪..‬‬

‫(قد�س) عند رحيل العالمة‬ ‫هكذا كانت كلمات االمام اخلميني ّ‬ ‫مطهري‪ ,‬العامل والفيل�سوف اال�سالمي و�أحد‬ ‫ال�شيخ مرت�ضى‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫اال�سالمية يف �إيران يف‬ ‫الأع�ضاء امل�ؤ�س�سني يف �شورى الثورة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الأيام الأخرية من �سقوط نظام ال�شاه‪� ,‬إ�ضافة �إىل كونه �صاحب‬ ‫اال�سالمية‪ .‬ولي�س من‬ ‫امل�ؤلفات الكثرية يف العقائد والفل�سفة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫(قد�س) عند ا�ست�شهاده‪ ,‬لأ ّنه‬ ‫امل�ستغرب �أن يبكيه االمام اخلميني ّ‬ ‫وقوة‬ ‫الروح‬ ‫طهارة‬ ‫يف‬ ‫له‬ ‫(قد�س) ب�أ ّنه ال نظري‬ ‫كما و�صفه االمام ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫(قد�س) �إىل‬ ‫و�صى االمام اخلميني ّ‬ ‫الإميان والقدرة على البيان‪ .‬فقد ّ‬ ‫والتزود بكنزها قدر امل�ستطاع‪,‬‬ ‫أهمية قراءة كتبه والتعلّم منها‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫� ّ‬ ‫الفكرية‬ ‫و�شمل للمجاالت‬ ‫علم وافر‪ ,‬وفكر ذاخر‪,‬‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫ملا فيها من ٍ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫والتنور يف‬ ‫قوة اال�ستدالل‬ ‫وال�سيا�سية‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫واالجتماعية‪� ,‬إ�ضافة �إىل ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫واملعنويات‪.‬‬ ‫والعرفان‬ ‫واالخال�ص‬ ‫والفل�سفة‬ ‫الفكر‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫و�صية حفظوها‪,‬‬ ‫من هنا بد�أت درو�س النادي الثقايف اجلنوبي‪,‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وطريقا للعلم يف �ش ّتى املجاالت م�شوا به وثابروا عليه‪ .‬حيث‬ ‫كانت هذه الدرو�س جمموعة متكاملة مع ال�شيخ طارق �إدري�س‪,‬‬ ‫عدة و�رشح لكلّ املفاهيم الواردة يف‬ ‫�‬ ‫أ�سبوعيا‪ ,‬تناولت مناق�شات ّ‬ ‫ّ‬

‫مطهري «االن�سان الكامل»‪ .‬وكان لهذا الكتاب‪,‬‬ ‫كتاب ال�شيخ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫معنوية‬ ‫آثارا‬ ‫�‬ ‫ري‪,‬‬ ‫مطه‬ ‫كال�شهيد‬ ‫العظام‪,‬‬ ‫العلماء‬ ‫كتب‬ ‫كغريه من‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫حيزا‬ ‫يف ذات كلّ قارئ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫وطالب للمعرفة والعلم‪ ,‬حيث كان لكتابه ّ‬ ‫الب�رشية‬ ‫د‬ ‫�سي‬ ‫عن‬ ‫فيه‬ ‫ث‬ ‫فتحد‬ ‫وذاته‪.‬‬ ‫كفكره‬ ‫كثريا‬ ‫يتميز‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫روحانيا ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫علي (ع) وكمالهما وعظمة �أخالقهما‪,‬‬ ‫االمام‬ ‫وعن‬ ‫ّى)‬ ‫ل‬ ‫(�ص‬ ‫حممد‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫امل�ستمدة من‬ ‫�إ�ضافة �إىل كونهما مثاال لنا‪ ,‬من كمال �أخالقهما‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫كمال الله الواحد الأحد‪.‬‬ ‫وقد ذخر الكتاب ك�سائر كتبه ب�أفكاره املتمثلة بال�شجاعة وعدم‬ ‫التيارات املختلفة ورف�ض التيارات املنحرفة �إ�ضافة �إىل‬ ‫م�سايرة ّ‬ ‫أهمية‬ ‫الفطنة واليقظة يف ت�شخي�ص الأخطار ومتييزها من حيث ال ّ‬ ‫يف اخلطر‪ .‬من هنا بد�أت م�سرية النادي الثقايف اجلنوبي‪ ,‬ومن‬ ‫املفعمة بحب املعرفة والعلم وال�سالح‬ ‫هنا تنبعث ذات �شبابه‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الروحي الذي ي�ستطيع �أن يواجه الف�ساد والظلم وال�ضالل يف‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫�ش ّتى جماالت احلياة‪ .‬لذلك‪ ,‬ومن هنا �أي�ضا �شارك عدد كبري‬ ‫من طالب اجلامعة الأمريكية يف بريوت نهار اجلمعة الفائت‬ ‫ال�سنوية والتي قامت بها‬ ‫مطهري الثالثة‬ ‫يف م�سابقة ال�شهيد‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ف�ضمت ثالثة �آالف طالب وطالبة من كلّ‬ ‫اجلامعة اللبنانية‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫جامعات لبنان‪ ,‬من كافّة املناطق‪ .‬م�سابقة متحورت حول كتابه‬ ‫«االن�سان الكامل»‪ ,‬وقد كانت م�سابقة كتاب مفتوح‪ .‬وكما‬ ‫‪3193 .ext 000 350 01 :tel 208 Bliss Street, West Hall‬‬

‫حممد‬ ‫�أ�رشت م�سبقا �أن الكتاب تناول احلديث عن ر�سول الله‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫عدة مدار�س‬ ‫(�صلّى) امل�شار �إليه باالن�سان الكامل �إ�ضافة �إىل ّ‬ ‫االن�ساين والذي ي�سعى �إليه كل �إن�سان بفطرته‪,‬‬ ‫من الكمال‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫كونه �أحد �أبرز �أهداف احلياة االن�سانية والذي �إن مل يوجد‪ ,‬ملا ترفّع‬ ‫احلية‪.‬‬ ‫االن�سان عن �سائر الكائنات ّ‬ ‫من �إحدى مقتطفات الكتاب عن االن�سان الكامل‪...« :‬علينا‬ ‫الروحية‬ ‫�أن نعرف من هو الإن�سان الكامل‪ ،‬وما هي مالحمه‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مميزاته‪ ،‬ح ّتى ن�ستطيع �أن ن�صنع �أفراد جمتمعنا‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫واملعنوية‪ ،‬وما هي ّ‬ ‫و�أنف�سنا على �شاكلته‪ .‬و�إذا �أخفقنا يف ذلك‪ ،‬فلن ي�ستطيع �أحدنا‬ ‫�أن يكون م�سلم ًا كام ً‬ ‫ال‪� ،‬أو على الأقل‪ ،‬لن ي�ستطيع �أن يكون يف‬ ‫ن�سبي‪».‬‬ ‫نظر الإ�سالم �إن�سان ًا ذا كمال‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫العاملية املحاربة للفكر املقاوم للف�ساد والظلم‬ ‫�إنني �أجد � ّأن املوجات‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫يف �ش ّتى انحاء العامل ال حتتاج فقط �إىل قوة ع�سكرية فح�سب‪,‬‬ ‫علمية ّ‬ ‫مفكرة قادرة على االنت�صار الدائم‪ ,‬بكل‬ ‫لقوة‬ ‫بل حتتاج ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الفكرية ال تزال تنبعث من فكر‬ ‫القوة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫معاين االنت�صار‪ .‬وهذه ّ‬ ‫ال�شهيد مطهري‪ ,‬و�ستزداد �إن �شاء الله‪ ,‬مع كرثة املطالعة لكتبه‬ ‫و�أفكاره واالنفتاح على الثقافة العامة‪.‬‬