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Vol. XLIII, No. 28

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

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CNS aims at improving The Independent Student Publication Since 1949 quality of service

Palestinian Cultural Club organizes Palestinian Cultural Week: And the culture lives on... would surely admit that West Hall has never witnessed such an event; simply, West Hall was vibrating with life.

Not only was the event entertaining the audience but it was reminding them of Palestine. The performance included nationalistic songs and a Dabke performance both of which expressed the majestic and struggling culture of a country that has, for so long, withstood many hardships. The nostalgic songs

Samer Bu Jawdeh Member at Large & Contributing Writer

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n the week that passed, the Palestinian Cultural Club organized their annual Palestinian Cultural Week. The event aimed towards representing the Palestinian culture and culminated in a splendid live performance on Friday, May 6 at 6:30 pm in front of West Hall.

All those familiar with the atmosphere of West Hall

Joseph Saba Copy Editor & Contributing Writer

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ith former Dean Maroun Kisrwani announcing his retirement from AUB at the close of the 2009-10 academic year, former Associate Dean and currently Dean of Student Affairs Talal Nizammedine superseded him. At the beginning of April during Dean Nizammedine’s deanship, Biology Professor and Yearbook co-advisor Dr. Charbel Tarraf was appointed as Associate Dean of the Student Affairs Office.

Given his recent appointment,

continued on page 4

AUB’s 37 th Folk Dance Festival

Bring the family along!

(Photo by Rami Diab)

Outlook sought to interview Associate Dean Tarraf to gain his perspective on the many issues and events that have since taken place regarding student life on campus, including student leadership, AUB’s Yearbook team status and the Penrose predicament as well along others.

Congratulations on your selection as Associate Dean for Students Affairs. Tell us a bit about your background.

Thank you. I joined AUB in 1981 as a graduate student. I graduated in 1984 with a Masters degree and then worked at AUB until 1987. I then went to pursue

Don’t Miss!

The American University of Beirut cardinally invites you to its 37th Folk Dance Festival to take place this Sunday, May 15 at the AUB Green Oval. 20 schools form all across Lebanon will be participating in this one of a kind annual event.

continued on page 4

Professor Charbel Tarraf newly appointed Associate Dean of Student Affairs: Outlook interviews

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Insight Club’s When a White Dove Soars...

For more events, see page 6

Fireworks erupt near West Hall Heather Jaber News Executive

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n Tuesday afternoon, May 3, a series of loud, crackling noises coming from the side of West Hall facing Ada Dodge Hall created a sense of alarm among witnesses both inside and outside of the building. The sounds, likened to those of gunfire by bystanders, multiplied in number and small puffs of smoke could be seen rising from the basement stairs leading out of West Hall. Small fireworklike explosions became visible as the loud, sharp pops continued to sound off. Passerby began to walk and run away quickly, all the while trying to observe the situation and see just where the explosions were coming from.

Eventually, the apparent fireworks stopped, and security hurried over to deal with the sit-

(Photo courtesy of Karim Alam)

uation. A horde of witnesses gathered round the stairs to try and get a peek at the source of the explosions.

Sophomore Sarah Harfouch, who happened to be walking by

just as the fireworks erupted described the scene. “I had no idea what was happening at first.

I was exiting the building and continued on page 4

The Annual Job Fair-Exhibition 2011

INSIDE

The annual Job Fair-Exhibition 2011 organized by the Career and Placement Services Office will be held at AUB Campus on Thursday, May 12, from 12:00 noon until 7:00 p.m. and Friday, May 13, from 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. In 2010, 150 firms participated in the AUB Job Fair through which over 240 AUB graduates were recruited. This year, over 200 firms are expected to be involved and due to limited space, stand location will be assigned on a first-come first-serve basis.

Campus News Arts & Culture Alumni News Entertainment Out Loud

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Campus News Public displays of affection on campus: Fact or fiction?

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Arts & Culture LAU Play: Shrapnel to the heart

Bliss Street, West Hall 208 Tel: 01 350 000 or 01 374 444 Ext.3193

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Sports News AUB athletes return from Serbia

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Campus news

May 10, 2011

Outlook

Public displays of affection on campus: Fact or fiction?

Serene Yordi Special to Outlook

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h, they are dating again?”As a result of the extreme public display of affection now on the AUB campus, gossiping and rumors are becoming a widespread source of entertainment to students.

Walking around the campus, overhearing the chitchats of the students, the gossip is overwhelming.

Nowadays, public display of affection is turning into a norm that increases on a yearly basis, inside and outside university campuses.

“PDA on campus does not differ from what see in Western movies,” said Tarik, an Engineering Sophomore at AUB. Since public display of affection is a newly developed norm in society, couples became a new topic of discussion between friends.

As a result, students engaging

in romantic relationships are falling victim for what can be considered fabricated rumors.

“I hear many stories about many couples,” said Tarik, “but I doubt any of them are true.”

Sailing back through time, back to the times of our fathers, public display of affection in universities was minimal, thus less gossip.

Since romantic relationships were not commonly spread in the 1980s, the situation wasn’t as dismal as it is now.

“We used to see couples around campus holding hands, at times,” said Dr. Fadi Jurdi, a former AUB Medical Student, “but kissing and other forms of physical contact were barely ever seen.”

Needless to say, students used to engage in romantic relationships, but they were not displayed publicly.

“Forms of physical contact on campus were prohibited; it led to the expulsion of the couple,” said Dr. Jurdi.

Mrs. Ann Kerr Meets Recipients of the Malcom H. Kerr Memorial Scholarship Khodor Abou Daya Staff Writer

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n Friday, May 6, Mrs. Ann Kerr arrived at AUB after a long flight from Los Angeles. Though jet lagged, Mrs. Kerr still had the energy to go to the Office of Development’s conference room, on the 3rd floor at College Hall. The purpose of her arrival was to meet and interact with the students benefiting from the Malcom H. Kerr Scholarship, which serves in honoring his memory. In fact, Malcom H. Kerr was the president of the American University of Beirut and was assassinated in 1984, amidst the Lebanese Civil War. Mrs. Ann Kerr was the late president’s wife. She is currently a coordinator of the Fulbright Visiting Scholarship Program in the University of California, Los Angeles. Her record holds the publication of books and articles, as she is a frequent author in various distinguished magazines,

one of which is AUB’s own “Main Gate” quarterly magazine.

Before the meeting was held, Stewardship Coordinator Joelle Semaan sent emails to the 60 students benefiting from the scholarship informing them of the meeting. Alas, only two students showed up. However, the low turnout gave the attending students the rare opportunity of having a more intimate chat with Mrs. Kerr. The conversation covered various topics, yet it was more focused on politics especially those related the recent Arab revolutions and the secular movements in Lebanon.

The participants of the meeting shared their views on the various subjects and Kerr took notes of the arguments and ideas presented. At the end of the meeting, Kerr gave a book to each student. She inscribed one of the books, “Thanks so much for this enlightening conversation and all good wishes for your future and for Lebanon.”

The reputation of a student is at risk on campus when the display of affection is witnessed by other students.

“I did the mistake of kissing my girlfriend on West Hall last year,” said an AUB sophomore who chose to remain anonymous; “the stories we heard from faculty and students were horrible.”

There is no resolution to such a dilemma facing a couple, but the issue at hand should be addressed.

“I understand they’re in love; they don’t have to let the whole world know about it,” said Nour, an AUB freshman who is against PDA. The issue lies in the hand of the couple and their own display of affection in public.

Naturally, love is no crime but being witnessed by other students is sometimes scandalous. It is said that reputation is like a piece of glass, once it’s scratched, it can never be repaired.

(Photo from Examiner.com)

Outlook

Campus news

May 10, 2011

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CNS reveals new projects aimed at improving quality of service

Amor Ben Azooz

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omputer and Networking Services (CNS) is the department in charge of AUB’s network resources. From email accounts to computer labs, CNS operates all the IT system at the university. Asssistant Director for Operations Rabih Itani stressed the importance of AUBnet users’ collaboration to improve the service.

Because the favourite operating system in the community of AUB, Microsoft Windows, is not perfect, it is highly recommended to update it regularly. Indeed, most updates address loopholes in the system that could be used by some malevolent hacker or malicious code to compromise your communication or the

integrity of your data. Updates also come to fix bugs, consequently resulting in an enhanced security and performance. Even though Microsoft does not charge its customers for downloading them, those updates can be costly in terms of bandwidth. However, here at AUB, it is possible to make savings by downloading the upgrades once, from Microsoft’s servers as soon as they are posted on line, and making them available for all, through the campus network. CNS provides that and every AUBnet user is encouraged to enable it from their computers. Please visit the webpage1 dedicated to this service to learn more about how to configure your computer for the application.

File sharing falls in con-

text with the wise management of bandwidth. AUBnet users may make use of share.aub.edu.lb to share any files they would like to.

This service has a respectable potential for avoiding bandwidth waste, which occurs when several users of an internal network, AUBnet in this instance, request the same file from the worldwide network, the Internet. As the savings add up, applying the concept to files ranging from video lectures and documentaries to software patches could prove effective and result in releasing more bandwidth to popular websites like YouTube and Facebook, for which not much caching can be done. Skype users could also benefit from the saved bandwidth.

Itani revealed to Outlook

that the department is planning to develop a software solution that would enable users to know which Access Points (APs) are most available before heading towards them. In effect, the benefits of being able to tell the congested areas from the underused ones are evident.

Ideally, “color codes would guide students” in deciding which APs to connect to, and will shed the light on the unused APs, where, notably, the surfing experience can be relatively smoother, according to Itani. The web application would also provide more statistics on the WiFi usage, yet another advantage.

The algorithm of ranking spots according to availability is more complicated than it might sound since it does not only depend on the num-

ber of devices connected to a particular AP, but it is also contingent on the type of activity they are engaged in. For example, you would rather be next to 10 casual surfers, requesting a 300KB web page every 60 seconds than just 2 users each downloading heavy files, although in the second case there are less chances for signal collisions. That said, even with a simplified algorithm, the utility might prove useful.

Similarly, CNS is also planning to offer a service that allows checking for the availability of computers in computer labs on line and in real time.

Amor Ben Azooz is a Computer Science undergraduate student at AUB

Recycling at AUB Part II: Backstage and things to come Ali Kassem Staff Writer

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ince 16 years and counting, a “recycling committee” was formed at AUB. Made up of devoted AUBites, from biology faculty to staff, this committee strived to turn AUB into the green community it ought to be. Starting with paper recycling and moving all the way to ink cartilages, the committee performed splendidly.

After years of hard work, the committee’s activities took a break, for a myriad of reasons, and project initiation ceased. Nevertheless, Mr Anis Abdallah, a sort of lone soldier behind the scenes, did the best he could in order to, at the very least, not waste the great progress that had been made. The committee became a “one man show” that made sure all the projects that were previously undertaken, if viable, would survive. Hence paper recycling in the libraries and cans recycling at main gate, amongst others, carried on.

Living a sort of “vegetative life,” the recycling program at AUB has recently received a

much needed breath of fresh air. With firm belief that there is strength in numbers, Mr. Talal Abou-Mjehid and Mr. Anis Abdallah worked together, with the invaluable contribution of a number of AUB student clubs and volunteers, and undertook the burden of reviving this program.

With the support of the administration, and generous monetary backing, 13 to 15 new recycling bins were introduced on campus and a storage location within Corporation Yard was provided. Furthermore, these bins were not meant to be parachuted on campus without any preliminary preface, but various conditions forced the introduction of these bins without any prior notice.

But, according to Abou-Mjehid, this will not be the case for long. A pool of “awareness sessions” and “incentives to push the students into recycling properly” with lectures and advertisements are in store. The decision on whether this campaign is to be undertaken during the upcoming summer term or whether it is to be introduced with the

(Photos by Rami Diab)

beginning of fall 2011-2012 is yet to be made. In addition, meetings are taking place to determine whether AUBMC will be included in these plans.

On a parallel note, AbouMjehid and Abdallah repeatedly stressed the importance of the cooperation of the AUB community, and students in particular, because “nothing can be done without the cooperation of students.” In this sense, if students, faculty and staff do not stick to throwing the proper trash, making sure it is clean and not containing any liquid, and thrown in the proper cans, progress cannot be made and

the program would have to be removed.

On the other end, the planners said that the AUB community reacted positively; various phone calls were received from many AUB locations, like the dorms, inquiring about several aspects, as well as expressing their will to partake in the project. This interest is a great first step but the organisers stressed the need to fortify it with proper awareness and commitment, hence the campaign that lies ahead.

Finally, for those who are curious and wish to know what happens to this trash after it goes in the bins Abou-Mjehid

and Abdallah stated that the trash is collected and stored within AUB. It is then sold to certain contractors (the contractors having been selected through a bidding process) and sent to factories within Lebanon to make a variety of material, from plastic chairs to synthetic wool and bags.

The money that the committee receives from these contractors, so far negligible, is to be sent to AUB’s account.

In the future, plans also exist to use this money to sustain the project, promote it, and launch new ventures to advance the environment and AUB’s role as one of its guardians.

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Campus news

Palestinian cultural week continued from page 1

of the musicians and the gracious moves of the Dabke performers grabbed the hearts of the audience. Soon the audience joined in the by singing, dancing, smiling, and clapping. Passers of all ages who only stopped to take a glance couldn’t resist finding a seat. Asking few for their comments on the event, they responded that it was wonderful; however, they were disappointed that such an important and beautiful activity could not attract the interest of the student body. “More students and youth should have come, I am so lucky that I was passing by to hear all those patriotic songs,” commented Gisele Rizkallah.

The story does not end here.

On the contrary, asking Dina Dajani, PCC Dabke trainer, about the Dabke team, she recounted that the idea commenced in 2007 and was only aimed towards fun. This year’s team, now composed of ten dedicated members, has been training since the beginning of fall. Every Monday, around 8:00 pm, they would gather in West Room 402 for about two hours. At first, these sessions only intended to teach Dabke to the novice, but as the year progressed, the members realized that

they were not only improving, but Dabke has played a major role in their AUB life; it was their haven—a stress relief from the ongoing demands of university and a rendezvous with their new friends.

Despite this shift, Dina always maintained an optimal environment balancing between fun and seriousness.

From time to time, few would be reprimanded for being late and missing sessions. Investigating more about Dabke, Dajani further states, “I personally believe that the Dabke crew is an asset to PCC since as a club it is our duty and obligation to try and represent our culture as extensively as possible …through Dabke in addition to our various events held during the year, we present our folkloric culture and tradition.” Zeina Fahed, Environmental Health, commented on her experience in Dabke. She said, “it was my dream to perform Dabke and present the artistic sector that is embedded in the Palestinian people, thanks to PCC and Dina in specific.”

As long as AUB is blessed with such dedicated clubs as PCC the Palestinian culture will live on…hopefully such an event will encourage AUBites to participate more in AUB life.

Firework prank, West Hall sparks continued from page 1

just as I walked out, loud popping noises, like gunshots, started coming out of nowhere. At first I thought they were from the street, but then I saw the smoke rising from inside the walls of AUB. I tried to walk away fast because the noises were so loud and I had no idea what they were.

Eventually, they stopped and security handled the situation.”

Medical Lab Sciences Sophomore Kareem Harb said of the prank, “My first instinct was to get away. My heart dropped after the first firework, as I was at close range and for a second thought they were gunshots.” Biology Sophomore Jawad Hay-

dar spoke of the people inside of West Hall, and how they were feeling when the explosions set off. “The fact that it exploded next to the window was frightening for the people inside – they had to evacuate the room in fear of glass breaking.”

For some, the shock of the prank wore off almost as soon as it had started. Of the aftermath of the fireworks, Harb said, “. . . after I realized they were harmless, I found the show pretty amusing.”

Security said that the situation was, in fact, a silly prank by AUB students. Those accountable have not been identified, though security does expect the responsible parties to come forward with information.

May 10, 2011

Outlook

Newly appointed Associate Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Charbel Tarraf: Outlook interviews continued from page 1

my PhD in Germany but I later moved to the United States and received my PhD from Virginia Tech in 1993. I joined the Biology Department at AUB in 1994 as assistant professor.

When were you appointed?

What can you tell us about your history at AUB and what responsibility do you feel towards this leap in your career?

I was appointed at the beginning of April. I’m a person who enjoys academia and enjoys working with students. As a matter of fact, I am still fulfilling my teaching duties at the biology department. After graduating from AUB I received a scholarship from Germany to work on my PhD there. One of the things I disliked about the system there was that it wasn’t that much student oriented. During that time I met an American Professor in the institute where I was working. He gave me an offer to work in his lab at Virginia Tech and also he offered me a graduate teaching assistantship. I did not hesitate although the pay was less and I had to start all over again but one of the reasons I accepted the offer was the chance I was given to teach and hence be able to interact with students.

Since I joined AUB I have advised biology students of all yearclasses and I have taught for last 15 years one of the largest classes in AUB, up to 300 students sometimes. My interactions with students as an adviser or teacher weren’t only limited to academic matters. As the Associate Dean of Student Affairs I work under Dean Nizammedine. Hence our mutual cooperation has an ultimate goal, that of improving campus life for students. In this office, we deal with student activities, student dorms, career and placement, counseling, and sports. If you really improve these services to the students it will reflect positively on student life and I hope to do so. I believe that excessive administration programming denies students good learning activities. Therefore, the work of the USFC or any other club should be governed by students where we play the role of a coach. Our role is to foster an

Newly appointed Associate Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Charbel Tarraf:

environment for students to create, initiate and ensure the success of activities. Keep rules but create an environment where students are able to develop the values of leadership.

At the end of the day, my responsibility is to give students a space to express themselves in anyway. Some students are leaders in music, sports, or politics. Every student has to feel that she/he belong at AUB. You cannot build a community if you feel that you do not have a place where you belong in that community. I believe a sense of belonging to this place is a good thing in promoting leadership.

How were issues with the Yearbook team resolved upon the resignation of their earliest Editor-in-Chief for the current academic year?

Starting this year, since December, I started the role of a co-advisor for the Yearbook along with Dr. Rabih Talhouk and I am still doing it. There were some problems between members of the cabinet and we tried to sort out these problems, but eventually we had to dissolve the cabinet and now we have a new Editor in Chief (Camille Salem) and a new cabinet.

What are the latest updates on the whole Penrose saga concerning the speaker that was chucked of the fifth floor of the Penrose dormitory onto the International College’s (IC’s) green field?

I am very involved in the Penrose controversy. I am coordinating with IC on that. I met with many of the Penrose residents, with the person in charge

of physical plant at IC, and the PE coordinator at IC. Up until now, we don’t have any evidence of the person(s) who did it. I am still working on it.

What do you think of the job the Student Affairs Office has done so far?

I think that the activities at the student affairs office cover most, if not all, aspects of student life at AUB. Having said this, I believe there is always room for improvement. Distinct impact that can be detected from the college experience can be attributed as much to experience outside the classroom as in the classroom.

Here then comes our role as student affairs in fostering an environment that will support students on campus.

Any last words for our student body?

The office of student affairs is responsible for leading efforts to integrate the students’ experience outside the classroom with the educational mission of AUB. I remember my first interview with Outlook in 1994; I borrowed Mark Twain’s statement: “Do not let learning interfere with your education” and I will say the same thing now.

Thank you for your time Dr. Tarraf and we wish you a prosperous journey in your newly appointed administrative position.

Thank you for the kind wishes, you’re most welcome and I am much obliged for the efforts put forth into this interview. God bless.

Outlook

Campus news

May 10, 2011

5

Insight Club’s When a White Dove Soars... benefit night Hani Mashnouk

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ostumes on, speeches ready, music set, ushers at the door, all set kicked off Insight Club’s Benefit Night on Wednesday, May 4 at Bathish Auditorium aiming at raising awareness for the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian Refugee Camps. Tickets were collected at the door as AUB students welcomed the guests with a warm smile.

Interestingly, the ushers and hosts wore traditional Palestinian outfits that really set the mood for the attendees. First up on the program of the night was a video that stated facts about Palestinians in refugee camps compared to some AUB students’ perceptions of the issue. Sadly, it turned out that most AUB students’ guesses were wrong and it showed that students really lack information about this contemporary issue.

Following the video was an on-stage performance where Palestinian kids “set the roof on fire” by their beautiful

voices and their charismatic performance. They sung about giving Palestinians their rights and specifically the right to live in dignity.

Poetry was also part of the program where a couple of Palestinian girls spoke about Palestine and the hardships they faced as Palestinians.

Then, the boys that wowed that audience the first time were given another chance to wow them again, only this time, they accompanied their show with a dabkeh! The dabkeh circle kept on growing and growing until the Bathish stage was almost full.

After the audience settled down a little bit, a slide show of photos of the camps (taken by AUB students) was shown.

Dr. Fatima, a Palestinian Computer Science Professor in the AUB, was a guest speaker at the event. She proposed the idea of building a small library in one of the Palestinian camps. Her idea was conceived with enthusiasm.

Then, a small sketch was

(Photo courtesy of the Ahmad Fattah)

performed by two cute Palestinian girls. The sketch pointed out the strong relationship between the Lebanese people and the Palestinians. The part of the program that silenced the audience and brought tears to their eyes was given to Hanan Samarah, a Palestinian girl.

Hanan spoke about her story and her experience in the one

of the camps.

The Benefit Night saved the best for last and showed what it called the “Benefit Night Finale.” The night was concluded with a play directed and performed by AUB students that got many rounds of applause. It portrayed an allegorical interpretation of conflict, temptation, separation, and the ultimate hope to

return back to Palestine.

An open buffet was served at the end along with a little souvenir-sale that allowed the organizers of the event to mingle with the audience and get congratulated by them for giving them an unforgettable night.

Hani Mashnouk, a Computer Science undergraduate at AUB is a student volunteer at

Shakespeare’s Imagined Orient: International conference Dalia Hosn Staff Writer

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UB’s English Department hosted and organized a highly successful International Conference last Wednesday through Friday, May 4-6, entitled “Shakespeare’s Imagined Orient.” With the aid of the Andrew Miller Foundation, the conference was able to host prominent scholars in the field as they presented their various papers.

Nearly 20 papers were presented that dealt with the various representations of the Orient in Shakespearian Literature as well as the socio-political interplay between England and the Ottoman Empire at the time.

One of Thursday’s panels was dedicated to English majors from AUB and gave them a chance to present

their papers alongside professors in the field. The students, Sarah Elcheikhali, Ziad Dallal, and Eman ElAhmar, presented Oriental Re-Appropriations such as presenting the murder in Othello as an Honor Killing, or the theme of sovereignty in Titus Andronicus, or the Trauma of facing the Ottoman Empire. To say that the visiting professors were impressed would be a huge understatement, with many of the professors wishing that their own students back home were nearly as good.

The other panels under discussion dealt with such topics as the Orient Object, Orient Fantasy, Ottoman Civilization, Oriental Power and Bondage, Rereading Roman plays through the Lens of the Orient, as well as the Old and New world.

The presiding chairs were Mrs. Barbra Hewitt, Di-

rector of the British Council, Dr. Robert Meyers Director of CASAR, Center for American Studies and Research, and other AUB professors including, Dr. Joshua David Gonslaves, Dr. Roseanne Khalaf, Dr. Michael Dennison, and Dr. David Wrisley, who is also the Chair of the English Department. Other prominent scholars were Dr. Marion Hollings from Middle Tennessee State University, Dr. Katherine Schaap Williams from Rutgers University, and Dr. Jonathan Gill Harris from Gaorge Washington University. The Conference Chair, Dr. Francois-Xavier Gleyzon, was also one of the key organizers and is known in AUB as the “Shakespeare Expert.”

Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the conference was its appeal to multiple disciplines and its

continued relevancy in the modern era. While many do suppose that Shakespeare is simply a relic of the past, the fact that his works dealt with such a wide range of social, political, economic, historic and personal struggles suggests that there will always be an aspect of Shakespeare that is relevant today. The notion of the “Imagined Orient” is but an example of this, as various characters in Shakespearian Literature find themselves faceto-face with such a fantastic set of traditions and cultures all under the umbrella of “the Orient”.

One of the most dynamic aspects of literature in general is the ability to reinterpret and contextualize it, as the lens through which literature is examined is never fixed. Perhaps that is why one can speak of an “Imagined Orient,” which

only makes sense if one is reevaluating the Shakespearian image of the Orient based on current ideas, such as “orientalism.” Ultimately, this is but a snippet of a vast field of inquiry and the fact that AUB was able to host such a conference suggests that Literature and the English Department are not as dormant as they might appear, literature itself being a point where socio-political and historic elements are always at play, waiting to be analyzed and uncovered.

Shakespeare’s Imagined Orient poster

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Campus news

May 10, 2011

LAU Play: Shrapnel to the heart

Eleena Korban LAU Tribune Staff

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oft lights decorate the stage. An old man sits lean­ing on his walking stick next to a little girl holding flow­ers. Jazzy music serenades around ten actors walking on stage in a predetermined route. “Stop!”

Lina Abyad, assistant professor of com­munication arts, screams, four seconds into the perfor­mance. “Start again.” One of the actors missed their cue.

All semester long, student productions take the stage for one or two nights but one major production gets the students really fired up.

For eight nights this month, Abi­ad’s heart wrenching play titled “A Shrapnel to the Heart” will open to the pub­lic.

The play is performed in Ar­ abic and revolves around Wahab, a 19-year-old who receives an urgent phone call demanding he gets to the hospital to witness his mother’s last moments. On the way there, he is haunt­ ed by memories that create a dance between love and hate for his mother.

The play consists of many layers and dimensions that interact with each other.

The lighting and stage directions are meticulously repeat­ed and tweaked to shift be­tween past and present.

Abyad’s actors would say that she paints her plays like a masterpiece. The final product is indeed a work of art. However, there is a nit­ ty gritty process that the au­ dience never sees.

The first performance was on May 8, but behind the scenes, the cast and crew have been drilling for months. “We spend at least five to six hours a day in this theatre with Lina,” Zeina Kazimi, one of the actors, says.

Rehearsals, dare I say, are more entertaining to watch than the actual play. In one corner, some students are huddled in a circle preparing props. In another corner, an actor is working closely with the choreogra-

pher to final­ize the steps of an abstract dance. Bursts of sound and music occasionally startle the team. Lights of different intensities and colors shine randomly. Actors consume chocolate left, right and cen­ter to gain any energy they can get their hands on. It is almost unfathomable how something so coordinated and smooth could result from such a chaotic process. It is Abyad’s bellowing orders and comments that set the play in motion.

“I have two espressos and two diet cokes… I am willing to eat you,” Abyad hollers at her actors as she pleads with them to concentrate.

Despite the pressure, actors are all willing to repeat a scene as many times as it takes to fit into the painting that is Abi­ad’s vision. “She gives us the freedom to do what we want and listens to us, she prods us to express realistically without physically over-ex­pressing, she makes us real­ly feel it,” Kazimi explains.

Aside from the dozen stu­ dents working on the play, Abyad’s status and pres­ tige allows her to call upon greater forces. The role of the mother in present day is played by renowned thespi­ an Renee Deek, who has pre­ viously worked with Abyad.

“I love working with the stu­ dents, it creates for a beau­ tiful fresh contact. Even though theatre is really tir­ ing, the students work as professionals,” Deek says.

Aliya Khalidi, one of LAU’s own theatre professors, plays a slightly younger ver­ sion of the mother.

Ruwaida Al Ghali, contem­ porary dancer, interferes in the play to choreograph met­aphorical dances between Wahab and “the woman with wooden limbs,” representing death.

The process of creating a play is not a simple one. It demands great collabora­ tion and trust between vari­ ous team players. Hala Mas­ ri, the production manager, is charged with coordinating the various resources of fi­nance, personnel, space, and scheduling so as to al-

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low for the highest caliber of produc­tion possible.

Claire Mechref, the costume designer, is in charge of mak­ing sure the costumes are uniform and realistic to the play. Diala Osseiran, the make-up artist, is responsi­ ble for transforming the ac­ tors’ faces into that of their characters. Fuad Halwani, the light director, works closely with Abyad to cre­ atively set the scenes.

Bane Fakih, sound direc­ tor, attentively coordinates the sound with the actors and their cues. “I cried at one point, we work under a great pressure because cues change every day,” Fakih confesses. “It is a beautiful pressure though, one

that al­lows you to really appreciate the product of your work.”

In one brief scene, Wahab encounters a Santa Clause with car trouble. “Even such a small part requires passion and sacrifice,” Mohammad Khansa, the actor who plays Santa, says. “We stay up late and skip classes for the sake of theatre.”

This article has been adopted from The LAU Tribune, the Official Student Newspaper at the Lebanese American University. For more news articles on activities and events at LAU log on toTribunelau.com

On the occasion of Russia’s Victory Day, the Russian Cultural Center in Beirut in coordination with the Office of Communications invites you to a concert by the Russian Folk Troup this Tuesday May 10 at 7:00 p.m. at AUB Assembly Hall.

All are welcome ***

‘First FEA BOAT’ Competition ASHARE and SME cordially invite you to attend the “First FEA BOAT Competition” this Tuesday, May 10 starting 12:00 noon at the Charles W. Hostler Student Center Swimming Pool. ***

Outlook

Arts & Culture

May 10, 2011

Cultural Film Festival: Film, music and poetry from Scotland to Syria and Lebanon

Zeina Mhaidly Special to Outlook

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fter the success of Reel Afghanistan and Reel Iraq during 2008 and 2009 in Edinburgh, Scotland, reel festivals will be now, and for the first time outside the UK, taking place in Lebanon and Syria.

Reel festivals involve a group of Scottish people who use the power of cinema, music and poetry to introduce different cultures to Scotland, especially Middle Eastern ones, raise cultural awareness of these countries among Scottish and finally reflect an image that politics has for a long time hidden.

The event will bring the best Scottish films, music and poetry to Lebanon and Syria, and will take the best contemporary Lebanese and Syrian films, music and poetry to Scotland. Unfortunately and due to the recent events in Syria, reel festivals have postponed their events there,

wishing the Syrian people “a progressive and peaceful resolution.”

In Lebanon, starting Monda, May 9 till Sunday, May 15, a selection of the best Scottish films will be displayed at Metropolis Empire Sofil, poetry events will take place at Saifi Urban Gardens and music will be performed at the Music Hall, Sodeco.

The films will include “Rivers and Tides,” a film that takes the audience to an “extraordinary journey into the mind of the great Scottish Sculptor Andy Goldsworthy;” “Gregory’s Girl,” a Scottish classic that tells the story of a sixteen year-old Scottish boy who’s in the middle of the throngs of puberty, “The Edge of dreaming” by Amie Hardy that follows a Scottish woman through a struggle for survival, from science to the daily stresses and pleasures of the ordinary family life.

This film will be followed by a workshop by Director Amy Hardy at Universite Saint-

Joseph. In addition, “Hallam Foe,” an award winning film talks about a seventeen yearold Scottish teenager and his struggle after his mother‘s suicide; “the wicker man” is a horror musical that represents a police sergeant who travels to an isolated Scottish island to try to find the truth behind the disappearance of a young girl. Finally, “Seachd” a film made entirely using the indigenous language of Scotland, explores the rich and diverse oral story telling Scottish heritage.

All these films will be accompanied with Arabic subtitles.

At Saifi Urban Gardens, Scotland’s “literary cabaret” will feature eight international poets: Emily Ballou, William Letford, Tom Pow and Ryan Van Winkle from Scotland, Golan Haji and Rasha Omran from Syria and Mazen Maarouf and Yehia Jaber from Lebanon.

This poetry night will be accompanied with beat-boxing, Oud jamming, DJs, and rap-

pers.

At the music hall, “Scotland’s premiere technoceilidh fusion dance band: Shooglenifty” will be performing, in addition to a lecture by Bill Drummond on his ideas about future music at the USJ. After the Lebanese reel festivals event, a number of reflective Lebanese and Syrian films, music and poetry will be presented in Edinburgh, Scotland starting May 16.

Films like “Everyday is a holiday” by Dima El-Horr, “Our Lady of Breasts” by Andre Chammas, “El Hilweh”

by Dahna Abourahme, “Zabad” by Reem Ali, “12 angry Lebanese” by Zeina Dackache, “Omar Amiralay Part I and II” and so many others will be displayed at the Film House, and a number of Lebanese and Syrian along with Scottish poets will be reading poetry at the Scottish writing center and the Scottish library poetry. Music events will take place at “Studio 24”

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night club and “The Forest” arts and event space.

“Reel Festivals offer what few others do: engagement between different cultures in which both artists and audiences engage with new work.” Those were the words of Tom Pow, the award winning Scottish poet, that also added: “I see the Reel Festival as a hugely positive and stimulating event to be part of.” The poet expressed his disappointment of what is going on in Syria saying, “We will not be in Syria but, at the moment, it feels as if Syria – and the whole Arab Spring – will be very much part of the context of the festival.”

This festival might be seen as a start and a way to bring different people together and build a bridge that connects them, instead of separating them and engaging them into endless fights.

Forum Session: Access to rights… right to resources What about the future of green spaces in Beirut?

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Sara Obeid The hope for the future of Green spaces in Beirut is in the hands of its citizens.” This statement was the primary emphasis of the Forum Session on “Green Spaces,” held

by Green Line Association last Friday May 7.

The main speakers were Mr Habib Maalouf (Environmental Journalist, activist and founder of the Environmental Party), Mr. Serge Yazigi (Urban planner and founder of MAJAL-ALBA), and moderated by Fadi Shayya (Urban planner and author of “At the edge of the city”). The failed promises for Beirut Park to be open to all, the threats facing what remained of “space” in Beirut, and the need for a master plan and expropriation of land for green spaces were discussed.

Mr. Maalouf started with an overview on the experience of the civil society in its strife to protect green spaces in Leb-

anon, from threats like fires, touristic projects that are environmentally degrading, the municipalities’ constant expansion of roads, and lack of communication among stakeholders. Mr. Maalouf continued to highlight that the role of local organizations took over the role of the government and municipality, due to their bigger budget. However later on in 2002 when the government received a budget of around 20 million dollars, the allocation of resources and planning lacked a strategy and the principle of monitoring; therefore no one was assigned from any of the ministries to monitor the project, all in the absence of integrated collaboration with the civil society.

Mr. Serge Yazigi took it from there to speak about “discourse,” trying to define the concept of “green space” throughout history. “What does a green space mean?” asked Mr. Yazigi, a question to redefine what “green space” meant to the au-

dience. He continued, remarking “the Municipality of Beirut claims that there are 22 green spaces in Beirut” which in his opinion is due to the confusion between green and public space. In the past, green spaces were only open for the upper classes, but as societies started shifting towards equality and democracy, these spaces became open to all social classes, since green spaces are indicators of democracy and social stability (studies have shown that green spaces increase with social and democratic stability).

Moreover, green spaces are significant indicators of life’s quality in a country (a person requires 30-40 m/capita, while in Beirut a citizen has 0.8m/capita). The problem is not in the spaces left in Beirut for more green spaces, it is our attitude that we do not respect nature in its strengths and weaknesses; or else the municipality has capability to own 120-130 real estate equivalent to 30 municipal gardens as long as it is des-

ignated to the public interest.

But are the citizens of Beirut aware of their right to green spaces in order for them to strive and ask for this right? Or is it that we have lost our expectations and live on a “let it be” mode, with it being normal for us not to see trees but cement alone?

“For the municipality of Beirut to have a comprehensive vision” continues Mr. Yazigi, a vision that integrates all projects together in the urban plan requires lobbying and pressure from the civil society and NGOs to impose green spaces as a civil right for all.

For a productive effort Green Line is revitalizing the pub-

(Photo by Rami Diab)

lic committee for the right to “green and public spaces,” as it celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, running under the campaign of “Access to Rights…Right to Resources.”

Aiming at a collaborative approach with all NGOs and citizens concerned, we want to invite you for further discussions on the topic through forming a committee.

For those interested in joining, please contact us at 01/746215 and email us with your contact info at publicspaces@greenline.org.lb Sara Obeid currently works at the Green Line Association.

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Alumni news

May 10, 2011

Outlook

Is Social and Digital Media Changing Politics and Revolutionizing Media Education?

Nour Jane Kachicho Staff Writer

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ocial media such as Facebook, twitter, and blogs are increasingly important in the shaping of politics. Can it automatically be assumed then that social media is responsible for the revolutions in the Arab states?

“Media has broken the spiral of silence,” said Jad Melki, Assistant Professor in the Social and Behavioral Sciences department, in a WAAAUB panel discussion entitled “Social and Digital Media, Changing Politics, Revolutionizing Media Education,” held on Tuesday, May 3.The panel invited discussions among media professionals, Nadine Al Ali, Alia Ibrahim, Ali M. Jaber, and Chairperson and Professor of the So-

cial and Behavioral Sciences department, Nabil Dajani.

“The social media is the main source of information for journalists,” said Ibrahim. She added that these tools allow for a revolution to happen. She claimed that the thousands of blogs available on the Internet help her as a reporter.

Al Ali, also reporter, agreed with Ibrahim and added that local news can easily be transformed globally and hence attracts international news media. She used Cairo activists as an example in that they scheduled their revolutions on social media sites such as Facebook and twitter.

“We should not give full credit to social media, but realize that it is so important,” said Al Ali. “Let’s not give social media more importance than what

it is,” said Dajani, “It is necessary but not sufficient.”

According to Dajani, folk media is more important when it comes to political change.

He argued that the uprisings took place after prayers at the Mosques, which meant that face-to-face interaction was essentially what triggered the revolution. He emphasized that people need to be in the streets to interact in order to bring about change.

“The ‘Facebook revolution’ is not real,” said Dajani; “The convergence of real media, folk media and social media is real.”

Rami Khouri, director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, added that “new journalism” today has, “changed technology, but not so much the impact.” He added that there are few govern-

(Photo by Wael Salem)

ments that have changed their policies mainly because of the evolution of media.

Jaber disagreed on the importance of social media to determine the political situation, by emphasizing that the elite funds television in the Middle East.

“The top 25 stations watched in the Middle East are determined by who has the most money,” said Jaber.

Melki stressed that social

media contributes to the opinion of the masses and that social media is decentralized as opposed to traditional mass media, which is controlled by institutions.

“Social media does not always provide trustworthy Internet sites,” said Melki in reference to sites such as Wikipedia.

“Don’t underestimate social media,” added Dajani.

Alumnus Ian Rawson MA, ‘69 upholds his family’s legacy of caring in Haiti

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Rawson was keynote speaker at Carnegie Mellon’s 113th commencement ceremony in mid May

n Tuesday, January 12, 2010, when the catastrophic magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit the island of Haiti, with the epicentre approximately 25 kilometres west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, AUB alumnus Ian Rawson was driving his car in Artibonite Valley, about 170 kilometres to the north. “I just went into a ditch and thought that I had a moment where I lost control over the car when in fact the earth below me had shifted,” Rawson told Al Jame’a recently.

It took a couple of days before the full magnitude of the catastrophe was felt in Artibonite as hundreds of injured and refugees began flocking to the area and into Hopital Albert Schweitzer (HAS), the small hospital Rawson took over from his parents many years ago.

When Rawson was 10, his stepfather and mother, Dr. W. Larimer Mellon Jr. and Gwen Grant Mellon, became acquainted with Albert Schweitzer, the great musician, theologian and physician who founded a hospital in central Africa. They were so inspired

by his example that they established HAS in Haiti’s Artibonite Valley in 1956, and devoted the rest of their lives to collaborating with the people of the region to improve their quality of life. Rawson served as HAS board chair before becoming managing director. His wife, Lucy, also an AUB alumna, is president of the Board of Friends of HAS, which raises funds and awareness through the sale of Haitian art.

“At HAS, we normally can accommodate 80 patients, but within a short time, we had to care for at least 800. It was overwhelming and surreal.”

Since the earthquake, Rawson has worked tirelessly to treat the injured and to care for thousands of refugees. And, miraculously, HAS did not turn any patient away - thanks to his persistence and dedication.

Blog to the World Within a few days of the ordeal when supplies were fast dwindling and patient flow increasing, Rawson started a daily blog to let the outside world know what is really happening in Haiti. When almost all other means of communications

failed, Rawson’s blog drew significant attention with reporters and media crews finding their way to his village to interview him. His ingenuity helped him get heartbreaking messages to the world, highlighting the needs at HAS and in Haiti, and securing medical supplies and aid. Rawson’s ongoing blog can be accessed at hashaiti.org Keynote Speaker On Sunday, May 16, Rawson was the keynote speaker for Carnegie Mellon University’s 113th commencement ceremony, which took place on the university’s Pittsburgh campus where more than 3,700 undergraduate and graduate degrees were conferred. His selection as keynote speaker is a well deserved and timely honour.

In his address, Carnegie Mellon University’s President Jared L. Cohon described Rawson’s story as one of “... leadership and selfless dedication that will inspire and motivate us to respond to the challenges facing the world.”

AUB: 1965-69 Ian and Lucy Rawson moved to Beirut in 1965. As a student of ancient history at the

time, Lucy was encouraged to learn more about the Middle East, and Ian tagged along. He also enrolled at AUB where he earned a master’s degree in political science in 1969.

Ian’s experience at AUB inspired him. To this day, he speaks passionately about the Lebanese people’s resilience and perseverance and he’s proud of his affiliation with “this great university.” He provided a remarkable statistic.

“Did you know that AUB was the most represented university among all the people who signed the accord to create the United Nations,” he told Al Jame’a. This means that most of the people involved in this historic initiative were AUB alumni.

Rawson and his wife Lucie, witnessed the 1967 war, but they stayed in Beirut and had their 3rd child in 1969, when they had to clear three road blocks before making it to the Khalidi Clinic for the birth.

During that time, Rawson felt the impact of the war, which he describes as a turning point in the history of Lebanon.

Rawson also shared a neat

connection with AUB’s former president, Dr. John Waterburry. “It’s interesting that both John and I went to the same small high school in the US, and we also went to AUB but in different capacities at separate times.”

Rawson, a long-time Pittsburgh resident, earned his Ph.D. in medical anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh, and attended Harvard University’s School of Public Health executive program in health planning and administration. He was president of the Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania, president of AmeriNet Central and a senior manager with Allegheny General Hospital. He served various Pittsburgh cultural and health organizations’ boards and advised public health programs in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.

This article was adopted from issue 5 of Al-Jame’a, the enewsletter of WAAAUB and is available at http://www.waaaub. org/news.html

Outlook

Entertainment

May 10, 2011

Crossword Puzzle

Rayane Zahreddine

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Sudoku

Who is accredited with the following quotes? Write their first name followed by their last name without a space between them.

ACROSS 5 “Never love a wild thing...If you let yourself love a wild thing. You’ll end up looking at the sky.”

6 “The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away.”

7 “You shall judge of a man by his foes as well as by his friends.”

9 “If you expect nothing from anybody, you’re never disappointed.”

10 “It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight.”

DOWN 1 “I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world.”

2 “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

3 “Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood.”

4 “Curiouser and curiouser.”

8 “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”

Artist Review HeatherJaber

It’s hard to deny that good hip-hop music is hard to find these days. In a musical culture where hip-hop is becoming equated with auto-tune and punch-line rappers (artists who rely on catchy oneliners to carry their verses), it is refreshing to find rap that has depth. One such artist is Immortal Technique, a rapper who not only brings something more insightful to the table, but who deals with more controversial topics in his songs.

Immortal Technique’s music is known for its touchy subject-matter. In the song “Bin Laden,” featuring Mos Def, Immortal Technique’s vers-

Immortal Technique

es deal with the issues of the United States’ government, and the conspiracies behind the attacks of September 11.

The song has an ominous tone, and the repeating hook sticks in the listener’s mind like an uncomfortable question. No matter the listener’s viewpoint on the issue, one cannot argue that his verses are laced with passion, and that he has done his homework on the subject.

One song that sticks out above the rest is the song “Dance with the Devil.” The song tells the tale of a man who loses himself to the corruption of gangs and crime in the projects. It follows his

spiral downwards, up to the point where he becomes so engulfed in this lifestyle that he commits a crime so heinous he cannot redeem himself.

The song is not for the lighthearted, as it paints the grim and uncensored picture of how easily we can fall into the temptation of evil. It is a haunting and well-crafted song, with lyrics that stay in the listener’s mind - “devils used to be gods, angels that fell from the top/ there’s no diversity because we’re burning in the melting pot.”

It is a throwback darker subject-matter, reminiscent of Eminem’s Slim Shady LP in its shock-value and Nas’ Still-

matic in its depth.

If you haven’t heard of Immortal Technique, it’s probably because he is not an advocate for today’s mass production of music, making him more of an underground find.

What is more, he has worked with various organizations, like Rock to Save Darfur and has visited Afghanistan and served on behalf of Omeid, a human rights organization.

Immortal Technique not only speaks about controversial issues like politics, the economy and other social issues, but he actually takes action to try and help the causes he speaks of. While some may turn away from the crudeness

of his language, many will be drawn to his powerful storytelling abilities. He gives the listener a nostalgic feeling with his music, making one remember what hip-hop music is all about.

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Out Loud

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May 10, 2011

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Outlook

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Q: Do you feel that, after all this time at univeristy, you are currently pursuing you childhood aspirations at AUB? 1) Karam El-Dik (Mechanical Engineering): No, I wanted to be a veterinarian.

2) Farah Shamas (Business Administration): No, because our aspirations as a child change as we grow up because it’s not realistic. But there is inside of you some sort or alternative reality we still have that, but it’s not strong.

3) Sarah Harfouch (Majorless): I wanted to be a successful business woman. I’m on my way, but my social life has slowed me down. However, I’m in no hurry. Forever young.

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4) Whard Sleiman (Majorless): I wanted to be an engineer and build hospitals in Africa, but AUB is destroying my dream.

5) Maher Bazzi (Business Administration): I wanted to be an astronaut, because I was weighing out and I liked medicine.”

6) Akbota Kalekenova (Majorless): I wanted to the first president of Kazakhstan.

I’ve had this dream ever since third grade.

7) (Left) Sami Faloughi (Electrical and Computer Engineering): Not really, my aspirations are not professional. I’m an electric computer engineer.

8) Lea Helou (Psychology): I wanted to be a sheriff. I can’t because there is no sheriff position in Lebanon.

9) Sarah Zaytoun (Sociology & Anthropology): I’ve always wanted to be around youth because they’re paving the way to the future.

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10) Lara Zeitoun (Business Administration): I wanted to be firefighter because of Barney.

An opinion piece by Mohammad Yaghi on this subject follows on page 12 (Photos by Wael Salem)

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Outlook

Sports

May 10, 2011

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AUB athletes: Destination Serbia for the “Best Belgrade Sport Tournament” Tracy Dariane Staff Writer

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he AUB varsity men and women’s tennis teams, men’s football team, men and women’s futsal teams, and women’s basketball team represented AUB at the “BeST” annual Belgrade Sport Tournament that took place from May 4, 2011 until May 8, 2011 in Belgrade, Serbia. Although there were other sport disciplines such as volleyball men and women, basketball men, and cheerleading, AUB did not participate in these disciplines. Other participants included athletes and teams from universities in Russia, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain, Poland, Slovakia, Serbia, and Lebanon (other than AUB).

The women’s futsal team played against teams from Serbia and Lebanon, reaching to the semi-finals, they ranked third place. Elise Ko-

ssaifi, member of the AUB varsity women’s futsal team says, “The games were very tiring, but overall, we are very happy with our performances because we gave it our best and worked very well as a team.” The men’s futsal team ranked fourth place after having played against teams from Serbia, Slovenia, and Russia. The men’s football team also ranked fourth place after having played against teams from Serbia, Slovakia, and Lebanon. Members of the football say that they could have performed better if all their team was present, unfortunately, not all members were able to make it, leaving the players with only one sub. In addition, the football coach, who is also the futsal coach, was not able to be there, by the side of the team players, since he had to cancel his attendance on the trip due to last minute personal emergencies. As for the women’s

basketball, they ranked third place after having played against teams from Serbia.

Nayla Alammedine Jaroudi, coach of the AUB varsity women’s basketball team says, “The level was very high! We won two games and lost two games. The teams against whom we lost, and who got to the finals were very strong teams. They had very good players who play in the Euro League Championship. The tournament was a very good experience for us and we were happy to play against top players!” The tennis team members played against different players who were all from Serbia, and the AUB team ranked third place in men and women. Maria Baladi, member of the AUB varsity tennis team says, “The Serbian girls had a very high level, leaving us to play very intense matches. The matches were difficult but I surely learned a lot from them. It was really

American Football sign-up a success Lojine Kamel News Executive

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merican Football has officially found footing in AUB. Started up by Biology Juniors Rayan Sibai and Michel Skaf as well as Business Major David Sabra and Computer Science Major Mohammad Bachir, football practice originally began merely as a fun extracurricular. Word spread and interest grew, until Sibai, Skaf and Sabra decided to form a team. They created a Facebook group with over 50 members, and hosted a signup day on Tuesday, May 3.

The sign-up took place on AUB Green Field, from 4 to 5:30pm. In addition to the regular players, over 30 more people arrived to join the team. Said Sibai of the event, “We met many new people from different majors, different age groups, and different experience levels.” The previous members already had met for several prior practices, and were excited to welcome new teammates.

The practice began with a brief introduction, detail-

ing the basic rules and regulations of football, introducing the team members, and stretching. New members were anxious about playing, but the previous members helped to ease their worries, teaching them how to handle a football.

Skaf and Sibai remained on the sidelines and helped to explain the rules of the game, while other members began practicing. Everyone started with practice throws, and then split up into two groups to play mini games. After some time playing and after everyone was warmed up, the two teams faced each other in a huge game of over 40 members.

“It was apparent that team work was working wonderfully,” said Sibai, speaking of the team’s evident chemistry. “People were starting to build team spirit; competitive instinct, camaraderie, courage, leadership, effort, drive and enthusiasm were all found on the field.”

The American Football Team hopes to become an official AUB sports team in Fall 2011. Meanwhile, they plan

on holding frequent practices and getting their team into shape. Sibai is particularly enthusiastic about this prospect, saying “I personally have high hopes for the American Football Team and I’m sure Tuesday was the first of many successful team gatherings.”

AUB students everywhere are exceedingly interested in the team, and many of them have thus far expressed their hopes in joining. Said Second Year Veterinary Science Major Assaad Khoury, “I think having an American football team at AUB is a fresh and awesome addition to the sports activities. I just might join in the future... Nothing beats some academic stress than tackling someone senseless into the ground.”

If you’re interested in joining the American Football Team or would like more information, please contact their Facebook page, “American Football @ AUB.”

(Photo by Tracy Dariane)

great playing against them.”

All athletes gave their best in all sport disciplines and were able to make AUB proud.

They enjoyed the sport tournament, the experience to learn more and improve their skills. In addition to having greatly enjoyed the athletic sphere of the trip, the athletes also greatly enjoyed meeting athletes from other

countries since all athletes were staying in the same hotel. Also, the athletes enjoyed visiting the city of Belgrade and some of its touristic attractions. With hopes the athletes learned as much as they could, and are happy to make the AUB community proud.

Belgrade sports tournament scoreboard Competitors

Competing Schools

Score

BASKETBALL Women’s preliminaries AUB, Lebanon

F. of Organizational Sciences, Serbia

61

61

AUB, Lebanon

Belgrade School of Buisines, Serbia

36

36

50

59

54

45

Women’s semi-final AUB, Lebanon

Philology, Serbia Bronze medal match

AUB, Lebanon

F. of Sports and Physical Education, Serbia FUTSAL Women's preliminaries

AUB, Lebanon

Faculty for Security, Serbia

1

3

AUB, Lebanon

LAU, Lebanon

6

0

0

3

3

0

Women’s semi-final AUB, Lebanon

F. of Sports and Physical Education, Serbia Women’s bronze medal match

AUB, Lebanon

UOB, Lebanon Men’s Preliminaries

AUB, Lebanon

RGGU Moscow, Russia

0

3

Faculty of Economie, Serbia

1

4

Faculty of Philology, Serbia

4

7

F. of Sports and Physical Education, Serbia

1

3

F. of Organizational Sciences, Serbia

1

4

UOB, Lebanon

0

1

FOOTBALL AUB, Lebanon

TENNIS Women’s group stage Maria Baladi

Katarina Vranic

0

9

Maria Baladi

Nadezda Skrbic

9

3

Maria Baladi

Tracy Dariane

9

8

Tracy Dariane

Katarina Vranic

0

9

Nadezda Skrbic

9

5

9

1

9

3

2

9

Tracy Dariane

Men’s group stage Dusan Tomasevic Aleksa Radonjic Bojan Korunovic

Jad Najjar

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Viewpoint

May 10, 2011

Opinion

Beware of hydatid cyst: The dog’s balloon disease

Emile K. Wehbeh I have a friend whose name is Edmond Shwayri, Emeritus professor of Nephrology at the Department of Internal Medicine at AUH. We used to sit on the bench in front of the AUB museum and afterwards stroll towards the Green Oval. On our way there, he used to see students of both sexes sitting on the green benches in a rather unconventional way and by unconventional I mean instead of sitting on the bench seat, they would sit on the back of the bench seat and place their shoes on the bench where they should be seated (as illustrated in the photograph below).

Very kindly, Dr. Shwayri used to explain to the students concerned that dogs excrete eggs scientifically termed (‫ )مرض أكياس الكلب‬in Arabic, a disease that when contracted, can promote the ballooning of the human liver.

My friend Dr. Shwayri migrated with his wife to the USA three years ago and so I took it upon myself as a matter of principle and practice to follow in his footsteps in alerting the public of this disease. Nowadays, whenever I catch students sitting in this awkward position, I also approach them very kindly and gracefully and explain to them that placing their shoes on the bench seat may promote this horrible

disease to campus wanderers such as academicians, students, or even small children who might contaminate their hands with the aforementioned cyst upon touching the bench seat and possibly eat [or come in contact with one of their orifices] without washing their hands. In consequence, such people may fall victim to this horrible disease (‫مرض أكياس‬ ‫ )الكلب بالعربي‬brought upon by the Hydatid cyst.

Last summer, while strolling on the Green Oval, I noticed a student sitting on one of these benches in this awkward position and so I approached him, again very kindly and gracefully, and informed him of the great danger he may be putting campus wanderers and the AUB community in.

The student, who had come from America to AUB to study Arabic during the summer term thanked me and apologized sincerely declaring that he had never before heard of this disease.

I’ve written this article for the welfare and good health of the AUB community and AUB students in particular.

Henceforth, let us always remember the Arabic proverb which says: “An ounce of prevention is better than a ton of cure.”

Emile Wehbeh, now retired, was a former Chief Chemist for the Laboratories of the Chemistry Department at AUB.

(Photo by Rami Diab)

Outlook

Opinion Fulfilling childhood dreams

Mohammad Yaghi Staff Writer I always wanted to be a dictator ever since I was eight.

The absolute power, the army, the presidential palace, the random drug lord looming around, dictating the direction of my home nation, and incorporating as many autocratic stereotypes as possible was the ultimate dream. Though that may not be the case now, becoming a despot was the track of life I was looking forward to for about three years until a great realization occurred that it was actually harder than first thought. Where did

it go wrong? Or right?

Nothing went wrong or right as opposed to that I grew up and started thinking realistically. Except I continued thinking this way until I was watched a re-run of the last Parkinson talk show ever with Billy Connolly as a special guest. Connolly mentioned during the interview with Parkinson that his lifelong dream was to become a comedian and that thinking and believing that he would succeed actually brought him the fame and fortune he desired. So believing that this indeed is the way to accomplish one’s lifetime aspirations, I began to believe and think that I would succeed in becoming a leader. Clearly it hasn’t happened yet, but there’s a list of people who could attest to this method like Nelson Mandela, The Marquis of Lafayette, or even Alexander Hamilton.

By having such examples of historical figures that have always had a certain type of perseverance in their ambitions, it could be said that this methodology could be

applicable to anyone as long as they believe in their childhood dreams. The challenge though isn’t maintaining this belief, but wanting and not being pressured externally to change. This conclusion was made after a recent poll conducted by Outlook, 34% of a hundred students in AUB are currently working towards their lifelong childhood dream, while 66% of a hundred students aren’t. Some students voiced that they would like to pursue a profession that they’ve always wanted as a child, but were pressured not to because it wouldn’t make enough money or would look ridiculous to society.

People change and having varying or unchanged desires are all right. The most important thing though is to be the best at whatever one might work in and this was beautifully summarized by Martin Luther King, “What ever it is you’re gonna become, become the best at it. If you’re gonna be a garbage man, be the best garbage man.”

Opinion

So you smoke arghile Lojine Kamel News Executive Admit it, we’ve all tried it. It’s an integral part of our Arab culture.

Yet, I find that so many people are unaware of the adverse affects of arghile, believing it to be the healthier alternative to cigarettes.

Ah, so amusing. Time to burst the smoke filled bubble of ignorant chain-smokers whose lungs will undoubtedly thank me.

Did you know that smoking arghile (also known as Hookah, Hubble-Bubble, Sheesha, and Iwant-Lung-Cancer) for one hour is equivalent to smoking 40 cigarettes? Read it again. Forty.

Did you know that arghile smoke has no filter to prevent toxins from entering your body? Yes, it may be a water pipe, but water-filtered smoke damages the lungs just as much as cigarette smoke, if not more.

Did you know that arghile contains nicotine, so is in fact addictive? One hour of arghile is the same as smoking 100 to 200 times the amount of smoke from just one cigarette.

Did you know that the flavoring of arghile is even worse than the natural tobacco? Flavors make it much easier for harmful toxins to absorb into your bloodstream, as well as containing tar that sticks to the lungs and trachea.

Smoking cigarettes and cigars is terrible for your health. Smoking arghile is even worse. In fact, in comparison to cigarettes, arghile is known to contain 36 times more tar, 15 times more carbon monoxide, 70 times more nicotine, and high levels of arsenic, lead and nickel. Sixty-nine different carcinogens in total. Still not convinced about its detrimental affects? I digress.

Sharing a mouthpiece without

washing it, as is often done in Lebanon, increases the risk of catching flu, colds, infections, and oh yes! Oral herpes. Need I say more?

Arghile has been linked to several types of cancer, namely lung, mouth and jaw cancer, as well as heart disease, dental disease, and even infertility and impotence.

Arghile smokers are also seven times more likely than non-smokers to have symptoms of gym disease and mouth cancer.

Lastly, arghile smoke, as with all other types of smoke, is worsened through second-hand experience.

So, by smoking your sex-on-thebeach-flavored-oral-herpes-infested-water-pipe you are basicallyimposingyourunhealthyhabits on other people sitting within your vicinity. Which isn’t really nice now, is it?

But hey, I bet you couldn’t see through all that smoke.

Outlook

May 10, 2011

The Outlook team Chairperson Faculty Advisor

Talal Nizameddin Cleo Cacoulidis

Responsible Director

Antonios Francis

Editor-in-Chief

Rami Diab

Associate Editor

Timmy Malkoun

Staff Writers Khodor Abu Daya Nader Al Ahmadieh Mona Ayoub Fouad Badaoui Caterina Belardi Amir Bitar Jackie Daoud Tracy Dariane Sarah Al Dirani Edrees Elrachidi Dalia Hosn Elie El Khoury Aziza Khalil Yasmin Fansa Yumna Ghandour Maryam Hoballah

Dar Al Handasah (Shair & Partners)

MIDMAC CONTRACTING CO. WLL

Accenture Middle East BV

Davis Langdon Lebanon

MILESTONES

ACTEOS LIBAN SARL

DEBBAS GROUP

Ministry of Finance - Institut Des Finances Basil Fuleihan MORGAN INTERNATIONAL LEBANON Nasco Karaoglan National Instruments

Al Jaber Energy Services LLC

Ernst & Young

National Petroleum Construction Company

AL SALAM SCHOOL

Essec Business School

Near East Commercial Bank s.a.l.

Alfardan Group Holding Co. LLC

EXPEDITORS INTERNATIONAL

Nestlé Middle East

Alghanim Industries

F.A KETTANEH

Netways

ALI ABDULWAHAB SONS & CO.

FADEL SYSTEMS

Olayan Financing Company

ALMABANI GENERAL CONTRACTORS

FEDERAL BANK OF LEBANON S.A.L.

Oliver Wyman

AMANA GROUP (CONTRACTING & STEEL BLDGS. COMPANY)

Food & Drug Corporation s.a.l.

Petrofac International Ltd

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT MEDICAL CENTER

FRANSABANK

PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC)

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF THE MIDDLE EAST

G. Tamer Holding

Procter and Gamble

AMSI

General Electric

Qualco

John Hajjar

ARABIAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY - ACC

GREENPEACE MEDITERRANEAN

Rabya – General Contractors

AROPE INSURANCE SAL

GULF BANK, KUWAIT

Resource Group Holding

Samer Bu Jawdeh

Associated Consulting Engineers s.a.l (ace)

Hipo Leb

Roland Berger Strategy Consultants

Heather Jaber Lojine Kamel Maya Sfeir Mostafa Fadlallah Mohamad Al Medawar Sally Khalifeh Lara Traboulsi Lynn Itani Nour Jane Kachicho Anis Kadado Tala Kardas Wajiha Jurdhi Kheir Hadi Mehio Marie Nakhoul Rita Obeid Rami Panayoti Yasmine Saab Joseph Saba Christine Saliba Amer Sare Mohammad Yaghi Emile Fares Zankoul Rayane Zahreddine Lama Zakharia

Photographers Mohamad Alameh Tariq Buhilaigah Dima Hajj Nadi Nassar

Lotfi Al Salah Wael Salem Antoine Salloum Mohammad Azzam

Cartoonists

Deedee El Jilani Jamila Mehio

Outlook is a weekly publication of the American University of Beirut (AUB) and represents the voice of the student body.

It is an independent, non-affiliated publication that favors no ethnic, religious, or political group. All columns, articles, and reports are the property of Outlook and do not necessarily represent the views of Outlook or the AUB community. Outlook welcomes all contributions. Authors please include full name, major, ranking, and contact information for verification. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way, shape or form without the written consent of Outlook and/or higher authorities. Outlook reserves the right to edit all material. © Outlook 1949

MIDDLE EAST AIRLINES AIRLIBAN S.A.L.

ABUDAWOOD GROUP, SAUDI ARABIA.

ERGA GROUP SAL

Salim Batlouni

Business Managers

Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC)

AIR LIQUIDE LEBANON

Photography Editor

Webmaster

CSCBank SAL Cyberia Group

DELOITTE

Mariam El Ali

News Executives

ABC S.A.L

Element N

Arabic Editor

13

ABDULLAH A.M. ALKHODARI SONS COMPANY

ADIR INSURANCE

Yahia Hamade

Members at Large

Firms participating in the May Job Fair

Agthia Group PJSC.

Editor at Large

Layout Director

Out of the Box

AZADEA GROUP

HSBC

SABIS® Educational Services s.a.l.

Bank Audi sal – Audi Saradar Group

IDM SAL

Samir Khairallah & Partners

Bank of Beirut s.a.l.

IIR Middle East

Sanofi Aventis

BANKMED S.A.L

INDEVCO GROUP

Saudi Diyar Consultants Architects and Engineers

BANQUE LIBANO- FRANÇAISE

INTERNATIONAL BANK OF QATAR (IBQ)

Schlumberger

Banque Misr Liban s.a.l

INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS (ICRC)

SDT International Setraco International Holding s.a.l.

Barclays Capital (Recruitment Presentation)

ITG SAL (Holding)

BAYANAT AIRPORTS ENGINEERING & SUPPLIES

JWT

SETS s.a.r.l.

BBAC sal

KETTANEH CONSTRUCTION

Site Technology

BEAM INTERNATIONAL S.A.L

Khatib & Alami – Consolidated Engineering Co.

Société Générale de Banque au Liban (SGBL)

BEIERSDORF MIDDLE EAST

Khayat Group

Societe Nouvelle De La Banque De Syrie Et Du Liban s.a.l.

Beirut Orthodox Schools

KNOWLEDGEVIEW LTD.

Sodetel s.a.l.

Bel International

KPMG Management Services

Solidere

BEMCO INTERNATIONAL sal

Kunhadi

Standard Chartered Bank

BLCBANK

L’OREAL

Stemco Limited Nigeria

BLOM BANK S.A.L

LEO BURNETT

Sukleen, An Averda Company

BMB Group

MADI INTERNATIONAL CO.

Teach For Lebanon

BUTEC

MALIA GROUP

Tecman Industry Sal

Byblos Bank

Man Enterprise LTD

Tenaris

Cadbury Adams ME (Globally Acquired by Kraft Foods in 2010)

MATTA ET ASSOCIES S.A.L.

The Boston Consulting Group

CHEDID & ASSOCIATES SAL

Mebs International

The C.A.T. Group

CHICAGO BRIDGE & IRON COMPANY

MEDGULF

THE ENGLISH MODERN SCHOOL

Cimenterie Nationale SAL

MEDICALS INTERNATIONAL

Toufoula

Clemenceau Medical Center

Memac Ogilvy & Mather Holding INC

Valentine Maritime (Gulf ) L.L.C

With reference to Red Cross’s Trivia Night hosted by Nemr Abou Nassar

‫اوتلوك‬

‫أيار ‪2011 ,10‬‬

‫مصطفى فضل اهلل‬ ‫كاتب صحفي ‬

‫ضجيج كهدير ا ّلنحل‪ ،‬قرقعة‬ ‫للنّراجيل‪ ،‬رائحة القهوة‪،‬‬ ‫استكانة الكاسات‪ ،‬وصراخ‬ ‫التهليل والتّسفيه‪ ،‬والتحليل‪،‬‬ ‫الصراع‪،‬‬ ‫غضب يظهر على جبني ّ‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫مطبقٌ ذاك الغضب‪ ،‬هو دفاع عن‬ ‫التاريخ فتاريخ أولئك أكبر من‬ ‫اً‬ ‫رجال إذا‬ ‫تاريخ األخرين‪ ،‬وإ ّن لهم‬ ‫أرادوا أراد!‬ ‫متتلئ املقاهي حتى ال ّثمالة‪،‬‬ ‫وللعقول هنا ثمالتها‪ ،‬فال فكر‬

‫رأي‬ ‫ال «برشا» وال «ريال» و ‪ 450‬مليون دوالر‬ ‫والحقيقة وال عدالة‪ ،‬بل وهم‬ ‫شامل يحكم وع ًيا جماع ًيا‪.‬‬ ‫فاألرض هنا للصراخ وللغضب‪،‬‬ ‫وللهتافات الفرحة‪ ،‬وللـ»تزريك»‬ ‫والـ»تّكتيك»‪.‬‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫شكل آخر‪،‬‬ ‫وللحسابات هنا‬ ‫فإذا خسروا‪ ،‬سيشربون من‬ ‫قصة‬ ‫الكأس أم ّرها‪ ،‬وللغد‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫أخرى‪ ،‬ترسم سوادًا في العيون‪،‬‬ ‫وتفتح بابًا للـ»تزريك»‪ ،‬وهنا‬ ‫يخرج العقل من دائرة ال ّثمالة‬ ‫إلى دائرة التّحليل والتّكتيك‪.‬‬ ‫فـ»أنتم ال تلعبون كرة القدم‪ ،‬إمنا‬ ‫أنتم تلعبون املالكمة» ويضحك‬ ‫األخرون ليشيروا بالنتيجة‬ ‫في وجه اخلاسر بضحك ٍة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الشماتة واإلستهزاء‪.‬‬ ‫فيها‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫حافل بالتّهديد والوعيد‬ ‫يو ٌم‬ ‫الساخر‪ ،‬وحتليل خطط املد ّرب‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ودراسة قدرات االعبني فيقول‬ ‫أحدهم «نحن» لدينا فالن‬ ‫وفالن و»من يستطيع رد ركالت‬ ‫فالن»‪ .‬ويصدح صوت ساخر‬ ‫بني األصوات «شو دافعنلكن‬

‫اجلماعة؟»‪.‬‬ ‫بني الـ»برشا» والـ»ريال»‬ ‫قصة غريبة‪ ،‬حيث‬ ‫وشعوبنا ّ‬ ‫ميوت الوقت بني بداية املباراة‬ ‫ونهايتها‪ .‬فال حياة إال أمام‬ ‫شاشات مختلفة األحجام‪ ،‬في‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫الصراع‬ ‫املقاهي والبيوت‪ ،‬ويُختَم ّ‬ ‫بالرصاص واملفرقعات‪ ،‬وقلوب‬ ‫منقبضة تستقبل سريرها‬ ‫بحزن غريب‪ ،‬وعيون حتبس‬ ‫دموعها كمن فقد حبي ًبا وهو‬ ‫من احلزن كليل الروح‪ .‬وقلوب‬ ‫أبشرت بالنصر‪ ،‬ترفع ال ّرايات‬ ‫و تسير مظهر ًة فرحها في‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وأي‬ ‫والساحات‪ّ ،‬‬ ‫الشوارع واألز ّقة ّ‬ ‫نصر هذا ؟‬ ‫تتململ الكلمات غض ًبا في‬ ‫نفسي‪ ،‬ال أفهم ذلك اإلرتباط‪،‬‬ ‫بد لكرة القدم فلماذا‬ ‫إن كان من ّ‬ ‫احلرقة واحلسرة عند اخلسارة‪،‬‬ ‫املشجع‬ ‫حني ينتفي الرابط بني‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫والنّادي إال من بعض رواسب‬ ‫العوملة؟ وكذلك الفرح‪.‬‬ ‫نسكر نحن في حلظات الكرة‪،‬‬

‫املشاركني في املظاهرة‪ :‬يحظر‬ ‫إستخدامالعنففياملظاهرةحتى‬ ‫لوإستخدمتعناصراألمنالعنف‬ ‫ضدنا‪ .‬املظاهرة سلمية‪ ،‬والتغيير‬ ‫يجب أن يأتي سلمياً‪ ،‬ويحظر‬ ‫استخداماأللفاظغيرالالئقةضد‬ ‫جنود األمن فهم مصريون مثلنا‪،‬‬ ‫ويجب حفظ كرامتهم حتى إن لم‬ ‫يفعلواباملثل‪».‬‬ ‫فإذا قارنا هذا العام بأعوامنا‬ ‫املنصرمة ميكننا أن نالحظ أن‬ ‫العالمالعربيلميكنيعرفسوى‬ ‫نوع واحد من املظاهرات‪ ،‬أال وهي‬ ‫مظاهرات العنف والتخريب التي‬ ‫كان يظن املشاركني فيها أن هذا‬ ‫النوع من التظاهرات قد يوصلهم‬ ‫إلى مطالبهم‪ .‬فكان الناس وهم‬ ‫يتظاهرون يشعرون وكأنهم في‬ ‫معركة شرسة‪ ،‬فيحطمون كل‬ ‫ما في طريقهم من مؤسسات‬ ‫رسمية وشعبية ومحالت جتارية‬ ‫وسيارات ‪ ،....‬ظنًامنهم أ ّن هذه‬ ‫اإلنتهاكات واإلخالالت في األمن‪،‬‬ ‫من شأنها أن تقلق املسؤولني‬ ‫فيضطرون للرضوخ ملطالب‬ ‫املتظاهرين‪ .‬ولكن لألسف هذا‬ ‫لم يكن يجدي نفعا ً ولن يجدي‬

‫نفعا ً على اإلطالق ألن املسؤولني‬ ‫يهتمون‬ ‫في مثل هذه احلاالت ال‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫باملطالب بل ّ‬ ‫يركزون إهتمامهم‬ ‫إليجاد طرق لقمع املتظاهرين‬ ‫وإفشال تظاهراتهم‪ .‬ففي هذه‬ ‫احلالة يكون املتضرر الوحيد من‬ ‫جراءهذاالتحطيمهماملتظاهرين‬ ‫أنفسهم‪،‬كماأبناءالوطنكافة‪.‬‬ ‫و لكن هذا النوع العالي من‬ ‫والتحضر في التعبير‬ ‫الرقي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫عن الرأي‪ ،‬من خالل التظاهرات‬ ‫الشعبيةالسلمية‪،‬الذيشهدناه‬ ‫في معظم الثورات العربية في‬ ‫هذا العام والذي لم نشهد نظيره‬ ‫من قبل‪ ،‬ما هو إال دليل على وعي‬ ‫حقيقي لدى أبناء هذه الشعوب‬ ‫بأن ّ‬ ‫الطرق السلم ّية هي السبيل‬ ‫الوحيدلتحقيقاإلصالحوالتغيير‬ ‫املطلوبني‪ .‬وكما ورد في تعليق‬ ‫إحدى املتظاهرات‪« :‬إن العنف‬ ‫يأتيمناجلهلوالعصبيةوالظلم‪،‬‬ ‫ولكنثورةالشبابفيمصرهدفها‬ ‫اإلصالح والتنوير‪ ،‬فكيف ميكن‬ ‫تغيير الدستور وإصالح التعليم‬ ‫واإلقتصاد بالعنف‪ ،‬فالعنف يولد‬ ‫العنف‪ ،‬أما السلمية فال تعرف‬ ‫سوىطريقا ًواحدا ًوهواحلوار»‪.‬‬

‫رأي‬ ‫ما هو سر جناح الثورات العربية؟‬

‫سارة أحمد الديراني‬ ‫كاتبة صحفية‬

‫ليس من الصعب على أحد أن‬ ‫يكتشف س ّر جناح الثورات العرب ّية‬ ‫التي شهدناها ونشهدها في هذا‬ ‫العام احلافل بالتغييرات العربية‬ ‫واإلقليمية‪ .‬فنجاح تلك الثورات‬ ‫كان نتيجة وعي املتظاهرين‬ ‫وأهمها‬ ‫حلقوقهم املنتهكة‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫حقهم في تقرير مصير أوطانهم‪،‬‬ ‫والتّعبير عن رأيهم ّ‬ ‫بكل حر ّية‪.‬‬ ‫إال أن هذا الوعي لم يكن الس ّر‬ ‫احلقيقي لنجاح تلك الثورات‪ ،‬ألن‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫هؤالء الناس ومنذ زمن يعلمون أن‬ ‫حقوقهم منتهكة‪ ،‬وحاولوا مرارا ً‬ ‫وتكرارا ًأن يقوم بتغيير واقعهم‪.‬إال‬ ‫أن هذا لم يجدي نفعا ً في كل مرة‪،‬‬ ‫فمااجلديدهذهاملرة؟‬ ‫اجلديد في هذه الثورات كان‬ ‫إعتماد الشعوب العربية على‬ ‫املظاهرات السلمية البحتة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫كالطريقة الوحيدة إليصال‬ ‫وجهة نظرهم وحقه في تغيري‬ ‫واقعهم األليم‪ .‬فإصرارهم على‬ ‫البقاء في الشارع حتى آخر رمق‬ ‫ألي محاوالت عنف‬ ‫وعدم‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫التصدي ّ‬ ‫ستوجهإليهم‪،‬ألنمنشأنذلكأن‬ ‫يضعف موقفهم وينهي ثورتهم‪،‬‬ ‫الداعمالوحيدالذيأفشل ّ‬ ‫كل‬ ‫كان ّ‬ ‫محاوالت تفرقة املتظاهرين وإنهاء‬ ‫والدليلعلى‬ ‫مطالبهمالتغيير ّية‪ّ .‬‬ ‫ذلكماجاءفيالبيان‪،‬التنبيه‪،‬الذي‬ ‫نشره شباب الثورة املصرية على‬ ‫موقع الفيسبوك والذي ورد فيه‬ ‫نص التنبيه التالي‪« :‬حتذير جلميع‬

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‫وجهة نظر‬

‫‪14‬‬

‫بهم اجلوع‬ ‫ويسكر بعضنا األخر ّ‬ ‫واملرض والفقر وخياالت الرعب‬ ‫وصداع األيام ولهيب احلقيقة‪.‬‬ ‫هو عالم عربي‪ ،‬ال يجمعه من‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫متنقلة‪،‬‬ ‫عروبته اليوم إال كلمات‬ ‫وتعريفات نحفظها من كتب‬ ‫يئن بعضنا‬ ‫التاريخ واجلغرافيا‪ّ .‬‬ ‫حتت وقع أهداف الـ»برشا» أو‬ ‫ويئن بعضنا اآلخر من‬ ‫الـ»ريال» ّ‬ ‫الدهر‪.‬‬ ‫س ُح ِب املوت‪ ،‬وظالمات ّ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫فرحا ليهتف هنا‬ ‫يقفز البعض ً‬ ‫بعض آخر بح ًثا‬ ‫وهناك‪ ،‬ويقفز‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫قشة شعير تعطيهم‬ ‫عن‬ ‫كفاف اليوم‪ ،‬من جوع‪ ،‬ومن‬ ‫طعام!‬ ‫و ‪ 450‬مليون دوالر هد ّية‪ ،‬ملن؟‬ ‫لألمير «ويليام» ولعروسته‬ ‫احملترمة «كايت» (بعد تسعة‬ ‫أشهر من املساكنة)‪ .‬من َمن؟‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫لعل‬ ‫من قادة العرب‪ .‬نعم‪،‬‬ ‫األمير «ويليام» سيطعم ‪39‬‬ ‫مليون عربي يعانون من اجلوع‪،‬‬ ‫ويخرجهم من ّ‬ ‫الظلمات إلى‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ولعل «كايت» ستقوم‬ ‫النّور‪،‬‬

‫أمي‬ ‫بتعليم الـ ‪ 70‬مليون‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫عربي (ثلثيهم من النّساء)‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫«ميسي» بالتعاون‬ ‫ولعل‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مع «غوارديوال» سيحرران‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ولعل «كريستيانو»‬ ‫القدس‪،‬‬ ‫سيعيدان‬ ‫و «مورينهو»‬ ‫الفلسطينيني إلى قدسهم‪،‬‬ ‫وسيخرجان األسرى من‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ولعل اجلمل سيدخل‬ ‫السجون‪.‬‬ ‫ثقب اإلبرة‪.‬‬ ‫يوم انتهت املباراة‪ ،‬بعدما أبديت‬ ‫انزعاجي من تدنّي املستوى‬ ‫الكروي للفريقني‪ ،‬عدت إلى‬ ‫املنزل بصعوبة في ّ‬ ‫ظل هتاف‬ ‫الفرح والصراخ اجلنوني‪ ،‬وإغالق‬ ‫الطرقات وزمامير السيارات‪،‬‬ ‫والشباب احملتفل‪ .‬ألقيت البصر‬ ‫فلم أرى في عيون أولئك الشباب‪،‬‬ ‫والسهر‪ .‬أرهفت‬ ‫إال سواد الفقر ّ‬ ‫السمع‪ ،‬فلم أسمع إال أنني اجلوع‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫منهم‪ ،‬ولو من بني اصطخاب‬ ‫أصواتهم‪.‬وتهت في ّ‬ ‫حل هذي‬ ‫املعضلة‪ ،‬فأرسلت شكواي إلى‬ ‫السماء والأزال أنتظر اإلجابة‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬

‫هبة اهلل سلمان‬

‫فهنا سؤا ٌل يطرح نفسه من‬ ‫هو ّ‬ ‫الشخص الذي يستطيع‬ ‫أو باألحرى يحقّ له تقييم‬ ‫اإلختصاصات‪ ،‬فمن يقول بأن‬ ‫الهندسة هي أهم من التمريض؟‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫فكل منّا له ميول و مجال يبرع‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الكل يحتاج للوقت ليدرك‬ ‫به‪.‬‬ ‫التعدي‬ ‫ما يريد‪ .‬فال أحد يحق له‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫على خيارات األخرين والتقليل‬ ‫من شأنها‪ .‬تناولت هذا املوضوع‬ ‫الضوء على اختصاص‬ ‫أللقي ّ‬ ‫التمريض قي اجلامعة األميركية‬ ‫قيبيروت‪.‬فكثيرمنالطالبالذين‬ ‫صادقتهم سألوني عن مبنى‬ ‫الكل ّية وعن جدوى هذا اإلختصا‬ ‫ص فعلى ال ّرغم من ق ّلة تقوقعنا‬ ‫قي زوايا اجلامعة نظرا ً لبرنامجنا‬ ‫نتحضر‬ ‫املك ّثفولكنّنابهذااجملال‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫صحي‬ ‫ثقافي‬ ‫لدور اجتماعي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫تربوي‪ .‬أذكر الدكتورة «نهاد‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ضومط» عندما قالت لنا أننا‬ ‫مم ّيزون ألننا في عمر ّ‬ ‫مبكر نتع ّرض‬ ‫حلاالت صحية واجتماعية أكبر‬ ‫من جتربتنا فنحن نتعامل مع‬ ‫اإلنسان منذ والدته حتّى حلظاته‬ ‫األخيرة ‪.‬لن أزيد الكالم عن أهمية‬ ‫اختصاصي حتى ال أتهم بأنني‬ ‫مثل صديق صديقتي وكي أو ّفر‬ ‫السؤال مبنى كلية‬ ‫عليكم ّ‬ ‫التمريض يقع مقابل قاعة‬ ‫عصام فارس‪ ،‬وأنتم مدعوون قي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫كل األوقات للتعرف على الوجه‬ ‫اآلخرللجامعة‪.‬‬ ‫هبة اهلل سلمان هي طالبة‬ ‫التمريض في كلية التمريض‬ ‫باجلامعةاألميركيةفيبيروت‪.‬‬

‫رأي‬ ‫العقول احللزونية‬

‫في يوم جامعي ممل‪ ،‬كنت خارج ًة‬ ‫من مبنى الوست هول حيث‬ ‫صادفتصديقتيتتبادلاألحاديث‬ ‫مع صديقها‪ّ .‬‬ ‫بكل وقاحة جّاتهت‬ ‫صوبهما وألقيت عليهما حت ّيتي‬ ‫اجلا ّفة‪.‬ال أدري كيف ح ّلت اللعنة‬ ‫عليهما و دعوني لنجلس سويا ً‬ ‫على مقعد أخضر في ظل شجرة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫تطهر اجلو‪.‬‬ ‫تبشع املكان أكثر مما ّ‬ ‫وطبعا ً ال ننسى القطط التي‬ ‫للجلوس معنا‬ ‫دعت نفسها‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ع ّلها حتتفظ بس ّر جديد للحرم‬ ‫اجلامعي‪ .‬املهم أنّنا جلسنا‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫احلد الفاصل‬ ‫وكانت صديقتي هي ّ‬ ‫بيننا ال أدري كيف بدأنا اجلدال؟‬ ‫الدائم‬ ‫املهم أننا بدأناه‪ .‬واحلديث ّ‬ ‫بني الطالب يدور حول أهمية‬ ‫اختصاصهم و صعوبته‪ .‬وفي‬ ‫سياقحديثنارمىصديقصديقتي‬ ‫قنبلة من العقول املتأخرة مفادها‬ ‫أهم بكثير من‬ ‫أ ّن اختصاصه هو ّ‬ ‫اختصاصي (التمريض)‪ .‬و مع‬ ‫الفن‬ ‫احترامي له وألنني ال أتقن‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫امللقب» بتمسيح اجلوخ» و ققت‬ ‫أمامه كوحش يريد اإلنقضاض‬ ‫على فريسته‪ .‬وبكل تعجرف‬ ‫رحت أستهزء بتفكيره وأعلم قي‬ ‫داخلي أنّه كان يجب أن أسيطر‬ ‫على انفعالي ولكنني كعادتي‬ ‫فشلت‪ .‬بعد جدال عنيف بيننا‪،‬‬ ‫بقي متش ّب ًثا برأيه تركت املكان‬ ‫على عجل‪ .‬و علمت أ ّن مشكلتي‬ ‫ليست معه بالذات‪ .‬مشكلتي‬ ‫مع العقول احللزونية التي تظن‬ ‫أن اختصاصها هو محور األرض‪.‬‬

‫‪15‬‬

‫منوعات‬

‫ايار ‪2011 ,10‬‬

‫كاتب من هذا الزمان‪ :‬عزت القمحاوي ‪ ..‬أحتفي باجلسد‬

‫نهاد غازي عواد‬ ‫كاتبة صحفية‬

‫يحتفي باجلسد ألنه املدخل‬ ‫الى املعرفة‪ .‬فاالنسان يتم ّيز‬ ‫عن باقي اخمللوقات بالعقل‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫يتغذى باحلواس‪.‬‬ ‫والعقل‬ ‫فاحلفاوة باحلواس هي حفاوة‬ ‫بالعقل وحفاوة بسعادة‬ ‫االنسان واحلياة‪ .‬حتويل أعضاء‬ ‫شخص ّيات‬ ‫الى‬ ‫اجلسد‬ ‫فاعلة هي نظرة يعتمدها‬ ‫الكاتب والروائي املصري ع ّزت‬ ‫القمحاوي في كتاباته وتظهر‬ ‫جليا قي رواية «مدينة ال ّلذة»‬ ‫وقصص «مواقيت البهجة»‪.‬‬ ‫لديه روايات أخرى‪ :‬غرفة ترى‬ ‫النيل‪ ،‬بيت الديب‪ ,‬احلارس‪.‬‬ ‫ومجموعة أعمال‪ :‬األيك في‬ ‫املباهج واألحزان‪ ،‬كتاب الغواية‪،‬‬ ‫حدث في بالد التراب والطني‪،‬‬ ‫بورتريهات‪ .‬جتربة القمحاوي‬ ‫تتم ّيز بالفرادة واخلصوص ّية من‬ ‫الصيغة واملواد‬ ‫ناحية اإلبداع في ّ‬

‫املنحوتة في النص‪ .‬نصوص‬ ‫القمحاوي تعكس نظرة ثقافية‬ ‫ووع ًيا فن ًيا مبن ًيا على التخييل‬ ‫الروائي والنّباهة اللغو ّية والذات‬ ‫والتّاريخ واجملتمع‪ .‬فالقمحاوي‬ ‫يبحر في كتابة الرواية والقصة‬ ‫القصيرة واملقالة الصحافية‬ ‫الثقاف ّية‪ .‬ويعتمد اثارة أسئلة‬ ‫الكتابة من داخل الكتابة‪ .‬كما‬ ‫انه ينزع الى التكثيف واإلختصار‬ ‫على الضروري فخير الكالم ما‬ ‫قل ودل‪ .‬يعمل على كتابة األلم‬ ‫اإلنساني من مرض وموت في‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫القوي للكتابات‬ ‫ظل احلضور‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫العامل ّية‪ .‬يصعب جتنيس كتابات‬ ‫القمحاوي أو تأطيرها ضمن‬ ‫محدد ملا فيها من‬ ‫أدبي‬ ‫لون‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫طاقة سرد ّية وأسلوب طريف‬ ‫وتعدد املواضيع‬ ‫وغزارة املعنى‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وتن ّوع طرق التّعبير واملعنى‬ ‫العميق واجلميل للكلمات ال‬ ‫س ّيما املهجور منها‪ .‬تناسق‬ ‫موسيقى أخّ اذ تقع في شركه‬ ‫في اولى الصفحات ويستحوذ‬

‫عليك حلني اإلنتهاء‪ .‬فالكتابة‬ ‫اإلبداع ّية التخ ّيل ّية سمة يتمتّع‬ ‫بها القمحاوي‪ .‬وهذا دليل على‬ ‫ثقافة األمة العربية وقدراتها‬ ‫اإلبداعية التي ليست حكرًا‬ ‫على الغرب وفي هذا يقول‬ ‫قمحاوي‪ »:‬الكاتب ليس أسير‬ ‫بيئته كما يتص ّور البعض‪،‬‬ ‫اخليال ليس ملقيًّا على ّ‬ ‫الطرقات‬ ‫في أميركا الالتينية‪ ،‬أعتقد‬ ‫أن الكتابة اجلميلة ابنة قراءة‬ ‫جميلة ليس واقعا جميال‪ ،‬أل ّن‬ ‫احلياة فيها كثير من البالدة‪،‬‬ ‫الكاتب ليس محكو ًما بشروط‬ ‫اجملتمع‪ ،‬كتابة اإلبداع ليست‬ ‫في مسيس احلاجة إلى احلر ّية‪،‬‬ ‫أي أرض باعتبارها أرض‬ ‫لنتص ّور ّ‬ ‫حر ّية مطلقة للكاتب‪ ،‬سنجد‬ ‫الكاتب يسير من تلقاء نفسه‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ملتفة ليس خو ًفا من‬ ‫في طرق‬ ‫إخالصا لطبيعة‬ ‫سلطة إنمّ ا‬ ‫ً‬ ‫األدب واللعب مع القارئ‪ ،‬األدب‬ ‫ال يسير في ُطرق مستقيمة‬ ‫كالصحافة‪ ،‬كتّاب أميركا‬ ‫ّ‬

‫الدماغ بني النوم واالستيقاظ‪،‬‬ ‫السهو والنسيان‬ ‫جاد شمس الدين‬ ‫مساهم صحفي‬

‫لطاملا تسائلنا عن السبب‬ ‫الذي يدفعنا لنسيان الشيء‬ ‫الذي فعلناه االن‪ ،‬او التفتيش‬ ‫عن شيء نحمله في يدنا على‬ ‫سبيل املثال‪.‬‬ ‫فلحظات السهو التي‬ ‫تنسيك املكان الذي تركت فيه‬ ‫مفاتيحك‪ ،‬مثالً‪ ،‬ليست بدون‬ ‫تفسير‪ .‬فقد أظهرت البحوث‬ ‫اخملتبرية أن أجزاء صغيرة من‬ ‫دماغك قد تقرر النوم بني احلني‬ ‫واألخر طل ًبا للراحة‪.‬‬ ‫يقول العلماء في لندن إنهم‬ ‫أثبتوا االن خطأ املقولة الشائعة‬ ‫التي تفيد أن الدماغ إما نائم‬ ‫بالكامل أو مستيقظ بالكامل‪.‬‬ ‫توصلوا الى أ ّن‬ ‫ويقولون إنهم ّ‬ ‫أجزاء صغيرة منه قد تقرر بني‬ ‫الفينة واألخرى النوم طل ًبا‬ ‫للراحة بعد إجهاد‪.‬‬ ‫ويضيفون أ ّن هذه احلقيقة هي‬ ‫تفسر شعور اإلنسان بأنه‬ ‫التي ّ‬ ‫أيضا‬ ‫«نصف نائم»‪.‬‬ ‫وتفسر ً‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫حلظات النسيان والسهو التي‬ ‫يبحث فيها عن نظارته الطبية‬ ‫بينما هو يرتديها‪ ،‬أو يضع قنينة‬ ‫املياه في خزانة البهارات‪ ،‬وعلبة‬ ‫امللح في الثالجة مثالً‪.‬‬ ‫وقد توصل فريق العلماء‬ ‫«ويسكونسن»‬ ‫في جامعة‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫األميركية إلى هذه احلقيقة‪،‬‬ ‫بعد قياس املوجات الكهربائ ّية‬

‫الدماغ‪ .‬فاتّضح أن بعض‬ ‫في ّ‬ ‫اخلاليا العصب ّية عند الناس‬ ‫املرهقني‪ ،‬الذين يظلون يبقون‬ ‫مستيقظني برغم ذلك‪ ،‬تق ّرر‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مستقل عن بقية‬ ‫النّوم بشكل‬ ‫الدماغ‪.‬‬ ‫وتقول البروفسير كيارا‬ ‫فريق‬ ‫كبيرة‬ ‫تشيريلي‪،‬‬ ‫البحث‪ ،‬في ورقتها التي أوردت‬ ‫فحواها صحيفة «تليغراف»‬ ‫البريطانية‪« :‬حتى قبل أن‬ ‫فثمة‬ ‫يشعر اإلنسان باإلرهاق‪ّ ،‬‬ ‫عالمات في الدماغ ّ‬ ‫حتث صاحبه‬ ‫على نيل قسط من الراحة أو‬ ‫على األقل‪ ،‬التو ّقف عن مواصلة‬ ‫أعماله التي تستدعي التركيز‪.‬‬ ‫من هذه العالمات خلود بعض‬ ‫مجموعات اخلاليا العصبية الى‬ ‫النوم مبا يؤثر سلبا ً على األداء‬ ‫العام لإلنسان»‪.‬‬ ‫وكان االعتقاد وسط العلماء‬ ‫قبل نشر نتائج البحث األخير‬ ‫هو أن احلرمان من النوم يؤثر‬ ‫على الدماغ بكامله‪ .‬لكن‬ ‫قياس موجاته الكهربائية‬ ‫تظهر صورة أخرى‪ .‬وتقول‬ ‫تشيريلي‪« :‬نعلم أنّنا‪ ،‬في حالة‬ ‫النعاس‪ ،‬نرتكب أخطاء صغيرة‬ ‫أو نسهو أو يتشتت تركيزنا‪ ،‬أو‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫تقل قدرتنا على احلكم السليم‬ ‫على األشياء»‪.‬‬ ‫ومتضي قائلة‪« :‬التّخطيط‬ ‫الدماغي يكشف لنا أننا‪ ،‬في‬ ‫هذه احلالة‪ ،‬من ّر بفترات «نوم‬ ‫جزئي» قصيرة‪ ،‬رغم أن أجسادنا‬ ‫نفسها تظل «مستيقظة»‪.‬‬

‫لكن هذه الفترات‪ ،‬على قصرها‪،‬‬ ‫قد تصبح وخيمة العواقب‪،‬‬ ‫ألنها املسؤولة على األرجح‬ ‫عن سقوط سائقي السيارات‬ ‫نائمني على عجلة القيادة‪ ،‬وهذا‬ ‫على سبيل املثال فقط»‪.‬‬ ‫وقالت إن التجارب اخملتبرية‬ ‫على الفئران أظهرت أنه حتى‬ ‫لدى نوم الدماغ جزئ ًيا فإن‬ ‫قياس نشاطه العام يظهر أنه‬ ‫يعمل بشكل طبيعي‪ .‬ولكن‬ ‫عندما يُحرم الفأر من النّوم‬ ‫فترة طويلة‪ ،‬وينوي القيام مبهام‬ ‫محددة‪ ،‬كالتقاط فص ّيص ّ‬ ‫سكر‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ألقي على مسافة قريبة منه‪،‬‬ ‫فهو يرتكب أخطاء‪ ،‬مثل إبطائه‬ ‫في الوصول اليه أو أن تخطئه‬ ‫براثنه حتى إذا وصل اليه‪ .‬وهذا‬ ‫يوضح أن بعض اخلاليا العصبية‬ ‫في دماغه قد خلدت إلى النوم‬ ‫رغم أن بق ّيته مستيقظة»‪.‬‬ ‫وتؤكد تشيريلي أن «عدد‬ ‫اخلاليا العصبية التي قد تخلد‬ ‫إلى النوم‪ ،‬وتس ّبب حاالت‬ ‫كهذه‪ ،‬ليس كبيرًا بالضرورة‪.‬‬ ‫فبني ‪ 20‬خلية رصدناها‪ ،‬كان‬ ‫عدد النّائم منها ال يتجاوز‬ ‫اثنتني في املتوسط‪ .‬والحظنا أن‬ ‫الفأر في هذه الفترة يُتنازع بني‬ ‫خمود احلركة من جهة‪ ،‬واحلركة‬ ‫الصامتة من اجلهة األخرى»‪.‬‬ ‫االن وجدنا التفسير العلمي‬ ‫ملا يحدث معنا‪،‬فكل ما ارهقت‬ ‫نفسك تزيد من نسبة حدوثها‬ ‫معك وكلما أرحتها ك ّلما ق ّللت‬ ‫من نسبت حدوثها‪.‬‬

‫الالتينية لديهم نفس الواقع‬ ‫البائس من املشاكل والقيود‬ ‫الديكتاتورية‪ ،‬نزيد عليهم‬ ‫قيد ال ِّدين‪ ،‬لكنهم مع ذلك‬ ‫أنتجوا أدبا مختلفا متاما عن‬ ‫األدب العربي‪ ،‬الواقع ال ينتج‬ ‫أدبًا إنمّ ا قدرة الكاتب على مت ّثل‬ ‫هذا الواقع‪ ،‬أعتقد أن التصادم‬ ‫مع الدين ليس مطل ًبا‪ ،‬إذا كان‬ ‫للكاتب أي رأي في معتقد فيجب‬ ‫أال يهني املؤمنني بهذا املعتقد‪،‬‬ ‫ليس من البطولة اإلهانة‬ ‫اجملان ّية ملشاعر اآلخرين الدينية‪،‬‬ ‫أمثلة كثيرة من كتابات إبداعية‬ ‫حتشر كلمة اهلل والرب وتنتقد‬ ‫الدين‪ ،‬أرى أنها تنقصها الفنية‬ ‫وتعتمد املباشرة‪ ،‬مثل وليمة‬ ‫ألعشاب البحر حليدر حيدر‪،‬‬ ‫قصيدة حلمي سالم (شرفة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫أزكي االلتفاف‬ ‫ليلى مراد)‪،‬‬ ‫لدواعي الفن واإلبداع ليس خو ًفا‬ ‫من املتدينني إمنا لدواعي اإلبداع‪،‬‬ ‫ومع ذلك رغم عدم موافقتي‬ ‫على أسلوب ُ‬ ‫الصدامي‬ ‫الكتاب‬ ‫ّ‬

‫اوتلوك‬

‫(صورة‪)Wikipedia.com :‬‬

‫إال أنني مستعد للدفاع عنه»‬ ‫رحلة ممتعة في مكنونات‬ ‫انسان‪ ،‬في محتويات كاتب‪،‬‬ ‫يواجه الضعف بالكتابة‬ ‫ويستكشف اجملهول بالكلمة‬ ‫وميشي بالرسائل على حافة‬ ‫الهاوية ويغوص بالقصص‬ ‫القصيرة في لوحة حياة‬ ‫مخطوطة بشرايني قلب جريح‪.‬‬

‫وشع قلمه‪:‬‬ ‫طابت دفاتره‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫جنيب جمال الدين مك ّرما ً‬ ‫التتمة من ص‪16‬‬

‫علي‬ ‫تكون عباراتي محسوبة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ومن الصعب أن أتكلم عن‬ ‫والدي الذي أحب الشام ووصفه‬ ‫عام ‪ 1970‬الشاعر الكبير سعيد‬ ‫عقل بأنه عبقرية شعرية‬ ‫تفجرت في العالم العربي»‬ ‫الى كلمة راعي احلفل دولة‬ ‫الرئيس بري الذي طرق باب‬ ‫القضايا املصيرية من على‬ ‫منبر ثقافي وبدأ كلمته‬ ‫بطابع وجداني وممّا قال‪ « :‬في‬ ‫البدء كان اهلل ثم كان املاء‬ ‫واخلضراء والوجه احلسن فكان‬ ‫الشعر لهذا الكائن الساحر‬ ‫الذي يتبعه الغاوون‪ ،‬ويسكن‬ ‫كعفاريت الدهشة في الشعر‪،‬‬ ‫احساسا سام ًيا‬ ‫وهو ميتلك‬ ‫ً‬ ‫باحلياة والوقت‪.‬‬ ‫لهذا ّ‬ ‫الشاعر الذي وطنه‬ ‫احلس‪ ،‬وانسانيته اتساع مداه‬ ‫والذي استمر يكتب حتى شاب‬ ‫الظالم والذي مات وعينه في‬ ‫اآلتي‪ .‬للشاعر وقد جزم أننا‬ ‫في الفراغ الذي انتزعت منه‬ ‫فلسطني‪ ،‬كلنا الجئون‪ ،‬الجئون‬ ‫أمس الجئون اليوم والجئون غ ًدا‬ ‫الجئون عشر سنوات‪ ،‬عشرين‪،‬‬ ‫خمسني أو أكثر ولكن املهم أن ال‬ ‫ننسى أننا الجئون وأننا نستحق‬ ‫العودة من وحدتنا‪.‬‬ ‫وهو وحده سافر في احلقيقة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الشام وإليها‪ ،‬حيث‬ ‫من‬ ‫الياسمني عطره أجمل مما‬

‫عفوي‬ ‫تلمسه عيوننا ألنه‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫وانساني وعنده ضمير‪،‬‬ ‫ومجاني‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وألن الشعر يسافر وراء العطر‬ ‫دائما ً‪.‬‬ ‫وهو الشاعر وقد تعلم في وحدته‬ ‫من اإلمام الصدر اجلغرافيا‪ ،‬وكتب‬ ‫قصيدة تبدأ من حدود الوطن‬ ‫اسمها‪ :‬املقاومة وال تنتهي عند‬ ‫حدود اجملتمع واسمها‪« :‬أمل»‪.‬‬ ‫وألنه كذلك فإن جنيب جمال الدين‬ ‫استحق أن يكون شاعرًا للقضايا‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الشفافة‬ ‫واملسؤولية وال ّرؤى‬ ‫كالبلور شاعر كربالء شاعر الذين‬ ‫شهروا على فوالذ القمع رموش‬ ‫عيونهم شاعر احلب واحلرب واأللم‬ ‫واألمل واحملاريث واأللوان والورود‬ ‫ودائما ً شاعر فلسطني ووجع‬ ‫الناس ولبنان والشام بل شاعر‬ ‫بر الشام‪،‬شاعر الراحل املقيم‬ ‫الرئيسحافظاألسد‪،‬شاعراإلمام‬ ‫القائد السيد موسى الصدر‪،‬‬ ‫شاعر تشرين‪ ،‬شاعر املقاومة‪.‬‬ ‫الشاعر الذي يعرف امرأة عيناها‬ ‫أجمل من البحيرة التي تتكىء‬ ‫عليها مدينة جنيف والذي كتب‬ ‫املرأة على رخامة قبره ومات»‪.‬‬ ‫وختم اخلطاب قائالً‪«:‬اآلن سأدعك‬ ‫يا صديقي لتواصل ترتيب عالقتنا‬ ‫بالضوء‪ ،‬وترتيب مكان يتّسع لنا‬ ‫في منطقة البوح حيث الفكرة‬ ‫وطن والوطن رسالة والرسالة‬ ‫لبنان‪ .‬عشت يا صديقي الشاعر‪،‬‬ ‫عاش الشعر‪ ،‬عاش لبنان»‪.‬‬

‫أ وتلو ك‬

‫إلى جميع قراءنا ‪ :‬صحيفة االوتلوك ترحب بالراغبني لإلنتساب إلى فر يقها‪.‬‬

‫اجلامعة األميركية في بيروت‬

‫املنشورة الطالبية املستقلة منذ عام ‪| ١٩٤٩‬‬

‫للمزيد من املعلومات‪ ،‬أدخلوا على موقعنا االلكتروني (‪ )www.aub.edu.lb/outlook‬أو راسلونا على ‪readoutlook@gmail.com‬‬

‫الثالثاء ‪ 10‬أيار ‪2011‬‬

‫|‬

‫جزء ‪ ٬٤٣‬عدد ‪28‬‬

‫‪15‬‬ ‫الدماغ بني النوم واالستيقاظ‬

‫‪15‬‬

‫كاتب من هذا الزمان‪ :‬عزت‬ ‫القمحاوي ‪ ..‬أحتفي باجلسد‬

‫مباراة العلوم الثامنة‪« :‬ح ّرر خيالك»‬

‫مصطفى فضل اهلل‬ ‫كاتب صحفي‬

‫يوم اجلمعة املاضي في‬ ‫السادس من هذا الشهر‬ ‫استقبل قصر األونيسكو‬ ‫في بيروت حد ثًا استثنائ ًيا‬ ‫على الصعيدين العلمي‬ ‫واإلجتماعي‪ .‬فقد أقيمت‬ ‫التصفيات النهائية على‬ ‫مستوى لبنان ملباراة العلوم‬ ‫و متّ على إثرها توزيع اجلوائز‬ ‫على الفائزين‪.‬‬ ‫مباراة العلوم هي حدث‬ ‫الهيئة‬ ‫تنظمه‬ ‫سنوي‬ ‫الوطنٌية للعلوم والبحوث‬ ‫منذ العام ‪ 2004‬في‬ ‫مختلف املناطق اللبنانية‪.‬‬ ‫ما مي ّيز هذه املباراة هو‬ ‫نسبة املشاركة فيها التي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مطرد‪،‬‬ ‫كانت تنمو بشكل‬ ‫السنوات الثمان‪ ،‬على‬ ‫خالل‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مستوى نوع ّية املشاريع‬ ‫وعدد الطالب واملدارس‪،‬‬ ‫باإلضافة إلى كون هذه‬ ‫املسابقة تنطلق بروح ّي ٍة‬ ‫وطن ّية بعيدة عن أجواء‬ ‫الصراع الداخلي اللبناني‬

‫بني الطائفية والسياسة‪،‬‬ ‫وقريبة من أجواء التقارب‬ ‫الوطني الذي يستطيع‬ ‫العلم أن يحققه‪ ،‬خاصة‬ ‫من خالل التنوع املذهبي‬ ‫واملناطقي الذي أعطته‬ ‫ا ملسا بقة ‪.‬‬ ‫تقدم الـ ‪ 2072‬طال ًبا‬ ‫في‬ ‫املشاركني‬ ‫وطالبة‬ ‫املباراة لعام ‪ 2011‬بـ ‪259‬‬ ‫مشرو ًعا وبحثا‪ ،‬وكانوا قد‬ ‫قدموا من ‪ 145‬مدرسة‬ ‫أما‬ ‫وثانوية رسمية وخاصة‪ّ .‬‬ ‫مجموع اجلوائز التي نالها‬ ‫الطالب واملدارس واألساتذة‬ ‫املشاركون ‪250,000,000‬‬ ‫ل‪.‬ل‪ .‬بٌينها ثالثني منحة‬ ‫جامع ّية كاملة باإلضافة‬ ‫إلى جوائز نقد ّية وعين ّية‪.‬‬ ‫بدأت املبارايات الفرع ّية في‬ ‫منتصف شهر أذار‪ ،‬حتى‬ ‫أواخر شهر نيسان وم ّر ت‬ ‫تبا ًعا على املناطق التالية‪:‬‬ ‫جب جنني‪ ،‬صور‪ ،‬بيروت‪-‬‬ ‫اً‬ ‫وصول‬ ‫احلدث وجبل لبنان‪،‬‬ ‫إلى النبط ّية فطرابلس‬ ‫وتأهل إلى النّهائ ّيات‬ ‫أخير ا ً‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫‪ 50‬مشرو ًعا تباروا جمي ًعا‬

‫في قصر األونيسكو على‬ ‫الفئات التالية ‪ :‬الروبوت‪،‬‬ ‫التّشغيل ّية‪،‬‬ ‫النماذج‬ ‫البجوث العلم ّية‪ ،‬النّماذج‬ ‫اإليضاح ّية‪ ،‬مشاريع الفلك‪،‬‬ ‫املعلومات‬ ‫تكنولوجيا‬ ‫واإلتصاالت‪ ،‬مشاريع الفئة‬ ‫العامل ّية للكيمياء‪ .‬ويذكر‬ ‫أن الطالب املشاركني هم‬ ‫من طالب املرحلة املتوسطة‬ ‫وفي حديث‬ ‫والثانو ّية‪.‬‬ ‫مقتضب له مع أوتلوك‪ ،‬دعا‬ ‫أمني سر الهيئة العلمية في‬ ‫املباراة علي غندور‪ ،‬زمالءه‬ ‫طالب اجلامعة األمريكية‬ ‫للمشاركة والتطوع في‬ ‫التي‬ ‫املنظمة‬ ‫اللجنة‬ ‫ستبدأ قريبا ً التحضير‬ ‫ملباراة العلوم ‪« .2012‬مباراة‬ ‫العلوم فرصة سانحة أمام‬ ‫الشباب اجلامعي ليكون‬ ‫جزء ا ً من مؤسسات اجملتمع‬ ‫األهلي واملنظمات الغير‬ ‫حكومية التي تعمل على‬ ‫رعاية العقول الشابة وحتفيز‬ ‫اإلبداع العلمي في ظل غياب‬ ‫الدولة»‪ .‬للتواصل معنا‬ ‫أضاف غندور‪ ،‬الرجاء الدخول‬

‫إلى صفحة املباراة على‬ ‫فيسبوك بعنوان «مباراة‬ ‫العلوم» أو عبر البريد‬

‫واالعالمية‪.‬‬ ‫استه َّل احلفل بالنشيد‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫اللبناني‪ ،‬تاله فيلم‬ ‫الوطني‬ ‫بسيط ومك ّثف يروي سيرة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الشاعر‪ ،‬الى كلمة ع ّريف‬ ‫االحتفال الدكتور ربيع الدبس‬ ‫الذي اعتبر أن ّ‬ ‫الشعراء هم روح‬ ‫األمة‪ ،‬واصفا ً احملتفى به بأنّه رجل‬ ‫موقف‪ ،‬مفت ٌون بصمود دمشق‬ ‫وتضحيات فلسطني‪ ،‬مقاو ٌم‬ ‫بالنّهج العام ممان ٌع بااللتزام‬ ‫األدبي‪ ،‬وكان في العقل واللغة‬ ‫متصوفاً‪ ،‬وفي ّ‬ ‫الشعر ذا خيال‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫تخطى اخليال احلاضر حتى‬ ‫خ ّالق‬ ‫ارتسم على مح ّياه بألوان قوس‬ ‫قزح‪ .‬والتمعت املرأة في عينيه‬ ‫على قدر ما كانت له وطنا ً‪.‬‬ ‫إلى كلمة رئيس «جمعية‬ ‫التنمية واإلمناء في البقاع»‬ ‫أحمد احلاج حسن قائالً‪« :‬وهو‬ ‫اإلنساني‪،‬‬ ‫العربي‬ ‫الشاعر‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫التقدمي التغزلي احل ّر غير‬ ‫الطائفي ‪.‬هو صاحب شموخ‬ ‫بعلبك‪ .‬إنه بنيان شامخ من‬ ‫الشعر واألدب وصوت هادر باسم‬

‫احملرومني وثوري مقاوم «‪ .‬كما‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ركز احلسن على وعي الشاعر‬ ‫ألهمية التخطيط للمستقبل‬ ‫فهو ال يريد لبنان «الذي يتغدى‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫يتعشى»‪.‬‬ ‫وال يعرف ماذا‬ ‫تاله الشاعر طارق ناصر‬ ‫الدين وممّا قال‪ « :‬لو يسترد‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫بالشعر‪/‬ما فقد‪ /‬ما‬ ‫الصبا‬ ‫كان يقفز عن عشرينه أبدا‪ /‬لو‬ ‫احلب في فمه‬ ‫تسمعون صالة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫لكان أعشق من ص ّلى وسجد‪/‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫والشعر معجزة فاضت عن‬ ‫اهلل كي تستقرب األبد‪ /‬وقيل‬ ‫عنك خرقت املستحيل وقد‬ ‫انسنت جنا ً وجننت الذي رق َد‪/‬‬ ‫والشعر أقدس أسرار اجلمال‬ ‫ومن رأى اجلمال ولم يركع فقد‬ ‫جحد‪ /‬وليس سهالً على سهل‬ ‫البقاع وقد أحس عاصيه عن‬ ‫عاصيه ابتعد‪ /‬يا ذكريات الصبا‬ ‫بوحي بال حذر عن عاشق جذب‬ ‫العشاق وانبرد‪ /‬وكم شرارة‬ ‫بشعر طهرت جسد‪ /‬وكم‬ ‫غزالة حب روضت اسد‪ /‬واالن‬ ‫تهتف روحانا بال حرج‪ /‬يا نيل‬

‫ضمد جرح املاء في بردى‪».‬‬ ‫الى غسان مطر‪ ،‬شاعر‬ ‫النزيف الذي ال يتوقف‪ ،‬كما‬ ‫قدمه عريف احلفل‪,‬فقال‪:‬‬ ‫«اقفلت دون القوافي العمر‬ ‫مس قلبي‬ ‫والطرق‪ /‬من ساحر ّ‬ ‫عندما طرق‪/‬وكان جمري رمادا ً‪/‬‬ ‫والصقيع دمي فمن أعاد اليه‬ ‫النبض والرمق‪ /‬وكان صوتي‬ ‫اوتارا ً مقطعة كمته داهية‬ ‫االيام فاختنق‪ /‬م ّرت به النّار ما‬ ‫اهتزت سواتره وحني ذكراك م ّرت‬ ‫الصمت‬ ‫جن وانطلق‪ /‬يا عاشق ّ‬ ‫اشكو غربتي فلقا سقا الزمان‬ ‫سواي الصبر حني سقا‪ /‬فان‬ ‫سمعت انينا ً تلك اغنيتي‪ /‬او‬ ‫صرخ ًة ذاك قلبي ك ّلما خفق ‪/‬‬ ‫لم يبق غيرها اكتبها دمعي لها‬ ‫احلبر فأجعل صدرك الورق»‪.‬‬ ‫الى قصيدة «يا بعلبكي»‬ ‫للشاعر جوزف حرب وهنا بعض‬ ‫أبياتها‪ « :‬وإن ض َّمت ُه مقبر ٌة‪/‬‬ ‫َمن بَع َد ُه سوف متحو َموت َه‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫الكتُب‪ /‬من شاعر كلما راقت‬ ‫يَراع ُت ُه‪ /‬وان اخليا ُل له‪ ،‬وانزاحت‬

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‫وشع قلمه‪ :‬جنيب جمال الدين مك ّرما ً‬ ‫طابت دفاتره‬ ‫ّ‬

‫مدى الدبس‬ ‫مساهمة صحفية‬

‫في األسبوع املاضي قامت‬ ‫«جمعية التنمية واإلمناء في‬ ‫البقاع « و»احلركة الثقافية في‬ ‫لبنان» بتكرمي الشاعر الراحل‬ ‫جنيب جمال الدين‪ ،‬برعاية‬ ‫وحضور دولة رئيس مجلس‬ ‫النواب نبيه بري نهار الثالثاء‬ ‫الواقع في ‪.2011-04-26‬‬ ‫غصت القاعة الكبرى في‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫قصر األونيسكو باحلضور الذي‬ ‫تقدمه الرئيس ب ّري‪،‬إلى مم ّثلي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫رئيس احلكومة املك ّلف ومفتي‬ ‫اجلمهورية ونائب رئيس اجمللس‬ ‫اإلسالمي الشيعي االعلى‬ ‫وشيخ عقل الطائفة الدرزية‬ ‫وبعض الوزراء والنواب وسفراء‬ ‫والسودان والقائم‬ ‫سورية‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫والسفير‬ ‫باالعمال اإليراني‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الفلسطيني‪ ،‬وحشد من رؤساء‬ ‫وممثلي األحزاب ومسؤولي‬ ‫الهيئات الثقافية واالجتماعية‬ ‫والقيادات العسكرية واألمنية‬

‫احلُ ُجب‪ /‬صاغ الكالم رُخام ّيا ً‬ ‫بريشته‪ /‬كما بريشة ريح‬ ‫حب‪ /‬أوراق ديوانه‬ ‫صيغت ُّ‬ ‫الس ُ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫شمع أبياته‬ ‫من‬ ‫ُه‪/‬‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ز‬ ‫ليل‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ِّ‬ ‫األقماتُر والشهب‪ /‬يا ِ‬ ‫بعلبكي‪ ،‬إن‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫املوت ليس لنا‪ /‬وال الضريح لنا‪،‬‬ ‫واملا ُء‬ ‫والعشب‪ /‬ما مات من نذروا‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ريشتهم‪,،‬إمنا روحهم‬ ‫للحبر‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫للحبر قد وهبوا‪».‬‬ ‫ثم حتدث جنل احملتفى بذكراه‪،‬‬ ‫الدكتور عبد الناصر جمال الدين‬ ‫قائالً‪« :‬قد ال تكفي كلمة شكر‬ ‫ومحبة لكل من ساهم في‬ ‫تكرمي الشاعر جنيب جمال الدين‬ ‫ونعمة غامرة أن نلتقي هذه‬ ‫النخبة في هذه القاعة وكيف‬ ‫لنا أن ننسى جهد اخملرج واملبدع‬ ‫عادل سرحان الذي وضع جز ًءا من‬ ‫تصويري‪.‬‬ ‫تاريخ النّجيب في اطار‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫لم يكن يكره شيئًا كما كره‬ ‫اجلهل هو البعلبكي حتى‬ ‫واللبناني حتّى النّزف‬ ‫العظم‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫والعربي حتّى االستشهاد‪ .‬قد‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫التتمة ص‪15‬‬