I 12, V 42

Outlook Newspaper The American University of Beirut

Vol. XLII, No. 12 | Tuesday, January 5, 2010 | The Independent Student Publication Since 1949

WELCOME, 2010!

Research Workshop II Wajiha Jurdi Kheir Staff Writer

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INSIDE

or the second year running, the Lebanese Medical Students International Committee’s (LeMSIC) Standing Committee on Research Exchange (SCORE) is offering a research workshop to Med-

ical students. The workshop is entitled “Becoming Good Conductors and Consumers of Research.” It is offered as a result of voluntary effort on behalf of SCORE and its diligent National officer on Research Exchange, Medicine III student Mohammad Dahrouj.

The highly in-demand work-

Editorial & Opinion 2-3 Entertainment Campus News 4-6 Out of The Box Arts & Culture 7-9

www.aub.edu.lb/outlook

10-11 12

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shop’s predecessor was a successful venture on behalf of SCORE last year, which explains the big number of applications that were received this year. In fact, interviews had to be held in order to choose the participants. It is worth noting that the workshop is offered by SCORE free of charge.

The workshop meets once week for an hour, and therefore does not interfere with Medical students’ hectic schedules. Half the sessions will be given by the course coordinator, Dr. Kim Smith Abouchakra, and the rest will be given by guest lecturers. Dr. George Nemer will contribute by providing two

Christmas Dinners FEA, BSS, Enviromental Health

4-5

Bliss Street, West Hall 208 tel: 01 350 000 ext.3193

BB’s

Comparing different types of Blackberry

sessions regarding research in the basic sciences.

When Smith Abouchakra was first approached by SCORE to give this workshop, she had already been giving a more comprehensive version Continued on page 4

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Editorial & Opinion Editorial A New Year’s Resolution: Live big

Mohamad Yahia Hamade Editor-in-Chief

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or the past month or so, all I could hear everyone talk about was the brand new person they wanted to be in the next year, a New Year’s resolutions that sounds very familiar- probably the same ones from last year, if I’m not mistaken.

Most people are looking to become better human beings, have a new attitude, and maybe have a changed outlook (no pun intended). Is there a point behind all this?

Well, yes and no. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean that setting goals is cliché; I always draw out plans before executing a decision. However, the way I see it, New Year’s resolutions have turned into a tradition, among many others, that I no longer respect anymore.

How do you expect me to take anyone seriously if they wait for a new year to have a resolution? All they end up with is having no resolve in the first place.

According to a study in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, after six months, less than half of adults with resolutions actually follow through on them. That’s nothing; this just gets better because after the first week in a new year, a quarter of adults with resolutions don’t even remember them. Shocking, no?

Unlike those poor adults, I remember every New Year’s

Eve list of resolutions I wrote with my best friend. I occasionally followed my list, while his sat in a drawer with his lost USBs. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there isn’t any metamorphous between the last night of one year and the first morning of the next that magically transforms the person you are into the one you want to be, knocking and fulfilling your wishes. You’re essentially still the same person with the same capabilities as you had the night before.

So the question remains, why do we put so much emphasis on changing ourselves to keep in time with the changing of the calendar year?

Why not work on perfecting yourself everyday and not just at the beginning of the New Year? Sounds better, doesn’t it? This will definitely stop putting pressure on you to improve something about your life starting at the very beginning of the year. You’d end up becoming the person you want to be at the end of the year.

I’m not saying New Year’s resolutions are a bad thing. I just think that if you work on eliminating your faults and improving yourself throughout the year is much better than letting it all pile up at the end of December, and then bludgeoning everyone around you with your shortcomings.

This is the part of my monologue where I remind you that we only live once. So in immortal words of Alan Shore (which also happens to be my recent Facebook status), “in the meantime, live big my friend. Live big” and improve yourself. Today, not in 2011.

Op-Ed

Lojine Kamel

Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn. About Twilight, that is

So over the break I watched a dozen or so movies, among them classics like Gone With the Wind, Pride and Prejudice, and of course, the LOTR trilogy. I also happened to watch a MTV link my friend sent me that compared the relationship of Edward and Bella to those of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, Mr. Butler and Scarlet, or even Hermione and Ron! When sparkly vampires get ranked with the greats, seriously people, there is a problem.

I refuse, absolutely refuse, to be part of a generation known

for its vampire obsessions. I mean, what happened to dignity, popular works of literature written by competent authors, and movies that don’t make my eyes bleed?

I find the entire Twilight series completely and utterly overrated, so much so that the next person I hear raving about how hot Robert Pattinson is shall get Avada Kedavara’d in the face. The obsessions of teenage girls (and even some boys) fall into absolute ridiculousness – to the point where I have seen shrines dedicated to Edward and lockers covered with his face.

The thing that really gets to me is when girls mold their entire perception of the male population after Edward Cullen. I have seen people go for pale-skinned, bronzehaired guys that they don’t even know- the sole reason being his resemblance to a vampire. Okay chivalry is hot, but that doesn’t mean you need to look for a guy who

Comic Strip

will stalk you night and day for your protection.

Oh and people, listen up. Yes, Taylor Lautner is good looking. We know. So stop telling us every five minutes.

We don’t need to know if he is your screen-saver or pillow or whatever.

Hopefully, this insane vampire craze will ride itself out.

Hopefully people will start re-focusing on normal obsessions, like LOTR, Harry Potter, or even Star Trek. So I ask you, people of AUB, let’s try and forget about glittery bloodsuckers – at least for a little bit. Make it your New Year’s resolution to read some decent novels, watch some decent movies, and fix your male expectations.

So don’t ask me if I am Team Edward or Team Jacob, or I will start screaming Team Harry Potter till your ears bleed. But hey, I’m sure Edward would go for that – and who am I to judge shiny, sadistic, pedophilic vampires?

Deedee El-Jilani

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Editorial & Opinion Op-Ed

Emile Zankoul The UNSEEN potential

I have noticed that when it comes to people picking their majors, prejudice plays a huge and obvious role. When

I ask my friends about their choices, it seems as though each time I’m addressing the same person, since very often I get similar answers including “Bio pre-med,” “Engineering,” or “Business/Economics.” Before you get the wrong idea, I am majoring in Civil Engineering. Now, why do we all have a similar choice? I don’t think the answer is that we all share the same passion; I would rather blame society.

One thing we’re concerned about is the infamous reputation. Many would rather live the life they never wanted because of the simple reputation matter. This is actually caused by the look1. Here’s something you’ve got to try if you’re 18 or above, and someone asks you, “What do you do in life?” or “What are you

going to be?” try to answer, “a basketball player” or “a writer.” The second step is that famous question, as though you missed the whole point of the discussion, “Yes that’s a great hobby, but what do you work?” Now, when you’ll explain that your first answer is actually your “work,” you will eventually get the look1, because in this society and in many others, arts and sports aren’t considered as decent jobs since people assume that they reflect a low level of intellectuality. Moreover, any artistic or sports job is rarely paid enough-they are probably the least paid in the country and all those domains are relatively poorly financed.

Now why would this be a problem? Mainly because this country has many dedicated athletes and artists

who possess true passions, at which they excel. Lebanon is a country with huge potentials in these domains, however, they remain UNSEEN and underexploited.

Arts and sports require inspiration and talent, two things that cannot be acquired easily. Here, in Lebanon, we have plenty of those, but for some reason, rarely are those who see or at least appreciate them. What I can say in this situation is the very unfortunate French saying which is a perfect clarification, “C’est Mozart que l’on assassine,” loosely translated to “It is Mozart whom one assassinates.”

So to avoid big losses of talent, let us try to bring arts and sports to their real level, by encouraging those gifted morally, financially and ma-

terialistically, or at least by showing them appreciation. I hope that soon enough, those underestimated domains will be valued as much as they truly deserve.

This article is dedicated to all those who have a passion but facing the obstacles of prejudice and reputation and all those who stand for this cause, but mostly to all the athletes and artists out there. look1: It is used by the relatively older people to replace the interjection “oh…” when it expresses indignity. Sometimes this look reaches a point where it might actually express pity.

Outlook Wishes Everyone a Happy New Year Op-Ed

Maya Terro

‘‘We’re ALL gonna die!’’ Yeah, right. As if I hadn’t heard that one before As I discuss my theory of how about 10 years have passed now since the issue of how “the year 2000 will bring the world to its doomed end” was first brought up, I can’t but laugh and wholeheartedly admit that, for a moment there, even I was close to believing that nonsense junk.

Indeed, worrying about that entire end-of-the-world-inthe-year-2000 scenario was all a heck of a waste of time, don’t you agree? So, here I am making fun of myself when one of my friends goes like “you might be right, Maya, but there’s no doubt about it, this time it’s for real, 2012 is indeed the end of the world I

tell you.” Oh brother, here we go again! The whole 2012 and the end of the world scenario... again!

Okay, so suppose that I’ve gone completely haywire and that this time you are absolutely, positively, a 100% right that in 2012 we humans will cease to exist. Allow me to tell you this, “So what?”

Should I like be writing down my list-of-what-to-do-beforeI-die-in-2012? Nope. Perhaps cut down on my carbon fingerprint (i.e. my carbon dioxide contribution to the atmosphere)? Yeah, right.

Apart from 2012, a couple of years ago, the issue of “climate change” rose and with

it a series of relevant predictions. To the public, climate change was as distant a thought as the possibility of living on planet Mars has and still is for us humans. After the renowned movie The Inconvenient Truth hit the movie theaters, all of a sudden everyone, everywhere became aware of climate change and its impact on our beloved planet Earth. Define beloved?

Now while take pride in being a tree huger, I sometimes hate the fact that sometimes, even saving planet Earth has become a major marketing tool for major corporations rather than a purely

environmental issue that requires immediate intervention on everybody’s part. Copenhagen people can talk all they want (and indeed, that’s exactly what they ended up doing- plain talking), but seriously, is it me or are we becoming more naive. Do you seriously think that China would give up on one of its major GDP generators, this being industry. And why? For Mother Earth’s sake. Come on, who are we kidding here?

Excuse me, but last time I checked, saving planet Earth wasn’t on any developed countries agenda, or was it.

No sir, it was not. I rest my case.

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Campus News Research Workshop offered to medical students Continued from page 1 of it to the residents in the Division of Orthodontics for 5 to 6 years. “I was prepared and had enjoyed the benefits and outcomes of such a workshop from residents,” says Smith Abouchakra. “It is a pleasure to give it to Medical Students.”

Research education is very helpful to students, especially this early in their Medical careers. Though they may not become researchers themselves, they will always need to consume research. One of the aims of this workshop is to help students “recognize scientifically sound research,” adds Smith Abouchakra.

Of course, the research workshop was first established for students who are interested

in participating in research activities. “I was not exposed to research in my undergraduate years,” says Medicine I student and research workshop participant Farah Amro. “When I began Med school, however, I realized how pertinent it is for physicians not only to practice medicine but also contribute to its progress.”

This interactive workshop is the ideal medium for beginners in research like Amro.

It will provide them with a strong foundation in the research process, helping them conduct research in the future. In fact, a final project, in the form of a research proposal, will be required from every participant. Some may even present these proposals in the annual LeMSIC SCORE Research Day, as

was the case last year.

Other requirements students need to fulfill in order to get their certificate include completing a web-based National Institutes of Health (NIH) training course entitled, “Protecting Human Research Participants,” in addition to completing the student section in the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) program. This provides them with information about research ethics. It also serves as an introduction to the history and purpose of Institutional Review Boards (IRB), whose approval is needed before venturing into research involving human subjects. The Workshop has the full support of the Faculty of Medicine.

“Mr. Mahmoud Harb is kind enough to provide coffee ev-

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ery session and the Internal Medicine Department has offered us the use of their conference room for the entire course,” says Dahrouj. These are just two small examples of the faculty reaching out to a student organized activity.

LeMSIC subcommittee SCORE is definitely a pioneer and an advocate for research by Medical students.

It is providing students with a course their curriculum lacks but one that it is in dire need for.

time for dessert. Two cakes were cut, one of them offered by the IEEE, in celebration of the association’s 125th anniversary, and the other by the CES. Once all were well-fed and had had their drinks, it was time for the DJ to turn the calming Christmas music in the background into the exciting dance beats everyone was awaiting. The dance

floor was instantly filled with students from E1 to E4, in addition to a few professors.

The smiles and excitement on people’s faces were proof of the friendly mood and success of the event. The dance floor remained packed till 1:00 AM. This event was also covered by Mondanité magazine and Beiruting.com.

FEA enjoys Christmas dinner Emile Zankoul Staff Writer

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fter having held a successful Happy Hour for the Civil Engineering Society (CES) at Bechtel’s Wing D on December 17, yet another successful event was hosted by the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. The entire FEA enjoyed the Christmas gala dinner held at Hotel Le Commodore (Hamra) on Thursday, December 22. This semi-formal dinner was organized by the FEA-SRC, CES, IEEE, ASME, ESS, ASHRAE, and SME. The tickets to the event were restricted to 320 because of the limited capacity of the hotel dining hall, which was set up to accommodate 32 round tables of ten. Tickets were available one week prior to the dinner and were sold for $30, a price which included dinner and an open bar. Despite the fact that the event was sold out in only two days – or perhaps because of it – many FEA and non-FEA students tried to get last minute tickets by contacting people “on the inside.”

On D-Day, the event start-

ed at 9:00 PM as planned and people started to arrive progressively to the five-star hotel, all looking sharp and elegantly dressed for the occasion. A valet-parking service was secured for all the guests to assure a safe place for their cars. Sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduates all attended. In fact, not only students showed up as there were also professors present including Dr. Salah Sadek, Dr. Mounir Mabsout, Dr. Habib Basha, Mr. Khaled Joujou, and Chairman of the ECE Department Dr. Kabalan, who readily shared the fun of the event and contributed to its success. Once everybody took their place at their assigned tables, the waiters served delicious Lebanese appetizers and hot plates, which were then followed by the main course, consisting of both meat and chicken breast, along with various steamed vegetables on the side, as well as various drinks of choice. As dinner was being served, Mechanical Engineering student

and President of the FEASRC Richard Aoun, accompanied by Civil Engineering student and President of the CES,Georges El-Nachef, headed to the podium to welcome guests and wish them a good time, promising many similar upcoming events between now and the end of the academic year. After the main course, it was

Photo Courtesy of John Hajjar

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Campus News BSS: Christmas Dinner Gala Rami Diab Staff Writer

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his Christmas, AUB’s Biology Student Society (BSS) took its karaoke spirit to a whole new level, at the newly opened Lebanese dining parlor, Lebnenyet. The roaring music could be heard meters away from the Downtown parliament square. The restaurant housed a diverse mesh of a hundred or so glamorous Biology majors on Tuesday, December 22.

Radio One’s Wednesday night Rock & Roll/Metal Music special host, Randy and his trusty colleague, Joe (the man “with a voice as silk is to touch”) played a huge selection of all time favorites, including English 80’s rock ballads, Spanish classics, and Arabic hit singles.

Songs such as Danger Zone

by Kenny Loggins and Eye of the Tiger by the famous American group Survivor where chanted out loudly by the throngs of junior Biolo-

gy students and national patriotic songs were re-voiced, particularly by Biology senior Tarek El Helebi, as students argued eagerly over what to sing next.

Pia Maalouf and Cedric Kseib performed another duet named Vivo Pour Ella by the famous Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, while lively partygoers Fouad Badaoui and Amjad Kanj took to tirelessly yelling about at a decibel level only few could bear to handle, “I get knocked out, when I get up again, you’re never gonna keep me down…” Never before has there been witnessed such explosive zeal amongst Biology students.

Surely those who didn’t make it on that night could not have started off their Christmas vacation on the right foot.

Screams and laughter filled the air when BSS’s very own president Paul Ramia decided to couple up with Officer of Events Planning (and pri-

mary organizer of the Christmas dinner), Rita Toume to sing “I’m a Barbie Girl in a Barbie world…” which is something that isn’t seen everyday! “This annual opportunity is meant to embrace jolly experiences with our fellow colleagues, whose memories will stay with us when

these golden college days are long gone,” said Ramia.

Junior Sara El Baba spoke with fiery charisma, “I can’t recall the last time I’ve had so much fun; the clock has struck midnight and the party is just beginning!”

That’s right, AUB’s bubbly bunch of Biology students

Photo Courtesy of Rami Diab

have yet again come to prove that they’re worth far more than a few lousy lines of human and animal physiology.

No doubt, some awesome talent was discovered during that night. When it comes to AUB’s Biology Students, seeing is beyond believing!

Environmental Club hosts unique Christmas dinner Tala Kardas News Executive

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hough the main purpose of the Environmental Club’s Christmas dinner was to celebrate the festive season, it also carried an underlying message of saving the Earth from the catastrophic consequences of global warming.

The dinner, which was held on Tuesday, December 21, at the Orient Queen Homes, mainly attracted Environmental Health students and professors, as well as students in related disciplines.

Also in attendance were several representatives from the sponsoring companies Procter and Gamble, UMB, Coldwell Banker, and Deek Duke. The number of attendees did not exceed 30, resulting in a very relaxed and friendly setting.

The evening also featured the Best Poster on Climate

Change competition where several students had designed eye-catching posters on the matter at hand.

These were exhibited during the whole night and received praise for their ingenuity and creativity from the attendees.

After refreshments were served and everybody had a chance to mingle, Environmental Club president Maria Saidy offered a word of welcome in which she thanked everyone for coming and the sponsors for all their help and support. She then proceeded to announce the winners of the contest and called upon the representatives to present the awards and certificates of participation.

Those in attendance enjoyed a menu full of Lebanese “mezza” while music and Christmas carols played in the

Photo Courtesy of Tala Kardas

background. Live entertainment was provided by two Environmental Health students, senior Sara Obeid and sophomore Louai Merhi, who sang a collection of old Arabic favorites. They were met by loud applauses and cheering, prompting them to take requests from the audience.

The night also included a draw for dinner vouchers courtesy of Deek Duke and Orient Queen Homes.

Despite all the fun, a sentiment that all seemed to agree on, the true purpose behind this event did not go by unnoticed. On all the dinner tables, this issue, along with

the failures that resulted from the Copenhagen summit were discussed, in hopes that such events could lead to furthering the cause and raising awareness of the problems resulting from climate change.

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Campus News

Pedro AlModovar, “Talk To Her” /”Hable con ella” movie

Mohammad Al Medawar Staff Writer

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fter winning the 2002 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and the 2003 Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, The Cine Club at AUB thought it would be appropriate to pay Pedro Almodovar a tribute, by screening this very movie that claimed those prizes and critical acclaim. The film, entitled “Talk To Her” or “Hable con ella” in Spanish (the flim’s original language), is a story of love, death, and faith. The movie begins with a theatrical display introducing the lead actors Benigno and Marco. After an initial encounter at the theater,the two men meet at a hospital where Benigno works as a nurse. Marco’s girlfriend, Lydia, a bullfighter by profession, has been knocked down during one of her bullfights, causing severe head injury and consequently a coma. It so happens that Benigno is looking after another woman in a coma, Alicia, a young ballet student whom he showed interest in before a car accident four years earlier that led to her current situation.

Grieving for a love affair that tragically ended ten

years ago, Marco finds himself in the same position sitting next to Lydia’s hospital bed. Till now, it only seems like a normal movie but as the events progress, it is noticed that fate has a weird way of telling us that destiny is hard to predict. Let’s take Benigno for example.

He seems like a caring, nonviolent person, full of faith and devotion to do the best he can. He attends movies and theatrical events, then goes back to Alicia and talks to her about what he’d seen, reads to her, and holds photographs in front of her closed eyes, with solid faith that she can hear him and that one day she’ll wake up and know what he has done for her. Moreover, after Benigno meets Marco at the hospital again, they become friendly, and Benigno encourages Marco to talk to Lydia and hope for a miracle.

In a sad twist of fate, however, Alicia becomes pregnant and Benigno is accused for raping her, and gets sent to a state-of-the-art prison where he overdoses on some pills and dies.As for Alicia’s destiny, she miraculously wakes up from her coma

but loses the fetus. She also resumes her ballet classes, while the other coma patient Lydia, meets her end as expected. She had it coming, but the catch here is that although Benigno urged Marco to involve her in a daily conversation and keep her connected to the world, Marco refuses to accept that kind of faith and tries to inject reality instead.

Therefore, despite all the unnecessary details and the scenes of nudity portrayed repeatedly in the movie, the message to be inferred here is that one should hold on to faith and never let go because God works in mysterious ways and has unpredictable plans for each of us.

Like any other Lebanese event, the movie started 20 minutes after the stated time. The number of attendees, however, was remarkable considering the fact that this was the club’s first “baby” as Cine Club president, Jamal Srouji explained. Moreover, the audience interacted with the different scenes in the movie- laughter and sympathetic sighs could be heard throughout the screening.

When asked about the aim of the club and what movies it plans to screen Srouji stated that they “aim to shed the light on new stuff, not on mainstream Hollywood movies” and added that they “aim to introduce many acclaimed directors that we don’t know of.”

As for the choice of the movie, he explained that “Hable

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con ella perfectly describes the work of Padro Almodovar(...)It tells us a bit about Spanish cinema.”

Finally, when asked about future movies, Jamal replied, “Nothing specific yet, we will display foreign, old, reputable, but not well known among students”

...‫وذاكرتي ال تخونني أب ًدا‬ ‫موسى شلح‬ ‫صحفي‬ ‫كاتب‬ ّ

.‫يبتغي سوى املزيد واملزيد بال هوادة‬ ‫ وما على أعضاء الفريق‬,‫الستار‬ ّ ‫تُسدل‬ ‫السيناريو‬ ّ ‫سوى أن يؤ ّدوا أدوارهم كما‬ ّ ‫ينص‬ ّ ‫ وفي النّهاية انحناء ٌة‬,‫باحتراف‬ ‫مهذب ٌة تكفي‬ ٍ ‫ واجلرأة‬,‫قليل من اخلجل هنا‬ ‫مع‬ ,‫ة‬ ‫املهم‬ ‫إلمتام‬ ّ ٍ ّ ‫بكل منهم‬ ‫الدور املنوط‬ ّ ‫ فيؤ ّدون‬,‫هناك‬ ...‫بنجاح‬ ٍ ‫سمعت‬ ,‫رأيتهم بأ ّم عيني في ذلك اليوم‬ ُ ‫مباركاتهم يتمتمونها في‬ ‫ تأملت‬,‫أذني‬ ّ ‫ شممت‬,‫انفعاالتهم في ال ّرؤى وفي األحالم‬ ‫أطيابهم وعطور أزهارهم املم ّوهة بتعاسة‬ ّ ‫ وبعد‬,‫املكفن بامل ّر‬ ّ ‫ تذ ّوقت ُحلوهم‬,‫الوجود‬ ‫كل‬ ‫ما رأيت‬ ,‫قت‬ ُ ‫وتأملت وشممت وتذ ّو‬ ُ ّ ‫وسمعت‬ ّ ‫ يوم‬...‫رت ال ّلحظة كما كانت في حينها‬ ُ ‫تذك‬ !‫ وذاكرتي ال تخونني أب ًدا‬,‫والدتي‬

‫وساعات وأ ّيام وسنني وما عرفت‬ ‫ودقائق‬ ٍ ...‫شفاههن الكمد املعلن‬ ّ ‫ لكنّني‬,‫الصق مينعني من الكالم‬ ‫بشريط‬ ‫ما‬ ٍ ٍ ...‫الصمت‬ ُ ّ ‫التزمت‬ ‫يدي أو أقدامي لكنّني‬ ّ ‫ما بسالسل تك ّبل‬ ...‫السكون‬ ُ ّ ‫عشقت‬ ‫مسرح‬ ‫في‬ ‫كنت‬ ‫ّني‬ ‫ن‬ ‫لك‬ ‫ارتكبت‬ ‫ة‬ ‫جرمي‬ ‫ما من‬ ٍ ٍ ...‫ما‬ ‫ملسرح خ ّالب‬ ‫ لكنّه‬,‫ليس مبسرح اجلرمي ِة‬ ٌ ‫ ومن كافة البالد‬,‫يصعده النّاس ك ّلهم‬ ‫واألقاليم واجملتمعات واألعراق واألديان‬ ‫ أغنياء‬,‫وأعاجم‬ ...‫واملذاهب والفئات‬ ‫عرب‬ ٌ ُ ‫ ظاملون‬,ٌ‫ عبي ٌد وأحرار‬,‫بيض وسو ٌد‬ ,‫وفقراء‬ ٌ ,‫ متد ّينون وعلمان ّيون وملحدون‬,‫ومظلومون‬ ...‫ شرفاء ومعربدون‬,‫عظماء وحقيرون‬ ,‫املنصة‬ ‫مسرح يختبرون من خالله رهاب‬ ٌ ّ ‫وتأثيرانعكاسات األضواء عبر جفونهم‬ ‫ وحرارة تصفيق اجلمهور ا ّلذي ال‬,‫الدامسة‬ ّ

‫ من كافة‬,‫وشرعوا يتجمهرون من حولنا‬ ‫ في األمام أطفال صغارٌ يرتدون‬.‫األعمار‬ ‫ ويحملون في أيديهم بالونات‬,‫املالبس املل ّونة‬ ٌ‫ إلى جانبهم أمرأ ٌة عجوز‬.‫ترتفع عال ًيا‬ ّ ‫ وفي‬,‫لكانت األسعد في الغرف ِة‬ ‫ظل عبارات‬ ‫ إذا بأحد ال ّرجال احلاضرين‬,‫البسملة واحلمدلة‬ :‫يصيح‬ ّ‫حمدا ه‬ ‫لل على سالمتك يا‬ ً !‫حبيبتي‬ ‫السفر؟‬ َ ّ ‫أعدت من‬ ‫ أو أناديك أم‬,‫نعم يا سامية‬ !‫جاد؟‬ ‫ فابتسمت سامية واقترب من كالنا‬,‫قالها‬ ‫ هكذا كان‬...‫مقدسة‬ ‫يحتضننا ببهج ٍة‬ ّ ‫ فهذا والدي وتلك‬,‫الدنيا‬ ُ ‫يوم‬ ّ ‫أتيت إلى هذه‬ ‫ وأوالئك أط ّباء يهرعون بني ردهات‬,‫جدتي‬ ّ ‫ وأولئك مم ّرضات يتقّ نعن‬,‫املستشفى‬ ‫لثوان‬ ‫ تدوم‬...‫بابتسامات أثارت دهشتي‬ ٍ

‫ فما استطاعت أن تراني بني‬,‫صمودها هذا‬ .‫أياديهم‬ ‫الداخل‬ ّ ‫أنت تعالي! خذيه إلى‬ ِ !‫وقومي مبا ينبغي القيام به‬ !‫حاضر‬ ‫أخذتني إحدى النّساء احلاضرات ورمتني‬ ‫ ِ فأصبح احلوض ما ًءا ود ًما‬, ‫في احلوض‬ ‫ حتّى‬,‫ينخلطان ويتباعدان عن جسدي‬ .‫عميق حسبتُه موت ًا‬ ‫سبات‬ ‫دخلت في‬ ٍ ٍ ,‫أحسست بأح ٍد يداعب وجهي‬ ‫بعدها‬ ُ ‫فتفتّحت عيناي بني أحضان سامية وجهها‬ ‫فأحسست باألمان‬ ُ ِ, ‫بات عرين البسمة‬ ‫ أطلعتني‬.‫وتالشت ﺸﺂبيب الهول من حولي‬ ‫ صرموا حبالنا‬:‫ رأيتها تقول لي‬...‫أسرارها‬ ,‫وقت مضى‬ ّ ‫لكنّي اﻵن أشعر بك أكثر من‬ ٍ ‫أي‬ ‫الدموع‬ ّ ‫ أنت‬...‫فأنت حلم األمس ورجاء الغد‬ ...‫وأنت االبتسامات‬ ,‫ تالها دخول زمر ٍة من معارفها‬,‫ثوان معدود ٌة‬ ٍ

‫ ومن‬,‫كثب‬ ‫وجدت نفسي أراقبهم عن‬... ُ ٍ ‫حملت بوتق ًة من األشباح البيضاء‬ ُ ‫خالل ك ّو ٍة‬ ّ ‫قد أحاطتني من‬ ‫ رؤوسهم‬,‫كل ناحية‬ ٌ .‫قماش أخضر ال ّلون‬ ‫وأقدامهم يغط ّيها‬ ‫ يسحب‬,‫ رئيس العصابة‬,‫مقدمة هؤالء‬ ّ ‫في‬ ّ ً ‫ة‬ ‫خ‬ ‫ملط‬ ‫فأجدها‬ ,‫جسدي‬ ‫عن‬ ‫ا‬ ‫د‬ ‫بعي‬ ‫يديه‬ ً ً ‫ثم يصفعني بق ّو ٍة وبال رحم ٍة‬ ّ ‫باألحمر القاني‬ ّ ‫فوجدت نفسي أصرخ من‬ ‫ ما أثار‬,‫كل قلبي‬ ُ ‫رفاقه على إصدار القهقهات وأثار غضبي‬ ... ‫عليهم‬ ‫أدركت‬ ‫أذني بل‬ ‫في‬ ‫الوقع‬ ‫غريب‬ ‫يكن‬ ‫صوته لم‬ ُ ّ ‫حدته في‬ ّ ‫أنّه رافقني منذ شهورٍ وقد زادت‬ ‫بد‬ ّ ‫ ال‬...‫األ ّيام األخيرة التّي سبقت رؤيتي لَه‬ ,‫أنّه رجل الهاتف! ال بل هو ال ّرجل بالتّأكيد‬ .‫سمعت رماه رجالً يناقش موضوعي‬ ‫فما‬ ُ ,‫سامية! سامية! استيقظي‬ .‫فقد انتهينا‬ ‫وسامية قد أغمي عليها من ج ّراء‬

Arts & Culture

7

BlackBerry Smartphones – A Comparison Yasmine Saab Staff Writer

I

t’s this simple: you either have a Blackberry, or you’re getting one (even if you don’t know it yet) as the need to be a BlackBerryer and be on BBM (BlackBerry Messaging) is almost as infectious and addictive as the need to be on Facebook, giving rise to its nickname “CrackBerry.” So seeing as you’re going to be the owner of a BlackBerry, you might as well make an educated decision about which BlackBerry you are going to own.

The first question to answer is, why be a BlackBerryer? The two main reasons that people are getting their BlackBerries, according to an Alfa salesperson, are the internet and BBM. For $40 on top of your current phone plan, you receive direct internet access through your phone line – for Alfa users, this includes unlimited megabyte usage, but for MTC Touch users it is limit-

Charts from blackberry.com

ed. Also included in the $40 is BBM, a free instant-messaging application where replies are listed above one another like a conversation, with the added service of being able to see when the recipient has read your BBM. These services mean you save on your phone bill.

The second question to answer is, which should I get?

Although there are a number of variations, the main three

(and their latest versions) will be compared here; the Bold 9700, Curve 8900, and Storm2 9550.

A chart from the BlackBerry website lists and compares the features of all three, in a simple and easy-to-view way (from left to right, BlackBerry Bold 9700, Curve 8900, Storm2 9550); All three devices also offer GPS and a 3.2 megapixel camera. As well as size, weight,

battery life, and features, prices should also come into consideration when choosing your phone.

From the BlackBerry Store in Down Town, the prices of the various phones are as follows, the new BlackBerry Bold (9700) sells for $699, the previous version of which (Bold 9000) was in the range of $650. The Blackberry Curve 8900 is worth $550, and the preceding type charg-

es $360. Finally, the Blackberry Storm 2 9550 is the all touch-screen device, which looks somewhat cooler, but annoys most people as it is said to be less user-friendly.

The demand for it in this region is notably lower than for the other models; the BlackBerry Store does not carry it, and according to the Class store in Down Town, it was discontinued after sales proved it to be an unprofitable item. Prices include one-year guarantee, but this varies from one vendor to another depending on demand and profit margin.

More information (as well as cool 360° views) about the ubiquitous handheld devices can be found on the BlackBerry website <http:// na.blackberry.com/eng>.

Hope you had a BlackBerry Christmas!

Whale killing in Denmark: Truth or Rumor?

Rita Obeid Staff Writer

M

any of us have received the chain letter addressing Denmark and the disgrace it has caused mankind, because of its annual slaying of whales.

The e-mail states that inhabitants of the Faroe Island in Denmark kill thousands of the friendly whales yearly, as a ritual of passage into adulthood for the men participating in the massacre. BBC News addressed this controversy and stated that the island’s inhabitants have been hunting these pilot whales for centuries.The claim falsifying the emails is that the hunt is for reasons of survival. While these animals are used as food stocks for the winter to feed the islanders, it is certain that for animal rights activists, this kill is brutal and unnecessary.

Animal right activists affirm

that these whales are endangered species and the manner in which they are killed is inhumane. While the way these whales are slaughtered is obviously vicious, the islanders’ defense is that the whale population is not under threat and, just like farm animals are consumed in most countries- these whales are hunted for food and consumed over the winter season.

Ironically, both the animal right activists and the Faroese agree that recent discoveries of high levels of mercury, insecticides, and other toxins in these pilot whales mean that consumption should be reduced. Pregnant women on the island have been advised not to eat the meat since it contains such harmful substances.

Personally, I decided to ad-

dress this topic as soon as I received the e-mail and saw how brutally these whales are being treated for no logical reason other than the fulfillment of traditions. After research and study, I found that this is the country’s way of obtaining food, but, surely, this is no reason to support the occurrence of such massacres! People all over the world brutally kill animals for the sake of obtaining food and this would be an endless battle to pursue. Thus, the matter is a question of opinion and belief; whether you think killing these friendly whales for the sake of obtaining food is unjust or whether it is acceptable and should not be tallied by animal rights activists remains your choice.

Photo from Facebook.com

8

arts & culture

Dollars (and dimples) are a girl’s best friends Yasmine Saab Staff Writer “

I

t is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a [girlfriend?],” slightly according to Jane Austen. Little did she know about Lebanese men, and women, and she forgot to mention anything about where love factors into the equation.

If we pay attention to how the term “love” is used in today’s conversations, it is obvious that the word is used, abused, and tossed like a road Kleenex from the mouths of those who utter it so lightly. Why did Austen neglect to include the notion of love in her theory on how men choose their ladies, and vice versa? Perhaps she implies that love may be one thing, but relationships something altogether different.

What about those men who are not in a possession of a “good fortune”, are they not allowed to venture to the promises of love and its afterlife? In our (just slightly) materialistic context, how in

heaven’s name is a normal guy supposed to appeal to the ladies if he doesn’t have a nice ride, conspicuously branded clothing, and the latest gadgets and devices (phone, iPod, etc)?

One woman recently told me of her husband while laughing, “I noticed him because of his car.” This is coming from a woman in her forties about her husband to whom she has been married for almost a quarter of a century.

It appears that flashy things have always been a means of gleaning attraction.

While some tut and shake their heads, it can be argued that materialistic ostentation is just another way of putting your best foot forward. In the same way that we check our outfit and generally look over our appearance before leaving the house to make sure that people are seeing us the way we want to be seen, we also make sure to keep our best belongings around us and on us to add to the image we want to project.

Photo from Facebook.com

Everyone knows, however, that appearances only last for so long. In the same way that a young man eventually bores of a beautiful girl that may say nothing, a young woman eventually bores of a pecuniarily flamboyant young man that may have nothing else to offer.

Yet maybe these things, beauty and possessions, are a better reason to like someone than for ‘love’, since most will agree that love lasts even less than finances or beauty do.

Others may claim that without good looks or advertised affluence, few will approach a person in the first step that

would lead to a courtship.

Still others, such as many of us out there, would like to continue believing that personality is the only thing that matters. Yes, I’m sure we all dream after celebrity stars like Josh Hartnett because of their ‘personalities’.

owner to be a man, due to his clever subtitle) on choosing such a unique and appropriate title for his hair salon.

I have also encountered some less disturbing signs. Some have just left me in pure confusion, like the store called Hi Baby, which sells children’s toys I believe. I do not know for a fact what they sell, because the sign featured a strange laughing baby which I suppose was meant to be endearing and draw in customers, but only succeeded in frightening me from buying any baby-related products from that store.

The name of this store was either ingeniously simple, or, as I suspect the case may be, just plain weird.

Badly named stores, however, are completely differ-

ent from incorrect grammar.

While reading the different prices of chocolate bars at a supermarket whose name shall remain unnamed, I found that for only 1500 LL, I could purchase a “Chunky Peanut Butt.” Score! The store had obviously meant to write “Chunky Peanut Butter,” but it was too late. The damage was done.

With some advertisements here, pictures seem to speak louder than words. As I drive to AUB every day, I pass by a small meat market with a picture of an actual cow’s face, and the cow is smiling.

I do not know how the owners found a picture of a smiling cow to be the perfect face of a meat market, but there the sign exists, atop of hanging slabs of freshly killed

meat every day. I don’t know about you, but I do not like to picture the smiling face of old Bessy Lou when I’m purchasing my potential hamburger from the market. I like to remain blissfully ignorant to my hamburger’s prior feelings and photo shoots. The same concept applies to the store I have seen titled Happy Chicken. My buffalo wings were never happy, thank you very much.

I write this not to poke fun at the owners of Salon Gigolo, but to provide a warning to those of you excited Business majors. The next time you find yourself in the position to name a business or create a sign, remember that concepts can easily be lost in translation.

Lost in translation Heather Jaber Staff Writer

W

hile stuck in the country’s infamous traffic, I have noticed a great deal of humorous- though accidentally soadvertisements on the side of the road. As I innocently glance outside my window, I never know what I am about to read. I understand that other countries have done this very same thing, but I have seen more unique ad-

vertisements here than anywhere else I have visited.

Let me give you some examples of a few of the very effective, though perhaps not in the way they were intended, advertising campaigns and signs of Lebanon.

Near my house there exists a Salon Gigolo, with very small letters printed underneath, “for men.” This was my first memory of a questionable store sign in this country. I do not understand how a store could first, choose the name “gigolo” out of all the possible options for a name, and second, go through the process of naming a store without meeting objections from business associates, family, or friends.

I can only imagine the poor soul whose friends congratulated him (and I guess the

arts & culture

Vegetarianism: To (M)eat or not to (M)eat?

Rami Diab Staff Writer

9 Did You Know?

Whereas carnivores have sharp teeth designed for tearing through animal flesh, herbivores such as giraffes have teeth with a more flattened architecture cunningly calculated for grinding food of plant origin.

Now hear this: we humans have flattened teeth, take a hint!

A Brief Distinction: “Romeo oh Romeo, whence did your heart churn with a vengeance against greenery?”

That’s Shakespearean for: Why won’t you eat those darn vegetables?!

Let us, before debating vegetarianism, take a moment to highlight a fundamental difference on the subject matter of vegetarianism. Vegetarians and vegans are like fruits and vegetables, although they relate to one another in more ways than one, their differences set them apart (Vegetarianism).

Vegetarians are mostly non-meat eaters and may or may not consume eggs and dairy products whereas vegans have taken the spirit of vegetarianism to a new level. Vegans for instance, not only refuse to eat food substances directly stemming from or even derived from animal origin, but they are so much against the killing of animals that they even condemn the luxury of dressing in clothing manufactured from animals of all species (i.e. silk, leather, or wool..). To make a long story short, our vegan friends are strongly opposed to all sorts of animal-products (Vegetarianism).

Green Beginnings: A History of Vegetarianism: Encyclopedia Britannica defines vegetarianism as “the theory of living solely upon vegetables, fruits, grains, and nuts – with or without the addition of milk products and eggs – generally for ethical, ascetic, environmental, or nutritional reasons” (Vegetarianism).

Allow us to first consider the roots of vegetarianism. It appears that there is no one distinct, traceable point in time that marks the origin of vegetarianism. In our Mediterranean area however, it dates back to the renowned Philosopher Pythagoras of Samos. It is no surprise to discover that the notion of vegetarianism has been well received and supported by a multitude of great thinkers from Plato and the Neo-Platonists that followed, to Voltaire, and Jeremy Bentham (also philosophers), to Peter singer a Mid-20th century philosopher (Vegetarianism). This leaves one to wonder – with all these grand minds advocating the practice of vegetarianism – do its benefits defeat its odds?

Arguments Regarding A Green Revolution: Well, philosophers have their arguments but let us cut to the chase and present some crude facts arguing for and against the practice of vegetarianism.

The way I have come to see it, the people who are most at risk of malnutrition are breast-fed infants of old-time vegetarian mothers. Newborns are at a critical age of development and need all the nutrition they can receive in their insipient stages of growth (G, B, and M 232-238). With exception of our cuddly toddlers however, vegetarianism, it seems, is no life threatening matter that is to say, becoming a vegetarian is no reason to have a heart attack; on the contrary my friends, it may be a reason to prevent one.

I’m sure it’s obvious to most people that increased deviation from animal-derived food substances can significantly decrease one’s risk of developing serious heart disorders (such as arteriosclerosis) as levels of cholesterol and unsaturated fats drastically attenuate (G, B, and M 232-238).

You see, the nutrients lacking in vegetarians are vitamins B12, B2, Vitamin D, iron, and calcium. Any decent fifth grader will tell you that your body will boost vitamin D production so long as you give it its fair share of sun light. Iron-rich meats can be substituted by iron-rich vegetables of which there are quite a few, and as it turns out, those who don’t ingest so much as a microgram’s worth of meat need sufficiently less concentrations of calcium for a healthy well-being as calcium is more easily retained (renal calcium loss is reduced to minimum) by a body free of excess protein and especially protein of animal origin (G, B, and M 232-238).

Great, so what remains are our precious vitamins (B1 and B2). Well if those are not received sufficiently from a strict plant diet, they can very well be received from fortified foods of plant origin, such as fortified whole grain cereals. One of the great rewards of going vegetarian is that you get to eat close to double the dosage of food (and stay hungry for more) while simultaneously keeping a slim waistline. In fact, a recent paper taken from Journal of American Dietetic Association published last April 2009 solemnly sates that “current vegetarians may be at increased risk for binge eating with loss of control” (O’Brien, Perry, Wall, Story, Neumark-Sztainer, 648-655). Well hey, that’s not so bad. Come to think of it, it could mean that you might actually meet your body’s requirements of those lacking nutrients without any additional nutritional supplements (such as Vitamin tablets and the like).

What Now? Where do we go from Here?

Surely, I am not advocating that we start a green revolution; I am only suggesting that we start consuming more food substances from the plant kingdom and less of those from the animal kingdom.

One example of a decent diet is referred to as the “optimized mixed diet” and succeeds in providing us with a well-rounded nutrition while simultaneously minimizing our need for iron. This diet recommended by the Research Institute of Child Nutrition applies to all age groups (excluding infants) and comprises “generous amounts” of plant foods, “modest amounts” of animal foodstuffs, and “small amounts” of fat (O’Brien, Perry, Wall, Story, Neumark-Sztainer, 648-655).

Truly, when it comes to health and nutrition amongst other matters, we can hear Socrates’ loud cry of truth reverberating in our heads: “Balance is best!”

So there you have it; a simple way towards a healthier more energetic you: cut down on meat and eat up your greens!

Note to reader: The Weekly Health Corner is in no way the Gospel of health, wealth, and well-being, and thus should not be treated as a legitimate replacement for professional medical advice.

Citations: Ramona Robinson-O’Brien, Cheryl L. Perry, Melanie M. Wall, Mary Story, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer. “Adolescent and Young Adult Vegetarianism: Better Dietary Intake and Weight Outcomes but Increased Risk of Disordered Eating

Behaviors. Journal of the American Dietetic Association - April 2009 (Vol. 109, Issue 4, Pages 648-655, DOI: 10.1016/j.jada.2008.12.014) G, Scoch, Kaiser B, and Kersting M. “Pros and Cons of Vegetarianism.” Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde 144.3 (1996): 232-238. Web. 3 Dec 2009.

“Vegetarianism .” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2009. Web.3 Dec. 2009 http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9074954>.

10

Entertainment Album Review Shock Value II marks the long awaited return of the sharp beats and zappy hooks that helped shape Timbaland’s chart topping Shock Value back in 2005. And this time around, Tim brought a bunch of his friends into the mix.

The album’s heavy synth intro and DJ Felli Fel on the mic, sets the listener’s expectations high for what appears to be yet another hiphop classic. Unfortunately though, SVII, as a whole, reflects the producer’s intent to extend to a broader, more pop-oriented audience.

Justin Timberlake flaunts his ego and jump-starts the party with the percussion driven “Carry Out,” followed

by JoJo, who gets an impressive urban makeover with

“Lose Control” and “Meet In The Middle,” which brings a much needed change of vibe, as it is the only non-Timbaland produced record on the album. Listeners are introduced to Brandy’s (the R&B singer) rapper alter ego “Bran’Nu”, who sounds like a natural and makes several other appearances on SVII, while Nelly Furtado taps into her feisty side on the album’s lead single “Morning After Dark.”

Then come the acoustic-led tracks, with guests such as OneRepublic, with “Marching On,” and The Fray, on “Undertow,” providing melodic support while Tim tries hard to convey a decent lyrical rap flow. By then, it becomes obvious that the strength of Shock Value II

Band Review

Photo from Facebook.com

Quite possibly, the greatest band on Earth, Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band.

For those of you who got revoked just by reading “heavy metal” then you have been mislead, for Opeth is no regular metal band! Of course they do have all the growling, heavy drums, and guitar effects, but they are greatly influenced by progressive music, folk, blues rock, and jazz and have incorporated these genres successfully in lengthy, breathtaking compositions that include acoustic guitar, piano, and

organ interludes with strong dynamic shifts. They have combined many contrasting styles and added transitions. With 9 albums out so far, their best three internationally are Blackwater Park, Ghost Reveries, and Watershed.

Formed in 1990, the band has been through several personnel changes, except their singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt, who has remained since joining promptly after the band was formed.

When hearing an album like Opeth’s Blackwater Park, all preconceptions of what makes a truly great album are shattered, usually within a note or two. What is it about Opeth that sets them apart from the thousand or so bands? Slipping any of their albums into a car’s single-port CD-player will make one feel content to know that no matter how long they will be stuck in traffic or how many bone-headed taxi drivers obstruct their way back home, they won’t feel a bit

Shock Value II

Elie El Khoury

does not lie in tracks, such as Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger’s “Tomorrow In A Bottle.”

Katy Perry attempts reviving the album with a funky rock injection on “If We Meet Again,” however Miley Cyrus bursts in with “We Belong to the Music” as a child on a sugar rush to spoil the operation and ban Mr. Mosley from hip-hop heaven.

So all in all, while Shock Value II might not appeal to the die-hard Timbaland fans, who were expecting another hip-hop masterpiece, the album definitely deserves a listen and is guaranteed to hit a home run with at least one of its tracks, due to the sound variety that is intended to be the gift, but, turns out to be its curse.

Opeth bored nor irritated.

As for why it’s the-all-timeband, in all the years of searching, finding, and experiencing heavy and at the same time relaxing music, they somehow come across the band that you’ll listen to till the day you expire from this spiraling planet.

Another reason is Opeth’s diversity in styles used in songs with more instruments than you can ever imagine being on a single song. For example, if you’re into long piano interludes, listen to the beginning of “A Fair Judgment,” or to the last three minutes of the “The Leper Affinity.” While if you’re into an enchanting melodic experience that takes you out of this world for a couple of minutes then drags you back down so quickly once it ends, listen to “Hours of Wealth” and honestly, those couple of minutes will feel like hours! You can also listen to “Atonement,” a lengthy acoustic guitar song with an attractive oriental “derbakke” background. Speak-

Photo from Facebook.com

Mohamad Al Medawar ing of oriental, be sure to check out “Closure” - especially the last two minutes - for a catchy Arabian Desert tune using oriental instruments such as the “daf” and “derbakke,” in addition to the guitars and drums.

For those who seek nostalgia, drama, and emotions, Opeth has just the thing for you, listen to “Coil,” “In My Time of Need,” and “Isolation Years!” As for pure instrumental, lyrics-free song, listen to “Madrigal” for an unforgettable sensation!

Last but not least, for all the heavy metal fans out there, you are in for one hell of a treat! If you are in the mood for growling, heavy, core slamming music listen to “Masters Apprentices”, or tune to “Ghost of Perdition”, or better yet, “The Grand Conjuration!” However, for a pure adrenaline rush, while driving at 100 miles per hour on the highway, you cannot but listen to “Karma!”

As for a combination of both heavy and soft interwined in a beautiful transition, check

out “Blackwater Park” and “Deliverance” Unlike a lot of heavy metal bands, Opeth do have songs that we call “singalongs” where you can actually repeat the lyrics without having to look them up on the internet or in their CD pack, and not just hum along to the tune. Of course, not all their songs are such, but you have “Reverie/Harlequin Forest,” for example, and most of the songs mentioned earlier.

Although the band is classified in the “progressive metal” category, Opeth have really created - not a new - but a hybrid style that uniquely combines the basic styles we are familiar with!

Entertainment

Movie Review For a movie that cost around $300 million to make, Avatar delivers on every promise a movie should fulfill, whether it relates to action, drama, or romance. Avatar includes all three concepts and quite a bit more.

The basic plot of Avatar consists of the age-old concept of humans’ interference and destruction with nature and a man torn between following the orders of his own race, while experiencing the truth and beauty of a purer world. It beautifully depicts the battle of an indigenous race to defend their rightful land. Its story calls back to the invasion of the Americas and the slaughtering and “relocation” of the Native Americans hundreds of years ago. It can even relate to the more recent involvement of the Americans with Iraq, as both deal with one group pushing forward into inhabited land in a manner unwanted by its people.

Box-office success was expected of director James Cameron, the man that has brought us Titanic and The Terminator. It is safe to say

that expectations were exceeded upon viewing this visually stunning film. Though the dialogue itself was a bit predictable and cliche at some points, this is true of many war movies. The film’s success lies in its ability to take the viewer on a breathtaking journey into a new world- a world where everything is still pure and original, that is, until the greedy, ignorant portion of the world decides to interfere.

Though it has been criticized for lacking perfect dialogue, it has received ample recognition for its visuals and imagination. The story itself tugs on the viewers’ heartstrings, especially in the heated scenes of battle, or when Sigourney Weaver’s character screams “murderer!” at the head of the soldier’s invading Pandora.

Watching the main character and human, Jake Sully rally indigenous tribes into battle and watching the Na’vi people accept these good-natured foreigners into their world creates a sort of appreciation and impression wthin the viewer.

Book Review By definition, an outlier is an extreme deviation from the standard or norm. For some, to be an outlier has a lot to do with individual effort, hard work, and talent. As such, in order to stand out, you have to be the smartest, savviest, most hardworking student in your class. For others, to be an outlier, you have to be plain lucky. Sure you might have been the smartest kid in your school and worked your ass off while getting there, but as luck would have it, you were not lucky enough to make it to college, let alone graduate from high school.

Still for others, to stand out you might be smart enough, lucky enough, but as soon as

Avatar While the story itself may be simple, the graphics more than make up for this. The movie is a roller-coaster of special effects, color, and seamless transition between scenes and concepts. Cameron created a visually stunning world in Avatar, a place where movie-goer may experience a 150 minute escape from the mundane real world and submerge themselves into the life and story Pandora, the world of the Na’vi, a people truly at one with the beautiful world they inhabit.

The movie successfully integrates various original creatures into its story, including the Na’vi people themselves, a race of beings each with smooth blue skin and a height of about ten-feet tall.

A truly magnificent feat of Cameron and his team of visual effects technicians is the realistic manner in which these animated people move, perhaps in the most realistic way that cinema has seen thus far.

Avatar does what any great movie can do and more. After experiencing the visual splendor that is Avatar, it

Heather Jaber

Photo from Facebook.com

makes the viewer a little sad to return to reality. The only thing that the obviously talented Cameron should wor-

Outliers: The Story of Success

opportunity comes knocking at your door, you throw it out the window, which brings us to this, what exactly makes an outlier?

In his latest book, The Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell hopes to share his theory of what someone would do to end up as an outlier as opposed to those who don’t.

“It is not the brightest who succeed,” Gladwell writes, “nor is success simply the sum of the decisions and efforts we make on our own behalf. It is, rather, a gift. Outliers are those who have been given opportunities — and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them.” Throughout his book,

the writer offers examples – of which are the musical ensemble The Beatles, Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gates, and the theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer- to back up this argument. According to Galdwell, it’s true that success had a lot to do with you, still there are a lot more variables involved in an individual’s success than society would admit of. Indeed, and in his words, people need to “move away from the notion that everything that happens to a person is up to that person.”

Throughout the book, Gladwell’s style of writing simply strikes you as being rather exquisite— he

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has a way of saying things (no matter how complicated they maybe) in the clearest and simplest manner possible. To some critics, however, this clarity and easy grace could be easily pointed to as possible Achilles’ heels for Gladwell because of his oversimplification of complex sociological phenomena to condensed explanations.

Moreover, although the stories presented in the book are neatly pulled together, one could not but notice that some parts are merely repetitive. Further on, the research presented throughout the book is highly enriching, unfortunately, there are a few instances with research

ry about now is what he will do next.

Maya Terro that casts doubt on the theories being discussed.

All in all, no one can deny that the book is well written and a pleasure to read and at some point, drives its readers to question things that are usually taken for granted in life. The overall message of the book is highly influential and is as simple as much as it is true: what you do for others is every bit as important as what you do for yourself, and that –though this might sound as trite- Yes, it really makes a difference to where and when you are born.

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out of the box The Outlook team Chairperson

Maroun Kisrwani

Faculty Advisor

Rami Khouri

Responsible Director

Antonios Francis

Editor-in-Chief

Mohamad Yahia Hamade

Associate Editor

Marwan Jaafar

Arabic Editor

Mariam El Ali

News Executives

Tala Kardas Rasha Salem

Layout Director

John Hajjar

Member at Large

Simon Barakat

Business Manager

Rachid Akiki

Photography Editor

Salim Batlouni

Staff Writers

Rawan Abu Salman Fouad Badaoui Fatima Buhilaigah Moussa Chalah Abraham Daniel Hajjar Rami Diab Yasmine Fansa Nadine Ghaith Maryam Hoballah Mhd Izzat Husrieh Heather Jaber Wajiha Jurdi Kheir Lojine Kamel Elie El Khoury Timmy Malkoun Rita Obeid Roupen Ohannessian Yasmine Saab Wally Saad Sandra Sawaya Maya Terro Ilija Trojanovic Tarek Tutunji Mohammad El-Jabi Emile Zankoul

Photographers

Qater Al Nada Mohsen Dima Barbir Tariq Buhilaigah Mohamad Al Medwar

Cartoonist

Deedee Jilani

Psyched Out

Rita Obeid

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a potentially disabling disorder which is characterized by unwanted repetitious thoughts and behaviors. A person with OCD is trapped in a repetitious pattern of obsessions (i.e. thoughts) and unwanted compulsions (i.e. behaviors) that are difficult to overcome. OCD is typically evident in the teen years and in early adulthood however research has also shown that many preschoolers exhibit OCD symptoms.

The symptoms of OCD basically consist of the obsessions and the compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted ideas and thoughts that frequently dwell up in the mind of the person with OCD. Such obsessions might include, unreasonable fears of contamination or an excessive need of doing things to the perfection. The compulsions are usually repetitive behaviors in response to the obsessions that constantly bombard one’s mind. Some common compulsions include; checking and washing and other include; counting, hording, repeating and rearranging.

Some people with OCD do recognize that their obsessions are bizarre and useless, in contrast to others who might strongly believe their fears. Most struggle to banish these unwanted thoughts and behaviors and many are able to keep their behaviors under control in work or school settings but unfortunately, over time this resistance becomes harder to control and the rituals become too severe and time-consuming. In many cases it takes over the patient’s life and makes it impossible for them to leave their home.

It was a common belief that OCD results from life early life experiences, however this idea is not so popular nowadays and the focus on biological factors has grown tremendously. Thus the search for causes of OCD focuses on neurobiological factors as well as environmental and cognitive influences.

The treatment of OCD consists of alterations between medication and behavioral therapy. Some patients might show progress through the use of medication alone, other may rely solely on therapy and others might use a combined approach of both. What is crucial is the support that the OCD patient might get from his/her family and this can help in the course of treatment.

Finally, it is important to note that a person with OCD has obsessive and compulsive behaviors that are severe enough to impede the person’s life and it is important not to label just anyone “OCD” since this is a serious disorder. Many people are called “compulsive” for being highly organized, but this type of “compulsiveness” might serve positive purposes in life and differs greatly from the bizarre obsessions and compulsions that interfere with the life of a person diagnosed with OCD.

Heads Up on Health

Maya Terro

It’s all about striking a balance In a new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2,650 Australian adults were asked about their levels of physical activity, internet, and computer use during leisure time and other sedentary activities (such as reading, talking on the phone, playing games, or watching television). What the researchers found was shocking as people with the highest levels of computer use were 1.5 times more likely to be overweight and 2.5 times more likely to be obese than people who did not use a computer at all. More interestingly, however, was the fact that adults who spent a lot of time at the computer and still had high levels of physical activity were 1.86 times more likely to be overweight or obese than people who spent no time in front of the computer.

Now while this study found only an association between weight and computer use, the causal direction of this relationship is still not quite understood. As such, it is hard to say which causes what— is it that you become overweight because you use the Internet a lot, or is it that overweight people simply use the Internet more? According to the study, one possible explanation lies in that “people who use the Internet a lot also engage more in other sedentary behaviors, and that is likely the main cause of their being more likely to be overweight.” Sadly, formal exercise can only partially compensate for all the time you spend sitting around –including regular activity as part of your everyday routine is equally important.

Bottom line is, it’s all about striking a balance between sitting down and moving around. How? Setting a timer for your computer use, for your television watching, or for anything that keeps you on the couch is real helpful. The less time you spend not moving, the more likely you are to get a healthy, and perhaps waist-shrinking, dose of physical activity. Two, be an active viewer—while watching TV, spend at least some of the time doing something physical, whether it’s exercising or cleaning. Aim for 250 minutes—the American College of Sports Medicine recommends spending 150 minutes/week exercising to prevent weight gain (250 minutes/week to lose weight). Indeed, it’s a lot easier to get those 250 minutes of exercise if you cut back on the time you spend in front of the computer.