I 13, V 42

Outlook Newspaper The American University of Beirut

Vol. XLII, No. 13 | Tuesday, January 12, 2010 | The Independent Student Publication Since 1949

Ten more years of AUB are over yet it is still plugging on Nadine Ghaith Staff Writer

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INSIDE

t’s 2010 and the American University of Beirut has firmly set its foot into this third century of its existence. Ten years on into the 21st century and 144 years later, AUB remains one of the leading institutions of higher learning in the Middle East.

This decade, as many others in Lebanon’s turbulent history, carried its fair share of crises, yet the university stood strong against the turmoil. Events such as the series of 2005-06 assassinations, May 7 events, several strikes, and a period without a President or government, did not stop AUB from carrying out its mission. It is a place for constant growth and expansion; now we have set foot into yet a new decade of what is sure to hold many great achievements.

Below are a few highlights of some of the significant changes and additions made to the face of AUB in the past 10 years. This is not, in any way, a cumulative list.

Awards Issued: The President’s Service Excellence Award as of the year 2000 The Teaching Excellence Award as of the academic year 2002-2003 Outstanding professor award (within the FEA faculty) as of 2008 Abdul-Hamid Hallab Regional External Programs (REP) Service Excellence Award as of 2009 Awards Received: The Charles Hostler Student Center received the 2009 Institute Honor Awards for Architecture of the American Institute of Architects The American Nurses Cre-

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dentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program awarded AUBMC its prestigious Magnet designation on June 23, 2009 Inaugurations: Charles Hostler Student Center (February 27, 2008) Pierre Y. Abou Khater Ambulatory Care Center and the Graham and Meredith Rooke Wound Care Center (December 28, 2008) The Raffic Harriri School of Nursing (February 19, 2009) Suliman S. Olayan School of

Editorial & Opinion 2-3 Fun & Trivia Campus News 4-6 Entertainment Arts & Culture 7-8 Out of The Box

www.aub.edu.lb/outlook

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Business (October 13, 2009) Institutes: Fall 2006: the Isam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs People: March 21, 2008, President Peter Dorman’s succeeds Dr. John Waterbury and becomes the 15th President of AUB, his inaugural month is later held in May of 2009 May 2008, Dean Nadim Cortas departs from his duties as Vice President of Medical Affairs and Dean of the Facul-

OSB Business Students

ty of Medicine and the Medical Center, Dr. Mohamad Sayegh replaces him Early in 2009 it was announced that Director of Student Affairs Ms. Wadad el Husseiny was leaving her post, Ms. Hiba Hamadeh has taken over since August 1, 2009, Dean Khalil Bitar stepped down as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at AUB and was replaced by Dr. Patrick McGreevy As of October 1 2009, Ibra-

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BSS The Cornerstone of career success

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him Khoury retired from being director of the Office of Information and Public Relations and was suceeded by Hikmat al Beani Programs: October 2002: the Anis Makdisi Program in Literature Other events: 2002 saw the launching of the Nature Conservative Center at AUB, better known as IBContinued on page 4

Movie Review Sherlock Holmes

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Editorial & Opinion Editorial Teamwork always pays off

Mohamad Yahia Hamade Editor-in-Chief A random petition last week restored my faith in the government- and by government, I mean student government. For starters, the petition was a formal complaint presented by the SRC members to the Office of Student Affairs on behalf of the entire student body. Talk about teamwork.

I first got word of this last Thursday, when Dean Kisirwani shared the document with me. The first thing that hit my mind was, “Oh gosh, is not another comp… Oh hey!

Wait a second, it’s about the cafeteria!”

What caught my eye was the sentence they started with, “As representatives of AUB students.” That to me proved it was totally worth casting a ballot this year. I had finally felt that fellow students are having that sense of belonging to a bigger community – just like I do. That sounds very narcissistic, but hey this is my editorial.

Anyways, back to the issue at hand, student government.

What amazes me, besides the fact that all sides are working as a team for once, is that they have identified the problem and proposed a solution. Their petition was not just some rant on paper that aimed to please the audience.

It was, however, an actually well-thought plan that presented student concerns and

solutions to the administration.

The current student government, which I will refer to as team simply because it’s shorter to write, proposed that since the cafeteria space is currently vacant, the administration should allow students to use it as a “shelter from the weather and have the respectable seating area [that] AUB students deserve.” Notice, they used the term “AUB students” and not just word students. There’s a deeper symbolism behind that, besides the unity. This is the American University in Beirut for crying out loud!

So, as you might now be wondering, how did the administration respond? Well, the Board of Deans (BoD) held a meeting right after I got the paper last Thursday. President Dorman consequently emailed the SRC presidents and myself, on Friday morning, the meeting minutes, which stated that in the meantime, “they can outline [their] general plan for accommodating the real needs of AUB’s students for food services and space.” In other words, we’ll just have to wait four months with our stomachs growling for the Ada Dodge cafeteria to re-open.

Dorman also promised that the Mahmoud Malhas Common Room will finally be for the exclusive use of students and, by next year, it will be a permanent student lounge with better furniture.

I must say this was an aweinspiring way to jump-start the New Year. If things continue heading in this direction, then we, as a community, can only expect the best from our representatives in the student government.

The administration knows this too, so let’s all stay united and all work for a better AUB. Together we can, and will definitely, achieve more.

Op-Ed

Heather Jaber

What to wear, what not to wear...That is the question

On a typical day in America, I would find myself waking up for school, and after attending to basic hygiene needs, I would straighten out my hair for about five minutes, apply some eyeliner, and walk over to my closet. Generally, I went for the jeans, cardigan, flip-flop combination. I was out the front door and driving to school within twenty minutes.

At AUB, I have found that my morning ritual takes quite a bit more time and effort. After coming to this country, I have noticed things I would have never cared much about before, like brand names and new or old season fashion items. I was surprised to find that many students on campus looked like they had

Op-Ed ّ ‫بعد غيابه‬ ‫ ويعيد البسمات الى‬,‫الطويل‬ !‫ال ّثغور؟‬ ‫ حاولت جاه ًدا‬,‫أل ّربابة اشتاقت ألنامله‬ ‫أن أح ّرك أوتارها ألحييها ولكنّها تأبى أن‬ ,‫أثالم احلقل قد تق ّرحت من لهيب ﺁب‬..‫تعزف‬ ّ ‫فاستجدته أن يأتي ليح ّرك جدائل‬ ‫الشمس‬ ‫لكن محراسه لم ينب ولم‬ ,‫عن وجهها‬ ّ ‫يستجب جدران غرفته ما فتئت أن حوت‬ ‫مومياء فارغ ًة أكفانها تنعدم في الهواء‬ ‫وجدي ليس هنا لير ّوض النّسمات‬ ّ ,‫اجملنون‬ ّ‫أملذياع رجا ه‬ ,‫الل أن يذرذر أحلانه من جديد‬ ‫جدي‬ ّ ‫الصمت منذ أن غاب‬ ّ ‫فقد ازدرده‬ ‫املنزلي وقد غزت‬ ‫املذياع‬ ‫يسمع‬ ‫ فمن‬...‫عنّا‬ ّ ‫التّقن ّيات عاملنا واحتّلت ما فيه؟‬ ‫ فأناجي‬,‫وأعود ألجلس على مقدي الوثير‬ ‫علي ويحقّ ق‬ ‫البيانو بأحلان‬ ّ ‫احلزن عساه يير ّد‬ ِ ...‫الدفينة‬ ّ ‫األماني‬ ‫ ولكن لكأنّها غنيم ٌة ز ّودونا‬,‫ﺁلتي هي أنا‬ ‫بها لنواسي َ أنفسنا ومنارس من خاللها ما‬ .‫أبقوه لنا من تقاليد بور‬ ‫صممت له عزف‬ ّ ‫ ولكن لكأ ّن ما‬,‫ﺁلتي هي أنا‬ ‫حلني‬ ‫ فع ّز عليها اصدار النّوطات‬,‫سطحي‬ ّ ّ ّ .‫الشرقية‬ ّ ‫ بعد‬,‫ ولكن‬,‫ﺁلتي هي أنا‬ !‫ من أنا؟‬,‫كل هذا‬

a celebrity’s wardrobe- coming into classes with designer handbags, sunglasses, shoes, and everything else in between.

I’m not going to lie and say I don’t care at all about name brands or the quality of my clothing; I enjoy a nice bag as much as the next girl. I’ve always been comfortable with my own appearance and style, but it is quite different to attend a university where much of the student population looks like they’re waiting for the paparazzi to pop out of the bushes.

In America, it’s perfectly acceptable to run down to the grocery store in one’s pajamas. In Lebanon, I think I would receive questioning stares and cause ample distraction from every day activities. I have even seen women walking through the vegetable aisle in heels and full makeup, whereas in America many people did not even wear heels to prom.

People in Lebanon definitely look more polished and put together than they did

‫أطياف املوقد‬ ‫ ك ّلما يقع‬.‫على مفاتيح ﺁلتي الكالسيك ّية‬ ‫ يجذبني اليه طالؤه الب ّراق‬,‫نظري على البيانو‬ ‫ وأقدامه‬,‫متني ن ُحرَ من أشجارنا‬ ‫خشب‬ ‫فوق‬ ٍ ٍ ‫النّحاس ّية تثير بي ال ّرغبة الى االقتراب‬ .‫ومداعبة املفاتيح العاج ّية النّاعمة‬ ,‫عمالنا بعضالتهم املفتولة‬ ّ ‫أقدا ٌم ط ّوعها‬ ‫ يضنون‬,‫والعرق يتص ّبب من قداسة جبينهم‬ ّ ّ ,‫كل هذا‬ ;‫الشمس احلارقة‬ ‫حتت لهيب‬ ‫لتتناسب حتفتهم املعدن ّية مع مقاييس‬ .‫تقليد ّية مستحدثة‬ ‫تضج باملشاعر‬ ,‫جدي شرق ّية‬ ‫أحلان‬ ّ ّ ‫ باحلنني واالشتياق; تروي مالح ًما‬,‫واالنفعاالت‬ ‫وبطوالت حضار ٍة رقدت ولم يتو ّقف قلبها عن‬ ...‫مريح‬ ...‫ رائع ٌة‬...‫ وأحلاني ر ّقاص ٌة‬,‫اخلفقان‬ ٌ ّ ”‫تخفف وقع “بطوالتهم” و”انتصاراتهم‬ ّ ,‫ عذبة هي‬.‫علينا‬ ‫جذاب ٌة مثل األفالم املدبلجة‬ ‫لكتّها تفتقد في الوقت عينه الى مذاق‬ ‫ أحمله‬,‫ﺁن الى ﺁخر‬ ٍ ‫طيفه يزورنا من‬.‫الواقع ّية‬ ‫الدفء في غرفة‬ ّ ‫ فينبثق منه‬,‫في دخان املوقد‬ ّ ‫اجللوس ويغمرنا في منتصف‬ ‫ راد ًعا‬,‫الشتاء‬ ‫ مج ّن ًبا ا ّيانا أعاصير‬,‫عن أرجائنا البرد القارص‬ ‫ وحينًا ﺁخر أراه في وشوشات‬.‫الغدارة‬ ‫كانون‬ ّ ّ ‫منافق‬ ‫عرق‬ ‫من‬ ‫أجسادنا‬ ‫ف‬ ‫فيجف‬ ,‫ّوز‬ ‫مت‬ ‫نسيم‬ ٍ ٍ ُ ‫جدي‬ ّ ‫ فهل يعود‬,‫أي جهد‬ ّ ‫ميسل من احل ّر دون‬

back in the States and I have to applaud those who wear a different outfit every day of the month and have the energy to keep up with every trend. It just makes me laugh to think that I felt so put together in America; I don’t think I fully understood the meaning of that concept until I came to AUB. This is not meant to bash the fashion-savvy students of Beirut; I myself take pride in my appearance. It’s more meant to highlight a major difference in cultures. This expectation can create a certain pressure to “keep up” appearances and to follow the latest trends. I think you have to find a balance and style that is appropriate, comfortable (and can someone please tell me the secret to running from class to class in stilettos?), and makes you feel good about yourself.

Now this, of course, is all wishful thinking, because tomorrow morning will find me in front of my closet wondering why I have nothing to wear.

‫موسى شلح‬ ّ ‫ وبعد عناء النّهار‬... ‫ يعود في‬,‫الطويل‬ ‫نهاية املطاف الى منزله مع مشاعر الفرح‬ ,‫فرح بنهاره املثمر وخيراته العائدة‬ ٌ ...‫واخليبة‬ ‫وخائب من انقالب احلقائق البشر ّية مع‬ ٌ ٌ ...‫ومنهك من مصارعة درباس احلياة‬ ,‫األ ّيام‬ ّ ‫لكن هذا يزول مع التمام شمل العائلة‬ ‫كل‬ ّ ‫ فيبعث في نفسه روح‬,‫مساء حتت جناحيه‬ ٍ .‫والتجدد‬ ‫األمل‬ ّ ,‫جدي‬ ّ ‫أما ما يبقى محفورًا صر ًفا من كالم‬ ّ ‫ فأجمل ما‬,‫أحاديثه عن فتوحات العرب‬ ‫ فتح عمور ّية‬,‫منفرج‬ ‫بفم‬ ٍ ‫كان يخبرني به‬ ٍ ‫وكيف استطاع العرب بق ّوة ساعدهم وعزم‬ ‫ ويلحقوا‬,‫ أن يهزموا ال ّروم وغيرهم‬,‫مقاتليهم‬ ‫ فقد رثا‬,‫ كذلك‬.‫بهم االنكسار والتّقهقر‬ ‫ وص ّور لي كيف ّية سقوط‬,‫العرب في نكباتهم‬ ‫ ّدخان ًا خ ّلفته‬,‫ الواحدة تلو األخرى‬,‫املدن‬ ...‫العيدان املطفأة في املنافض ال ّرخام ّية‬ ‫ أم أ ّن‬,‫فهل كان ذلك دليالً على تخاذلهم‬ ‫الصمود في وجه‬ ّ ‫قداتهم لم يكتب لها‬ ‫ال ّرجل اﻵلي ّ؟! أما كانوا مصابيح أضيئت في‬ ّ ‫زمن‬ !‫الظلمة والتّخ ّلف؟‬ ‫املوضبة‬ ,‫ يأتي بربابته القدمية‬,‫ﺁن خر‬ ّ ٍ ‫وفي‬ ‫ فيعزف لي أحلان ًا ظننتها‬,‫قماش خلق‬ ‫في‬ ٍ ‫ لكنّها كانت الحقًا مح ّرك أناملي‬,‫بدائ ّية‬

Editorial & Opinion Op-Ed

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Tala Kardas Waiting for inspiration

In the days leading up to the New Year, I was making myself busy, reading recaps of what made this decade what it is. From music to international affairs, I did not miss a single list that detailed what we, mere mortals, have achieved in a span of ten years.

This was all an effort to become inspired from the works of others, in order to implement a viable change in myself and in the surrounding.

Needless to say, I wanted to come up with a New Year’s resolution but could not possibly think of a single one.

I also spent countless days during this holiday season staring at my laptop screen, trying to write down what I wish to accomplish in this new year and new decade.

Would I finally cut back on my chocolate addiction? Would I do something substantial in my field of study? Would I accomplish my childhood dream? For a moment there, I allowed myself to drift into my fantasy world, where yes, I would be able to accomplish everything and more in these

coming ten years. Sadly, that feeling didn’t last for more than five minutes, as I had to come back to reality. Like all the past years, my procrastination would take over and I would just spend the year doing what has to be absolutely and necessarily done.

Instead, I just went back to the recaps, and here’s when something struck me. What do JK Rowling, Al Qaeda terrorists, the creators of Facebook, and President Barak Obama have in common other than being the biggest stories of the past decade? They were all inspired in one way or another to change history in the way they did.

The double zero decade witnessed the transformation of everything we had come to know in the 1990s. Wheth-

Op-Ed

er the change was positive or negative, it surely kept people talking as days passed by.

Yet the inspiration to take on history must’ve been grand or else everything would’ve stayed the same way it was.

It’s hard to believe a time where we lived without the comfort of an iPod, Facebook, or our Blackberries, but here we are today, so grossly dependent on things that started off with a spark of inspiration.

Maybe it’s too early to tell, or maybe I’m just recovering from the rollercoaster that was 2009, but the inspiration to join the greats in history doesn’t seem to be knocking my door anytime soon. Case in point, I’ve been trying to write this piece for ten days now. I find myself forcefully

typing up the words- just so I can meet another deadline and see my work published in the student paper that I love so much. When it does though, I’ll be fully ready to embrace it.

For the time being, I’m rather content to settle into my routine lifestyle of going to classes and running around all over the place. Though I probably won’t be looking to fulfill anything other than being happy and sharing that with the ones I love, everyone else should disregard my lassie-faire attitude. Make 2010 the year where anything and everything inspires you, because making history starts with that little hint of an inspiration, that little hint of an idea.

Timmy Malkoun Finals

Finals. A word that cannot but elicit a certain emotion-

al response from any AUBite, especially at this time of the year. This week and the next are what I like to call the preparation limbo stages. One is not particularly too overwhelmed with nervousness and/or plagued with the fear of not covering the material in time. Yet, at the same time, one’s mind is not completely averse to the existence of said exams and the need to prepare for them.

The notion of finals hence becomes somewhat of an intermittent paranoia.

Now, despite the negative connotation of the aforementioned phrase, such a state, albeit possibly emotionally volatile, is not necessarily a bad thing, as its inherent “badness” rests entirely on what the student makes of it. One can completely avoid the issue, convincing him/ herself that time is bountiful ergo piling up the mate-

rial that needs to be studied.

On the other hand, a student can become proactive, utilizing this almost-fear to begin studying, asking questions and making sure that his/ her grasp on the material is strong.

While both abovementioned statements are true, they are only true to a certain extent, as they completely ignore the existence of outside forces that exacerbate the limbo state initially discussed.

These external forces are nothing more than the students themselves. I mean, who hasn’t arrived to a class in such a period only to hear people discussing or rather vehemently interrogating one another as to the chapters already studied. Popular questions include, but, are by no means restricted to: “Did you start?,” “What chapters have you studied?,” “Is the material hard?,” “How long

will it take me to finish this chapter?” and so on and so forth.

Certainly, many if not most of these questions are nothing but a form of a coping mechanism. For instance, one asks “How long will it take me to finish this chapter?” expecting “Not that long, don’t worry” or something along those lines to be the response. A coping mechanism, surely, appears, at first hand at least, to be a great thing. Nonetheless, continuing to cope and avoiding what needs to be done can in fact be delusional and therefore detrimental to one’s eventual academic performance.

Similarly, the questions and seemingly unending discussion of finals can and is often detrimental to the psyche of both the “discussers” and bystanders. “Finals” no longer remains a simple series of tests, but rather, sits in ones

brain, and feeds on its own prevalence in discussion.

The teeth finally come out, and “Finals”, once a domesticated pet we thought we had under our own control becomes a mangy, frightening, rabid, flesh-hungry monsteranimal.

This, however, is by no means to say that the transformation is necessary, inevitable and destined to any and every AUB student. Avoidance is possible and suggested, for your own sake and that of general morale.

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Campus News AUB in a decade Continued from page 1 SAR In 2004, AUB was granted institutional accreditation by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association for Colleges and Schools. Several other accreditations for specific programs were granted in 2006-07and 2009 In 2007, AUB reintroduced PhD programs in the fields of Arab and Middle Eastern History, Arabic Language and Literature, Cell and Molecular Biology, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, as well as Theoretical Physics.

In February 2008, AUB launched its very own YouTube educational channel.

Photo from Facebook.com

Got game? Business students do Lojine Kamel Staff Writer

B

usiness students are well known for their competitiveness in a field having many contenders. After graduation, in order to succeed in the business world, students must rely on their intelligence, hard work, and probably most helpful: their experience. One course that teaches students how to function well later on is Buss 249 – Strategic Management, taught by Dr. Yehia Kamel.

Within this course, students utilize the program “GloBus,” an interactive simulation, in which students manage their own companies in relation to a set economy.

Strategic management is the cap-stone course at the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business, that all senior students must take before graduation.

The class makes use of the material of other classes in marketing, management, finance, accounting, and human resources to craft and

manage business strategies.

“Glo-Bus” allows students to run a simulated company over the Internet where they compete in teams against each other and world-wide.

“Students find this method quite interesting and challenging”, said Kamel, “ and some are even addicted to it like a video game.” However, winning is not that easy, for the “game” simulates real world businesses that are liable to collapse if not well-run.

“Glo-Bus” runs for 15 periods that represent 15 years of company life, where in each period, teams have to make over 50 decisions concerning all aspects of their business – including marketing, pricing, product design, finance, production schedule, compensation, and so on. The results of their decisions, be it maladaptive or beneficial, influence how smoothly their companies run in the future – so good judgment is crucial.

The class has been taught for the past three semesters and has received great popularity amongst students. Senior Christine Kalindjian stated, “It is the first time a university project has put me in a real-life situation where I can practically apply all the concepts and strategies I have previously learned in my business courses.” Seniors, particularly, find this course both instructive and helpful for their further ventures into the business world.

“This game adds experience to students which implies a practical application of [business] theories, that will enrich their background and be highly rewarding after graduation” stated Mounir Sinno, Business senior.

Kamel has been employing “Glo-Bus” in his class routinely for the past year and a half.

Last semester, four teams were among top 10 worldwide

out of over 280 teams, and he expects the same this semester. He emphasizes that the strategic management simulation practice supports students’ interactive learning, teaches them the consequences of decision making, improves team building, and at the same time enriches students’ creativity while allowing them to have fun.

With just four periods left in “Glo-Bus” from now till the end of the semester, many

students are stepping up their game, so to speak. Students are hastening to organize and manage their companies in a well thought out and analytical matter, while employing practical, exemplary strategies. After all, said senior Emile Salha, “A good strategy is never the final strategy.”

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Campus News

BSS on Basic Research: The Cornerstone of Career Success Rami Diab Staff Writer

T

he Biology Student Society (BSS) conducted its very first undergraduate seminar on national and international graduate study and academic opportunities on Tuesday, January 5, as organized by BSS’s Elia Haber and AUB graduate student and research assistant Mr. Gilbert Rahme. This seminar was chiefly organized for the benefit of those students who are either non-premed or premed but exploring their chances in the vast horizon of medical and biological research.

The lecture kicked off with a brief look into BSS’s future objectives concerning climate change and the global warming affect. A quick 4-minute video was played to raise awareness on the dire hazards of global warming on all Earth’s inhabitants and contact information of potential volunteers was collected and sorted. Shortly after, the guest speaker and current foreign PhD student Ms. Caline Matar took to the floor to discuss, in a nutshell, the critical benefits of basic research pertaining to personal fulfillment and career-cruising opportunities. Matar stated,

“Regardless of whether you are aiming for Med school or future graduate studies, the preliminary experience in a research setting is fundamental to the educational experience, as well as to exploring other options.” Next in line was AUB’s own Mr. Gilbert Rahme, who is currently a research assistant working with Dr. Rabih Talhouk, in the rapidly advancing field of cellular biology. Rahme shed light on “when homing in on a research field of preference, it is wise to carefully examine the research environment and its corresponding demands. In some research fields, he explained, researchers spend a mere two hours in their laboratories for days on end, whereas other fields of research command more rigorous commitment (up to eight long hours in the lab at a stretch!). Rahme continued to fill the students in on some other local research opportunities in AUB, matching the varying fields of research to their respective professors so that students may be better acquainted with the diversity of research at the Biology Department at AUB. The seminar was conclud-

Photo Rami Diab/Outlook

ed with a Q&A session led by Ms. Caline Matar on the topic of applying to international (foreign) condensed PhD programs.

All in all, it was a fruitful hour that succeeded in updating students on the importance of basic and applied research

and the current research opportunities that lay directly within the vicinity of their study environment. BSS has added to its objectives encouraging Biology students who may have different future career interests to apply for some research experi-

‫أمين مكارم‬ ّ ‫محقة‬ ّ ‫كل‬ ‫ناضلت من أجل مطالب‬ ‫منها على طريقتها مهما اشتدت‬ ‫عليها الظروف من سجن أو قتل أ و‬ ‫نوجه دعوة إلى الطلاّ ب‬ ّ ‫ وهنا‬.‫نفي‬ ‫أن يسعوا إلى املطالبة بحقوقهم‬ ‫العادلة مهما كانت الظروف صعبة‬ ‫ألنّه باستطاعتهم نيلها أو على‬ ّ .‫األقل كسب شرف احملاولة‬

ence, as it allows the molding of a well-rounded personality. For even though focus is essential, it is also openness to the vast spectrum of possibilities wherein personal and career-oriented treasures lie.

‫رسالة إلى احملرر‬ ‫العنصري بني‬ ‫الذي قاوم الفصل‬ ّ ‫السود والبيض في بلده في جنوب‬ ‫سجن ولكنّه انتصر في‬ ُ ‫أفريقيا و‬ .‫النهاية وسقط ذلك النظام‬ ‫ بعض تلك‬,ً ‫وأخيرا ً وليس آخرا‬ ‫االحتالل‬ ‫قاوم‬ ‫الشخصيات‬ ‫االسرائيلي على سبيل املثال الدكتور‬ ‫ وأحببنا أن‬.‫جورج حبش و ليلى خالد‬ ‫نختار ليلى خالد كونها رمز للمرأة‬ .‫املقاومة‬ ‫لفتنا احلضور الكثيف للمعرض‬ ‫وكانت هناك شرائح مختلفة‬ ‫ وقد متعن‬،‫لبنان ّية وعرب ّية وأجنب ّية‬ ‫اجلميع بالصور وتع ّرفوا على هذه‬ ‫الشخصيات التي غ ّيرت وجه‬ .‫التاريخ‬ ‫هدفنا من هذا املعرض كان تسليط‬ ‫الضوء على هذه الشخص ّيات التي‬

‫املثال املهامتا غاندي الذي قاوم‬ ‫البريطاني في الهند‬ ‫االستعمار‬ ّ ‫ كذلك عمر اخملتار‬،‫بالطرق السلمية‬ ‫الذي قاد حركة املقاومة في ليبيا‬ ‫اإليطالي و أُعدم من‬ ‫ضد االستعمار‬ ّ ّ ‫ وكنتيجة لنضالهما حت ّرر كال‬.‫قبلهم‬ .‫البلدين من االستعمار‬ ‫بعض تلك الشخصيات قاوم من أجل‬ ‫ واملساواة‬،‫ العدالة االجتماعية‬,‫احلرية‬ ‫لشعوبهم ومن أشهرهم تشي‬ ‫غيفارا وفيدل كاسترو اللذين ثارا على‬ ‫العسكري بتيستا‬ ‫حكم الديكتاتور‬ ّ ‫في كوبا واستطاعا أن يح ّرراها من‬ ‫ مع العلم أ ّن تشي غيفارا‬.‫الطغيان‬ ‫أُعدم في بوليفيا وهو يحاول أن يح ّرر‬ .‫الشعب من الظلم هناك‬ ‫بعض تلك الشخصيات قاوم‬ ‫العنصر ّية وال سيما نلسون مانديال‬

ّ ‫في األسبوع املاضي‬ ‫نظمنا في النادي‬ ‫العلماني بالتعاون مع نادي بيروت‬ ّ ‫التراثي معرض صور حتت عنوان “ث ّوار‬ ّ ‫من العالم” يحتوي على صور لعدة‬ ‫شخص ّيات عاملية و محلية غ ّيرت‬ ‫وجه التاريخ وقاومت الظلم باالضافة‬ ّ ‫إلى السيرة الذاتية‬ .‫لكل منها‬ ‫بعد أخذ ور ّد وافقت إدارة اجلامعة على‬ ‫النشاط بعدما اعترضت أل ّن اسم‬ ,‫النادي ال يتفق مع عنوان املعرض‬ ‫فشرحنا لها أ ّن من مبادئ النادي نشر‬ ‫قيم العدالة االجتماعية واملساواة‬ .‫والعلمنة‬ ‫الشخصيات التي اخترناها كانت‬ ‫شخصيات مبدئية لم تغ ّير مواقفها‬ ‫ودافعت عن مبادئها وقيمها حتى‬ ‫ بعض تلك الشخصيات‬.‫النهاية‬ ‫ على سبيل‬،‫انتفض على االستعمار‬

6

Campus News

Our AUB varsity Teams Need fans and Audience

Mohammad Al Medawar Staff Writer

L

ooking back at Elections Day, one cannot help but clearly remember how enthusiastic and devoted the students were when they were cheering for their political team. When this cheering potential is really needed, however, those who exhibit it fail to rise to the occasion!

On December 10, AUB’s Basketball varsity team had a sturdy match with the USJ team. As AUB drew first blood, the cheers of a mere five AUBites positioned on the bleachers were masked by the booing and insults coming from the overwhelming masses which were supporting USJ. Their cheers, drumming, and trumpet blowing pumped their team spirits to a 12-0 run in the opening minutes of the game! Pressured, AUB’s coach called for a time-out to recapture the shattered team’s spirits and lay out some form of retaliation. Despite the hostile environment, the team responded perfectly. After three consecutive steals and fast breaks, the AUB team was somehow back on track. The audience, however, watched silently with anticipation and clapped faintly each time the team scored.

On the other hand, the USJ drummer and trumpet play-

er enthusiastically played every provocative song in the book, calling AUB’s team all sorts of obnoxious names, and distracted the players every time they attempted a shot.

The two teams kept exchanging lay-ups, three pointers, and mid distance shots. The lead kept bouncing between the two, until the first half buzzer declared AUB’s two point lead. Still, the AUB audience was hard to pick out from the USJ fans. What made the situation even worse was that the referees were not merciful and one of AUB’s starting players was fouled, leaving a hole in their offence.

As the second half got underway, the two teams were neck to neck, and it appeared to be unchaining in the due time. More AUB students could be seen piling up at the court entrance from the gym and other courts, looking for a space to sit on the bleachers, but USJ fans were all over the place. In a short while, over 20 AUB fans were on the bleachers, getting warmed up to override USJ’s drums and trumpet, and repeatedly yell out “AUB.” To make a long story short, after a series of give and take, cheers and boos, AUB

ran all over USJ and won by a couple of points. The point here, however, is that if it were not by coincidence that some AUB students found out about the game, and yelled at the top of their lungs to pump up their team’s spirits, it would have been a much harder game for them, as the mental state of a player greatly affects his/ her physical abilities.

Member of the Varsity Football team Ilija Trojanović thinks the “problem isn’t

only in the gym but also out on the stands of the Green Field” and added that “during the Friendship Tournament, when AUB students decided to support AUB we beat USJ 5-0. On Saturday, however, when there were literally about five people watching, the matched ended in a 1-1 draw. Fan support is huge and our away fixtures are supposed to make the visiting team feel intimidated!”

Trying to take action by ask-

ATTENTION ALL SKIERS There is a very common misconception that we ski in Faraya, however we actually ski in Kfardibian Mzar, the mountains wardeh and Junction are both part of Kfardibian Mzar Resort and not Faraya.

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ing the coaches of AUB varsity teams to give out the games schedule on a weekly basis so that the student body can be informed and present to support the team with a whole drumline and orchestra seems like the most possible solution to this problem. The presence of AUBites at the various matches will show other teams that the AUB varsity teams are unbeatable.

Arts & Culture

7

AUB’s environmental portal: IBSAR Mohammad Al Medawar Staff Writer

I

f you’ve been to West Hall during the month of December 2009, you probably would have glimpsed a “Green Stand” and a hundred or so volunteers, going through the crowd to sell “tree gift” holiday cards, calendars, cook books, and even bookmarks in an attempt to raise enough money to plant 50,000 native tree and shrub species by the end of 2010.

IBSAR, the Nature Conservation Center at AUB, was responsible for this successful fund-raising campaign and was added to a series of other campaigns that lead to planting of 10,000 native trees across the Lebanese territory so far. Founded by a team of AUB professors including Dr. Salma Talhouk, the center director, Dr.Najat Saliba, Dr.Jala Makhzoumi, Dr.Rami Zreik, and many others, IBSAR center is AUB’s portal to the Lebanese environment and native biodiversity it holds. Through research and outreach programs such as “Power of Planting,” “Biokids,” “IBDAA,” and “Biodiversity and Food,” Ibsar has been able

to reach out to the Lebanese community, not just through creating awareness and spreading knowledge, but also through interactive projects and research that aim to “promote the conservation and sustainable utilization of biodiversity by providing an open academic platform for innovative research and development.”(1) The “Power of Planting” program is currently very productive especially with the ”Seeds of Hope, Trees for tomorrow” Campaign that started in 2007. In fact, the fundraiser was part of this campaign that, as mentioned above, aims to plant and monitor 50,000 trees and shrubs such as Cedar, Pine, Carob, Oak, Wild Alamonds and apples, and much more, across Lebanon. This project is coordinated by Mr.Arbi Sarkissian who joined the IBSAR team in 2007 as an intern researcher and played the major role in launching and developing the “Power of Planting” program and consequently the ”Seeds of Hope, Trees for tomorrow” Campaign. Moreover, Sarkissian is responsible for all the volunteering programs at IBSAR for AUB students and

the fundraising campaigns.

He also gave lectures on native Biodiversity for AUB, IC, and ACS students, was involved in grant writing and proposals for IBSAR projects, and has been personally planting the tree shrubs and seeds through routine planting campaigns!

Another successful program is “Biodiversity and Food,” coordinated by Ms. Dima Ousta who is conducting the research on health and food in Lebanon. What is so special about the program is that it is a multidisciplinary project involving the American University of Beirut and the University of Ottowa, Canada.

Ms. Ousta personally supervises the program’s efforts to “Promote dietary diversity in poor communities in Lebanon by building on the potential of local food-based practices and to further analyze the relationship between health and the environment through an in depth analysis of the benefits, viability and risks of rural ecosystems to support healthy people.” as stated on IBSAR’s website.

Ousta also coordinates between the two institutions and has successfully released the first edition of a cook book

entitled “The Healthy Kitchen, Recipes from Rural Lebanon” which is a compilation of Lebanese Traditional Recipes of healthy food made from Wild Edible Plants that grow in Lebanon. This book aims to preserve cultural treasure, spread knowledge, and promote healthy lifestyles.

As for the “Biokids” program, coordinated by Ms. Nayla Abu Izzedin, it is dedicated to promoting the value of nature amongst the young minds. It “addresses nature conservation through a fun and interactive environment in order to promote a sense of belonging and attachment to local nature, thus fostering responsible behavior towards nature”(1). The program’s latest achievement was translating “The Lorax,”a children’s book written by Dr. Seuss, into Arabic and transforming it into a narrative visual display to convey positive ideas about the environment to children.

Last but not least, the International Biodiversity Day at AUB program, IBDAA, was established in 2006, and has been holding its annual event on May 22 since then. Dr. Najat Saliba, who is responsible for this program, makes

sure that students can “display and explain their biodiversity-related projects to their peers, faculty, staff, and upper administration, as well as invited members from the private and public sectors.”(1) Other staff members include Mr. Mazen, who is the center administrator, and is responsible for “managing work flow at the office, organizing IBSAR’s facility and improving its visibility, assisting the director of IBSAR, and organizing Fundraising for IBSAR projects” as he explained. Not to mention Khaled Sleem, the field coordinator who has been with IBSAR ever since it was founded, contributing a wealth of research, data, and protocols on conducting studies in medicinal plants, seed germination, identification of all Lebanese native trees, along with lecturing, organizing workshops, and developing projects. In short, he is one of IBSAR’s cornerstones.

In the next feature about IBSAR, Dr. Talhouk will be interviewed on IBSAR’s future plans for this year, 2010, the year of Biodiversity.

what matters.”

He’s no Pepé, but he makes a good point. When you start having feelings for someone, you’re probably not basing them on things like gum-chewing sound effects.

Different things matter more, like if the person is interesting, or (probably more likely) good-looking. So then, could it be that we did pick up on all these things, but they just didn’t bother us then?

My guess is that it’s probably the latter. Love isn’t really “blind,” we could just say it’s... myopic?

Myopia, also known as short-

sightedness, is the visual impairment when one can only see properly what is directly before them. Objects in the far distance are blurry and incorrectly viewed. So, maybe we saw – and heard – everything, but figured, who cares? It didn’t get on our nerves back then, and our emotional “myopia” prevented us from realizing it would, very much, do so in the future.

Yet another person with a few cheesy words to say about love is Andy Rooney from the television program 60 Minutes. “No one is perfect until

you fall in love with them.”

Sorry for making you gag.

The point is, what does it mean when you do start noticing all those aggravating habits of your sweetheart?

Does that mean you no longer love him/her? Is your relationship practically over?

Perhaps the best thing would be to recognize that the failure to pinpoint every flaw in everyone we meet is what allows us to have friends, boyfriends, and girlfriends, and allows the Pepé Le Pew in each of us to have a little fun.

The upside of myopia Yasmine Saab Staff Writer

S

ometimes, after you’ve been with someone for what feels like a long time, you might look at your boyfriend or girlfriend, and can’t remember why you ever thought his jokes were funny or how you never realized how annoying her laugh really is, and you wonder, how in heaven’s name did I not see this before?

Pepé le Pew, the cartoon skunk famous for his romantic ways, once said in his French accent, “Love, she is blind, no?”

So most of us would agree with Pepé that when you like

someone, you somehow fail to notice their shortcomings. At the time that your crush develops, you sort of refuse to pick up on the fact that she chews her gum really loudly, popping and smacking like there’s no tomorrow, or the fact that he says “man” at the end of every possible sentence, man. Yet we sometimes ask, did we not want to see these things, or was it really out of our control?

Were we “blind,” or do we just choose to shut our eyes?

William Curry said, in his not-French accent, “Love isn’t blind, it just only sees

8

arts & culture Antioxidize Your Living!

Did You Know?

Fruit skin color contrast is directly correlated with its potential to shun away cancer? The brighter the fruit, the more potent its antioxidants!

Rami Diab Staff Writer Attention! You may be the next person on the road to acquiring cancer. As if all those mutagens – environmental malady-inducing agents – weren’t enough from UV exposure and other forms of radiation to pesticides that wind up in our food, and to toxic paints and polluted air, we continue to make poor food choices when it comes to managing our dietary intake. So many people are dying from cancer and the statistical percentage of people who tend to discover it in its advanced and critical stages is disconsolating. Something has to be done!

Just as the best means of preventing ourselves from acquiring sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) is to abstain from unprotected sex, the best means of preventing cancer lies in making healthy and calculated food choices.

AUB’s very own Biology Professor, Dr. Hala Mohtaseb believes that it is no difficult task to watch what we eat, “although Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) has not gained much recognition and support from physicians for many years, I believe that the answers for prevention and treatment of many diseases lie in CAM.” Extensive research has proven that antioxidant–containing foods are essential in combating diseases, such as cancer and HIV, especially in their incipient stages.

Here’s what some researchers have said about antioxidants: A thorough study on HIV portrayed that “oxidizing stress is not merely an epiphenomenon, but is at the heart of the pathogens of HIV disease. This has incited researchers to test the effect of antioxidants in cell models, showing the high efficacy of certain micronutrients, but also of some other antioxidants” (Zhang, Inserra, and Ross, 38).

Another study on antioxidant vitamins C and E concurs with the latter reasoning stating, “the possibility has arisen within the past decade that major diseases that afflict humankind worldwide may be preventable by the simple expedient of improving the dietary intake of those nutrient substances that have become called ‘antioxidant nutrients’” (Diplock, 3).

You see, when food is ingested, the only way it can be made use of is by means of rigorous metabolic processes, one of which is oxidation. Upon oxidation of food substances by means of oxidizing catalysts, oxygen-containing chemical species “each characterized by an unpaired set of electrons in their [oxygen’s] outer orbital,” (Inserra, Ardestani, Ross Watson, 19) emerge as by-products. These by-products are commonly referred to as free radicals or reactive oxygen species (ROR), and for good reason as these species have the tendency to rob other chemical compounds from their electrons and render them unstable and thus capable of forming new diverse types of free radicals themselves! So you see, free radicals not only catalyze the increased quantity of free radicals but diversify them as well!

Antioxidants have the power to reduce the oxidizing effects of oxidant catalysts, thereby abating the dire consequences of destabilization chemical compounds that may cause cancer and many other life-threatening diseases.

So what are some antioxidants and where can we find them?

Some of these antioxidants include flavonoid (such as quercins), which are “plant phenolic pigment products,” (Zhang, Inserra, and Ross Watson, 38) - not of animal origin!

Table 1 includes antioxidizing power of some food sources with antioxidizing power (“Vegetable Antioxidant, Fruit antioxidant, List of Foods High in Antioxidants Content (Activity).”): Table 1: List of Food Sources Containing High Levels of Antioxidant Activity

References: Diplock, Anthony. “The Safety of β-Carotene and the Antioxidant Vitamins C and E.” Antioxidants and Disease Prevention. (1997): 3-18. Print.

F. Inserra, Paula and K. Ardestani, Sussan and Ross Watson, Ronald. “Antioxidants and Immune Funtion.” Antioxidants and Disease Prevention. (1997): 19-30.

Print.

“Vegetable Antioxidant, Fruit antioxidant, List of Foods High in Antioxidants Content (Activity) .” Dietary Fiber Food. 14 July 2008. Web. 4 Jan 2010. <http://

www.dietaryfiberfood.com/Antioxidant-rich-food-sources.php>.

W. McLarty, Jerry. “Antioxidants and Cancer: The Epidemiolgical Evidence.”Antioxidants and Disease Prevention. (1997): 45-66. Print.

Zhang, Zhen and F. Inserra, Paula and Ross Watson, Ronald. “Antioxidants and Aids.”Antioxidants and Disease Prevention. (1997): 31-43. Print.

fun & trivia

MEGA SUDOKU CHALLENGE III

All solutions should be scanned and emailed to readoutlook@gmail.com by Friday, Jan 15. Winners will be chosen by lottery and their name will be published on Tuesday, Jan 19.

The Prize is Courtesy of Fly Float.

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10

Entertainment Restaraunt Review Freshly open in the Monot/ Sodeco area is “Crave,” a delightful restaurant, whose semi-unique concept and knack for providing highquality food will undeniably make it one of Lebanon’s hot dining spots in the near future.

The menu, an apparently Canadian inspiration, is divided into two sides. One side, titled “Selfish Cravings” contains an array of main courses, whereas the second is titled “Shared Cravings,” and, as implied by the name, consists of sharable platters.

This thereby allows the diner to sample a plethora of different meals rather than being restricted to one, as often seems to be the case. This is intended to make the experience more unique and enjoy-

able.

Yet, as is the case with any good idea, it is in its self nothing more than an idea.

Its execution, herein determined by the quality and innovation of the food, is what determines whether or not it has the ability to stand on its own two feet and maintain the longevity of a restaurant. Fortunately for us, the food itself is quite original and the quality is most definitely of a superior class.

Though all the shared platters are mouthwatering, a few stand out.The most notable ones include the fried Won Tons, the Risotto Platter, and the Sliders.

The Won Tons, much like the other sharable items, come in three flavors. Each equipped with its appropri-

Band Review If you are sick of the normal, run-of-the-mill music on the radio currently, the perfect solution to your boredom exists in this artist review. Ben Taylor’s voice should be the next one pouring through your headphones and into your ears, as the word “pour” perfectly describes the ability of this man’s smooth, unique, and completely relaxing voice to slide into the listener’s ears and settle comfortably.

It is no surprise that Taylor was blessed with such an amazing voice, being the son of superstar parents James Taylor and Carly Simon, famous for their voices and hits like “Fire and Rain,” and “You’re So Vain,” respectively. Taylor, however, has his own unique twist, paying homage to his parents legacies’, yet maintaining his own personal identity.

A very appealing trait of Taylor’s is his ability to remain humble and under the radar, even with famous parents and countless musical connections. His voice

may arguably be even better than his famed father’s pipes, and his lyrics are truly poetic. Still, he remains a relatively undiscovered treasure.

One notable song by Taylor that should not be missed is the wickedly fun “Wicked Way.” Though many songs in the music world require a second or third listen to really gain the affection of the listener, this song is gold at first listen. It combines Taylor’s humor with beautiful rhythmic guitar strumming and, of course, his silky smooth vocals. The song jokes about the not quite gentlemanly intentions of the singer, though the listener almost forgets this with the harmonious and deceivingly sweet sounding strums on his guitar.

Another gem of Taylor’s is “Nothing I Can Do,” a more sentimental piece that he wrote about his mother. The emotion in the song is captured through vivid imagery; the song opens with the descriptions of sunlight and

Crave ate dipping sauce, the Won Tons are fried to perfection, and come in beef, chicken, or cheese. The Risotto is particularly flavorsome, and comes in saffron, mushroom and beetroot, again allowing the diners to taste a greater variety of food than they usually would. Finally, the sliders, which are mini gourmet burgers, also come in three flavors. Whereas the beef and chicken burgers are normal crowd favorites, the salmon burger is somewhat of an odd and unexpected adage, which not only lives up to the standard of the other ‘normal’ burgers, but surpasses it!

As for the “Selfish Cravings” the selections are slightly less daring than the platters which are shared, providing

Timmy Malkoun an ample niche for the conventional diner. Yet, this is not to say that said platters are boring and uninspired, as the quality and richness of the ingredients results in great dishes. One of the more interesting meals included in this section of the menu is the Tandoori Chicken Salad. This fusion dish mixes the spicy chicken with fresh greens and mango ultimately creating a tantalizing salad.

Moreover, the menu does not end with the shared and selfish platters, as there is an extensive wine and beverage menu ,as well as a dessert selection. Most notable amongst the latter is the Crème Brule which comes in three, albeit very similar, flavors, and the Chocolate

Ben Taylor

a woman coming out of darkness. Taylor has a special way of creating soothing and beautifully composed music, apparent in the heightening progression of this song.

Not only are Taylor’s original pieces noteworthy, but so are his covers. His cover of the song “I Try,” by Macy Gray has a hauntingly sweet

Fondue. The Fondue which comes with marshmallows and fruits, has three types of chocolate to dip in, dark, white, and melted Toblerone!

While the food is quite simply great, the service is a different issue. Though the waiters are charming and polite, the meals do take a while to be prepared, the wait in between the main course and dessert spanning up to forty minutes. This, however, may simply be due to the fact that the restaurant just recently opened, and, is nothing more than a small bump on the perfectly paved road, that will irrefutably lead “Crave” to restaurant-nirvana, if its quality is maintained of course.

Heather Jaber

appeal. The cover is slower and has a greater impact than the original, as the listener can appreciate Taylor’s feeling shining and echoing through Gray’s words.

If you enjoy music that makes you forget about all of your troubles, then Ben Taylor is the man for you. This music is perfect for a day at

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the beach, a road trip, a lazy Sunday, or a walk outdoors.

No matter the occasion, Ben Taylor’s pipes will soon have your stress melting away and a smile finding its way to your face. He is the perfect antidote for a long day, a bad break-up, or the simple desire for pure bliss.

Entertainment

Movie Review Perhaps one of the most entertaining movies of the year, Sherlock Holmes strikes audiences as a captivating tale, complete with plot twists, plenty of chemistry, and tons of bone-crushing action. Playing Sherlock is Robert Downey Jr., famous for his previous role as Iron Man. With movies like Charlie Chaplin, Tropic Thunder, The Soloist, and now Sherlock Holmes, Robert Downey Jr., once again delivers as a thoroughly remarkable character- except this time with an eccentric new spin.

Sherlock’s cynical sidekick, Watson, is played by British actor Jude Law, while Sherlock’s female interest, Irene Adler, is played by the beautiful Rachel McAdams. Holding his own as the cunning antagonist is Mark Strong, known for his work in Body of Lies and Tristan and Isolde.

True to the original literary inspiration, Sherlock Holmes is a wildly peculiar detective, famed for his brilliance and deductive reasoning. Towards the beginning of the film, Holmes becomes a her-

mit, stripped of interesting cases and his close friend Watson, who is soon to be married. Meanwhile Irene Adler, notable thief, seductress, and long-time love of Holmes, reappears with a new case, finding the missing “Ginger midget.” Holmes is tempted out of his recluse only to re-recruit Watson for another all-out mystery. The plot unfolds as Lord Blackwood (Strong), reeks havoc throughout all of London, only to be repeatedly fazed

by Watson and Holmes.

For the science lovers, Sherlock Holmes is a flash-back into pre-modern times, with scientific and industrial advancements as prominent recurring themes. Magic mixes with science in a clever ruse that leaves audiences wondering which one is which. With the help of Watson and Adler, Sherlock uncovers several innovative scientific tools and methods, each of which helps him to further unveil Lord Blackwood’s evil plans.

Both McAdams and Downey Jr., play their parts with convincing chemistry, only to be

Book Review Possibly one of the greatest fantasy writers of our time, Salman Rushdie has once again delivered with his latest new book entitled The Enchantress of Florence.

Set around 14th century India, the story features main protagonist – Niccolò Machiavelli, an Italian diplomat and captivating storyteller – as a regal young man with his heart set on captivating the Mughal emperor Akbar the Great.

Combing history, fantasy, romance, and just plain insanity, The Enchantress of Florence is a three part tale that is sure to make readers hungry for more. The tale begins with Niccolo arriving

Sherlock Holmes bested by the unbreakable bond of friendship between Sherlock and Watson. Law and Downey Jr. seem to have both an onscreen and offscreen friendship, cleverly portrayed through a humorous and well-written script.

Perhaps the most critiqued aspects of the film are the slow-motion action montages, of which there are plenty. Holmes plays out several scenes in his head before they actually happen, and then proceeds to repeat them in excruciatingly slow movements, drawing from both the suspense and thrill of the actual fight. Other critics have dubbed the film’s plot as “overcomplicated” and “difficult to follow,” even though the story stems from the original book series.

Sherlock Holmes succeeds in mesmerizing audiences so that they feel straight out of 19th century London.

Amidst detective work, romantic pursuits, and plenty of action sequences, this film revives the age-old legacy that is Sherlock Holmes. Don’t miss this actionpacked adventure romance

ence is captivating enough to hold any reader’s attention.

Western and Eastern values are recurring themes within the book, with one main character being Christian, the other Muslim. An excerpt of the book reads as follows: “The citizenry’s growing interest in the drink-sodden daily life and sex-crazed nocturnal culture of faraway Florence… led some to suspect a hedonistic conspiracy to weaken the people’s moral fiber and to erode the moral authority of the One True God.” Though a bit thick on the uptake, The Enchantress of Florence is well worth the struggle and leaves readers feeling more knowledge-

Lojine Kamel

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while it’s still in theatres, or you will lose out on an excellent movie experience that will leave you with the ur-

The Enchantress of Florence

at Akbar The Great’s palace and delving into the Mughal emperor’s longtime history. Somewhere along the way readers are made aware of Akbar’s rather humorous insanity – in that of all his wives, his favorite, Queen Jodha, is not real. Met with both sarcasm and devout supporters, Akbar continuous to rule his Mughal court blissfully in control – until the new Italian diplomat challenges his right to rule.

Rushdie expertly weaves this tale with breathtaking imagery and flawless rhetoric. Although a dictionary may be needed for some of the more lengthy monologues, the plot of The Enchantress of Flor-

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able than before.

The book rounds off with an entirely unexpected plot twist and another un-conventional romance between Akbar and a well known Mughal princess. History is seamlessly mixed with fantasy in such a way that this story seems to make more sense then what actually occurred. Featuring Babar, Genghis Khan, Queen Elizabeth I, and other notable rulers in history, The Enchantress of Florence does what all historical fictions are meant to do – it brings history to life.

Beware however; this book is party to many controversial topics, a common aspect

gent need to hunt down notorious criminals. After all detective work is quite elementary, my dear [Watson].

Lojine Kamel of many of Rushdie’s works.

It is neither a light read nor a difficult one, though Rushdie’s vocabulary far exceeds that of a typical college student. So if you’re looking for a challenging, well-written novel, then look no further.

The Enchantress of Florence is most definitely for you.

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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 Mohamad Al Medwar 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

Cartoonist

Qater Al Nada Mohsen Dima Barbir Tariq Buhilaigah Deedee Jilani

Psyched Out

Rita Obeid

Borderline Personality Disorder Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder characterized by unstable moods and problems with interpersonal relationships, self image, and behavior. People diagnosed with BPD, mostly young women, experience intense periods of anger, depression, or anxiety that are relatively short in duration, i.e. lasting for hours or only a day. People with BPD often view themselves as lonely, empty, misunderstood, and naturally bad. These people might also have unstable patterns of social relationships. They can develop strong attachment at one point to their friends, family, and loved ones, but their attitude might suddenly change from intense admiration and love to deep anger and hate.

The causes of BPD are still unknown, however, both environmental and genetic factors are believed to predispose patients to BPT traits. Importantly, research has revealed that most, but not all, BPD individuals have a reported history of abuse or neglect during their childhood. Thus, it is believed that BPD results from a combination of individual vulnerability to stress in the environment (such as neglect and abuse) and a series of events in young adulthood that trigger this disorder. More studies focusing on the neurological causes of BPD’s symptoms suggest that such impulsive behavior and volatile moods that characterize the disorder result from an impairment of the neural circuits in the brain that modulate emotion. Also, attention is being given to neurotransmitters that play a role in the stability of emotion.

The most effective treatment for borderline personality disorder is called Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), a treatment that has been developed especially to treat patients with the disorder. Medication has also been used to target specific symptoms of this disorder. Antidepressants and mood stabilizers may be helpful for depressed patients and antipsychotic medication may be used when distortions in thinking are appended to the list of symptoms.

Heads Up on Health

Maya Terro

Maladies of the mouth— a list of possible causes and cures It’s somehow universal that no one likes to pay their dentist a visit! Likewise, no one can deny the fact that “Prevention is indeed the best cure.” Below are some of the maladies of the mouth and how to treat them— YOURSELF. Malady #1 –Sensitive teeth are usually the result of exposed nerve roots, often from receding gums. Treatment of this malady lies in laying off the whitening, tartar-control, and baking-soda toothpastes—they’re abrasive and can contain phosphates, which make teeth sensitive- and not brushing too hard (may lead to recessed gums).

Malady #2 –A Burned palate usually results from hot food like pizza and not to mention impatience. Burning the roof of your mouth and the resulting softening of the palate tissue, doesn’t just cause you unbearable pain, it also makes your palate more prone to infection. In most cases, a corticosteroid paste ought to create a protective coating on the burn that allows faster healing.

Malady #3 –A Burned tongue is usually the doing of sipping hot beverages or food and the use of improper flame-breathing techniques. One way to deal with this malady is to rinse your mouth with a solution of 1 teaspoon of salt and a cup of warm water. The salt can draw infection to the surface of the tissue, where the body eliminates it, and salt helps neutralize the acidic environment that fosters bacteria.

Malady #4 –A Canker sore is usually the result of numerous possible causes but certain types of food like Dip’n Crunch, Doritos, salsa, and other sharp and spicy foods can further irritate the sore. The best way to avoid these is by avoiding the mixing of these. In order to treat a canker sore, apply vegetable oil to a cotton ball and hold it against the sore three or four times a day –the oil helps coat the sore and protect it from irritation.

Malady #5 –Chipped or cracked teeth are the result of a temperature disparity that occurs when you bite into hot food then swig an ice-cold drink. Between the expansion and contraction, cracks will form on your enamel. This is bad since the chip or crack could simply leave you susceptible to infection and decay. In this case, a dentist can bond or seal the tooth, repairing chips while keeping your choppers safe from ending up a dental dead zone.

Bottom line: Remember not to brush too hard—being a clean freak isn’t always that healthy.