I 8, V 42

Outlook New Look Coming Soon

The official Independent Student Newspaper of the American University of Beirut since 1949

www.aub.edu.lb/outlook

Volume XLII, Issue 8

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Fateh Azzam talks on Palestinian Refugees Heather Jaber Staff Writer

T

he lecture on Palestinian refugee rights held on November 25 at AUB was not the typical, dry event lacking in enthusiasm. Instead, College Hall was filled with a myriad of impassioned rights advocates and concerned civilians.Middle East Regional Representative of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Fateh Azzam spoke in a lecture entitled “Palestinian Refugee Rights: Law, Politics and Common Sense.” The lecture opened with an introduction of Azzam by Political Studies Professor Karim Makdasi. Azzam’s self-proclaimed purpose was to “stir up things to think about.” He stated that people are refugees

when they are “forced by conflict or persecution to cross borders… when they lose protection in their own state.” “International law views refugee status as temporary,” said Azzam. He stated that at some point, these issues will need to be resolved. He stressed that “it is only common sense to consider good politics that build on longterm vision…” and that vision involves a solution to the refugee crisis. His solutions included repatriation, integration, or resettlement in a third country, so long as they are achieved voluntarily and with dignity. “Everyone has the right to leave one’s country and return to it, period.” Azzam warned that a life without basic rights and dignity for a refugee com-

munity will cause anger and discontent to ensue. This “becomes an international responsibility,” because if these rights are not provided, future social and economic problems are inevitable. These laws are imperative “in order for people not to have to result to rebellion against tyranny.” “Hosting a refugee is, in fact, a burden on the host country,” said Azzam. When he was asked about the issue of employment among Palestinian refugees, he encouraged formalizing work for the refugees.

He supported securing employment with equal pay and rights but did not forget to include the obligations refugees must adhere to, such as tax payment. In this way it “benefits the state.” “It

is very easy to agree…the international community has not pursued good politics in the case of the Palestinian refugees,” said Azzam. He stressed that the global community must come together to find solutions to this issues. “In the end, can we comfortably say there is one morality in the world? No. But we can agree on one.” The lecture was met with positive criticism. Executive Director of the Arab Human Rights Fund Fouad Hamdan, who was familiar with Azzam’s previous lectures, said, “I’m amazed that after two years of listening to his lectures and these debates I [still] learn something new.” Member of the Najdeh Association Aziza Khalidi added, “It was informative. What

struck me most was his clarification about the universality of the right of return. I think it is healthy to have such debates at AUB, especially among students. This would encourage the dialogue we need to build the bridges that need to be mended.” The lecture ended on a positive note, with Azzam speaking confidently about the right of return.

He spoke passionately on the refugee subject due to his own personal background. He stressed the importance of independence and basic rights, saying, “I should be free to determine my own destiny as an individual.” As an American citizen and a Palestinian refugee, he stated, “I cannot forget.”

3 Man in

the mirror

4 E1 fails to

follow rules

5 Insight

Club celebrates Adha

6 AUB’s

friendsly wolves, making AUB homey

7 Movie review

‫الضرورات الدين ّية‬ ّ ‫القوانني املدن ّية مقابل‬ ‫فقد كان له الفضل في وضع‬ .‫الدميقراط ّية األثين ّية‬ ّ ‫أسس‬ ‫ورغم أ ّن جهوده كانت قصيرة‬ ‫ضد‬ ّ ‫ فقد‬,‫األمد‬ ّ ‫سن القوانني‬ ‫واالقتصادي‬ ‫السياسي‬ ّ ّ ‫التّدهور‬ ‫ وألغى عصر العدل‬,‫واملعنوي‬ ّ ‫ كما وضع نظا ًما‬,‫البرونزي‬ ّ ‫ينص على قيام فروع حكوم ّية‬ ّ ‫ ومجالس تشريع ّية‬,‫منفصلة‬ ‫ جاء جستنيان‬,‫ بعده‬.‫ومحاكم‬ ّ ‫) ليجمع‬.‫م‬.‫ ق‬565 483-( ‫كل‬ ,‫ما سبقه من قوانني رومان ّية‬ ‫تضمن حوالي‬ ‫كتاب مك ّثف‬ ‫في‬ ّ ٍ ‫ في ثالثة‬,ٍ ‫ألفني ومئتي صفحة‬ .‫أجزاء‬ ‫ألف وأربع مائ ٍة وثالث ٍة‬ ‫عام‬ ٍ ‫ دخل العثمان ّيون‬,‫وخمسني‬ ‫فحكم‬ ,‫القسطنطين ّية‬ ّ ‫والشريعة حتّى عام‬ ‫القرآن‬ .‫م‬1922 ‫ وفي سياق احلديث‬,‫ثال ًثا‬ 4 ‫تتمة ص‬

.‫أهم مصدر للغذاء‬ ّ ‫كونه‬ ّ ‫يقدم‬ ‫ ينبغي‬,‫باإلضافة إلى ذلك‬ ‫اإلشارة إلى أ ّن ما يجمع أفراد‬ “ :‫ الفكرة التّالية‬,‫هذه الفئة‬ ‫ انطالً ًقا من‬,”‫ال إله غير إلهي‬ ‫االقتناع التّام بأ ّن تأدية بعض‬ ‫األعمال وااللتزام بها يؤ ّدي إلى‬ .‫السالم‬ ّ ‫إحالل‬ ‫ فإ ّن‬,‫باإلضافة ملا سبق‬ ‫ قد‬,).‫م‬.‫ ق‬800( ‫يكورغوس‬ ,‫وضع دستورًا ألثينا واسبرطة‬ ‫مجلسا للشيوخ‬ ‫كما أنشأ‬ ً ‫تعدى عمر األعضاء فيه‬ ّ .‫الستني عا ًما‬ ّ ‫ وبعي ًدا عن أجواء‬,‫ثان ًيا‬ ,‫الدين‬ ‫األحكام‬ ّ ‫املستمدة من‬ ّ ‫ نوما‬:‫مهمان‬ ‫برز شخصان‬ ّ ّ ‫ وسولون‬,‫بومبيليوس‬ ‫الشاعر‬ ).‫م‬.‫ ق‬750( ‫ كان نوما‬.‫ال ّرثائي‬ ‫ انتُخب من‬,‫بسيط‬ ‫دين‬ ٍ ٍ ‫رجل‬ ‫قبل مجلس الشيوخ ال ّروماني‬ ‫ فحكم‬,‫ليكون امللك القادم‬ ‫ثالثة وأربعني عا ًما في ج ّو خال‬ ّ ‫أما‬ ‫من املؤامرات‬ ّ .‫والشغب‬ ,).‫م‬.‫ ق‬559 639-( ,‫سولون‬

‫أمه واإللهة أثينا‬ ّ ‫ وابن يقتل‬، ّ ‫تأتي لتب ّرىء أوريستيس من‬ ‫كل‬ ,‫ في فئة االغريق عينها‬.‫هذا‬ ‫ قيل بأ ّن‬,‫وباحلديث عن القوانني‬ ‫استمد‬ -‫ ملك كريت‬- ‫مينوس‬ ّ ‫ ملك‬,‫القوانني من والده زوس‬ .‫اآللهة‬ – ‫ فإ ّن حلمورابي‬,‫كذلك‬ ‫ مئتان واثنان‬-‫مؤسس بابل‬ ّ ‫وثمانون قانون ًا ُجمعت مبا‬ ‫ تتع ّلق‬,‫يعرف مبد ّونة حمورابي‬ ‫والبحارة وشتّى‬ ‫باألزواج‬ ّ ‫يختص‬ ‫ في ما‬,‫فئات اجملتمع‬ ّ ‫بالعالقات القائمة واحملظورات‬ ‫مستمدة من‬ ‫ ك ّلها‬...‫وغيرها‬ ّ 1750( ‫اإلله شمش كما قيل‬ .).‫م‬.‫ق‬ ,‫وإذا أردنا االستناد إلى التّوراة‬ ).‫م‬.‫ ق‬1250 ( ‫فإ ّن النّبي موسى‬ ‫قد استلم الوصايا العشر أثناء‬ ,‫قمة جبل سينا‬ ّ ‫انتظاره على‬ ّ ‫وقد‬ ‫ كان ذلك‬...‫تلقاها من الل‬ ‫بعد أن رأى قومه يسجدون‬ ,‫ هنا‬.‫ذهبي مي ّثل الثور‬ ‫لتمثال‬ ّ ّ ,‫الطواطم‬ ‫أهم‬ ‫فال ّثور أحد‬ ّ

‫مدني في تلك‬ ‫فإ ّن وضع قانون‬ ّ ,‫احلقبة كان من األفكار ال ّثور ّية‬ ّ ‫زمن‬ ‫شكلت فيه الهيمنة‬ ٍ ‫في‬ ‫السمات‬ ‫الدين ّية إحدى‬ ّ ّ ‫يختص‬ ‫األساس ّية في ما‬ ّ ّ ‫بانبثاق األحكام‬ .‫والشرائع‬ ‫ وبالعودة إلى امليثولوجيا‬,ً ‫أ ّوال‬ ‫ اضط ّر امللك‬، ‫اليونانية‬ ‫بطلب من اإللهة‬ ‫أجاممنون‬ ٍ ‫أثينا – إلهة احلكمة – أن‬ ‫ فيحصل‬,‫يضحي باحدى بناته‬ ّ ‫بذلك على موافقتها ليبحر‬ ‫نحو طروادة ملقاتلة امللك بريام‬ ‫ ابنة زوس ملك‬,‫وإنقاذ هيلني‬ ‫ وبعد عودة أجاممنون‬.‫اآللهة‬ ‫من حرب طروادة مع عشيقته‬ ‫اجلديدة كاساندرا ابنة ملك‬ ‫ غضبت‬, ‫طروادة املهزوم‬ ‫ فنصبت‬,‫زوجته كليتمنسترا‬ ‫وعشيقها إيجيستوس كمينًا‬ ّ ‫ ما‬,‫للتّخ ّلص من زوجها‬ ‫حث‬ ‫ابنتها إيلكترا الحقًا على‬ ‫ مبساعدة‬,‫االنتقام لوالدها‬ ‫ لوح ٌة‬.‫شقيقها أوريستيس‬ ‫ زوجه تقتل زوجها‬:‫تبهر النّاظر‬

‫موسى شلح‬ ‫كاتب صحفي‬

‫السادس والعشرين من‬ ‫في‬ ّ ‫ جرت‬,2009 ‫تشرين ال ّثاني‬ .‫بعدها حلقة نقاش ٍ مثمرة‬ :‫مقتبسا‬ ‫بدأ شاربس حديثه‬ ً ‫“ال يحقّ للكونغرس إصدار‬ ‫أي قانون خاص بإقامة دين من‬ ّ ‫ أو حظر أ ّية ممارسة‬، ‫األديان‬ ‫ شهدت أوروبا‬...”‫دين ّية ح ّرة‬ ‫حظرًا أقامته األديان املنشأة‬ ‫ لذلك‬,‫على إنشاء احلكومات‬

Photo by Dima Barbir/Outlook

‫الدراسات‬ ‫برعاية مركز‬ ّ ‫األميرك ّية في‬ ‫والبحوث‬ ‫ استضافت قاعة‬, ‫اجلامعة‬ ‫“األوديتوريوم أ” في مبنى‬ ‫الوست هول محاضر ًة حتت‬ ‫الدستور ّية‬ ّ ‫عنوان “ تاريخ املبادئ‬ ‫الدكتور دونالد‬ ‫ ألقاها‬,“ ّ ‫ صاحب كتاب “ تط ّور‬-‫شاربس‬ ‫ بحضور‬-”‫العلوم االجتماع ّية‬ ّ ,‫والطالب‬ ‫جمع من األساتذة‬ ٍ

2 Editorial An advice during advising week

Op-Ed:AUB males do not deserve on-campus housing Mohammad Hijazi Staff Writer

Mohamad Yahia Hamade Editor-in-Chief Every semester, students have to undergo the humdrum online registration phase. Students are going to register for spring 2010 classes in a few weeks, as stated in the mass email sent out to the student body. Some might find it ludicrous at this point during the fall semester to have students thinking of registering for a full slate of courses, however, I advise everyone to take advising and consequent registration seriously, for this period radically affects us, the student body, as a whole.

While having almost a four-week grace period at this time of the semester to decide which courses to take, I think students should not to rely solely upon this brief time to make their decisions regarding registration. Students must take the the time to browse the AUB Student Information System (AUBSIS), review the professors who are teaching courses, get recommendations from highly sought out websites solely dedicated for this purpose, and get other students’ input on the matter. They only serve to inconvenience themselves if they do all this during the week of the actual online course registration.

Students also upset themselves by leaving registration until the start of next semester’s second phase online course registration. They risk having fewer courses available, and all interesting courses that students flock to would likely be fully booked.Almost every student who has ever registered on AUBSIS has had a time conflict with two classes that are given at the same time. This is due to the system’s embargo on enrolling in two classes that meet at the same time. It is impossible to argue otherwise, because no one can be in two places at the same time.As aforementioned, the fact seems logical; I however don’t see the logic behind “forcing” students to register for alternative courses than intended to. There should be a preregistration process, just like the one during orientation, for students to familiarize themselves with courses before the online course registration for the next semester. Should such a program exist, it ought to allow students to express interest and be able to comment on the classes they wish to take.If this were the case, the registrar will have statistics that will better reflect student interest in the classes offered and will be able to have a proper contingency plan that suits the students best. In my opinion, this will facilitate the collaboration of departments offering the course and the registrar with the students.I hope students recognize registration as a serious matter and decide their courses of interest very soon. Similarly, I hope the registrar begins to more actively promote and to educate students about its upshots on course offerings and take this suggestion into consideration. In this stratum, students will have the opportunity to choose an expansive variety of classes, and departments offering the classes will have a tangible idea of student interest.

I therefore urge members of the newly elected University Student Faculty Committee (USFC) to find a place for this suggestion in their agenda, and maybe save students all the registration stress for next year.

S

hocking? Not really.

You might have heard about the explosions that went off last week in Kerr Hall. If you haven’t, you might want to read Ali Badran’s op-ed from last week.

One of the residents of Penrose is actually defending the people behind these dangerous pranks, claiming that these people are “oppressed,” and if they had something to do, they wouldn’t have resorted to this type of attention.

Let me tell you this: these

people should not even be AUB students. Such behavior has compromised the whole safety and security of the AUB dorms. In addition to that, it is not the job of Student Housing to provide residents with “things to do,” especially not at 3:00 in the morning!

But what these idiotic minds do not know, apart from being severely punished (and I hope they get expelled from AUB with some jail-time) when they get caught - and believe me, they WILL get caught, is that they have ruined the dorm experience for guys of coming generations. Student Housing officials at AUB are now seriously considering two options: either installing cameras to constantly monitor public areas of the dorms, including hallways and kitchens, which will double the fees (for all residents including women), or completely removing the men’s section of

the dorms.

Personally, I am all for excluding guys from on-campus housing, since for the last three years I’ve lived there, they have proved more and more that they do not deserve this space.

They have shown that they are dirty people with with hidden agendas. Everything they are provided with, from microwave ovens to sanitizer bottles, must be securely locked down in place because if that didn’t happen, the items would be stolen the next day. It’s important to note that these procedures do not happen at any of the women’s dorms.

Brand new couches are broken (seriously, how does someone break a couch?), posters are constantly burned, Christmas trees are always bent, vending machines abused, washing machines destroyed, and computer mice and keyboards stolen, etc.. Student Hous-

ing should not provide them with anything, anymore.

They should live in prison cells with limited freedom.

If these people should ruin it for the innocent ones who are enjoying the AUB experience, then be it. I’d rather they live off-campus, where they keep their testosterone in their pants rather than throwing fire-crackers at pedestrians on Bliss street.

Op-Ed: Welcome to Opposite day…Everday!

Fouad Badaoui Staff Writer

D

uring the course of my day, I found myself stranded somewhere in the entrails of Beirut during rush hour, waiting for a “service” to take me to AUB. When I finally hopped into one, I noticed a sign on the dashboard that said, “Thank you for refraining from discussing politics.” I was, at first, pleasantly surprised by the man’s maturity. For a while, he represented the last glitter of sense in a country that may have already gone mad. I wanted to congratulate him! But I didn’t get the opportunity to talk much. I spent 50 minutes in his car due to traffic jam, 45 of which he spent “discussing politics.”

At some point, we got to a crowded intersection. When the light turned green, ev-

eryone stopped simultaneously. There, a police officer stood in the middle of the intersection directing traffic at his own pace, regardless of what the light indicated. Everyone was in sync and traffic was perfectly normal… except for the traffic light that seemed determined to disagree with reality.

Later, we passed by an old painted wall that I recognized, as I had helped an environmental NGO with decorating it. I remember they gave us lead based paint and the brush washing process was to put the brushes in a bucket and keep the water running for as long as it took. Traffic was too unbearable as was the driver’s endless speech. I stepped out and decided to walk the rest of the way. The driver

had one good point, though.

He complained incessantly about people not following the rules. He argued that a functional society required that everyone abide by an agreed upon set of rules.

I bumped into an acquaintance who had quite a story to tell. She lives in a not-sosafe neighborhood and is always worried about walking the final stretch home in a dark alleyway. The previous night, she was relieved to see a uniformed guard posted at the alley entrance and started walking with a sense of security. As she walked past him, it was none other than the guard himself who let out a comment worthy of a sex predator.

The connection between these stories is quite apparent and those are just the

examples I remember.

Everyone is part of the problem. The thing is, you and I are part of this community too and, like everyone in it, we don’t really expect anyone to hold us accountable for not abiding by the rules, even if they are ours. Until we admit that, there will always be problems to complain about, and others to criticize and blame. But the first person responsible for the sad state of our society is the one you see in the mirror.

3

Op-Ed: Man in the mirror

Letter to the Editor:

Simon Barakat Staff Writer

D

F

or four years now, I have been expressing my respects towards Michael Jackson, a feeling which only intensified early this summer. Those around me have to put up with my arguments defending the man, whether I am praising his music or justifying his “weird” life- the former being easier to get across. Michael Jackson is my idol, I can’t help it. His music, his voice, and the choreography he creates need no introduction. Yet when someone opens up his home to thousands of cancer and AIDS patients and provides the

care and love those victims have long been deprived of, that is what I regard as a miracle. Michael did that and the media exploited it. Michael is dead and the media praised him. Hopefully, you see the gap.

I am not going to bore you with facts about the King of Pop because I have already done so in my previous articles. What I am trying to say is that Michael Jackson stood for a cause, that of inner change to make the world a better place. I support that cause. I am a Biology senior, aiming at entering medical school next year, and this is my fourth year here at AUB. Those years have taught me a lot and continue to do so, but it is only now that I realize how time flies. I was a freshman when I first walked on Bliss Street, yet those old men begging for food and money are still there, wearing the same clothes. If we can’t get them off the streets, we can at least say hello or we can

simply smile to them; that’s change.

Looking back at my sophomore year, I can tell you that it was intense, especially the work load. Junior year, well, I am just glad I made it through. Senior year is going smoothly and I am hoping it will stay that way. I couldn’t see myself studying abroad when I was in high school, but Lebanon seemed like the perfect place for me.

I don’t regret living here, even though the conditions are not ideal- nothing is anyway. As I reflect on my years here at AUB, I remember the good times I have had and I am excited for those to come. For those not happy at being here, think positive and adapt; that’s change.

If you’re still not satisfied, keep the faith.

Op-Ed: I refuse to be a sheep and this is why…

Maya Terro Staff Writer

I

always feel proud to know that the way I was raised has had a lot to do with the person I am today. It really gets to me, however, that people who share my way of thinking are becoming extinct. In our home, we never talked- and till this day, rarely do, about politics or the like. Even my dad, who was addicted to watching the 8 PM news came, after much thought, to the same conclusion as the rest of us at home, “1-Politics suck. 2- Watching the news

is just plain stupid!”

I recall my first encounter with the term “political affiliation” like it happened yesterday. I was still a sophomore back then, and my, oh my, how things have changed ever since. So, there I was standing near the cafeteria, when a neon-glowing guy that I have never seen in my whole life asks me the following, “ma’ meen inti?” (which literally means ‘whom are you with?’). Being the person I was raised to become, I replied, ‘Brazil, DUH!’ Yes, ladies and gentleman, yours truly here thought she was being asked about football!

Here and now, the same scenario keeps on playing over and over again, and I can’t but help to pause and inquire, “What is it every year with AUBites and elections?” Why is it that when you pass by West Hall around elections, you see

AUBites labeled with certain colors, uttering certain slogans that do not relate to AUB in any manner. Excuse me, but I believe this “thing” they call freedom of expression is no more than plain act of stupidity! I hate how AUBites are simply being brainwashed and taught not to think for there is someone who can think for them.

I hate how they are forced to choose between either “us” or “them.” I mean come on, it’s not like we’re at war here. Plus, who said that if you’re not with us, then you’re with them, ha?

I am a firm believer that each and every one of us can make a change, no matter how infinitesimal that change might be. Bear in mind that every moment you decide to open your mouth, flap your lips, and vibrate some air is a moment of truth. Indeed, these vibrations can either make

uring the beginning of this semester, we, a group of ambitious and anti-sectarian people, decided to participate in the SRC elections, as a mean to deliver our thoughts to our fellow students and make our voices herd. After a lot of meetings and discussions, we decided to name our campaign “The Alternative Route”, and indeed, it was an alternative route from that of sectarianism, backwardness, and nonactivism.

As a group of independent students, we faced lots of problems, the first of which was financial.

We didn’t have financial resources from outside the university like the students supported by political parties. Therefore, we completely relied on our allowances, given by our parents, which was a sacrifice. It was not sufficient to buy stress balls, hard hats, and T-shirts, but it was sufficient to print some posters showing our slogans for the campaign.

The second problem that

you “stand out” in society or simply “stand” out of it.

Too bad. But hey, that’s the price you have to pay for the risk that you have to take. A free society is a place where you’ll hear all kinds of racist, blasphemous, and demeaning remarks. Yet, the relentless spatters of dimwits is how you know you’re in one. Variation is indeed what leads to change, and change, just like death, is inevitable and unstoppable. In order to see the change you seek, though, you need to be THAT change. That’s why I sometimes wonder whether, some sixty years from now, we might at least venture to break these so-called electoral “folklore-ish” rituals in AUB and start our own unique sheep-free “folklore,” one where the only label you’ll see is one with the word “ME” and not “WE.”

we faced was choosing where to have candidates running and choosing the candidates themselves.

We had to choose properly, bearing in mind three things: They had to share the same values with us, be truly independent, withstand political pressures, and have a good chance for winning. A lot of our potential candidates did not withstand the pressures exerted by the political parties and ended up either withdrawing or running for a certain political party. As for our candidates that actually ran, they were threatened several times by phone calls and even pressured by some of their relatives.

Both political sides tried to make unethical deals with us by either offering to run along with them on the same list or swapping some votes. At the same time, both political sides, despite all their differences, agreed on not wanting independent candidates winning, so they tried their best to make them lose, by making up false rumors to

hurt their image as independents.

The hardest issue was to convince students to vote for you on academic basis, by explaining your platform to them. Meanwhile, political parties used sectarianism to persuade the students to vote for them which is a much easier task.

With regard to all the difficulties and problems mentioned earlier, “The Alternative Route” managed to win fifteen seats in the elections and those who lost still managed to get a considerable number of votes. We proved to be really independent.

Here we take the chance to thank everyone who participated in “The Alternative Route” and the students who voted for us. We promise that we will fight for students’ rights and make your voices heard by everyone through working on the inside and outside of the SRC. Ayman Makarem

Letter to the Editor:

E

very couple of months at Cafe Younes in Hamra, the photographs on the wall are changed cyclically.

Usually, I happen to like one or two of them and tend not to notice the rest. This month, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I loved almost every picture that had been taken. The artist, Abir Ghattas, has a talent for making you feel that each photograph she takes has a story behind it. “Life in Still Motion” is Ghattas’s first public showing of her work and has been a great success so far. When asked about what intrigues her with photography, she replied, “I don’t write, draw, or verbally express myself so I take photographs. It gives me the utmost satisfaction and shapes the way I see objects and people.”

So far, Ghattas has managed to stir up quite a crowd and has received media attention from various outlets. I am finally pleased to see places that encourage and support original Lebanese talent. Furthermore, I honestly believe that her work is a fantastic example of what the Lebanese can achieve, if given the chance. If you haven’t passed by Gourmet Cafe Younes yet, then I highly recommend you do so and get the chance to experience what I consider to be an excellent portrayal of photojournalism and life photography.

Amar Shabandar

4

ǾƳơȂȇ Ǻȇƾdzơ ǹȂǻƢǬdzơ

The Insight Club celebrates Eidal-Adha Ilija Trojanović Contributing Writer

T

he Insight Club, formerly known as the Makassed Club, held their second event of the year, by celebrating Eid-alAdha with the AUB community. On Wednesday, November 25, and under the tutelage of a new president, Fourth Year Computer and Communication Engineering (CCE) Izzat AlHajj, the Insight club began its festivities marking Eidal-Adha.

Three values were celebrated harmoniously with Eid-al-Adha: sacrifice and giving, tolerance and diversity, and finally joy and happiness. Each value was respectively equated with an event, activity, or performance of some sort.

In celebrating the value of sacrifice and giving, Insight

Club members presented orphans of the Dr. Mohamad Khaled Foundation with new clothes. They did this by accompanying some young orphans to Eldorado, a boutique on Hamra’s main street and buying them new items.

On campus, this time around, the Insight Club valued Eid-al-Adha’s elements of tolerance and diversity by hanging up eye-catching posters. These posters featured faces of Insight Club members and other random face with quotes of how beautiful religion is and how important the Hajj truly is. “People come from all over the world and stand side by side, all celebrating something in common. What a feeling,”stated Al-Hajj.

Lastly, the final value of appreciation of the Eid was the joy and happiness of

religion. For this, a stand was set up facing West Hall where members of the club kindly handed out giftsmugs to be more specific- filled with a merry little sweet. The idea behind the gift was to abolish the misconceptions of religion and, according to Al-Hajj, “be religious and still be the happiest person and enjoy all the pleasures of life, yet doing so ethically.”

The club’s festivities concluded with a play reenacting the pilgrimage to Mecca. Overall, the revamped club has fallen nothing short of successful in accomplishing its goals. Psychology senior Awsaf Ghorayeb added that the “events and activities were very well organized and seeing everyone happy right before the holiday was the best way to end the week!”

‫الدستوري‬ ّ ‫عن نشأة القانون‬ ‫ كان للعديد من‬,‫في أميركا‬ ‫ أمثال‬,‫األفراد تأثي ٌر ملحوظ‬ ,‫ جفرسون‬,‫طوماس هوبز‬ ‫روسو في كتابه‬ ‫وجون جاك‬ ّ ‫ كانت‬.‫العقد االجتماعي‬ ‫أميركا سلسلة من ثالث عشرة‬ ّ ,‫مستعمرة‬ ‫لكل منها حكومة‬ ‫ عقب‬.‫إنكليز ّية وديانة مهيمنة‬ ‫انتصار اإلنكليز في مدينة‬ ‫ رأى األمريك ّيون حاج ًة‬,‫نيويرك‬ ‫ وعند انتهاء‬,‫ماس ًة إلى الوحدة‬ ّ ‫احلرب أمست أميركا وحد ًة‬ ‫لكن وجود‬ ,‫وطن ّية مجزّأة‬ ّ ‫القوى اخلارج ّية أ ّدى الى تبلور‬ ّ ‫لكل‬ , ‫نظام سياسي مستق ّر‬ ‫والي ٍة فيه حكومة حياد ّية فيما‬ ‫الدين ألجل حماية‬ ّ ‫يختص‬ ّ ‫ قبل نشأة‬... .‫الدين ّية‬ ّ ‫األقل ّيات‬ ‫دستور الواليات املتّحدة في‬ .‫م‬1791 ‫ وتعديله في‬.‫م‬1787 ‫تعاقدي بني الواليات‬ ‫ جرى اتّفاق‬, ّ ‫وتأسست حكومة‬ ,‫األميرك ّية‬ ّ ‫ فكان‬.‫ م‬1787 ‫ و‬1776 ‫وطن ّية‬ ‫الدستور‬ ّ ‫ذلك نواة‬

Possible E1 recount?

Emile Zankoul Staff Writer

er format to fill in the ballots, although it was clearly mentioned on every piece of paper how to circle properly the desired names. On each ballot was stated that in order to vote, students must circle the name of the candidate along with the respective number. Many voters missed that point

didate Georges Zakhem explained, “When the counting of votes started, there were some unofficial ballots which didn’t satisfy some of the other candidates. The dean interfered and declared that all unofficial ballots would not be counted. So we proceeded with this principle.”

"The dean interfered and declared that all unofficial ballots would not be counted"

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he results of the SRC elections for the first year engineers were dominated by the United Engineers candidates, winning four places out of four. This dominance, however, was only found in E1, as Students at Work managed to gather the majority in the FEA as a whole.

Photo courtesy of John Hajjar

Students at Work, after the counting, was not satisfied with the E1 results, saying that there were counting mistakes that if avoided, could have led to other results.

Those mistakes mainly consisted of inaccuracy and lack of rigor from the voters who did not abide by the prop-

and either circled separately the names and numbers or simply circled one of the two. It was decided that ballots not following the aforementioned rule were not going to count as valid votes, causing concerns over stifling of voter expression.

Sophomore Civil Engineer and United Engineer can-

Having followed this principle, the counting ended with not less than 90 voids-a remarkable number which led to questioning and pushed many of the AUB students to ask for a recount, believing that those voids, if counted, would affect the results.

Zakhem, on the contrary, confident with the results,

said, “[United Engineers] wouldn’t mind a recounting of the votes anyway.”

As for Sophomore Engineer and Students at Work candidate Anthony Eid, he said, “A staff person explained to us that the dean wants us to count all unofficial ballots as voids. We don’t mind to follow this rule [as in considering all unofficial ballots as voids], that is if all the other years and faculties followed it too.” He added, “I think that a recount would change the results from four to nothing to two candidates for each of the United Engineers and the Students at work.”

Voting is related to fulfilling responsibility and misreading rules is irresponsible. Perhaps voters that lacked rigor do not actually deserve to have their votes counted. Having around 90 FEA students who did not succeed in merely filling a ballot to express their voice is simply not impressing,

nor promising.

The final decision by the dean, convinced with the procedure, was to stick with the results and not go through a recount of the votes.

5

VP Under the Spotlight Rita Obeid Contributing Writer

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or those of you who do not know him, Hicham Tohme has been the VP of the USFC for the past year. Most AUB students vote, but a relatively small quantity of these voters actually know what their representatives have accomplished from the promises they have set forth during the elections. The interview with Tohme was conducted to serve that purpose.

Tohme stated that is was difficult to talk about his individual accomplishments as VP, since it was his job to manage the different agendas of other USFC members in order to aid them in achieving their goals. He said that it was easier to talk about collective work, which helped him achieve some of the promises he had made to the people who led him to office. Some of these accomplishments include: the establishment of a new award, equivalent to the Penrose Award, but given to graduate stu-

dents. The board also lobbied for graduate students to gain better access to the library facilities during the summer semesters, when they are required to conduct research for their thesis proposals. The USFC also worked on the publication of a regular newsletter (which was published in Outlook), and the constant update of the USFC website. The choice to publicize USFC decisions was nothing new, as it was taken more than five years ago, but was implemented only until last year.

However, on a more personal level, Tohme lobbied for more freedom of expression on campus, especially during last year’s war on Gaza. Tohme emphasized that his actions on this activity were regardless of his beliefs and whether he agreed on the activity itself or not.

Additionally, he said that last year was one of the most financially responsi-

Physics Corner

ble USFCs in a long while, since they carefully studied each case where extensive amounts of money had to be spent. Since the USFC is funded through the social activities that all students pay for, this responsibility in spending was basically done to communicate to students that USFC’s financial backing is not something to be taken for granted. Thus, last year’s USFC tried as much as possible to benefit all students from its activities. Tohme also believes that he was successful in diminishing the gap between opposing political parties within the concil. He also noted that one of his most prominent achievements during this past year was to voice the requests of the students and bringing back the responses of the administration, and vice versa. Again, he affirmed that he did this regardless of his personal opinions.

When asked about his failures, Tohme believes that he was unsuccessful in

quickly ceasing the bickering within the USFC and thus believes that they have lost precious time because of this. He also deems that he failed to recognize that not many members within the committee were truly interested in divulging the concerns of students. Tohme also admits that most of the issues they tackled were regarding graduates, but he also declares that for the first time in a long time, graduate students were receiving the attention that they truly deserved.

When addressing the challenges he faced as VP, he explained that one of the biggest challenges was trying be as diplomatic as possible. He admitted that he has a difficult character and stated that he placed a lot of effort on controlling his aggressive tendencies. He also accredits his successes in overcoming such challenges to Associate Dean Dr. Talal Nizameddin. Another prominent challenge that the council faced, was the

lack of concern that some showed for the functioning of the committee, for example, the fact that they had to reschedule most of the meetings because of the lack of quorum. In most cases, it was the student element that was missing.

Tohme stressed that is important for students to be careful about choosing their representatives because it is they, the students, who suffer from their representatives lack of motivation and slacking.

Tohme also spoke of his expectations of the new USFC committee and the new VP to-be. Tohme explained that since his earliest days at AUB, he held the belief that politics ruined student governance, and during his status as VP, he found out that this is not the reason why student governance has been idle for the past few years. The reason, instead, was the individuals who represented these parties.

It is them that actually create a successful or unsuc-

cessful student governance committee. He then briefly stated, “what truly matters is not where these representatives come from rather it is the character, level of responsibility they posses and if they truly believe in an active student body on campus.”

When asked about his plans after VP and what was next for Hicham Tohme, Tohme concluded by saying, “I honestly don’t intend on leaving AUB anytime soon.” He is officially an alumnus now, but you can still find him around campus. He also expressed that he will be more than happy to provide the help to anyone who needs it, even though he is no longer VP of the USFC.

Harry Mavromatis, Visiting Professor of Physics

In the interests of completeness, allow me to add a caveat to my previous remarks (Outlook, Volume XLII, issue 4) about the effect of currents on the total transit time of a swimmer making a round trip between two points.

There is one special case where the presence of a current will have no effect on the time taken by a swimmer swimming with speed v to swim a distance d and back. Assume the angle made by the current of speed V, relative to the direction of the swimmer, is θ. (We had previously restricted ourselves to the special case θ = 0). Then, as before, in the absence of a current, the total time for the round trip is: Time = d/v+ d/v = 2d/v, whereas in the presence of a current, our restricted former results generalize to: Time’ = d/(v+Vcos θ)+d/(v-Vcos θ)=2d/(v – {V2 cos 2 θ }/v ), where Vcos θ is the component of the current velocity in the direction of the swimmer.

Thus, for any θ other than π/2 (or - π/2), our previous conclusions that Time’>Time hold.

If, however, θ equals π/2 (or - π/2), Time’ = 2d/v = Time, i.e. exactly the same overall transit time results.

Because of the component of the current perpendicular to him, V sin θ, the swimmer generally lands a distance Vsin θ d/(v+Vcos θ) from his original direction of motion when he reaches his destination, and a further Vsin θ d/(v-Vcos θ) to his side upon returning to his starting shore. In other words, generally the swimmer will be displaced a total distance Vsin θ 2d/(v – {V2 cos 2 θ }/v), and for the special case in which the current is perpendicular to the swimmer’s motion, the swimmer will be displaced a total of V 2d/v from his starting point, while the time he takes for the total trip will be the same as if there were no current.

As this addendum illustrates, it is often possible to gain an even deeper understanding of all the possibilities nature allows for by generalizing one’s analysis in whatever manner the physical system permits.

6

AUB Wolves off to a flying start in Friend- Chocolate Lounge Timmy Malkoun Contributing Writer ship Tournament Ilija Trojanović Contributing Writer

U

sually the athletic year kicks off with a few friendly games and scrimmages, but this year AUB got right down to business with the Friendship Tournament.

This tournament featured many sports - men’s and women’s volleyball, indoor football, basketball, as well as men’s football. The other universities that participated were: USJ, LAU Jbeil, LAU Beirut, Haigazian University, USEK, and the University of Balamand.

From the results, it was noticeably a two-sided affair with AUB and USEK sharing the spoils. AUB racked first place in men’s football, men’s indoor football, women’s indoor football, and women’s volleyball.

Outspoken men’s football coach Rabih Idriss said, “Winning 2-0 against LAU in the final was not enough...

AUB showed a much higher level than their opponents in both Varsity and Junior Varsity levels.” USEK man-

aged to edge AUB at men’s basketball and also got first place in men’s volleyball.

USJ won first place in women’s basketball, beating off a strong USEK showing.

Men’s football, taking place outside on the green pitch, was clearly the event that drew the most attention.

Not only did AUB’s Varsity team take first place without conceding a single goal, but also the young Junior Varsity players finished third with a convincing victory over the University of Balamand. Junior Varsity captain and Third Year Civil Engineering student Samer Farroukh added that he admired “how in so little time such a large group of guys connected so well on the field and showed [the] utmost commitment.”

The tournament commenced indoors with three different courts being used for basketball, volleyball, and indoor football. The supporting crowds of all universities let their noise

be heard, but it was clear who had the loudest and most loyal supporters.

When they weren’t playing, the rest of the AUB teams were eager in cheering on their fellow athletes and helping the referees keep score.

Despite some minor glitches, the Friendship Tournament lived up to its name.

The impending year looks bright for AUB sports teams. With domestic league competitions

and international tournaments coming up, AUB athletes are clearly ready for the test. Athletic Director Ghaleb Halimi thinks so too, saying he “believes all sports teams this year have the potential to be successful.”

and watching the full series of the Gilmore Girls for the fourth time, while your mom screams over your ears to get your lazy ass off the couch and go find a job! Seriously though, the job opportunities provided by Maryam Ghandour, while containing the occasional oddity such as professional driver/ belly dancer, also have some good offers which you will someday find useful. Moving on, the second thing you probably know by now is that the internet usage quota gets suspended after 8 PM. That means that all those episodes of Naruto you have been waiting to watch are finally within your grasp. While, sadly, torrent software does not work at AUB, you can access Rapidshare and other HTML-based file sharing websites. Another cool tool AUB provides is its

own file-sharing service, which you can use. Just log in, put a file in there (up to 200MB), and then anyone inside or outside AUB can have access to that. This a really good alternative to other file-sharing services that actually charge money in order to share large files which you cannot send by email.

I am reaching the end of my word-count here, so I will not be able to divulge many of the more great tips and tricks you can perform with the AUB computer service, but if you need any more information, look up the engineers playing DotA in the labs. I better stop now before I get into trouble. Till next we...Outlook. exe error server, connection lost.

A series of tubes Tarek Tutunji Staff Writer

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t some point during your stay at AUB, you will find yourself sitting at the computer lab of Jafet library playing “Canyon Defender” for the 200th time, while simultaneously finishing your turn-based MMORPG moves for the day and downloading a YouTube video of a quirky Asian girl with an Australian accent in skimpy clothes. No? Just me? All AUB students reach a point when they become obsessed with the addictive and fast connection, which makes their home ones seem like a snail on a backwards-moving treadmill. Before we talk about that, though, let us cover the basics of using the computer and internet services at AUB. The first thing you should do is to forward your Imail to your Gmail.

If you have not created an email with your name yet, go ahead and do so now, as ddevils56@hotmail.com may have sounded cool to you when you were 9, but it is not exactly appropriate to put on your resume.

Forwarding your email will help you avoid the ordeal of deleting the death threats someone sent you at the beginning of the semester in order to make space for the job opportunities you get from Maryam Ghandour. Speaking of which, did you know you could get those emails to stop being sent to your inbox? All you need to do is send her an email, although I would not recommend doing that. Even though you may think it is an inconvenience now, they will be a godsend once you have graduated and spent the first two weeks sitting in your pajamas, eating roasted nuts,

The success of restaurants such as Scallywags and Café Sho has marked a new era in Beirut dining, as more than ever, people seem to have opened their minds and mouths to the contemporary concept of fusion food. Keeping right with this trend is The Chocolate Lounge, one of the new adages to the Sodeco/ Ashrafiyeh dining scene.

Much like the name implies, this venue specializes in everything chocolate, incorporating this once savory desert item into almost everything on the menu, be it salads, burgers, salmon, and even chocolate martinis. Not only does chocolate find its way onto the menu, but the décor of the venue itself also has chocolate-esque overtones. Be it the rich brown sofa-chairs or the cushioned white paneling, the chocolate motif is tastefully understated, and is never gaudy or ostensibly thematic, creating a cozy yet classy lounge-like atmosphere.

Having acknowledged the fine atmosphere, it is necessary to examine what really matters with a restaurant that has garnered this much hype—the food. The menu is quite exhaustive, with a full-on brunch subsection that includes anything from savory scrambled eggs to sweet waffles.

As for the lunch or dinner options, the diner is left baffled with an endless array of salad and main course options. The most interesting selections include the Goat Cheese Salad with a twist, Steak O’ Chocolat, The Chocolate Lounge Burger, and the White Chocolate Salmon.

The above-mentioned salad is impeccable with fresh greens and the finest goat cheese. Oddly enough, the usual components of the salad are mixed with figs, strawberries and grapefruits that serve to bring out the flavors of the trite salad ingredients and form an unexpectedly scrumptious marriage, so much so that if the greens and goat

cheese were the Capulets and the fruits were the Montagues, Romeo and Juliet would not have been a tragedy!

Sadly though, where the sweet-induced Goat Cheese Salad succeeds, the chocolate fusion dishes fail. Both the White Chocolate Salmon and the Steak O’ Chocolat have barely enough chocolate to taste, as if the inclusion of chocolate is but a mere necessity required to meet a chocolate quota, needed to be able to officially market the restaurant as “The Chocolate Lounge”. The burger consists of Grade A steak, but while the meat is of superb quality, the mango chutney and raspberry jam filling are somewhat pointless, to use a bold word.

One is bound to be left at his or her table, wondering whether or not it would be appropriate to demand a bottle of ketchup to add flavor to their bland burger! The tastelessness and consequent pointlessness is also inherent in the chocolate-chip bun itself. As for the chocolate potato chips side order, the mesh of chocolate and potato chips is most definitively a peculiar concoction.

Once one gets over their alleged open-mindedness and coolness for devouring something as such, they are bound to be left with a bitter and questionable aftertaste.

Juxtaposing the disappointing ‘chocolate infused’ main dishes are over 20 divine deserts, which notably include the fondue that comes with a generous helping of fruit, marshmallows and even chocolate brownies, the lava cake which is drenched with chocolate sauce, and their succulent fondant.

The quality gap between the desserts and main dishes cannot help but leave us with the notion that chocolate is a great desert item, nothing more and nothing less.

7 Movie Review: Twilight: New John Mayer proves you are not Moon fighting your “battles” alone Yasmine Saab Contributing Writer Tala Kardas News Executive

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ou may cheer or you may cry, but it’s that time of year again. No, not winter; I’m talking about “I LOVE EDWARD CULLEN” season. Brace yourselves for another month of seeing teenage heartthrob Edward Cullen’s pale and vampiric face plastered on every billboard, movie poster, and fangirl Tshirt.This time around, however, you may be wondering to whom the other (and comparably more tanned) face belongs. That face belongs to Jacob Black, the new stud on the scene. Yes, it’s definitely Twilight time when you’re discussing these things.

The new Twilight movie, New Moon, is finally in theaters (cue girlish screams and manly groans). New Moon is the sequel to what you’ll remember was a very, very bad movie. In the spirit of trustworthy movie reviews, I have to tell you that New Moon is a little better, but not by much.

The acting is still overdramatized, and the

Photo from Facebook.com

movie’s tempo is still too slow. The actors say and do everything with a little too much emotion and at snail’s pace. You may disagree with this, seeing as time flies when you’re having fun watching international dream boys compete for the heart of one girl (why oh why couldn’t it have been me?!).

While the first movie (and book, seeing as the films are based on the four-part novel series) told the love story of Bella Swan and the vampire next door, the second film injects some much-needed heartache into a relationship that was getting too cheesy. After a year of dating, Edward decides to break up with Bella. Then he disappears from town, as we wish all our ex-boyfriends would. Bella is shocked and heartbroken, and turns to the only friend she has left, who – wouldn’t you know it – happens to be another very handsome young man, and this time around, a werewolf. Enter Jacob Black. A love triangle ensues, and Bella has to decide whether her undying

love for Edward is actually dying, while the audience decides whether Jacob’s new hulky physique (and habit of never wearing shirts) has anything to do with their new flame.

Whether old romance gets in the way of new flame and whether Edward or Jacob walk away with Bella’s love cannot be disclosed in this article so as not to ruin it for those who have not seen it yet.

For the guys, I can tell you that if you do see it, there is enough action (motorbiking, cliff-diving, fistfighting and paw-fighting between werewolves) to sustain your attention through the 120 minutes.

In any case, we’ll see how New Moon compares with the remaining two Twilight movies to come out. See you this time next year!

Despite having been on the music scene for around ten years, the lyrical, vocal, and musical talents of John Mayer remain largely under appreciated, as he is mostly classified under the blues-rock genre that no one seems to care about these days. Regardless of that, Mayer’s forth studio album, Battle Studies, is a clear indication that his ingenious lyrics, soothing vocals, and smooth jazz guitar riffs are here to stay.

Ever the one to know exactly what listeners want to hear, Mayer’s latest product takes the “love is a battlefield” approach, spawning eleven pieces of pure lyrical beauty set to the sounds of the acoustic guitar and relaxed drum beats. Whatever your take on love is, John Mayer is here to assure you that he knows exactly what you’re going through and that you, as the audience, have his full and undivided attention. Even though not one track is identical to another, it is obvious that the order of the songs has been put together to give the listener a sense of perfect cohesion throughout the entire album’s running time.

First and second singles “Who Says” and “Heartbreak Warfare” are just a glimpse of what Mayer has to offer. While the first single is more or less a description of a state of debauchery that comes with life on the road, the second one is a more fitting reflection of the entire album. In “Heartbreak Warfare,” also the album’s opener, is an observer describing the utter chaotic state that love brings with it by using lyrics such as “bombs are falling everywhere.” Both tracks are melodically beautiful, and will instantly become glued to your head.

Speaking of catchy songs, “Half of My Heart” instantly stands out with its rhyth-

Photo from Facebook.com

mic guitar sound and background vocals provided by pop-country star Taylor Swift. The context of the song is a man clearly saying he can only give half of his heart to the one he loves- a confession you don’t hear every day.

Another song following the same musical vein of those mentioned above is “Perfectly Lonely,” where Mayer provides comfort to all those who are happily single. Bluntly saying, “I don’t belong to anyone, nobody belongs to me,” he seems perfectly content with the situation, as though matters of the heart have truly taken their toll on him.

The somehow somber lyrics are lighted by providing a beautiful guitar solo halfway through, as well as Mayer’s smooth vocals.

The album, however, is not completely upbeat, with songs like “All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye,” “Edge of Desire,” “War of My Life,” and “Do You Know Me” providing the other side of the story. These pieces all deal with desire, reflection, and wanting to be wanted.

He seemingly reaches the brink of weeping in “All We Ever Do is Say Goodbye,” seeks empathy in the music of “Edge of Desire,” and hums his way through the pain on “Do You Know Me.” “Crossroads” provokes mixed feelings. It is the

most upbeat song on the album, but with the approach Mayer is going for, it seemingly stands out in a negative way. Though it is pretty much likable, it is more reflective of his earlier work.

On the other hand, “Assassin,” with its many overtones and many changes of tempo, has to be the best song offered to the audience. One cannot help but be reminded of the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith when hearing the track.

Mayer concludes his battle with the intense but lovely “Friends, Lovers or Nothing,” giving whomever this song is dedicated to the ultimatum, especially when singing the verse, “there can only ever be one.” It is not entirely a slow song, but the musical arrangement compels you to sway along.

Quite bluntly, Battle Studies is one of those albums you can’t help but memorize from the first few listens. Whether it is lyrics, music, or vocals, the album provides it all. It is a shame that such a great effort is undoubtedly going to go by unnoticed.

8 The Outlook team

Heads-up on Health: Out in the clear Floss your teeth!

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

Layout Editors

Elie El Khoury Amine Shayya

Members at Large

Rachid Akiki Simon Barakat

Business Managers

Mayah Haidar

Photography Editor

Salim Batlouni

Staff Writers

Rawan Abu Salman Mary-Ann Awada Mohamed Awada Ali Badran Moussa Chalah Nadine Ghaith Maryam Hoballah Mhd Izzat Husrieh Khalil Issa Wajiha Jurdi Kheir Elie El Khoury Sandra Sawaya Maya Terro Tarek Tutunji Rawan Yasmine Mohammad El-Jabi Fouad Badaoui

Photographers

Abir Abdul Ahad Qater Al Nada Mohsen Dima Barbir Tariq Buhilaigah Salim Batlouni Mohammad Al-Mad Christian Moussa Nathalie Zeytoun

Cartoonist

Maya Terro Staff Writer

A

ll over the world, millions of dollars are being spent on procedures that bleach people’s teeth, but many do not put in the less than five minutes a day that it takes to floss. According to the American Academy of Periodentology, at least 23 percent of women between 30 and 54 years and 44 percent of women over 55 have severe gum (or periodontal) disease. Periodontal disease is a serious bacterial infection that attacks the tissue surrounding one or more teeth and the bone supporting them.

It’s the number one cause of tooth loss in the US, but it is far from just a cosmetic issue –when periodontal bacteria enter the bloodstream, they can cause chronic inflammation. Researchers believe that such infections in the body may increase one’s risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer, and even premature birth. According to periodontists, women in particular need to pay close attention to gum health because the hormonal changes that occur in women during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause cause the oral bacteria that lead to gum disease to grow more readily.For this reason it is highly advised to floss at

Mohamed Awada Staff Writer least once a day. Treat it like any other part of your routine you would never skip, like brushing your teeth or showering. How you floss is very important as well.

On the how-to’s of flossing from the American Dental Association: 1) Take about 18 inches of floss and wind it around your middle fingers. 2) Hold a few inches of the floss tightly between thumbs and forefingers. 3) Guide the floss between your teeth, using a gentle rubbing motion.

4) When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C shape against one tooth, and gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth. 5) Hold the floss tightly against the tooth and gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with an up-and-down motion. 6) Repeat this for every tooth.

Once you get good with flossing, it should take you no less than a minute to complete your whole mouth. Optimally you only need to floss once per day though if you do more that is a bonus. As well, it does not matter what time of the day you floss, as long as you do it. So just remember, floss the teeth you want to keep!

Cat of the week:

Dana Kassas

American University of Beirut- West Hall Room 208 +961 1 350000 ext.3193 readoutlook@gmail.com

Bart is a black-as-night cat with a pension for nonchalance. Despite his relaxed state, this ground-breaking feline is the leader of the Cat People's Front (CPF).

T

he irony! Mohamed Awada, perhaps the most religious person in Outlook, is writing a column about sex?! It all began as a joke between friends and the idea actually materialized.

When I actually sat down to write this piece, I began to think about how not to ruin my reputation, yet make good use of this space. Let me clarify something, the point of this column is neither to advocate nor oppose pre-marital sex; university students are expected to behave maturely and wisely. Rather, we are dealing with the issue as a reality. Many AUB students are sexually active, whether you like it or not.

We plan on tackling issues that include relationship blues, STDs, safe sex, and even good sex. You might ask what the goal of such a column is, apart from an elaborate failed plan by fellow staff writers to mess up my reputation. Simply, we look for ways to enlighten our fellow AUBites.

For a start, regardless of your views, talking about sex should not be a taboo.

Talking is the best way to seek guidance about anything that might come up. Ignorance is not bliss,

contrary to the general belief. Living for years “blissfully” before finding out you have Hepatitis C, does not make your life any easier. Hiding the fact that you are pregnant will not make the baby disappear. Even asking about something that you might consider trivial (like how to put on a male condom, for example) can save you a lot of trouble.

In the USA, teen pregnancy rates vary from state to state. Contrary to what is thought, the states that are considered to be more “conservative” have higher teen pregnancy rates.

This phenomenon can be traced to the fact that the only sexual education teenagers receive in such states is abstinence from any sexual activity before marriage. In the other states, students are given a more thorough sexual education and are therefore better prepared. Speaking as an AUB student, help is never a wrong thing to get.

How can we complain for years on end about how bad the advising system in our university is, yet manage to not even seek advice about a topic that can be a matter of life or death?