Category Archives: Uncategorized

Nervana

I wrote this piece for Tahrir Squared before today’s court verdict to suspend Egypt’s upcoming parliamentary election, still I think it is relevant and I hope it provides the leaders of opposition parties in Egypt with some food for thought. Let me know what do you think; I welcome your feedbacks and comments.

Opposition2

(Photo: AP)

“Juvenile,” “self-defeating,” “myopic,” “not smart” — since Egypt’s main opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front (NSF), has announced that they will boycott the next parliamentary elections, a sustained, ferocious barrage of criticism has been unleashed against them. The Egyptian opposition is not currently at an enviable place: youth activists are frustrated, pundits are critical, Islamists are piling accusations, and the U.S. leaders are not impressed, not to mention the valid fear of breaking ranks from one or two of the partners within the coalition umbrella.

There are good reasons to criticize the Egyptian opposition…

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Leelouz Café

My walking this morning took  me to the streets of Ashrafieh in Beirut. Still a reminiscence of the old lovely Beirut, but mixed totally with super modern high rises that pop up like mushrooms in between the soon to be ruins of old Beirut.

It is quite a contrast to see old artisans side by side to super sleek and modern buildings. And maybe that is the way it should be. A mix of today and yesterday. I just hope that the signs of yesterday will prevail, they add such  strong charm to the neighborhood, and a feeling of history that you will not see anymore once the last yellow stone and red tile has been removed.

Enjoy the street…

For those enjoying the virtual walk, why don’t you join the one in Hamra and Ain EL Mreisseh, just click here and here.

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Bike napping beats kidnapping but who is in charge here – not the police it seems, or?????

A Separate State of Mind | A Blog by Elie Fares

A friend of mine parked his motorcycle yesterday in front of a house he was visiting in my hometown only to hear the engine ignite a few minutes later.

He ran outside and saw a stranger driving his bike away. He frantically tried to chase him but there was no car. He was fortunate enough to have a family member be in Batroun at the time of the theft. That person immediately called the police hotline 112 as he chased the motorcycle driver on the Lebanese highway.

The police informed him that he was not allowed to ram his car into the motorcycle and that he should let them know where he was driving at all times. So he told them when he passed the Mseilha Citadel. He told them when he passed Chekka. He told them when he passed Anfeh.

He kept his phone to his ear and spoke…

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A Separate State of Mind | A Blog by Elie Fares

Back in December, I hosted a photographer who wanted to visit Lebanon in order to experience our on-the-edge diverse lifestyle. I showed him around as much as I could given the short time I had, taking myself to Tyre for the first time in my life. I had never been that far South before. I left him there in order for him to see life in that Southern city firsthand. A couple of days later, we met up in Beirut and somehow he started contrasting and comparing my country with his. He comes from one of the world’s biggest superpowers so it’s understandable that my country is lacking in comparison.

But I couldn’t take it. Snarkiness started to ooze out of every word I uttered like the sharp blade of a knife. Jabs here and there about how his country could never – ever – have the history that my…

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