Random posts

• My Bin Laden: Charbel Khalil made his name by finding Bin Laden, straightening out politicians and comically dismissing the country's leaders; something he still doesn't regret, even if it almost started a war.
• Arabic soup: Writer and cultural editor of Al Safir, Abbas Beydoun talks about the effect of war on literature and the Lebanese. I think.
• Boxed brides: China has an epidemic of single women who don’t want the local life, or the local men.
• The 5 stages of the angsty woman: What follows is an accurate transcription, with some clarifying side-notes of the notebook I lived in prior to my summer lit examinations. 'twas a stormy summer night...
• Sketch-a-war: Cartoons are rarely serious, and that's exactly what Mazen Kerbaj counts on. While officials ignore his work, Kerbaj is busy fighting through the funny papers.
• Kung-fu redhead: Somewhere in the mess of neurological pathways I call Karl (when I'm referring to myself in the psychotic third-person) I've managed to equate affection with violence; in other words, if I enjoy someone’s company, I hurt them.
• The gypsy emperor: Michel Elefteriades – guerilla fighter, artist, musician –doesn't even consider himself Lebanese, rather the Emperor of Nowhereistan, a state with no land and where everyone is welcome. Provided they pass the test. Where do we sign up?
• Bearded bells: A legend in Lebanese theater, Rafic Ali Ahmad buys me a shisha at the notorious Rawda Cafe and talks about his life.
• Art attack: Sandra Dagher believes people care about art. As director of the Beirut Art Center she tries to walk the walk by bringing art to the masses whilst supporting local talent.
• Deserts ahoy: We’re not built for sudden changes. When my ancestors travelled they spent weeks preparing ropes and mounts; I packed clean shorts into a small bag and walked through metal detector after detector.
• Seed of Zicco: Zicco House is much more than just the poetry readings and concerts at the Samra Bar: it's a launch-pad for the country's most prominent movements, and has become a hub for thinkers and dissidents who dream of change.