INTERNET KILLED THE ANTICIPATION STAR

The number of social networking websites is growing tremendously, and the people seem to be catching up very easily.

From Twitter, to Facebook; from Friendster to LinkedIn, passing by all the personal blogs, everyone wants to go public.
Not very long time ago, finding a certain person on Google was a privilege dedicated to well-known and distinguished people. It was almost like if you could make it on Google, it means you made it in real life.
But now, anyone can open a profile on one of the numerous networking websites, and thus could be located in less than a minute.

Although there is absolutely nothing wrong in that, but the fact that everyone is going public is taking its toll on the imagination.

For example if you are at work, and you’re dealing for some time with a girl just over the phone, there is no more need to imagine whether she is a brunette or a blonde, whether she’s hot or a turn off, you just Google her and you will definitely find a photo of her somewhere on the net.

Also if you’re going on a first date with another girl, there is no more need to be extra cautious, or hope to be lucky and have something in common to talk about. Before going to the date, you can just check her Facebook profile, and you would know exactly what is her favorite music, in which places she likes to hang out, the type of friends she spends time with. And based on all these factors, you design the “perfect” date accordingly.

Moreover, every one of us used to feel very special when our true friends used to remember our birthdays, but now it doesn’t feel so special anymore because even the person I went to school with 10 years ago and haven’t spoken with since will write me his best wishes on my wall!

The Buggles thought in 1979 that Video Killed the Radio Star, and I think in 2010 that Internet killed the video star.

What next, can we be any more connected than we actually are, and what can kill the internet star???

BEIRUT WATER TAXI

We might not have a metro, we might not have a working railway system, but at least we will have a Water Taxi!!!

BWT or Beirut Water Taxi is a very efficient, cheap (at least cheaper than doing a metro), and eco-friendly way to help reduce congestion on lebanese highway.

The maximum time a trip would take is approximately 55 minutes (the distance from Beirut to Tripoli)

For once in Lebanon, the water taxis will be operating as per a fixed schedules (well I'm not sure how accurate they will be, taking into consideration the Lebanese own way of timings), and the purchase of tickets can be done online.

If BWT will get the license from the lebanese government to operate, this system can start in a year time maximum!

For more information on BWT, you can visit http://www.beirutwatertaxi.com/.

See you on board!

AT LEAST WE'VE BEEN WARNED!

Click picture to enlarge

THE LAND OF CEDARS... AND CONTRADICTIONS

Lebanon has always been known as a country of contradictions, and that’s what giving it its distinctiveness and uniqueness.
Who doesn’t know that in one day you can go skiing in the morning and go to the beach in the afternoon.
Go for a run in Beirut corniche, and you will encounter the sexy dressed women jogging right next to the fully veiled.
In Downtown Beirut you have the churches’ bells ringing simultaneously with the Mosques’ call for prayer.

Yes all these contradictions give our country its richness and create a clear reflection of the country’s history, people and heritage.
Unfortunately, some of the big countries have noticed these contradictions and decided to take the idea to another stage.

With the beginning of 2009, and out of the blue, an article was published in New York Times, ranking Lebanon the number 1 destination to visit in the world. We, the Lebanese were very happy and proud of this achievement, even though at the same time, I am sure every one of us was secretly wondering about the sanity of this ranking. And since then, every week or two, a new international article was being published about Lebanon and Beirut, but this time it wasn’t about war, nor about destruction. It was about beauty, parties, alcohol, food and music.
Even Paris Hilton came to party in Beirut…
We were listed among the world best party cities like Ibiza, London and Amsterdam…

So just when we thought that the world have started finally to see the real us, we forgot that we were doomed with contradictions.
The same magazine that listed Lebanon as the number one place to visit in 2009, listed also Lebanon in an article recently published, among the 14 countries whose passengers should undergo extensive and additional screening before they can board planes to the United States.
The countries list, which is designated states sponsors of terrorism by the US state department, does not include neither London, nor Ibiza or Amsterdam. It includes countries like Sudan, Iran, Afghanistan, Libya, Nigeria and Pakistan…

I’m sure this will leave some foreigners confused about what Lebanon is really about, and in which list it does best fit! The only thing we can tell them is to come, check themselves and be their own judge!