SpOrTS campuS life

Cancer Fighters Language Classes

peOple OpiniOn
Raghida Ibrahim LAU Dress Code

year Xiii, vOl. ii, nO. iii

TRIBUNE
page 3 page 4 page 6 page 9 The Official STudenT newSpaper aT The lebaneSe american univerSTy

Monday april 9, 2012

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No Independents at LAU Political Parties Invest in Students
By Iman Soufan & Zahi Sahli LAU Tribune staff
As the elections began on Friday, March 30, LAUs Beirut campus resembled a mini Lebanon with apparent partitions among the different political groups. Tight security measures were evident at the gate as the highly-anticipated elections kicked off. Security members checked the ID cards of students who headed into campus. The members of We Can wore dark blue vests with scarves and carried transceivers while the affiliates of Students at Work wore yellow bibs. The two groups followers chased students upon their entrance. Did you vote? echoed throughout the LAU Beirut campus as representatives tried to recruit people and persuade them into voting for their party. The universitys elections were once again politicized as independents struggled to make a real breakthrough. Rami Kanso, a senior graphic design student, ran for elections although he was not affiliated with any political party. He competed for a seat in the school of architecture and design. Although Kanso did not win a seat at the student council, he was happy with the results as he managed to earn 43 votes, finishing only four votes behind the last of the three eventual winners, Melissa Hammoud. Kanso believes that the logistic support offered to candidates by political sides that back their electoral bids is the main reason for the failure of independent candidates. I only needed five votes to win over a candidate that is politically and logistically backed by major political parties, Kanso said. But for an independent, its not bad, and I put the eventual results into consideration even before the elections. In order to qualify as an independent candidate, a runner must follow specific guidelines. You dont adopt any political partys color, slogan, and you dont distribute or be a part of anyones election program, Raed Mohsen, the dean of students, said. The idea of independent candidates is not too popular on campus. Who are the independents anyway? a marketing senior asked. Political parties are aware and do not take serious note By Mayya Al-Ogaily

LAU Tribune staff

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Reflecting the extent to which politics interfere at a micro level in Lebanon, major political parties in the country help fund the education of hundreds of university students, including several at LAU. Most, such as the Future Movement, Amal Party and Hizbollah, denied the claim, dismissing it as false accusations but later admitted the practice was common. The three major parties on the Beirut campus also denied they pay tuition fees to muster voters but further investigations revealed the money parties pay on education is politically motivated. Mohammad Mulla, president of the Future Movement at LAU, said the group pays the tuitions of selected students based on their political background mainly but also on their financial status. If the student is from another party, why would I be interested in paying for him? Mulla asked. Each party has its own plan, and each works on making its plan succeed. This is what Lebanon is all about. Mulla also said tuition payment does not impose any obligations on recipients,

Photo by Yasmine Dabbous

but its likely that the latter would want to vote for the party in question because they would feel this is the least they can do in return. When the time for elections comes, we do not look for these students in specific asking them to vote for us, Mulla said. What we do instead is we contact all the Sunnis we know on campus to convince them to be on our side. We only work within our constituency. A political science senior whose name is not mentioned for privacy reasons said that she gets her tuition paid by the Future Movement because she has a high GPA and because of her dire financial situation.

The student said she doesnt feel obliged to do anything in return. These are two separate things, she said. The Movement leaves this matter to the students, without any obligations. Raed Mohsen, the dean of students at LAU and an interpersonal communication expert, said he is unaware of this practice. But Mohsen said he assumes some students receive aid from the education departments of their respective parties. If it is taking place, I dont think there is an unethical side to it unless there are expectations or conditions that contradict our social and so-

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CAMPUS NEWS
International Heritage Day
By Lyn Abu-Seraj LAU Tribune staff
LAU hosted the annual International Heritage Day celebration last Wednesday in front of the Fine Arts building. Flags from Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, the United States of America, Greece, Armenia and France colored the campus. Every year, different clubs get together to celebrate their countries heritage through a colorful display of traditional foods and costumes, posters, documentaries and other media. It is a really great way to see what other countries are most famous for, an LAU freshman said. Tina Strikou, a 33-year-old student at the American University of Beirut, came all the way to LAU to help organize this event. I am part of the Greek club and the Greek Association in Beirut, she said. We have brought with us historical information leaflets and posters as well as many touristic artifacts. Greece is known for its Mediterranean cuisine. Our food
Photo by Lyn Abu-Seraj

Tribune

april 09, 2012

Alumni Film Festival

By Mohamad Al-Oraybi LAU Tribune staff
LAU celebrated the works of 17 communication arts graduates during the Alumni Film Festival earlier this week. Jointly organized by the alumni relations office and the communication arts department, the festivals aim was combining, screening and ultimately promoting the films of successful LAU graduates during the fourday event. The alumni office was thrilled by the great success of bringing graduates from different generations together, Ghada Majed, the assistant director for the alumni relations office at LAU, said. Participants came in direct contact with each other through social networks and email. Seventeen alumni from different years, starting in 1983, participated in the festival. They included Zaid Abu Hamdan, Dima El Horr, Niam Itani, Wafaa Halawi, Mahmoud Kaabour, Liliane Hanbali, Remi Itani, Elie Habib, Lina Matta, Rakan Mayasi, Noura Sakkaf, Khalil Zaarour, Merva Faddoul, Walid Fakhreddine, Farah Al Hashim, Sabine El Chamaa and Sawsan Darwaza. The festivals opening ceremony on April 2 included four speeches welcoming the alumni and expressing LAUs pride in their achievements. Mona Knio, the communication arts chairperson, asked the alumni to invest in LAU fresh graduates. At the communication arts department, we are indeed thrilled to see our graduates excel and compete for key positions in the media industry, Knio said during her speech. We also trust that you will continue investing in LAU programs and LAU fresh graduates, especially those from communication arts. Screened at the Irwin Hall auditorium, all the films featured works former students completed after they graduated from LAU. Senior film projects were not accepted in the festival even if they were of excellent caliber.

is very similar to the Lebanese food, so we did not really need to bring much, Strikou added. Students, staff and faculty members joined efforts to make this event successful. Outsiders also chipped in sometimes. This year, it has been very hectic and we basically had to go to our embassies to see if they are able to give us anything that we can use for today, Nadia Al Huqail, international affairs student at LAU, said. The embassy did help and so did the students parents and friends.

Many dance performances were choreographed especially for this event. The Palestinian dance and the Lebanese dabke were particularly successful. Saudi Arabian students also brought their traditions all the way to LAU. A henna specialist decorated the hands of people interested. We have a lot of different traditions back home, but some people do not know the importance of henna and how we use it, especially before our weddings, Dana Al Tabash, a 19-year-old business student, said.

Department of Sciences Inaugurates Physics and Biology Lab

By Carla Hazarian LAU Tribune staff
Philippe M. Frossard, the dean of arts and sciences, and Ahmad Kabbani, the chairperson of the natural sciences department, inaugurated LAUs new biology and physics lab in Sage Hall last week. Guests accompanied the two scientists during a tour of the new facilities. Im going to thank all those who contributed to make this project a reality, Kabbani said. I would like to thank President Jabbra and his cabinet, as well as our dean, professor Frossard, and in particular Dr. Nashaat Mansour for his great effort in this project. Kabbani also thanked the people who did the construction, and in this respect those who sweated the workers. LAUs old biology lab was hosting 27 lab sessions each semester, and couldnt accommodate more than 20 students at a time. The lack of space forced the department to keep lab sessions running until 8 p.m.. The new facilities provide a much-needed second lab as well as another essential room for research and cell culture. The process of building the lab took three months; the new biology lab was originally a physics laboratory. The latter was moved to the top floor of Sage Hall, to a room twice the size. Both labs also received brand new state-of-the-art equipment. This is all great but we all know the space is too tight for the needs of the university, Dr. Frossard explained. The university has moved from a college-type structure towards a real university, and research is very big on
Photo by Carla Hazarian

the agenda. We really hope that these facilities will just be the beginning of a long line of future labs to come,

he added. Kabbani, for now, is happy about the new space. Our lungs can breathe, he said.

SPORTS
By Zahi Sahli LAU Tribune staff
It is hard to deny that Barcelona deserved to win their semi-final encounter against Milan. The Catalans looked comfortable during most parts of the match, with a larger share of ball possession and more attempts on goal than Milan. Milans possession on the ball was ineffective, and the Italian champions only recorded a sole attempt at the oppositions goal. Although one would rather not jump on the bandwagon of critics whose accusations often stem from their loathing of the seemingly unstoppable European champions Barcelonas home victory over Milan was, in reality, not void of refereeing controversies. Referee Bjorn Kuipers decision to award the first penalty, from which Lionel Messi canceled out Antonio Nocerinos opener which had handed Milan an early lead, was anything but a clear call. The penalty was converted by Lionel Messi and it is hard to miss that as the major turning point of the match. But the officials verdict on the second penalty was particularly contentious. Milan defender Alessandro Nestas apparent tug of Sergio Busquets shirt may happen in any football match. It certainly does not warrant a penalty decision especially that Barcelona captain Carles Puyol pushed Nesta to the ground. The main issue, however, is not that Barcelona has advanced to the semi-finals of the Champions League while making the most of controversial refereeing decisions. Rather, it is the recently-adopted culture that the European champions demonstrate ahead of every fixture that is a source of real concern. In the first leg of the encounter, Barcelonas players and coaching staff bemoaned the refereeing decisions, saying that the official did not award the team obvious spot-kicks. Puyol said that referee Joan Eriksson did not want to award Barcelona a penalty

april 9, 2012

Tribune

Controversies Mar Barcelonas Champions League Progress

at San Siro, referring to an incident where his shirt was pulled as he tried to head the ball. Goalkeeper Victor Valdes also sounded his disappointment with the standard of refereeing in the 0-0 draw against Milan, saying that he is tired of what he saw as refereeing mistakes aimed against his club. Barcelonas players and coaching staff have been vocal about their disappointment over a perceived bias against them by match officials. Sounding their criticism of the performances of officials seems to be neither coincidental nor spontaneous. The Spanish champions have been piling the pressure on referees; and in doing so they have been influencing the referees decisions. Milan gathered momentum in the early minutes of the second half, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was fouled in the penalty area. Camp Nou faithful caught their breaths but the referee waved play on. And there were more incidents which were definitely controversial. Dani Alves was lucky to escape without a yellow card, having continuously pushed the Milan players who attacked on the left flank. On the other hand, Javier Mascheranos late tackle from behind on Robinho may have merited a straight red card. These incidents do not point out to any conspiracy though. There is no grand scenario where advocates of freemasonry and Zionists lobbies have managed to eliminate Milan. Neither did Barcelona pay the referee nor does their manager Pep Guardiola have ties with the linesmen. The fact is that refereeing errors do happen, and no one should nag about them too much. But Barcelonas obsession to add to their packed trophy cabinet has made many of the Catalan fans blind to the simple fact that referees might commit game-changing errors which may benefit or cost any club. They would do anything to win. Anything ranges from faking injuries and encircling the referee to influence his decisions to demanding protection of their stars, thinking that they deserve special treatment. As they beat Jos Mourinhos Real Madrid, the Barcelona staff seemed the perfect sportsmen while Mourinho was seen as a sore loser. The true colors, however, of the sportsmen in the blueand-red striped shirts were unveiled as they began to lose their grip on La Liga. And though they could not top Mourinhos illusions of Barcelonas links with UNICEF influence on refereeing, the clubs players and staff have proved to be sore losers themselves. But with Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique worthy of Oscar nominations for their latest on-field blockbusters, Barcelona should be the last club talking about refereeing errors.

From Footballers to Cancer Fighters

By Rouba Jaafar LAU Tribune staff
As football teams fight for trophies, officials and fans are so taken by the competitive nature of the sport that they unwillingly ignore the human side of footballers. Just before the 2010 World Cup, the football world was shaken with the news that Germanys first-choice goalkeeper Robert Enke committed suicide due to overwhelming personal problems. Footballers undergo various problems which are rarely highlighted in the commotion surrounding the buildup of competitive fixtures. Eric Abidal is the most recent player whose career as a football player is under threat. Abidal, who plays for Barcelona, had recovered from a cancerous tumor in his liver last year. In a show of solidarity, the clubs captain Carles Puyol handed his armband to the French defender, who lifted the Champions League trophy despite missing the final. Abidals teammates have used different ways to support him. Different clubs have also backed Abidal. Fans and players of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Sevilla and Lyon wore We are all with you Abi! jerseys to show support to the defender. Despite the happy times he has lived among his teammates, Abidals family has endured tough times as of late. Fighting cancer was my own Champions League. It wasnt easy, especially for my family, Abidal said after his recovery. The former Lyon defender, however, is set to undergo liver transplant. It is also unclear whether Abidal will be able to play competitive football again after the transplant. Another player, who now faces a battle with cancer, is former Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov. The Bulgarian midfielder, who wore the armband for more than three and a half years and was central in Villas plans, had to announce his retirement after he was diagnosed with acute leukemia. I am now beginning to fight for my life and I will fight. Football is over, this is the end, Petrov said. Some inspiring stories come from footballers who managed to earn the tag of cancer survivors. Just like Abidal, Lubo Penev was diagnosed with liver cancer during the 1993-94 season. After nearly a year without football, Penev returned to win the double with Atletico Madrid. More recent was Real Betis player Miki Roques announcement that he was suffering from a malignant tumor in the pelvis. After a tough year on the sidelines, Roque managed to recover. Tenerife goalkeeper Sergio Aragoneses overcame testicular cancer on two occasions. Abidal, however, has been an ideal professional, taking the time to play a key role in inspiring young victims of cancer. The 31-year-old defender visisted Juan Garcia, a 15-year-old cancer patient. Dad got me the shirt of Abidal; I will fight like him and will win my own Champions League, Garcia told his father.

CAMPUS LIFE
By Caroline Feghaly LAU Tribune staff
Her brown eyes sparkled and her face glowed as she spoke about Science Po university in France. She went on and on about how great her experience was and when she stopped, she sighed and said: It was the greatest experience of my life. I cant find the right words to describe it. Manar Fleifel, an LAU political science student, applied for the exchange program between LAU and Science Po last spring. In Paris, she lived with Acacia Polatian, a political science and international affairs major. The two young women learned to rely on one another. They both agree the experience was life-changing. No matter how hard I try to describe it, its going to sound too clich or plain fantasy, Fleifel said. I had the time of my life. Acacia and I learned what we would never learn anywhere else in the world, she added. The agreement between LAU and Science Po dictates that, every year, both universities exchange a limited number of students. Those who come to Lebanon stay for one year, while those joining Science Po spend one semester in Paris. Nashat Mansour, assistant dean of arts and sciences at LAU, said that LAU sent 12 students to Science Po this year, and that the university is willing to send more students in the upcoming semesters. Students pay the required tuition fees at their respective universities. Both universities do not provide monthly allowances. LAUs financial aid students who go to Science Po will be exempted from working the requisited hours, yet do not lose the financial back-up from the university. Mansour explained that LAU advertises this exchange program twice per year. It usually selects students who are in their junior year and who have completed English 102 with a minimum grade of B-.

Tribune

april 9, 2012

Interested in a Semester in Paris?

The candidates cumulative GPA should at least be 2.75, and they shouldnt have any disciplinary records. Along with their application, students are required to write a statement mentioning what they would like to get out of this experience. Science Po is a very prestigious university in France. By going there, our students would be exposed to a different kind of education. They would also have the chance to take courses that LAU doesnt offer, Mansour said. He added that this exchange program contributes to the students cultural and personal growth as they meet people from different nationalities, and learn how to interact with them. Polatian made lots of friends in Paris and learned how to adapt to different cultures. It is not always easy to mingle with people who have different backgrounds. I learned to be patient, loving, open and understading, she said.
Photo via Facebook

Science Po does not provide science degrees. It offers B.A.s in economics, law, history, sociology and political science. Sahar Farhadi and Pheobe Oglesbee, both 21 and studying Middle Eastern affairs, were part of a three-year program at Science Po. For their last year, they joined LAU through the exchange program. To them, LAU is less testing than their alma matter because it subscribes to the American system of learning a lighter alternative to its French counterpart. At Science Po, they were not free to choose their courses nor the number of credits they had to take. They were also

required to follow a schedule provided by the university. What you do in four years, we do in two, Farhadi said. Oglesbee considers Science Po to be a conservatory institute rather than a university. She defines a university as a liberal arts institution. Being in a system where you are confined to a certain curriculum for two years can be very stressful, Farhadi said. Fleifel and Polatian excelled in the courses they took at Science Po, and they surprised many with their outcomes. Lebanon is my country, and Paris is my hometown, Fleifel said, quoting Gertrude Stein, an American writer.

I Love You, Ich Liebe Dich, Ti Amo, Te Amo..

By Omar El-Tani LAU Tribune staff
When Latin students heard that the German class is going to travel to Germany, they made a commotion and begged their instructor to organize a similar initiative. Learning a language has its benefits, especially at LAU. Not only do you get to travel and communicate with other cultures, you also become mentally malleable when you study a new language. According to Scientific American, bilingual children and adults perform better when it comes to multitasking and focusing on important information. Various factors help when one learns a new language. If you know a language that is structurally similar to yours, motivation, exposure and how much time youre willing to put in play a big role, Rula Diab, Ph.D. in foreign language education and the head of the LAU writing center, said. Students at LAU Beirut can learn German, Italian, Spanish and Latin. The university will also be introducing new languages such as Turkish and Persian. If it doesnt happen in the fall, it will definitely happen during the spring semester, Vahid Behmardi, chair of the humanities, said. The department has already decided to add them. New intermediate courses will also be introduced. According to Behmardi, Latin II, Italian II and Chinese II will be offered next year. Also, as of the fall, a language lab will be established, equipped with software and audiovisual material. But downfalls are expected. According to Behmardi, few students usually register for 202 languages courses. We only had German II once, Rabiaa Hobeika, a German instructor, said. I might not give it this summer because there wont be enough students. A student taking German complained about the superficiality of course. She is not teaching us the rules of the language. She says this is like that because this is like that, Khalil El-Assaad, a political science major, said. But the complaints may not be justified. Some people have so many high and unrealistic expectations about how fast they can become fluent so they become disappointed, Diab said. Brian Descott-Decie explained that a semester is not enough to learn a language. In his class, he teaches the rudiments and cultural background behind the language. Prescott-Decie teaches Latin. He goes out of his way to host the Latin Club and make the class accessible. Nour Fakhoury, a communication arts student and a member of the Latin Club, loves the class. Its a shame to start something and stop, Fakhoury said. Although its a dead language, Latin is important because it makes up the basis for French, Spanish, Italian, Romanian and, to a certain extent, German and English. According to Precott-Decie, Roman and Greco-Roman writers worked out the fundamentals of grammar, which we still consider today. The humanities continued to be very much grounded in concepts that were originally developed in Latin, PrecottDecie said. Its difficult to see how they could have existed without Latin. Prescott-Decie is not the only teacher with such passion for teaching. Hobeika is willing to help her students outside class if they form a German Club. If they need some help, if they show interest, why not,

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Lebanon: No Jobs for Fresh Graduates?

By Layan Doueik LAU Tribune staff
Full schedule, hectic days and endless studying hours define my three years at LAU. I was seventeen then and eager to end this journey as soon as possible to start the career I always dreamed of. Today, however, thinking about graduation makes me feel uncomfortable for an unknown reason. Isnt this what Ive always yearned for? I ask myself. I am sure it is but, the closer I come to this moment, the more I fear it. The Daily Star reported that, according to a senior International Monetary Fund official, a large number of the regions new workforce is facing the risk of unemployment, with economic growth lagging behind the growing demand for jobs. As a result, and although they hurry to graduate, many senior students today fear they will end up without a job. Lara Abou Chala is an English senior planning to apply for a teaching diploma because she believes that finding a career after graduation is a scary process. I really fear the period following graduation because I already witnessed the confusion that my brother faced after his graduation, she said. I dont want to go through the same experience. I personally share Abou Chalas fear. Despite the satisfaction of completing my studies at a young age, lately I have been thinking of several ways to stay linked to college whether it be through a double major or a masters degree. Sevag Hagopian, a sociologist, spoke about a mismatch between the markets needs, the degrees offered at universities and the huge number of graduates in the same fields. In economics, we call the result of this phenomena structural unemployment and it is the most dangerous kind of unemployment, he said. He explained that, once established, such a problem needs longer periods of time and generations to be solved. Hagopian said that universities do not seriously research the needs of the marper semester, she said. But, at the same time, I am worried there are thousands of business graduates who are searching for the same job. Khouloud Mardini, a psychology senior, believes there should be a link between universities and companies of face reality, she said. It is a temporary stage until students find a job and feel satisfied again. Confrontation, Bsat continued, is the best way to overcome this fear. Another psychologist, Abir Houry, confirmed Bsats
Photo via Creative Commons

CAMPUS LIFE

april 9, 2012

Tribune

ket to tailor their faculties and the number of accepted students accordingly. In addition, there is a lack of orientation and counseling for students, leading them to make wrong choices. There is a trend today pushing students to choose business studies. If you compare the number of business majors with students in other fields.. Its unbelievably huge, Hagopian said. Is there enough jobs for those? Was the university fair in accepting all those in the same field? This is creating and will create big socioeconomic and demographic problems. Malak Housami, business senior, has finished her BA in three years with honors. I really want to finish quickly and graduate because I worked and studied a lot taking a minimum of 15 credits

different work fields. We students subconsciously feel more secure to stay here because we fear of the emptiness after graduation, she said. Especially since Lebanon is not a land of opportunities. Her words bring me back to my situation. Perhaps my emotional attachment to college life goes beyond my satisfaction with the experience. I somehow dread the fact that I am entering a new stage where I have to stand alone and face the real world while my friends still have a student status. Abla Bsat, a psychologist, talked about the fear of the unknown, which causes this concern among college students. This fear is natural but that doesnt mean we spend all our life in college or sit in a closed room in order not to

point that students must set their goals, define what they want and spend as much time on trainings and workshops. Some students do not share the concerns I face today. Hala El- Fadel, hospitality senior, has her familys back-up. My dad has his connections with well-known companies so technically the job position is waiting for me, she said. Others just rely on strong self-esteem. I am not scared at all because I dont wait for the job to come; I am the one to grasp it, Ghida Karouny, a marketing student, said. Houry insisted that students should not blame others, nepotism, or even luck for their unemployment. None of the people we idealize in life achieved success because of luck. They got there by setting their priorities straight and working hard, Houry

said. According to a recent article in the Daily Star, it is estimated that informal employment accounts for more than 67 percent of the labor force in Lebanon. This phenomenon is coupled with unemployment problems and restricts decent work opportunities. After a year of thorough job search, Ahmad Doueik, a pharmacy LAU alumnus, is now a manager at a pharmaceutical company in Saudi Arabia. I gave up on decent job opportunities in Lebanon, he complained. Saudi Arabia gave me what Lebanon lacks: appreciation and honesty. Nada Wehbe is a 2009 business alumna who returned to college to obtain a teaching diploma after around three years of unemployment. Hopefully, this teaching diploma might find me a job in the upcoming years, Wehbe said. Hagopian pointed out that the youth will eventually migrate, leaving an aging population behind as hostages in a poor house a problem with drastic drawbacks. The Ministry of Education should take the responsibility, Hagopian suggested, by forcing universities to open more technical majors that serve the market needs. Something needs to be done to improve the image of technical education, which is always discredited in Lebanon, he said. I try to convince myself that this unemployment phenomenon is not going to affect me because I knew what major to choose based on my own qualifications. But attempts so far prove the outlook may be bleaker than expected. Most of the graduates of Germany are from technical schools, Hagopian said. While they produce the BMWs, we with all the number of postgraduates and their titles, cant produce their tires.

Raghida Ibrahim: Full of Life

By Ranim Hadid LAU Tribune staff
Five minutes before class starts, students are already seated and waiting to greet their teacher. Raghida Ibrahim walks into her classroom with her fiery red hair and a smile that stretches from ear to ear. She asks her students to fix their seating arrangement and it is done immediately. The room goes quiet as young undergraduates complete their unfinished work from the previous class. Ibrahim, meanwhile, circulates between them, monitoring and correcting their work. Despite her bubbly personality, which transpires as she gives her lesson, the line of respect between Ibrahim and her students is greatly visible. The English instructor has been teaching at LAU since 2000 and became a full-timer in 2010. She teaches courses such as Oral Communication and Intensive English. This semester, Ibrahim is responsible for English I and Sophomore Rhetoric. Following the completion of her masters in comparative literature and politics, the young instructor taught at AUB but says that nostalgia considers it to be the instructors own creation. You put a lot of your self into it, you choose the topics and the articles, Ibrahim said. This helps you make it more interesting.
Photo by Ranim Hadid

PEOPLE

Tribune

april 9, 2012

brought her back to LAU. A BUC graduate with a double major in English literature and theatre, Ibrahim has always preferred teaching a course that involves reading texts. Sophomore Rhetoric is the class she enjoys most as she

It also helps her connect with students. I would never change my career, my students are the reason I love my job, she said. Theres something great about each of them even the bad ones. As a literature fanatic and

a bookworm, she wants to share her experience with her students. Because I read a lot, I want to be able to make the students relate to the text and find themselves, she said. Starting this summer, Ibrahim will add another course to her portfolio by offering literature classes. Ive already given the syllabus to the chair and he approved it, thats how excited I am, she said with a big smile. To Ibrahim, literature is not just a course that involves reading, It is about going beyond the text. I believe when you teach literature, youre not just teaching the text, you draw parallels and compare and contrast, she said. Ibrahims warm and cozy office is shared with Reine Azzi, humanities instructor, and is decorated with stuffed animals, souvenirs and colorful posters. Everyone loves our office. Its very homey,

Azzi said in the background On her free time, Ibrahim has found an outlet through yoga a sports she has been practicing for five years. Unfortunately, because of lack of time, I stopped this semester, but I will start again soon, she said. A mother of two boys, Ibrahim has taken the time to make her dream a reality and start a novel. Some people have read the work that I have written and they want me to finish it. This really motivated me, she said. Close to finalizing her untitled book, she finds it difficult to write with a full schedule. When youre teaching you dont have that much time, you really have to be in the mood and focused and it could take days, she explained. Asked to reveal the content of her book, Ibrahim laughed shyly. Its about lots of things, mainly life, she said.

Rola Rizk: The Pillar of the Fine Arts Department

By Zeina Shehayeb LAU Tribune staff
Sitting in the black chair with her light brown curls lying on her shoulders, Rola Rizk busily types an email addressed to the faculty. Her red finger tips swiftly move through the keyboard. Once a student at LAU, Rizk is today an academic assistant for the fine arts and foundation studies. As a communication arts major, with a double emphasis in journalism and radio/tv/ film, Rizk was a financial aid assistant at the department from 2007 till 2009. Her office neighbor was Rached Bohsali, artist and fine arts instructor. When he became the chair of fine arts and foundation studies, Bohsali called Rizk to see if she was interested in working as an assistant at his department. I spent four years at LAU, it became part of me, she said. Bohsali has the most influence in her career. I have to attribute this honor to my advisor and supervisor Mr. Rached Bohsali, she said. Rizks office is one of the most visited at LAU. Her welcoming smile and her big heart attract the assistants that work with her as well as other students. I really dont want to change my position as I love being close to the students, Rizk said smiling. Rizk added that her only current plan is to acquire her masters degree. She then counts on destiny as thank God it has put [her] on the right track. But her days here at LAU have not always been easy. It is normal since we all panic at one time or another, she said. Try to come to my office at 8:00 a.m. when I am not able to open the door because of 1000 students waiting, nagging and screaming during the drop-and-add period. Rizk graduated three years ago and is aware of all the issues that students face since she went through many herself. She tries her best to help them as much as possible. Fifty percent of them are not sure about the major they choose, she added. I try to shape their decisions into the right one. Rizk is in her twenties and engaged to be married. She has an older brother who works at a bank and a younger sister who works at an advertising and design agency. Both are LAU graduates. When Rizk started her career at LAU, she came to work wearing casual outfits but the guards wouldnt let her through the gates and students didnt take her seriously. They all thought she was still a student. Today, her outfits is more formal. During last years elections I went to get a sandwich from Maliks and my ID was at the office so the guards didnt let me in until someone got my ID back, she remembered. The posters on the wall behind her reflect how much her assistants admire her. One of the posters features the words Nour Loves You while another says Thank you. She sees them as her younger brothers and sisters and cares about them accordingly. The assistants are close to my age, we are good friends but we both know our boundaries, Rizk said. Rizk manages to support students as well as faculty by reserving exam halls and preparing for art exhibitions at the department. She is also responsible for student-faculty coordination, course offerings, faculty contracts, department budgeting and files all in coordination with the chair. Although I have a lot to do, I am always energetic and willing to give my best, Rizk said.

ARTS & CULTURE

Solarium: Not So Hot After All
By Samia Buhulaiyem LAU Tribune staff
Jinan Ouseily is a regular visitor of a spa where she gets or rather keeps her skin tanned. Her husband fears that her consistent solarium sessions may cause skin cancer. But she says his preference for tanned skin is a key behind her visits to the spa. Though tanning is associated with the development of cancerous cells in countless studies, Ouseily doesnt take it too seriously. She is not a lonely case. Spas are packed with people who check in regularly to get a tan throughout the year. Before the 80s, I got the tan only during the summer, but now I enjoy a tanned body all year round. My husband likes it, Adele Abdelkhalek, who also attends the spa for solarium tans, said. She wore Prada shoes, a Chanel dress and Yves Saint Laurent sunglasses. Just like other spa clients, Abdelkhalek admits that the concept of acquiring a tanned appearance appeals to her. She explains how a tanned body makes her happy, and notices that her husband likes it too. Leila Khankan, the spas manager, explained that tanning sessions are given in two different ways. The first is known as horizontal tanning. First, you enter a room wearing a two-piece swimming suit and special glasses or goggles to avoid eye damage. Inside the room, you get instructions to rotate your body while being sprayed, Khankan said. Another way is vertical tanning. The second method is when you lie down into a special device that resembles Magnetic Resonance Imaging equipment in hospitals, she said. Your eyes are covered with special sunglasses or goggles, and we expose you to a certain dosage of ultraviolet rays for a certain period of time, Khankan continued. However, the effect of direct
Photo via Creative Commons

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exposure to unprotected ultraviolet rays is known to cause health downfalls ranging from the growth of moles and dark areas in the skin and changes in skin sensitivity to skin cancer. Dr. Jamal Zeitoun, a dermatologist, outlines the numerous health risks that can accompany solarium sessions. Every time we expose ourselves to the sun or to the solarium, we damage our skin cells, Dr. Zeitoun said. He insists that solarium damages skin cells and leaves many unwelcomed symptoms, increasing the risk of skin cancer. It ac-

tually causes irreversible damage. Overexposure to UV rays can cause freckles, blotches, wrinkles and worst of all, skin cancer, the dermatologist added. A person may absorb a sufficient amount of vitamin D when he or she stays in sunlight for a few minutes, according to Dr. Zeitoun. An article published in the FDA Consumer by Michelle Meadows says that solarium tanning can cause premature aging and wrinkling as well as damage to the eyes and immune system. Dr. Zeitoun agrees. He has welcomed tens of young people

who attended solarium sessions regularly. They looked much older than they were. I have seen college girls who got their tan in solariums, and six years later, let me tell you they look like they have aged fifteen years. A person who undergoes solarium sessions risks a host of other damages to his or her health. Dr. Leila Houry, a gynecologist, says that pregnant women must be careful. First, it is prohibited during the first three months. Later on, and since ultraviolet ray dosage in solariums do not usually cross skin layers and reach muscles, a pregnant woman may do it once or twice at the most. For many people, however, getting a tan is an essential confidence boost. Ouseily sat next to me, crossed her legs and lit a cigarette. I like having a tan, I feel sexier and more confident, she said, smiling.

Apocalypse.. Now?
By Francesco Laurenti LAU Tribune staff
According to theories based on ancient Mayan predictions and cosmic events, the end of the world is near December 21, 2012. Is humanity meeting its end less than 250 days from now? Few celebrities believe that the world will end in December this year. These include actors Woody Harrelson and Mel Gibson, rappers Canibus and Lil Wayne and rock band Smashing Pumpkins. Senior LAU accounting student Adel Chaouki is doubtful. Mayans are geniuses but how can one tell when the world will end? he asks. With rumors and misconceptions circulating around the globe, and especially online, one needs to do some research about the topic. The Mayan calendar does not end in 2012, as it is believed. The ancients never viewed that year as the time of the end of the world, archaeologists at Boston University say. Its the time when the largest grand cycle in the Mayan calendar (5,125.37 years) overturns and a new cycle begins. Mayan elder Apolinario Chile Pixtur explains that apocalypse is a Western concept that has little to do with Mayan belief. The Mayan civilization invented a calendar known as the The Long Count which transplanted the roots of Mayan culture all the way back to creation itself, BUs Anthony F. Aveni, says. December 2012 marks the end of that calendar, but not the end of the world. A prophecy related to the year 2012 predicts that earth will turn into a minefield as it undergoes a pole shift. The shift will cause continents to break, crush cities into the ocean and generate earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and other unimaginable disasters. Scientists, however, explain that such a shift would take millions of years and humanity would not even feel the change. Skeptics believe a sudden pole shift is impossible. Another prediction is about a galactic alignment of the sun crossing the midpoint of the Milky Way, our galaxy, for the first time in 26,000 years. For believers in the apocalypse, this event will expose the planet to mysterious galactic forces and be our doom. Others consider this event the start of a new human level of consciousness. Daniel Pinchbeck, author of 2012: Return of Quetzalcoatl, explains that the cosmic event will cause a shift in the nature of the psyche and in materialistic attitudes and consciousness, leading humanity to a new realization of space and time. But scientists are skeptical. There is no galactic alignment in 2012, or at least nothing out of the ordinary, NASA senior scientist David Morrison says. Morrison explains that alignments create no changes in gravitational pull, solar radiation, planetary orbits or anything of impact. Another apocalyptic scenario talks about an unknown planet, nicknamed Nibiru, on its way to our planet. The ensuing crash will destroy the globe, predictions say. But astronomers and space scientists at NASA are also doubtful. If there were a planet or a brown dwarf or whatever that was going to be in the inner solar system three years from now, astronomers would have been studying it for the past decade, Morrison explains. Some believers say that such information is being kept away from the public as part of a worldwide conspiracy. Is there really a conspiracy? Will the earth be shattered now? Some people, like LAU student Nour Jaber, just dont care. Its irrelevant when the world will end because we have to live our lives on a set of ethics and goals, she says. So if the world ends today or tomorrow, it should not change the way we act.

Lebanese Politicians Invade Twitter

By Farah Al Saati LAU Tribune staff
Zouhair Al Saati, a 72-yearold man, has never touched a computer in his life. He considers Internet a timewasting disease. But lately, Al Saati has been asking his children to log in to Twitter to get the latest tweets from Lebanese politicians active on the micro blogging site. Al Saati and other Lebanese, old and young, are increasingly interested in Twitter, now that three major political figures joined the tweeting community: President Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri. With politicians active on Twitter, this opens room for people to communicate with them more directly and more personally, Ayman Itani, social media instructor at LAU, said.When Hariri decided to join the Twitter sphere, he did not realize he was setting a new trend that will be quickly picked up by other Lebanese politicians. He was not the first or the only Lebanese politician on Twitter, of course, but at the time he was the only one replying personally to people who mention him directly on the Twitter site. His action ignited a Cold War between Lebanese politicians, who tried to gather followers and interact with them as he does. Today, Hariri has by far the highest number of followers: Approximatly 122,198 The number of his followers increased at high speed until he had a ski accident and could not keep up his daily habits. Minister of Telecom Nicolas Sehnaoui and Mikati, meanwhile, have collected 4,257 and 37,879 followers respectively.

MEDIA & SCIENCE

Being on Twitter is not only about pushing your own news and updates, but also interacting and building relationships with the people, Itani explains. Social media continues to play a growing role on how opinions are expressed, decisions are taken, and how competition is being built. Think Media Labs, a social and digital media agency based in Lebanon, conducted a 10-week study on the three politicians activists on Twitter. Sleimans followers increased to 85 percent, Mikatis 59 percent and Hariris 70 percent, the study revealed. Understandably, Lebanese zaims mostly tackle political issues such as laws, regional and international politics and Arab uprisings. But people often ask them personal questions about their families and their favorite books, food, movies, sports and music. One recurring question does not generate clear answers from the politicians: Can you help me get a job? Im unemployed. Hariri was the first Lebanese politician to get his Twitter account verified (Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbe was one of the first in the Arab region to get a verified account). The former prime minister

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was shortly followed by PM Mikati, who got his account verified earlier this year. Twitter verifies accounts of famous personalities around the world by confirming the identity of their owners. A blue tick next to the name certifies its authenticity. Today, Al Saati awaits his favorite zaim. Do tell me when Sheikh Saad is back to tweeting, he told me sorrowfully. God be with him, I hope he gets better soon.
Photo via Facebook Page

Cancer: The Eras Disease

By Tamara Abou-Antoun LAU Tribune contributor
Why didnt he make it this time? a sorrowful voice asks. Struck with the death of close friends or family members, many wonder why cancer recurs and succeeds in killing the people who manage to fight it the first time. Nothing is more heartbreaking than telling the parents of a sweet little child that their son or daughter is cured from cancer, only to later shatter their dreams and hopes sometimes a few months later with the devastating reality of a recurring malignant tumor. The truth is many cancers do have this high rate of recurrence with distant metastatic disease and an unrelenting capacity for malignancy and treatment-resistance. What makes some cancers more curable than others, or less likely to recur than others? The answer is not as clearcut as wed like it to be. But recent reports have shown that a possible reason behind this divergent behavior may reside in the cancerstem-cell (CSC) theory. What does the CSC theory state? Before we can truly understand the CSC theory, we first need a sound understanding of normal stem cell biology. The majority of our tissues are made of highly specialized, fast-dividing cells with a limited lifespan, which will eventually succumb to the normal process of aging and mortality. These cells arise from a smaller pool of less specialized, slow-dividing stem cells that replenish the pool of specialized cells, dying slowly throughout our lives. Those stem cells are also capable of self-renewal thereby maintaining the stem cell pool for the entire life of that organism. Because many of the common cancers exhibit stemlike properties, scientists became more and more intrigued by the cancer stem cell theory and they set off on their journey to explore it. A shared characteristic of all cancer stem cells is their ability to regrow complex cancers from a small number of cells sometimes as little as 100 to 1000 cells in animals as well as their high resistance to therapeutic approaches, be it chemo- radio- or targeted therapy. What makes these CSCs so resistant to chemo- or radiotherapy? Due to their slowdividing nature, CSCs work by attacking and killing the highly proliferative, more specialized cancer cells. They also expel drugs out of their cytoplasm more so than non-CSCs by over-expressing special drug-resistance proteins and survive in a hypoxic or low oxygen content environment. So what cancers possess stem cells and what cancers do not? Initially, the hematopoietic (blood) cancers, such as Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) and Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), were identified as having a subpopulation of CSCs. But ever since, a myriad of cancers have joined that evergrowing list of cancers. These include breast cancer, glioblastoma (brain cancer), cervical, pancreatic and colorectal cancers, among many others. In these cancers, the initially administered treatment may be effective at first, decreasing the bulk of the tumor, while leaving behind the more aggressive, treatment-resistant subpopulation of CSCs that will give rise, sometimes as long as years later, to the same tumor with an unbeatable capacity for malignancy. It follows then, that the ideal treatment approaches should be focused on identifying the exact mechanisms CSCs utilize for treatmentevasion and malignancy. Only then can appropriate therapies be derived and administered to inhibit the involved proteins and/or pathways that are fueling these mechanisms. Such a targeted treatment would allow us to pull cancer from its proverbial roots rather than simply trimming its branches.

OPINION
By Carla Hazarian LAU Tribune staff
Going to what was known as an underground or free party in Lebanon five years ago, was considered a spiritual event. A selected few who wanted to throw a party outdoors, with good music and good people would attend such events. It wasnt exclusive but it was meant for those who wanted to get away from mainstream music, commercialized venues and bad vibes.It was just about peace, nature and music. Today, it is a rather different story. Yearly events that used to be small and private have become the stomping grounds for ridiculous youth mostly high on drugs. I never thought you could feel crowded in nature, but it turned out that you actually can. Events today are characterized by litter scattered around the event venue and everyone practically rubbing shoulder to shoulder. It seems that what I once believed was free of the mass market has now become the new trend. I used to attend these parties and meet cool people with interesting perspectives on life. Now, everyone has the same strung out look and the only opinion they give is based on something theyve watched on YouTube. Some people who show up to such events think that it makes them look cool and hip if they were on something other than alcohol. This appalls me because hippies have nothing to do with uppers and this sort of subculture. These people just look sketchy and practically identical with their thick dirty dreadlocks. The last time I went to one of these events I saw a girl I used to know back in high school. She was your typical cookie cutter kind of girl; aka a sheep. She was one of those

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Note: The LAU Tribune is not responsible for the opinions expressed on this page.

Death of Underground Parties

girls who were always at the trendy clubs and, if there was a new hot artist, she was listening to his tracks. Now, six years and probably a few hits of acid later, here she is, dancing around in what looks like underwear and waving a glow-stick like shes signaling a plane to land. Im not necessarily generalizing because there are some good people who still attend. But its just a fact that half the people at these events need to get an attitude adjustment, or just need to move on to the next hot topic. I believe that the rise of music waves such as Dubstep is the reason behind the growing interest that people are having for such events. Dubstep, which hasnt been in the spotlight until recently, is usually played at underground events. But now, artists such as Skrillex have taken it to a new level, more known as daytime radio. This step has taken this genre and placed it on the charts for everyone to enjoy and basically cheapened it. It seems now that everybody, including Justin Bieber and Rihanna, is trying to jump on the bandwagon and earn a few extra bucks by incorporating Dubstep beats in their commercial songs. Unfortunately, all music genres reach a high popularity and end up going mainstream. Thankfully, the phenomenon that happened to Dubstep didnt reach favorable music genre known as Drum n Bass. But yet again, this genre didnt become as commercial as Dubstep. Dubstep has managed to reach a new height in popularity levels. Like all other music fans, I was into Dubstep, but this new craze that it has become made me lose my liking of it very quickly. Personally, I think that its about time to look elsewhere. Nothing feels genuine at this point. But even though I say this now, I dont think the music scene will be like this forever. Like everything else, trends come and go and things need to break down in order to be built back up again. Hopefully, this wont happen with Dubstep and that it would just crash and burn out. Now that the world of pop has taken over Dubstep, our best bet is to let go of it because it would be nothing but heartbreaking to see something so dear be turned to trash. This heartache can still be healed by Drum n Bass and some other music genres that are still coming out with good tracks. Until people see that the free party scene has hit a dead end, private events with a few good friends is a good substitute.

Banks: Legalized Robbery

By Ahmad Kilani Special to the LAU Tribune
Everyone wants to live in luxury, and banks rely on that human need. They exploit greedy human nature by making items one cant usually afford more accessible. The leftist blame capitalism and the rightist consider this a natural cycle of life. Yet, the most important understated matter is global injustice. Is it fair for people to take money from financial institutions to spend it on unneeded luxury items? People know they are going to face difficulties returning the amount with interest. Is it just when banks convince people to take loans they know they cannot pay back? Although it doesnt seem either right or ethical, banks still do it to maximize profits. Consider this ad: Get 12,000 dollars and repay 275 dollars per month only for 6 years. At first sight, the offer looks like a catch. But, if you calculate it, you find youre paying 50 percent more than the original amount. Not to mention the late fees you pay if youre one day late to your due. Banks today have become legal institutions of robbery. Of course, some of the blame falls on the customers who take such loans, knowing that they would be a burden. But again, most of the blame falls on banks, for their ads encourage people to buy more, erroneously suggesting this would provide them with a better life. Still, one would argue, cant people do simple math and know that they cannot afford such debt? It seems to be a very philosophical matter. The point here is not to find the culprit but to address the issue. In all cases, it is well known that all the bankers want is to maximize profit. If banks really cared about giving you what you wish for, would they do it without getting interest out of it? Banks know very well that most people are very greedy and that they cannot live with the bare necessities. They always want more. Greed is in our human nature indeed, nevertheless the system boosts it with fertilizer to cultivate it when it matures.

Wrong Dress Code at LAU

By Lyn Abu-Seraj LAU Tribune staff
In my four years at LAU, one thing that has constantly puzzled me is the way young ladies at LAU dress. Many women wear stilettos on campus stilettos that can barely keep up with the slopes and stairs that they run across. They sometimes wear short tight dresses. Many of you might not see this as a problem, but I do. On campus, one should build knowledge, communication skills and critical thinking. Two main reasons why it is wrong to wear provocative clothes here: 1) other people will not take you seriously and 2) it is extremely unethical. I am not talking from a religious viewpoint but from an ethical/social one instead. When people see you wearing such stimulating outfits, they will only look at you as an object. Men will only think of you sexually and only remember you through your looks. LAU is a learning institution where students and professors form a community to reach a certain goal. How will this be accomplished if the student body itself does not respect the spirit and culture of the university? When a female dresses in such a way, she is disrespecting professors, and students who come to learn. Like any other occasion, coming to school requires that you dress the part. Wearing booty shorts, skirts that line your body or shirts that cover nothing does not seem appropriate.

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Political Parties Invest in Students No Independents at LAU

Continued from page 1
of the activities of independents. Fearing that their grasp on the young population may loosen, political parties are putting pressure on students to inhibit the emergence of alternative groups. Kanso revealed how he underwent pressure by political sides in the process of announcing that he is running for the elections. Even before deciding and applying to become a candidate, I was subjected to pressure by political parties, where their advice to me was not to apply, Kanso said. But winning candidates who were embraced by political parties deny that their sides pressured independents ahead of the elections. Nesrine Yamout, who won a seat in the school of arts and sciences as part of Students at Work, denied claims that independent candidates may have been pressured out of the race ahead the elections. Meanwhile, Farah Shami, who joins Yamout in the council from the same school, also denies the claims, adding that independents form a minority and dont have a chance to win the elections. Abdo Hamade, who topped the arts and sciences list of candidates, believes independents are alienated by default. Members and supporters of parties will vote in favor of all the candidates of each ones party, thus leaving tight space for any independent runners, Hamade said. The administration announced changes in the rules of the elections. The most influential of these adjustments included the adoption of a one-manone-vote policy which replaced ballot-list-voting. While the administration had intended to detach the electoral camps from political influence, the elections remain heavily politicized. Independents usually fail, and I think its the popularity of their competitors that is over coming them, keeping in mind that we are in Lebanon and the political and sectarian situation, Wissam Haidar, president of the student council, said. Despite his defeat in this years elections, Kanso has hope for the future of the independent sides in the university elections. With less than 20 percent of students on the Beirut campus participating in the elections, Kanso is hopeful that the silent majority can reshape the electoral landscape at least on campus. Despite his defeat, he remains hopeful of a better result in the future. Independents are the only ones who look for students interest and not the interest of people outside the campus, Kanso said. cietal values, Mohsen said. It is a positive practice if its just a contribution by the party in the education of its needy member(s). But Mohsen believes that, if the partys financial support is limited to members of one sect, then the practice becomes problematic. Parties are agents of change in the society. The student/member has a role in this change. Thus, s/he should not be raised in the party in such a way that s/he expects to receive services and favors, Mohsen said. A student who graduated from LAU with a degree in political science, and who used to work with the Future Movement, said that during pre-election meetings, members of the group on campus would contact those who received a favor from us. This happens all the time at LAU and other universities Im sure, even though nobody talks about it, he said. The university is becoming a mini version of Lebanon where most political parties pay people and use bribery in order to get their votes. A former employee at a Hariri-owned organization spoke of similar allegations. During the mid 1990s, the employee was asked to call those who got financial aid from the Hariri Foundation and ask them to participate in protests. But Mohsen said that, if the parties are paying student tuition fees, they are not doing it in excessive ways that may affect elections. Although such practices exist at the parliamentary level, he added, they do not happen in university elections. The Tribune contacted the head of Amal Movement on campus but he denied this practice and said the party doesnt pay for anyones education under any circumstances. But other student members of the party, including Hisham Baalbaki, admitted that Amal pays the tuition of some students but only under certain conditions. We only provide this grant for people with special circumstances, Baalbaki said. First, the student should be an orphan whose father was killed in the war, she/he should be of a political background that is similar to ours. High grades are also a requirement. But four students whose names are not included for privacy reasons said that the party doesnt limit its financial aid to orphans. At least two of them personally know children of regular families who were helped by Amal. The Tribune has no proof on that however. Hizbollahs representative for educational recruitment at LAU confirmed that the party provides three kinds of financial aid to university students. The first, which does not apply at LAU or AUB, comes in the form of university financial aid, provided in cooperation with the financial aid office. The second type of aid comes as one-time financial help to students who occasionally experience financial difficulties. Finally, and most importantly, the third type comes in the form of direct scholarship from the party to individuals who would later work in one of our organizations, as the Hizbollah student representative put it. We pay for students when we want them to learn so we can benefit from their help later, the representative added. When asked whether Hizbollah cooperates with LAU, the student said that the party has no formal relations with LAU or AUB. Samir Obeid, the director of the financial aid office at the university denied any cooperation between his office and various political parties. Everything happens here according to the regular procedures, Obeid said. I would never discriminate or favor one party over the other in such matter. Mohsen concurred. The university has no proof regarding specific students being covered by a political party. Its between the student and the party, he said.

Language Classes
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Leilas World

I would stay longer, she said. For a language to appear in the curriculum, there has to be a demand for it usually a survey would be conducted. If there is enough demand, Hebrew will soon be included, Behmardi revealed. Hebrew might be incorporated because students of political science Continued from page 11 might be very much interested in learning Hebrew, he said. It would be helpful to those who are interested in studying the Arab Israeli conflict. Of the women benefiting from the organizations services in 2007, 103 were subjected to Maybe if we understand their language, well find we dont actually have physical violence, 78 were victims of sexual harassment, 71 to rape, and 29 to incest. quite as much to fight about as we did before, understanding helps in Hiba Abou Chakra, an experienced social worker who deals with female victims, ex- these situations, Prescott-Decie smiled. At least it cant make it worse. plains that due to the sensitivity of the matter, it is difficult to reach out to the victims. They usually know about us through word-of-mouth or we find them by tracking the HIV cases that medical centers detect, she said, explaining that many of the prostitutes The Team suffer from sexually-transmitted diseases, drug abuse and domestic violence. Staff: At the other end of the problem is Abou Karim, a 45-year-old owner of a super night club Ranim Hadid, Carla Hazarian, Layan Doueik, north of Beirut. Adviser: Lyn Abu-Seraj, Omar El Tani, Zeina SheTo him, prostitution is a thriving business that has high and low seasons. Clients in Yasmine Dabbous hayeb, Mohamed Al-Oraybi, Mayya Al-Ogailuxurious hotels request photo albums of the ladies I recruit, he said. They make their ly, Assaad Hawwa,Caroline Feghaly, Rouba Editors-in-Chief: choice and I deliver the goods. Its a regular job. Farah Al Saati, Natalia ElMani Jaafar, Aseel Baidoun, Samia Buhulaiyem, Abou Karim inherited this trade from his father. Yasmine Sarhi, Francesco Laurenti Iman Soufan, Zahi Sahli The women have no choice but to abide by his orders, since he provides them with shelter, food and financial support. Most importantly, explained Abou Karim, they should do whatever the client desires.

OFF CAMPUS
Makdessi Mayhem
By Natalia Elmani LAU Tribune staff
With broken beer bottles, small bands conjoining on the side street corners, splattered remains from too much to drink and the occasional weekend fight, Makdessi street in Hamra is making a name for itself. Famous for its increasing growth in pubs and lounges, it is also wellknown now for the consistent noisy, and sometimes quarrelling, crowds at night. Located between Hamras vibrant ambience and Blisss bright restaurant lights, Makdessi street has seen a snowball effect of pubs from one end to the other. For LAU and AUB students, the street is a place to enjoy various pubs. But for those who reside just a few floors up, listening to the neverending thuds of the pubs bass and the amplified conversations from groups wandering through the streets proves to be an ordeal. Maya Hajjar, an economics major at LAU, has lived with her family for nearly 12 years in a house perched above two recently opened pubs. She explained that, within the last five years, she has seen a slow growth of the nightlife in Hamra and, only in the past few months, has she witnessed the boom of pubs just a story below her apartment. The Hajjars regularly witness fights and arguments, leftover trash and endless noise, especially on the weekends. The fights, the glass, and everything. Sometimes we call the cops, she said. They used to come, now they dont really anymore. A hotel owner on a nearby street describes his customers as somewhat agitated by the hours of severe noise and music from surrounding pubs. They suffer and complain, but those are businesses as well, Im cant tell them to shut down their music. I just tell my customers to enjoy, he chuckled. Makdessi street features approximately 23 pubs, ranging from De Prague and Main Street on one end, London Bar, Calibri and Madwater, in the middle, Whiskey Bar and Captains Cabin on the opposite end. Two recently built residences, with no pubs on the ground floor, have had their windows double-glazed an attempt by owners to stop the noise from entering their living space so harshly. One buildings guard explained that the new windows were erected due to numerous complaints from the residents.

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An employee at a nearby pub dismissed the accusations. He explained that students mainly live above his business. During weekends, he said, they are among his customers. But another pub manager admitted that nearby residents are agitated from the noise. He confessed he does not do anything about it but quickly grinned and said he would double-glaze his windows by next week, hopefully. Although Beiruts ambiance distiguishes the capital, things can sometimes get out of hand. A concierge at Casa Dor Hotel explained that his manager had to repay a guest when a drunk passer-by smashed his cars mirror.

Hajjar also came across a couple incidents of people who may have had too much to drink, seemingly careless to their surroundings. On few occasions, people unlocked Hajjars door downstairs and wandered up to her house, asking whether the apartment was another pub or whether they could play with her large German Shepard. But despite such occasional problems, the concierge at Casa DOr confirmed that a majority of his customers enjoy the convenience of the surrounding nightlife. Leaving traffic behind, guests do not have to walk more than a block or two before they find a choice of pubs. Despite such an advantage, the spaced-out pubs leave

some areas of Makdessi street dimmed, sometimes offering some startling encounters. Ultimately, the picture becomes clearer, a transparent illustration of Hamras sister-street and just what may happen when too many people roam the streets and drink too much. Just several weeks ago, the alleyway a narrow alley juxtaposed to Makdessi was the host to a brutal fight that left someone, Bibo, with 90 stitches across his face. The young man has recommendations on how to improve security in Hamra. Security officers must roam the street with a metal detector; anyone who enters that street needs to pass through that metal detector, he explained. Its not the airport, but having a weapon on you while youre drunk may lead you to kill someone. Without these weapons, people are left to fight with their hands and what not. But Makdessi continues to grow dramatically. And as the suns reflection creeps down across surrounding buildings and the Saturday afternoon quietness comes to an end, Hajjar glimpses off her balcony. I love Hamra though, she says. I wouldnt live anywhere else.

Photo By Natalia Elmani

Leilas World
By Nader Houlla Special to the LAU Tribune
Her blonde locks falling over her large curious eyes, the 4-year-old child played with the toys in her hand. Her mother, seemingly in a hurry, took away the toys and tucked her baby girl in bed. Where are you going mom? the innocent girl asked. Im going to work. Now you go to sleep the woman answered. She quickly got dressed, grabbed the cigarette pack, house keys, purse and rushed outside the door. Going down the stairs, the sound of her stilettos echoed through the walls and she could almost hear her heart beating fast with anticipation. A bit of walking and she finally reached the highway. As she stood there by herself, she took out her small mirror to even out the carefully designed make-up powders that saturated her face. Then a car stopped and a man in the drivers seat asked her a question she has grown accustomed to. Whats the deal tonight? he inquired. In her tight burgundy dress that just about covered her upper thighs, she bent down, allowing him a deep view into her cleavage, inspected the interior of his car, and responded as she had grown accustomed to. Thirty dollars. Thats my only deal, she said. The man instantly extended his hand and opened the door for her to get in. They took off to an unknown location.This is the story of Leila the pseudonym of a 24-yearold divorcee that I met, during my investigation into one of Lebanons underground worlds: female prostitution. Leilas world is usually avoided, ignored or rejected by the mainstream public. It is often perceived as a shameful, scandalous and sometimes illegal job. Yet, it is a world that is vibrant with the activities of many of the likes of Leila and her clients. In Leilas world, there is a market of clients and goods and services. We often choose not to speak of this world, but we all know that it exists. The fact remains that female prostitution in Lebanon is a bitter truth that conceals within its many layers the reality of deprived families, abandoned women and neglected children. What does she feel about it? As recent research has shown, female prostitutes usually find themselves in a routine that they numbly get used to. I adapted, submitted and became very tolerant to the degradation that I experience. Seeking answers to many questions, I referred to Dar El Amal, or House of Hope, Lebanons only non-governmental organization working against sexual exploitation and prostitution.

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OFF CAMPUS
By Aseel Baidoun LAU Tribune staff
Marianne Hanna was taken to a hospital by her roommate after she ate a chickenand-cheese sandwich from a well-known Lebanese restaurant. Her severe stomach ache and vomiting turned out to be symptoms of food poisoning. Hanna is among thousands who fall victims of spoiled food in Lebanon on annual basis. The country endured a shocking revelation after the Consumer Protection Department revealed that tons of edible substances, which are being sold in the Lebanese market, are spoiled. And while Hanna suffered from immediate preliminary symptoms, other consumers of rotten food sometimes fall ill two to four weeks after their consumption of spoiled products. President of the Lebanese Association for Food Safety, Dr. Zeina Kassaify, says that thousands of Lebanese and foreigners fall ill from food poisoning every year in Lebanon but very few notify parties concerned with health care, including the Consumer Protection Department. One reason for that is the fact that, in most of the cases, victims cannot be certain as to when and where they caught the poisoning bacteria from food. But the major reason for the victims apparent unwillingness to act after getting poisoned is the general publics confusion over the official references which they should contact, according to Dr. Kassaify. Victims simply have no idea where or how to complain, Dr. Kassaify said. The process is a messy legal jungle, requiring hours of wasted precious time between the offices of the Ministry of the Economy, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture. And the burden of proof often falls on the victim, Dr. Kassaify continued. While the Minister of Agriculture Hussein Hajj Hassan says that only three percent of the countrys edible items are spoiled, unsafe products include chewing gum, potato chips and coffee to the staples of meat, chicken and fish, cheese and childrens milk. The Natour brothers, Suleiman and Samih, were charged for processing and selling spoiled meat and other edible items, and for the attempted murders of the customers to whom they knowingly sold expired food. Twenty-two tons of frozen meat imported from the

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Tribune

april 9, 2012

Food Poisoning: An Unsolved Lebanese Crisis

penses by purchasing raw food of questionable quality for years now. All businessmen in food industry acknowledge that the Sabra market is the worst, and Natour is famous with his spoiled food. For this reason, we should all wonder why the scandal happened now, Hasan Bayoun, the owner of Bayoun corporaA list of restaurants, coffee shops and supermarkets which allegedly sell spoiled products was circulated online. The Ministry of Agriculture, however, has denied the validity of the list insisting that the distributed information was fabricated. After a Kalam Ennas episode on the Lebanese BroadcastPhoto via Creative Commons

likes of Brazil, Australia and New Zealand were confiscated by police from the warehouse of Natours food company, the International Company for Meat and Food Trade. The publics panic over food safety has seen sales of edible products by tens of local companies diminish. But some have been critical about the whole issue, sighting a conspiracy perhaps driven by political motives. Dr. Kassaify said that many Lebanese restaurants have been cutting down their ex-

tions, said. Fearing food poisoning, some people eat exclusively at expensive restaurants, believing that such places are cleaner and more reliable than smaller restaurants. But they are driven by the perception that more expensive must be cleaner and safer according to Dr. Kassaify. The Lebanese Association for Food Safety provides sufficient laboratory evidence indicating that food from many top local restaurants does not comply with the international standards for food safety.

ing Corporation, where the issue was first tackled in a bold manner, the public pressured the ministry to disclose the names of the restaurants it had inspected for their noncompliance with standards of cleanliness and food safety. But a law bans the ministry and the Consumer Protection Department or any other side from naming the restaurants. Luckily for the industry, the law bans the publishing of such evidence or the naming of names, reinforcing a culture of irresponsibility, im-

punity and lack of accountability for the health, safety and well-being of consumers, Dr. Kassaify said. Not much information has been allowed to flow in the media, despite some media appearances for the Head of the Consumer Protection Department Fouad Fleifel. Fleifel refused to share any information with the Tribune about the spoiled food scandal, insisting that services are only provided to victims of food poisoning and that the department is responsible for investigating their case and inspecting responsible restaurants. According to the National News Agency (NNA), Hajj Hassan has added a stipulation for meat importers, demanding the compilation of a list with the sides to whom the meat will be distributed. The report adds that, while Hajj Hassan has tightened food security measures at the airport and seaport, he remains worried about the goods which are left to expire in depositories. The police has discovered more than 200 tons of spoiled meet and chicken products in the past weeks, and charged many other distributors of jeopardizing public safety. Some companies insist they have not been troubled by the scandal. Sami Meraab, Purchasing director of Khoury Dairy, says that the scandal has somehow benefited his company. The rate of our sales had increased, because of the consumers trust in the quality of our products, Meraab said. The discoveries of expired food have left their mark on the hospitality and food exhibition Horeca at BIEL late last month, as exhibitors admitted that their businesses have incurred massive losses since the reports of such incidents first emerged. We have lost 50 percent of the sales in the market, due to consumers fear of buying dairy products, Mohammad Al Husayn, the owner of Nadec, a dairy product company, said.