Thank You For The “Likes” :-)

I’d like to start this post by saying Thank You. Thank You to the best and most wonderful family, relatives, friends, and even acquaintances in supporting me in my campaign to get the most “Likes” on the below photo:

Official Link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=641407498342&set=o.296675003692929&type=1&ref=nf

As of this moment, I have 455 “Likes”, which is way over 300 “Likes” away from me winning… But, due to some Facebook error (I’d like to believe it’s a Facebook error and not an intentional bump in the road), my photo, along with several other competing photos, lost their “Like” feature. And many people, even after “Liking” the “Tripoli Carfree City” Page, were still unable to “Like” those misfortunate photos…

I (along with my support group) tried to do everything in our power to fix it, to find a loophole, to get more votes, but it was all to no avail. After a steady increase in votes for my picture over the past few days, several other contestants have been able to surpass me by quite a fair amount. And since I've gotten most of my friends to “Like”, and exhausted my resources, as of this moment, I have no other choice but to leave my picture there, with little chance of it picking up more “Likes” than it already has, and smile … :-)

I want to smile because of you, sincerely, I want to thank each and every person who voted, shared, and supported me. Your support has been overwhelming, you wanted to move mountains for me, and you did, and I am forever grateful! THANK YOU! EACH "LIKE" WAS APPRECIATED! :-)

Tripoli's Car-Free Day Photo Competition!

Dear Friends & Readers,

I need your help! About my last post, “Tripoli’s Car-Free Day”, there’s this photography competition, and there’s this photo that I submitted for the competition:

I really need your help! Please, Please, Please, go to this link:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=641407498342&set=o.296675003692929&type=1&ref=notif&notif_t=like&theater

and click “like” on the photo. I need to get the most amount of likes among the other contestants (from now till the end of the month) in order to win, the prize being a spanking brand new Canon 500D (more advanced than my current camera!) PLEASE, "LIKE" IT! :-)

Pictures from Tripoli’s Car Free Day!

So, I know this is a few days overdue, but as I’d posted last week, last Sunday was “Tripoli and Mina’s Car-Free Day”, and what a day it was! I spent most of it at our BankMed stand, handing out gapples (organic apples), which were, all bias aside, the best tasting apples I've ever had!

I also got the chance to see Mr. President Michel Suleiman up close in the VIP section, and I got these two shots of him:

All in all it was a wonderful day, and it was beyond wonderful seeing Tripoli actually car-free! And instead of it being an annual event, I really hope it’s done a lot more often than that… :-)

THE NEW 7 WONDERS OF NATURE...

So, The New Seven Wonders of Nature are out, and no, Jeita is not one of them. But, have you taken a look at the 7? In alphabetical order, they are:

1- AMAZON (BOLIVIA, BRAZIL, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, FRENCH GUIANA, GUYANA, PERU, SURINAME, VENEZUELA)

The Amazon Rainforest, also known as Amazonia, the Amazon jungle or the Amazon Basin, encompasses seven million square kilometers (1.7 billion acres), though the forest itself occupies some 5.5 million square kilometers (1.4 billion acres), located within nine nations. The Amazon represents over half of the planet's remaining rainforests and comprises the largest and most species-rich tract of tropical rainforest in the world. The Amazon River is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total flow greater than the top ten rivers worldwide combined. It accounts for approximately one-fifth of the total world river flow and has the biggest drainage basin on the planet. Not a single bridge crosses the Amazon.

2- HALONG BAY (VIETNAM)

Halong Bay is located in Quáng Ninh province, Vietnam. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes. The bay has a 120 kilometre long coastline and is approximately 1,553 square kilometres in size with 1969 islets. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves, other support floating villages of fishermen, who ply the shallow waters for 200 species of fish and 450 different kinds of mollusks. Another specific feature of Halong Bay is the abundance of lakes inside the limestone islands, for example, Dau Be island has six enclosed lakes. All these island lakes occupy drowned dolines within fengcong karst.

3- IGUAZU FALLS (ARGENTINA, BRAZIL)

Iguazu Falls, in Iguazu River, are one of the world's largest waterfalls. They extend over 2,700 m (nearly 2 miles) in a semi-circular shape. Of the 275 falls that collectively make up Iguassu Falls, "Devil's Throat" is the tallest at 80 m in height. Iguazu Falls are on the border between the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province of Misiones, and are surrounded by two National Parks (BR/ARG). Both are subtropical rainforests that are host to hundreds of rare and endangered species of flora and fauna.

4- JEJU ISLAND (SOUTH KOREA)

Jejudo is a volcanic island, 130 km from the southern coast of Korea. The largest island and smallest province in Korea, the island has a surface area of 1,846 sqkm. A central feature of Jeju is Hallasan, the tallest mountain in South Korea and a dormant volcano, which rises 1,950 m above sea level. 360 satellite volcanoes are around the main volcano.

5- KOMODO (INDONESIA)

Indonesia’s Komodo National Park includes the three larger islands Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller ones, for a total area of 1,817 square kilometers (603 square kilometers of it land). The national park was founded in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon. Later, it was also dedicated to protecting other species, including marine animals. The islands of the national park are of volcanic origin.

6- PUERTI PRINCESA UNDERGROUND RIVER (PHILIPPINES)

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The underground river is reputed to be the world's longest. At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water's edge. Monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels find their niche on the beach near the cave.

7- TABLE MOUNTAIN (SOUTH AFRICA)

Table Mountain is a South African icon and the only natural site on the planet to have a constellation of stars named after it - Mensa, meaning “the table.” The flat-topped mountain has withstood six million years of erosion and hosts the richest, yet smallest floral kingdom on earth with over 1,470 floral species. Table Mountain boasts numerous rare and endangered species. It is the most recognized site in Cape Town, the gateway to Africa, owing to its unique flat-topped peaks which reach 1,086 m above sea level.

TRIPOLI & MINA'S CAR-FREE DAY!

Description Of The Project:

The Mina-Tripoli Carfree Day is an initiative of the Tripoli Youth Network, and supported by BankMed, and Maurice Fadel Prize. It aims at promoting an environmentally friendly culture in Tripoli and Lebanon by banning cars in 2 major axes of Tripoli and Mina and organizing, within this track, sports, cultural and entertaining events, to which all inhabitants of Tripoli and beyond would be invited to participate.

The Tripoli Youth Network is a coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations operating in Tripoli and run by young active citizens driven by a common mission to positively contribute to the city of Tripoli as well as the nation of Lebanon as a whole. The Network and its constituencies have thus joined forces for organizing their first initiative: “A Carfree Day in Tripoli Mega-Event” promoting a better environment and responsible citizenship.

During this Mega Green Event we aim at: raising awareness about the environment and the environmental challenges confronting Lebanon in general and the North in particular, educating people on how they can become eco-friendly, and demonstrating in particular ways in which they can enjoy their city without necessarily being dependent on their cars, which is a major cause of air, noise, and visual pollution, giving local citizens the opportunity to enjoy the space freed from cars and rediscover their city and the treasures within it, while remaining a politically neutral event!

Program Of The Day:

Carfree Day in Tripoli and Mina Cities is on Sunday the 13th of November 2011. Super shiny sun or shy sun hidden under tiny water drops, BOOK your calendar and plan for a FULLY BOOKED day from 12 PM till 6 PM!

Our program is simple! 6 hours of nonstop environmental, sports, artistic, urban arts, musical, cultural, entertainment activities for everyone!

At 12:00 p.m. – The Inauguration Ceremony Under the High Patronage of His Excellency The President of the Republic of Lebanon General Michel SLEIMAN. From 1:00 pm till 6:00 pm – The Launching of all the Activities…

Competition And Activities:

Have you ever thought that a huge stage will be placed in the middle of the cross roads near Dar el Chimal with famous bands and singers playing and performing for 6-8 hours nonstop and another humungous stage standing in Cornish El Mina sparkling with Lebanese star bands and rocking the place with the sea breeze playing with your hair and your heart pounding from joy? Did you ever think that BENETTON’s side walk will be altered to become a kid’s zone? Did it ever come across your mind that you can bring your couch and use the asphalt roads as your rug? Have you ever dreamed of exploring your city, walking, jogging, skateboarding, “scootering”, cycling without worrying about the horns howling and damaging your serenity and peace of mind or a crazy car or truck careless about your escapade hunting your path? Don’t you just simply wish to take a nice long walk with your friends and family, shopping, exploring, learning, enjoying and that’s in two major road axes in Tripoli and Mina when seeing them “Carfree” was only a far, far, far impossible day dream?

Unlimited activities, nonstop artistic performances, 6 basketball playgrounds, urban arts, graffiti, awareness stands, food, beverages, 10 km race, solar car race, bike promenades, air blown games, paint ball, and so much more; Tripoli and Mina Cities will be as never seen before!

Saturday Night - 12 November 2011: Performance by the Superstar Ragheb Alama, Ambassador of the United Nations campaign for the Environment Program. (Tickets sold at Virgin Megastores for $10, $30, $50, $200)

Sunday All Day Long - 13 November 2011: Drawings exhibitions, kids’ zone, photo competition, 6 basketball playgrounds, 4 football playgrounds, Grafitti, urban arts by Gilbert Extreme, more than 100 stands distributed among reputable green NGOs, your favorite foods and drinks and entertaining activities, scouts parades, 4 bus stations to pick interested participants from one location to another, 10 Km Race (in association with Ma’an Loubnan),

On Mina Stage Performances: Mr. Vergo (Arabic rap, Tripoli Band), Killer Muffin(Grunge and Garage, Tripoli Band), Toxic Trash(Punk, Tripoli Band), Venemy (Metal, Beirut Band), Kristen Hope (Folk, US Band), Hezb L Taleta (Electro, Beirut Band), Adonis (Arabic pop fusion, Beirut Band), The Incompetents (Indie, Beirut Band), Lazzy Lung (Indie, Rock, Canada, Beirut Band), Belime

On Tripoli Stage Performances: Demons (Rock, Tripoli Band), Mohamad Cha’ar, 7 Ta2aT (Rap, Tripoli Band), Capoera Howl (English Pop, Tripoli Band), Tirashrash, and many, many more…

Jack's Mannequin

There’s a lot of good music out there, but it’s not always easy to find. And when you do, it’s more often than not, that it’s only one or two good songs off the same artist or band. But to have a good artist or band with several good songs, that is rare. Yet a couple of years ago, I discovered one of those exceptional two-in-one music makers: Jack’s Mannequin, lead by an artist on all levels, Andrew McMahon.

I first heard of the band Jack’s Mannequin through my favorite television series, OTH (which, FYI, is an amazing music source for starter bands, check: OTH-MUSIC. In fact, each episode is titled after a different song in time). Their first single, “The Mixed Tape” was featured on the show, with the actual band performing it live and my ears pricked up at their music and lyrics…

I looked them up online and at the time (in late 2008), I found out they had only two albums: “Everything In Transit” (2005) and “The Glass Passenger” (2008). I downloaded both their albums and kept playing and replaying their songs over a thousand times (proof on last.fm ;-)

It wasn’t until a couple of days ago (during my sick leave) when I noticed a friend was listening to a song called “My Racing Thoughts” for… Jack’s Mannequin! And I thought whoa, a song I don’t know! I looked it up and was pleasantly surprised to see that just last month; they had released a third new album, “People and Things”! :-)

I of course downloaded their eleven brilliant new tracks, with my favorite being “Casting Lines”. Just read these opening lyrics:

“You learn to run, you learn to race, through life, it’s unforgiving pace… these lines we’re tracing to the truth… and stepping over endless cracks, I navigate these crooked paths… BUT ALL MY ROADS LEAD BACK TO YOU…” :-)

Life In A Day

Its amazing how one thing leads to another, how everything’s connected. I was just reading Sietske’s inspired post “Blogging” and I was about to write her a comment when I noticed another blogger, Nicolien had left her a comment with a link. I clicked on it and it led me to the trailer of “Life In A Day”:

I too sometimes wonder how at this moment, at this very moment, how many people are doing the same thing we are? How many are going to bed right now? How many are waking up right now? How many are going to work, working, taking time off, or travelling? At this exact moment, how many people are arguing? Fighting? Sharing or spreading happiness? Having dreams come true? How many are preparing food? Eating? Talking on the phone? How many are holding hands? Proposing? Getting married? Having children?

Every day, every single day, all that, and more, happens! All the actions of the world, all the people living in different houses, in different areas in different parts of the world…. over 6 billion souls, and somehow, we’re all connected… (click here to watch the full 1 hour version:-)

So Sick

Hei blog, it’s me. I know, it’s not like me to post at 11:00am on a Tuesday morning (when I should be at work!), especially at the start of the month (when work needs me the most!) but I finally caught the flu, the kind sucks the life out of you! :-(

I think I began feeling a little queasy a couple of days ago. Typical me, I ignored the symptoms and I went out and about this weekend until I got quite sick on Sunday and spent most of the day in bed. But, I had my cousin’s wedding that night which I couldn't miss for the world, so I ended up feeling sick as a dog…

And, to add insult to injury, I actually woke up and went to work on Monday morning in the dire condition I was in!

Of course I’d overworked myself to the limit by then so I was forced to take off early and headed straight to the doctor’s, who told me that I’d got a combination of a bacterial and viral infection in my trachea (thus the seriously sore throat) and prescribed three different medicines for me and told me its best I take two days off...

So, fast forward from 12 hours of nonstop sleep since 9:00pm last night, I got up this morning, with less pain and less cough, had a light breakfast, and peacefully sipped tea for fifteen minutes (as opposed to gulping it down in 5 minutes at 7:00am as I’m rushing to work). It feels odd though, doing all the things in slow motion… but God, how my body needed a rest!