tribune issue 5
TRANSCRIPT
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8/3/2019 Tribune Issue 5
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RIBUNEThe Official STudenT newSpaperaTThe lebaneSe americanuniverSTyyear Xiii, vOl. i, nO. v Monday, Jan.16, 2012T [email protected]
campuS life peOple
page 3 page 4
Fine Arts Building: A Hazard For StudentsBy Omar El Tani
LAU Tribune staff
Photoby:AhmadYassine
Messi, Again Crowded Cafeteria
Discrimination Based on Social StatusBy Layan DoueikLAU Tribune staff
LAU does not provide re
extinguishers on every
oor of the Fine Arts build-
ing but, to put it simply, it isnot enough to have re ex-
tinguishers in case of a re.
There also needs to be an
emergency exit which the
six-storey building does not
provide.
These shortcomings are
the most serious among the
many problems that the
Fine Arts building at LAU
faces.
The rst basement oor
could do with a tune-up.
Electric wires stick out
from the ceiling and water
pipes also protrude. The ce-
ment ceiling seems to be rot-ting while mold grows on
the walls, tainting the white
SpOrTS
page 6
Theatre Veteran
continued on page 10
surfaces with blackness.
Of course it is exaggerated
and very unlikely to happen
but death by asphyxiationseems like a possible future
headline in the Tribune. No
matter whom you ask at the
Fine Arts building, people
will tell you that the venti-
lation in the basement is ka-
put.
The photography lab, where
lms are processed, reeks of
chemicals, due to poor venti-
lation and small space. One
of the chemicals used to pro-
cess photos is called ILFORD
ELFOTEK DD-X, a level-
three carcinogen. According
to the ILFORD PHOTO Ma-
terial Safety Data Sheet, thechemical must not be han-
dled in conned space with-
OpiniOn
page 9
Gold Prices
continued on page 10
out ventilation.
The developing room needs
new cabinets and a new sink
and the walls have to be
bright, according to photog-
raphy lab supervisor George
Andrea. The lab requires ahigher ceiling for the ash
and more space to accommo-
date computers. After a re
at the lab in 2003, the staff
were told that the air condi-
tioning ducts would be ren-
ovated but that didnt hap-
pen.
Briey, the Fine Arts build-ing, as it is today, does not
cater to the demands of the
ne arts and communica
tion arts curricula. Vatch
Kalforian, a part-time mu
sic instructor, explains thproblems he faces at room
B21. We always have prob
lem with the ventilation
but also problems with th
equipment for class, h
said. The nishing is no
in a good condition and w
have too much echo. Even
if you talk, it reverberates
lot as if you are in a cathe
dral.
On the of rst basemen
oor in B212, when the
turn on the central heating
you cant breathe, Rim
Khcheich, a music instruc
tor, said. You cant contro
I entered the dorms kitchen
and found them. They were
there making kafta sand-
wiches and dipping bits of
bread in the hummus plate
they had prepared. On the
same table lied a couple ofbrand-new laptops.
We dont have time to
waste. We are here on a mis-
sion; to graduate with high
grades, Suzan Faraj, USAP
nutrition student from Obe-
dieh, said.
Faraj is one of the 52 under-
graduate students who were
recently accepted into the
University Student Assis-
tance Program, a USAID-
funded initiative that pro-
vides full scholarships to
public school graduates with
high nancial need from all
around Lebanon.
For her and all US aid stu-
dents, its a dream come
true.Majdoleen Chmouri, a com-
munication arts student
from West Bekaa, is eager
to demonstrate her capabil-
ities and excited to live this
new experience. Living in
the capital is going to be an
open door for a whole new
world, she said.
But despite the many doors
this program opens, it still
proves difcult for US aid
students and other nancial
aid students as it thrusts
them into a culture that is
not their own.
I used to live in West Bekaa,
with a small society where
all people are caring and
united, Chmouri continued this time with a different
tone. Here, its a big society
with a lot of people but it is
as if no one is around.
There is a great difference.
People here dont say hi,
Faraj said, interrupting her
colleague.
Arzak Mohammed, a
23-year-old MEPI student
from Yemen, shares Farajs
complaint. People here are
the crme of Lebanon. They
have the money and the
cars, she said. I couldnt t
in such a society.
Mohammed is one of the 100
undergraduate students
who were accepted into the
MEPI (The Middle EastPartnership Initiative) pro-
gram which is initially an
intensive 5- to 6-week ex-
change program to the Unit-
ed States from the Middle
East and North Africa and
which was recently adapted
to LAU, Lebanon.
I am in my junior year and
still cant enter any group,
Mohammed added. In the
US, we made friends much
faster than here. Of all the
USAP and MEPI students
interviewed, none had eve
thought he or she would on
day study at such an expen
sive university and get
500-dollar monthly stipend
Sarah Bou Ajram, coordintor of Leadership and Civ
Engagement and a coordina
tor of the USAP program a
LAU, pointed out that mo
of the accepted studen
had no other opportunitie
to attend such a universit
Even if merit scholarshi
was offered to them, the
cant afford living here, sh
said.
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CAMPUS NEWS2 Tribune Jan.16, 2012
LAU Christmas ChoirBy MariaFellasLAU Tribune staff By Carla Hazarian
LAU Tribune staff
Sahar Moukaddem, a jour-nalism student, and Alexan-
dra Shrayteh, an LAU alum-
na, sat down with Arabic
lecturer Rachid Al-Daif late
December to discuss their re-
cently published novels with
an audience of literary en-
thusiasts.
Students from Daifs creative
writing class attended the
gathering along with human-
ities chair Vahid Bahmardi,
vice president for student de-
velopment and enrollment
management Elise Salem
and English professor Sami-
ra Aghacy.Shraytehs book Deyman
Coca-Cola was the center of
most of the debates for its
sensitive topic. The young
writer explained that her
novel reected the situation
of many girls in Lebanon.
Its about girls discovering
their bodies and their sexual-
ity in the midst of a judgmen-
tal society, she said.
The statement seemed to ap-ply in the case of the two nov-
els. I addressed the issue of
teenage pregnancy and how
the girls social class affects
her decisions in this situa-
tion, Moukaddem said, re-
ferring to her novel Ana w-
Karim wal-Sushi (Me, Karim
and Sushi).
Many taboos were addressed
in the audiences questions.
One of the issues raised was
how the topic addressed in
both stories affected the rep-
utation of both young ladies,
who insisted that the stories
didnt come from their im-mediate entourage but were
rather common in Lebanon
as a whole.
I come from a very conserva-
tive family, so Im not neces-
sarily faced with issues like
this in my everyday life,
Moukaddem said. But the
fact that my grandfather is a
religious gure and the sta-
tus of my family didnt affect
their critique of the story Iwrote.
The young writer added that
her family, and especially
her grandfather, were sup-
portive and offered her con-
structive criticism instead of
harsh judgment.
Both young authors acknowl-
edged the role of Daif for his
assistance during the writ-
ing process. Both said they
couldnt have done it without
him.
During the event, Bahmar-
di announced the start of a
creative writing program
to give students a chance toachieve what the two young
women have. With this plan
put to action, many students
will have the opportunity to
shine and bring out their in-
ner writer or poet, Daif com-
mented.
We are very proud of both
young ladies and only hope
the best is yet to come, Sa-
lem concurred.
On Love and War
LAU held its annual Christ-
mas carol concert in Irwin
Hall Auditorium on Decem-
ber 21.
Children and their par-
ents came together to cele-
brate the season and listen to
many festive classics direct-
ed by Leila Dabaghi.
No expense was spared as the
auditorium was lled with
warm colors, decorations and
a large Christmas tree right
next to the choir on stage.
Families huddled together,
singing traditional Christ-
mas songs such as And th
Glory of the Lord and W
Three Kings of Orient, a
played beautifully by Fad
Kallab on the piano.
The choir and the crowd o
ten interacted, as audienc
members were given pro
grams so they could sin
along to popular classics lik
Joy to the World, Deck th
Halls, Jingle Bells and man
more favorites.
The concert was a succes
and there was not a seat t
spare.
ByAssaad Hawwa
LAU Tribune staff
LAU students switched from
the old webmail system to a
new one as of December 7,
2011. An email was sent to
the entire LAU community
asking them to switch their
own accounts.
The request was also pub-
lished on the LAU website
several weeks before the day
appointed.
According to the website, you
will no longer have access
to your old email but in-
coming messages will be for-
warded to your new account.
I do not feel particularly
thrilled about the move to a
bigger inbox or a better in-
terface. As long as it keeps
forwarding my emails, its
enough for me, Jad Baz, a
computer science student,
said.
The main advantage in the
switch remains quite signi-
cant. The old webmail had
a storage capacity of only 20
megabytes, however the new
webmail has a capacity of 10
gigabytes, Camille Abou-
Nasr, assistant vice presi-
dent for information technol-
ogy, said. Many welcomed
this difference.
I like the new one much
more, its capacity is much
bigger than the old one, and
its design as well , Nadine
Daouk, a graphic design stu-
dent, said.
According to Abou-Nasr,
most of LAU students have
already switched to the new
webmail. Six out of almost
eight thousand users have by
now transferred to the new
one, he said.
The webmail is the mai
means of communicatio
that allows students to co
laborate online with the
professors and fellow stu
dents.
In the near future, student
will notice new features i
the new webmail, which the
will like and make their co
responding process muc
easier, Abou-Nasr said
LAU Webmail Takes on New Look
PhotoviaCreativeCommons
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SPORTSJan 16, 2012
By Mohamad Al-OraibyLAU Tribune staff
Quote of the Issue
Sports Mania
Ten-year-old Samir Bsat
wakes up in his football-
shaped bed every morn-
ing. Gazing at the posters of
the famous Kaka around his
room, Samir tunes in to nd
his remote and opens the
sports channel.
Samirs seventeen-year-
old sister and worst enemy
Sarah is not a fan of her lit-
tle brothers interest and fo-
cuses all her time on fashion.
But these siblings interests
have more in common than
they think.
Sports, just like any otherbusiness, are made up of in-
vestors, sports agencies, me-
dia and sponsors. The indus-
try as a whole is worth over
600 billion dollars today ac-
cording to a study by busi-
ness expert A.T. Kearney.
This includes infrastructure
construction, sporting goods,
licensed products and live
sports events.
All football clubs are owned
by businessmen who aim es-
sentially for prot and mar-
ket their clubs to make maxi-
mum revenue.
Even though Im a bigsports fan, I have never re-
ally thought about who owns
the clubs, but I am sure its a
good investment, Rami Oth-
man, a business senior at
LAU, said.
Manchester United is owned
by businessman Malcolm
Glazer who owns the First
Allied Corporation, a bil-
lion-dollar company owning
shopping malls across the
US. Real Madrid, owned by
a wealthy board, generates
hundreds of million euros a
No matter the honour I get, I feel
its recognition for the 25 years of
Manchester United. They always
shared my vision and passion. Ive
been a very lucky manager. That
makes Manchester United such a
special club, Sir Alex Fergu-
son, manager Of Manchester
United, said upon winning
the presidential award from
Fifa.
3Tribune
Upcoming gamesSerie A
21/01
AS Roma V Cesena
Atalanta V Juventus
22/01
Novara V AC Milan
Siena V Napoli
Upcoming gamesLa Liga22/01
Real Madrid V Ath Bilbao
Malaga V Barcelona
Osasuna V Valencia
year 438.6m at the end of
last season. It is also fundedby the Spanish king.
Famous football clubs fea-
ture all kinds of related com-
mercial goods, from lunch
boxes to clothes and accesso-
ries.
I love wearing Real Madrid
hats and jumpers, Othman
said.
I am a big supporter and
I feel Im part of the team
when I wear them.
Fans may also purchase lux-
ury sport commodities like
a 2.5 million dollar football
made of gold and diamonds
the most expensive ball inthe world.
Just like the fashion and mu-
sic industries, the sports in-
dustry has its celebrities,
brands and followers.
From a business perspec-
tive, every sports club can be
considered as a commercial
brand name, John McGill,
marketing professor at LAU,
explained.
I absolutely love Beckham,
he is an excellent player
and let us not forget how hot
he looks on the eld, Tala
Jabri, an international busi-
ness junior at LAU, said.David and Victoria Beckham
are among the worlds most
famous couples; they are fol-
lowed by paparazzi and ce-
lebrity gossip magazines
around the clock.
The merging of these two ce-
lebrity tycoons gave them
enough power and money to
be inuential names both in
the fashion and sports indus-
tries.
Although it did not win
any trophies during the
2008/2009 season, Real Ma-
drid became then the highest
earning sports club in histo-ry as it made up to 541 mil-
lion dollars according to Ya-
hoo! Sports.
Im not sure how much Real
Madrid makes every time the
team plays a game, Othman
said. Im guessing a million
dollars or two, maximum.
Jerome Valcke, the gener-
al secretary of the Fdra-
tion Internationale de Foot-
ball Association (FIFA),
announced that the team
that wins the World Cup tro-
phy receives 30 million dol-
Upcoming gamesPremier League21/01
Norwich City V Chelsea
Bolton V Liverpool
22/01
Man City V Tottenham
Arsenal V Man Utd
Upcoming gamesSerie A
22/01
Udinese V Catania
Inter V Lazio
lars. The runner-up gets 24
million dollars; the teamplaced third gets 20 million
dollars as for the fourth place
the team gets an estimated
18 million dollars.
All participating teams re-
ceive 1 million dollars each
from FIFA for preparation
costs.
Sports are categorized un-
der entertainment, even
though it is a sport and a
game, it is considered to be
just like the music industry;
for entertainment McGill
explained.
Viewers from all around the
world gather to entertainthemselves with football, un-
aware of the huge prot these
teams make in every game.
Samir and his sister Sar-
ah are both fans of brands
and are great supporters
of two comparable billion-
dollar industries. Whether
they buy a football-shaped
bed or a Christian Dior fur
coat, Samir and Sarah are
both spending their mon-
ey on commercialized goods
that brands transform from a
want into a need.
Messi, Again
For the third time in a row
Barcelonas Lionel Mes
earned the title of the world
best player of the year, win
ning the FIFA Ballon dOr a
an awards ceremony in Zu
rich, Switzerland, on Janu
ary 9.
The Ballon dOr annual
honors the European footba
player of the year based o
his past performance.
The Ballon dOr is the world
most prestigious award
player can receive; Mes
successfully got 48 percent
the votes from national teacoaches, captains and medi
He dedicated the award t
this team and to Xavi, a team
mate.
Xavi, this Ballon dOr
yours as well, Messi said.
Messi also won the Prim
era Division, Spanish Supe
Copa, UEFA Super Cup an
Club World Cup last year. H
told reporters that his tea
is looking forward for the up
coming year with a great dea
of hunger to more award
and success.
Other players such as J
han Cruyff, Michel Platinand Marco Van Basten hav
also won this award thre
times each. Ronaldo becam
the rst Brazilian player t
win this award in 1997. Ita
ian clubs such as Milan an
Juventus have amassed th
largest number of Ballon
dOr.
The rst player to win th
Ballon dOr in 1956 was Stan
ley Mathews from Blackpo
Football Club. He scored 4
points, equaling the recor
set by Platini.
PhotoviaFacebook
By Lyn Abu-SerajLAU Tribune staff
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4
CAMPUS LIFE
By Mayya al Ogaily
LAU Tribune Staff
Tribune Jan. 16, 2012
You know the names, you
know the places but you may
not know the story hidden
behind every name or place.
The Lebanese American Uni-
versity was rst established
as a college for women in
Downtown Beirut in 1924.
Its founder, the American
School for Girls, was the rst
missionary school for women
in the region.
The college became known,
as of 1927, as the American
Junior College for Women
(AJCW). Since then, the cam-pus has changed and slowly
developed into the facilities
we know today.
LAUs Beirut campus now
comprises seven buildings.
Although most students here
must have attended at least
one class in each building,
many admitted they have
no idea what each buildings
name stands for.
Ive been at LAU for al-
most two years now and it
never occurred to me to ask
about what the name of these
buildings represent, or what
they stand for, if they actual-
ly do, Safwat Al Jabi, nutri-
tion sophomore at LAU, said.
Nicol, Shannon, Irwin,
Orme-Gray, and Riyad Nas-
sars Library are all names
of former LAU presidents
who played a major role in
the establishment and de-
velopment of the university
through the years.
The origin of Sage Halls
name, on the other hand, isobscure. We found no sourc-
es on the subject.
Meanwhile, Al Safadi Fine
Arts Building is not named
after a former president, but
after Mohammed A. Safadi,
member of Lebanese Parlia-
ment and a major contribu-
tor to LAU.
Erected in 1933, Sage Hall
is the rst building on cam-
pus. It was nanced through
gifts from the womens Orga-
nizations of the Presbyterian
Church (USA).
The second building on cam-
pus was established in 1943.
James H. Nicol, president of
LAU between 1941 and 1943,
was the executive secretary of
the mission that started the
constructions; he had much to
do securing the campus and
its early development, thats
why Nicol Hall was named in
honor of his efforts.
Irwin Hall came next in 1950,
on the 25th anniversary of
the founding of the college. Itis named in honor of Frances
Pryor Irwin, the rst female
principal of the American Ju-
nior College for Women, at
the time. Irwin was described
as a great mentor. She suf-
fered from a terminal illness
that took her life when she
was only 44.
After Irwins death, Winifred
Shannon lled her place and
became the acting principal
in 1935. She was the found-
er of the nursery school and
a leader in social welfare.
Shannon was also a professor
of home economics, an impor-tant course back when LAU
was still women-only college.
In 1954, Shannon Hall was
completed thanks to The Ford
Foundation. It was initially
a daycare for the children of
the universitys professors.
In 1965, almost ten years lat-
er, the Orme-Gray Hall was
built. It is not only dedicated
to one president, but two. The
rst is Rhoda Orme, 1954-
1955, and the second Frances
M. Gray, 1959-1965.
The building was split in tw
halves in order to accom
modate ofces and facultrooms on one side, and th
women dorms on the other.
Before current president Jo
seph G. Jabbra took over, R
yad F. Nassar was LAU
president. He served for 3
years in different capacitie
22 of which he was presiden
The new library was thu
named in honor of his a
complishments. The librar
is part of the business build
ing which is one of the newes
buildings on campus.
Students Buy Photography ProjectsBy Iman SoufanLAU Tribune staff
At a time when LAU is con-
sidering a photography mi-
nor or major, some students
taking photography class-
es at LAU buy their projects
from professional photogra-
phers.
Taking the pictures and
then developing them takes
too long. This is time-ef-
cient and easier, a market-
ing student who is taking
photography as his free elec-
tive said. Who has the ener-
gy to take photos? If I buy my
projects, I get a B without do-
ing anything.A communication arts senior
agreed. Im taking photogra-
phy as an elective and I want
to raise my GPA so to make
sure Im getting a good grade
Id rather get it done profes-
sionally than to do it myself,
the student said.
To investigate the issue, I
went to a nearby photogra-
phy studio myself. I had seen
the employee on campus tak-
ing pictures a few days earli-
er. I asked about buying pho-
tos shot on the LAU campus.
For sure, Ill take the pic-
tures for you, he said.
The employee explained that
he told the guards at the gate
he was a potential student
and wanted to go to the ad-
missions ofce.
Once on campus, he would
meet me so I can give him my
camera as he cant get in with
his.
A 36-photo lm, printed onnegatives and on a contact
sheet, costs 159,000 Leba-
nese pounds, the employee
also told me.
Photography instructors
are aware that students
cheat and have been trying
to prevent it. Every stu-
dent should present a paper
signed by the lab supervisor,
Bassam Lahoud said. I asked
ex-photography students
how they found a way around
this. Id go sit in the dark
room and listen to music and
around an hour, a market-
ing senior said. I later walk
out and make the dude sign
my slip for me.
A business junior had a sim-
ilar strategy. Well, I would
go in put my stuff down in the
dark room and then go see
my friends on campus and
come back around an hour or
two later pick up my bag and
get the slip signed, the stu-dent said. I was lucky the
men at the studio wouldnt
notice that I had left.
Wassim Karkour, the pho-
to lab supervisor, found out
about this and now asks stu-
dents to develop photos while
hes in the dark room.
But a crack in the system still
exists. If the students are
new, I dont recognize them,
Karkour said. As the semes-
ter goes by I become more fa-
miliar with the students lev-
el and so does the professor.
Moreover, the new rule only
applies to PHO210 since it
is lm-based. PHO211 and
photojournalism are digital-
based courses. Pictures stu-
dents present dont need to
be developed in a dark room.
Rached Bohsali, the chair
of the ne arts department,
said that the lack of facilities
makes it easier for students
to get away with cheating.The fact that there are no
facilities means that we are
encouraging plagiarism, he
said.
Bohsali revealed that LAU
plans to build new labs to ac-
commodate students.
With the new labs and fa-
cilities, nobody would be al-
lowed to do any work outside
the lab, he said.
All the work will be done un
der supervision.
Bohsali however cautione
that only a minority is actu
ally cheating. He explaine
that, when caught, student
suffer dearly.
This doesnt go buy unpun
ished, Bohsali afrmed.
A design student who g
caught several years ago wa
forced to fail his entire year.
Faculty were then not
ed and kept an open ey
throughout the student
tenure at the university.This, for now, does not kee
some students from chea
ing. I took photography
four semesters ago and I go
an A on all my projects.
didnt do any of them myself
a marketing senior laughed
I dont know how to use
lm camera and I dont wan
to know.
Do You Know Who Shannon and Nicol Are?
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8/3/2019 Tribune Issue 5
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Rashid Mokaddam
20-year-old marketing student
I went to Attaybeh. My village in the
south of Lebanon
5
CAMPUS LIFETribuneJan. 16, 2012
Vox Pop: How Did You Spend Your Christmas Vacation?
Lara Khaddaj
19-year-old interior design st
dent
I spent some time with my family.
Karim Kanaan
18-year-old architecture stu-
dent
I traveled to London with my friends.
Mahdi Yahfou
22-year-old business student
I relaxed, slept and spent time with
my friends.
Tala Khansa
20-year-old education student
I went shopping, clubbing and spent
time with friends and family.
Cafeteria Grows Too SmallBy Ranim Hadid
LAU Tribune staff
Iman Soufan only had 30
minutes before class when
she rushed into the cafete-
ria. She patiently stood at
the cashier for 10 minutes.
Soufan then ran to the hot
sandwich counter and stood
in the back of the 15-person
line. Twenty minutes later,
she grabbed her sandwich
and ate it on her way to class.
Please dont let me be late,
she gasped.
Soufans experience reects
what LAU Beirut studentsgo through on a daily basis in
order to eat.
The LAU Beirut cafeteria
consists of six separate sec-
tions; salad, daily dish, hot/
cold sandwiches, saj, drinks
and dessert.
One waiter at each counter
stands and, inside the kitch-
en, two extra waiters wait to
be called when needed out-
side.
According to Abdalrazak
Sameh, cafeteria manager,
most areas of the cafeteria
only get crowded between 11
a.m. and 1 p.m. since hot foodis not served earlier.
In the morning, its differ-
ent, he said. The saj coun-
ter is most crowded because
it is the only thing available.
We always have unoccupied
seats in the morning.
Rim, a pharmacy student,
complained about this specif-
ic issue. It takes me 15 min-
utes to nd seats, she said.
Its always really crowded
and I end up standing with
my tray almost every time I
go.
I decided to investigate the
problem. Between 12 and 1
p.m., over 137 students en-
tered the cafeteria to grab a
bite.
After standing in different
lines several times a day, I
noticed that, before 11:30
a.m., getting food is easier
as standing in the line takes
less than 10 minutes.
This problem is during rush
hour. Around 10 to 15 stu-dents stand in the line after
12 and it takes over 15 min-
utes to get food.
The problem escalated re-
cently due to the change of ca-
terers from Faqra to Socrate.
I didnt even know what
the cafeteria in LAU looked
like till this semester, I nev-
er used to go there, Ramzi
Khaled, a business ma-
jor, said. Now that we have
Socrate, I visit two to three
times a week.
Nehmat Aoun, director of the
hospitality ofce at LAU, is
aware of the problem. Af-
ter doing a survey, we dis-
covered that students feel
there is a shortage of staff in
the sandwich section, Aoun
said.
At the beginning of each se-mester, a contract is signed
between the university and
the caterers. This contract
stipulates that 18 people
work in the cafeteria to ac-
commodate students.
Even if we hired four or ve
extra people the hot sand-
wiches take time to prepare,
Aoun said.
Aoun revealed work on a
new bigger cafeteria under
the LRC will begin in March.
We told the contractors to
take into consideration the
growth of students in Bei-
rut, she said.
The current cafeteria accom-
modates 250 seats indoor
and 250 seats outdoor.
Since 2010, the number stu-
dents at both the Byblos and
Beirut campuses increasedto over 8,000 students.
Self-service will also be in-
cluded in the new cafeteria in
sections such as dessert and
drinks to decrease the length
of the cues. It is not man-
ageable to have self-service
in the current Beirut cafete-
ria, Aoun said. It wouldn
work.
Aoun believes that studen
prefer food court style cafe
teria, such Costa Coffee an
Starbucks. Unfortunatel
even if we renovate, not a
the sections will be self-se
vice, she said. We will hav
pre-packed salads and sand
wiches, which will help con
trol crowds in most sections
Soufan prefers the cafeteri
over the restaurants and ca
fs around campus. She judoes not want to be late t
class.
Its such a shame that
takes me so long to eat, its e
sential for us as students t
nd available and fast servi
es in university cafeterias
she said.
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6
PEOPLEHabib Battah: The Adventures of an Arab Journalist
I was told I would be eating
Campbells soup for 10 years,
Habib Battah, a journalism
instructor at LAU, said, voic-
ing the common predicament
many journalists who enter
the workforce face.
Battah hesitated when he
rst began his undergradu-
ate studies but he moved for-
ward, eventually earning his
BA in journalism from the
University of Texas.
The idea of eating soup out of
a can for a long time seemedless dampening then the am-
bience hovering over the
United States on a lot of Ar-
ab-Americans post 9/11.
I felt like the atmosphere
was very overbearing, he
said, a feeling that some may
nd hard to shake off, espe-
cially when covering current
news topics.
It was very difcult for an
Arab American who lived in
Ziad Abu Absi: A Theatre Veteran
By Natalia Elmani
LAU Tribune staff
Tribune Jan. 16, 2012
By Rouba JaafarLAU Tribune staff
Ziad Abu Absi is a man who
made so many people laugh
although in reality hes quite
a serious person. He has a
decent sense of humor but
hates mockery.
A former drama instructor
at LAU, he is a veteran actor
and director and an icon in
the Lebanese theatre scene.
Abu Absi was born on Au-
gust 10, 1956 in Rashaya Al-
Fukhar.
He started his acting careeras a young member of the
Lebanese Scout. He soon fell
in love with theatre and took
external degree classes in
communication arts, drama
emphasis, at the Beirut Uni-
versity College LAU today.
The drama veteran has
worked with Ziad Rahbani in
all his plays since 1978; Ben-
nesbi la Bukra Shu? (1978),
Film Ameriki Tawil (1980),
Shi Feshil (1983), Bikh-
Lebanon to be critical. Any
kind of contrary point of view
to the Bush foreign policy
leading up to the war in Iraq
was really viewed as almost
traitorous.
The fear rose for Middle East-
ern Americans and Battah
felt the pressure as a number
of them were being harassed
or even killed in Texas.
I remember having a Pak-
istani neighbor who put an
American ag on his front
door, he recalled.It was a tough time.
In this context, Battah felt it
was best to head back to the
receiving end of the issue: the
Middle East. By 2002, he was
back to Lebanon, greeted by
a number of journalism op-
portunities.
Jumping from different jobs
across the country, Battah
eventually ended up report-
ing from Doha, Qatar, set-
ting up the rst English web-
site for Al Jazeera.
After pushing past the feel-
ing that his Americanism
was under scrutiny, Battah
allowed Al Jazeera to give
him that spark most journal-
ists try to pursue.
Al Jazeera was this phe-
nomenon, he said.
Americans were fascinat-
ed and disgusted with Al
Jazeera at the same time.
But the doors kept opening
and the jobs continued to ndhim.
He eventually became a
managing editor for Middle
East Broadcast Journalists
for two years.
Battah then explored free-
lance journalism. He worked
with Variety, a magazine
based in Los Angeles circu-
lating around the media in-
dustry, and with some of the
most well-known news orga-
nizations such as CNN and
BBC.
Packed with experience, Bat-
tah headed back to the Unit-
ed States and attended New
York University, where he
received his masters in jour-
nalism in 2010.
Around that time, Battah
published an article,
Return to the Valley of the
Jews, in Al Jazeera Eng-
lish, describing the Jew-
ish quarters in Beirut and
the remainder of its formerglimmering existence. Au-
thorities detained Battah,
Solidere requested public
apologies from him and he
got to experience in-depth
one of the countrys contro-
versial topics.
But the investigative piece
led him to win the Samir Kas-
sirs Freedom of the Press
Award in 2011.
During this period, Bat-
tah also got the chance to b
up close and personal wit
Snoop Dogg.
Originally planning to in
terview him for his own do
umentary, he ended up cov
ering the American hip-ho
rappers event in Beirut fo
CNNs series, Inside th
Middle East.
I was very surprised by h
abilities, Battah said.
With articles across some
the biggest news organiz
tions, documentary involvment and his blog which l
in the gaps to his publishe
pieces, Battah passes on in
spiring motivation to his stu
dents today.
You need to work hard to d
good journalism, he sai
The more we have journa
ists taking journalism ser
ously in Lebanon, the mor
accountability we will hav
from our public gures.
sous el Karami wel Shaab el
Aanid (1993) and Lawla Fos-
hat al-Amal (1994).
Abu Absi describes his expe-
rience with Rahbani as quite
fruitful and enjoyable.
Ziad has his own style,
which I could capture from
the rst play I did with him,
he said.
I dont adopt his style my-
self; my vision in theatre is
different.
Abu Absi also worked withother directors like Yaaqub
Al-Shidrawi in Jubran wal
Kaida (1981), Faysal Far-
hat in Soukout Oubes Agha
(1981), Rabih Mroueh in
Al-Mafatih (1996). He also
worked in television with Raf-
ic Hajjar.
Abu Absi is the kind of per-
son who never observes him-
self and always stresses on
the respect of humanity.
I respect humanity and I get
angry when this respect is
abused in any way, he said.
For Abu Absi, theatre is the
place to see more of human-
ity and examine how people
behave in specic situations.
He explains that theatre pos-
its problems of behavior in
the sense that characters
face, and need to surpass, im-
pediments.
These are what we call dra-
matic moments, he said.
In these moments, the view-ers partake in the dilemma.
Abu Absi became a theatre
professor at LAU in 1986 af-
ter receiving a masters de-
gree in philosophy and the-
atre from the University of
Houston.
In 1992, Abu Absi returned
to the United States where
he specialized in Shake-
spearean theatre.
He directed several plays
by Shakespeare after he re-
turned to LAU, including
Macbeth, Richard the Third,
The Twelfth Night, The Mer-
ry Wives of Windsor and As
You Like It.
I introduced masterpieces
from European drama like
Shakespeare, he said.
I selected plays written by
pioneers and brought them
to perform on stage.
Abu Absi believes that the-
atre gave him pleasure but
also tired him.Theatre gave me fatigue
and this is why I think of go-
ing back but keep standing
on cold feet, he said.
Recently, Abu Absi acted
in the movie Where Do We
Go Now by Nadine Labaki,
where he played the role of
the sheikh who tries to help
save the village from sectar-
ianism.
It was his rst encounter in
the world of lm. Its a good
movie but I didnt like m
voice, he said.
The Waltz of the Toreadors,
play written by Jean Anouil
and directed by Norman L
and is Abu Absis favorit
work.
Norman Loand was m
mentor at that time, I didn
adopt his style either but
tried it, he said.
I tried many methods an
styles in acting until I settle
on the no-style approach.Abu Absi wrote several book
about theatre such as Ka
lam aan al Masrah. No doub
that the 56-year-old bearde
man has done so much in h
long-term relationship wit
Lebanese theatre, yet he con
serves his typical modest
when he speaks about him
self.
I feel satised although
havent done anything sp
cial in my life, he said.
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7
CULTURE & FASHIONTribuneJan. 16, 2012
DnB: MisunderstoodBy Nora KamareddineLAU Tribune contributor
Rola Hamadeh Living Her DreamBy Caroline FeghalyLAU Tribune staff
I sat in the backstage of the
Gulbenkian theatre in the
Fine Arts building with the
cast members of this falls
major production.
They were waiting for her to
arrive. Around 30 minutes
later, the backstage door
opened and a tall woman
with a slim gure entered, a
wide smile drawn on her face
trying to catch her breath.
Yes, its her. The famous Leb -
anese actress, Rola Hama-
deh, who performed in Lina
Khourys rst major produc-tion at LAU, Occupant. Like
a loving and graceful diva,
she greeted everybody. How
are you all? I missed you!,
she said joyfully, as if ad-
dressing her own family.
Hamadeh already wanted to
become an actress when she
was eight years old. But, like
many in Lebanon, her par-
ents rejected the idea.
They thought that I was a
child and that, when I grew
older, I would change my
mind, she told me. They
didnt take me seriously.
Hamadeh and her parents
ultimately reached a compro-
mise; Once she got a degreein another major, she would
be permitted to give acting a
shot. Hamadeh pursued her
studies at Saint Joseph Uni-
versity and earned a mas-
ters in business administra-
tion.
To fulll her dream, she
studied acting with profes-
sors from the Lebanese Uni-
versity without earning a de-
gree in the major.
She also attended numer-
ous workshops and acted in
several of her friends plays
abroad.
Hamadehs rst experienceon television was with Leba-
nese actor Ibrahim Meraach-
li; a television program
called Aghani wa Maani (or
Songs and Lyrics). It was her
rst encounter with fame.
This was my rst time on
television. I was still fresh,
not an expert in acting,
she said. I acted on televi-
sion the same way I act in
theatre. But people start-
ed knowing who I was with-
out any effort on my behalf.
It was spontaneous.
The role Hamadeh related to
most is that of a mother she
played in the Tele Liban se-
ries Familia.The actress and her charac-
ter were both women of rea-
son, morality, and shared
similar values. Family was
their priority a priority
which meant that Hamadeh
temporarily stopped acting
when she got her rst new-
born.
Family comes rst, she
said.
Hamadeh believes that an
actor is a person who sums
up all kinds of arts. To be
good actors, drama students
should educate themselves
in music, drawing, writing,dancing, etc.
An actor doesnt have only
one hobby, she said. He is
open to all creative endeav-
ours and is very cautious
and observant of peoples ac-
tions, especially when he is
asked to impersonate a cer-
tain character.
For her, ability comes with
training. Actors should
keep practicing. They should
learn that their voice and
body are their tools, Hama-
deh said.
Actors should also believe
the character theyre play-
ing. They should live the
character.Hamadeh believes that act-
ing gave her happiness and
excitement. It made her feel
fullled and satised.
But, aside from acting,
Hamadeh particularly likes
dancing.
If I had the oppurtunity to
learn dancing, I might have
pursued it, she said, smil-
ing. I dont know why but I
really love dancing. Maybe I
danced in another life.
Hamadeh advises drama
students not to rely on acting
in Lebanon because its nar-
row.
Walking on the sidewalk be-
neath the Broadway Cen-
ter in Hamra, you see some
familiar faces among small
groups of people. Inside the
elevator, you begin the swift
ascend to the 10th oor.As you go up, you slowly start
to hear the familiar loud
beats. And, when you enter
the room, you nd the bar to
your left and the DJ set to-
ward the back of the dance
oor.
How is 1991 England related
to 2011 Lebanon?
Drums and Bass (DnB),
a music genre with sever-
al subgenres, ranging from
Techno to Jazz, has come to
ourish in Lebanon.
DnB was inuenced by vari-
ous genres starting with Reg-
gae (in the early 60s), Hip
Hop, Breakbeat, Rave, and
Jungle. In 1994, it rst car-
ried the name Drums andBass.
The genre is characterized
by Breakbeat and hardcore
music that ranges from 185
to 190bpm. In terms of texts
and lyrics, what started out
as those of Soul went through
Hip Hop type of lyrics into
electronically altered voices
or mostly none at all.
I like it because its an inter-
esting form of music, musical
expression, lots of creativi-
ty, it gives you an adrenaline
rush, Julian Tohme, a fan
of the genre, said. For the
same reason I like heavy
metal.
In the world of turntables,
bands like Pendulum themost famous in the genre
still perform live acts with
real drums and bass play-
ers and a mix of rock-like lyr-
ics to go along. DJs like Ur-
ban Hype, and Grooverider
shaped the beginnings of the
scene.
Very little is known about
them since DnB is not a
mainstream type of music. In
England in the early 1990s,
parties were often held in
warehouses that organizers
illegally broke into.
Since the early beginnings,
DnB was rarely played by
DJs in overly popular clubs.
The rst DnB parties were
only accessible to a limitednumber of people informal-
ly invited through word-of-
mouth.
In Lebanon, ve or six years
ago it was spread in the same
way, George, a frequent in
the scene, said.
In 2012, the scene is slightly
different.
Flyers litter the streets of
Hamra to attract people to
the parties. For up to 30 dol-
lars, people go to dance the
In a consumer-based worl
where our purpose is to bu
possess and consume, the fu
ture although always un
certain looks gloomy.
Hasan Salemeh, a studen
director at LAU, has his ow
vision of what shall come. H
play, Daily Bread, revolve
around a set of character
in a post apocalyptic worl
forced into the sewers whe
all the resources of the uppe
world were spent.
Lost and crushed by the co
lapse of the system that d
nes them, the characterstill struggle to adapt to th
new world, each in his or he
own way.
They still live in a social hie
archy they built on their fo
mer lives.
We dene ourselves by th
cars that we drive or th
clothes that we wear or th
house that we own, so whe
these things are taken awa
who are we ultimately? S
lemeh asks.
We have lost our individu
ality, lost it under layers
cell phones and fast food. It
time to wake up and reclaiourselves for who we reall
are not what we own.
night away in various loca
tions. Few DJs, like Kapush
ka and Screwheadz aka Rip
norter, Tavarish, Spets, an
Villiam, are already famou
among insiders.
Among the most popular lcations is the Broadway Cen
ter in Hamra.
At DnB parties, a colorf
mix of Hippies, Trance Junk
ies, Rastafaris, Metal head
and Hip Hoppers meets th
eye.
I think DnB music her
should be more accepted b
the general public, Sagge
Khraishi, a fan of the genr
said. Its listeners should n
be negatively labeled.
Daily BreadBy Sari ShraytehLAU Tribune contributor
continued on page 10
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MEDIA & LITERATURETribune Jan. 16 , 2011
Book Review: Zahras ParadiseBy Chris MellonLAU Tribune contributor
Online Proles Could Affect Your CareerBy Lama Al-Haqhaq
LAU Tribune Contributer
calling for the Imam to rid usof all these unclean creatures
once and for all.
This jarring opening scene
sets the tone for the remain-
der of the novel and is meant
to be a symbol of the Iranian
regimes attempts to squash
protests during the 2009 elec-
tions that saw President Ah-
madinejad reelected.
Zahras Paradise reects the
writers experience with the
tensions of daily life under the
Iranian regime. Zahra, on her
way to the coroners ofce, lis-
tens to the complaints of her
taxi driver caught in Tehranscongested highways while
sipping watermelon juice.
A nervous black market trad-
er working as a copy center
manager dodges the police
while publishing contraband
books for huge prots. A
group of young computer
hackers scouers the Internet
for any signs of Zahras son in
the Iranian regimes paper-
Zahras Paradise is a graph-ic, cartoon-based novel pub-
lished by Amir and Khalil,
who have chosen to omit
their family names.
In the novel, Zahra is a wom-
en searching for her son Me-
hdi who was arrested dur-
ing the protests following the
2009 Iranian elections.
Zahras search for her son
transforms into a journey
through modern life under
the Iranian regime and the
hospitals, courts, morgues,
Revolutionary Guard, and
State Bureaucracy as well as
ordinary teenagers and taxidrivers. Although ctional,
the novel attempts to depict
life in Modern Iran and the
hardships during and after
the 2009 elections.
Zahras Paradise opens in the
Darakeh Valley north of Teh-
ran with a man killing a sack
full of puppies with a shov-
el and dumping their blood-
ied remains into a river while
I use Facebook to keep in
touch with friends and up-
load pictures, Farah Kom-
ati, a business student at
the American University of
Beirut, said. Little does she
know that the popular site
is now being used for much
more then connecting with
family and friends.
Social networking platforms
have been around from
as early as 2003, ranging
from sites such as Hi5 and
Myspace, to the now wide-
ly popular Facebook andGoogle+. Most people use
them for recreational pur-
poses, such as socializing
and sharing personal infor-
mation.
Today, however, employers
use these online proles to
check up on applicants and
search for prospective em-
ployees.
According to an article
which ran on December
1 in the Daily Mail, some
work while being on the look
out for the police.
But Zahras journey also re-
veals more dramatic hard-
ships. Part of her journey
leads to hospitals where
young bleeding protestors
are taken from their beds by
the militia for prison interro-
gations. Vivid scenes of beat-
ings, food and sleep depriva-
tion and rape are described.
job applications now have
a section demanding that
Facebook passwords be dis-
closed.
A number of students are
aware of this phenomenon,
and have adjusted their on-
line proles accordingly.
Amer Ryan Bechnak, a pre-
med student who has ac-
counts on Facebook, Twit-
ter, and Google+, has placed
high privacy settings on his
proles. I also make sure
that I have a decent prole
picture up, he said.Badr Qaddah, business
marketing student at LAU,
has taken the same priva-
cy precautions. I make sure
that access to my prole is
limited, he stated. Not ev-
erything can be seen by just
anyone.
Other students, like Koma-
ti, are not aware of this new
system some companies
have adopted. Hind Abdul
Khalek, an English litera-
ture student at LAU, was
surprised when she found
out about it. They do? she
asked. I didnt know that!
Still, the young woman
does not feel the need to al-
ter anything to her existing
Facebook prole.
Im ne with the informa-
tion I have, she said. Even
if they look at my prole, I
wouldnt change anything.
Tala El-Riz, who graduat-
ed with a degree in journal-
ism from LAU, was also sur-
prised. Its the rst timeI hear that employers do
this, she said.
El-Riz is active on sever-
al networking platforms,
such as Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn and FourSquare,
and was already careful
about information she post-
ed online.
She said she would not
change anything about her
Facebook prole. Face-
book is the fun aspect of my
character, she said. I keep
that separate from the work
eld.
Online experts explain that
the problem with social net-
works is that they give an
impression of privacy
when, in fact, they are not
really private. When you
write to your friend on Face-
book, you do so using the
same language you would
use if you were talking face-
to-face in private.
In reality, youre talking
to your friend possibly infront of hundreds of people,
depending on your priva-
cy settings and the number
of friends you have. Youre
also doing that in front of
potential employers.
Students agree that brows-
ing social networks is not
the most efcient way of
checking up on future em-
ployees.
Abdul Khalek explained
that employers would not
be able to get informa
tion about how the perso
would perform in a work
environment, as thes
networks are more socia
Unless the work involve
being social, of course, sh
laughed.
El-Riz agreed. She sai
that Facebook does no
show how cooperative an
hard working an employe
may or may not be. Face
book and Twitter are
means of expressing one
self in an entertaininway, and that has nothin
to do with ones work, sh
said.
Bechnak feels that a per
sonal interview is what re
ally matters when it come
to hiring employees. It
the best way to judge fu
ture employees, he said
Everyone goes crazy onc
in a while, so these net
works arent a good way t
check on people.
After Persepolis, ZahParadise is an attempt b
Iranian storytellers and ar
ists to describe life in Mod
ern Iran through images an
words. The greatest contr
bution of Zahras Paradise
its depiction of everyday lif
in Iran today. Too often, th
complexities of Iran are ex
amined from a regional an
international perspective.
Zahras Paradise focuses o
the lives of ordinary Iran
ans at the center of Iran
modern history. Althoug
the characters are ction
al, their voices are realistand anyone seeking to unde
stand Modern Iran will ben
t from listening.
For more information, yo
may check the publisher
website at http://www.zah
rasparadise.com/ wher
samples of the graphic nov
el are available in thirtee
languages including Arabi
English, French and Persian
PhotoviaFacebook
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8/3/2019 Tribune Issue 5
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Jan.16 , 2012
and a full-load back-up pow
er planet (Generator) are
must in todays life.
6. Value for money: Befor
buying an apartment, th
consumer should alway
make sure he is buying wit
a fair market price. Consum
ers should check recent salein the same area and take th
opinion of qualied and ind
pendent real estate agents.
7. Technical part: Fortunat
ly, the technical part is th
easiest part of the whole th
process. Buyers should tak
the opinion of a consultan
which is usually an enginee
or a person with a great exp
rience in the eld who woul
check up on every technica
issue.
OPINION9Tribune
Note: The LAU Tribune is not responsible for theopinions expressed on this page.
By Mahmoud ArayssiSpecial to the LAU Tribune
Being a part of LAU alumni
community and working as
sales/marking manager at a
family-owned real estate de-
velopment, investment and
management company, I feel
pleasured to share my expe-
rience with fellow LAU stu-
dents by writing about theSeven Tips of Investing in
Real-Estate Properties.
Following the same symbolic
pattern of attractive worlds
sevens such as Seven hills
of Rome, Seven Sages of
Greece, Seven Wonders of
The World; the Seven Tips
of Investing in Real-Estate
Properties will widen your
horizon in what to consider
while renting/buying a at
and help you take a better de-
cision in making right invest-
ments. Simply youll not be
investing in an apartment no
more; youll be investing in a
home.
The top seven tips you should
consider before renting or a
buying a home are:
1. Legal issues: Investorsshould always make sure
that there are no nancial
problems with the apart-
ment such as bank loan prob-
lems, inheritance disputes
between families, or any oth-
er legal obstacle.
2. Under construction apart-
ments: If you aim to buy an
apartment while the build-
ing is not fully constructed
you should be aware that the
developer has a record and
an excellent reputation so he
would nish the project with-
out counting on the buyers.
In such cases, the precon-
struction price would help
you save around (15-20 per-
cent).
3. Location and neighbor-
hood: Choosing the best pos-sible location is yet the most
challenging factor in buy-
ing or renting an apartment.
End users should always in-
vest in a good location with
the best possible neighbor-
hood, because such macro
factors cant be easily mod-
ied. Therefore, buying
the worst apartment at the
best area is a win/win situa-
tion because the apartment
would be underpriced unlike
some well-decorated apart-
ments at underprivileged ar-
eas that are overpriced.
4. Size and view: Since buy-
ing an apartment is usually a
once in a life time situation,
buyers should take a strate-
gic decision in choosing the
right size that accompaniesnot only with their present
needs but with future ones
also. Yet, the view might not
seem very important before
buying but it denitely plays
a great role on the long run.
5. The big three: In our coun-
try, The Big Three are a vi-
tal factor in the formula of
living a comfortable life and
core requirements of any
building you want to buy in.
A parking spot, an elevator,
By Maher KalachSpecial to the LAU Tribune
the rules for global commer-
cial and nancial relations.
This agreement promoted
the US dollar to the reserve
currency with a xed ex-
change rate of 35 dollars for
one ounce of gold.
The Bretton Woods System
bound the United States to
redeem the participating
countries foreign dollar re-
serves for gold. From 1940 to
1957, the US Treasurys gold
reserves remained constant
but, by 1958, they started
falling since foreign govern-
ments held more dollar re-serves than the US central
bank had gold reserves.
Within three years, by 1960,
Treasury gold reserves de-
clined 22 percent. The de-
cline in reserves after 1957
indicated that the dollar
dominated. It was becoming
more and more difcult for
the European and American
Reserve Banks to maintain
the gold price at 35 dollars an
ounce. In 1961, the situation
was severe enough that the
US, Britain, West Germa-
ny, France, Switzerland, Ita-
ly, Belgium, the Netherlandsand Luxembourg all agreed
to sell gold into the market
to try and prevent the price
from exceeding 35 dollars an
ounce; so the London Gold
Pool was created.
The French realized that
the London Gold Pool was a
losing proposition, so they
started selling francs for dol-
lars and sent the dollars back
to the US in exchange for
gold.
By 1968, when the London
Gold Pool croaked, US gold
reserves had declined more
than 52 percent from their
1957 levels. In 1971, US goldreserves were 9,070 tons,
only 72 tons more than they
had been in 1935. Thirty ve
dollars were no longer worth
an ounce of gold.
In 1971, Nixon closed the
Gold Window (the dollar con-
vertibility of gold) in an at-
tempt to retain some gold in
the Treasury. This led to a
collapse of Bretton Woods
and the xed gold price of 35
dollars per ounce ceased to
exist. The gold price should
have been 103 dollars an
ounce then.
Gold was being bought handover st at thirty ve dollars
an ounce, and the gold in-
crease immediately after it
was emancipated.
But, by 1974, it had reached
its ination-adjusted price
of 150 dollars an ounce. In
1975, the New York Com-
modities Exchange was es-
tablished and trading in gold
futures could begin.
By 1978, it was trading
around 200 dollars. Gold be-
came freely-supplied mon-
ey: a currency independent
of any government, whose
value is market determined.
In 1980, a 20 year-long goldbear market began.
In 1983, a new nancial risk
management tool was devel-
oped to mitigate the impact
of gold price on mining com-
panies: hedging. Total gold
hedging increased very rap-
idly in the eighties and nine-
ties. Gold ination also con-
tributed to the fall of gold
prices in this period.
The establishment of the
Shanghai Gold Exchange in
2002 expanded the gold trade
and thus increased demand
for this precious metal. With-
in the next ve years, Chinaovertook the United States
to become after India the sec
ond biggest gold buyer.
The nancial crisis in 200
increased the demand fo
physical gold and exchang
traded funds (ETF). The gol
reserves of ETF, SPDR Gol
Trust, reached in 2010 a re
cord of 1320 tons. This gol
fund controlled more gol
than the Chinese Nationa
Bank.
In the same year, severa
central banks planned to in
crease their gold reserves
among others the Chines
National Bank, the ReservBank of India and the Cen
tral Bank of Russia.
Compared to gold, the U
dollar experienced an all
time low due to sustainabl
economic recovery, increas
ing ination, possible cor
porate insolvencies and de
faults of corporate bonds.
Other drivers of demand fo
gold were growing nationa
debt, low interest rates an
an expansion of money sup
ply. The decrease of gold pro
duction by 10 percent sinc
2001 and strong demand fo
jewelry were other factordriving up the value of gold.
Seven Tips of Investing in Real-Estate Properties
Gold Prices: Where Are They Going?
Gold is the most popular pre-
cious metal in which peo-
ple invest. It is a safe-haven
against any economic, politi-
cal, social or currency-based
crises, such as investment
market declines, currency
failure, ination, war and so-
cial unrest.
Historically, it played a cen-
tral role in the worlds mone-
tary systems.
Recently, the price of gold
uctuated widely, this
prompts the question of what
drives the price movements
of gold.Gold was 20.67 dollars a troy
ounce in 1933, when gold was
money and a 20 dollar gold
coin contained 0.9675 ounc-
es of gold. But President
Franklin D. Roosevelt had
set the gold price at 35 dol-
lars an ounce in 1934, over-
valuing gold and undervalu-
ing the dollar. As a result, the
US Treasurys gold reserves
increased by 117 percent
from 1934 to 1940, as foreign-
ers sold metal to the United
States.
In 1944, Bretton Woods
agreement laid down a mon-etary order that established
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CONTINUEDTribune Jan. 16, 2012
Many of the USAP students,who come mostly from rural
areas and public schools, and
MEPI students who come
from different countries and
cultures, are facing problems
trying to t into LAUs well-
off society.
Ahmad Saleh, a senior radio/
TV/lm MEPI from Egypt,
has no friends yet.
I met two Lebanese friends
and got really close to them
during my rst year but they
ditched me when I decided
not to vote at all in the stu-
dents elections, he said.
In Cairo, Saleh added, peopleare more friendly and wel-
coming to foreigners than
they are here.
When I tell students that I
come from Bekaa, they think
that I used to live with cows
and cattle, a USAP student
from Middle Bekaa, said with
a hint of disappointment in
her voice.
Mohammed agreed. If I am
not like them; I am never
with them, she said. I dont
know anything about Leba-
nese politics and I dont have
a boyfriend to talk about.
Yasmine Dabbous, the advis-er for USAP communication
art students, explained that
this cultural clash, along
with the pressure to excel, ul-
timately creates inner stress,
thus affecting the students
academic performance.
Some tend to look at us in
a different way when they
know that we are USAP stu-
dents, Chmouri said. Few
are those who interact with
us and, when some do, we
tend to search for the catch.
To verify this phenomenon,
I hanged around scholarship
students at the LAU dorms.One day, a group of female
students at the dorms en-
tered the kitchen without
greeting their USAP coun-
terparts. An obvious grimace
on their faces, they estranged
themselves and had a conver-
sation on the side. They fur-
tively looked at USAP stu-
dents every now and then but
didnt mingle with them.
I was really annoyed from
the way they treated us,
a USAP student said. So I
gathered my stuff and left to
my room.
Continued from page 1
Taking a walk with veUSAP students in the Orme
Gray lobby, I ran into one of
my classmates, whose name
is R. A.. She gestured with
surprise. What are you do-
ing with them? her facial ex-
pression seemed to say.
R. A. lives with USAP stu-
dents in the same dormi-
tory but rarely sees them.
Still, when asked about it,
the young woman recognized
their intellectual excellence.
Honestly, I sometimes feel
jealous because I look at
them as the smart students,
R. A. said.Khaled Nasser, an interper-
sonal communication lec-
turer at LAU, believes that
some LAU students may re-
frain from mingling with
their USAP and MEPI coun-
terparts due to association
problem.
Students living in this so-
ciety avoid communicating
with people they consider dif-
ferent because they fear they
will be perceived as part of
them, Nasser said.
Some of the quotes I got illus-
trated his point. A hospitali-
ty management student saidthat USAP candidates are
different at social and behav-
ioral levels. You can tell who
they are from their accent
and the way they dress up,
she explained.
The student complained that
USAP candidates cling to
each other. Theyre always
in the kitchen cooking and
studying together, she said.
Nasser explained that USAP
and MEPI students are fac-
ing cultural shock. They are
confronted with a new way
of thinking, different from
what they were used to intheir surroundings.
At this rst stage, they dont
have the specic script or
brochure of how to act as an
LAU student, Nasser said.
Therefore, a we versus
them relation develops, cre-
ating this seclusion.
Nasser added that what
USAP and MEPI students
face today is very similar to
the hardships all students
coming from abroad will
face. They need some time
to adapt and build relation-
ships on campus.
Discrimination Based On Status
Continued from page 1
He pointed out that any stu-dent or any human being
introduced to a new environ-
ment goes through the same
stages. When Darine Nasr,
education student from Has-
bayya, receives her stipend,
she shops for clothing before
she even buys her food. Now-
adays, I really care about my
looks to t in this society,
Nasr said.
Some problems follow MEPI
and USAP students into the
classroom.
Aseel Beydoun, a Palestinian
MEPI student, feels that some
students make fun of the wayshe talks or act extra nice with
her in class because they as-
sociate that I am a scholarship
student therefore I am smart
and I have valuable notes.
Almost all teachers know
that we are USAP students so
they tend to give us more at-
tention and expect more from
us, Hiba Bazzal, an USAP
business student said. I have
a teacher who dened almost
every English word which
made students look at me in a
different way.
When asked about the prob-
lems USAP or MEPI studentsface, Raed Mohsen, the dean
of students, ruled out the pos-
sibility of a culture shock at
LAU. He spoke instead of a
difference in behavior.
Maybe they are facing prob-
lems but I am unaware of
them because their case is not
within the scope of my respon-
sibilities. Other people at LAU
are in charge of the program,
Mohsen said.
USAID and MEPI students
were chosen after an intensive
and thorough study of their so-
cial status and academic per-
formance. Applicants were re-quired to enroll in one of 13
highly requested majors in the
country, including education,
nursing, engineering, busi-
ness, social work and commu-
nication arts.
But, despite the difculties,
the prospects are still encour-
aging. Nasser indeed believes
that, with time, students de-
velop adaptation skills and
gradually accept the differ-
ences they nd. This eventu-
ally releases their anxiety and
they adapt to the new culture,
he said.
it from the class. Students get sleepy because the air is warm.
The radio/TV/lm studio does not fair better. The humi
ty reaches 80 to 90 percent and it affects the people who wor
George Tarabay, studio staff, said. People are always sick a
suffer from respiratory problems.
Upon entering the recording studio, you know immediately itnot sound proof. There are holes in the pads which are suppos
to trap sound. There is another hole in the ceiling that links t
microphone to the control room. The room is also used as a st
age facility where tables, boxes and other material are dump
on the oor.
Omar Moujais, a third-year radio/TV/lm major, explained th
there is always static whenever he uses the studio equipmen
This is because the electricity is not grounded properly accordi
to Farid Boustani, the studio supervisor.
Communication arts students staged a sit-in in front of the Fi
Arts building in 2010 to protest the decaying status of the stud
The administration responded to the problem partially by bui
ing a temporary studio in Nicol Hall.
George Hamouche, assistant vice president for facilities manag
ment, revealed that the Fine Arts building will be renovated th
coming summer. Originally due in the summer of 2011, renov
tion efforts were cancelled due to delays and class conicts.Its an old building that needs refurbishment, he said. All t
oors will undergo some renovations. I think that we will have
live with partial renovations.
But the Fine Arts building does not only suffer from decay. Ma
at the building complained about the space problem.
We are in very deep trouble regarding space on campus, Mo
Knio, the communication arts chairperson, said.
We need classroom space and ofce space. Very often we need
open more sections but we do not have enough space on camp
for that.
Ofce 108 at the Fine Arts building accommodates no less th
seven instructors.
Space at the buildings student facilities is scarce too. Ther
not enough space for students at the photography lab, Andr
explained. We have 130 students. The facility was designed f
two sections, which is 60 students. Its double the number now
Fine Arts Building
Rola HamadehContinued from page 7
She also hopes Lebanese drama would be encouraged and thpeople who control all the keys would seek art instead of prot.
In her last work with director Lina Khoury and the cast and cre
from LAU, Hamadeh is particularly happy.
I love Lina Khoury the director, Edward Albee the scriptwrite
and the students, she said. I also love the character I am pla
ing and wish to play it from the beginning to the end.
Conservative LebanonContinued from page 11
The responsibility toward our children cant be placed in th
hands of maids, who may very well have no idea what theyre d
ing, Shayto added.
The percentage of women registered in the workforce is on t
rise as women seek to fulll their aspirations. But for traditionminded men, their womens ambitions might trouble their ma
hood.
I would not like my wife to earn higher than I do though, Chke
said. It goes against the instincts of a man.
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OFF CAMPUSTribuneJan. 16 , 2012
When Abuse Victims Speak Up
Nada M., who suffered with
her children from abuse by
her former husband, agreedto meet me at a psychiatric
clinic. She was being treated
for depression and post-trau-
matic stress syndrome.
First, he would tie up our
son and daughter then beat
them, she recounted. And if
I tried to stop him, he would
put a knife to their throats
and threaten to kill them.
Nadas husband then asked
her to choose the instrument
of torture when it was her
turn to get beaten.
Now I got a divorce, but
it seems a divorce is not
enough, she said. I amafraid to use our bathroom or
kitchen or even sleep in my
own bedroom. I keep my eyes
open when Im in bed.
Domestic violence is one of
Lebanons hidden problems
By Samia BuhlaiyemLAU Tribune staff
because no national statistics
on the issue exist. But Kafa,
an organization that aims at
reducing the incidence of vi-
olence against women in the
Middle East, reported that
its Beirut ofces alone ad-
mit about 400 cases a year.
Many more exist but we do
not feel they are able to come
forward, Rola Abi Murshid,
Kafas coordinator, said.
Muhammad Itani, a psychol-
ogist and a former instruc-
tor at The Lebanese Associ-
ation for the Development of
Health Sciences (LAPAHS),explained that domestic vio-
lence has different forms; it
can be physical, sexual, emo-
tional, verbal or economic.
Physical violence ranges from
beating to throwing objects
on the victim, while emotion-
al abuse includes humiliat-
ing a subject privately or pub-
lically, controlling what he or
she can or cannot do, deliber-
ately embarrassing the vic-
tim or isolating him or her
from friends or family.
Dr. Majid Kanj, a psychia-
trist, explained that hold-
ing a victim in a double bindalso constitutes emotional
abuse. When the aggressor
sends conicting messages to
his victim, she will inevitably
respond successfully to one
message and unsuccessfully
to the other. This makes her
feel automatically wrong, re-
gardless of the response.
Over three million children
worldwide witness domes-
tic violence at home and the
numbers are escalating.
Itani explained children of
abuse victims experience
feelings of shame, guilt and
self-blame. They grow con-
icting feelings towards their
parents while fearing aban-
donment at the same time.
Children who witness abuse
may typically stop express-
ing emotions while feelinghelpless and powerless. They
might withdraw, become pas-
sive-aggressive or even re-
fuse to go to school. They
might turn into liars or resort
to attention-seeking behav-
ior. Some experience night-
mares and bedwetting. They
might engage into stormy re-
lationships or isolate them-
selves from friends and fami-
ly and stop trusting others.
At her house in Shayyah,
Khadeeja Tabaja felt grateful
for divorcing her husband af-
ter long years of suffering.
It was just after he was re-leased from his ve-year im-
prisonment, she remem-
bered. He sat at the dining
room table asking for his bot-
tle of arak.
It took Tabaja some time to
get the bottle, so her former
husband grabbed her hair,
dragged her to the balcony,
and threw her on the oor
while calling people to watch
how he would punish his dis-
obedient woman. He hit her
head to the oor and kicked
her in the stomach.
I hid my head with both
arms, but he kept on kicking
me until I passed out, she
said. Neighbors were afraid to
interfere. My three children
just stood in a corner, terri-
ed.
The issue of domestic violencehas stirred attention on the
international, regional and
national levels. Kafa partici-
pated in a 16-day white rib-
bon campaign in Lebanon
and the Middle East. It in-
cluded a documentary by Di-
ana Moukalled, lectures and
workshops by surviving wom-
en, campaigns at ve univer-
sities, launching a research
study at LAU and various
forms of advertisements.
Kafa also offered a specialized
psychological clinic for men
where they may air out their
experiences, identify prob-lem-solving behavior and nd
appropriate solutions for their
social problems.
Men are part of the problem,
but they are also part of the
solution, a press release by
Kafa said. We are against v
olence, not men... If we wan
to begin making real chang
in ending violence agains
women it is simply illogica
to leave men out of the equa
tion.
As for dealing with victim
Dr. Kanj stressed that the ke
words are love, respect, an
trust. One should promot
their independence, respec
their feelings for the othe
parent and allow for privacy.
Dr. Kanj also said that on
should provide victims wit
emotional security, providshelter, healthy food, appro
priate clothing and maintai
family routine while provid
ing discipline, and consisten
cy.
Itani, on the other hand, talk
ed about early detection o
childrens troubles at schools
He explained that there is no
a formula that applies to a
children since each child re
sponds differently to a vio
lent parent. As to proposed so
lutions, both experts agree
that authorities should mak
legislations and erect specia
ized centers to protect victims of domestic violence
Also, people intending to mar
ry should be subjected to men
tal health tests that assur
they are responsible enoug
to start a family.
For a country deemed as a
breather among more con-
servative ones in the
Middle East, Lebanon sur-prisingly offers its women a
dismal 29 percent
of the labor force, according
to a 2011 report by UNDPs
Program on Governance.
Although Mercer Human Re-
source Consultings survey
ranked Beirut as the 80th
most expensive city world-
wide ahead of Los Angeles,
Munich and Montreal, and
the fourth in the Arab world,
a considerable share of Leb-
anese men would still want
their wives to remain home
rather than help with the
By Zahi SahliLAU Tribune staff
household income.
One of the main reasons for
the marginalization of wom-
en in the Lebanese laborforce is the burden laid by pa-
triarchal traditions.
Paul Chkeir, a 27-year-old
engineer, would not want to
see his potential wife make a
larger income than his. De-
spite having lived in
Sweden during his childhood
years, Chkeir points to his
Eastern roots and admits
he would like to be the fami-
lys main source of income.
I dont want to seem like an
old-fashioned person, but
I would like to see my fami -
ly rely on me nancially,
Chkeir said. I would rather
that my wife takes the role of
a traditional housewife.
Chkeir, whose mother did notcontinue her education past
the Lebanese Baccalaure-
ate and was never employed,
would only welcome his wifes
contribution should he face
an economic catastrophe.
Generally, Lebanese men pre-
fer to get married to wom-
en who can be conservative
housewives rather than equal
partners and providers for
the same household, Khaled
Nasser, a lecturer of interper-
sonal communication, said.
A traditional-minded man
looks to marry a woman which
corresponds best to the image
of his mother and her expecta-
tions, Sevag Hagopian, a soci-
ologist, said.Mohammad Shayto, a busi-
ness major at LAU, says that
he would never object to seeing
his future wife work at a cer-
tain institution.
But he would not want her to
forget that her principal re-
sponsibility is raising children.
If I work and fulll the fami-
lys nancial needs, my wife
could work in order to fulll
her aspirations too, as long as
she works for a limited number
of hours; during the morning
hours, lets say, Shayto said.
Our children at home need the
utmost care of one of the par
ents as scientic studies an
research show that children
need and strive on motherlove especially during thei
early years, he continued.
Shayto pointed out that h
would prefer that his wif
limits her interests to domes
tic activity if her employmen
would mean that she relin
quishes her mothers role t
housemaids. The responsi
bility towards our children
cant be replaced in the hand
of maids who may very wel
have no idea what theyre do
ing, he said.
Conservative Lebanon?
continued on page 10
PhotoviaCreativeCommons
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OFF CAMPUSTribune Jan. 16 , 2011
The Tribune Goes Shopping in Sabra and Chatila
A huge portrait of a March 8
gure stands still on the en-
trance to welcome visitors.
On both sides of the narrow
street, which depends on sun
rays during the day and u-
orescent light bulbs in the
night, you can see two-by-
two-meter shops and scat-
tered shopping carriages.
Crowds of people, mainly
men, pass by in both direc-
tions.
A close-up of the crowd re-
veals dark skins, thick beards
and tattoos on the neck and
the hands that sometimesfeature names of lovers. Out-
ts are mainly composed of
leather black or brown jack-
et and jeans, sometimes cov-
ered with dust from the road.
The shoes might vary from
shoes that have the form of a
rocket to at rubber slippers.
In the Southern part of Bei-
rut is the Sabra and Chatila
Palestinian camp. It was es-
tablished in 1949 by the in-
ternational committee of the
Red Cross to accommodate
the hundreds of refugees
who poured into the area
from Amka, Majed al-Kroumand al-Yajour, area villages
in northern Palestine after
1948.
I go there every now and
then to get my dvds because
they are cheaper there, a
university student, who pre-
ferred not to reveal his name,
said. I usually buy more
than thirty, so I get each dvd
for 750 Lebanese pounds.
Shopping as a dictionary
term is based on observing
goods and services with an
intent to purchase. It is usu-
ally referred to as a leisure
By Zeina ShehayebLAU Tribune staff
activity. Shopping in the Sa-
bra and Chatila camp, howev-
er, has a different taste.
On both sides of the narrow
street are small shops and
shopping carriages that sell
whatever comes to your mind,
with prices cheaper than usu-
al. Shops may not have the
brand names you might relate
to but they do have imitations
of them sometimes.
A Syrian trader, who wanted
to remain anonymous, sells
houseware and electric appli-