A Personal Appeal to my Readers: Help Fund Mikey’s Biography

March 30, 2012 By 1 Comment


To me, Mikey was Yara’s baby brother. He was that blonde seven year-old with a missing tooth or two, always talking in French and expressing the cutest of concerns such as what genre of DVD we could watch when I would come over.

To those of you who knew Mikey too, or anyone from his family, you need no introduction and I’m sure you want to see Mikey’s story published. For those of you who never had the fortune to meet Mikey in his seven years with us, then let me tell you a bit more about the “Little Prince” as Yara calls him, and the purpose behind this post.

Mikey passed away unexpectedly at just seven years old. That might seem like a very short time, but in that one-tenth of an average human lifespan, Mikey had done more impact than most octogenarians. His sudden and unclear passing was devastating to many and his absence is felt everyday for those closest to him. However, the many memories we all have with him are what I choose to hold on to.

I don’t know what cause his death, and I don’t know or care what happens to him after death. What I do know and care about is the memories he has left with his friends and family and even strangers who had met him only once.

These memories have been beautifully immortalized in written form by Yara. I had the privilege of reading the 39 short stories and I loved them. I usually hate reading other people’s work (confession time) and often obsess about mistakes in grammar, vocabulary and the overall logical reasoning. Biography of a Little Prince though, was the most enjoyable and rewarding read of my life, by someone very dear to my heart about some else also very dear to my heart.

These stories were not over-saturated with raw emotion. They weren’t written by a distraught, grieving older sister. They weren’t the cliche phrases you’re supposed to say and repeat in Facebook statuses. They were simply worded and eloquently fluid. They were intimate and specific, yet universally relatable to. You could read them with ease and they’d roll off your hypothetical tongue and soon enough you’ll find yourself reading the last sentence when you thought you were just warming up. You’ll get to know Mikey like no one else could have, from the most mediocre of moments to the ones that really stuck.

My review might be biased, but I am sure all of you will agree with me when you read the book too. Yara wants to publish this book and immortalize Mikey’s life. It’s not for fame, not for fortune, but to tell a story that has changed the life of so many, and can change the lives of many more. Amazon.com is letting us do that for just 2000USD and up till now, we’ve gather 1522USD from 34 generous backers. We have till April 27th to get to 2oooUSD and if we do, here’s what the 2000USD will pay for:

  • The design of the interior of the book, and the creation of a theme by which to integrate 30  illustrations with the text.
  • Comprehensive copy-editing.
  • The design of a unique cover for the book.
  • Customized formatting of the interior and cover of the book, to make it fit to print.
  • Online distribution and expanded exposure and media attention for the project.
  • Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) assignment, to make the book accessible to libraries.
  • Availability of an e-copy of the book for Kindle.

So, please, go to this link here and pledge as much as your willing to, even if it’s just a dollar or two, and help make this book and ebook a reality.

Thank you guys,
Gino

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Filed Under: NGO/Charity, Thoughts

Lotus Cars in Beirut with 2007 F1 Champ Kimi Raikonnen

March 27, 2012 By 2 Comments

As I had leaked a few days earlier, Lotus cars was launched (or re-launched) in Lebanon last night at MAD club in Beirut. Of course, the guest of honor was none other than 2007 F1 Champ Kimi Raikonnen. So, understandably, the crowd was a mix of diehard F1 fans as well as connoisseurs of all things that run on petrol.

The full Lotus arsenal was displayed on a red carpet at Mad’s door, which on the inside was plastered with photos of the Elise and other models the company is famous for. A special stage was erected with “Lotus is Back” and where the execs from Lebanon and the parent company took to the stage and formally launched the luxury car brand in Lebanon, whose dealership will be located somewhere near Zaitunay Bay and the Four Seasons Hotel.

Kimi’s short interview was short, and the “Ice Man” nickname was well-deserved, with short answers and a hurried composure on stage. He did however delight fans, and my friend John managed to snatch an autograph from him. If you’re one of the veteran fans, here’s the video of the interview last night courtesy of Biser3a.com

Filed Under: Clubs

ArabNet on March 27: Why Facebook Timeline is Cool

March 27, 2012 By 1 Comment

Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend all of today’s sessions and talks. I was upset because good friends like George El Khabbaz, Joumana Mattar and Maya Zankoul gave UX talks I would’ve loved to attend, but, all was not lost. Stephane Crozatier, a Facebook engineer tasked with helping develop social products for strategic Facebook partners through the open graph.

Now, that sounds super-geeky and programmer language, but luckily for you, I’m not a computer scientist and thus will relay what I understood and discovered today from the session: why the timeline?

Stephane talked about how Facebook has created a graph that has several nodes. Nodes are people and brands, and the network you create with people you friend and things you like, make the open graph everyone is so hyped about. Why are they hyped? Well, because it is the mother of all treasures when it comes to data mining: what you like, who you surround yourself with and what you do, every marketer’s dream data. Of course, if you don’t allow it, this graph will remain off-limits to websites and corporations.

Anyway, after introducing what the graph and Facebook Platform were, Stephane went on to discuss the rationale behind this new “evolutionary leap” in Facebook world. “Talking about things on Facebook is nice, but doing things on Facebook is nicer” pretty much summed up the Facebook mantra in a very simple and elegant way.

We used to send notifications to our pages, for example “Gino likes X article.” Today, you get “Gino read X article on Y website” in realtime, and with a “widget” on my timeline with the actual article. This also applies for music I listen to on SoundCloud for example, or photos I pin on Pinterest. Now, I can do those things via Facebook, or at least do more than “shallow link” to the homepage, but actually initiate an action via Facebook on the third party website.

You’d think, why would Facebook do that? Why would they grant access to their 850 million+ users to lesser online players? Well, why not? Facebook doesn’t only allow partners to utilize the graph (with user permission of course), they also help the strategic partners with their endeavors and perfect their social products, because according to Stephane, “it creates a viral loop” to which I completely agree.

Some interesting data presented was that Pinterest’s referrals rose 60% when its Facebook app became integrated into the new timeline. Another interesting tidbit was that Goodreads daily active users (DAU) rose a whopping 77% after utilizing the open graph technology to integrate it into Facebook.

So, the rationale behind the timeline and new platform seem even more appealing to me now. However, I know many of you have been resistant to switch to the new timeline. I have bad news for you, everyone is gonna be switched to the new timeline eventually. I personally sorta cheated and created a dummy app on Facebook developers and got the new timeline many months ago, and have since grown very much accustomed to it, and love it!

For privacy freaks, take the time to fix your settings. Also, I agree with Google co-founder Eric Shmidt when he said that if you don’t want it online, you probably shouldn’t be doing it anyway.

Fun Stuff

Also, something fun today was Nokia’s freezing cold competition. They brought a massive block of ice impregnated with a brand new Nokia 701. Each person had 30 seconds to try to chisel and hack at the ice and if you get the phone dislodged, it’s yours. Unfortunately, some people hit too hard and smashed the phone. Nokia were kind enough though to hand another, functional device for the winner.

Filed Under: ArabNet Tagged With: , , , ,

Poll of the Week: KONY 2012? +41% of You Want Bashar to Stay for Fear of Islamists

March 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 My views on KONY 2012 have been outlined previously here. So, read it. But, in a nutshell I think the idea was amazingly successful, meme material too in my opinion. But, like everything successful, it has its die-hard supporters and its sworn enemies.

Honestly, I think the conspiracy theorists are exaggerating things a bit, I doubt Obama wants to invade Uganda anytime soon based on a YouTube video. Also, most of the oppoesers use the words “illuminati” or “the elite” and other uninformed leftist-leaning bigot vocabulary. So, they didn’t really buy me, despite some pretty good points raised.

Lemme know what you guys think, I put the two, three main positions and other. Please feel free to elaborate.

Last Week’s Results

 

Filed Under: Polls

JUSTICE Live Tour Review

March 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I was in Florida, enjoying the sand and sun when I got a text message from one of those friends you immediately become close to after the first encounter: Lola. She asked me if I was a fan of Justice, and I replied yes, even though their indie-rock-leaning often makes me hesitate confessing my love for them in public. Minutes later, we had tickets to attend the third leg of their new world tour in Boston.

The venue, House of Blues, is across the street from the historic Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox and the first and only place I’ll ever watch the most boring game on Earth: baseball. It’s outside facade is misleading, you’d think the place was just another bar or restaurant. On the inside though, it’s a massive warehouse-like area with a main arena and two smaller upper levels.

We were of course in the main arena, where all the cool people who want to enjoy themselves and dance are. I’d estimate somewhere between 4000 and 5000 people attended, and we all came early. We were there by 7:00PM and the show started at 8:00PM sharp with Busy P, a French DJ who impressed us deeply with his analog-feel mastery of electro music. I kept my dancing at a minimum during his set though, I was saving myself for the main act!

Then, as I had foretold, they opened with “Genesis” and followed it up with a very extended version of “Civilization”. The trademark stage with the huge illuminated Justice Cross then opened up, revealing a keyboard which each half of the French duo played at one point during the concert. Another delightful surprise was when the music stopped for a few minutes, and Justice froze on stage, till someone finally caught on and began singing “We are your friends” which brought the duo back to life and the speakers blazing “you’ll never have to be alone again”

Other tracks like their remix of D.A.N.C.E and On’n'On made the night complete, with song after song making every single hand fly up into the air and every pair of shoes stomp with the bass. The energy of the crowd was beautiful, everyone was happy and polite, no shoving and angry faces like you see in Beirut events. What was awesome was the punctuality too. It was a Monday and most of us had work or university the next day, so the concert began 7 and was wrapping up before midnight, allowing you both a healthy dose of partying, but enough hours to recover for the next day!

All in all, it was an amazing night and the cherry on top of my USA tour. I can now cross off Justice Live from my bucket list and say I made a very good friend in the process, so, thanks Lola! And you can all be jealous of us now =P

Filed Under: Clubs Tagged With: , , , ,

The Weekly Leaks: F1 Champ Kimi Räikkönen is Launching Lotus Cars in Beirut Next Week

March 23, 2012 By 4 Comments

Kimi Räikkönen is perhaps one of the biggest celebrities Formula One racing has seen. This former F1 champ has earned titles with giants like McLaren and Ferrari, and has only recently switched to the Lotus Racing team. So, needless to say, this guys gets paid as much as people like David Beckham and Tiger Woods (says his Wikipedia page).

For all you petrolheads, Lotus cars will be a familiar and probably much-loved car brand. I for one adore its tiny-ness, light weight and fame for being extremely responsive to handling. It also looks wicked-awesome and during my trips to the GCC, I feel happy when I get to see one in action. But, I have yet to see one in Lebanon. I’m sure there must be a used one or two imported by enthusiasts, but Lotus is formally back to Lebanon and they’re launching it next week, with none other than their new star driver Kimi Räikkönen.

Unfortunately, the event on Monday is invitation-only. Sorry F1 fans =( But, I promise I’ll try to get as much coverage as possible published here. Perhaps ask Kimi a question or two too? And what do you think those questions should be?

Filed Under: Leaks

Speakers at ArabNet to Discuss How e-Commerce in the Middle-East Grew Explosively Last Year

March 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

If you’re in the Middle-East, chances are you were bombarded with thousands of “MarkaVIP” ads and emails. The somewhat “wozzeh” name though that seems like spam, is actually an immensely successful Jordanian-based company that has scored over 5 million USD in investment less than two years after its inception in late 2010.

Such examples have become abundant in the Middle-East recently, and I’m sure you guys are like me in wondering “why can’t I be part of that?” and “why didn’t I think of that!” and of course “do I still have time and opportunities to jump on that band wagon”. The answers might not be clear, but some of the most qualified people who can answer and discuss these questions will all be in one place next week: ArabNet.

The line up of speakers will include people like Osama Bedeir, Vice President of Payments at Google (I hope Google Wallet is coming to the MENA region soon!), Shervin Pishevar,nManaging Director at Menlo Ventures and Amina Belghiti, Head of Platform Partnerships, New Markets EMEA, Facebook. These three are only 3 among over a 100 other professionals, academics and entrepreneurs who will provide in-depth insight into a wide spectrum of topics such as entrepreneurship, investment, the future of media and advertising, interaction through social media platforms, and the effect of the latest technology trends on the digital market.

Being around so many innovative individuals over the past two years, has pushed me, a humble Biology student, to start thinking about online business ventures and e-startups. I for one, I’m glad to attend talks by these individuals prior to formally launching my business plan. I’m also hoping to poach potential investors and developers to help me bring it all together! So, I for one, am excited about the speakers, as should you! See you all next week! Oh, and here’s the full-list of other awesome people that are going to present.

Filed Under: Tech

FASHAL – Samir Geagea Gives Up Politics, Sells Hotdogs at NDU?

March 23, 2012 By 2 Comments

Filed Under: Fail

Traveler Tips: Head Gear for the Road

March 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I’m a brand loyal person usually. Not sure why, but if I enjoy a product enough, I tend to buy the newer one or other products from the same manufacturer. When I’m going abroad, I usually carry a small carry-on and a backpack full of all my electronics. Laptop, iPad, iPod, camera, phones and of course headphones.

The whirring of jet engines, the bakes of buses, the squeak of train tracks and of course your annoying fellow passengers make headphones a must when traveling. Here are my suggestions for which type of headgear to use when on the move. My extensive pleasurable experience has been with Skullcandies, I have several headphones and my backpack is also SKDY.

1- Headphones


I’m a headphone fan. Why? Well, apart from having no need to insert stuff deep into your ear canal, they usually look cool. They also send a message to others that “shut up, I don’t wanna talk to you” which is perfect on long journeys. Skullcandy have several types of headphones, but my favorite are the “hesh” line. They’re sturdy, have very diverse designs and are very comfortable to wear. In fact, in the few times I have been a DJ, my Paul Frank Skullcandies (which cost around 70.00USD) were my headphones of choice.

The second type of SKDY headphones I own are the “skullcrushers” which are notorious for their bass amplification. When I wanna listen to some minimal and deep house, maybe even some dubstep, the skullcrushers will definitely be your carry-on club sound system. Usually, a song sounds very different when played in a club setting with the improved and accentuated bass. These headphones provide you a good approximation of what a track will really sound like when you blast it at a party. Only downside is that when there are phones around, they create interference (parasite) and affect the music experience if you get a Whatsapp message. So, I’d definitely recommend Hesh headphones over Skullcrushers. They also need batteries to function fully, and the batteries are housed on the connecting line, which makes it awkward to stow away neatly.

The third type of SKDY I have are the smaller, Agent headphones. These headphones are better for travel, they’re smaller and more compact and usually lighter than their bulky Hesh counterparts. They also take a shape more similar to the human ear, making their prolonged use more comfortable. They’re also cheaper than their skullcrushing and hesh headphones.

2- Earphones

If you’re worried about size and price, and you really want 0 noise from the world around you, then you should go with the earphones or “buds”. They’re the type that you insert into your ear canal, insulating it against any other sound. They’re the cheapest in the product line and you can fit them anywhere. They’re less flashy though, and if you’re looking to make a fashion statement and send others a signal that you’re busy or don’t wanna talk, the buds are definitely not your right choice.

Conclusion

Go with the Agents. Why spend 400 USD for headphones when you can spend 10% of that and get one which doesn’t have a rapper’s name and looks exactly the same every single time. Happy commuting!

Filed Under: Tech

March to Save the Ancient Phoenician Port on Plot 1398 SATURDAY

March 21, 2012 By 1 Comment


Remember that 2500 year old Phoenician port some company wants to turn into apartments we can’t afford? No? Then read this before continuing this post.

This Saturday, at 3:00PM, we’re making our voices heard beyond the interwebs. We are meeting behind Hotel Monroe, and making our short trek (don’t worry about walking too much you lazy people) to the plot that houses one of Lebanon’s most treasured, and recently discovered archeological finds.

Let’s force the government to act and protect this site. They seem pretty good at hunting down rotten meat, I’m sure they’ll have no problem saving this fantastical port if they get rid of the rotten money too. So, I really hope to see you guys this Saturday afternoon. More information on the event page here.

Filed Under: Endorsements

Who Is Underrated? Find Out This Saturday

March 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

If you’re not old enough to be worried about jobs, rent, benzene, then you’re very lucky. It also means you can party more often, and harder than the grandmas and grandpas which tend to produce overrated events. Underrated are a group of party-loving, up-and-coming DJs and organizers who have held a string of very successful underground events across Beirut.

You guys know how I am when it comes to obscure, non-mainstream events. So, I went down to an Underrated event before my trip to the US, and I was impressed a party movement with such a loyal following hadn’t been on my radar before. The mix of Indie, Electro, Nu-disco with a dash of Dubstep sprinkled with Minimal is definitely a crowd-pleaser for more than one type music lover.

Anyway, why am I telling you this? Because they’re planning their biggest event yet this Saturday. Also, with the recent decline of the Lebanese underground music scene, such events are a must-attend. Find out who Underrated are, and if you enjoy it, remember I’m the one that told you about them (if you didn’t already know them of course).

What I also liked is that apart from the bargain deal of 25USD for open bar, they’ve struck a deal with Geryes Taxi to make fares from as far as Hamra, for just 15,000LBP. So, don’t drink and drive. Plus, with current gas prices in Lebanon, I think it would be cheaper getting a cab =P

Here’s the event page, and that’s their Facebook page

Venue: 20/25 (don’t know the venue, but the photos look promising, distance problem fixed by taxi deal)
Music: 25/30  (I hate indie =P)
Ticket: 20/20 (open bar, plus they get points for the taxi deal)
Crowd: 10/10 (diverse, young)
Date: 5/5 (cause it’s after I’m back from the US =P)
Promoters: 5/5 (as I said, I was very impressed last time)

Total: 85/100 

Filed Under: Endorsements

The Weekly Leaks: Order Burger King with an App? Yes Please!

March 19, 2012 By 3 Comments

It won’t be announced till later next week, but I got my hands on some screenshots which I’m pretty sure I wasn’t supposed to see (A). Burger King Lebanon is gonna let you order your meals for free via your smartphone apps, or via their website if you don’t have an iOS or Android device.

Here are the attachments below. This is a MUCH-welcome and comprehensive alternative to calling, holding, and being misunderstood by the operator. I hope other restaurants do the same, and wish this was available before I had my surgery =P

 

Filed Under: Leaks
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