The information and images below were all compiled from Wikipedia and my intensive experience playing Counter Strike and other first-person shooter games =P

The purpose is so you understand what the news talks about, and see that these “light weapons” and “small arms” are in fact many times deadlier than tanks and jets and missiles, in the hopes of one day seeing them forever pulled off our streets and homes.

1- The AK-47

This is the world’s most popular weapon. It’s even on flags of countries and parties (including one famous one in Lebanon). It’s simple design and ease of use makes children capable of using it, and they do. Just watch LBCI’s interview with a 5th grader in Tripoli wielding this versatile and reliable firearm. Most weapons aren’t actually AK-47, but later variants, such as the AKM which began production in 1959. So, the “kalash” is in fact AKMs which find their way into people’s hands because of remnants of the civil war.

Rate of fire: 600 bullets / minutes
Range: ~400 meters
Weight: 3.6 Kg

2- The “Akhmas”

It’s actually a modified version of the standard AKM, the AKMS,  but instead of a wooden or fixed butt, it has a retractable butt which makes it easier to carry. It was originally designed for paratroopers, and think about it, when you’re about to jump out of an airplane, you would want a smaller sized package.

Rate of fire: 600 bullets / minutes
Range: ~400 meters
Weight: 3.8 Kg

3- B-7

You often hear “RPGs and B7s” when in reality they’re one and the same. B7 is just an abbreviation of RPG-7. It’s an anti-tank weapon, with the distinctive tulip-like grenade which idiots dance with during parades or funerals. It’s also an ancient, Soviet-made weapon which is plentiful on Lebanese territories and Palestinian refugee camps. This weapon can travel almost a kilometer, so next time you think you’re far enough from the clashes, think again.

Range: 200 meters effective (can be up to 1000 meters)
Weight: 7 Kg

4- “Kannasat“

Again, the Russians can be thanked for this weapon. It’s the Dragunov sniper rifle which is often used by snipers in street battles. This piece of machinery can hit its target from 800 meters away. Add a scope and you could get well over a kilometer in range.

Range: ~800-1200 meters
Weight: 4-5 Kg

5- M-16 and “Commando”

The M-16 is another popular weapon, like the AK. It’s said to be much less-reliable, but it’s readily available after thousands if not tens of thousands of the model were left behind after the Civil War from 1975-1990. The weapon often referred to as “commando” is a carbine version of the original model, meaning it’s shorter and more lightweight, the kind a stealth commando might prefer over the bulkier, huge M-16.

Rate of fire: 700-950 bullets / minutes
Range: 550-800 meters
Weight: 3-4 Kg

6- “Hewen“

Hewen refers to an array of mortar weapons. Mortar weapons are the kind of explosive projectile you drop into a tube-like base, which explodes and sends the shell in a parabollic trajectory towards whatever is being attacked. We rarely see this, but I believe in the “7 May clashes” a few years back, they were used in some areas.

Sent in by Elisabeth Nehme

Do You Smoke?

You guys might be wondering what’s up with the fruit. Well, when I found out the name of the upcoming resto-bar on the Antelias seaside road, I was “what the hell is a leeche?!” Turns out it’s a tropical fruit, and it looks delicious.

After some of you guys kindly tipped me off about a possible rooftop bar/club opening on the “MR Design” building at the start of the seaside auxiliary road right off La Marina Joseph Khoury in Dbayeh, I just had to snoop around to find out more.

Here’s what I found out:

• It’s gonna be a restaurant and rooftop bar, with the restaurant on the floor below
• The people behind it are the same people behind “Cuba” in Jounieh’s old souk
• It’s set to open this June, but when exactly I’m not sure yet

Let’s hope they’re gonna serve some of that lychee =P As for the venue location, I must say it gives you an unparalleled and uninterrupted view of the whole of Beirut. The smelly river nearby might be a problem though, but it looks like the municipalities are setting up the sewage system as we speak. Plus, it’s nothing a good old bribe to those involved won’t fix.

What’s nice is that it probably will be more laid-back than the other rooftops in Lebanon. It’s not a night club, so I’m assuming reservations and entrance won’t be the same kind of hassle as other establishments on tops of buildings.

I’ll update you once I know more, and if I missed something or you know something I don’t, please feel free to share!

Taken by Elie Chalfoun

Whenever an event has a “teen section” in it, it’s usually a clear indication to steer away. Now, I’m not a grandparent, and I’ve been attending concerts since I was 10 years old. But, when a concert openly says children can come, especially in Lebanon, it ends up being a “mama’s boy and papy’s girl” spoiled and ruining your absurdly expensive VIP table experience. I say this based on previous experience of course, and I might be wrong.

But, if you’d rather not have the stadium-event hassle, like me, you’ll be glad to know Wiz will be performing a handful of songs at White Beirut right after his Forum de Beyrouth performance.

Life Club is also having a pretty decent party with international RnB DJs instead of Wiz after a mix-up with the organizers, cheekily named “Wiz Out Kahlifa”. So, this Saturday night, if you’re going to Forum, afterparty at Life and if you’re not in Forum, wherever you may be, try to secure access into White and experience the man up-close and personal in a much more comfortable environment.

Remember when I updated you on the status of Beirut’s summer clubs and told you that there was a brand new club opening up somewhere near White and Pier 7? Well, I was able to pass by on Friday and managed to take a few shots.

The club is taking shape now and I’m looking forward to see what it will look and feel like once complete. The overall distribution is similar to that of White, with the bar at the center of attention and multiple levels around it. It also looks like it has the private lounge areas similar to Pier 7′s. It’s too early to tell though, so I’ll keep that for the review after putting the club through its paces once its open.

I’d guess it fits about 600 people very comfortably seated for dinner (if they will serve food that is!). So, I think it’s a safe bet the club’s capacity is around 1000 happy people with no shoving. But, we gotta wait to see what kind of furniture they’ll have.

The music I assume will be crowd-pleasing mixtures of House and RnB, which has proven to be the winning combo when it comes to summers in Beirut. As for whether or not we have too many rooftop clubs now, remember that Beiruf is gone and Pier 7 has shrunk, so demand in this tiny country far exceeds the supply for clubbing in summer, and Funktion is a club I’m sure we’re all gonna want to try, so the decision to open up in the new nightlife hub of Beirut, was a wise one.

Here are a few shots of the club, oh, and the club is expected to open sometime in mid-June, I’ll let you guys know as soon as I do! It’s located on the building right next to Mike Sport in Jal el Dib, the one adjacent to the auxiliary seaside road.

So, these “motocabs” have been spotted around Beirut. Jessy was kind enough to send me a few photos, but I have unfortunately been unable to contact them on their number =( I guess they haven’t officially launched yet. But, would you hire these twothree-wheeled cabs?

I might, they can maneuver through traffic! Which would be perfect if you’re going somewhere within the city to a meeting, but would rather not spend hours stuck in a traffic jam. What do you guys think, yes or no?

Super fail =P I’m sorta sad it didn’t come true though, but regardless, it’s funny! Alina spotted this in Antoine earlier today. I’m guessing this book’s sales numbers have severely plummeted since May 6 =P

In the background though, not more than 500 meters away, armed men were exchanging machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades. The eery clickity-clack of the shots being fired and the deep bang of an RPG hitting or missing its target overshadowed the music at times, but no one seemed to really mind.

Look at what the neighbors posted

Tensions in neighboring countries and in northern parts of the Lebanon had spread to Beirut’s infamous Tareek Jdide, and a full-out street war had erupted. We could see the flashes of explosions, followed shortly afterwards by a deep boom and eventually a barely visible cloud of smoke. In any other country, we’d pack up our gear and run back home, glued to our TVs and hoping for the best. In Beirut though, the party went on strong all throughout the night.

I am certain the men fighting two streets away could hear our music, they could hear Ronin and Nesta, and Phil, and Stamina spinning the finest House and NuDisco. They could hear maDJam’s voice on the microphone repeating “Gino’s Blog Samsung” as he pointed to my Chelsea jersey. We were worlds apart and only meters away. A perfect display of the two Lebanons we have.

It was Ahmad’s (maDJam) birthday barbecue and ma were there long before any road was blocked and bullet fired. In my 21 years, I have survived plenty of violence including one war and several mini-wars. Heck, I even felt the heat of an Israeli F-16′s smart bomb explosion only a couple of hundred meters from where I was sunbathing in my hometown of Ehden in 2006. A few bullets and RPGs were nothing compared to that and were not gonna ruin my night.

That’s when I fell deep into thought. I retreated from the rest of the crowd and taped the video I have embedded in this post. Only a few days ago, I was bursting with passion and decided to try to launch a movement that was long overdue. A movement not concerned with the woes of the world and the politicians, but one whose main and only purpose is providing us normal citizens with the basic rights and services we pay for but never get. A movement to punish all those in power and show them that they are fake gods and idols, and that the only god was us, each and every beautiful one of us.

Now, many of you might think that we’re crazy, inconsiderate and just plain stupid for keeping the party going. But hey, isn’t that what we’re proud of and known for? Partying like there’s no tomorrow? All hell breaking loose around us, but what’s important is a DJ spinning and alcohol pouring?

I am not sorry for party rocking last night. Sitting at home in fear would mean the religious idiots with guns win. I wasn’t gonna let that happen. There were two Lebanons, as I said above. We have to choose between street fighting and gun battles on one side, street dancing and DJ battles on the other. It’s a no-brainer, I have already signed up to the second one and last night, you could say it was a night of resistance against the Lebanon Sunni extremists tried to plunge us into. I believe all of you will also sign up to this second, more awesome Lebanon. A Lebanon which cares about itself before Bashar al Assad or the Syrian people, a Lebanon which will not waste the blood, time, money and freedoms of its people for someone else’s wars.

I am glad I went, danced, drank and ate even though two fighters died on the street below. Lebanon is better off with less brainless, religious zealots. Perhaps the 18 injured will finally come to their senses too, and give up their arms and blind faith and begin living life. I don’t care if you express your shock and question my “patriotism” for refusing to stop having fun because idiots with machine guns and a 100USD petrodollar decided to go all GTA on Tareek Jdideh. Fuck them and fuck their masters, no one decides what I do and can do but myself, and of course the law.

To everyone panicking about the tourism season, I tell you, fear not. There will always be people like us, people who don’t care, people who value fun and freedom over political wrangling. Even if the whole country is plunged in civil war, we’ll find a safe spot and we’ll have a blast of another kind. Even as the battles broke out last night, the rest of Beirut was business as usual, only with much less traffic. Foreigners, worry not, if you come here and know the right people and places, you’ll be safer here than in the Bronx. As for the GCC countries, come one guys, it was a little too obvious =P How did you know shit was going down a whole day before it actually did? And enjoy your searing heat as we enjoy our breezy hills and mountains!

Conclusion: never let a monkey with a gun change the way you live your life. Live, laugh, love and let them kill each other till they either develop a fully functional brain, or they all die or get arrested.