1. society
2. unrest and war

NEW FITNESS CLUB
SHELF CLUB HOSTS
“RUN ALL NIGHT”
PROVIDES USEFUL
CULTURAL SOCIAL-
ANOTHER PASSING
OPPORTUNITIES
IZING NIGHT
LIAM NEESON MOVIE
PAGE 03 - NEWS
PAGE 07 - COMMUNITY
PAGE 11 - MOVIE REVIEW
MARCH 17, 2015
Vol.XLVII, No. 17
AUB celebrates International
Women’s Day with a bang
Feminist Forum
breaks cyberspace
barriers
Lara Mekkawi
Staff Writer
Purple balloons and
banners decorated the
passageway next to West
Hall on Wednesday in
celebration of International Women’s Day. The
event was organized by
the Women’s Rights Club
with over 10 AUB student
clubs and societies coming together in support of
women.
Lara Mekkawi and Azza
El Masri
Staff Writer and Opinions
Editor
The AUB Feminist Forum is a Facebook group
that provides a safe environment for feminists at
AUB and Lebanon at large
to share information with
regards to women’s rights,
oppression, and activism.
It also acts as grounds
Continued on page 3
AUB community pays tribute
to Nicole Assaf
for learning, where many
come to ask questions and
educate themselves on
feminism.
Created over a year ago by
Professor Arianne Shahvisi, the forum has grown
from being a simple place
of intellectual debate to one
where organized action
and meaningful exchange
comes to life.
Continued on page 4
The secret ingredient to Abou
Naji’s Nescafé
Linda Bou Ali
Community Editor
The AUB student body,
faculty, and staff mourned
the loss of civil engineering senior Nicole Assaf,
after she was found dead
near Midtown Hotel in
Hamra last Tuesday night.
Investigations remain underway to determine the
cause, and security sources have yet to reach a concrete conclusion.
President Peter Dorman
reached out to the community by e-mail soon
thereafter, revealing that
Nicole was an honor student with an overall average of 89.88, as well as a
member of the Olympic
Continued on page 4
Karmah Chehaitly and
Tamara Jurdi
Staff Writers
The AUB survival kit is
not complete without a
Nescafé from the famous
Abu Naji, a mini-market
near the university’s main
gate on Bliss street. And
nobody makes Nescafé
better than Abu Naji’s
loyal employee, Mustafa:
a name and face familiar
to anyone who can’t kick
start their day without a
dose of caffeine. The irony
is that Mustafa doesn’t
really like Nescafé and
rarely drinks it. Hailing all
the way from Bangladesh,
Mustafa has an interesting
story to tell about his jouraney to Lebanon, one little
known to his customers.
Fifteen years ago, a fellow
Bangladeshi called Bilal
went home to visit
Continued on page 7
2
NEWS
MARCH 17, 2015
Unhealed wounds of World War I: Armenia, Kurdistan and Palestine
Farah Taha
Staff Writer
The Arts and Humanities Initiative at AUB hosted a lecture by Professor Rashid Khalidi last Monday under the
title “Unhealed Wounds of World War I: Armenia, Kurdistan and Palestine.”
Bathish Auditorium welcomed a greater number of faculty members and scholars than students. Attendance by
undergraduates was particularly low, almost nonexistent,
which proved quite a shame since the points raised in the
lecture and the Q&A that followed were especially relevant to the region.
Professor Khalidi initiated the discussion by stating that
the issue of war becomes greatly restricted and confined
when one looks at it solely in terms of casualties.
“Around 15 percent of the Ottoman empire perished in
World War I, which equals to about 3 million people,” he
noted. But those who had been displaced out of their land
should have been given just as much attention as those
killed. History, though, unfolded in a different direction.
“The Armenian people, the Kurdish people, and the Palestinian people faced a common WWI disappointment
because of the cruel rejection of their wanting to settle
in their lands,” the speaker informed his captivated audience. The similitude in how the world’s powers dealt with
those displaced states had rendered all three of them helpless against founding their land with demarcated borders
that are acknowledged by all other nations.
The first state that Professor Khalidi examined was Ar-
menia, which regardless of its bloody history, was “the
only conglomeration which was allowed a full-fledged
state independence, reinstated and reinforced after the
fall of the Berlin wall and the dissemination of the USSR.”
Nevertheless, the Armenian genocide had left “a million and a half people slaughtered” after Armenia’s allies
in WWI, Russia, Germany, and Britain did less than nothing to keep their supporters “safe from the force of the
advancing Ottomans.” Building on the historical facts, the
guest speaker found that “the Armenians suffer a trauma
not caused only by the genocide of their people, but also
from the betrayal that lead up to their killing, and the continuous denial of its historical account and reality.”
The Kurdish state faced a similar yet largely different
fate. Britain, as usual, had promised the Kurds a land of
their own in return for their cooperation throughout the
war, but once the battles were over all those promises suddenly dissolved. Now “the Kurdish people live on the land
of parts of Syria, Iraq and Iran, where they are subjected
to national oppression and feel largely dependent on the
kindness of untrusting strangers.” Less optimistic than
with the case of Armenia, Professor Khalidi remarked
that “the Kurdish people, and the state they were promised, still face an uncertain future.”
The state of Palestine is perhaps the most speculative
of the three since there still remains “a largely successful
colonization project on its land even today, in the twentyfirst century: Israel, which is considered both a nationstate and a colonial settler.” The Palestinian people were
promised, along with most other Arab nations, indepen-
dence by Britain.
However, “the new Arab State was strangled in the cradle
as the British committed themselves to political Zionism,”
with the Balfour Declaration specifically indicating that
“the ‘non-Jews’ of Palestine, who had made up 92 percent
of the population, a clear majority, could enjoy only their
civil and social rights, but not any political ones.”
As the colonial settlers started increasing in number and
committing atrocities against the “non-Jews”, it seemed
that even those civil and social rights were denied from
the original inhabitants of the land.
And this terrorist behaviour continues on unabated until
this present day.
Far from having their wounds healed, Professor Khalidi
said, “All of these states have suffered because of a systematic denial of what has happened to them and a systematic
effort to erase their existence from history. And this denial
is being perpetuated by several of the most powerful states
of the world, namely, Turkey, Israel, and Iraq.”
To add insult to injury Professor Khalidi added, “The testimony of the victims, refugees, survivors are completely
ignored, and these people are continuously told that was
what they had experienced has never existed.” This narrative of un-existence is further enforced by having the
names of the states (Kurdistan and Palestine) erased from
world maps.
What is perhaps the most unsettling is that “the victims
are blamed by the victors for being losers,” as the Professor
succinctly put it; losers of an undeclared war and a battle
wound still marked and open.
Rally By Bike offers engineered excursion
Dana Kambris
Staff Writer
The first annual biking event, which took place March
7, gathered not only AUB Engineering students, but also
students from various faculties as well as other universities. The 110 bikers met at Beirut Waterfront’s Beirut
by Bike, where they quickly assembled into their preset
teams of five to seven members.
Carrying strangers, engaging in three-legged races, and
asking for bystanders’ IDs was what participants expected
when signing up for “Rally By Bike,” an event organized
by AIChE-AUB Chapter, the Chemical Engineering student society on campus, and that was what they got.
“It was the team spirit really,” said business student Ziad
Ashkar, when asked about his favorite part of the event.
“It was a healthy outing, unlike the ones where we go to
pubs and drink; it was something new. And I met great
people!”
Student volunteers distributed folders to the bikers, containing hints about their destinations and the challenges
to be undertaken once they arrive.
At Downtown’s Nejmeh Square, teams had to race
around the square’s clock with one member’s legs tied to
the other’s. While at Zaitunay Bay they had to carry random strangers, and at Manara, they went on a quest to
find five people born in December.
The results were announced Wednesday at West Hall
at 5 PM. Team 11, composed of Yara Kayali, Samih Abi
Karam, Ziad Ashkar, Samer Kontar, Jean-Claude Sivry,
Eddy Eid, and Marc Medlej took home the first prize,
$650 in cash.
The second place winners got $500 worth of gifts from
Virgin Megastore, and the third place winners $350 in
cash. Fourth and fifth place winners were rewarded as
well.
“We were delighted by the diversity among the 110 attendees. People from different faculties, visiting international students, and bikers from other universities participated and made the event even more fun,” said Lara
Najjar, the Chapter’s Media Coordinator.
“We intend on maintaining the trend of the Rally
by Bike every year after the positive feedback we received
from all the attendees.”
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
accredited the former Chemical Engineering Student Society (ChESS) as an official Student Chapter in June 2014,
making it the first in Lebanon.
The institute’s mission, according to their website is
mainly to “promote excellence in chemical engineering
education and global practice” and “advance the development and exchange of relevant knowledge.”
AIChE is not the only international organization representing student societies on campus.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE) student branch has been present on campus since
1997, the American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE)
since at least 2012, and the American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) since at least 2010.
“It is very important to be perceived as hard workers
both academically and within our student community,
which will set a good example for years to come and ensure the sustainability of the student chapter’s success,”
said Michael Mouawad, president of AIChE AUB.
NEWS
MARCH 17, 2015
3
AUB celebrates International Women’s Day with a bang
Continued from page 1
Each club set up a stand, tackling different issues pertaining to gender, race, and equality.
Net Impact, a non-profit organization, showed its support for ABAAD, “a non-profit, non-politically affiliated,
non-religious civil association founded in June 2011 with
the aim of promoting sustainable social and economic
development in the MENA region through equality, protection and empowerment of marginalized groups, especially women,” according to its website.
Ghina Frayha, vice president of the organization’s AUB
chapter, explained that Net Impact, the first in the region,
works on encouraging corporations to become more socially responsible and to give back to the community by
raising awareness and funds for civil society initiatives
such as ABAAD.
The Insight Club had elaborate stands that included
eye-opening facts as well as interesting activities. The club
chose to raise awareness about the staggering sexual objectification of women through the media, with their first
stand titled “Get Out of My Head.”
Another stand included a game in which a bowl shaped
like a brain held snippets of song lyrics that dehumanize
women. The activity involved picking out a song’s lyrics
and then throwing it in the trash, thereby acknowledging
the injustice and discarding it.
The club also featured a video called Mu(sick), consisting of a spoken word poem about the effects of objectification, as well as a mirror with a woman drawn on it.
The idea behind the latter was that you can’t see yourself
because you have multiple layers covering your real self
due to music videos and other media that reinforce the
stereotype of women as sex objects.
The Anti-Racism Movement (ARM) presented a stand
in collaboration with the Migrant Community Center
(MCC), in order to raise awareness about the discrimination that women of color face in Lebanon.
The organization provides an intersectional approach
that tackles issues of racism, sexism, homophobia, and
classism, showing that women’s rights cannot be separated
from human rights in general.
The ARM stand included letters from migrant workers
giving advice to any potential migrant domestic workers
coming to Lebanon; the notes were mostly negative, exposing the harsh conditions many migrant workers face.
The Syrian Club sold flowers at its stand, and the funds
raised will be given to the Syrian Relief Project in the
hopes of helping combat rape in refugee camps.
The neighboring Palestinian Club used their stand to
promote a play called “The Rape,” an upcoming coproduction between The American University of Beirut
(AUB) and The Lebanese University of Beirut (LAU).
The Secular Club highlighted the need for a shift to secularism in Lebanon in order to be able to further any form
of social change. Ziad Kiblawi, a member of the club, explained that the problem with many of the issues women
face is that they are not recognized on a state level because
the state is fragmented by sectarianism.
This structure prevents any possibility for development
and progress towards implementing or achieving women’s
rights. The Secular Club was clear regarding its efforts to
achieve a separation of church and state, which would
help develop fair laws such as a personal status law that
guarantees and protects women.
The African Club also had a stand in support of International Women’s Day, the main focus of which was to shed
light on important African Women and their endeavors to
achieve their rights.
Wangari Maathai and Leymah Gbowee, the first and
second African women to win the Nobel Peace Prize, were
discussed.
The African Club hopes to raise awareness regarding issues of racism both on and off campus, as well as promote
African culture.
Various other clubs participated in the event such as the
AUB Nutrition Society and the Red Oak Club, which used
its stand to bring the issue of domestic violence to light.
The Women’s Rights Club’s initiative for the event was
to bring together AUB students who care about women’s
rights.
“The best way to do that was by gathering different clubs
in order to unify, which is the ultimate goal of Women’s
Day,” said Carla Sertin, a member of the club. “With the
state of feminism in Lebanon as it is today, it is extremely
relevant that as students, we take a stand.”
With the strong representation of the clubs during the
event, supporters of the cause have high hopes for the future of women and feminists in Lebanon.
New fitness club provides useful opportunities
Lama Miri
Staff Writer
After being available on AUBsis for less than 48 hours
last week, AUB’s newly established fitness club HOPE,
which stands for Help Others Progress and Exercise,
reached its full capacity of 100 members.
Co-founded by president Majd Marrache and vice-president Abbas Matar, the club seeks to motivate people by
promoting a healthier lifestyle, getting active, and hitting
the gym. It targets the people who want to start working
out but do not take the initiative to do so, either because
they don’t know how to get started or are just intimidated
by the gym.
“How do we achieve our goals? Through our mentor
system,” said Marrache. “The mentor is a daily gym goer,
someone who happens to be experienced in the gym. If
you’re friends with them, it’s half the trouble off for the
rookie, you don’t stress as much.”
According to him, the club breaks down the intimation
barrier since the mentors are neither coaches nor trainer,
but rather gym buddies who have considerable experience and know how to help others.
“AUB students know full and well the stress that comes
along with being full time students here,” Marrache continued.
“Therefore it is crucial to manage stress as it can be dam-
aging on more than one level.”
The club’s current president said that he believes working out is an efficient method for releasing stress. “I’m not
just talking about gym here, any kind of sports would do,”
he added. “By getting active, you improve not only your
physical health, but your mental health as well. This is why
more people—and more AUB students—should prioritize
working out. It can do you more good than laying down
to watch TV or smoking a couple of cigarettes at the zoo.”
HOPE has more than one trick up its sleeve to get people
motivated. It is holding a transformation contest, and the
members have until the end of the Spring 2015 semester
to get as fit as they can.
Whoever ends up with the most transformed physique
wins a monetary prize to reward their efforts, encourage
them to keep it up, and motivate more people do the same.
“We’re considering having a mentor competition as well.
The mentor who gets the most members and changes
them the most wins. This is kind of how it all started,”
Marrached explained.
“I’m a Med I student but I have been working out for
over six years.
I have motivated many of my friends to start working out
as well, and this is how the idea of HOPE occurred to me:
why not do it bigger and take it to next level?”
HOPE pairs up gym enthusiasts to-be with mentors
based on the gym routine that is to be followed. The club
also a nutritionist who is there to answer any question the
mentees may have. Through its Facebook page, HOPE is
working to promote and welcome any new members.
4
NEWS
MARCH 17, 2015
Feminist Forum breaks cyberspace barriers
Continued from page 1
“At the time, I was in conversation with various feminists
at AUB and outside AUB in Beirut but on a very individual basis,” Shahvisi told Outlook. “I realized that there
was no place online [where we] could discuss feminism
that was strictly related to the university.”
Feminists at AUB were not able to organize themselves
or get in touch with each other before the creation of
the forum, which soon grew to host over 300 members.
Slowly but surely, the forum transformed into a platform
through which feminists from within and outside AUB
could discuss different issues in a safe space, which according to Shahvisi was still shielded from “excessive
trolling.”
“I think that it is absolutely crucial that there exists a
space like this for feminists in a ridiculously patriarchal,
anti-feminist and blinded society, for them to discuss our
concerns freely and wholeheartedly,” said Noor Shtayyeh,
a sophomore double-majoring in business and sociology,
and an active member on the forum.
Debates and discussions do not only happen online,
however. The forum has become a vehicle for AUB feminists to get in touch with the feminist community outside
the university’s gates, through the promotion of lectures,
talks, and events regarding a wide range of issues.
Media and communications senior, Carla Sertin, com-
mented on the various feminist voices that come together
under the umbrella of the forum. “It’s a great place where
feminists of all identities and orientations can discuss subjects openly without prejudice,” she said.
“Having the forum online is more practical—physically
meeting is always a little more difficult, and it is easier to
filter those who aren’t interested and then meet with a
smaller group in person to really get started.”
In fact, Shahvisi hopes that by the end of the semester,
the forum could take on a more physical shape, through
the formation of small discussion groups for women, soon
to be announced online.
The forum’s growth from a space of intellectual activism to one of physical activism is reflected in the diverse
stands taken by AUB feminists outside the forum’s virtual
portal. As members of the forum become increasingly
aware of the importance of physical mobilization, issues
such as the boycott of “Fifty Shades of Grey,” and the protest of Nestlé’s lecture on campus, contribute to bringing
the forum into the limelight.
Although a few clubs revived activism at AUB and in
Lebanon, the AUB Feminist Forum shows promise in becoming a key factor in swaying public opinion and encouraging more activism.
Shahvisi herself believes it is very important for students
to be active members of their society and participate in
protests, especially at an age when most have nothing to
lose due to the university’s protection of its students.“A lot
of people care about a lot of stuff, yet not much was being
done to bring those thoughts together, to bring that anger
together and harness it, and make something out of it,”
she said.
Shahvisi, who had participated in the tuition increase
protests last year with her students, noted that the recent
increase of events could hopefully lead to a momentum
and create the change needed.
She urged students to take to the streets and experience how “liberating and empowering” organized action
can be “for your own development as a person and for the
fun of [breaking] down the barriers of the everyday and
to be able to shout in a space where people don’t normally
shout.”
Shahvisi promised that more events are in the works
such as a “Reclaim the Night” march, in collaboration
with the Women’s Rights Club and the Red Oak Club.
The campaign aims at reestablishing the nighttime as
a safe time for women to walk alone without the need for
male escorts.
She stressed that the march would be a women-only
event.
In this fashion, the AUB Feminist Forum’s increasing
engagement has done what most online grassroot movements could not: create an intellectual body that dares to
make momentum outside of “hashtag activism.”
AUB community pays tribute to Nicole Assaf
Continued from page 1
Club, which helps people with disabilities get involved in
sports.
“I know you join me in extending sincere condolences
to her father, Samir, a colleague and a member of the AUB
family, and her entire family, as well as her close friends
and all those who knew her,” Dorman’s message read.
Amidst a tragedy shrouded in confusion, and with barely any hard evidence uncovered yet, various rumors circulated among the AUB community as to the circumstances
of Nicole’s death, fueled by the speculative assumptions of
different Lebanese media outlets.
Nicole’s friends and family urged the public to ignore
the rumors, and hope that they will join her loved ones in
commemorating Nicole as the wonderful person she was.
Many of her close friends, including second year civil
engineering student Riad El-Soufi, are disappointed with
some of the student body’s reactions to the loss of their
beloved Nicole.
“It is extremely hurtful and shocking to hear these
things coming from [anyone], especially the student
body,” El-Soufi told Outlook.
“The reaction for any cause of death should not be to
make assumptions, rather to wait for a valid investigative
report to be released,” he said, adding that the community
must focus on grieving, rather than idle gossip masquerading as news.
According to her friends, Nicole’s funny and spontaneous wit brought a smile to all those who surrounded her,
and her fiery soul is one of the characteristics that will be
missed dearly.
At 21 years old, the bright student was working to
achieve her aspirations of graduating with exceptional
grades in order to eventually lead a successful academic
and professional career. With such large ambitions and
contributions, she will certainly linger on in the hearts
and minds of many in the AUB community.
Those who knew Nicole well described her as a distinctly fearless and easy-going young woman who never
held grudges against anybody.
Several AUB students took the time to honor her by recounting personal memories they had shared with her, or
simple impressions she had made on them – a testament
to the mark she left on campus.
“Nicole is always full of life,” Dina AS told Outlook.
“She is always fun to be with and she speaks her mind.
Literally, that girl did not know how to filter.”
According to El-Soufi, she was extremely caring and
only wanted the best for the people she loved. “She really wanted to see the smile on her friend’s faces,” he said.
“That’s all she needed to make her happy.”
Highlighting some of Nicole’s qualities, Nina Abou
Ayyash said, “You will forever be our smartest engineer,
our fun friend, and the classmate who is always curious
to know more. You will forever be around us at AUB and
in our hearts.”
Ali Abed El Karim asserted that this is a great loss for
AUB as a whole, and for the Faculty of Engineering and
Architecture (FEA) in particular.
“Nicole was one of the best people I knew, and probably the sweetest. You should be proud of your genius girl,”
he said, sending a message of support to her family.
More than just a strong woman, Nicole is also remembered as a passionate adventure-seeker, and someone who
was constantly in search of encountering novel, exciting
things.
“She and I became good friends and we went on a
Euro-trip together during winter break,” Yara Habbas told
Outlook.
“I discovered the kind, generous, genuine, and caring, side of Nicole. The easy-going, fun, and daring Nicole.
“Every time we would go to a restaurant, Nicole would
go like ‘I’m not really hungry, not sure if I’m going to order
something,’ and she’d end up ordering the biggest most
random plate on the menu: ‘one foie gras please.’”
As a student body, “and as educated people,” El-Soufi
said he believes we should focus on the qualities of the
member of our community who has passed away, rather
than insensitively speculate about how the incident happened.
“She was very curious, always looking for answers all
the time especially in relation to the physical matters in
the world,” he added. “She would want to inspire people
to live each day, and capture every moment of life with
enthusiasm and passion, and to put our full capacity into
everything we do.”
Paying tribute to their fellow classmate, the FEA’s Student Representative Committee (SRC) organized a memorial that will be held Thursday, March 19, at 12:30 PM
on the Bechtel terrace.
The commemoration will include a few speakers who
knew her well, including El-Soufi, Dr. Majdi Abou Najm,
a civil engineering professor with whom she conducted
research, and potentially one of her relatives.
The SRC will also give out roses in Nicole’s memory.
As President Dorman reminded students and others
in his mass email, the university’s Counseling Center is
readily available in West Hall to offer professional support
and help people cope with their loss.
“When a community loses one of its members, especially
someone as young as Nicole, we are all deeply affected by
the loss,” he said. “At such times, we rely on each other for
support.”
EDITORIAL
MARCH 17, 2015
Staff List
A MOTHER’S LOVE
Talia Abbas
Editor-in-Chief
Take a stroll with me
down memory lane: the
celebration of Mother’s Day
dates back to 1908, when
Anna Jarvis held a tribute
for her late mother in
Grafton, West Virginia. Her
campaign to make Mother’s
Day a recognized holiday in
the United States began in
1905, the year her mother,
Ann Reeves Jarvis, passed
away.
Jarvis’ mission was to
continue her mother’s work
(a peace activist and nurse
during the Civil War) and
to set aside a day to honor
mothers, “the person who
has done more for you than
anyone in the world.”
The first state to recognize
the holiday was West
Virginia, Jarvis’ home state,
in 1910. Four years later,
the declaration was signed
by one Woodrow Wilson to
officially celebrate Mother’s
Day on the second Sunday
of May.
By the early 1920s, the
commercial holiday we have
become so accustomed to
had taken shape: Hallmark
and other companies started
selling Mother’s Day cards,
turning the whole holiday
into
a
moneymaking
scheme.
Jarvis was infuriated.
Her intention for Mother’s
Day was to honor mothers
with a handwritten letter,
expressing
love
and
gratitude—not to buy tacky
cards.
Jarvis organized boycot––––
ts in an attempt to stop
the commercialization, to
no avail. Anna Jarvis died
hating the modern shape of
the holiday.
Maybe this year, we can
honor our mothers with a
nice gift, and letter of our
own, to make this day that
much more special.
That is why Outlook is
delighted to announce the
start of its Mother’s Day
ticket raffle.
With dozens of prizes to
win for you and her, our
tickets will be sold at West
Hall from today till Friday
from 10 AM to 4 PM. If you
can’t pass by, members of
our editorial board will also
be selling tickets around
campus.
Our grand prize is a ticket
to Athens courtesy of MEA,
followed by vouchers from
Lush, Fitness Zone, Librarie
Antoine, VOX Cinemas,
Deek Duke, Roadster Diner,
Tonino Crepes, and many
more, so buy a ticket, and try
your luck.
Chairperson
Talal Nizameddin
Editor-in-Chief
Talia Abbas
Managing Editor
Ellen Francis
Arabic Editor
Nizar Aouad
Proofreader
Sarah Khalil
News Editor
Shereen El Ladki
Business Editor
Mohamad Saleh
Opinions Editor
Azza El Masri
Arts and Culture Editor
Vicken Margossian
Community Editor
Linda Bou Ali
Lifestyle Editor
Dana Abed
Layout Editor
Maha Haider
Copy Editor
Loulwa Sweid
Web Editor
Joy Waked
Social Media Manager
Hania Osta
Business Manager
Bassel Abdallah
Photography Editor
Philippa Dahrouj
Disclaimer
Outlook is a weekly publication of the American University of Beirut (AUB) and represents the
voice of the student body. It is an independent, non-affiliated publication that favors no ethnic,
religious or political group. All columns, articles and reports are the property of Outlook and do
not necessarily represent the views of Outlook or the AUB community. No part of this publication
may be reproduced in any way, shape or form without the written consent of Outlook and/or
higher authorities. Outlook reserves the right to edit all material.
5
Staff Writers
Ali Kobeissi
Ali Nasrallah
Camille Mroue
Carole Hassan
Chermine Sleiman Haidar
Christy Choueiri
Cynthia Saghir
Dana Kambris
Fatima Kazma
Firas Haidar
Imad El Hassan
Jane Nasr
Jason Lemon
Karmah Chehaitly
Khaled Al Kurdi
Lama Miri
Lara Mekkawi
Laura Al Bast
Laudy Issa
Leen Bou Nasser Eddine
Meer Rashid
Malak El Sabeh
Mohamad Al Chamaa
Nerses Arslanian
Noor Barrage
Rayan Al Arab
Razan Mneimneh
Rifaat Fakih
Roni Rafeh
Serine Haidar Ahmad
Tala Ladki
Tamara Jurdi
Yara Beaini
Yusra Bitar
Ziad Lawen
Contact us:
@OutlookAUB
@OutlookAUB
[email protected]
@Outlook AUB
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outlookaub.com
A. U. SHI Comics
This comics section is the result of a workshop
offered by comics artist Barrack Rima at the
department of Architecture and Design, with
the support of the Mu’taz and Rada Sawwaf
Arabic Comics initiative.
© Participants:
Sara Kishly
Diana Itawi
Karol El Masri
Aya Krisht
Elia Tawil
Riham El Ghoseini
Latest conversations: Dreams do not come true. Ambition takes you places.
by: Riham El Ghoseini
6
OPINIONS
MARCH 17, 2015
Why we no longer should
celebrate women’s day
Why Women’s Day still
matters
Fares Serhan
Staff Writer
Azza El Masri
Opinions Editor
Date: 1908. Place: New York
City. Struggle: On-going.
History was made on February
28 as 15,000 women took to the
streets of New York City.
No day has been more significant to women than this one,
with thousands of people determined to make a difference and
pave the way for the future. That
resulted in an urge to join the
cause but it was disconcerting to
be out on the streets when more
good could be done elsewhere.
These women, then, were certain
that to achieve greatness, they
must first let the world know
that we are capable of overturning oppression.
A year later, the US established
National Women’s Day with the
help of the Socialist Party.
It then became clear that the
struggle was real, the suffering
was nationwide, and efforts being made to stop the oppression
of women were zero to none.
It started to feel like the day
represented more than the mistreatment of women, but rather
signified a deeper problem within society, the inability to coexist
as equals, which could soon be
detrimental to humanity.
Knowing what women have
achieved by 2015 made it seem
completely irrational that at
some point they were not granted the equal opportunities that
they deserve.
At first, it seemed like women’s
day could be a monumental
step towards narrowing the gap
between men and women. The
progress has gone from national
to international.
Clara Zetkin, a renowned
women’s rights advocate, proposed an international women’s
day at a conference in Copenhagen. Two years after the first
US National Women’s Day, Germany, Austria, and Denmark
celebrated the first International
Women’s Day.
The day has since been officially dedicated to celebrate
women and their achievements.
Ever since its establishment,
progress was being made; more
women were granted their rights
over the years.
There was an honest feeling
about all of it.
The day appeared to fulfil its
duty. After the turn of the century, the cause seemed to be on
course, yet that is when things
started to become repetitive.
Women and men were protesting for the same cause, the same
wants, and the same message. All
of a sudden, the progress came to
a halt and the day became redundant and trivial.
People were celebrating women’s day for the sake of celebrating women’s day.
After witnessing the struggles,
what women have overturned
throughout the century made it
very evident that a day such as
this is no longer what is needed. Women’s Day has become a
symbol of past women’s achievements. It remains a constant
reminder of how women were
struggling, a constant reminder
of how women were and are
marginalised.
It creates an isolated circle in
which women are always victimised. Women will start to over
victimize themselves, which will
stunt potential advancements on
all fronts for women.
For this reason, women should
not only be granted equal rights,
but they should be incorporated
into society.
One day is no longer enough,
and it is not even a proper way
to celebrate the achievements.
Some of the women throughout
history deserve more than one
day for their achievements to be
recognized. They deserve to be
part of debates, discussions, and
lectures.
Women’s Day is undermining
the concept of equality.
People will celebrate the achievements, which allows them to
clear their conscious and feel
better about themselves. After
the day is over, people go back to
their lives without any active effort to make change.
Women’s Day has become a
passive way of dealing with the
situation.
It is now the last resort; hope
for change has been diminished.
In the past, it was a small step
towards equality, but now more
needs to be done. Women and
men need to take the next step to
achieve the equality they desire,
and to finally narrow the disparity gap.
Date: 2015. Place: The world.
Struggle: On-going.
He pursed his lips and exhaled
audibly before he said in Arabic,
“That body, I want it.” Although
that sounds a lot like something
right off a Harlequin romance
novel, undoubtedly one with
a half-naked white, attractive
couple posing suggestively on
the cover, the reality was starker
than that. I was walking home
one evening and inadvertently
brushed past a stranger who
thought I’d like it if he shared his
intentions with me. Although
I did not acknowledge him or
his remark, the catcalling was
enough to sour my mood.
Granted, this sort of violation
wasn’t particularly foreign to me,
or to most women really, but that
didn’t mean that I’d normalised
or internalised it. I still could not
accept this constant violation
some men nonchalantly threw
my way, and even more so, I was
deeply discontent with my continued idleness to the situation.
When the act of catcalling goes
unwarranted, the verbal abuse,
one that mostly affects women’s
body image and self-worth,
won’t ever be taken as a serious
offence.
Despite the achievements and
struggles women have undergone throughout the years, we
are still light years away from
getting the rights and equality
we deserve. Let’s look at the facts.
One in four women falls victim
to rape, and only a small number reports them. The Lebanese
Parliament only acknowledged a
law that allegedly protects family
members from domestic abuse
less than a year ago, after the untimely death of 5 women, all victims of domestic abuse, and the
rallying of 4000 angry citizens
on International Women’s Day
2014, who demanded the law be
signed.
Further, the United Nations’
refugee agency, UNHCR, reports that 145,000 Syrian refugee
households depend on women
for their survival. Kurdish women have taken up arms to fight a
dangerous looming threat and
succeeded in liberating numerous Kurdish cities, like Kobane,
which had been under the Islamic State’s control for five months.
Although women make up half
the world’s population according to the CIA’s updated World
Factbook, they remain underrepresented, unprotected, and
ignored. In this context, International Women’s Day constitutes
not only a salute to the valiant
women who had taken to the
streets to demand their necessary rights as citizens, suffragettes, and workers more than a
century ago. International Women’s Day is a wake up call to every
single woman out there. It exists
to remind us that we have a lot
more to do if we want to achieve
equality and to break through
this patriarchal reality that creates destructive stereotypes like
the damsel in distress and the
femme fatale.
Being in a university as influential and progressive as AUB, one
that has always tried to shield its
students from all sorts of conflicts erupting off campus, has
perhaps done more harm than
good in creating a collective that
stands disinterested in the politics and policies that rule us once
we step out of Main Gate. This
little bubble of privilege many of
us live in has forced a big number
of students to taken for granted
that only a few minutes away, a
woman might very well be getting abused by her husband, yet
chooses to remain silent because
of a wide range of reasons.
Yes, our university’s classes are
filled with female students enrolling in traditionally-perceived
“masculine” majors, sometimes
even rising to the top of their
classes and heading influential
clubs on campus, but sexism still
seeps within our walls. Engineering female students, for example,
still have to endure daily jabs and
innocuous jokes in a department
that is supposed to hone their
skills, not break their morale.
Now, more than ever before,
we need International Women’s
Day. As AUB students, especially
with our ability to influence and
bend our surroundings, we need
to be conscious of the dreary
realities women face only a few
feet away from us. In that sense,
students at AUB must recognize
that International Women’s Day
is a day that demands collective
action and mobilization, precisely because the fight is not dead;
the struggle lives on until every
woman is given the opportunity
to rise.
COMMUNITY
MARCH 17, 2015
7
The secret ingredient to Abou Naji’s Nescafé
Continued from page 1
his family. Bilal works at Malik’s Bookshop, the stationery store just next door. At the time, Abu Naji was looking for a new employee, and Bilal had recommended
Mustafa. Next thing you know, Bilal and Mustafa were
on a plane to Lebanon.
Mustafa is also a father of four, the eldest being 14. He
goes home once every three years to spend a few months
with his family, but has no hope of ever bringing them to
Lebanon, not even for a visit, he says, because the country is too expensive.
Although Nescafé is the most popular drink Mustafa
serves, customers’ preferences vary, especially according
to the seasons. As he recounts people’s coffee habits and
how frisco sales pick up in the summer, other employees
in the market keep interrupting, quipping that he enjoys
the summer not only for its weather, but also for the
pleasant sight of girls in mini shorts.
Mustafa’s cheerful personality and light sense of humor is nearly always ready to greet his customers with
a jovial smile. “I’m always smiling and they smile back,
so whenever I don’t smile, they feel something is wrong
and start questioning me!” Mustafa tells Outlook. While
many customers don’t usually chat much with Mustafa,
the absence of his smile doesn’t seem to go unnoticed,
even for students running late to class.
Even though Mustafa encounters hundreds of people
a day, he still remembers what the frequent customers
order. He says he recognizes customers’ cars sometimes
and knows their order even before they get out. At the
same time, it just so happens that a young girl comes in,
says hello, and without even asking her what she wants,
Mustafa automatically proceeds to give her the “usual”
drink.
During his first few years in Lebanon, Mustafa was
not very keen on trying Lebanese food, yet he says he’s
grown fond of kebbeh and tabouleh over time.
Referring to his interactions with the other workers at
Abu Naji, Mustafa said, “It was difficult at first to gain
their trust, but now I’m very happy and I feel comfortable working here.
“After being here for so long, some of the workers feel
intimidated by me and listen to what I tell them to do,
while others still feel indifferent and don’t follow my advice.”
Although Mustafa asserts he maintains a good relationship with his customers, he does encounter a few
problems with some hasty customers who are not willing
to wait in line for their turn.
“I tell them they have to wait till I serve the other
customers,” he explains, “they get upset and even start
scolding me sometimes.”
In an attempt to hear a few words of wisdom from
Mustafa, or a valuable lesson that he learned to cherish
and carry with him back home, we didn’t quite get what
we were looking for.
“You see, I know there are a lot of vegetables here,” he
said, “but back home we also have really good vegetables
and other crops, so I wouldn’t really think of taking anything there.”
It seems that although Mustafa learned to speak Arabic, the language barrier still prevails in some situations.
Shelf Club hosts memorable night of culture and socializing
Under the label “Quote and Wine,” the Shelf Club organized a cultural evening Thursday, in collaboration
with iPoetry and the creative space Minus 1. The event
was described on its Facebook page as one that “embraces
the delights of good recites and fine wine.” The event itself
started out with some disappointment but gradually unraveled into a memorable night worth repeating.
For this unconventional gathering, attendees were required to send an email beforehand, containing their favorite quote and the title the book it came from. People
were meant to roam around Minus 1 and select a quote
that grabbed their attention, with each quote having a
number that revealed the name of the person who had
originally sent it in.
The idea behind this was that both participants would
then get lost in conversation together over a glass of wine.
The evening began with the strenuous difficulty of finding the venue, Minus 1, in Achrafieh, as a result of the
confusing signs leading to it. People’s frustration was apparent as attendees walked by the entrance multiple times,
puzzled as to where the event took place.
The underground room was spacious with a lofty roof.
You could sense the sophistication the hosts were aiming
for with the elongated cabinet filled with old hefty books
and the sponsorship of the winery Chateau Musar.
Many factors, however, such as the Justin Bieber book
next to a bobble-head of Obama were misleading as to
what type of ambience was supposed to be emanating
from the room. There was also a some unprofessionalism
in the lack of punctuality at beginning the event.
facebook.com/theshelfclub
Imad El Hassan
Staff Writer
Many people were late, and we waited fifty minutes
after the specified starting time.
When the event finally kicked off, the crowd began reading each other’s quotes and socializing. It had the air of a
speed dating event, even though the hosts perhaps had no
intention of such a thing.
You could hear comments like, “I thought I’d meet my
soul mate here,” or “Drats, you’re only 18! Too bad, I’m
19.” Apparently, the organizers had previously hosted an
actual speed dating event, which was canceled because
only girls attended. The hosts did state, however, that they
desired to organize a myriad of events including comedy,
and their focus was essentially on socializing events.
In any case, as the night progressed, the music choice
caused the descent of the uplifted moods of many attendees. The music of artists known for their sad lyrical
melodies, such as James Vincent Mcmorrow and Lana
Del Rey, resonated in the creative space. Again, this wasn’t
that much of an issue only because some brave soul who
was attending the event changed the type of music into
tunes such as The Weeknd’s “Devil May Cry” and Vario
Volinski’s “Falling In Love.”
What I really enjoyed about the event was mainly socializing with other diverse people, their ages ranging from
18 to 25, some of them graduates in psychology, English
literature, and economics, among other fields. There was
also a number of undergraduates from different universities, including AUB, LAU, and USJ.
It was an eclectic group, and despite everything, I particularly enjoyed just getting to know and laughing with
well-rounded people who engendered an atmosphere that
made everybody happy. Many enjoyed their time so it’s
safe to assume that the event was a success despite the
shaky start.
8
LIFESTYLE
MARCH 17, 2015
Seven ways to surprise your mom on Mother’s Day
Tala Ladki
Staff Writer
1. A day at the spa: Moms have the hardest job. The queens
of multitasking take care of the household, take care of the
family and perfect their careers.
This Mother’s Day, treat your mom to a relaxing day at
the spa. Let her unwind and relax for a couple of hours, as
she enjoys a delicate massage in peaceful silence.
2. An unexpected gift: Don’t opt for the easy way out,
buying her perfume or a wallet are overused gifts that do
not portray the intimate relationship you share with your
mother.
Rather, get her something she would never expect, like
running shoes to motivate her to work out or a new tablet
that she can use for different purposes, including stay in
touch with you, if you live abroad.
3. Cook dinner: For once, tell your mother to take a day
off from being a mom, and you do the cooking instead.
Let her watch some TV or go out with friends while
you cook a nice dinner. Make sure the menu is one of her
favorites.
Do not forget to do the dishes after, to assure her the
maximum amount of resting.
4. Pay attention: If your mom is dropping hints, make sure
torrington.info
A mother’s love is the ultimate form of unconditional
love. As she devotes 365 days of her year to us, let’s single out March 21st and allow ourselves to spoil her for a
change.
On this day, do not hesitate to plan something for your
mother that would draw a smile on her face. Here are seven ways you can make her feel special this year.
to keep up on them.
Moms may have a wishlist that they do not often share
deliberately. If she’s been hinting at that pretty necklace
from the ads, get it for her. She’ll love the fact that you
listened and were thoughtful enough to get her something
she wanted.
5. Take her out: Mothers love to spend time with us. We
can both take advantage of the holiday and enjoy a day off
visiting a nice restaurant or touristic site.
It is a chance to spend some quality time with your
mother, along with making her happy and changing scenery for her.
6. Perfect getaway: This, however, requires your dad’s in-
tervention. With his approval, get them tickets for a weekend getaway in the mountains.
A lot of offers and discounts are available online on websites such as makhsoom.com and gosawa.com. Luckily,
Mother’s Day happens to fall on a Saturday this year.
7. Go out for a movie or a play: If you mother appreciates
art, hit the theater to watch a movie or a play.
If it’s a movie, make sure it’s light and short, not a threehour-long movie with lots of zombies and blood. If it’s a
play, also choose something unique, maybe even standup comedy.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure you make your
mom feel special, loved and appreciated.
Born famous: a curse or a blessing?
Chermine Sleiman Haidar
Staff Writer
From Kate and William’s Prince George to Kim and
Kanye’s North West, celebrity babies are all the rage. We
follow up on their news, keep up with their new outfits,
and wait to see new pictures of them on social and traditional media.
When your parents are both celebrities—or even just
one—you don’t really have a choice anymore in keeping
your identity in the shadow. You are doomed to follow
their path. Doomed, or should I say privileged?
Being famous since the moment of your birth could be
both amazingly delightful or horribly traumatizing. You
would be given so many privileges, but at the same time,
you would have to put up with the hardships of being famous. Let’s weigh the pros and cons of the matter, shall
we?
First of all, you can have everything any other child can’t
even dream of. From ponies, to bouncy houses, to a waterpark in your backyard, every night is Christmas Eve.
You don’t have to cry and scream at the toy store for your
parents to buy you the expensive gifts they can barely afford—they will automatically buy it and save their ears
from your nagging.
Forget about making your bed, or cleaning the basement when your parents ask you to, you don’t have to do
anything yourself; no chores and no duties. Everything is
handed to you on a silver platter, and at any time.
Sounds perfect, right? Yet you can’t deny how harmful it
is for a baby or a young child to be followed by paparazzi
every time they are in public. They cannot go out for a cup
of frozen yogurt and just come home, they have to walk
through the tens of paparazzi waiting to grab a picture of
them outside the yogurt place.
They have to endure being pointed at in public, which
to some extent, can become a type of harassment. Private
life is no longer an option; when you are born famous you
learn to live your life knowing that everyone is going to
read all your latest news in the tabloids. The worse thing
of all, most of the things written about you are wrong.
Rumors that were made when you were a few months old
will follow you throughout your life. Your parents’ past
actions will define who you are and will determine your
public image.
Now, maybe we should think twice before we wish we
were Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s daughter. Maybe Blue Ivy’s life
isn’t that great after all.
LIFESTYLE
MARCH 17, 2015
Negative calories, yes
please!
Ten things that are killing your
productivity
Khaled Al Kurdi
Staff Writer
Chermine Sleiman Haidar
Staff Writer
We live in a world where
time is of the essence: rushing
to finish our work and studies,
we find ourselves leaving little
time to eat—or, at least, to eat
healthy.
The quick and easy option is
of course your good ol’ friend,
fast food.
Having beaten the bush
over the detriments of fast
food to one’s health and diet,
people have shifted towards
low-calorie and low-fat chocolate bars, biscuits and snacks
because they are so seemingly practical to haul around.
Rarely does think of negative
calories foods, which are extremely healthy and easy to
carry and prepare.
To begin with, negative calories do not, by any way, mean
foods that have “below zero”
calories.
However, some foods are extremely low in calories, yet
still supply your body with the
many needed minerals and
vitamins so the benefits overcome the number of calories
consumed.
In other terms, when having
negative calories food, you
will not accumulate fat. Instead, you will only be nurtur-
ing your body.
Most of these foods, including soups and cooked vegetables are prepared from natural
ingredients.
A lot of them contain less
than 40 calories, and to addon, they are organic and authentic.
Some ingredients to keep in
mind are asparagus and broccoli.
Arugula is another leafy
green, which (around 20 calories) contains vitamins A, C,
and E. Also, it has minerals
that positively influence one’s
sexual health.
These foods are many, easy
to access, and will save your
money against the costly, low
calorie foods.
Though making a meal to
carry with you to work will
yield a good calories amount
—a range from 300 to 450
calories—the content will at
least be healthy and will calm
down your hunger for a considerable period of time.
Health.com has a list of 30
negative calorie foods including a number of easy recipes,
including arugula soup, broccoli and feta omelet with on
brown toast and sweet cabbage salad. Other recipes include asparagus, and broth
(whether beef or chicken).
Chances are you’re currently
grappling with assignments
set weeks ago, which you only
started working on a few hours
before the deadline.
Even worse, you probably find
yourself stuck in a never-ending
cycle of distractions: When you
have something to accomplish
in a certain amount of time everything unrelated grabs your attention.
Here are some of the top 10
things that are killing your productivity.
10. Procrastination:
You’ve heard it a million times,
and yet you still do it. Stop telling yourself that you’ll do it later on, or that it only take a few
hours anyway.
Just do it now, or else you will
keep convincing yourself not to
until the last possible minute.
9. Lack of organization:
When your desk is a mess, you
have tons of tabs open on your
laptop, and your notes are all
over the floor, there is no way
you are going to get motivated
to do your work.
Just manage your time, set a
schedule, and get rid of anything you don’t need.
8. Breaks:
You often take a little break
to grab a cup of water, then another one to heat up some food,
and then one more break to take
a 10 minute nap.
No. You only need a break if
you are actually tired of working
and need to clear your mind for
a while.
If you have been procrastinating for the past hour, then you
do not need a break from that.
7. Tiredness:
Yes, you do need at least six to
eight hours of sleep a night, it is
not a myth.
If you stay up all night watching TV series, you will surely
not wake up ready to work. So,
just sleep tight at night, and get
up in the morning ready to face
your day—distraction-free.
6. Social media:
You post a tweet, and then get
a retweet. You check the profile
of the one who retweeted you,
and a few seconds later, you find
yourself watching cat videos on
YouTube.
That’s the never-ending vicious circle of social media: one
thing always lead to another.
5. Phone calls and texts:
Sometimes you find yourself
with a stack of papers to finish
in 24 hours while your friends
are care-free.
They will try to distract you;
they will call and text you so
many times that you will be
9
tempted to drop everything
and just have a conversation
with them. Well, don’t. Put your
phone away and focus.
4. Games:
Those little game applications
that trend every once in a while
are addictive, literally. When
you can’t pass a level, you keep
trying until you do.
And when you do, you just go
to the next. Just crush the candy
later!
3. Complaining:
It sounds weird, but think
about it. The more you complain, the less you get done. It
just wastes your time and gets
you stuck you in a negative
mindset.
2. Multi-tasking:
You always think that you can
actually get work done while
watching television, and you always end up lured by the screen
for hours. When at work, do
nothing but work.
1. Being a perfectionist:
Wait, isn’t being a perfectionist
a good thing?
Well it is when you know how
to organize your work and time.
But when you’re a procrastinator, being a perfectionist just
slows the whole process down.
Just do your work and worry
about making it perfect once
you’re done and if you still have
time.
Facebook on saving lives: new suicide prevention feature
Christy Choueiri
Staff Writer
In the 11 years since its inception, Facebook has
turned into an immensely populated social platform
through which people share their personal lives.
A little over a month ago, the company celebrated
the fact that its audience had reached a whopping 1.23
billion users.
With this incredible amount of accounts, it’s no surprise that both Facebook administrators and users are
exposed to a countless amount of posts per day, some of
which express a very troubled state of mind.
For this reason, Facebook decided to take the suicide
prevention measures it implemented in the past to a
higher level, and render them much more efficient in
combating the destructive tendencies some of its users
are prone to exhibit.
Back in 2011, Facebook partnered up with the National Suicide Hotline and introduced a feature which
allows users to flag potentially suicidal posts that they
encounter.
However, at the time, the feature was somewhat defective and not exactly user-friendly. As it was located
in Facebook’s help files, the feature existed as more of a
secondary option.
Facebook utilized the help of more than one organization, and the company is now collaborating with organizations like Now Matters Now, and Forefront: Innovations
in Suicide Prevention.
This initiative contributed to improving the conditions
of using the feature; flagging alarming content is now
much easier.
The post-flagging process that occurs is as follows: after
the content is flagged, Facebook reviews the post and decides what action to take.
In case Facebook recognizes the threat as a form of
potential self-harm, the network will give the user three
options; they can either check for tips on dealing with depressive issues and tendencies, contact a suicide prevention hotline, or request the help of a friend.
Although the initiative that Facebook is now re-taking
might not be the only solution towards mental illnesses, it
is fair to say that it could successfully contribute in lessening the stigma that mental illness constantly seems to
receive.
At the time of the launching of the first suicide prevention feature, Facebook wrote, “We must confront suicide
and suicidal thoughts openly and honestly, and use every opportunity to make a difference by breaking the
silence and suffering.”
The corporation appears to be sticking to its word,
for the measures it has added have sent a message of
awareness towards the issue of mental illness.
MARCH 17, 2015
ARTS & CULTURE
11
MOVIE REVIEW
“Run All Night” is just another passing Liam Neeson movie
He may have played parts in iconic movies once, but
Liam Neeson hasn’t seen success in a long time now. After
the second and third sequels of “Taken,” the man’s allure
was sort of taken away. Now, the actor stars in an all-new
macho action flick that does not restore his glory days, but
also does not further his fall from grace.
In “Run All Night,” Neeson plays an ex-mob hit-man
facing an ultimatum: save his son or obey his oldest friend.
This all starts when the son, Mike (Joel Kinnaman), witnesses a murder committed by Danny Maguire (Boyd
Holbrook). Danny then tries to kill Mike, but is instead
killed by Jimmy (Liam Neeson), which drives Shawn
Maguire (Ed Harris) to order a man-hunt for Mike’s head.
The story sounds dull because it is, and the script sounds
shallow because it really has nothing to it.
Just like any other film of the genre, nothing makes sense
and everything is kind of shoved down the audience’s
throat. Jimmy’s backstory involving his cousin wouldn’t
interest a single soul, Mike’s childish and melodramatic
personality makes it hard to listen to him talk, and Jimmy’s relationship with Shawn is cheesy enough for the
audience to believe it was co-written by Michael Bay and
Nicholas Sparks.
But really, the movie’s weakest element is the camera
work. What director Jaume Collet-Serra and cinematographer Martin Ruhe were thinking remains a mystery,
but their attempt at creating some kind of smart camera
action almost murders their movie. In fact, the way the
camera zoomed in, zoomed out, and moved through
buildings made scenes look like extracts from cheap video
imdb.com
Firas Haidar
Staff Writer
game trailers, making them both painful and hilarious to
look at.
However, once all that sort of sinks in and the movie sets
its mood, it becomes watchable.
The story is shallow and the cinematography is an
abomination, but the movie as a whole is not that bad.
That is mainly due to the cast. Neeson offers the juice
viewers enjoyed in his earlier, pre-”Taken 2” action flicks,
and it apparently still works. Kinnaman, Harris, Holbrook
and Common are good support and seeing all four in action with Neeson makes for a satisfactory viewing experience.
In fact, if the movie’s final 20 minutes—including a very
unnecessary event—were cut out, it would have been far
more entertaining.
In short, “Run All Night” is not a disaster, but it barely
gets a passing grade. It’s not one that requires much thinking; the kind of movie one might watch after a long day.
BOOK REVIEW
Malak El Sabeh
Staff Writer
First published in 1955 by Vladimirovich ‘Vladimir’
Nabokov, “Lolita” is probably one of the most controversial “classics” in the literary world. Shocking in its nature,
the novel’s protagonist, Humbert Humbert, is a 38-yearold man who is infatuated and obsessed with 12-year-old
Lolita Haze. This oversimplification of the novel is probably why most readers either decide not to read it or quit
reading shortly after starting.
The novel begins with an overview of Humbert’s peaceful upbringing in Paris and his childhood love, Annabel,
who later haunts him and influences his taste in nymphets—a term he coins to describe soul-shattering, insidiously charming young girls between the ages of nine and
fourteen who can only be singled out by artists and madmen with infinite melancholy like himself.
Humbert later moves to America and takes a room in
the house of the widow Charlotte Haze; he becomes instantly captivated by her daughter Dolores (Spanish for
‘pain’), who he nicknames Lolita.
Humbert then strategically becomes involved with a
less-than-desirable Charlotte only to gain more access
to Dolores, with whom he soon forges a relationship
that sees him and his nymphet on a cross-country trip
of America. With a stranger on their track, the events of
“Lolita” become a whirlwind of sex, passion, angst, and
crime as one man’s love challenges the morality of readers.
What’s most striking about this work of art is that the
reader, even if only briefly, sides with Humbert.
He taunts the reader, explains every detail so eloquently, so convincingly that—just for a second—you
might consider this book a tragic love affair.
The writer exhibits a mastery of deception and fools the
readers into thinking that Humbert is a poor, caring man
wounded by past experiences. “I loved you. I was a pentapod monster, but I loved you.
I was despicable and brutal, and turpid, and everything. And there were times when I knew how you felt,
and it was hell to know it, my little one.”
Nabokov cannot sugar-coat everything though, no matter how excellent his writing might be.
One notable example is when Humbert was terrified
that Lolita would eventually grow old and cease to be a
nymphet, so he contemplates having a child with her, who
will eventually become a nymphet and then that nymphet
will give rise to another so that his whims would always
be met.
“Lolita” is not a book about pedophilia, rape, or incest.
Aside from Nabokov’s genius and literary eloquence, this
story presents very relatable topics such as taking over
someone’s life, robbing basic needs, and exploitation.
Even though the young girl was only portrayed through
Humbert’s imagination, the reader gets a trace of her suffering.
This book stands out from your average classic because
it brings forth a topic rarely ever discussed and a perspective often looked down upon. It’s exceptionally interesting how Nabokov managed to make such a taboo slightly
understandable.
“Are you quite, quite sure that—well not tomorrow,
of course, and not after tomorrow, but well —someday,
any day, you will not come to live with me? I will create a
brand new God and thank him with piercing cries, if you
give me that microscopic hope.”
numerocinqmagazine.com
Nabokov’s classic ‘Lolita’ shows that words can turn anything into art
12
ARTS & CULTURE
MARCH 17, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
Marriage constructs twisted in best-selling thriller ‘Gone Girl’
Cynthia Saghir
Staff Writer
I’m sure that as you read the title “Gone Girl,” it resonates
with the overhyped movie that literally discombobulated
everyone’s perception of the ideal relationship. This critically acclaimed film, however, was first is a novel by Gillian Flynn that had gained momentum in 2012, and was
the highest selling book that year right after “Fifty Shades
of Grey.”
The book’s narrative centers on the life of an unhappily
married couple, Nick and Amy Dunne, whose marriage is
in a state of inescapable quiescence before the novel begins to unfold. As Nick arrives home to celebrate him and
Amy’s fifth wedding anniversary, Amy is nowhere to be
found. An apparent disappearance, the book chronicles
the police’s search for Amy as Nick’s hostile relationship
with his wife is slowly conveyed.
The format of the novel also serves as a contributor to the
way in which Nick and Amy’s relationship persists, such
that the novel is told from Nick’s first person perspective
and is also accompanied by Amy’s journal entries over the
course of their marriage.
Amy’s entries begin with a positive connotation of Nick,
where he is portrayed as Amy’s ideal man, possessing all
the right attributes: rugged, handsome and manly. They
both have favorable jobs and appear to lead a pleasurable
life together.
However, as the 2008 recession strikes, they both get
laid off from their jobs and in an attempt to downsize
their top-notch New York City life, move back into Nick’s
hometown of North Carthrage, Missouri. This is where the
end-of-honeymoon phase sinks in and their flame slowly
dwindles. Nick attains a position in his town university,
and Amy begins her endeavor of becoming the perfect
housewife. As Amy attempts to recapture the spark that
once was present in their marriage, Nick becomes increasingly distant. At some point an argument between the two
results in Nick’s physical abuse of Amy.
As the novel persists, the reader begins to question
whether or not Nick actually killed Amy. This becomes
increasingly evident as Nick begins to deny and downplay
any and every allegation placed against him. And with the
emergence of a stalker in Amy’s past, the plot thickens and
proves much more intricate than initially perceived.
Well-written and uniquely narrated, the novel is an epic
portrayal of a marriage that makes the reader question
what is true and what is not, and challenges the traditional
conception of marriage constructs.
Gillian Flynn’s foray into the world of writing thrillers
began a decade ago, but “Gone Girl” is definitely one of the
genre’s most promising tales. Beautifully told and entertaining to read—and with the film’s accurate portrayal, the
script of which was also penned by Flynn—“Gone Girl” is
a book that won’t be disappearing from headlines anytime
soon.
MUSIC REVIEW
Armenian Eurovision entry challenges world to stop denying
Armenia’s official entry for the 2015 Eurovision Song
Contest, aptly titled “Don’t Deny,” was released on YouTube last Thursday, earning hundreds of thousands of
views within 24 hours—almost 300 times more than any
other newly released entry that day.
With the centennial of the Armenian Genocide reverberating around the world, the song has gained impressive recognition not only for its musicality, but also for the
concept behind it.
For the first time in the history of the Eurovision Song
Contest, a group of six artists from different continents
are representing one country.
These artists will represent Armenia in the annual
song competition held primarily among member countries of the European Broadcasting Union in Austria,
home of last year’s winner Cronchita Wurst, this May.
“Genealogy,” the group’s name, comprises five diasporan artists who represent the five petals of the forget-menot flower symbolizing the centennial of the Armenian
Genocide.
Stephanie Topalian (Japanese, representing Asia), Essaï
Altounian (French, representing Europe), Vahe Tilbian
(Ethiopian, representing Africa), Mary-Jean O’Doherty
Vasmatzian (Australian, representing Oceania), and
Tamar Kaprelian (American, representing the Americas)
recently revealed their sixth member Inga Arshakyan, the
renowned and beloved artist from the Republic of Armenia, who, along with her sister, was the country’s official
selection for the 2009 edition of the contest.
The six artists together represent the unity of the five different continents of the world for one cause, one country.
Singing in different octaves and styles of music, the group
meshes well together and gives the song the vocal prowess
it is due.
iwibloggs.com
Dikki Kurkjian
Contributing Writer
The music video of “Don’t Deny” is expected to reach
one million views within a week of its release. Written by
Inna Mkrtchyan and composed by Armen Martirosyan,
the song revolves around universal values of unity, family,
and love. The director of the music video, Aren Bayadyan,
implements these values with the message of the continuity of life - how new generations replace old ones all while
maintaining traditions and genealogy.
Inspired by the group’s name, the concept of the video
is the family tree whose roots extend beyond generations
and is empowered by love and peace. The imagery of the
scenes embrace a vintage black and white setting with tree
roots and family portraits embedded on walls surrounding the artists. The serene and neutral colors of the entire
setting reflect the message of the song providing viewers
with a sense of tranquility.
The patterned embroidery in several scenes highlights
the idea of freedom whereas the sewn bird symbolizes
peace and art. As for the color of the bird, the purple is
an ode to the priestly garments of the Armenian Church.
The video follows the evolution of a portrait of a traditional Armenian family throughout time and concludes
with the image of a child and his mother. The empty chairs
are then occupied by the members of “Genealogy” who
represent the generation of today.
The designer of the music video, Armen Galyan, blends
Armenian and European fashion complemented with
modern styles of clothing.
“We created and used fashionable simple textile that
is highly popular today; larger sized, with highlighted
shoulders, sort of gothic but Armenian traditional clothes
that were accompanied with Armenian silver ornaments,”
said the prominent designer.
The artists are also dressed with pins that carry the
pictures of their grandparents and are embroidered with
modern patterns of Armenian architecture.
The lyrics of the song accentuate the dark sorrowful days
of the Armenian history and address the shadows that are
denied, shadows under which 1.5 million Armenian victims rest.
It challenges the world to stop fooling their hearts
and to simply not deny. With powerhouse vocal performances and a strategically brilliant song—one that is both
catchy and leaves a mark on its listener—the reach of the
the song is bound to be international, leaving Armenia
with a good shot at taking the crown come this May.
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