200 days after the government’s formation Electricity Plan August 2010 | The Monthly interviews Dia Al-Azzawi 97 Ministry of Telecommunications issue number www.iimonthly.com Published by Information International sal THE LEBANESE AND FACEBOOK Lebanon 5,000LL | Saudi Arabia 15SR | UAE 15DHR | Jordan 2JD| Syria 75SYP | Iraq 3,500IQD | Kuwait 1.5KD | Qatar 15QR | Bahrain 2BD | Oman 2OR | Yemen 15YRI | Egypt 10EP | Europe 5Euros INDEX 4 LEADER: polling the lebanese on facebook 11 Electricity Plan 12 200 days after the government’s formation 14 Parliamentary by-elections in Minnieh-Dinnieh 15 Ministry of Telecommunications 19 Political talk shows 21 Cost of 2008 events in Tripoli 22 Demands of secondary school teachers Page 15 24 School education 25 Wellspring Learning Community 27 Syndicate of Bank Employees in Beirut and Mount Lebanon 29 Levels of Medical Evidence by Dr. Hanna Saadah Page 34 Page 38 30 Is intelligence a single entity independent from the brain? by Antoine Boutros 42 Geagea on Hezbollah 31 Mental Time Travel by Dr. Samar Zebian 43 June 2010 Timeline in Lebanon 32 Why Religious Politics Is Bad for Lebanon by Maurice Obeid 46 Organ Donation & Transplantation in the Middle East 33 A New Start with Rima? by Matty Mathieson 47 Real estate index in Lebanon- June 2010 34 The Monthly interviews Artist dia Al-Azzawi 48 Food Price Index - June 2010 36 Popular culture 50 Statistics from around the World 37 Myth #36: How important was the role of Fakhreddine II for the independence of 50 %HLUXW5DÀF+DULUL,QWHUQDWLRQDO$LUSRUW Lebanon? June 2010 38 Must-Read: Khalil and All of Lebanon 51 Lebanon stats 40 Lebanon Families: Harfouch Families 41 Discover Lebanon: Zabbougha 3 | ȾEditorial BARAZEK, CROISSANTS AND SINIORA DECLARE THE END OF MARCH 8TH AND 14TH The Monthly is re-publishing Mr. Jawad Adra’s editorial “Barazek, Croissants and Siniora Declare the End of March 8th and 14th”, that was previously published in its issue number 82 of May 2009 before the parliamentary elections. Citizen Zero remembers all the slogans Lebanese people that this dispute over their lives neither of the participants in the demonstration ‘sweets’ has started to fade away, which moderation nor of March 14th 2005. However, today he is reflected in the electoral programs. independence; all is recalling one he did not understand For instance, the Future Movement they knew was when hearing it for the first time: “we do program mentions the following: selfishness and obedience to external not want Barazek, we want Croissants.” A “ A capable government is a civil forces. The crowds had decided at that time government that does not hede to Ever since the situation has changed, that French croissants were better than religious conflicts and confessional the Barazek haters have come to the Damascus sweet, Barazek. parties; rediscover its benefits and started A A capable government is the one eating it again, declaring not to have From all the international sweets he that ensures the largest participation ever forgotten the taste. This is what had tasted, citizen Zero still finds some of citizens in managing their affairs Walid Jumblatt says in his most recent pleasure in eating Barazek. Something through participatory mechanisms.” ‘discourses.’ As for the opposition that that reminds him of his childhood, The Hezbollah program includes: has always approved Siniora’s budgets of the day his father told him that A “Building a state of laws and since 1993 and trusted him as Minister Damascus, Beirut and Jerusalem were institutions and promoting the spirit of of Finance, it has discovered today that one. For him, croissants could not patriotism towards nation and land; it in fact does not like Siniora. Even replace Barazek. This is not to say A Developing the parties and syndicate though his budgets were endorsed to that he has any “ideological” position activities and allowing civil society rule all over Lebanon, it is Saida, and against croissant lovers, even having institutions and associations to play an only Saida that is now endangered by enjoyed some croissants himself. At active and vital role.” Siniora, according to the opposition. that time, the ‘Sunnis’ rallied their Consequently, Mufti Kabbani will no The croissant lovers suddenly woke up voice as the opponents of Syria, longer have to pray in the Serail as a and remembered that thyme has grown declaring their love for croissants, as place reserved for the Sunnis since the on their Mount and that they were the if their cousin, the pastry maker in Sunnis’ largest movement will adopt ones who made Kushk, Chanklish and Damascus, was now an enemy. the norms of ‘civil society.’ Even more, quince jam. the opposition (any opposition) would Citizen Zero announces to the Lebanese The March 8th demonstrators did not be able to unseat the Prime Minister if people; tomorrow you will not hear pay much attention to the importance it considers him illegitimate and the about March 8th and 14th anymore; of sweets in Lebanese politics and loyalists (any loyalists), or the opposition instead, you will hear about one focused more on thanking Damascus (any opposition), would be able to call demonstration or several harmonious for its ‘wonderful performance’ since for another Speaker of Parliament or ones praising Barazek, Croissants and its arrival to Lebanon in 1976 and overthrow him when he does not call the Sinioras. until its withdrawal in 2005. Then Parliament to order. And all this, would again, Barazek would certainly have no longer lead to civil war. How beautiful Lebanon’s confessions been unanimously acclaimed if more are. To understand them, do not read attention was given to it. Nothing on The important point is that citizen Zero March 8th and 14th programs; just earth could convince Barazek and will not participate in the elections, focus on Barazek, Croissants and Croissant lovers to dialogue. Moreover neither as a candidate nor as a voter. Sinioras and be aware of the fat! Siniora, at that time was not the subject He knows that the opposition is not of discussion and preference, yet due to an opposition, and the loyalists are Note: The word ‘Siniora’ in this article the ‘wonderful performance’ again and not loyalists; that March 8th and 14th is a pun, referring to both the person again of March 8th and 14th and of ‘the are gone and even their slogans have (PM Fouad Siniora) and the Saida loyalists’ and ‘the opposition,’ Siniora already started to change. He knows that sweet. ‘Barazek’ is the Damascus gained importance and supporters. today and tomorrow’s ‘independents’ sweet, and ‘Croissant’ is the French Even so, citizen Zero announces to the and ‘moderates’ have never known in viennoiserie. issue 97 - August 2010 4 | Leader Facebook Poll POLLING THE LEBANESE ON FACEBOOK 45.6% spend an average of 2-5 hours per day on facebook acebook is a free social networking website available 7KHRQOLQHVDPSOHFRQVLVWHGRIPDOHVDQG Fin 37 different languages, allowing its users to keep females (Graph 1). in touch with their friends, family and colleagues. Around half of the surveyed users are 18-24 years old IROORZHG E\ WKRVH DJHG \HDUV As the number of users of this social medium has (Graph 2). The number of users aged 18-24 years in the been growing steadily at a very fast pace, Information sample compares to the number of Facebook users in International decided to conduct an online poll with Lebanon in March 2010 for the same age group, where it Facebook users in order to get a preliminary idea on what, UHDFKHG )DFHERRNVWDWLVWLFV/HEDQRQ how and when people go on Facebook, in addition to other related issues of interest. As shown in Graph 2, there is -generally- an inverse The number of Facebook users in Lebanon reached around correlation between the use of Facebook and age; 709,444 users in March 2010 (according to Facebook Facebook usage tends to decrease in general along with VWDWLVWLFV/HEDQRQ %DVHGRQWKLV¿JXUHDVDPSOH an increase in age. was adopted for this survey, totaling to 709 Lebanese [Graph 2] Age distribution of Facebook poll surveyed users (%) residents. Base: 709 Noteworthy is the rapid increase in the number of Facebook users in Lebanon, which has increased from 50 47.8 around 640,000 in January 2010 to 983,143 by the time this article was written (June 2010). 40 The online survey started in mid-March 2010 and ended on the 10th of May 2010. 30 26.5 20 [Graph 1] Gender distribution of surveyed Facebook Users (%) Base: 709 10 10 5.5 4.5 3.7 2 0 Less 18-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 above 40 not than 18 VSHFLÀHd Female The questions tackled various issues related to where users 40.9 % access Facebook from, how long and when do they use it per day, the number of their Faceboook ‘friends’, Facebook games and chatting, as well as various advantages and disadvantages of using Facebook. Male Access Habits 59.1 % The main place where Facebook is accessed from is home, DVUHSRUWHGE\WKHPDMRULW\RIWKHVXUYH\HGXVHUV IROORZHG E\ WKH ZRUNSODFH DQG LQWHUQHW FDIHV 3HUFHQWDJHV GHFUHDVH IXUWKHU IRU RWKHU SODFHV VXFK DV IULHQGV¶ RU QHLJKERUV¶ KRXVH PRELOH SKRQHV RUXQLYHUVLW\ *UDSK issue 97 - published by Information International s.a.l. Facebook Poll Leader | 5 [Graph 3] Where do you access Facebook from? (%) When asked how long they use Facebook per day, around Base: 709 half of the surveyed users reported using Facebook 2-5 KRXUVSHUGD\ ZKLOHVWDWHGWKDWWKH\XVHLW 100 OHVVWKDQKRXUVSHUGD\3HUFHQWDJHVGURSVLJQL¿FDQWO\IRU 86.3 WKRVHXVLQJ)DFHERRNKRXUVGDLO\ DQGWKRVH who cited that they use this application for over 10 hours a 80 GD\ $QRWKHUFRXOGQRWVSHFLI\DQH[DFWWLPH frame for browsing Facebook and just answered “Don’t Know/No Answer” (Graph 4).