Joumblatt
talks to Outlook:
Clinging
to student resistance, and the relation with Syria in facing
Israel
Walid Joumblatt, leader of the Progressive Socialist
Party, parliament member, and former minister, in an interview
with Outlook, expressed the view that Lebanese youth have
shown a high level of awareness in their movement against
the Israeli invasion of the Palestinian territories and
encouraged them not to lose hope. From his position as leader
of the Druze sect in Lebanon, Joumblatt blamed the interrelated
interests of political leaders in Lebanon as the main reason
behind the deterioration of the Lebanese University, the
reluctance to lower the voting age to 18, and economic stagnation.
Joumblatt explained that "Lebanese youth are aware of the
Palestinian issue," and that they have shown a "nationalist
spirit," but that political parties need to mobilize more
in support of the Palestinian cause. more
Winds of change should be initiated by educated youth
By Elias Abou Samra
Outlook's interview
with Walid Joumblatt last week was a first initiative
toward providing the student body with glances at leading
figures in Lebanese political and cultural fields. This
step falls within Outlook's mission to enhance communication
among students as well as widening the interaction between
students and decision-makers through exposing student
concerns on a national scale. Outlook's choice fell
on Walid Joumblatt as AUB alumnus, former member of
parliament and former minister, and leader of the Progressive
Socialist Party, whose student members are active in
all universities around Lebanon. more
Lebanon revisited two
By Loubna El-Amine
Behind
the fence, a young man is praying. He uses an old brown
piece of a carton instead of a prayer mat and does not
mind public location. This supposedly green, grassy area
at the edge of the Sanayeh Garden also hosts card players,
mostly old men - I wonder how they make their living--
who sit on large rusty milk cans, lingering day after
day, only breaking their monotonous silent game to exchange
insults. At this time of the day, few other people visit
the garden. more
Taking force to its limits
By
Saifedean Ammous
A
month and a half has elapsed since Sharon flexed his terror
muscles to the fullest and committed more atrocities than
even he could hope for. The infrastructure of the Palestinians
has been obliterated, their fighters resoundingly defeated
after brave fights, and their civilians massacred. Surely,
a huge victory for you, Mr. Sharon, right? Well, sorry
to burst your bubble Mr. Prime Minister, but, NO! As horrifying
as the losses for the Palestinians are, we have to understand
that no matter how much they suffer, the Palestinians
can not lose, and the Israelis can not win. more
Finding a job when you graduate or acquiring a training
position a year away from graduation is a task that haunts
us all at a certain point in our academic careers. Amid all
this mixture of anxiety and frustration we ask, where does
our university stand in all this, and what is it doing to
make sure that our robust education isn't flushed down the
toilet in some cheap excuse for a job? A large portion of
the student body feels that the University is making an effort,
but it isn't doing enough. more
Field Day breaks academic tension
in FEA
The Faculty of Engineering and Architecture Field Day,
part of the FEA 50th Anniversary Celebration last Monday,
was characterized by many events including basketball, arm-wrestling,
volleyball, football, tug of war, and an eating competition.
The events were under the patronage of Ibrahim Hajj, dean
of the FEA, but only two professors, Rida Nuwayhid, mechanical
engineering and Khaled Joujou, electrical engineering, showed
up at the event. Despite the lack of organization, excitement
and surprises awaited the students throughout the day. more
