Aren’t the chipmunks cute and talented when singing the “three dakat [heartbeats]” Egyptian love song?

Bambi is biased. Yes, she adores Three Dakat. This being said, the melody of this Egyptian love, summer-related, song is lovey to the ears, even when interpreted by chipmunks :).

For those of you who do now know this song, here is its original human version interpreted by a talented, apparently Lebanese, singer/guitarist Bambi just discovered. His name is Mr. Paul Waked (https://www.youtube.com/c/PaulWaked/featured).

This brief musical post will end with all the older posts featuring this song.

May your hearts beat, three memorable “dakat”, for what you appreciate in a particular moment: Life itself, a vigorous dance you enjoy, a beautiful sunset or a landscape, the love of your life or a new date, a reunion with your children, other family members or dear friends, etc.

Duo Mike Massy/Hany Adel: What an inspiring Arabic song, subtitled in English!

The grand lyrics were written by the talented Mr. Mike Massy in 2018 in standard Arabic. The two voices together are magnificent. The music is beautiful. The song moves Bambi’s heart. Thank you!

Below you can find an English translation followed by the original Arabic (https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Mike-Massy/Roubama). The post ends with all the earlier posts on Mr. Mike Massy.

Maybe (Roubama)

“We may forgive eyes that have betrayed nations

Evenly and bitterly we sip

the cup of pardon and forgiveness

Even calamities can be divided

But the sorrow of those who depart

No one is responding to their grief,

to their silence, to their murder

We maybe taking rebellious paths

Hoping to forget those scared eyes

While confusion is calling out from every miserable mother

Hopefully the reassuring speech

will heal the wounds of what is broken

the wing of a captive bird

that managed to fly away

We go but we do not leave

And a song remains

For those whose hopes are dying in exile

We go but we never leave

And a song remains

For those whose hopes are dying in exile

We may cry and not call for a kiss

Taking us to shores that sail

To the calm of a storm among the cities

Between the cities are soaked

Overwhelmed by the alienation

indifferent to the cruelty planted

in the heart of a woman waiting for her lover to return

We maybe holding on to hands

tired of peace and tired of wars we draw

Around the boundaries of the imagination of a child playing unaware

of what is going on on this planet

That turns a blind eye to what it sees refusing to see the refusal of a shy reality

We go but we do not leave

and a song remains

for those whose hopes are dying in exile

We go but we never leave

and a song remains

for those whose hopes are dying in exile

And even if the wall of fear is higher

Than what our dreams can see

And even if the noise of silence

is louder than our voices

There is no light or darkness,

And no wars or peace

Unreachable for those who dream mighty dreams

We go but we never leave

and a song remains

for those whose hopes are dying in exile

We go but we never leave

and a song remains

for those whose hopes are dying in exile

We go but we never leave”.

ربما نصفح عن عيون خانت امما”
بالتساوي و بالمرارة نحتسي كأس المرؤة و العفو
حتي المصائب تشتري
لكن حزن من يرحل
ما من مجيب لحزنهم لصمتهم لقتلهم
ربما نمشي في دروب ثائرات
علنا ننسي تلك العيون الخائفة
و الحيرة يدوي ندائها في كل أم بائسة
عل الكلام المطمئن
يشفي جراح ما يكسر
جناح طير يأسر ثم يطير
نذهب و لا نرحل و تبقي أغنية
تغني لكل من ماتت آماله في غربة
ندهب و لا نرحل و تبقي أغنية
تغني لكل من ماتت آماله في غربة
ربما نبكي و لا نستغيث بقبلة
ترمي بنا علي شواطئ تبحر
الي هدوء عاصفة
بين المدائن غارقة
في غربة لا تكترث
لقسوة ورثت في قلب إمرأة تنتظر عودة لحبيبها
ربما نمسك بأيادي متعبة
من سلام و من حروب نرسمها
علي حدود من خيال طفل يلعب غافلا
عما يدور في كوكب يغمض جفونه عما يري من حقيقة خجولة رافضة
نذهب و لا نرجل و تبقي اغنية
تغني لكل من ماتت آماله في غربة
نذهب و لا نرحل و تبقي أغنية
تغني لكل من ماتت آماله في غربة
و ان كان جدار الخوف يعلو فوق أمالنا
و ان كان ضجيج الصمت يعلو فوق اصواتنا
لا ضياء و لا ظلام و لا حروب و لا سلام
يستحيل علي من ينام بأحلام شاهقة
نذهب و لا نرحل و تبقي أغنية
تغني لمن ماتت آماله في غربة
نذهب و لا نرحل و تبقي أغنية
تغني لمن ماتت آماله في غربة
“نذهب و لا مرحل

Picture of the Day: Sunset in Gaspésie (Québec, Canada)

There is a reason why Québec is called “La Belle Province“. It is beautiful!

Of course, this part of Canada is stunning not just because of its beautiful landscape, but also its wonderful and welcoming people.

If you do not believe Bambi, go visit Québec’s charming regions, especially the Maritime part of the province (neighbouring the lovely New Brunswick in Atlantic Canada).

How about the Gaspésie, as a start? Thanks to her dad, Bambi and her family had the chance to visit this region three times in the 1990s (when living in Montreal).

If you tour the Gaspésie, you will be spoiled with the charm of both Mother Nature and the kind Gaspesians. Some of the famous latter include, but are not limited to, the following talented singers [Ms. Isabelle Boulay (https://isabelleboulay.com/), Mr. Kevin Parent (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Parent), Mr. Patrice Michaud (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrice_Michaud)] and skilled hockey players [Mr. Cédric Paquette (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9dric_Paquette)].

Well, today’s post is specifically meant to share a picture recently taken by one of Bambi’s talented friends. She will name Gina, thanking her for having kindly accepted to share her picture with all of you via this blog!

Sunset in Gaspésie (Québec, Canada). A picture taken by Gina.

In addition to the beauty of the moment that Gina captured in her camera’s lens, this picture is making Bambi literally dream of the forthcoming day that will follow both this sunset and the imminent night.

A sunset precedes the dawn and announces a “fresh” hope for a better day after the darkness of the night (link to the older post below?). Bambi appreciates sunsets, but loves dusk times (time in between the sunset and the night), perhaps precisely because of the “promise” of a new day. In her mind, there is serenity in knowing that life (with its days, nights, seasons, etc.) will always go on, that is regardless of happy or adverse times and despite grief following meaningful losses, including the death of a loved one or our own finality.

To conclude this post, how about first starting with a wish? May your forthcoming day, and our first long weekend of the summer, be as beautiful as you want it to be. Second, please find below a video (with beautiful images) and Mr. Félix Leclerc’s French song about Gaspésie!

Québec, Canada: How can a police officer fabricate a false warrant with a fake signature of a judge and get away with it?

Banana Republic in a murder investigation?

Bambi would like to thank Fred and Louis for respectively finding and sharing a very informative article, published in the Journal de Montréal, entitled “Murder investigation: a police officer fabricated a false warrant using the signature of a judge without his knowledge” [Enquête pour meurtre: un policier a fabriqué un faux mandat en utilisant la signature d’une juge à son insu] (https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2022/05/06/un-policier-a-fabrique-un-faux-mandat-en-utilisant-la-signature-dune-juge-a-son-insu).

Here is a quick translation for you with the help of Mr. Google Translate:

“A Montreal police officer committed a “highly inappropriate” act by using the stamp and signature of a judge without her knowledge to fabricate a false judicial document used during an investigation targeting a murderer.

This is what our Bureau of Investigation learned in a verdict by Judge Marc David, of the Superior Court, in the case of Frédérick Silva, a killer working for organized crime who was sentenced to life imprisonment last February for three murders committed in 2018.

This decision, made before the start of Silva’s trial last summer, was subject to a publication ban, which was however lifted on Friday at the Montreal courthouse. Without concluding that such a police procedure was illegal, Judge David denounced the “disgraceful” behaviour and the “lack of ethics” shown by agent Guillaume Joly-Tessier, of the City of Montreal Police Service (SPVM), in this investigation.

A first for the SPVM

Frédérick Silva was considered one of the 10 most wanted criminals in Québec and his capture had been raised to the top of the SPVM’s priorities, as our Investigation Bureau had reported for the first time in the Winter of 2019.

The SPVM went all out to find the suspect on the run, using in particular an investigative technique unprecedented in its history, according to the court.

The police used a fake judicial authorization (or warrant) to compel a witness to cooperate with their investigation. And this, in all legality according to Judge David. On February 15, 2019, agent Joly-Tessier therefore went to the Montreal courthouse in order to have this false warrant signed by a justice of the peace.

After reviewing the documents submitted by the agent, however, Justice of the Peace Josée De Carufel refused to sign the false warrant, advising him that he should use another procedure. This is where the agent made a “rash” act, according to the court. “At some point during the meeting, the judge left her office. Agent Joly-Tessier then took the judge’s judicial stamp from her desk and stamped the false judicial authorization, ”explains Judge David.

Craft

After leaving the courthouse, the police officer completed the fabrication of his false warrant by proceeding with what he called “tinkering”. “To do this, he cut out the judge’s signature from another judicial authorization he had in his possession. He then stuck the signature on the authorization on which he had affixed the stamp of the judge. Finally, he added an invented mandate number in the appropriate place and made a photocopy of the document so that it looked credible, ”continues the judge. The Defence, provided by Ms. Danièle Roy, called for a stay of proceedings against Silva, arguing that several means used by the police to apprehend his client were abusive, including the conduct of agent Joly-Tessier. However, the latter was without success.

“The applicant pleaded that the use of the stamp of the justice of the peace by agent Joly-Tessier constitutes theft. However, even accepting this premise, the Court considered that the action taken by Agent Joly-Tessier cannot be qualified as an abuse of process in the specific context of this case,” concluded Judge David, rejecting the motion. He considered that, “without diminishing the reprehensible character of the act made by agent Joly-Tessier”, the latter “was not animated by any malicious intention (…) when he stole the stamp of the judge of peace without her knowledge.

On the one hand, the magistrate conceded that it is “worrisome that “the police borrowed the authority of a judge” in such a way. But on the other, he believed it was justifiable as a means of investigation. “The crimes that are the subject [of this] investigation are the most serious of the Criminal Code, he argued. They are committed continuously while the applicant is on the run and in circumstances that put public safety at risk. Making and using a ‘false’ document (…) is therefore an act proportional to the crimes under investigation.”

Worrisome but allowed

When carrying out certain means of investigation, the police may be authorized to commit certain acts which would otherwise be of a nature to constitute a criminal offence.

This procedure, which is relatively unknown to the public, is governed by section 25.1 of the Criminal Code, which has been in force in Canada since 2002 following the adoption of Bill C-24.

The police calls this investigative technique a “C-24”.

It can be authorized directly by the staff of a police force, without going through the court.

A total of 387 authorizations to commit a “C-24” were granted by the leaders of the police forces of Québec between 2003 and 2020, according to data obtained by our Bureau of investigation from the Ministry of Public Security.

However, Judge David took advantage of his decision to demand that Ottawa amend the Criminal Code so that the use of a false judicial authorization as a technique of police investigation becomes “mandatory” approved by a judge beforehand, which is not the case here.

According to him, “the fact that such an exceptional investigative technique is subject to the sole discretion of a senior official, in this case a senior member of a police force, is a source of concern”.

Is this story acceptable, according to you? She does not about you, but Bambi finds it shocking. Regardless of your answer, how about singing for the bananas… just to conclude this post on a lighter note?

Inshallah: Will tomorrow be a better day or is optimism a robust bias?

This musical post is about hope for “a better tomorrow”.

Hope for a sunny day after the long rain.

Hope for change following elections’ results.

Hope for love after a long absence.

Hope for peace and prosperity after insecurity and misery.

Hope for an extended hand in friendships among different religions, political views, and nations.

Optimism to shape wise and courageous decisions and acts of love among people, even in baby steps.

Hope for a better tomorrow just for the sake of hope.

To what extent are our brains hardwired for hope and optimism? What about the difference between our expectations and the outcomes of a situation or process? The latter is known as “optimism bias” and it is an integral component of human nature. In processes of adversity, how can we learn to expect the worst yet hope for the best?

Here are some songs related to the topic of a better tomorrow in English as well as in French and Arabic (subtitled in English). Bambi hopes you will enjoy them!

A surprise across the miles: Happy Birthday, Valérie!

Valérie, your cousin Bambi cannot help not to recall our childhood when she used to tease you by repeating on your birthday that whatever will happen in life, she will remain a year older than you. Well, this comment was in honour of the Lebanese saying “A day older, a year wiser“. Back then, you did not like Bambi’s joke. However, in our middle ages, who knows? Perhaps you are starting to appreciate this “mean” family humour. Regardless, just remember to respect seniors, starting with Bambi :).

Seriously now, the above was meant to make you smile. After all, chronological age is just a number. Bambi loves you so much ❤️, thinks highly of your wisdom, and wishes you a wonderful birthday. Enjoy all the love of your family and friends!

Thanks to the person who made this individualized birthday song public on Youtube.

France24: “Lebanese parliamentary elections- High stakes for first poll since 2019 protests”

A picture taken from An Nahar.

The Lebanese parliamentary elections will take place in a few hours, that is on May 15, 2022. Will they make any difference for Lebanon?

Thank you France24 for your English documentary on this topic. Bambi enjoyed listening to the insights of Ms. Diana Menhem, Managing Director of “Kulluna Irada” [We are all a will] in Beirut Lebanon. Along with this 12-minute-video, you can read the following description: ” On May 15, parliamentary elections will take place nationwide in Lebanon. The Lebanese diaspora, estimated to be double the size of the domestic population, already cast their ballots last week. Around 60 percent of people across 58 countries turned out, slightly more than in 2018. We bring you a special edition of Middle East Matters on Lebanon’s first elections since the mass protests of 2019“.

All the best to Lebanon!

Bravo to the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Yafa Foundation for honouring the memory of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh!

Good-bye Ms. Shireen Abu Akleh…

Bambi would like to thank journalist and sister Roula Douglas for tweeting the following moving news:

Bambi’s heart goes to the family of Ms. Shireen Abu Akleh, friends, colleagues, fellow citizens, people/nation, viewers/fans across the world… There is no word to describe the sadness of her loss.

Thanks to the AUB-Lebanon, in partnership with the Yafa Foundation, for establishing an endowed memorial scholarship to honour her memory. Many brilliant students to come will benefit from it and will contribute to keeping the spirit of her devoted work alive.

If she may, Bambi would like to end this brief post with Psalm 51 by Ms. Carla Chamoun in Arabic as a form of a tribute to Ms. Abu Akleh. May her memory be eternal…

Mr. Anthony Rahayel: “Hello Beirut, Landing in the Capital of Lebanon”

Landing in Beirut is almost always a moving experience.

Seeing the mountains, the beaches, imagining our loved ones awaiting us, being eager to walk after a third, or even fourth, connection if we are flying from far away.

If you are flying with Middle East Airlines (Air Liban), you get to listen to Lebanese songs’ beautiful music but without lyrics. A sort of soft music that Bambi associates with trips to her birth country when she hears it on the radio. Well, today, she came across a video showing landing in Beirut taken from YouTube, thanks to Mr. Anthony Rahayel. Below you can see his video, along with his own positive words. Bambi will conclude this brief post with “Helwa ya baladi” [“My country is beautiful“] by Dalida and interpreted by Ms. Hiba Tawaji.

Hello Beirut: Landing in the Capital of Lebanon. “Welcome to those who believe in spreading happiness, to those who believe in the power of dreams, to those who believe in sharing joy, and who would like to join me in my exploration of this beautiful life.”