The good news seems to be satisfying to both parties. Even the Hezbollah gave the green light. Bambi is eager to read more about this deal, but for now, she will just write the following: Bravo to everyone, especially the USA (i.e., Mr. Amos Hochstein) as a mediator. May this deal bring BADLY needed prosperity to Lebanon (rich gas exploration) and security to the region!
To conclude this brief post, negotiations and satisfying settlements are surely much better than wars, blood, and tears. For that, Bambi will conclude with the “Mabrouk” song to both countries, to the entire region, and to our world.
The Naharnet article above described the anger of the farmers. Bambi can only have compassion for them. Had she been a farmer, she would have been angry too. Had she been a cow, not a deer, she would be laughing at the naivety of our world leaders.
Bambi will forever remain grateful for your overwhelming support that has enriched her life in so many ways. It gave her hope in humanity despite the absurdity of our collectively insane times.
She is thankful for each one of you for your continuous support for her blog from not just across Canada, but also from SO many different parts of the world.
Thank you for caring for academic freedom/freedom of expression in Canada and in our world, as a principle for ALL (including Bambi); yes, a principle that must never be taken for granted, even in a historically free society like ours.
This being said, welcome to each one of you on Bambi’s Afkar blog, whether you read the latter silently or you take the time to comment.
She does not need any introduction (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89dith_Piaf) and, make no mistake, she “did not regret anything“, surely not love that she sang in her eternal “L’hymne à l’amour“. Merci Madame Piaf!
Indeed, over the decades, many great artists, Canadian and international ones, sang Piaf in their own moving way. Bravo to all of them. Bambi may a bit too romantic today, but she particularly loves these unforgettable TV or internet moments…
Bambi has an earlier post on the Batroun region in Northern Lebanon, shown further below. Back in July 2022, she had the chance to spend a wonderful day in this region driving through, and visiting its high mountains (rivers, fruits, charming houses, and kind people) down to its shores with its sunset, vibrant touristic nightlife in the old souk, and its superb beaches.
Bambi recalls that some citizens were swimming in the darkness under the light of the moon. How she had wished she was prepared to jump in the water like them. Next time “inchallah“, as they say there! Anyhow, what a memorable day under the theme of “cousins” ❤️❤️, thanks again dearest Rana and hello Laila!
Today, Rania who is much talented in both photography and videography, sent her the following short personal video featuring Batroun (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batroun). Thank you “Rano” for kindly accepting to share the latter with the readers of your sister’s blog :). Bambi hopes they will enjoy it as much as she did!
Following Rania’s short video, Bambi will share a 4-minute video about this place she just found on YouTube entitled the Majestic Town of Batroun. Of course, a song is a must here. So, to conclude this brief post on a musical note, Bambi chose Helwa Ya Baladi [My Country is beautiful] by Dalida with lovely pictures of Lebanon to make us dream of trips abroad… and perhaps to contribute to make readers form her birth country dream of fair and prosperous days. God knows how much they deserve it ❤️!
VERY shockingly, Bambi is using the past tense to write about him tonight.
Indeed, he was brutally murdered (i.e., decapitated, dismembered). Guess why? Simply because of his sexual orientation. As reported in the Lebanese, Israeli, and British media, Mr. Abu Marhia was hiding in Israel awaiting to leave the country to Canada, as a refugee in just two months before his death. How sad and how unfair (https://bit.ly/3yq8tnn; https://bit.ly/3SMMO0I; https://bbc.in/3RFscpT)!
The fate of Mr. Abu Marhia speaks volumes about how you are treated by Islamists when you are from a sexual minority (i.e., homosexual). You receive death threats, as reported in the articles cited above. You also risk being killed in the most horrible way like in this tragedy. This when you are not thrown out of a building or sentenced to death in other countries of the region. Yet in some other places of this part of the world, you may be put in jail and even tortured. Furthermore, in some apparently more tolerant countries of the region, you risk being medically examined in the most degrading way possible to the dignity of a human being.
Welcome to the Middle East where 56% of its youth want their countries’ laws to be based on the Shariah (Islamic) law, not on civil/common law, as per the earlier post shown below. After reading this post, do you share Bambi’s concern about the latter?
Regardless of your own opinion, as a reader, or Bambi’s angry thoughts tonight, she would like to pause to honour your memory Ahmad (or Mr. Abu Marhia). She had wished to have you as a fellow citizen and as a forthcoming valuable member of her society. No, she did not want to hear your sad story from a shocked relative and to confirm it now in the media. Our world was so cruel to you, despite the love and support of many individuals, organizations, and countries, including ours (bravo, Canada).
To conclude this post, and if she may, with the utmost respect and with a broken heart, Bambi would like to end this post with Ms. Céline Dion’s Ziggy’s song ❤️ (with English subtitles) as well as with Fairuz’s great Arabic song on love ❤️, which is based on Gibran Khalil Gibran’s Prophet. Who knows? Maybe you used to like Fairuz’ songs Mr. Abu Marhia, like Bamb does? Whether you did or not, one thing is sure, you deserve all the essence of love, which is based on respect, that her beautiful song celebrates. May your soul rest in peace and may your memory be eternal.
A picture taken at a Beirut beach in Lebanon by journalist, author [+ amazing sister :)] Roula Douglas
A picture taken in Beirut, Lebanon, by journalist, author [+ amazing sister :)] Roula Douglas from her own balcony
To thank you Roula for making her day with your beautiful pictures, and for your generosity, Bambi would like to offer you, as well as your fellow Beirutis, Mika’s song entitled “Staring at the sun“!
The picture to the left was taken from the CBC. The one to the right from Britannica
A big thank you to the Warktimes for informing us about one of the latest and greatest achievements of Mr. Christian Corbet. Bambi is referring to Mr. Bruce Wark’s article entitled “King Tut ‘reborn’ in Sackville 100 years after discovery of his tomb” (https://bit.ly/3SJS05g)!
From the above Warktimes excellent article, we learn the following: ” Corbet created King Tut’s forensicfacial reconstruction for a two-hour PBS documentary on the ancient ruler filmed to mark the 100th anniversary of the discovery of his tomb in the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile near the city of Luxor.”
Of note, Mr. Christian Corbet seems to have “insisted on doing it here in Sackville“. As also reported in the Warktimes (https://bit.ly/3SJS05g), this artist’s own words were as follows: “I wanted to work from my home, that’s where my studios are,” he says, “and I thought this was something that would benefit not only our province, but our little town.” For more details about this project, you may wish to read the full article in question.
Thank you, Mr. Cobert, for your inspiring talent. Indeed, Bambi had the honour to visit your studios. We are not just lucky, but also blessed, to have the latter located in our small town. Indeed, Mr. Corbet’s creations have been collected by over 100 100 art galleries, museums, and other institutions worldwide. He is regularly cited in the international literature. The Canadian Government has awarded him coat of arms and badge. He is also the recipient of the Diamond Jubilee Medal in addition to numerous honourary titles by our governments. In addition to his arts and being an art historian, he is a great lecturer, a devoted mentor as well as patron. In addition to his shining career, excellence in arts, and inspiring work ethics, those who know Mr. Corbet, as a valuable member of our community, appreciate his humanity and personality.
To conclude this post on a musical note, Bambi will end with a song that pays tribute to Egypt. It is in Arabic, entitled “Sallem ala Masr” [“Send my regards to Egypt“], and sung by Ms. Hiba Tawaji from out of Lebanon. If she may, she would like to offer it to Mr. Corbet, Mr. Wark, Fatma, and Laila!
She does not know about you, but Bambi loves “L’essentiel” [The essential thing] of our GREAT Canadian singer, Ms. Ginette Reno. This morning, she discovered a beautiful interpretation of this song by another artist, also from Québec, whom Bambi had the honour to meet in graduate school. She will name Mr. Nicola Ciccone who is filled with both talent and humanity.
In a world filled with increased intolerance and indifference, thank goodness, there is also the magic and power of love that can transform us to make us better human beings, not just in the face of dramatic adversity, but also simply yet deeply in our daily lives, as per this super French song, which can be translated as follows (https://lyricstranslate.com/en/lessentiel-essential-thing.html):
“The essential thing
Is to be loved
Everything else matters little
The only truth is
To count for someone,
whatever may happen
It is about entering someone’s
heart and never leaving it
It is about receiving as much as
we wish we could give
To no longer belong to one’s
self, to be comforted on account of it
It is to see the joy in another
and to melt in happiness
To earn another’s trust and to
become a better person
The essential thing
Is to be loved
Notwithstanding what may be
claimed
It’s not about being rich or
famous
For those are just wind passing
through
I believe that what is essential
is made of little nothings
Having someone waiting for you at
night, running
to greet you
One of the most beautiful gifts
that life has given us
is when our name
seems like a compliment
The most essential thing
Day after day
Is the loud laugh of a child,
rushing towards you
And who tugs at your heartstrings
as a means of saying hello
What more can you ask for
When those arms are holding you
The rest matters little, the only
truth
Is to count for someone
no matter what life has in store
Even if being one day exiled in a
foreign country
but to have, in one’s heart,
someone to talk to
It is to inspire in another, a
feeling so powerful
