Month: November 2022

If Qatar/FIFA managed to have Palestinian and Israeli soccer fans on the same airplane (https://fifa.fans/3EYP68k), why can’t Sackville (or Tantramar now) learn to respect politicians and political candidates for Mayors of all spectrum and ideas?

Why are we attacking Ms. Bonnie Swift like this? Why can’t we just not vote for her, period, end of the story like in any democracy?

Who are we to judge and attack any of her (past) ideas on any topic related to another level of governance (i.e. federal in this case)? She is free to have any opinion at any particular time, like all of us. As a citizen, she is also free to change her opinion or to be right or wrong. She is FREE even in a society hijacked by political correctness in collectively insane times.

Ms. Swift describes herself as politically fluid in her own vote or opinions. She has been a green party supporter for a long time, we learn from her Facebook page. She has voted for different parties in her voting lifetime. She is smart. She adjusts her political opinions as/if needed. Bravo to her (https://bit.ly/3Owa6X8) for using her political brain and for having a spine too.

Sometimes good ideas come from the so-called left. Sometimes from the so-called right. Why should we always label any opinion on any topic like the evil right wing? Just because the left is in power now? Or is afraid of losing its power or feels entitled to behaving in this non-classy way, to say the least? And, of course, when the right is in power, it is the opposite that would happen. The right will abuse of its power just to hold on to it. Is this a politically healthy way of envisioning our societies and countries? Is this how we solve or prevent economic, environmental, or social problems?

Why can’t we have healthy and inspiring public debates anymore? Why don’t we value diversity of (political or intellectual) opinions anymore, ironically in a town, province, country, and world that brag about pro-diversity.

How narrow-minded we have become. How intolerant. How divided. It breaks Bambi’s heart to see Canada in this state.

In the meantime, REAL municipal and local issues are forgotten, or diluted, in a debate that is far from being elevated. Who would benefit from this attack now? those who think they are the kings or queens of political shenanigans? Those who have silenced Councillor Bruce Phinney in the most inhuman and undemocratic way, that is without health coverage?! When will we re-learn to be politically more mature and compassionate with each other again? Any hope for that?

Bambi will end with an earlier post about the excellent political platform of Ms. Bonnie Swift. We are free to vote or not (even if we have a right and responsibility to do so), to vote for her specifically or not, but for God’s sake, let’s educate ourselves. Let’s read her platform. Let’s listen to her. Not just to a tweet taken out of context here or there, regardless of any opinion we may or may not endorse.

As for you Ms. Bonnie Swift, to conclude this post, Bambi will say that she still finds your platform refreshing and promising, whether you win or not. Thanks for the hope and sorry for the current attacks.

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Isn’t Ms. Bonnie Swift’s platform, as a candidate for Tantramar Mayor, refreshing and promising?!

Bambi’s heart is moved… Here is Ms. Zeina Farah on one of Beirut’s TV channels singing acapella two Christmas Greek Orthodox prayers in Arabic.

Bambi is happy to share that, in the near future, she will devote a post to her cousin’s singing talent; with recreational songs (and perhaps maybe spiritual melodies?). By the way, by cousin, Bambi means niece or, as we say, first cousin once removed :).

Thank you Zeina! You made Bambi’s day in addition to making her both homesick to her childhood and incredibly proud of you ❤️!

May the Christmas season bring hope and joy to Lebanon. By the way, since we are ahead of the American Thanksgiving Day, a Happy Thanksgiving to all Bambi’s neighbours (yes, the border is not too far :)), friends, and relatives!

As per l’Orient Today (https://bit.ly/3Evxbou), “Lebanese composer Romeo Lahoud passes away aged 92. The author-composer created dozens of shows, presented at prestigious festivals around the world“.

From L’Orient Today, we also learn that Mr. “Lahoud was behind dozens of musical theater shows that were presented in prestigious festivals around the world, including Baalbeck, Jarash (Jordan) and Jbeil (which he had contributed to creating in 1997), as well as at the Imperial Opera in Tehran, at L’Olympia in Paris and the Palais Royal des Beaux-Arts in Brussels“.

Bambi will always remember his Lebanese adaptation of “My Fair Lady” [in Arabic “Bint El Jabal “] and, of course, one her favourite love songs, entitled “Khidni maak” [“Take me with you“]. She celebrated this melody on her blog in two earlier posts, shown at the end of this one.

May your memory be eternal, Mr. Romeo Lahoud. Thank you for having enriched Lebanon. If she may, Bambi would like to offer her condolences to your family, friends, and fans, including your niece, Ms. Aline Lahoud. The song mentioned above and shared below was originally written/composed by her uncle to her late and great mother, Ms. Salwa El Katrib.

Beautiful songs outlive singers

Mr. Marwan Khoury singing “Khidni Maak” [Take me with you] of Ms. Salwa El Katrib

Independence from whom? From what?

From external forces that keep pushing it into this or that direction?

Or internal forces of systemic corruption or of other kind of selfish interests and ambitions?

Regardless, Bambi loves you Lebanon. She will always do, despite any component of a “love-hate” relationship that the people of this tiny, now bankrupt, yet old and beautiful country may feel.

She wishes you stability, respect (self- and from others), prosperity, peace, love… and hopefully a President, along with functional institutions.

Yes, a country that comes FIRST, regardless of who is in charge (behind the official scenes or for real). A country for all its citizens. A country, not just to keep “dreaming of” (like in the song below), but also a country to honour and to be respected by.

Bambi would like to thank Roula Azar-Douglas for this funny, yet powerful, tweet:

We may love snow or we may dislike it. Who knows? We may genuinely enjoy cleaning our car, even on a windy morning; yes, even in -20 degrees Celsius. In contrast, we may hate both the cold and snow. We may start the winter season with patience and a welcoming attitude. However, we may get sick and tired of the long snow season.

Regardless of all the above, in our daily lives and in the bigger scheme of things, our attitude is our biggest asset: it can make the entire difference between thriving and fading like a flower. But how do we chose an optimistic outlook when facing adversity or daily hassles, which could be snow for some of us? How can we develop a positive attitude in life? How do we stay positive? How do we keep enjoying all the seasons and their products, including snow? How do we make the best out of every challenging encounter or life circumstance?

So many questions, but the answer lies within each one of us in a unique way. We learn to find our ways in life, in every season whether tough or tender. Some of us may lose and then find their strike force. Some may reconnect with their inner child with a sense of playfulness (with snow or with anything else) and hopefully with humour. Some may fantasize about trips in warmer places or actually take a break from winter, if they can afford time and money. Some may be more patient, knowing that spring and summer will always follow the winter. Some may sing for the snow, as per the melodies below in several languages.

Whatever your own coping strategy, Bambi wishes you safety on the roads and gratitude in your heart!

Today, without naming the precise program, Bambi declined an invitation to act as a peer reviewer for the CIHR, which stands for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research). Why? She did it because she does not want to complete the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Self-Identification Questionnaire , that is now a requirement for peer reviewers of grant applications since September 23, 2022 (https://bit.ly/3UV6OPT).

Of note, our government has been increasingly driving what is called a pro-diversity ideology, that has led to documented new forms of discrimination based on identity, including the good example of Dr. Patanjali Kambhampati, Professor at the department of chemistry at McGill University whom Bambi had the honour to interview (https://bit.ly/3TTCAv9) following a National Post article about him (https://bit.ly/3EQOMZm). As a reminder, he was denied research grants because he clearly wrote that that he would hire researchers based on merit, not skin hue. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada turned down his grant application, worth $450,000, on the justification that “the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion considerations in [his] application were deemed insufficient.”

Now, the CIHR is telling us that “our research entreprise” is “systemically racist” (https://bit.ly/3tQFl62; https://bit.ly/3UTSQ0l); now our country is into the business of “eliminating systemic racism in Canada’s health research funding system“. No, it is no longer about merit and about advancing science. It is about advancing ideologies.

Can someone tell Bambi why should the CIHR, or any other funding agency, care to know about her identity, self- or otherwise, characteristics? The only metric that should matter must be the quality of the review, period.

Once again, without much surprise, Beirut has voted against a resolution condemning the Iranian regime for repressing protesters and for violating human rights (https://bit.ly/3XlckN6).

As a human being AND as a female Canadian deer born in Beirut, Bambi echoes the title of the Orient Today/L’Orient Le Jour article cited above: How sad to see Lebanon “retaining its place on UN ‘list of shame’ for stance on Iran“.

Shame!

This post is meant to celebrate the International Children’s Day with three beautiful French songs: The first, entitled “Taking A Child By the Hand“, is sub-titled in English. The second melody is about “Children from All Countries“. As for the third song, its title in English could be “Woe To The One Who Hurts a Child“.

Before sharing these songs, Bambi will pause to think of ALL the children around the world, including Canada: those are who are raised in loving homes, enjoying their happy childhood, and those being neglected or abused. Those entering a foster care system, sometimes bouncing from one family to the other. Those who cannot play or go to school, perhaps forced to sell products in the middle of polluted streets, or to go to war. Those who lost their lives, parents, or eyes in surrealistic explosions. Those who have suffered from cholera or are growing up in extreme poverty, refugee camps, or on the streets. Those who died, in front of their parents’ eyes, in illegal migrant boats. Those lacking respect, love, and unable to develop healthy attachment. Those deprived of liberty, dignity, or exploited in one way or another, often forced to grow up too fast. Those at risk of turning to violence, drugs, or fanaticism.

To the kids, whether safe or in danger, to their parents and the caring adults in their lives. To our inner children, as adults, too. Happy International Children’s Day. Long live peace of mind, playfulness, and the joys of childhood… for all and at any age!

It is with deep sadness that Bambi learned of the death of Mr. Nagi Zeidan, a Belgian-Lebanese author, full of curiosity and compassion, who devoted 28 years of his life researching the Jews of his birth country (https://bit.ly/3VchSYt). May his soul rest in peace.

First, Bambi will send her condolences to his spouse in Brussels, family and friends in Lebanon (where he died), Belgium, and literally around the world. Second, she would like to express her gratitude for all the lessons she learned from him, over the past few years, about one of the integral parts of the fabric of Lebanon (i.e. one of its 18 religions). Yes, without his meticulous legacy, the Lebanese society would have continued to miss a meaningful piece of its rich puzzle.

To come back to the sad news from out of Lebanon, Bambi learned from the L’Orient Le Jour (https://bit.ly/3VchSYt) that Mr. Zeidan fell down in his apartment about a month ago. After spending an entire month in the coma, he left our world on the night of November 12-13.

Of note, Mr. Nagi Zeidan’s 2021 book, entitled “Les juifs du Liban” includes the family trees of Lebanese Jews. As for his title “Ami des juifs” [“Friend of the Jews“], he earned it as a passionate and talented specialist of the Jewish community of Lebanon.

Thank you, Mr. Zeidan for your hard work. May your own memory be eternal, precisely like in the drive you had to honour the memory as well as the remaining, tiny community of Lebanese people of Jewish ancestry.

Surprise, dearest “Lilo”. Yes, this post is devoted to you!

Bambi does not know from where to start; she loves you beyond words ❤️.

For her, you are an inspiration at many levels, including spirituality and humanity. Yes, you have a deep faith in both God and goodness in our world. You always seem to find ways to reconnect with hope, even in your country’s darkest days.

You are an inspiring caregiver to your mother as well as to your nephew and niece.

Yes, who needs the official title of motherhood to win its top prize?

You are an uplifting educator and a great teacher with a scientific mindset.

You are also a creative entrepreneur skilled in sales.

You are a beloved cousin surely not just to Bambi, but also to all your larger family.

All in all, you are a beautiful woman and a human being.

Bambi thanks you for existing while wishing you a wonderful birthday!