The talented singer Bambi discovered yesterday (see earlier post with his more joyful song, if you wish) is still on her mind this morning :). This is how she just discovered a video of his VERY powerful song about Beirut (produced in July, 2021, almost a year after its surrealistic port blast).
As a reminder, the Beirut blast remains unaccountable (welcome to Lebanon’s notorious impunity…). Another opportunity here to say, once again, bravo and best wishes to the Honourable Judge Tarek Bitar, leading the investigation of the Beirut explosion. Same for all those who believe in the the rule of law (some of them lost their lives because of their principles).
The song has English lyrics!
Of note, the video shows some brief moving images of destruction and injured people from the Beirut blast. It also features more beautiful images of Beirut and of the Cedars of Lebanon.
To conclude, Bambi will just say: Thank you Mr. Hicham El Hajj. Your song is highly recommended to listen to… especially by Lebanese politicians!
Bambi just heard this happy song on her internet radio. It is simply a call to dance!
In this brief post, she will share it with you, hoping you will like it. It is in Arabic and it is all about family and/or friends coming together to be happy/celebrate (maybe a wedding? Maybe a graduation? Maybe just a social gathering?). Not surprising that it is entitled “Yalla Nefrah!” and it has the word Mabrouk in it toward the end 🙂 [Come on, let’s rejoice!].
Thank you Mr. Hicham El Hajj for cheering the people of your country up. Bambi is happy she discovered you/your song today :)!
“Yalla (= Come on!) let’s be happy, dance, and have fun (twice).
The world will become more beautiful because we are happy.
The atmosphere will become merrier because we are rejoicing together.
Let’s laugh and let our laughters embellish this place.
Thank you Ms. Andy the Frenchy for your parody version about the “line up” of “Câlisse Covidad” :)!
For those who do not know the beautiful French-Canadian language, here is a quick explanation for you: The word “câlisse” is a curse. It has its origins in the Roman Catholic church tradition. It refers to the communion chalice. It may seem odd (and maybe even somehow sad) when we first hear it for the first time. However, when we learn the history of the very domineering Catholic church in Québec and this province’s silent revolution, we understand where the curse comes from. We even smile when we hear it. Plus, the colourful vocabulary of the adorable people of Québec teaches us that Québeckers use many religious objects as swear-words (not just this one)! If we are well integrated to Québec, we may even hear ourselves using some of these swear-words :).
Mind you, related to the above, Lebanon also has one curse that refers to ALL religions or rather ANY one of the 18 official ones. It means: “Cursed be your religion” (almost all the others are related to sex and honour).
Now, to come back to Ms. Andy the Frenchy’s parody of a Christmas song, the latter is about Covid-19 and how people are being fed-up of the public health management of the pandemic, especially when it comes to the long line-ups in the cold, outside of pharmacies, to get a rapid test.
Thank you and Merry coronavirus-free Christmas to you Ms. Andy the Frency! Merci pour votre parodie qui a fait rire Bambi 🙂
Wherever you are and whomever you are, Bambi would like to wish each one of you reading this post the following: Merry Christmas eve, day, and season!
This being said, Bambi would like to thank her cousin Tony for sharing the following joyful message of Christmas wishes from out of the Saint George Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon. This historic and university-hospital was heavily damaged (and closed for the first time of its history!) in the Beirut blast. It sadly lost MANY staff and several patients on that doomed August 4, 2020. Today, this hospital is sending a message of hope, love, peace, and wishes of prosperity. It is telling Lebanon and the whole world: Merry Christmas everyone!
The second video, well Bambi received it from her dad in Beirut and her friend Mona in Montreal. It is the voice of a talented singer from Lebanon called Ms. Chantal Bitar. Merci à vous deux!
As for the third one, it is Laylat Al Milad and Bambi would like to dedicate it to all those who appreciate its deep meaning, including a faithful commentator of Bambi’s posts (he will recognize himself :). Thank you for all your contributions.
Bambi paid tribute to Judge Tarak Bitar more than once on this blog.
From Wikipedia, we learn that he was born in a village in Akkar and earned his law degree from the Lebanese University in 1999. He worked as a lawyer and then became the “sole criminal judge of North Lebanon until 2010“. Following this, and since 2017, he has been the head of the Criminal Court in Beirut. He is now leading the Beirut blast (of April 4, 2020) investigation, taking this huge responsibility after the removal of Judge Fadi Sawan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarek_Bitar).
Bambi learned from watching several media channels, national and French, that Senior Lebanese Professors of Law agree that Judge Tarek Bitar is both highly competent (incredible academic performance and professional journey) and HONEST. What a beautiful combination in life. Add to it what Lebanon’s people, diaspora, and friends around the world have discovered in him: A man of courage!
As a reminder, the surrealistic Beirut port explosion was “caused by a huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate fertilizer that was stored haphazardly at Beirut port for years“.
Shockingly, Lebanon’s “top political and security officials knew of the dangers posed by the shipment but failed to take action“.
Not surprisingly, and as per l’Orient Today, “the powerful Shiite party Hezbollah is leading demands to remove Bitar“.
Believe it or not, EVEN if Lebanon has been diving into hell at a scary speed, “its ministers have said they will boycott cabinet sessions until an official decision is taken to replace him“.
As a consequence, the Lebanese government that was finally formed in September, 2021, “to address an unprecedented economic crisis, has failed to meet since October, despite mounting woes”!
Isn’t it both shocking and sad when a troubled country is totally paralyzed by its criminals like that?
Regardless, in Bambi’s mind, Judge Tarek Bitar is a REAL hero keeping hope alive in his country. Hope for truth and justice. Hope for accountability (for once!). Hope for democracy. This is why, and more than once, she has (symbolically) nominated him for a Peace Nobel Prize on this blog!
Lebanon, Canada, and the entire world need independent and courageous judges like the honourable Tarek Bitar. Thanks to him and, once again (perhaps more than ever), may God protect him (and his family)!
To conclude this post on a musical note tribute to Beirut following its blast, here is a moving song by Mr. Ghassan Saliba… If you are interested, here is a quick translation from an earlier post by Bambi:
“Is it possible to go back in time and forget what happened
In the city
inhabited by sadness and destruction?
Is it possible,
one of these days, to extinguish the fire
In the hearts
they have burned and made them collapse?
Is it
possible, one of these days, to resume writing poems
about the beautiful
city we fell in love with and keep waiting and waiting for?
Is it
possible, one of these days, to be able to erase what happened to this sad city
So the journey
can begin?
The bewildered population of this country when it has no decision-making
It begs for justice from any place and any forum of decision-making
Is it
possible, one of these days, to do something for the many who have survived
Reach the end of the story and put an end to the defeat?
Is it possible, one of these days, that the generations that do not chose their destiny
will get rid of this injustice and change the course of history?
One day will come when all the secrets will be uncovered
And this stubborn land will be crowned with glory…“
Bambi discovered a Lebanese singer yesterday, thanks to one of her two favourite internet radio stations (the one with a Lebanese-American flavour and the other is from Québec). His name is Mr. Christian El Khazen. His voice is pure to Bambi’s non-musical ears and moving to her heart. OK, Bambi is far from being a music expert (she sings like a frog). However, as her dad taught her when she was very young, her ears are tools to appreciate the talent of others… In turn, she hopes you will enjoy listening to this singer!
His first song is Petit Papa Noël that Bambi grew up thinking that it was her favourite song ever :). OK–Perhaps it is still one of her favourite ones at her older age.
The second song is Ave Maria. As your maid of honour, Bambi will dedicate it to you Rania and Rabih. You know why :)!
The rest of the songs below are just fun for Bambi to listen to ahead of Christmas. Thank you, Mr. Christian El Khazen!
How is this different from how the legal system, in corrupt countries like Lebanon, is influenced by powerful forces (i.e., Hezbollah and its allies)?
Should Canada consider changing the process of nomination of its provincial superior court judges to minimize Ottawa’s interference or could anything else be done?
In the case of the nation of Québec, if such political shenanigans do not stop, the Belle Province will have no choice but to re-activate its aspiration for independence.
What a loss for Canada… Mr. Trudeau, please preserve our unity!
Bambi has been listening to this fantastic song (or is it a prayer?) for two evenings in a row while working.
Yes, it soothing and simply beautiful, especially when we understand its deep spiritual meaning. Even if we do not understand it all, we still do somehow. Indeed, Fairouz’ voice is a guiding light of hope in the middle of her country’s darkest days that we sadly (and hopelessly) read about from far away.
Mind you, the picture shown in the video below could have been taken by Bambi (she has the same one from her last trip to Beirut in December 2019). It is the downtown area. It shows the nice Maronite church of Saint George and the beautiful Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque that coexist, side by side, in Downtown Beirut (Lebanon).
In this Mediterranean tiny country of the Middle East, you see many worship places sometimes sharing the same wall: on on side, it is a church (whether Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic/Maronite, Protestant, etc.) and on the other it is a mosque (whether Sunni, Shia, etc.) or a Druze temple, etc. Very charming, to say the least.
PLEASE, listen to his story with his two denied federal grants carefully.
Please take the time to think about all this.
He is publicly and courageously talking and sharing. How many have gone though the same experience in silence?
Is this Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) the way to move forward our scientific research enterprise in Canada?
Will this keep Canada competitive at the domestic and international levels?
Is this a good use of taxpayers’ money? Yours, his, the journalist’s, and Bambi’s.
Will this be fair to our new university students and future scientists?
Will we regret all this obsession with EDI in 10, 15, and 25 years from now?
Bambi has always wondered who came up with this EDI slogan/bureaucracy and why are we doing it? She was happy to hear Dr. Kambhampati talk about this. What an eloquent thinker! What an inspiring scientist!
Why can’t we question this invented EDI, as Dr. Kambhampati explained so well!?
Why this totalitarianism, Canada, that is preventing us from questioning EDI and questioning many other related concepts or ideas?
Why this overwhelming political correctness that is making some of us say what we do not believe in just to conform… or out of fear?
Why are some censored (or cancelled or punished) for questioning?
In Bambi’s mind, things are simple and crystal clear: if diversity does not include intellectual diversity, what is the use of it?
If equity is no longer about fairness, is it worth it?
If inclusion means exclusion of some, is it still worth being called so?
If science is no longer about science first, will we still have something called science in 10, 25, or 100 years?
Are we truly serving our new young trainees in science and medicine? Or are we being unfair to some while giving a message to others that you are not capable of doing it on your own?
This top-bottom forces of racial-based authoritarianism (coming from the top of governance or bureaucracy) scares Bambi, as she worries about Canada’s short-term future (next 5-10 or more years?)… and what is next?
To come back to the interview in question, Dr. Kambhampati said something very interesting about safe spaces in universities: Safe for some… but not for others. Indeed, double standards, sadly once again (some talk, others not. Some safe. Others not). Despite the noble stated intentions of such ideologies, their practice on the ground can only be unrealistic or even too absurd… and ironically unfair (again, to some more than others).
Look at the irony of the lost opportunities of future talented students who would have wanted to work with Dr. Kambhampati on his proposed projects. Perhaps your children are or will be among them? Perhaps our politicians’ own kids when they grow up?
Luckily for him, Dr. Kambhampati was awarded an international prestigious grant for his work… Isn’t it this also sad for Canada? The world (at least part of it) is still looking at scientific merit. Canada is putting ideologies before excellence… Again, how can we remain competitive at the international level?
Related to all those trendy ideologies, Bambi salutes Québec for considering (even if it is sad to have to interfere in university affairs) a bill to protect academic freedom as “there is no safe spaces in the classroom” to use the own words of a Commission on the topic, as per an older post shown further below.
If EDI does not guarantee scientific merit (or excellence), what is its point? Why should we use it… or risk abusing it or being abused by it?
Are our politicians in Ottawa (and elsewhere too) listening? Are our bureaucrats listening? Are taxpayers OK with all this? What about parents of our future scientists? What about all of us, including our minorities that we pretend to speak in their names?
Today it is Dr. Kambhampati who is in this situation. Yesterday, it may have been you. Tomorrow, it will still be you… and others (if we do not say enough!).
MANY thanks Dr. Pat Kambhampati for speaking up as you have been courageously doing. Bambi was HONOURED to interview you on November 24, 2021!
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Earlier posts can be found below. The interview above is also available on Bambi’s personal website:
