Author: Bambi

Ms. Arlette Kattah was a pharmacist devoted to her service.

She was actually badly injured in her own pharmacy.

She was rushed to the hospital where she spent an entire year in the coma.

Indeed, according to 961, “on August 4, 2020, Arlette Jean Kattah was one of the thousands of victims who were injured in the Beirut port explosion. On August 4, 2021, she passed away“.

The Beirut Blast Just Claimed Another Victim A Year Later

In solidarity, Bambi would like to extend her heart to her family, friends, and patients.

If she may, to honour Ms. Arlette Kattah (without knowing her in person), Bambi will allow herself to offer her a song entitled “Le ciel est à moi” by Ms. Marie-Élaine Thibert”. May her memory be eternal…

Bambi would like to thank Dr. Mathieu Bock-Côté for tweeting about the following:

If you think that Dr. Bock-Côté is over-reacting, listen to these CTV so-called journalists talking about the French culture and the French language.

Pay attention to how they talk about the Académie Française with much ignorance and an unclassy intellectual attitude. At least one of them said that she lives in Montreal and apparently spoke French. Mmm, how can someone speak a language without being more appreciative of other cultures and traditions?

Of note, one of these TV show women went as far as talking about Québec as a “tribe” (which could be true, like all nations or silent majorities, had she not been that negative in her comment).

Of course, while talking about the French language, one of these TV show women could not help not to bash Québec’s Bill 21 on state secularism. It is classical in English-speaking Canada to do so while mischaracterizing the latter, regardless of our opinion about it.

Did CTV receive funding from our federal government? If so, why is our OWN tax money funding such non-sense? Anyhow, Bambi is happy she does not watch TV at home to have to listen to such mediocrity of sociocultural public discourse.

To conclude on a positive note, Bambi is happy that in her own family, her father-in-law who is originally from Toronto (yes, anglophone) is now likely much more fluent in French than her! Most importantly, he has GREAT respect for Québec’s values and culture. It would have been perhaps enriching (and surely fun :)) to invite him to this TV show. He would have certainly brought another perspective to the show (even if he has legitimate reasons for not being fond of laws like Bill 21…). Sadly, nowadays, we do not want to listen to and engage with different perspectives. We are perhaps too intellectually lazy or too conformist for that. We prefer the non-sense of political correctness instead of the richness of public debates. How sad, isn’t it?

To listen to this show called “The Social“, please click:

https://www.ctv.ca/shows/the-social/does-the-french-language-need-to-be-protected-in-canada-s8e209

Bambi is proud of her friend Aline Acaf from Amherst for having discovered her passion for painting during the Nova Scotia lockdown. You will see why in this post featuring her talent!

To begin with, Bambi would like to say a few words about Ms. Aline Acaf (or A. for short). The world is small, If you are from the Maritimes or from Lebanon, you may know her or may have heard of her. Who knows? You may even recall having read her reflections on the catastrophic Lebanese financial crash on this blog in December, 2019 (Bambi had a chat wit her). This being said, many of you will be discovering this artist’s talent for the first time.

Actually, Aline A. is talented in so many ways to the point that Bambi does not know from where to start. Well, here are some examples: She is a mother (of three wonderful adult children), a spouse, a friend, a volunteer at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre, an award-winning volunteer within her community supporting newcomers, a cook (and cooking teacher to Bambi’s spouse… Bambi being a hopeless case :)!), and last but not least she is now a passionate, diligent (taking courses even), and inspiring artist!

Aline, many thanks for having accepted Bambi’s invitation to post your beautiful paintings on her blog. Bambi is honoured! She is not saying so because she is biased by our friendship. She is saying so, even if she knows nothing about painting. However, she can recognize talent and be moved by it when she sees it. This is why she is proud of you, today more than ever!

As a matter of fact, Bambi could intuitively guess your talent many years ago when we took a one-time workshop generously offered by a Sackville (NB) incredibly talented artist, Ms. Angela Thibodeau. Yet, she is happily speechless by your beautiful paintings and refined artistic talent!

If you recall, Artist Thibodeau taught us how to paint a bird :). Well, Bambi owes you a lot for having helped her save her own painting. Although she struggled with it, she enjoyed the relaxing effect of painting and how we forget about the entire world when we are completely immersed in the moment/task. We call this the “flow state” in cognitive psychology. One must say that Bambi’s end product looked like a painting by an eight-year-old kid, to use her spouse’s teasing words. Despite this, she remains proud of her achievement to the point of exposing this funny painting in their den. Seriously now, Bambi is MUCH more proud of your painting exposed in their living room… and now on her blog!

To conclude this post, please keep up the great work Aline. Please keep sharing your passion with us and… keep having fun as well as endless flow moments! This being said, Bambi will now share Ms. Aline Acaf’s paintings with you (some come with titles; some are already sold, watch out). Following these paintings, you will see a link to this artist’s Instagram called “passionpaintbyAline” (including more paintings). Enjoy!

You can find more painting by Ms. Aline Acaf’s on her Instagram platform where she can be reached. If you are not on social media, you can contact Bambi who will happily put you in contact with Aline. Enjoy!

https://www.instagram.com/passionpaintbyaline

1. He is imposing elections on us (that no one wants/needs!). Lebanon BADLY needs elections.
2. Like Lebanese politicians, he knows how to increase his country’s debt  (“$ 1,234 billion, or $ 32,362 per head of Canadian”, to use the terms of Mr. Michel Girard; https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/08/14/trudeau-la-facture-aux-generations-futures)!
3. As per one of his recent tweets, he wants to “build back better”. Lebanon can benefit from such language whatever it means (does he know what he means or is he repeating what Mr. Biden says?).
4. He seems to be fond of sectarianism (when he can exploit it) that his government calls anti-racism. He would fit well in Lebanon.
5. He is out of touch with his people. Again, he would fit well in Lebanon.
6. He is an expert in ethics transgressions. This is a significant baby step in the direction of the moral/financial corruption of the Lebanese politicians.
7. He came up with Bill 36 to silence citizens (for their so-called “hate” online speech). He would fit well in Lebanon.
8. He is telling us he is green… They need genuine green elected officials in Lebanon.
9. He bought a pipeline… They are having fuel tank explosions there. He could contribute to public safety.
10. He has close ties (and perhaps some loyalty) to China. He could help Lebanon in its negotiations with China. The latter could invest in Lebanon or bail it out.
11. He wants to be or wants us to think that he is a feminist. God knows how much Lebanon would benefit from more equality between men and women… even if it is far from being Afghanistan under the Taliban (Bambi’s heart goes to Afghani women!).   

First, here are two pictures from this Akkar region of Lebanon where the tragedy took place:

The explosion took place In this piece of heaven where many live under the line of poverty. In addition, they are suffering from the consequences of corruption like the rest of their fellow citizens. Bambi’s heart goes to the grieving families (some parents lost 2 kids! Other families lost four members at the same time, can you imagine!?). Bambi is also thinking of her friends originally from this beautiful area of Lebanon. Some lost friends or know injured people. Thankfully, their own families are safe and sound.

This being said, we do not know precisely the triggering factor of the explosion. We just know that the army was helping citizens at the moment. Indeed, the Lebanese army confiscated fuel stolen and stored by mafia networks across the country. Some of these illegals operation are overseen by politicians, imagine. Corruption is across political parties!

Anyhow, the Lebanese soldiers were kindly distributing the confiscated material for free to residents when the tragedy took place killing 28+ people and seriously injuring hundred others.

About 22 teams of the Lebanese Red Cross, along with other rescuers, rushed to the scene to transport the injured to hospitals. Remember, the Lebanese healthcare sector, is “agonizing” to use the word of one administrator at a Beirut hospital. It is lacking medical supplies and fuel to be able to keep running.

Was the fuel crisis in Lebanon a consequence of the economic crisis? Or was it an artificially orchestrated crisis by those benefiting from the corruption (by hiding fuel to smuggle it into Syria to sell it three times its price. In other terms, abusing the state fuel subsidies system of Lebanon). This is the real issue here, regardless of the triggering factor that remains under investigation.

To conclude this post on a musical note, one song comes to Bambi’s mind. It is about the fragility of life by Mr. Luc de Larochelière… Life is fragile by nature. However, in today’s Lebanon, not only life is too fragile. Death is trivial and cheap, contrary to all other aspects of people’s lives…

First, Bambi will start by wishing a “Bonne Quinzou” to her friends and readers celebrating this big day!

Acadians are inspiring in so many ways: Their resilience, solidarity, pride, joie de vivre, big heart, and… championship of the French culture in North America!

Here are two songs for you Acadie!

Second, today is also a big day that is off (OK, tomorrow Monday rather) in many countries around the world, including Lebanon. It is the Assumption of Mary, the mother of Jesus. For those who do not know it, Mary is well respected in both Christianity and Islam.

This being said, Bambi would like to pause now (yes, she stopped typing) to close her eyes, thinking of two countries she loves dearly, Haiti and Lebanon, which are going through adversity. Some of you may perhaps recall that Bambi has honoured Haiti once on this blog in a post about national anthems (i.e., the Haitian one is beautiful).

This being said, the most recent tragic news from Haiti is that there has been a 7.2 earthquake. Sadly, about 300+ people died and hundreds are injured:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/over-300-killed-in-magnitude-7-2-quake-in-haiti-1.5547089

Of note, the people of Haiti have been going through harsh times lately following the political assassination of their President Moise. Clearly, they did not need another crisis or trauma/grief. Bambi sends them her heart, along with a prayer that goes with the theme of this day: the Ave Maria interpreted by the inspiring Mr. Andrea Bocelli.

Finally, after this spiritual note, Bambi will conclude this post on August 15 on a much lighter note. Today happens to be the birthday of her dear childhood friend, Fadi. Happy Birthday and much love from both Bambi and her spouse. Have a fun day with your lovely family! Of course, there is a song for you and it is a joyful one. Bambi hopes your wisdom (stemming from your older age :)) will allow you to guess what it is [“bravo ya shater” 🙂 ]!

Bambi thanks journalist Roula Douglas for sharing the following appeal by the American Beirut University Medical Centre (AUBMC):

https://www.aub.edu.lb/Documents/August-14-aubmc-fuel.pdf

First, here is the AUBMC tweet:

Last but not least , here is the AUBMC’s appeal in both English and Arabic.

Can someone save Lebanon from itself, please!?!

For immediate release

Beirut: 14-8-2021

AUBMC appeals for urgent supply of fuel

before forced shutdown this Monday

The American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) is facing imminent disaster due to the threat of a forced shutdown starting the morning of this coming Monday August 16, as a result of fuel shortages. This means that ventilators and other lifesaving medical devices will cease to operate. Forty adult patients and fifteen children living on respirators will die immediately. One hundred and eighty people suffering from renal failure will die poisoned after a few days without dialysis. Hundreds of cancer patients, adults and children, will die in subsequent weeks and very few months without proper treatment.

AUBMC is making an urgent appeal to the Lebanese government, the United Nations (UN) and its agencies the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and to all agencies and organizations able to help, urging them to supply the medical center with enough fuel before it is forced to shut down in less than 48 hrs.

This comes at a time when AUBMC is facing crises at all levels: shortage in drugs and medications, shortage in medical supplies, and the more recent scandalous electricity cuts and impossibility of electricity production with no meaningful fuel deliveries for days.

The American University of Beirut (AUB) has been rationing electricity and fuel across campus for weeks but is running out of both and will not be able to continue to supply its medical center.

The AUB and AUBMC administration considers the Lebanese Government and officials in the Lebanese state fully responsible for this crisis and unfolding humanitarian catastrophe, and for any incident of harm or death resulting from the inability to offer medical care at AUBMC as well as other hospitals and medical services providers in Lebanon who are facing the same reality.

When lives are lost because of a fully preventable lack of electricity and fuel, with family members watching and knowing that the fuel is already present in adequate supply within the country, it will be a moment of infamy, a moment unlike any that Lebanon has experienced since World War I and the famine which cost a third of the population of Mount Lebanon their lives. The AUBMC administration insists that all those in positions of responsibility immediately put aside all their disputes and work together to prevent this imminent disaster. A disaster no one deserves. Least of all the Lebanese and other inhabitants of this nation, whose unwarranted suffering does not deserve to be crowned with needless, pointless, irreversible tragedy.

ENDS

For more information please contact:

Simon Kachar, PhD

Director of News and Media Relations

Mobile: (+961) 3-427-024 

Office: (+961) 1-374-374 ext: 2676

Email: sk158@aub.edu.lb

Note to Editors

About AUB

Founded in 1866, the American University of Beirut bases its educational philosophy, standards, and practices on the American liberal arts model of higher education. A teaching-centered research university, AUB has more than 900 full-time faculty members and a student body of about 9,500 students. AUB currently offers more than 140 programs leading to bachelor’s, master’s, MD, and PhD degrees. It provides medical education and training to students from throughout the region at its Medical Center that includes a full-service 365-bed hospital.

Stay up to date on AUB news and events. Follow us on:

Website:            www.aub.edu.lb  

Facebook:         http://www.facebook.com/aub.edu.lb  

Twitter:              http://twitter.com/AUB_Lebanon

—

خبر صحفي – للنشر

ريروت: 14-8-2021

المركز الطبي في الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت

 يناشد امداده بالوقود بصورة عاجلة قبل الإغلاق القسري يوم الاثنين

يواجه المركز الطبي في الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت (AUBMC) كارثة وشيكة قد تسبب الإغلاق القسري المحتمل اعتبارًا من صباح يوم الاثنين 16 آب القادم، نتيجة انقطاع الوقود. ما يعني أن أجهزة التنفس الاصطناعي وغيرها من الأجهزة الطبية المنقذة للحياة ستتوقف عن العمل. سيموت على الفور أربعون مريضًا بالغًا وخمسة عشر طفلاً يعيشون على أجهزة التنفس. مئة وثمانون شخصًا يعانون من الفشل الكلوي سيموتون بالتسمم بعد أيام قليلة من دون غسيل الكلى. وسيموت المئات من مرضى السرطان، البالغين منهم والأطفال، في الأسابيع والأشهر القليلة اللاحقة من دون علاج مناسب.

يوجه المركز الطبي في الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت نداءً عاجلاً إلى الحكومة اللبنانية والأمم المتحدة ووكالاتها من منظمة الصحة العالمية ومنظمة الأمم المتحدة للطفولة (اليونيسف)، وإلى جميع الوكالات والمنظمات القادرة على المساعدة، ويناشدهم لتزويد المركز الطبي بالوقود الكافي قبل أن يضطر إلى الإغلاق في غضون أقل من 48 ساعة.

يأتي ذلك في وقت يواجه فيه المركز الطبي في الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت أزمات على جميع المستويات: نقص في الأدوية، ونقص في المستلزمات الطبية، وانقطاع التيار الكهربائي الفاضح في الآونة الأخيرة واستحالة إنتاج الكهرباء مع عدم وجود إمدادات وقود مجدية لأيام.

تقوم الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت (AUB) بتقنين استهلاك الكهرباء والوقود في جميع أنحاء حرمها الجامعي منذ أسابيع، إلا أنها على وشك أن تنفذ من كليهما ولن تكون قادرة على الاستمرار في إمداد الطاقة لمركزها الطبي.

تحمّل إدارة الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت ومركزها الطبي، الحكومة اللبنانية والمسؤولين في الدولة اللبنانية، المسؤولية الكاملة عن هذه الأزمة والكارثة الإنسانية، وعن أي حادثة ضرر أو وفاة ناجمة عن عدم أمكانية تقديم الرعاية الطبية في المركز الطبي في الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت بالإضافة إلى غيره من المستشفيات ومقدمي الرعاية الصحية في لبنان الذين يواجهون الواقع نفسه.

عندما تُفقد الأرواح بسبب نقص في الكهرباء والوقود، أمام أعين أفراد الأسر وعلما بأن الوقود موجود بالفعل وبكميات كافية داخل البلد، ستكون هذه لحظة عار. لحظة لم يشهد مثلها لبنان منذ الحرب العالمية الأولى والمجاعة التي كلفت ثلث سكان جبل لبنان حياتهم. تصر إدارة المركز الطبي في الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت على أن يقوم جميع من هم في مواقع المسؤولية، وعلى الفور، بتنحية كل نزاعاتهم جانباً، والعمل معًا لمنع هذه الكارثة الوشيكة. كارثة لا يستحقها أحد، وبالأخص كل اللبنانيين وغيرهم من سكان هذه الأمة، الذين لا تستحق معاناتهم غير المبررة أن تتوج بمأساة لا داعي لها ولا طائل من ورائها ولا عودة منها.

***

لمزيد من المعلومات، الرجاء الاتصال بمكتب الإعلام في الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت:

Simon Kachar, PhD

Director of News and Media Relations

Mobile: (+961) 3-427-024 

Office: (+961) 1-374-374 ext: 2676

Email: sk158@aub.edu.lb

لمحة عن الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت

تأسست الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت في العام  1866وترتكز فلسفتها التعليمية ومعاييرها وممارساتها على النموذج الأميركي الليبرالي للتعليم العالي. والجامعة الأمريكية في بيروت هي جامعة بحثية أساسها التعليم. وهيئتها التعليمية تضم أكثر من تسعمئة أستاذ متفرّغ، أما جسمها الطلابي فيشكّل من حوالي تسعة آلاف وخمسمئة طالب. وتقدم الجامعة الأمريكية في بيروت حاليا أكثر من مئة وأربعين برنامجاً للحصول على شهادات البكالوريوس والماجستير والدكتوراه. وهي توفّر التعليم والتدريب الطبيين للطلاب من جميع أنحاء المنطقة في مركزها الطبي الذي يضم مستشفى كامل الخدمات يضم أكثر من ثلاثمئة وستون سريراً.

للاطلاع على أخبار وأحداث الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت:

الموقع www.aub.edu.lb  

الفيسبوك http://www.facebook.com/aub.edu.lb  

تويتر http://twitter.com/AUB_Lebanon

Bambi does not know if you know or appreciate Mr. Charles Aznavour.

Below, you can listen to his amazing song, called “Emmenez-moi“, sub-titled in English [“Take me” is the name of his English version].

Some songs are eternal.

For sure, Aznavour’s deep and beautiful songs will live eternally.

Mr. Charles Aznavour was adored in Lebanon that he visited so many times during his long career.

If she may, Bambi would like to dedicate his song “Emmenez-moi” to the people of Lebanon who may be dreaming of “escaping” the daily hell they live in. Some of them can leave. Many already did and will continue to migrate. Others will stay. Some will willingly stay. Yet many others will not leave just because they have no other choice.

Luckily, there is music, poetry, and imagination in life.

Thankfully, imagination is free-of-charge.

Yes, no need for governments to subsidy their citizens’ imagination. No need for governments to remove subsidies when it is being sold in the black market in a nearby country (https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanons-aoun-summons-cbank-governor-after-decision-end-fuel-subsidy-2021-08-12/).

Imagination allows people to dream finding dignity and safety at home or abroad.

Imagination also allows people to dream/imagine a new and still affordable Lebanon.

Imagine a country with a government and without endless impunity.

Imagine hospitals that do not risk closure, one after the other, due to power outages.

Imagine a country with accessible food and fuel.

Imagine a place where residents, especially more senior or vulnerable ones, can imagine a visit to the hospital to heal, and not as a one-way trip to eternity.

Capitals and cities where you do not have to walk up to 10-12 different pharmacies, in the heat and in a pandemic, to find your medication.

Cities where residents can take elevators to their apartments without the risk of being stuck in them.

Capitals where people can stay in cool indoors in unbearably humid summer days.

Villages and cities where people can use their land phones to talk to loved ones abroad and their ovens to cook.

Countries where manufactures can still run because they have access to the much needed fuel.

And the list goes on…. but Bambi will spare you more blahblahblah. She will just remind you that after all we are in 2021… not in the stone age!

To conclude this post on a lighter and musical note, thank you Mr. Aznavour for your TALENT! Had you been still alive, you would have been shocked to see Lebanon in such bad shape…

The CDC is the world-renowned Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If Bambi is not mistaken, the CDC is a federal American agency that is partly funded by public money and partly by private foundations like the Bloomberg Family Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the CDC Foundation (a charity, which receives private funding.

Now, the CBC is our  Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (mind you, Bambi heard someone say once “Communist” instead of “Canadian” ?).  For the record, CBC is funded by the public, that is by your tax money and Bambi’s.

Governmental agencies (in both the USA and Canada) and private companies alike (e.g. Ben& Jerry ice cream, etc.) constantly endorse political correctness causes and language.

Recently, the CDC used the term “pregnant people” instead of “pregnant women”  (similar idea as “chestfeeding” instead of “breastfeeding”):

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/pregnancy.html

And today, our own CBC used it as well:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/pregnant-us-covid-vaccine-cdc-1.6137616

After reading all this and reflecting about it, Bambi was curious to see how this “pregnant people” would sound in Arabic. It would sound like this:

“الناس الحوامل

Al Naas Alhhawamil“

And  “pregnant women” would sound like that:

“Alnisa’ alhawamil

النساء الحوامل”

The two words, women and people, sound similar, almost with the same exact letters. However, such new language would be insulting to women as it dilutes them in the patriarchal societies of the Arab world (currently, not just of the past). At least, leave Arabic-speaking women the language to refer to their beautiful biological function of bearing and giving life.   

You may and we may wonder why some medical scientists and journalists are introducing this new language. 

Like with the use of pronouns, the stated reason of this new language can be said to be noble as it aspires to respect the diversity of gender. MANY people are genuinely concerned to be welcoming to all in their society. Bravo. Some, however, do not know why they would write pronouns after their name, Perhaps to fit in? Perhaps to conform? Perhaps to show to what extent they are socially conformists?

To come back to the new language in relation to reproduction, the underlying stated idea is to sound inclusive to transgender parents. The latter remain a minority in the population, one must add.

However, make no mistake, it is not because transgender parents are a minority in the population that they do not deserve our utmost respect and compassion, like anyone else (and perhaps more so due to their social vulnerability). No one should discriminate against anyone in life. Respecting people’s choices and people’s individuality is the best antidote to all forms of injustice in life.

Sadly, the effect of the new ideologies and their new terms on the whole society is that, once again (like with the story of the pronouns), language is used to control people by keeping them on edge, always wondering what to say and what not to say or write in order not to offend others. Do you also see the absurdity and anti-freedom nature of political correctness like Bambi?

To conclude this post, we may embrace this new term. We may laugh or just smile when we hear it. Regardless, one thing is clear in Bambi’s mind, there is a difference between respecting a minority and excluding half of the population of the world, women… ironically in the name of so-called inclusion.