Job Vacancy: President, send in your resumé

Why don't they consider the presidency in Lebanon as a job vacancy. The candidates should submit their CVs(résumés), and if by first look by the recruiter they are qualified for an interview, they get interviewed by the HR. They should of course, take a bath and dress neatly, be punctual and show up to this interview .
We all know the main objective of an interview with the HR is to meet the minimum requirements technically (should have the appropriate background, degrees and experience), and to meet a good deal of personality points such as being presentable, respectful, polite, a good team player and such.

If all goes well, the candidate should go into his next interview, the technical one. Technically for this President job position, the person should know how to run a country, or at least had run a country or something close, to show leadership, self-control, management, diplomacy, patience, wisdom, someone who keeps his promises, knowns about economy, cares for the country and considers its well being as the first priority, respects all the citizens and colleagues, modest, a good listener, someone with a good record (not a criminal, an ex-convict, a ex-crazy person), someone who believes in justice and peace, someone who does not succumb to power, but to strength, instead of leaning below the big players, someone who does not get lured into evil but to good, ...
Things from that sort, if you have more of these job description points, please do comment.

Last thought: "if any of the current candidates apply for this job and should meet all these requirements, who do you really and honestly think will and should get the job?"

Regional Updates, negative vibes

With the most recent assault by Isarel on Palestine, and more than a hundred killed with barely 1 week, we can only think of how much human rights are being violated by Israel. Countries such as India, Iran and China are condemning the use of force excercised by Israel on Ghaza and are demanding them to stop it. (Click here to sign a petition for a ceasefire) [1]

The Palestine Human Rights Campaign abhors the escalation of attacks and ground incursions Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) against Gaza in recent days. Today the attacks killed 31 Palestinians; including 8 children. Among the civilian casualties are thirteen who were killed INSIDE their homes. In the past five days IOF killed over 100 people have been and approximately 150 injured. At least a third are children according to medical sources and most of the casualties are civilians.

Meanwhile, US warships, a guided missile destroyer and USS Cole have resided on the Lebanese cost last Thursday 28 February. US claims that it is there because they are worried about the situation in Lebanon. Other explanations by other sides declare that they are here because of Syria and Iran. [2]

The United States has ordered a warship to take up position off the coast of Lebanon in a show of support for the country's embattled government.
The deployment of the USS Cole is being seen as a warning to Syria which - along with Iran - backs the opposition.

Lebanon remains without a president. The presidential elections has been postponed 15 times so far, and is due to take place on March 11.[2]

Lebanon has not had a president since 24 November, when pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud left office. Parliament has repeatedly failed to elect a successor amid an ongoing row over candidates.

You guys don`t care!!! You have no president?!

Maz Jobrani (Hollywood actor and comedian) in one of his shows in Lebanon, with The Axis of Evil, started his set with this sentence: "You guys don't care! you really don't! You have no president! and you are partyyyyinnnnng!"

He's right, besides him being very funny, making fun of arabs and muslims, and people who stereotype arabs and muslims as terrorists, and sending a message of peace! We have been without a president for more than three weeks, and weird enough, on the ground, it doesn't really manifest negatively, it's a bit neutral.

We were supposed to elect a president on 23 November 2007, but they postponed the parliament session for another week, as they still haven't chosen a president who all agree on. Again on November 30th, the session was postponed again till December 7th, but talks about General Michel Sleiman were starting, guessing that the next week, a session would be held to adjust the constitution in order to be able to elect him, but some obstacles were blocking the elections again, so it was postponed again till next Tuesday.

December 1st, coincided with several occasions, first it was World's AIDS Day. I heard a statistics that younger men in Lebanon are not using protection. So to everyone out there, we have over 1000 case in Lebanon since the early eighties, relatively the number is small, let us try to keep it this way.

Moreover, it has been one year since the opposition camped in Downtown Beirut.

Today, it was the second annual Gibran Tueni for reporting, and in 3 days, it's his two years memorial anniversary.

On the other hand and away from politics, many Lebanese people are coming back to Lebanon on the holidays. So kudos, in hope that politics do not ruin the holidays.

Last month, two electro house DJs have visited Lebanon and held successful concerts. In conclusion, seems like citizens are bored from politics, waiting to go to more events, they don't care and they want to party, as Maz Jobrani put it.

Finally, traffic is as usual around holidays, the whole month of December appears to be like those drivers have escaped the mental instituation and are driving around. Shopping spree, everything becoming expensive and not just because christmas and new year's are around the corner.

Happy December, enjoy traffic, take it easy, and stay away from politics.

Previous President Emile Lahoud leaves Baabda

Constitutional or not Constitutional, this is the question

Not because it's a historical day, but it's because it is one of the most contradictory days that Lebanon has ever witnessed.
1- 109 Parliament members including opposition arrive to the parliament at noon.
2- Session postponed till November 30th in order to elect a president agreed upon from all sides
3- Post the canceled session, deputies talk back to each other through the media
4- The Cabinet is in session since 6:30pm discussing the latest updates
5- The president (till 11:59pm on November 23, 2007) Emile Lahoud declares a state of emergency starting 24 November 2007
6- The Cabinet denies it, based on the constitution, explaining that only the cabinet after passing it to the parliament as well and the majority's signature can declare such state. (That was at 8:30 pm today)

Stay tuned for any updated, today is not finished yet.