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.

How are the presidential elections affecting the average Lebanese citizen?

Many people are delaying big purchases such as apartments or cars till after the elections. Others are postponing payments of monthly bills or installments till the end of the month. One case I've heard is postponing a wedding and buying furniture for their house. I personally postponed buying a ticket to a concert till next week. And of course, many have canceled going out this week, many rumors of staying home is safer, embassies sending message to their people to avoid going out all this week. Moreover many Lebanese are worried of a potential rage riot, roads blocking, area occupation and such. Every side is accusing the other of going to start a fight. A company is also waiting for all this to finish before they move to a new location. Thursday is a holiday, independence day, so many schools are going to close on Wednesday and Friday as well.

But in general, it isn't as worrisome as it sounds, we are more than used to this, for example all work places are not affected by this. (lucky us)

Lebanon, land of utopia

Definitely not something we have anticipated, or at least I didn't. I had forseen Kamil Khoury's victory, or Amin Gemayel's victory, but certainly not both at the same time.
Tuning in to OTV, you will notice that the first won, tuning in to LBC for example, it is Gemayel that won.
MSN personal messages are hilarious, everybody declaring the victory of the political party they side with.
I also discovered that there has been cloning in Bourj Hammoud. As some people went to vote and discovered they had "already" voted today, amnesia? or what!
What else, I wanted to blog in a serious way about the Matn Elections for the parliament seat that has been emptied when Sheik Pierre Gemayel died last November 2006, but this is just too funny.

Update: I just saw on LBCI, two groups of people spread each on one side, with the Lebanese army between them.
I am surprised that this was not thought of, they should've put a curfew, and I hope they will notice this soon enough and declare this decision. I understand that the maximum that can happen is people from opposing parties will beat each other up, but for me, I think I still have like 0,01% of hope for Lebanon, and everytime I see this picture, I am afraid my hope will completely die.

Update: Leaders of both parties has called out for their supporters to get out of Jdeideh's area. Yey

Elections by colors

Colors are very hip nowadays in Lebanon. Tomorrow, August 5th, will be holding elections, between a representative from FPM aka Aounists, and the Phalange's Amine Gemayel who is trying to replace his son, Pierre Gemayel, after he was assassinated in November 2006.
I have received many e-mails with the subject "Vote Orange", I've seen many convoys with orange flags and pictures for Aoun, while they were honking their special "ta ra rat tat tat, General" tone, moreover, I saw many other convoys for Phalanges, with pictures of Amine and Pierre Gemayels, and flags with the Phalange's cedar on them.
Many army troops are spread everywhere in Metn area to make sure no "problems" occur between the excited and overzealous youth out-there, the pro-honking and colorful flags youth.
What is most amazing and just impressive, is hearing both sides, blame each other for starting it, they hear the bad side of the other, and the good side of their own.

How will we ever love each other and build a good country? Christians are ruining each other, although I am pro secular country, I still think, sects should be preserved to a certain point.