Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Non political good news for a change

From Naharnet
"First Solar Car in Arab Region Made by Lebanese TeamA team of fourth-year engineering students and their professor have successfully built the first solar-powered vehicle in the Arab region, the American University of Beirut announced Wednesday.The team named their car Apollo's Chariot, in reference to the Greek god of the sun, the AUB press release said.It said the steel-and-fiberglass, one-seater vehicle measures 5.5 meters in length and 2 meters in width. It weighs about 700 kilograms, or almost double the weight of an average sedan. Led by Mechanical Engineering Assistant Professor Daniel Asmar, the team of Elie Maalouf, Amin Kanafani, Ahmed Hammoud, and Rawad el-Jurdi, took almost nine months of dedicated work to build the "Chariot," AUB said.It said that with its aerodynamic design, the futuristic-looking vehicle glides over the road quietly. "It looks like a rocket, but moves like a swan," said Kanafani. "We actually built a car that runs on a new kind of energy. It's almost like magic!"Professor Asmar admits, however, that solar-powered vehicles are still years from becoming commercially available. Right now, building one that can be safely driven on the streets would cost more than a million dollars. Nevertheless, they are important for research purposes.Apollo's Chariot cost about $25,000, the press release said. It said that through 36 small and eight large photovoltaic cells, the car converts solar energy into 1000 watts of power. The components of the car include the cells and batteries, which capture and store the solar energy, and a DC (direct current) motor which converts energy from the batteries into a uniform source of energy. A maximum power point tracker device also maximizes the amount of power delivered from the cells."

This, they achieved despite a year full of conflict and crap.

I wonder at the heights we would achieve as a nation if only we had a little peace, and with it the peace of mind that would allow us to create and advance.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Popeye where art thou?

Apparently Olive Oyl was attacked by Brutus in Nabatieh, she called around desperately but Popeye was no where to be found.
Don't worry, she escaped the goons and went back to Awkar unharmed.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Aoun is freaking out (again)

http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&72BC2A485D113A58C225746900228926

Is it just me or is Aoun having a conniption now that he realises that El-Presidente is to be his new competition as a viable christian leader in this country? Now when Aounites want to jump the boat, they have somewhere to land.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Waiting waiting waiting...

We are still waiting for the new government.
Interestingly some "politicians" have come out and admitted that they don't want the "hard ministries" because it would be too much work for them. Only in Lebanon.

In the meantime, George Bush has appointed Olive Oyl as the new US Ambassador to Lebanon. We are now eagerly awaiting for Popeye to make an appearance.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

I think the Qataris are just now realising what they got themselves into...

Poor Qataris.
What did they do to deserve this?
They were living in peace, building their country into a modern nation, enjoying their lives.
Now they get a phone call a minute: come and solve this problem, come solve that problem, so and so is bothering me, so and so is taking all the goodies, so and so isn't sticking to the agreement.....


Didn't they know "Qadi el-awlad shanaq 7alo?"

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Obama Obama Obama

Well Obama clinched it. Hilary must be mucho pissed, she thought she had it in the bag, where did this guy come from to steal away her nomination?

ha ha ha on Hilary

If you're wondering why women didn't vote for you I think it's because you let your husband off too easy when he cheated :P

So now it's Obama vs McCain. Who will win? Polls say Obama for now, but polls can change. Also if he asks Hilary to run for VP how would that alter the polls?

From my non-american point of view, what is important to me is the effect on the situation over here. Ofcourse, there is no such thing as who is better for us, there is only a "who is the lesser of two evils" as they will always support the Isreali position unconditionally whatever happens, we will be the afterthought.

An intersting question: I wonder who black Republicans will be voting for?

Sunday, June 01, 2008

That was then this is now....

Last time there was a prisoner exchange I was glued to the TV tears of happiness streaming down my face.

This time, well this time it's different.

I haven't watched any of it on TV , I'm sure I'll see it on the evening news. Though I'm happy for the guy and his family that he is being released, it all feels so distant.

I know the reason for this: in the back of mind, I keep wondering about the next time there is an attack on Beirut, on my family, on my neighbourhood, as a member of Hizballah,will he be one of those masked men with their guns, coming to kill?