Four beddings and a funeral!

This is a long overdue post I know, but to paraphrase John Lennon "blog is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans." So now that I am back from Slovenia, I am trying to update the blog again with Beiruti news. The walls of the city have become some sort of giant commemorative place for the memory of the dead. First we start with the "beddings".... Michael Ain Malak is a young man who died in a ski accident. His death sparked his parent's quest for security on the slopes. So now that his first yearly commemoration is up, posters were plastered with the demands in question (Fair insurance, field hospital, etc....). The photo shown here depicts him as a "ski lover in heaven" however there were other ones which showed him in bermuda turnks, topless and in flip flops with were digested rather with difficulty with some people as they lacked the dignification of death. Second in line is slain ex-Minister and heir in waiting of the political part of the Phalangists Pierre Gemayel. It is good to see that after so many mediatic flops the Phalangists could come up with something decent and actually rather good. One of Gemayel's achievements, as the minister of industry, was the slogan: "You love Lebanon? So love its industry!" the poster of the commemoration of Gemayel reads "You love Lebanon? So don't love any other nation!" in reference to the supposed subduing of the rival political parties to Iran and Syria. The fact the the coalition to which belongs the Phalangists is heavily influenced by Saudi Arabia was naturally diregarded. Moving on Gebran Tueini, publisher of Annahar newspaper and MP who died too in booby trap implanted in his car. Tueni, who on the 14h of March (When the massive anti-Syrian rally) took place in downtown Beirut formulated his brief but punchy "oath" saw that famous "oath" glued in a collage to form his face.... The result however is quite macabre to be honest and quite unapealing. The last one to be serivices is Elie Hobeiba, former leader of the Lebanese Forces and one of the most important actors of the Sabra Chatila massacres. The invite to his commemoration is headlined with "Alive in your choices" a direct replica of "Alive in our hearts" which is usually associated with the Lebanese Forces founder Bachir Gemayel and also a clear wink at his pro-Syrian alliances which are now de jour in Lebanese politics. And the funeral? Well, it is our national beer Almaza. This is elections time in Lebanon this year, so there is a clear reference in the ad which reads "does not cause a cold" and also "do not nominate anyone (to the elections)." But you may wonder, if the ad so witty why am I deploring the death of the brand? Because they have been adopting this same line of ads for the last several years, someting to which this blog has referred to earlier under the title of "the diamond has lost its sparkle." Great, now the diamond is dead!