Is "Achra Abid Zghar" a racial slur?

Achra Abid Zghar! Based on Agatha Christie's book "Ten Little Niggers" which itself is based on the nursery rhyme "Ten Little Indians" (for the American edition the title was changed into "And Then There Were None" just like the nursery rhyme now uses "soldier boys" instead of "Indians").
In Arabic the word "Abd" or "Slave" is used interchangeably for "person with dark skin". So the literal title of "Achra Abid Zghar" which originally aired in 1974 on Tele Liban means "Ten Little Slaves/Persons of Dark skin". For Ramadan 2014, MTV is airing a new version of the show, apparently rewritten but "with Agatha Christie influences" (so says the intro "min ajwa2 Agatha Christie") but of course - kept the same original name, racial slur included.
Above you can see the title taken from the intro - both old and new. So here's the question: Is the title derogative?
Should MTV have changed the title to reflect more racial senstibility in today's world?
Or should the title remain the same because - duh - that's the name of the work anyhow (it's like rewriting Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" while omitting the 219 "nigger" words that are mentionned).
Gandour, our national pastry confectionary changed the name of "Ras el Abd" (Literally "tete de negre") into Tarboush as a sign of changing times and political correctness, so here's the question:
Should Achra Abid Zghar have changed names for the same reason? And is this a racial slur in the title?
And - just because we are used to it - does this omit the original condescending reference of the word "Abd" in the context?

Imad Gebrayel's Madina: The city comes alive.

In a world where Escher meets Tim Burton and crosses-over with Naji Al Ali, comes Madina - the illustrative brainchild of Imad Gebrayel (whom you might remember from a certain other wesbite among other creative endeavours I was enamoured with!), and - so far - Madina (which translates into city) has covered Gaza, Jounieh, Dubai and Damascus. You can find Madina on facebook, and below is the project in the words of its originator:

"Who is "Madina"?
Madina cannot be defined by what’s between her legs for her existence today transcends the physical cast she once found herself trapped in. She is an outcome of social experiments, of lust and contradictions. She is all of us, and we all are ‘Madina’. Spawned from the Arab desert batting long dark eyelashes and stroking an even darker beard; Madina is the oriental schizophrenia bound by land’s tradition, an ardent fire that remains too weak to spark a revolution. 'Madina' is a creative writing and illustration project by Imad Gebrayel, adapted to English by Nisrine Najem."

Survivor: Beirut (applications now accepted)

Written originally in 2006 and published in "Getting the News from Poems", these are the rules of Survivor: Beirut as based on the ABC application.

SURVIVOR: BEIRUT

Survivor: Beirut (Based on the real application form for Survivor as downloaded from the ABC website)

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

So you've seen the show and lived it between 1975 and 1990 and now want to know how to become a part of SURVIVOR Beirut II. Here is a breakdown of the selection process:

1. If you have previously applied for SURVIVOR and you were a finalist in the civil war, please do not reapply. Unless you specifically notify us in writing that we should not consider your prior application (and therefore survival) and submission in connection with an upcoming SURVIVOR, we will be reviewing your previously submitted applications and videotape submissions for SURVIVOR. We will not consider any new application or submission you may submit. Second, if you have previously applied for SURVIVOR and you were not a finalist in Beirut I, feel free to reapply if you wish because we will not be considering your previously submitted applications and videotape submissions for upcoming SURVIVORs (Considering you will survive Beirut II that is).

2. Written application forms are available for downloading on this website. These forms along with the video submission must be received at the SURVIVOR mailbox no later than Friday, June 16, 2006, at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Protagonists reserve the right, in their discretion, to extend the deadline as appropriate.

3. A total of approximately 3,826,018 applicants (Approximate number of Lebanese people) will be invited to interview sometime in late July – early August 2006 (Depending on the availability of shelters, or the length of the combat sessions, in case of death we shall not be held liable to any compensation) in person. Protagonists reserve the right to change the number or the identity of the foregoing locations at any time. All travel expenses for the interview will be the applicants’ sole expense.

4. Approximately 48 semi-finalists (the final number of which will be determined by luck, fate, God or a combination of them) will be invited to Bierut in September 2006 (or as otherwise scheduled by a combination of Hizbollah, Israeli forces, United Nations, United States, European Union countries, and ceasefire) for final interviews with the SURVIVOR protagonists. Roundtrip economy air travel between the Rafic Hariri Beirut International Airport and your local air raided airport and lodging will be provided by the protagonists (In case the runways are still not working, it is advisable to listen to the flight attendant’s safety instructions, specifically the part about the inflatable yellow vests due to proximity to the sea).

5. The finalists (the final number of which will be determined by again, luck, fate, God or any combination of them) will be selected as contestants to participate in this SURVIVOR Beirut II program. Filming is presently scheduled to occur sometime between late-October and December 2006 (or as otherwise scheduled by the different combinations afore mentioned) at a remote location to be announced (Well, scouting is still underway in the southern suburbs to find a pile of rubble that would be aesthetic enough to sustain the several days of shooting).

6. All decisions made by the protagonists are final and not subject to review or appeal.

So now you're probably wondering what kind of person is eligible to be selected for this once in a lifetime opportunity. Here are the guidelines:

● Employees, officers, directors and agents of the protagonists and/or of any of their respective licensees, assigns, parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies and the immediate family (spouse, mother, father, sister, brother, daughter or son, regardless of where they live) or members of their same households (whether related or not) of such employees, officers, directors and agents are not eligible to be contestants on SURVIVOR or participate in this application process.

● All contestants must be 1 day or older at the time of application.

● All contestants must be Lebanese citizens and be living in Lebanon.

● All contestants should not be in excellent physical and in poor mental health.

● All applicants must authorize Protagonists to conduct a background check.

● All semi-finalists will be required to complete and timely return the Medical History Form (to be furnished to the selected applicants).

● All semi-finalists must undertake physical and psychological examinations and testing (to be conducted in Beirut by medical personnel selected by the Protagonists) and meet all physical and psychological requirements that certify them as nuts.

● To receive an invitation to be a semi-finalist, each applicant must complete and timely return the Applicant Agreement Package (to be furnished to the selected applicants).

● All semi-finalists must have a valid Lebanese passport.

● Applicants who are selected as contestants cannot be candidates for public office until after the initial broadcast of all programs in which they appear.

Beyond these basic qualifications and any additional qualifications set forth in the Contestant Application, we are looking for a diverse group of men and women who represent a broad cross-section of Lebanese society. Our competitors will be in debatable physical health. Building shelter and finding food will be much more taxing than a trip to your local hardware store or supermarket. Our competitors will also need to be in arguable mental health so that they will be able to cope with the extreme change in environment and the tension of the competition.

Contestants will be selected based upon having the following traits:

● Strong-willed

● Outgoing

● Adventurous

● Physically and mentally inadept

● Adaptable to new environments (Especially able to cope with immediate migration)

● Interesting lifestyles, backgrounds and personalities (Borderline disorders especially encouraged)

The prize for this competition is your life but this prize money will not come easily. Our competitors must be willing to commit to traveling and living in a remote location for approximately seven weeks. Contestants will be filmed up to 24 hours a day by television camera crews to be broadcast on national television. This is reality television. They will actually be living in a remote location, and they will actually be responsible for building their own shelter and finding their own food.

If you are serious about this opportunity and are willing to accept this commitment, please click below to access the application form and answers to frequently asked questions.

Rihanna has an ISIS tatoo, not of the caliphate, of the goddess.

Rihanna has an ISIS tatoo - no, no, not for the Caliphate of The Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria - I mean the egyptian Goddess! Yes, tends to be pretty confusing these days. It's a sad state of the affairs, (unless you remember the tatoo is her thoracic cage and every time she shows it there is bound to be a boob spill-over).

A year ago Sharp Lemon also did Ramadan too!

Following what I just wrote about Anthony and No Garlic No Onions, Sharp Lemon chastised me for disregarding their effort last year. Point taken Patrick (Chemali, but no relation!).

No Garlic No Onions teaches everyone how it's done! (UPDATE)

What did just happen? A blogger - and a dentist at that! - just came up with the most interesting, captivating and brand-centric Ramadan ad. Yes, Anthony from No Garlic No Onions just wished everyone a Ramadan Kareem in what is - advertising and branding wise - a stroke of genius. This should tell a lot about the creativity in ad agencies when out from left field, someone teaches them how it's done.

PS - I have just been told that Day Dream is the agency that handles No Garlic No Onions online, so it is an agency work as opposed to an effort by Anthony, still merits the accolades this being said.

Ramadan Kareem from Beirut/NTSC

I thought this gigantic daf (tambourin) found in the window of a mosque downtown with the inscription "the full moon is upon us" was quite a fitting greeting for the beginning of this holy month - may it be a blessed one for those observing it. 

CTSelfies make sense.

Yes, CTS knows its clients and is in touch with the market. I know it's obvious these days of speak of selfies (and I am not going to launch into a lecture about nacissism and selfies, but I guess this piece from Pan Arabia Inquirer sums it up - the print version of which contained not one, but two, Lebanese selfie takers). So frankly, I guess it only makes sense for people to take selfies while away on travel (heck, if they can take selfies in bathrooms, it's only logical to have one with "insert famous landmark" in the background). Alternatively, since sometimes people would go to trips with travel mates just for the other ones to take photos, this, I presume will enahance solo travelling. So, in short, this campaign is smart. 

Wooden Bakery and the useless teasing.

Anyone who read Beirut/NTSC chronically (that would be about three people I guess :) ) would know I am not in favor of teasers and revealers. And by God, we get them periodically in the market - revealers that sometimes do not even look slike the teasers, that don't add anything to it, and that could have been compacted in one visual from the get go. Sure, some wonderful campaigns managed to justify the teaser and revealer such as this one, but the crown will always go to "Avenir l'afficheur qui tient ses promesses" (the Myriam Szabo strip-tease and the famous line "le 4 Septembre j'enleve le bas") only for the final outcome to be... this!
Ooops I have gone on a long tangent to say that most of the time teasers are useless, such as the Wooden Bakery one above. It starts with "la ilak ahamm" (to you that's what's important - or a variant of it because the slogan is a bit... odd). And the revealer is "to us you are what's important". The two sentences could have fit easily in one visual without having to break it down into two.

Nader Tfayli's deep and layered designs

All images (c) Nader Tfayli

As usual, it's a pleasure for me to see new talents on the market, whereas I had seen Nader Tfayli's work in different places and had admired it I did not know it was all the work of a single person. It was sheer luck that drove me to his wesbite which is worth exploring from beginning to end. Whereas I am known for my pop sensibilities, I am always always drawn to complex multi-layered works especially those espousing repetitive patters and visual narratives, and Nader's work provides plenty on all fronts. I am sure there'll more of where this came from, and I look forward to seeing it!

Of mosaics at building lobbies

You could still see them in those buildings dating back from 50's and 60's when a hallway would be the equivalent of a spacious apartment by today's standadards. Touristic landmarks, mythological tales, abstract patterns, or geometrical etchings; such mosaics - usually badly maintained over time - speak of that former glory of those places and the people that inhabit them as the social standing of owners or tennants changes over time. Relics from a different era, they still carry themselves with dignity and grace, albeit even if they are actually walking wounded.

Bonsoir... Bonsuarez!

So you know the greeting "bonsoir", and a Lebanese would reply "bonsoirien" (two bonsoirs!) - but this time it's a bonsuarez what's with the Urguayan player having had a antipasti from the Italian player. Two Lebanese brands jumped on the bandwagon - Master's potato chips advocated it was never the players they wanted us to munch on and Shwarmanji said that even if not Italians "we're worth every bite"... Well, as long as brands do not bite more than they can chew, we'll all going to be fine!

Update via blog baladi:
Seems I have missed the Lord of the Wings one:

So there, the one above is self explanatroy as well - even if weaker than the Shawarmanji interpretation.

Five Lebanese bands with cool names!

Before anything let me stress this - I have little experience in music, I am not here to critique the output of the bands in questions, and most of these bands are foreign to me. This post is exclusively aimed at arabic-named bands (hence Who Killed Bruce Lee, the Kordz (for whom I have written a song), Arcane, etc.... will not be included). Also since the post is not about musical merit but about funkiness of name Mashrou3 Leila, Adonis, and other bands are not in.
So here they are, five Lebanese bands with cool names (in no particular order).

Ashekman

I shall be accused of being biased over this one because Ashekman and myself collaborated frequently in the past, but the thing that attracted me first about Ashekman was actually their name. Ashekman is the Arabization of "echappement" in case you are wondering about the ethymology of the word.

Fareeq el atrash

Oh come on, don't you love this one? A derivative of Lebanese crooner Farid el Atrash, Fareeq (which means band) el Atrash is just a wonderful spin off!

Meen

Meen means "who" so just the name on any poster is catchy enough - "meen" is playing tonight? A self-answered question if there was any!

Fer2et 3a Nota

Fer2et 3a Nota is a genius name! Fer2et means band but also means "missed it by". So the name means "3 nota band" but also "there's a missing note". A wonderfully creative one!

The seaders

Oh how cool is this one? Blending our national symbol (the cedar) with some beach boys vibe (litterary "sea"). And there you have it!

New Annahar ad has been done before. And better.

The new Annahar ad which has been online today of the word "Lebanon" written on the sand has been done before. Here's the visual proof above taken from my archive. Except that, in the original, there was a small caption underneath that said "that name that all the waves of the world could never erase", the one of Annahr is left baren from any headline - which prompted fellow blogger Patrick Chemali (no relation) to say "Am not a blind patriot but isn't stuff written in beach sand easily erasable? @Annahar shoots itself in the foot IMHO" over at his twitter account. And he is right.

"Bouée" a new series by Tarek Chemaly

Apprends a nager (detail)

Gaby Lteil (detail)

Kitsch ekhtak (detail)

The above are a details from bigger works from a series called "bouée" by yours truly. Originally done in 2006, these works dipped in summer and childhood (false) nostalgia seek to revisit specific incidents, including one where I almost drowned in the pool of Rabieh Marine, hence the name “bouée” or floater (which actually slided away from me before I could jump into it and therefore the drowning case). By reconstructing a past which never was, we influence the present narrative and future expectations as well with our “floaters” keeping us on the surface of a still water that runs deep.

Moschino uses Arabic calligraphy for SS'15

After Kenzo and KTZ now comes Moschino (newly creatively directed by Jeremy Scott) with its own take on Arabic calligraphy on their clothes. Interestingly, Scott goes as far as using graffiti lettering as well. I guess now it's some established trend to use Arabic!

Real life Lemony Snicket has been found in Lebanon

For those of you who do not know Lemony Snicket - he's the author of (and also a character in) "a series of unfortunate events" which is a line of books whereby every imaginable bad thing that could happen, ends up happening (comparatively Murphy's laws are benign when you put them to the scale of horror of Lemony Snicket), and here ladies and gentlemen we have found the real life Lemony Snicket boy in Lebanon.
Introducing the boy who lost his parents in the SOS villages ad and the one whose father comes back to beat him the March ad against domestic violence. The poor kid is having it bothways - first no parents, then an abusive father shows up.
And here is the photographic proof:

The SOS village ad.

The March ad.

I truly feel sorry for this kid, but, seriously, things seem to go from bad to worse for him... Here's hoping that the future will be better, but for Lemony Snicket it was just the beginning of even more "unfortunate events"....

PS: Major credit goes for Milad Issa for immediately recognizing the face after thinking for 2 days where I had seen it before and not being able to localize him.

Almaza pisses on itself, recycles slogans.

They say pissing is recycling beer... And it seems Almaza is pissing on itself recycling its slogans - in 2011 when Lebanon played Korea for the Asian eliminations, Almaza launched the pre-match ad "el kouri ma bi dayen" (Korean manufacturing does not last) and now for the current world cup they come up with "hayda awal match bass el almani bi dayen" (this was the first match but German manufacturing lasts). So technically, Almaza just pissed on itself!
As for their second ad "el e7tiyat wejeb" which double plays on "better be safe than sorry" and "you should always have some back up" for the beer, that too they did before using Ziad Rehbani (at the time I commented it was not wise to use a known alcoholic man to promote an alcoholic beer).

On the other hand maybe Almaza thought what worked once would work again, so if it ain't broke, don't fix it - even if it means wetting your pants!

Did Castania just steal BeirutNTSC? (UPDATE)

I published my own on June 5 theirs on June 18. So apparently they did take it from me.

I just got this message from Castania Nuts via Facebook after mailing them:
Thank you for your message. Tabit awkatoukom was not stolen , but i guess great minds think alike. We always look forward to be creative and different. We are big fans of Beirut/Ntsc as well. Have a nice weekend.

Which of course says nothing, justifies nothing, and makes no sense. Oh and if they are fans of Beirut/NTSC how come they did not see my own before? Anyhow if - as they pretend - this is not theft, then certainly it is a case of very bad research (rule 1: see if your ad or concept has already been done. I spent 3 hours researching the internet before posting mine!). And if you are to be "creative and different" might as well come up with something different than what is already there.

Another round up (but it's scrapping the barrel).

I admit, I had to resort to my unpublished photos to make my round up today so much the market seems so empty these days (and yet it's full-on summer)!

 AFDC (Association for Forests, Development and Conservation) bring us "Albi min el nar lawi" which means "my heart is the fire is scorched", originally a lovers' term to express affection but in this case it is about preventing wildfires.

 I have no idea why the Beirut Traders' Association would come up with a campaign at all, and why if they chose to do so they come up with this. Yes, it's patriotic with words the shape of the cedar tree surrounded by the Lebanese flag's red borders - "dialogue, trust, growth: Lebanon. A hope for a modern state". Go figure what it means and why it is here and whom it targets.

 Kallas... Well, I have to admit they got this one right - after all it is HER wedding, not their wedding (I remember that scene from the Sex and the City movie where carry realizes that Mr. Big had cold feet because it was all about her, and never them!) and the headline is "me, myself and my wedding!" (Grooms are optional apparently).

 BeitMisk our upscale village has even its festival... I like the idea to be honest, makes it looks as a self-sufficient enclave (OK, one for rich people but still). A l'affiche, we have Goran Bergovic and Yuri Buenaventura - in other words the Pablo Cuelho of music, foreign enough to be exotic and easy enough for the uncultured (despite their immense musical talent) and show-off material for the ticket holders.

You know it's brands like NTG which amaze me, they are everywhere and yet we don't notice them (it is after seeing that ad that I noticed I had installed an NTG tank!) "khezzenetna hofzit Lebnen karjet may". Karjet may means being able to recite something from memory very easily, but literally means "water going down"... So "our tanks have memorized Lebanon" and "our tanks are able to hold water from going down". What's not to love?