From Lebanon 25

The Vendeuse

Chic and not so chic boutiques from Achrafiyeh to Hamra up to Zahleh are home to this breed of women. They start as hopeful young girls that get into it for the discounted clothes and as a stepping stone to better things (i.e. marriage); but just like degenerate gamblers who think they have figured out a way to beat the house they got sucked into the system that doesn't let anyone out alive.

Vendeuse by accepting the job will sign up for decades of boredom, gossip magazines, and acetone. Cigarettes kick in in their second decade at the shop, hard liquor caps the tenure process in decade number 3. And while one day down the road she might actually find the flamboyant transvestite that will find the pistachio colored dress that has adorned the window since Jacky O's wedding fabulous; the prospects of her leaving the shop to the altar are much slimmer.

As a public service to all youngsters who might fall in this trap, if you see this innocent looking but loaded A4 paper or any of its variaties anywhere, run for your life for it is nothing more than a chic way of saying dead end.

The Vendeuse, the yang to the Natour's ying, is yet another traditional fixture in the Lebanese society.

Too True

In a country where there is a constant battle of what is and isn’t true, and who is true and who is truly an inconvenience. Yesterday was a full display of the true nastiness of our society. Lebanese raceo-sectarianism reached unprecedented lows; which says much considering this country was a stage for a fifteen year bloody sectarian war.


It wasn't just Amin Gemayyel who in keeping up with family tradition found a new group of people to direct his hate at. When your hate mongering towards Syrians, Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, Sunnis, Shia runs out of steam; a new channel must be created. Also, why let the people of the southern suburbs bear all the brunt of condescending speech, let the intruders of the northern suburbs share the load. So take "them" out, and Gemayyel is victorious in the Metn Mountains where the true Christians reside. Sadly, many of the electoral reform scenarios circulated would encourage the Gemayyel school of thought.


All other major political forces were Gemayyel-esque on Sunday. Future was proud that the political representaion of the capital of this great nation has been reduced to 20,000 Sunnis and change; No intruders here so that's a sweet victory. Hezbollah bragged that the "Shia" were victorious by boycotting the vote. As a friend of mine would say: "Gold star for the Sunnis and Gold star for the Shia."


Are you wondering why the election results in Metn were almost 50-50? Well, that's because you couldn't tell the difference between the FPM campaign and the Kataeb campaign. "Reform" and "Change" got 2 thirds of Metni votes; but someone advised Aoun that he needs to prove his Christianity. Victory was his as he out-Gemayyeled a Gemayyel, but now he must decide whether he wants to go back to running for President of Lebanon or to shoot for the Second Coming.



Let's not forget Victorious Jumblatt, since his Druze electorate was spared by the fate of Martyr Ghazi Kenaan's gerrymandering this ugly Sunday's pissing match.



You try to escape this nastiness for some patriotic athletic diversion only to see 7 footers sinking half court shots for "them"; while "our" guys have uncontested layups rim out.



A day to forget for Lebanon.... Now that is something we truly excel at.