We need you to ACT now to stop the E-Transactions law.

Dear Friend,
We need you to ACT now to stop the E-Transactions law.
Tomorrow, Parliament is scheduled to vote on a new E-Transactions law that
could have terrible implications for the Lebanese economy and for
professional and personal privacy. To date, private sector and civil
society have not been allowed to
comment<http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http://blog.gabrieldeek.com/2010/06/new-gestapo-law-in-lebanon.html&usg=AFQjCNEW0HzuWIpweDxtvjm3wjFX_vtmbw>
on
the the law.
Among the articles of concern are:
   - Article 92, saying anyone providing online services must apply for a
   license. *Result: More paperwork, more bureaucracy, more delays, less
   revenue.*
   - Article 82, allowing for the warrantless search and seizure of
   financial, managerial, and electronic files, including hard drives,
   computers, etc. *Result: The government has pre-approval to seize your
   company and personal assets and information, without cause.*
   - Article 70, establishing the Electronic Signature & Services Authority,
   a new regulatory and licensing body with practically unchecked
powers. *Result:
   Another agency, who can make or break your organization at their whim.*
More on why you should stop the vote<http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http://www.smex.org/2010/06/stop-the-vote/&usg=AFQjCNFLY2KyNou0e_rkwOwzwV_kI4rEzg&gt;
.
We may need some regulations on doing online business in Lebanon. But,
unless the key stakeholders can comment on the law, it will be one-sided,
flawed, and dangerous to the economic prospects of Lebanon and the privacy
of your daily life.
ACT NOW! Many deputies are rallying against this
law<http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http://blog.gabrieldeek.com/2010/06/mps-are-rallying-protest-against.html&usg=AFQjCNFM7baMKf4OHLeGpG-300W2X7RWBw>
but
want to hear your voice. *A**sk your MP to postpone the vote on the
E-Transactions Law*, *pending a public review*.
Here are quick and easy ways you can help:
   - *Call your Member of Parliament* and urge them to postpone the vote,
   pending a public review period.
   - Forward this message to your colleagues, family, and friends—anyone who
   uses the Internet will be affected!
   - Post on the Facebook Pages of your MP, calling on them to postpone the
   vote, pending a public review period.
   - Join the Stop This Law Facebook Page<http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http://www.facebook.com/stopthislaw&usg=AFQjCNE5_Tpsg_-1C51cpVA2ZEin5dXsPg>
   .
   - If you're a journalist or blogger, consider writing a short post
   highlighting the potential pitfalls of the law.
Sincerely,
Desiree Chbeir

Expectations >> social media training SUSI

    My visit to america and being a part of the SUSI program (a social media training) , is very important for me as a student majoring in journalism and thinking of working in that field in near future. I expect that this program will be rich of new informations about the social media ,beside that i think that I will be more aware of the new social media and how to use it in a good and new positive ways ! in additions I expect to have a good experience in photographing and editing the videos .
Finally the program already give me the chance to meet new good poeple and to share our interests and exchanging ideas .

P.S : thxx ya a7la mariam for allowing me to write in your blog, very proud to have a new friend like you :)

                                                            Shaden Gannam
                                                            Palestine

Reflecting on Prof. Roy's Lecture

Hi All I want to share with all of u my experience in UCLA training.
Our First Lecture was with Prof. Roy
The title of it was Democracy & social Movement in U.S
First of all i would like to say that Prof Roy is an excellent Prof. Where he makes us get all the information simply. and he wasn't fast so it was very good where we catch all the information easily.
Second, I don't find a relation between Democracy and folk music. All the session was about Folk music and not democracy.
Anyway, it was interesting to know how Folk music start and where….

Things that the first lecture covered are:
• Folk music
• Europe before modern time
• New sense of culture
• Social earning
• Criticism of industrialization
• Cecil Sharp
• Ordinary music
• Second generation of Folklorists
• New generation of collectors
• Old English Song tells a story
• Radical social Movements in 1930's
• People music
• Civil Rights Movement
• Commercial folk Revival
• Folk music themes
• Culture meaning American folk music
• Music is a statement about who we are and how we can fit into society
• Music is a microcosm of society
• Unmistakable democratic thread

Mariam Balhass

SUSI(Study of the US Institute)

@ UCLA

علمتني الحياة

وردتني رسالة من صديقة على الايميل فاحببتها لذا قررت نشرها هنا

علمتني الحياة..مما راق لي

- من يطارد عصفورين، يفقدهما معا!..
- من هرب من العمل، هرب من الراحة!..
- لا تجادل الأحمق، فقد يخطئ الناس في التفريق بينكما!..

- من أسرع في الجواب، أخطأ في الصواب!..
- أفكارك لك، وأقوالك لغيرك!..
- لا يجب أن تقول كل ما تعرف، ويجب أن تعرف كل ما تقول!..

- السيرة الحسنة كشجرة الزيتون، لا تنمو سريعا، لكنها تعيش طويلا!..
- المتكبر كالواقف على قمة جبل، يرى الناس صغارا، ويرونه صغيرا!..
- ما أجمل أن تبتسم، حين يظن الآخرون أنك سوف تبكي!..

- ثلاثة أشياء في الحياة دون عودة : الكلام، الفرصة، الوقت!..
- ثلاثة أشياء في الحياة الحصول عليها غير مؤكد : الأحلام، النجاح، الثروة!..
- ثلاثة أشياء في الحياة تجعلك إنسانا عظيما : العمل الدؤوب، الإخلاص، النجاح!..
- ثلاثة أشياء في الحياة لا تقدر بثمن : الحب، احترام الذات، الأصدقاء!..
- ثلاثة أشياء في الحياة تحطم الإنسان : الجشع، الغرور، والغضب لأتفه الأسباب