CBS News

I was shocked to see CBS News on television this morning. "What's going on?" I thought, before I realized that MBC4 broadcasts all of the major American news shows during the day. It was a bit disorienting.

Infijar?

I watched "The Queen" this evening. It's an excellent film that was appreciated by a theatre audience of 4. However, like a typical Lebanese screening experience, the other two people watching the film alongside my friend and me made their presence known (by talking during dramatically quiet moments).

There couple walked in after the film began. The film doesn't specifically depict Princess Diana's car crash and only mentions once that she was in an "accident," but the couple missed that anyway.

The couple saw mourners flocking to Buckingham Palace and placing items in remembrance of Diana. In complete seriousness, the late arriving man asked, "Shu? Infijar?"

It's quite interesting to see an entirely British film in a different cultural context. And yet, many of the traits the British people expressed after Diana's death are familiar to Lebanese given the responses to all of the assassinations. However, the man's statement still seems funny to me, nonetheless.

The Dangers of Diet Pepsi

I guzzle Diet Pepsi like an SUV on stuck in traffic.

My parents had a number of chats about this with me while I was staying with them this summer.

At first, I got a few comments like, "That's a lot of Diet Pepsi you're drinking." Then, I got a few stares from my mother when I bought a few liters at the grocery store.

Then, my mother or father would find empty bottles of Diet Pepsi in the kitchen trash can, and in the trash can next to the computer. Their concern transformed into a few short chats.

Then, there were a few longer talks about the negative health effects of carbonated beverages.

My father wasn't overly concerned at first, but then took issue after seeing the amount of the substance I consume. When they talked to me together, I could tell that they had discussed the subject in private with each other.

When describing this to a friend, he said, "That sounds like what parents do when they find out that their high school son smokes - finding cigarette packs in the trash and all."

Beirut Super Bowel

I won't go as far as to say that this was the worst Super Bowl ever (as I did about the World Cup), but it was pretty bad.

Of course, like the 2006 World Cup, my team performed strongly at the beginning, and then collapsed. A fight almost began, but given that slamming one's head into the body of another is permitted in football, there was no shockingly violent surprise.

Normally, even when the Super Bowl game is not very good, one can rely on good friends, good beer, good environment, and good commercials to hold one over. Unfortunately, in Beirut we only had the former - Jamal and Ana Min Beirut.

We watched the game at Zaater w Zeit. There was no sound on any of the TVs. The Super Bowl commercials are not screened internationally, and Middle Eastern channels have such low ratings that they can't attract advertisers, so we got to watch "World Cup Fun Facts" and extremely long promotions for stupid comedy programs.

Some Lebanese Americans from Detroit added some fun to the viewing, but they left and were replaced by extremely annoying AUB PSP members.

Zaater w Zeit had no chicken, no turkey, no kafta, no lettuce, and no beer.

However, the late arrival of shady Lebanese guys and their Lebanese girlfriends dressed as Russian prostitutes - complete with wigs - did add to the entertainment and created an all around surreal Super Bowl experience.

From Warhol to Hilton

Andy Warhol revolutionized the concept of the celebrity socialite. He made fame work for him - a fame that pulled him from his Pittsburgh, working class, Czech roots to the top of social circles. He branded every product brought to him. He used capitalism to his benefit, while critiquing and commenting on it.

Now, we have Paris Hilton who is exploiting capitalism for her own purposes without adding anything.

Both Hilton and Warhol exploit/ed our obsession with moving pictures of beautiful people. Unlike others who regularly appear in front of the camera, Hilton and Warhol realized the power of the medium.

Constructing a teleology that connects Warhol to Hilton to then explain the degradation of society is a simplistic, unhelpful, and entirely ridiculous. Warhol used his power in a different way than Hilton. It says something about the individual, not about the consuming society.

Both Warhol and Hilton brilliantly exploit the medium to empower themselves. It's the same thing everyone does in a free society. And as with everything else, it's up to them to choose what they will do with their power.

Hopefully, other creative people will find a way to use star power for unique production. I tend to think Warhol's contributions were positive, but that's arguable. Regardless of your position, he provided a new way of thinking about culture, and there is currently a space available for a social critic who epitomizes that which he criticizes.

Meshaal and Abu Mazen

Is it just me, or are these guys a bit chunkier than usual?

Too Much New Order

It's official. I've been listening to New Order and The Killers way too much.

According to iTunes, I've listened to New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle" 11 times. The other songs come up at 9.

The Killers range between 16 and 20 times, with "Mr. Brightside" and "Smile Like You Mean It" tieing for first place.

At least, they pulled me away from my Ferry Corsten and Tiesto binge. "Fire" is the top Corsten track, while "Do What You Want" and "Moonlight Party" are tied for first from Tiesto. Robbie Williams was in there, too, but not nearly as much.

Corsten and Tiesto pulled me out of my T.I. and Mase obsession.