The Meteorite Shower over Lebanon – a Russian Missile Launch?

New information is surfacing regarding yesterday’s meteor shower over Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Israel/Palestine and Armenia.

It seems as if the whole thing was not mother nature’s doing. Instead, it was mother Russia flexing its military muscles.

This video shot in Syria shows the “meteorite” as following a spiral trajectory, which is not possible for a meteorite.

The Voice of Russia reported that the country’s Missile Forces conducted a test from the Kapustin Yar firing range in southern Russia on Thursday. Such a launch could theoretically be seen from areas of the Middle East and the Caucasus. While they said the missile hit its target, Israeli officials are saying the missile spun out of control.

It could just be the Israelis panicking as usual though.

Similar spiral-trajectory objects were seen in 2009 over Norway but they turned out to be a failed missile launch.

Sorry to disappoint you my fellow Lebanese but the Mariam Nour jokes have just become unfounded – or she could be a Russian spy. Let the conspiracies begin.

Prometheus – Movie Review

Because every great director needs to make a comeback. Because that comeback cannot but be with a prequel these days or a reboot of a series. And because that remake or reboot has to be in 3D.

This is how Ridley Scott’s Prometheus came to be.

Set in 2094, a group of scientists are put in cryo, some form of deep sleep, as the Greek god-inspired spaceship, Prometheus, takes them to a planet where they believe they’ll find the creators of Man. Once they land and start to discover the nearby tunnels of the Earth-like planet, they will be surprised with what they find: humanoid-like species that are apparently extinct. Along with the humanoids, however, they will uncover other things that shouldn’t be uncovered leading them to realize that the place they’re at is not what it promised to be.

When it comes to Prometheus, the discussion takes two directions. On one hand, you have exquisite visuals that will immerse you in the movie’s world. On the other hand, you have one of the weakest plots of movies released this year. Why so? Because too many things are happening in Promotheus to be resolved. Too many questions are asked and none are answered. Too many issues are raised and none are sought out.

In fact, I remember reading about the shroud of secrecy surrounding Prometheus’ plot in order not to let anything leak. Well, that shroud of secrecy has extended well into the movie because it doesn’t reveal anything as well. None at all, actually. When you’re watching Prometheus and things start happening and you start thinking that you’ll understand why in a few, simply don’t. You won’t. Because they won’t tell you.

On the other hand, the visual effects and the imagery of the movie are so great that you won’t notice the basic and most fundamental flaw about the storytelling until you’re at least an hour in. Ridley Scott outdoes himself by giving the viewers a world where you can sink in your senses and don’t feel guilty.

And then, as it nears its conclusion, Prometheus starts to attempt going into the realms of existentialism – but the build up isn’t there, which is another inherent flaw in its storytelling. So instead of ending with a big bang, it ends with with a solar flare. This leaves everything that might be answered to a subsequent sequel. But I’m not holding my breath for answers in that one as well.

All in all, Prometheus is definitely watchable. But don’t go in with high expectations because you will be disappointed. The movie falters more than once. The acting performances by Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender and Charlize Theron are not strong enough to mask out the lack of substance. And a time when making visually appealing movies is becoming easier and easier, shouldn’t Hollywood at least try to redraft the movies that obviously need reworking?

6.5/10

R.I.P Ghassan Tueni, Lebanon’s Foremost Journalist

Ghassan Tueni passed away this morning at the age of 86, leaving behind him a legacy that has shaped Lebanon and Lebanese freedom through the country’s leading newspaper, Annahar.

Tueni’s life can be summarized by what late journalist Anthony Shahid wrote about him in this article:

He is Lebanon’s foremost journalist, a storied diplomat and a respected intellectual. Some also call him a modern-day Job, the biblical figure whose string of misfortunes never defied his faith. Tueni lost his wife and daughter to cancer, a son to a car accident, and his last child, the journalist and politician Gebran Tueni, to an assassin’s car bomb in December. Tueni speaks little of his pain, out of pride and dignity. But in a country defined less by citizenship and more by its fractious sects, his suffering and reputation have placed him tentatively above the fray. And in his twilight, he insists, he has another role to play as Lebanon is perched between the promise of long-delayed independence from foreign influence and a morass of competing loyalties.

He’s an AUB graduate and a holder of an MS degree from Harvard. He has countless publications, as well as an honorary doctorate from AUB. He served as Lebanon’s ambassador to the U.N, as well as an MP in Lebanese parliament the last of which was to replace his assassinated son.

He’s a Lebanese pioneer who helped build a beacon of freedom for Lebanon and the region. “Let my people live!” was the famous sentence he shouted in front of the U.N when he served there. With his passing, we have one less person screaming for the Lebanese to live in dignity.

Rest in peace Ghassan Tueni.

For those of you who can read Arabic, here’s the collection of what Annahar wrote this morning for Ghassan Tueni.

Emile Rahme Storms Out of Kalem El Nas Episode. Way To Go Marcel Ghanem!

Sometimes Marcel Ghanem just does good things, like tonight with him showing Baalbak MP Emile Rahme exactly what he needed. As a result, Emile Rahme decided to throw a tantrum and leave the show.

Of course, LBC wouldn’t let such an opportunity go to waste.

And here’s the YouTube video of it:

I believe the Lebanese thing to say in this case is “Allah ma3 dwelibak.” Unless they’re fried (which is probable).

This is what Marcel Ghanem had to say afterwards:

A Meteor Shower in Lebanon

It’s a bird? A plane? a UFO?

No. It’s super-…

Ah, nevermind.

Lebanon was hit by a meteor shower earlier tonight, which I missed similarly to how that last earthquake totally went past me as well. I guess when it comes to mother nature’s displays, I am not “lucky” enough to be included.

Of course, in typical Lebanese fashion, the jokes about the astronomical event are well underway. From Miriam Nour coming back home to Sergio Ramos’ ball finally reaching Lebanon, you name it.

I guess we wouldn’t be Lebanese if we couldn’t just enjoy something for what it is. Or it could be UFOs attacking – I’m pretty sure some people think so. Or some missiles sent it in by some foreign nation we don’t like. It could be that too!

And these are videos by MTV Lebanon. (Here)