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A Lebanese Blog

Category: Lebanon

  • MoT to announce charges reduction this week

    The news below is from Assafir newspaper of Friday June 10 2011.

    تخفيضات جديدة الأسبوع المقبل
    «الاتصالات»: 3 ملايين مشترك في الخلوي

    أعلنت وزارة الاتصالات ان نسبة الاختراق في الهاتف الخلوي بلغت حتى تاريخه 75 في المئة من مجمل المقيمين في لبنان، بارتفاع بلغ 30 في المئة (نحو 700 الف مشترك جديد) منذ نهاية العام 2009.
    واشارت الى ان مجمل عدد المشتركين تجاوز عتبة الـ 3 ملايين بفعل الاجراءات التي اتخذتها الوزارة، لجهة توسعة الشبكات وخفض التعرفات، اضافة الى تقديم عروض جديدة، ومنها ما سيجري إطلاقها الاسبوع المقبل وتتضمن تخفيضات اضافية تتراوح بين 25 و50 في المئة على الكلفة الفعلية التي يتكبدها المواطنون.
    من جهة اخرى، استقبل وزير الاتصالات د. شربل نحاس، في مكتبه امس، رئيس مجلس ادارة شركة ألفا مروان الحايك لمناسبة حصوله على جائزة رجل العام 2011 للاتصالات في العالم العربي.
    وقال الحايك: إن هذه الجائزة ثمرة الجهود المبذولة بين وزارة الاتصالات وشركة «ألفا»، والتي أدّت الى احداث نقلة نوعية في قطاع الخلوي، تمثلت في اطلاق عروض جديدة وزيادة نسبة الاختراق وخفوض في التعرفات، والاهم بدء العمل الفعلي لادخال خدمات الجيل الثالث والمتوقع ان يتلمسها المستخدمون منتصف هذا الصيف.

    Seems like the ministry of telecommunications is promising 25-50% price reductions on some mobile services this week. Let’s wait and see, and while waiting let’s just hope this won’t require some further approvals from any other party!

  • Beware of the Power Balance MTV is trying to sell

    I was watching MTV Lebanon last night and saw and advertisement by some female basket ball player for some silicone wristband called “Power Balance” claiming it improves balance and strength, all for $8!

    A quick search on Google will be enough to let you know it is just another scam! Bravo MTV.

    In our advertising we stated that Power Balance wristbands improved your strength, balance and flexibility.

    We admit that there is no credible scientific evidence that supports our claims and therefore we engaged in misleading conduct in breach of s52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974.

    If you feel you have been misled by our promotions, we wish to unreservedly apologise and offer a full refund.

    Via Gizmodo

  • Virgin ticketing box office ridiculous internet charges

    Have you noticed that Virgin’s ticketing box office imposes a 3.5%  as “internet charges” on your total payment for tickets purchased through their website?

    The main advantage of online purchasing is that people usually get deals at a lower price in the comfort of their home. Virgin probably didn’t get that right. Next time I have to make a ticket purchase, I’ll just go to one of their branches instead of using their website.

    Thanks @sam_lb

  • Noor Holding nothing but a scam

    Remember the construction company that made a media buzz  back in 2009 with the Cedar Island project it was promoting?

    Call me naive, but this company, Noor Holding, had everything needed to let you think they’re doing legitimate business. A prestigious office in downtown Beirut, excessive advertising, claims about hundreds of household units being built, a good looking website, a “golden” phone number (01-999999), and a TV station. And at the end it turned out that the whole thing was nothing but a scam with the founder Mohammad Saleh (the man in the above photo) escaping with 5 million dollars! You can read everything about the issue in this article from Al-Akhbar.

    I definitely don’t want to be in the shoes of those who have paid down payments for booking apartments with Noor Holding. These people will probably get nothing but news about Mr. Saleh moving from one country to another with their money…

  • MTV Lebanon releases an iOS application

    Via Beirut Spring

    mtv is the only Lebanese TV station that really understands the internet. As a Lebanese expat abroad, I am very grateful for their online news bulletins and how all their video content is logically organized.

    Now they have an iOS app. Great for when stuck in traffic…

    I haven’t tried it yet, but the screenshots show that the interface looks nice and appealing. Now wait for all other TV stations to follow. LBC, New TV, OTV, AlManar… but definitely not Tele Liban!

    Update:
    On a second thought, I think it’ll be entertaining to see if the Apple App Store will approve a similar application for AlManar TV by Hezbollah!

  • Group buying websites in Lebanon

    Have you noticed the rise of group buying websites in Lebanon?

    In case you don’t know what group buying is, it’s getting good deals at discounted prices on condition that a specific minimum number of people would make the purchase. For example, one of these websites can offer a discounted dinner at some restaurant (say $20 instead of $40) on condition that a minimum of 20 people purchase the deal. And usually you won’t be charged unless the minmum number of buyers is attained.

    You might also be wondering how do these websites make money. To my knowledge, it works like referral programs, which means they get a small amount of money for each customer they refer to the deal.

    While not all the discounts might seem tempting, but some deals are really good, I personally bought two entrance tickets to Laguava resort for $22 instead of $44 from one of these websites!

    Here’s a list of the websites that get deals in Lebanon:

    Any other one I forgot to mention?

    By the way I’ve noticed that you don’t necessarily have to use a credit card on websites that use Bank Audi’s payment gateway, you can actually input a debit card number on condition that it is issued from Bank Audi. It worked for me on goSawa.

  • On abuse of power and ISF

    Nice catch by Salim Al Lawzi.

    Salim spotted two members from the ISF washing the Mercedes of some Lebanese official in Achrafiyeh. Think of it, if for the simplest things, in this case a car wash, this official is abusing his power, can you imagine what he does when dealing with other more important issues?

    On the other hand, that most probably explains why ISF members act like douchebags with people, they get abused by their supperiors and they eventually have to let it out at others, us! (Although they do have some fun sometimes)

  • Sorry Mom – A Lebanese thriller

    A Lebanese thriller is soon coming to a theater near you!

    The feature tells the story of a severely traumatized woman, after her husband was killed and her son kidnapped. 4 years has passed and her son Fadi is still lost.

    Revenge has its own bitter taste and can easily turn into a vicious circle…

    “Sorry Mom” is the first installment of a series of thrillers that are expected to be released in the near future.

    I usually like to go watch Lebanese movies but several ones ended up as a big disappointment like “Falafel”. Let’s see how good will this one be with all the killing, sex, kidnapping, and betrayal it promises.

    Sorry Mom will be released on June 9th.

  • Looking for a needle in a haystack

    A guy who participated in the Lebanese Laïque Pride march for a secular state on March 15 2011 started one of a kind blog calling for help, and it’s nothing related to the cause of the demo he attended, he’s actually searching for a person.

    He found himself extremely attracted to one of the girls in that march, and it was his second time to notice her after last year’s march, so he took that as a sign and decided trying to approach her one way or another, and he got really close to his aim until she disappeared!

    That’s why he’s now calling for the help of the internet people in Lebanon in an attempt to find her. And in a country where everyone knows everyone, I guess there’s a good probability for that man to find her!

    You can read all about his story and the updates he will be posting on his blog Finding Dulcinea, and below  is the description of the girl he’s trying to reach:

    1. She has chestnut color hair, natural color not dyed. (Couleur Châtaigne)
    2. Blue eyes
    3. On that day, she was wearing a black tight biking pants and a white jacket.  She was carrying on her back a red sports bag, I think it was an Adidas (not sure)
    4. She had 2 silver rings on her left hand; one of them had a purple stone. (I didn’t notice a wedding band – Geez that would be a bummer if she turns out to be married – but hey let’s keep it positive for now)
    5. All I know is that she works in the protected area of Solidere where the parliament is. So that area stretches from Costa/Blom bank on the upper level facing the Grand Theatro building all the way down to the area past parliament building/Abed Clock area.
    6. I am speculating that she must have left her bike in the office that day and was returning to get her bike and leave the sign at her desk.

    I can’t but wish him all the luck!

  • Zaatar W Zeit Sodeco closing or renovating?

    I was passing by Sodeco yesterday afternoon and noticed that Zaatar W Zeit was closed with all the exterior decoration removed.

    I personally doubt they’ll be closing or moving from Sodeco and I suspect they’re renovating the place, moreover, I guess it’s related to the missing Z campaign that they recently started. especially that they mentioned nothing about closing the Sodeco branch on their Facebook page… Few days and we will all know I think.