The Lebanese Bloggers this week. Pessimism and a sense of foreboding, but life goes on. · Global Voices
Mustapha

Last week, I wrote about how the Lebanese bloggers were not optimistic about the outcome from the National dialogue. As if they were sensing trouble, it happened: One of the top politicians in the meeting left the dialogue in mid session and flew to Washington, were he made statements perceived to be hostile by the other party. The dialogue was immediately suspended, to be resumed on Monday. The Lebanese Bloggers were unimpressed with the blame game that ensued and wrote with anger and despair. But they later moved on and started writing about other things.
Zadigvoltair from Beirut Notes opined:
Tensions in Lebanon will remain until the military and political defeat of either Iran or the US in the region. [..] It seems that Nietzche was referring to Lebanon when he said: “Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man”.
The mainstream media also joined the frenzy of  distrust and pinning culpability on politicians. Lebanon.Profile from Lebanese Political Journal and Mustapha from The Beirut Spring both noticed an article by an otherwise composed commentator thrashing one of the politicians. Lazarus from Letters Apart highlights the role of the media in sewing distrust among the various parties. He points to a photo one newspaper chose to publish, of US president George W. Bush giving an interview to a Lebanese TV Station. Lazarus noted that the picture is frozen at the exact moment where Mr. Bush was saying “Peace With Israel”, with its accompanying Arabic subtitle.
Raja from The Lebanese Bloggers thinks the Lebanese are Priming themselves. In other words the Lebanese are mentally preparing themselves to fight.
But Raja’s bleak forecast didn’t seem to rub much on other Lebanese bloggers, who are having a “life goes on” attitude. For instance, La La from Land La La posted three pictures that she thinks summarize what it means to be Lebanese.
Kais from Beirut To The Beltway is exploring the freedom to have no religion in Lebanon:
Because personal status matters are controlled by religious courts, intolerant parents can get away with placing legal and moral obstacles in the path of their children.
Jamal from Jamal's Propaganda Site decides to go to the movies but finds out that most of the Oscar nominees are censored:
3 of 5 Movies nominated for the Best picture Oscar will not be shown in Lebanese movie theaters.* One for Homophobia, one for Zionophobia, and one for Islamopyrophobia.
Ad-Libanaises, A blog where most female Lebanese bloggers contribute, wrote an “ode to femininity” on Women’s Day:
…a moment of respect. an ode to femininity. a time to reflect. a call for change. a thought, carefully treasured for you: my mothers, sisters, daughters, friends, virtual friends, working wives, household wives, grocery store ladies, scary childhood dentists, unloved teachers, strangers smiling at me in a crowded street … you, my “ordinary” women, makers of my history, who have shaped me into the woman I am today. To all of you, today I say: thank you.
One blogger, Moussa from Ur Shalim, posted on a very mundane subject that has nothing to do with the national dialogue, but is nevertheless very important: Teaching teachers a lesson.