Tag Archives | schedule

Ogero Announces Its Fiber Deployment Timeplan

By Rami on November 23, 2018 in Telecom

If you regularly visit Ogero’s website then you probably have noticed that they recently published their plan for deploying the fiber network (FTTX) around Lebanon.

Over the next three years and until min 2021, the time-plan shows that at the end of each quarter a number of areas will start benefiting from the FTTX project. Still, the schedule seems to be subject to change since the exchange office I am connected to was set to be done by Q4 2018 but I noticed today that it was delayed along with several other area till Q2 2019.

I personally can’t wait till my DSL line gets on board the Fiber project because my internet connection speed has been unbearable for almost two years now, and the last time I tried to complain once again to Ogero’s support I got a mediocre argument and funnily enough, they requested that I ask my ISP (IDM) to follow-up on my problem with them instead of me doing it personally. (Because logic!!)

Anyway, you can stay up to date with the time-plan on this link and don’t forget to keep your fingers crosses.

The Ultimate Guide to 2015 Summer Festivals in Lebanon

By Rami on June 19, 2015 in Lebanon

Snow-Patrol-at-Byblos-Festival-05

The good people at Lebtivity have the full program for nearly each and every festival going around the country this summer. So I thought it would be nice to compile them all in one post to help both tourists and locals better know about them and pick the concerts and events they would like to attend. Clicking on each event will lead you to its respective program on Lebtivity.com.

Byblos Festival

The International Festival has been held annually since 2003, in July. It takes place by the seaside in the historic quarter, in front of the castle built by Crusaders in the 12th century.

Baalbeck International Festival

The festivals date back to the mid 20th century with the first organizing activities being held in 1955. After one year, presiden Chamoun named it the Baalbeck International Festival, which became a governmental institution whose goal was to promote tourism and Lebanese culture.

Beiteddine Art Festival

The Beiteddine Festival was launched amidst war and destruction in the middle of the 80’s. It came as an act of faith in Lebanon’s cultural specificity and its power of creativity and artistic freedom. It was a call for normality in the middle of the chaos and madness of the civil war. The festival takes place in the large 200-year old Beiteddine Palace.

Jounieh International Festival

Jounieh International Festival was launched in 2011 is now famous for the opening ceremony marked by the synchronized fireworks show along the bay of Jounieh. The festival takes place at Fouad Chehab stadium.

Zouk International Festival

Zouk International Festival was launched in 2010 and attracts guests from all over the country and abroad. Zouk Mikael is 10 minutes away from Beirut, perched on a hill of Kesrouwan overlooking the Mediterranean. Its roman styled amphitheatre with a capacity of 2500, built for major events, hosts the festival.

Batroun International Festival

The festival had a shy and amateur debut in the early 90’s until it acquired international standards and earned its place among international cultural festivals. In 2009, the Batroun International Festival was born and started hosting leading local and international artist from all over the world.

Ehdeniyat – Ehden International Festival

Ehdeniyat, which started in 2004, flourished from a local and national event to an International festival of Music and Art. But above all this, Ehdeniyat became an experience of glamour, culture and tradition; “An Experience that Never Ends”.

Beirut Holidays

Beirut Holidays is a series of concerts and shows in the heart of Beirut Souks. Launched in 2012, the festival brings together diverse musical performances and talents, local artists and international performers, from East and West mixing varying genres and tastes.

Cedars International Festival

After almost half a century, the Cedars International Festival will return this summer to Bsharri. The northern town will host several of Lebanon’s top artists as part of an effort to revive tourism in the district. The four-night festival will feature a wide range of musical and artistic performances.

Dbayeh Festival

An enchanting event taking place in Dbayeh this summer. An initiative by Tajammo Ahel Al Mahabba for the fifth consecutive year to raise the voice of hope and peace in Lebanon.

Moreover, the below smaller festivals will also be happening.

Terrible traffic at Ouzai this morning

By Rami on October 24, 2013 in Lebanon

Earlier this month, minister Marwan Charbel imposed a new traffic plan on truck drivers to keep them from driving during rush hours in order to reduce congestion on the main roads.

The drivers eventually didn’t like this plan, so they started complaining about it in the media until they decided to go on a protest today. And being the geniuses they are, they didn’t do that in front of the ministry of interior or any other reasonable place, on the other hand, they simply decided to block the Ouzai highway which is used by thousands everyday to reach Beirut, which made people wait for like an hour or two in their cars this morning! I know because I was one of them.

Police officers were as usual just watching the protestors, and not daring to speak a word with them, while trying to organize the traffic a bit.

Balad mat3oub 3leih!

Fete De La Musique 2012 – Beirut

By Rami on June 19, 2012 in Events

This year’s edition of Fete De La Musique is happening in a couple of days on June 21st and will span over 9 locations across Beirut, featuring as usual both amateur and professional musicians.

Check below the festival schedule and start choosing which artists to watch!

Fete De La Musique 2012- Roman Baths

The Roman Baths venue will feature seven different artists, all performing varying genres.

20:00-20:30 Marc Nader (Folk)
20:40-21:10 Dida’s (Acoustic Music)
21:20-21:50 Les Artistes (Folk, Acoustic Rock)
22:00-23:00 Les Fils Du Calvaire (Electro-Rock)
23:10-23:30 Segundo Bloco (Samba, Brazillian Percussions)
23:40-00:10 Poly (Pop)
00:20-00:50 The Passive Standouts (Rock)

Fete De La Musique 2012- Beirut Souks

The Beirut Souks venue will feature seventeen different artists, all performing varying genres on two different locations, the Platform and Ajami Square.

Beirut Souks Platform Venue:

19:00-20:00 Chorale Tania Kassis (Choral, Chants)
20:10-20:30 Nachaz (Rock, Blues)
20:40-21:10 Silverage (Pop, Alternative Rock)
21:20-21:50 Life Line (Rock)
22:00-22:20 Beirut Blues Brothers (Blues, Rock)
22:30-23:00 Soul Sister (Soul, Funk)
23:10-23:40 Butterfly (Rock)
23:50-00:20 The Locals (Rock, Blues)
00:30-1:00 The Fan Dolls (Rock)

Beirut Souks Ajami Square Venue:

20:00-20:20 Elie Sawaya (Variety)
20:30-20:45 Tina Fish (Slam Poetry)
20:50-21:20 Nour Yammouni (Pop)
21:30-22:00 Blue Yeast (Blues Jazz)
22:10-22:50 The Missing Pixels (Folk)
23:00-23:20 Snowslash (Rock)
23:30-23:50 Ashekman (Rap)
23:55-00:15 Zeinedin (Rap)
00:20-00:40 Banely (Rap)

Fete De La Musique 2012- Samir Kassir Square

The Samir Kassir Gardens venue will feature eight different artists, all performing varying genres.

19:30-19:50 IQEWS (Alternative Rock)
20:00-20:20 Point of View & Bob Arja (Rap)
20:30-20:50 7ta2at (Rap)
21:00-21:20 What’s Your Story (Rock, Pop)
21:30-22:00 Homemade (Alt Rock, Pop)
22:10-22:30 Srai (Rock)
22:40-23:10 Jammit the Band (Reggae)
23:30-23:50 Bandage Group (Pop, Rock)
00:00-00:30 Wata El Lounge (Trip-rock, Dub)
00:20-00:50 The Passive Standouts (Rock)

Fete De La Musique 2012- Martyrs’ Square

The Martyrs’ Square venue will feature eight different artists, all performing varying genres.

19:00-20:00 Gabriel Abdel Nour (Arabic Pop)
20:10-20:40 The Coolcumbers (Alternative Rock)
20:50-21:30 Episode (Prog Rock)
21:40-22:20 Lazzy Lung (Indie Rock)
22:30-22:50 Anixa (Rock)
23:00-23:40 Epic (Rock)
23:50-00:10 The Rakans (Pop, Electro)
00:20-01:20 DJ Andre Rizzo (Electro)

Fete De La Musique 2012- Zaitunay Bay

The Zaitunay Bay venue will feature eight different artists, all performing varying genres.

20:00-20:20 Abdel Harb (Flamenco Guitar)
20:30-21:00 Rojo Del Libano (Flamenco)
21:10-21:40 Bruno Tabbal (Rock, Pop)
21:50-22:10 Beirut Vocal Point (A capella)
22:20-22:50 Band Audi (Rock, Blues)
23:00-23:30 Blue Band LB (Rock, Reggae)
23:40-00:05 Gilbert Simon and Jebebara (Pop, Arabic)
00:15-00:35 Maher Salame (Electro Oriental, House)

Fete De La Musique 2012- Saint Louis Capuchin Church

The Saint Louis Capuchin Church venue will feature two performing groups.

18:00-19:00 Chorale Du College Protestant
19:00-20:00 Pastorale De L’USJ

Fete De La Musique 2012- National Evangelical Church of Beirut

The National Evangelical Church of Beirut venue will feature two performing groups.

18:30-19:15 Chamber Music
19:15-20:00 Classical Chants

Fete De La Musique 2012 – Beirut New Waterfront

The Beirut Waterfront Venue will feature performances by ten different DJs.

8:00 pm- Alterra (Deep House)
9:00 pm- Tavarish (Dubstep)
10:00 pm- Ryan K (Deep House)
11:00 pm- The Middle Beast (House)
12:00 am- Jade (House)
1:00 am- Dop [Paris] (Tech-House)
2:00 am- Diamond Setter (Tech-House)
3:00 am- Trix (Deep House)

Supported by Vanclode Jandam
VJ’s: Mosig / TM / Beirut Visuals

via evention

Lebtivity: The social calendar for events in Lebanon

By Rami on May 22, 2012 in Lebanon

I found about Lebtivity through a tweet by @CarlaEid. The website is a social calendar for events around Lebanon with a very user friendly interface allowing to search for events by date and category, and it already have dozens of events for you to plan the summer season!

In addition, Lebtivity helps events organizers promote and manage their events through easy to use tools and for free. Make sure to check it out here.

iPhone app to keep track of electricity cut-offs in Beirut

By Rami on May 2, 2011 in Lebanon

I guess I’m lucky to have a good memory and almost always remember the electricity cut-off schedule in my area of Beirut, but I know a lot of people who keep on forgetting it and can definitely make use of this new iPhone application by Mustafa Baalbaki.

Only those living in Beirut would appreciate “Beirut Electricity” because they daily suffer forgetting when electricity is off.

You need to know that electricity in Beirut city (capital of Lebanon) is off everyday for three hours, and each day these three hours are withdrawn backwards. For example, if the power today is off from 3:00 PM till 6:00 PM, so tomorrow it will be off from 12:00 PM till 3:00 PM and so forth until reaching 06:00 AM to 09:00 AM, and then it switches back to be off from 03:00 PM to 06:00 PM. It’s weird and this App is here to solve the calculation problem for you.

When you first launch the App, you need to configure it by specifying the day and time cut range, and based on your input you can find when the electricity will be off at your location any time and on any day.

The application works on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad but requires iOS 4.0 or later, and you can of course get it via the iTunes store.

I don’t have an idea about the schedule of areas outside Beirut, but if they also follow a certain system then we’ll probably see some similar releases soon, or maybe an upgrade of the current application.

Via Bilal Houri.