Eid...seek Alternatives

Its' the Eid el Fitr holiday in the Muslim world, and I'm on a break. Beyond its religious significance, this is a celebration of eating. Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan, and in the Eid, they revert back to normal eating schedule. Families meet to have BIG lunches, and the street food shops operate at full capacity: sweets, savory, fruit drinks. When I was a kid, itinerant vendors used to sell small plates of pickles for a few cents of a Lira. So I'm indulging.

Meanwhile, check the new page in Al Akhbar newspaper: Bada2el- Alternatives. Al Akhbar is a leftist opposition newspaper in Lebanon. In good leftist spirit, it addresses economic and social issues, and is disliked by Lebanese sectarian parties. It has stopped distributing in Syria because of the difficulties imposed by the Syrian authorities.

The Bada2el page starts with an editorial on Development and politics, which says somewhere: "Development is a deeply political action. How can we combat poverty if we rely on our financing on money donated by those who create poverty?"

Check also the main article: Food sovereignty before national sovereignty. The article goes to the roots of the current wheat prices crisis in Lebanon and points to the over dependence on exports and its role in shaping national politics.

There are also articles on millet el smeed, a traditional bread from south Lebanon that is being revived, and another on dietary fibers and the difficulty of ensuring that the content matches the product description when purchasing locally-made high fibers products (less expensive).

And nice photo by gifted artist Tania Traboulsi.