Blogs are part of the next generation of highly interactive media which are changing the way people around the globe use the internet. Briefly a blog is a home page which is regularly updated by its administrator (or in this case author) who produces new texts, or links his readers to other blogs/sites/...
Although some Lebanese began blogging in the early 2000s, the creation of a real Lebanese blogosphere was a consequence of the Independence Intifada, and was followed by a second wave of blogging brought on by the July 2006 war. I myself was in Canada during those horrible thirty some days. Like many Lebanese, expats or simply stuck outside of Lebanon, unable to return, I was tired of the news updates that were being given by the traditional media outputs which I couldn’t connect to or assimilate. I switched to blogs. I distinctively remember going to Mazen Kerbaj’s blog, Kerblog, for its output, drawings and cartoons, to which I could relate. Many of the bloggers that sprung up during the July war stopped posting soon after it ended, but some remain active. In addition to that a bunch of Lebanese blogs have been created that don’t particularly deal with politics or wars but rather with photography, marketing, etc. Here are some of our favourites.

 

	Kerblog Mazen Kerbaj is a comic author, painter, and musician who was motivated to start his blog when Israel began its attack on Lebanon in July 2006. He writes: “I’ll begin then by thanking Israel, who burned in one night two years of efforts to avoid getting myself trapped in this adventure. Good job guys! Especially the airport party. And the bridges. No way to leave the country. Nothing else to do than this blog”. As bombs fell around him Mazen was making art and publishing it on his blog.
	Maya amalgam Maya Zankoul’s blog is particularly endearing. A graphic designer by trade she has invested her talents in this blog, which she describes as “a place to release the tensions created by daily hassles, or simply to tell stories of my daily life through fast illustrations.” She represents herself as a cartoon character who’s mostly bewildered at daily life in Lebanon, from traffic jams to long lines at the bank. Her work on the blog has spilled into a book, Maya Zankoul's amalgam, which we reviewed in a previous issue of Alinea.
	Chasing Lola Ayla Hibri’s blog, Chasing Lola, is a showcase of her photography. The subjects of her pictures are people, places and, sometimes, empty seats. Her photographs are gripping and always force you to take a second look.
	Our man in Beirut Our Man in Beirut is the blog of a returning expat. Having quit a “soul destroying” career in finance, Nasri Attalah, returned to Beirut to find the country he so longed for was populated by aggressive drivers, bad internet and nose jobs. Disapproval and love come together in the lines of Nasri’s uncannily familiar posts. In some way, just like him, we are all strangers in our own country.
	Chroniques beyrouthines Although the majority of Lebanese blogs are usually written in English, this one is francophone as it is written by two French journalists who keep us updated on current events in Lebanon from the country’s capital. Definitely worth the detour.
	Mashrou3 Leila Ok so maybe it’s more about their music than it is about their blog but we couldn’t resist including one of our favourite Lebanese band’s blog. Mashrou3 Leila started out as a music workshop and after winning the Lebanese Modern Music Contest jury prize and public vote organized by Radio Liban in partnership with CCF, Incognito and the Basement rose to fame, attracting more than 1000 people to their self titled album release concert, an accomplishment to be sure. So keep up with their news (and opinions) by visiting their blog.