Archive-name: lebanon-faq/part3
Last-modified: 1997/4/6 Version: 2.37 See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge ******************************************************************************* 20. Is there a standard Arabic alphabet representation in Latin ? The standard is called cat (for Classical Arabic Transliteration) and is the work of Bassem Medawar. The file can be retrieved from the SoL archive by anonymous ftp to rama.poly.edu in pub/reader/text/translit/CAT (a copy is availble on ftp://huez.eurecom.fr/SCL/Transliteration/cat.gz or http://huez.eurecom.fr:8080/SCL/Transliteration/cat.gz [the www.cica.fr, or huez.cica.fr are no more valid] and on http://www.ludvigsen.hiof.no/webdoc/levant_servers.html#Language) ******************************************************************************* 21. Are there any available sources to learn Syriac ? If you want to learn Syriac from scratch, and are not interested in all the misty gritties of grammar, check the book of Malphono Abrohom Nuro, Suloqo (I believe it is available in the US). There is also a book from the Kaslik called "Le Syriac pour tout le Monde". I do not recommend it. But if it is the Only one you can get hold of, so why not. I Sweden there are some school books produced: Safro Tobo, by Malphono Johanon Kashisho. These too are good. If you are interested in Learning Syriac grammar, then your best bet (if you can French) is Costaz' "Grammaire Syriac", you can also buy a dictionary. There are also some other Grammars for Syriac. Noldeke and Brocklemann, but these are real heavy stuff. for those of you who know Hebrew, check S. Muroaka (sp!) Syriac for Hebraists. A very good book. There is a basic difference though between these set of books: The first are to teach "Modern Literary Syriac" this means stuff that is more for daily use, while the second set is for those who want to dig into the huge and fascinating Syriac literature from old to the present. ---- An arabic book can be bought in Syria, the title is al-Aramiyah al-muhkiyah, it teaches spoken Aramaic/Syriac. ******************************************************************************* 22. Where can I find Lebanese songs and music ? Town Records in Manhattan sell International records including, sometimes, Lebanese. Shahin Brothers, in Brooklyn, Atlantic Avenue, sell a large collection of Lebanese and other Arabic Music. They also sell Lebanese/Arabic books. Interested in Arabic or French music on CD in the US/Canada ? Contact the following for a catalogue: Chaabouni World CDs Inc. 103 Wood Street Westerville Ohio 43081 (614) 523-0691 e-mail: cmoez@valhalla.cs.wright.edu If you're willing to drive to Toronto, you can check out the Nasr plaza at the North-West corner of Lawrence and Warden. There is a Middle-Eastern music store with quite a large collection. Beit Al-Fikr recently annouced that a large collection of Arabic compact discs (CDs) available for inexpensive wholesale prices...To get the most recent CD catalog send a check or money order for $ 4 to: Beit Al-Fikr P.O Box 426 Watertown, MA 02172 Phone/FAX: (617) 923-0264 E-mail: jadi@world.std.com Beit Al-Fikr also has a good selection of Marcel Khalife music on CDs... -------------- In Brooklyn, NY: contact Rashid Sales Co. They have the largest selection of Arabic music CD's and cassettes that I know of in the US. Their phone number is 718-852-3295 and just ask them to send you their latest cataloque. address is: Rashid Sales Co. 191 Atlantic Ave. Brooklyn, NY They have a 1-800 number: 1-800-843-9401 ------------- If you are in S. Calif you can try "Sawt wa Soura" on Ball an Magnolia in Buena Park ------------- For France: You can find arabic CDs and tapes in general, at most of the main music shops like FNAC for instance or Samaritaine, La Sorbonne etc. Prices are in the same range as for other kinds of music which is from 120-140 FF. ******************************************************************************* 23. Where can I find a Lebanese restaurant ? In Brooklyn, NY, there are a couple Lebanese Restaurants on Atlantic Ave. One is Tripoli Restaurant, good food, a bit expensive, good to invite a guest, and another more popular (and affordable) Kabab and Shawarma restaurant (a-la Abu Khudor) accross the street from Tripoli Restaurant. The Kabab restaurant even has an indoor water fountain, nice touch. The area near NY Univ in Manhattan has quite a few M.E. restaurants. In Manhattan there is Cedars of Lebanon restaurant. Here is the Address: Cedars of Lebanon 39 East 30th Street New York City, 10016 Phone: (212) 213 2380 I've been to this restaurant and it is excellent. They have a Lebanese band that sings Lebanese songs, and the food is very good. Excellent place for a Saturday evening. Atlantic Ave is the best place to get lebanese food from. There is "Shahadi". They carry a lot of good food: kHubz, zaitoon, Homos, Jibne, all kinds of canned foods, etc. they even have arabic sweets, but You should take a look 1st at Damascus Bakery two doors away. Well when you get there you'll see it. Also here in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn , which is easily gotten to by car or train (The R Train) we have EVEN MORE Lebanese, Syrian, Palestinian, Egyptian grocery stores then you'd ever imagine that was on Atlantic Avenue. Also if you are islamic there are tons and tons of Hallal meat stores located on 5th avenue in the 70's,and 60's (streets) --> addition: Moustache, 90 Bedford St., NYC (Soho -- btwn Grove and Barrow St off of 7th Ave South). Has excellent variations on Hummos, Tabouleh, Mana'eesh (za'tar bread) and a dish called Ouzi (rice, chicken, spices...). Long lines but worth it, excellent price and quality, a "best kept secret". Byblos, 3rd Avenue and 39th St. Excellent food, reasonable prices, great host and singing-belly dancing on weekends. Al-Bustan, 827 Third Avenue (between 50 and 51st Street) - 212-759-5933 It caters to the business world, with professional atmosphere, and great food. _______________________________________________________________________________ There are three in the St.Louis area: Aladdin's - 2241 S. Brentwood, (314) 963-0090 Very good, reasonable price. Salim's - 6501 Delmar, (314) 721-7947 Good, but expensive. Mediterranean Taverna - Edwardsville IL Good food & entertainment, Middle-Eastern buffet for ~$7. _______________________________________________________________________________ Canyon Cafe, 330 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs CA 92262 Tel (619) 322-6777, Owner Ghassan Razzouk. It is a small cafe in Palm Springs that serves Lebanese dishes The proprietor is half Lebanese half Italian, he is married to a Colombian and has lived most of his life in Mexico. He does a good falafel, the makanek are nice, Tabouleh and Baba Ghannouj need some work. _______________________________________________________________________________ In Denver there is a Cedars Restaurant run by a Lebanese guy, I've heard good things about it, but I've not been there. Hopefully, you can find it listed in the phone book. another restaurant in Denver is Mid-East Feast, here ot goes the address and the opinion of an SCLer!: Mid-East Feast Restaurant 2594 S Colorado Blvd University Hills Unit A Denver Colorado 80222 (303)759-9778 This is by far the best Lebanese restaurant in Denver. It is run by Chef Besharah Salame, who is the former chef to the President of Lebanon. He also worked for the niece of the King of Saudi Arabia. His restaurant is small but it feaatures falafel, 3 combination plates that are very good, chicken & beef shawarma, gyros, 3 types of kabobs, sheesh t'aouk, and salads, sandwiches & appetizers. We are fortunate to have many Middle Eastern Restaurants in Denver; some by Jordanians, some by people from the West Bank and some from the Old City (El Quds). Besharah's falafel and his combination plates are one of the best. The restaurant is located on the Northeast corner of Yale and Colorado in Denver and it can be reached from either the Yale or Colorado exit off Interstate 25. The Cedars of Lebanon, listed above, is good but expensive. It is located at 1550 S Federal Blvd at Florida St in Denver Colorado. Phone is (303) 936-2980. _______________________________________________________________________________ In Austin, Texas: Longhorn Po-Boy's 2801 Guadalupe, Suite 5 Austin, TX (512) 495-9228 Armen's Mediterranean-Armenian [mediocre food except for Restaurant mashaoui's] 2222 Rio Grande Austin, TX (512) 474-2068 _______________________________________________________________________________ In Washignton DC: Check out Skewers restaurant on P street and 17th... the best Lebanese restaurant and atmosphere in the DC area... say Hi to Mirvat, your hostess over there... tell her Ramzi sent you. (Check out the Lebanese wine: Mozart, and their great deserts). Also, make sure you listen to ANA radio on WNTL 1030 AM daily for community affairs, music, and news... enjoy _______________________________________________________________________________ In Seattle Washington: In a seattle menu guide there is a listing under lebanese restaurants : Omar Al Khayam 7617 Aurora Avenue N. Seattle 782 5295 354 Sunset Blvd N. Renton 271-8300 _______________________________________________________________________________ --> New In New Jersey: not exactly in Manhattan, but 20 minutes car ride from it in NJ is Cedars Bakery. excellent lebanese foods, I should know. it's in Teaneck, NJ. their phone number is 201-837-4330. _______________________________________________________________________________ Here are two Lebanese restaurants I've been to in Paris - France. Name : Al-Dar. Address : very close to Place Victor Hugo (?Av. Raymond Poincarre?). Price : relatively expensive (200-300 FF per person = medium size mezze + meat + dessert). Quality : Good to Very-Good (same quality then in Lebanon). Remarks : Lebanese service, arabic music, grocery with lot of Lebanese staff (less expensive). Name : Al-Diwan. Address : Avenue Georges V (close to the Champs Elysee) Price : relatively expensive (250-350 FF per person = medium size mezze + meat + dessert). Quality : Good. Remarks : Lebanese service, arabic music, grocery with lot of Lebanese staff (less expensive). There are a lot of other Lebanese restaurants in Paris. I only know these two and I recommend Al-Dar. _______________________________________________________________________________ Here in London, we are well supplied with a number of Lebanese restaurants. I'll describe only a small selection of them. Name: Maroush I Location: 21, Edgware Road, W2 Telephone: 071-723 0773 Cost per Person: No music, no arak : GBP.18 (US$ 36); Music and alcohol : GBP.37 (US$ 74); Quality: The food is okay. This is the flagship of the Maroush/Ranoush chain of three restaurants+ 1 takeway in London. On week-ends in the winter and throughout the week in the summer, there is live music and dancing which makes you think you are in Beirut itself ! Beware though, minimum charge when there is music and dancing is GBP.37 (US$74) which is damn expensive, but if you don't care, then go for it. Last time I went there with friends, we spent 4 hours eating, singing, and generally having a good time. Quantity of food: Well, since they will charge you a minimum price of GBP.37, you really have to eat a lot to make up to this price ! Say 3 starters per person, plus main course, plus baklawa, plus fruit, plus mint tea etc. - open 'til 4:00am or so ! Name: Maroush II Location: 38 Beauchamp Place, SW3 Telephone: 071-581 5434 Cost per Person: GBP.20 (US$ 36) + drinks (3 starters(shared) + main course) Note: Second Maroush restaurant in London, near Knightsbridge Quality: This place was recently refurbished in 1993. Before, it used to be pretty bad. I must say that it has all improved ! One has the choice to eat either at the bar (on the ground floor) or in the restaurant part. The bar is *very* busy, but it's a cool place to meet people, in front of the sizzling kebabs etc. The food is standard. Standard dishes in the restaurant, and sandwiches in the bar (like Ranoush Juice). If you're in the Knightsbridge area, you now know where to eat ! Name: Maroush III Location: 62 Seymour Street W1H - perpendicular to Edgware Road. Telephone: 071-724 5024 Cost per person: GBP.18 (US$ 36) + drinks Note: 1 minutes away from Maroush I Quality: This one's my favorite Maroush restaurant because I have been there so many times I know everyone. The food is good while not too expensive. Summer is more crowded than winter because of the Gulf population taking its quarters around the nearby Edgware Road. Recommended starters: Arayes, Baba Ghanouj (Mouttabal), firri, Makanek Un-recommended starters: Kibbeh (it's not the real thing), sojuk (it is different every time I go there !) Recommended main course: Lahem Meshwi. Farrouj Kebab. Recommended drink: Laban Ayran (they know how to do it properly) Beware of the meat Shawarma, it's very greasy, *very*. Quantity of food: plenty. 3 starters to share plus main course is enough. Baklawa and/or fruit is included in the cover price. If you can eat the whole tray of baklawa (about 40+) your meal is on the house (that's what they told me) Additional notice: Check-out the Maitre d'Hotel. He thinks he's Lebanese but in fact he is Spanish, and it's funny to hear him speak Arabic ;-) Name: Al Hamra Location: 31/33 Shepherd Market, Mayfair, W1Y Telephone: 071-493 1954 Cost per person: GBP.29 (US$58) + drinks Quality: Situated in the heart of Mayfair, a very prestigious area of town, Al Hamra is pretty expensive. But then again, it is the only place which has someone at the entrance to park your car for you. Since it is so hard to park in central London, it's pretty good, especially in the evening when you don't want to walk the streets. The food is of good quality. But then, one would really expect it. Book in advance, because the restaurant is pretty small and very popular. Quantity of food: less than in Maroush III, but who says that quantity counts ? Name: Fakhreldine Location: 85 Piccadilly, Mayfair, W1 Telephone: 071-493 3424 Cost per person: GBP.40+ (US$80+) + drinks Quality: Very popular, very expensive, very good. The bill seems to be exponential with what you eat. If you have a business meal with anybody you want to impress, take them there. Most people whom I know and have gone there have gone only once. They are still saving for the next time ! This is known to be the best in town. Go there, if you can afford it. Quantity of food: at those prices, do you bother ? It's the people there that matter. Who knows, you could be striking the deal of your career ! Name: Beit Eddine Location: 8 Harriet Street, SW1X Telephone: 071-235 3969 Cost per person: GBP.25 (US$50) including drinks Quality: This is a small restaurant where it is advisable to book during week-ends. The food is good, but nothing special. But a friend of mine really likes it. I guess the atmosphere, although being simple, is very pleasant. Shawarma is pretty good. Lahem Meshwi is a bit dry, so be sure to order Humus to dip the meat in... Quantity of food: the portions are rather small. Be sure to order enough ! Take-away food: There is a quantity of takeaway shops for Arabic food in London, especially on the Edgware Road. After having tried nearly all of them, I can only recommend one (in addition to Maroush II): Name: Ranoush Juice Location: 43 Edgware Road, W2 Telephone: 071-723 5929 Cost of sandwich: GBP.2.50 (US$5) average Recommended sandwiches: Chicken Shawarma; Mouttabal Sandwich Recommended drinks: freshly-made carrot juice, it's good for you ! Recommended process-to-get-served: go to the till, and order your food; pay and use the ticket that you get to give to the cooks. If you are a pretty girl you'll probably get served immediately ;-). Note: refurbished in March 1994, the place is now so bright inside that one needs to wear shades. The eating area has been expanded a bit as well. It gets really crowded in the summer. There is a quantity of takeaway shops for Arabic food in London, especially on the Edgware Road. After having tried nearly all of them, I can only recommend one: Editorial Note: I have used GBP for Great Britain Pound Sterling, and the exchange rate is US$ 2 for GBP 1. - I can't be bothered to use the exact exchange rate. The PHOENICIA, 11/13 Abingdon Road (Off Kensington High Street) London W8. Tel: 071 937 0120. The food is consistently excellent, the quantities are more than ample, the prices are reasonable and extremely good value, and above all the service is friendly, courteous. They even speak Lebanese instead of the condescending French some are prone to. It merits at least one visit every time I leave this cold country for the nearest I can get to a good Lebanese meal barring home cooking. Try their mezza! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- San Fransisco: the folowing info might be of intrest: The only authentic Lebanese restaurant that I know about is called Byblos. It is in San Fransisco, on Lombard & Buchannan in the Marina area. Also about Byblos the following : Byblos Restaurant Type of food: authentic Lebanese restaurant Location: 1910 Lombard Str. San Francisco, CA Phone: 415-292-5672 Prices: Appetizer average about $4 Entree' average about $11 Open for lunch and dinner "La Mediterranee" on college avenue in Berkeley. Not great but just ok, very Americanized... Is Mediterranean Gardens still in business? They were on San Pablo St in Albany a few years ago, and served quite fine Lebanese cuisine (authentic,of course). I used to live in SF, and went there frequently, but no longer live in the area. The proprietor was Youssef, and I recall that his mother made some of the dishes. I do not know the address, but recall parking near Chemical Bank (?), and that it is on the east side of the street. (George Ayoub) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In Paris in France: There is a Restaurant/Sanck/Traiteur/Patissier called Le Sultan It's not expensive, and the food there is good ... (I did not taste the patesserie though) I took there three of my german freinds (so four persons :-) we had the right of 14 Meze' dishes for 420 FF (approx $75) .. Address: 13, rue Saint Denis 75001 Paris Tel: 1 42 36 52 15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Australia I live in Melbourne, and I beleive there is one very nice place to have a decent lebanese meal. It is called Mount Lebanon Restaurant ( Mat'3am Jabal Lebnan ). And I live in Sydney, where there are many Lebanese expatriates, and therefore many good Lebanese restaurants. These can be found in many suburbs, but the best place to start is the corner of Cleveland and Elisabeth Streets, not far from the main business district. Within two minutes walk there about ten restaurants - my favourite is Lazeez Delicious, one shop from the corner on Elisabeth Street. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Boston Don't miss Shawarma King on Huntingtom Ave. It's a few blocks due west from Mass Ave. There really are no good high-class restaurants but Shawarma King is really good. Try Ali Baba restaurant on Union Square in Allston, it's fast food but they have some good stuff. ******************************************************************************* 24. Where can I find a Lebanese grocery store? There are two large Arab shopping areas that I know of in NY/NJ: Brooklyn, NY, Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn Heights. Paterson, NJ, off Guarden State Pkwy, Hazel Street exit. --> New Cedars Bakery 953 Teaneck Road Teaneck, NJ 07666 (near George Washington Bridge) (201) 837-4330 Excellent Middle Eastern food and drinks (cheeses/olives/bread/labne/arak), including many foods made on permises (hummus, baba ghannouj, falafel ...). The store ships via UPS anywhere in the US. _______________________________________________________________________________ In St.Louis: Middle-Eastern Markets (Aswak al shark-al-awsat) on Grand Blvd. Jay International Markets on Grand Blvd. Al Madina Al Arabia in North County. _______________________________________________________________________________ Phoenicia Bakery & Deli [very good bread] 2912 S Lamar Blvd Austin, TX (512) 447-4444 Austin Gourmet Market 1931-G East Oltorf Austin, TX (512) 444-4344 _______________________________________________________________________________ These two bakeries in Michigan will ship baklava: Afrah Bakery 12741 W. Warren Dearborn, MI 48126 Phone: 313-582-7878 Shatila Food Products 8505 W. Warren Dearborn, MI 48126 Tel. (313) 934-1520 Fax. (313) 934-3232 Warren Avenue in Dearborn, Michigan: *Lots* of places where you can find Lebanese grocery stores and restaurants, Lebanese bookstores, Lebanese music stores etc ... Still in Dearborn, Yasmeen Bakery: Tel: 1 313 582 6035 ______________________________________________________________________________ For Paris-France A nice one and cheap one is " Boulangerie et patessirie du cedre" (10 small-bread packets for 35 FF) 58 Av Dausmenil 75012 Paris (near gare de lyon) tel 43 43 14 61 Also Traiteur Arnaout (belongs to the same person) they have some Lebanese products and food; 64 Av Dausmenil 75012 Paris tel 43 43 35 20 ******************************************************************************* 25. Is there a good Lebanese recipe book ? Fann-Al-Tabkh by Georges Al-Rayess. *The* book on Lebanese cuisine. This book is a classic, and is extremely thorough. Not for the amateur cuisinard or the faint-of-heart, though. Can be obtained from Librairie Antoine in Beirut. For a more practical and less complicated cookbook, see Madeleine Farah's book 'Middle-Eastern Cuisine' There is also "Cooking the Lebanese Way" by Cedar Hashashe. Another alternative is a book, that is not specifically Lebanese but contains many Lebanese and other Middle Eastern recipes: Claudia Roden: A New Book of Middle Eastern Food. Penguin. Sahtayn! ******************************************************************************* 26. Are there recipes available on the net ? Yes! Telnet to Archie and search for recipes with the command: prog recipes. Here you will get the address of the servers that have on- line recipes. Choose the server closest to you and FTP the file(s). following are addresses to Archie servers: archie.doc.ic.ac.uk [146.169.11.3] UK/European Imperial, London, UK archie.funet.fi [128.214.6.100] European FUnet, Helsinki, Finland archie.au [139.130.4.6] Australian Deakin, Geelong, Australia archie.sura.net [128.167.254.179] World SURAnet, Maryland, USA archie.rutgers.edu [128.6.18.15] World Rutgers, New Jersey, USA archie.unl.edu [129.93.1.14] World Lincoln, Nebraska, USA archie.ans.net [147.225.1.2] World ANS, New York, US archie.mcgill.ca [132.206.2.3] World McGill, Montreal, Another way would be to: * telnet to freenet.carleton.ca * login as "guest", no password is needed * enter "go culture" at the command line Your Choice ==> go culture * select "Sunshine Recipes" from the menu enjoy !! ******************************************************************************* 27. Is there an ftp archive site for Lebanese art works ? ---> Change: The domain dhhalden.no changed to hiof.no. There is an effort undertaken by Barre Ludvigsen and to provide a multimedia server of cultural material relating to Lebanon and the Middle East. Material is deposited as it appears and as people contribute. Everyone is urged to contact Barre Ludvigsen at <borrel@sigallah.hiof.no> or to directly add to the collection and contribute under the cultural material heading. Barre created recently a WWW home page at his site, it's name is : MultiMedia ftp servers for the Levant, it contains four pointers to the ftp servers : liasun3.epfl.ch, ftp.hiof.no and rama.poly.edu and eurecom27.eurecom.fr, also it contains some pointers on WWW pages related to specific authors/Topics here it's the address and the contents of this page : (welcome) The Levant Cultural MultiMedia Servers Architecture Cinema Cosmetics Discussion Egypt Food Geography Humor Language and literature Lebanon Music and song Peace Photography Politics Postcards Radio Religion Syria Other sources The why's and wherefores: These web pages have been set up to give Internet users a more or less structured approach to some of the multimedia cultural material on Lebanon and the Levant we've collected and located on the net since the summer of 1992. "We" being Berthe Choueiry, Bassem Medawar (Bassem's homepage),Alaa Dakroub (Alaa's homepage) and myself. Yes, I know there's one country of the Levant which is conspicuously absent from the server. My excuse is that I have very little knowledge of the country, nor do I have the same interest as I have for the others. This is not so much a matter of bias as one of happenstance. Lebanon was my home for 20 of the first 25 years of my life. It gave me somewhere to call home, 2 other languages, a sense of cultural tolerance and insight, a country to mourn and hope to nurture anew. If you have something to contribute or something to complain about, send me a note. The purpose of the server is not merely nostalgic. It's meant to be a repository and guide to all manner of information with cultural relevance to the Lebanon in particular and the Levant in general. For my part, this project started in 1992 with a series of contributions to Berthe's ftp server at the Artificial Intelligence Lab of the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Switzerland. Since then various other sites have been discoveredor come on line. Some are ftp sites, others WWW sites. Most of the material linked in these web pages reside on our anonynous ftp server, ftp.hiof.no (158.36.33.3) in Halden, Norway. This is so that those without WWW access can retrieve material either with ftp or mail ftp. However, some material is found on this WWW server and the other servers concerned with Lebanon and the Levant: eurecom27.eurecom.fr Alaa Dakroub's ftp server. Contains SCL stuff, Lebanon FAQs and back issues of Leb-Net News. ftp.hiof.no Contains pictures, texts, tourist brochures and is a companion server to liasun3.epfl.ch. Its home is at the Østfold Regional College in Halden, Norway and maintained by Barre Ludvigsen. All the material i Halden is linked on these web pages. rama.poly.edu The "Sounds of Lebanon" site contains audio data, the scl FAQ and some other things from soc.culture.lebanon, Arabic language editors and various other material. It's maintained by Bassem Medawar at the Polytechnic University of New York's Farmingdale, Long Island campus. liasun3.epfl.ch Note: Due to space constraints all the Levant files on the liasun3.epfl.ch server have been moved to ftp.hiof.no pub/levant Is situated at the Artificial Intelligence Lab of the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Switzerland and contains lots of wonderful pictures, texts, songs (arabic text and audio), maps, animations, etc. This is the original cultural multimedia server for Lebanon and the Levant, established in August 1992, courtesy of Berthe Choueiry. http://www.ludvigsen.hiof.no/webdoc/levant_servers.html MultiMedia ftp servers for the Levant Barre will be happy to help anyone who feels they might have something to contribute. There is another WWW home page, managed by Barre also, it contains a nice set of pictures from Lebanon contributed by Elie Wardini. Address : http://www.ludvigsen.hiof.no/webdoc/elies_pictures.html For more details of the contents of the ftp directories please try to read the README files and the Index files. A set of pictures of the AUB (American University of Beirut) are availble via gopher. The address is : gopher://libra.arch.umich.edu/11/AUB ******************************************************************************* 28. What is the best way to deal with multiple system TVs and VCRs and how can I get my VCR tape converted to a format that works in Lebanon ? Three solutions : 1. Buying a switchable television and use your video recorder. 2. Buying a switchable video recorder (PAL / SECAM / NTSC) and a PAL / SECAM television. 3. Buying a switchable video recorder (PAL / NTSC) and a PAL / SECAM television. First case : You can watch to drench and foreign broadcast, you can use your video recorder and your tapes, but you can't record French broadcast. Second case : You have still to find a French PAL / SECAM television. That should not be that much expensive. But : in that case, you can watch the local broadcasts, watch your tapes AND record local broadcasts. I don't know how much costs a switchable television, but as for the video recorder, it's about 300.000 yen in Japan for the only model available. That video recorder converts any video signal to any other. Some people may point out that the conversion is not perfect. That's true. In fact, the signal conversion achieved by that video recorder is a VERY LOW COST conversion. It converts SECAM to a pseudo PAL, PAL to a pseudo NTSC, but that's neither a professional quality, nor a broadcast quality. Just for information : a professional quality PAL/SECAM/NTSC converter (the converter only) costs 1.800.000 yen. Third case : There is another video recorder (AIWA) which converts NTSC to PAL only. That one is quite cheap (60.000 yen here in Japan). That one with a French SECAM / PAL television would make it, if you don't expect too much quality, and if you don't record SECAM broadcasts. About the quality : There are some video recorders allowing to make low speed records (one third of the normal speed). Up to six hours on one tape, but of course lower quality. The quality of a low cost converter is about the same... The ideal solution : you buy a switchable television AND a switchable video recorder. In that case, you can record in any format you want and use your tapes in any country. Since you don't need the signal conversion, you get a broadcast quality image in any case. _______________________________________________________________________________ Here are some recommendations for businesses that will convert VCR tapes from one standard to another : DAKE International 3208 Foxboro Dr. Richardson, TX 75082 (214) 234-8518 1pm-9pm The cost is $18.50 per tape which includes a new tape and shipping. They can convert to any TV system: PAL, SECAM to NTSC or vice versa. Another one is in Raleigh, NC. It provides conversion from and to any format (VHS, VHS-C and 8 mm types of cassettes). This will allow playback of videotapes made overseas, here on U.S. TV's and VCR's (NTSC System). The service will also convert the other way around,(i.e. from U.S. system to any of the systems used anywhere else in the world - PAL, SECAM, etc..) Mailing Address: INTERNATIONAL VIDEO CONVERSION 520 Harvest Lane Raleigh, NC 27606-2217 Phone: (919) 233-8689 Fees: $24.90 + $5.00 S&H (Price of a High Grade Cassette Included, 2hrs or less) Delivery: Mailed back the next day, express shipping at request. Payment: Check, Cash or Money Order mailed with tape. Conversions from photographic pictures, slides, 8, super 8, 16 mm movies to any of the video standards are also provided. A third one is: SOMI International 50 Summer Street Edison, NJ 08820. Phone 908 548 3065 Their price is good ($12.99 for a regular 2-hr tape and $17.99 for more than 2-hr tape, include $3/tape for postage and handling). Fourth recommendation : This information was obtained from listings in VideoMaker Magazine. Another good company is: RVT 1911 Douglas Boulevard #85 Roseville CA 95661 (916) 773-3705 The approximate cost is around $25 for 2 hours including tape and return shipping. CA residents have to pay tax at 7.25%. They have a 24 hour turnaround time. ******************************************************************************* 29. What are the Arabic TV channels that can be received in Northern and central America There are currently 2 Arabic channels that could be received anywhere in the US, Canada, and central America either directly through satellite, or through local cable companies. These channels are: 1- ANA/MBC Arab Network of America/Middel East Brodcast from london Originates from Washington, it broadcast for about 14 hours a day, Monday to Friday, all day Saturday and Sunday. Their broadcast includes children programing news, movies, and a lot of Arabic music videos. This broadcast is carried on by some local cable companies, and the only way to receive it if it is not carried on your local cable is by satellite: Tune to....................................Satcom G6/G2 channel 10 C band 2- ED TV (Arab Emirate television). This broadcast is directly from Dubia. It broadcast 24 hours a day 7 days a week. also had children programing, news, Aerobic, Art,Music, religion, etc. This program is not carried on cable, and to receive it on satellite Tune to....................................Galaxy 7 channel 17 C band In order to receive these programs on cable, talk to your local cable carrier, or for the same price the cable charges, you can install your own satellite, and receive all these channels free. PS: SATKING SATELLITE HAS THE LOWEST PRICES EXAMPLE: For $799 He will sell a fully motorized system that will pick up all the C-Band stations including ANA,MBC,and Dubia. For $499 will buy you a fixed dish and reciver easy to install in one hour. This system will pick one arabic station. His Address is: SATKING SATELLITE whole sale to public. 4819 West Commonwealth Place Chandler Arizona 85226 Tell number: 1-(602)-961-9782 ******************************************************************************* end of part 3/5 _____________________________________________________________________ Alaa Dakroub | 'al-'arD waTanI wa al-'insAnyah 'usratI Sophia Antipolis | La terre est ma patrie et l'humanite' ma famille France | The earth is my fatherland and humanity my family | (Gibran Khalil Gibran) ------------------ http://www.eurecom.fr/~dakroub/ ------------------ User Contributions: |
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