Hi Strueblood,
With regard to safety, there's less petty crime and harassment here than in many European capital cities. Of course the risk of fighting or war is higher but even in that worst scenario, conflict is usually limited to specific small areas between specific groups and the locals know very well which areas to avoid and which areas are very safe still, depending on the situation.
Also tourists are not a target, unlike some incidents in North Africa. People caught up in violence here are either people who fight themselves or politicians, or more rarely people in media. Just being American is not enough to make you an interesting target ;-)
Jounieh is somewhere people go if ever there is fighting, so you should feel safe there. I feel very safe in Beirut and the only thing I really look out for is taxi drivers (just because you really put yourself in their hands, not because they are necessarily dangerous!).
As for techy stuff, availability is ok (I bought my laptop and printer here). Imported items can be more expensive. High speed internet and mobile communications are more expensive than Europe due to poor infrastructure.
For a few more impressions feel free to read my posts on staring, etiquette, business, supermarkets and so on at gingerbeirut.com.
All the best with your plans,
Georgia
