27 December, 2007

غاز

لأن سرعة سيارة النائب أهم من جرة غازك ....

جرة الغاز اللي ما بتكلف إشي (لا هي و لا الإنترنت) راح تصير فوق الدبل بشوي

من 4.25
إلى 9.90
دينار أردني (جي دي) طبعاً


Linux Installation Festival ... Saturday 29-December-2007

26 December, 2007

النواب يرد قانون السير المؤقت

طبعاً!! ولا كيف هم ما يقدرو يمشو بسرعة 120 كم، أو ولادهم يقطعو إشارة حمرا بميت ليرة

شكلو مجلس واقع من أولها، عجبني كيف حاكيين بالمقال إنو أغلب النواب الجداد قاعدين بتفرجوا!! فرجه مهو إحنا و مشاكلنا

المهم قانون السير لسه قصتوا مطوله مدام رفضوه هيك خبط لزق

كما إجانا من المصدر
لكن المشهد تطور عندما خاض عدد منهم موقفا مناوئا لقانون السير ما ساعد على رده، وهؤلاء بدا انهم متأثرون بمزاج الشارع الرافض للقانون من حيث أنه شديد القسوة في عقوباته وغراماته (المخالفات) وأنه أشبه بقانون ''جباية''

10 December, 2007

The Biggest Xmas tree in Europe

The biggest Xmas tree in europe this year happened to be a romanian one :)
after over a month and a half of hard work, it was upthere, 76 M high, 2 million lights ,,, and loads of other millions around Bucharest made from the romanian capital a European Christmas jewel :)

300 workers, Romanians, Portuguese and Brazilians worked for one month and a half for realizing the biggest Christmas tree in Europe. Having 7th floors, 76 meters height and 300 tones, the huge tree lights up the Unirii Square with its over 2 millions lightings. Christmas_Tree_in_Bucharest.jpg The inauguration of the Christmas tree gathered over 70.000 people in the heart of Bucharest and caused many traffic jams. But the people are proud of having the highest Christmas Tree from Europe in their city.

Source

Here are some photos for the tree, I found them on flickr, Thanks for Ana Maria for uploading them.






More photos from other lights around the city are available here, here, and here.


09 December, 2007

The 1st Romanian Movie Night Festival in Jordan - Event Pictures

Following are some shots made at the 1st Romanian Movie Festival in Jordan, which was held on the 1st of December, 2007. at Al-Balad theater.

The event was under the patronage of Mrs Nancy Bakeer, the Jordanian Minister of Culture, and Mr Radu Onofrei, the Romanian Ambassador in Amman.


His Excellency, the Romanian Ambassador, Radu Onofrei


Part of the audience


Part of the audience


Part of the audience



Al-Balad theater's hall before the event





Al-Balad theater's hall between the two movies



Her Excellency, Mrs Nancy Bakeer, The Jordanian Minister of Culture serving Romanian pastry and sweets.



JRFC's speech


03 December, 2007

His Majesty's Speech from the Throne inaugurating the 15th Parliament.

An interesting speech by his majesty King Abdullah the second, today during the Speech from the Throne inaugurating the 15th Parliament.
Where his majesty criticized the previous governments and parliament saying:


وقد لاحظت في السنوات السابقة أن الحكومة لم تنفذ كل المشروعات والخطط المطلوبة منها، بالرغم من وجود التمويل اللازم لهذه المشروعات. وبالمقابل، كان مجلس النواب يعيق عمل الـحكومة بسبب التأخير في إنجاز القوانين والتشريعات الضرورية لتنفيذ خطط الحكومة ومشروعاتها.

& not to forget the a tip about press freedom:

وقد كفِل الدستور حرية الرأي والتعبير ومن غير المقبول أن يُسجن الصحفي بسبب خلاف في الرأي على قضية عامة

An annoying thing was, that I was listening to the recorded speech around 3 PM yesterday on a certain radio station, only to find out that this radio station had cut off a part of the speech!!! The problem that it was very obvious!!!!

25 November, 2007

النقل العام المدني في عمان.. أسوأ من أي وقت مضى؟؟

قد لا يكون فعلياً أسوأ من أي وقت مضى، و لكنه أسوأ !! أسوأ من المفروض، أسوأ من الماضي القريب، و أسوأ في وقت حرج يستلزم أن يكون القطاع في مرحلة تطور.


الغريب و المثير في الموضوع أن أساس هذا التراجع يأتي من جهات من المفترض بها أن تكون أساس لتطور النقل العام المدني في مدينة عمان، و خاصة في هذه الفترة. و قد يرى السائق لسيارته أن الوضع على غير حقيقته بحكم أن كل ما يراه إعلاميا هو نظريا جيد!


لن أقوم بالتنظير، و إنما سأقوم بطرح أمثلة و ملاحظات من الواقع.


الجهة التي يدور حولها تطور قطاع النقل العام في العاصمة هي بالتأكيد الشركة المتكاملة للنقل، والتي كما ذكرت منذ أمد قريب، و كما لم يتسنى لي الذكر، أنها ماضية في فتح خطوط جديدة،و أن بعضها سيكون ذا جدوى لسكان المناطق التي يمر بها، و زيادة عدد الباصات في أسطولها، بغض النظر عن التأخيرات المتعددة التي حدثت و ما زالت تحدث.


ولكن لنرى ما يحدث في الواقع بعد سنة من استيلاء الشركة على النقل العام في العاصمة:


  • من الملاحظ، و بشكل واضح جدا، الوضع التقني السيء الذي أضحت فيه الباصات، و بخاصة باصات جوهرة التاج في المتكاملة، و التي هي الباصات التي كانت سابقا تتبع لشركة أسيا للنقل (باصات الدايو و باصات المرسيدس لذوي الإحتياجات الخاصة). باعتبار أن باصات الظلال و التوفيق كانت إجمالاً في وضع لا تحسد عليه. بل و حتى هذه أصبح وضعها التقني أسواء، و أصبح من الإعتيادي جدا تعطلها أثناء حركتها.

  • باص رقم 52 – من باصات شركة آسيا سابقا – كان يسير يوم الجمعة 9-11-2007 على خط 42 الساعة 9 مساءً بدون أنارة أمامية ، ولا خلفية، و لا داخلية!!! و شاشة الخط طبعا لا أثر لها. كان في الباص ما يزيد عن 30 شخص!!!!

  • معظم الباصات الكبيرة العاملة تحوي شاشة إلكترونية تبين خط الباص و رقم الخط. و لكن .....
    أحيانا يتم تشغيلها (غالبا على خطوط رقم 42، 26، 27، 46، 52، 16) و أحيانا كثيرة أخرى لا يتم تشغيلها، أو تبين خطا غير الذي يعمل عليها الباص. و حتى الباصات الجديدة (و التي لدي انتقاد كبير على شاشات الخطوط فيها) أصبحت في الغالب تسير بشاشات مطفأه، أو تبين خطا ولا إلو دخل !!!!! و طبعا، البديل قد يكون ورقة مكتوب عليها بخط يد أسواء من خطي في الصف الثالث، و قد تكون الورقة مطوية، أو مكتوبة بلون باهت، أو حتى تكون مبينة للمكان الذي أتى منه الباص .. أو مرة أخرى .. و لا إلو دخل. أو تجد ان الخط موضوع على ملصق على واجهة الباص، و طبعا عليك أن تقوم بعملية التنجيم في حال كان الباص يعمل على خط غير الملصق!

  • فمثلا، قامت الشركة باستحداث خط الجامعة الأردنية – وادي السير، و وضعت عليه باصات كانت تعمل على خط الدائري الغربي. بعد ان حولت الدائري الغربي إلى خط إلتفافي بين الدوار الثامن إلى صويلح عبر شارع المدين المنورة و بالعكس! بحكم ان خط الجامعة الأردنية – وادي السير سيمر من شارع المدينة الطبية، و بدون أن تقوم إعلام الناس بأي و سيلة كما ذكرت سابقا! بل و حتى الباصات على خط الجامعة الأردنية – وادي السير كان و ما زال عليها الملصق الذي يبين أنها تعمل على الدائري الغربي، و وضعت ملصق صغير لخط الجامعة الأردنية – وادي السير على طرفه!!!!!!

  • مؤخرا، أعادت الشركة خط الدائري الغربي إلتفافيا باتجاهين كما كان عليه سابقا. طبعا حدث ذلك مرة أخرى في يوم و ليلة كما تم تغييره أول مرة. المهم عاد الخط دائريا، و عادت فوائد ذلك لمستخدميه، خاصة أن باص الجامعة الأردنية – وادي السير كان يظهر في المناسبات! و ما زال

  • حتى إني لاحظت عدة مرات ملصقات لخطوط ملصقة على الباصات الكبيرة فوق الشاشة الإلكترونية مع أنها كانت تعمل !!!!!!!!

  • شاهدت إحدى باصات المتكاملة الجديدة أمام البوابة الرئيسية للجامعة الأردنية و عليها ورقة مكتوب عليها (الزرقا الاتستراد) و بالفعل كان متجه إلى الزرقاء.

  • استقل زميلي فايز قبل اسبوعان إحدى باصات المتكاملة بعد الساعة 7 مساءاً من أمام مستشفى الجامعة باتجاه رغدان (أو على الأقل هكذا كان مأمولاً) كان في الباص سائقه و مراقب الشركة المتكاملة. و كانا متحيران بالذهاب نحو رغدان أو تقاطع الحرمين !!!!!!!فقالا للركاب: (ياللا، بنروح عالكيلو و رغدان، و إذا بدكوا عالزرقا كمان!!!) و فعلاً كان مسار الباص: مستشفى الجامعة – شارع المدينة المنورة – تقاطع الحرمين – رجوعاً إلى تقاطع اليوبيل – شارع وصفي التل – المدينة الرياضية – الداخلية – العبدلي – وسط البلد – رغدان. زمن الرحلة ساعة و 45 دقيقة!

  • استقلت والدتي يوم الأربعاء 21 – 11– 2007 الماضي في عز الظهيرة باص الدائري الغربي من موقفه في الدوار الثامن باتجاه شارع المدينة الطبية – صويلح – الجامعة الأردنية. حيث كان الباص متوقفا كعادته على افتراض أن يغادر على موعده. و كان في الباص ما يزيد عن العشرة ركاب، اما سائقه بالإضافة إلى المراقب و السائقين الآخرين كانوا مشغوليين بالسواليف و الأكل!!! استمر المظهر ما يزيد عن 15 دقيقة، إلا أن أتى باص آخر و طلب من الركاب التحول إليه. أما هذا الباص الآخر فقد قرر أن يتخلص من الأزمة و يتحول من مساره عبر شارع المدينة الطبية إلى صويلح و استعاض عنه بالمسار الآتي: الدوار الثامن – من إشارة ضاحية الأمير راشد يمينا – داخل ضاحية الأمير راشد – مجمع جبر – إلتفافا و نزولاً في شارع مكة – الدخول يمينا من شار مكة إلى الشارع الخلفي بين مكة مول و سيتي مول – دوار مدرسة المونتيسوري في خلدا يسارا – دوار خلدا – صويلح !!!!!!!!!! و طز بالراكب اللي صاللوا ساعة بستنى الباص بنص شارع المدينة الطبية بنص هالشتا!!!!!

  • من المشاهد المؤسفة هو أن الباصات لم تعد تتحرك بترددات معينة على الخطوط التي كانت الحركة فيها معتمدة على جدول زمني و ترددات محددة. فباص الدائري الغربي مثلا ام يعد ينطلق و يمر كل ربع ساعة كما هو جدوله. و حتى الخطوط (المثلى) كما أحب تسميتها كخط 42 و 43 و 26 و 54 لم تعد الحركة فيها محددة كما كانت، بالرغم من أنه ما زال قريباً على ذلك، و لكن بمزاجية عالية!

  • أغلب الخطوط الجديدة تنعدم فيها الباصات بعد غروب الشمس غالباً!!!!! هذا عدا عن أن بعض الخطوط أشبه ما تكون "كما يسمى بالعامية: دوام وزراء".. فمثلاً خط 15 الجديد: رغدان – صويلح، يأتي في أول باص الساعة 9 صباحا!!! و من المستحيل ان تجد باص بعد الساعة 5 مساءً !!!! هذا عدا أن الباص يظهر كل 20-30 دقيقة... طبعا ستشكي الشركة المتكاملة من قلة وجود ركاب عليه!!! مين بدو يطلع عالساعة 9 !!!؟ ناهيك عن أنه في العديد من المرات لا يصل إلى نهاية خطه في دوار الكمالية، و إنما يقوم بالدوران من دوار صويلح.

  • و موضوع عدم الوصول إلى نهاية الخط و عدم الإلتزام بالمسار قصة بأكملها على بعض الخطوط.

  • من المضحك المبكي رؤية أن السائقين يعتمدون على وسائط نقل أخرى للوصول إلى أعمالهم كسائقين! بل و يدفعون ذلك من حسابهم الخاص!


و أخيراً، ما لوحظ من تناقض يوم الإنتخابات النيابية، حين ذكرت هيئة تنظيم النقل العام:



وأكد مدير عام هيئة تنظيم قطاع النقل العام الدكتور هاشم المساعيد ان الهيئة اتخذت الاستعدادات لضمان وصول اكبر
عدد ممكن من الناخبين إلى صناديق الاقتراع مشيرا الى ان الهيئة عملت بالتنسيق مع مديرية الامن العام حول هذا الموضوع لعدم مخالفة أي حافلة أو واسطة نقل عملت على تغيير الاتجاه .
وأوضح ان الهيئة عززت عدد المراقبين المنتشرين في جميع المجمعات لسير العملية على أكمل وجه مشيرا الى ان الهيئة وضعت في حسبانها الازمات على الخطوط خاصة وان بعض الحافلات او وسائط النقل تم حجزها من قبل المرشحين لنقل ناخبيهم الى صناديق الاقتراع



بينما على أرض الواقع كانت الأمور تختلف حيث كانت الباصات نادرة الظهور في عمان – و معدودة في المحافظات (أكانت الباصات الأهلية أو التابعة للمتكاملة، حيث ان عدد كبير من باصات المتكاملة تم تأجيرها، بالرغم من بقاء عدد منها يعمل)، حتى إني رأيت ما يزيد عن 60-70 مواطن ينتظرون الباص في على موقف أول شارع المدينة الطبية في صويلح في 5 فترات مختلفة يوم الإقتراع! و كانت الباصات تأتي كل 15-20 دقيقة.



الوضع سيئ! لم أسمع في حياتي أحد يدعي (آخ! يا رب، متى راح أشتري سيارة و أخلص من هالقرف)، و لكني سمعتها ما يزيد عن 10 مرات خلال هذا الشهر من أناس أعرفهم آخرون لا أعرفهم!

هذه دعوة لأصحاب القرار لجولة يوم كامل مدفوع الأجر في ربوع النقل العام المدني في العاصمة، و على حسابي!

22 November, 2007

The Cannes 2007 winning movie: California Dreamin' (Endless) in Premier in Amman - December, 1st

The Romanian Cannes 2007 winning movie, California Dreamin' (Endless), will be screened in premier in Amman as part of the 1st Romanian Movie night in Jordan. on the 1st of December, 2007. @ Al-Balad Theater.

The film features the American actor Armand Assante, and directed by Romanian Director, Cristian Nemescu. and will be screened at 6.30 PM.

Another screening in the movie night will be at 4:00 PM. for "The Rest is Silence", directed by Nae Caranfil.

Both Movies are free of Charge, and entry will be allowed for 18+ only.
in case you will be getting to see both movies, you will be having part of some traditional romanian sweets and pastry :)

The event is organized by the Jordanian Romanian Forum for Culture and the Romanian Embassy in Amman, on the occasion of the national romanian day. In cooperation with the RFC and MediaPro Distribution - Romania. and Sponsored by TESCO - Intelligent Office Solutions.

For more information, you can keep an I on: http://jorom-culture.blogspot.com/search/label/First%20Romanian%20Movie%20Night


Now, I'm leaving you with some picture from California Dreamin'





I wonder how can jordanian women be ... Leaders! ... or the Leaders!

I really wonder how, when jordanian women in their twenties, supposedly elite university students can't even have some respect for people standing in a queue!

Minutes ago I was in a fastfood restaurant around UJ, I was standing in a queue with 2 persons in front of me (the where elderly women actually), one ordered, and the next one was saying here order.

That is, when a couple of female university students together came, stood behind me for less than 5 seconds, then went to the side and stood by the counter.

I didnt say anything.

Meanwhile, another university student, came and did the same, standing by the other side of the counter, then trying to get between me and the lady in front of me.

I didnt say anything.

The elderly women finished her order. and the 1st couple of girls started ordering..
they finished the order then the second girl wanted to start saying here order.

It was just then when i said:
"Girls! I'm here before you, and both of you stood behind me and then got infront! Have you ever heard of the term respect!!!"

Its not the 1st time this happens to me ... and I alway try to teach those ladies a lesson! who ever they are...

Its really ironic when you get to see how women in this country try to get benefit of everything over the rights of others, being either men or women even. except for what they should be having a benefit of!

Of course, I'm not generalizing here, but having a vast majority of jordanian women acting this way, yes, even older married ladies (its always ironic seeing an old woman in a supermarket trying to squeez at the cash ... and oh god i see this alot). and many other cases. because of having this vast majority, more entrepreneur jordanian ladies are failing to get a chance in leading what should be lead!

So, what i conclude is, that jordanian women want to lead in queues, in ordering before you, in being the 1st who gets that fashion trend ... etc.

But never wanting to lead a public process, to lead her rights the way they should be.. and not even to lead in positive change.

Ode to Samar Haj Hassan who lost in the elections .... I wonder how many women did vote for her, as i was hearing alot of buzz from women being jealous of her, saying "Shoo jai tsawee hai, 2al bedha tseir na2ebeh"! I dunno why i have a feeling the more men voted for her than women, or at least half of who voted for her were men!
By the way, I know she was in an advanced position by midnight on the elections day, she even ranked Nr 5 in the 3rd electoral district of Amman at a certain moment. So mainly, it was easier for her to win normally than with a quota.

anyway....

I dunno, But im hating what i'm seeing ... most of the women in this country are sooooo .... selfish! beside being fake of course!

19 November, 2007

Watchout! New speed radars :)

Yup, I just like it when we become closer to europe in some stuff around here.

I've mentioned those like over a week ago, but being too busy prevented me from blogging it. I've got loads of posts in my head, and i aint finding time for them.

So, The traffic police department starting since about a couple of weeks to install a new generation of speed raders, installed on police cars.

The new radars have mainly 3 parts, the radar it self installed in the front grill of the car.
a camera on the car's board, at the bottom of the front windscreen.

And a monitor inside the car that has the information mapped between the camera and the speed radar, and, at the same time recorded.

The nice thing that i liked most is, that I saw those new radars installed on normal cars with private license plates :)

yup, the cars are colored in golden, brown, and maybe other colors, i saw just a couple last week, and they have regular white plates, and they are small Chevrolet Aveo even :)

Next time you are exceeding your speed over 80 KMs/H, look into your mirror, look at the parked cars alongside the street, look at the cars coming from the opposite direction. then press that pedal!

I guess this is the only cure for those selfish drivers who care only about pressing the pedal, and who do not look at the others on the street, and do not look into their hearts in order to decide weather it is good to exceed the speed limit or not.

11 November, 2007

UMax , Umniah to the Max :)

Yup, WiMax service from Umniah is out today :)
you can get it starting 21 JD / month



Plans here: http://www.umniah.com/umniah/public/UMAx/UMax_PricePlan.aspx

But you shall add 6 JD/ month as a modem rental,
and buy ur bandwidth, that would be 3 / 7 / & 14 JDs for 1 / 3 / & 7 GB / month

Coverage here: http://www.umniah.com/NR/exeres/A491F1CC-5CAB-4FD5-A6E0-896A9DC88FF3.htm

wala jmeelet el ettesalat!

07 November, 2007

The Amman City Blog's Official launch

Well, no, Its not a late piece of news, since you'd have for sure already read about it on the day of the launch via jazarah.net, or via alrai newspaper yesterday.... Its just the other side of the story! all this in small tips and notes:

- The Amman City Blog was launched (http://www.ammancityblog.com/main/)
- The event started with a 15 mins delay.
- Only 2 bloggers have attended! (me and samer).. ah, well, and the jeeran bloggers as well.
- The newspapers agents asked silly questions.
- Samer spent quite a time taking photos of the microphone in front of him :D
- The Mayor apologized, and didn't attend the launch
- Al-Rai newspaper's piece of news has the following fatal errors:

فيما زاد عدد المدونين منذ اطلاق المدونة قبل اسبوعين على 5 آلاف شخص: المقصود هو زوار المدونة و ليس عدد المدونين
وقال امين عمان المهندس عمر المعاني .... : عطوفة الأمين اعتذر عن الحضور
ودعا المواطنين إلى استخدام المدونة .... :عطوفة الأمين اعتذر عن الحضور

The Rea' takes over the 5th element on Play 99.6! Why do we need foreigners taking over our DJs!

The 5th element, one of the, let me call it, pioneer radio shows across the middle east, as i stated once upon a time on this blog. Is a specialized radio show in Rap, Hip hop, and R'n'B that started ever since the early days of Play 99.6, by Dj Shadia Bseiso.

The Show got famous, and its presenter and spinner too ... so the show started to appear on Radio One Lebanon. And DJ shadia started getting a pan-arab reputation, and got to be part of several performances in Jordan, Lebanon, the GCC, and even Algeria, and maybe other places that i didn't get to know about!

Now after i got back from abroad last September, I mentioned that the 5th element is not any more on Play 99.6. instead, is the Rea' (or whateva it is called), a similar radio show by DJ Swerve. Who used to, by the way, one of the main supports of Dj Shadia and her show, with either jingles, remixes, and exclusive stuff!

I didn't contact shadia nor the management of play yet about this issue, and didn't want to ruin my wonders About this change!

I mean, the 5th element was going towards a bigger and bigger pan-arab scope, and i would have love to see this show being sold to radio stations across the middle east .... and now, its not being aired any more on the station where it 1st started!! here in jordan, on Play 99.6

By this, Play 99.6 has almost no more jordanian DJs! I already have a critique about the fact that Play, as well as other western radio stations in town are depending on non-jordanian staff to appear on the air!!!

Now i know that Dj Shadia does study in Beirut, and that the show is being recorded in Beirut's Radio 1 most of the time! When it is done, that is, since sometimes I used to find that the same episode of show is being aired for more than one week, or that the show is just a set of songs mashed up together.

But still .... i dunno ,,, that's not how things should have been or ended!

Is Dj Swerve's show less expensive for Play 99.6 than Dj Shadia's!!!!!

Maybe Dj Shadia has no problem with Swerve taking over .... but, I'm showing off a listener opinion around here...

Why are we still facing those couple of issues on the jordanian airwaves, substituting a Jordanian personnel with a foreigner, and the fact that we do still have radio shows that keep flipping on most of the radio stations (well, it doesn't happen that often to be mentioned on most of the radio stations,, but it still happens, just like that ... with a simple tick!) !

Drop your 2 cents in here regarding this issue..

01 November, 2007

Un singur drum ...



Asculta s-auzi cum rasuna
E sunetul cald al iubirii
Te invalui usor
Cu-acest cantec de dor
Chiar din inima mea
Simt un fior ce prezice
C-am sa-ti simt usor atingerea
Trec prin ceata sau fum
Este un singur drum
Catre dragostea ta...
Ma aprinzi cu atingerea ta
Cand e totul rece in viata mea
Dupa nopti intregi ma saruti si pleci
De ce imi frangi iar inima?
Ma aprinzi cu atingerea ta
Cand e totul rece in viata mea
Dupa nopti intregi ma saruti si pleci
De ce imi frangi iar inima?
De-ai putea sa-mi spui ce simti pt mine
Mi-ar fi usor sa stiu ce va urma
Sa te-astept pe nedrept,
Sa te uit si sa plec,
Ori sa-ti intorc dragostea
Simt un fior ce prezice
C-am sa-ti simt usor atingerea
Trec prin ceata sau fum
Este un singur drum
Catre dragostea ta...
Ma aprinzi cu atingerea ta
Cand e totul rece in viata mea
Dupa nopti intregi ma saruti si pleci
De ce imi frangi iar inima?
Ma aprinzi cu atingerea ta
Cand e totul rece in viata mea
Dupa nopti intregi ma saruti si pleci
De ce imi frangi iar inima?
De ce spui cuvinte in care nu crezi?
De ce pentru mine esti tot si nu vezi?
Inca o noapte nu dorm
De ce nu ma lasi sa visez?
De ce-mi spui cuvinte in care nu crezi?
De ce pentru mine esti tot si nu vezi?
Inca o noapte nu dorm
De ce nu ma lasi sa visez?




I Love the sensation i feel when i hear this song

30 October, 2007

A Couple of folkloric romanian nights, this weekend in Amman

The Romanian Embassy along with the European Union commission will be holding a romanian folkloric night this Thursday and Friday at Al-Hussein Cultural Center, at The City Hall in Ras Al-Ein.

The folkloric night will be performed by one of romania's biggest folkloric ensembles, VLASCA, from Giurgiu in southern Romania.

The performance will be starting at 8 PM, and entrance is free.

on Thursday's performance, his excellency the Romanian ambassador will be also declaring the lunch of the Jordanian Romanian Forum for Culture.

See you there

More here

16 October, 2007

Where are Jordanian Radio stations standing....? A Comparison

Since I've been earlier this month to Romania and the Czech republic, I really wanna make a comparison between the radio scene out there in eastern Europe and Jordan. And want also to include in this comparison the Turkish radio scene since i know that pretty well, and since my trip included a transit in Istanbul this year as well.

Please not that what I'll be mentioning in this post are comparison's and critiques based on facts. Also please note that this post can be printed on at least 5 A4 pages, and you cannot judge on it only by reading a fragment of 2. In case you don't accept the critique or don't have time to read it all. Close the browser!

1st of all, one thing i mentioned, is that some guy that we get to hear on jingles on Beat FM here in Amman can be heard in jingles in romania on Radio 21 as well as on Radio Expres in Prague :) and on all of those he says this phrase: “The number one hit music station”. The ironic thing is that both Radio 21 and Radio Expres rank as number one in their countries' capitals, while Beat FM isn't here in Amman!

So lets get down to business, lets see, Prague, Bucharest, Istanbul, Amman.

Istanbul is for sure the biggest audio media scene among all 4. in istabul the radio stations are so jammed so that you'd sometimes find only a 0.2 Mhz gap between 2 stations, and the 0.5 Mhz gap is impossible to find.

In Istanbul, also, you'll get to find the biggest variety of radio stations, news, turkish modern music, turkish classical music, even types of turkish classical tarab music, talk show radios, hit music stations, Qura'an and islamic radio stations... and the thing among all of them, they're all talking radios! All of them! You'd never hear a radio station that is transmitting for over 15-20 minutes without having someone talking!!! in turkish of course.

In Bucharest, as well as in Prague, most of the radio stations are hit-music-station style radio stations, playing mainly western music side by side with local pop hit music (radio stations differ between the music geners they play though, some play more oldies, some more rock, some more junk, some more hip hop and RnB... etc). And with romanian/czech DJs TALKING between the tracks in their OWN language, and with the news at the top of the hours.

In romania, there are several radio stations topping the scene all over romania, those are mainly Radio 21 (Nr 1 in bucharest), Kiss FM (Nr 1 hit music station in romania), Europa FM (The most listened radio station in romania, and the one with the biggest coverage, and most trusted news and traffic news), PRO FM and their sister radio station info-PRO.

Despite the fact that the music played by those stations, which is being mostly new hit music (except Europa FM whose music goes by the theme of 80s, 90s, and Todays best hits), despite the fact that most of this music is redundant all day long, and that Jordanian radio stations have a newer and more vary western music playlist, but listening to those radio stations is way more enjoyable, the reason is nothing more, and nothing less than the DJs which are arranging the music, talking each and every now and then useful, or maybe funny, or maybe serious stuff, as well as telling us what is the next show, all done in romanian! And there are also those 2 couple of guys every morning on Kiss FM that make fun out of politicians and so, and they use western hit singles context even as well as romanian hit music to get their message clear. All the other local radio stations go the same, and even the Iasi patriarchy radio station in north eastern romania has a similar style while airing the prayers, versus from the bible, or folkloric music from that region! Yes! Even priests make good DJs!

One thing i liked in Bucharest also is something called: Students FM .... 3ogbalna! And its so well done by the way! And their music is the most varied among all other stations, but they donot transmit outside bucharest.

In Prague, things go absolutely the same, stations playing western music, with czech DJs talking in czech... some of them play even western only, some only czech, and some a music mixture of both, all with czech DJs talking in czech!
The only English tongue you can hear in prague is an american DJ on radio Expres doing a morning show, and the BBC English news and radio shows. Nothing more, nothing less!
Even prague's rock radio, Radio Beat, has czech headbangers talking on air, and even the classical music radio station have czech symphonic DJs!

So we get back to Amman and see!
Or rather hear .... hear what!!

lets see:
(1st bunch)
Melody FM 91.1
Beat FM 102.5
Nojoum FM 93.7
Ahlen FM 97.1
Radio Sawa 98.1

All of those above are mute radio station! Totally mute, with NO ONE talking live on the air!
Nothing more, nothing less than an MP3 Player, at least in an MP3 player i can guarantee i wouldn't have poor transmission coverage as some of those radio stations have, and music to my own taste, not to some hidden people's tastes, nor to computers tastes!
2 out of those above, Beat FM and Ahlen FM do have radio shows which are recorded ... ah, sorry, Beat FM has one ENTIRE show live on the air .... and they have that jingle (the only station that listens to you in Jordan!) not obvious at all! At all!
And if Ahlen FM's went by the theme of a no-talk radio, and if they provide track names through an RDS-RT service, why is it that they air radio shows from MTV RTL and America Top 40! confusing! Its either this or that guys!


(2nd Bunch)
Play 99.6
Mood FM 92.0
Mazaj FM 95.3
Radio Fann 104.2 (and their other frequencies)
Radio Rotana 99.9
(and Beat FM 102.5 ... since they might got mad for being in the 1st bunch)

All of those in this bunch are radio station that play music and do their radio job professionally, regardless of the music genre they oriented in, all of them play us a good variety and enjoyable collection of their music, and always the latest hits of the music they're specialized in.. and all of them have pretty high ranking rates... BUT!
Again, all of them have at most 3 live radio shows, they are almost mute! The music keeps playing and playing and playing! But! What's next! Anyone around there to give us some little attention and talk to us! TALK!
You know, using a mouth and a microphone!
All of those stations have at most 6 hours during working days of live DJ shows, which is not enough! And most of them (including Sawt Al-Ghad on 101.5 FM to be added here) have even ZERO live DJ shows during weekends! Hello! It weekend! I must sit at home, you must talk!! this is why you get payed by commercials! isn't it!?
I mean, just look at Mood FM's themed music periods, The golden hits of the 80s' launch break, Nostalgia, Late night love ... etc. I love those themed periods, but why cant there be some identity for the person putting on those set of music, and to hear him/her talking to us.. telling us why (s)he chose this, why (s)he has chosen that... some lil' talk wont heart! It will even encourage me to listen more!


(3rd Bunch)
Sawt Al-Ghad 101.5 FM
Radio Rotana 99.9 FM
Radio Fann 104.2 FM
Play 99.6
Beat FM 102.5
Mood FM 92.0

All of those radio stations mentioned in this bunch use foreign DJs to present their shows! Play, Beat and Mood have English DJs, while the other arab stations depend on Lebanese DJs.
Now why is that! Why on earth don't the turks get foreigners, why don't the Romanians get foreigners, why don't the Czech get foreigners, well, the American DJ is a single case, and he is not on air all the time, nor all the days... for example, why don't Czech radio stations get DJs from Slovakia since both countries have the same language! Like we get Lebanese DJs in our radio stations!
As things go for English speaking DJs, we do have good English speaking Jordanians, a proof on that is getting down the streets and malls of western Amman, or getting through Jordanian Universities, or even getting through Jordanians on facebook! Another proof is Radio Jordan 96.3 FM, where there always was, and still, Jordanian DJs and radio announcers doing the shows and reading the news, and some of them are even professionals that were exported abroad in the gulf region, and even to the states!

While as arabic speaking DJs are concerned, and with all respect to the Lebanese people in the Jordanian radio industry, and some of them have been in this industry for over 10 years ... but i don't think you guys are really getting your Jordanian listeners! Plus, can't we in here speak arabic, we can speak it with our own language even! And local professionals can be made in the industry if those stations really care, one quite a strong example is Radio Sawt Al-Madina, which gathered a whole bunch of Jordanian youth and made professional entertainers out of them. And Radio Amman Net, which gathered another bunch of Jordanian youth before that and made professional journalists and community radio professionals out of them! It's not hard to be done if you want so!


(4th Bunch)
Radio Jordan Broadcasting Corporation's FM radios, including
Radio Jordan 96.3 FM
RFJ 90.0 FM
Amman FM 99.0
plus,
Sawt Al-Ghad 101.5 FM

The problem in those radio stations are the orientation! Or the lack of it precisely, especially when talking about Radio Jordan Broadcasting Corporation's FM radio stations. Examples are playing arabic music on RJ FM and RFJ, which are supposed to be the English service and the French service of Radio Jordan Broadcasting! And not stations to play arabic music to compete with other specialized radio stations in this domain, just because that person behind the microphone wants so!
Which opens another problem very apparent in those 2 radio stations, mainly RJ FM, which is individuality, since there is not orientation, then each and every person getting to be a DJ does what ever he or she likes on the air without having a main objective or orientation that would be a reference for all of them. Quite a couple of examples are the contrasts between RJ FM's very popular, LC-Listener's Choice, which also makes a competitor for the other western music playing radio stations in town, and, on the other side, the shows hosted by someone who goes by the name of Ghada Shaqdee7, who plays only whatever she likes, and sometimes asks the people not to ask for something other than arabic music, simply because she wants so!! and her show is mainly a family and friends show! Not to forget another DJ who goes for turkish, greek, and the other nations around and about, calling it an international show!

On the other hand, an orientation problem in music is also available in Radio Amman FM, where this orientation is more concentrated in music, being it very easy to have a song for 3omar el-3abdallat, followed by 3abd el 7aleem 7afeth, and with nancy 3ajram right mixed with 3abd el-7aleem's! The music doesnt happen to be period specific at all on this radio station. One ironic thing, is that the same Ghada Shaqdee7 mentioned above has a show in here as well, this time with English music only!

Sawt al-ghad's problem also happens to be in the music orientation, mainly in having western and arabic music side by side, as it is very usual to hear a non-clean eminem song followed by Majida Al-Roomee! And yes, them playing un-clean Rap songs is yet another issue!


(5th Bunch)
Radio Amman Net 92.4
Play 99.6
Beat FM 102.5
Mood FM 92.0
Sawt Amman 105.1
Mazaj FM 95.3
RMC 97.4 FM

All of those stations mentioned in this bunch suffer from transmission coverage issues inside their licensed area of coverage! That is, the Greater Amman Area. All of those will give u a headache while roaming around the city while trying to receipt them in your cars radio. Radio Amman Net has reception problems in western Amman in general, and cannot be even found in north western Amman! Play and Sawt Amman have problems in reaching western and south western Amman. RMC has a problem in reaching the city's suburbs from almost from all sides of the city, and Beat, Mood and Mazaj have problems in reaching northern Amman, west north Amman, and east north Amman. And after all of this, you hear Play saying (all over the kingdom on 99.6 FM), and Beat saying (Across Jordan on 102.5 FM) when they for example cannot be receipted in sweileh at all! just 3 KMs away from their transmission antenna!

Ain't the AVC giving you licenses for up to 3 KW of transmission! Can't you utilize that license! I guess none of the above are Neighborhood radio stations, are they!


I guess there are a lot more glitches, but those mentioned now are more than enough, one last thing for radio stations broadcasting news. what is it with those news bulletins at +15, +20, +30, and +40 mins from the top of the hour.
Well, lets say that +30 is ok .....
but still, news bulletins and headlines were made to be on the top of the hour.
When its the top of the hour, where ever i'd be in this would, i'd expect to have some station identity. And news at the top of the hour, not at 10, 15 or 20 minutes past the hour!

Not to forget also, the lack of quality in shows and arrangements in some stations, the lack of transmission and/or sound quality in others.....

Now, just to mention, a bunch of radio shows that i think they are ON STANDARDS, excluding from the list the shows on Radio Panorama and RMC, Which are pan-arab radio stations but broadcasting in Jordan, and which have several, if which not most of their shows on standard.
The list is, in random order:

The Big breakfast show with orange, by Lee McGrath on Play 99.6
The Morning shake and the morning mesh-mash shows on Radio Jordan 96.3 FM by Nada Sa'aideh and Mike Derdrian respectively. (when were available)
LC – Listener's Choice on Radio Jordan 96.3 FM. By Safana Bustami.
Jnoon 3al Afternoon with Taleen Qarrash on Radio Rotana.
Shabab 101 on Radio Sawt Al-Madina.
Mazzika with Macadi, by Macadi Nahhas on Radio Amman Net.
Besaraha with Al-Wakeel, on Radio Fann. By Mohammad Al-Wakeel.
Ebtada El-Meshwar on Watan FM, by Yusor Hassan.
The Afternoon drive show with Dani. On Mood 92 FM.
The Live shows on Hayatt FM.. and even the other recorded programs on Hayatt FM... they are pretty much on standard, and comply with the station's main objective and mission.

14 October, 2007

Radio Guide Update: Nojoum FM on 93.7 FM

After being there for a while, the radio station transmitting on 93.7 FM in Amman Greater Area, is still apparently test transmitting non-stop arabic music without any identity jingles or programs. But it has now an RDS name that goes as “Nojoum FM”.

Radio Guide Update: Sawt Amman on 105.1 FM

The classic music radio station transmitting on 105.1 FM started to air an identity jingle that goes like this: “Sawt Amman, soon on 105.1”.

This identity jingle, which is being said with a typical English accent since it is done by Dan Harper from Play 99.6, has been 1st played on 105.1 at the beginning of September, but suddenly didn't any more, and now its been back on air for the past week or so.

The station doesn't have an RDS name yet.

The station's name got me confused, weather this station will gonna be the Greater Amman Municipality radio station. Because it went on soon after the GAM announced it will be opening a radio station, and at the same time, i know that this station is owned by Modern Media Corp (Play 99.6's owner company), and they are the ones who bought its license!

Anyway, in case it will be GAM's radio station, they must note that the transmission range is pretty poor, and that the transmission when started should be in Arabic not in English! It can be bilingual, but Arabic should be involved in that!
If Not, I guess I'm enjoying the classical music being aired in there, but the playlist should be updated as i got to know what shall be the next piece even!

Radio Guide Update: Yarmouk FM on 105.7 FM goes 24/7

Yarmouk FM, which was launched a year ago by the Yarmouk University in Irbid on 105.7 FM. Evolved from a 2 hours a day transmission to a 24/7 transmission with all sorts of programs being broadcasted on its airwaves.

& by the way, this evolution is turning Yarmouk FM into the THIRD community radio in jordan after Radio Amman Net and Sawt Ma'an... not the 1st as those at "Internews" claim.

and by the way, this station was a joint effort between Al-Yarmouk University and Internews" .



But I wonder why did they put some Ads on the streets of Amman!!!!!!!!!!

11 October, 2007

HM Queen Rania seen to donate for Play's Toys of Hope @ C U Soon Supermarket



Yes, Her Majesty Queen Rania was seen yesterday at "C U Soon" Supermarket, dropping off toys for Play 99.6's Toys Of Hope.

She also called Play 99.6's Orange Big Breakfast show earlier this morning around 7.35 - 7.40 AM.

I go to C U Soon often! especially for Ice-cream :P I never saw her majesty :(
hehe ... kidding, Good morning everyone. Good Morning your majesty, U got awake before me apparently :)

07 October, 2007

Java ♥s U



tribute to Java U

Arab Bank - Jordan employees are looking for prostitutes at the Raghadan Bus Terminal!

Dear Arab Bank PLC employees in Jordan...

My blog is not what you think...

Dear Arab Bank Management, your employees want prostitutes in Raghadan Bus Terminal, please try to invent a sort of a, lets say, "Prostitutes loan!"

This visit I got to my blog says it all!

VISITOR ANALYSIS
Referring Link http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&safe=active&q=prostitute RAGHADAN BUS TERMINAL Amman&meta=
Host Name
IP Address 194.165.154.132 [Label IP Address]
Country Jordan
Region 'amman
City Amman
ISP Arab Bank Plc
Returning Visits 0
Visit Length 0 seconds
VISITOR SYSTEM SPECS
Browser MSIE 6.0
Operating System Windows XP
Resolution 1024x768
Javascript Enabled

Navigation Path

Date Time WebPage
4th October 200716:49:44www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&safe=active&q=prostitute RAGHADAN BUS TERMINAL Amman&meta=
nasimjo.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_archive.html

02 October, 2007

ATV is Back!!!!!!!

وافقت هيئة الإعلام المرئي والمسموع لتلفزيون ATV المملوك للشركة الأردنية المتحدة للبث التلفزيوني على البث الفضائي اعتبارا من اليوم حسب قول مدير الهيئة حسين بني هاني.
وكان مدير عام الشركة زيد الرشدان وجه كتابا أمس إلى الهيئة يطلب فيه السماح بالبث الفضائي مشيرا إلى أن الشركة مع ذلك ليست جاهزة الان للقيام بعملية البث لاسباب مالية.
وقال الرشدان في كتابه انه سيعلم الهيئة لاحقا عن موعد البث الجديد حسب الاصول علاوة على ان البث الارضي ولذات الاسباب سيتاخر حتى تتمكن الشركة الجديدة من تصويب اوضاعها المالية وفقا للمعطيات الادارية والمالية الجديدة للشركة.
واضاف ان الادارة الجديدة للشركة التي امتلكت محطة تلفزيون ATV بعد شرائها كامل حصة مالكها السابق محمد عليان ستقوم بتسوية جميع الامور العالقة مع مؤسسة الاذاعة والتلفزيون الاردني وهيئة تنظيم قطاع الاتصالات.
وكان بث تلفزيون ATV تعثر عدة مرات منذ ان اعلن عن بدء العمل فيه قبل سنتين لاسباب عديدة الى ان قامت هيئة المرئي والمسموع قبل شهرين بالطلب من مالكيه توفيق اوضاعهم حيث تبع ذلك قيام مالكها السابق ببيع حصته في المحطة الى شركة العجائب التي اصبحت الان المالك الوحيد للشركة الاردنية المتحدة للبث التلفزيوني

...كما جاءنا من المصدر

PRAGUE!

Well, for those who don't know, I wasn't in town during the 1st half of September, I was on vacation to Romania, as well as a business trip to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.

And since i have other posts across my blog about Romania in the archives, lets go and Czech out baby :)

My non-business related business in prague was actually related to Project BiSCA, me and my other 2 colleagues, ehab and fayez participated in a conference entitled “Transtec”, this is an international conference that cares about the evolution of transportation technologies in general, including green cars, human machine interaction, intelligent traffic system, or intelligent transportation systems. And Transtec 2007 was in prague, and BiSCA was a participant in there with a paper entitled by the name of the project “Bus Information, Scheduling, and Control for Amman”. Representing by that Jordan and the entire MENA region

So after a lot of calls, emails, faxes, and whatever you want, in order to get a sponsor for our participation in Prague's Transtec 2007, no body here in Jordan dared to help us, actually, all of our attempts to get sponsorship were completely ignored, and we are talking about big organizations that you read day by day publicity about them and their activities in the media ... yes, they didn't even dare to say “NO”, or “SORRY” .... well except for 1 organization that said they cannot help us since we are not an NGO, and 2 that supposedly tried, and then apologized. So there it was, I got my vacation hooked up with the conference, and did both with my own money.

1st of all, talking about the conference, it was amazing to see how research and development is that well established in some part of the world that is not that far from here! Nor from Romania.

A lot of czech companies, just like AZD Praha, Skoda motors, and others, as well as international companies working in the czech republic, like Sun Microsystems, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Novell, Siemens, and other. Are so cooperative with the technical and technological universities and their students. Not only as supporters and sponsors for the students, but even appreciators for their ideas in the industry, and even trying to involve their research and development departments to cooperate with the students after graduation and with the universities from which they graduated to implement it in the industry.

And By the way, this care of research and development I saw in the Czech republic is claimed to be “POOR”! Come and see Jordan baby...!

one very simple example was that the Traffic light management systems on the streets of Prague is nothing but an implemented university project. One that was well supported by companies in the industry, the local authorities, and even the European Union and Galileo.

The number of people in the conference weren't that much, but the quality of the participants was very high, actually, I was the youngest in there, and we were the only participants with a BS degree! And beside being from the middle east, all of there 3 were positive impressions for the people getting to know about us.

One thing that, I didn't expect, was that each and every person who heard about our project or attend the session was “Impressed”, one Japanese professor was even wondering how come this idea is not appreciated that much in Jordan, when a public transportation operator in his home-town in Japan is willing to apply such a system with all the ideas and services we provide in BiSCA, and is having trouble having someone developing it! Some people from Mott MacDonald were even interested in being consultants for the project's implementation in Amman, and even in being consultants in further related project as traffic management systems and their integration with BiSCA. Do read this GAM, do read this PTRC, do read this CMTC .... Mott MacDonald, the 2nd largest consultants house in the world!

Our paper can be found in the conference's proceeding HERE

Talking about Prague, well, I liked the czech republic in general, though all my pass from the Slovakian borders until prague was a night drive through were i saw nothing :P

Prague, 7:30 AM local time, on the autobahn between Brno and Prague, I look to the left, Oh, its a business companies compound, who is there, Sun Microsystems, Samsung, IBM, Microsoft ... and others...

Yes, you heard me right dear Java Developer, Sun Microsystems :)

well, they also have Oracle, but thats somewhere downtown nearby the Bus and train terminals, I passed by it too ...

and by the way, Oracle has ads on the streets in Prague, seems people out there know whats Oracle, and know what's a CRM :)

in Prague, Public transportation is everywhere ... tram, urban buses, metro....

in Prague, there are cool radio station's :) especially Radio Beat (which is a classic rock radio), and Radio Expres (Prague's Nr 1 Hit music station with a popular American dude doing the morning show in weekdays).

in Prague, love is everywhere, in everything ... people love life, love what they do, love the traffic jams, love listening to that American dude on the radio during the traffic jam, love work ... Yes, I didnt see a single person asking for money! Everyone works, even disabled people, even blind old women ... they sing opera songs on the street ... but they dont beg you for money!

in Prague, women are gorgeous, men are hard-workers, Czech women are not demanding though like our shitty women in here! 2 examples were the following:
a guy, a colleague student, was working a part time job as a “Street sweeper” ... I saw 2 girls trying to hookup with him.
A Man standing in the street as a silent actor, wasn't moving and doing anything, unless you pay him something in that hat. Well, a bunch of czech chicks passed, so he moved “for free” for them trying to get their attention, the girls stopped and started looking and what he is doing... he was kind of “silently acting flirts” ... they became all red flushed, and he air-kissed one girl ... she turned into 250 shades of red :)
i'm just wondering what would have happened to any of those guys above if they were in Jordan .... I'm imagining :(

in Prague, the industry is very well developed, be it technological industry, technical industry, or tourism industry! Jordanian people in tourism, GO AND LEARN! A bus ticket from the deadsea to Amman cannot cost 10 JDs if you want a proper tourism industry!

In Prague, the valtava is awesome ... it carries out the city's love and spreads it out across the town.

In prague, you can see all sort of people getting into public transportation, from business managers, to professors, to students ,, and even couple who keep kissing for over 20 minutes without anyone annoying them or even looking at them (in comparison to the next day where in Amman I saw 4 guys staring at 2 normally dressed girls and saying “Allahomma inni sa2em .. astaghfar allah!) .... and all of those above get into public transportation without having to wait that much, nor fight for a seat (because you will get a fine if you get your butt unto a seat while a child or an old man or woman is standing), nor have their clothes dirty from the seats (in case seated) , nor get confused because the bus or tram is running on a route other than the one displayed on the digital (or even manual) board in front of the public transportation mean ... simply because its not that of an invention to change the board displaying the route for the people outside!

in Prague, they have worst traffic jams than in Amman, amazingly, no body there uses the horn! I guess they figured out it wont get to progress anything in the jam.

In Prague, all the governmental departments are branded.

In prague, garnet can be found more than bread.

In prague, all sorts of bread are delicious :)

in prague, food is delicious :)

in Prague ... I fell in love with a city.

In Prague, i'll be spending my honeymoon one day :) [no more Maldives :P ]

in Prague, I left a piece of me ...... and i will get back to put another piece!



The Valtava river


The Old Chapel


The Astronomical Clock (It works!)


Karlov Most (King Charles Bridge)


Karlov Most from the opposite view, including the king's castle up the hill to the right ... by the way, I used to pass this bridge around 4 times a day :) It is one of the 1st things I fell in love with in Prague :)

30 September, 2007

Virgin Megastore opens in City Mall - Amman

Yes, finally, it opened last thursday night...

It aint that big, but its big enough .....
Content: Laptops, gadgets, Books, DVDs, and alot of music CDs :)

Prices: not that competitive as i mentioned, the CDs are around 14 - 15 JD, iBOOK is 1071 JD, ipod shuffle is 82 (while its 77 in carrefour just meters away).

The DVDs are from prime, the have Prime's label and as far as it is known around town that prime brings DVDs from Virgin! So i didn't really get it.

but the store is nice ...... and again the Music CDs collection is awesome, the books section was not full yet, but seemed pretty good as well, and might be a competitor to Prime when it comes to the books content on display.

Just my 2 pennies

The Urban public transportation in Amman is changing ... BUT

So in away or another, the 21 new Mercedes buses manufactured by Elba house Jordan were matriculated and started their operation among the CMTC's fleet during the first half of September (The period in which I was out of town).

The buses started operating on new lines as well, which are:
University of Jordan – Wadi Al-Seer (which operates on the following route: UJ – Sweileh – Medical City - 8th Circle – Bayader Wadi Al-Seer – Wadi Al-Seer – Al-Rabahie – New Bader – Belal – Um Al-Osood , serving by this quite an entire new area that has been added to the Greater Amman area for over a couple of years now, and which still suffers transportation problems like the days when those were separated villages).
University of Jordan – Al-Jabal Al-Shamali (Rusaifeh)
Raghadan – Eastern Neighborhood – Salhiet Al-Abed – Al-Mugheirat (this are is in south eastern Amman in case you don't know my dear reader)
Raghadan – Marj Al-Hamam ( operating from Raghadan Terminal – Wadi Al Remam – Middle East intersection – JRTV street – Al-Quds Street – Southern Marj Al-Hamam's intersection with the airport road [where the new Al-Quds Colleague buildings are situated] – Marj Al-Hamam – Alia housing Neighborhood ) which is also a very important corridor that has been ignored from public transportation for good years now.

and even during last week I heard they started operating on the route of (Raghadan – Marka) after the big number of passengers suffering from the small number of rusty Coaster buses moving on this route got stuffed on daily basis.


So far so good .... but! Thats the problem, we always have some BUTs in here.
Buses moving on those routes do not seem to have schedules as promised by the CMTC, and the buses do not seem to operate after sunset, or very rarely in some cases after sunset!

Another BUT, is that some changes are being done on old routes! One example is the very famous Western Circular route (Al-Da2eree Al-Gharbee), which is not operating anymore on a circular route starting someday during last week, and yes without any notice, the route was changed, and the people were leftout in the streets having to take another mean of transportation.

This route now goes from the 8th circle - 7th Circle – Jaber Complex – Al-Haramein Intersection – Jubilee Intersection – University Hospital – University of Jordan – Sweileh intersection ... and backward. Which means it doesnot complete the circle as before from Sweileh to the 8th Circle via khalda's intersection and the Medical City.
One confusing thing was that my self was riding the other day on this route after i took the bus from the UJ area wanting to go home at near the Elba House factory in sweileh, when the bus U-turned from Sweileh circle and parked saying that was the last stop, and the bus had around 30 people in it, including one lady which happened to get in the bus just after meters before Sweileh circle!

So now, in case you are around the medical city are or The end of Mecca street lets say, and you want to go the jubilee intersection or Western Rabie, you have to take 2 buses instead of 1, a bus to sweileh, and from there to take Al-da2eree Al-gharbee, same applies to a lot of young guys wanting to go from the Sweifieh area to Al-Hussein park.
And since the area between the King Abdullah II Street (Medical City Street) and Al-madina Al-Monawarah street is not that far geographically, the CMTC will loose quite a bunch of clients that will use a TAXI instead of riding 2 buses with almost the same price of a taxi. And even more expensive than a ride with a Taxi when talking about 3 or 4 persons together.

One more confusing thing is that the CMTC put some of the buses that used to operate on Al-Da2eree Al-Gharbee on line Nr 2 (University of Jordan – Wadi Al-Seer) which passes through the King Abdullah II Street through which Al-Da2eree used to pass. And with the sticker mentioning the route as “Al-Da2eree Al-Gharbee” still there in front of the bus, and only to be covered with a small sticker saying (Wadi Al-Seer – UJ). Leaving again a lot of people confused as they get in the bus and asked to pay 0.41 JD instead of the usual 0.24 JD, and again confused when the bus driver reaches the University Hospital telling them its the last stop.

One further confusion is Line number 1, this is actually University of Jordan – Raghadan.. but during the last weeks I mentioned that the new line between the new northern terminal and Al-Mahatta terminal was given also Number “1” !!! on the new buses operating on it... despite the fact it has a completely different route!
This is pretty confusing because there is quite a good number of people who notice the line number 1st, since its big, and because both routes pass by a the same street at a certain stage in their movement!

On the other hand, the CMTC claims to be launching back an e-payment technique for collecting the buses fees, using pre-charged cards, just like Asia Transport Co had before. This will be through the turkish kentkart, and the charging will be, according to the CMTC available at a lot more venues than it used to be before (only in Raghadan and the Hashemite University).

More news will be available, as available.

My only hope for now is to have the new buses will maintained and preserved, because the CMTC has quite a bad history when it comes to buses maintenance ever since it was “Al-Thelal”, and all of us can remember the terrible state in which the brand new buses of the airport express became, right before Sarya Express took over the airport's route. And all of us can currently see the bad state in which Asia's DAEWOO buses nowadays after they were joint into the CMTC, and even the brand new Mercedes buses for disabled people were turned into a miserable state.
And as my friend fayez said, "The time came when we are afraid from the bus company's way to deal with the buses, rather than being afraid from the people riding into them!".

Update: http://nasimjo.blogspot.com/2007/11/blog-post.html

Love has no privacy, and its powers have no limit

They call it “Privacy”, Oxford's english dictionary defines it as follows:

priv•acy /'pr{I}v{shwa}si; NAmE 'pra{I}v/ noun [U]
1 the state of being alone and not watched or disturbed by other people: She was longing for some peace and privacy. * I value my privacy. * He read the letter later in the privacy of his own room.
2 the state of being free from the attention of the public: freedom of speech and the right to privacy * She complained that the photographs were an invasion of her privacy.



Nowadays' people use tools to gain it, be it by checking that checkbox that they don't want their phone number to be available in the phone directory, be it that the increase their on-line's profiles security to the maximum on MSN, yahoo, facebook , or other moder online people cooking books.... Or whatever other tools the todays' modern people use ...

Excuse me, But .... anyone ever heard about feelings, anyone ever heard about god's welling and force to empower your love powers to get to the you or you or you ...

I know, I know, call me psycho, call me stupid, call me ........ call me sticky smelly cat ... call me whatever you want,,,,,, but I am nothing but , Love-based human being.

I can't do anything in this life unless i love it, I cant eat something unless i love it, I cant sit on a chair unless i love it, i cant talk to a person unless i love him or her, i cant kiss a lady unless i love her (no, its not being in love with her you stupid shallow reader, differ between loving somebody, and being in love with somebody), I cant ride a bus unless i love it, I cant write a line of code unless i love the idea and logic setting behind it, I cant write this post write now unless I'm loving the music playing in the background , the machine I'm writing it on, and the OpenOffice software I'm currently writing this post on..

and when i love something or someone , I do with my soul, heart, mind, hands, lips, feet, and all of senses. I Love, then I exist ... because I'm a human being, and the mission god gave me in this life is to love, I love you god for this mission you gave me, I'm keeping it even though your other creature human being do not seem to love loving!

And here is my story...

Well, just before starting my story with this someone whom i so-called “loved”... at the beginning of this post (23:12 Saturday the 29th of September, 2007) I wanted to listen to David Vendetta's “Bleeding Heart”, I turned the radio ON to Play 99.6, simply because i thought they would be playing it in a short while, and there it was, after a couple of songs and at exactly 23:27, My room's radio is booming “What would my life be ... living in your arms ... we will never knowwww”.... No I dont know Play's play-list, probably there is a machine selecting those hits, right now, but Its just that i love this song, and its NOT the 10th nor the 20th time I love to hear the song and i turn to Play 99.6 and hear it right away, ... see what does love mean!

Back to my story,

She's a SHE, met here ever since the 1st days of Uni back in 2002, never cared about her looks (though she's breath taking beautiful), but i always cared her mind, her soul, her behaviors, thoughts, and passions.

Things progressed, I dunno, might had a crush at a certain time, but what i know is that i fell in love with her at a certain time, and for certain reasons that wasn't to be, I respected her decision, Life went on ... No relation has started, no relation has ended.... My love to her continues, yes that LOVE, the 2002 one .... “Do you still love her?” .. a dumb question ... answer: “if I will one day say that i do not love her, let it be known that i never even did, and all of this was fakeouts, and only then you can call me psycho”...
I mean, love never ends you human beings, who come you dare to tell someone: “I don't love you anymore” ..... Love is progressive, it never ends, its accumulative, it never vanishes, Love is forever, only your fake outs end, finish and get limited ....
Dear David Guetta, your “Love is gone” is a nice song, but even when love is gone, it doesn't mean that it vanished or ended. It is just gone, for a walk maybe!

Yes I do still love her, more and more even, Its been over a year since we have “properly” met, It was always by coincidence in shop or cafe, or a rapid un-planned meetup.

We planned to meet several times actually, but it never happened for several reasons .... but ..... lets see ....

Sometimes in February 2007, we were supposed to meet, it didn't happen, so a change in plans happened, and i went shopping, I was in a mall, at a shop, as i entered the shop (in which we had met before coincidentally) something came to my mind, soul, and heart , saying: .... “you will gonna see her today at 5 PM as set before”!!!!!!!!! after 20 mins of going around that big shop, I look to my left, its her, I look to watch (4:58 PM), I didnt go to her, in a couple of minutes she sees me and says HI.

Oh how much I love you my dear Barry White,....

“Do you still love her?” .. a dumb question.

Call it co-incidence yet again ... ok ... I call it something else!

Anyway, forget about those old fantasies then ....
So we set up a meeting, after I came back from abroad 2 weeks ago, its been over a year now, a lot happened in our lives, enough to talk for 3 nonstop hours maybe. So MSNing .... was this:
Me: “Hmm, I'm pretty jammed after this vacation, time is getting too tight, I guess the week after would be good, how about Saturday the 29th of Sunday the 30th ”.
She: “Ok, Let me checkout with my BF, and ill tell you”
Me: “Ok, No problem, you see what suits you and your boyfriend and tell me, I have no problem with that at all, but I Guess it would be better on Sunday the 30th, wouldn't be”.
She: “I guess so, but until then I'll be checking out and telling you”.
Me: “Deal! Have a nice day .. but don't you forget to tell me :P ” ....

During last week I reminded her on MSN about that, she didnt give me an answer yet. I decided not to annoy her anymore about it, and not even ask... I'll be waiting as she said..

Friday night, I was pretty tired, 1 AM, wanted to go to sleep ... remember the something, yeah the “something” that came to my mind, soul, and heart ... it came again saying: “she is on MSN” ... hell ya ... I just logged off MSN.

I log in, she is ON, (this wasn't the 10th nor the 20th time this happens ... ), I didnt open a session with her, neither she did, after 15 mins the something said “She will go Busy or Away” ... and bingo!!! I got stuffed out, put that handset device away and went to sleep without logging out .... I couldn't sleep, the something returned back saying: “How about a goodnight!” ... it was 2:10 AM, she was still logged, and within 3 mins she logged off!

So, I didnt annoy her, didnt ask her about her meeting ...

Saturday night, I went out to a cafe, (I wanted to suggest that place to my meetup with her by the way, since she likes starbucks, while i dont, and i prefer that place on it). So I went there, it was a family gathering.
So as i got in, the something came back, damn it ,,,, what do you want! The something said : “I just wanna talk to your mind, soul, and heart”, I said: “they're all busy with love” ... the something said: “and they will be happy more if they see what they are loving! Here, tonight!” ....

We ordered, changed 2 tables, and as i wanted to go get my order, I opened the door, and there happened to be a man and a lady looking to the opposite direction for a table, I felt something (I do not look at others my self in case you don't know), but I saw the lady's hair, and sensed something, and after i passed through the door .... Oh my god! Its her!
And yes, there she was, along with her boyfriend :)

“Do you still love her?” .. a dumb question.

Call it co-incidence yet again ... ok ... I call it something else!

They sat on a far away table, I didnt go there to annoy them, and just before leaving, I saw her 5 feet away, looking up to the shop's orders panel, she had that smile, she was blooming, she was in love, I love her when she is like that :) I love to see her like that .. and who doesn't love to see someone he loves being in love!
And no, I made a promise not to annoy her regarding today's evening, and this is how it was, I passed, smiled to her, and she didn't even see me! Just the way i wanted it to be.

She still didnt contact me regarding tonight, and no, “the something” didnt come yet to tell me ,,,, the something doesnt tell me those stuff .... but what i know is, that if we'll happen to go there tonight, I wont annoy the table she had that special time in last night with her boyfriend, my loving limits end there.

It wasn't the 100th time I have feeling about who or what i love, it wasnt the 200th either ..... and i know i will still be feeded by my Loving powers for the rest of my life, like I've always been.

But what i do not know is, when i'll be a victim of those love powers my self, oh dear god, I'm tired of loving everything and everyone, my loving mind, soul, heart and senses are getting tired. They are in need to be loved as well .... I want to be loved .... sometimes I wish .... I better not wish that ..... I'm just wondering how is it to be loved .... is it really how some people feel, when you love them and they just ignore it, or is it like feeling to be loved ?! I told you i dunno how is it to be loved! Eh ... can't you get it!

And though I'm now hearing IIO's "is it love" in my earphones ... what I can say is ...

"It´s crazy the spell you have me under
I know it can´t be but i´ll always wonder
What would my life be, living in your arms?
We will never know"

26 September, 2007

الملك يحسم الجدل > لا قيود على المواقع الالكترونية

Via A Petra News article, available here , here, and an exclusive table talk available here via Ammon News, which has been holding quite a unique position launching a camping against the electronic media censorship in jordan.

يعني في مسؤوولين ما بيجوا إلا بالبهدلة ... و من قلة حياهم ما بقبلوا بأقل من بهدلة سيدنا

خدلك هالنمرة مثلا:
ولم يؤيد الحكومة في متابعتها للمواقع وان يكون القضاء سبيلاً لوقف حراكها الا مدير الاذاعة والتلفزيون فيصل الشبول .

مش قلتلكم مبارح هاظا البلوغ مكيف، الرجاء إغلاق الباب بعد الدخول...
سلمت يا أبو حسين