mab3oos

the best, simplest, and greatest tasting Qatayef recipe

2011-08-09T23:17:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2.5 cups of all purpose flour (I used half regular and half whole wheat)
2 tea spoon sugar
1 tea spoon instant yeast
1 tea spoon baking soda
2 cups of warm water (I used 1 cup water 1 cup milk)

mix all ingredients and let sit for 30-45 minutes.
pour onto flat grille in 2oz portions (or enough for desired size)
if no grille is available, use a non-stick frying pan on med-high heat
enjoy (this step is mandatory. otherwise, your efforts were squandered in vain!)

أفضل و أبسط و ألذّ وصفة قطايف

:المقادير

كوبان و نصف من الدقيق

ملعقتان صغيريتان من السكر

ملعقة صغيرة خميرة

ملعقة صغيرة صودا الخبز

كوبان من الماء الدافئ

إمزج جميع المكونات وضعها جانبا للتخمّر لمدة ٣٠-٤٥ دقيقة

بإستعمال قلّاية لا تلصق ، إسكُب المزيج بقدر كافٍ للحجم المطلوب

تتمتع.هذه الخطوة إلزامية. بغير ذلك ، فإن جهدكم راح هدرا

this post was brought to you by شباب كُلنا الاردن

they even gave me money to give king Abdullah a break from my blog :)

A Widening Gap

2011-06-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

King Abdulla II Speeches illustrated

2011-05-17T19:45:00.000-07:00

this is a tag cloud of the speeches given by King Abdulla II to the Parliament, representatives of the people. notice in the cloud the following:

security and stability are bigger than freedom, law, democratic, respect, principles, rights, and the parliament itself!
government is bigger than god! :)
challenges are bigger than effort!
education isn't in the top 50 phrases, but we see these featured: future, human, priorities, rights, and building!
draw your own conclusions!

created at TagCrowd.com

King Abdulla on the cover of Home & Garden magazine

2011-04-18T22:18:00.000-07:00

10 things you didn't know about King Abdulla II

2011-04-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

King Abdulla sleeps and wakes up everyday
he eats almost all food groups daily
he has parents, siblings, and children
he once was a child and has since grown up
his children call him daddy/baba (only Crown Prince Hussein calls him "Yaba")
January is his lucky month. he was born, met Queen Rania, and became heir apparent all in January
the black watch he is always wearing doesn't actually work
he has a voodoo doll in the shape of laith shbailat
he is a big fan of fanny-packs
King Abdulla breaks wind almost everyday

this post is brought to you by the "King Abdullah IS a Human Being" Foundation.

p.s. is that guy in the background naked?

the best Ten things about education in Jordan:

2011-04-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

Jordan First!
stodents are tawt english very good.
students are encouraged to be as creative as their limiting textbooks allow for.
mansaf and celebratory environment after tawjihi results are announced.
حصة الرياضة
حصة الفن
math is (specially arithmetics) what Jordanian education system is known for

this post was brought to you by

مركز دحبور

"we pick up the slack of the Jordanian Government"

Dear King Abdulla II #B4JO

2011-03-14T00:33:00.000-07:00

Dear King Abdulla:

Just in case you haven't noticed, Jordan sucks. It sucks so bad that Sri Lanka, Malta, and Zimbabwe all were granted more US patents in 2009 than Jordan. Would you like more numbers? How about...

on corruption Jordan is given 4.7 out of 10, worse than Botswana and Puerto Rico.
Jordan ranks 111 out of 183 countries when it comes to ease of doing business. It's actually easier to do business in Yemen!
Jordan is full of maba3ees that we rank 52nd out of 155 on happiness.
and...our lovely press freedom is so bad that there are 119 countries who have it better. Do you know who offers better press freedom? The savage dictator Laurent Gbagbo of the Ivory Coast!

Therefore, once the country is done celebrating your birthday, please consider making a real push for reform and stop insulting our intelligence with another "tsok" story.

thank you.

this post was brought to you with a generous donation from Jacob.

(if you don't know who Jacob is, ask the smoke monster!)

Will Arabs learn something from Hondurans? (Re-Updated)

2011-02-15T13:10:00.000-08:00

originally posted on 7/25/2009
So, Manuel Zelaya, the deposed Honduran president merely suggested changing the constitution to allow him to run for the presidency for another term. They raided his palace, woke him up, and kicked him out of the country, while still in his pajamas. here

in the Arab World:

Hashemites have been ruling Jordan since 1921
~~Mubarak has been ruling Egypt since 1981~~ [Resigned]
Al Saud have been ruling Saudi Arabia since 1932
Al Assads have been ruling Syria since 1970
Saleh has been ruling Yemen (or part of it) since 1978
Al Basheer has been ruling Sudan since 1989
Qaddafi has been ruling Libya since 1969
Alaouis have been ruling Morocco since 1666
~~[Ahmal Al Abedeen] Bin Ali has been ruling Tunisia since 1987~~ [Ran out of the country]
Al Sabah been ruling Kuwait since 1752
Bouteflika has been ruling Algeria since 1999
Al Khalifa have been ruling Bahrain since 1783
Al Thani family has been ruling Qatar since 1825
Abu Said's have been ruling Oman since 1749
Al Nahyan have been ruling UAE since 1793

mab3oos celebrates:
February 30th: Democracy Day in the Arab World.

إلى مصر #Jan25 #Egypt

2011-02-08T16:55:00.000-08:00

the irony #Jan25 #ReformJo

2011-02-03T22:13:00.000-08:00

these countries are in the news today. But for different reasons!

I am not a political activist

2011-01-26T22:09:00.000-08:00

I am not a political analyst or a political junkie. I am not a social entrepreneur or a social worker. I don't research what I write, cite all my sources, nor do I develop my arguments well enough.
mab3oos is an average Jordanian citizen, who is pissed at the monarchy for looking the other way -and sometimes even worse- when it comes to corruption, at the government for their lack of professionalism and work ethic for keeping corruption alive, at members of parliament for betraying their constituents, and at the handful remaining Jordanian citizens for being the source of all evil in this godforsaken country.

therefore, dear reader, if you came hot blooded looking for a debate, a lengthy, intelligent discussion, or suggestions to solve all of Jordan's societal problems, you will be mighty disappointed.

this post was brought to you by a generous donation from

شركة رم علاء الدين للصناعات الهندسية المساهمة المحدودة

we specialize in viruses and mal-ware!

How Jordanian are you?!

2011-01-20T22:59:00.000-08:00

for sources, go here and Wikipedia.

leave @SamirAlRifai alone. Seriously, leave him alone.

2011-01-18T18:10:00.000-08:00

everywhere you look nowadays, in the Jordanian "political activism" scene, you'll see a banner calling for the resignation of the Prime Minister, Samir Al Rifai. However, if you look closely at the political system dynamics of Jordan, you will know with certainty that Al Rifai's only fault is accepting the position of premier.
In Jordan, the real power, authority, decision making-name it whatever you like- rests in the hands of King Abdulla II. the King goes through premiers as if they were...let's say gum! as Bart Simpson would say: flavor's gone...tfoo. flavor's gone...tfoo. (here at 9:00). see, Prime Ministers in Jordan serve one purpose only. their job is to absorb negativity from the public. any anger, dissatisfaction, and/or disapproval is directed at the government. when the barometer hits a certain level, a knight riding a white horse appears through the thickening fog in slow motion and rescues the victim, makes a scapegoat of the premier, and appoints a new government...Lather, Rinse, and Repeat!
I am not saying this to vindicate Al Rifai of all wrong doings. although accepting the position in the first place is a sin on it's own, there must be another reward waiting, or being reaped as we speak. after all, who would want to be vilified for free?!
therefore, it's pointless to demand change in Jordan by overthrowing a government. Al Rifai's government is the eighth since King Abdulla II assumed power in 1999. during the past 10-11 years, living conditions in the kingdom have deteriorated. I don't have numbers to give you, but ask around and people will tell you "انا ما إلي بالسياسة"

Support for mab3oos comes from Jordan Dubai Capital.

we swear that Jordan's next prime minster will be a veteran politician. (سياسي مخضرم)

Will Arabs learn something from Hondurans? (Updated)

2011-01-15T00:52:00.000-08:00

Hashemites have been ruling Jordan since 1921
Mubarak has been ruling Egypt since 1981
Al Saud have been ruling Saudi Arabia since 1932
Al Assads have been ruling Syria since 1970
Saleh has been ruling Yemen (or part of it) since 1978
Al Basheer has been ruling Sudan since 1989
Qaddafi has been ruling Libya since 1969
Alaouis have been ruling Morocco since 1666
~~[Ahmal Al Abedeen] Bin Ali has been ruling Tunisia since 1987~~ [Deposed]
Al Sabah been ruling Kuwait since 1752
Bouteflika has been ruling Algeria since 1999
Al Khalifa have been ruling Bahrain since 1783
Al Thani family has been ruling Qatar since 1825
Abu Said's have been ruling Oman since 1749
Al Nahyan have been ruling UAE since 1793

mab3oos celebrates:
February 30th: Democracy Day in the Arab World.

#AngryJordan يوم الغضب الاردني

2011-01-14T00:07:00.000-08:00

finally the country is ready to share the way I feel. finally Jordanians are convinced that the government and royals are so out of touch with what the average Jordanian is going through. finally.
on this Day of Anger, I would like to congratulate Jordanians on their new found sense of courage to demand what's rightly theirs. they have been manipulated, lied to, and deceived for far too long.
I hope that King Abdullah will get the message this time. lowering prices for a few items is nothing more than a temporary fix that will soon wear off. real change is what will bring back dignity to Jordanians.

odd man out

2011-01-12T22:36:00.000-08:00

more here.

tomorrow on mab3oos.com: what do Ahmed Hlayyel and Will Smith have in common?

if Capitol Expressway goes from east to west, say hello!

2011-01-11T00:09:00.000-08:00

لغز

How to make Jello. A Family Recipe!

2011-01-10T23:19:00.000-08:00

this recipe has been in my family for generations. My grandma, may she rest in peace, used to make it on special occasions, such as طهور.

two cups of boiling water

add to 1/2 cup of Sugar and 1/2 of dried fresh fruit puree
(please disregard that box in the pic)

mix until dissolved then add another 2 cups of cold water
refrigerate over night.

this post is brought to you with a generous contribution from جوايكو

جوايكو: صناعة متفوقة للراحة و السعادة

Job Openings at a "Confidential" Company - Amman

2011-01-05T17:46:00.000-08:00

Speech Writer
Joke Writer
Spin Doctor
Character Assassin
Mud Slinger
Garbologist

the best Simpsons episode portraying American elections!

what makes you angry?

2010-12-30T22:06:00.001-08:00

what will Jordan learn from Iraq's sectarian violence?

2010-12-29T20:18:00.000-08:00

today's hell on earth, Iraq, Shias, Sunnis, and Kurds are settling scores of years past. During the Saddam Hussein era, Sunnis were the "chosen ones" and everybody else had to take the back seat or worse. today in Jordan, those of Palestinian origin are facing the reality of being treated with less than equality although they represent the majority of the population by many counts.

I think we're heading in the same direction.

tomorrow on twitter...

2010-12-21T01:26:00.000-08:00

@Ahmad_Kamal Damn...the car won't start...
@jarofjuice Food, food, and more food... (a little photography here and there)
@Aboosh love this song...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xY7OHkNLFE
@Rula_A Good Morning @Sire_az @RubyYass @JawazSafar @Shusmo @manna_87@lubzi @NorthCup @umlulee @Frekeeh @Hamdanism@mab3oos @brhom @OsamaRomoh @mayyasi
@Aiah_Fwares one young world will save the world...#GreenPower #PowerPuffGirls
@MohannedA شتا و برد و صقعة... يلعن!
@THE_47th Just farted the national anthem #boobs
@AliDahmash we're collecting donations to pay off the national debt. #UnderMyChristmasTree
@Shusmo هاشمي هاشمي، و انا أشهد هاشمي time for the daily shusmo
@allouh I had a dream that I drove through a Social Media Exprets' meeting. الله يستر
@ArabCrunch wikileaks still not showing cables relevant to our fight against CIA. will wait until the 250,000th cable is released.
@MhdBadi Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is a PCM signal emulator.
@mcmicro just realized I am a sanfoor! :)
@aalhasani my tab, my tab, my lovely little tab...Check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEe_eraFWWs
@Jansy99 Good morning tweeps! Jordan this morning http://bit.ly/fpajC6

@Qwaider up to my nose with paper work for a 529 savings plan.

@noornet #ArabNetMe this and #AmmanTT that. Jordan is going places! So long Bahrain.
@ladyb84 from the breakfast espresso dedicated to @SamirAlRifai http://youtu.be/W-Iw2tDoWWk
@zSafwan RT @TechCrunch طاش ما طاش the App approved. first impressions...

This post is brought to you with a generous donation from the Entrepreneurs Anonymous foundation

Helping Entrepreneurs cope with reality

I did it my way...

2010-12-07T17:51:00.000-08:00

Jordan's Parliament Election Results

2010-11-02T23:46:00.000-07:00

three years of mab3oos and I still am!

2010-10-27T00:42:00.000-07:00

a lot happened in three years of blogging. but, two main points remain the most bothersome to me as I continue blogging and interacting online with Jordanians (and in many cases, other Arabs). the first is that no matter how far I try to push the envelope in my writings, political or otherwise, there will always be those who try to use the same scare tactics employed by our beloved government. the other point is most obvious. it is the great gap between Jordanians on and off line.
many visitors of this blog left comments of the "wait 'till they get you" type. as if they have already given up hope that freedom of expression will ever be enjoyed by Jordanians. I try, with every post I write, especially the political ones, to remind readers that if you don't ask for it, you'll never get it. per article 19 of the united nations universal declaration of human rights, "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression." Jordan is a member of this institution and is required to adhere to its laws and resolutions. as such, Jordan is called upon to " "to cause [this declaration] to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories." here
furthermore, the Jordanian constitution guarantees freedom of expression. Article 15, section i states that "[t]he State shall guarantee freedom of opinion. Every Jordanian shall be free to express his opinion by speech, in writing, or by means of photographic representation and other forms of expression, provided that such does not violate the law." However, and this is why I love our government, almost every article of the constitution contains the ugly "within the limits of the law" clause. in other words, you're free to express your opinion. But, you're actually not free to do so. Because the limits of the laws prevent you from doing just that.
therefore, I refuse to give up to ambiguity. i will always speak my mind. but, I am sure that my behavior will never change the government's stand on human rights and freedoms of speech and expression if I act alone. one hand can't clap, but can do one thing :) [couldn't resist the metaphorical inclusion of the blog's name!]

if we keep scaring each other with "shhhshhh let's stay away from politics" or "have they caught you yet?" the establishment will always have the upper hand.

the other point that occupies my mind these days is the false picture we get of Jordan out of Jordanians' online presence. it's no secret that digital Jordanians belong to a socioeconomic class way above the rest. They are in no way representative of the Jordanian population. to me at least, they seem to always distance themselves from the analog ones. yet, it's the 7afartali language/behavior that's becoming cool. for instance, think of the newest Jordanian dot.com. It is more likely to have a name derived from a 7afartali/slang phrase than a western one. I can't help but think of a white boy acting black because it's cool! are we, as a society, heading that way?

Anyways, I just wanted to share a thought or two. three years ago the plan was to annoy the hell out of Jordanian bloggers. I still do from time to time. But, as the case with most human beings, I grew up a little :)

Jordanian Tech-Startups in the year 2025

2010-10-19T00:21:00.000-07:00

Gaith Saqer is still hiding from the CIA after Bin Laden's latest video was leaked to ArabCrunch from a hacker, who was able to hack his way through Bin Laden's cave WPA5-protected WiFi network
Wheels-Express starts offering baby delivery service. Extra charge if they get the داية too.
D1G changes corporate name to ForumG.com and still NOT acquired by Yahoo!
entrepreneurs are finally recognized by the government as an اقل حظا group
rumors of a Google office in Amman
Rubicon, Aranim, Sketch in Motion merge to counter Pixar's push into the region
Oasis500 is still accepting applications for it's first wave of startups

any other predictions?

Interview with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan

2010-10-17T23:42:00.000-07:00

as I was promised during my coverage of the royal conversations, His Majesty King Abdullah II has agreed to sit and talk about any and all subjects pertaining to Jordan. The interview took place at the Royal Court yesterday and was the first interview for His Majesty with a blogger. following is the complete, unadulterated transcript.

Me: your majesty, thank you very much for giving me the chance, or any Jordanian for that matter, to ask you real questions away from the usual ass-kissing interviews of Alrai, et al.

King: no problem at all. usually I answer real questions, if they're asked.

Me: see, the thing is...real questions are aplenty out there. Are you talking to the right people?

King: well, as you have seen, I have a few thousands working at the royal court alone. I think they represent a cross section of Jordanian society. if they have any problem, I am willing to listen. I am approachable, hence this interview!

Me: I believe it is hard to complain or bring to your attention an issue, if you're paying these thousands to be here without merit. I don't think they would like the attention. Anyways, let us talk bandoura.

King: Sure.

Me: It's no secret that Jordanians are going through very difficult economic conditions. prices are increasing at an alarming rate, unemployment is very high, and taxes have only risen in the past ten years. In other words, it's no Southern Italy. My question is: do you, or the appointed government, have any real, fundamental solutions to Jordan's chronic economic problems?

King: look, I've traveled the world soliciting investments and aid. And I am making progress with many large projects underway and planned and...

Me: excuse me, your majesty, we have always asked for the fish. Isn't it time to catch our own?

King: I see what you're saying. the matter of fact is that I am surrounded with many naysayers of the tsok type, who are making progress difficult.

Me: and why do you surround yourself with these numbnuts? they will only support the projects benefiting them. And by the way, why do we always have the same god damned names in the government? sometimes it is hard to know in what decade we're in, if first names were omitted!

King: well...it's an inner circle I inherited. I can't start anew. They know too much to be sidelined. they'll feel like crap...

Me: fair enough (not really). since we're talking about crap, how about the upcoming elections? why are we still ignoring the requests of an election law that truly represents Jordan's demographics of today?

King: Listen...if we were to allow for that to happen, the Islamic Front would be the dominating block, Palestinians would be the majority, women wouldn't be represented, and I would have no friends! in other words I would have to dissolve the parliament in a years time. Just like I did last year, but for different reasons.

Me: reasons like...?

King: I'd rather not talk about them now. (grabs tissue)

Me: OK OK...let's talk about something that was allover the news a few years ago. you said that Jordan would eventually become a constitutional monarchy. When do you think that eventuality would take place?

King: are you serious? those were different times. You can't argue with ~$700MM in annual aid, can you?!

Me: I guess I can't!...let's talk education.

King: Shoot...

Me: you keep touting the merits of Jordan's education system, while you and most high level officials and members of the royal family continue to pursue Western universities for themselves and their children. why? if not now, when will the time come to overhaul education in Jordan?

King: I agree. education sucks in this country. it's still stuck in the memorizing era. but, we are making progress. for example, you know, that thing, ahhh, I mean....

Me: aha, yeah. you know what? مرارتي رايحة تفقع، therefore, let me end my own misery right here right know and thank you for your time.

King: تعال كُل يوم.

Me: no, thanks!

FBI releases latest "Ten Most Wanted List'

2010-10-03T23:20:00.000-07:00

Royal Conversation VI

2010-08-31T01:08:00.000-07:00

Note: if you wish to leave a comment, please do so as an anonymous.

(King Abdullah summons Dr. Khalid Al Karaki and Dr. Walid Maani to the Royal Court. meeting attended by PM Al Rifai)
Al Karaki: دمتم صباحا يا صاحب الجلالة....يا سيدي أسعف فمي ليقول...
King Abdullah: Just sit down.
Al karaki: 7adir, sidi.
King Abdullah: The reason I wanted to meet you and Walid is that I would like us four to discuss the country's education system. As you know, Samir here opted to put the whole system in the hands of two كركية. I am not sure about his motives or plans, but I would like to hear from both of you.
Maani: Sidi, if I may, I would like to thank you for your trust in us to overhaul the system.
King Abdullah: Overhaul what, 7abibi? You were in the same position 8 years ago and nothing was "overhauled!"
Al Karaki: looool
Maani: what are you laughing at? you, too, were in the same position in 1991!!
Al Karaki: yeah, but for one month only. I wasn't even done receiving المهنئين and they get rid of me
King Abdullah: Samir, if these two have been in these positions before, why did you hire them back? I thought you were all about fresh blood? what happened there, harvy?
Al Rifai: Sidi, I just called up the list given to me by Al Louzi. I didn't even know these two guys. I never worked with either one at JDC!
King Abdullah: What was Al Louzi's rationale?
Al Rifai: he said these two are from Al Karak and are less susceptible to infighting.
King Abdullah: Are you two aware of the relationship between your ministries?
Maani: of course, sidi. we make sure everything is blamed on the other so nothing gets done :)
King Abdullah: :) you have a sense of humor, Walid. I didn't know that.
Maani: thank you, sidi...no, no, no seriously, If I could get better students from el tawjihi, I may be able to transform our higher education system to match that of industrial nations.
King Abdullah: that's very ambitious....and you, Khaled, what's your excuse?
Al Karaki: Sidi, if I could get better teachers graduating from our universities, I will make our schools the envy of the world.
King Abdullah: Well, both of you have been the president of Jordan university, both of you have been the Minister of Higher Education, and both of you have been the minister of Education!! يعني جايين تسرحوا فيّا؟ الحق مِش عليكو، الحق على إللي عيّنكو
Al Rifai: Sidi, but but
King Abdullah: bala but, bala garaf.....all of you just leave....اللهم إنّي صائم
.
..
...
(10 minutes later, after his majesty had a chance to calm down a little)
mab3oos: your majesty, are we still on for the no red-lines, all in, nothing censored interview you promised me last week?
King Abdullah: Yes, يا أخي. Just like I told you.
mab3oos: thank you very much, sidi. tomorrow it is, then.

an Egyptian in Jordan: Racism and hot chicks

2010-08-29T00:35:00.000-07:00

An Egyptian friend of mine was in Amman for the Summer. Here are a few of his observations:

His Jordanian landlord in Jabal Elweibdeh flinched when heard of his nationality and tried to over charge him for utilities. (Shame on you يا ساقط يا سرسري) anyways, he found another, better place in western Amman.
while riding a ميكروبص he dropped a metal 0.5JD (وأعت نُص ضنار بين المئاعد) he dropped on his knees and started looking for it while everyone was wondering what he was doing. Finally two other passengers took out نُص ليرة and offered to give them to him (!صعبت عليهم)
had Mansaf at gabri and Knafeh at Habibah (BTW he swore that my Mansaf was a lot better. well, anybody's Mansaf is a lot better than Jabri's)
He was shocked to see scantily dressed Ammani girls at Upstairs. He mentioned that those tramps would trump American girls! but, at the same time he wondered about all the honor crimes happening in the country. Well, I guess there are two Jordans.
In general, Jordanians were very nice but not Palestinians. (ouch!!)
Palestinians hated him a little more for being an Egyptian. (understandable)

من شان الله يا عبدالله

2010-08-27T02:59:00.000-07:00

رئيس الوزارء بدُه يشرشح رنا الصبّاغ بالمحاكم

" رئيس الوزراء سمير الرفاعي هددها بمحكمة امن الدولة بسبب مقالة لها نشرت في صحيفة العرب اليوم قبل ايام"

المصدر

وزير الزراعة بده يترفّش ببطون المزارعين

" أنا لا اسمح برفع الصوت واطالة اللسان وأنا سمير مراد وساضرب بيد من حديد"

المصدر

وزير الثقافة يلخم مخرج خمّاسي بنص صباحه

" فكان رد الوزير سريعا بعيدا عن لغة الحوار والنقاش ليفاجئ المخرج بكف على وجه"

المصدر

وزير التربية ما بدُه المعلمين يكونوا حفرتلية

طالب وزير التربية، إبراهيم بدران، من المعلمين حلق ذقونهم قبل دخولهم الصفوف...الفيديو تحشيش

المصدر

في كثير أمثلة من بلطجية الحكومة الغير مسؤولة امام القضاء

المعذرة من خالد محّادين لسرقة العنوان

King Abdullah's International trips Vs US Presidents

2010-08-26T01:24:00.000-07:00

So far this year, King Abdullah was on the road visiting the following countries:

January 4th Egypt
January 5th Saudi Arabia

January 21st Bahrain

January 22nd Oman

January 27th Spain

January 28th Switzerland

February 18th Destination not announced (private visit)

February 25th Oman (Private Visit)

March 7th United Kingdom

March 10th Russia

March 25th Libya

April 1st Japan

April 6th UAE

April 10th USA

April 22nd Egypt

May 15th Azerbaijan

June 9th United Kingdom

June 11th USA (+ private visit)

June 14th Norway

July 9th USA (+private visit-motorcycle rides in CA)

July 31st Destination not announced (private visit)

August 12th Egypt

August 18th United Kingdom

August 22nd Saudi Arabia

August 24th Bahrain

August 25th Kuwait

source

in contrast, US presidents had the following trips logged during their first 6 months in office: (source)

One thing I can glean from this huge difference is that Jordan lacks competent officials to carry out high level talks with world leaders.

Royal Conversation V

2010-08-24T02:30:00.000-07:00

Note: if you wish to leave a comment, please do so as an anonymous.

(15 minutes Later Dr. Abu Hammour zooms into the Royal court with a folder under his left arm, thick-framed eyeglasses, panting and sweating)
King Abdullah: Doctor Abu Hammour, sorry to get you here today for nothing. I am not in the mood right now. Please come back tomorrow.
Abu Hammour: 7adir, Sidi.

the next day:
Abu Hammour walks into His Majesty's office. Samir Al Rifai and Scott Schuster were also in attendance.
King Abdullah: I apologize for not meeting with you yesterday, Abu Hammour.
Abu Hammour: don't sweat it, sidi. 3al3afieh, Abu Zaid. How's it hangin' Scottie?
King Abdullah: the reason I wanted to talk to you is that I am getting a sense that there will be a deficit in the budget. Isn't there a way we can spur the economy a little to cover up.
Abu Hammour: tsok! sidi. We raised all taxes, introduced new taxes, and we're receiving all the aid we could. There's one remaining source, however.
King Abdullah: what is it?
Abu Hammour: we're still subsidizing natural Gas Cylinders. with the upcoming winter, we could cover the deficit and more.
King Abdullah: no, no, no. kolshi wala estwanat el ghaz.
Al Rifai: b3ard el sal6 ana. I am losing my popularity as it is. Please find another way.
Schuster: If I may, what if the income tax system was a little modified into being a progressive tax system? wouldn't that be fair to all and allow for those with the ability to pay more to carry a bigger share of budget requirements.

(King Abdullah, Al Rifai, and Abu Hammour all burst into tear inducing laughter)

King Abdullah: Release the hounds!

(Schuster runs away for his life)

King Abdullah: Ok, here's what we're going to do: I want you, Abu Hammour, to study converting the whole Kingdom into a Special Economic Zone ala Aqaba. Then, we'll rent out El Ramtha to Syria, Al Azraq to Iraq, and Ma'an to Saudi Arabia. wait...make Ma'an a rent to own scheme. Between Walid and Omar, Ma'an is more headache than Jiddy allah yer7amo thought it would be.

Abu Hammour: 7adir, sidi.

King Abdullah: Exellent! Sameethers, we're done with Sal6i, call up El Karaki.
Al Rifai: 7adir, sidi.

Royal Conversation IV (Crimes against Women)

2010-08-18T03:34:00.000-07:00

Note: if you wish to leave a comment, please do so as an anonymous.

King Abdullah: Abu Zaid, can you please give Abu Hammour a call. Ask him to come over.
Al Rifai: 7adir sidi.
Queen Rania: Abu Hsain, I need to talk to you about something very important.
King Abdullah: Samir...take a hike. go ahead ya 7ayati. What's on your mind?
Queen Rania: The other day, a mother of three was murdered in her sleep by her husband. This has happened before in the name of honor and otherwise. It doesn't seem to be subsiding even after I tweet about it! I can't keep preaching to the world of Jordan's modernity, moderation, and gender equality, if this continues.
King Abdullah: Sha3ib mota5alif! What can I do?
Queen Rania: I was thinking since the government has been issuing temp. laws left and right in the absence of the good for nothing Parliament, shouldn't they work on a law that equally, fully, and unequivocally protects women against violent acts committed against them by whoever? One day it's the husband, the next it's the father and her siblings, what's next? What are we waiting for? Shouldn't we once and for all treat women as equals with respect and dignity? Shouldn't there be a public right if the family of the wronged drops charges, as they always do? after all, you included in the Amman Message a passage from the Holy Quran:

"whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely." المائدة :32

King Abdullah: Inti bas o'omory!....SAMIR, come in.
Al RIfai: Yes, sir.
King Abdulllah: Your next project before the next parliament holds it's first session is to go through civil rights laws line by line and make sure women are to be treated better than men in this country. I am sick of all this violence and degradation of women. They are our mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives. Enough is enough. I don't want to hear a single word about tribal laws and culture this and culture that. Just get it done!
Al Rifai: 7adir, Sidi.

(15 minutes Later Dr. Abu Hammour zooms into the Royal court with a folder under his left arm, thick-framed eyeglasses, panting and sweating)
King Abdullah: Doctor Abu Hammour, sorry to get you here today for nothing. I am not in the mood right now. Please come back tomorrow.
Abu Hammour: 7adir, Sidi.

Royal Conversation III

2010-08-12T22:13:00.000-07:00

Note: if you wish to leave a comment, please do so as an anonymous.

King Abdullah: we would like to talk to you about our embassy in Washington. who do you have in mind?
Al Rifai: Sidi, one thing...who is this guy (points at me)

King Abdullah: I'll tell you later.

Al Rifai: Sidi, for that position there are a few very capable and professional former co-workers of mine at JDC who are looking to serve *wink* this country.
King Abdullah: I thought we brought over all of your "co-workers." Anyways, I was thinking of Shadi Al Majali as a replacement to Prince Zaid.
Al Rifai: Sidi, with all due respect, شو جاب طُز لمرحبا?
King Abdullah: well, I like the element of surprise :)
Al Rifai: Sidi, how about Prince Hamzah. I think he's very capable and will keep the high profile this position demands.
Prince Faisal: e7em!
Al Rifai: excuse me, Prince Faisal, but I didn't think you would be interested in an ambassadorship.
Prince Faisal: I think it would be a good change. Dude, I forgot what married life was like until recently!
All three: looool (Queen Rania gives a look of disapproval)
King Abdullah: well, let's see what Hillary says. She might have someone in mind already...anyways, how do you see Judeh? Is he giving you any trouble?
Al Rifai: No, not at all. We actually have a play date tomorrow.
Prince Hussein: Can I come, Can I come?! Please, 3ammo Samir?
Al Rifai: I don't think it would be appropriate, your highness.
Prince Hussein: never mind...*exits room stomping and saying* بدّي أشوف اخرتها مع my highness!
Queen Rania: What did you say, young man?!
Prince Hussein: nothing...I was coughing!
King Abdullah: Abu Zaid, can you please give Abu Hammour a call. Ask him to come over.
Al Rifai: 7adir sidi.

to be continued...

Royal Conversation II

2010-08-07T21:24:00.000-07:00

Note: for the person from the royal court who checked this post 17 times in the past 48 hours: please leave a comment and tell me what you're looking for so I could give it to you. I am just worried about your keyboard's F5 key :)

Royal Conversation I

King Abdullah: Crowd Sourcing is the future?! I might get the next cabinet formed that way.
(phone rings)
King Abdullah (sees caller ID): ...جبنا سيرة القُط
King Abdullah: Abu Zaid, ibin 7alal, we were just talking about you (rolls eyes)
Alrifai: (Inaudible)
King Abdullah: you are on your way? Great. We'll wait. (hangs up)
King Abdullah: Let's watch some TV until he gets here...(click...click...click)
Prince Faisal: No Chance in Hell!! We're not watching Dharma and Greg! let's see what's on the Discovery Channel...
King Abdullah: Nerd!
(Queen Rania steps in and wrestle away with the remote control)
Queen Rania: I've had it with you two! we're watching the tourist swap twisit videos.
King Abdullah and prince Faisal: oooh no, not again!
Queen Rania: Eeny, meeny, miny, moe... Catch a...
Prince Faisal: What are doing?
Queen Rania: I am choosing twisit finalists
Prince Faisal: I thought you were going to let the people choose!
(Queen Rania and King Abduallah burst into laughter)
Prince Hussein (humming): ...Catch a bad chick by her toe...If she holla (if, if, if she holla) let her go...
Arrival of Al Rifai announced...he enters
(greetings, hellos, and formalities would ensue for the next 15 minutes)
King Abdullah: we would like to talk to you about our embassy in Washington. who do you have in mind?

to be continued...

A Royal Conversation

2010-08-04T20:31:00.000-07:00

it's impossible to know what really goes on during a meeting that includes King Abdullah and his extended family, or even one that includes the heads of other branches of government, such as the prime minister. Well, unless the topic was of extreme positivity and bound to help improve the royal/gov image, or that there's a new الاردن اولاً-ish campaign, you will never hear a thing. maybe دبّور would say that سيارة دولة الرئيس was seen at the royal court in the late evening hours. But, that's about it. However, mab3oos was recently invited to "audit" a meeting of the highest caliber. One condition was put on the table: that mab3oos doesn't say a word during the meeting. That, however, left the door open for mab3oos to report on the meeting and get the word out. here we go:

King Abdullah is in a royal family meeting to discuss foreign policy:
Prince Faisal: shouldn't we include Judeh. he's the foreign minster after all!
King Abdullah: nah...his mustache is a distraction. besides, he'll be tweeting and not paying attention.
Prince Hussein: as the crown prince, i would like to put forward my view on the peace process.
Prince Faisal: Are you done with your homework, 3ammo?
Prince Hussein: almost...I still have to write an essay on freedom of speech. do you know of any primary sources I could cite?
King Abdullah and Prince Faisal: looooooool...talk to Safadi, he'll make up some sources for you loooool
Queen Rania enters....
Queen Rania: I am so proud of my fellow Jordanians. They do a better job than the imbeciles at the Tourism Ministry and Tourism Board!
King Abdullah: mish goltilik Crowd Sourcing is the future?! I might get the next cabinet formed that way. (phone rings)
King Abdullah sees caller ID and says: جبنا سيرة القُط...

to be continued...

Breaking: Jordanian Parliamentary Elections to be held on facebook

2010-08-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

in an effort to solidify the notion that Jordan is fast becoming the center of tech entrepreneurship in the Middle East and in preparation for the 10 10 10 ICT Forum, Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Al Rifai moments ago tweeted the announcement that the upcoming Nov. 2010 Parliamentary election will be held on facebook. The process will be straight forward, transparent, efficient, and results will be instantly available to all those with accounts on the site.

The process explained in a Press Release as follows:

all candidates must have a profile on facebook with a recent profile pic
you must have an account on facebook in order to vote
voting will be using the "Like" button on each candidate page
each voter is allowed to pick a whole parliament. that's 120 votes!
after each vote, a voter will be presented with a فاصل إعلاني from candidates
after each vote, a list of "recommended candidates" is displayed in the manner of "voters who voted for this candidate also voted for X, Y, and Z"
voters are to "poke" candidates on issues important to them
voters automatically become friends with the candidate they vote for. So, pick wisely

this post was brought to you with the support of

حملة سمعّنا صوتك

إنتخب، من شان الله إنتخب

Arabs need to Read!

2010-08-02T21:03:00.000-07:00

This article made me think of the countless attempts at, and gross inefficiency, of many of the Jordanian government's initiatives, programs, and plans, aiming at improving the future of young Jordanians, their skills, and sharpen their analytical abilities.

I am thinking of a حملة/مبادرة كتابي, in which all Jordanian students are required to read, summarize/analyze, and present a book, in any language, discipline, or literary form. there are books that are suitable for all grade levels and ages and could be read in a week's time.

what really pisses me off is that the cost of one مكرمة to send a few pampered ass brats to UK/USA for 4 years will probably cover the cost of such initiative for all the country's school children. acquire the rights to print a thousand copies of a thousand books and rotate between the kingdom's schools. imagine the results in 5 years.

King Abdullah, did you know that selling this plane will buy a kindle to every Jordanian student? (imagine the bulk discount Bezos will give you. hey...even Fadi will pitch in free shipping!)

Queen Rania, before you invite the world to visit Jordan, could we please work on a presentable, real Jordan first. I mean even my grandma tidies up before her neighbor of 40 years comes over for coffee!

Dr. karaki, this could be your خطة خمسية. I know you will probably be a member of مجلس الاعيان in 18 months. But, it's worth it.

this post was brought to you by مكتبة الامانة

من شان الله) زورني كُل سنة مرة)

the ten Annoying facebook users populating my news feed

2010-07-30T01:23:00.000-07:00

after a while, you kind of figure out the next status update before it's even written. there are those on facebook (and recently increasingly on twitter) who are adamant about posting the same thing over and over again. here are the ten personalities I've been encountering on my facebook news feed. I am sure you'll relate.

the weatherman/woman

Every freakin' morning with a "what a beautiful morning" and every sunny afternoon with an"it's a shame to be inside with this weather :(" Dude, we can all look out the window and see the sun, we can all feel temperatures, and we all can tell as soon as the clouds crowd the sky and it starts raining!

the quiz taker

your future spouse will not look like a supermodel, major celebrity, or a royalty; your taste in music sucks; and your lucky number isn't 7. Did you really need a quiz to tell you that?!

the photo tagger

Let me just say that If I am not in it, I should NOT be tagged! period.

the quote poster

do you not have anything better to say? Do you really understand these quotes? Do you just sit in the basement of your parent's house and spread wisdom?!

the news linker

are you out of your mind?! Chances are you're posting yesterweek's™ news. Believe me, if it was worth knowing, people would have noticed the minute it came out.

the music video attacher

Do you realize that all the crap you post on your wall, ya wall, is included in the feed that all your "friends" see?! We don't all share your taste in music. we would most likely Click "Unlike," if such an option was available!

the "Like" clicker

you don't have to. I swear. We all like something or another. but to treat the "Like" button as a communication tool is uncalled for. leave something to the imagination!

the Ass Kisser

this overly patriotic facebooker would get a punch in the face from his/her friends if it were legal. Your country, no matter where it is, is not perfect. Don't pretend as if it is god's gift to humanity. Leave that to the Jews! :)

the complainer

if you're happy and having a good day, please click "hide" to forget this person ever existed. S/he would just ruin your day. from traffic to work, and from bad weather to the poor taxi driver, ولا حدى بيسلم منه/ا

the stalker

every social network has them. Think of them as if you were their only friend. they would Like AND Comment on all your status updates. They would tag you in all their photos. they would even have you as the subject of an application/quiz/post on their wall.

To Hell with Arranged Marriage

2010-07-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

قصة حمده للشاعر السوري عُمر الفرّا

ما أريدك ... ما أريدك

حتى لو .. تذبحني بايدك

ما أريدك

***

إبنَ عمي ... ومثلَ اخويَ

ودم وريدي .. من وريدك

أمّا خِطبة .... لا يا عيني

لاني نعجة .. تشتريها

ولاني عبده .. من عبيدك

ما أريدك ...

***

هذي القصه .. قصة حمده

حمده الرمش .. اللّي يتحدا

الرمش الياخذ

قلب الناس

ما عمرو ودَّا

حمده كانت

أجمل ورده

بوجه الريح .. وصمدت مِدَّه

حمده كانت .. نقطة بمصحف

تحدّت كل سيوف الرِّدّه

اليوم الأول .. تحدّث حمده

اليوم الثاني .. صرخت حمده

اليوم الثالث .. نزلت دمعه

اليوم الرابع .. يوم الجمعه

دخلت أمّها .. غرفة حمده

انشدهت !! ترجفت !!

عيون تكذّب .. قلب يلجلج

خافتَ !! ... شافت !!

جسم .......... مثلَّج

شعر تناثر .. فوق مخدَّه

صاحت ... جاوب

مِروَد كُحْله ..

ماتتْ حمده !! ...

ثوب المخمل ... مراية حمده

المُشط ... البُكله .. كُلهُمْ صاحو

والصوت الرايح .. ما وَدَّا

تبكي ... كل رمال الصحرا

وتبكي ... كل بنيَّه حُرَّه

حتَّى ... طير الورور ناح

وفوق ترابك .. مرَّغ خده

تغطي حمده .. برد الصيف

المثل السيف .. يمرض عينك

أنا خايف إنها .. تمرض عينك

تغطيَّ حمده ... تهنّي حمده

ها لأرض اللي .. تحت أجرينا

أكرم من اللَّي .. فوق بمدّه

تهنّي حمده ...

حلفت أمي ...

وكل نسوان الديرة ... شهدن

إنهن شافن .. بليلة جمعه

فوق القبر.. الضامم حمده

حلفن إنهن.. شافن شمعه

الشمعة شمعة نور.. وعِليت

عِليتْ عِليتْ.. عليتْ

فوق لفوق.. لفوق

لفوق اللي.. ما تعرف حدّه

وحلفن انهن.. سمعن حمده

من جوَّات... القبر تصيح

تصيح وتنده:

ما أريدك...

twitter killed blogging

2010-07-20T21:06:00.000-07:00

this post is best read while listening to Gipsy Kings' Moorea

well, may be at least for me. it's no secret that my blogging frequency has plummeted as I took to twitter. twitter has been a more direct and the interaction is more instantaneous. however, with every tweet I post, a seed of a potential blog post is wasted. case in point, yesterday I tweeted the first if #ChuckNorriz was Jordanian. the reaction was a very active, and let me say hilarious, contribution from many Jordanian tweeps. had I made that into a post of all the iterations of Norriz' Jordanian-ness, it would have been at least a day to get my blog readers to be part of the tag line.
Also, the immediate feedback to a tweet/mention has eclipsed the best commenting system a blog could ever have. with twitter you are at liberty to read, comment, and write your own tweets all at the same time.
but, the 140 character limit of twitter inhibits one's ability to go at length in presenting a view point and/or comment/reply to others' reactions and opinions. this limitation might hamper Jordan's ديجيتال members of the government to have a meaningful dialogue with the masses. I am not against them using the medium. But, I think it should be a small part of a more comprehensive, two way conversation on Jordanian matters.
lastly, but certainly not least, there are those readers of this blog who never warmed up to the idea of twitter. I surely don't want to miss on their insights to whatever thoughts mab3oos dumbs in here!

good luck having all the above in one single tweet!

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"get more for your crap than Souq El Joura!"

The most Corrupt Jordanian official is the Jordanian Citizen

2010-07-15T01:01:00.000-07:00

in the spirit of encouraging people to register for the upcoming elections, I am reposting the following entry as it fits the current mood and that nothing really has changed during the last couple of years. This entry first appeared on mab3oos.com on Nov. 14th, 2008.

Ammon news started a new poll asking readers to nominate a Jordanian Official whom they think is the most negligent Official in the country. The post attracted numerous comments/nominations. However, I only agree with a couple. Only two commenters mentioned the Jordanian Citizen as the cause of such corruption and negligence.

It is true. As we say in Arabic: الساكت على الحق: شيطان أخرس.
Not only that, almost all members of the Jordanian Parliament are repeatedly elected on the bases of tribal affiliation in disregard to their incompetence, inexperience, and the lack of credible performance in prior terms in the Parliament.

Jordanian citizens are the source of such corruption.

They are guilty of supporting corrupt officials with their corrupt practices, such as:

Responding to every person disagreeing with them on an official's credentials with: عيب، ما بصير
Inviting officials for Mansaf to score points,
Defending incompetent officials only because they belong to the same tribe, not because of any meaningful qualifications
Insisting on not following rules or laws
Allowing those members of parliament to fool them repeatedly into electing them with false promises...
Strongly believing in some archaic morals and traditions that grant undeserved respect to those officials that have not benefited the country in any way.

In addition, and I hope I won't be labeled "Americanized" or have "defected," King abdullah does not need the crap Jordanians so proudly, and loudly, broadcast. King Abdullah is an educated, intelligent man. He does not need people to insult him by inserting "long live the king" between every other word they utter. He does not need people to follow him blindly. He needs to know that he is running a country full of people that belong to the الانسان أغلى ما نملك attitude of his father, and not a flock of sheep. He needs to be challenged. Not through violence, but through questioning and debating, directly or otherwise. Jordanians are in a dire need of attitude realignment. They need to figure out their own destiny and not leave it to شيخ العشيرة. Jordanians need to learn how to be persistent, persevering, and focused on issues that matter to them the most. If your MP candidate promised to question فلّان and demand information from علّان, why not hold him/her accountable and let the word out. Why spend all that money on an ad in the daily paper congratulating the King on Eid, when you can use the same space to question your Representative. Why spend all that money on mansaf for a filthy rich (also morally filthy) official, when you can buy a full page ad in any daily paper and direct your questions to the government or whomever has the answers.

The list will go on, but I am afraid the Jordanian inferiority will go on further. Unless we work on building a strong voice for the street, the cries and complaints will never reach the ears of those we entrusted with speaking on our behalf and arguing in our favor against a government that has no opponents.

One last thing: King Abdullah, why do we still have the inefficient, unproductive, and unstable habit of forming a government every year or so. Why not borrow a page form the play book of some developed, and far superior nation, and try to give a competent minister the chance to implement his/her policies and changes without the fear of a "تعديل وزاري خلال اسابيع"!!

If you are NOT on this List, You are boring and suck at blogging

2010-07-14T00:23:00.000-07:00

this entry was first posted on mab3oos.com on June 3rd, 2008. Since it's off season, mab3oos' posts at the moment are in syndication.

First, I could have just started by listing the suckie bloggers. But, that would be too rude and straight out defamation. As if I care! Anyways, I usually go over Qwaider.com for my daily dose of blog reading. Like everyone else, I really don't have time to go into every blog and get disappointed by the low quality, boring, and stupid writings. Therefore, I present you with my "preferred" bloggers:

Garfan: This guy is awesome, humble, and true to his word. No masking, lying, or pretending. What goes on in his head comes out unfiltered into the screen.
~~H.A.N.I 101:~~ ~~Hani is great. very intriguing and informative posts. simplicity, deepness, and insightful-ness are found here.~~ (quit blogging)
Moey's: This one is a cosmopolitan rebel. I could swear that he doesn't belong to Jordan. Creative and fun loving. beware of the beard though.
7aki Fadi: 7aki's writings are a lot of fun to read. You would get a very diverse collection of styles and themes. Work, maternity, parenting, books, ملفوف , you name it
The Black Iris: Some got offended when I expressed my respect to this blogger. Very intelligent and bold. Very insightful posts about Jordan and World issues
Abed Hamdan: If it weren't for his latest post, he would not have made the list. As if I was reading my own blog. way to go حمد عبدان
Qwaider: despite what has been said about him, his blog remains one of the most enjoyable reads. a large variety of topics from the perspective of a homesick Jordanian (more often without the "home" part!)
محمد عمر tells it as it is. A great blog written by a mature person from the heart of Amman. Has been pissed lately, but don't let that deter you.
360East: If you want to know if Steve Jobs dreamt about Amman, you will find a post here the next day. For all contemporary and Tech related topics of Jordan.
Hareega: A case of undiagnosed MD/Comedy schizophrenia. The best of both worlds in a comical way. Also, an avid soccer fan.
Bakkouz: politics, tech, and social issues of middle eastern and Jordanian flavors. Very entertaining to read.
Jordan Watch (مرصد الاردن): a very thoughtful and intelligent writer. Always tackling sensitive issues affecting Jordanians and Arabs alike.
Za3tar: From the US longing to Palestine. Great to read on a cold day with a cup of tea and toasted, what else, مناقيش زعتر
ASKAdenia: Candid and funny, although he gets on my nerves. Reminds me of Muhanned
Muhanned: The enemy of Jordanian corruption and صالح القلاب always posting the witty and daring about politics the world over
Maioush: Yes it has been a long time! very pleasing to read and funny at times. Others, she could be very deep.

OK. If your name is not up there, it isn't 100% that you suck. You could be annoying, a nut case, slow, ADD, or you could have just escaped my memory. So, it isn't all bad.

Sayonara, suckers.

The Evolution of a Jordanian Patriotic Song in three steps

2010-07-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

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a look at Arab tech startups

2010-07-07T22:11:00.000-07:00

This post is brought to you with limited commercial interruptions by:

تو تَن جي

210g.com

I have been thinking about the state of Arab tech startups for a while now. However, sometimes I am discouraged of writing about any particular company/startup/entrepreneur for fear of being labeled negative/pessimist or to just avoid a barrage of insults from people with more egos than they deserve. therefore, I will not mention any by name.

The Arab tech startup landscape is overflowing with mediocrity. Nothing that stands out. Nothing that is ground breaking. With a quick look at what's out there, one can classify all Arab startups as follows:

the outright shameless copy and paste. These people saw something that worked somewhere else and decided to do the exact freakin' thing! Not even localization is thought of in this category.
the copy-paste with a twist. Arabizing a service/product is NOT original! Adding a social element to some over-consumed service is NOT original. Targeting a particular segment with an established service is NOT original!
The wanna-do-it-all. These are companies that think of click count as the holy grail of entrepreneurship. Ad revenue is front and center for these people that they forget why in hell visitors even come to their sites.
The Forums. no list discussing Arab internet behavior will ever be complete without at least a mention of Arabs' clinging to Forums. give it up people! it's 2010!

that's not all bad, though. with all this below average-ness, the opportunity to shine with a product/service is very much available to all those with tenacity and original ideas. How do you get original ideas if you spent your whole life, academic or otherwise, memorizing crap and never questioning the status quo? it's simple. think of the internet as a digitized way of doing the same things you've always done. Shopping, community organizing, political activism, sports playing/discussing/watching, entertainment, flirting, and so on were once done in the streets, cafes, shops allover the place. Now, they're done online as well. The question is: what else out there could we digitize?

Another way to come up with original ideas is to track your activities for a whole week. What was it that bothered/inconvenienced you during that week? what service/product could you provide to eliminate that negative experience? was there anything that could be digitized?

there are many other ways to come up with original ideas. But, don't start working on something only to be told: "video hosting and sharing sites are a dime a dozen!" the key is to have people you trust surrounding you and others that can provide you with crucial advice throughout the process. brainstorm with these people to know what they have to say, share experiences, and to provide you with a fresher look قبل ما تبلّش تخبيص!!

and finally, the Gates and Jobs of the world might be getting all the attention, but they wouldn't have made it if it weren't for other "team members" standing next to them.

Russian President visits Silicon Valley. (The Jordanian story)

2010-06-24T00:34:00.000-07:00

So, today Russian President Medvedev visited Silicon Valley and held talks with various tech companies and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The Jordanian equivalent would be as follows:

الرئيس السوري بشّار الاسد يزور إربد

إستقبل المحامي عبد الرؤوف التل, رئيس بلدية إربد الكبري, في مجمع السفريات الرئيسي الرئيس السوري بشّار الاسد الذي يقوم بزيارة عمل للمحافظة هادفا لزيادة التعاون و العمل على الاستفادة من خبرات مجتمع الاعمال المحلي من خلال جولات نظمتها البلدية لعدة شركات رائدة.

هذا و قد وقّع الاسد على إتفاقية مع شركة شاهر حسن قرباع و أخوانه اللتي ستقوم بموجبها الشركة بإستثمار ما لايقل عن 10 الآف دينار إردني في قطاع التمديدات الكهربائية و الورشات في مدينة درعا تهدف إلى النمو بهذا القطاع الحيوي. كما قام الاسد بزيارة إلى شركة الاتحاد الساطع للالبسة الجاهز في مدينة الحسن الصناعية قدّم فيها رئيس الشركة شرحا موجزا لاهمية قطاع المنسوجات لسوق العمالة الصيني.

و في ختام الزيارة أعرب الاسد عن إمتنانه لحفاوة الاستقبال و قال مجيبا أحد الصحفيين "ثوف تقوم ثوريا على دراثة نتائج هايدي الثيارة و الاثتمرار بالتعاون مع الاخوة الاردنيين"

this post was brought to you by the Souq el Sukkar Business Owners Association

on the web at: www.EishYa7ilo.com

How to Type Arabic on Linux without Arabic Keyboard

2010-05-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

Yamli is all the rage these days. It's an Arabic search engine and "smart" keyboard that lets you type in Arabic letters in way of their similarly sounding English letters. So, if you want to type " الاردن اولا," you would type "alordn aola" in English and Yamli's text box will generate the Arabic text for you. However, Yamli only works within the browser. (last time I checked). So, to be able to do the same system wide, I figured I will just modify the system's Arabic keymap to type the letter I want when pressing the English letter. This way, I can press M and get م, N-->ن, and the number 3 and get ع, the number 7 and get ح. and this works system wide. You can use it with open office text editor, renaming files, naming songs, i.e. everywhere. This is how I did it:

in terminal (Applications-->Accessories-->Terminal) type
gksudo nautilus
this will grant you access to modify system files. So, be careful!
a window will open and ask you for a password.
it's the same password you created when you set up ubuntu
after you successfully enter a password:
the root file browser opens showing the desktop
click on "file System" in the left side panel and navigate to usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/ara
this will open, in a text editor, the Arabic keyboard layout/keymap that is pre-installed.
delete all text, copy the keymap from this page, and paste it in. Save, reboot, enjoy!

the layout I am using is based on this, windows only, Arabic keyboard. of course, you can add, delete, move, replace all you want!

AmmanTT زي ما رحتي إجيتي

2010-05-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

ammantt.com

Just by watching the live stream and following and interacting with those on twitter, this month's, and the first, Amman Tech Tuesday event was a huge success on all fronts. From attendance to interactivity and from the level of participants to the quality of success stories, the event proved to be the nucleus of a great future for Jordan's techies and the industry in general.

A major absentee from the whole campaign preceding the event and the event itself was Jordan's official representation and a government backing. Aside from the venue (I am assuming PSUT is a public university), the government was nowhere to be seen. Nevertheless, that MIA status was a crucial ingredient for those who truly understand and care about technology to be themselves and avoid formality, bureaucracy and ass-kissing!

Had the government had a major role in organizing and carrying out AmmanTT, we would have seen a tech-ignorant, attention-[deprived], status-loving government official parade the gov [failed] initiatives, tediously put attendees to sleep, and slyly sidestep pressing questions and constantly inserting الحكومة الرشيدة و القيادة الحكيمة everywhere linguistically possible!

Believe it or not, that would have definitely been the outcome of AmmanTT had the Government organized the event. The Gov's track record speaks volumes of their shortcomings and the constant case of إجت تكحلها، عمتها!

I am not sure who said it, may be a royalty, when asked of the reasons behind the success of Jordanians relative to the Arab World in the field of entrepreneurship and technology, the answer was that "we stayed out of the way."

That should always be the government's position and just have those with real technology and tech entrepreneurship experience handle the تنسيب of new laws and regulations and relay the community's concerns.

this post was brought to you with the support of

AmmanTT: زي ما رُحتي إجيتي

a government campaign to eradicate those ديجيتال people and prevent any possible change

GAM Announces the first annual "كلاسيكي" Classical Music Festival

2010-04-28T22:05:00.000-07:00

Omar Maani, Amman's mayor, announced today in a news conference the launch of a 3 day classical music festival in partnership with the National Music Conservatory. The festival will be held every summer in Amman's downtown at the Roman Amphitheater. For the upcoming festival, mayor Maani released a preliminary schedule of events and a code of conduct and rules to be followed by the audience.

Schedule of events:
Royal Night

Also Sprach Zarathustra (not star wars!) by Strauss
Beethoven 9th Symphony
Piano Concerto No. 1 by Tchaikovsky

Scary Night

Orff's O Fortuna
Bach's Toccata And Fugue

knights' Night

Light Cavalry Overture by Suppe
William Tell Overture by Rossini

Kids' Night

Dance Of The Hours by Ponchielli
Strauss' Blue Danube
Rossini's Barber Of Seville Overture

Code of Conduct:

[contained] kids allowed only on "kids' nigh"! Otherwise, no kids allowed
No eating, drinking, or smoking
No "humming" with the music
A strict formal dress code will be enforced
Only one "Shush" allowed. The second will be the act of throwing you out
If you fall asleep during a musical session, you will be charged twice and banned from ever attending GAM events
No "عظمة على عظمة على عظمة" will be tolerated! offenders will be confined to a room with the blasting music of فهد بلّان

Mayor Maani biy3any. So, he is urging all to suggest more, enhanced code of conduct rules!

Techcrunch and the Jordanian connection!

2010-04-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

I really don't know what to make of it. I frequent techcrunch's website and I just can't help noticing their "techcrunch on facebook" widget showing their friends/fans. the things is techcrunch has more than 46,000 of these friends/fans. However, there's a disproportional representation of Arabs shown in the widget. Out of the ten shown, five are Arabs. Not Just that. They're all Jordanian!

this post was brought to you by Y combinator's Middle East technopreneurs convention.

نُص كيلو of my favorite chocolate!

2010-04-26T21:35:00.000-07:00

My favorite chocolate of all time! dark with almonds....

best viewed in full size...

Announcing the First Annual Dead Sea Festival

2010-04-26T01:53:00.000-07:00

Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced earlier today the launch of the Dead Sea Festival. The festival's events will be May 20th-24th and held in their entirety at the Dead Sea and the surrounding areas. In it's press release, the ministry outlined the events as follows:
Thur. May 20th:

official launch of the festival under the patronage of Her Excellency Ms. Maha Al Khatib.
lighting the the festival's bonfire
parade of regional delegations (Darak forces will be on hand. So, behave!)
Candlelight vigil and a moment of silence in remembrance of Jerash festival

Fri. May 21st:

the designation of a special area for the Muslim Brotherhood protest, where they will look away from the sea and recite anti-gay prayers.
work on world's largest BBQ (هش و نش ) to begin by digging a large ditch, slaughter of sheep, goats, and camels, and "seekhing" tomatoes and onions.

Sat. May 22nd:

The fear factor competition, where participants would be confined to a small, windowless room with fleets of flies, mosquitoes, and other bugs. The last remaining person, who is still alive, wins. (by Jansait)
Iron Husband Competition. Each husband would carry his wife in shoulder deep water without goggles for 100 Meters. husbands with more than one wife are to carry them all. first to cross the finish line wins. (دفتر العيلة is required to participate.)

Sun. May 23rd:

مسابقة خلل و إربح. participants are supplied with cucumbers, olives, and turnips and are tasked with pickling the veggies using the sea's water. the fastest to pickle their veggies (judged by the one and only Chef Ramzy) wins. All losers are to eat all the used veggies. (by Jansiat)

Mon. May 24th:

closing ceremony commences with the premier of "Clean after yourself" comedic tragedy.

mud fight
fireworks
و الفاتحة على روح المرحوم، بحر

Despite the sarcastic tone of my post, I sincerely wish the ministry would establish a festival celebrating the Dead Sea as a valuable touristic attraction. People from around the world flock to enjoy its medicinal properties and floating around in its waters, and we should promote it to the fullest. other countries bordering the Dead Sea gain Billions of Dollars from marketing mud, tours, and vacationing activities, while Jordan sits back and plays the "we are a poor country with no resources" song over and over...
Israel's Cosmetics exports are approaching $1 Billion, while their Chemical exports in general are in the $25 Billion range. During 2009, Israel was host to more than 5 million visitors and tourists. Jordan, on the other hand, received 7.2 million. however, 3.2 million of these 7.2 were one-day visitors most likely from Israel to visit Petra.
There is definitely no shortage of creative types in Jordan to come up with ideas and organize a successful festival. The dead Sea region, with its religious, medicinal, and leisure features and points of interest, holds a winning formula for a savvy, business minded government to come up with a winning theme for a worthy festival that could possibly reinforce, along with Petra, Jordan's position as a worldwide top destination.

Living with Arabs

2010-04-22T02:49:00.000-07:00

true story!
a while ago, I had an Arab roommate that I've known for a while before moving in. he is a Jordanian and about the same age as I am. one day he came home drunk and started throwing stuff at me that ended with his lit joint (حشيش يعني) hitting me. At that point, I was about to take the citizenship oath and was avoiding trouble like Ned Flanders. I picked up the phone and called the cops.
a few weeks later I hear from mutual friends of his complaints that:

"mab3oos has become Americanized"

this post was brought to you by NABISCO

makers of Fig Newtons: القطّين الامريكي

Jordanian Citizenship for Dummies!

2010-04-15T03:22:00.000-07:00

Will be available at Amazon, Borders, and Barnes and Noble in May.

iPad ibooks version already submitted and should be approved by Apple في غضون إسبوع.

p.s. some Jordanian newspaper will pirate a soft copy and publish it in chapters on a weekly basis.

Random Trivia (not copied!)

2010-04-09T02:01:00.000-07:00

each episode of friends has three concurrent sub-plots (stories)
Joey is the only one on friends to have kissed (as on the lips) all other main characters. including males.
Yahoo's homepage news differ greatly between times of the day. during the day, the news is American centric. At night, the news section tends to be more international even though there are localized versions of the site.
Indians misspell the word "gmail" the most. according to Alexa, the site gamil.com receives it's most clicks from India.

I am sure to come up with many more. But, I didn't want to keep this post as a "draft" for ever and decided to enrich people minds with these invaluable tidbits of information!

What annoys you?

2010-04-08T00:49:00.000-07:00

soap bubbles in your ear that you can't get to
the noise made when two are kissing
sitting on a really cold toilet
cutting too much of a nail
forgetting to cut one single fingernail
the sneeze that never, or doesn't want to, happen
noticing a misspelling a mere second after submitting/sending

What annoys you?

What's your accent?

2010-04-07T02:28:00.000-07:00

back in the day, when a friend missed a shot at the basket, I remember saying sarcastically:

يا حرام، قطّعت أحشائي

when I missed a shot, his sarcastic reply was a manly

قطّعت أحشاقي

I have always used the galo o golna accent. other's tend to use al o 'olna until they realize how sissy it sounds! :)

how to quickly get someone out of the shower

2010-04-06T00:06:00.000-07:00

wait until they turn the water on
run to every water source in the house and turn the HOT water on

they will either come out running or they would run after you with the plunger!

p.s.

this prank is harmful to the environment, wasteful of water, and just plain assholishy!

exercise extreme caution and try to reuse the water (that came out of all the faucets you turned on!) for watering plants, washing your car, or general cleaning.

Cancer in Jordan

2010-03-31T23:57:00.000-07:00

Jordanians:

spend more on tobacco products than on health care and education combined
eat fruits and vegetables that aren't in season and larger in size than organically possible (huge tomatoes anyone?)
consume animal fats (سمن بلدي، زبدة بلدية مع سُكر، لية خروف) like there's no tomorrow
rival Americans in obesity
look at exercise as a childish activity
use plastic for everything from storing water in the fridge and freezing foods to microwaving leftovers
have an unmatched rate of diabetes

what do Jordanians say about Cancer in Jordan?
Israel and its Dimona Nuclear Plant

this post was brought to you as part of NBC's "the more you know" campaign."

Arab trivia

2010-03-31T22:03:00.000-07:00

Arab Adult men's beards grow at an average of 1mm every 24 hours
Arab men kiss an average of 7.3 men a day. Arab women: 8.2 women. The average Arab kisses 9.8 Arabs of both sexes, strokes the hair of 3.6 children, and makes gogo-gaga noises at 2.8 babies a day.
Arabs have the highest concentration of uni-brows in the world. Other countries of the Mediterranean round up the top five
Arabs' spending on tobacco products in the year 2009 was greater than the national domestic product of the countries Samoa, Vanuatu, Saint Kitts and Nevis, American Samoa, Guinea-Bissau, Dominica, Tonga, Micronesia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Cook Islands, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Anguilla, Tuvalu, and Niue....combined
70% of Arabs read less than one book a year but are able to wrongly debate you for 23.2 hours straight
the average Arab creates 3.7 email accounts a year
5 out of every 6 Jordanians will name Mansaf as their favorite meal of all time. Under oath, only 1 out of 3 remained faithful to the Mansaf
The average Jordanian facebook user has 87 friends on the site but can only name 20% of them if shown a photo

You are welcome to add your own vital statistics pertaining to Arabs in the comments section.

35% of this post was brought to you by a مكرمة

the rest was bootstrapped!

Palestinians need to launch operation "إللي بيستحي بتروح عليه"

2010-03-23T23:09:00.000-07:00

in order to get things going and build a solid future for the people of Palestine, the Palestinian government needs to do the following:

declare a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders
solicit recognition from as many countries as possible
put together a security force that will kick out settlers and IOF personnel
since they are no match, the UN will intervene along with other peace keepers
Urgency will be given to the situation

if you've been following the situation, Israel doesn't seem to be caring at all to the pleads of the American government or any other; they haven't accepted a 100% normalization with all Arab countries guaranteed by the Arab peace initiative; nor have they showed any sign that they are willing to be a good neighbor.

it's time to go "all in" and get it over with. the Palestinian government could either be a legitimate force and actively end the daily humiliation and the slow, but sure, decimation of west bank land, or they could just learn how to speak Hebrew.

for over 60 years, Israel has been taking over land in every direction. it's actually a more viable country than all Arab countries put together, i.e. there is no annihilation possible with sling shots and Hamas fireworks of rockets. therefore, Palestinians need to stop relying on other Arab leaders' slogan and statements of condemnation and play for all the marble once and for all.

مبعوص يشجب و يستنكر و يدين التصريحات الاسرائيلية المشينة الداعية لزعزعة امن و إستقرار المنطقة و يناشد تدخل المجتمع الدولي للحيلولة دون الوقوع في دوّامة الصراع الاقليمي

the need for a "Habitat for Humanity" in Jordan

2010-03-18T01:22:00.000-07:00

Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide non-profit organization that aims to build housing for those in need. The houses are not given away. People to whom the house is built pay a down payment and a monthly mortgage. The overall cost, however, is a lot less than the commercial method of acquiring a house. The savings come by way of volunteer labor, homeowners' own work on the house, and a lot of material and monetary donations.

Habitat for Humanity operates in Jordan. In the past nine years they've helped 539 families into becoming homeowners. The worldwide numbers are about 350,000 families.

The numbers are very impressive given the non-profit nature of this organization. At the same time, I couldn't but think of the miserable failure the "decent housing" project ended up being. It was a project to build 100,000 housing units for an average cost of JD 35,000, which is JD 3.5 Billion (~$5 Billion). However the greed of some government officials put the kiss of death on a project that was supposed to solve a huge societal and economical problem facing Jordanians.

The streamlining of a national habitat for humanity project, on steroids, employing Jordanians, to build housing for other Jordanians is a sure way to alleviate the suffering of those living the harsh winters and grossly unhealthy housing conditions.

After looking at the website of the Jordanian chapter, I think it has been in hibernation mode for a while. I am sure that partnering with fresh blood (i.e nakhweh.com) would revitalize their mission and help many in the process.

This post was brought to you by wa7ad zahgaaaaaaaan, but the message he's trying to convey is 100% sincere

#FreeNetJo

2010-03-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

In a country that parades the accomplishments of Maktoob, et al, it's a shame that we still have to fight for the simple right of expressing our opinions.

For a King that spent most of his life in a world that made of censoring what people say and withholding the information they seek a major sin, to do just that to his own people is a great disappointment.

For a Queen that is an avid user of web2.0 social media, who tweets about solving world problems in Educating youth, women rights, and interfaith understanding, it's a shame that her own people still are afraid to openly speak their mind and question the status quo.

I am probably the least qualified to write about the subject of Internet censorship in a place where I don't live. However, I, on a daily basis, experience the disgrace of Jordanian policies to build a cloak between the people and the truth and, at the same time, threatening those that do cross the ignominious lines of "free speech" with misery in the name of national security. I experience it through the lives of my fellow Jordanians that have to many times reread everything they wish to post, comment on, or merely view on the web for fear of persecution. I feel for my people who live a constant state of doubting their opinions and in many cases resort to abandon the subject matter all together.

The Amazing Jordanian Spring (B4JO)

2010-03-11T14:01:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year when hills turn green, the weather is perfect, and the sun shines from behind the few passing clouds. It's those days preceding the official closure of Winter and ushering in the beautiful Jordanian Spring, when flowers sprout up, leaves cover the trees, and the smell of jasmine fills the air.

Wait a second, did you seriously think I was going to continue with a lame ass, gay post about how great Spring is in Jordan? The same crap happens every freakin' year in every country around the world. So, why I am writing about Spring, you may ask? Well, there's a saying in Arabic attributed to Al Hajjaj Al Thaqafi (الحجاج الثقفي) that goes:

إني أرى رؤوسا قد أينعت و حان وقت قطافها
Loosely translated: I see people that are exceeding their authority and it's time to break their necks!

That's exactly what's happening in our beloved Jordan. To help you visualize the situation, think of Jordan as one pie, (or a سدر منسف, if you prefer!), and many forces, including the royal family, are vying for a piece of said pie. However, some people have called shotgun a long time ago, and those that ignore the roles of the game get arrested and tried, by the National Security Court nothing less, have their assets frozen, and their names dragged through the mud.

So, are we finally seeing a proactive and effective Anti Corruption Commission?

The easy and truthful, albeit painful, answer is: No. See, our esteemed Jordan is owned, literally and metaphorically, by the same corrupt few that are calling for an end to corruption. You might get all patriotic and go all Hashmi-Hashmi on me, and I really would hate to burst you bubble, but that is what it is.

Therefore, next time you are in charge of a major project, some useless commission, or just sitting on your ass at the fourth circle just like every other inept adviser, every time you do that make sure fat Tony is happy. Because if he is not, he might just as well make you an offer you can't refuse.

this post was brought to you with a generous donation of صرر مصاري from:

جهات خارجية تعمل لصالح فئات معينة تهدف لزعزعة استقرار و امن الوطن

عرمرم

2010-03-06T04:37:00.000-08:00

In the history of Arabic media, I don't think there was ever a news organization that sincerely cared about what the people had to say. That was the norm until aramram.com showed up. Not only in the area of content, but also the medium of delivery. Being broadcast on the web, its audience could be thousands of miles away, but couldn't be any closer for the spontaneity of the topics handled and the frank opinions of the people interviewed. No government ass-kissing, no hidden financial gains to go after, and no hidden goals. (Just to clarify, I read somewhere that they're funded by a USAID grant. That shouldn't be a reason in anyway to lessen of the importance of the outlet they've created to let Jordanians voice their opinions)

One particular episode that cemented their effort of presenting both sides of a story was a video about the slaughtering of pigs in Al Karak.

Although the imagery isn't the most appetizing, the underlining hypocrisy of the government is shown in the brightest of colors. My favorite was when the spokesperson for the Ministry of the Environment said that those pigs were slaughtered in a humane manner. The immediate scene following his words was that of a slaughtering worker "humanely" kicking a piglet across the barn in a very gentle, mother like kick to the abdomen that sent it flying a few meters.

Of course aramram.com has already amassed an enormous library of great videos depicting life in Amman and other parts of Jordan and numerous interviews with Jordanians, where they are asked to voice their concerns and opinions. One great thing is that not once have I heard the words "الحكومة الرشيدة" being uttered by any one in those interviews. Also, I just have to mention Taxi Man and his hilarious take on Jordanian traditions and the daily life of a taxi driver in Jordan.

Qatar Announces Plans for World's Highest Building

2010-03-01T23:48:00.000-08:00

A name for this Mile-high tower is still in the deliberation stage. However, sources tell mab3oos that Sheikha Mouza is very involved in the naming committee and a name should be revealed in the coming days.

this post was brought to you by a generous contribution from Dr. Phil

"I could be making a killing treating Arab leaders of FUSE*"

*Freakishly UN-Solvable Egoism

Dear Jordanians, I invite you all to bite me.

2010-02-14T20:24:00.000-08:00

Jordan
Labor Force: 1.615 million

Unemployment Rate: ~20%

Unemployed Jordanians: ~320,000

Foreign workers in the country: ~750,000 (Egyptians, Asians, Iraqis, ...)

therefore, before you ~~bitch~~ complain about (as per the new, in-header changes) please try to convince me of how this came to be. Anyways, getting 200-300JD a month is 200-300JD better than 0 a month.

this post was brought to you by the "suck it up" initiative.

Pioneering a breakthrough procedure to surgically remove chairs and desks from young Jordanians' brains using Gamma Knife technologies.

p.s. We are hiring Oncologists to carry out our Was6a biopsy research.

twitter and democracy. things that bother me!

2010-01-26T22:22:00.000-08:00

twitter has been adopted by many celebrities and other big shot names as a way to stay in touch with the masses. But, as they keep on racking up followers, they don't seem to be following as many. Come think of it, these big names appear to be following themselves. So, nothing really changed by adopting new social networking venues. These people keep on dispersing the same messages towards the public and receive the messages of the elite few. I really despise these arrogant personalities that take on twitter, for example, and become friends with the same few they would be associated with in the real world and still pepper the public with the same headlines, slogans, and stale quotes. examples: @queenrania, @HHShkMohd, & @SenJohnMcCain

the other thing that keeps bothering me is the glorifying of Arab leaders. How could they accept, and in many cases demand, such unsubstantiated respect and admiration. In all democracies the world over leaders are often grilled over deteriorating economic and social conditions and are usually not reelected for subsequent terms if things don't improve. For Arab leaders this concept never seems to be an option. for ones that allow elections, the result seems to to always be in the %99-%99.9 range. for others, the throne is a god given right. and, in both cases, the amazing, make believe accomplishments are always paraded and celebrated in a very sad way!

The new online media ruling

2010-01-16T22:24:00.000-08:00

If you haven't been under a rock the past few days, you probably heard of the new Censored Jordanian court ruling that's making online content fall under media laws. These stone age, Censored laws, even though they were recently amended, are already limiting the freedom of Censored press, let alone limiting the extent to which people can express their Censored opinions online.This Censored government, which came into office with high Censored hopes, is trying to curtail the success of many online news outlets and the space that many people flock to to express, discuss, and debate. However, the Censored Judicial system in Jordan, which is no where near being Censored independent from the Censored executive branch, is merely acting on تنسيب from those with Censored influence.
What I really think of this law is that it's a Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored Censored.
This law if isn't official censorship, it will lead to it. People will be afraid of truly expressing their opinions and will resort to writing in code and/or not write at all. They will not be exposing shortcomings, investigating wrong doing, or critiquing government policies. And, in the absence of a parliament, any parliament, this law is in effect a way to cancel out the space between floor and ceiling. eh, raising ceilings my Censored!

My Goals for 2010

2009-12-26T02:42:00.000-08:00

It's said that not writing your goals renders them wishes. If you do write them, you will always have a reminder, a chance to revisit and adjust, and a way to monitor your progress. Therefore, this year I am writing my goals for next year, عل و عسى I stick to them and hopefully accomplish something worthy. Here we go:

Punch an elderly person in the face (cane/walker user preferred)
put glass bottles behind the wheels of parked cars
throw a bag of nails on the highway
scream racial slurs at random people while driving
fill out ratemyprofessors.com with nasty reviews for all my former professors
borrow books from the library and tear many pages out from the middle
park next to the cemetery on Sunday and play "it's good to be alive" loudly
pick up all the flowers from #8 and sell them
walk up to a parent and tell them their baby is hideous
Implement and add to my How to be an أخو شلن post

I urge you all to think about and write down your own goals. Also, remember to use a tool in setting your goals, such as SMART/SMARTER.

Jordan's Next Prime Minister

2009-12-23T22:36:00.000-08:00

There are a few families in Jordan that are in complete control of local politics in the country. These families, to the trained eye, seem to be playing a game of musical chairs, when it comes to the position of Prime Minister. As the news of Sameer Al Rifai's appointment starts to subside, and given the short lives of Jordanian governments, one can only speculate on the identity of the next to hold the position. However, mab3oos has made a pledge to never spread rumors, only researched facts. Therefore, after many nights of deciphering and fact checking, the three who will be running around when the music starts again are:

Al Masri (possibly Nashat)
Al Majali (Sahil or Shadi)
Naser Al Lowzi

Have your say because you can't otherwise (i.e. actually vote for a PM):

p.s. the above names were the result of a major assumption: that King Abdullah continues with tapping the younger generation of the same old faces.

For less important positions, such as ministerial, there seems to be talk that Reem Badran will test the waters for the trade minister position as a stepping stone to be named the first female prime minister in the Arab World. This will definitely enhance Jordan's spurious claim of gender equality.

Who is not an entrepreneur

2009-12-22T00:17:00.000-08:00

Being an entrepreneur is not something that is taught. It definitely takes on many shapes and many routes lead to it. Although it is hard to describe how to become one, generally an entrepreneur is defined as someone that starts a venture and assuming, in the process, all risks associated with it. However, since it's hard to pinpoint the intrinsic qualities of an entrepreneur, defining what is NOT is a lot easier.

If you are tweeting links of yesterday's tech and startup news, you are not an entrepreneur
If you spam your social network connections with famous quotes from the basement of your parents' house, you are definitely not an entrepreneur
If your daddy is a big-shot prime minister, who connected you to big-shot CEOs to help you start a company, you are not a freakin' entrepreneur
If you stole your idea from a successful company and bragged about being able to have a 1% market share, you are an IP thief, not an entrepreneur
If you technically live in conference halls and auditoriums and participate in workshops for topics you're interested in, but actually do not understand because you're basically an iPhone next to a لوح, you are not an entrepreneur
If you are reading this post and got angry because it conflicts with your fake sense of entrepreneurship, you are not a god damn entrepreneur

This post was brought to you by the mab3oos Center for Entrepreneurship.

Our one month long workshops for 2010 commence on January 4th and cost $1000+ materials. But, we give you a certificate to frame and hang in the above mentioned basement proving you're a sucker, not an Entrepreneur.

Jordanian media, social media, and general garaf

2009-12-18T17:33:00.000-08:00

الصحفي: آه يا حجة، شو رأيك بالحكومة؟

الحجة: الله يكصف عمرها الحكومة. إحنا شو جاينا غير خوازيك من وراها هالحكومة. رفع أسعار، كذب بنكّط تنكيط، و نهب من كل جهة. من وين بدنا إنكرّي العيال، منو بده يجي هان و يسمع صوتنا و يفك كربنا. يا خالتي خلّيني ساكته. هذي حكومة لناس و ناس

التقرير الصحفي: "هذا و عن سؤال إحدى المواطنات عن الاحداث السياسية الاخيرة في المملكة، اجابت الحاجة أُم علي وفي قلبها حسرة بأن الاحوال الاقتصادية لم تبرح مكانها جراء البرامج الحكومية المتتالية لكنها و جهت شكرها و إمتنانها للحكومة الرشيدة على الجهود التي تبذلها لكف الآثار الناجمة عن الازمة الاقتصادية العالمية. و ثمنّت الحاجة أُم علي دور الحكومة في تطبيق القوانين و السعي على شمول جميع طبقات المجتمع في سياساتها الاقتصادية و التنموية في ظِل القيادة الهاشمية الميمونة

Social Media:

Join our "Umm Ali group" on facebook
Join us on Thursday for a workshop on Investigative Journalism
Join us next month for the first annual "poverty and politics" conference at the Mövenpick-Dead Sea to discuss how we can bring attention to Umm Ali's concerns. Speakers to include rich people, high level government officials, and representatives of regional NGOs

This post was brought to you by a garfan citizen who really cares but disgusted by the incompetence of Jordanian media, social media, and people's love affair with good for nothing "conferences."

Jordan: the 30 year old still living with his parents

2009-12-13T20:59:00.000-08:00

Not just that. His parents also live with their parents. This 30 yo projects a picture of independence to his peers, but goes home every day to get his allowance from the parents and grandparents. He is not allowed to make major decisions, he is not allowed to veer off the family's prescribed route, nor he is allowed to have friends over without a prior consent from the home owners, the grandparents.

Jordan is this guy that says he's independent, but still has to run things by those in the position of parents, i.e. Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and the uninvited, spoiled uncle that doesn't really give a damn: Israel. These, consequently, turn to the grandparents for protection, money, and influence to tell them what to do. The grandparents are the US, EU, and lately, more increasingly, China.

This 30 yo is not single, he's been married since the age of 7 and never got a grasp on going for it alone and learning of a way to gain real independence. Despite their burning desires to progress and be like the grandparents' overseas children, Jordan's children are always told stories of horror that happened to the ones that ask too many questions and disrupt the calm of the living room. They dream of the day that their father would just pack and leave to a place where he's the real master of his domain. However, their father has always been made an offer he has until today not refused.

iTunes

Beware of what Identity you assume!

2009-10-31T22:54:00.000-07:00

Throughout the time I was enjoying being me,I never thought that being myself sometimes will limit what I can do and who I can contact.

Recently I started working on a project that requires networking with Arabs in a certain area of expertise. many of those Arabs know me as mab3oos. They're on facebook, twitter, and they actually read this blog. The question I am dreading is:

How did you know about us?

this post was brought to you by a generous donoation from the Gallab Think Tank.
"we are full of it"

The Elitism of Jordan's Social Networking

2009-10-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

Since the very beginning of my days on fb and blogging, I've had this feeling that Jordanians on Social Networking portals, be it fb, twitter, or blogs, belonged to the mid-high or high class of Jordan's society. The make up of Jordanians on such social networks, therefore, is not a true representation of Jordan as a whole.
Facebook might portray a more comprehensive picture, however, it remains captive to the younger age group, such as high school and university students. Also, given the low rate of Internet penetration and ownership of Internet-connected computers in Jordanian households, the presence of Jordanians on Social Networking sites remains reserved to those financially able to own a computer, maintain an Internet connection, and have the "network effect" to dynamize their presence and contributions.

I know the above is not a finished thought or that it shows actual data. But, I thought of writing it down here and share.

Any thoughts?

Migrate vs. Immigrate vs. Emigrate

2009-10-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

Migrate: for humans and animals. It conveys the seasonal or periodical movement. It signifies the actual action of movement from a place to another.

Emigrate: The prefix e- (or ex-) usually means "out of" or "from."

Immigrate: The prefix im- (or in-) often means "in" or "into."

If I migrate from Germany to France, I would emigrate from the point of view of Germany and immigrate from the point of view of France

Therefore, emigrate means "to move out of" and immigrate means "to move into."

here

Cocktails

2009-09-27T19:05:00.000-07:00

DSL in the US vs in Jordan Re: Orange Jordan and their despicable service

2009-09-09T03:25:00.000-07:00

I have noticed recently the repeated complaints by Jordanians on the level of service and the product pricing scheme followed by Orange telecom in Jordan (latest here). I must say that I really feel bad for Jordanians having to put up with such disgrace. In the US, SBC charges $30/month (21JD) for unlimited download @ 3mb speed compared to Orange Jordan's $52/month (40JD) limited to 12GB of download @ 2mb speed. although DSL subscribers anywhere only add marginal cost to the ISP since the network is already in place and any new user will only add the small cost of employees' time setting up the account and connecting the service. From then on, it's profits. In addition, the level of service provided to Jordanian customers is abysmal judging by the amount of grief broadcast by Jordanian users of the service.

Solar Power Potential in Jordan

2009-09-08T02:50:00.000-07:00

Jordan's surface area: 92,300 km2
Jordan's daily average of solar insolation: 6.5 kWh/m2/day
= 599.95 Billion kWh/m2/day

Jordan's daily consumption of electricity: 27 billion kWh [9.852 billion kWh annually (2006 est.)]

and that's clean, free, low maintenance, cancer free, renewable, hard currency saving, job generating energy.

this post was brought* to you by الحسبان للطاقة الشمسية

*مؤسسة الحسبان has nothing to do with mab3oos and very likely doesn't approve of most of his posts

Online Search trends have little in common!

2009-09-08T01:20:00.000-07:00

Yahoo!

Google

Twitter

Bing

Dogpile

MetaCrawlerWeb