Random Thoughts

So here I am, after a rather delicious meal of home made mansaf, staring at my online Organic Chemistry slides, and waiting for the information to be fed into my brain. I've got my final exams now, and I finish in a few days on the 17th. Honestly I can't wait one bit, though the hard truth is that once I'm on holiday I'll be back to that awkward feeling being useless and bored, even though I know I'll be spending my time eating shawarma and swimming at Al Hussein Youth City. Just the thought of that makes me drool, yeehaa.

It is weird how the only time I have that will to educate myself about worldly matters, politics and read the news is when I'm in study stress. It's like I'll be sitting on the sofa, sipping on a cup of mint tea, watching the news with great fascination, with a truck load of books waiting to be read in the next room. What's worse is that I'll usually have an exam right the next day, as is the current case with Organic Chem. Now it'll be alright if that wasted time was about an hour or so, but once I've begun messing around, the realization that it is ENOUGH does not hit me hard until 3 or 4 hours have swept by.

What I don't get at all is the method of teaching at our Jordanian universities, or I would rather not generalize, so I'll limit it to Jordan University of Science and Technology. I mean the syllabus is awesome, you would say "hey, this stuff is really advanced, I'm going to just love these topics!", and in the end the semester turns out to be messed up and on a totally different part of the spectrum than you would expect.

Why, you might ask? Well I would like to put the blame primarily on our beloved professors, (excuse the thought that I might not be paying attention during class). What happens is that some professors, take it that their students are nothing but absolute geniuses, so any question a student might ask will be shameful and offensive in their eyes. What is more is that their standards of communication in English language aren't that brilliant either, but they consider themselves to be more or less native speakers of the language - ambassadors of Shakespeare himself to the Middle East. Well I admit I was picturing none other than my Organic Chemistry professor, so again, I must emphasize that generalization is wrong, and you've got others who are just lovable, and yes, I am being serious now.

The bigger problem is that at times, even the syllabus turns out to be wrong, as I reluctantly learned during my Physiology exam a few weeks back, for which I spent a day or so studying for things that weren't included in our exam, ironic eh? I would also like to blame the Ministry of Higher Education for the inconsistency of dates between Jordanian institutes of higher learning. As an example of this, the University of Jordan, where many of my friends study, has been on midterm vacation for more than a week. On the other hand, we are still entrenched in exams and finish only a few days before our fellow UJ students begin their summer semesters! The least the kind ministry could do is uniform the dates.

Anyhow, there's another half hour gone for practically nothing. I'm off to continue staring at those beautiful chemistry slides - wish me luck.

My Views on the Gaza Flotilla Raid

I would like to say that these thoughts are strictly my own, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of any other Arab, Jordanian, or supporter of the Palestinian case. I am a strong believer in humanity, and I strictly believe that those who don't have the power and will to think and fight for themselves are a useless part of our global community.

The reason I am saying this is that I was challenged today with the question of whether or not soldiers in the Israeli army have a choice or not. Are they merely a force of power used in missions to kill and overpower people or do they have the heart to make decisions on their own? Personally, I would like to think that they had that opportunity to decide for themselves, but from what I've read, witnessed and heard, I find that hardly plausible.

It takes a man to say yes to committing to an army, to fulfill the every demand and requirement burdened upon him, and to have the courage to believe that his superiors will always make the better decisions for the benefit of his people and country. What happens in Israel, however, is not the same case. Conscription is not a voluntary choice, it is a strict requirement for males and females at the age of 18. Those that choose elsewise choose persecution by the government or even death. Thus, they are left with no choice, and I would like to say, brainwashed into believing that Israel is right, Arabs and Muslims, and anyone who opposes the Zionist government are a threat to the stability and existence of Israel.

It is sarcastic I say "existence" of Israel when the state was actually formed as a result of betrayal of the Arabs by the British, when the land was supposed to be part of a greater Arab state as promised, and is based actually on the fact that it was the home of Judaism around 3000 years ago. If my memory serves me correctly, I recall it was professor Norman Finkelstein who said: "If I came to your house and told you that my family, according to my book, lived here 3000 years ago, would you pack up and leave?" The mere creation of Israel has created havoc in the Middle East, refugees are swarming everywhere. It is amazing that that the Middle East used to be home for all three heavenly religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, where people were living side by side in a brotherly way. Don't get me wrong however, the creation of Israel is past me, my country, Jordan, has made peace, and I stay by it. Peace in the region is indeed what I would like to see.

The Gaza Flotilla raid was, in my opinion, a selfish act of cruelty, terror, and stupidity committed by the State of Israel. It shows to what extent the Zionist government is ready to go to keep the people of Gaza in a state of isolation, malnutrition, and underdevelopment. As far as I've heard up to 20 innocent civilian activists were killed as a result of this massacre. The flotilla clearly didn't contain any weapons, as stated by the IDF and later dismissed as pictures that were taken back in 2006, the link of which can be found on my twitter account. Let alone the attack took place in international waters, making it a war crime by definition. I was honestly surprised to see Barack Obama, the man who so many people had faith in, dismiss the event and call for further investigations to be done by Israel. I must say, great choice choosing the state who committed the act to "further investigate".

I have also been recently challenged by the question of "What do I benefit of when I post and tweet about events occurring in Gaza, it's not like I'm stopping any offenses or influencing world leaders." My reply to that will be awareness, it is of critical importance that awareness of the incidents that are happening does spread, and the unfiltered, unedited reports reach the public blankly enough for them to realize that these offenses must not go by unnoticed, and something must indeed be done to help these people.

The Wikipedia Revolution: How a Bunch of Nobodies Created The World's Greatest Encyclopedia

I must admit it has been quite a while since my last blog post, can't say there's a specific reason, but laziness and medical studies come as the main factors, my apologies.

So the focus of this post will be about how I've recently been into editing Wikipedia, or The Free Encyclopedia; I'm sure you've used it at some point, it is, after all, usually one of the primary results in a Google Search. Ever imagined where these articles came from, who wrote them, who contributed, and who edited? Well I doubt you have, it honestly isn't something I would do, but being a recent editor has got me thinking, how much credit do these contributors really get for their work, is there anyone who says well done, good job, or even thank you?

The surprising thing is that the majority of people in our society don't know editing is actually possible, which makes it quite obvious why Middle Eastern articles are somewhat low-grade compared to those of the Western world, and by low-grade I really mean that there is much room for improvement. Gratitude? Can't say they get any, that is unless it is from their fellow Wikipedians, usually represented as a barn star posted on the user's talk page; a page on which discussions about user edits are made.
My contributions until now have mainly targeted articles about the Middle East, two articles I am especially interested in are "Jordan University of Science and Technology", the college which I currently attend, and "Suleiman Mousa", my late grandfather, who was the first and only Arab author to write about T.E. Lawrence, or "Lawrence of Arabia", and show the Arab perspective.

What do you need to become an editor? Nothing much really; an e-mail account, a sufficient command in the English Language, good grammar skills, and suitable references for any ad
ditional information you might want to add to an article, or else it will be deleted by an administrator.

I would definitely recommend  becoming a contributor to Wikipedia, with no doubt there will be articles of interest to everyone, and increasing one's spectrum of knowledge is also a pleasant side factor. Beware though, it is a very time-consuming business, so choose your time carefully.

Stand-Up Comedy in Jordan

Had I been asked about stand-up comedy a few years ago, I would have replied that I knew nothing about it. Today, however, my answer is a whole lot different - surprisingly enough, this wild act has miraculously been taken to a new level of popularity amongst the people of Jordan and the Middle East.

After receiving a message last night informing me that a two hour stand-up comedy show was to be held at university the next day, performed by students and with free admittance, I was delighted. It was shear bad luck that I was persuaded by some friends to hang out for a while, and then continue to the show. Assuming that our fellow Arabs were most probably bad performers and you would be quite lucky if you even smiled, we headed to the show after half an hour from it's starting, what awaited us left us in complete shock; not only were all the seats taken and the sounds of laughter earsplitting, but students were crammed all over, the doors were jammed and what's more, many of them had cameras! It honestly was a memorable experience...


Not a while back some global comedians were in town too... Russel Peters, the Canadian stand up comic and actor, as well as the Axis of Evil comedy tour including Aron Kader, Maz Jobrani, Ahmad Ahmad and Dean Obeidallah, all witnessed massive success amongst the Jordanian people. As a matter of fact Russel Peters even got punk'd by King Abdullah II of Jordan! Not to mention the hilarious Lebanese comedian Nemr Abu Nassar or.. "the Tiger", who performed in the Cultural Palace in Amman a couple of weeks ago to about 1,800 people, more or less the largest stand-up comedy event to take place in the Middle East yet!

You've all heard of the common stereotype that Jordanians always have that disturbing frown drawn on their faces. To some extent, that stereotype may ring true, but my fingers are crossed - the young generation of stand up comedy Jordanians is up for the challenge to change that soon. As a side note, I've always heard laughter is good for the soul, and I can't but agree all the way; how bad is it really to laugh at one another? I sure do hope these events keep coming!

Book Review: Uneasy Lies The Head - King Hussein of Jordan

A few weeks ago I came upon a dusty, time-worn book buried in the stacks my grandfather used to read. At first, I neglected it as I did with most before, but then the title sparked my attention and I was drawn by the fact that the author was no less than the previous ruler of our country, the founder of modern Jordan, King Hussein.

"Uneasy Lies The Head", an autobiography written by HM King Hussein, tells the story of a young boy of 17, forced to endure the threats and perils of life around him, but predominantly, single-handedly  given the abrupt responsibility of ruling a nation swarmed with disaster, shortly after the assassination of his grandfather the first ruler of Trans-Jordan, King Abdullah I, and merely escaping death himself.

This book recollects the enthralling activities of our beloved King and shows the times of happiness and joy in contrast to those of betrayal, various attempts to overthrow the monarchy, and bitter hate. An adventure beginning  from the few months of Harrow and Sandhurst as an Arab in a foreign territory, continue to the memories of racing a Rover, learning to fly a plane, being crowned as King, disguising himself as a taxi driver, being deceived by close comrades, attempts on his life, and ending with his marriage to Muna Al Hussein. Not to mention the numerous other incidents that took my breath away..

The experience of this autobiography took me on a journey that was far more than fascinating, it made it clear how personal strength and perseverance have a vital role in life, how a collection of events may be so magically assembled as a result of timeless efforts, hard work and wisdom to present a masterpiece.

I honestly found this book, this eye-opening recollection of memories and experiences, a thoroughly entertaining one, rich in value and moral, and would definitely recommend it to each and every individual, regardless of their background and culture. Pleasant reading everyone.

Blog About Jordan Day: Why I Love Being an Ammani

"Blog About Jordan Day" is finally here, and I can't but admit that I was almost planning on "forgetting it", but after all, it is an event that occurs once yearly, and being a new blogger, I thought I'd give it a shot. It then hit me, what better could I write about than the rather exquisite lifestyle of an Ammani - the lifestyle that most locals take for granted.

So WHY exactly do I love being part of Amman? What makes my lifestyle so fascinating that I decided to blog about it? Well like most people, my lifestyle does have it's ups and downs, but I can't help but realize that people around me tend to overlook the good happening around them and focus on the bad, which is why I took the time to point out the factors in our lives that we fail to notice.

I love the SMELL of Amman. Yes, that scent of Jordanian air upon waking up each morning does play a role in my life, a significant one too! I vividly remember arriving at Queen Alia International Airport a few years ago, that feeling I got when I stepped out of the plane and took my first whiff of fresh Jordanian breeze was really exhilarating, to the extent that I remember asking if anyone could smell that..

..which brings me to the Ammani WEATHER. Oh how I love the weather here; how often do you find a country that gets all four seasons so properly felt and enjoyed; spending time at the pool in summer, watching those leaves turn that beautiful reddish brown in autumn, a winter under the rain and snow (although we didn't get much this year), and a spring BBQ'ing in the lovely outdoors.

Another thing about being an Ammani is that you always seem to find MUTUAL FRIENDS with whoever you meet, as if we were just one small happy family. Honestly, it does seem kind of ironic; but it's true, it's like everyone knows everyone else!

I love how TAXI DRIVERS in Amman always have a subject to talk about when you hop in; they always seem to be blabbering don't they? Whether it's about how they can't cope with the expenses of sending their kids to school or if they just find your shirt too colorful, they must have something to say!

I am also quite fond of the BACKGROUND SOUNDS you usually hear in an Ammani neighborhood. Birds tweeting, gas trucks with their Beethoven music (doubt you'll find that anywhere but here), the cotton candy man going around the streets playing his harmonica, the corn man shouting "doraay" for all those kids waiting for him, the sounds are rather unique really!

Lastly, I completely admire the fact that wherever you are in Amman, you always have that SAFE feeling; you never feel intimidated! It is in all honesty something we regularly overlook and take for granted, security in Amman and Jordan is another subject on it's own.

Well enjoy your Friday everyone. I wish you a lovely "Blog About Jorday Day" and "World Day Against Cyber Censorship", make it meaningful!

Friday 12th of March; World Day Against Cyber Censorship

I would like to admit, that a couple of months ago, I would have not imagined Friday the 12th of March to be a significant day at all. Today, however, the tables have turned and this Friday will be of major importance for bloggers all over Jordan and even the world. This Friday will mark both "Blog for Jordan Day" and "World Day Against Cyber Censorship". My main focus in this post will be about the latter.

The idea of discussing "World Day Against Cyber Censorship" would not have occurred to me had it not been for Naseem Tarawnah, author of "The Black Iris of Jordan", who posted about the subject and made it clear what the day meant in his post "Dear Jordanian Bloggers & Tweeps: Let’s Mobilize For March 12th".

I can't say I am an expert on the subject, but the moment I decided to look into it I found the shocking statistics that there are actually countries that are totally against Internet  and the web, nicknamed "Internet Enemies". I was honestly relieved to find out that Jordan was not in the list and was highly ranked in the regions Internet Freedom Index. The bigger shock was to find the majority of our neighboring Arab countries listed as "Internet Enemies", with the Index describing their Internet connections as being more or less of an Intranet, in other words a local network of sites with some exceptions. Of these countries were neighboring Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia.

Arab countries that were listed to be "Under Surveillance" by the government included Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. It was also a surprise to find Australia listed to be under surveillance; being one of the largest and most influential countries in the world, I would have thought it hardly plausible.

Now you might be asking, "So what if these countries are "Internet Enemies", or "Under Surveillance"?". Well if you wouldn't prefer to be jailed for speaking your mind on the web, as was the case with an Egyptian blogger not a while back, you would rather not be under those lists. In my opinion, I really think these "Internet Freedom" indexes should be linked with a country's "Freedom of Speech" index; that is if they haven't been linked already.

Jordan, nonetheless, wasn't a perfect country in the Index. For example newspaper columnist Mwaffaq Mahadin and Sufian Tell, a specialist in environmental issues, were held for 15 days for criticizing the assistance which the Jordanian intelligence services provide the United States in its fight against Al-Qaeda.

"Reporters Without Borders" is concerned about a ruling by Jordan’s highest appeal court, published on 13 January, that news websites and electronic media are subject to the country’s press and publications law. Media and communications minister Nabil Al-Sharif told the Jordan Times that the court’s decision was reached independently and should therefore be applied.

All in all, I urge all Jordanian bloggers to make this a subject of one of their posts. If not, a logo and slogan can be obtained and placed on your web space to show your support for the campaign.

Language and Culture

"Arabs that don't know Arabic are honestly a disgrace..", my dear friend, who currently studies in Canada, went on to say as we were chatting a couple of days ago. His point of view may have seemed extreme for a second or two at that time, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to make sense. How can somebody claim to be part of a culture he hardly knows anything about?

Can anyone imagine a French man who can't speak French, or doesn't know what baguette or crepe is? I find that hardly plausible. Or a Spaniard who hasn't heard about bullfighting, a corrida de toros?  How sarcastic would it be if you met a Russian who knows nothing about Vodka, or a Mexican who hasn't ever tasted tortillas?

Culture is what identifies us in today's community, it is what makes us who we are and gives us that uniqueness when we meet a person from a totally different background.

 So what exactly makes a person forget his culture, his blood, one might ask? Well it seems the answer is quite clear; Immigration, Emigration, and the influence of other cultures play a decisive role in a person's life.  To add to that, parents who forget the principles of teaching their children where they originate from are also a significant factor. We also can't deny what influence international media has on us. With the United States dominating media all over the globe, it isn't a surprise that the world is getting more and more Westernized with time.

So let's get back to the Arab perspective. "An Arab who doesn't know Arabic is a disgrace..", what do you think? My friend went on to say how he had once considered the Arabic language as a difficult one in school, where he could hardly keep up with the grammar that was taught in class, how he felt that it was a waste of time, a useless subject for those who were going on into a scientific field in college.

He continued to say that as time progressed and he became a foreigner in Canada, his identity became increasingly important to him, and he found that the Arabic language was an essential part of his Arab culture.

Personally, being an Arab, a Jordanian to be specific, I totally believe in culture and the moral values that have made me who I am today, and I honestly think that an individual must proudly hold his culture high, and ensure that it is not lost with the generations to come.

Men-Sushi

"Men-Sushi, what's that?" At first thoughts, you'll probably be saying its just an extra large sushi plate specifically made for men with their "special hunger needs", but NO, on the contrary it has NOTHING to do with sizes whatsoever!

Well it seems you've been missing out on the latest food trends in town! Surprisingly, this new "professionally designed" meal hasn't the slightest taste of Sushi, but resembles it in many ways. In fact, it may come as great news for those Mensaf-loving locals that a 3rd eating method for Mensaf has now been introduced.

We all know the traditional method, that involves the strategic 45 degree hand-angle dipping, squishing and artistically forming that juicy Mensaf-ball, and the neat spoon method for those who prefer a little less messiness. I am glad to present to you the new method that ingeniously combines the two stated above to give you "Men-Sushi", the Mensaf-lovers' ideal way for "Mensaf-on-the-run".

Imagine Mensaf-balls readily shaped to perfection in a Sushi-like structure, with a luscious, tender piece of meat on top, wrapped with a meek layer of bread, and a dip specially ordered from Karak, for those who crave an excess of Jameed on their Mensaf ball, to give that final, mouth-watering magical touch! Aren't we in heaven?

Water Scarcity in Jordan

Warmly seated at home, here I am, enjoying the splitter and splatter of raindrops at my window, thankful for the generous quantities of rainwater Jordan has received this season, and hoping for a green spring and summer to come.

Today, Jordan ranks as one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, facing the major issue of being able to supply it's rising population with it's water needs.
Driving around in Amman on a rainy day, it comes as quite a surprise to me that a large number of streets are completely submerged in water, that drainage and sewage systems always seem to be blocked up on a rainy day, and that all that flood water is not benefited of. To add to the sarcasm, a significant amount of the kingdom's water is imported from neighboring countries!

Ever since I moved to Amman, a noticeable feature in our residence has been the integrated rainwater well we have underground. This 3m3 (three meters cubed) well plays a vital role in our summer lives. The amount of water it is able to hold is something I honestly find fascinating, such that is provides an immediate alternate to government water and can be used for various purposes including gardening and everything but potable water; that is unless an adequate filter is implemented.

Now hypothetically, what if, to some extent, the government would put into action a program that would make it compulsory for each new building to have a built-in rainwater well underground? Just imagine the tremendous amounts of water that could be stored from this straightforward plan, not to mention the ridiculously large sums of government money that could be saved and made use of elsewhere.

Well I hope water plans for the Kingdom work out well, and wish you all a happy rainy day.