In her new book, "The Force of Reason" Italian journalist and novelist Oriana Fallaci , faults Muslims for the fact that "they breed like rats"; for requiring their meat to be slaughtered in a "barbaric" manner she says is similar to kosher butchery; for having their own schools, hospitals, and cemeteries; for immigrating; and for wanting accommodation of their religious holidays and Sabbath in schools and workplaces.
So as you can see from the above mentioned book, there are people out there that hate Muslims not for their alleged extremism and occasional terrorism, they hate them for the way they are, and in my opinion this kind of hatred is very hard to deal with, as a matter of fact, it probably doesn't have any kind of solution at all.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Time for the last post
In this article appearing in the Financial Times http://news.ft.com/cms/s/384be1be-9eb1-11da-ba48-0000779e2340.html The writer argues that blogging is already a virtual tomb for a billion posts, he adds, blogs are superabundant and often irrelevant because we suffer from a glut of data. By 2005, 56 new blogs were starting every minute. As I type this sentence, there are, according to technorati.com, 27.2 million blogs. By the time you read this sentence, there surely will be many more.
Read on if you are interested in learning about the immediate fate, and long term goals for your own blog.
Read on if you are interested in learning about the immediate fate, and long term goals for your own blog.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Writers, Artists, Maestros.
The following text is a translated article from Arabic into English, it was translated by Hatem Abunimeh
Creative rituals for the artists and scholars : The strange methods of invoking the revelations are closer to insanity.
The American novelist Mark Twain used to look for a bed before he starts writing, he considered the bed a special condition that has cerebral images similar to a dream.
When the German poet Schiller wanted to be creative, he adhered to the smell of apple, he used to preserve rotten apple in his office to establish the voluptuous relationship between him and the creativity..
Many creative people find themselves hostages to habits that appear to be strange and amusing to others, this is especially true during the moment of translating creativity into written material. The creative people practice different tricks in order for them to explode their inner energy and activate their thoughts.
Some of them live under the auspices of addictive habits and conditions and surround themselves within, and thought it they feel that they will get the inspiration to hover over the world of writing.
That is what pushed the Lebanese novelist Ameen Mallof to abandon his family for years escaping to an island dedicated for things he wanted to author. And made the Algerian writer Ahlam Mustghnemi to change her telephone number, live in isolation, then travel to a new country where no one knows her so she can be saved by her novel "Bed crossing"
Those that are concerned about these rituals consider them unorthodox, the creative person seizes the moment to get out the real motive behind the idea that is causing the crazy condition in order to snatch himself from the prevailing anxiety that precedes writing.
Some psychologists classify writing as if it is " cerebral action" and see it for many as " a saving action from a deadly melancholy" . In a dossier published in the French magazine " Leer" , the psychoanalyst Christopher Andrea, confirms about the writing rituals amongst the creative and the Maestro that " Authentic relationship between phobia and creativity", as both have symptoms of excessive sensitivity, as writing on one hand is a success and on the other is a failure.
Failure insofar as to adapt to the performance, and success in finding a suitable alternative. And in this sequence, the writer Fakhri Kawar confirms that writing the story necessitates a place outside ones home if it is available, however, if it isn't then writing begins after all the family members go to sleep.
I shut the television set off, and the radio off, and then try to reach to the highest degree of silence. Fakhri stated. He adds, the writer love for attentiveness, precision, makes us lean towards slow careful thinking in every word, in every expression, and in every discussing sentence, and in every stand.
He points out that writing the newspaper article takes place during a period of television broadcast, during the presence of a guest, or during answering the phone : "We don't feel the pressure of writing newspaper article the same way we feel it when we write a novel" there is a vast area or long distance between creative work and journalistic work.
The narrator Jamilah Amayreh professes that for every writer "a special mood" that imposes itself and its conditions on its owner, she finds in quiet and in isolationism important conditions to fashion her creativity. According to Amayreh, " all the seasons before creativity are the same" but she is content with writing in the early morning, and defers any creative work for that time.
The novelist Hashem Gharaybeh confirms that he writes whenever he finds desire for writing, without putting himself in any particular ambiance or specific rituals. He prefers to translate his creative work sitting by the kitchen table, especially during winter season, as the coffee and tea requirements are within reach, and the place is warm, and he adds music as a permanent companion in the house. In that type of atmosphere, I'm able to write much more effectively. Commonly, Gharaybeh writes his thoughts or ideas that quickly dissipate on a note paper, it could go away but he quickly retrieves them. Ten years ago, Gharaybeh used to have penchant for writing with a pencil on yellow paper, according to him, but after using the computer he started using the paper utensils for notes only.
I don't get discouraged by interruption, noise, muddling, and my thoughts don't get downgraded and I continue with it irrespective of the outside influences. He confesses that his production in winter is more than in the summer, I don't know why. He clarifies. It is possible that winter gives me the warmth and inspiration to write, and its long nights gives me enough time to contemplate.
The following is the original Arabic text, it was published in today's edition of Alghad newspaper. 2/28/2006.
طقوس الإبداع لدى الأدباء والفنانين: استحضار الإلهام بطرق غرائبية أقرب إلى الجنون
28/2/2006
كوكب حناحنة
عمّان- كان الروائي الأميركي مارك توين يبحث عن سرير قبل أن يبدأ الكتابة، وكان يعد السرير حالة خاصة تتمثل فيه الصور العقلية الشبيهة بالحلم، في حين التصق الابداع لدى الشاعر الألماني شيلر برائحة التفاح وكان يحتفظ بتفاح متعفن في مكتبه لاقامة تلك العلاقة الحسية بينه وبين الإبداع.
ويجد الكثير من المبدعين أنفسهم أسرى عادات قد تبدو بالنسبة لسواهم غريبة وطريفة، وخصوصا لحظة ترجمة الإبداع على الورق، إذ يمارس المبدعون حيلا مختلفة في سبيل تفجير طاقاتهم الداخلية وتنشيط افكارهم.
ومن هؤلاء من يعيش في كنف عادات أدمنها وشروط أحاط نفسه بها يتلمس من خلالها حالات من الإلهام للتحليق في عالم الكتابة. وهذا ما دفع الروائي اللبناني أمين معلوف ليهجر عائلته سنوات هاربا إلى جزيرة نائية ينقطع فيها للتأليف، وجعل الكاتبة الجزائرية أحلام مستغانمي تغير أرقام هواتفها وتتقوقع في عزلتها ثم تقرر السفر إلى بلد جديد لا يعرفها فيها احد كي تنجو بروايتها "عابر سرير".
ويصف مهتمون هذه الطقوس بأنها تعبير عن ظروف غير تقليدية، يسرق فيها المبدع من حالة الجنون الدافع الحقيقي للفكرة لينزع حالة القلق التي تسيطر عليه قبل الكتابة.
ويصنف بعض الأطباء النفسيين الكتابة على انها "فعل عصابي" ويرون انها للكثيرين "فعل إنقاذ من سوداوية قاتلة".
ويؤكد المحلل النفسي كريستوف اندريه في ملف نشرته مجلة "لير" الفرنسية عن طقوس الكتابة عند المبدعين والفنانين ان "العلاقة وثيقة بين الابداع والفوبيا"، كما أن الاثنين من عوارض الحساسية المفرطة، "فالكتابة هي من ناحية فشل ومن ناحية أخرى نجاح. إنها دليل فشل في التكيف مع الفعل ونجاح في ايجاد التعويض المناسب".
وفي هذا السياق، يؤكد الكاتب فخري قعوار بأن كتابة القصة تحتاج إلى مكان خارج المنزل اذا كان متوفرا، واذا لم يتوفر فالكتابة عنده تبدأ بعد نوم أفراد الأسرة كافة، وأثناء ذلك "أغلق شاشة التلفزيون والمحطة الاذاعية، وأحاول الوصول إلى أعلى درجات الصمت".
ويزيد" إلا أن محبة الكاتب للدقة والمواظبة على سلامة الشخصيات والوقائع، تجعلنا نميل الى التباطؤ والتفكير في كل كلمة وفي كل عبارة وفي كل جملة حوارية وفي كل موقف.
ويشير إلى أن كتابة المقالة الصحافية تحدث أحيانا بوجود أحد الضيوف وأثناء البث التلفزيوني، وأثناء الرد على الهاتف، إذ "لا نشعر أن كتابة المقالة تحتاج لمثل هذا التركيز الذي تتطلبه كتابة القصة، لأن الفرق بين العمل الإبداعي والعمل الصحافي يكاد يكون بينهما مساحة شاسعة أو مسافة طويلة".
وتقر القاصة جميلة عمايرة بـ "أن لكل كاتب مزاجا خاصا" يفرض حالته وشروطه على صاحبه. وتجد في العزلة والهدوء شروط مهمة لصياغة إبداعها.
وبحسب عمايرة فإن "كل الفصول أمام حالة الإبداع سواء، ولكنني أكتفي بالكتابة في ساعات الصباح الباكر، وأؤجل أي فعل ابداعي إلى هذا الوقت".
ويؤكد الروائي هاشم غرايبة بأنه اذا وجد الرغبة في الكتابة يكتب، من دون أن يضع لنفسه جوا خاصا وطقوسا معينة. ويفضل اثناء ترجمة ابداعاته الجلوس على طاولة المطبخ، وبخاصة في فصل الشتاء،"حيث أدوات القهوة والشاي في متناول يديّ، والمكان دافىء". ويضيف "الموسيقى رفيق دائم في البيت، وبهذه الأجواء أستطيع الكتابة بفعالية أكثر".
وعادة ما يدون غرايبة خواطره وأفكاره التي تمر سريعا على قصاصات من الورق، "لكنها قد تختفي لكنني سرعان ما أسترجعها".
وكان غرايبة وقبل عشر سنوات، كما يقول، مولعا بالكتابة على الورق الأصفر وقلم الرصاص، ولكن بعد استخدامه جهاز الكمبيوتر اضحى يستخدم هذه الأدوات لتدوين الملاحظات فقط. وفي غضون ذلك، "لا تضيرني أجواء المقاطعة والتشويش او الضجة، ولا يطاح بأفكاري واتواصل معها من دون التأثر بالمؤثرات الخارجية". ويعترف بأن نتاجه في فصل الشتاء أكثر من الصيف، موضحا" لا أعرف لماذا؟ قد يمنحني الشتاء الدفء والإيحاء بالكتابة، وقد يمنحني ليله الطويل وقتا كافيا للتأمل"
Creative rituals for the artists and scholars : The strange methods of invoking the revelations are closer to insanity.
The American novelist Mark Twain used to look for a bed before he starts writing, he considered the bed a special condition that has cerebral images similar to a dream.
When the German poet Schiller wanted to be creative, he adhered to the smell of apple, he used to preserve rotten apple in his office to establish the voluptuous relationship between him and the creativity..
Many creative people find themselves hostages to habits that appear to be strange and amusing to others, this is especially true during the moment of translating creativity into written material. The creative people practice different tricks in order for them to explode their inner energy and activate their thoughts.
Some of them live under the auspices of addictive habits and conditions and surround themselves within, and thought it they feel that they will get the inspiration to hover over the world of writing.
That is what pushed the Lebanese novelist Ameen Mallof to abandon his family for years escaping to an island dedicated for things he wanted to author. And made the Algerian writer Ahlam Mustghnemi to change her telephone number, live in isolation, then travel to a new country where no one knows her so she can be saved by her novel "Bed crossing"
Those that are concerned about these rituals consider them unorthodox, the creative person seizes the moment to get out the real motive behind the idea that is causing the crazy condition in order to snatch himself from the prevailing anxiety that precedes writing.
Some psychologists classify writing as if it is " cerebral action" and see it for many as " a saving action from a deadly melancholy" . In a dossier published in the French magazine " Leer" , the psychoanalyst Christopher Andrea, confirms about the writing rituals amongst the creative and the Maestro that " Authentic relationship between phobia and creativity", as both have symptoms of excessive sensitivity, as writing on one hand is a success and on the other is a failure.
Failure insofar as to adapt to the performance, and success in finding a suitable alternative. And in this sequence, the writer Fakhri Kawar confirms that writing the story necessitates a place outside ones home if it is available, however, if it isn't then writing begins after all the family members go to sleep.
I shut the television set off, and the radio off, and then try to reach to the highest degree of silence. Fakhri stated. He adds, the writer love for attentiveness, precision, makes us lean towards slow careful thinking in every word, in every expression, and in every discussing sentence, and in every stand.
He points out that writing the newspaper article takes place during a period of television broadcast, during the presence of a guest, or during answering the phone : "We don't feel the pressure of writing newspaper article the same way we feel it when we write a novel" there is a vast area or long distance between creative work and journalistic work.
The narrator Jamilah Amayreh professes that for every writer "a special mood" that imposes itself and its conditions on its owner, she finds in quiet and in isolationism important conditions to fashion her creativity. According to Amayreh, " all the seasons before creativity are the same" but she is content with writing in the early morning, and defers any creative work for that time.
The novelist Hashem Gharaybeh confirms that he writes whenever he finds desire for writing, without putting himself in any particular ambiance or specific rituals. He prefers to translate his creative work sitting by the kitchen table, especially during winter season, as the coffee and tea requirements are within reach, and the place is warm, and he adds music as a permanent companion in the house. In that type of atmosphere, I'm able to write much more effectively. Commonly, Gharaybeh writes his thoughts or ideas that quickly dissipate on a note paper, it could go away but he quickly retrieves them. Ten years ago, Gharaybeh used to have penchant for writing with a pencil on yellow paper, according to him, but after using the computer he started using the paper utensils for notes only.
I don't get discouraged by interruption, noise, muddling, and my thoughts don't get downgraded and I continue with it irrespective of the outside influences. He confesses that his production in winter is more than in the summer, I don't know why. He clarifies. It is possible that winter gives me the warmth and inspiration to write, and its long nights gives me enough time to contemplate.
The following is the original Arabic text, it was published in today's edition of Alghad newspaper. 2/28/2006.
طقوس الإبداع لدى الأدباء والفنانين: استحضار الإلهام بطرق غرائبية أقرب إلى الجنون
28/2/2006
كوكب حناحنة
عمّان- كان الروائي الأميركي مارك توين يبحث عن سرير قبل أن يبدأ الكتابة، وكان يعد السرير حالة خاصة تتمثل فيه الصور العقلية الشبيهة بالحلم، في حين التصق الابداع لدى الشاعر الألماني شيلر برائحة التفاح وكان يحتفظ بتفاح متعفن في مكتبه لاقامة تلك العلاقة الحسية بينه وبين الإبداع.
ويجد الكثير من المبدعين أنفسهم أسرى عادات قد تبدو بالنسبة لسواهم غريبة وطريفة، وخصوصا لحظة ترجمة الإبداع على الورق، إذ يمارس المبدعون حيلا مختلفة في سبيل تفجير طاقاتهم الداخلية وتنشيط افكارهم.
ومن هؤلاء من يعيش في كنف عادات أدمنها وشروط أحاط نفسه بها يتلمس من خلالها حالات من الإلهام للتحليق في عالم الكتابة. وهذا ما دفع الروائي اللبناني أمين معلوف ليهجر عائلته سنوات هاربا إلى جزيرة نائية ينقطع فيها للتأليف، وجعل الكاتبة الجزائرية أحلام مستغانمي تغير أرقام هواتفها وتتقوقع في عزلتها ثم تقرر السفر إلى بلد جديد لا يعرفها فيها احد كي تنجو بروايتها "عابر سرير".
ويصف مهتمون هذه الطقوس بأنها تعبير عن ظروف غير تقليدية، يسرق فيها المبدع من حالة الجنون الدافع الحقيقي للفكرة لينزع حالة القلق التي تسيطر عليه قبل الكتابة.
ويصنف بعض الأطباء النفسيين الكتابة على انها "فعل عصابي" ويرون انها للكثيرين "فعل إنقاذ من سوداوية قاتلة".
ويؤكد المحلل النفسي كريستوف اندريه في ملف نشرته مجلة "لير" الفرنسية عن طقوس الكتابة عند المبدعين والفنانين ان "العلاقة وثيقة بين الابداع والفوبيا"، كما أن الاثنين من عوارض الحساسية المفرطة، "فالكتابة هي من ناحية فشل ومن ناحية أخرى نجاح. إنها دليل فشل في التكيف مع الفعل ونجاح في ايجاد التعويض المناسب".
وفي هذا السياق، يؤكد الكاتب فخري قعوار بأن كتابة القصة تحتاج إلى مكان خارج المنزل اذا كان متوفرا، واذا لم يتوفر فالكتابة عنده تبدأ بعد نوم أفراد الأسرة كافة، وأثناء ذلك "أغلق شاشة التلفزيون والمحطة الاذاعية، وأحاول الوصول إلى أعلى درجات الصمت".
ويزيد" إلا أن محبة الكاتب للدقة والمواظبة على سلامة الشخصيات والوقائع، تجعلنا نميل الى التباطؤ والتفكير في كل كلمة وفي كل عبارة وفي كل جملة حوارية وفي كل موقف.
ويشير إلى أن كتابة المقالة الصحافية تحدث أحيانا بوجود أحد الضيوف وأثناء البث التلفزيوني، وأثناء الرد على الهاتف، إذ "لا نشعر أن كتابة المقالة تحتاج لمثل هذا التركيز الذي تتطلبه كتابة القصة، لأن الفرق بين العمل الإبداعي والعمل الصحافي يكاد يكون بينهما مساحة شاسعة أو مسافة طويلة".
وتقر القاصة جميلة عمايرة بـ "أن لكل كاتب مزاجا خاصا" يفرض حالته وشروطه على صاحبه. وتجد في العزلة والهدوء شروط مهمة لصياغة إبداعها.
وبحسب عمايرة فإن "كل الفصول أمام حالة الإبداع سواء، ولكنني أكتفي بالكتابة في ساعات الصباح الباكر، وأؤجل أي فعل ابداعي إلى هذا الوقت".
ويؤكد الروائي هاشم غرايبة بأنه اذا وجد الرغبة في الكتابة يكتب، من دون أن يضع لنفسه جوا خاصا وطقوسا معينة. ويفضل اثناء ترجمة ابداعاته الجلوس على طاولة المطبخ، وبخاصة في فصل الشتاء،"حيث أدوات القهوة والشاي في متناول يديّ، والمكان دافىء". ويضيف "الموسيقى رفيق دائم في البيت، وبهذه الأجواء أستطيع الكتابة بفعالية أكثر".
وعادة ما يدون غرايبة خواطره وأفكاره التي تمر سريعا على قصاصات من الورق، "لكنها قد تختفي لكنني سرعان ما أسترجعها".
وكان غرايبة وقبل عشر سنوات، كما يقول، مولعا بالكتابة على الورق الأصفر وقلم الرصاص، ولكن بعد استخدامه جهاز الكمبيوتر اضحى يستخدم هذه الأدوات لتدوين الملاحظات فقط. وفي غضون ذلك، "لا تضيرني أجواء المقاطعة والتشويش او الضجة، ولا يطاح بأفكاري واتواصل معها من دون التأثر بالمؤثرات الخارجية". ويعترف بأن نتاجه في فصل الشتاء أكثر من الصيف، موضحا" لا أعرف لماذا؟ قد يمنحني الشتاء الدفء والإيحاء بالكتابة، وقد يمنحني ليله الطويل وقتا كافيا للتأمل"
Professor Sami Al-Arian
http://www.usforacle.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/02/20/43f9b8cbba683#vfeedback
Topic: Al-Arian reflects on past three years
Name: Hatem Abunimeh
Email: habunimeh@yahoo.com
Location: University Of Illinois
Occupation: Associate Director
Comment: I'm not sure whose interest is being served by keeping Dr.Al-Arian in jail ! The American people Tax dollars arebeing wasted on litigation that is totally and completelybaseless.When 10 out of 12 jurors rule that the defendant isn'tguilty, I don't know how much more needs to be said aftertha! t. Trying the case once again for the residual chargesis another attempt at wasting more time and money fornothing.The American Justice system is a fair system, it willeventually prevail no matter how long the case will last.The same way Dr.Al-Arian was found not guilty the firsttime around, the same way he will be found not guilty thesecond time.I have always maintained in my mind that this man isinnocent, there was no way on earth that he wouldjeopardize his academic career, or trade his stablefamily life in return for aiding terrorism, the factsdon't add up and the circumstances are highlysuspicious.Being pro Palestinians is not against the law, helpingpoor people isn't against the law, and speaking upagainst injustices toward the Palestinian people isn'tagainst the law either.That is what Dr.Al Arian was all about : He is an avidPalestinian rights advocate, who amongst us that isfamili! ar with all the injustices that are beingperpetrated against the Palestinian people on a dailybasis isn't going to stand up for them !?Dr.Al Arian is a good law abiding citizen, he is a goodfamily man, he excelled in his professional as well ashis academic lives, his proven track record ofaccomplishment speak for itself.A charge against him of guilt by association isn't goingto cut it, so what the guy knew an acquaintance of histhat turned up to be Jihad organization leader? How manypeople that turn up to be criminals and have theirpictures taken with current Presidents and formerPresidents? Just because someone knows someone that turnup to be criminal doesn't mean that they are accomplicesor partners in mischief.The government ought to save our tax payers dollars andset Dr.Al Arian and his codefendants free. The longer helingers in jail the more that he will be deprived of hisright to life liberty ! and the pursuit of happiness, thebasic fundamentals found in our constitution.Something that we take for granted and something that wedon't wish for any American to be deprived of, be thatDr. Al Arian or anyone else. The America that I know, theland of the free should set Dr.AlArian free without anydelay.We all are familiar with the cliché : If it walks like aduck, quacks like one...and you know the rest. Dr. AlArian innocence is just like that duck, it is written all overthe place but for some reason our beloved governmentchose to look the other way.
Hatem Abunimeh
University of Illinois
abunimeh@uic.edu
Topic: Al-Arian reflects on past three years
Name: Hatem Abunimeh
Email: habunimeh@yahoo.com
Location: University Of Illinois
Occupation: Associate Director
Comment: I'm not sure whose interest is being served by keeping Dr.Al-Arian in jail ! The American people Tax dollars arebeing wasted on litigation that is totally and completelybaseless.When 10 out of 12 jurors rule that the defendant isn'tguilty, I don't know how much more needs to be said aftertha! t. Trying the case once again for the residual chargesis another attempt at wasting more time and money fornothing.The American Justice system is a fair system, it willeventually prevail no matter how long the case will last.The same way Dr.Al-Arian was found not guilty the firsttime around, the same way he will be found not guilty thesecond time.I have always maintained in my mind that this man isinnocent, there was no way on earth that he wouldjeopardize his academic career, or trade his stablefamily life in return for aiding terrorism, the factsdon't add up and the circumstances are highlysuspicious.Being pro Palestinians is not against the law, helpingpoor people isn't against the law, and speaking upagainst injustices toward the Palestinian people isn'tagainst the law either.That is what Dr.Al Arian was all about : He is an avidPalestinian rights advocate, who amongst us that isfamili! ar with all the injustices that are beingperpetrated against the Palestinian people on a dailybasis isn't going to stand up for them !?Dr.Al Arian is a good law abiding citizen, he is a goodfamily man, he excelled in his professional as well ashis academic lives, his proven track record ofaccomplishment speak for itself.A charge against him of guilt by association isn't goingto cut it, so what the guy knew an acquaintance of histhat turned up to be Jihad organization leader? How manypeople that turn up to be criminals and have theirpictures taken with current Presidents and formerPresidents? Just because someone knows someone that turnup to be criminal doesn't mean that they are accomplicesor partners in mischief.The government ought to save our tax payers dollars andset Dr.Al Arian and his codefendants free. The longer helingers in jail the more that he will be deprived of hisright to life liberty ! and the pursuit of happiness, thebasic fundamentals found in our constitution.Something that we take for granted and something that wedon't wish for any American to be deprived of, be thatDr. Al Arian or anyone else. The America that I know, theland of the free should set Dr.AlArian free without anydelay.We all are familiar with the cliché : If it walks like aduck, quacks like one...and you know the rest. Dr. AlArian innocence is just like that duck, it is written all overthe place but for some reason our beloved governmentchose to look the other way.
Hatem Abunimeh
University of Illinois
abunimeh@uic.edu
Monday, February 27, 2006
Encroachment On Press Freedom
In a decision that couldn't be justified by politics, common good, or logic, an unknown governmental side ( we don't know who made the decision) prevented the press yesterday from covering the return of the Jordanian citizen Mahmoud Saidat to Amman after the state succeeded in liberating him from his captors in Iraq as a result of an exhaustive effort that deserves lauding.
The governmental side allowed only the official governmental media representatives to cover the event. However, the other private journalists waited in front of Marka Airport, only to return to their news rooms empty handed.
The decision to prohibit the journalists from covering the event; which is of paramount importance is wrong, and an encroachment on the right of the press to pursue events that are tied to the common good.
It is a decision that is incongruent with the government's declared position in wanting to cooperate with the press and remove the obstacles before them, so in order for the press to be able to pursue its work truthfully and professionally.
How will this decision to prohibit endears the governmental declared position of open state institutions for media apparatus. In addition, what would the government had done had the daily papers refused to cover the event as a result of the encroachment on its rights, it would have gotten angry, blame the press, and accuse them of not fulfilling their duties toward the society.
But the newspapers didn't do that, the newspapers fathom the rights of their readers, and the rights of the nation on the newspaper, sort of not to let them down. The country have the right through its media to celebrate the saving of a citizen from the imminent danger of gaping death, saved only by unique performance of his majesty the king with the help of of other state institutions that were able to pull it off.
Because of that, the Jordanian press gave the event of safe return of Mr. Saidat to his family and his country the diligent pursuance and the coverage it deserves. The government is requested to stop making arbitrary and heavy handed decisions in its discourse with the media means.
The government needs the media as much as the media needs the government. The mutual relationship between the two of them must be built on objective professional frame, governed by law, and by practices that adheres to the principal of democracy, and the exigencies of respect, and the right of the press freedom to retrieve the information without hindrance, and passing the information to the reader without hindrance too.
2006/02/26
Ayman Safadi
Translated from Arabic by Hatem Abunimeh.
It isn't my intent to translate any positive or negative piece, I like to translate whatever it is as accurately as possible, based on the way it is written. I don't necessarily agree with the content appearing in my translations. I don't seek to influence anybody, nor do I speculate about the motive of the original writer. What I do in terms of translation is strictly a hobby of mine I like to exercise it on an ongoing basis. I don't get paid for my translation work, nor do I receive any funding from any organization or corporation. All the translation work is solely based on my own endeavor. Hatem Abunimeh.
تجاوز على حرية الصحافة2006-02-26
في قرار لا تبرره سياسة أو مصلحة أو منطق، منعت جهات حكومية (لا نعرف من اتخذ القرار) الصحافيين أمس من تغطية عودة المواطن محمود السعيدات إلى عمان بعد أن نجحت الدولة في تحريره من خاطفيه في العراق إثر ما بذلته من جهود مضنية تستحق التقدير.
لم تسمح الجهات الحكومية المعنية إلا لممثلي الإعلام الرسمي بتغطية الحدث. أما ممثلو الصحف ووسائل الإعلام الأخرى، فقد انتظروا لساعات أمام مطار ماركا، ليعودوا بعد ذلك إلى صحفهم بخفّي حنين.
قرار منع الصحافيين من تغطية حدث بتلك الأهمية خاطئ وتجاوز على حق الصحافة في متابعة الأحداث المرتبطة بالشأن العام. وهو قرار لا ينسجم مع موقف الحكومة المعلن في التعاون مع الصحافة وإزالة العوائق أمام تأديتها عملها بمهنية وحرفية وصدقية.
فكيف ستكون الصحافة مهنية ومقنعة لقارئها ومشاهدها وهي تحرم حقها في متابعة الأحداث؟ وكيف يمكن لقرار المنع هذا أن يعزز صدقية القول الحكومي المؤكِّد دائماً انفتاح مؤسسات الدولة على وسائل الإعلام؟
اضافة إلى ذلك، ماذا كانت ستفعل الحكومة لو قررت الصحف اليومية عدم تغطية الحدث في ردة فعل على تجاوز حقوقها؟ كانت ستعتب، وستغضب، وستتهم الصحافة بعدم القيام بواجبها تجاه المجتمع.
لكن الصحف لم تفعل ذلك. فلقارئها عليها حق. ولوطنها عليها حق. للقارئ حق الحصول على المعلومة من وسائل إعلامه. وللوطن على الصحافة حق الاحتفال بإنقاذ مواطن من خطر موت محدق من خلال أداء متميز تابعه جلالة الملك وتعاونت كل مؤسسات الدولة المعنية على انجازه. بسبب ذلك، أعطت الصحافة الأردنية حدث عودة السعيدات إلى أهله ووطنه ما يستحق من تغطية ومتابعة.
بيد أنه مطلوب من الحكومة أن تتوقف عن اتخاذ قرارات اعتباطية وفوقية في تعاملها مع وسائل الإعلام.
فالحكومة تحتاج الإعلام بنفس القدر الذي يحتاج فيه الإعلام الحكومة. ويجب أن تتسم علاقة الطرفين بوضوح مرتكز إلى أطر مهنية موضوعية محكومة بالقانون والممارسات الملتزمة بالعملية الديمقراطية وما تتطلب من احترام حق الصحافة في الوصول الى المعلومة بحرية، ونقلها للقارئ، أيضا بحرية.
The governmental side allowed only the official governmental media representatives to cover the event. However, the other private journalists waited in front of Marka Airport, only to return to their news rooms empty handed.
The decision to prohibit the journalists from covering the event; which is of paramount importance is wrong, and an encroachment on the right of the press to pursue events that are tied to the common good.
It is a decision that is incongruent with the government's declared position in wanting to cooperate with the press and remove the obstacles before them, so in order for the press to be able to pursue its work truthfully and professionally.
How will this decision to prohibit endears the governmental declared position of open state institutions for media apparatus. In addition, what would the government had done had the daily papers refused to cover the event as a result of the encroachment on its rights, it would have gotten angry, blame the press, and accuse them of not fulfilling their duties toward the society.
But the newspapers didn't do that, the newspapers fathom the rights of their readers, and the rights of the nation on the newspaper, sort of not to let them down. The country have the right through its media to celebrate the saving of a citizen from the imminent danger of gaping death, saved only by unique performance of his majesty the king with the help of of other state institutions that were able to pull it off.
Because of that, the Jordanian press gave the event of safe return of Mr. Saidat to his family and his country the diligent pursuance and the coverage it deserves. The government is requested to stop making arbitrary and heavy handed decisions in its discourse with the media means.
The government needs the media as much as the media needs the government. The mutual relationship between the two of them must be built on objective professional frame, governed by law, and by practices that adheres to the principal of democracy, and the exigencies of respect, and the right of the press freedom to retrieve the information without hindrance, and passing the information to the reader without hindrance too.
2006/02/26
Ayman Safadi
Translated from Arabic by Hatem Abunimeh.
It isn't my intent to translate any positive or negative piece, I like to translate whatever it is as accurately as possible, based on the way it is written. I don't necessarily agree with the content appearing in my translations. I don't seek to influence anybody, nor do I speculate about the motive of the original writer. What I do in terms of translation is strictly a hobby of mine I like to exercise it on an ongoing basis. I don't get paid for my translation work, nor do I receive any funding from any organization or corporation. All the translation work is solely based on my own endeavor. Hatem Abunimeh.
تجاوز على حرية الصحافة2006-02-26
في قرار لا تبرره سياسة أو مصلحة أو منطق، منعت جهات حكومية (لا نعرف من اتخذ القرار) الصحافيين أمس من تغطية عودة المواطن محمود السعيدات إلى عمان بعد أن نجحت الدولة في تحريره من خاطفيه في العراق إثر ما بذلته من جهود مضنية تستحق التقدير.
لم تسمح الجهات الحكومية المعنية إلا لممثلي الإعلام الرسمي بتغطية الحدث. أما ممثلو الصحف ووسائل الإعلام الأخرى، فقد انتظروا لساعات أمام مطار ماركا، ليعودوا بعد ذلك إلى صحفهم بخفّي حنين.
قرار منع الصحافيين من تغطية حدث بتلك الأهمية خاطئ وتجاوز على حق الصحافة في متابعة الأحداث المرتبطة بالشأن العام. وهو قرار لا ينسجم مع موقف الحكومة المعلن في التعاون مع الصحافة وإزالة العوائق أمام تأديتها عملها بمهنية وحرفية وصدقية.
فكيف ستكون الصحافة مهنية ومقنعة لقارئها ومشاهدها وهي تحرم حقها في متابعة الأحداث؟ وكيف يمكن لقرار المنع هذا أن يعزز صدقية القول الحكومي المؤكِّد دائماً انفتاح مؤسسات الدولة على وسائل الإعلام؟
اضافة إلى ذلك، ماذا كانت ستفعل الحكومة لو قررت الصحف اليومية عدم تغطية الحدث في ردة فعل على تجاوز حقوقها؟ كانت ستعتب، وستغضب، وستتهم الصحافة بعدم القيام بواجبها تجاه المجتمع.
لكن الصحف لم تفعل ذلك. فلقارئها عليها حق. ولوطنها عليها حق. للقارئ حق الحصول على المعلومة من وسائل إعلامه. وللوطن على الصحافة حق الاحتفال بإنقاذ مواطن من خطر موت محدق من خلال أداء متميز تابعه جلالة الملك وتعاونت كل مؤسسات الدولة المعنية على انجازه. بسبب ذلك، أعطت الصحافة الأردنية حدث عودة السعيدات إلى أهله ووطنه ما يستحق من تغطية ومتابعة.
بيد أنه مطلوب من الحكومة أن تتوقف عن اتخاذ قرارات اعتباطية وفوقية في تعاملها مع وسائل الإعلام.
فالحكومة تحتاج الإعلام بنفس القدر الذي يحتاج فيه الإعلام الحكومة. ويجب أن تتسم علاقة الطرفين بوضوح مرتكز إلى أطر مهنية موضوعية محكومة بالقانون والممارسات الملتزمة بالعملية الديمقراطية وما تتطلب من احترام حق الصحافة في الوصول الى المعلومة بحرية، ونقلها للقارئ، أيضا بحرية.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
diametrically opposite
Notwithstanding the extra ordinary zeal, Jordan isn't Palestine and Palestine isn't Jordan. The Isalmists had their opportunity to capture the legislative branch during the 1989 election, long before the current election law was put in place, all they were able to accomplish was a meager 12% of the vote, even if we double that number to fit the current set of circumstances it would give the Islamists a 24% of the vote, well short of what they received in Palestine.
Jordan is an independent and sovereign state, it has a constitution and well established governmental institutions, Palestine on the contrary is still under occupation and doesn't enjoy and of the privileges that exist in Jordan.
The leadership in Jordan differs from that in Palestine, the Hashemites are widely popular and they enjoy the traditional tribal support, the perks that the people receive from the government outweigh the risk of doing away with it.
The Islamists of Jordan are an integral part of the regime and not a separate renegade mavericks seeking to change the regime, in Palestine Hamas was out to defeat Fateh because it wants to tip the balance in its favor.
While nepotism and corruption are present in Jordan it isn't as rampant the way it was festering in Palestine. The people of Palestine do want change, the people of Jordan including Islamists don't want any change, they are very comfortable with the status quo.
They do want reform which is half of the equation but they don't want the change which is the other half of the equation. Unlike the people of Palestine the people in Jordan don't feel the tremendous occupation pressure.
Jordanian citizens are free to do just about anything they want without the fear of being prosecuted and persecuted for it. They come and go as they please, they import and export, they open up business and travel abroad, and build properties, and so on and so forth. These taken for granted conditions don't exist in Palestine, one can't go from village to the next village without encountering all kinds of obstacles.
Even if free, fair, and transparent elections were to be held today in Jordan, the Islamists aren't going to score big the way the did in Palestine, the two sets of circumstances are diametrically opposite from one another.
It is naive to think that just because Hamas won in Palestine it is going to win in Jordan, there is no evidence to support this claim none whatsoever.
Jordan is an independent and sovereign state, it has a constitution and well established governmental institutions, Palestine on the contrary is still under occupation and doesn't enjoy and of the privileges that exist in Jordan.
The leadership in Jordan differs from that in Palestine, the Hashemites are widely popular and they enjoy the traditional tribal support, the perks that the people receive from the government outweigh the risk of doing away with it.
The Islamists of Jordan are an integral part of the regime and not a separate renegade mavericks seeking to change the regime, in Palestine Hamas was out to defeat Fateh because it wants to tip the balance in its favor.
While nepotism and corruption are present in Jordan it isn't as rampant the way it was festering in Palestine. The people of Palestine do want change, the people of Jordan including Islamists don't want any change, they are very comfortable with the status quo.
They do want reform which is half of the equation but they don't want the change which is the other half of the equation. Unlike the people of Palestine the people in Jordan don't feel the tremendous occupation pressure.
Jordanian citizens are free to do just about anything they want without the fear of being prosecuted and persecuted for it. They come and go as they please, they import and export, they open up business and travel abroad, and build properties, and so on and so forth. These taken for granted conditions don't exist in Palestine, one can't go from village to the next village without encountering all kinds of obstacles.
Even if free, fair, and transparent elections were to be held today in Jordan, the Islamists aren't going to score big the way the did in Palestine, the two sets of circumstances are diametrically opposite from one another.
It is naive to think that just because Hamas won in Palestine it is going to win in Jordan, there is no evidence to support this claim none whatsoever.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Blogging [is] as being part of the community
I strongly disagree with Roba's blog on the part suggesting that we don't blog to be part of the community. Let us look at the definition of what constitute a community : According to the American heritage dictionary definition, a community is a group of class having common interest. In my opinion, Jordan Planet consists of a group of class, that is bloggers, having common interest, that is blogging about themselves, their country, their culture, and their religion, and many other variety of things that interests that particular community.
To say that blogging isn't related to being part of one's community is in my opinion wrong. If it is so then why are you here [Roba?] and on toot and on few other sites? Isn't because you feel that you can relate to this class and because you have common interest with this class.
If it was otherwise, then you would still be blogging for yourself in some kind of unknown undisclosed location on the internet and the net result would be that no one will know about you and you will not know about anyone else.
Perhaps there are entries on Jordan Planet that don't satisfy your taste or my taste, but that is the crux of blogging, it was never meant to satisfy anyone except the person that is writing the entry himself or herself.
There is no one site on earth that will guarantee to have entries in it that will satisfy each and every taste, if you find one let me know about it. People come in every color and shape, they have different characters and different interests.
We can never dictate to them that unless they are going to produce an interesting blog then they shouldn't blog at all, on the contrary, we should be encouraging them to blog about anything and everything that inspires them or interests them irrespective of how trivial that entry might be to you or to me or to whomever is reading the blog.
Look at the newspaper for example : Some people buy the newspaper to read the obituaries, others are interested in reading their horoscopes, some want to know about the weather, or the airport flights schedule, some interested in international politics while others read about the local and regional politics.
In other words, different people have different reasons for reading different blogs. For me, I loathe pictures, don't ask me why, I just hate them period. I usually skip through them wherever I find them.
That is why I'm an avid reader of the Wall Street Journal, it doesn't have any pictures, and on those rare occasions that they find it compulsory to put a picture, they would draw it as a sketch and not as a picture taken by camera.
I agree that there have been plethora of entries coming through the Jordan Planet during the past sixty days or so, but many of these entries are unique in their own way. Under no circumstances will we be able to judge as to which entry is worth keeping and reading and which entry needs to be jettisoned.
I do follow some of your rules, when I don't have anything to blog about I usually refrain from blogging, I do exercise my own blogging censorship, but that is me and I can't tell any one else when they should or shouldn't blog, since what may seem trivial to me could be of paramount importance to someone else.
I think that there is no clear cut definition as to what blogging should be all about, it is in my opinion like writing without borders, that is why sometimes we write in such a language that might be interpreted by some people as foul or unbecoming of a traditional society as the Jordanian society, but again who decides what, and where do you draw the line of what is considered offensive and what is considered assertive!
I personally don't find any topic to be considered taboo, be that sex education, or what have you, I'm willing to engage any topic irrespective of how bizarre or taboo it may sound.
If some one doesn't like to read it they always have the option of of scrolling down or hitting their delete button, and they wouldn't have to worry about it any more. I think that I have veered too much above and beyond the main topic , but yes, blogging is as being part of the community and yes blogging is as being part of specific class that we have common interest with one another.[I.e community]
To say that blogging isn't related to being part of one's community is in my opinion wrong. If it is so then why are you here [Roba?] and on toot and on few other sites? Isn't because you feel that you can relate to this class and because you have common interest with this class.
If it was otherwise, then you would still be blogging for yourself in some kind of unknown undisclosed location on the internet and the net result would be that no one will know about you and you will not know about anyone else.
Perhaps there are entries on Jordan Planet that don't satisfy your taste or my taste, but that is the crux of blogging, it was never meant to satisfy anyone except the person that is writing the entry himself or herself.
There is no one site on earth that will guarantee to have entries in it that will satisfy each and every taste, if you find one let me know about it. People come in every color and shape, they have different characters and different interests.
We can never dictate to them that unless they are going to produce an interesting blog then they shouldn't blog at all, on the contrary, we should be encouraging them to blog about anything and everything that inspires them or interests them irrespective of how trivial that entry might be to you or to me or to whomever is reading the blog.
Look at the newspaper for example : Some people buy the newspaper to read the obituaries, others are interested in reading their horoscopes, some want to know about the weather, or the airport flights schedule, some interested in international politics while others read about the local and regional politics.
In other words, different people have different reasons for reading different blogs. For me, I loathe pictures, don't ask me why, I just hate them period. I usually skip through them wherever I find them.
That is why I'm an avid reader of the Wall Street Journal, it doesn't have any pictures, and on those rare occasions that they find it compulsory to put a picture, they would draw it as a sketch and not as a picture taken by camera.
I agree that there have been plethora of entries coming through the Jordan Planet during the past sixty days or so, but many of these entries are unique in their own way. Under no circumstances will we be able to judge as to which entry is worth keeping and reading and which entry needs to be jettisoned.
I do follow some of your rules, when I don't have anything to blog about I usually refrain from blogging, I do exercise my own blogging censorship, but that is me and I can't tell any one else when they should or shouldn't blog, since what may seem trivial to me could be of paramount importance to someone else.
I think that there is no clear cut definition as to what blogging should be all about, it is in my opinion like writing without borders, that is why sometimes we write in such a language that might be interpreted by some people as foul or unbecoming of a traditional society as the Jordanian society, but again who decides what, and where do you draw the line of what is considered offensive and what is considered assertive!
I personally don't find any topic to be considered taboo, be that sex education, or what have you, I'm willing to engage any topic irrespective of how bizarre or taboo it may sound.
If some one doesn't like to read it they always have the option of of scrolling down or hitting their delete button, and they wouldn't have to worry about it any more. I think that I have veered too much above and beyond the main topic , but yes, blogging is as being part of the community and yes blogging is as being part of specific class that we have common interest with one another.[I.e community]
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Year Accomplishments
My top ten 2005 Accomplishments.
1) On the professional level : I went to work every day except for the days that were designated as holiday or days off.
2) On the personal level : I Quit Mahjoob discussion list and joined Jordan Planet bloggers list.
3) On the family level : I Told my spouse and my children that I still love them
4) On the friends level : I Called my friends in Jordan and Palestine and conveyed my greetings and best wishes.
5) On the theological level : I Haven't started but I'm attempting to start praying on regular basis.
6) On the house level : I Bought new stove and refrigerator for the kitchen.
7) On the internet level : I Learned new techniques for searching and refining my search.
8) On the investment level : I did well in [REIT] real estate investments trust fund.
9) On the health level : I Took my medication according to the way the doctor prescribed them for me
10) On the cathartic level : I Engaged a group of very nice bloggers like Nas, Haitham, Rami, Roba, Lina, Firas, Tololy, and Ziad Kawar
My outlook for 206 : Much of the same things like 2005
1) On the professional level : I went to work every day except for the days that were designated as holiday or days off.
2) On the personal level : I Quit Mahjoob discussion list and joined Jordan Planet bloggers list.
3) On the family level : I Told my spouse and my children that I still love them
4) On the friends level : I Called my friends in Jordan and Palestine and conveyed my greetings and best wishes.
5) On the theological level : I Haven't started but I'm attempting to start praying on regular basis.
6) On the house level : I Bought new stove and refrigerator for the kitchen.
7) On the internet level : I Learned new techniques for searching and refining my search.
8) On the investment level : I did well in [REIT] real estate investments trust fund.
9) On the health level : I Took my medication according to the way the doctor prescribed them for me
10) On the cathartic level : I Engaged a group of very nice bloggers like Nas, Haitham, Rami, Roba, Lina, Firas, Tololy, and Ziad Kawar
My outlook for 206 : Much of the same things like 2005
Friday, December 23, 2005
Simplify ... Simplify.
This post is inspired by Darwish Naji's experience during the period immediately before his http://hotice130.blogspot.com/ joining Jordan Planet citizenry. His experience was reminiscent of my own experience and the experience of couple of other citizens who probably wouldn't want their names publicized and would rather remain anonymous.
What makes this topic interesting is the fact that existing members who have been citizens for a while themselves don't know anything about the appropriate manner with which an aspiring prospective bolggers become a citizen of Jordan Planet.
I'm not suggesting that somehow there is a huge level of fortified secrecy surrounding the manner with which a prospective blogger become a citizen what I'm saying is there is a need for something like a pull down key that would take the person for instance to a topic titled [FAQ] frequently asked questions.
The purpose of this topic would be to answer the most frequently asked questions that comes to mind when the person become interested in Joining Jordan Plant. I understand that currently there are brief statements scattered here and there that gives the person some hints on what to do, but judging from Darwish Naji's experience, my own experience and that of couple others, I felt that this topic warrants some addressing and I chose to be the one to address it.
A few days ago, Laith Zraikat suggested http://laithz.jeeran.com/archive/2005/12/4304.html that the citizen ought to be given the option to post or not post some blogs on Jordan PLanet since some of the topics are too technical for some people and find it very boring and may not want to be burdened with looking at it. I personally thought that the suggestion was a brilliant one, as many times the citizen would want to be in the driver seat deciding whether a specific topic warrants the trouble of having the whole world look at it or it simply would be better off confined to the main blogger home page.
So Mr. Zraikat's suggestion would be added to the FAQ list. The question would read something like this : Will the citizen of Jordan Planet be able to post some blogs on Jordan Planet and withhold some other blogs from being published, or all the blogs appearing on the citizen's blog main will be published on Jordan Planet once he become a citizen without exception?
Answer : All blogs will exclusively be appearing on Jordan Planet, you can't choose between which one you can publish and which one you can hold back.
Having said all of that, now let me go back to the main topic and see if I can develop some hypothetical questions that are most frequently asked.
Question: How do I join Jordan Planet ?
Answer : Fill out the application provided.
Question : How long will I have to wait ?
Answer : Usually about 30 days from the day of your submission.
Question : What are some of the qualifications that you look for?
Answer : Interest in blogging. Blog, blog, blog.
Question : How will I know if I was approved ?
Answer : You will receive a letter of approval notifying you ( I've never received no letter)
Question : Once I'm approved, am I obligated to blog on a daily basis?
Answer : No
Question : Is there certain number of blogs that I need to maintain in order for me to keep my citizenship in good standing?
Answer : NO
Question : If I don't blog because I'm busy or have exams will I be penalized?
Answer : No
Question : What do I do to quit Jordan Planet?
Answer : You can't quit, this is a cult.[ Just kidding here] You can quit any time you want by sending an email to one of Jordan Planet staff members.
Question : Will my blog be censored?
Answer : No not unless it has something in it that violates the law.
Question : Who owns Jordan Planet?
Answer : The spirit of volunteerism
question: Is Jordan Planet for profit organization?
Answer : No
Question : Is Jordan Planet Governmental portal or non- governmental?
Answer : Non-governmental.
question : Do I have to be a Journalist to be a respected member?
Answer : No
Question : How do we resolve disputes?
Answer : There has never been any so far.
Question : Is faith, race, gender, ethnicity, play any role in this portal
Answer : No
These are by no means inclusive questions, I'm sure many more questions will come up as we go along, this meant to be a sample of what the questions and answers might look like.
This isn't something that needs to be implemented now or any time in the future, please note[ disclaimer] that I'm doing it as a blog not as a suggestion or a request or an edict. I have no say so over anything that goes on within the Jordan Planet administration, I'm simply a fresh citizen that has been around Jordan Planet for less than 90 days.
Feel free to comment on the blog or simply ignore it. I feel that simplification is the best policy, the more we simplify things the better they become. If the potential members are able to retrieve all the answers or finding them handy on the sight they will love it more.
People are parched for information, I know that Jordan Planet is a little over one year, I think that in the span of its short life it has done many marvelous things, but refinements never stop, they are an ongoing process. Adding FAQ feature is in my opinion a plus for the portal that will increase the level of visitors and traffic tremendously.
What makes this topic interesting is the fact that existing members who have been citizens for a while themselves don't know anything about the appropriate manner with which an aspiring prospective bolggers become a citizen of Jordan Planet.
I'm not suggesting that somehow there is a huge level of fortified secrecy surrounding the manner with which a prospective blogger become a citizen what I'm saying is there is a need for something like a pull down key that would take the person for instance to a topic titled [FAQ] frequently asked questions.
The purpose of this topic would be to answer the most frequently asked questions that comes to mind when the person become interested in Joining Jordan Plant. I understand that currently there are brief statements scattered here and there that gives the person some hints on what to do, but judging from Darwish Naji's experience, my own experience and that of couple others, I felt that this topic warrants some addressing and I chose to be the one to address it.
A few days ago, Laith Zraikat suggested http://laithz.jeeran.com/archive/2005/12/4304.html that the citizen ought to be given the option to post or not post some blogs on Jordan PLanet since some of the topics are too technical for some people and find it very boring and may not want to be burdened with looking at it. I personally thought that the suggestion was a brilliant one, as many times the citizen would want to be in the driver seat deciding whether a specific topic warrants the trouble of having the whole world look at it or it simply would be better off confined to the main blogger home page.
So Mr. Zraikat's suggestion would be added to the FAQ list. The question would read something like this : Will the citizen of Jordan Planet be able to post some blogs on Jordan Planet and withhold some other blogs from being published, or all the blogs appearing on the citizen's blog main will be published on Jordan Planet once he become a citizen without exception?
Answer : All blogs will exclusively be appearing on Jordan Planet, you can't choose between which one you can publish and which one you can hold back.
Having said all of that, now let me go back to the main topic and see if I can develop some hypothetical questions that are most frequently asked.
Question: How do I join Jordan Planet ?
Answer : Fill out the application provided.
Question : How long will I have to wait ?
Answer : Usually about 30 days from the day of your submission.
Question : What are some of the qualifications that you look for?
Answer : Interest in blogging. Blog, blog, blog.
Question : How will I know if I was approved ?
Answer : You will receive a letter of approval notifying you ( I've never received no letter)
Question : Once I'm approved, am I obligated to blog on a daily basis?
Answer : No
Question : Is there certain number of blogs that I need to maintain in order for me to keep my citizenship in good standing?
Answer : NO
Question : If I don't blog because I'm busy or have exams will I be penalized?
Answer : No
Question : What do I do to quit Jordan Planet?
Answer : You can't quit, this is a cult.[ Just kidding here] You can quit any time you want by sending an email to one of Jordan Planet staff members.
Question : Will my blog be censored?
Answer : No not unless it has something in it that violates the law.
Question : Who owns Jordan Planet?
Answer : The spirit of volunteerism
question: Is Jordan Planet for profit organization?
Answer : No
Question : Is Jordan Planet Governmental portal or non- governmental?
Answer : Non-governmental.
question : Do I have to be a Journalist to be a respected member?
Answer : No
Question : How do we resolve disputes?
Answer : There has never been any so far.
Question : Is faith, race, gender, ethnicity, play any role in this portal
Answer : No
These are by no means inclusive questions, I'm sure many more questions will come up as we go along, this meant to be a sample of what the questions and answers might look like.
This isn't something that needs to be implemented now or any time in the future, please note[ disclaimer] that I'm doing it as a blog not as a suggestion or a request or an edict. I have no say so over anything that goes on within the Jordan Planet administration, I'm simply a fresh citizen that has been around Jordan Planet for less than 90 days.
Feel free to comment on the blog or simply ignore it. I feel that simplification is the best policy, the more we simplify things the better they become. If the potential members are able to retrieve all the answers or finding them handy on the sight they will love it more.
People are parched for information, I know that Jordan Planet is a little over one year, I think that in the span of its short life it has done many marvelous things, but refinements never stop, they are an ongoing process. Adding FAQ feature is in my opinion a plus for the portal that will increase the level of visitors and traffic tremendously.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Googling Jordan Planet Members
Don't ask me why I did it because I have no idea, I guess I found some free time on me and I decided to use it Googling the majority of Jordan Planet members. I don't know what any of these numbers mean, they keep going up and down every so often, so don't be surprised to see yourself with a high number one day and then a low number on the next day.
The result of my Googling yielded some surprises, some of the members that I thought would get a low return received a very high return, for instance, who would have thought that a low key member like Jad would yield 114000, and a very powerful member like Ziad Kawar got only 655.
I was in between the 15 to 20 thousand category, I received 16700, very close to a former Journalist and an aspiring drummer/ singer Rami, he received 17000. The lowest was a member named Rawashed, he received 536, followed by Wael who received 578. Wael is more or less another surprise, he deserves more than that just for the exhibition he put out on the cultural street in not so distant past.
The Jordan Plant 'Staff' members did very well : Isam, the supreme leader received a whopping 57000, Roba did well too, she got 47900, Lina got only 12000, and Natasha had a disappointing 544, don't ask me why, Google yielded these numbers not me.
Moving along, Ahmad received 25500, I think it is a fair number for Ahmad, he isn't overly active but yet he writes in an adequate and consistent fashion. I Like his weekly and sometimes bi weekly columns appearing in the Jordan Times Weekender.
Another very disappointing return was Naseem Tarawneh, now who on earth would have thought that this prolific contributor would only get 544, it is ridiculous, I think that he should be up there with Roba and Isam in the fifty thousand category, but who am I to decide, it is Google who put out these search results.
Some members come out where they should be, Smeir is a new arrival and he received a fair 582, so is Owais, he too is fairly new arrival and he received 148. I hope that no one gets offended by these results, I'm only the messenger and the message is on Google you can investigate these results on your spare time and find out for yourself.
Other results in no particular order were : Ameen 13400, Matalqa 9160, Ammar Ibrahim 159000, by the way he was the highest one, with no one else coming as a close second.
Dweik 531, Sabbah 38100, I think the number for Sabbah is also fair, he is very active and puts out quite a bit of reading material out there. We haven't heard much though about London conference.
Sabanekh 699, Laith 837, Arrabi 833, Nader 11900, nader was sort of a surprise for me, I guess he is very active it just his name doesn't ring the bell when I hear it. Sabri 89000, Wow. For taking pictures of kids fighting in Hai Nazal, that is an excellent yield bro.
Kurdi 778, Yazan 10500, now who on earth is Yazan, I been around for at least 90 days and I don't remember seeing one single post for this Yazan, will Mr.Yazan please identify your self with a post or two so we know who you are?Thanks.
My sincere apologies for those that I didn't get to their names, they are either very new members, haven't posted anything recently, use an alias instead of their names, or I unwittingly omitted their names.
It doesn't mean that they are not worthy of being Googled or their Blogs aren't meeting the standard Blogging techniques, nothing even remotely resembles that.
In the scheme of things and due to the nature of doing things, one have a tendency to omit very deserving people, to those that weren't mentioned please accept my sincere apology, this report is by no means reflective of your skills or abilities, it wasn't meant to be inclusive nor comprehensive.
I started by Googling few names and when I found that I still have some time I googled some more, until I ended up with the bunch that I listed in the report. Again, please don't look at it as if it means anything to me to you or to any of the names mentioned.
The result of my Googling yielded some surprises, some of the members that I thought would get a low return received a very high return, for instance, who would have thought that a low key member like Jad would yield 114000, and a very powerful member like Ziad Kawar got only 655.
I was in between the 15 to 20 thousand category, I received 16700, very close to a former Journalist and an aspiring drummer/ singer Rami, he received 17000. The lowest was a member named Rawashed, he received 536, followed by Wael who received 578. Wael is more or less another surprise, he deserves more than that just for the exhibition he put out on the cultural street in not so distant past.
The Jordan Plant 'Staff' members did very well : Isam, the supreme leader received a whopping 57000, Roba did well too, she got 47900, Lina got only 12000, and Natasha had a disappointing 544, don't ask me why, Google yielded these numbers not me.
Moving along, Ahmad received 25500, I think it is a fair number for Ahmad, he isn't overly active but yet he writes in an adequate and consistent fashion. I Like his weekly and sometimes bi weekly columns appearing in the Jordan Times Weekender.
Another very disappointing return was Naseem Tarawneh, now who on earth would have thought that this prolific contributor would only get 544, it is ridiculous, I think that he should be up there with Roba and Isam in the fifty thousand category, but who am I to decide, it is Google who put out these search results.
Some members come out where they should be, Smeir is a new arrival and he received a fair 582, so is Owais, he too is fairly new arrival and he received 148. I hope that no one gets offended by these results, I'm only the messenger and the message is on Google you can investigate these results on your spare time and find out for yourself.
Other results in no particular order were : Ameen 13400, Matalqa 9160, Ammar Ibrahim 159000, by the way he was the highest one, with no one else coming as a close second.
Dweik 531, Sabbah 38100, I think the number for Sabbah is also fair, he is very active and puts out quite a bit of reading material out there. We haven't heard much though about London conference.
Sabanekh 699, Laith 837, Arrabi 833, Nader 11900, nader was sort of a surprise for me, I guess he is very active it just his name doesn't ring the bell when I hear it. Sabri 89000, Wow. For taking pictures of kids fighting in Hai Nazal, that is an excellent yield bro.
Kurdi 778, Yazan 10500, now who on earth is Yazan, I been around for at least 90 days and I don't remember seeing one single post for this Yazan, will Mr.Yazan please identify your self with a post or two so we know who you are?Thanks.
My sincere apologies for those that I didn't get to their names, they are either very new members, haven't posted anything recently, use an alias instead of their names, or I unwittingly omitted their names.
It doesn't mean that they are not worthy of being Googled or their Blogs aren't meeting the standard Blogging techniques, nothing even remotely resembles that.
In the scheme of things and due to the nature of doing things, one have a tendency to omit very deserving people, to those that weren't mentioned please accept my sincere apology, this report is by no means reflective of your skills or abilities, it wasn't meant to be inclusive nor comprehensive.
I started by Googling few names and when I found that I still have some time I googled some more, until I ended up with the bunch that I listed in the report. Again, please don't look at it as if it means anything to me to you or to any of the names mentioned.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Response to Khalaf post about the 'AGENDA'
I think that the purported election laws and the leaked news about the cancellation of the mandatory membership in the press association were the two reasons behind keeping the agenda articles obfuscated.Let us be realistic, it is almost impossible to implement any of the agenda's recommendations even if you have all the best intentions in the world.
Let us go over some of the recommendations and see how they fair up against the existing circumstances.
* Comprehensive universal health insurance for everyone in the nation by 2012. Give me a break, how much is that going to cost and who is going to fund it ?
* The creation of 600000 job opportunity.MMMMM Sure! How? In what field?
*Reduce unemployment from 14% to 6.8%. Read the item above, they go hand in hand with one another.
* Reduce poverty from 14% to 10%. This is possible with continued growth and money brought in by expatriates working in the Gulf.
* Increase annual income per capita from JD1500 to JD 2400. Well, I'm not so sure about this one either, if it hasn't happened during the past decade why would it happen now.
* Equal rights for both sexes by the year 2015. This one makes me laugh, it will happen when the salt bloom.
* Convert the budget deficit to budget surplus by the year 2017. This one also makes me laugh real loud. With so many thieves stealing everything including toilet tissue, I have serious doubts about any budget surpluses.
* Increase economic growth to 7.2%. Call me crazy on this one but I honestly think that it is achievable.
* Reduce external debt from 91% to 36% LoLLLLLLLLLL for that one.
* Increase spending on research. May be it will happen , by a small margin.
Let us go over some of the recommendations and see how they fair up against the existing circumstances.
* Comprehensive universal health insurance for everyone in the nation by 2012. Give me a break, how much is that going to cost and who is going to fund it ?
* The creation of 600000 job opportunity.MMMMM Sure! How? In what field?
*Reduce unemployment from 14% to 6.8%. Read the item above, they go hand in hand with one another.
* Reduce poverty from 14% to 10%. This is possible with continued growth and money brought in by expatriates working in the Gulf.
* Increase annual income per capita from JD1500 to JD 2400. Well, I'm not so sure about this one either, if it hasn't happened during the past decade why would it happen now.
* Equal rights for both sexes by the year 2015. This one makes me laugh, it will happen when the salt bloom.
* Convert the budget deficit to budget surplus by the year 2017. This one also makes me laugh real loud. With so many thieves stealing everything including toilet tissue, I have serious doubts about any budget surpluses.
* Increase economic growth to 7.2%. Call me crazy on this one but I honestly think that it is achievable.
* Reduce external debt from 91% to 36% LoLLLLLLLLLL for that one.
* Increase spending on research. May be it will happen , by a small margin.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Proffesor Acquitted Of Funding Terrorists
Professor acquitted of funding Islamist group : Dr.Sami AlArian has been acquitted by federal Jury. See the link below.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/crime_professor_dc;_ylt=AlVp2G2ehVI4oEeqEeFrt.2s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--
I have blogged about him on November 5, 2005. See the link below
http://hatemabunimeh.blogspot.com/2005_11_01_hatemabunimeh_archive.html
I also blogged about him again on June 16, 2005. See the link below.
http://hatemabunimeh.blogspot.com/2005/06/sami-al-arian.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/crime_professor_dc;_ylt=AlVp2G2ehVI4oEeqEeFrt.2s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--
I have blogged about him on November 5, 2005. See the link below
http://hatemabunimeh.blogspot.com/2005_11_01_hatemabunimeh_archive.html
I also blogged about him again on June 16, 2005. See the link below.
http://hatemabunimeh.blogspot.com/2005/06/sami-al-arian.html
Monday, December 05, 2005
Arab-American Museum
Below is a very nice article written by my friend Ray Hanania about the recently opened first Arab-American Museum in Dearborn Michigan. Enjoy.
http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200505/telling.our.own.story.htm
http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200505/default.htm
http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200505/telling.our.own.story.htm
http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200505/default.htm
Another Suicide Bombing
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-12-05T135327Z_01_SCH534657_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST-BLAST.xml
Another suicide attack, how different is this suicide attack from the one that took place in Amman on November 11, 2005 ? Are all suicide attacks against the civilians are one and the same ? Are the attacks directed against the Israelis are supposed to be justified ? Shall we as ordinary citizens condemn all forms of suicide attacks against innocent civilians even though these civilians are considered enemies?
Are suicide attacks moral thing to do or totally immoral? What is the purpose of killing 5 people when the enemy is going to retaliate by killing three or four times as many of the Palestinians?
Are the suicide bombers helping the cause or harming it? Will suicide bombing yield any results or is it going to harden the enemy's resolve? All of these random thoughts are going through my mind as I listen to the latest news about yet another suicide bombing in Natalia Israel.
I honestly haven't fully recovered from Amman's suicide bombing, I just can't figure out why people resort to such a futile attempt to change things. The suicide strategy in my opinion, while it terrorizes people momentarily, and creates a great deal of havoc and mayhem, it is a strategy of failure on the long run.
When the Japanese used it against the United States in Pearl Harbor, the United States responded by dropping two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, two cities that have not recovered until our present day.
The Chechnyan rebels used it against the Russian soldiers for many years, and more recently against the Russian civilians, it too proved to be a policy of failure because the Russians retaliated and devastated Chechnya into ashes and charred its buildings.
The Tamil separatists used it against the Sarilankan government personnel and it failed to achieve any thing, the Kashmir's used it against the Indian forces, and in recent years the Palestinians have been using it against the Israelis, they too have not been able to advance their cause a single inch by employing suicide strategies.
How long before the people sponsoring these strategies realize that suicide bombing doesn't work!? On the contrary, it hurts many more folds than the little benefit gained out of it.
The policy of suicide bombing is a bank rupt policy, it should abandoned all together, the responsible people with the right frame of mind must realize that the entire world is against it, you can't stand all alone in this world.
No matter what the cause is, no matter how justified the person in carrying out their attack, it never will be legitimized as a form of resistance, it will always be condemned as an act of barbarism.
Another suicide attack, how different is this suicide attack from the one that took place in Amman on November 11, 2005 ? Are all suicide attacks against the civilians are one and the same ? Are the attacks directed against the Israelis are supposed to be justified ? Shall we as ordinary citizens condemn all forms of suicide attacks against innocent civilians even though these civilians are considered enemies?
Are suicide attacks moral thing to do or totally immoral? What is the purpose of killing 5 people when the enemy is going to retaliate by killing three or four times as many of the Palestinians?
Are the suicide bombers helping the cause or harming it? Will suicide bombing yield any results or is it going to harden the enemy's resolve? All of these random thoughts are going through my mind as I listen to the latest news about yet another suicide bombing in Natalia Israel.
I honestly haven't fully recovered from Amman's suicide bombing, I just can't figure out why people resort to such a futile attempt to change things. The suicide strategy in my opinion, while it terrorizes people momentarily, and creates a great deal of havoc and mayhem, it is a strategy of failure on the long run.
When the Japanese used it against the United States in Pearl Harbor, the United States responded by dropping two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, two cities that have not recovered until our present day.
The Chechnyan rebels used it against the Russian soldiers for many years, and more recently against the Russian civilians, it too proved to be a policy of failure because the Russians retaliated and devastated Chechnya into ashes and charred its buildings.
The Tamil separatists used it against the Sarilankan government personnel and it failed to achieve any thing, the Kashmir's used it against the Indian forces, and in recent years the Palestinians have been using it against the Israelis, they too have not been able to advance their cause a single inch by employing suicide strategies.
How long before the people sponsoring these strategies realize that suicide bombing doesn't work!? On the contrary, it hurts many more folds than the little benefit gained out of it.
The policy of suicide bombing is a bank rupt policy, it should abandoned all together, the responsible people with the right frame of mind must realize that the entire world is against it, you can't stand all alone in this world.
No matter what the cause is, no matter how justified the person in carrying out their attack, it never will be legitimized as a form of resistance, it will always be condemned as an act of barbarism.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Queen Rania
Ever since her ascendancy to the throne as a full fledged Queen of Jordan in the late nineties, Queen Rania has been very active on a number of fronts promoting domestic social programs, as well as polishing the image of the Kingdom abroad. Nevertheless, her efforts have been largely well below the radar level and haven't gained the necessary momentum to generate the broad based publicity necessary to put her directly under the spot light.
Fast forward to October 8, 2005. A massive earthquake strikes the country of Pakistan killing tens of thousands and injuring twice as many and leaves hundreds of thousands of Pakistani people without any shelter. Queen Rania, being the compassionate person that she is volunteered her services to the victims of the earthquake, and vowed to raise a massive public awareness campaign on behalf of the victims, exposing their case before the world public opinion, generating as much donations as it can be possibly generated.
Consequently, we couldn't miss noticing Queen Rania appearing at different times of the day on various satellite television stations promoting the cause of donations and soliciting other material help that can be provided to the earthquake victims. While it is very hard to measure the fruits of her Majesties message, it nevertheless gained a lot of publicity, and the Queens stature has been elevated in eyes of the people that watched these public announcements.
Queen Rania must have learned a lot about all of the human being sufferings while visiting the victims of the earthquake in Pakistan and while making those television appearances before the world audience, as her next performance shall be her best ever.
Fast forward again to November 11, 2005. Three Iraqi nationals blow themselves up in three different Jordanian hotels killing over fifty people and injuring over a hundred, a fourth bomber failed to detonate and was later apprehended by the authorities. Jordan goes numb, the country in deep mourning, no one can come up with a logical explanation to answer the questions : Why us? Why now ?
In the midst of all of the commotions, here comes Queen Rania appearing on Good Morning America for an interview on a television show that is shown across the United States coast to coast by millions of American on a daily basis.
The queen had made a very compelling case articulating the reasons for what happened and why did it happen, and despite her stunning performance the first time around, the queen must have felt that there is more to be said about this despicable act of barbarity that will go to any length for the purpose of inflicting pain and suffering on normal ordinary people enjoying a wedding party.
Fast forward one last time to November 13, 2005, in an exclusive interview with George Stepanapolus, the host ABC this week show, another nationally televised news show watched by millions of Americans on a weekly basis and shown coast to coast, here comes Queen Rania, poised, very elegantly dressed, speaking very authoritatively, and delivering a stunning super flawless performance. I must admit that I have never seen her so determined and so reassuring the way I seen her yesterday on this week program.
The host Mr. Stepanapolus tried to ask her very tricky questions, but the more the difficult the questions were, the better the answer she would give. Queen Rania described the attacks as attacks purely and simply directed against the people. There were no military instillations at those hotels, they weren't governmental institutions, the people are the ones who suffered the consequences of the atrocities.
I was so proud of Queen Rania, I have never seen any one from Jordan that was able to articulate the Jordanian position towards the bombing the way Queen Rania articulated it.
She connected all of the dots, replied to every question in a very coherent and cogent fashion, I wish for those who still have any kind of doubts about my Queen to watch the interviews and judge for themselves.
If you would ask me today I would have to say that Queen Rania is the best and most eloquent living public speaker in Jordan. The message has been delivered your Majesty, we are very proud of you Jordanian abroad, you have made us raise our heads high and our shoulders aplomb.
Our pledge to you and to Jordan that we will be the invisible soldiers spreading the good word about Jordan and polishing the image of the Kingdom abroad in every step of the way. This is the very least that we can do, fighting terrorism is not a one round match, it is several rounds, and just because the terrorists got away with one round, they will not get away with any successive rounds because we are determined along with your leadership to completely stamp them out .
Fast forward to October 8, 2005. A massive earthquake strikes the country of Pakistan killing tens of thousands and injuring twice as many and leaves hundreds of thousands of Pakistani people without any shelter. Queen Rania, being the compassionate person that she is volunteered her services to the victims of the earthquake, and vowed to raise a massive public awareness campaign on behalf of the victims, exposing their case before the world public opinion, generating as much donations as it can be possibly generated.
Consequently, we couldn't miss noticing Queen Rania appearing at different times of the day on various satellite television stations promoting the cause of donations and soliciting other material help that can be provided to the earthquake victims. While it is very hard to measure the fruits of her Majesties message, it nevertheless gained a lot of publicity, and the Queens stature has been elevated in eyes of the people that watched these public announcements.
Queen Rania must have learned a lot about all of the human being sufferings while visiting the victims of the earthquake in Pakistan and while making those television appearances before the world audience, as her next performance shall be her best ever.
Fast forward again to November 11, 2005. Three Iraqi nationals blow themselves up in three different Jordanian hotels killing over fifty people and injuring over a hundred, a fourth bomber failed to detonate and was later apprehended by the authorities. Jordan goes numb, the country in deep mourning, no one can come up with a logical explanation to answer the questions : Why us? Why now ?
In the midst of all of the commotions, here comes Queen Rania appearing on Good Morning America for an interview on a television show that is shown across the United States coast to coast by millions of American on a daily basis.
The queen had made a very compelling case articulating the reasons for what happened and why did it happen, and despite her stunning performance the first time around, the queen must have felt that there is more to be said about this despicable act of barbarity that will go to any length for the purpose of inflicting pain and suffering on normal ordinary people enjoying a wedding party.
Fast forward one last time to November 13, 2005, in an exclusive interview with George Stepanapolus, the host ABC this week show, another nationally televised news show watched by millions of Americans on a weekly basis and shown coast to coast, here comes Queen Rania, poised, very elegantly dressed, speaking very authoritatively, and delivering a stunning super flawless performance. I must admit that I have never seen her so determined and so reassuring the way I seen her yesterday on this week program.
The host Mr. Stepanapolus tried to ask her very tricky questions, but the more the difficult the questions were, the better the answer she would give. Queen Rania described the attacks as attacks purely and simply directed against the people. There were no military instillations at those hotels, they weren't governmental institutions, the people are the ones who suffered the consequences of the atrocities.
I was so proud of Queen Rania, I have never seen any one from Jordan that was able to articulate the Jordanian position towards the bombing the way Queen Rania articulated it.
She connected all of the dots, replied to every question in a very coherent and cogent fashion, I wish for those who still have any kind of doubts about my Queen to watch the interviews and judge for themselves.
If you would ask me today I would have to say that Queen Rania is the best and most eloquent living public speaker in Jordan. The message has been delivered your Majesty, we are very proud of you Jordanian abroad, you have made us raise our heads high and our shoulders aplomb.
Our pledge to you and to Jordan that we will be the invisible soldiers spreading the good word about Jordan and polishing the image of the Kingdom abroad in every step of the way. This is the very least that we can do, fighting terrorism is not a one round match, it is several rounds, and just because the terrorists got away with one round, they will not get away with any successive rounds because we are determined along with your leadership to completely stamp them out .
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Condemnation & Commiseration
I strongly condemn the cowardly bombing act committed by unknown terrorists against the civilian facilities and people of Jordan.
I offer my sincere condolences to the loved ones of those who were killed. Those egregious acts are affront to humanity and they can never be justified under any circumstances.
I hope the the adroit Jordanian authorities quickly apprehend and punish the perpetrators.
May Allah have mercy on the souls of the dead and help the wounded recover in a swift and speedy fashion.
I'm so shocked and outraged to the point where I'm finding it hard to come up with the appropriate words for my condemnation and commiseration message.
To Allah we belong and to him we shall return.
I offer my sincere condolences to the loved ones of those who were killed. Those egregious acts are affront to humanity and they can never be justified under any circumstances.
I hope the the adroit Jordanian authorities quickly apprehend and punish the perpetrators.
May Allah have mercy on the souls of the dead and help the wounded recover in a swift and speedy fashion.
I'm so shocked and outraged to the point where I'm finding it hard to come up with the appropriate words for my condemnation and commiseration message.
To Allah we belong and to him we shall return.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Waiting for a verdict
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sami_Al-Arian
The prosecution has rested its case after many hours of prolonged closing argument, the defendant isn't expected to call any witnesses. The verdict will be delivered as soon as the Jury completes its deliberation.
Dr. Al-Arian insists that he isn't what the prosecutor says what he is,namely; the lead chief financial arm of Palestinian Al-Jihad organization in the United States. The professor acquiesces to doing many charitable work raising funds on behalf of the Palestinian,but he insists time and again that he isn't a terrorist, never supported terrorism, and whatever he did is permissible and protected under the United States constitution.
The prosecutor on the other hand draws a very grim picture about who Al-Arian is and depicts him as the main Jihad Palestinian organization man in the United States.
It is an obvious harbinger of more woes to come.
I'm not sure what is the defendant's strategy behind not calling any witnesses and not countering some or all of the charges that were leveled against him. why did he chose to let this opportunity go is really a mystery to me.
I hope that he was not thinking that he will never get a fair trial no matter what he does, or no matter what kind of a defense he puts forth. Irrespective of the outcome of the trial, the defendant should have seized the opportunity by at least attempt to let the American Judicial system work to his advantage
"Jihad" is perhaps the most misunderstood word in America, if anyone hears it being uttered, right away they think that you are talking about a holy war even if you are yelling at an individual named Jihad.
For that reason alone Dr. Al-Arian and his attorney should have mounted a very succinct defense if for nothing else, it would be for explaining all of the meanings of the word "Jihad"
The prosecution has rested its case after many hours of prolonged closing argument, the defendant isn't expected to call any witnesses. The verdict will be delivered as soon as the Jury completes its deliberation.
Dr. Al-Arian insists that he isn't what the prosecutor says what he is,namely; the lead chief financial arm of Palestinian Al-Jihad organization in the United States. The professor acquiesces to doing many charitable work raising funds on behalf of the Palestinian,but he insists time and again that he isn't a terrorist, never supported terrorism, and whatever he did is permissible and protected under the United States constitution.
The prosecutor on the other hand draws a very grim picture about who Al-Arian is and depicts him as the main Jihad Palestinian organization man in the United States.
It is an obvious harbinger of more woes to come.
I'm not sure what is the defendant's strategy behind not calling any witnesses and not countering some or all of the charges that were leveled against him. why did he chose to let this opportunity go is really a mystery to me.
I hope that he was not thinking that he will never get a fair trial no matter what he does, or no matter what kind of a defense he puts forth. Irrespective of the outcome of the trial, the defendant should have seized the opportunity by at least attempt to let the American Judicial system work to his advantage
"Jihad" is perhaps the most misunderstood word in America, if anyone hears it being uttered, right away they think that you are talking about a holy war even if you are yelling at an individual named Jihad.
For that reason alone Dr. Al-Arian and his attorney should have mounted a very succinct defense if for nothing else, it would be for explaining all of the meanings of the word "Jihad"
Monday, November 07, 2005
Dead on arrival
Did anyone hear anything about the national agenda? It was supposed to be delivered to the king after the Eid holiday ! The Eid holiday has come and gone and we still haven't heard anything that even remotely resembles the national agenda? What is going on? Is the national agenda dead on arrival? A writer in Al-ghad newspaper named Nimri stated in an Op-ed quoted a former Jordanian official telling him that the fate of the national agenda will be the waste basket. Another writer for the weekly Star named Janbek quoted the Jordanian Prime minister Adnan Badran saying that he doesn't know why was he hired for the position of the prime minister and he also doesn't know when will he be leaving that position.
A third writer in Al Dustour Jordanian Daily named Hussein Rawashdeh stated in his Op-ed that there is a mass confusion as to whether the national agenda articles are mere thoughts, suggestions, and recommendations, or are they edicts, canons, and invariables?
Meanwhile, the deputy Prime minister, Mr. Marwan Muasher is talking about printing a 200 mini version of the national agenda along with small booklets highlighting the most important article in the national agenda to be distributed for the general public and for the students in schools and universities, in addition, he will embark upon a public awareness campaign to tout the national agenda and remove all of the misunderstandings that are surrounding it especially amongst the skeptics in our society.
It isn't very unusual for initiates to die before the see the day light, I can think of too big initiatives that died before they started, the first is president Clinton universal health care system, it was met with so much opposition to the point where it ended in the waste basket soon after it was announced in the early nineties.
A more recent example would be the Bush's privatization of social security initiative, the President went out on the limb trying to promote his initiative, he pulled all of the punches and used all of the tricks in the book to make it sound good and beneficial to the average American citizen, never less, and despite all of his sincere attempts the initiative went down the tube and before it gained any momentum it too went down to the waste basket.
In Jordan I can think of two big initiatives that got doomed as well, one being the initiative about Jordan First, despite all of whoopla, and the public service announcements and the repeated slogans that were hoisted to support it all over the country, the initiative has never gain the necessary support needed to lift it high above the ground. It is still around but living in a state of comatose.
The other popular initiative that was also doomed to failure was the attempt to cancel the penal code that forgives or lesson the sentence on the people that kill their relatives in the name of honor crimes.
That initiative was debated in the Parliament chamber for many months upon months and in the end it was doomed to failure, even on repeated attempts to reinvigorate it once more have also failed due to tremendous pressure and opposition.
I understand that we all like to think of Jordan as a modern advanced, technologically equipped state, and to certain extent it is that and much more, but again Jordan is still a tribal society ruled largely by tribal laws and big family names, and it will take quite a bit of more time to get out of our tribal clannish mentality.
Let us hope that the national agenda gets delivered as soon as possible as this delay doesn't seem to be caused by what they say it is caused by, proof reading, printing, and-- putting it on the internet doesn't take that long.
The haggling, pushing, and shoving appears to be over the election law and not about those other lame excuses that we have been hearing. Coming up with election law should have been a top priority for the agenda committees, but since they let go until the end it has now come back to hunt them.
At this point in time, there is no if and or but about it, the national agenda must become public between now and the next week or two, otherwise, the credibility of the people involved will be on the line.
A third writer in Al Dustour Jordanian Daily named Hussein Rawashdeh stated in his Op-ed that there is a mass confusion as to whether the national agenda articles are mere thoughts, suggestions, and recommendations, or are they edicts, canons, and invariables?
Meanwhile, the deputy Prime minister, Mr. Marwan Muasher is talking about printing a 200 mini version of the national agenda along with small booklets highlighting the most important article in the national agenda to be distributed for the general public and for the students in schools and universities, in addition, he will embark upon a public awareness campaign to tout the national agenda and remove all of the misunderstandings that are surrounding it especially amongst the skeptics in our society.
It isn't very unusual for initiates to die before the see the day light, I can think of too big initiatives that died before they started, the first is president Clinton universal health care system, it was met with so much opposition to the point where it ended in the waste basket soon after it was announced in the early nineties.
A more recent example would be the Bush's privatization of social security initiative, the President went out on the limb trying to promote his initiative, he pulled all of the punches and used all of the tricks in the book to make it sound good and beneficial to the average American citizen, never less, and despite all of his sincere attempts the initiative went down the tube and before it gained any momentum it too went down to the waste basket.
In Jordan I can think of two big initiatives that got doomed as well, one being the initiative about Jordan First, despite all of whoopla, and the public service announcements and the repeated slogans that were hoisted to support it all over the country, the initiative has never gain the necessary support needed to lift it high above the ground. It is still around but living in a state of comatose.
The other popular initiative that was also doomed to failure was the attempt to cancel the penal code that forgives or lesson the sentence on the people that kill their relatives in the name of honor crimes.
That initiative was debated in the Parliament chamber for many months upon months and in the end it was doomed to failure, even on repeated attempts to reinvigorate it once more have also failed due to tremendous pressure and opposition.
I understand that we all like to think of Jordan as a modern advanced, technologically equipped state, and to certain extent it is that and much more, but again Jordan is still a tribal society ruled largely by tribal laws and big family names, and it will take quite a bit of more time to get out of our tribal clannish mentality.
Let us hope that the national agenda gets delivered as soon as possible as this delay doesn't seem to be caused by what they say it is caused by, proof reading, printing, and-- putting it on the internet doesn't take that long.
The haggling, pushing, and shoving appears to be over the election law and not about those other lame excuses that we have been hearing. Coming up with election law should have been a top priority for the agenda committees, but since they let go until the end it has now come back to hunt them.
At this point in time, there is no if and or but about it, the national agenda must become public between now and the next week or two, otherwise, the credibility of the people involved will be on the line.
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Change is coming...
In light of the flurry of activities that are taking place in the political circuits, political pundits, media czars, and opinion makers in Jordan are gambling on one of two things that are going to shape the next political atmosphere in Jordan immediately or soon after the Eid holiday is over.
Some zealots went even as far as predicting the demise of both; the legislative as well as the executive branches of the the government since neither one of them is showing any signs that it is willing to streamline their delivery agenda to coincide with the demands of the current internal as well as the external wind of change that are influencing Jordan in particular and the whole surrounding region in general.
If I have to make a wild guess as to whether the Jordanian parliament will be dissolved or the government of prime minister Badran will meet its final demise, it would be the latter.
Mr. Badran's government was doomed to failure from the onset, first and foremost it ignored the geographical factors influencing the political scene in Jordan, thereby the representation of some southern regions were totally ignored which caused an uproar amongst the tribal southern leaders and eventually lead to the reshuffling of the government while it was in its infancy even before receiving its mandatory endorsement from the parliament,
Secondly, it carelessly & intentionally carried over the same economics team that was dumped from the previous government despite the repeated warnings that this team was very unpopular amongst the opinion makers and was further accused with practicing massive unnecessary spending.
Thirdly, the executive branch appears to be always at odds with the legislative branch despite the denial by both branches about a deep resentment existing between them ever since the tepid endorsement the government received from the parliamentarians allowing it to function as a legitimate government under the law.
Finally, King Abdullah is faced with a choice between which branch is easier to dump without disrupting the flow of every day activities and without too much repercussions by the general public! When the King weighs the pros and cons he will conclude that it is much easier to get rid of the government and form new one that is willing to not only be pliant to the National agenda, but rather -one that will embrace the national agenda and sincerely believes in the biblical implementation of its recommendations especially the articles that deal with monitoring and bench marking now and for many years to come--accordingly.
Despite the fact that the agenda experts have already completed, signed, and delivered the sealed agenda dissertation to the appropriate personnel, the problem with the election laws is still looming large, it appears that the experts were not able to reach a formula where by a conciliation between the existing law and the proposed law can be enacted, it was left alone as to what the next move is going to be.
While we did hear through leaks that there will be two votes for each constituent, it wasn't exactly clear how these two votes will be cast. It was believed that one vote would be for the district or region, and a second one would be for the national vote.
While this issue is still pending, it would be very difficult for the King to dissolve the Parliament, he even said it on his own that dissolving the Parliament is out of the question.
In this case there is nothing left but to dissolve the Badran Government for the reason that I have listed above and for the reason that the government general perception in the public opinion polls indicate that it is a weak government that lacks the decisiveness existed in previous governments in Jordan.
Some zealots went even as far as predicting the demise of both; the legislative as well as the executive branches of the the government since neither one of them is showing any signs that it is willing to streamline their delivery agenda to coincide with the demands of the current internal as well as the external wind of change that are influencing Jordan in particular and the whole surrounding region in general.
If I have to make a wild guess as to whether the Jordanian parliament will be dissolved or the government of prime minister Badran will meet its final demise, it would be the latter.
Mr. Badran's government was doomed to failure from the onset, first and foremost it ignored the geographical factors influencing the political scene in Jordan, thereby the representation of some southern regions were totally ignored which caused an uproar amongst the tribal southern leaders and eventually lead to the reshuffling of the government while it was in its infancy even before receiving its mandatory endorsement from the parliament,
Secondly, it carelessly & intentionally carried over the same economics team that was dumped from the previous government despite the repeated warnings that this team was very unpopular amongst the opinion makers and was further accused with practicing massive unnecessary spending.
Thirdly, the executive branch appears to be always at odds with the legislative branch despite the denial by both branches about a deep resentment existing between them ever since the tepid endorsement the government received from the parliamentarians allowing it to function as a legitimate government under the law.
Finally, King Abdullah is faced with a choice between which branch is easier to dump without disrupting the flow of every day activities and without too much repercussions by the general public! When the King weighs the pros and cons he will conclude that it is much easier to get rid of the government and form new one that is willing to not only be pliant to the National agenda, but rather -one that will embrace the national agenda and sincerely believes in the biblical implementation of its recommendations especially the articles that deal with monitoring and bench marking now and for many years to come--accordingly.
Despite the fact that the agenda experts have already completed, signed, and delivered the sealed agenda dissertation to the appropriate personnel, the problem with the election laws is still looming large, it appears that the experts were not able to reach a formula where by a conciliation between the existing law and the proposed law can be enacted, it was left alone as to what the next move is going to be.
While we did hear through leaks that there will be two votes for each constituent, it wasn't exactly clear how these two votes will be cast. It was believed that one vote would be for the district or region, and a second one would be for the national vote.
While this issue is still pending, it would be very difficult for the King to dissolve the Parliament, he even said it on his own that dissolving the Parliament is out of the question.
In this case there is nothing left but to dissolve the Badran Government for the reason that I have listed above and for the reason that the government general perception in the public opinion polls indicate that it is a weak government that lacks the decisiveness existed in previous governments in Jordan.
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