tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-116983232012-01-13T18:49:27.315+02:00<p align="right">"There is no ceiling for the wind, no home for the wind. Wind is the compass of the stranger's North." <i> - Mahmoud Darwish</i></p>Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.comBlogger4011100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-29326752837517564602009-01-08T00:18:00.003+02:002009-01-08T02:16:21.635+02:00

More than 20,000 demonstrators marched against the Israeli air campaign in Paris and more than 10,000 in London, where some threw shoes at the prime minister’s residence, a particularly Arab form of protest that has gained worldwide currency since an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at President Bush last month in Baghdad.Source: New York Times, January 3rd 2009I was disturbed when I read this,

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-29454280412384630172009-01-05T03:04:00.001+02:002009-01-05T03:25:09.299+02:00

The New York Times can often argue that no matter how they cover the Arab-Israeli conflict, people on both sides will accuse them of bias. But no matter how rational, unemotional, and detached I try to be, it’s just been impossible not to get infuriated by their coverage of what’s happening in Gaza.Take the photo slide-shows on their website. In the multimedia section, there are three or four

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-4781284747987102602008-12-24T21:36:00.005+02:002008-12-25T00:41:27.700+02:00

As part of its series on youth and Islam in the Arab world - Generation Faithful , the New York Times yesterday published a story on how Jordanian university students are embracing conservative Islam and becoming politically active with the Islamic movement.Taking the University of Jordan as a microcosm for the general political climax in the country (which I think it is), the article looks at

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-64115291584072930342008-11-07T18:10:00.003+02:002008-11-19T19:08:38.248+02:00

One of New York's "essentials" is the annual Village Halloween Parade; thousands of people in costumes walk across 6th Avenue and thousands more line-up the sidewalks to watch. Bands play music everywhere, with dancers, artists, and an explosion of color and creativity. The most recurrent costume this year was the Joker from Dark Knight, and there was a number of Sarah Palins. Here some photos I

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-4631815354131565552008-11-05T18:01:00.003+02:002008-11-19T19:09:15.606+02:00

The New York Times sold out on every newsstand in the neighborhood this morning. Luckily I was up and out on the street early, and I'm holding on to my copy :)I’m so happy I got to witness Obama’s victory in Harlem last night. I was in Time Square amidst thousands of people watching the results coming from different states, and then when Obama was declared the winner, and as more crowds took

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-74007025620401723352008-10-25T19:25:00.006+03:002008-11-19T19:10:39.021+02:00

I was in the midst of some google search, with at least 40 tabs open in my browser window - as usual - when I landed on the page of the Manhattan School of Music and found an announcement for a lecture on Arabic music with Simon Shaheen. I had found out recently that Shaheen lives in New York City and I was trying to find a way to get in touch with him for a project I’m working on.It was 10 am,

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-34888599197930173642008-10-10T02:47:00.005+03:002008-11-19T19:11:11.045+02:00

I can’t believe it’s been a month since I updated this space. I know it would sound lame to say I’ve been busy, because I’ve probably always felt busy one way or the other - but grad school and life in New York City is a completely different type of busy. And I’m loving it :)I’m sitting outside the Journalism School building, working on my pitch for the New Media Masters project while watching

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-62436743251362279452008-09-12T03:00:00.004+03:002008-11-19T19:11:35.031+02:00

Barack Obama and John McCain are at Columbia University right now as part of the Service Nation Forum. There was a lottery for tickets, and out of 15,000 students who registered, only 100 got in. I didn't get a ticket, so I'm sitting at the Journalism School's student lounge blogging and watching the speeches on a large screen. To be honest, I'm not super interested in what both candidates have

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-58515984918260105972008-09-05T15:07:00.003+03:002008-11-19T19:12:52.088+02:00

The people who killed a night club guard in Amman were arrested. This was the headline of a news article on Amman Net's website (Radio Al-Balad), and - terrible as this sounds - I smiled when I read it; there were no names there. We in Jordan have gotten so used to reading this kind of news article without knowing the name of the victim, the attacker, and those involved in the incident. There was

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-58382012419093789742008-09-03T22:23:00.003+03:002008-11-19T19:13:10.086+02:00

Music just comes at you from every corner in the city. This is probably one of my favorite things about living in New York; the innumerable options for gigs and concerts and awesome hangouts with daily live music, but also - music greeting you unexpectedly at a park, street corner, or in the subway. Check out this brilliant article in the Washington Post, about an experiment where

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-4968424431985374932008-09-03T21:40:00.003+03:002008-11-19T19:13:33.231+02:00

You know those questions people ask when they first meet someone and they’re trying to have a meaningful conversation of sorts; so where are you from? How long have you been here? What do you do?Subsequent questions naturally depend on your answers.So, during our Journalism School orientation sessions in August, the question that I frequently received was “so how is freedom of press in Jordan?”I

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-31910349898314821792008-08-29T19:56:00.003+03:002008-11-19T19:13:54.850+02:00

I traveled on my own for the first time in 1999, to an international language and sports camp in France. Back then it came as very natural to me when people responded with "Georgia??" every time I said I came from Jordan. I would just start explaining that Jordan is in the MIDDLE EAST, across the river from Palestine/Israel... and then people would be like "oohh, okay".Obviously so much has

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-78813491188085134202008-08-10T15:57:00.003+03:002008-11-19T19:14:28.526+02:00

Last New Year’s, I sent some friends a “happy new year” message, and my good friend B. replied: “hopefully you’ll celebrate 2009 new year’s eve in Time Square”.That was one week before the application deadline for the M.S program at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism – a dream I’d had for so long, and a dream that has become reality… here, now :)I’ve only been in New York for

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-8461612204604070232008-07-29T08:52:00.004+03:002008-11-19T19:14:46.079+02:00

This will be the band's last big show this summer before they go back to the studio to finish recording their third album. You don't want to miss it! They're going to play some great Jazz standards and Arabic classics with their own original flavor. Guest musicians in tonight's line-up include Aram Hairabedian on Soprano Saxophone, adding a beautiful touch to jazz favorites like St. Thomas, Round

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-6873712432325705552008-07-14T10:27:00.004+03:002008-11-19T19:15:07.221+02:00

Tomorrow Tuesday July 15th, Amman’s International Book Fair will open at the Arab Community College, across the street from the Jordan University Hospital. Around 500 publishers are participating this year, local, regional, and international, with close to 130,000 Arabic titles and 35,000 foreign language titles. I think it will last 10 days, till the 25th, but I should double check that.In other

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-29451815451987058222008-07-08T16:18:00.003+03:002008-11-19T19:15:35.074+02:00

All you need to do is to drive around the residential streets of Jabal Amman, around 3rd, 2nd, and first circles, and you’ll see it! Streams of water running down the streets… Water hoses out of their hiding and into the open, pumping water to wash cars, water plants, and, alas, wash pavements!For those of you who don’t know, water distribution is rationed in Amman, so you basically get your

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-52390588570409750812008-07-07T15:59:00.003+03:002008-11-19T19:15:55.284+02:00

I like to believe that someone out there actually relies on this list to find out about events in and around Amman (even though all the info is available through Facebook and email lists and other random places) :) So there you go:Today, Monday July 7 Six Jordanian Documentaries (at the Franco Arab Film Festival), at Al Hussein Cultural Center in Ras Al Ein- Torfa by Majida El Kabarity(2007 – 54’

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-75478920998713019472008-07-06T18:47:00.005+03:002008-11-19T19:18:56.067+02:00

When I blogged about this earlier, I didn’t get it quite right; the list of 100 was not the result of a poll – it was the long list compiled by Foreign Policy Magazine and Prospect Magazine. Readers were asked to vote for their picks out of this list, to determine the world’s top 20 public intellectuals.Over 500,000 people from all over the world voted, and, as Foreign Policy noted, the top ten

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-47806004455921290272008-07-02T07:49:00.006+03:002008-11-19T19:19:22.924+02:00

In 1966, Time Magazine’s Person of the Year was an entire generation: The Man and Woman under 25. It was a couple of years ago that I came across this article, and for some reason I keep going back to it. Perhaps because over the past… I don’t know… five years – Youth have come under the spotlight in the Arab region. Youth have become the favorite subject matter of development programs, NGOs,

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-941815450936221082008-06-22T01:35:00.005+03:002008-11-19T19:17:41.489+02:00

Theatre Performance: As someone crying...Death creates formAt Jafra Café and Restaurant, Downtown Amman (opposite the post office)Date: Sunday June 22ndTime: 8:30pmTel: 0795625496Jordanian Art, Freshly SqueezedAn interesting exhibition of eight young Jordanian artists at Foresight Art Gallery, until June 28th; works include digital illustration, photography, computer art, installation, and

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-42558240093398918712008-06-19T09:50:00.003+03:002008-11-19T19:18:10.350+02:00

I got to the office early and was making myself a cup of green tea when I picked up Refugees Magazine, published by UNHCR, and started reading an article about the grim world of stateless people – people who, for different reasons, have no citizenship of any country.It got me thinking about countries and nation states and birth certificates and nomads and humanity… for a few minutes, before I

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-14158957419539579072008-06-05T09:25:00.002+03:002008-11-19T19:19:42.451+02:00

The American magazine Foreign Policy and the British magazine Prospect had a poll to compile a list of the world’s top 100 public intellectuals – “They are some of the world’s most introspective philosophers and rabble-rousing clerics. A few write searing works of fiction and uncover the mysteries of the human mind. Others are at the forefront of modern finance, politics, and human rights.”I

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-58891066072033981412008-05-29T13:27:00.004+03:002008-11-19T19:20:28.418+02:00

Last Saturday I attended an interesting panel session on Art in the Middle East. The four speakers all came with a Dubai-centered perspective and Dubai-related experience. But that in itself was interesting and thought-provoking to me. Manela Keykavoussi, head of Middle Eastern Markets at the Fine Arts Fund, gave numbers that illustrate how the Middle East has become a burgeoning art market, how

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-67178044793148496592008-05-27T17:43:00.003+03:002008-11-19T19:20:48.790+02:00

I promise I’ll blog about something other than Amman’s cultural agenda. There are tons of issues I want to blog about, but I guess the one thing that has this sort of deadline urgency is events… because if you slack, well, the event will just pass, right?Tomorrow, Wednesday May 28th, there are four different music events taking place:Jazz Funk at AmigoWith Yacoub Abu Ghosh on bass guitar, Hamza

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-12313332227340721912008-05-12T12:54:00.003+03:002008-11-19T19:21:27.998+02:00

An Egyptian journalist was asking me the other day: “Why does everyone insist that Amman is a boring city? I’ve been here three times already, and I spend at least two weeks every time, and there’s always something happening in the art and culture scene… there’s always something new and interesting to do. But people here still insist that it’s a boring city, and that’s also the common stereotype

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-15901717993832286262008-05-04T12:06:00.003+03:002008-11-19T19:21:47.321+02:00

Here’s Lina’s occasional list of events taking place in Amman this week :)Monday May 5Best of Abdel Halim OrchestrationLed by Dr. Ayman Tayseer, with the Arabic Choir Ensemble and the Amman Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mohammad Othman Siddeeq.Place: Hussein Cultural Center, Ras Al-EinTime : 7 :30pmI think tickets are for 5 JDs, available at the doorTuesday May 6Film Screening at the Shoman

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-71641192336860972712008-05-04T10:15:00.004+03:002008-11-19T19:22:12.409+02:00

It’s been over a week since I got back from Dubai, where I participated in the workshop “Learning from the Future”, organized by the British Council and the Young Arab Leaders. Though it was my first time in Dubai, I didn’t get the chance to explore the city much because the workshop was quite intense. Naseem sums it up nicely, and Mais gives another great perspective on the trip. Although Dubai

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-62148537885013648622008-04-16T15:55:00.003+03:002008-11-19T19:22:47.334+02:00

I’d be driving my car, listening to my music and contemplating one random thing or another, when something catches my attention, like the new buses around town with the blue and orange lines and the URL www.autobus.jo, and I’d reach for my bag to grab the camera and take a photo… but then I’d remember that the camera isn’t with me. In moments like this, I’d wish my cell phone camera were more

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-89123246791091101512008-04-04T15:57:00.003+03:002008-04-05T04:23:05.131+03:00

Written by: Mohammad DalabihHaaretz: "The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday (April 1st, also coinciding with April fool's day!) approved (unanimously) an unprecedented resolution recognizing Jewish refugees from Arab countries who were forced to flee their homes in the aftermath of the creation of the state of Israel."According to the language of the resolution, U.S. officials involved in

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-48072326872829969142008-04-03T14:22:00.004+03:002008-11-19T19:23:37.234+02:00

Of course, the weather is really lovely, and unless you have a pretty good reason not to, you should just get out of town. There are so many choices, but that’s a list I’d like to write in another post. However, there’s a lot going on in the evening that you can enjoy… here are my picks:Today, Thursday April 3:Smile, You’re in South LebanonDocumentary by Dalia KuryPlace: The Royal Cultural

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-53182491799567968352008-03-22T12:01:00.003+02:002008-11-19T19:24:17.780+02:00

What infuriates me the most when I think about discrimination against women is the fact that oftentimes in our society women themselves subscribe to it, defend it, and pass it on to their children.Here’s a story in today’s al-Ghad: a woman who was found guilty of murder was sentenced to just one year in prison, because the murder she committed was associated with “reduced legal motive” (or

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-90334135788870945322008-03-20T07:31:00.003+02:002008-11-19T19:24:39.056+02:00

There have been lots of cultural events taking place around town these past two weeks, mostly foreign film screenings, but also classical music concerts… and perhaps it’s just me, but I haven’t been super interested. Now finally there’s a “Ammani” event that I’m really looking forward to!From thyme-flavored rearrangements of great Jazz standards, to classical Arabic music fused with Jazz, plus

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-46699115696872118392008-03-18T10:13:00.003+02:002008-11-19T19:25:32.309+02:00

A number of journalists have been sentenced to three months in prison for charges related to “insulting the judiciary system and commenting on its rulings”. The motion was filed by the Higher Judiciary Council – the head of judiciary authority in the country.So it's against the law for the press to debate court rulings. But I'm a bit confused as to what this exactly entails. Don’t we criticize

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-26440708236324006172008-03-11T12:21:00.004+02:002008-11-19T19:26:20.300+02:00

Up the street from our office is the Arab Broadcasting Service, which hosts Al-Jazeera’s Office in Jordan. About half an hour ago, a colleague called me out to see this protest by fifty people or so. Signs and banners were saying that Al-Jazeera should apologize for having insulted the Prophet during Faisal al Qassem’s notorious talk show “The Opposite Direction”, where he hosted Wafa Sultan and

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-73906036529398410242008-03-09T10:53:00.003+02:002008-11-19T19:26:50.945+02:00

I think the one thing that’s been keeping me sane lately is running early every morning. I’ve finally gotten back into the habit after a long interruption, and let me tell you, it feels awesome.The forest track at Sports City is a wonderful place to run. It’s one of few places in Amman that represent a true public space… you find people of different styles and backgrounds there as early as 6:00

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-79212476384642010052008-03-02T18:43:00.003+02:002008-11-19T19:27:16.518+02:00

I was attending a workshop at the Higher Media Council a few months ago when I saw these old local newspaper pages framed on the walls of the training center. I took some shots with the intention of blogging them, and uploaded them on flickr, but then forgot all about them - until today...I got an email from someone who is co-owner of the Ramallah Distillery. They have been manufacturing Arak

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-66977588507346542212008-03-02T05:32:00.002+02:002008-11-19T19:27:39.775+02:00

There might be more going on, but this is what I managed to find out about :)Sunday March 2: CulTalentThe Jordanian Romanian Forum for Culture is organizing a talent show; music, theatre, dance, folkoric fashion show, and a small book exhibition.Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pmPlace: Royal Cultural CenterMonday March 3: Amman Arab Music Ensemble and Arabic Choir playing Um Kulthoum MusicPlace: Hussein

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-2026416970467864522008-02-27T06:19:00.003+02:002008-11-19T19:28:07.328+02:00

Remember Safana Bustami? Listeners’ Choice on Radio Jordan’s 96.3 FM every Friday and Sunday… I think I was in 6th grade when I became addicted to that show, back when 96.3 was THE radio station. After some time, I lost interest, but whenever I occasionally caught a part of it in following years, I would marvel at how Safana repeats the exact same lines over and over at the exact same intervals.

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-90418454614214736112008-01-30T06:47:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:28:32.236+02:00

It’s 6:04 am. I finished my coffee and could still use another one. It’s been over a month since I last updated this blog. A MONTH!!!I just typed a whole paragraph about my lack of blogging, but then deleted it. I’m realizing something weird… I’m still unable to blog. I don’t even know if I’m going to publish this. Outside my window, everything is covered in white, with a hint of orange from the

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-80390322239449391672007-12-28T14:39:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:28:57.895+02:00

I was reading Mark Helprin’s brilliant “Winter’s Tale” when a small slip fell from the book. It was a plane boarding pass for a flight from Manchester – UK, to Philadelphia – USA. A warm feeling came over me, and I smiled. This is one of the reasons I absolutely love used books and especially love buying them when I’m traveling. I had bought “Winter’s Tale” from a used book store in Philly last

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-33219259137040068282007-12-24T18:44:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:30:02.039+02:00

It’s becoming old news; another newborn was found in a pool of her blood, in the WC of Al Basheer Hospital. Apparently her mother came to the hospital seeking pain killers for cramps. Doctors suspected she was pregnant and she denied it, so they asked her to take a urine test. She went to the toilets, delivered the baby, cut the umbilical cord with some sharp device, left the baby there, and

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-73377639924411670152007-12-08T05:30:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:30:31.571+02:00

It’s 4:00 am. I’m nibbling on wara2 dawali leftovers (stuffed vine leaves), and listening to Sylvain Luc. I’ve been awake since 2:30 am, and instead of falling back asleep, I sat in bed writing mental blog posts. And then I decided that I should just get up and start that Arabic-language blog I’ve been planning to start for over two years now. The issue has been constantly on my mind. Why is it

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-54458465345594602262007-12-06T14:22:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:30:54.551+02:00

I know the year is not over yet, but it’s December already, and this past week I’ve been thinking more than usual of all the good things in my life, and of the intense, rich, transformational, and surprising year that passed - with all the ups and downs, the sad moments and the happy moments. I feel blessed. May be I’ll write more about 2007 some time, may be I won’t… but for now I felt that “

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-28754815942335349282007-12-04T16:08:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:31:26.392+02:00

It was a while ago when I blogged about this story that made me angry. I wrote the happy follow-up a couple of weeks after but for some reason never got around to posting it.Here is what I was going to publish, under the title “Rasha is my Hero”Recap: Saba is a pretty girl in 8th grade (older than her classmates because she flunked a class and then missed another because she had some family

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-36094997522722855012007-12-02T11:23:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:31:46.424+02:00

Sign of Thyme and Friends are performing live in concert tonight...Place: Terra Sancta Cultural Center in LuweibdehTime: 8:00 pmTicket: JD5, sold at the doorMost of the pieces will be from their second album "Zad", which was released in September, but the program will include some other surprises as well.Along with the band's core line-up; Yacoub Abu Ghosh on Bass Guitar, Ahmad Barakat on Oud,

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-10228928349396916812007-11-26T12:01:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:32:10.802+02:00

Jordanian singer Macadi Nahhas hosts a very interesting radio show on AmmanNet radio every Monday at 7:00 pm called "Music with Macadi", where she features a local musician or band.The guests on today's show are Sign of Thyme band members; Yacoub Abu Ghosh (Bass guitar), Ahmad Barakat (Oud), and Nasser Salameh (percussions). They will talk about their musical journey and their latest album "Zad"

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-21201200254380088512007-11-22T14:02:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:32:33.339+02:00

I haven't had the chance to sit back and write my post-elections thoughts, but I thought I'd share some of the videos I took just outside a voting station in Madaba. I spent the entire day there, and have made tons of mental notes to blog, but that will have to wait until I get my work deadlines out of the way. One DVD store on the street corner was blasting Omar Abdallat and

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-24591812937620045862007-11-22T10:11:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:32:58.063+02:00

Have you been trying to access the Black Iris these past two days and panicking when, instead of your daily dose of interesting thoughts and good writing, you get the below web page??Well, it seems there are some technical difficulties with the web hosting service, and they can't be solved till Monday because it's Thanksgiving holiday in the US.Must be part of the American/Zionist conspiracy! (Or

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-75184505181815345482007-11-13T16:36:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:33:31.284+02:00

I just got a message telling me that tonight's debate titled "Parliamentary Elections - despite its shortcomings voting is a duty", organized by the Free Thought Forum, has been canceled last minute. Apparently the government decided it's not such a good idea to let people debate whether or not there's a point to voting. After all, the country is celebrating a "Democratic Wedding"... free thought

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-71747049080834313132007-11-11T11:23:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:33:51.795+02:00

A lot to do this week in Amman… make your choices and mark your agendas:Today Sunday November 11th:Meeting Points 5: - Contemporary dance performance, 8:30 pm at the Terra Sancta Theatre - Cargo Sofia, a documentary screened while you're riding with 30 people in a special truck (read Naseem’s very interesting description of the experience) today is the last chance to go, from 7:00 pm till 9:00 pm

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-62654884312280739642007-11-07T10:48:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:34:19.561+02:00

The Arab Observer commenting on Ammon's article about Homosexuals in JordanI first read the article in question on Ammon News a while ago, and have been pondering a post in my head on the issue. Ammon often quotes from a newspaper and website called “Fact International”, which claims to provide “alternative analytical media with an Arab and Islamic perspective”.People are entitled to their

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-26050396858004461902007-11-03T12:34:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:34:39.009+02:00

The more I think of the current election law, the more shocked and confused I get about how outright unconstitutional it is. In Jordan’s constitution of 1952, article (6) of Chapter two states that:(i) Jordanians shall be equal before the law. There shall be no discrimination between them as regards to their rights and duties on grounds of race, language or religion.Now take the election law. The

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-16968518369234234762007-11-01T17:41:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:34:57.041+02:00

Most of you probably know that Fairuz is in town and will be performing in the play “Sa7 El Nom” tomorrow Friday the 2nd and Saturday the 3rd, at the Arena Theater at 8:00 pm. Tickets are for 70 JDs.Luckily, Amman’s cultural events are not all this expensive, and there are some cool freebees happening :)Starting Sunday November 4th, Meeting Points 5 will kick off. This is an international art

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-62087429048541418882007-10-30T17:24:00.001+02:002008-11-19T19:35:22.379+02:00

I guess this headache I’m suffering is a result of today’s Injaz session, which extended for two hours instead of one. I love it when this happens and when I get the chance to discuss more with the girls in class, but there was one story that really disturbed me, and I’m still trying to figure out if there’s something I can do about it.Basically, some girls came to me in the break and told me

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-20592499063082258912007-10-24T05:50:00.001+03:002008-11-19T19:35:52.574+02:00

I have a cold and I’m sleep-deprived and should be working at this pre-dawn hour rather than blogging, so I will refrain from attempting to write coherent personal opinions on the snippets of news I’m about to share :) - A New Jordanian TV Station, WTV (Watan TV), launched yesterday. It’s headed by previous member of Parliament Raed Qaqish, who said in a press conference yesterday that the

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-24737623890926849082007-10-22T11:01:00.001+03:002007-10-22T13:51:48.948+03:00

Candidate registration for next month's Parliamentary elections started yesterday, and will run until tomorrow afternoon.- Total number of registered candidates yesterday was 805- Out of those, approximately 15.8% were women- The women's quota is 6 seats out of 110, around 5.5% (there were hopes and suggestions to raise it to 12, one seat per governorate)- Five of the six women who were in the

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-3432476780161730642007-10-20T08:02:00.000+03:002007-10-20T08:24:31.788+03:00

Some tourist destinations should remain as low-profile as possible. This was one of the conclusions I came out with after our family trip to the south of Jordan during the Eid Holiday.The main purpose was to go camping in Wadi Rum. It had been ages since we went on a family trip, because it’s just very hard to find a time that works for eight people – with different school, universities, and work

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-60190049281369229372007-10-11T14:06:00.000+03:002007-10-11T14:21:01.177+03:00

For the few of you who didn't find out through Facebook, I thought I'd share this. I'm actually very excited about seeing these guys in Amman. I saw a DVD of Ahmed Ahmed and Dead Obeidallah a couple of years ago, and some of their stuff are hilarious. (check out this Time Magazine article about them)This actually reminds me of a very interesting article a friend sent me a while ago..“They say

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-78626166772823372732007-10-08T15:01:00.000+03:002007-10-08T15:10:39.486+03:00

It was 6:30pm when I took that photo yesterday, driving back home from work, and stopping by Cups and Kilos for a latte that I rarely get the chance to have these days.Driving through almost-empty streets, I wrote up an entire blog post in my head; contemplating the visual icons of Amman, time, growing up, coffee, boredom, the fact that it’s almost two years since the Amman hotel bombings, the

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-23236386245497964982007-10-03T17:10:00.000+03:002007-10-04T07:25:11.277+03:00

I gave each girl two pieces of A3 paper, and told them: “The first one is for how you see yourself now, and the second for how you see yourself in 15 years. Use writing, drawing, and magazine cutouts to create this portrait.”I’ve done this same exercise with my 8th grade INJAZ students last year. This semester, I’m back to giving this “Personal Life Planning” course to 8th grade girls in a public

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-12574683800685731072007-10-01T11:26:00.000+03:002007-10-01T11:27:22.337+03:00

... people assume moral superiority!

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-38769249724021380742007-09-30T02:14:00.000+03:002007-09-30T02:33:41.594+03:00

It was a Saturday night. I drove Rebecca back to her hotel after my first recording attempt at Yazan’s Rousan’s gig, and she was telling me “you just need to think of what the story boils down to, in one line.” I was stressed out and totally confused about how to bring my story into focus and figure out how to say what I wanted to say in FIVE MINUTES on radio! We only had four days to make this

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-57295683757991339172007-09-23T16:59:00.000+03:002007-09-23T17:30:20.223+03:00

Ammon News just reported that Moh'd Alayyan sold his shares in ATV to a company called "Wonders Investment Company" العجائب للاستثمار owned by two Jordanians; Mohammad Khaled Asfour, and Mohammad Saleh Abdul Baqi. Thus, financial and administrative rights over the channel are transferred to the new owners as of today.I don't want to jump into conclusions. This story continues to make me sad and

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-63962180266783959532007-09-09T10:17:00.000+03:002007-09-09T10:44:37.517+03:00

Today, ATV employees return to work after a three week paid leave, which is likely to be extended, since there is no sign that the channel will be allowed to go on air anytime soon.A few days ago I had the chance to talk to ATV director, Mohannad Khatib, for 7iber.com. Check it out!

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-87948716020604674932007-09-06T18:51:00.000+03:002007-09-06T18:58:24.414+03:00

Little did I know about Jordanian writers and novels that were for a long time banned in Jordan, until I worked on JO’s cover story for this month about Sultana – Ghalib Halassah’s controversial novel that ATV took to the screen (and that people are still not going to get the chance to watch because of… urrrgggghhh… that’s another frustrating story on its own!)Sultana, as well as Ghaleb Halassah’

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-46881871620410736192007-09-03T12:58:00.000+03:002007-09-03T13:02:45.186+03:00

Even though I dislike the mall, I really like Prime Mega Store… and I think I’m going to like it even more when Incognito, the independent Lebanese music label, takes over the music and DVD section starting September 8th. Incognito are dedicated to promoting underground and New Oriental musicians, from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Jordan.This week, they have a mega sale on books, CDs and

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-5636245225581142922007-08-23T10:30:00.000+03:002007-08-23T10:35:33.993+03:00

It’s been 23 days since the Audio Visual Commission stopped ATV’s August 1st scheduled launch, and ATV’s management announced yesterday that it’s giving its 330 employees a 10-day paid leave until September 1st, and assuring that it will resort to legal channels if efforts to launch reach a deadlock, according to a Jordan Times article today.Hours before ATV’s planned launch on August 1, the

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-66875274119039840992007-08-19T16:48:00.000+03:002007-08-19T17:08:25.224+03:00

When we were driving from the airport to the hotel after arriving into Cairo, I felt that the stories about the city’s congested traffic are exaggerated… I thought, hey, Amman can be pretty bad sometimes when it comes to traffic and how people drive, no?Um, No! Not as bad as completely disregarding a red traffic light (when it’s been red for a while). It wasn’t an isolated incident; everyone just

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-26395347363364803142007-08-16T10:31:00.000+03:002007-08-16T10:36:05.714+03:00

... with a most honest, raw, courageous, and heart-rendering post!

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-90944745740705121372007-08-15T12:43:00.000+03:002007-08-15T12:56:14.345+03:00

Cairo Cairo Cairo...That short trip was really something.. very different.. very "interesting".. very.. hard to describe! Parts of it will find their way into this blog, but in no way could the essence of my Cairo experience be fully captured by words or zeros and ones.I'll post more thoughts, observations, and photos, once I re-adjust my bearings!

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-60678627725637745832007-08-10T07:15:00.000+03:002007-08-10T07:33:44.264+03:00

I arrived in Cairo yesterday afternoon, and I already have so much to write and so many thoughts and interesting photos, mostly taken during the drive from the airport to the hotel. But I'm gonna have to keep this post short; we're heading out to Alexandria, where the read purpose of this trip is, in one hour.Masr... I don't know where to start. Driving past the Gizeera Club yesterday on our way

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-69127357696023756832007-08-02T10:24:00.000+03:002007-08-02T10:49:17.136+03:00

I was looking forward with great anticipation to ATV’s launch, which was supposed to be yesterday at 5:00pm. I had been following the promotional broadcast over the past week, and it was incredibly refreshing to finally see private TV with a professional look and a strong and rich local coverage. ATV reporters have been all over town in the past months, shooting and preparing their programs. The

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-59025348267707905542007-07-31T13:30:00.000+03:002007-07-31T13:50:05.389+03:00

I had just arrived home to go with dad to Madaba, when he told me that my aunt had just called from there, saying that we shouldn't come, because the elections have been interrupted. Word has it there has been some shooting, fights, throwing stones, and police intervention of course.I don't know what is going to happen now… I don't know what pausing the election process in Madaba means, but I'm

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-72995575624195286012007-07-31T12:49:00.000+03:002007-08-01T09:39:49.794+03:00

In 15 minutes I should be heading out of the office to go and perform my civilcivic duty by voting in this year’s municipal elections. I can’t begin to count the times friends and colleagues laughed at my use of the term “civilcivic duty”… the eternal question is “do you actually believe any of those candidates is in it to make a difference? Does anyone have a clear agenda on which they’re

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-65374702945113922732007-07-25T11:25:00.000+03:002007-07-25T11:51:49.785+03:00

The ripples from the brilliant Music Matbakh concert are already out there on the Jordanian blogosphere (check out Roba’s excellent review, Mazen’s beautiful photos, and Khobbeizeh’s video and photos). I just thought I’d share a few more thoughts on that wonderful evening…As you probably know, although this talented group spent three weeks in London last may, most of the show was actually put

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-28109558160169070192007-07-16T16:57:00.000+03:002007-07-19T07:27:32.829+03:00

When twelve of the best musicians in the Middle East and North Africa come together in London, alongside British musicians, and are given a few days to come up with a music set to perform together… what could the outcome be?This rogue kitchen with so many chefs led by much-respected producer/musician Justin Adams managed to come up with great musical recipes… a fusion of hip hop, Gnawa, rock,

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-42059473087302558802007-07-12T17:11:00.000+03:002007-07-12T17:14:44.205+03:00

For all you runners out there and anyone who would just like to be part of a fun athletic event… the Amman Marathon will take place on Friday the 7th of September, organized by the Society for Care of Neurological Patients (same folks who organize the annual Dead Sea Marathon every April and the Red Sea Marathon in November).For the first time this year, the Amman race will have a full-marathon

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-58960447316294850512007-07-10T11:52:00.000+03:002007-07-10T12:13:27.098+03:00

According to Ammon News, the union of restaurant owners along with the Consumer Protection Association issued and distributed a list of new prices for falafel and hummus, for all restaurants to abide by. Five piasters should now buy you three pieces of falafel instead of two, and a plate of hummus should cost 0.5 JD instead of 0.65.I found it amusing when I was in New York City that a small plate

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-45179515749078363022007-07-09T18:33:00.000+03:002007-07-09T19:21:02.750+03:00

I contacted the office of the Amman Summer Festival today (06 4778615), and they were very friendly, helpful, and most importantly, responsive. They sent me a soft copy of the schedule of activities for July. I already had a hard copy which was distributed at the Carmina Burana concert last Thursday, and included a map, color codes to match the event with the location, and contact information for

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-72236455280082848772007-07-09T14:01:00.000+03:002007-07-09T14:07:12.225+03:00

How would you like to travel across the Kingdom for research and write up interesting vibrant continuously updated content for a new website coming up called Ijaza.com?? The website aims to offer authentic travel advice on Jordan, complete with GPS maps, accommodation, culture, sights… you know, the package!I came across this opportunity as I was exploring Akhtaboot.com – the career network.

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-33259000840886068752007-07-05T17:33:00.000+03:002007-07-09T10:21:34.723+03:00

After months of addiction to Double Espresso Amaretto-flavored Latte from Cups and Kilos, I’m happy to be back to the old habit of good, very black filtered coffee at the office; the office being my new workplace at a magazine as a full time writer/journalist. I’m tempted to write a post about what it’s like moving from an 1100-employee to a 15-person company (often working from outside the

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-9130538200951646282007-07-01T11:02:00.000+03:002007-07-01T11:07:04.234+03:00

For some reason, I enjoy noticing ads, flyers, t-shirt slogans, signs... different word combinations on the streets of a city. They tell you something about it, one way or the other.At Central ParkAd in the subwaySomewhere in the East Village (the artist who owns the place wouldn't let me take photos inside)This was posted on a street lamp somewhere in SoHoA small shop on Avenue A, which you

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-49598960262990587582007-06-27T10:11:00.000+03:002007-06-27T10:15:35.418+03:00

SHAWAFEL in Manhattan :)(no, I couldn't bring myself to try it!!)

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-17623427102036694752007-06-24T22:59:00.000+03:002007-06-24T23:22:42.189+03:00

I've been back from my 12-day trip to the US for a few days now. I'm supposed to be past the jet-lag, but it seems that my sleeping habits have drastically changed. I have so much to blog about I don't know where to start!! The seminar was very rich and interesting, and the few days I spent in Manhattan were truly amazing. I skipped some of the "touristy" bits and got to experience bits of New

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-816854789977140912007-06-13T23:05:00.000+03:002007-06-13T23:06:57.422+03:00

I thought I’d share one of the photos I took in Philly yesterday before I go to the afternoon session on investigative journalism.I have more to share about the city of Philadelphia, hopefully tonight :)

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-40284797768458898222007-06-13T22:11:00.000+03:002007-06-13T23:01:14.249+03:00

I only have 45 minutes before the afternoon sessions start, so it’s going to be hard to deciding what to write about now.One great thing about the seminar is that the majority of the participants are very intelligent, open-minded, and present some very interesting points that pick your brain and make you think about a lot of issues related to media, journalism, liberty, economics, and civic

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-62821279075159976042007-06-11T13:13:00.000+03:002007-06-11T13:13:34.456+03:00

It's 5:30 am. Sounds like how I would start a post in Amman. It would be unfair to say that I'm still suffering from jetlag, because apparently, it didn't take me long to fall back into my weird cycle of falling asleep very early and waking up before the crack of dawn. It's just not very practical given the type of schedule we have here.Today is the third day of this seminar I'm attending on "

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-87264688602252992472007-06-08T00:32:00.000+03:002007-06-08T00:35:56.619+03:00

I'm listening to the Lighthouse Family – Free. Strangely enough this song brings back memories of the Engineering Faculty library and exam cramming… actually I think it was a Numerical Analysis exam we were studying for that day when I played this song over and over and kept singing it, regardless of what a public hazard my voice might have been.Last week, my friends at work organized the

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-76281119469489187462007-05-31T08:15:00.000+03:002007-05-31T08:21:50.954+03:00

As they were both preparing to leave Jordan after months of living here, Ramsey and Ed put all the belongings they no longer wanted in black plastic bags and headed to the Balad one Friday morning where they set up a “basta”.Don’t miss Edward's very enjoyable descriptive account of that Friday Market experience on 7iber.com.

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-82381836256493052892007-05-24T14:50:00.000+03:002007-05-24T15:18:50.032+03:00

It’s just unbelievably refreshing and exciting when you’re in the middle of a place that radiates high spirit, lots of faith, and lots of heart and sweat to bring a dream into reality.It was exactly a year ago when I interviewed Amin and David Pritchard while they were in Amman raising the capital investment for Captain Abu Raed. You can read the full article here (click on Press&News, and check

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-69839362921631153452007-05-20T10:06:00.000+03:002007-05-20T10:17:57.452+03:00

I thought I'd share a couple of pictures until I get the chance to actually write all the stuff I really want to blog.By the way, the building under construction to the left of the Mosque in the second photo is the new Children's Hospital at the King Hussein Medical City.Oh, and one more thing, if you haven't already.. do check out Naseem's live blogging from the WEF on 7iber :) and keep an eye

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-3951564533033064492007-05-18T12:58:00.000+03:002007-05-18T12:59:08.626+03:00

If you've been driving across Zahran St. (the street connecting all the circles between 1st and 8th, in case you don't know) recently, and have wondered about the increased security, it's because the World Economic Forum on the Middle East is taking place this weekend at the Dead Sea.And in case you haven't seen it, here are some shots - albeit blurry ( I didn't have the luxury of stopping and

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-75169896051524613662007-05-15T09:00:00.000+03:002007-05-15T09:09:19.745+03:00

Journalists from five Arab countries are to launch a media watchdog group in reaction to what they call increased restrictions on press workers in the region, its founders said on Tuesday.Twenty reporters from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Morocco and Libya will launch the Cairo-based “Free Media Workers Union” in June, an initiative supported by Egyptian-American sociologist and human rights

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-90697661373267276552007-05-14T09:22:00.000+03:002007-05-14T09:23:27.688+03:00

After driving past Firas circle, past the police station, and past anything I know in Jabal Al Hussein… after asking multiple passers by for directions, I made my way to the Raghadan School for boys, where I was supposed to facilitate a one-day Injaz workshop titled “Master Class”.I was so apprehensive about going to an all-boy public school, and kept imagining the type of jungle I’d be walking

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-90418349673075333012007-05-10T15:22:00.000+03:002007-05-10T15:35:38.782+03:00

Over the past month or so, I’ve been observing with fascination the rise of the adjacent building right next to our office window. The pictures below have been taken over the past week; the most exciting thing in construction is the “Sabbeh”, when cement is poured over the grid of steel bars to make reinforced concrete. Normally, the “sabbeh” starts very early in the morning, with prayers for

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-75629189368618183222007-05-02T09:37:00.000+03:002007-05-02T10:39:12.658+03:00

So much talk, recommendations, and plans over the past three years for amending the election law, and we’re still stuck with the same structure that will give us yet another four years of a tribal parliament. Even if a temporary law is to be passed, it would be too late… the “campaigns” have started!A friend of my sister’s comes up to her at university and says “I’m confirming your name on the

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-84919340367730825782007-05-01T08:27:00.000+03:002007-05-01T08:31:22.471+03:00

Interesting news for documentary filmmakers and TV companies in the Arab world; Grants with a total of $150,000 will be available in two rounds this year, through the MENA Media Program, administered by IREX and AmmanNet, and funded by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). Deadline for first round application is May 30th.Last year, MENA MEDIA's selection committee of media specialists

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-70618914268272941962007-04-26T11:51:00.000+03:002007-04-26T12:06:46.680+03:00

This photo is at the entrance of the school where I’m giving an INJAZ course on Leadership to 9th graders. We’re already almost two months into the course. I don’t know why I haven’t been sharing reflections and thoughts like I did last semester. Not for lack of them, that’s for sure! The school is an all-girl “Military Culture and Education” school, and I'm left with some interesting

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-91513177250570593282007-04-17T12:19:00.000+03:002007-04-17T12:29:40.992+03:00

Last Friday was the day of the annual Dead Sea Ultra Marathon, and although I hadn’t been training much, I decided to participate in the 10K category – also known as the fun run. I managed to convince a group of the students I work with to participate, and 20 of them did!The number of people who take part in this event keeps increasing year after year; when I went to register two days before the

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11698323.post-49312830424050607322007-04-11T10:15:00.000+03:002007-04-11T10:27:11.199+03:00

The mechanic said the car will be out tomorrow… sooner than I expected, which means less time for the experiment, but I’m not exactly complaining.Nasim, being the bus expert in the blogosphere with his graduation project “BiSCA”, was kind enough to send me some information on bus routes between Rabieh and 8th Circle, along with the fare. But I figured, suppose I wasn’t lucky enough to know

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855774650686900954noreply@blogger.com0