March 23 2005

Palestine Wins Saddest Photo Prize

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Palestine won the prize for the saddest photo in the BBC “Sadness and Joy” photography contest.
The photo captured by the Palestinian TV producer Abdul-Rahman Al-Humran, shows three young girls weeping in sorrow for their brother, who was shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the city of Rafah in Gaza, won the first place in the competition.
The winning photo was published in six different languages on the BBC websites.

[Via: PalestineBlogs, and Sabbah’s Blog]

Category: Art & Literature, General, Media, International, Palestine | LEAVE A COMMENT
March 22 2005

Lloyds TSB & Islamic Mortgage

As many already know, under Islamic law both payment and receipt of interest are forbidden. This has created sort of a problem for Muslims in countries that offer no Islamic banking systems.

Now Lloyds TSB, Britain’s 5th largest bank became the country’s first high street bank to offer mortgage services compatible with Islamic Sharia law.
Lloyds TSB said it would cater to the needs of Britain’s approximately 1.8 million Muslims, following in the footsteps of the Islamic Bank of Britain (IBB), which opened in London last September offering the same service. Under the new Lloyds TSB mortgage, the bank would fund the majority of a house purchase. The customer would then repay that sum over a fixed period, alongside a rent payment for use of the property.
The move follows Lloyds TSB’s recently-launched Islamic bank account, which also offers no interest or overdraft facilities to comply with Sharia law.
The mortgage and current account were being piloted in branches across Muslim populated areas of Britain, including Edgware Road in central London, Luton, north of the capital and the country’s second city Birmingham.
Source: Middle East Online

I believe this is simply great. As long as the system is optional, not forced on non-Muslim citizens, and as long as it does not contradict the country’s interest nor negatively affect society, why not have it and open the door for more investments!

Category: Media, International, Religion | LEAVE A COMMENT
March 22 2005

Launch Of New Radio Stations in Amman

After the creation of the Audiovisual Commission (AVC) in 2002 and introduction of the Audio Visual Media Law, which eliminated public sector domination of the radio and TV industry, opening the door for private entrepreneurs, three new radio stations got their license and will soon start broadcasting in the Amman area, joining the Kingdom’s five public and private FM stations already on the air.

AVC Director General signed three agreements granting the companies licence to start broadcasting on the FM frequency.
The first agreement, was signed with the owner of AmmanNet, Daoud Kuttab. The station will be focusing on local issues and community affairs including social, municipal, cultural, and sports issues in the capital.
The station, will not broadcast political programmes or news, he added.

The second agreement was signed with Arab Media Network Company Director Tareq Abu Lughod, licensing the company’s radio station, Mazaj, which started experimental transmission yesterday. Sawt Al Ghad, the third new FM station, owned by the Jordan International Company for Transmission, started experimental transmission a week ago.

Source: Jordan Times

Category: General, Jordan | LEAVE A COMMENT
March 18 2005

Work Diaries(19): one stupid a day, blows your mind away!

8:30 a.m.
The bell rings, I open the door, it’s the building door keeper.
He: there’s a mail package for you, it’s been lying downstairs since last week. I thought I’d finally bring it to you if you’re ignoring it.
I: sorry, but you know I never ignore our mail. Anyway, maybe I didn’t notice it for one reason or the other.
(I look at the address and it’s not for our company)
I: ah, na, it’s not ours, it says another address, one floor higher 😉

He leaves…

9:30 a.m.
Bell rings again, from my security cam I saw the same guy holding the same package.
He: I went upstairs they said the address was wrong, they don’t have a lady with that name so I got back to you.
I: well, maybe it’s not theirs, but it’s definitely not ours. I’m so sorry.

He leaves…

10:00 a.m.
Ding, Dong…
I: I swear to God it’s not ours, just ask the ones of the address written on the package to contact the mail office and return it.
He: The woman upstairs said she contacted the post office, the postman told her it belongs to the lady with blue eyes… you.
I: Mr. I don’t know what’s your problem, but it’s not mine.
I call the woman upstairs and explain that she should simply return the package.

She: but I called them and the postman said it was for the lady with blue eyes.
I: well, it’s not for me, I can assure you that, and my eyes aren’t blue by the way, they’re green. Just return them to the post office.

11:30 a.m.
Ding, Dong…The doorkeeper AGAIN!
He: the woman upstairs contacted the post office again and they told her it was for the lady on the 4th floor with blue eyes, always wears a hat, and wears glasses! Which is you.
I: would you please FOCUS!! Which floor are we in now?
He: Third
I:Do I wear a hat?
HE: No.
I:am I wearing glasses?
He: Nope.
I: and my eyes are?
He: green.
I: What does that tell you?
(after a while of thinking)
He: it’s YOU!
I: please leave before I kill myself…

And he leaves…

12:00 p.m.
Ding, Dong…AGAIN, the doorkeeper.
I: what now?
He: the postman said the lady’s name was Nedia.
I: great, my name isn’t Nedia, it’s Eman. Now would you please leave me in peace? I really have work to do.

12:15 p.m.
Ding, Dong…I saw him and chose to ignore the ringing.
He leaves….

15:00 p.m.
Ding, Dong…Yeah, him again.
I: listen good man, I know you need to deliver this, but I swear to God it isn’t MINE!!! So please return it to the post office and stop wasting both our times!
He: It’s yours.
I: it isn’t.
He: it is.
I: IT IS NOT!
He: it is.
I: ok enough with the crap, if you don’t leave me alone I swear to God I’ll let you regret the minute you knocked at my door, OKAY!
He: but it’s yours.
I: don’t let me close the door in your face, just leave with dignity.
He leaves…. Only to come few minutes later, look at the security cam and start teasing me by saying: the package is yours, the package is yours, making some really stupid faces!! And he simply sits on the stairs opposite to the cam!

I have to admit that I tried my best to ignore his damn face on my cam, but couldn’t! So to end this pathetic situation I decided to call the post office myself and ask the postman to come to my office.
When he saw me he apologized and said it really wasn’t for me, it is for a lady on the address written on the package. I take him upstairs, after a bit of thinking it turns out, the postman is in love with a lady who told him she was a secretary in the 4th floor, when in fact she’s nothing but a cleaning lady who wears blue contacts on her dates. She gives her boyfriends the office address counting on the fact that she’s the first to arrive and collect the mail! Only she’s been sick for 2 weeks and therefore was absent and couldn’t get her package from her boyfriend on time!
They all apologize for the “inconvenience” they caused me, all, except for the doorkeeper who came half an hour later with a box of CD’s with the address of the office next door so damn clear written over it and said: this time the package is obviously yours, so go ahead and sign that the package was delivered to you personally!

I thought to myself: “if you weren’t that stupid, I would’ve really explained to you how stupid you are”….

Category: My Work Diaries | LEAVE A COMMENT
March 17 2005

Reviving The Tunisian Culture

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Yesterday Tunisia celebrated the Day for National Handcrafts and Traditional Costume. A day that Tunisians use to revive their beautiful culture and its different trends that have been preserved throughout the years.
Other than the exhibitions, seminars and the discounts on many items of the traditional costumes and handcrafted products, many Tunisians wear their traditional costumes on that day on their way to work (mostly in the public sector), which I find simply amazing.
Among the traditional costumes there is the “barnous”, the “qoftan”, and the most famous traditional Tunisian costume: the “Djebba”, which –in the case of men- has a loose wide form, decorated with handmade broidery, and comes in different colors. The female Djebba on the other hand has a different tighter form, the hand broidery is more noticeable and the colors are shinier.

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Of course wearing the Djebba isn’t limited to that day alone. Tunisians wear their traditional costumes on family occasions like weddings, or outeyya (a party for the bride few days before the wedding) or on cultural events. It is also popular to wear Djebba during Hadj (Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca).
The material used for Djebba differs and the prices differ accordingly. When handmade the Djebba is more expensive than when made by machines. And of course the beauty of the handmade Djebba is worth every Millime. The designs of Djebba also vary from one city to the other, but the general outcome is somehow the same.
The Djebba has become very popular, even tourists run to buy one.
I must say this one day celebration is very impressive and unveils a very beautiful side of the Tunisian national heritage that should make every Tunisian proud.

Speaking of this occasion, if you’re in Tunisia, don’t miss the “22ème Salon de la Création Artisanale”, an annual exhibition that offers a very wide and stunning range of Tunisian handcrafted and traditional products.
The exhibition takes place in Parc des Expositions du Kram, will start today March 17th, and will be open till March 26th.
I go there every year, it’s really amazing.

  • Sources: Préparez les djebba pour la rencontre des amis(FR),Journée nationale de l’habit traditionnel et de l’artisanat(FR), Celebrations(AR), (AR).
    • Category: Arab Societies, Tunisia | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 16 2005

    Remembr Rachel Corrie

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    Just like today, March 16th, 2003, the 23 year old American Pro-Palestinian Activist Rachel Corrie was brutally killed by two Israeli soldiers while trying to block an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) bulldozer from demolishing a Palestinian house.

    THIS IS HOW THEY KILLED HER!

    I guess from a quick look at the pics, one can easily know that when IDF claim they didn’t see Rachel, it’s nothing but a big fat lie. She was there, in front of them, wearing a very bright orange jacket, SHOUTING OUT LOUD with a loudspeaker to identify herself as a peace activist, so even if none of the two heartless soldiers saw her, they could’ve at least heard her or at least saw the other 4 activists around her.

    Now the family of Rachel is suing the State of Israel and the IDF for damages in the Haifa District Court.

    All I can say is, may God be with her family, and the families of all who lose their bright innocent children who wanted nothing but justice…

  • Related: For Rachel, Calling to vote for Rachel Corrie Rebuilding Campaign in Gaza.
    • Category: General, Media, International, Palestine | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 15 2005

    Fingerabdruck-Bezahlsystem!

    Im Rülzheimer EDEKA-Markt kann man per Fingerabdruck jetzt bezahlen… Ja, das ist wahr! Der deutsche Lebensmittel-Einzelhändler EDEKA setzt künftig auf das Bezahlen per Fingerabdruck. Im Rülzheim hat EDEKA in Kooperation mit dem selbstständigen Kaufmann Roland Fitterer und dem Internet- und Biometriedienstleister it-werke einen Supermarkt eröffnet, dessen Kassen mit kapazitiven Fingerabdruck-Scannern ausgestattet sind, an denen Kunden ihre Einkäufe durch die Überprüfung des Fingerabdrucks bezahlen können. Mehr…

    • English for the curious 🙂
      Customers of the German supermarket chain EDEKA in the southwest German town of Ruelzheim have been able to pay for their shopping by a fingerprint-pay-system . Now the company plans to equip its stores across the region with this technology. According to Roland Fitterer, the store manager, customers need to register once with their identity card and bank details, then they can shop straight away. The scanner compares the shopper’s fingerprint with those stored in its database along with account details. More info…
    Category: Posts in German | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 15 2005

    Illegal Settlements Continue

    Construction on Settlements outposts in some locations in the West Bank continues despite the latest report by attorney Talia Sasson on government involvement in building and funding “unauthorized” outposts. The report basically demands the government to dismantle all outposts, those prior to and after March 2001 and cease any other channeling of funds for further outposts.
    Sasson presented the ministers with her report’s main conclusions showing contradiction between words and actions, saying, “the government spoke in two voices on the issue of the outposts. The government must take into its hands responsibility for what is happening in the outposts in the territories and not sit on the sidelines watching as the settlers do whatever they want, without anyone stopping them.”
    Sasson said there is no legal difference between the outposts erected before and after March 2001, totaling 95, with 71 before and 24 after that date.
    “They are all illegal,” she said. “It is important to emphasize that it’s not merely to evacuate the outposts but to cease the entire procedure of budgeting and transferring state funds to the outposts.”

    According to the Israeli Administration in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, 65 files on “unauthorized” construction adjacent to settlements have been opened in recent months. Five buildings have been demolished in illegal outposts, three of them by settlers.
    Source: imemc news

    On this subject, yesterday I was one of many who got the following message, and I thought I’d share it here:

    “SEND OUR PREWRITTEN LETTER NOW OR, WRITE YOUR OWN:
    http://www.cflweb.org/ congress_m…ress_merge_.htm
    *********************************
    Citizens for Fair Legislation
    For Immediate Release
    March 14, 2005
    ********************************
    CFL ALERT: ASK YOUR REPRESENTATIVES FOR GUARANTEES THAT U.S. WELFARE TO ISRAEL WILL NOT BE SPENT ON FUNDING ILLEGAL SETTLEMENT ACTIVITY.
    Israeli attorney, Talia Sasson has written a damning report about the financing of illegal settlements in the West Bank and Gaza. The report recommends that criminal investigations take place against several members of the government who acted as agents of the settlers, not the Israeli government. Accused members of the Israeli government are claiming that knowledge of illegal settlement activity went all the way to the top and that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon approved and initiated many of the projects to build and sustain illegal settlements. Please take a moment to send our letter or write your own to your representatives and ask that they demand accountability from the Israeli government. Tell them that American tax payer money not be spent on criminal settlement activity in the West Bank and Gaza.”

    Category: General, Media, International, Palestine | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 14 2005

    Lesson Of The Day:

    “Some people believe that a happy life creates an emotion, which equals that of a sad life, since the happy life is horrible to lose, and the sad one is painful to bear…” –university friends.

    Category: General | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 11 2005

    Because Today Is…

    Today, what a lovely special day it is. It’s the day this veeeeery special person was brought into life to light it all up and give my existence a great new meaning and fill my heart with love…

    Yes, just like today, 26 years ago, a little baby cry broke the silence, and announced the birth of the greatest, most loving and caring person, who blessed my life with the most wonderful and successful marriage any couple would wish for…

    I wanted to dedicate a poem on this occasion, I searched the net for hours and hours, and I found many beautiful ones, but honestly, nothing could compete with the power of a true: I LOVE YOU, coming straight from my heart…

    Happy Birthday MMM, may all your days be joyful, successful and beautiful, and may all your wishes come true. I’m glad we’re together, and I thank God for this. … I can see a great future ahead of us, I hope you see our future as bright as I so…(and make sure I’m in it all the way long ;D)

    God Bless You!

    Category: Just Personal | LEAVE A COMMENT