Archive for the 'blogging' Category

On where the heck I’ve been

Published at November 14, 2007 in blogging.
1,111 Views |27 Comments

Before answering this, I’d like to thank those who emailed, left a comment and called asking where I’ve been.
 
I’ve been around … trying to keep myself busy with as much things as possible: my family, my new job, my new guitar, my new Xbox 360 Elite, my new iPhone, my new hobby (dune bashing) and my new car (very soon). So yeah, I have been keeping myself busy, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been reading blogs. I’ve been religiously reading the blogs on my blogroll and the other interesting blogs out there that I try and catch up with every now and then.
 
But that’s all not the real reason why I haven’t been posting. There’s something else I never experienced before and I never heard of before.
 
Because, see, there was so much I wanted to talk and write about, such as Che’s anniversary, November 9th, the Gorilla that almost brought me back to blogging, and many other stuff … BUT, every single time I start writing about something, I stop halfway through, then I pause to ask myself “does anyone really give a shit about all this?” … and I finally come to terms with the fact that perhaps no one does and they probably shouldn’t. So I delete all what’s been written, fully convinced to put the whole thought aside.

Today was different: I was determined on posting something. So this is it, I know it’s not much, but it’s a start …  :)

Director of Prince Hamzah Hospital gets sacked!

Published at September 28, 2007 in blogging, health and change.
2,115 Views |45 Comments

Q: So what happens when more than 50 bloggers and journalists from several parts of the world unite with the sole purpose of conveying the truth and highlighting a family’s tragedy at a Jordanian hospital?

A: Tangible results.

Jordanian Minister of Health, Dr. Salah Al Mawajdeh, fired Dr. Abdulhadi Al Braizat, Director of The Prince Hamzah Hospital. The decision came as a step towards increasing the hospital’s efficiency.

After almost a month of the accident, my father is still unable to walk, but we’re still hopeful that with intensive physiotherapy he’ll get back on his feet again. Although it saddens me that my father’s case had to be the driving force and the changing trigger, I can take solace in knowing that such changes will hopefully prevent further similar cases from taking place ever again and that negligence and carelessness, at a place where these qualities must seize to exist, will eventually be eradicated.

And I have all of you to thank again.

A happy day for journalism in the Arab region

Published at September 26, 2007 in Jordan, blogging, UAE and journalism.
704 Views |9 Comments

September 26th, 2007 marks a very pleasant day for journalism in both Jordan and the UAE, as both King Abdullah II and Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, coincidentally, stood up for freedom of speech in their countries: a move that was widely celebrated in all local newspapers and journalists associations.

Shaikh Mohammad issued instructions that no journalist is to be jailed for reasons related to his work

King Abdullah II confirms that there will be no restrictions on freedom of speech.

ROCK ON! rockon_emoticon.gif

Circassians: Loyalty at its best!

Published at August 21, 2007 in Jordan, blogging and culture.
1,311 Views |28 Comments

One thing I really admire about Circassians in Jordan is their genuine loyalty, devotion and patriotism. Despite the fact that their roots go far as to the Kafkas, yet they are the most loyal and patriotic citizens of the countries they chose as their homes. I’m talking about Circassians in Jordan that is, as I’m not familiar at all with Circassians in Syria.

Abu Sharkas
circassians

Recently, our blogosphere witnessed some attacks on Jordan, its people, its government and its monarchy. But what astonished me is that while some Jordanians were quick to support the claims and added insult to injury and while some other Jordanians took a moderate stance, it was our Circassian brothers who rushed to Jordan’s aid, despite all the criticism that befell them! It was so comforting, that it actually gave me goosebumps, to see the level of loyalty and patriotism some of our Cricassian brothers have shown.

As a Jordanian, I take great pride in knowing that there are people in our country whom Jordan can rely on when the going gets tough, those people would run to Jordan’s defense no matter what the consequence or the negative effects may be. Now THAT is loyalty at its best!

A big ’wapsaw’ and a hat tip to our loyal brothers.

Over-used, over-exposed!

Published at August 9, 2007 in Celebrities, rants and entertainment.
4,654 Views |32 Comments

I drive to work every morning on Sheikh Zayed Road, one of the biggest and most important highways in Dubai, and for more than 20 kilometers (on both sides of the road) all I see are big Coca Cola ads with Nancy Ajram’s face on them. A moment later, on the same road, I pass by a gigantic billboard ad for a jewelry shop and who’s the model? You guessed it right: again it’s Nancy Ajram!

Nancy’s Coca Cola Ad
Nancy’s Coca Cola Ad

It’s not just that … she’s everywhere I go … no no, she’s everywhere anyone goes: on soda bottles, in grocery stores, on the road, in our living rooms with all her songs, switch to a movie channel and I guarantee you she’ll pop up in a commercial break, she’s there right before any movie begins in the theaters, she’s in the newspapers, in the magazines, in Arabic, in English and of course … ON THE NET! Recently, Ikbis, the first photo and video sharing service in the Arab World, has been featuring a 10-second ad before you play any video on their website for none other than the great NANCY AJRAM! AAARGH!

That my friends is what is called “Product overexposure”, Ms. Ajram being the product of course, which is not necessarily useful for the celebrity and may well lead to the demise of his/her fame (and fortune) and to the inevitable I’m-sick-of-this-person attitude consumers sometimes tend to adopt. In my humble experience as an ex-publicist, and a current bored-out-of-his-head government employee, I’d say Nancy (or more like her manager: the “macho” Gigi Lamara, who she listens to religiously) is so after the money that she’s neglecting the consumer frustration that may backfire: our lost of interest in her as a person and the product she’s advertising!

That’s not my opinion alone … Chris Rojek, a Sociologist at Nottingham Trent University in Great Britain, said:

“Advertisers use the term ‘celebrity vamping’ to describe the over-use of a celebrity in selling products. They don’t like it because they figure that if the same celebrity is used to endorse multiple products, the public will become suspicious of the celebrity’s authority and expertise.”

Elissa’s Pepsi Ad
Elissa’s Pepsi Ad

I’m getting sick and tired of seeing the three faces that monopolize the high selling consumer goods advertising business: Haifa Wehbe, Nancy Ajram and Elissa. These celebrities are over-used, we know it, they know it, yet advertisers in our region are loving it! Yes, it is our fault that we keep feeding their egos simply because they’re so hot and we love to see them … or loved to see them at least.

But, for how long do we want to keep seeing collagen-loaded celebrities as our role models? The worst-case scenario for media over-exposure may be devastating for the celebrity, when consumers get sick and tired of looking at them, or, in my case, the mere mention of their names, after getting used to a certain lifestyle and all the millions generated from advertising, they may fall so quickly from grace … and that’s what they call, quoting Craig David, "The rise and fall"!