Isam Bayazidi’s Blog

It seems that as Nader got cured from his Draft-but-not-publish syndrome, I caught it up. I discovered that my latest post was more than a month ago, and what’s worse, it was about IE7 :) Now, since then I wrote many drafts for posts, about several topics: Google Arabic translation, how excited I am about my new laptop, about my observations for the interview with slashdot a couple of months ago, the latest meeting for JP, and so on.. but they never got published because I was either too lazy, or found them not good enough.

Which brings me to another related “Syndrome” that I caught from some bloggers. The “I-can’t-write-because-I-am-so-exposed” Syndrome. For those who didn’t notice, some JP members contact us everynow and then asking for their removal from the planet. It seems that the exposure that Jordan Planet gives to them, makes them think more than once before hitting the publish key. While there are always the brave of us who are always willing to hit “Publish” regardless, other think twice, and then save as draft or delete. While this was a known issue even before the exposure that JP might give, it seems that JP only made it worse. I am not sure if I do have such issue, but I am sure that many do, so why not me :)

Last, but not least, I have the can’t-follow-up-with-everything syndrome. Probably this comes from bad personal organization and management. I know that many of my readers are waiting or expecting something from me: Ohoud on the Bookclub, Laith on another matter, Ammar, Lina, Salam and the list go on and on.. not counting those who submitted their blogs to JP, and wait for the slightest indication that their blog submission was read by someone :)

Now, I will be working on having my long draft list published, and the queue of people waiting for something from me shortened. And hopefully this post will make me overcome such fear-to-publish issue if it exists.

About Me, Apple, Blogging, Jordan Planet

More than a month ago, I got an email from an old friend, Robin Miller (Roblimo) of OSTG checking on me, and asking me if I might be interested in having an interview for one of my daily visits and favorites, Slashdot. Happily I agreed, and I was delighted and overwhelmed by the questions that slashdotters asked in the question collection post. Today, the answers of the top 12 rated questions were published. One must be glad to see his name in one of his favorite sites. Thanks Roblimo, Thanks Slashdot.

About Me, Internet & Technology, OSS & Linux

It’s 7:30am, I woke up 30 minutes ago to prepare to work, found it is snowing hard. So we had to do it.. Yes we do.. We opened on Jordan Television to see what they are saying and playing. It is part of snow traditions. It seems that the people in Jordan Television were ready. They had the regular snow program prepared:

• Moved the program to be transmitted from the TV Garden (Aka حديقة التلفزيون)
• Had the presenters prepared to hit each other, and have the camera man hit them with snow (خفة دم أردنية)
• Started to play the pop Snow songs (ثلج وبرد (وائل كفوري) ، ثلج ثلج (فيروز), إلخ)
• Have a Lt. on the line to give is main roads status.
• Have a weatherman on the line to keep telling us the same thing every 30 minutes.
• I suspect that they will show us one of the plays they have on the Shelve labeled “Snow and things” in the archive. Probably سك على بناتك or العيال كبرت.

Now all what you see above are symprtoms to a day off. No one said it is off, but once we see the TV staff hitting with each other with snow in the TV garden we can tell that that’s it. Once the Prime Minister see this on TV he must declare the day off to make us watch Jordan TV.

About Me, Jordan

The last weeks had been crazy for me. During Eid, I got a job offer to join a company here in Amman, so I dropped my plans to accept an offer I got in Dubai in favour of staying in Amman. Some of my friends called me “habeeleh” or something for turning down a very good offer from Dubai, but for me, nothing beats waking up to a nice weather, no AC noise, walking outside to get the newspaper, no humidity, reading it, then heading to work where the most lengthy traffic Jam is 3-5 minutes (I’ve head stories about traffic in Dubai, No thank you, not interested).

The last month had been crazy for JP as well. We had been almost holding the voting process to add new blogs, reason is that we are currently discussing the voting, and proposing other ways than voting to have blogs added. We currently have a loong list of blogs that are to be added or decided on. Don’t worry, everything is kept in a record, once we decide on the voting process, it will move on. No need to resubmit your blog.

I had been as well following the stupid cartoons thing, I think that the issue had been greatly oversized when it was not needed. A cartoon that was printed in a local daily newspaper now is printed in newspapers all over the world, even here in Amman. It seems to me that the people were glad to find the peaceful nation of Denmark and Norway to exercise their anger on them, because the same can’t be done on other governments, or own governments, so they targetted anger toward the lands of Lego, Happy Cows, and Trolls.

I will try to blog more often from now on, and keep you and myself on what’s on my mind. Later

About Me, Jordan Planet, News & Politics

Last time I met him was in Riyadh where we spend some really good time, he took me around the city, I had mansaf with him, and so on. Weeks before it he came to Dammam, where he showed me around the city that I was new to. I didn’t see him since then. A couple of days ago, my friend Shadi called me around 9pm, to tell that Kamal passed away in a car accident in Jeddah. It took me a couple of hours, or in fact until I was in his house the next day, and saw his father and brother, to really understand what had happened.

I was lucky to stay in the same school, Al-Bayan, for 14 years, where I had some of my best friends. Maybe when we were in 5th or 6th grade, when I got my first 386 PC, then I started to get closer to Kamal, who was in my class for years, because he got a 486 PC as well. We used to exchange tips, games, and programs. He told me and took me to Al-7amra in Jabal Al-Hussein were we got many of the programs and games that we enjoyed (along with the colorful floppy disks that was on sale there). I first saw Windows 95 in his PC, he first saw Linux in mine. Although Kamal left in the 11th grade to go to Itihad School (where he got a scholarship) we stayed intouch in semi-weekly basis as I was either in his house, or he in mine. When we reached university, he ended up with exactly what he wanted, Engineering in Jordan University. Soon after he graduated, he got an offer he couldn’t refuse, and went to work in KSA.

Although he had been in KSA for 4 years, it was this year that he decided that he should go to Hajj for his first time, and so he did. And one week after it, he died in a car accident. I didn’t know what to say then, or now. Although we didn’t meet often in the last couple of years, you were always part of what I grow up to, as I hope I was for you. الله يرحمه ويصبر أهله.

About Me

Apple just announced the MacBook Pro Laptop. It is built with the Intel Dual Core processor. Noe regardless of what’s inside, no one can make a laptop that is as sexy as this one. Now I need to read more about it, to know what’s really the deal with it. To know if existing Mac OS X applications will work on it or not.. now Rosetta is supposed to do the trick, but I need to read more.

About Me, Apple, Internet & Technology

This morning I read an article in Al-Ghad (Arabic) about sacrifices made for the Adha Eid, and the hygiene problems and the scenery associated with it in the city of Amman. Living in Marj Al-Hamam made me associate the Adha Eid with the bad smell and blood on the street (sheep blood) that I saw for years at the entrance of Marj Al-Hamam, where there is a butcher store, and a temp cattle and sheep pound is set.

The good news is, this year, the 2 buildings and stores at the entrance of Marj Al-Hamam are brought to the ground, as part of the construction of the “Royal Village” that is taking place at the land of Amman International Exhibition (where Global Village was held for the last couple of years). So no blood spilled on the streets on our way to visit relatives in the Eid. Infact, I hope I won’t see any of those places around, I really can’t understand why do they insist to have them in open places where people can see it. Why not in some remote areas? Anyhow, I hope I won’t have a bloody Eid.

About Me, Jordan

Yesterday I was at the Ministry of Trade to query about starting a non-profit establishment or company, for one of the organizations/projects I am involved in. Entering the ministry was a nice shock, it was my first time there. The design is very customer-service oriented, around 50 counters, with LED displays above each stating the status of the counter, and the number of the ticket it is serving, and seats. There was 2 ticket machines, with touch LCDs for different categories and so on. I was impressed. Read more…

About Me, Jordan

As I am going to the dead sea today to attend the WCF, a car from the opposite direction gave me a headlight flash, right at the middle of noon.. so it was a signal of some kind. I thought maybe he’s warning me of something, but I didn’t realise directly what it is. Then another car gave me the same warning, so I was sure that it is something, it was a speed control patrol. I dropped my speed from 110km/h, to 90km/h which is allowed in this road. Few hundred meters ahead, and in the most sneaky hidden place, there was it. Trying to catch the speedy unaware drivers (I was aware, so they didn’t catch me).

Now it got me thinking a little, why did the stranger warn me. Is it because they want good the the fellow driver? spreading love and peace in a drivers’ way ? Or is it some ill feelings and hate toward the money collecting speed control patrols and officers. I am sure that the reason is mostly a mix of the two. And You could find people volunteer help in the most outstanding ways.

Back 7 or 8 years ago, when I first got my driving license, I had an exciting car accident. I was a little speeding, in a small car, at a curve, lost control, the car swinged on the street, hit a sign, and flipped over it, landing the car on its top. Now all that happened in few seconds, I was out of the car without a scratch. But what is exiting is the people. The accident was in the middle of no where (at airport road), but as soon as the car flipped and landed, people started to rush in 10s. I was out of the car, surprised at the whole thing and there was people coming and offering different kind of unasked help:
- “spread sand on the street, and you can blame Amman Municipality (2amanet 3amman)”
- A group of 3 guys lifted up the sign that I hit, and fixed it so that I won’t pay any fines for damaging it.
- When the policeman came, someone that I do not know turned out to be his relative, and told the policeman that I am his cousin, and the policeman didn’t issue any ticket for the accident
- A guy came and offered buying the car while it is on it’s back (Now that is not really help, but someone seeing an opportunity and taking it)

and so on… (PS. after that accident I started to hear some new proverbs that was told to my father : بالمال ولا بالعيال (Let it be money not kids), and بالحديد ولا بالعبيد (hitting iron better than hitting people, or something).

Now, I really would like to understand the actual reasons for this very helpful attitude, is it the nature of our people ? is it being nosy ? is it that we are in the same team against traffic control police ? I’m not really sure, but all I know that I didn’t really need or ask for all that help (I wouldn’t mind any speed control warning in the future, and I may assist my fellow drivers with warning them as well, unite we stand)

About Me

OK, I got the Visa to Tunis this morning, got the brochure printouts for Wikimedia yesterday, packing my bags now, leaving in 4 hours to the airport. I really look forward for the event, and Tunis, I had been following some very interesting discussion about the event in the Global Voices mailing list. I will arrive around 1am to Tunis, won’t settle until 3-4 AM probably, yet I am looking forward to it. Beside the event, and Tunis, I am looking forward to meet the Tunisian bloggers, I really hope that it will be possible.

I will try to take as much pictures as I can, and see if I can continue posting from there. Until then, bon voyage to myself :)

About Me, WSIS, Wikimedia

Well, since I did my RHCE exam last Saturday I had been waiting impatiently for the results. Although I was somehow sure I would get it anyway, it is only official, and for sure, when they say it. I had to wait for 2 days until the results come out, as they are issued from USA, and so, it had to wait until Monday.

Today when I checked my email at 4:00pm, I saw an email from Red Hat Certification Central titled “Certification Lab Exam results”. I wasn’t sure I wanted to open it right away, so I went to the bathroom first.. when back, I opened it, and I passed :) I am an RHCE now. Although the mark I got was a little less than I expected, but who cares.

So, what’s next for me, I wonder now. I think that as this year I got my dream mobile and did the certification I wanted to do for the last 18 months, I think that I should get my dream laptop. When done with my dream list, I think I will compile a new, more challenging list, raise the limits, and go ahead again.

About Me, OSS & Linux

The last few weeks could be called “Busy”, “Crazy” or “shaping” for me. Many changes are happening to me when it comes to professional life, although things are as messy as they had always been for other sides of my life.

To start of, I resigned from my current work. Although I have a good relation with my manager, there are certain things that I strongly disagree with regarding how this business is being run, which made me a little miserable when it comes to work for the past months. Now, as I am moving on, I hope that I would get out of this mood, and get my spirits up again. Some of my friends said that I am crazy to leave work before signing-up for another job, but for me, I am better off.

I have a long task list when it comes to Jordan Planet. I have at least 5 new bloggers to add, a new layout to finalize and bring out, fixes to the current design, and creating a section for expat bloggers in Jordan. I am lucky that there is a team of Jordanian bloggers that greatly help with the day-to-day caring of the planet, so the site is almost unaffected with the lack of time from my side.

Add to that, I signed up for an RHCE exam at 1st Oct. I had prepared myself for this exam a number of times, as it had been on my TODO list for more than 18 months, but never took the step to actually do it, so now it is time.

When I am done with all that, I will switch to the job-hunting mode. I am not really worried about finding-a-job part of this mode, but what I am a little concerned about is finding a job that I love, and really passionate about. Some could say that this is impossible, or irrational to ask for, but that’s me.

About Me

I just returned from watching the movie Stealth and it was average, although I had an argument with my friend if it worth the 5 JDs we payed for the Cinema. Following may contain spoilers for the movie. The thing that I find to be silly about the movie is that it is a Pure American Hero movie, didn’t bring anything new, and it seems they they did not even bother. They did all the old tricks that are known to work:

1. Have a black guy who everyone like.
2. Have that black guy to be first to die.
3. have someone behind enemy lines.
4. so some top gun acrobat with airplanes
5. have a cool alien-like airplane (hint: Independence Day)
6. and of course a love story that was never meant to be

For those who are not sick with the above combination, or would like to see some nice graphic and sound effects, go and enjoy yourselves. For me, I think I had enough.

About Me, Movies & Entertainment

I’be been seeing this sign for sometime now, and I wanted to take a picture and share it (click to see larger):

Translation: The “Weapon Corner” Shop (GunShop) would like to Congradulate all the University Graduates, and Those who passed Tawjihi and Shamel (two state-run exams for high school)

Now I am glad that this summer people used fireworks to celebrate more than they did for guns, and it is getting used more and more for weddings. Although the guns are still dominant in the Jaha and Lunch events related to weddings for many reason, upon them that fireworks doesn’t make sense in daylight.
I think they should create a method to make loud blast voices, while maintaining the dignity of the hosting and visiting families, to use instead of the gun power in the Jaha and lunch events. Maybe then, we will have a gun-free celebrations

About Me

I was surprised to see an article about blogs, mentioning Jordan Planet in Al-Ghad when I woke up today. My father was reading it when I saw it. Ammar Ibrahim was interviewed about it by the newspaper. Way to go Ammar :)

About Me