Year: 2003

To-Do list for when i go to Jordan

Well, i haven’t had the chance to visit Jordan ever since i left last year, even though my wife did, i was just too busy with work at the time.

Anyway, i’ve compiled a list of stuff that i need to do when i hopefully visit Jordan next year.

The list goes as follows:

– Eat at McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, KFC, Popeyes, Milano and every other restaurant we don’t have in Tunisia, i just miss that stuff so much. By the time i’m done i’m gonna be twice my weight now 😛
– Re-discover Amman, find out everything that’s happened ever since i left last year and go everywhere new that has opened.
– Join up with friends there and spend some good times, just like the good old days.
– Buy a stock of CashU cards, that i can use to buy stuff on the internet 😛
– Buy some new CDs and DVDs. They’re cheaper and there is more stuff that matches my style.
– Buy some computer books. They’re cheaper and in English (Thank God).
– Buy a new mobile phone. This time i’m dropping Siemens for a change, i want either a Nokia or a Samsung.
– Visit my old university. I wanna see how it’s surviving without me in it.
– Shop for gadgets and cool stuff. I especially want a new higher resolution digital cam and a video game console (still have to decide between Xbox & PS2).
– Visit the Dead Sea, Wadi Rum and maybe even Petra.
– If possible, make a quick trip to Lebanon for a couple of days.

The list goes on and on of course, and i’m sure once i’m there i’ll be lucky if i even do 2 of the things listed above, but it’s a challenge for me to try and do them all, and i’ll be doing my best 😉
God help me 🙂

Dead Sea Dry

I’ve been hearing about how the Dead Sea has been drying up for some time now, but only today did i get a true idea about how fast it’s drying up and how bad the situation is becoming.

If nothing is done, the Dead Sea could be literally dead and gone in 50 to 100 years time.

The problem is the result of the diversion of the waters of the Jordan River mainly by Israel for agriculture and in cities and towns.

What sucks the most though is that i lived in Jordan for 6 years and i’ve never visited the Dead Sea, i just passed by it a number of times on my way to Aqaba for a swim in the Red Sea. I guess i just took it for granted and thought it’d always be there and that it was relatively close and i could go anytime i wanted.
Well, now i’ve left Jordan and the Dead Sea is drying up, and i haven’t been there yet.

So, another thing on my list of important tasks when i go to Jordan (next year hopefully) is a visit to the Dead Sea.

Hmmmm, i think i’ll be posting a list of the stuff i want to do in Jordan in a seperate post.

Miss Digital World

Digital artists, advertising agencies and video game programmers from around the world have been asked to send a computer design of their perfect woman to missdigitalworld.com, complete with date of birth and body measurements.

“Miss Digital World” is the first beauty contest reserved for the likes of video game heroine Lara Croft, computer-cloned actresses from the “Matrix” films and new beauties tweaked to perfection with 3D graphics.

I think this is so cool. Lately 3D graphics have been getting better and better enabling artists to produce very human-like characters, and it’s about time they choose who looks best in these creations.
The most realistic characters i’ve seen are from the Final Fantasy movie, especially the guys, they look so real. I have a friend who spent half the movie looking for an actor he knows, before realizing they were all computer generated 😛

Can’t wait to see the digital hotties that will be sent to them…

Playstation Portable, WOW…

I just came across this article about Playstation Portable. It looks awesome, very futuristic and slick.

It’ll play mp3s, mpeg4s, PS games. It’ll have Wi-Fi and maybe even mobile phone technology. And it’ll come with a 1.8 GB Universal Media Disc.
Is that just beautiful or what ?

Nintendo and Nokia should watch their asses. This baby is gonna rock.

Another cool gadget on my long wishlist 😉

(Via i never knew)

The Last Emperor

Now, this is one hell of a great movie.
I’ve seen the DVD sitting there in the video store for some time now, and i don’t know what made me choose to rent it this saturday only. I should’ve rented it a long time ago.

The movie is visually awesome; the wideshots, the places, the everything, it just takes you to that time and place and makes you live the story as it happened.
The story is touching and powerful and the acting is great.

I just read that it won 9 oscars (including the Best Picture Oscar), and i fully agree that it deserves every single one of them and more.

It’s a truly perfect movie that tells a great and moving story.

Plus, for a movie that was made back in 1987, the cinematography and photography are amazing and way ahead of their time. Even better than a lot of stuff we see these days.

I give it a hundred thumbs up. One of the best and most perfect movies i’ve seen in a while.

For more info click here.

No Blogs for 3 days :(

Haven’t blogged in 3 days and it feels like my tongue has been pulled out, haven’t had internet access at home for 2 weeks and it feels like i’m crippled.

Anyway, the past few days went as follows:

– Friday: Basically all i did was be lazy on this day, do a bit of shopping for my new place, and then we had futour at my parent’s place.
– Saturday: More laziness, then went out to see how much it would cost me to buy a dish (no, i’m not jealous of my upstairs neighbour :P) and a closet. Made the order for the closet and will try to go order the dish today. I also rented and watched a movie called “The Last Emperor” which deserves a post of its own.
– Sunday: More and more laziness. All i did was listen to music while playing Spider Solitaire 😛 I finally won in the Difficult stage, normally i’d get bored and give up half way through the game.

That’s about everything from my weekend.

Who asked for their opinion ??

“Bush pushes Middle East democracy”
That’s a news title i just read on CNN.
And i can’t help but wonder who the hell asked this guy for his opinion ?
Who asked the US for their opinion ?
Who asked the US to tell the world what to do and what not ?
Who asked the US to be the international police man ?
Why can’t they just mind their own business ?!

Democracy isn’t something you push, it isn’t something you force on people, it’s something that they have to choose for themselves and enforce by themselves, it’s no one’s problem but theirs, it’s no one’s business but theirs !

Just like the US spent years and years to get to what it calls democracy without anyone interfering, it should mind it’s own business and stop pushing it’s nose into other countries’ business too.

Tyrant rulers and dictators have been around ever since the creation of human kind, and the only real and durable solution to that problem would come from the people themselves, by the people uniting and moving and fighting for what they think is right not by some stranger coming in and occupying them using a dumb lie pretext that they’re giving them freedom and democracy.

Tunis: Like a bride

Went for a little drive downtown last night, and God was Tunis beautiful.
Decorated with thousands of Tunisian flags, and lights all around. Full of people and music and magic.

The mixture of Ramadan, it’s night life and breath-taking atmosphere and the decorations, lights, and other preparations for November 7th made Tunis look and feel like a bride after being prepared for her wedding night.

Didn’t take any pics, but i’ll try to go back this weekend for some pics to post on my photolog.

It’s this special magic of Tunisia that actually made me want to come home and not live abroad.

Can YOU Be a Pornstar?

Well, it seems the great US civilization is going another big step forward and producing a new reality TV show called “Can YOU Be a Pornstar?”.

Real pornstars will be hosting the TV show, including Mary Carey who was running for governer in California in the ridiculous recall vote.

A group of 28 women will compete for a one-year contract with a major adult video distributor and a cash prize of $100,000.

In each episode, four women arrive at a house in Los Angeles for photo shoots, interviews and “surprises,” according to Silhouette (the company producing the show). Viewers will help pick eight finalists for a 90-minute finale.
They promised “uninhibited nudity and sizzling sexuality,” while the show’s official Web site said it would feature “Real people having real sex!”

I’m truly speechless.
I can’t believe it how humans continue to degrade themselves using the banner of freedom of expression and sexuality.
This world has truly become a sex-crazed world.

I know some of the people who know me will be saying: Oh look who’s talking. Well yeah, i’m no angel, i know. I’m a guy after all, and we’re all natural born perverts, lol, and i’ve seen my share of porn, read my share of sex stories, and had my share of daydream fantasies, …etc.
It’s only normal, everyone goes through that period of sexual obsession, it’s how (and if) they come out of it in the end that counts, i think i’ve come out pretty stable in the end 😉

A Threat To World Peace

An opinion poll held by the European Commission suggests more European Union citizens see Israel as a threat to world peace than any other country including Iran, Iraq and North Korea.

60% of Europeans consider Israel a threat to peace. And the US follows as a second with 53 %.

Of course Israel was outraged by these results and says that it shows that anti-Semitism is deeply embedded within European society, but i think that’s wrong. I think it’s just that people’s eyes are opening up and they’re seeing Israel for what it really is.

Israel do everything they do, kill innocent people, destroy homes, bomb whole cities and villages, and when anyone speaks out: it’s anti-semitism.
No, it’s not anti-semitism, it’s anti Israeli policies, it’s anti Israeli occupation, it’s anti Israeli crimes !