Without a doubt, it’s been a bad year for the average Jordanian when it comes to prices. Subsidies have been lifted and fuel prices have us all wishing there was an efficient public transportation system in the city, if not seriously considering buying a scooter, which I am. Bloomberg puts inflation at a staggering 19.4% […]

I am at a loss for words. Truly. Only a few months ago you were in Amman. And I waited amidst the swarms of people just to see a glimpse of you, or hear a single syllable from one of your poems.
Your words transcended everything. Everything. God rest your beautiful soul. We are all […]

Best wishes to our Jordanian athletes competing in Beijing this month: Zeina Shaban (table tennis), Razan Fareed (swimming), Anas Hamoudeh (swimming), Khalil Hanahneh (athletics), Bara’ Marwan (athletics), Nadeen Dwani (taekwondo) and Ibrahim Bisharat (equestrian).
Make us proud!

addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fwww.black-iris.com%2F2008%2F08%2F08%2Fgood-luck-jordanian-olympians%2F’;
addthis_title = ‘Good+Luck+Jordanian+Olympians%21′;
addthis_pub = […]

A story that most people in (west) Amman know by now is that of Marwan Qsus’s shooting a few months ago. For those who don’t know about it, the gist of it is that Marwan - who manages the popular third circle cafe, Kanabaye - was shot a few months back by a drunk individual […]

I usually don’t write these types of open-ended posts as I do have a bias towards sticking to Jordanian-related subjects, however polygamy is an issue that’s been on my mind these past few days after watching the first season of HBO’s “Big Love”. The series is essentially about a polygamist in Utah who is married […]

Yes. I will admit it. Today I just feel a tad bit mean-spirited. In other words, I cannot resist the temptation that this opportunity has to offer. If any of my readers remember, over a year ago I posted a rather funny, yet, factual portrait of the first Jordanian woman to head a political party. […]

The new General Intelligence Department (aka mukhabarat) - the most feared security apparatus by the average Jordanian, is actually located on a street called “The People’s Street”.

addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fwww.black-iris.com%2F2008%2F08%2F04%2Fjordanian-observations-2-ironic-street-names%2F’;
addthis_title = ‘Jordanian+Observations+%232+%5BIronic+Street+Names%5D’;
addthis_pub = ”;

New members have been added to the board of Jordan’s Higher Youth Council in an effort to revitalize it. I’m 99% sure that none of them are under the age of 50.
Sigh.

addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fwww.black-iris.com%2F2008%2F07%2F30%2Fjordans-higher-youth-council-and-the-definition-of-irony%2F’;
addthis_title = ‘Jordan%26%238217%3Bs+Higher+Youth+Council+And+The+Definition+Of+Irony’;
addthis_pub = ”;

This is an “in case you missed it” post. There is a very cool article on 7iber.com that is definitely worth reading, especially if, like me, you are constantly searching for some validation that not all is lost; still searching for hope. Given their socioeconomic environment and actual environment, these kids should be given a […]

This may be a week late but it’s given me some time to think the event over in my head. I’m not going to analyze local media’s reaction, which is pretty standardized and uneventful Jordanian reporting. And I’m not going to attempt to articulate the average Jordanian’s stance on Obama’s trip, because honestly the overwhelming […]

In the past week I have received a wide variety of messages to my cellphone from people not on my contact list. According to the messages, the GAM has launched a new website, I can send an SMS to find out my Tawhiji results, there is an Amman Festival this month, there is a new […]

When it comes to your Internet connection, are you getting what you paid for? Is that 1 or 2mb ADSL connection working out for you?
Most things in Jordan are expensive these days, but it seems the Internet is yet another example of bad quality matching high prices. In other words, even if something of “quality” […]

For the past two days I’ve been in Aqaba on a business trip, rediscovering our beautiful southern city, so apologies for the lack of posting. I haven’t been to Aqaba for nearly three years so it was kind of exciting to see how far it had come in such a short time. Imad Fakhouri, chairman […]

Never got the chance to blog about this the morning after, but better late than never. It was a great concert and I think everyone really enjoyed themselves. The music was great and the orchestra was spectacular, not to mention Placido’s voice that echoed throughout Jerash. It was also a full house; apparently there’s a […]

A survey conducted by the Higher Media Council (HMC) revealed Sunday, showed that the media sector in Jordan enjoyed a 52.3 per cent level of freedom in 2007, a rate described as “acceptable” by the pollsters.
…424 of the targeted sample in the report said they had difficulties in obtaining information and, in cases, they were […]

A few hours ago (11pm Wed.) saw the shooting of what the news is reporting as “six tourists” in downtown Amman after the “Opera Under The Stars” concert at the Roman Amphitheater. The gunman then killed himself. The targets seem to be all Arab, with four Lebanese nationals, a Palestinian and a Jordanian. Technically, I’m […]