p.s. “Arab media Symposium” at George Town University in DC on Monday if u’re still around,

ARAB MEDIA SYMPOSIUM: Information Evolution in the Arab World
Center for Contemporary Arab Studies 2010 Annual Symposium
Monday, March 22, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Lohrfink Auditorium, Rafik B. Hariri Building, Georgetown University

Georgetown University will host a conference bringing together leading experts, academics and Arab media pioneers to discuss the young, contentious and hotly-debated field of Arab Media Studies and the impact of new media and technology in the Middle East. The two-day event, “Information Evolution in the Arab World” will feature a series of panel discussions and a keynote address by Wadah Khanfar, director general of Al-Jazeera.

@Rich Brat: To answer your question, I was contacted by the embassy’s media department and asked if I was interested in going on the trip. They have several similar tours a year. This was the one before us, and might help you: http://fpc.state.gov/137508.htm

In exchange, the expectation is to obviously report. This is, after all, a reporting tour. So whether you’re a journalist or a blogger, you’re reporting, which is something I’d be doing anyway, even if I wasn’t asked.

iphone mharrab…wallahi 9a3b..but i promise to search the trash cans at google for any throwaway androids.

Now the real deal, can you get me an iphone Mharrab when you come back?

keep it up layalina ur the best

with all my love NADIA

@Mahmoud: I agree, but I’m not referring to state policy regarding Israel. My comment was about what you said regarding that specific bill. yes, those rights and freedoms are applied selectively - but then again, should it be the US’s job to impose those beliefs everywhere in the world? Do we want it to be?

anyways, my point was that what a congressman says is not necessarily representative of the entire american government - specifically the administration. that’s just a reality.

@Rich
you should understand how coming back to homeland to give benefits work.
those who leave their high status should research their opportunities before they come back.
you dont just leave your hard work and status that you built outside and just go back and sitting hoping for an opportunity.

I look forward to more posts from the US.

It starts with these trips and later on offers of working with the government or one of its org , prepping you to become the next (fill in the blank - a mercenary columnist/ex-minster of your choice), yeah at some point an offer of a master or PhD at a prestigious US school. Not to mention the numerous invitations of “regional” workshops and conferences for youth and people wanting to make change, by regional, usually Jor/Pal and of course Israelis.
Judging from your blog, you don’t seem the average opportunist or sell out, but don’t fall for the trap that you accept selling your soul to the “man” hoping to bring change from within.

You deserve all the best, I just wish your “keyboard :D” will stay free! We need people like you, under no influence and sincere, yet brilliant. If it was not for the new electronic law I would have listed the hoards of sell out journalists, I think you and people know them.

@Kinzi: fastest time i’ve ever gotten through a US border…lesson tested and learned!

@Mahmoud: You make a great and interesting argument. However, it would do us good to recognize that the US government is not a single entity with a single voice, akin to our governments. There are several branches and they don’t always agree with each other. In fact, most of the time they don’t (except when it comes to israel). That’s the reality of the situation. Congress is made up of 435 representatives and 100 senators. Any one of these people can float a bill and there has been a history of crazy and absurd bills. This one that you are referring to, passed the house but to become law it needs to pass the senate and signed by the president. Clinton doesn’t work for congress, she works for the president. Her views reflect his views and not a republican congressman from florida.

I second Ban, enjoy The Cheesecake Factory in the city by the bay.

Just remember who left his high status and thought he could make it here, only to discover that it is not possible. Now you have two choices, stay and never pay off your endured debts, or try to fix it so you can provide for your kids.

Get lost with your sickness and attitude. This is my country and passport “Khawa” annak. Fahem? Till you come in peace with yourself and realize this fact, you’ll just keep ruining it.

What have you done to help? Judging from your sick comment, I say you’ve done a lot, negatevly.

@Maan: i think the state department understands arab media more than one wold imagine, even jordanian media. and yes, they’ve started to use various websites to host questions, as has the UK:

http://www.7iber.com/2009/04/uk-foreign-policy-and-uk-jordan-relations/

I’m glad you mentioned Clinton’s speech re free media. I was at the yemen conference press briefing in London in January. She also mentioned the need for free arab media to counter the terrorist orgs that are recruiting members via the internet.

The US department of State media outreach center in London have recently agreed a collaboration with Aaram in a bid to talk and debate directly with the Arabs in the Middle East and across the globe. This is a timeless and ongoing collaboration, Aaram users will have the chance to pitch questions to senior spokespeople from the Department of Sate on a range of topics relating to the US and the Middle East. So I think everything you will hear them say about online arab media during your time there is true.

Represent jordanian media my friend, as it needs representing in a fresh way outside of jordan, the region, and basically internationally!!

if you find a nice offer abroad by all means take it. You may also consider leaving your Jordanian passport at the borders!

I applaud patriotic citizens who are willing to work hard to tackle the problems. As for “deserters”, they are quite free to make their own choices. Personally I have no time for them.

The government plays a huge rule in the since that most laws,procedures are not clear or definite and are applied arbitrary, usually depending on the employee’s mood or other personal considerations.

Lets put it this way: You can get things done, but only after you develop high blood pressure , be it from the endless trips to the same governmental institute (although info is posted on their website and you call in, only to find out all info are completely wrong or incomplete). Or the cute electrician, small contractors who leave you in the middle of the road and do a horrible job and rob you off.

You never know the pain till you waste your time and money and fall in debt because you believed the spam/PR reports and the hundreds of “positive” energetic so cool people preaching on how you could make it in the land of opportunities. (Note that the same business is doing great elsewhere, in countries similar to JOrdan, Eco and mindsets.)

If you got a nice offer abraod…..take it!