October 19, 2008

Blackout in Amman

My laptob is still alive to write these lines. Sounds like writing my last e-mail before joining the rest of the paralized life here in Amman since the early morning. Not sure what happend, I just heard that a main electricity generator fall down and the electricity won't come back untill the end of the day. Not sure how much the blackout is covering nor for how long, but life is so strange without electricity...No work, No internet, no telephone, ... OK...I have to stop writing just to save my battery!!!

October 3, 2008

So what's up in Jordan these days

Reading reports and statistics are always good to follow, so we have a better understanding of what's up in Jordan. Even I believe in the conspiracy of the statistics, but lets assume they are like the news we got everyday, an editorial.

So, What's up Jordan:

Ministry of Industry and Trade market inspectors found 1,200 traders in violation of the ministry’s regulations during Ramadan compared to 2,200 last year, a senior official said on Monday.

Referring to Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI), which ranked Jordan 47th out of 180 nations, Judeh said the government is committed to fighting corruption and will not hesitate to refer violators to judicial authorities. In its annual CPI, which covers the perceptions of public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories, Transparency International gave Jordan an overall score of 5.1 up from 4.7 in 2007.

Garment sales during Ramadan were “very slow” compared to last year, according to owners and staff of clothing stores, who attributed the decline to difficult living conditions citizens are undergoing and a surge in the prices of clothing.

The Kingdom has in the past 10 days received a total of 10,000 tonnes (74,000 barrels) of oil from Iraq at an average of 7,400 barrels a day.

The Iraqi embassy in Amman has dispatched two busloads of Iraqis who were residing in the Kingdom back home after reports of improved security conditions.