Nightmare

Traveling with Gulf Air is!

my original route is Amman - Bahrain - muscat - Bahrain
scheduled
departure time is 3:30 arrival at Bahrain at 5:30
departure from Bahrain to Muscat 8:30 arrival in Muscat 10:30

Actual

Departure time was 11:20 PM arriving in Bahrain at 1:45 AM this morning.
re-scheduled departure to Muscat at 8:45 Am this morning ... Actual (we'll see)

I need to be at a meeting at 1 PM in Muscat, then I shall return to Bahrain the same day in the evening

After arrival, they gave me a voucher for a 3-star hotel, could not leave the Airport because I already have a visa in Bahrain, and if I use it, I cannot come back to Bahrain this evening!!

The only solution: Stay at Bahrain Airport until 8:45 morning .. Say what??

well, this is probably going to be my fifth all-nighter at an airport, but the first time in Bahrain!
Anyway, after some argument with the so-called "Gulf Air Customer Care Center," I found my way to the business lounge where I could find a couch and a clean bathroom.

Anyway, tomorrow is not going to be a day for rest either!

I cannot say there is a lesson to learn (which is never travel with Gulf Air) because this is something l learned before! however, each time I say to myself, give them one more chance. Additionally, RJ timing to the Gulf region is not helping either

Ammar Sajdi

www.realsoft-me.com

www.e-ammar.net

Does it mean the end of my IT career

The question arises by the fact that i have assumed the position of a board member at the Arab East Investment Co (AEIV) Ltd, a 40 million company in Capital (http://www.ase.com.jo/announcement/Assembly%20Decision-%20AEIV-%206-5-2007.pdf) page 5. The company is profitable and makes high return on investment!

Well, the answer seems to be NO, or at least, not yet!!!
I am on my way to Muscat Oman tonight, to hopeful push a contract towards the final stage of signature, and on the same day going to Bahrain to kick off a new 8-10 month project.

Amman was very dusty today, I do not remember witnessing such conditions before. My flight to Muscat was scheduled at 3:30 PM, i called the Gulf Air office at the airport asking about any anticipated delays due to weather conditions and poor visibility, but they said that the delays are likely to be only 15 minutes. Upon arrival to their check -in counter, however, they told me what i was expecting when i called. The flights are delayed until 10 PM at night; I was mad because I did call to make sure i would not have to make a void round trip to the airport. I went back to Amman and I will hit the road again to airport in 20 minutes

On another track, i have been fighting a relentless bronchitis for around 2 weeks now. It does seem to be subsiding! It is really annoying!

www.e-ammar.com

Dull Day

I am officially sick today, left the hotel for half an hour and returned back and slept for 3 hour. My body does not deal well with Fever (even when it is only minor). Seems like no musicals tonight.

Warm in London

Really warm day in London this Saturday. I would guess not less that 24 to 25, really lovely.
Staying at Marriott London Maida Vale which is a good Hotel. The neighbourhood is OK, first time for me at Maida Value street, but i found out that it is an extension to Edgware Road at the North Side. However, it is very close to St Johns Wood area NW of London.
The only problem is that i am developing a nasty cough and cold, and i m feeling week. wanted to behave a little like a tourist so Visited London Zoo, North of Regent Park, it was a real disappointment. Spent the rest of the time at Regent Park and camden market where people are mostly goth, punk and emo.

Yesterday, the weather was also nice, spent sometime at Hyde Park.
As for food, yesterday we dined at Busaba Eathai, that one i was wondering about before, it is good food, but i felt it was better two years back, or maybe i was not that hungry. It is located in Soho not far from Piccadilly circus.

No plans for tomorrow yet

Mom strikes again -- round 2

In between flights, i dropped by my parents house to say hi and bye.
Mom told me that microsoft has released an OS called Vista. She talked about VOIP and she also told me that some words we use in the internet has become official english words like Googling , stemming from the verb TO GOOGLE.

I checked for that in here is what i have found

The verb Google was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) on June 15, 2006, and to the 11th edition of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary in July 2006.The OED notes the question, "Has anyone Googled?" in the Usenet Newsgroup alt.fan.british-accent on October 10, 1999 as the first recorded usage of the word.

By the way, creating new words (like googling) to reflect new inventions , phenomena etc.. is called NEOLOGISM

according to wikipeadia A neologism (Greek νεολογισμός [neologismos], from νέος [neos] new + λόγος [logos] word, speech, discourse + suffix -ισμός [-ismos] -ism) is a word, term, or phrase which has been recently created ("coined") — often to apply to new concepts, to synthesize pre-existing concepts, or to make older terminology sound more contemporary. Neologisms are especially useful in identifying inventions, new phenomena, or old ideas which have taken on a new cultural context. The term "e-mail", as used today, is an example of a neologism.
Neologisms are by definition "new", and as such are often directly attributable to a specific individual, publication, period or event. The term "neologism" was itself coined around 1800; so for some time in the early 19th Century, the word "neologism" was itself a neologism.
Neologisms can also refer to an existing word or phrase which has been assigned a new meaning.

Finally, i have found out that mom does not have the book 'the world is flat', rather she is a member in a book discussion group who are currently discussing this book

Bahrain

I cannot believe this this is my fourth night in Bahrain! I just feel like having arrvied yesterday.
I am staying at the Sheraton. It is really good, but expensive. For example, the daily rate for an internet connection is 30 USD.
Anyway, it has been hectic and and will continue to be until my departure time at 12 tomorrow. I still have to meet two different parties before i leave. It will not be long before i am back again. Most probably on the 5th of May.

Anything worth attending

I am trying to find if there is anything worth watching this week end in London.

checked the Royal Opera House, but nothing appealing there.

As for the West End, no i am not going to watch Mama Mia one more time. I can understand why Phantom of the Opera has been playing for so long, but Mama Mia musical does not stand any chance. If not, I guess an expedition to search for that one nice restaurant should start. It serves Asian food, but cannot remember the name. It is off Oxford street toward the west end and Soho. People Queue up to get seated, and then you end up sharing a table with others. Once i find it, i will definitely cease the moment and write about it, Excellent food.

Ammmmar

Serendipity

I talked about the the book "The World is Flat" in previous posts
http://oraclejo.blogspot.com/2007/04/my-mother-is-asking-strange-question-i.html
Yesterday, we were invited for dinner at my cousin house, when he told me that he wanted to show me a book he is currently reading; It was "THE WORLD IS FLAT". I thought that he showed me the book after reading my blog, but what not the case, it was quite serendipitous.
It is a big book and you should read and evaluate the content carefuly and not take everything in it for granted

Ammar Sajdi

Of Course, how did i miss that!

As a reply for my previous post(http://oraclejo.blogspot.com/2007/04/my-mother-is-asking-strange-question-i.html) in which i wondered where the feather came in the Apache group logo

Apache, of course, the name of Native American tribes (Indians).
This is where the feather comes from!!!

Ammar Sajdi

My mother is asking strange question - i freaked out

My mother, Amal Jardaneh Sajdi, 68 years, Arabic Literature Graduate from The American University of Beirut asked me questions that made me feel that she must have a new 21 century new hang out group.

Ammar, she asked, Is it true that there is a company that is not happy with Microsoft monopoly and is called Linux? and what is this company??!!

I tried to explain that Linux is not a company and tried to explain that it is an important part of an open source endeavor etc ...

After a moment of silence...

Ammar, What is Apache?
I was really stunned; this is not Al-mutanbi nor Ibn Zaidoon stuff! Where is Mom getting this vocabulary from? must be a new hang out!! not my auntie(s) akeed! nor the rest of the Shemisani Gang! Wow, questions are getting harder to explain!!
Apache, the Server with the feather (have no idea where the feather come from )
Well, ok, a public-domain open source Web Server developed by a loosely-knit group of programmers. The first version of Apache, based on , National Center for Supercomputing Application (NCSA) at the University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign (UIUC) (http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/) httpd Web Server, was developed in 1995. Core development of the Apache Web server is performed by a group of about 20 volunteer programmers, called the Apache Group. However, because the source code is freely available, anyone can adapt the server for specific needs, and there is a large public library of Apache add-ons. In many respects, development of Apache is similar to development of the Linux operating system.

I was not sure that she liked the answer... Then from her facial expression, there seemed to be more question coming.. Finally, Is it true that Y2K computer problems were largely fixed by Indians??? This one beats me. Mostly likely yes, but i have no information about this issue.

Then, finally, my Mom made the confession, she is reading a book called "The World is Flat" By Thomas Friedman. The book turned out to be a best seller talking about Globalization.

Bow of respect, Mom has always been an intellect, ruling supreme the tip of the intellectual iceberg of Ammanians. She is a source of inspiration for me. I must buy the book before i fall behind the 21 century.

Ammar Sajdi

Spring

This post is supposed to be full of pictures, but as usual, there is something i should forget, otherwise, it is not me anymore!! I forgot to bring my Olympus 6 MPixel digital camera.
I went with my friend Maen Suhiamat on a late afternoon drive to explore the country side on the northern suburbs of Amman. Both of us did not have lunch so we picked up a lousy fast food meal and started the drive. We reached the area of interest, Some 15 Km North of Amman, on hills approximately rising 1050 M above sea level in an area called Al-kamsh, some 10 Km north of Abu Nsair. We picked a nice peak just to consume the food. It was so cold and very windy, we could not find a suitable place to shield us from the wind, we ended up hiding behind some big rock,, It was not enjoyable when your hands become as cold as ice while trying to eat. We went back to the car and took some off road trails. The sceneries were really fascinating, Old Oak tree, greenery etc..
We drove through villages (3alook, Masarra) then moved south east until we arrived to a village called "Birane", an area that i visited several times on many mostly pleasant occasions. Boy, days has passed, and Birane has changed, it is now more developed, the streets are wider and better than the last time i visited it. I was hoping to do something similar and investigate another area before spring is over, however i do not think I will be in town for the coming 10 days

ammar sajdi