Edward Said National Music Conservatory

I have attended the Palestine Youth Orchestra performance that took place this week in Amman, and i must say that given the constraints imposed on a Palestine ensemble of this sort, the performance was far from being ordinary. I was captivated by watching some 50 young musicians mostly in their early 20s orchestrating the marvelous Beethoven’s Third Symphony Eroica, “a tribute to a great man”. The group was led by the acclaimed English conductor Sian Edwards. The event was in Commemoration of Mahmood Darweesh.I am glad i did not miss it

Ammar sajdi

Aug 17, 09

Not a Shred of evidence exists in favour of the idea that life is serious

and then we die.

Ammar Sajdi

www.realsoft-me.com

www.e-ammar.net

Looks like i found a new baby

Liferay, an open-source content management and collaboration portal.
Seems to have been around for a while, but I accidentally came across it while searching for performance figures on a Linux machine required by a client of us here in Muscat-Oman.

Ammar Sajdi

www.realsoft-me.com

www.e-ammar.net

effect of sound

the human mind can accept listening to the same piece of music over and over again. We buy CDs DVDs and previous Cassettes because we want to keep listening, However, we generally, do not wish to watch the same movie over and over again. Buying a Movie DVD is certainly an inefficient and costly decision. If you pay 20JD for A DVD and watch it once or at most twice, then each instance costs you at least 10JD, however, if you pay the same for a music DVD, you most probably listen to so many times, making the cost of each listening instance very cost-effective.
But what we take for granted and I am unable to answer is what is it in our mindset that accept hearing repetition more than visual one.

Ammar Sajdi

www.realsoft-me.com

www.e-ammar.net

Marwa is murdered in Germany

Marwa Al-Shirbini, an 32 year pregnant Eygptian women was stapped to death at a Dresden Courtroom by a German citizen of russan descendant. She was suing her attacker after he insulted her for wearing the Islamic hijab.

By the way she was stabbed 18 times, and the police came into the room and shot her husband instead of the attackers (because of his Islamic beard and dark complexion )

Where is CNN! Or BBC why isn't this event occupying the breaking News

to stab somebody 18 times, must have taken long time, where was everybody? And how come the police shot her husband. Why do they assume that we are the attackers, I do not recall that we occupied Britain or occupied Germany to give them the feel that we are hostile in nature, or have done anything to instigate avenge.

Imagine that a German national is stabbed to death in an Egyptian Courtroom. I would be certain that in every newspaper, magazine, News or media broadcast would be talking about this event till we get sick and tired of listening.

TAMIFLU BLuff

a month ago, i contracted a medical condition that caused 39 Degree fever for a few days.
I was prescribed TamiFlu.

TamiFlu is being prescribed for Swine Flu and currently it is selling like hot cake world wide.

After doing some research i came to believe that Tamif lu and swine flu are just a bluff

The following is extracted from the following link http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/general/news/swine_flu.html

What are the symptoms associated with Novel H1N1 flu? If I have symptoms, what should I do?A. Symptoms of H1N1 flu are the same as for seasonal influenza: high fever, headache, muscle aches, and cough. Most people will be able to care for themselves at home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends staying home for 7 days from the onset of symptoms. Should symptoms last longer, staying home a day beyond the resolution of symptoms is recommended. Those with more severe problems should seek medical attention.


I am sick. What should I do? What about testing?Measures that can be useful for controlling flu symptoms include plenty of fluids and medicines such as acetaminophen (Tylenol,) ibuprofen (Advil,) and naproxen sodium (Aleve) at label-recommended doses. These are effective at controlling fever, headache, sore throat, and muscle pains. Aspirin should not be used by children or adolescents, as aspirin use with the flu is associated with a rare and serious condition known as Reye’s Syndrome.Some reasons to seek emergency medical care include chest pain, inability to keep liquids down, seizure, or confusion.University of Illinois students may always call our Dial-a-Nurse, 333-2700 any time of the day or night. Most people who are sick with an influenza-like illness will not require any testing nor will most require any special antiviral medications. Novel H1N1 testing is not available in doctor’s offices. These tests are done by state health departments. In Illinois, only patients who are sick with the flu and who require hospitalization are tested for Novel H1N1. Antiviral medications should be reserved for the very ill or those who could become very ill if they contracted the flu.


Conclusion: the above is an announcement by a university officials to their students, and it clearly states that for the most part, ppl will care for themselves at home without prescribed medication.

Swine flu is no more sever than normal flue
According to Dr. Thomas Frieden, the new CDC director as of June 8, 2009: "There’s no question that a new strain of influenza spreading rapidly throughout the world is a major problem and requires a major response. So far, it doesn’t seem to be any more severe than seasonal flu, but seasonal flu kills 36,000 Americans a year." [84]


How many people have died of Swine flu so far

According to the BBC (UK) - "worldwide there have been 19,315 confirmed swine flu cases in 66 countries, with 117 deaths - all in Mexico and the US."

according to Center of Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/qa.htm
Over 90% of deaths and about 60 percent of hospitalization occur in people older than 65. and 1-% of those hospitalized are children below 5.



TamiFlu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oseltamivir
U.S. Government policy and oseltamivirIn November 2005, U.S. President George W. Bush requested that Congress fund US$7.1 billion in emergency spending for flu pandemic preparedness (the Senate had already passed an US$8.1 billion bill).[58] Bush's plan included US$1.4 billion for government purchases of antiviral drugs.[59]

who owns TamiFlu

It was developed by US-based Gilead Sciences and is currently marketed by Hoffmann-La Roche (Roche) under the trade name Tamiflu

Gilead Sciences:-
formed in 1987, but who becomes board member in 1988? and later in 1997 became the chairman?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilead_Sciences
In January 1997, Donald Rumsfeld, a Board member since 1988, was appointed Chairman of the company.[2] He stood down from the Board in January 2001 when appointed Secretary of Defense at the start of George W. Bush's first term as President. Federal disclosure forms indicate that Rumsfeld owns between USD$5 million and USD$25 million in Gilead stock. The rise in Gilead's share prices from USD$35 to USD$57 per share will have added between USD$2.5 million to USD$15.5 million to Rumsfeld's net worth.[3]In November 2005, George W. Bush urged Congress to pass $7.1 billion in emergency funding to prepare for the possible bird flu pandemic, of which one billion is solely dedicated to the purchase, and distribution of Tamiflu.

currently George P. Shultz (emeritus) is on board.

Some big names surely benefit from selling Tamiflu and the outbreak of swine flue. Responsible reports do not mention Tamiflu as an effective medication aginst swine flu


http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/tamiflu+expiry+date+can+be+extended/3134062

Tamiflu expiry date can be extended is the title of the article with the above link.
It seems that lots of Tamiflu stocks are about to expire! How to get them disposed of?

a Few reports on CNN and get people freak out about the disease. Wait, but the stocks are about to expiry, no worries, the stocks can still be effective for more two years and all of a sudden, TamiFlu is sold out.

see you after a new flu strain is discovered!

ammar sajdi

A Day forgotten

Today June 5th marks the 42nd anniversery of the 6 day war (1967) in which the west bank of Jordan fell under the occupation by the Israeli Army including East Jerusalem.

twitter

Lots of hype about twitter.

It has forced me to create "follow me on twitter".  But do not expect much from me.

Honestly speaking, i am unable to convince myself of its use for my business. 

my immediate reactions of many twitter sites is WHO CARES, i could imagine myself being responsive to twitter during my teens

compelling statement about software practices

When i read the following quote by Fred Brooks, I felt it is so true that i posted it immediately

"The gap between the best software engineering practice
and the average practice is very wide—perhaps wider than in
any other engineering discipline. A tool that disseminates
good practice would be important."

Fred Brooks

قرات لك

انتزع مني بطاقتي الشخصية
ليتأكد أني عربية
وبدأ يفتش حقيبتي وكأني أحمل
قنبلة ذرية
وقف يتأملني بصمت سمراء وملامحي ثورية
فتعجبت لمطلبه وسؤاله عن الهوية
كيف لم يعرف من عيوني أني عربيه
أم أنه فضل أن أكون أعجمية
لأدخل بلاده دون إبراز الهوية
وطال انتظاري وكأني لست في بلاد عربية
أخبرته أن عروبتي لا تحتاج لبطاقة شخصية
فلم انتظر على هذه الحدود الوهمية
وتذكرت مديح جدي لأيام الجاهلية
عندما كان العربي يجوب المدن العربية
لا يحمل معه سوى زاده ولغته العربية
وبدأ يسألني عن أسمي جنسيتي
وسر زيارتي الفجائية
فأجبته أن اسمي وحدة
جنسيتي عربية سر زيارتي تاريخية

سألني عن مهنتي وإن كان لي سوابق جنائية
فأجبته أني إنسانة عادية
لكني كنت شاهدا على اغتيال القومية
سأل عن يوم ميلادي وفي أي سنة هجرية
فأجبته أني ولدت يوم ولدت البشرية
سألني إن كنت أحمل أي أمراض وبائية
فأجبته أني أصبت بذبحة صدرية
عندما سألني ابني عن معنى الوحدة العربية

فسألني أي ديانة أتبع الإسلام أم المسيحية
فأجبته بأني أعبد ربي بكل الأديان السماوية

فأعاد لي أوراقي حقيبتي وبطاقتي الشخصية
وقال عودي من حيث أتيت
فبلادي لا تستقبل الحرية

الشاعرة الليبية ردينة الفيلالي

My Mom sent me this

It seems that my mon hangs out with a group who are deeply in love with emailing. I get emails from her consistently, the following is one that some of her friends sent her and i found it spectacular

ENLIGHTENED
I've learned.... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.
I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows.
I've learned.... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made myday!' makes my day.
I've learned.... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right.
I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child.
I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't havet he strength to help him in some other way.
I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you tobe, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
I've learned.... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
I've learned.... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.
I've learned.... That money doesn't buy class.
I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
I've learned.... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
I 've learned.... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
I've learned.... That love, not time, heals all wounds.
I've learned..... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.
I've learned... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
I've learned...... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
I've learned... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.
I've learned.... That opportunities are never lost, someone will take the ones you miss.
I've learned.... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.
I've learned.... That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.
I've learned.... That one should keep his words both soft and tender,because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
I've learned.... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
I've learned.... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.
I've learned.... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain,but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.
I've learned.... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.