Disappointed -- Twice

Once in Dubai, and the other one in Windows 7

As usual, GITEX runs in October and our company exhibits as part of the Jordanian Pavilion.

I do not share sentiments with Dubai's large no of fan. I have always had mixed feelings, but now i have only negative feeling. Even though, and from the outside, it has the looks of modern cities, however, there are fews things that cannot but piss you off.

Upon arrival, i headed immediately to the passport control, and after waiting in a queue for quite sometime, i was relieved that it was my turn to check my passport, only to be asked by a friendly lady to go back to the lower floor and take an Iris Signature. Along the way i found many people returning. How Difficult is it for officials in Dubai to install a sign asking arrivals to take Iris signature before proceeding to Passport Control? The same thing happens every day and nobody is taking any action.

I rented a car (things went smooth) and upon hitting the street, i just faced a total mess. Lots of constructions and diversions , which is fine, but the signage is just horrible. You start with a sign and when you reach an intersection or a diversion, the signs do not tell you anything, and if you are lucky, you might find a small sign at exactly the intersection, by which time, it is almost impossible for you to change lanes.

it took me exactly 30 minutes to reach my hotel, because i was going around it for several rounds. I made a visual contact early on, but getting there amongst the mesh of diversion and constructions is something that requires quite a bit of training.

Arriving at the expo grounds is also an adventure. It is located next to Dubai world trade center that is reachable from a large round about!! and you can probably imagine the traffic on round about in busy areas. But when you reach the parking area, you also wait in lines only to find a poor parking area with no asphalt. If you are lucky, you find a parking place; mind you, that we are exhibitors and paying a lot to rent an area in Gitex and, therefore, the least of our expectations is find a proper parking location. There are three parking lots A, B, and C, I noticed that C is the least busy of all, so the next morning i thought i was going to play it smart. I waited in the line, and when i reached Parking A, I skipped it so that i can part in C, only to find that C is closed. Of course , no sign or nothing. It seems that in Dubai you need to improve foretelling and occultism skills. Going back to the line would take me another 20 minutes, so i decided to park at the corner of the street. When i returned to my car in the evening, i found a parking ticket saying that i am parking in an inappropriate location.


What added in my disappointment is the big fuss made by the release of Windows 7. I bought a Laptop running windows 7, and immediately hit incompatibility issues:
1- does not run my Vmware virtualization software.
2- took my a long time to make it connect to my wireless router.

problems with windows 7 made my search for critiques about it, and i would like to share with you this article

Under the Hood, Windows 7 Is Vista's Twin

Who is Microsoft trying to fool? Underneath the fresh coat of paint, Windows 7 looks and runs like Vista. Here are the benchmarks to prove it.

http://pcworld.about.com/od/windows1/Under-the-Hood-Windows-7-Is-V.htm

ammar sajdi

He was a model professor: generous with ideas, gracious with advice, and intellectually curious about many subjects

This is what students of Professor Richard M. Brown said when he passed away on Aug, 22 09.

Brown worked in the Control Systems Laboratory at Illinois (now the Coordinated Science Laboratory) when it was new to campus, helping to set a foundation for digital computer research. He was involved in the creation of such ground-breaking computers as the CSX-1 and the first supercomputer, the ILLIAC IV. PLATO, the first computer-assisted instruction system that helped to develop Internet concepts such as chat rooms and online testing, was helped by Brown’s research on teaching machines.

He did not live to hear what his students had to say about him! He did make a difference and the title just spells it out. If you like it, try to make a difference!

I tried myself, but it seems it shows after we die (if Ever!!!)

Ammar Sajdi

www.realsoft-me.com

www.e-ammar.net

حملة انتخابية بالعيد

كالعادة وكما هو متعارف علية محليا , يدأب المرشح باقتناص الفرص لمجاملة الناس في كل مناسبة بعد سنوات عجاف من البعد والجفاء وانا طبعا واحد من هذا النسيج الاجتماعي ولا اشكل اي استثناء لذا اسمحو لي اخواني واخواتي ان اتقدم لكم بباقة من اجمل التهاني بمناسبة حلول عيد الفطر السعي واذكركم ب

برئاسة الاخ غسان خرفان

البوس ممنوع

القى فايروس N1H1 بظلالة على مراكز الافتاء الاسلامية حيث وردت اخبار ان البوس اصبح مكروها منعا لانتشار الفيروس.

لا داعي للهلع فيبدو ان المنع مؤقتا حيث يتوقع ان يرفع الحظر بعد العيد مباشرة لتستمر عمليات البوس كالمعتاد

Ammar Sajdi

www.realsoft-me.com

www.e-ammar.net

I am surprised too

I am running for Amman Chamber of Commerce board elections

16000 people shall cast their vote on Oct 3, 2009.

To vote, you company must have a captial exceeding 5000 JD and must be registered as a memeber in the Amman Chamber of Commerce.

REALSOFT in the NEWs ريل سوفت

http://www.petra.gov.jo/Artical.aspx?Lng=2&Section=4&Artical=133029 http://www.addustour.com/ViewTopic.aspx?ac=\Economy\2009\08\Economy_issue693_day31_id171383.htm http://www.alanbat.net/news/Viewoldnews.asp?Nid=239474 http://www.alarabalyawm.net/pages.php?news_id=180754 http://www.addustour.com/ViewArchiveTopic.aspx?ac=\Economy\2004\09\EconomyNews_Issue14390_Day9_ID85843.htm

http://www.elaph.com/Web/Technology/2008/11/381301.htm

sample

البرمجيات المتقدمة والحلول النقالة تنفذان تعدادا تجريبيا في قطر

[30/08/2009 12:34]

عمان 30 آب(بترا)- انهت شركتا البرمجيات المتقدمة ريل سوفت والحلول النقالة تنفيذ التعداد التجريبي للسكان والمساكن والمنشآت في دولة قطر . وتم تنفيذ التجربة بالتعاون مع جهاز الإحصاء القطري وشملت 700 أسرة موزعة على 4 بلديات تمهيدا لإجراء التعداد العام للسكان والمساكن والمنشآت في2010. وقال بيان اصدرته شركة ريل سوفت اليوم الاحد هذا أول تعداد تجريبي ينفذ استعدادا لتعداد 2010 في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي. ويعتبر التعداد التجريبي مرحلة مهمة تنفذ في كافة المشاريع المشابهة لاختبار المنهجيات والعمليات والتقنيات والخروج بتوصيات لمرحلة التعداد الفعلي. والبرمجيات المتقدمة شركة اردنية تم تأسيسها في العام 2002 والحلول النقالة شركة شقيقة سيستر كومبني للشركة الاولى. واشتملت التجربة على اربع مراحل لمحاكاة خطوات التعداد الفعلي، حيث تم في كل مرحلة استيفاء استمارة خاصة لبيانات المباني والوحدات السكنية ثم المنشات وفي النهاية جمع البيانات التفصيلية للسكان من مواطنين ووافدين. وجاء في بيان الشركة ان المراحل كافة تمت بسلاسة حيث كان يتم ربط بيانات كل مرحلة بالمراحل السابقة لها لضمان تكامل واتساق البيانات الإحصائية. ومن أهم معالم هذه التجربة استخدام الأجهزة الكفية الالكترونية بي دي ايه المزودة بالخرائط الالكترونية والصور الجوية لجمع البيانات ونقلها إلكترونيا إلى قواعد البيانات المركزية بدلا من الأسلوب التقليدي الورقي. وشركة ريل سوفت نفذت تعداد سلطنة عمان 2003 باستخدام الاجهزة الكفية في ولاية مسقط علما بأن سلطنة عُمان شرعت بالتحضير لتعداد 2010 على مستوى السلطنة باستخدام تقنيات الأجهزة الكفية. يشار ان دائرة الإحصاءات العامة أدخلت وبالتعاون مع الشركة خدمة الاجهزة الكفية في إجراء التعداد الزراعي العام 2007. --(بترا) ف ح/س ج/ س ق.

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.

Zaha Foundation

my Aunt Zaha Jardaneh Mango decided to establish a new non-profit organization called Zaha Foundation. Its main purpose is to serve childhood in Jordan. This effort commenced many years ago when she started the now-successful Zaha Cultural Center. I also happen to be its General Manager

Ammar Sajdi

www.realsoft-me.com

www.e-ammar.net

pursue vs peruse

look carefuly, it is not the difference is not only the second letter

P U R S U E
P E R U S E

To me Pursue is more common and i feel it is widely used, However, the other word PERUSE, that you can mistakenly read as pursue, mean to READ CAREFULY

Cloud Appreciation

clouds are the more subtle manifestations of the weather. There is usually an understated beauty, which is why it is so often overlooked. No wonder, then, they want to show off every once in a while with such explosive, heart-stopping fireworks

visit

http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/

Manifesto

WE BELIEVE that clouds are unjustly malignedand

hat life would be immeasurably poorer without them.

We think that they are Nature’s poetry,
and the most egalitarian of her displays, since

everyone can have a fantastic view of them.

We pledge to fight ‘blue-sky thinking’ wherever we find it.

Life would be dull if we had to look up at
cloudless monotony day after day.

We seek to remind people that clouds are expressions

of the atmosphere’s moods, and can be read like those of a person’s countenance.

Clouds are so commonplace that their beauty is often overlooked.

They are for dreamers and their contemplation benefits the soul.

Indeed, all who consider the shapes they see in them will save on

psychoanalysis bills.

And so we say to all who’ll listen:

Look up, marvel at the ephemeral beauty

and live life with your head in the clouds!