Things I call Random

Far from the eyes of the dragon
away and apart from all those that once mattered
miles and miles on a drift
It's a journey I took alone
A vow I made and a promise
A Choice
Voices, Shadows and Silence
Dark nights that never ends
Blues, Heartbeats and Despair
It's the Start
Just the Start
A start that very much looks like an end
We go in circles
Souls merge
Thousands of thoughts and more
Red lines
Danger
STOP!
Silence comes again
A Voice breaks the silence
It's time
JUMP!

I hate Mobily's Guts

It all started when I decided to get internet to my studio, and I thought of an easy yet affordable choice, I skipped the ADSL choice, because I knew its a lot of a hassle when you live in a compound in Riyadh, with all the visits and permissions I need to handle first so I just over looked it.

My second option, USB internet connection, and there was two choices on hand, STC or Mobily connect, both refer to two of the mobile operators in KSA, a friend of mine had Mobily and I got a good word about it, and after paying visits to both I’ve decided to go with Mobily’s since its cheaper with relatively the same quality.

At Mobily’s offices, I asked for 1G subscription, that’s SAR100 a month, and entitles you to a 1G of data transfer over one month, if you’ve went beyond the 1G the connection breaks and one needs to recharge, or that what I thought.

I finished my 1G in 20 days, and like a hero, I recharged it with 180 SAR, that’s 100 SAR subscriptions and 80 SAR others so that I would add only 20 SAR only when I recharge the next month, and I waited….. But the connection never got back… I called their customer service and after like two hours of trials I got hold of someone, who told me to pay their offices again and explain the problem.

Next day I went there and explained it, the customer service guy explained that the SIM card that comes with the offer is only for internet use and hence its programmed not to be recharged before the month ends even though the 1G finishes and another 100 SAR is already charged, he added I’ve to wait till the month ends before I can connect again….. I thought that was stupid.

I asked for a solution, you’re asking me to wait 10 days, I might not need it urgently but this is not a service nor a solution, I asked him to convert it to the 5G bundle, It costs SAR 200 a month instead of 100 SAR, but what the heck, @ least I won’t have to wait 10 days to get my connection back,

he said, I need a new SIM Card for this, prepaid cards for mobile connection service don’t allow service alter, a new SIM means a new number, I was stupid enough to go for it, the new number cost 75 SAR and come charged with the same amount, I gave 125 SAR more to make it 200 and give him the ability to subscribe me to the 5G bundle, supposedly he did, and he said 10 minutes sir and you can connect normally.

I went home, not happy about the service much, and the fact I still have SAR 180 SAR stuck in the old SIM card, which can’t be just moved to the new account just like that, I got a limit of SAR 100 daily to pass the credit to another number over 10 Trials each that can’t by pass 20 SAR, again STUPID, but I thought I’ll have time for that later, at least they’re not going anywhere.

I connected normally, felt somehow relaxed I got my connection back, even though it brought some headaches along that I need to look into it some other time, in anyway 24 hrs later, and after using 100M of my new 5000M bundle I got disconnected, and I couldn’t connect back again, what the hell have happened!! Not again! What could it be this time!!

I called the customer care, their system can’t handle calls well, very obvious, lots of people are having problems and no one can get to the service guy to talk to, whenever I press 9 to talk to the customer service guy it transfer me back to the menu options, STUPID, someone picked up at last, after long and multiple trials and I explained the issue.

• Sir, you’ve finished your credits!
• WTF!! NO way I just charged them yesterday, it’s right in front of me now Mr, 100MB only, I still got 4900MB, something is wrong!
• Sir, looks like you didn’t activate the 5G service, in this case, we charge SAR 2/MB
• WTF! This is totally Mobily’s fault, I walked out of YOUR offices thinking all I have to do is just connect the STUPID USB! , I don’t accept this, I want my 200 SAR back!
• It’s not possible Sir, you need to charge again with 200 SAR, and call 1100 to activate the service, don’t plug in the USB before you get a confirming SMS that you’re subscribed to the bundle.
• It’s not my fault, I don’t have to recharge, this is totally your company’s fault, u r ripping me off! You get me back my money!
• Sorry Sir, It’s not possible, is there anything else you need!
• My Money!
• Thank you for calling Mobily, have a nice day.

Just when I thought my problems with Mobily is over I get this, in anyway, I wrote a complaint email about the whole thing and send it, I know it would probably be over looked but at least I didn’t stay still about it.

I gave in to the fact, and I thought to recharge again, Mobily cards are of three segments, SAR 90 and it gives you 120 SAR credit, that’s 30 SAR extra, the other one is SAR 60 and it gives you SAR75, and the final one is SAR 30.

I thought, I’ll buy one 90 and one 60, which gave a total of 120+75 = 195 SAR, and I needed 5 more, so I just thought to transfer the rest from my other SIM card, it still have 180 SAR, I changed SIM and I opened the SAR 180 one, and WTF!! The balance is ZERO, my SAR 180 is gone!!! I’m so furious! It just keeps getting worse in a matter of minutes, where did they go!! I thought they might have activated the account again, so I reconnected using the old SIM but it was the same, no connection!! I really feel like killing someone, I hate Mobily’s guts, this is a total rip off and I’m just watching that!!

I didn’t feel like calling them again, can’t deal with this non sense anymore, I’ll just go buy the damn 5 SAR left, and I’ll deal with them later, I went to the supermarket, had to get SAR 30 since there’s nothing called SAR 5, and I charged it, I dialed *1411# to check the balance, its SAR 224 now, more than enough! Good.

I called 1100 to request the services, as usual, after sometime; I got a response, the guy their said

• You’ve 180 SAR only; you need SAR 20 more to activate it! I was like WTF, not again, my balance is SAR 224, I just checked for god’s sake.
• Sir, it’s SAR 180 on my screen, could you check again!

And after I did:

• Yeah, SAR 224 as I told u, I charged with 90+60+30 where they account for 120+75+30, that’s SAR 224
• Yes, this is for calls only, internet subscription takes the amount as is , 90+60+30 that’s SAR 180, offer doesn’t include internet even though it shows your balance is SAR 224, recharge with SAR 20 more.
• OK FINE, THNX
• Anything else you need sir?
• NO, THANKS
• Thank you for calling Mobily, have a good evening.

I went back and bought another SAR 60 just to make sure it covers the balance, I know SAR 30 would, but I never know anymore what they would come up with.

In simple calculation, on the assumption that this time it’ll work, they would have ripped me off with SAR 380

And by the way, I’m still waiting for their SMS. :(

10,000

Today, My flickr account views reached 10,000, Yeha :D

33 JDs

I was at orange today to renew the subscription for another year, I had to wait for 45 minutes before I got a responce saying, you still have a week left and I can't really pay now because the system doesn't show the due amout for the coming yeat....

anyway that's not the point, the point is while I was waiting, a guy came in, an average 40ish guy I would say, he went to the counter and the following conversation took place.

A: I want to close the account, and disconnect my landline, I don't need my phone anymore...

B: you have to settle the balance before we can disconnet it, that would be 33 JDs.

A: I don't have 33 JDs, I want to disconnect it now, and I'll pay the 33 JDs on monthly installments!

B: Sir, we can't close the account before you settle you bell!

A: I don't have money, any money!

B: your land line would still be active till you settle the account.

A: that means you'll add a monthly subscription on that, even if I didn't use it, the 33JDs that I can't pay now would increase each month! I can't afford that!

B: This is the instructions.

A: but this is redicilous! how can you help!

B: I can't

the guy sweared some words, and walked out!

I do believe this whole situation is stupid, he came with good well and had every intentio to settle his bell, the instruction sucked, he would never pay now, not only because he can't afford to but he also took it personal, orange should be more professional than this, what's the idea behind this is process! what would go wrong if they disconnected his line! the bell is there either way!

the other idea is, YES, its sad, but there are people who can't afford to pay a 33 JDs to settle thier telephone bell. very true! ...... O lessa!

First Gray Hair

I'm getting older, as a matter of fact we all are!!, however I didn't think that the day where age would reflect on my appearence will be arriving this soon, I've not guessed either that at 27, or almost, I would recieve my first gray hair ever, I did, today I've noticed the BIG surprise and gosh how I hate grays :D

A Lawsuit Idea

If you ever bought a coke can, 330mm, and while opening it, the metalic grap actually splitted in half?! , It happened with me, Twice, going through that now you have three choices to drink it:

1. pour it in another cup, which means that the can lost its value... or

2. drink it from the can itself, but please be patient and careful, which also means that you lost the joy of drinking it and ended up worrying about hurting youself or staining your clothes. or

3. have something that would force the other part out, or maybe in, u never know!

in all these cases, the meaning of a refreshing coke has disappeared, u r not getting the taste u wanted nor u r enjoying it.

the point here, do you think this would be a good argument or a valid case to win a Lawsuit for a million bucks versus the manufacturer?! :D

Jordan Festival

It started few weeks back, with all the red flyers promoting for the event covered the roads, it did get my attention, the idea of such a festival was needed for long time I thought, and I was happy it was here finally. It looked like its going to be well planned and organized, lots of singers, Jordanians, Arabs and international, some of which you can enjoy seeing at the same concert.

Parallel with that, there were rumors saying that the organizing company, a French one called “puplicis” had organized before Israel 60th anniversary celebrations of its establishment, hence; few voices were rising to boycott the festival.

Without proven or solid evidence, using nationalism as a cover-up, rumors has become facts; major local unions and communities joined in, and believed in the false cause, protests were held, the Jordanian artists association even took the initiative communicating officially with other associations in the Arab world, like in Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt, explaining to them the lie that they bought, and buying their support to boycott the festival.

The rumor that have started small, has gotten big by now, it made a base, people believed it because of all the fuss that was made over it not to mention it was supported by unions who they trusted, some Arab artists believed the lie as well, and joined the cause, Jordanian artist association even threatened to use its legal right against any artist who doesn’t boycott the festival.

Official voices started to surface, they can no longer watch the festival hit rock bottom over one big fat lie, at first no body cared what the officials say, and no one actually listened. People hate Israel, 15+ years of peace didn’t change a lot of things in this regards, they wanted to believe Israel had something to do with the festival; even in an indirect way, they wanted to believe anything that would give them a feeling of victory, heroism or nationalism supporting something that’s anti Israeli and against normalization.

Officials voices raised up, they are heard now, over the TV, radio, newspapers, and everywhere, true facts need to be cleared before rumors makes anymore damage, and the true story has gone out, it started by the higher association for tourism officials, followed by the minister for media affairs, the minister of tourism, the prime minister and finally the king himself….

“Puplicis” it self, denied it had anything to do with Jordan festival; it even denied further it had organized the event of Israel celebrations in the first place.

Why would all of these people lie, are their sense of nationalism any less than any other Jordanian?! It’s really funny and yet disturbing that our people can be easily hoaxed and manipulated even a respected institutions like the Jordanian artists association.

The important thing is the truth came out and it says the following:

• The organizing party is purely Jordanian.


• The company that helped in contracting with Arab and international artists is French as well, but not “puplicis” in any chance, its name is “Les Visiteurs du Soir” the same company that organized Fairouz concerts outside of Lebanon.


• The festival is starting officially in 2009 where in 2008 the events would be purely artistic to fill in the summer and support tourism.

In anyway the festival is still up running, officials are communicating the true picture to the Arab artists, trying to revive what rumors had almost killed.

The question that should be raised here though, did we really benefit Jordan in this?! Did such un-supported and hasty decisions reflect the picture that we love to show about the country!

another question pops in my mind now too, how would the journalist who made and supported the story would be feeling now, when the king himself said they were a bunch of incompetent and unprofessional people!

Tell you what, and its my personal opinion, and some might hate me for telling this, even if “puplicis” was the organizing company, and even if it had something to do with organizing Israel celebration of establishment, I wouldn’t even boycott the festival, business is business, if the company had the experience, the quality of delivery and the a completive price then why not!

It’s a contracted company and it gets paid for what it does! Feelings should stay out of this, however, this doesn’t mean in anyway that am supportive of Israel though, I’m not, I love my country and is jordanian to the bones, I’m just saying that the least business, emotions and politics mix the more one can just be.

One Night in Jordan - My Story

Well before I even start writing about it, it’s safe to tell, its going to be long…

As a starter, and even I had like 7 or 8 invitations, we ended up just three in there, unfortunately the majority of my friends couldn’t make it, I would say they missed it, because aside from what happened before it started, it was worth it, I did enjoyed it.

I arrived there, it was almost 6:30 pm, I took a cab directly from work, I didn’t want to show up late, the invitation said its going to start at 7:30 pm and that entry isn’t guaranteed after the concert starts, to be in the safe side I rathered being early than late and fortunately I was.

I didn’t expect the security is going be this tight, people should show their invitations on the gate, which is like 300 meters or more away from the theatre itself, once you’re inside you’ll walk to the theatre and then will be directed to the entrance gates depending on the colors of the invitations, I found out that there was classes, some VIPs would set closer to the musicians and enters from different gates, those had their invitations delivered to them, who cares anyhow!, at the end it’s the music not the people, well, more or less at least.

The gate I was supposed check in through was C, the green color, once there, few people where arriving, it was smooth to get inside, though u had to walk to a security guy who would make sure you have nothing dangerous or illegal before you enter, another guy would take the ticket, part of it, and once you’re inside, another guy would tear the invitation to make sure you’re not using it again to let someone else inside.

The C people had to set on the upper seats, a bit far from the musicians but still, I managed to get a good view, everything was visible, it was good, this is the blessing about this kind of theatre, there’s no good or bad seat, there’s only near or far seats which doesn’t matter much, though it would be nicer to have but not a must to.

So far, everything was ok, its almost 7:00 and we’re waiting for 7:30 pm concert, my friend rang me, he arrived, I just had to walk out to hand him the invitation so that he can enter, since most of my friends didn’t show up I had a spare for me as well if there was a problem to get back inside, which was what I expected.

I had to move against the current as they say, at the time everyone else was coming in and I was going out, so you can imagine how it was like, the entrance gate and the exit gate are the same gate actually.

Just to make sure and examine their process of handling a case where someone who’s already inside, his ticket is already torn, have yet a new one and need to go out give it to his friend to let him in, would they allow him back in?! I thought to ask about it

That what had happened in steps:

1. I explained the case to guy number one, who had Zade slogan on his shirt, those guys are there to help people out, I assumed.


2. Guy number one told me to ask a guy number two, who also had a Zade Slogan on his shirt but is closer to the gate.


3. Guy number two said its ok, but I have to tell the security at the door.


4. I told the security lady first, she said I have to have a new invitation, I told her to just look at me, I’m here, I’m inside, this is my ticket, I’m only asking you to let me in when I’m back, I’m delivering a ticket to my friend, she didn’t look in control of such a stupid situation, so at the end she told me to talk to the security guy number two, the same guy who took part of the invitation the first time.


5. The security guy refused, he doubted he can recognize me when I’m back among the thousands that comes through that door, I thought this was a fair point, so I just told him that when a guy comes to you, tell you I’m the one who asked you to remember him, then its going to be me and your going to let him in, he smiled and told me “ twakal 3ala allah”


6. I’m at the gate now, calling my friend to hand him the invitation, just when I was giving it to him, the security noticed me, he ran and took my hand and walked me away, he was frowning, mad for some reason, he said its not allowed to do that, I had to explain again the case, “this my friend I arrived earlier, if I knew this is going to be the case I would have waited outside”. But of course He didn’t listen, he sort of said “ go inside”


7. I didn’t listen of course, I got the invitation, and my friend has every right to come inside, so I moved on to another guy of those who wears Zade slogan again, anyway, I explained the case, I assumed these guys should be able to help, it was worse, he was afraid to make a stupid decision like that, just to let me give the invitation to my friend who’s standing 2 meters away from me, he couldn’t make it, at the end my friend came closer, it was almost like stealing the right moment when no one is looking and I just handed it over, the whole thing was awkward, but funny as well.


8. My friend and I are back inside walking to gate C, lots of people were getting in from that tiny entrance, seeing that I rathered to use one of my new spare tickets instead of having to explain myself over again to the security. After fighting our way through we’re inside, and seated, finally.

The theatre is occupied with people now, a lot more that what was 30 minutes ago, and people are still coming, and they kept coming till the security stopped letting anyone inside.

Its now 7:30 pm, no sign that the concert its going to start soon, 7:45, 8:00, 8:10, Rana Sultan pops out and takes the microphone, she talks a bit about the concert, and about Zade Dirani, she asks everyone to keep smiling through out the concert since its going to be taped and distributed world wide, and the least is for people to see smiley Jordanian faces, It was sort of funny because what she meant that Jordanians are Kishreen by nature, and it was some sort of a favor to smile for the concert, it was a good laugh, however she explained that the concert is starting at 8:30 and apologized for the delay without giving any reasons for it.

I started looking around, it was obvious that the theatre was well occupied with cameras. lights and speakers, every where, as if it was actually designed to be setting like that, I’ve heard that those equipments is of about 30 tons and where shipped via a private commercial plane

The concert started at 8:40 pm, Dirani walked in with a black suit and red t-shirt, different I would say but nice, they played Zeina directly, once finished everyone clapped, I would say clapped with passion, the piece played was brilliant, I think one of the best he played during the concert, the voice quality was excellent. A word to say, it was indeed a concert that people worked hard to pull out like that.

Dirani’s continued playing his brilliant pieces one after another, at one point, several brilliant artist joined in solely which added another taste to the concert, they were really good musicians, they played like I never heard or see anyone has played with this greatness before, and at the end of each piece people had no other choice but to clap genuinely.

Dirani explained before starting every new piece the story behind it, and I thought it was thoughtful to do that, because it gets you in the mood, and you would at some point live the idea, still its normal that one would favor one piece over the other, but the overall ranking I would say it was excellent.

Music is an international language, and the message of peace and love was delivered as it was intended too, some people may doubt that, their reference would be the words and the language used, the instruments as well, how can we deliver this message playing the music of the west, its better to deliver it using our tones and our language, I don’t really support this, it could make sense to some extent, but for me the message was delivered through the theme itself, the music, the composition and the overall harmony in the pieces played, this was the whole idea.

The Concert came to an end at around 10:00 pm, thanks were given to everyone, and Zade and the orchestra left the stage, while so, fireworks took the scene, there were lots of them, shining over the old roman theatre and dispatched to the sky from Jabal Elqal3a, you would feel they are very close, was scary and beautiful at the same time, I would assume it added a nice closure however I also think it gave the musicians the chance to leave before the audience start to, which was clever somehow.

I would sure be looking forward to see the DVD of the concert, I want to listen again to those master pieces and live the event once more.

In the end, the concert was great, no doubt about that, however the event management needs attention, I’ve heard later that a lot of people couldn’t not come inside even with their VIP invitations, rumors said, invitation distributed where a lot more that what could the theatre absorb, I also heard there was a problem in the valet parking, some people waited for hours before they got back their cars, hope lessons are learned from this for later major events.

God bless

Flash : Pepsi vs Cocacola

just a simple remark, and actually it was so obvious but I just found out, did you know that pepsi cans are taller than that of cocacola!!, I always thought they are the same, even in taste were alot of people can debat here.... but really pepsi are taller ;)

Drowning Block

I came home yesterday after I've finished work, I live in a block filled with studioz and neighbours that I don't even know... I guess around 36 people lives in the same building and do not ask me why!...

In anyway, going through the main entrance, I was surprised to see the block drowning with water, seems one of the machines in the lundry room has broken down and water were every where, flooding the place.

It was coming from up stairs and going down stairs in the whole three floors, some of the studioz on each side have been affected, I'm sure some of the water went inside as well, lucky me, the Tiles I got lately instead of the carpet made the level of the studio a bit higher than to allow the water in