by Natasha Tynes | Dec 13, 2004 | Jordan, my nation, Media watch
I just have to dash off a quick post to criticize the internet edition of the Jordan Times (JT). When will it ever join the modern world? I find it very disturbing that the JT website lacks the most very basic internet features: An opinion poll, an "e-mail to a friend" button,
or even a printer-friendly format option.
It is even more disturbing that the paper doesn’t have an on-line archive or a proper search engine. The Jordan Times is Jordan’s only English daily and they still can’t get it right! It is really frustrating.
As for the content of the daily, well that’s another story entirely. The quality of the daily, which once was one of the leading publications in the region, has really gone down the drain. In addition to the absence of comprehensive, investigative reports, the daily’s coverage of local issues is mediocre at best; practically non-existent. I’m getting more news about what’s happening in my hometown from blogs and personal e-mails than from the JT Home News page. This is really bad news!
The paper has some good writers, but perhaps not enough since the production output is so low. To be fair to the journalists there, I must say I enjoy Rana Husseini’s pieces, Ahmad Humeid’s weekly ‘Weekender’ columns and Sahar Aloul’s coverage of Jordan’s parliament.
As a former Jordan Times reporter it ails me to see the JT at such a standstill! Something must be done to improve its caliber and it must be done right away!
Okay, I feel much better now.
by Natasha Tynes | Dec 13, 2004 | Media watch
"If anyone has any reason for me to come back I will. I’ll open a supermarket, I’ll do anything. I like it here. I think the region is absolutely beautiful – I cannot get over the how clean the sea is.
The people are so friendly. Some people knew who I was and some didn’t, but everybody smiled and said hello. I have had the best time and I’m trying to figure out how I don’t have to leave."
Source: [Gulf News] via [Mahmood’s Den]
Opening a supermarket! Wow! It seems her love for Dubai is genuine.
by Natasha Tynes | Dec 13, 2004 | Web/Tech
Voting for the 2004 Weblog Awards has and ended. Mental Mayhem came in at number 9. That’s really not bad. Many thanks for everyone that supported and voted for this blog. I was pleased to see Maryam’s blog, So I Want To Be An Astronaut, came in third. Her blog is very inspiring and I really wish her the best in pursuing her dream.
Thanks again go out to all those that voted for this humble blog!
by Natasha Tynes | Dec 12, 2004 | Jordan, my nation
Kuwaiti blogger Mariam has a very compelling entry about Arabs in space.
In her post she mentions the names of the Arabs that have made it into space, including a Saudi prince, a Syrian and a Lebanese-American woman that died in the Challenger shuttle tragedy.
Mariam also suggests the possibility that there might be a Jordanian in space soon via a joint training program between Jordan and Russia. Here is the story.
I never heard of this space program before, but I’m hopeful that one day we will have a Jordanian astronaut! It really could happen.
by Natasha Tynes | Dec 12, 2004 | Weblogs
Today is the last day for voting for ‘Best Middle East or Africa Blog.’ While it looks pretty clear I won’t pull out an upset, I’d really appreciate your vote. For my coalition of the willing, please click the white vote box on the left and follow the prompts.
I just have to dash off a quick post to criticize the internet edition of the Jordan Times (JT). When will it ever join the modern world? I find it very disturbing that the JT website lacks the most very basic internet features: An opinion poll, an "e-mail to a friend" button,
