by Natasha Tynes | Mar 7, 2006 | Everyday me!, Metro Daze
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After returning home from work the other day, I found an unpleasant surprise waiting for me in the mailbox. Amid the junk mail and endless brochures was a notice from the Maryland police. Of course, I was intrigued. I tore the envelope open quickly only to find a paper with three small images of my car running a red light! The first feeling that came into my mind was a sense of being naked — exposed — for the enjoyment of Big Brother.
I was shocked and surprised to realize that I actually did this early one morning. I’m someone who drives very carefully and extremely slowly, something that drives my husband absolutely crazy. "These cameras are just revenue generators!" was his only commentary on the incident. Well, they certainly are controversial. The only reason I can offer for my red light running was being half-asleep while listening to the early morning weather report! The price for this careless behavior: $75! Sigh. No more early morning radio for me! Bring on Green Day. (Image enlarges on click.)
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by Natasha Tynes | Mar 6, 2006 | Jill Carroll
The Christian Science Monitor has a moving feature on Allan Enwiyah, Jill’s interpreter who was killed during her kidnapping. Here is an excerpt:
I worked with Allan while on a stint in Iraq in December, just before the national elections. During those weeks, I came to know an easygoing young man who took his job seriously, but who liked to gossip, always good-naturedly, about Iraqi politicians or international stars. He dressed nattily – crisp jeans and a sport shirt or T-shirt that looked more Western than Iraqi. And while he was interested enough in the politics of what then was an Iraq deep in campaign mode, he saved his passion for his young family.
I had known other interpreters during my stints in Iraq who seemed to use the job to escape their families and those duties, but clearly for Allan, the job — as interesting as it was to him — was a means to an end. He was not a daredevil, not even really a newshound. Which somehow makes his death all the more tragic.
Tomorrow, Jill will have been held captive for two whole months. To her kidnappers I say: Please, have some mercy! Set this innocent reporter and wonderful human being free. Enough is enough!
by Natasha Tynes | Mar 3, 2006 | Jordan, my nation
Since my exodus, it seems things are getting pretty exciting in my hometown of Madaba. According to this story in The New York Times:
Deerfield Academy, with its brick buildings, blazing maples, jacket and tie requirements and powerful graduates, is the quintessential New England boarding school. Soon, it will see its reflection in an unlikely place, outside Madaba, Jordan. Deerfield officials are helping to establish King’s Academy, the Middle East’s first coeducational boarding school, at the request of King Abdullah II of Jordan, who graduated from Deerfield in 1980.
"The idea is to transfer the American-style boarding school to Jordan," said Safwan Masri, a professor at Columbia Business School and chairman of the new academy’s board. "We want to bring the best of American education and create a school like no other in the region, one focused on preparing leaders, both men and women, in the public and private sectors." Construction started in 2004, and the academy is scheduled to open in the fall of 2007. Faculty members will be hired in the coming months.
I think this is quite exciting although I’m not sure how well the "coeducational" aspect of it will be received.
by Natasha Tynes | Mar 2, 2006 | Jordan, my nation
BBC Radio 4 has interviewed the Jordanian couple whose wedding was shattered by a suicide bomber’s attack on Amman’s Raddisson SAS November 9th. Here is the full article. Some four months after the tragedy, the couple says the attack strengthend their faith and that they are determined to go on with their life and enjoy the family they have built. Bride Nadia Al-Alami explains:
I will have good days, I will have bad days. But I have married a wonderful person, I love him and he loves me.
We will have a small family and I will try to be a better person. I think I will have a good life, I didn’t get a chance to have my wedding, so I will work hard to make this a good life.
In the interview, Nadia also lashes out at Al-Qaeda:
Even if we are angry, what are we going to do? Can you tell me where I can find the al-Qaeda people? They are the enemy of humanity, they’re playing the role of God and that is totally wrong. They should go back to our holy book and read it again so they can understand Islam. They are not real Islam. These people want us to go back to the dark ages. If I wanted to be angry I’d do the same as them, but we want to live in peace.
Now some four months after the triple suicide bombings that rocked the Kingdom, Jordan continues to be targeted by low-life barbarians that seem bound and determined to destroy it. Only yesterday Jordan announced it had foiled an attack on a civilian installation. Jordanian writer and blogger and writer Batir Wardam has provided an analysis of the current situation in Jordan:
This is another harsh evidence of the realities imposed on Jordan recently. The country has always been a target for terrorism but the scale and momentum are higher now. The security forces have been able to contain the situation apart from that bloody suicide attack of Nov 9th 2005.
The trend in the future will be even harder. To keep the tranquility and stability in Jordan, the citizens themselves have to offer help to the security forces. This might seem to be rather eccentric for someone who is advocating free speech and liberalization, but unless the Jordanian public comes to the reality that militant Islamists represent a direct danger to the safety of our families there will always be possibility that the terrorists might eventually outsmart the security in one attemt or more.
In case that another, or maybe two consecutive attacks occure in Jordan our lives will change competely and we will go back to living in a police state with security overshadowing democracy. To protect our freedoms, liberties, families, and everything we belive in we have to be an open eye for the help of security forces in one and only one dimension: monitoring and cracking down Islamist fundamentalists.
Indeed. May God bless Jordan and protect it from the barbarians.
by Natasha Tynes | Mar 1, 2006 | Jordan, my nation
What in heaven’s name is happening in Jordan! Early this morning, a hostage drama unfolded in a Jordanian prison and now this:
Jordan has foiled a planned suicide bomb attack on "a vital civilian installation," official state-run media has reported. Two Iraqis and a Libyan, believed to be members of the al-Qaeda terror network, have been arrested in connection with the plot, Petra news agency reported. Police are said to be hunting several other militants, including a Saudi Arabian and three Iraqis. In November 2005, 54 people died in an al-Qaeda bombing of a Jordanian hotel.
Jordanian government spokesman Nasser Judeh said the militants had planned to attack a "vital civilian facility" in the capital in Amman, but he refused to give further details about the nature of the target. Mr Judeh told the Associated Press that police had made the arrests after gaining new intelligence. State-run TV showed photographs of the three detained men, along with images showing automatic rifles and bomb making materials. "The intelligence services seized 4kg (8.8lb) of heavy explosives," a statement from an unnamed a statement from an unnamed security official read out on state TV said.
Source: [BBC]
Yes, I’m worried!
