Jordan Gets Militant: The Hashemite Kingdom Listed as 5th Most Military

In a bit of shocking news, Jordan is deemed on of the most militarized countries in the world, beaten only by Israel, Singapore, Syria and Russia. This Jordanian blogger has put some interesting statistics on the matter, but is extremely concerned at the steep funding for the military considering Jordan's current socio-economic climate.

"The economic opportunities and potential it may present must expand beyond the borders of an unsustainable mass employment machine. This naturally requires more than just knowing what the real numbers are, but where they’re being allocated, and more importantly, why."

It seems that the common opinion on climate change is that it is a "first world problem". Well, guess what? First world countries produce the most carbon emissions, but it is the developing world that is set to suffer the most. This is especially true in Jordan where the change has been palpable.

According to this Jordanian environmentalist and blogger, there needs to be greater public awareness of the issue and more government policies to address it.

A plumber and an anthropology doctorate holder are engaged. In Europe, the reaction to this social phenomenon would be: No biggie. In Lebanon and its counterparts, the reaction would be along the lines of: YOU WHAT? HUH? It seems that we're all too busy with our love affairs with doctors, lawyers, engineers and business executives to even pay attention to the craftsmen that keep our universe running.

"How many of us have friends who are electricians (not engineers), bakers (not bankers), tailors (not stylists), carpenters (not interior designers )?"

If you keep up with Middle Eastern entertainment, you might have a vague idea who Maya Diab might be. She is a TV personality who might be confused for a fetish queen/porn star, much like most Lebanese singers and artists. Sadly, in Lebanon, it isn't uncommon that some of these 'outfits' could be worn trip to grandma's.

This Lebanese blogger comments on Maya Diab's fashion choices. Sometimes, less is more, but in this case, less is most definitely less... much much less.

Heart shaped chocolate boxes. Glittering hearts in shop windows. A fake plastic fountain in the mall to badly replicate the Trevi fountain in Rome. Valentine's day is definitely upon us. Love it or hate it, this nifty Lebanese DIY-blogger shows you some clever ways to make your own Valentine's Day card. Who knew newspapers could be romantic!