President Musharraf on the Blasphemous Cartoons

Image Source: http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk

President Musharraf of Pakistan was asked by a TV publication if the West's stance over the sacreligious depictions of Propher Muhammad were negating their goodwill acts, and he responded by saying: "To a degree, yes". Recent violence in protests have taken the lives of a little under 30 people around the world. There have been some violent, some peaceful rallies and protests in many of the major cities around the globe. Click here to read Mr. Musharraf's response to the question.

The "L" word

Image Source: www.ianai.net

Click on the image for a better quality display.

Vice-President Cheney shooting Incident - Opinion

I'm sorry I haven't been able to cover this story that has seiged almost every news channel and every talk show in America. Mr. Cheney 'accidently' shot and injured Harry Whittingington, a lawyer from Texas while they were on a quail hunting trip in a ranch in Texas.

According to press reports, Mr. Cheney mistakenly shot a 78 year old man, Mr. Whittington during the quail hunting expedition, in the words of ranch owner Katherine Armstrong, "peppering" the gentleman. The incident has been viewed as comical to many people due to the absurd idea of confusing a quail with a 78 year old man. Jon Stewart from the daily show made a huge mockery of the incident, stressing on the words: "shot him in the face".

Also, they played a clip of the White House spokesman, Scott McLellan announcing the agenda for the press conference. The agenda listed various issues, except for the shooting incident. The clip that was played showed McLellan saying: "I'd be happy to answer any of your *clears his throat* questions". Now generally, when someone is about to lie, or is inconfident, they clear their throat, giving away the cover, which Jon Stewart ridiculed again and again.

Quite frankly, I believe there are many more important issues to be addressed, but every now and then the American media needs something to entertain the American population to help release some of the stress from their mundane lives.

Happy Valentine's Day!

To all those lovers out there who are just as crazy about their partners as I am, I wish you all a very Happy Valentine's Day! Utilize this day to show the one you love most how important they are to you. Show them what they mean to you, and how you will be by their side, at all times. This Valentine, I give my heart all over again to my beloved girl R (Sorry I can't give out her real name) as I have over the past 3 years. I love her to death, and I pledge my loyalty to her for the rest of my life, despite the fact that we've been away from each other for 3 years and we may not see each other for another 2 more years. There can be no distance long enough to break the strings of love. I love you, R!

Response to SandMonkey's Rantings

This guy argues here that it was wrong to publish cartoons by the Egyptian newspaper, Al-Fagr in October, a month after they were originally published in a Danish newspaper called Jyllands-Posten. He had earlier taken snaps of the Egyptian newspaper showing the offensive cartoons. He argued that Muslims were being hypocritical by overlooking the same offense by an Egpytian newspaper and since Egypt is a Muslim nation, Egypt should be boycotted too.

Well, too me it seems stupid for him to say that, especially when he agrees that the Egyptian newspaper printed them to spread awareness amongst the Muslims of the world about these cartoons. Like every newspaper and television, they wanted to show visual evidence to the world by reprinting them. Now some may argue that the newspaper should have made its readers aware by writing an editorial on it, depicting the cartoons in writing. Sure, an article could have been written about it, but how effective would that be?

Imagine this, after the unfortunate event of 9/11, one newspaper writes an article on the monumental tragedy that occured on the day, without images. Does anyone think that would be effective? I certainly do not think so, at least not in todays world. Todays news media thrives on images, videos, and of course, written compositions. Some may say this was never such a major issue, but they would be wrong again, due to lack of knowledge this time. Blasphemy is considered a huge crime in the Islamic code of law, simply because respect for God, His Holy Book (The Qur'an) and His Prophets are all extremely important components of the religion.

If there are Muslims who are protesting because the cartoons were printed at all, then in that case, they should, according to SandMonkey, protest against the Egyptian newspaper and their government. If the Norwegian, French and German newspapers were republishing those cartoons to make people aware of what the cartoons entailed, then in that case, I personally do not have a problem with it, but perhaps there may be other Muslims who do not want the cartoons printed at all.

Being a pacifist, I think it is extremely wrong to anger someone by attacking or offending them personally (especially in the presence of other people), and then expecting them to take it as a joke. Any self-respectful person would find that offensive, and a knee-jerk reaction to such an action would obviously be an undesirable one. It is in human nature to be defensive or offended when something they cherish so much is made a mocker of, in front of the entire world. People without faith would never understand why this issue has been exaggerated to such a point.

Place yourselves in the position of a person who is assaulted from all sides of the world, mocked, provoked, and yet told to keep silent, not protest and accept it as humor. That is the position of Muslims today.

Danish Cartoons in Egyptian Newspaper

It has come to my attention that a blogger from Egypt came across a copy of Al-Fagr, which supposedly reprinted the original, Jyllands-Posten controversial cartoons of Muhammad a month after the original caricatures were published. As you can see here, he has been kind enough to take snapshots of the newspaper, and circled the dates for our convenience. He claims Egypt should be boycotted as well by Muslims because an Egyptian newspaper had done exactly what Western Newspapers have been doing. However, what he has failed to specify is WHY Al-Fagr had printed those cartoons. I seriously doubt this newspaper printed those cartoons to make a mockery of Islam and its most valued icon, Prophet Muhammad.

I do not care if there are newspapers covering this controversy and in the process, showing these images. What I am concerned about is why they were printed in the first place. There may be some, who are against the idea of reprinting them altogether, but I believe to illustrate a news piece, it is important to add some visual aide. This is exactly what Al-Fagr and other Western newspapers may have been trying to accomplish and to protest against that is not sensible to me. The fact that the Danish newspaper printed it in the first place is most bothersome and all opposition must be against that particular newspaper, and perhaps the government, but not the media that is helping getting the word out to the rest of the world. The German, French, Norwegian newspapers are printing those cartoons to show the world what this global commotion is about, which is exactly what this issue demands.

Mr. Sandmonkey would do us all a big favor if he translated the news caption and informed us whether the cartoons were printed with the intention of mocking the religion, or to inform other Muslims about the issue. If the latter is the case, and it adds fuel to the Muslim anger, then it is serving the correct purpose, because such irreverence should not be committed by anyone, and all Muslims should be informed about it so that a united stand can be taken against such acts. Of course, pursuing violent methods to get one's point across is futile and should not be sought at all, and it is something that has simply plunged the issue from moderate to critical. Let us hope that this controversy ends soon and we can all go back to living our lives and also hope that people can be sensible and rational enough not to anger other people when they know beforehand that the repercussions of their actions may result in contention.

Saddam's overthrow may be costly - News

The head of Israel's domestic security agency, Yuval Diskin, has said his nation may regret having toppled Saddam Hussein. Read on.

"When you dismantle a system in which there is a despot who controls his people by force, you have chaos. I'm not sure we won't miss Saddam" - Yuval Diskin.

Ashurah, the 10th of Muharram

Ashurah is the 10th of the month of Muharram on the Islamic calendar, an important day in the lives of Muslims. For the Shiites, it is a day to mourn the death of the Prophet Muhammad's newphew, Hussein. For Sunnis, it is a day observed for fasting because on this day, when the Prophet Muhammad migrated to Madinah, the Jews in the area were fasting in remembrance of Moses. Therefore, Muslims at the time had adopted this as a day for fasting too, in remembrance of the great Prophet, Moses.

Gmail + Gtalk = Oh Snap!

In it's latest marketing move, Google has integrated Gtalk with Gmail, and will soon be available to its patrons. Users will be now be able to chat with their contacts while being logged in to their Gmail accounts! For more details, click here.

Anti-Islamic, Blasphemous Cartoons

It's all over the news, and it has stained the reputation of Denmark not only in the Islamic world, but in the West as well. Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten recently printed an article on self-censorship, along with an illustration of the Holy Islamic Prophet, Muhammad, in an extremely offensive cartoon strip. Islam forbids iconography and any sort of visual depiction of Prophets and God, such as in paintings, etc.

The controversial and proposterous cartoons triggered a wave of fury amongst in the middle east, and is fast spreading all over the Islamic world. Already, Saudi Arabia has boycotted all Arla Products, a mega-food giant based in Denmark. Also, the Municipal Council of Sharjah (one of the seven states of the United Arab Emirates) is the first official organization to approve of the boycott of Danish products by major supermarkets in UAE. Major supermarkets and retail stores in Qatar have also discontinued carrying Danish products.

In addition, Saudi Arabia has already withdrawn its ambassador from Denmark and Libya has closed its Danish embassy. In response to the growing anger against the intolerant publishing, Denmark has advised its citizens against traveling to Saudi Arabia.

There have been huge protests against the cartoons and day by day, the protesters seem to grow more and more vocal and infuriated, mostly due to the insensitive remarks and moves by most of the Europeans nations and their leaders. For more information, you may find the following links below helpful. I will try my best to constantly update this post with the latest news on this issue.

- Chirac warns media over Muhammad Cartoons

- Dutch MP Backs Muhammad Cartoons

- Iranian newspaper issues Holocaust caricature challenge

- Danish embassy in Beirut torched

- Muslim Lawyers to sue newspaper for sacreligious cartoons

- Danish and Norwegian embassies assaulted in Syria

- World Reaction to the controversy

- Reaction to the depictions from World Leaders

- European Press Review

- Insensitive and Ignorant remarks add fuel to fire

- Cartoon controversy hits France

- Danish Firms Face Economic Pressure

- Sharjah Municipal Authority bans Danish products

- Denmark Advises citizens against traveling to Saudi

- Boycott on Danish and Norwegian products

- French and German newspapers publish blasphemous cartoons

Lahore Marathon 2006

Image Courtesy: LahoreMarathon.com

The 2006 Lahore marathon was sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank for a second time in a row and took place on the 29th of January, 2006. The 5, 10 and 42 Km event was inaugurated in 2005, thanks to a relentless effort by the Cheif Minister's Task Force in Lahore and excellentsponsorship by the Standard Chartered Bank. The marathon gathered controversy because it isa mixed-sex race, which was opposed by many conservatives around the nation. The race continued peacefully, and hopefully we will see another one next year around this time. For more information, please visit the Lahore Marathon website.

Google's defends Customer Privacy

Image Source: www.inetu.net

Google's war against the US department of Justice has cost them dearly, with their stock taking a 10% drop in one day. The US department of Justice has requested Google to give up a week's worth of information that is transferred over the google search engine. At this point, it is unclear as to why the US Justice department has requested information for a specific period of one week.

A subpoena was all that was requisite to milk out all the information that was necessary, possibly justified in the name of the "War against terror". Google has denied the request for the moment, but it remains to be seen how long it can hold its ground on the battlefield against the US Department of Justice. Read more here.

Stampede at Hajj

At this year's Hajj, over 350 people lost their lives in a stampede while performing the 'stone throwing' ritual. Over 2 million pilgrims perform Hajj each year, and the arrangements for such an enormous communion are phenomenal. However, it is a difficult task to prepare a relatively small area for an influx of such a huge number of people and hence, accidents result. There have been stampedes in the past at the same site, and the bridge on which the ritual is performed has been renovated and reinforced several times to accommodate the large number of pilgrims. For more information on the tragic stampede that occurred this year, please click here.

Crossing the line - News

The recent air raids have
angered locals and the
media in Pakistan

Image Source: BBC

Recently, US airplanes had entered Pakistani airspace and conducted an air raid which has angered the entire nation. Questions are being raised by media journalists and another concerned citizens as to how much power the US has been given by the Pakistani authorities. Entering a soverign nation's airspace without prior consent is generally regarded as a sign of disrespect and at times, a call for war. However, since the war in Afghanistan, Pakistan is seen as a strong ally to the US. This recent incident has angered everyone within Pakistxan because this is not the first time that the US has extended it's war on terror beyond the borders of it's own battlefield. Pakistani newspapers have been extremely critical of this action by the US military and demands answers. Read more here.

Iran in hot water - NEWS

Lately, Iran has resumed it's Nuclear development programme, which has caused unease in the UN security council. The possibility of a military intervention by the UN is becoming likely by the day. Iran has recently announced that it is prepared to compromise with the UN, but it remains uncertain how far the Iranian government is willing to go with the negotiations and diplomacy. Read more here.

Happy Eid! Eid Saeed! Eid Mabrook!

Salam Alikum! I would like to wish the loving, peaceful and united people of the religion of Islam, a very peaceful, safe, and blessed Eid Mubarak! May Allah shower you all and your families with blessings and May He make this Eid full of joy.

Who are better friends: Men or Women? - Humor

A friend emailed this to me a few days ago, and I thought it was worth sharing with everyone. Here it is:

Who are better friends; Men or Woman ?

* Women:*

A wife was not at home for a whole night. So, the next morning, she tells her husband that she stayed at her friend's apartment overnight.

The husband calls 10 of her best girlfriends, and none of them confirm that.

* Men:*

A husband was not at home for a whole night. So he tells his wife the next morning, that he stayed at his friend's apartment overnight.

So the wife calls 10 of his best friends : 5 of them confirmed that he stayed at their apartments that night, and the other 5 are claiming that he still is there with them !

Bomb Blast in Iraq kills 120 - News

Two suicide bomb blasts rocked Karbala and Ramadi, killing nearly 60 civilians in each city. In fresh violence, a roadside bomb killed five American soldiers. Read on...

Sharon in Critical Condition - News

Sharon is undergoing
an emergency operation

Image Courtesy: http://www.quaderns.net/

Israeli Prime Minister has been transferred to surgery room for yet another operation after a brain scan revealed more bleeding in his brain. Mr. Sharon had suffered a major stroke and has since been in induced coma. At the moment, his duties are being handled by his deputy, Ehud Olmert. Read on..

Christmas Lights + Music = Fabulous!

The hottest video on the net right now!

This is the greatest combination of Christmas lights and fast-paced music. The lights and the music are so well synchronized, it is absolutely amazing. Click the image or Click here to watch the video.

Bin Laden's neice reveals herself

Wafah Dafour posing for GQ

Bin Laden's neice Wafah Dafour, who was born and raised in the US claims she has nothing to do with Bin Laden and his family. Wafah is a model and a musician and recently, has attracted much attention following the release of some steaming hot images of her in the American magazine, GQ. Click here to read more.

Drop it like a FOB!

Another "humorous" home-made comical video, a parody of Snoop Dogg's "Drop it like it's HOT".

World's First Face Transplant

The world's first face transplant
took place in France.

A French woman has undergone a face transplant following the mauling of her lips, nose and chin by her dog. Read about it here.

Sri Lanka Ready For War

A Sri Lankan soldier stands guard
at a checkpoint

A Sri Lankan Military chief has announced that they are prepared to engage Tamil Tiger rebels, but also added that they would not breach the cease-fire. Read on.

No renewal of truce with Israel: Hamas

Meshaal leads Hamas from his
Damascus headquarters

The Hamas political leader has said that the truce with Israel that ends at the end of this year will not be renewed. Read about it here.

Child marriage: The Jirga way

Quite surprisingly, the custom of child marriage still exists in some of the most rural parts of the world. Unfortunately, since these prehistoric traditions - mind you, not associated to national culture or religion - have been handed down from past generations, they can not be eliminated so swiftly. Additionly, they do not receive the spotlight of the media, since such incidents give nations a bad name, and so they continue to exist without any government interference, even though where they exist, at least in the following case, such acts go against the religion that the nation upholds with such fervor.

One girl from Pakistan, Amna, has decided to break this trend with her opposition to this long practiced custom, following the footsteps of the brave and determined Mukhtar Mai, to step forward and speak out against this oppressive and binding tradition called "Vani". Read about it here.

Wok the F***?

This is hilarious. By the way, it's PhÓ, not Pho.

Curry and Rice Girl

The great internet fad of conjuring up one's creativity, coupled with a lack of responsibilities has caught on amongst the South Asians, as is evident in the following video. Presenting to you, a masterclass, quite aptly from 'Fobbed out entertainment', "Curry and Rice Girl".

Bonsai Kitten

Recently, there has been a petting floating around the internet via email, in the form of a chain letter. That itself should be enough information for most internet enthusiasts to that it is a hoax and a waste of time. The letter asks people to electronically sign their names in the email and then forwarding it to everyone they know. The 'petition' will be used to have this website shutdown, which the email claims was shut down last year, but is back up again.

This website is ridiculous and is an act intended to anger animal rights activists, left-wing liberal democrats, and the 'tree-huggers'. Please do not spend more than 5 minutes on this idiotic website, as their claim to sell kittens boxed in glass cubes is simply false. The makers of their website are charlatans, just as the makers of the http://www.manbeef.com website were, which claimed to sell human beef to 'special customers only', and was exposed a couple of years ago.

The site was run by a 16-year old, who had excellent web designing and authoring talent, and who convinved many people to believe in the authenticity of the website. The site has now been turned in to an adult website. Please disregard any emails that claim to be petitions and are circling around from inbox to inbox in the form of a chain letter. It's a waste of time and bandwidth as this website so appropriately claims.

Bus Driver - Symbol of Bravery

This is an amazing story of a man in India, who risked his life to save the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians. He has become a symbol of bravery in his region, and all that is noble and righteous. Read the full story here.

The David Blaine Charm

Hello folks,

I've posted some pretty amazing tricks by David Blaine before, but this next one surpasses all other tricks he has attempted before. Check it out:

David Blaine Levitation

Here is another cool trick by David Blaine the illusionist:

David Blaine Risking it

Enjoy!

Ali G vs Beckham and Posh Spice - Comedy

I was looking through the huge collection of humorous and some very intersting videos at Metacafe, and I found this comic relief episode featuring the notorious Ali G interviewing David Beckham and Vidtoria 'Posh Spice. It is quite hilarious, yet, somewhat offensive.

Useless Disclaimer: The following video contains some explicit humor and may be offensive to some people. It may not be suitable for all ages, races, genders, nationalities, and even followers of certain religious ideologies and/or cults.

Watch the video here.

French Riots

Image Courtesy: CBS News

The people of North African descenct (i.e., Algerians and Moroccons, etc) have been living in France for over several generations now, and of course, due to their extremely rich and diverse religious, and geographical culture, they have not been able to mingle with the average Frenchman, mostly, because the intolerant and traditional egotistical nature of the French. Minorities in other European nations face the same issues, but they all have a plan to tackle these problems.

The UK was the first to experience a major wave of immigrants from India and Pakistan, which lead to the creation of the derogatory slur: "Paki", which was used to patronize people of South Asian (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indian and Sri Lanka) and even Middle Eastern descent, and there is still a lot of contention between the local white populace and the immigrants, however, due to the huge population of the latter, the British locals are kept in check.

The French on the other hand, never bothered to address the issue of racialism, intolerance, and inter-racial relations, nor did they ever consider these immigrants as equals, or even close. After years and years of repression by the French people and the government, and with the government stamping new sanctions on what people can and can not wear in public schools, the inner hatred in this massive minotry blew up in the face of communal riots.

There was a protest in progress, where two middle eastern kids were standing amongst a group of people, when they thought the police was beginning a chase after them. They ran twoards a fence that was armed with high voltage electricity, and because they were so scared, they jumped on to it, and were badly charred and electrocuted to death. One of the three kids somehow managed to survive, and told this to local officials.

Some local politician visited these ghettos where the North Africans (Berbers, who were taken over by the Arabs during the Goldern Era of the Islamic civilization many centuries ago. These berbers mixed with the Arabs, but there is still discord between the two groups in the North African nations) live, and called the protests and the area as "gangrene" and "rabble", which sparked huge riots in the city of Clichy and even Paris and the outlying suburbs.

Till date, over a thousand cars and trucks have been torched amidst these riots, and there have been peaceful protests in other places, but the whole situation is being handled in a very unorganized fashion by the authorities. France needs to address the issue of inter-racial mixing before a second revolution is stirred up.

The Daily 49er

Hello everyone! I had submitted an article to my University newspaper, and they were kind enough to publish it! Please take a few minutes and read it. Your support is wholeheartedly appreciated. Thanks!

Article available at:

The Daily 49er

Eid Mubarak - Eid Mabrook - Eid Greetings!

Image Courtesy: Eid-Cards.com

Hello friends. The enduring month of Ramadan has culminated, and will be followed by a day of feasting, joy and celebration! Eid is an event of jubilation, commemorating the end of the Holy month of Ramadan. During Eid, Muslims perform an early morning congregational prayer in a Masjid (Mosque – A place of worship for Muslims), exchange gifts, wear new clothes, visit each other, and pay a small amount of money to the young ones – in short, display our unity and love for our brothers and sisters. It is a special occasion of rejoice, and you can smell the aroma of tantalizingly appetizing meals from nearly every house celebrating Eid. Eid away from home is quite understandably not the same as it would be with the family, however, on this occasion, it is our friends that become our family. I wish you all a very safe, happy, and blessed Eid!

Something Interesting

Type the word 'Failure' in google without the quotation marks and click on "I'm feeling Lucky" and observe the result. Enjoy!

A day without....

Imagine a day without eyesight....

You are unable to see the lovely faces during the day, the vividly colorful flowers, the lush green grass of the fields, the radiant blue sky, the translucent, turquoise ocean....

Imagine a day without the sense of smell.....

You are incapable of distinguishing between the mouth watering aroma of a freshly baked apple pie and an oven toasted butter croissant, nor are you able to enjoy the near eupohric fragrance of your favourite cologne or perfumes. You are indifferent to the tantalizing smell of a healthy, bloody-red rose as you are to the pungent odor that radiates from a dead, rotting fish....

Imagine a day without the sense of hearing....

You are immune to the annoying, sound of the heavy-doppler-effect-creating 18-wheelers that flash past the balcony of your aparment, and at the same time you wish you weren't. You are able to see lips all around you constantly opening and closing, but they all seem like fishes that do so repetitively without being audible. You want to go to the movie theater, but you can't because you can't appreciate the boisterous, yet crystal clear sounds generated by the huge, commercial speakers that make watching movies in theaters a unique experience....

We as humans take everything we possess for granted, without realizing the importance of certain possessions or gifts from God. If we were to God forbid lose one of our senses, or an important organ one day, could you possibly fathom how difficult life would be, being aware of the fact that you once had something priceless which you no longer have, and may most likely never again possess? Close your eyes, walk up to someone in the house, and without uttering a word, ask them to take you to the fridge, and if you can accomplish the two, block your nostrils by pinching your nose and holding it down while eating an entire meal. Think about what it would feel like to live your life in the above manner for the rest of your life, without the sense of eyesight, without the sense of hearing, or without the ability to speak. Think.

Lessons for Ramadan

Hello folks,

I read this article and I thought it was worth sharing with you all. For those of you who fast, read it, and apply it in your lives. Fast for the sake of Allah, and May He accept them.

Ayah from The Noble Qur'an on fasting:

" O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-"

Please read the following article on Fasting:

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IC0311-2133

Devastation Strikes South Asia

An example of the devasation caused by
the massive, richter 7.6 earthquake

Pakistan, India and Afghanistan were struck with one of the region's worst ever Earth quakes a couple of day ago. Pakistan was most affected by the severe jolts that were felt across the entire Northern Region of Pakistan. The resulting death toll from the earthquake is estimated to be over 20,000 and rescue operations are in full effect. President Musharraf has declared an implicit state of emergency by sending in relief efforts and pleading for International aid to the affected region.

On October 8th, 2005, as little children innocently sat in their classrooms, women washed the dishes and prepared meals for their families, the old and the feeble rested comfortably in their houses, unaware of the terrible wrath that awaited them, disaster struck. The entire Northern region of Pakistan and the outlying areas were afflicted with one of the most devastating natural calamities in recent times, not to forget the massive earthquake that destroyed the city of Bam in Iran last year. The roof of a Pakistani school collapsed and killed 250 girls on the spot, and another 250 soldiers who were stationed in the Himalayan range were also killed. According to current estimates, approximately 20,000 people have been reported dead, while over 40,000 have been injured. Rescue operations have already begun in most parts of the affected areas, however, there are certain low-lying regions and valleys that are extremely inaccessible; firstly, due to the nature of the landscape and secondly, due to the sheer amount of rubble that has cluttered the area due to this monumental earthquake.

When last year’s Tsunami unfolded on the 26th of December, 2004, donations and aid efforts were immediately underway. Unfortunately, since the media is unable to cover the extent of the damage caused by this catastrophe, people around the world are unaware of the severe agony that the victims of this earthquake are going through at this time. Death and destruction anywhere in the world is equally saddening, but if one were to compare the death toll that resulted from hurricane ‘Katrina’ to the earthquake in South Asia, we find that the difference in significant. While the final reported death toll from Katrina was close to 1,000, the estimated dead reported within two days from the South-Asian earthquake is close to 20,000, and some reports suggest that it may be closer to 30,000. Since human life all over the world should ideally be judged equal, the amount of aid required to assist the victims of this Earthquake should be twenty to thirty times more in this case. In fact, in the case of Katrina, some early warnings were issued before obliteration struck, whereas in the case of this Earthquake, people had absolutely no information about the annihilation that was coming their way. Furthermore, the resources available at Pakistan’s disposal in comparison to the US are infinitesimal, and hence they will require much more foreign assistance.

Wealthy nations such as the US and UK have already promised assistance and conveyed their deepest condolences, but that is only a fraction of the help that these innocent people require. Kuwait and the US have pledged $100m and $50m respectively, which will mostly cover the cost of food, clean water and other supplies for 40,000 displaced people. Coping with such large scale disasters requires not only food and supplies, but monetary assistance to clear out the rubble using expensive machinery and equipment, along with funds to support temporary refugee camps and set up relief centers. Religion and culture aside, it is our duty as fellow human beings to help those affected by this terrible infliction in their time of desperation. Many of those affected by this disaster are innocent children who do not have the strength to life the heavy bricks and cement walls under which they lie in agony, helpless and hopeless. Together, we can bring them hope by donating to this generous cause. A few dollars that we spend on buying coffee, cigarettes, and snacks can be utilized for a better purpose by contributing to numerous charities and relief funds that are working day and night to help save people who are still alive and stuck underneath massive piles of rubble. I urge all of you to help out in every way possible, so that the feeling that humanity has lost hope is proven wrong.

Please help the victims of this terrible tragedy by donating generously at the following relief centers:

Edhi Foundation (Recommended)

Islamic Council of North America

Kashmir International Relief Fund

International Federation of Red Cross

OXFAM

Islamic Relief

Thank you and May God Bless you all.

War on Humanity!

President Bush says the Iraqi insurgents
are waging a war on humanity

First, Mr. Bush declared a war on terror, then a war on poverty, then a war on hunger, and now he has declared the Iraqi resistance a "War on Humanity"! Mr. President says the resistance from Iraqi insurgents and other "Islamic" militant organization (An indirect strategy to defame the religion, even though not all the Iraqi insurgents may be Muslims. In fact, the insurgents are fighting for their country, and not religion, but who's going to tell that to Dubya?)

Here's an article on BBC reporting Mr. Bush's new slogan, since the old one's such as: "Progress", "War on Terror", "Weapons of Mass Destruction", and "No timelines" are getting old.

Ramadan Kareem!

A very happy and Blessed Ramadan to all of you! For those of you who are unfaimiliar with this term, it is a month of fasting that was ordained by God to his righteous followers. It is the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar, which happens to be a purely Lunar Calendar. During this month, Muslims all around the world eat and drink before sunrise till the sun goes down. At sunset, they resume eating and drinking with a heavy meal in some places, whereas some prefer to simply 'break' their fast by having a few dates and water, the traditional way followed by the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H). However, those who do not indulge in eating a heavy meal, do have dinner, but usually an hour or so after breaking their fast.


Various dishes for the breaking of the fast
The most important rules to follow while fasting are quite simple actually. Most importantly, we are to live our lives as pious muslims - something we should be doing normally as well. During Ramadan, we are to especially observe strict adherence to the fundamental Islamic laws. These 'laws' are simply principles of life that are sanctioned by God, apart from not eating and drinking; respecting others, not stealing, not lying, not hurting anyone, praying 5 times (on time), and following various other moral rulings. The month of Ramadan is our opportunity to receive salvation by following the canons that govern fasting. For one whole month, each day, we wake up in the morning to eat and drink, and then cease to do so until sunset. The month of Ramadan is followed by a celebration called "Eid", which marks the end of the arduous month of Ramadan. Ramadan Mubarak to everyone once again!

Tagged...

Tagged by: Raheel

The rules:
1. Go to your archive.
2. Find your 23rd post.
3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest)
4. Post the text of the sentence with these instructions.
5. Tag 5 people.

The fifth sentence of my 23rd post was:
So grab your hookah and tea and read on!
*This came from my post about new updates that I was going to post on the site.*

I have to Curse err... Tag 5 more people.
1) Maria
2) Danika
3) Shirazi
4) Natasha
5) Abbas

Moving....

It's such a hassle. During the last couple of days, I've been busy moving my stuff and hence I haven't been able to post anything new. I'll be back again soon once I've move everything in to the new apartment and get back on track with my studies! Take care folks!

Tom DeLay in trouble - News

"I'm an Israeli at heart.
Go on killing Palestinians."

Mr. DeLay, The Republican majority leader has been charged with a criminal conspiracy by the grand jury in Texas. I hope this racist scum goes behind bars for a long period. He is one of those people you would like to issue the captial punishment to, but you can't becuase of their position in the government. Take a look at his view on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Here is the full report on the details of the charges against him:

"Bush ally faces criminal charge"

Ol' Billy the Bully - Talking Point

"Loud means right!"

Abbas Halai posted this masterpiece on his blog titled "Hulleye Comes by", which I absolutely had to share with everyone. All those who seek impartial News sources are probably already familiar with conservative talk show host, Bill O' Reilly and his ranting on FOX News' "The O' reilly factor". O' Reilly had recently invited former talk show host, Phil Donahue on the set to question his stance on supporting Cindy Sheehan, mother of U.S. Army Specialist, Casey Austin Sheehan who was killed in action during a reuses mission for which he volunteered.

Sheehan has held many protests against the war in Iraq and represents the sentiments of many mothers who have lost their children to this over-stretched occupation of Iraq. Although I do not support her stance on pulling the troops out of Iraq so hastily, I do feel sorry for the loss of her son.

Bill O' Reilly has this repugnant attitude of screaming and shouting to get his point through, especially when his opponent in the argument is right. This is exactly what he did when Donahue appeared on his show, pointing his finger at the guest, screaming and throwing a fit; in simple words, being himself. Here is a transcript of the conversation and here is the video. Enjoy! Thanks to Abbas Halai once again.

The USDA Food Pyramid

The USDA food pyramid was updated a while back. Make sure you take a look at it and most importantly, follow it! Eat healthy, keep healthy!

USDA Food Pyramid

Mukhtar Mai: A Symbol of Bravery - Perspective

Almost two years ago, a woman was forcibly gang raped by the orders of "tribal elders" in a village in Pakistan. What was the woman's crime you may ask? She belonged to a rival tribe, and her brother was involved in a relationship with a girl from the other tribe. When the elders from the girl's tribe discovered this, serious repercussions were warranted according to this feudal tradition. In order to appease the tension that was to erupt, this woman, the subject of his horrendous rape ran to the elders to ask for forgiveness. The elders decided, according to the judicial law developed by these tribes in that region (locally known as jirga) that five men were to openly ravage this poor woman.

Today, this dauntless woman has stirred the nation by standing up for her right by filing a case with a court in Pakistan. This woman needs the support of all the people around the world because it is so sad that such heinous acts of barbarism continue to haunt the societies of today. For more information on Mukhtar Mai's personal story, please follow the link below:

www.Mukhtarmai.com

When humans attack - Talking Point

The "Uromastyx maliensis" or "Dhab" in Arabic

Image Source: http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org

People these days will eat anything one can possibly imagine. When I first heard that people eat frogs and turtles, I was speechless; more appropriately, shocked - out of disgust. I slowly realized that these animals are quite commonly served as portions of a meal, and are even considered delicacies in many parts of the world. I then heard about people eating rabbit meat, camel meat, snakes, sharks, caviar, sushi (raw fish) and many other animals which I could never imagine people would even consider even bringing close to their mouths, let alone eating them. Time and again I was overwhelmed by the kinds of things people would eat. If I now hear someone eating an animal that I would never imagine being part of a decent meal, I usually don't feel disgusted or shocked, simply because somewhere, someone else is chewing on something even more disgusting.

I was born and raised in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E), which happens to be a desert landscape as is most, but not all of the Middle East. The capital city of U.A.E is Abu Dhabi, and all these years I had absolutely no clue as to the origins of the city's name. Recently, a friend of mine who is a U.A.E national informed me that the city was named after a desert dwelling reptile known as "Dhab" in Arabic. The vast deserts of the Middle East are home to these cold-blooded creatures, sometimes known as "Spiny-tailed Lizards". The scientific name for this creature is "Uromastyx Maliensis", and is found in large numbers in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. The Bedouins in the deserts of the Middle East are fond of what this creature has to offer, particularly, it's meat and it's hard skin. The Bedouins claim it tastes like fish, only without the repugnant odor, and hence it is also known as "the fish of the desert". Repulsive as it may seem, it is popular amongst a very small population that lives in the deserts, but most people would rather see these creepy lizards in a cage.

David Blaine: Street Magic - Entertainment

David Blaine - Is it really magic?

Image Source: Art.com

Ladies and gentlemen, take a seat, sit back, enjoy a cup of coffee and watch the all time trickster/magician, David Blaine in action! Blaine has performed some very supernatural tricks in the past, such as being suspended in a glass box over the River Thames in London for nearly a month, surviving on only water which was fed to him through a pipe. He has also been buried underground in a glass case that was covered with another glass case containing 3 tonnes of water.

This man is simply amazing. I simply cannot fathom how his tricks work, but perhaps one of you can. Enjoy!

Click here to watch the video!

A Critical Mind - Perspective

"The Holocaust Industry" by
Dr. Norman G. Finkelstein

I was surfing through one of the many websites that I normally do for collecting various pieces of information and different views on current and past global affairs, when I came across this interesting website, owned by a writer from Buffalo, NY I believe. He has authored a very controversial title called: "The Holocaust Industry", which by the name itself, can be judged of its content.

After reading a few comments on Dr. Norman's website, I am inclined to believe that he is utterly opposed to the idea of using the Holocaust as an excuse to garner sympathy and most importantly, financial benefits. He does make quite a few interesting, yet highly contentious arguments which is most likely the reason for his fame or notoriety; however you may put it. To visit his website, follow the link below, or click on the image above:

http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/

Other related websites:

http://www.robert-fisk.com/ - A website dedicated to Dr. Robert Fisk's works.

http://www.chomsky.info/ - The official website of Noam Chomsky, a critical thinker.

Nelly Furtado (Josh Remix) - Powerless

I don't know how many of you guys have heard this song before, but if you haven't already, you have GOT to listen to it. It's an excellent composition and even better fusion of R&B and Punjabi Bhangra. You can download the music video here. Simply right click on the "Powerless by Nelly Furtado - The Josh Desi Remix - The Video (Remix Edit)" link and choose: "Save Target As" and save it on your computer. If you'd like to download the audio file, click here, scroll down and click on "Free". On the next page, you'll have to wait a few seconds and then a link will appear that you can right click on and save it to your desktop. As for help if you have trouble with downloading the video or audio files. I'd be glad to help. Enjoy!

When nothing seems to be going right....

I don't usually get stressed out unless I'm facing a dead end situation, and at the moment, everything seems to be tumbling down one after another. I have been constantly asking forgiveness from God and asking Him to make things better, yet, things don't seem to be going positively. I'm up to the point that I feel like giving up all hope, abandoning everything and just going back to my family. Unfortunately, I just can not force myself to believe that there is no other way out. Alas! This inherent attribute of never losing hope and working at my best under pressure and close to deadlines just won't fade away.

I've pushed as far as my resources have allowed me to and yet, I do not see a fruitful end to this perennial problem. I just feel utterly incompetent and feel like I've failed everyone around me, worst of all, my family. I feel there is no one I can depend on any longer. In times of distress, everyone seems to turn their faces away, pretending like they are unaware of the reality that surrounds them. I ask all of you to pray for me so that God can continue blessing me with the strength and determination that just won't die no matter how hard I endeavor to unkindle the darn instinct. I apologize for showering you all with my boring tirade, but I had to vent my anger at the world, my luck and the general wretched air of disappointment and futility that hovers above me.

5 things...

5 years ago: Felt like I was on top of the world, carefree and higly egotistical.

1 Year ago: Started paying attention to my studies and becoming a little more responsible.

5 songs I know all the words to: Jazba-e-Junoon by Junoon, Come as you are by Nirvana, Don't cry by Guns 'n' Roses, Aadat by Atif, and This is how we do it by Montell Jordan.

5 Snacks I enjoy: Pastries, Cake Rusks, Cheescakes, Twix and White Castle Burgers.

5 (x2) Things I'd do w/ $100 million dollars: Purchase a Rolls Royce Red Label for my cousin, send a couple of million to my family, purchase a house in Palos Verdes, a BMW 760, start a tech support firm, invest in market shares, purchase a couple of apartment buildings, donate some money to some charities, build a library inside my house, and buy expensive gifts for all my friends, possibly cars for a few of my close friends.

5 places I would run away to: The Caibbean, France, New Zealand, New York and Hawaii.

5 things I would never wear: Flashy Colors, Skin-tight Clothing, Any kind of Gold jewelry, Any type of Piercing and Sleeve-less Jerseys.

5 favorite tv shows: That 70s show, Married with Children, The Simpsons, Cops and Nightline

5 greatest joys: Playing, watching and reading about cricket, reading and writing, talking to my family, hanging out with friends and talking to the girl of my dreams.

5 favorite toys: Cell phone, my desktop (It's my powertoy!), my speaking dictionary, stress-relieving ball and a cricket ball.

People I'm tagging: Shaima, Danika and RazKashmiri

US Open 2005 Tennis Championship - Sports

I was at work today when my friend reminded me that the US Open Men's final was to be held today. I watched part of the Women's finals the day before and I must say, Clijsters comprehensively overpowered Pierce. Although I was supporting Mary Pierce, I have to admit that she is no longer the player she used to be a few years ago. It is commendable though, that at 30 she is still playing tennis and most importantly, good enough to achieve the runner-up slot in the US Open final. Clijsters still has a long way to go, and this victory should only be one step towards her rise to fame. Clijsters won her first US Open title, beating Mary Pierce by 6-3 and 6-1.

Clijsters lifts the US
Open Trophy

Moving on to the Men's championship, it did not come to me as a surprise that Agassi lost the final, considering he's 35 years of age. What came as a surprise to me was how Federer's performance fluttered during the game. He won with first set without much troube, but in the second set, Agassi unleashed hell and comfortably snatched it away from Federer. It seemed like Federer could no longer match Agassi's firepower at one point, when he lost 3 consecutive sets between the second and the third set. As Agassi's brutal serves and returns continued to whisk past a dumbfounded Federer, the cheers from the crowd became unimaginably raucous. The roaring sound from the fans for each Ace from Aggasi left no doubts about who they were supporting. When Aggasi was in full gear, things suddenly started to change. Federer swiftly and ferociously resurrected from the early blows he received, becoming more ruthless after ever point he won. In no time, he gained maximum momentum and pounced Aggasi without mercy. Federed retained his title, winning the match comfortably, except for a brief period when for a while, Aggasi seemed unstoppable. The match ended with beating Aggasi by 6-3 2-6 7-6 and 6-1.

Federer celebrates by
kissing his trophy

Katrina: The devastaion - Talking Point

Hello folks. As most of you may already know, New Orleans and it's neighboring cities were battered by a category 4 (Wind speed 140 mph) hurricane last month, that annhialated most of the city and displaced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. The hurricane also resulted in a major loss of life due to improper evactuation procedures, extremely low level of preparedness and worst of all, a pathetic response to this massive catastrophe. The following is an article that very skilfully outlines why hurricane Katrina wrecked such havoc in the world's most advanced nation and why necessary precautions had not been taken to prevent a disaster of such magnitude in terms of human life. It also discusses the deplorable state of affairs within the state as well as the federal government that could not manage to save the lives of so many, mainly due to political complications. It is a very long article, but it has been very carefully and intricately composed.

New Orleans: The Lost City

My Favourite Paintings - Art & Aesthetics

Hello everyone! As a freshman, I had to pick an art course, and I decided upon "Visual Arts", which was possibly the best decision I've made in my entire academic career (which of course means that choosing Electrial Engineering as my major was not the best decision, but oh well :P). The following are some of my favourite paintings of all times. I will post some more when I have the time. For now, observe the following masterpieces.

Madonna Enthroned by Giotto



David by Michelangelo



Creation of Adam by Michelangelo



Merced River, Yosemite Valley
by Albert Bierstadt



Ecstacy of St. Theresa
by Gianlorenzo Bernini



Augustus of Prima Porta



The Persistence of Memory
by Salvador Dali



Nighthawks by Edward Hopper

Chatbox Down!

Sorry folks, the tagboard or shoutbox is temporarily down! I hope it comes back up soon, but until then, feel free to comment on this post :P

Shahi Place launches sister site!

RaY-ZoR's Cricket Commentaries
Hello everyone! Last night I was really bored and I decided to create a new blog dedicated simply to cricket, my favourite sport! You can now find all the information, news updates and my very own articles based on the evolving world of cricket! Please visit:

RaY-ZoR's Cricket Commentaries

Motorla launches iPod hybrid phone - Technology

The new Apple-Motorola
RokR cellular/iTunes device

Image Source: BBC
Motorola has announced the release of a new iPod hybrid phone, which will combine the mp3 playback technology of the Apple iPod along with it's own technology for developing cellular phones. Other companies have designed mp3 capable cell phones in the past, but they have not been very popular amongst consumers. Apple hopes to change that with it's new iPod hybrid phone, called Rokr since it's iPod is already very popular amongst people of all age groups. More Information...

My little neice

I was looking through my photo collection and I came across this picture, which happens to be my all time favourite one, and so I thought I'd share it with everyone. This little entity that is placed on the bed is the most valuable thing in the world for me. She is VERY energetic and michevious as one would imagine, looking at that grin on her adorable face. :)

Highmark 2005 - News

The largest war games initiated in Pakistan on Monday, September the 6th at the Chaklala Air Base in Rawalpindi. The Pakistani Air Force has been rejuvenated and revamped over the last decade and it is now time to test it's effectiveness and readiness in the unlikely, yet possible event of a foreign invasion. The Pakistani Air Force will be provided with logistical and strategic support from the other two branches of the Pakistani Armed forces, namely, the Army and the Navy.

The newly acquired F-16s, the Mirages, F-7 fighter aircrafts, and the upgraded avionics systems will all be put to the test in this military exercise that will span over the next four weeks. The military exercise is called "Highmark" and was last held a decade ago in 1995. Since then, Pakistan has faced many obstructions and it has been difficult to conduct such a large scale military operation. More information...

A moment of Silence - Talking Point

A woman sits and waits with her child
in her lap as hundreds of flood victims
wait for help at the Convention Center in
New Orleans on Thursday

Image Source: KGW
I'd like to dedicate this post to all the victims of the horrendous hurricane Katrina that has caused enormous damage to life and property. So far, there is no clear estimate on the number of lives that have been lost due to this calamity. Warnings of this disaster were sent out in advance, but surprisingly the effort that was put in to the evacuation of the people in the affected regions was very ill-managed to say the least. At the moment, rescuers are not too bothered by the dead bodies as their first task is to reach those that are still alive and stuck amidst the flooding.

The sad part is that when the authorities knew the extent of the damage that such a catastrophe would cause, more action should have been taken. The National Guard's duties include helping protect the hard working people of this nation. Instead, they waited for the hurricane to strike and then go in and help those affected by it. In any case, mistakes do occur and one can never completely prepare onself from nature's might. What can be done now is to help those affected by this enormous disaster that has obliterated approximately 80 pecent of New Orleans and affected the whole of the Gulf coast. At the moment, we should all try to help out the victims of this hurricane in every way possible. The easiest way to help out is by donating to charities that help victims of such catastrophies. We can all blame whoever is responsible for not taking enough measures to prevent such a large scale disaster to human life once these victims have been helped relocate to safer areas and once they have proper sanitation, clean water, food, genral supplies and housing. If you would like to help out, please click on one of the following links:

American Red Cross Foundation

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Islamic Circle of North America

The Salvation Army

Corporation for National and Community Service

Islamic Relief

God Bless all those who help out these innocent people when they need it the most.

Cool Things About Being a Man - Humor

I got this off some forum. Some caveman must have compiled this list, while being half drunk, half asleep, but it's good for a laugh. Enjoy!

Useless Disclaimer: The following passage contains explicit humor and may be offensive to some people. It may also not be suitable for all ages, races and even followers of certain religious ideologies and/or cults.

1- Your ass is never a factor in a job interview.
2- Your orgasms are real. Always.
3- Your last name stays put.
4- The garage is all yours.
5- Wedding plans take care of themselves.
6- You never feel compelled to stop a friend from getting laid.
7- Car mechanics tell you the truth.
8- You don't give a rat's ass if someone notices your new haircut.
9- Hot wax never comes near your pubic area.
10- Same work, more pay.
11- Wrinkles add character.
12- You don't have to leave the room to make emergency crotch adjustments.
13- Wedding dress $2,000.00; Tux rental $100.00
14- If you retain water, it's in a canteen
15- People never glance at your chest when you're talking to them.
16- New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
17- One mood, all the damn time.
18- Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds.
19- A five-day vacation requires only 1 suitcase.
20- You can open all your own jars.
21- You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
22- Your underwear is $10.00 for a three-pack.
23- If you are 34 and single, nobody notices.
24- You can quietly enjoy a car ride from the passenger's seat.
25- Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
26- You can quietly watch a game with your buddy for hours without ever thinking "he must be mad at me".
27- No maxi-pads.'
28- If another guy shows up at the party in the same outfit, you just might become lifelong friends.
29- You are not expected to know the names of more than five colors.
30- You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
31- You are unable to see wrinkles in clothes.
32- The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
33- Your belly usually hides your big hips
34- One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color, all seasons.
35- You can "do" your nails with a pocketknife.
36- Christmas shopping can be accomplished for 25 relatives, on December 24th, in minutes.
37- The world is your urinal

Blog Day 2005

Shirazi from Light Within has asked everyone to participate in this blogger collaboration event called "Blog Day", where bloggers from around the world pick five of their favourite blogs. Honestly, I don't visit too many blogs due to the lack of time, but here are the ones that I visit most frequently:

Natasha's Sanctuary

Lifeless Sheyster

Callieischatty

Polkadottedpickles

Shirazi's Light within

Best Regards,
RaY-ZoR

Mothers: Angels from Heaven - Talking Point

Image Source:
http://www.rachelwapenaar.co.nz

Friends, I'd like to talk about a very special person who features in almost everyones lives. Those who are blessed with this special person in their lives will forever admit the importance of this loving and caring figure. Those who aren't as fortunate and have not received the unconditional warmth of this person know their true value. I am referring to all the mothers of this world, who despite the actions of her children such as their belligerence, untidiness, stubbornness, arguments, rebellion and mischief to name a few, never let go off their hands from the day they are born till the last moment she spends with them.

This is a tribute to all the mothers in this world who sacrifice every possible thing they possess, just for the sake of their childrens' happiness. Mothers are gifted with immense love and affection for their children which is not only limited to humans, but can be observed in animals too. A human mother will look after her little ones, just as a lioness will ensure the safety and well being of her cubs.

Through the years, I've come to realize that no one can provide one with as much loves as their mothers can. A mother will stay up all night when her child is sick, give up her portion of meal when her child asks for an extra serving, cook, wash and clean after her children without hesitating once. They will stand up for their children against anyone who attempts to misguide them, mock them for their peculiarities, or try to harm them in any fashion.

I want to dedicate this post to my mom, who has worked relentlessly to ensure that my brother and I receive the love and care that we demand, in addition to looking after us until the day we bid her farewell before our departure from her loving arms. I love my mother more than anyone else in this world and I know that even if I had twice the time I will have in this life to give back to her, it would be insufficient. May God bless all the mothers of this world for giving to their children, all their lives without expecting anything out of the relationship, and without ever complaining or regretting fulfilling their duties as a mother, even if their children abandon her. God bless them all.

British, Paki and Proud - Television

I personally believe that the best source of information after the internet are documentaries. Some of the documentaries that have been aired on BBC, National Geographic and various other channels are not only extremely informative, but entertaining as well. A recent documentary was aired on BBC2, titled "British, Paki and Proud", which sought to portray to the rest of the world, the lives of British Pakistanis as they struggle to hold on to their culture, while trying to accept some of the norms and values of the British culture. As second generation nationals, people face a difficult dilemma of whether to associate themselves with people from their native culture, or with people from the country in which they reside, in this case, Britain.

The problem arises when children grow up without much exposure to their own language, culture and social values. When these kids visit their native countries, they feel out of place because they can not completely comprehend their own mother tongue, in addition to being innocuous and vulnerable to lies and deception, which are commonplace in third world countries.

Furthermore, no matter how long one resides in a foreign country, irrespective of whether one was raised in that country or not, the local inhabitants will never accept foreigners as one of their own, simply becuase it is human nature. Skin color is only one factor, which creates divisions and a sense of difference, apart from culture, religion and language.

This documentary seeks to explore the lives of these British born Pakistanis who feel the difficulty of living in a foreign society first hand on a day to day basis. It also touches bases with a more positive and patriotic side of their lives where British Pakistanis admit to being proud of their Pakistani descent, while showing love and pride for their new home, now UK. The documentary was initially titled "Pakistani nights", but the title was later changed, which caused an uproar within the huge Pakistani community residing in UK.

The reason for this commotion was the inclusion of the word 'Paki' in the title of the documentary. The word 'Paki' is considered as a racial slur against people of South Asian descent, or at times, simply brown skinned people. Several Pakistanis were totally against mentioning the word in public due to the nefarious history attached to it; however, some progressive thinking Pakistanis argue it is a good idea to use the word openly, as using it colloquially takes away the negative feeling attached to it and should be used with pride.

You can learn more about this documentary at the BBC website here. Enjoy!

Hand Shadows - Creative Art

I've always been inspired by hand shadows, but never really gave much thought to them. Creating such vivid images by the use of one's hands and a light is in my opinion, an art. To learn a little bit about the different kind of images that can be projected using your hands, copy and paste the following link in your web browser. For some reason, creating a link to the page seems to redirect the user to some other page on the website.

Here's the direct link:

http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/2/9/6/12962/12962-h/12962-h.htm

Silk Jive - Music

Recently, there has been a surge in the influx of emerging rock bands from Pakistan with bands like Fuzon, Jal, Roxen and Imik smashing the charts. This rock fever is not resitricted to Pakistanis residing within Pakistan, rather, several overseas Pakistani bands have come out in the light with some serene melodies. One such band is Silk Jive from Los Angeles, California. These guys performed several of their hit singles from their new album - set to be released sometime in November this year - at the Pak Day @ LA on the 6th of August, a couple of weeks ago. Their biggest hit, "Ek Umar" was also included in their performance, which can be downloaded here. Please visit their website at:

http://www.silkjive.com

Enjoy!

Funniest joke of all time - Humor

Folks, scientists have been very unoccupied lately and their latest reseach is indicative of this statement. The search for the funniest jokes of all time, according to a global survey suggests that the following joke appeals to people from a wide variety of cultures and regions. So without further ado, here it is:

Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy takes out his phone and calls the emergency services.

He gasps: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator says: "Calm down, I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, then a gunshot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says: "OK, now what?"


The following are some of the runner-ups in the 'competition'.

Doctor, last night I made a Freudian slip. I was having dinner with my mother-in-law and wanted to say: 'Could you please pass the butter?' But instead I said: 'You silly cow, you have completely ruined my life.'

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TEXAN: "Where are you from?"

HARVARD GRAD: "I come from a place where we do not end our sentences with prepositions."

TEXAN: "OK - where are you from, jackass?"

--------

This one's my personl favourite. It's pretty mean, but I couldn't help myself from bursting out a loud snicker on this one.

A woman gets on a bus with her baby. The bus driver says: “That's the ugliest baby that I've ever seen.” The woman goes to the rear of the bus and sits down, fuming. She says to a man next to her: “That driver just insulted me!” The man says: “You go right up there and tell him off – go ahead, I'll hold your monkey for you.”

--------

When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ballpoint pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat the problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion to develop a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to 300o C. The Russians used a pencil.

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A dog went to a telegram office, took out a blank form and wrote: “Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof.” The clerk examined the paper and politely told the dog: “There are only nine words here. You could send another ‘Woof’ for the same price.” The dog replied, “But that would make no sense at all.”

Scarface (1983) - Move tribute

Say hello to my little friend!

Scarface (1983) - Al Pacino, Steven Bauer and Michelle Pfeiffer

For all you Scarface fans, here's atribute to one of the greatest movies of all time, featuring Al Pacino in his days of glory. I've included links to the most popular quotes from the movie, two different soundboards and some wallpapers. Enjoy!

Memorable Quotes

Scarface Soundboard

Scarface Soundboard (Anniversary Edition)

Scarface Wallpapers 1

Scarface Wallpapers 2