An Old classic: Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Islamica: Is Marriage Sinful

Is Marriage Sinful? A great article by Sh Faraz which really is very thought provoking:

At a recent dinner invitation, I noticed that most of those present had business relationships with each other. I feared that if there wasn’t some radical intervention, the conversation would center on things like guerilla marketing and such—not my cup of tea. So I decided to say something radical, hoping to shift the flow of conversation to human relationships instead. I said, “You know, I think that it is haram for many people to marry.”

Heads turned very fast. Some asked me whether I’d lost my mind. Others simply asked me what I meant.

I wasn’t joking, I said. No, I was very serious.

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Please Donate: Oshawa Masjid!!!

My local masjid needs your support because:

• The current masjid is in an extremely dire condition. The structure is deteriorating by the day and is beginning to fall apart both inside and out.

• The current masjid has been officially categorized as a "Heritage B" property by the City of Oshawa. This means that it is on the City's list of properties which could potentially be designated a full-fledged HISTORICAL SITE. If declared a HISTORICAL SITE, we would be prohibited from undertaking any new masjid projects.
• The current facility is not adequate enough to meet the needs of the masjid attendees. With limitations in both space and layout, the current masjid has no accommodations for sisters. Furthermore, many brothers are forced to offer their Jumma and Eidain prayers in the basement as space in the main prayer hall is limited. Finally, there are no dedicated classrooms for children's evening Qur'an and Fiqh classes.
• Their are no accommodations for persons with physical disabilities and impairments.
• A new, beautiful masjid is needed to reflect our beautiful Deen of Islam.

"We rely on your financial support to successfully complete this project and requesting you to donate generously toward this worthy cause. We are greatly thankful to you for your generous donation and continued support.

You can make a secure donation through CanadaHelps.org or Paypal . You may also download the pledge form and mail to the Islamic Centre of Oshawa.

For more information on this project (HD: and to donate), please click here."

Protests in Pakistan and more....

Read this news story about a protest in Islamabad, Pakistan which took place yesterday:

Samad continued: ìLater students were asked to go back and they complied. It was while they were returning that 600-700 policemen, female police officers, anti-terrorist squad commandoes and plain clothed officers came saying they would arrest them as protest rally was not allowed. The police then started charging the students with batons and manhandled them. They pushed and dragged, abused and shoved students into police vans. Most of those arrested were class 9-12 students, while one of them was only a 12-year- old.

That is very sad. I guess what is interesting is that all th calls for such protests are happening through the internet as Spiegel Online Reports:

Indeed, the LUMS protest sparked one in Boston at the same time, thanks to Facebook. News of a protest by opposition leader Benazir Bhutto sparked one in London, led by Jemima Khan, the former wife of another opposition leader, Imran Khan, who is under house arrest. Since the weekend, students have been holding "flash" protests in Karachi, the country's commercial capital. Through cell-phone text messages, students have been gathering, 10 at a time, across the city, shouting protest slogans, and disappearing quickly before the police arrive. If it sounds like a youth gimmick, consider the dangers involved. A student flash mob could find itself in hostile territory, liable to arrest.

The whole scenario is quite depressing for most Pakistanis I have talked to ( in canada). Some even the change the topic when you mention this. If we believe Mr. Musharaf who thinks the imposition of emergency will improve the security situation then my question is what happens after? This is a short term measure. What is he doing to ensure long term security of the country? The roots of terrorism and extremism ( believed in by a minority in Pakistan), is generally a result of dis empowerment and disenfranchisement of people on the fringes of society making them more susceptible to extremist propaganda. Remove the causes of this dis empowerment and disenfranchisement and you are removing extremism.

Market trends for Mergers ( i.e. marriages)

A merger (i.e. marriage) is being planned by my board ( i.e. mom and dad) in Pakistan. They will inshahallah look at several potential merger opportunities. The market experts ( i.e. Auntees, other auntees and more auntees) are saying that the market is bullish right now. I did alert the board on a couple of opportunities that I wanted explored but they were vetoed. They also like to look into related companies first but the related companies did not have any merging potentials ( thank god..)

While I wanted the board to be open to international opportunities, the board wants to look locally (i.e. Pakistan) to start with and then perhaps go international. Knowing the ups and downs of the markets internally does help the board to decide. However, given that after the merger the company will go international, adjustment factors for different international environments would need to be considered.

Merger rumors among my close friends and associates ( my personal investments) are usually high whenever I visit Pakistan because they know whenever the board gets together for a physical meeting there may be something brewing. Previous rumors were proven false to the disappointment of many and to the joy of a few.

The board might short list potential "companies" for talks about merging before my trip to Pakistan. The board will undertake intense due diligence during the talks. The due diligence can be financial, behavioral and so on. I have a strong veto on the board too. The other "companies" have their own boards too, however the power of the principal on these boards can be too limited which we as a board need to watch out for.

Once a candidate is selected, terms and conditions for the merger are ironed out. The contract isthen signed and the two parties merge..and there is a potential for spin offs as well,...

Web MD: Fasting May Cut Heart Risks

Fasting May Cut Heart Risks- Fasting on a regular basis may protect against heart disease, researchers report. In a study of more than 4,500 men and women, people who fasted were 39% less likely to be diagnosed with coronary artery disease than those who didn't fast. Coronary artery disease was defined as having at least 70% narrowing or blockage in at least one coronary artery.

Memory techniques...

A cool memory technique......

The mnemonic device, known as the loci method, involves placing mental pictures of items in specific locations inside a room, in a specific order. A person can then "walk" through the room and see all the objects that must be recalled. Each person must develop his or her own locational system. Teachers in antiquity recommended using public places such as temples or meeting houses as sites for spatial memory training; an individual would stand inside a temple and memorize the position of each column and statue, from the main entrance, along the right wall, across the front, back down the left wall, and so on. Each item from a list would then be assigned to a column, statue or other feature, in a given order. Later, the memorizer would READ MORE