From Punjab to Italy

An interesting article about immigration from India to abroad and the reasons why people are immigrating in the first place. The reasons outlined in this article are true for many immigrants who are from agragarian economies. The problem sometimes is the fact that people who dream of abroad think it is some kind of utopia here becase of the abundent wealth.

Actually thats what I thought too, when I came back. I always had the impression that since Pakistan's main problems are blamed on economy then automatically if the economy is good then the people would be satisfied and happy. However having spent almost 6 years since my return, it is obvious that economy may be one factor that causes people to be happy or feel some kind of semblence of happiness, it is no gurantee of happiness. In fact the more wealth you have sometimes, the more responisbility and worry you have about protecting that wealth....Anyways read the article:

Looking out of the one-room home he shares with his wife and two children, Naresh sees his neighbors' success in the two-storied, freshly painted house that triumphs over Naresh's own shabby building, with its cracks creeping across the walls and mildew decorating the ceiling.

Ten years ago, the two sons from across the way traveled from this village here in Punjab to Italy to make their fortune. One ended up selling cheap Indian clothes in a shop in Milan, the other found work in a factory. Gradually, with the money they sent back, their parents' simple shack was demolished to make way for the grander, Mediterranean-inspired, red-tiled edifice that now throws a shadow over Naresh's house and mood.

Wiki bhai gives some other reasons too:

Theories of migration traditionally distinguish between push factors and pull factors. ^[3] Push factors refer primarily to the motive for emigration from the country of origin. In the case of economic migration (usually labour migration), differentials in wage rates are prominent. Poor individuals from less developed countries can have far higher standards of living in developed countries than in their originating countries. Escape from poverty (personal or for relatives staying behind) is a traditional push factor, the availability of jobs is the related pull factor. Natural disasters can amplify poverty-driven migration flows. This kind of migration may be illegal immigration in the destination country (emigration is also illegal in some countries, such as North Korea).

Emigration and immigration are sometimes mandatory in a contract of employment: religious missionaries, and employees of transnational corporations, international non-governmental organisations and the diplomatic service can expect to work 'overseas'. They are often referred to as 'expatriates', and their conditions of employment are typically equal to or better than those applying in the host country (for similar work).

For some migrants, education is the primary pull factor (note that students on limited visas are often not defined as immigrants, though later applications for immigration are usually made easier for them). Retirement migration from rich countries to lower-cost countries with better climate, is a new type of international migration. An example is immigration of retired British citizens to Spain. Some, although relatively few, immigrants justify their drive to be in a different country for cultural or health related reasons and very seldom, again in relative quantitative terms compared to the actual number of international migrants world-wide, choose to migrate as a form of self-expression towards the establishment or to satisfy their need to directly perceive other cultural environments because economics is almost always the primary motivator for constant, long-term, or permanent migration, but especially for that type of inter-regional or inter-continental migration; that holds true even for people from developed countries.

Non-economic push factors include persecution (religious and otherwise), frequent abuse, bullying, oppression, ethnic cleansing and even genocide, and risks to civilians during war. Political motives traditionally motivate refugee flows - to escape dictatorship for instance.

Some migration is for personal reasons, based on a relationship (e.g. to be with family or a loved one). In a few cases, an individual may wish to emigrate to a new country in a form of transferred patriotism. Evasion of criminal justice (e.g. avoiding arrest) is a (mostly negative) personal motivation. This type of emigration and immigration is not normally legal, if a crime is internationally recognized, although criminals may diguise their identities or find other loopholes to evade detection.

Barriers to immigration come not only in legal form; natural barriers to immigration can also be very powerful. Immigrants when leaving their country also leave everything familiar: their family, friends, support network, and culture. They also need to liquidate their assets often at a large cost, and incur the expense of moving. When they arrive in a new country this is often with many uncertainties including finding work, where to live, new laws, new cultural norms, language or accent issues, possible racism and other exclusionary behaviour towards them and their family. These barriers act to limit international migration: scenarios where populations move en masse to other continents, creating huge population surges, and their associated strain on infrastructure and services, ignore these inherent limits on migration.

Qantata.de: "Halal" Labels Experiencing a Supermarket Boom

The halal market seems to picking up globally...

"The halal marketplace is set to become one of the most profitable and influential arenas in the food industry," predicts Salama Evans, speaker for WHF. There are abundant opportunities both inside and outside traditional Muslim countries, with the halal market in Great Britain alone harboring a potential for 4 billion USD in sales.

The major producers are Malaysia, Brazil and Turkey, all of which have introduced halal standards for every link in the production chain. Most of the world's leading meat producers – Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, New Zealand, Great Britain and the USA – integrate certified slaughtering techniques into their production process. READ MORE

Ojhri Camp

I was only 6 years old at the time of this disaster. An ammunation dump in Pindi exploded throwing hundreds of missels all over Islamabad/Pindi. I was at school that day and all of a sudden us little cute kids started hearing explosions. We were taken out of the building and saw what seemed like a huge fire with smoke coming out kilometers away The bizzare event continued for at least a couple of hours before things calmed down.

There was a flurry of misinformation. Some said it was war, some said it was the end of the world.We would go inside the building and then on plain ground outside and then inside again. We survied but I remember my dad was home who told us that 3 misiles landed near our home. one went though the neighbor's roof!

I was too young to grasp the magnitude of the situation at that time, but it still lives fresh in my memory unlike other events that happened at that age which I have mostly forgotten.... I wonder what impact this has on people--specially the kids..- who live through wars ( and the threat of missles, etc) every day.....

Anyways read more about this disaster here...

I need subtitles for my spouse | csmonitor.com

I need subtitles for my spouse | csmonitor.com

How exactly did she say the word? After all, there are many different ways to enunciate the simple, yet powerful, word "fine."

It could be a slow and drawn out "fiiiiinnnne," implying deep and permanent suspicion.

It could be a shouted "FINE!" Meaning, of course, it is not fine; it is horrible on a scale not seen since the battle of Thermopylae or the last time you wore brown socks with your blue suit.

It could even be the dreaded whispered "fine," which, as we all know, is the deadliest "fine" of all.

Tajjed ( tagged?)

And so I was tagged ( tajjed?). Each player of this game starts off with ten weird things or habits or little known facts about yourself. People who get tagged must write in a blog of their own ten weird things or habits or little known facts as well as state this rule clearly. At the end you must choose six people to be tagged and list their names. No tagbacks!”



I am not a big fan of revealing too much peronal information about myself on my blog however, I will try my best here:



--I like Roti to the point of obsession

--I am an environmental consultant--not common from south asians..a lot of them are in IT.

--I was born in calgary, moved to Pakistan and moved back here--hence the name: Global Nomad

--I am fascinated by the Aunty Network

--I want to have All bran high fibered sback bars given away after my Nikah

--I love south asian gatherings of freinds/ families in the toronto area specially the uncle debates that happen there

--I hate to hate people

--"you are weird" is a compliment I have recieved many times. The fact that I consider it a compliment proves I am weird.

--I love british accents perhaps that is part of my inherited infriority complex to our past colonial masters

--I like people who make roti for me



I Taj (tag). The following:



Salman

Omar

Sumera

Umm Zaid

Taslim Bajee

Abdul Rahman bhai

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Abdul Hakim Murad: New contentions

Sh. Abdul Hakim Murad has new contentions on masud's site now:



My favourites from the new contentions are as follows:

"50. The road to God is paved with laughter at the self. The road to Hell is paved with laughter at others."

"65 Wisdom consists mainly in the ability to recognise human weakness."

"68. Only those who know themselves to be unworthy are worthy."

Christian Science Monitor~Backstory: A country-western Muslim

Very interesting....

Kareem Salama – the main act on this evening's Muslim Student Association program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – nervously sips a bottle of water backstage as his guitarist/producer tunes a 12-string guitar.

The crowd buzz softens to a deferential hush as a bearded student takes the stage to start the evening with readings from the Koran in an Arabic melody that sounds like a medieval hymn.

It's Koranic recitations like these that inspired Mr. Salama, the son of Eygptian immigrants, to become a musician. But it's the peculiarly American circumstances of his life that drove this devout Muslim with a Southern drawl to his musical passion – country..........

.........Despite stereotypes of the South as a region struggling with race issues, the Salama family experienced limited discrimination. Salama remembers only a few incidents when people shouted ethnic slurs and believes they were isolated occurrences. His mother, who wears hijab, once joined a women's painting group and initially experienced friction from suspicious members. However, once they got to know her, they became close friends.

"The South embodies so many Islamic values," says Salama. As an example, he cites the prophet Muhammad's command that good Muslims must greet their neighbors, also a common Southern practice, he says...............READ ON

Sh Hamza Yusuf: On chess

A very reflective article by Sh Hamza which really makes one reflect on the importance of time. He explains this though the example of hwo classica schlars dealt with the issue of chess:

Games, recreation, fun, folly, silliness, and vacations all have their place in our lives, but the tragedy occurs when those activities become the purpose of our lives, and the true purpose of life is entirely missed. Our efforts are directed towards recreation: we work to play, believing that the week is only an excuse for the weekend. The world is filled with people who are “killing time,” completely unaware that time is actually killing us. One day, we will wake up and have to face our lives in their entirety. READ IT AND LEARN!!

Web MD: 22 Healthy Munchies ( does not include laddus!)

My biggest weekness in terms of eating habts is snacking. When I see a choclate bar or something similar my inclination is to have it in full, I cant have small bits..... Besides that, if I open a bag of brownies I usually finish those within two days! So some damage control is definately needed. Anyways read this link below to find out more about the small healthy snacks you should/could enjoy. And perhaps when you get married you can have high fibre healthy snacks given after the snacks. I am sure the uncles and auntees will love you for that and that your ( future) sopuse wont get freaked out! After all Laddus have no fibre in them or....................ummm.... do they?

Dietitians agree that the best snacks satisfy hunger while helping meet our daily dietary needs, especially for fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy.

"Look for snacks that contain protein with healthy carbohydrates and fats, and eat your snacks slowly so they fill you up," says Weems. Read on

Christian Science Monitor: "Overexposure: When media coverage blocks out the sun"

A relevant article on the state of the media ( the mainsream North American media to be exact) and how they cover things today.  A lot of issues that we worry about are the issues in the media. When the issues arent there then we arent worried. ( We being the muslim community and/or the general community). An example was the cartoon issue which came and went at the will of the media. It was an issue before the media made it an issue and then it died down while it is still an issue right now! ( as in things really did not change when the issue died down) Moreover if we divide each issue into subsets, the media really wants  focus on one subset. In other words they define the frame with which each issue is looked at. Do you remember Hurricane Katrina? I thought and think the ammount of coverage the event initially received and the coverage it receives one year after the event is hugely dispropotional. Dont we want to know what happened to the thousands of people whgo got displaced? Same can be said about other disasters. Anyways please do read this article:

"It is an enormously complicated world, and every day,

all over, things happen that matter. It may sometimes seem that stories

come from nowhere, like the terrorist attacks on 9/11. But it's often

the case that these events are surprises only because we weren't paying

attention, and we probably weren't paying attention because the media

weren't paying attention.

There are reasons people buy books or pay to see

movies. Plots are nice. Stories move from A to B to C and at the end,

generally, everything is tied together nicely. But the news isn't a

movie or a book. Stories rise and fall and rise again, and they usually

don't do it in a linear, neat way." Click here to read more

BBC Shehr Kahani: Videos on the life of ordinary Pakistanis

A look into the lives of ordinary Pakistanis by BBC's Urdu Service. Each video is 5 to 10 minutes long and gives a good insight ( the good, the bad and the ugly) into the lives of ordianary Pakistanis ( or for that matter insight into problems normal people face on the streets of many developing countries). Needless to say you need to understand urdu to watch these.....thank you Khany for pointing me to these..

This is the first short documentary I edited, made by community people from rural Pakistan, who were trained by BBC Word Service Producers. This is the story of a woman who ran away from her home in Hyderabad, and settled in Multan, as a man. In order to work at the Public Call Office that she manages, she dresses as and passes for a boy:

http://www.youtube.com/v/hSNjh-c91RQ

This is the second short documentary I edited made by community people from rural Pakistan, trained by BBC World Service. This is the story of a small village in Haripur, Pakistan, which is surrounded by three cement factories. The waste from the factories is causing the locals a lot of problems:

http://www.youtube.com/v/Ufq9rNuBS-o

The third in the series of short documentaries that I edit, made by community people from rural Pakistan. This is an inspiring story of a woman who lives in rural Pakistan, who is a committed social worker and politician:

http://www.youtube.com/v/aHyfHMoovA8

The fourth short documentary from the Shehr Kahani series, also shot and directed by community people from rural Pakisan. Faqero is a gifted sculptor whose work can be seen at many Hindu temples in Pakistan:

http://www.youtube.com/v/tkCN_Dnc0ZU

This fifth short documentary in the Shehr Kahani series is an oral history of the great sufi saint Shams, as told by one of his devotees. Illustrated by beautiful shots of his shrine and the atmosphere there, this is one of my favourites. Although I say that for every one of these I edit. The fact that all of these are shot and directed by 'authentic' community people makes the subject matter - and visuals - just so much more interesting, and a pleasure to edit:

http://www.youtube.com/v/U9G9gcy4Pk4


The sixth short documentary in the Shehr Kahani series. Ibrahim tells us about the art of moulding clay into beautiful designs:

http://www.youtube.com/v/6N35M2fuKWM


The seventh short documentary in the BBC Urdu Shehr Kahani series. This was also shot and directed by community people from rural Pakistan, and is the story of a woman who lived a very difficult life, but in the end did what she wanted to:

http://www.youtube.com/v/1-QiKTMAm7Q


The eighth short documentary in the Shehr Kahani series. Mohammed Amin has no hands, but earns enough money to sustain himself and send his children to school:

http://www.youtube.com/v/qMwdjvamueA


The ninth short documentary in the Shehr Kahani series tells the story of Francisnagar, where unusually high levels of rain in 2006 caused water to stagnate in the whole village. The people of Francisnagar were forced by fedual lords to work and live in the water, which was causing them many health problems:

http://www.youtube.com/v/DYfqbit2Jx4


The tenth short documentary in the Shehr Kahani series. Balram supports his family by selling balloons and stamping mehndi tattoos on children. But he wishes he was born in a 'rich' family so that he could go to school:

http://www.youtube.com/v/1akibUINeQU

The eleventh documentary in the Shehr Kahani series. This is the story of Talib, who lives in a small village in Dadu District. He is blind, but is a poet, singer, shopkeeper and electrician! And he loves life, as well as Rani Mukerjee:

http://www.youtube.com/v/BHYfqFPjbME

Virtuous action....

From a 4 page expert of Hamza Yusuf's unpublished book called "Walk on Water":

According to Ahmad, Jesus (allahi-salam) was known
to have said, “Virtuous action does not
consist in doing good to someone who
has done good to you—that is merely
returning a favor. Virtuous action consists
in doing good to those who have wronged
you.”

More on Bob Woolmer from Cricinfo: Price of Passion

An article from Cricinfo dicusses the pressures of cricket in South Asia:

We were sitting down to lunch after the depressing trip to the University Hospital when a man came by and asked: "Da coach who die? He Pakistan coach now?" When we said yes, he shook his head sadly, dreads blowing in the breeze. 'Maybe he take it to heart?" he said. "Even da biggest team can lose to little team, man. It a game, and da ball round."

As you listened to him, you could only wish that fans back home in India and Pakistan were possessed of such common sense or perspective on life.

A sad day for cricket

It is a very sad day for cricket. No I am not talking about Pakistan being knocked out of the cricket world cup.


I am talking about the death of Pakistan's cricket coach Bob Woolmer. He was a thorough professional, great innovator (and a wonderful person from his blog, articles and his interviews that I saw). Speculation is rife that his death ( assuming it was of natural causes) was a result of the stress yesterday's loss produced, but Allah knows best. ( here is a really good personal interview with him on Geo TV)

Having browsed through different Internet forums, loads of Pakistani cricket fans are expressing their sadness and shock. Most if not all are calling it a bigger tragedy then Pakistan's failure at the world cup. It is good to know that cricket fans are putting things into perspective. Lots of sports fans ( including myself) sometimes take sports too seriously forgetting that "it" is just a game and there are much more important things in life to worry about....

Tributes from leading cricket experts from cricinfo.

Condolences to his family....

Remember the Pakistani earthquake?

It was very easy to talk and rant about the tragedy of the earthquake when it first happened. But it is even easier to forget them now. Please do think of them now...

But the fact of the matter is that there are still thousands of people who are affected by the earthquake as this UN article reports:

An old, bearded man launched an angry tirade at aid agency officials who had come to visit a quake-displaced community living in tents in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

“We have had no water, no electricity for weeks,” he shouted. “There are no bathrooms and people are falling sick in the cold and rain.”

Nearly a year and a half after a devastating earthquake ripped through northwest Pakistan, survivors say that living in shelters, whether tented or pre-fabricated, can be unbearable at times...............

How you can help? Well for one thing please make dua. I did a quick online search and there arent any call of donations from the earthquake rebuilding ogranizations whose websites I checked. ( let me know if you know otherwise)

Mooslim.ca:A Guide to Reforming Islam: Let’s Start with the Funny Way They Dress

ALi's interesting post on www.mooselim.ca :

"To practicing Muslims rules are everywhere. In Islamic fashion, these laws exist in the form of certain conditions and guidelines that clothing must fulfil. For example, “men are supposed to avoid silk clothing”. Or “women are supposed to cover their hair”. There is no such parallel in non-Muslim fashion — a person can wear (or not wear) pretty much anything.

These rules irk non-Muslim Canadians. Yes, we Muslims get the message: The way practicing Muslims dress (especially Muslim women) in Canada scares you and you want us to stop dressing-funny.

And now that you’ve got the idea in your head to change the way we dress, after having spent that time flipping through “Islam-for-Dummies” in Chapters that one Sunday, you have decided that the best way to change the way we dress is by starting with the laws. Let’s get rid of most of them, right?..............."

In interior BC

Afer 1 day in Vancouver, I had work in interior BC which is where I flew in on Tuesday morning and stayed till Thursday morning.

I was in Vernon, Pitickton,Kelowna and Kamloops. Out of the four Kelowna was the most beautiful. Below are a few more pics and descriptions






These three pictures were from Pitickton. There are two lkaes in Pitickton and both were amazingly breathtaking even at this time of the year.











These pics were taken on my way from Pitickton to Kelowna. One of the most breathtaking drives I have ever been on. It was great there were viewpoints all along where I would stop and take pictures. The reflection of the hills in the lake was just awesome!




My next stop was Kelowna. Another great small city with great views.





My last two stops were Vernon and Kamloops. They were very nice too but My day was really busy so I did not get too much sightseeing done at these plces. The above are some more pics from the two places.




This last picture is from my flight to Kamloops to Vancouver. It is a very nice bird eyes view of the hills in BC.

Very blessed to have this kind of work with some travelling. Thanks to the people at work who sent me and of course most importantly thank you Allah for sending me there and opening my eyes to these great views.......

What a city! (Vancouver, BC)

I have been lucky enough to travel to the other side of Canada (i.e. British Columbia) this week for Work. Today I was in Vancouver and found out first hand why this city is such a "in" place to live in.

It is a city with a lot of character, natural beuety, great weather ( if you dont mind rain) and beutiful arhitecture. I was just amazed on how so much can be packed in such small area.



It was my first expreince of the Pacific Ocean. The views from Vancouver's beaches (picture above) are all breathtaking even in this foggy weather. I wonder how they look when the sun is out.



One thing I noticed was that there seems to be a higher ratio of local businesses in Vancouver compared to the bigger chains which seem to dominate the markets in other big cities.That I belve givs the city more character.

Ah. The ocean, the beach, the mountains, the tall buildings, the bridges, the big ships. WHat a city!

The Daily SHow; Houston Mosque problem

A odd thing happenning in Texas as reported by The Daily Show. See video below.

Black History Month & The Significance of Islam // With Imam Zaid Shaki

Black History Month & The Significance of Islam // With Imam Zaid Shakir

From Meccaone

BBC: The story-tellers of Marrakesh

From the BBC:

In the Moroccan city of Marrakesh, you can still find men who tell ancient stories that have been handed down from generation to generation.

But with modern technology offering new forms of diversion and entertainment, young people are ignoring the story-tellers and for the first time in perhaps 1,000 years the tradition is dying out.

Loading up a van-Pakistani Style

This is one of he most dangerous roads in Islamabad. and yet this does not stop public transport vans from using every inch of space on the van ( Picture is from islamabad Metro blog).

I think the TTC is safer.

PBS---Canada: The cell next door

PBS frontline documentary on the arrests last summer. One of the more detailed journalist accounts of the arrests.

Water contamination in Pakistan

Recently World Wide Fund for Nature and Several NGOs in Pakistan completed a report on the water situation in Pakistan. Some of it's findings as pe rthe Dawn newspaper were:

Water contamination in the country is continuing unabated as the issue does not feature high on the agenda of the government which also lacks commitment to enforce laws it has enacted for protecting water for future generations.

This apathy on the part of the government, enforcement agencies and the industrial and agriculture sectors responsible for contamination is resulting in the death of at least 250,000 children every year while adults are facing severe health hazards.

This was revealed in a report launched by the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan in collaboration with Actionaid Pakistan, Pani Pakistan, Sungi, Pakistan Environmental Lawyers Association, Shehri and Human Welfare and Nature Conservation Society at a press conference here on Thursday.

WWF-Pak Fresh Water and Toxics Programme director Hammad Naqi told the newsmen that all the data for the report “Pakistan’s waters at risk” had been collected from various official studies so that the authorities could not challenge its authenticity.

The News, another leading Daily newspaper expands furthur on the situation:

The picture becomes more disturbing if one looks at it more closely. For instance, the government's own data reveals that 99 per cent of industrial effluent and 92 per cent of urban wastewater is discharged untreated into rivers and the sea (the extent of damage to marine life and the ecosystems of these bodies of water can probably not even be imagined). Drinking water in most urban cities such as Karachi, Lahore, Hyderabad, Peshawar, Multan and even Abbotabad and Islamabad has been found to be laced with biological and chemical pollutants (according to a survey conducted by the NGO Network and the National Institute of Health, three-quarters of all water in the federal capital is not suitable for drinking). Equally alarmingly, 36 per cent of the population of Sindh and Punjab is exposed to arsenic levels in water that are five times more than the safe limit as prescribed by the World Health Organisation. The picture is quite dismal and reflects, regrettably, the government's misplaced priorities since some other areas receive more attention and funding (the most obvious being defence).

As the figures above suggest, it would actually not be a cliché to say that improving the quality of water in Pakistan is a life and death issue -- it is precisely just that. What is needed is a government that displays the political will and commitment to address this issue seriously, gives it the priority that it deserves and does not dismiss it as a fashionable issue advocated by the NGO sector for its own ends such as funding and so on (one suspects that is what the government partly tends to think of the matter).

I dont think Pakistan is alone in it's struggle to balance development and water protection. I have heard people say that the economy supersedes the environment when a country is developing. But the where do you draw the line? how many people need to die from water pollution before one realizes that sanctity of life is more important then the economy.

What drives landowners and others to remove pollution causing sources in the developed world? I thinnk it is the legal implications of the impact their land may cause to human health. As in, the threat of a legal suit and/or heavy fine from the government drives water pollution protection.

In summary the key components of water pollution protection is as follows:

• Government Regulations that set limits for different contaminants
• Government regulators who oversee the implementation of these regulations
• Some sort of check or audit on the government to make sure it is doing it's job
• Public awareness and consultation
  
• A justice system to seek out pollutors
• technical skills ( includes consultants, lab technicians, contractors, etc)

I am sure I have missed some components.in the above bullets but the point is that it is not easy to implement regulations that the developed world currently has and use them in a devleoping country. This is a multi step and multi tiered process which could take decades to implement. So what is the solution?

A question to explore on another blog post.

A proof ( quote)

“A proof is a proof. What kind of a proof? It's a proof. A proof is a proof. And when you have a good proof, it's because it's proven.” jean chretien

Spiegel Online: From Ghana to Europe

A very interesting (and long) read from Spiegel Online.

It dicusses the journey of one would-be-imigrant from Ghana to Europe and all the interesting places/people/tests he encountered in between. Realy opens your eyes to how some people are living their lives in this world and how lucky we are.....

There are journeys that change a traveler, that transform ( abd longhim into a different person. And there are travelers who, by the end of their journey, want nothing so much as for life to return to the way it used to be. But they discover that there is no turning back, that their world has changed irrevocably.

For John Ekow Ampan, Africa was his home throughout his journey. Then he lost his security -- his friends, his customers, his language and his laugh. He wanted to become a European. Today he dresses like a European, works like a European and buys European TVs and washing machines. READ (much) MORE

Naan?

You have all heard me talk about the importance of roti in my life ( and its relevance to my marriage). A cousin of roti is naan. Metroblog Islamabad talks about naan and its roots.:

Islamabad is truly a city with a thousand faces. Islamabad has a population that is characterised by ethnic identities from the far north to the southern most point of the countryand each of these people has brought some part of their own cultures with them and as time has gone by, that particular tradition has become identifiable with Islamabad's life style.

One of these traditions that has grown largely due to the population that was initially based in NWFP, specifically Peshawar City where even today, people rely mostly on the 'tandoor' to provide their daily intake of the 'roti', a flat leavened form of bread made from wholewheat flour. Islamabad has hundreds of small and large tandoors located in small markets and in nooks and cranies around the city which provide many forms of fresh, warm bread hot from the oven to residents of the posh areas to the laborers employed around the city. Some of these tandoors are attached to small hotels that also serve the not so well off when it's time for an afternoon or evening meal.

As time has gone by, tandoors have evolved the conventional 'roti' into many varied types, to suit different occasions and tastes. For example, a 'roghni naan' or a 'paratha' usually kneaded with ghee and/or milk usually signifies a special occasion; guests or lunch or even a simple leasurely meal on a holiday. During a convential week, it is the common 'naan' that usually graces the table. If you don't like what you have to eat at home, you can order a mince meat or vegetable naan that will fill your tank up quite well.

Be it a crisp, clear day or an evening, there is nothing more comforting than the warm scents of the naan and rotis wafting from the tandoor at the corner. It is guaranteed to make anyone feel hungry.

Bon Appetit!

Funny man Colbert

Recently I have started watching the Colbert Report on Comedy Central. And it is hilarious. Mr. Colbert makes you think with his witty sense of humour. One of his most famous Public appearences was the white house correspondents dinner early last year which wa sbeing attended by Mr. Bush as well. Here is a quote from Colbert where he talks about bush:

"I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound — with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world."

Watch full video here!

Warming upto Global warming?

Speigel Online did a summary of the UN Global Warming report. Here are their main points:

• Eleven of the last 12 years rank among the hottest years since 1850, when records on global surface temperatures began.
• Global temperatures have climbed 0.76 degrees since the latter half of the 19th century and the rate of temperature increase for the last 50 years is twice that of the last 100 years.
• The global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide -- one of the gases most directly responsible for the greenhouse effect -- has jumped 35 percent since 1750, from 280 to 379 parts per million in 2005. The current value is well over the average of the last 650,000 years, as shown by ice cores drilled out of the world's glaciers. Seventy-eight percent of the rise can be pinned on the burning of fossil fuels, with the remaining 22 percent due to changes in land use.
• Other greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide likewise play a role, albeit a lesser one, in global warming. The concentration of methane in the atmosphere has risen by 148 percent since 1750; that of nitrous oxide by 18 percent.
• The report indicates "a very high confidence" that humans have caused a rise in global temperatures since 1750 and that the rate of temperature increase is "very likely" to have been unprecedented in more than 10,000 years. The report translates "very high confidence" to mean a 9 out of 10 chance of being correct and "very likely" to mean a greater than 90 percent probability.
• Average temperatures in the world's oceans have increased down to depths of 3,000 meters (9,843 feet) -- the oceans have been absorbing up to 80 percent of the temperature increase, causing sea waters to expand and worsen sea level rise.
• The frequency of heavy precipitation has increased.
• Average temperatures in the Arctic have increased at almost twice the global average in the last 100 years; new data indicates that the melting ice sheets on Greenland and Antarctica have "very likely" contributed to sea level rises. The rate of sea level rise from 1993 to 2003 was 42 percent faster than the rate from 1961 to 2003.
• Average temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere in the last 50 years were "very likely" higher than in any other such period in the last 500 years and "likely" (greater than a 66 percent chance) higher than in the last 1,300 years.
• Sea levels are rising at the rate of some 3 millimeters per year since 1993 and rose 17 centimeters during the 20th century. About half of that rise is due to the expansion of ocean water as it heats up, 25 percent is due to the melting of mountain glaciers and 15 percent is due to melting polar ice caps.
• The temperature of the upper layer of permafrost has risen by 3 degrees Celsius since 1980 with the total area of permafrost having shrunk by 7 percent since 1900.
• The average amount of sea ice in the Arctic has dropped by 8 percent since 1978; in summer it has dropped by 22 percent. No such reduction has been observed in Antarctica.
• Taken together, the warming of the atmosphere and ocean along with the loss of ice "supports the conclusion that it is extremely unlikely (less than 5 percent chance) that global climate change of the past 50 years can be explained without external forcing" -- that is, without human activity -- "and it is very likely that it is not due to known natural causes alone."

STARLING!!!Surely none of these changes are natural? The sad part is that despite agreeing with the conclusions of the report, Mr. Harper doesnt want to take urgent action. The problem however is that if we dont act now, we will just make mateers worse. See it this way, its like a rotee warming up on a stove. If you warm it too much it will burn so you need to take it off the stove right away once its ready. The world is like a rotee on a stove and its starting to burn Come on Harper dont let the rotee burn. take some action NOW an at least take part of the rotee off the stove!

Alami Garmee ( global warming)

Well hopefully the debate about Global Warming ends now that the UN report has been issued. The report clearly states:

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the most authoritative group on warming which groups 2,500 scientists from more than 130 nations, predicted more severe rains, melting glaciers, droughts and heatwaves and a slow rise in sea levels. The final text of the report said it was "very likely" -- meaning a probability of more than 90 percent -- that human activities led by burning fossil fuels explained most of the warming in the past 50 years.

Timming up the calories

If you are a Timmies fan like myself it is imperitive that you check out how many calories you eat there. Wow I did not know that each choclate tim bit had 70 calories in it.

Okay I will write more later. I might just go to Timmies right now :-)

Iraq oil ownership

Interesting to hear on BBC radio today about Iraq's oil ownership process which seems to be heading in what I think is a pathetic direction.

Quoting from this this CBC report:

The Iraqi government plans to introduce a law that will give Western oil companies rights to the country's huge oil reserves, a British newspaper says.

The government is drafting a law based on "production sharing agreements [PSAs]," which will allow major oil companies to sign deals of up to 30 years to extract Iraq's oil, the Independent on Sunday reported

Over the top of what is happening right now in Iraq, I hope it does not become another Nigeria.

Mooselim

Some retired senior MSA-ers from Waterloo decided to get together and start a blog called Mooselim.ca . From what I have seen there are a lot of quality posts on a regular basis.

And knowing almost all of the bloggers individually, I think they will cotinue to make me think by writing about what they think in what they think is the best way to communicate about what mulims might think or might not think.

In fact they also made it to the Toronto Star.

Canadian Temperature conversions

Forced marriage

A sad twist to Arranged marriage can lead to the problem of forced marriage.....as this Boston Globe article dicusses:

Forced marriage is the ugly flip side of arranged marriage, a widespread and valued tradition in South Asia. In arranged marriages, parents typically help their son or daughter choose a suitable partner -- often along lines of class, education, or wealth -- but leave the ultimate decision to the child.

Forced marriage, however, has no consent, just a brutally imposed social contract. The problem is widespread in the region, said Khalida Salimi of Struggle for Change, a Pakistani women's organization.....................

healthy eating

A few tips from Psychology today on how to stay healthy...( yes we should eat whole wheat roti!)

1. Kidney beans: Fiber lowers cholesterol and fosters a steady energy supply to the brain. Folate lowers artery-damaging homocysteine and boosts neurotransmitters to improve alertness, memory and mood. Iron aids cognition by making enzymes essential for neurotransmitter function. Thiamin (vitamin B1) aids attention and memory by boosting the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Tryptophan is a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin.
2. Whole Wheat Bread: Fiber. Thiamin (B1). Ferulic acid is an antioxidant that prevents cognitive decline. Glucose furnishes energy and neurotransmitter components. Iron contributes to enzymes essential for neurotransmitter function. Riboflavin (B2) contributes to acetylcholine. Vitamin E is a brain antioxidant.
3. Apples: Pectin fiber. Epigallocatechin is an antioxidant that may prevent cancer. Quercetin is an antioxidant that preserves brain function, prevents Alzheimer's disease and boosts oxygen supply by aiding lung function.
4. Oranges: Folate. Thiamine (B1). Carotenoid antioxidants preserve nerve-cell membranes and prevent vision degeneration. Hesperidin flavonoid preserves blood-vessel function, reduces cholesterol and acts as an anti-inflammatory. Vitamin C is a brain antioxidant and aids neurotransmitter production.
5. Red Grapes: Anthocyanin antioxidants preserve nerve cells and prevent cancer. Resveratrol antioxidant protects the heart and especially the brain.
6. Milk: Calcium influences neurotransmitter release. Carnitine prevents aging by boosting mitochondria. Choline is a precursor to acetylcholine. Cobalamin (B12) also contributes to acetylcholine and to nerve-cell insulation. Niacin (B3) supports nervous system function.
7. Fish: Choline. Cobalamin (B12). Niacin (B3). Omega-3 fatty acids protect the heart, lower cholesterol, preserve nerve-cell function, relieve depression and fight inflammation. Pyridoxine (B6) contributes to acetylcholine.
8. Red Pepper: Pectin fiber. Pyridoxine (B6). Vitamin C. Beta-carotene antioxidants preserve brain function. Beta-cryptoxanthin antioxidants protect against vascular disease. Hesperidin and rutin flavonoids preserve blood vessels, reduce cholesterol and act as anti-inflammatories. Luteolin antioxidants help prevent heart disease and stroke.

Water and Development

Water is an essential need. One of those things we take for granted every day. It is essential in almost everything we do. Water and development have a close connection which this article discusses.

The parts which I find most interesting are quoted below:

The documentary’s look at Coca Cola (Coke for short) company’s activities in India highlighted problems also seen around the world. Because Coke had been pumping water from local wells and aquifers, this led to farmers digging deeper and deeper to search for waters, under sometimes dangerous conditions. Some farmers were digging as deep as 450 feet without finding water. The documentary noted that they wanted Coke to leave for they brought them nothing but misery. Indeed, earlier in 2000, violent protests by farmers in the state of Kerala led to the closure of Coke there.

The documentary also noted that for each liter of drink from Coca Cola, some 3 liters of water was needed.

When asked, Coke noted all the activities they were pursuing to be a more responsible neighbor. Coke also claimed that government figures showed they did not cause the drop in water levels, yet those figures showed otherwise. They also noted that agriculture is responsible for more water usage than Coca Cola. While this is partly correct, this applies more to industrial agribusinesses, not small farmers.

Furthermore, farmers are arguably using the land for more productive (and necessary) purposes than Coke. In addition, Coke, typical of many global companies, have used the lands (and, in this case, water) of the poor countries, to produce products to be mainly consumed by people in wealthy countries.

n Tanzania, the documentary noted the hardships and struggles of the poor when the country followed rich-country and World Bank advice and privatized their water services. In a region where currently 11 million lives are at risk from water shortage, these policies are having serious impacts. Privatization led to increased prices and lack of access, rather than increased access.

In Bolivia, even though much of the major city covered by the documentary was connected up by the global water company, the poor could not afford the connection charges. Some 200,000 people in that city—a quarter of the population—were not connected. (The French company that owned the water services there said in the documentary that the poor “chose” not to be connected.) Numerous health and social problems developed, especially for the children and the poor were resorting to illegal connections. (We can often see such actions by poor as being “illegal”, but when the system itself encourages such last-resort actions and “corruption” we hear less of that aspect.)

In Detroit, USA, the documentary noted that the poor in the richest country in the world were also affected by similar global problems. Like families in Tanzania, many African Americans in Detroit were finding they needed to make daily trips to get water. The documentary followed the struggle of a woman who had fallen behind on her water bills because her disabled husband’s medical bills had grown so much. Yet, some 40,000 households (some 100,000 people) in Detroit were facing water shortages in similar ways, simply for being too poor to afford the bills. In this particular case, city officials were also accused of running down the water service so that it could be privatized and thereby reduce their accountability.......

..Throughout Latin America and Asia, massive industrialization in rural communities is affecting the balance between humans and nature. Water use is being diverted from agriculture to industry. Huge corporate factories are moving up the rivers of the Third World, sucking them dry as they go............

Many of the world’s most water-stressed areas will get less water, and water flows will become less predictable and more subject to extreme events. Among the projected outcomes:

• Marked reductions in water availability in East Africa, the Sahel and Southern Africa as rainfall declines and temperature rises, with large productivity losses in basic food staples. Projections for rainfed areas in East Africa point to potential productivity losses of up to 33% in maize and more than 20% for sorghum and 18% for millet.
• The disruption of food production systems exposing an additional 75–125 million people to the threat of hunger.
• Accelerated glacial melt, leading to medium term reductions in water availability across a large group of countries in East Asia, Latin America and South Asia.
• Disruptions to monsoon patterns in South Asia, with the potential for more rain but also fewer rainy days and more people affected by drought.
• Rising sea levels resulting in freshwater losses in river delta systems in countries such as Bangladesh, Egypt and Thailand...........

............Agribusinesses growing crops for export are claiming more of the water once used by family and peasant farmers for food self-sufficiency. The global expansion in mining and manufacturing is increasing the threat of pollution of underground water supplies and contaminating the aquifers that provide more than 50 percent of domestic supplies in most Asian countries.

To feed the voracious global consumer market, China has transformed its entire economy, massively diverting water use from communities and local farming to its burgeoning industrial sector. As the big industrial wells consume more water, millions of Chinese farmers have found their local wells pumped dry. Eighty percent of China's major rivers are now so degraded, they no longer support fish. Economic globalization and the policies that drive it are proving to be totally unsustainable.

School of the Americas

When at Waterloo, I attened a lecture about the School of the Americas. I was shocke dto learn that the US actively trained Latin Americans who later go and torture their own people. Wiki bhai has more information on this School ( no wonder there is a rise of the left in Latin America..well this is one of the reasons away):

The SOA was established in 1946 with the purpose of training Latin American men to promote democracy in their native lands, but, according to SOA Watch, graduates of the school have perpetrated many of the worst human rights violations in recent Latin American history and demand its immediate closure.

In addition to conducting its annual vigils and educating the public about abuses committed by graduates of the academy, the SOA Watch continues to lobby Congress to shut down the school.

In 2004, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez agreed to withdraw all troops from WHINSEC, which has trained over 4,000 Venezuelan soldiers. Several of the officers involved in the failed 2002 coup d'etat were School of the Americas graduates^[1]. In 2006, the governments of Argentina and Uruguay decided to stop sending soldiers to the school, as well [1]. SOA Watch is pressing other South American leaders to follow the examples of these countries...................

Read more about the School of Americas Watch here. and also here:

Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHISC or WHINSEC), formerly School of the Americas (SOA; Spanish: Escuela de las Américas), is a United States Army facility at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia. Its motto is Libertad, Paz y Fraternidad (Liberty, Peace and Brotherhood). ^[1] It has a history of supporting controversial anti-communist regimes and guerrila organisations.

The institute is a training facility operated in the Spanish language, especially for Latin American military personnel. As of 2006 the school now offers its Command And General Staff course to United States military for whom Spanish is their primary language. The course which is formally called ILE is the same which United States military officers attend only in Spanish. Somewhere around 60,000 people attended the now closed School Of The Americas. Presently roughly 1,000 students per year attend WHINSEC which was created as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.

The school has frequently in the past supported regimes in Latin America with a history of employing death squads and otherwise infringing upon human rights, something the school has staunchly denied. In response to this type of past criticism, the school in 2004 created a human rights protection training course, requiring each student to take eight hours. The school has also included in much of its course work training in the principles of democracy. Critics accuse the school of teaching these classes to only a few students and argue that the minimum of eight hours of ethical instruction mandated by recent law is not sufficient.

Dubai chalo

One hears a lot about Dubai being an awesome place and all. However one of the isues I have with Dubai is their Environmental record. Read this article for more details.....

Energy consumption in the Emirates runs high for many of the same reasons found in the United States: a feeling that the good life requires huge air-conditioned houses and cars, and a disdain for public transportation.

Making matters worse are Dubai's audacious developments, including artificial resort islands that have destroyed coral reefs and an indoor ski slope that still creates snow when it is 120 degrees outside.

"Of all the places to make artificial snow, this has to be the most absurd," said Jonathan Loh, a British biologist who co-authored the WWF report.

Little Mosque on the Praire-My opinion so far....

I just watched the 2nd show on Google videos and made a comment on Deenport of what I thought> Here is what I said:

Despite disagreeing with few things on the show, I actually lliked this episode ( and the last one).

Reminds me of the arguments ( on different issues) between MSA members in my MSA days ( when I was in university).

I dont think we should get stuck on the negatives of the show. I agree there are a few negatives but overall this is a step in the right direction. ( Muslim representation in mainstream entertainment which is one of the best ways to communicate with the masses at large).

If people disagreeing with Zarqa Nawaz are mobilized to make a show( of what they think) would be a better reprentation of Muslims then that in itself would be another positive of "Little Mosque on the Praire".

Altmuslim: What Islamists Think - And Why It Doesn't Work

Some good questions asked by the writer about Hizb and other organizations who seek innocent utopian answers to very complicated questions:

A few days ago, I got into conversation with an Islamist brother, and somewhat predictably, the conversation swiftly fell down some well-trodden paths. It was my duty as a Muslim, I was told, to work towards the full implementation of shariah, and to at least hope for the arrival one day of an Islamic State - if not actively working towards bringing it about.

The perceptive reader will have already discerned from this very short history that I was speaking to a representative of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, or whatever it's calling itself nowadays since it's been proscribed. Has it been banned? Not certain, but either way it's not flavour of the month down at the Metropolitan Police.

Al-Qaeda in Pakistan?

I just read this story on the BBC and having just come back from Pakistan, I feel I can shed some unique light on the issue.

First of all, I feel the problem of cause and effect and the failure of the US to understand this co-realtion is a big quagmire. For example while I was in Pakistan the issue of saddam's hanging made big headlines across the board on cable TV and in newspapers. By and large the local media there ( be it left or right), was appaled at the fact that Saddam was hanged so close to Eid ( or on Eid in some areas). While people there acknowledged the fact that Mr. Saddam was a tyrant no one could excuse the timing of the hanging and some even asked questions about the fairness of the trail. The point being that there is a feeling in Pakistan across the board that the US has a big agenda against the Muslims.

Despite the above mentioned feeling among people in Pakistan, it is very rare that someone would symphathize with anyone killing innocent people in the West or in Pakistan. If sympathy does exsist with Al-Qaeda ( the defination of Al-Qaeda is of course very subjective), it is most likely to be in the tribal areas next to Afganistan. The reasons for this symptahy are many-fold. It is not only because they hate America ( well most people there hate America anyways), its because the government in Pakistan is being a puppet of the US government and is seen to be acting like a headless chicken while taking a tough line on what it calls terrorists . A tough line is fine as long as you arrest the right people and prosecute them in the court of law. However it is not okay if you kidnap people and send them to Guantanomo. It is not okay if American Drones kill 80 teenagers in a Madressa just to kill one taleban sympathizer ( only to be followed by fake strikes nearby by Pakistani Helicopters to hide the fact that the Americans did it). It is not okay if 17 people including women and children are killled in an American airstrike before that.

The Afgan border area of Pakistan has always had poor relations with the government and the handling of this issue by both the US and Pakistan isnt helping either country. The question arises here as to what the solution to this problem could be?

I think for one the Pakistani government needs to build trust with the Tribal elders near the Afgan border ( A course of action that they were purusing at one point). While it is true that the tribal elders arent the easisest to deal with ( some of them oppose development of thier areas because that would compromise thier hold on power), killing them or thier people isnt the solution either. Moreover Pakistan needs to stand up to the US and protect the people within it's boundries. It doesnt help when the Pakistani army is seen to be covering up US airstrikes or supporting the US without thought or consideration for its own people.

In other words Pakistan needs to educate and build trust with both: the Tribal Elders at the Pak-Afgan border and effective Tribal elders of the US government.

Habib Al Jifri interview

One of the leading scholars of today gives an interview to Yemen Times touching on many pertinant issues. The answer to this question really struck a cord in me. ( I encourage you to read the whole interview):

YT: What’s your message to all the people out there who are angered by what is happening to the Muslims?

It is difficult for people who are angry to listen to a message. Our message is for people of understanding who live amongst the angry masses. Remind people
about the root of the problem … and the root is our turning away from Allah. The enemies of truth have been allowed to overpower us because of our sins and vices. We have to remind ourselves that with the deep pain which tightens our breasts because of the suffering of our fellow Muslims, we should feel an even greater pain for those who are being sacrificed on the knife edge of sins and disobedience of the Allah's commands. We need to shed even more tears for the Muslims who go to bed drunk and those who fill the dance floors. As long as our community feels more pained by these fatalities than it does by these sins, it will lag behind and not progress. In our golden era the community feared falling into sin more than it did being killed in a conflict, for a Muslim to die when he stands for the truth is martyrdom and an honour by which he can draw near to Allah.

What is more painful to my heart? Seeing a Muslim killed inside a mosque hit by a missile causing him to fall as a martyr or seeing a Muslim male or female betray one another or their community, people who bear false witness or take or accept bribes, or cheat, or spend the night dancing in a night club and consuming alcohol. I am not trying to belittle the magnitude of the disasters we are facing but we need to look at the reasons that have put us in this position.

A curry a day keeps docter saab away

Article from ScienceDaily ( I wonder what the health benefits of roti are?)

The chemical that gives spicy food its kick could hold the key to the next generation of anti-cancer drugs that will kill tumours with few or no side effects for the patient, say academics at The University of Nottingham.

A study by the scientists, published online in the journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, has proven for the first time that the chemical compound capsaicin -- which is responsible for the burning sensation when we eat chillies -- can kill cells by directly targeting their energy source.

It could mean that patients could control or prevent the onset of cancer by eating a diet rich in capsaicin and that existing products to treat conditions such as psoriasis and muscle strain, which contain the compound and are already approved for medical use, could be adapted to tackle this more serious disease.

Back in Canada now. Here are a few pictures from my flight begninig with one of Islamabad Airport ad goig through Afganistan and Central Asia. I might post a summary of my learnings/reflections on this trip later. Right now I am getting over jet lagness.

NIce Mosque

Img_1256, originally uploaded by hammadin.

A really nice mosque near my house.

EId Sacrafice

Img_1248, originally uploaded by hammadin.

We sacraficed for EId this morning.

The picture shows a cow in which the Din family was the majority shareholder. Seeing an animal die is not always a fun thing to watch. Kind of makes your reflect on death and think about sacrafice.

I have much more gruesome pictures but those would be rated PG-15 hence I will spare you guys.