Rachel Maddow - U.S testing Pakistan's patience

Rachel Maddow is a reporter for MSN News doing what a reporter should do! The video says it all so I wont go into details. I'll just leave you with this thought.
Has America pushed their weight around too much and with the wrong country?...

[Koke]

LowKey - Long Live Palestine

Listen to what is said. This is more than music!

[Koke]

Lowkey - Gaza, Lift The Siege

[Koke]

What's your score?

[iD]

Where is the help?

Child sleeping in a camp in the city of Hyderabad, Pakistan (APP)

So where is the help when we need it? What are the reasons behind tight-fisted response towards Pakistan's flood? Should we blame bad reputation of those in power? Or years of media abuse of the country and it's connections with terrorism? Maybe we can blame Pakistan's very own Mr 10%'s infamous fun visits abroad? Or never tiring blame game of their politicians? Or just blame recession and get over it?

Let's take a moment here and do a comparison between funds raised by Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) for recent natural disasters. Within hours, Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) raised £100m for 2004 Tsunami and by February 2005, it closed its appeal to a staggering £300m. They raised £101m for Haiti earthquake. But their Pakistan floods appeal has just reached £10m.

An estimated 20 million people (that's one in ten Pakistanis) have been affected by the disaster, this equals the population of Australia; and these floods have already destroyed one fifth of the Pakistan's territory, that is as vast as Italy. Now, aid officials are warning a second wave of deaths by waterborne diseases and if something's isn't done soon then a disease pandemic is just around the corner.

According to UN more people have suffered in Pakistan than Haiti earthquake, Indian Ocean tsuami and 2004 Pakistan earthquake *put together* and all those numbers above (except donations except ones with sterling) leave no doubt in my mind that this is clearly the biggest natural disaster in the recent history.

Who and what should we blame? Should we even waste our time in that or start working towards raising money for those who have lost their everything; before they lose hope? 

Too many questions but there is only one answer...

To help: Text 'GIVE' to 70707 to donate £5 to the DEC to assist with the Pakistan Flood Disaster.  Alternatively visit Hope for Help Foundation,  Islamic Relief or Helping Hand


[iD]

Pakistan Flood 2010

Families marooned by flood waters - Image Credit: Reuters

Pakistan is suffering from the biggest flood in it's history. More than 1,600 people have lost their lives to the disaster so far. According to rescue services, the death toll has been estimated to reach around the 3,000 mark. It began on July 2010 after heavy monsoon rain took place in the Himalayas. The Northern Provinces had been affected the most but it seems it is crawling its way south leaving behind a trail of destruction. The UN estimates that some 15 million people have been affected - At least 4 Million more people than in the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake put together.

It's very difficult to figure out why the world has turned (pretty much) a blind eye to one of the biggest natural disasters in recent history. It has been reported that even people of Pakistan aren't showing much interest to the matter, at least not like they did in the 2004 earthquake. Maybe Pakistan hasn't glorified this catastrophic event well enough?

Please do your bit to help those in need and your Zakat will make a difference no matter how little or large. You can help by clicking the link to the Muslim Aid website in the side bar. Even spreading the news and making dua for those less fortunate then us is a charitible act...Insha'Allah

[Koke]

Ramadan Mubarak...

Today was the first day of Ramadan 1431/2010 - and it went pretty well really, after the first night of taraweeh sweating in the masjid I was rather dreading the thought of fasting these longer hours (16 Hrs 15 mins for day 1). I slept most of the day apart from waking up for Salah. Oh ssh, I work nights!

So fast forward my strenuous day and I am at work where I meet the ever so chirpy Koke and to my amazement he had shaved his hair off!

Iftar is always a big occasion (as in the quantity of food) and we were both spending it at work. There was enough food to feed an army and after a long stare, all was consumed. We took turns at reading Magrib where I used my iPhone to find the right direction *cough*...

As prayer finished, we rushed for our first cigarette and boy did it feel good!

The 34 Inchers would like to wish everyone Ramadan Mubarak and Insha' Allah, Allah graces us with his mercy and compassion. Ameen!

How did yours go?

[iD]