An American Who Speaks Urdu

He speaks without mixing it with English words.

Global Ramadan 2009

This is an excellent collection of beautiful pictures around the theme of Ramadan around the world... A must see!

Ramadan 2009

In Muslim nations and regions around the globe, this is the first week of the holy month of Ramadan, a time for followers to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual activity during the day, breaking their fast each sunset, with traditional meals and sweets. During this time, Muslims are also encouraged to read the entire Quran, to give freely to those in need, and strengthen their ties to God through prayer. The goal of the fast is to teach humility, patience and sacrifice, and to ask forgiveness, practice self-restraint, and pray for guidance in the future. This year, Ramadan will continue until Saturday, September 19th. (39 photos total)

DAWN.COM | An Italian in love with Urdu

DAWN.COM | Entertainment | An Italian in love with Urdu

Born in 1977 in Taranto, a port city in southern Italy, Prof Bon teaches Urdu language and literature at the Universita Degli Studi Di Napoli L’Orientale, or the oriental university of Naples. He also teaches a course on Hindi language and translation at the University of Macerata.

‘Phonetically it feels so pleasing to listen to Urdu. I’m not degrading any other language, but Urdu sounds like music to my ears.[...]'

Update re: An unlikely Indian admirer [of Mr. Jinah]

Jaswant Singh has been kicked out of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP, one of India's major political radical) for his praise for Mr. Mohammad Ali Jinah in his latest book. See the DAWN.com column.

Luck

Some people make more luck than others.

           - Seth Godin on CBC-Radio's Spark

Internet of Things

The "internet of things" is a concept that describes a wireless network between objects. In a way, it parallels the current network of addressable web pages (aka the "world wide web"), except "the internet of things" would include addressable inanimate objects that could be anything from your home's refrigerator to the shoes on your feet. Although this world of web-connected things has been much discussed for years, we've seen little movement pushing the concept forward. At least, until now.

Check From 5 Companies Building the "Internet of Things" Check out the cool stuff possible with RFIDs.

DAWN.COM | An unlikely Indian admirer [of Mr. Jinah]

DAWN.COM | Columnists | An unlikely Indian admirer

Did he believe the common Indian lore that Jinnah hated Hindus?
‘Wrong. Totally wrong. That certainly he was not … his principal disagreement was with the Congress Party. He had no problems whatsoever with Hindus. I think we have misunderstood him because we needed to create a demon … we needed a demon because in the 20th century the most telling event in the subcontinent was the partition of the country.’

Jaswant Singh said had Congress accepted a decentralised federal country then, in that event, a united India ‘was ours to attain.’ The problem, he added, was Jawaharlal Nehru’s ‘highly centralised polity.’
He said: ‘Nehru believed in a high centralised policy. That’s what he wanted India to be. Jinnah wanted a federal polity. That even Gandhi accepted. Nehru didn’t. Consistently he stood in the way of a federal India until 1947 when it became a partitioned India.’

Hence proved that Nehru and Patel were the true villains, not Jinah or Gandhi.