Listening to Tom Campbell's speech one could sense Campbell understands California's financial situation better than his opponents in the gubernatorial race.


See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#


Campbell's keynote speech at the OPEN Forum is here:
http://www.archive.org/details/TomCampbellsEveningKeynoteSpeechAtOpenForum200

Professor Tom Campbell surrounded by the audience.

Campbell's keynote speech at the OPEN Forum is here:
http://www.archive.org/details/TomCampbellsEveningKeynoteSpeechAtOpenForum2009

Ex-Congressman Tom Campbell gave the OPEN Forum 2009 keynote speech.

Workshop on "Crafting your personal brand to transition into the Cleantech sector."

Workshop on "Crafting your personal brand to transition into the Cleantech sector."

Session on "Making Sense of this Downturn: What to do next for your Personal Finances?" was conducted by Salman Khan.

"The Business of Gaming" panelists.

Session on "The Business of Gaming."

Pakistan's Consul General in Los Angeles, Syed Ibne Abbas attended the OPEN Forum 2009. Here you see Dilawar Syed introducing Pakistan Consul General Syed Ibne Abbas to people in the audience. Informally speaking to the Pakistani Americans Ibne Abbas said the Los Angeles Consulate of Pakistan was available to serve Pakistanis around the clock.

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Session on "The Stimulus Act: The Impact of Government Policy on Cleantech Start-ups and Investors."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Session on "The Stimulus Act: The Impact of Government Policy on Cleantech Start-ups and Investors."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Session on "Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Health Care ."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Session on "Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Health Care ."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Entrepreneurial Idol: Season III.

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Judges of "Entrepreneurial Idol: Season III."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

In the conference keynote speech, Ex Sun Microsystems executive Masood Jabbar spoke about the lessons he learned working in the high tech industry.

Listen to Jabbar's speech here:
http://www.archive.org/details/MasoodJabbarsSpeechAtOpenSiliconValleyForum2009

In a by-invitation lunch meeting dubbed "Fundraising for a Cleantech Startup? Cleantech Pitch Lunch with a Room Full of Investors", businesses seeking capital gave presentations about their products.

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Panel discussion on "A Fistful of Dollars: The good, the bad and the Ugly of Fundraising in a Hostile Environment."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Panel discussion on "A Fistful of Dollars: The good, the bad and the Ugly of Fundraising in a Hostile Environment."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Panel discussion on "Entrepreneurship: Stabilizing Force in the World."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Panel discussion on "Entrepreneurship: Stabilizing Force in the World."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Panel discussion on "Innovations in Energy: Viable business propositions after Market Corrections."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Panel discussion on "Innovations in Energy: Viable business propositions after Market Corrections."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Panel Discussion on "How Social Media is Shaping Our World."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Panel Discussion on "How Social Media is Shaping Our World."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

"Where's the Green in Clean? Investment Opportunities, Valuations and the Funding Gap in Cleantech."

Panel discussion on "Where's the Green in Clean? Investment Opportunities, Valuations and the Funding Gap in Cleantech."

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

'Cloud Computing' panelists at the OPEN Forum 2009.

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

No matter how distant you are from the computer world, OPEN Forum would decipher modern technical jargon for you and would tell you the real deal behind high-flown buzz phrases. Here you see a panel discussing Cloud Computing.

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

It would be surprising if anyone among the Warren Packard audience did not mark their calendar for December 13, 2010. Packard thought the manner in which the technology was getting cheaper by the day, in eighteen months attendees of technical conferences would find themselves receiving free mp3 players as marketing material. "See me if this does not happen," Packard assured the audience.

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

OPEN Silicon Valley Forum 2009

Trying to learn new things in an OPEN (Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs of North America) Forum is like trying to drink water from a fire-hydrant. With three parallel tracks of panel discussions going on, scores of knowledgeable speakers to listen to, and hundreds of people to reconnect with the whole day affair is an exhilarating exercise. This years OPEN Forum took place on Saturday, June 13, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View.

In the picture above you see Warren Packard of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, a venture capitalist firm, giving the morning keynote speech at the OPEN Forum 2009. In his speech Packard put great confidence in the entrepreneurial spirit of mankind; he seemed assured "we" will come out fine from recession, environmental problems, and political instabilities around the world.

See other OPEN Forum 2009 pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cemendtaur/OPENForum2009#

Abid Hasan Minto

On April 28, a small progressive crowd gathered in Fremont to listen to the renowned Pakistani lawyer and communist leader Abid Hasan Minto.

On April 23, 2009, South Bay Mobilization And South Asians for Peace, De Anza arranged a talk on the War on Terror being carried out in Pakistan. The event held at De Anza College attracted around 60 people.

Dr. Nosheen Ali (facing the audience) and Yasmin Qureshi presented a slide show delineating US's involvement in that region.

A short documentary film 'Da Bajaur Guloona' (literally 'The flowers of Bajaur', but in English titled 'Homeless at Home') was screened in the middle of the presentation. Da Bajaur Guloona produced by Samar Minallah is a video record of the civilian displacement of the residents of Bajaur forced by indiscriminate bombing of the region by the US.

Why attend flower and garden shows?
Because you get to see how artists bring living and lifeless things together to create stunningly beautiful objects.
[Picture taken at the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show.]

Mortenson's talk at the Logan High School, Union City was arranged by the Fremont branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW).

Noted education warrior Greg Mortenson spoke this afternoon to children and adults at Guy Emanuele Pavilion of Logan High School in Union City. More than 2000 people attended the program.

Eyewitness Gaza with Donna and Darlene Wallach

Donna (left) and Darlene Wallach were part of the pioneering group that broke the Israeli siege of Gaza and reached the beleaguered Gazans by ship in 2008.

Eyewitness Gaza with Donna and Darlene Wallach

Today at DeAnza College, San Jose activist sisters Donna and Darlene Wallach spoke to a crowd of over fifty narrating their first-hand experiences in Gaza.

Musharraf spoke at Stanford

General Pervez Musharraf who ruled Pakistan for almost nine years was
a 'Big Speaker' at Stanford University today.

Musharraf spoke for over 50 minutes mainly describing Pakistan's role
in helping the West defeat the Soviet Union, and now in the ongoing
War on Terror. He said the war against the Taliban was Pakistan's
war, and the West should not doubt Pakistan's intentions. He said
there were powerful lobbies trying to malign the Pakistan Army and the
ISI; he said that Pakistani soldiers were being killed while fighting
the militants, and asked how can anyone believe there was
'double-dealing' going on. Musharraf's holistic approach to fight
terrorism involved keeping a strong military "because that's the language these elements understand", but also alleviate poverty and educate people, and solve long simmering political conflicts.

Musharraf's speech was followed by a short one-to-one question-answer
session with Professor Scott Sagan. Besides other questions Sagan
asked why Pervez Musharraf pardoned AQ Khan. Musharraf said that AQ
Khan was a very popular person in Pakistan and the 'sensibilities' of
his country demanded that AQ Khan not be put through any interrogation
involving non-Pakistanis.

The QA session was then opened to the larger audience. In most of the
questions asked by the Desi students Musharraf was criticized for
removing Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, for selling his countrymen
to the US, and for suppressing media. Musharraf said whatever he did
against the Chief Justice, he did according to the rights provided to
him in the constitution. He blamed 'certain elements' for taking
political advantage of the situation; he said that ultimately the
situation got so bad that he was forced to declare emergency.
Musharraf said that the 600 people he wrote about in his book whom he
handed over to the US were all foreign members of Al-Qaeda. He
claimed no Pakistani was given to the US, and said that he even sent a
team to Guantanamo Bay to get a few Pakistanis who were arrested in
Afghanistan released from the US custody.

Talking about the Mumbai attacks Musharraf said Pakistan must punish
those who were involved in planning the attacks, but should not
extradite anyone. He claimed that whereas 61 Pakistanis were killed
in Samjhota Express explosions which were later proved to be the work
of Hindu extremists and ex-Indian Army personnel, Pakistan never
demanded extradition of the people responsible for that act of terror.

Shun Racism in Travel; Visit Beautiful Haiti
[Defy US Department of State's bogus travel warning.]

Amazing how media can insidiously influence you! Though for a long time I doubted the veracity of news reports about an "overpopulated, deforested, crime-ridden" Haiti, before leaving for Hispaniola I called up an insurance broker in Texas to inquire about a kidnapping and ransom insurance policy. He was not available and I ended up leaving a message. Looking back I am glad he never returned my call. I certainly did not need a kidnapping and ransom insurance for traveling in Haiti.

Before traveling to Haiti I spent a lot of time on the Internet reviewing information, advice regarding travel in that country. I found out that most of the people advising travelers not to go to Haiti were the ones who themselves never visited Haiti.

I trusted Haiti with my family and I found the people of Haiti to be as trustworthy as people of any other country. Yes, Haiti has seen a lot of political upheaval, but no, those storms have not transformed Haitians into blood-sucking monsters ready to rob, kidnap, or kill all visitors.

It is known that with shrinking writ of a government, petty criminals gain strength and start claiming larger and larger turf, and that very well may be the case in some parts of Haiti. But I did not see it. And I did not see it because I avoided going to slums and shady neighborhoods—just as I avoid bad neighborhoods in California. While traveling in Haiti I took some other precautions too--the same precautions I take when visiting a developing country: of keeping a low profile, restricting movement after dark, and walking with a local in unfamiliar surroundings.

So, there it is for you, the intrepid traveler. Shun racism in travel, go to Haiti, especially if you are already there in the Dominican Republic. I won't advise you to go to Haiti, or to any other 'poor' state, if this is the first time you are leaving your home country. But people who have been around, who have honed their traveling skills, should not shy away from visiting Haiti. It is a beautiful country full of very nice people. Go visit Haiti and have fun.

I have uploaded a few videos on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r7fgG290UE&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfs93LXTnYc&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XaaHV2yUfY&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my5B6fkAaQQ&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaxa0j4qcPg&feature=channel

Amazing energy was seen in today's protest in front of the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco.

Can someone come up with a coherent story about Mumbai attacks, please?


While the US celebrated Thanksgiving Mumbai was under attack. Terrorists’ assault on India’s financial hub brought the country of over billion people to almost a halt. But two weeks after the carnage we are still waiting for a coherent story from the Indian establishment. Who were those attackers? The official story tells you these men were of Pakistani origin who were trained in a militant camp in Pakistan ran by a banned group. But you should not be in any hurry to accept this version because it has changed many times. While the terrorists were still on their rampage, Indian police claimed they were Pakistanis. And then we were told they were British passport holders of Pakistani descent. And then the identity documents changed to Mauritius ID cards and then to Malaysian passports. And a couple of days ago we were told Pakistani identity cards have been confiscated from the dead terrorists. The last claim would make the terrorists very smart and very dumb at the same time. They were smart enough to carry out a sophisticated, highly coordinated operation, but dumb enough to carry their Pakistani identity cards with them.

How did the assailants reach India? The loudest version of the story tells you these men reached the shores of India in a boat and went straight to execute their terror plot. But then another version tells you at least one terrorist checked in Taj Mahal Hotel as a guest and used his room to store ammunition—and it makes sense because the amount of ammunition used (hand grenades and rounds after rounds of AK47) would be very hard to carry in a rubber boat and then to carry along on person, while trying to locate the targets in a teeming metropolis. But then which one is it: quick and dirty rubber boat trip, or a long operation that required hammering out logistics for days before embarking on the plan?

The official story is still being refined as I write these lines. Now we are told the terrorists carried fake identity cards of an Indian college. Should the rubber boat part of the story be forgotten now?

And then there is this phone call to a TV channel from a person claiming to be one of the terrorists killing people in Nariman House. You got to listen to it on YouTube to understand how enigmatic the clues given in that phone call are. Can someone from the Indian establishment please give this segment of the gory episode a credible spin?

In short, while the world is patiently waiting for the Indian government to get its story together, our sole link to the truth behind Mumbai attacks is Ajmal Kasab (if that indeed is his real name), the only terrorist purportedly captured alive. Pakistan and the international community must demand talking directly to this man. A conversation with this man might be the only way to find out what actually transpired in Mumbai.

And we must also fear what would ultimately happen in India, in the aftermath of Mumbai attacks. One particular part of the Indian establishment would use this opportunity to not only suppress its largest religious minority, it would come hard on all separatist movements raging in various parts of that country.


Photo, courtesy of Reuters.

In the aftermath of Mumbai attacks Peace Activists try to dampen the sound of war drums

As the world watches India mulling its response to the most egregious terrorist attack on its soil, San Francisco Bay Area peace activists are urging India to act with restraint. This sane advice to India was aired in a vigil arranged by Friends of South Asia (FOSA), a group of Bay Area based South Asian and other activists, on Saturday, December 6. Over sixty people gathered on the stairs of San Francisco City Hall to participate in the program co-sponsored by a number of South Asian groups. Of the dozen or so speakers addressing the rally many had family and friends living in both India and Pakistan. The speakers noted that thus far India had acted with maturity--unlike Pakistan where last year after the murder of Benazir Bhutto lawlessness prevailed and angry mobs set private property on fire, Indians have neither violently unleashed their anger on their government nor on the Muslim community. But certain quarters of the Indian Diaspora are urging India for a military response to Pakistan, the purported source of ten terrorists who ran havoc in Mumbai for two days. FOSA’s vigil was to counteract the hawks among Indian-Americans and to advise Indian and Pakistani governments to work together in bringing the masterminds of Mumbai terror plot to justice.

Saqib Mausoof, producer and director of Kala Pul, after the premier of his film at Brava Theater in San Francisco.

It has been noted that every year more than 365 film festivals are held in the San Francisco Bay Area--it is more than one film festival to attend everyday. And then you have a number of movies to watch in every film festival--you can do the rough math.

This year's 3rd I film festival [http://www.thirdi.org/festival/] featured a number of Indian and Pakistani movies. Kala Pul (http://kalapul.com/) produced and directed by local producer Saqib Mausoof was screened at Brava Theater in San Francisco on Thursday, November 13.

Tariq Ali spoke on “Pakistan on the Flight Path of American Power” to a largely Pakistani audience. Around 100 people attended the talk.

Tariq Ali was hosted by of PADF (Pakistan American Democratic Forum) today at Chandni Restaurant in Newark. Here you see Tariq Ali with Agha Saeed, the main force behind PADF.

Robert Fisk’s repetitive usage of “we westerners” albeit mostly used in a self-critical tone, was a bit shocking to this scribe who was hoping Fisk had seen enough to lose any sense of belonging to any group.

On Wednesday, September 24, Robert Fisk, celebrated foreign correspondent of The Independent, UK, spoke to an over 200 strong audience at San Jose State University.

Amaresh Misra, author of “In War of Civilisations: India AD 1857” published on the sesquicentennial anniversary of the 1857 war is currently visiting the US. A dinner meeting with him at Ijaz Syed’s place—where we also screened Lahore-based filmmaker Huma Safdar’s Punjabi documentary ‘Taropa’—and later a telephone interview with Misra has given me enough material to write a full-length report for the newspapers.

San Francisco-based writer Moazzam Sheikh’s newest book “The Idol Lover and other stories of Pakistan”, a collection of ten short stories, has been published by Ithuriel’s Spear, a division of Intersection for the Arts, San Francisco. On September 3 a book-reading featuring Moazzam Sheikh was held at the Mountain View branch of Books, Inc. Sheikh amused the small audience reading excerpts from “Idol Lover.”

Prominent writer, speaker Harsh Mander gave a talk at Binayak Sen Film Festival (South Asian Human Rights Film Festival) arranged by Friends of South Asia (FOSA).

Safdar Sarki spoke of his harrowing experiences of being kept in dungeons in military compounds in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. Sarki's talk was preceded by a screening of "Missing in Pakistan", a 29-minute documentary capturing Pakistan's gross human rights violations encouraged by the US Government. Friday's screening and talk was a part of South Asian Human Rights Film Festival, FOSA's 61st independence year celebrations of Pakistan and India. More information on the ongoing film festival and the upcoming screenings can be found here:
http://friendsofsouthasia.org/

On Friday, August 15, over 25 people gathered at San Jose Peace and Justice Center to listen to Safdar Sarki, a Sindhi nationalist who was abducted by Pakistan's intelligence agencies and was kept in illegal custody.

Islam and large corporations

Ahmed Rashid
Journalism is a tough field to be in. You can spend a big portion of your life placed in an obscured corner. Only a small portion of journalists makes very good money--most just wait for their time in the sun. Ahmed Rashid too has spent a very long time—20 years to be precise—waiting to be recognized. The recognition came violently, with 911. As the sky-kissing floors of the World Trade Center came crashing down, Ahmed Rashid's writing career shot up towards the heavens. The West was eager to learn about the Taliban, the benefactors of Osama Bin Laden. Ahmed Rashid had just published a book on the Taliban. The west embraced Ahmed Rashid and Rashid embraced stardom. It is not surprising that these days Ahmed Rashid is making the most of the limelight shining bright on him. He is churning out books as if there is no tomorrow. Earlier this month Ahmed Rashid made an appearance in the Bay Area. This correspondent went to listen to him. It was shocking to hear Rashid speak the language of the State Department: how the world cannot be a peaceful place till the Taliban are completely wiped off, etc. Obviously Ahmed Rashid is saying things that a lot of people in the Bush administration want to hear. How would his books sell if he would tell the world that the Taliban are as human as anybody else and that though it is getting tougher with the passing of every violent day, it is still possible to politically deal with the Taliban?

Video showing highlights of OPEN Forum 2008

Evening keynote speaker Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, spoke on ‘Leadership and Empowerment.'

OPEN Silicon Valley President Dilawar Syed gave the closing remarks

They come in threes

OPEN Forum 2008 participants

Panel discussion on ‘Participating in Global Social Change’ was moderated by Lucy Bernholz, President, Blueprint Research. Panelists included Troy Stremler, Founder and CEO, Newdea; Mari Kuraishi, President, Global Giving; Charles Slaughter, CEO, Living Goods; Mark Ward, Sr. Administrator, USAID Asia Bureau.

‘Bootstraping your Business from Zero to Millions' panelists.

Arif Janjua, Partner, Boston Consulting Group moderated a panel discussion on ‘Bootstraping your Business from Zero to Millions.’ Panelists included Amir Wain, CEO, I2C Inc.; Kerim Baran, CEO, Yonja Media; Zulki Khan, Founder & CEO, NexLogic; Zain Jeewanjee, Founder, Insure1234.com; and Faraz Syed, CEO, DeviceAnywhere.

Husain Haqqani

Husain Haqqani

Pakistan's new ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani spoke on ‘Investment Climate in Pakistan.’

'New Opportunities & Rules for the Global Entrepreneur' panelists.

A panel discussion on ‘New Opportunities & Rules for the Global Entrepreneur’ was moderated by Saad Khan. Panelists included Maurice Gunderson, Partner, CMEA Ventures; Tariq Samad, Chief Scientist, Honeywell; Dr Atul Kumar, VP SaaS Ops, Serena Software; and Rehan Jalil, President & CEO, WiChorus.

Munawar Hidayatallah, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Allis-Chalmers Energy, spoke on ‘Global Opportunities in the Energy Sector’.

'The Next Billion-dollar Opportunity: where are the VC's Investing?' panelists.

Waheed Qureshi, founder, Zenprise, was the moderator of a panel discussion on ‘The Next Billion-dollar Opportunity: where are the VC's Investing?’ Panelists included Ayaz Ul Haque, General Partner and Managing Director, ePlanet Ventures; Ryan Floyd, General Partner, Storm Ventures; Sujit Banerjee, Partner, BlueRun Ventures; and Saeed Amidi, Founder, Amidzad Ventures.

Steve Westly, ex-Controller and Chief Fiscal Officer of the state of California, spoke on ‘CleanTech and Emerging markets'.

Mahmood Panjwani introduced Steve Westly

Left to right, Mike Kaskowitz; Jauher Zaidi, CEO, Palmchip; unidentified; Faizan Buzdar, CEO, Scrybe; and Faraz Hoodbhoy, Founder and CTO, Pixsense

A panel discussion on ‘Opportunities in the Growing Pakistani Economy’ was moderated by Michael Kaskowitz, founder and president of Sunaira.

'Entrepreneurial Idol' judges

In a contest dubbed ‘Entrepreneurial Idol’ contestants described their entrepreneurial ideas to a panel of three judges.

Describing the secrets of their success, from left to right, Raghib Hussain, CTO, Cavium Networks; Imran Shah, Managing Partner, IBB Consulting; Dr. Naveed Sherwani, CEO, Open-Silicon; and Omar Hamoui, CEO, AdMob.

Dr. Safwan Shah, CEO of Infonox and co-founder of Chowk dot com, moderated a panel discussion on “The Secrets of My Success.”

In response to a question about what should Pakistanis do to make it conducive for the venture capitalists to invest in Pakistan Moritz said the journey could be similar to India's wherein initially Silicon Valley’s Indian-Americans started opening backend offices in India and the wider venture capitalist community learned from their experiences and gradually felt itself comfortable in investing in India.

If number of attendees and their active participation in a program is the litmus test of an event’s success then OPEN Forum 2008, Silicon Valley Chapter of Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs of North America’s annual event, held today, was hugely successful.

Here you see Mike Moritz of Sequoia Capital, a venture capital firm, being interviewed on video by Adam Lashinsky of Fortune magazine.

The North American Islamic Shelter for Abused (NISA) held its annual fund-raiser on Saturday, June 7, at Santa Clara Marriott.

California Professionals Helping Kashmiris build their homes

Heavenly valleys of Kashmir seem to be cursed. If ongoing violence in that region was not enough to dampen the spirit of the locals, the area was hit by a powerful earthquake in 2005. Although Kashmir sits on the edge of a tectonic plate being constantly pushed by another, no noticeable seismic activity was recorded for decades and no one was ready for a strong shake of houses and other buildings. The October 2005 earthquake killed more than 79,000 people, many were crushed under crumbling buildings. Global-villagers from all over the world rushed to help. Martin Hammer and Shannon Whitnack of California who last Saturday gave a talk on ‘Straw-bale homes’ also reached the devastated areas and helped locals in building homes. Since things were starting anew the two Californians saw an opportunity to introduce their favorite technology, of straw-bale construction.

It makes perfect sense to make houses using material readily available in the area. Why make a marble house in the woods? In agricultural societies building material should be looked for in crops, and hence the choice of a straw-bale home. Strictly speaking straw-bale house is a misnomer because straw-bales are only used in constructing walls: foundation, floor, and roof have to be made with other material.

It is hard to make walls of straw if you don’t have means to keep the straws together. And that is the reason straw-bale houses truly came into existence after technologies to compact straw in the form of bales were developed.

Speaking to a small audience Martin Hammer described his experiences in helping Kashmiris build straw-bale homes. Hammer and Whitnack had brought with them a straw-bale, a 1 ft by 1 ft by 2 ft “building block” of compacted straw weighing around 6 lbs. The straw used in that bale was that of rice. Though straw obtained from other crops can also be used Hammer and Whitnack appear to be most satisfied with the performance of rice straw. The reason could be that rice straw is of the right thickness and height. For, if stems of a crop are too thick they would not intertwine together for a good bond. And if the stems are too small in height it would be hard to hold them together in shape of a bale. A simple back of the envelope calculation—with the assumptions of 95% compaction, 3 ft high 1/8” dia stalks, plants grown 3 inches apart--indicates that an acre of paddy field can yield enough straw to make seven bales of the above dimensions.

One can imagine the shortcomings of straw-bale construction. That you can only make a single-story building, that you cannot build very high walls, that you must use plaster to protect straw–bales from excessive moisture. Contrary to intuition, straw-bales are reasonably fire-resistant. Once compacted the inside of straw-bale does not have sufficient oxygen to keep the oxidation process going.

Shannon Whitnack described to the audience the shock-absorbing capacity of straw-bale walls, the second strong reason for making straw-bale homes in regions of high seismic activity—the first being the low construction cost. Whitnack also emphasized the point that moisture easily passes through straw-bale walls without being absorbed by the straws.

Along with their Pakistani counterparts Martin Hammer, Shannon Whitnack and other building professionals from California have formed a group they call Pakistan Straw Bale and Appropriate Building. Readers interested in helping this group build low cost houses in Pakistan can make contact through group’s web site at http://paksbab.org/

Tales of pre-globalization superheroes

In these times when the war on terror is raging high and western analysts are looking for bright spots in the Muslim world, to pin their hopes onto, Musharraf Ali Farooqi’s recently published English translation of Dastane-e-Amir Hamza (translated as Adventures of Amir Hamza) has been received with gusto. This translation has given western scholars a thick body of work to analyze and answer many questions.
“Are these people really evil? Were they always savages like they presently are? Are their folklores full of jihad lessons, misogynic themes, triumphant beheadings of infidels, and of older men getting married to underage girls?
Commentators such as William Dalrymple are exuberant that that is not the case. Reviewing Musharraf Farooqi’s translation, Dalrymple writes:
“At this perilous moment in history, the Hamza epic, with its mixed Hindu and Muslim idiom, its tales of love and seduction, its anti-clericalism (mullahs are a running joke throughout the book), its stories of powerful and resourceful women, and its mocking of male misogyny, is a reminder of an Islamic world the West seems to have forgotten: one that is imaginative and heterodox — and as far as can be from the puritanical Wahhabi Islam that the Saudis have succeeded in spreading throughout much of the modern Middle East.”
Dalrymple’s sigh of relief aside, Dastan-e-Amir Hamza has (or had at one time) the ultimate merit of entertaining early readers. Ten volumes of Amir Hamza were what children of my age read as their first collection of books. Amir Hamza was our first hero; to be like Amir Hamza was our dream –we wanted to go to distant places and conquer new lands, pretty much like how Amir Hamza did. Dastan-e-Amir Hamza gave us a chance to imagine a different, mesmerizing world, and it cemented in our value system the virtues of bravery, loyalty to friends, truthfulness, and steadfastness.
Toronto based Musharraf Ali Farooqi has been touring cities of North America, promoting ‘Adventures of Amir Hamza’. His recent talk at the Stanford University was arranged by the Center for South Asia and other sponsors.

Musicians performed before Musharraf Ali Farooqi's talk at the Bechtel International Center of Stanford University.

Living in San Francisco Bay Area and wanting to liven up your upcoming event with help from a sharp local Desi stand-up comedian? Get Samson Koletkar. He can do the job, and do it well. This Bumbai born and raised Desi Jew’s act at the HDF fund raiser was very well-received. Of the two comedy performances of the program, Koletkar’s Kamasutra joke was certainly the funniest.

A cursory Google on Koletkar reveals that this talented man is possibly working as a technical consultant during the day—probably waiting for his stand-up comedy career to start financially supporting him. This creative man should not be wasting his time anywhere. The Desi community must support him by giving him chances to perform. He is ours.

The long list of people—including George W. Bush and Pervez Musharraf--who were intelligent enough to reap benefits from the 911 tragedy prominently features Azhar Usman. Post 911 Usman ditched a career in law and took up the job of making people laugh. If laughter is indeed the best medicine then Azhar Usman’s Desi parents must certainly be proud that their son finally became a Daktar.

آپ کہاں کے لاٹ صاحب ہیں؟
Ever heard the above Urdu expression? Well, this Lat Sahib (Lord Nazir Ahmed) was born in Kashmir, but is now a member of the UK House of Lords.

Tariq Aziz at HDF fund raiser in San Jose, California.

Human Development Foundation, a charity working on education related projects in Pakistan, held its annual fund raiser in San Jose on Saturday, May 17. Over 300 people attended the event that crammed a lot of action to fit in one evening: several speeches, a panel of experts to answer audience’s questions on Pakistan, two stand-up comedy performances, and a ghazal program.

100 years of Khilafat


On the death of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in 1908, the Ahmadi (Qadyani) community sought guidance from Hakeem Noor-ud-Din and thus started the institution of Khilafat in Ahmaddiya Community. Present Khalifa, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, is the fifth in the series. On Monday, May 12, Ahmaddiya Muslim Community of Bay Area arranged an excellent program to celebrate the centennial of Khilafat. The program was well-organized and unlike most programs by other Muslim sects, this one started and finished on time. All those who are hell-bent on proving Qadyani kafirs must take a moment to learn a thing or two from them.

Tayyab Mahmud (seen talking in this picture) said that the Pakistani coup d’etat of 2007 was unique in the world history, because unlike other coups that one was staged to oust judges. Mahmud also said that the Pakistani events of last year should be seen in the bigger context of developing world’s response to the western hegemony.
In the panel discussion Javed Ellahie said that the lawyers’ movement in which roughly five thousand lawyers achieved a lot for the whole nation was unprecedented in the history of Pakistan. Dabbir Tirmizi said his party, Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf, did not have any hope in either Nawaz Sharif or Asif Zardari in instating impartial judiciary in Pakistan. Ijaz Syed apprised audience of the latest political situation and said that if the coalition of PPP and PML(N) breaks apart on the issue of deposed judges, then things would move towards the original “deal” that US wanted to broker between PPP and Pervez Musharraf.
With the crisis around the deposed judges dragging on, Friends of South Asia (FOSA) plans on arranging similar programs to raise political awareness on Pakistan among the local population.

FOSA's commemorative program featured eminent Pakistani-American law professor Tayyab Mahmud as the main speaker (on far left), and Javed Ellahie (trying to hear a question), Dabbir Tirmizi, and Ijaz Syed (on far right) as panelists who discussed various facets of the Pakistani judicial crisis. The program was titled “Pakistan’s Judicial Crisis and Remembering Karachi May 12 carnage.”

May 12 Karachi Carnage remembered in San Francisco Bay Area

For Pakistan, May 12, 2007 was a momentous--and a depressing--day. If violence has always been a part of the Pakistani politics then the Karachi carnage of May 12 was the ugliest manifestation of that fact. It was the day when Pakistan’s military ruler decided to break the momentum of a growing opposition by charging his political proponents to tackle the lawyers’ movement. Over forty people died on May 12 but the strategy of scaring people with violence backfired. Opposition to Pervez Musharraf grew even stronger and Musharraf was forced to make several concessions.
Friends of South Asia, a group of Bay Area watchers of South Asian politics, observed May 12 by holding a talk and a discussion on Sunday, May 11.

Cordoba souvenir shop

Khawar Medhi Rizvi's talk was preceded by a screening of "The Silent Revolt", a dated documentary on the plight of Afghan women under the Taliban rule. The film was directed by Rizvi and Stéphanie Carron, a French filmmaker.

Pakistani journalist Khawar Mehdi Rizvi who specialized in reporting from the Afghan-Pakistan border area and facilitated visits of foreign correspondents through his local contacts and by acting as a guide and interpreter gave a talk on "Turmoil in the tribal belt." Here is FOSA's announcement of the program.

----------------------------------
TURMOIL IN THE TRIBAL BELT
Insurgency, Counter-insurgency and Women's Rights in Pakistan's Tribal Areas
A talk and documentary screening by
Khawar Mehdi Rizvi
Freelance Journalist and Documentary Maker from Pakistan

Khawar Mehdi Rizvi has reported extensively on the rise of radical militancy in Pakistan's tribal areas as an aftermath of the Afghan Mujahdeen's armed struggle to expel Soviet Union from Afghanistan--a struggle that was funded and organized by US and its allies including Pakistan.



Khawar will talk about the rise of radical Islamist ideology in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan & Pakistan, on the transformation of Pashtun society and comeback of Al Qaeda in the tribal belt.



"Silent Revolt" is a 26 minutes documentary produced by Khawar Mehdi which attempts to highlight the struggle of Pashtun women against the socio-economic discrimination and oppression of women in Pashtun society both in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

For more information, visit
http://www.friendsofsouthasia.org/rizvi

Sunday, April 13, 4:00 pm
PAKISTAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER
372 Turquoise Street
Milpitas, CA 95035

The event is free and open to all.

Cordoba. Outside Mezquita courtyard

An Olive Garden en route to Cordoba

Audio of Father Cedric Prakash's speech is here:
http://www.jumpcut.com/view?id=C6AE9434F3E011DCA0A5000423CF385C

Renowned Indian Human Rights activist Father Cedric Prakash spoke at a program arranged by Indian Muslim Council.

Audio of Shabnam Hashmi's talk at Stanford, is here:
http://www.jumpcut.com/view?id=3A727B18F12211DC9775000423CEF5B0

Human Rights activist Shabnam Hashmi spoke at Stanford today.
Here is FOSA's announcement of Hashmi's talks in the Bay Area.

--------------------------------------------------
SHABNAM HASHMI, Indian Human Rights Activist

Wednesday Mar 12, STANFORD
Thursday Mar 13, BERKELEY
Friday Mar 14, SAN FRANCISCO

Noted Indian Human Rights Activist, Shabnam Hashmi will be visiting the San Francisco Bay Area in March 2008. She is the Managing Trustee and Executive Secretary of Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD), and amongst the foremost figures in the political battles around secularism and religious fundamentalis in India today. Founded in 2003 in the wake of the Gujarat carnage, ANHAD aims to intervene in the defense of democracy, secularism and justice.

Hashmi first became involved in activism in 1981 while working on projects for adult literacy. For over 15 years she served as the Secretary of SAHMAT (Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust), which was formed in 1989 as a platform for creative action by artists and scholars in defence of democratic and secular traditions in India .

She is currently also a member of the National Integration Council of the Ministry of Home Affairs in India and is also a Council Member of the National Literacy Mission.

Video excerpts of rally observing first anniversary of March 9, illegal removal of Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

An independent judiciary, along with independent media, would ensure continuous accountability of the Pakistani government.
The crowd that gathered today to observe March 9 noted with gratitude that PPP and PML-N had agreed to reinstate judges deposed on November 3, 2007.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/world/asia/09cnd-pakistan.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The leaders of the two major political parties, in an unexpectedly strong show of unity against President Pervez Musharraf, agreed Sunday that they would reinstate judges fired by the president and would seek to strip him of crucial powers.

The power sharing deal, announced by.......

Remembering March 9

Today a small crowd gathered outside Santa Clara County Superior Court in downtown San Jose to remember General Pervez Musharraf's assault on judiciary on March 9, 2007.

Eminent economist Dr. Ahmad Faruqui, author of Rethinking the National Security of Pakistan.

Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa Agha, author of Military, Inc.

Bay Area activist Ijaz Syed

The discussion was moderated by well-known Berkeley activist Snehal Shingavi (left).

Over 50 people attended today’s panel discussion on “Pakistan: What Now?” arranged by the Friends of South Asia (www.friendsofsouthasia.org). The main attraction of the program was Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa Agha. Dr. Ahmad Faruqui and Ijaz Syed were the other two panelists.

Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa Agha's talk at Stanford University was attended by over 50 people.

Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa Agha, author of Military, Inc., spoke at Stanford last night. Her talk was titled 'America's Pakistan vs Pakistan's Pakistan.'

A short video of Sharat Lin's talk at the San Jose Peace and Justice Center on Feb 15, 2008.

Attended a talk yesterday. Here is the flyer that advertised the program.

----------------------------------------------------
The Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories: Quest for security or for land?

Sharat G. Lin, writer and activist who recently returned from Palestine and Israel, examines the infrastructure of Israeli control in the West Bank and Gaza.

Friday, February 15
6:30 p.m. socializing and refreshments, 7:00 p.m. multimedia presentation and talk
San Jose Peace and Justice Center, 48 S. 7th St., San Jose

The Israeli government and its U.S. supporters cite security as the paramount reason for the West Bank barrier restricting Palestinian access to Israeli population centers. Yet more barriers are being built dividing Palestinian from Palestinian. Why? Israeli settlements continue to be built and expanded on the Palestinian side of the barrier. The number of military checkpoints and closures has risen to some 550 in the West Bank. What are the real reasons for these measures?

Dr. Sharat G. Lin argues that justice is the key to peace for both sides. He writes on global political economy, the Middle East, India, labor migration, public health, and the environment. He has lived for many years in the Middle East.

Why is the Bush Administration responsible for the illegal detention of Dr. Safdar Sarki

September 11, 2001 was a horrible day. Thousands were killed in terrorist attacks in the US. But that day was terrible in a much more ominous way: the events of that day paved way for further killings around the globe and for suppression of basic rights of people all over.

Following 911, in its resolve to tackle terrorism the Bush administration went to the extent of insulating its actions from courts and the people. The war on terror started, a war that is still being fought without much accountability. In this terror-struck environment it was OK for government agencies to eavesdrop on people’s private phone conversations, without obtaining permission from the court; when suspected terrorists were arrested it was OK to deny them habeas corpus.

In fighting the war on terror the US provided an ugly example for other countries to follow. The US had just one prison that was out of the reach of the American courts. Pakistan, the chief US ally in the war on terror, opened many of its own Gitmos. Thousands of men disappeared in Pakistan after 911. They were believed to be picked up by police and other security agencies. Many of these men were alleged to be Taliban supporters. But in carrying out such abductions the Pakistani establishment saw a chance to settle other scores. Why only arrest Taliban sympathizers and ship them to the US prison in Guantanamo Bay? Why not take on other trouble makers--Sindhi and Baloch nationalists, whistleblowers, human rights activists, communists and all others who were or had proved pestilent to the Pakistani government?

And the encouragement for the Pakistani government’s illegal actions came from the US. If the boss was doing it, the subordinate could do it even more vehemently. If it was OK for the Bush administration to be not accountable to the courts for putting people in jail, it must be OK for Pervez Musharraf to do it too. In fact, the US patronage emboldened Musharraf to dismiss the judges of the Supreme Court when they took sua sponte action against the wrongful acts of his government.

The Bush administration is responsible for leading the world into the dangerous realm of unaccountable governments. The Bush administration is responsible for providing unstinting support to the present Pakistani regime, a sponsorship under which the Pakistani government has acted with impunity in subjecting its citizens to illegal actions. The Bush administration is therefore responsible for illegal detention of thousands of men including Dr. Safdar Sarki, in Pakistan.

See the documentary “Missing in Pakistan" here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-854791386997728455&q=Missing+in+Pakistan+movie&total=40&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

[Court document courtesy of Saghir Shaikh]

Found Iqbal Masih in Cordoba

Protesters in Cordoba
Derechos? Como?

Around Plaza Mayor

And finding yourself at Madrid airport

Posting a few older pictures.
This one on leaving Karachi International Airport (KHI).

A dinner meeting held with Nayyar Zaidi yesterday ended a little after midnight. Pakistani politics is insidious!

Washington-based veteran columnist Nayyar Zaidi is presently visiting the Bay Area.

and the final Part IV

Here is Part III

Here is Part II

Here is Part I of Tarun Tejpal's speech at MCA given on December 1. Parts II, III, and IV are also available for your review.

Dayamani Barla's presentation at the San Jose Peace Center.

I am hopelessly behind in making short films out of the video footage I already have.
Here is one of Subhendu Ghosh when he visited the Bay Area September of last year. In this day and age you don’t find too many people like Subhendu Ghosh: people who are still singing songs of class struggle, of labor prevailing over the capitalists, of hope that things would turn upside down pretty soon.

SVPACC's town hall meeting held at Chandni Restaurant in Newark was attended by six people.
Why so few attendants?
Because the meeting was not publicized well.
Because no effort was done to obtain endorsements from other groups.
Because first generation Pakistanis, like other immigrants, are too busy with their economic survival to attend such meetings.

Town Hall Chandni
A town hall meeting to discuss political situation in Pakistan was called by Silicon Valley Pakistani American Council (SVPACC).

A closer look at the ice made through radiation heat loss to outer space.

Making ice through radiation heat loss

We have all heard of bygone desert people making ice under nighttime clear skies. The physics of that phenomenon is not too hard to understand. When you radiate to outer space, you are radiating to almost a 0 K object. [Remember that the space does not have a temperature—you can have temperature of an object, but you cannot have temperature of nothingness, which is what space is.]
Why nighttime? Because during the day even when the sky is clear there is too much scattered sunlight the water would be bombarded with.
Why do it in desert? Because a desert is normally very dry, its air is low in humidity and that means minimum obstruction between a body losing heat through radiation and outer space. So, if you can have water facing nighttime clear sky and the receptacle holding this water is so well insulated that heat from sides and bottom has a lot of difficulty being transferred to water then you can gradually cool water and eventually freeze it.

Fortunately I did not have to go to a desert to witness this phenomenon. I saw it in Rancho San Antonio Park where I often go for a walk. Lately the temperatures in Silicon Valley have been low--but still above freezing. Rancho San Anotonio Park has puddles from the last rain. I found puddles with vegetation around them to be still liquid, but a few which were very shallow and had maximum advantage to lose heat to nighttime clear sky were frozen. Ice was made through radiation heat loss.

Puddles exposed to clear skies froze.

Puddles surrounded by vegetation and rocks and with tree branches over them did not freeze.

Rancho San Antonio Park
Dew on grass blades.

Sunday, December 2, Tarun Tejpal met with activists belonging to FOSA (Friends of South Asia), Asha for Education, and AID (Association for India's development).

Tarun Tejpal, Editor of Tehelka.com

Tarun Tejpal, the king of “sting-journalism” in India, was the keynote speaker at the annual dinner of Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC). More than 150 people attended the program arranged at Muslim Community Association (MCA) in Santa Clara on Saturday, December 1.

Dyamani Barla spoke in Hindi. Shalini Gera of FOSA provided English translation for the benefit of non-Hindi speaking audience.

Anu Mandavilli of FOSA gave a brief introduction of Dayamani Barla and her work.

Dyamani Barla gave a talk at the San Jose Peace Center on Saturday, December 1. The program was arranged by Friends of South Asia (FOSA).

Dayamani Barla, activist and journalist from Jharkhand state in India, attended the Hotel Workers' meeting.

This man emphasized the point that most working people live just one paycheck away from becoming homeless. He said the contractor employing him ran away with his money, and he ended up in a homeless shelter--he presently lives there.

This hotel worker cried while telling her story. She said she makes barely enough to support herself and her two children, that her mother is sick in Mexico, but she does not have money to visit her. She said she had to do 15 rooms before; after joining the union she now has to do only 14—and it is a big difference.

A short skit was presented. Hotel workers are on strike. A man wanting to get a room in Marriott ends up staying at a homeless shelter.

Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Slavery, Theft.
I have to write a piece stringing my thoughts together on all of the above.
These ideas kept me hostage while I attended a meeting of ‘Bay Area Hotel Workers’ in San Jose, last night.

Video highlights of November 10 rally in San Francisco

Friends of South Asia (www.friendsofsouthasia.org) and other Bay Area organizations arranged an anti Martial Law rally in San Francisco, today.
Here is a part of the media advisory they issued:

“STOP U.S. SUPPORT OF GENERAL MUSHARRAF, NOW!”
San Francisco Bay Area community groups to protest Martial Law and US government support for military dictatorship in Pakistan with a peaceful rally

WHEN: Saturday, November 10th, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
WHERE: City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA

WHAT: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI, www.moveforjustice.org), Friends of South Asia (FOSA, www.friendsofsouthasia.org), Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER, www.actionsf.org) and a number of concerned citizens from all walks of life will rally in front of the City Hall to protest the imposition of Martial Law in Pakistan and the US Government’s support for military dictatorship there and also to show solidarity and support for the pro-democracy movement in Pakistan. The day of action will begin at 2pm with speeches from community leaders which will be followed by a rally.

In response to emergency rule imposed by General Pervez Musharraf on November 3, FOSA (wwww.friendsofsouthasia.org) had a poster making session after its 2007 Eid-Diwali dinner on Sunday, November 4.

Historian, poet, writer, journalist Ahmad Salim

Ahmad Salim gave a talk on "Preservation and Promotion of Archives in Pakistan" at UC Berkeley.

Books by Ahmad Salim

Ahmad Salim with Raka Ray (left) and Puneeta Kala of Center for South Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley

Audience's questions to Orhan Pamuk were routed through Aron Rodrigue, Professor of History, who in his introduction speech called Pamuk his Hum-Shehri.

Orhan Pamuk at Stanford. [You can tell I needed a telephoto lens]

Orhan Pamuk's audience at Memorial Auditorium, Stanford

Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk spoke at Stanford last night

Does anyone see an end to the violence the war on terror has kindled?
(October 18 act of terrorism in Karachi killed over 130 people.)

[Photo, courtesy of Associated Press/B.K.Bangash]

An older video interview with Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa was also screened.

Ijaz Syed, a prominent Bay Area activist, provided insights into current Pakistani politics.

Author of Military, Inc., Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa, was due in the Bay Area to give talks at Stanford (Sep 28) and Berkeley (Oct 1). See here:
http://www.friendsofsouthasia.org/events/siddiqa/
Unfortunately, Dr. Siddiqa fell seriously ill in New York and could not come to California. FOSA sent cancellation notices, but organizers still met at Stanford venue to entertain those who did not get the news.
David Merritt, author of 20th Century American Struggle 21st Century Hope, read excerpts from Military, Inc., and talked about his travel observations in Pakistan.

A reviewer watching program being recorded in GTV studio

Tashie Zaheer (middle) and Asghar Aboobaker (right) at GTV office

Agha Saeed (on left), host of GTV programs, talking to the attendees of the meeting.

Global Forum TV (GTV) out of Newark, California
On Saturday, October 6, I attended a program review meeting at GTV office in Newark. GTV is a media effort of AMA (American Muslim Alliance). GTV does not seem to have a functional web site yet [http://www.globalforumtv.net/], but the news of its inauguration is covered here:
http://www.amaweb.org/images/special/INAUGRATED%20BY%202%20CONGRESSMEN.pdf

I went to the program review meeting in response to the following email from Tashie Zaheer, a known figure in Pakistani and Muslim community of the Bay Area.

[The picture above shows GTV administrators and program reviewers at Chandni Restaurant after the session at GTV office.]

-------------------------
Dear Friends,

Assalam O Alikum

Ramadan Mubarak

I am sending you this letter to invite you for an iftar dinner at the Global Forum TV (GTV) Office on Sunday, October 7 at 4:00 PM. Alhumdullilah, the Global Forum TV has made significant strides in the last few months. Here is a brief progress report about the Global Forum TV.

1 - By Allah's grace, as of today we have produced 53 different programs which include: "The New International Media", "Interreligious Communication", "The Continued Struggle for Civil Rights", "Iraq War and The Media", "The New South Asian Cinema", "Globalization", "Pakistan and Pakistani Americans", "American Politics", "Pakistan's 2007-2008 elections", "Ideology and Identity", "Peace Prospects in South Asia", "The Progressive Movement", "The Contemporary Relevance of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad", "Faiz, Jalib and the Movement for Democracy", and "US Immigration Policy: Debates and Directions".

2 - Recently, one of our team members has taped an eight-part series on "India 2025" comprising of interviews with a number of key thinkers and leaders including former Indian Prime Minister I. K. Gujral.

3 – We have also started producing another program titled " The mind behind the book". This program is designed to survey the finest Western minds as well as to capture and convey America's internal debates rooted in its intellectual and moral dilemmas. In the last four weeks we have interviewed Peter Dale Scott ( The Road to 9/11: Wealth, Empire, and the Future of America), David Cole (Less Safe, Less Free: Why America is Losing War on Terror?) and Robert Pape (Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism )

4 - We are in the process of finalizing distribution agreements with major TV Channels in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India.

5 - In late October we will initiate our Weekly UN Interview series.

6 - Presently we have scheduled six interviews on Sunday, October 7. We are asking you to join the GTV crew and guests for an Iftar Dinner on that evening at 4: 00 PM. You can thus watch the last panel being taped, hear the progress report, provide recommendation for further improvement, and join us for the Iftar dinner.

The basic purpose is to seek your input and advice. Please confirm your participation in the GTV Iftar at your earliest.

Warm Regards,

Tashie Zaheer

President,

GTV Advisory Committee & GTV Community Relations Committee

Video of NEDians' Convention 2007

The evening program of NEDian Convention 2007 was attended by close to 400 people.

Manesh Judge

Noor Lodhi (Shonu)