Mujtaba Khambatti

Someone sent this to me and I thought it was so interesting that I put the entire thing online...

This is really a very interesting way of showing the differences in the world.

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina
Food expenditure for one week: $341.98

Japan: The Ukita family of Kodaira City
Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.1

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca
Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna
Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27

Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo
Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53

Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

This is one of the coolest pictures I've seen from National Geographic - enjoy!!

http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/hprajani/phun/Camels.jpg

With all this chatter about "torture" and the treatment of "prisoners or war" I've also been hearing about the US criminal prison system being a "costly failure"

In fact, we learn that Islam requires believers to uphold the highest human rights in the treatment of prisoners. For instance, prisoners must not ill-treated, must be fed and clothed, either by the Islamic government or by the individual who has custody of the prisoner, must be fed in a dignified manner, must not be separated from their relatives.

Yet there are countries that want to be major players in the world who stoop below human rights and values to torture and abuse its prisoners (see here, here, and here)

Therefore, when I came across this video (check it out until the very end) http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b5d_1195670526&p=1, I was truly amazed. At least some people, some where are upholding high human rights.

Fyodor Dostoevsky: "The degree of civilization in a culture is reflected in the condition of its prisons."

Pew has released a report comparing Wealth and Religiosity...

• In much of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, there is a strong consensus that belief in God is necessary for morality and good values. Meanwhile, opinions are more mixed in the Americas, including in the United States, where 57% say that one must believe in God to have good values and be moral, while 41% disagree.
• The survey finds a strong relationship between a country's religiosity and its economic status. In poorer nations, religion remains central to the lives of individuals, while secular perspectives are more common in richer nations
• Other nations deviate from the pattern as well, including the oil-rich, predominantly Muslim -- and very religious -- kingdom of Kuwait.
• In 15 of 16 Muslim publics surveyed, majorities say women should have the right to decide whether they wear a veil. Women generally are more likely than men to express this opinion.

Complete Report (1.9MB .pdf)

I don't do (any) many Microsoft focused emails to this group but this event touched me.

http://blogs.msdn.com/jobsblog/archive/2007/10/25/microsoft-celebrates-Ramadan.aspx

I'm honored to work for a company and in a country where people are so open to learn and share. I grew up in India and did not see this level of openness despite Muslims comprising nearly 1/5th of the population. I still know people from India who surprise me by unfortunately not knowing anything about Eid, Iftar, or Ramadhan.

قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي

(Moses) said: "O my Lord! expand me my breast;

وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي

"Ease my task for me;

وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي

"And remove the impediment from my speech,

يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي

"So they may understand what I say:

[ref: Holy Quran 20:25-28]

This is how much the wars (in Iraq and Afghanistan) are costing - yes, $8000 per man, woman, and child in this country. And to top it off, 1/4th of the amount being spent is to pay interest on borrowed dollars used to fund the war.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Your_bill_for_US_wars_8000_1024.html

The United States is spending about $8,000 per man, woman and child in the country to pursue wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to new estimates that show the wars will cost about $2.4 trillion over the next decade.

More than one-fourth of the money spent in Iraq and Afghanistan -- $705 billion -- will go to paying interest on the wars' costs, which are being funded with borrowed dollars, according to an estimate to be released Wednesday by the Congressional Budget Office. Iraq accounts for about 80 percent of the costs with a $1.9 trillion tab, including $564 million in interest, a House budget committee staff director told USA Today, which reported the numbers Wednesday morning.

She smiled at the sorrowful stranger.
The smiling seemed to make him feel better.

He remembered past kindnesses of a friend
And wrote him a thank you letter.

The friend was so pleased with the thank you
That he left a large tip after lunch.

The waitress, surprised by the size of the tip,
Bet the whole thing on a hunch.

The next day she picked up her winnings,
And gave part to a man on the street.

The man on the street was grateful;
For two days he'd had nothing to eat.

After he finished his dinner,
He left for his small dingy room.

He didn't know at that moment
That he might be facing his doom.

On the way he picked up a shivering puppy
And took him home to get warm.

The puppy was very grateful
To be in out of the storm.

That night the house caught on fire.
The puppy barked the alarm.

He barked till he woke the whole household
And saved everybody from harm.

One of the boys that he rescued
Grew up to be President.

All this because of a simple smile
That hadn't cost a cent.