Thank God, none of my family in Pakistan was effected by the earthquake. Everyone has checked in and they are all fine. That being said, others around us are definitely not as fortunate. All day we have been hearing stories about who's relatives were hurt or who has sadly lost someone to this disaster. Of course all the news channels are still talking about the damage the quake has caused and the death toll is still rising. I think the saddest part of this is the number of children who have died. Entire schools collapsed during the quake and there has been not one survivor. I can't imagine what must be going on in the minds of those parents who only wanted the best for their children. And as my mother said, What kind of a Ramadan are they going to have and what kind of Eid?

I am angry at those contractors who built such cheap buildings knowing that they were in an earthquake zone just to make a few bucks. As far as I am concerned it's murder by negligence and they share the blame of those people's deaths on their heads. There will probably be a hue and cry for justice, but this kind of corruption cannot be stopped overnight. And nothing can give those people back their lives. I am disappointed at our government, promising to alievate poverty, but been so bogged down with polticial infighting that they have to date done little to help. And so entire villages where people created little shacks out of stacking mud bricks without any cement or mortar were flattened as though a giant had stepped on them. And I am especially pissed off at those idiots who continue to chop down trees even though they have been told and warned again and again that it increases the chances for landslides. unfortunately, they won't ever learn that lesson now.

Well, I am going to ease my conscious in the time honored way, throwing money around! I wasn't sure how to donate my money, but I have been informed that our office is going to have a relief fund for the earthquake, so I will just donate through there.