In honor of Michael Pollan’s (author of In Defense of Food and The Omnivore’s Dilemma) new book Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, I’d like to share a hilarious poem.
Ladies and diners I make you
A shameful, degrading confession.
A deed of disgrace in the name of good taste
Though I did it, I meant no aggression.
I had planted a garden last April
And lovingly sang it a ballad.
But later in June beneath a full moon
Forgive me, I wanted a salad!
So I slipped out and fondled a carrot
Caressing its feathery top.
With the force of a brute I tore out the root!
It whimpered and came with a pop!
Then laying my hand on a radish
I jerked and it left a small crater.
Then with the blade of my True Value spade
I exhumed a slumbering tater!
Celery I plucked, I twisted a squash!
Tomatoes were wincing in fear.
I choked the Romaine. It screamed out in pain,
Their anguish was filling my ears!
I finally came to the lettuce
As it cringed at the top of the row
With one wicked slice I beheaded it twice
As it writhed, I dealt a death blow.
I butchered the onions and parsley.
My hoe was all covered with gore.
I chopped and I whacked without looking back
Then I stealthily slipped in the door.
My bounty lay naked and dying
So I drowned them to snuff out their life.
I sliced and I peeled as they thrashed and they reeled
On the cutting board under my knife.
I violated tomatoes
So their innards could never survive.
I grated and ground ‘til they made not a sound
Then I boiled the tater alive!
Then I took the small broken pieces
I had tortured and killed with my hands
And tossed them together, heedless of whether
They suffered or made their demands.
I ate them. Forgive me, I’m sorry
But hear me, though I’m a beginner
Those plants feel pain, though it’s hard to explain
To someone who eats them for dinner!
I intend to begin a crusade
For PLANT’S RIGHTS, including chick peas.
The A.C.L.U. will be helping me too.
In the meantime, please pass the bleu cheese.
| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |
My early days of scientific research, statistics, and biology began studying an endangered tree species with my research professor and dear friend- Dr. Roland de Gouvenian. As our relationship grew so did my focus into a different field of research. We would spend a lot of time together- lost in the woods, roaming an island, and even working in rainstorms- and yet it would be our companionship that would get us through the best and most difficult of times. One of the nicest things about having a French professor- besides the constant in-your-face brie cheese- is learning about different cultures. One thing I really appreciated, in addition to my friendship with Rolando, was the time spent learning from his wife Joceyln. Jocelyn might even have a bigger heart than Rolando. I learned that Joceyln isn’t French, but that she is actually Haitian. Our friendship sparked my interest in a country that has been labeled the poorest in the western hemisphere, but the true wealth of this country, as I learned, was in the culture, food and even the music of the Haitians.
When I found out that Haiti had been struck by an earthquake, with reports claiming a devastated Port-au-Prince, I immediately emailed Rolando. Since the earthquake we have been in constant communication, and I was sent some photos he took of what Haiti was like before the earthquake…
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Eglise du Sacre-Coeur, Les Caye
Port-au-Prince, Haiti -Presidential Palace
Pétionville, Haiti
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Borne Fer, Haiti
| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |
I saw BumpTop a few months ago and today the Mac version has been finally released. What I am impressed about BumpTop is the creativity in presenting a new way at looking at the traditional desktop. Writing about it will do no justice, so you have to just see the video.
Some quick pros: the 3D feature, organizing your files into piles, the fluid and quick movement of the files- all allows me to be more organized since I always have music, papers/journal articles and folders all over my desktop.
Some quick cons: for some reason after I highlight a couple files, I cannot move them all together (only when you’re viewing one of your walls). However, it works fine for the desktop view. If I organize the files on my wall in 3D I am not able to see all of them when I zoom backout.
I am sure these will be fixed with up grades.
| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |
Ever since I can remember, medicine and access to healthcare has played a central theme in many of the things I have been involved with. Yet, how was it that medical education in America grew to provide such an elite education and train many of the world’s top health professionals?
If we look at the history of medicine it has certainly come a long way, and how physicians are trained has changed even more. Historical figures such as Hippocrates, Pedanius Dioscorides, ibn Zakariya al-Razi, Ibn al-Nafis, and Ibn Sīnā are not only known for their influence on medicine, but also for being botanists, philosophers, geologists, poets – the list goes on.
Indeed medicine has changed. Over 200 years ago physicians employed bloodletting to treat our first president, George Washington, a giant man at 6’3, to treat of signs of a cold which later proved to be fatal. It wasn’t the cold that had killed him though. Washington had been drained of half his blood in less than a day. Today, however, as physicians continue their interdisciplinary practices, their education has become standardized.
The story of New York Times journalist, and Pulitzer Prize winner, David Rohde is a very interesting one. Rohde travels to Afghanistan to interview a Taliban leader but he ends up being taken hostage. Soon after, the NY Times requested all media outlets around the world, including Wikipedia, to respect a media blackout in order to increase any chances Rohde had of being released.
I have always admired journalists (writers, cameramen, drivers, translators…) because they take risks and follow their passion to get a story for us. Certainly biases do exist, but if that could be overlooked for a minute, the fact that individuals even risk their lives to get one interview with infamous people such as a Taliban leader is amazing.
What is also interesting is the role that Wikipedia played during this time. Wikipedia placed restrictions and controlled the coverage of information about Rohde in order to prevent any public attention from being drawn to his captivity, so as to not endanger his life. As Professor Joseph M. Reagle from NYU said in a NY Times interview, “Wikipedia has, over time, instituted gradually more control because of some embarrassing incidents, particularly involving potentially libelous material, and some people get histrionic about it, proclaiming the death of Wikipedia,” he said. “But the idea of a pure openness, a pure democracy, is a naïve one.”
Beyond anything else, however, the story of Rohde will be one that will be discussed inside and outside of the classroom for years to come- a story of journalism, captivity, bravery, and control of media.
This was the story of David Rohde who would share his experience of being captive by the Taliban for 7 months and 10 days from November 2008- June 2009.
For what accounted for a majority of the 20th century, Afghanistan experienced some of its most peaceful and thriving times. It would be a coup in 1973 when King Zahir Shah was overthrown by his cousin, General Daoud Khan, which would create an inflection point in Afghanistan’s history.
Once referred to as “the Switzerland of Asia,” the Afghanistan I grew up loving is not the same Afghanistan that many see today. It was prosperous, a place for seeing the East by many Westerners willing to explore the diverse landscapes. Years later my family would be forced to leave their home country and my grandfather, a military general, would retell stories of Soviet tanks rolling down the middle of the street.
Today, Afghanistan has become a country that has been plagued by war, drugs, and lack of healthcare. People are suffering as the Taliban continue to be a constant threat. Instability on all fronts of Afghanistan’s borders does not help the current situation in the country.
Worst of all, the majority of the population under the age of 21 faces future problems with post-traumatic stress disorder being among the top of many health challenges. The issues of mental health, tuberculosis, and polio all contribute to the reason why nearly 1 in 4 children do not make it past the age of five.
With the recent elections in Afghanistan, many of my friends have come and asked me about my thoughts on the matter. These elections were the second elections since the US and international forces entered Afghanistan. There are two top candidates- the current incumbent President Hamid Karzi and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah. Both come from unique backgrounds with popular support. There is also Ashraf Ghani, former Finance Ministry who warned Afghanistan would become a “narco-mafia state”, and is using social media to push his campaign forward and who was also a speaker at TED. At the end of the day, it is difficult to comprehend whom to support when your country has gone through so much turmoil.
The Bonn Agreement of December 2001 set the transition phase for Afghanistan and was directly followed up with the Afghanistan Compact set at the 2006 London Conference. Among many of the important issues, the development of the Afghan state and civil society, the direction and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance, and the impact of such assistance on repatriation and resettlement ranked highest on the agenda. The topics of security, women in the peace and development process, counter narcotics, and human rights were also highlighted. Now, as the five-year agenda begins to slowly become a reality, these are guidelines that are important for Afghanistan’s leadership to take into their agendas as they become involved in the rebuilding of Afghanistan. However, through this process one of the greatest things necessary for any future leader is transparency and accountability in ensuring that corruption is minimized.
Whoever is fortunate enough to lead the country as the next president, their responsibility will be to work with global leaders to bring an end to the suffering as quickly as possible. The goal for the country is to not just end a war, but to use the Afghan people’s pride and channel it into creating an environment for compassion and mutual understanding that existed during many years of the country’s growth.
The focus in rebuilding Afghanistan after the elections will need to be on improving education and making it a priority for all children under 18. There needs to be an improvement in the economy and utilizing the country’s resources such as natural gas. Corruption stemming from political leaders, drug trade and contracts for aid money has slowed the development of Afghanistan. Stronger security is certainly a must and a key variable for perpetuating Afghanistan’s modernization.
I was once told that in peace the sons bury their fathers, and in war the fathers bury their sons. Yet, in Afghanistan, too many wives have buried their sons and husbands. Afghanistan’s history would begin early with the defeat of Alexander the Great, to Genghis Khan, multiple British invasions, the Soviet Red Army, and the Taliban. And, yet, after a long history of peace and war, more than many other Asian countries, Afghanistan’s key to converting a dream back into reality is through reunifying the Afghan people.
| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |
Today, there are over 70,000 adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer per year in the US alone. For over two decades there has been little or no improvement in survival in cancer patients between the ages of 15-39, as defined by the US National Cancer Institute. Cancer is the most common fatal disease in adolescents and young adults.
Traditionally, cancer has had two schools of thought: paediatric oncology and adult oncology. Today, however, oncology (the study and treatment of cancer) can be thought to consist of four distinct divisions: paediatric, adolescent and young adult, adult, and geriatric cancer. What makes adolescent and young adult cancer patients different are the unique diseases that affect this age group. Paediatrics suffers from cancers such as leukaemia, and adults suffer from diseases such as lung, prostate, gastrointestinal tract, and urinary system cancer, which are identified as older people’s diseases. Comparatively, almost 90% of all invasive cancers in the adolescent and young adult group are accounted for by ten groups. [See box]
Box [2]:
1. Breast cancer
2. Lymphomas
3. Melanoma
4. Female genital tract tumours (ovary and uterine cervix)
5. Thyroid carcinoma
6. Sarcomas
7. Testicular cancer
8. Colorectal carcinoma
9. Leukaemias
10. Brain tumours
[5]
Being an adolescent or young adult is the biggest risk factor for delayed treatment, even though there is some overlap in diseases between the different age groups, . Moreover, in the US, young adults have the highest percentage of uninsured or under-insured individuals of any age group. In 2004, 13.7 million young adults aged 19 to 29 lacked coverage, an increase of 2.5 million since 2000 [1].
People in the age range 15–39 have different risk factors for cancer. Cervical cancer occurs most frequently in females infected with human papillomavirus. Risk factors for Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cancer originating from a white blood cell) include a history of autoimmune disorder, a family history of malignancy or hematopoietic disorder (abnormal formation of blood cells), and being of Jewish descent [3]. Skin cancer risk factors can be contributed to a combination of events such as high UV exposure, having a mole and a history of skin cancer in the family [3]. Melanoma (a type of skin cancer) is the most common cancer in women ages 20-29, and the biggest cause of cancer deaths in women ages 25-30 [3]. Ironically, more than 9,500 cases of malignant melanoma were diagnosed in the UK in 2005, and while Australia may have a high rate of melanoma (9,722 new cases in 2004), the death rate is lower because of early detection (1,600 deaths in 2005 compared to 1,852 deaths in the UK in 2006) [4,12,].
Adolescents and young adults have different physiology (e.g. hormones) and pharmacology (e.g. drug clearance, side effects) to other age groups with respect to cancer susceptibility and treatment [7]. To fully comprehend these differences, scientists need more people of this age range to participate in medical trials. In addition to adolescents and young adults being under represented, there are far fewer men than women who have participated in clinical trials between the ages of 20 and 40 [2]. Poor clinical trial participation is one reason why there is a lack of progress on cancer treatment for young adults and older adolescents.
Today, cancer survival in paediatric and older adult age groups continue to improve, all while progress on treatment of adolescents and young adults remains lagging behind. That is why there are organisations that are creating a community for this age group through health education, survivorship events, conferences and policy making; as well as providing psychosocial support through support groups, social networks and blogs.
Organisations, such as the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) in the UK, are building units in NHS hospitals specifically for teenagers with cancer. The newest one is opening at the Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge at the end of 2009. In the US, organizations such as I’m Too Young For This! Cancer Foundation (i[2]y) and Planet Cancer have created grassroots movements to raise awareness and improve young patients’ prospects. ‘Spot a Spot’ is an educational outreach program in the US that is educating more than 10,000 students every year on the key risk factors for skin cancer using their “Spot a Spot. Save a Life” campaign. Finally, SeventyK is an adolescent and young adult advocacy organization that has proposed a new patient’s bill of rights specifically for young cancer patients, which has over 7,000 signature supporters globally. They have teamed up with other international organizations to help create a international charter that will set the precedence for treatment of adolescent and young adult cancer patients throughout the world.
Long-term survival and health is also important for young cancer survivors, which is why many organisations are emphasizing psychosocial support, as well as addressing other issues such as fertility[1,8]. Going through, for example, a round of radiation or chemotherapy increases an individual’s risk of infertility and of developing secondary cancers later on. The primary concern when dealing with cancer is survivorship as well as secondary concerns such as fertility treatment. Yet, a GP’s level of knowledge about preserving fertility, their attitude and their comfort level with the topic can vary [6]. That is why it is important for GPs to be up to date with the fertility options available, and to offer sperm banking and ovarian cryopreservation (freezing of parts of the ovary containing immature eggs) to adolescents and young adults; who may have not been given clear explanations of long-term side effects of their cancer treatment [9,10].
In order to increase survivorship for a generation who have fallen through the gaps of medical practise, there needs to be stronger science, improvement in the way psychosocial issues are addressed, and self-empowerment. The medical community needs to increase their understanding of the adolescent and young adult age group and their high risk factors for cancer. Along with continued education, clinical and epidemiological research needs to improve in order for the medical community to understand what makes this age group so unique.
A healthcare provider’s responsibilities need to go beyond the clinic and they should help to develop age appropriate programmes in order to ensure the survival of cancer patients from paediatrics to adolescents and through to young adults. Finally, there needs to be a sense of ownership from adolescent and young adult cancer patients, so that their voice is not blurred by misdiagnosis or delayed treatment. Ownership beginning with patients taking control of their health and supporting policy initiatives introduced by advocacy groups such as SeventyK [11] . It is important for young people to know as much as they can about their cancer and its effects; enabling them to make sure they receive the correct treatment and seek out the appropriate and specific help and care they deserve.
I originally had this essay printed in The Triple Helix. Special thank you to Dr. Leonard Sender & the SeventyK team.
| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |
References:
1. Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Progress Review Group. Closing the Gap: Research and Care Imperatives for Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, and the LiveStrong Young Adult Alliance.
2. Bleyer, A., et al. (2008) The distinctive biology of cancer in adolescents and young adults, Nature Reviews Cancer, April, vol. 8, pp. 288-298.
3. Bleyer A, O’Leary M, Barr R, Ries LAG (eds): Cancer Epidemiology in Older Adolescents and Young Adults 15 to 29 Years of Age, Including SEER Incidence and Survival: 1975-2000. National Cancer Institute, NIH Pub. No. 06-5767. Bethesda, MD 2006.
4. Skin Cancer. Cancer Research UK. http://info.cancerresearchuk.org
5. Bleyer A. (2007) Young Adult Oncology: The Patients and Their Survival Challenges, CA Cancer J Clin, vol. 57, pp. 242-255.
6. Quinn, G., et al. (2008) Patient–physician communication barriers regarding fertility preservation among newly diagnosed cancer patients, Social Science & Medicine, pp. 784–789.
7. Wu, X., et al. (2005) Cancer incidence patterns among adolescents and young adults in the United States, Cancer Causes and Control, vol 16, pp. 309–320.
8. Schover, L, et al. (2002) Knowledge and Experience Regarding Cancer, Infertility, and Sperm Banking in Younger Male Survivors. Journal of Clinical Oncology, April vol 20, 1880-1880.
9. Soliman, H. and Agresta, S. (2008) Current Issues in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivorship, Cancer Control, Vol 15, pp 55-62.
10. Jeruss, J. and Woodruff, T. (2009) Preservation of Fertility in Patients with Cancer, N Engl J Med 2009, vol: 360, pp. 902-911.
11. SeventyK [homepage on the Internet]. [(www.SeventyK.org)
12. Australian Government. Department of Health and Aging. Skin Cancer. http://www.skincancer.gov.au/
It was all coming too fast. Three weeks ago J had gone to her GP (General Practitioner) to complain about the swelling of her arm that had not subsided. She had recently graduated from Yale—at the top of her class—and was preparing to go to Harvard Law School. She was home for the summer living with her parents in New York. J had two younger brothers and a young sister in London. The only thing that mattered to her was her post-graduation trip to sunny California. It was when J had been packing and had gone to reach for her shirt on the top of the dresser that the chair she was standing on lost its grip and J fell a couple feet to the ground, landing on her arm. As she only had some swelling and slight pain, her GP simply recommended to ice it and she would be fine.
When as young adults we complain of a problem to a GP we are not always taken seriously, which can result in late diagnosis or misdiagnosis. In fact, there are many explanations for late diagnosis and according to Dr. Archie Bleyer, these include delaying to seek medical care and obtaining a correct diagnosis, lack of routine medical care, poor training or an unwillingness to care for young adults among GPs, under-recognition by medical professionals of certain diseases or its symptoms and signs in J’s age group, and lack of health insurance (US).
J’s persistence to meet with her GP and to tell him that her swelling and pain around her right arm was not a result of her fall saved her life. J actually had osteosarcoma, one of the most common bone cancers in adolescents and young adults. The treatment for it calls for a combination of chemotherapy followed up with a surgery to remove the tumour and follow up chemotherapy to improve any chances for removing the cancer cells. Generally, radiation is only used when surgery is impossible. If J had waited any longer, the chances of metastasis of the tumour would have increased, most likely going to her lungs. Although the causes are unknown, the symptoms of osteosarcoma include tenderness, swelling and pain when lifting. All these are common symptoms usually also experienced after a fall so it can be seen how J’s GP could have overlooked a serious bone cancer for just a slight irritation. Yet, are GPs doing everything they can? to be continued…
| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |
Last week I had a unique opportunity to watch Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam speak. Dr. Kalam was regarded in India as the People’s President and served in office from 2002-2007. He is known, interestingly enough, to play a key role in India’s space race and nuclear development, quite odd combination for such a humble man. It was not only amazing to see the former President but to also have a lecture, as his roots are truly academic. This put icing on the cake. Now I will preface this, however, that I am not deeply connected to India’s politics and thus my thoughts are from my initial impression.
I had the privilege to join about a hundred of Cambridge’s top Indian professors and researchers to fill an intimate sized lecture room. There is no doubt that Cambridge has been home for many Indian nationals including some of my close friends here. Some of the most famous alums include- the cricketer Prince Ranjitsinhji (1872-1933), India’s Prime Ministers, Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964) and Rajiv Gandhi (1944-1989); and Amartya Sen (born 1933), foremost economist and Nobel Prize winner.
What I wanted to write about was not necessarily about the topic that Dr. Kalam spoke about- Creative Leadership. Although the lecture was great in of it self as Dr. Kalam highlighted different personal experiences tying them to leadership. What I would like to highlight are some of my initial thoughts about the talk and my impressions of a leader from one of the world’s most powerful countries.
Dr. Kalam spoke beautifully, and clearly demonstrated a unique passion for education, especially for the youth. When asked by a Chinese professor about the future relationship of India and China, Dr. Kalam’s response was simple. “I believe they are naturally allies,” and this begins with righteousness in the heart, he ended. The point Dr. Kalam stressed was that these two natural allies must be taught to work together from three key influential players in a child’s life- the mother, the father, and (this was the best part because all the Indian’s in the room said it in unison) the teacher. This comes to show how much Indians have continuously valued education, which has been reinforced through my own personal friendships.
A question that completely was expected but the response caught me off guard was when Dr. Kalam was asked by a Physics Post-Doc student (when she mentioned that, Dr. Kalam asked what her dissertation was on), what do you recommend for all the Indians who have left India and have settled down? Dr. Kalam’s response was straight forward and honest- do your best for yourself and your country (that you live in). I was honestly expecting a response such as – don’t forget India. Yet, Dr. Kalam showed realism in that many Indians who have immigrated to other countries have already settled down and are raising their children. To these people, India becomes a second home that is never forgotten and always remembered.
The best moment was at the end when a professor of business was giving a closing thank you, Dr. Kalam interrupted him and clearly made the point that he can be emailed through his website and he will ensure a response within 24 hours.
(This reminded me of a side thought- are people successful because they response within 24 hours or because people responded within 24 hours they are successful? This was a question that was proposed as major companies such as Amazon and Ebay were booming.)
Just some thoughts…
| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |
aliansary @ June 16, 2009
A swallowed denture…
I am not going to lie, this is pretty amazing. A 56-year-old woman.
The Lancet, Volume 373, Issue 9678, Page 1890, 30 May 2009
The plain abdominal radiograph (A) showed the denture within the small intestine, with no sign of bowel obstruction or perforation. Plain radiographs (B) showed the denture within the caecum, within [...]
As I sit in the midst of my dissertation writing it becomes very easy to go hours without eating something healthy or just eating in general. I would like to think of myself as a healthy eater and always conscious of what goes into my body (my body is my temple). Although, friends who have [...]
Knowledge Search Engine vs. Informational Search Engine…
Right now Google seems to be the major player in the field of search engines. I have absolutely no doubt about that. Yet, last night I had a good sit down with a close friend of mine who introduced me to Wolfram|Alpha. My friend is the type of person who pretty much treats academics much [...]
“Dubai Media City, please.” I say to the cab driver as the 2007 Toyota Camry drives down Jumeriah Beach Residence (JBR). JBR is in the heart and soul of the Dubai boom. The two dozen or so projects here include some of the most advanced architecture and design in the world.
van⋅i⋅ty
/ˈvænɪti/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [van-i-tee]
–noun
excessive pride in one’s appearance, qualities, abilities, achievements, etc.
This evening I went for a run on the beach. As I ran, kicking the sand in the air, trying to keep my balance, I could feel the heat insulated by the sand begin to rise. I then thought to myself about the [...]
It has been more than 72 hours since I have landed in what I have come to call this city as DubaiLand. Construction is non-stop and it can be seen clearly that Arab wealth, European design, and Indian hands have built this city. The city does not sleep and as of tonight I have accepted [...]
strange
adjective, strang⋅er, strang⋅est
Unusual, extraordinary, or curious
I came across Online College Blog today which ranked the top 15 strangest college courses in America. Berkeley gets three mentions out of the 15, this explains why the University of California is the best college in the country (personal biases).
What are the three…
15. Arguing with Judge Judy: Popular [...]
We all know it. The next cell phone for any of us will be a smart phone. For many, this will be an iPhone.
However, imagine a bunch of really cool gadgets that are out right now.
Apple’s iPhone…
Amazon’s Kindle…
A GPS System…
Okay maybe not that cool, but imagine all of them in one concept.
I am a little [...]
As Saturday comes, some will be celebrating old friendships over dinner, some may be celebrating a birthday or anniversary but many will be with their loved one. The beauty of relationships is its ability to be translated into any language, including economics.
I was introduced to Tim Harford by a professor here at Cambridge. Harford is [...]
A day in my eyes…
P.S. not really a fan of putting my name on pictures, so if you really like them let me know and I can email original to you. Just don’t forget who took it .
| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |
Don Tapscott (author of Wikinomics) writes in his book Grown Up Digital, that his biggest concern is “They’re [us young adults/users of the web] giving away their personal information on social networks and elsewhere and in doing so are undermining their future privacy.”
However, what stands out most about his book comes from his intro when [...]
Imagine putting on a piece of what seems like the inner brace of a construction helmet. However, what you have just placed on your head measures the electrical activity produced by the brain. This head set has 16 sensors that are uniquely placed to measure: conscious thought, emotions, facial expressions and head rotation.
We live in a society that is continuously flooded by overly perverted teenage drama movies and in a rare instance hope comes back and really brought me to realize the beauty behind the art of film making. This is to not say that there are not great movies previously produced- The Shawshank Redemption, Crash, Amelie- [...]
Yesterday, I turned to the headline news reports and I suddenly found myself finding an urge and need to write. Never have I read through the headlines of multiple news sources and tabbed so many different crises going on throughout the entire world. What today represents is a time in our society where global policies [...]
You walk into class, pick up a copy of (or have printed out) the slide handouts for today’s presentation and sit down to wait for the class to begin. What you haven’t realized yet is that the PowerPoint slides that you have in front of you are affecting the way you learn and exercise your [...]
In the third grade, I remember playing tag on the jungle gym with my friends when a girl called me a sexist pig for not allowing her to play with us. For the very first time in my life I experienced sexism. Appalled by the word – Pig – that is (I didn’t know what [...]
The birth of the United States was on the back of slavery, which ended in 1865. This was nearly 100 years after America fought for her independence but after almost 200 years of slavery in the US.
It took congress 5 years to amend the US Constitution and in 1870 the Fifteenth Amendment to the US [...]
It is about 9:00 am, you just have arrived to work and the first thing you realize is that your email inbox has overwhelmingly tripled from 25 new emails to 75 new emails…OVERNIGHT! Okay, so one-third of the emails are Facebook messages/comments, Twitter updates, or news feeds. A small percent go straight to the trash, [...]
The reason I have failed to update the blog has been based on multiple reasons. Mainly because of the transition of moving from the US to the UK. It has taken sometime to get adjusted and I still feel like I am in vacation mode. I have now officially started my master’s program at the [...]
This last Sunday I attended a demonstration in front of the Los Angeles Federal Building in Westwood. This was a peaceful rally in response to the escalation in the number of innocent civilian deaths in Afghanistan. Although the war in Afghanistan would be a great write, it would also be a long (maybe a book [...]
The Great Mosque of Paris was build in the early 1920’s and was known during WWII as one safe haven for Jews as they were safely hidden in the basement and women’s section of the mosque.
I thought I get deep this week.
For many people Ramadan, beginning September 1 or 2nd for some, marks the ninth [...]
When Music Crosses Styles, Sounds, and Generations…
Alright, tonight I am going to do it a little different. Music. As long as I can remember, I have always been listening to music. My interest in music comes most likely from the fact that I can always remember my dad listening to great music. Everything from flamenco guitar, to classical Indian music, to [...]
I am so sad that the Olympics are over. The Olympics represent so much to the world, expect for Russian Federation who should have waited 2 more weeks before invading Republic of Georgia in spirits of the Olympic Games. I mean, Georgia did get 3 Gold and 3 Bronze medals but no excuses.
The best thing about the Olympics is that everyone gets over their trashy television shows and everyone bonds over discussing real life topics. Key Olympians such as Michael Phelps stand out in how he went from a 19 year old Athens Olympic medal winner to a 19 year old with 18 months of probation from [...]
I went to a park on Sunday that is still in developments and won’t be complete anytime soon. However, what has been done thus far is mind blowing and what is coming in the up coming years will define a 21st century park. On an old marine base on the boarder of Irvine and [...]
Solar Powered Africa-LED Lanterns Lighting the Way…
I have been working hard recently with two friends, Nikhil Arora and Ryan Panchadsaram, to submit a proposal for a competition American Express is hosting in which they are donating $2.5 million to fund global humanitarian projects. The winners of the project are decided largely upon the number of votes and nominations from the public, [...]
It has been missing for a few weeks now. Usually the nice grey jacket that protects me from the non-blistering California winds that split through me has gone missing. Searching everywhere and thinking about places that I might have worn it and placed it last gave me no help.
As I continued to think, I found [...]
(This is a picture I took of Huntington Beach and after reading (no company proprietary data was revealed), Huntington Beach is one of the U.S. top 100 oil reserves. Profits from this picture will not be donated to any oil company (click here to view picture ).)
In a television interview yesterday, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez was [...]
I remember when I was in college I knew a guy who always complained of a tooth ache. Weeks went by and he would never eat anything because of his tooth. One day I bumped into him on in front of Sproul Hall and I asked him how is tooth was. He said it [...]
In 1949 George Orwell presented to the world Nineteen Eighty-Four , a book that would impact the way we perceive our own government and the manipulation through different controlling processes over its citizenry. However, four years earlier his book Animal Farm would give us a preview of not only Nineteen Eighty-Four , but also [...]
The definition of a celebrity is an individual who is widely known. Thus, I would like to share a short story and my encounter with a beautiful woman who has changed the way many of us have perceived her on different levels, whose enigmatic presence has created controversies. Some even go as far as questioning [...]
As I arrived in London my impression was similar to my previous visits, “Wow, this place is clean!” The closest thing that I have utilized in terms of a underground subway system is the BART in the Bay Area or NYC’s Subway system-both of which differ like day and night. However, the underground in London [...]
We have all been exposed to the cliche saying “it is better to give than to receive.” Well in today’s society we are seeing this giving done in very astute ways. Let me start with a couple examples.
The first classic example is the Fruit Stripe chewing gum, with lavish colorful stripes and temporary tattoos [...]
Well, it has taken me a very long time to finally get a blog up. However, now that it is up I can express all my inner thoughts, perspectives, or just ramble.
I initially wanted to try to set this blog up a couple weeks ago when I spoke to a friend of mine on how [...]
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