It’s been a while since I had an opportunity to write some thoughts out as I have been adjusting back into school mode. Aside from learning how to take exams again and making new friends, the added stress of tuition seems to be the biggest impact on the pockets of many students, including mine. So do I really want to pay $150 for a text book when I can get it for $80 on Ebay? At the same time, I am not convinced yet that the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) will make textbooks for college/graduate students more affordable than what we can find through other sources…. i.e. ebay.

According to Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), the new law, which went into effect on July 1st, contains three main provisions:

1. Publishers must disclose textbook price and revision information to faculty during the marketing process. A study by the Student PIRGs found that such details were often left out; 77% of the professors surveyed said publishers rarely or never offered textbook prices unasked.

“Professors share students’ concern about cost and generally would prefer to assign less expensive books,” said Dr. D. Steven White, Professor of Marketing & International Business at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. “The new law empowers professors to readily identify lower-cost options that suit their instructional needs.”

2. Publishers must offer unbundled versions of textbooks. “Bundling,” or the practice of packing textbooks with CDs, pass-codes and other ancillaries that often go unused, can increase costs 10-50% according to PIRG research.  From now on, students will have the option to purchase only the items they need.

3. Colleges must include the list of assigned textbooks during course registration. With advance notice, students can plan ahead for the full cost of their next term, and they have time to shop around for the best deals on their books.

But I am going to take this one step further…

A few weeks ago I posted via my Posterous an article in the NY Times that quite frankly caught my interest. The article goes on to write “To the despair of the textbook publishers who are still trying to block such sales, the reimporting of American texts from overseas has become far easier in recent years, thanks both to Internet sites that offer instant access to foreign book prices, and to a 1998 Supreme Court ruling that federal copyright law does not protect American manufacturers from having the products they arranged to sell overseas at a discount shipped back for sale in the United States.”

The  article goes further to cite some interesting numbers:

Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry AMAZON.COM: $146.15 AMAZON.CO.UK: $71.53 DIFFERENCE: $74.62

Physics, Volume 1 AMAZON.COM: $93.75 AMAZON.CO.UK: $63.37 DIFFERENCE: $30.38

Macroeconomics AMAZON.COM: $114.00 AMAZON.CO.UK: $71.78 DIFFERENCE: $42.22

Linear System Theory and Design AMAZON.COM: $110.00 AMAZON.CO.UK: $49.81 DIFFERENCE: $60.19

Now the million dollar question… is it illegal to buy international textbooks in the US?

According to the Monore Street Journal, the official newspaper of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, the Association of American Publishers, Inc. sent a letter to follow up on an article that was published earlier on sales on international textbooks citing inaccuracies.

“The article maintains that the importation and distribution of restricted-territory, foreign manufactured textbook editions, without the publishers’ authorization, is legal under the U.S. copyright law, asserting that “in 1998 the US Supreme Court ruled that US copyright law does not protect US publishers from cheaper international editions of books being shipped into the US for sale into the US.” This is both an inaccurate statement of the applicable law, and a critical misstatement of the ruling in the decision of the referenced Supreme Court case, Quality King Distributors, Inc. v. L’anza Research International, 523 U.S. 135 (1998).”

“Publishers produce restricted-territory, foreign-manufactured editions to address the complexities surrounding issues such as the desire to make high-quality educational materials available to otherwise underserved students in developing markets, the potential for piracy within foreign markets where U.S. educational works are not otherwise meaningfully available, and the related requirements for establishing and maintaining local markets abroad. The publishers’ ability to sell books in foreign markets helps to spread the costs of creating these textbooks over a broader customer base, and thus helps to avoid having those costs borne entirely by purchasers in the
United States. This results in savings for students in the U.S. market.”

“Congress struck a balance in the Copyright Act that provides foreign markets meaningful access to U.S. educational publishing, but also ensures that such access does not either come at the expense of the quality of textbooks produced for the U.S. market or increase the costs of such textbooks for the students purchasing them in the United States. That balance is embodied in federal law and should be respected.”

The reality is you probably need a lawyer to help you unscamble the confusion that was set by the courts in 1998. As for buying an international version of a book… you can be the judge of this one.

[Read] Quality King Distributors Inc., v. L’anza Research International Inc., was the 1998 Supreme Court ruling the the NY Times article was referring to which the  Supreme Court found that the copyright holder could not prevent re-importation of materials it had authorized.

For a little more detailed reading you can check out US Code Title 17 Chapter 6 which discusses Manufacturing Requirements, Importation and Exportation.

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There was a recent call by the World Health Organization for innovative technologies that address global health concerns. The enteries were reviewed by an expert panel and narrowed down to a handful that met the criteria for the call. Applicants were graded on the type of device, health concern, developmental stage, whether or not the product can be commercialized, the purpose of the technology, where it can be used (i.e. users or health centers) and the list continues…

All of the following address major health concerns, yet I believe it would have been great to see technologies that address the issue of clean water, containment of TB from becoming drug resistant, and even remote disease management (aside from SMS to prevent smoking).
My personal favorites include: the isothermal nucleic acid amplification system for TB diagnosis, the decision support system for paediatrics HIV and the transcutanous  anaemia monitoring system.

enjoy!

Selected technology category 1: commercialized/-isable stage

1.1 Stool sample collection and preparation kit
The intended purpose* of the stool sample collection and preparation kit is to simplify faecal examination by reducing the number of consumables and steps required for the procedure. The kit could therefore facilitate the diagnosis of parasitological diseases. Additionally, the kit does not appear to require water or electricity, and is claimed to prevent recontamination of the environment.

1.2 LED phototherapy unit
The intended purpose* of the LED phototherapy unit is to treat hyperbilirubinaemia in newborn infants by phototherapy. The unit could increase the safety of the procedure by using a radiation source that produces blue light and minimizes the exposure to harmful ultraviolet radiation. Further potential advantages are that the unit measures the actual output of light at the useful wavelengths and is claimed to have lower energy consumption than previous designs.

1.3 System for on-site production of wound irrigation solution
The intended purpose* of the system for on-site production of wound irrigation solution is to produce aqueous solutions for the topical treatment of wounds and infections using a power source, demineralised water and salt. Solutions produced by the system could be used to treat a host of conditions including traumatic injuries, post-natal infections and neglected tropical diseases that cause ulcerations and infections.

her potential advantages are that the unit measures the actual output of light at the useful wavelengths and is claimed to have lower energy consumption than previous designs.

1.4 SMS smoking cessation system
The intended purpose* of the SMS smoking cessation system is to provide tailored SMS-based smoking cessation support to its users. According to preliminary research submitted, the system facilitates self-management of smoking cessation and increases the likelihood of user adherence to smoking cessation programs. The interactive system claims to be capable of answering messages about craving to support the user.

1.5 Reusable neonatal suction system
The intended purpose* of the reusable neonatal suction system is to remove obstructive mucus from the air passages in newborn infants to reduce the risk of asphyxia and to support neonatal resuscitation. The device is claimed to be reusable and capable of being cleaned and boiled between uses. The device is claimed to be made of durable silicone and not to require electric power.

1.6 Fluorescence visualization system for cancer screening
The intended purpose* of the fluorescence visualization system for cancer screening is to use the natural fluorescence of mucosal tissues when excited by a violet/blue light, to inform clinicians about the presence of abnormalities in the mucosa in the oral cavity. This system could aid in the early detection of oral/oropharyngeal cancers and thereby reduce morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases.

1.7 Transcutaneous bilirubin measurement system
The intended purpose* of the transcutaneous bilirubin measurement system is to provide an alternative to blood sample analysis for the diagnosis of hyperbilirubinaemia in newborn infants. The system uses spectral analysis of light reflected from the patient’s vascular bed to determine levels of bilirubin in the blood. The device is claimed to be non-invasive and to rapidly give a read-out.

1.8 Isothermal nucleic acid amplification system for tuberculosis diagnosis
The intended purpose* of the isothermal nucleic acid amplification system for tuberculosis diagnosis is to offer a point-of-care alternative to sputum smear microscopy for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The technology is claimed not to require any additional equipment and to yield a rapid visual read out of the diagnostic result.

Selected technolgies category 2: non-commercialized/-isable stage

2.1 Simplified anaesthesia unit
The intended purpose* of the simplified anaesthesia unit is to function as an anaesthesia machine for surgical use in low resources settings. The device features an innovative valve system with reduced technical complexity compared to traditional devices. The device is claimed to function with oxygen from different sources, including ambient air and therefore would not require compressed oxygen.

2.2 Single use assistive vaginal delivery system
The intended purpose* of the single use assistive vaginal delivery system is to assist fetus extraction in cases of prolonged second stages of labour without having to use forceps, to use a vacuum extractor or to resort to caesarean sectioning. The lack of rigid instruments in the system is claimed to reduce the risk of injury to both mother and child.

2.3 Portable on site cell sorter and counter for HIV and malaria diagnosis
The intended purpose* of the portable on site cell sorter and counter for HIV and malaria diagnosis, a lab-on-a-chip device, is to monitor AIDS in HIV-infected people as well as blood cell alterations indicating malaria. The system appears to be a small and portable device that would allow for rapid automated screening of a blood sample for indicators of AIDS and/or malaria.

2.4 Decision support system for paediatrics HIV
The intended purpose* of the decision support system for paediatrics HIV is to move away from paper-based medical records while ensuring easy and reliable access to patient-centred information. This electronic health records system is targeted at paediatric HIV cases and is intended to aid clinical decision-making processes such as weight-based dosing support for antiretroviral drugs.

2.5 Transcutaneous anaemia monitoring system
The intended purpose* of the transcutaneous anaemia monitoring system is to screen populations for insufficient levels of haemoglobin in the blood and to carry out diagnosis of severe anaemia. The system is claimed to be based on spectrophotometric analysis. The device appears to be portable, non-invasive and is claimed to give a read-out in less than a minute.

2.6 Solar-powered autoclave
The intended purpose* of the solar-powered autoclave, is to sterilize medical instruments. It is claimed to run solely on solar power. This technology could allow sterilization of medical instruments in remote rural areas with no access to electricity and hence reduce the risk of infections associated with carrying out medical interventions with dirty equipment.

2.7 Portable infant warmer
The intended purpose* of the portable infant warmer is to improve the care of premature and low-birth-weight babies by providing heat at a constant temperature in order to prevent hypothermia. This portable device is claimed not to require electricity and would allow for close mother-to-baby contact. The product is targeted for use in urban and rural healthcare settings, and in home settings.

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For the past few years I have become more and more convinced that the burden of many diseases can decrease simply through prevention and early detection. This came through my involvement in UC Irvine’s Spot a Spot program, which is the main educational component of the National Melanoma Awareness Project. At its inception in 2003, this project was known as the Joel Myers Awareness Project in memory of young UC Irvine medical student who died from melanoma. Since that time, the “Spot a Spot.  Save a life” curriculum has been extended to across the country and taught 14,695 students from 2009-2010, which adds to nearly 50,000 students taught since 2003.

Some of the projects have included teaching middle school and high school students, junior life guards, and my personal favorite, going to Paul Mitchell School of Hair Design to teach young hair stylists how to spot a melanoma on their clients’ heads. The truth is when was the last time we checked our head for a melanoma?

Malignant melanoma is the second most common cancer seen in the adolescent and young adult population in the United States and accounts for 11% of all malignant cancers seen in this age group (age 15-39).  I will not go through all the statistics, just check out the Skin Cancer Foundation for solid facts.

What I do what to stress is that earlier detection, combined with improved treatment options, results in greatly improved survival outcomes. In fact, melanoma in 10- to 39-year olds is highly curable with 5-year survival rates exceeding 90%.

My motivation to write a quick blog post on this subject came as a result of an article in Vanity Fair on the Environmental Working Group’s recent study on sunscreen. The article quotes  “almost half of the 500 most popular sunscreen products may actually increase the speed at which malignant cells develop and spread skin cancer because they contain vitamin A or its derivatives.”

To add fuel to the fire, researchers from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and Masonic Cancer Center claim that there is a link between use of indoor tanning devices to increased risk of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. However, the data is now being challenged by the Sunbed Association which outlines their claims in a recent press release.
Yet through all this controversy, there are two simple ways which you can early detect melanoma: the ABCDEs of Melanoma and the Ugly Duckling.

ABCDEs of Melanoma

Consult your dermatologist immediately if any of your moles or pigmented spots exhibit:

One half is unlike the other half.

An irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined border.

Is varied from one area to another; has shades of tan, brown, or black; is sometimes white, red, or blue.

Melanomas usually are greater than 6mm (the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed, but they can be smaller.

A mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape, or color.

(American Academy of Dermatology)

Ugly Duckling

I personally think both methods are great tools for early detecting melanoma. However, to the untrained eye, the Ugly Duckling method has been tested  to have been a useful tool as a sign for melanoma screening (Arch Dermatol. 2008;144(1):58-64).

As much as we are told to stay out of the sun, wear protective clothing, or even use sun screen, your biggest tool in the fight against cancer is to early detecting melanoma by “knowing your skin.” (Dr. Leonard Sender)

*tshirt designed by Marc Jacobs to raise awareness about the deadly skin cancer and benefit melanoma research at the NYU Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center.

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After reading the reviews given by Christakis, author of Connected, and Taleb, author if Black Swan, two books which I enjoyed, I was excited to read Barabasi’s Bursts: The Hidden Pattern Behind Everything We Do. Unfortunately, I missed the Linked train and felt a little more compelled to read Barabasi’s next hit. The book itself had the right intentions in captivating a novice audience for a subject that has been purely dominated by mathematicians.  For right now, however, I will refrain from writing a book review. If you would like one, I would recommend Columbia Professor Andrew Gelman’s full review of the book (thanks Johan).

What I did want to write about was an interesting study that Barabasi highlights from the John Radcliff Hospital in Oxford England. The report published in the British Medical Journal describes that with nearly 70 emergency cases, on July 16 there was an unusually low amount of cases at the emergency room. Interestingly enough this was also the launch dates of  two Harry Potter books—The Order of the Phoenix and The Half-Blood Prince— Saturday 21 June 2003 and Saturday 16 July 2005.
The numbers dont lie. The mean attendance rate for children aged 7-15 years during the control weekends was 67.4 (SD 10.4). For the two intervention weekends the attendance rates were 36 and 37 (mean 36.5, SD 0.7). This represents a significant decrease in attendances on the intervention weekends, as both are greater than two SD from the mean control attendance rate and an unpaired t test gives a t value of 14.2 (P < 0.0001). At no other point during the three year surveillance period was attendance that low.

The take away, “…all we need are ‘safety-conscious, talented writers who could produce high quality books for the purpose of injury prevention.’”

I wonder how many women avoided the emergency room when Twilight launched?

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For the most part, the protests that we have seen have been non-violet. We actually saw many signs that stressed that this was a non-violent protest. Many reports have indicated that the violence last week, which lead to the death of about 25 individuals including a Reuters cameraman, where a result of anarchists. The definition of an anarchist here was not clearly defined and it is not known whether or not any of these individuals were Red Shirt supporters. Also, there have been reports of small bombings occurring on the side of the streets and yesterday a grenade being thrown. Tragic.

Okay, quick synopsis of what is going on from an outsiders perspective. There have been recent corruption accusations of the current government and discontent of the 2006 coup, which was supported by the Yellow Shirts (People’s Alliance for Democracy, PAD) that is comprised of businessmen and middle to upperclass. The Red Shirts, known as the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), representing the poorer classes, are supported by the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006 and has pending corruption convictions. After speaking to local Thai citizens, we were informed that the Red Shirts are provided with free water and food, and even cash to pay for any long distance travel expenses. According to CNN, Shinawatra fled the country in 2008 while facing trial on corruption charges that he says were politically motivated. As strong as the Red Shirts are right now in dominating the streets of Bangkok, the Yellow Shirts have given the government until this Sunday to calm the Red Shirt protests otherwise Thailand will be seeing counter-protests.

Thailand is ruled by a highly admired and revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or Rama IX. He has been the longest reigning king in the history of Thailand – almost 64 years. There were two rules that were clearly stressed to us as a tourists in Thailand- 1) do not disrespect the Buddha and 2) do not respect the king. Trust me, I think more people had photos of the king around their cities, shops and homes than of their own family members. According to the NY Times, King Adulyadej, who has no political position, has been in and out of the hospital since September and has not commented on the current situation.

(photo from flickr)

When speaking to the Thai people we encountered, many are not happy with the protests. It has been very difficult on the Thai economy as tourism makes for 7% of the countries GDP and forecasts predict that it will drop as a result of the protests.

From my understanding the entire country is divided and there is a complete other half of the population which is in support of the Red Shirt protests. Demonstrations began in patches and became active with more than a 100,000 people camping the streets of Bangkok starting in March 2010. Day and night you can see people driving around the streets to demonstrate their support for Shinawatra.

As a tourist the most difficult thing was catching a taxi to go through the center of the city. Many taxis simply drove off, quoted us outrageous prices or took longer detours.

Although my understanding of the conflict in Thailand is still foggy, the fact that millions throughout the country are demonstrating for something they potentially believe is right has been inspiring. The difficult part to judge is whether or not the facts are true or maybe the supporters have been simply uninformed? I am certainly the last person to know. Coincidentally, I had been reading the work of Howard Zinn during the time of the protests and I was reminded of the individuals in our history who have stood up for their rights that we today take for granted- voting, minimum wage, good working conditions, etc…  I believe that if the Red Shirt supporters have a voice, then it needs to be heard through non-violent demonstrations. They must stand up for what they believe in. However, whether or not the Red Shirts are fighting for the right cause I cannot say, I just hope that the results of this ordeal bring to Thailand the continued growth and development it deserves. When Alan Moore wrote V for Vendetta, he said “People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.”

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We are in the final push with the Healthcare Insurance Reform. Where can you help? Well the truth is our democracy is only as strong we  make it.

FOUR takeaways:

number ONE)

All of us need to speak up with persistence and clarity in support of health reform.

Call your representative now: http://j.mp/amfINg

If you’re in Colorado- call Representative Markey – 4th district, http://betsymarkey.house.gov/

number TWO)

• Insurance reforms to protect consumers from insurance company worst-practices – like denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, capping total coverage, and dropping or watering down coverage when you get sick and need it most
• Consumer protections that will restrict how much of your premium dollars insurance companies can spend on marketing, profits, and salaries
• Creation of a health exchange to increase consumer choice and guarantee coverage
• Affordable health options, with subsidies for working families and a hardship waiver
• Tax credits to help small businesses afford coverage
• Making preventive care completely free – with no co-payments or deductibles
• Lowering the cost of health care for our seniors
• Improving the quality and extending the life of Medicare
• Ensuring that reform is not only fully paid for, but actually significantly reduces the federal deficit

number THREE)

The numbers are clear according to yesterday’s Congressional Budget Office’s report  (via WSJ)-

• The tab in the first decade for expanding coverage is $940 billion. After penalty payments by workers and employers without coverage and other items like taxes on “Cadillac” health plans, the net cost of added coverage would be $794 million.
• The projected budget deficit would shrink by $138 billion over 10 years.
• Some 32 million uninsured will get health insurance. Of those, 19 million people would start getting coverage in 2014.
• Medicare spending would be reduced by 1.4% annually and Medicare’s solvency would be extended by at least nine years.
• Federal spending for health-insurance exchanges would be $466 billion over the decade, intended mostly to help people who don’t get coverage through work.

number FOUR)

Here is a letter I recently recieved by Dr. Faisal Qazi,  neurologist and former President of the American Muslim Health Professionals-

March 18th, 2010

The naysayers have stated their case and have miserably failed to provide conclusive solutions to the healthcare crisis.

When the healthcare community has put forth its most innovative and novel solutions for a system that is at a breaking point, and when an overwhelming majority of physicians, nurses, public health professionals, and patients support the provisions embedded in this healthcare bill, and when renowned institutions such as Mayo Clinic have come up with the very same ideas to deal with the key challenges in our healthcare system, I, for the life of me, fail to grasp as to where the controversy in this debate is coming from.

One place to look is the President’s summit with the congressional leaders a few weeks ago.  The opposition presented only non-ideas.  In fact the physicians in that group offered odd solutions and provided inadequately thought out answers to the complex problems we face in today’s healthcare crisis.

So if reform doesn’t go through, what do I tell my patient whose condition has deteriorated as a result of cancer and who sat in my office literally crying with distress as he couldn’t afford his medications having hit the donut hole?  What do I tell the patient who I saw in the ER with stroke and who did not know that he had developed risks for it such as Diabetes and Hypertension because he had to work two jobs and then overtime - none of which provided him with insurance coverage or an opportunity to pursue preventive care? And what of my patients who are stuck in jobs limiting their scope and potential just because they will not be covered by anyone once they leave their jobs?  I for one cannot stand by and see the plight of these people without believing that I operate in a system which is broken and doesn’t work for the people it is intended to serve.

I think the administration has taken a courageous stand to move the process of reform forward.  It is time we take this step to halt insurance company abuses and provide coverage to millions. It is time to give President Obama a chance to make right what has gone extremely wrong with this healthcare system.

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

The Khan Academy is a true revolution in the way we understand academia. I can attest to it as all my younger cousins have used it as an excellent reference to supplement their classroom learning. Actually, it has been such an amazing resource that they claim that these lectures are even better than what their teachers teach them. The Khan Academy is a not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing a high quality education to anyone, anywhere.

Yet, what makes The Khan Academy any different from other online lectures? The fundamental level of communication- using Paint Brush.

With over 1000+ videos on YouTube, and some videos having up to 200,000 hits and lasting up to 10 minutes per lecture, Salman Khan (not the Indian actor)has been able to create a true “open education system.” Originally the videos were put up for Mr. Khan to tutor his younger cousin who lived across the country, but little by little the videos began to pick up.

Subjects range from the Math (Calculus, Arithmetic, Trigonometry, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, etc) to Biology, Chemistry, Banking, Finance, and Economics. Everything is literally covered and subjects are growing everyday.

Here, for example, is an excellent lecture on one of my favorite subjects that I constantly help my cousins with: Trigonometric Identities.

I’ve definitely become a big fan of The Khan Academy. Along with excellent efforts by Teach for America and AmeriCorps, the Khan Academy is an invaluable asset to the academic environment. This project is exciting because it simply reaffirms my belief that human nature is naturally altruistic. Finally, I am a massive proponent on free education and it being held to the highest standard.  Investment into the education and health of this country need to be two of the most fundamental concepts supported by our legislators and leaders.

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

What is the longest road trip you have ever taken? LA to SF? LA to Denver? Chicago? NYC?

How about London to Rome? Cairo? Darfur? Nairobi? Cape Town?

This is just a brief outline of an incredible road trip a friend of mine, Ryan Sanderson-Smith, a fellow classmate from Cambridge and South African native, is doing. He is on a mission to not only live his wildest dreams driving in a 1989 Toyota Landcruiser but also to add a cause to it.

Unlike many of our class mates who have decided to go forward in completing a PhD, MD or work in a consulting company/bank/startup, Ryan decided to take a road trip with to  raise money for SolarAid- a charity that fights global poverty and climate change with solar power. He and two others are currently traveling to various SolarAid projects. SolarAid was in fact one of the charities we were in discussion with during the summer of 2008 when we were involved with the Amex Member’s Project.

I recently had a chance to catch up with Ryan. Here is what he had to say (with his massively thick South African accent of course)-

“we’re having an absolute blast, hittin africa hard.driving around in a landcruiser with 2 rooftop tents on it, 2 spare wheels, a long range fuel tank (175 litres); and 4 solar panels on the roof that powers the engine cooling fan, power steering, stereo and charges our laptops, phones, any other electronics, and a kettle! which means we use less diesel.”

We drove through france and italy in 6 days. then a week in tunisia visiting desert oases full of dates and salt pans. then a week in Libya visiting lots of roman and greek ruins (but ironically it rained the whole time). Then just over a month in Egypt traveling down the nile and going to the sinai peninsula. and have now been in sudan for a month, mostly in the capital khartoum where the blue and white nile meet.

The best part has been the people. they have been so kind, friendly, hospitable and friendly. have quickly made friends, who are showing us around sudan in style. next we will go to ethiopia, kenya, uganda, rwanda, tanzania, zambia, zimbabwe, malawi, mozambique and back home to south africa.”

All I can say is next time book me a spot for the trip! It’s fascinating to know that almost everything that they are using- cooling fans, mobile, laptops, kettle, camera, stereo, etc- are all powered by solar.

To support the guys check out:

http://www.justgiving.com/overlandinthesun/

and check out their website where you can connect to their Twitter (@overlandsun) and Facebook:

http://www.overlandinthesun.com

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

VEGETARIAN’S NIGHTMARE
by Baxter Black

a dissertation on plant’s rights

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. |

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. |

Why Medical Schools are Four Years Long?

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 Shift in Education

In the 19th century most medical education was through three systems:

1. an apprenticeship system, in which students received hands-on instruction from a local practitioner;

2. a proprietary school system, in which groups of students attended a course of lectures from physicians who owned the medical college; or

3. a university system, in which students received some combination of didactic and clinical training at university-affiliated lecture halls and hospitals.

It wasn’t until the turn of the century that Abraham Flexner was commissioned by the American Medical Association and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching that medical schools began to shift their philosophy of education. With the acceleration of medical technology, growth of evidence-based medicine, and the growing importance of physicians/scientists in society, the shift in improving medical education was on the brink of making the medical school system we see today.

After 18 months and 155 medical schools, Flexner concluded that admissions to a medical school require a minimum of a high school diploma and two years of university education focusing on basic science. John Hopkins University School of Medicine became the gold standard and the Flexner Report stressed the importance of medical education being four years: two years of training in laboratory sciences followed by two years of clinical rotations in a teaching hospital.

Flexner examined five principle areas at each school. Now what I find interesting is that these are the same characteristics students look for in the medical schools they are applying to. These are:

1.    entrance requirements;

2.    size and training of the faculty;

3.    size of endowment and tuition;

4.    quality of laboratories; and

5.    availability of a teaching hospital whose physicians and surgeons would serve as clinical teachers

Medical Education Today

Today, however, medical education is changing at an even faster pace. Meet now Dr. David Irby, the Vice Dean for Education at UCSF. He is co-author of the anticipated book: Educating Physicians: A Call for Reform of Medical School and Residency set to be released June 1, 2010. The book is rumored to highlight many new models for a medical education, including a three-year fast track program- already being seen in universities such as Tulane and proposed at UC Merced. These programs tie generally an undergraduate education with a graduate education equaling a total of six years of education versus the traditional eight (4 college + 4 medical). But at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine a three-year medical education is set to encourage for those who choose to go into primary care. This creates an interesting incentive for individuals who are looking to fill the large gap of primary care physicians in the US.

Physicians need to possess medical skills as much as they do business acumen and an understanding of how insurance companies and the government will potentially challenge to future of medicine. There is an intense effort today by major tech companies such as Google Health and Microsoft Health Vault to encourage a shift in the way physicians understand technology and communication with their patients (a topic for later discussion). As patients begin playing an active role in their own health, so will the role of a physician and their training requirements.

With the increasing financial pressures, medical education will shift. To what? I can only imagine. In 1988 Ebert and Ginzberg proposed that the last two years of medical school that is spent in the clinic should not have a tuition fee, and that students should receive a stipend similar to the practice of graduate medical education. In 2010, Irby et al could potentially revolutionize the medical education system we see today.

p.s. Happy New Year!

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References:

Beck A. The Flexner Report and the Standardization of Medical Education. JAMA.  2004;291:2139-2140.

Cooke M, Irby DM, Sullivan W, Ludmerer KM. American Medical Education 100 Years  after the Flexner Report. NEJM. 2006; 355:1339-1344.

Ebert RH and Ginzberg E. The Reform of Medical Education. Health Affairs. 1988.  Supplement 5-38.

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Posted via email from aliansary’s posterous

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.

Held by the Taliban:
Part 1: 7 Months, 10 Days in Captivity
Part 2: Inside the Islamic Emirate
Part 3: ‘You Have Atomic Bombs, but We Have Suicide Bombers.’
Part 4: A Drone Strike and Dwindling Hope
Part 5: A Rope and a Prayer
Epilogue

Video of David Rohde Here

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I really missed California.

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Posted via email from aliansary’s posterous

Lever de Soleil

Lac Léman

10 meters = 32.8 feet

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Sunrise- Geneva, Switzerland

Sunset- Granada, Spain

Sunset- Istanbul, Turkey

Sunset- Lausanne, Switzerland

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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.

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…lightening over Lake Léman (Geneva), inspired by Tom’s idea and Sahil’s old apt .

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Lake Léman (Geneva).

Cars getting Bumped.

People Swinging.

Jet d’Eau [500 L (132 gallons) x 1 sec = 140 meters (459 feet) high]

Sponsored by the Sultanate of Oman.

Ferris’ Wheel.

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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.

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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…

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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…

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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 the splenic flexure (C), within the descending colon (D), and within the rectal ampulla (E). Unremarkable plain radiograph obtained after the dentures had been removed (F).

Normal digestive pathway:

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Here are my favorite top  5 quick snacks (certainly not original except #1)- I sound like Martha Steward.

#5 Hummus + Bread + Feta Cheese

#4 Toasted Whole Grain Bread + Cream Cheese + Smoked Salmon

#3 Yogurt, Honey, Oats/Nuts

#2 Banana + Nutella

…enough said.

#1 Fruit Smoothie

Usually a cup of mixed berries, cup of pineapples, and enough apple juice and blend it!

I usually use frozen because I don’t have to peel, cut or wash and I just throw them into the blender.

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| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

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 the same way many people treat Hollywood celebrities.

There have been so many attempts lately to challenge Google- searchme.com , cuill.com, or even MSN Live. Today, however, I have been convinced that there is a new big player that even Google Founder Serge Brin “is keeping an eye on.”

The best analogy of the night- Wolfram|Alpha is what Google was to the domination of Alta-Vista.

I had known only a little about Stephen Wolfram, but once I saw the amazing piece of work this once kid genius (Entered Oxford at 17, Received his Phd from Cal tech at age 20) had produced, I was completely in awe.

Instantaneous computational results- mathematics and science are just part of it. Imagine any sort of knowledge that you are looking for and have it quantitatively and qualitatively presented to you.

Blogs such as Techcrunch give the Wolfram|Alpha search engine a simple “not super impressed“, it just appears to me that they have been too busy trying to write about Twitter and have lost touch with new ideas such as the difference between a knowledge base and an information base. (Just a preface, yes I am a Twitter user)

However, I was simply blown away. Maybe I am just an amateur rambling, but do a simple search -  … How about – Burrito. I get the average nutritional facts, average daily value ranking, highest nutrients compared to other foods, calories, carbohydrates, fats, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals…

I certainly don’t expect for the search engine to be 100% complete, but what it has done is be able to present users in an organized fashion the information we all spend time in Google trying to find. It also has allowed me to continue appreciating how much we really cannot predict how technology will revolutionize society.

Wolfram|Alpha acts  like a  decision support system in which characteristics are matched to a computerized knowledge base. It is absolutely beautiful.  I don’t know how much Google will be threatened by the entry of Wolfram|Alpha as it is still early, and everyone still needs to do their Pubmed or Google Scholar searches when looking for papers or other information. But I can only try to imagine what has yet to come.

To have a live demonstration of how the search engine works (only 13 min) click here.

If you have time watch the presentation @ Harvard.

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“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.

I ask the cab driver, “how is your day?” Being alone in a big city has forced me to go extra out of my comfort zone in order to share a few words with someone I will only meet once. Today the conversation ends after, “Fine sir.” I know the Pakistani cab driver’s English is limited. Like many, the cab drivers in Dubai are from Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad, and other major cities and villages from Pakistan. On one particular day I remember being picked up from Medinat Jumeriah, a fancy getaway that is swamped with tourists from Europe and Russia. The cab driver introduces himself as Ahmed (for the purpose of confidentiality all names have been changed).

Again, I begin my conversation on the drive back to my apartment, “how is your day?” This time the conversation seems to be manageable.

“It has been a long day sir.”

Ahmed begins to tell me that the police came by and gave every cab driver a ticket for cueing for customers at the resort.

“The police said it was illegal to queue  and that I have been penalized.”

This will come from his paycheck along with the other cab drivers. The cab system is very unique to Dubai, from my experience. The government owns everything in Dubai. From cabs, to telecommunications, construction, gasoline, health insurance,  and even the major airline company.

Ahmed tells me the story of the way he is treated as a cab driver. Once when he wore sunglasses and a policeman asked him if he was Arab because he “was not allowed to wear sunglasses.”  This level of harassment exists, but this story is only unique to Ahmed. This type of treatment certainly diverges from Dubai’s Code of Conduct.

Human Rights Watch has written an extensive report on the exploitation of migrant workers, especially construction workers, in the UAE. This issue should not be taken lightly. What I saw, millions have seen, and few are writing about. Notably Johann Hari who says, “There are three different Dubais, all swirling around each other. There are the expats, like Karen; there are the Emiratis, headed by Sheikh Mohammed; and then there is the foreign underclass who built the city…” Stories that he writes about are nonetheless echoed by many of those workers who I had an opportunity to speak with as well. Stories such as workers who have their passport taken away from them and must begin work immediately upon arrival. The population is tightly controlled where individuals only have up to one month after losing their job to leave the country. Yet recently, this has been extended up to six months according to the Minister of Labour.

Rules are also strict. If you ask for a day off, as repeated by some cab drivers, the employer will ask, “Why, as if you have something better to do?” The idea is if you are not here to work then leave. This type of treatment or mentality does not get any better with the recent video of a member of the royal family torturing a man, shoving sand into a mans mouth and beating him with a wooden beam that has a nail protruding from it. At this point, I stop and take a deep breath.  I can only imagine the atrocities that have occurred over the past decade from prisoners in Abu Ghraib to Guantanamo.

In my building there was a Nepalese man named Gupal. He shares his story with me. He makes 900 AED (1 USD = 3.67 AED) per month. Yet, 300 AED go for rent, 100 AED for phone bills, and 500 is sent back to his family. I look at him with a smile, “What about food?” I know this could be a simple answer. Maybe he just sends a little less in order to eat, but he gives me a look and shakes his head from left to right.

Of course he doesn’t starve himself, but to my  Bangladeshi comrade, who I had an opportunity to befriend over the past few weeks explains, “We have to budget.” My Nepalese friend works 7 days a week, 12 hours a day. At night he shares a room with 3 other guys. Some share a bedroom with 6, 7, or even 8 other people. These are the things that must be fixed in the country and standards must be increased for migrant workers by the government. Rules and regulations must be enforced so companies are not taking advantage of uneducated and unskilled workers.

Dubai is a city that is being flooded by immigrants on work visas. Some stay for a couple years, and return to their country and some stay much longer. The majority of construction workers are from the Indian sub-continent. Cab drivers are Pakistani, restaurant workers and hotel workers are Filipino, and smaller Asian countries such as Bangladeshis and Nepalese men fill the countless other gaps in the working society of Dubai.

The stories shared all have distinct experiences and are unified by one thing: to make more money in order to send it back home to their wives and children. The difficult thing to comprehend, however, is that many of these workers actually pay agencies money to come work in Dubai. Agencies charge unskilled workers 5000-10,000 AED for visas, transportation, and other additional costs that should be assumed as expense for a company rather than placing the burden on the shoulders of migrant workers. Only upon arrival and work do people begin to realize that they will make their money back very slowly

During the economy boom, Ahmed the cab driver told me that on a good day during the peak of Dubai he was making 5000 AED a month, plus government health insurance. Now, with Dubai’s slowing economic boom, he says about 3000 a month. Yet, it goes down from here. With no minimum wage in the UAE, Construction workers make about 600 AED a month, and the man who cleans the bathrooms, gets about 1.50 AED an hour. I can hear the construction workers way before I even get out of bed. I decided to see one day what time work actually begins for many of the Indian expatriates.

The busses of workers begin to roll into the construction sites early in the morning between 5-6 am and work goes long into the night where workers can be on site for 12-14 hours, if not more.

The city has attracted world-class talent and has become the financial and tourist capital of the Middle East as it serves as a hub for Asia, the Gulf, Africa and Europe. As Dubai continues to attract world-class institutions and companies, i.e. Harvard Medical School Dubai , the city will to remain a punching bag for writers from major large established cities. The hands of immigrant workers who were looking for a better opportunity than their home country could have built cities such as New York and Chicago. And what about the Indonesian and Filipino immigrant workers who protest in massive cities such as Hong Kong?

My recommendations repeat what many reports have suggested in that there be accountability on the part of the UAE government as well as companies that are hiring foreign workers to provide the best quality of living possible. There also needs to be strict enforcement of labor laws as well as prohibition of certain companies from working with agencies. In the same way we hold companies accountable for providing the highest standards possible for their employees in developing countries, we must to do in the same in Dubai.

As I fold my cloths, pack my bags and walk out of my 42-story building to hail down a cab for the airport, I take one last look at a city that will surely be different when I come back later on. I stand with my suitcase on the street and know that in economic slow down, I am like a fish surrounded by cab sharks since a trip to the airport will be worth a lot. A cab pulls up and he pops the trunk for me, I throw my bags into it and sit into the back seat. The cab driver turns and I quickly recognize Ahmed when I say, “Airport please.”

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

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 project that is planning to place a cooling system below the sand so people don’t burn their feet while on the beach.

The city known as Dubai continues to catch me off guard with something new and amusing. From the thrills of eating dinner above the city to the desert safaris, there is pretty much something here for anyone. However, what I have come to realize over my time spent in the city is that for the first time I am able to see how the rich spend their money. What is clearly noticeable here in newer developments of Dubai is that if you just got the new Nissan GTR, then the person next to you has the new Audi R8. These of course fall into the shadows of every single model of Ferrari you can think of. Lamborghinis roar through the Jumeriah Beach Residence over the soft luxury engines of a Mercedes, BMW, or Range Rover. Of course you can find a huge diversity of cars, however, there is such a large concentration of luxury cars that all the rest just fall into the background of the city. And if you think you have the best model, well let’s just hope your license plate number is two digits (1 digit will cost you $14.3 m).

I am not going to lie- the buildings are amazing. These buildings will continue to bring in people throughout the world to this city. Many have said how the financial crisis may be bringing this city to an end. As one construction developer who I spoke said, “Dubai’s construction isn’t slowing down, it is just stabilizing and going to normal growth.” The city has been growing faster than people are coming and slowly the government has been able to refocus its strategy and invest into more than just construction, for example the opening of DuBiotech. There still is development and hotels continue to open up and each one offering something more than the other. From Michelin star rated restaurants to extensive ornate networks of traditional souks (open air markets), hotels are making sure that they are the hottest things to come to Dubai. What took many cities to be built over centuries, Dubai did in a few decades. Still criticisms exist, “you’re building a city in the desert, this is impossible.” The desert did not stop Las Vegas from being built nor did it stop 20 million residents from living in Los Angeles- with an annual rainfall of only 15 inches (38 cm). Give it time, and Dubai will continue to grow.

Malls confirm every rumor that have reached the west coast. Dubai Mall offers an in door ice skating rink, giant 4 story waterfalls, and a massive aquarium. Emirates mall stands out with its massive ski slope and all malls are able to offer some of the finest clothing and brands available in the world. Even the local gold souks attract many of the world’s buyers.

Restaurants, no matter where you are (or at least where I have been), serve with respect and quality. I must also give a shout out to the Mexican restaurants here. I have had more Mexican food in my time spent in Dubai than I have the entire past 6 months in the UK. A nice horchata and I would possibly have no reason to ever go to another restaurant.

I have seen minimal police, and the few that I have enjoy their BMWs. This might be a non-American thing, however, in the US the most luxury a policy officer gets is a Crown Vic or a Camaro. There is no visible poverty and you see no homeless people on the street. Occasionally you may find a piece of liter on the floor, but that would be a rare occasion as well.

Fashion also plays an important role like any other place where you find beautiful people.  You will find Russians, Europeans, some Americans and some from Down Under. Some people come out in their brands, others come in their $500 torn t-shirts. Emirati’s of course are visible, even with some of the world’s most stylist Abayas. Everyone looks good no matter what age or after how many kids. The preface here is that fashion goes beyond expectations and sometimes extends to the overwhelming range, but it makes great for people watching.

My point for these random thoughts isn’t necessarily to say that this life style doesn’t exist anywhere else, because I am sure that it does. Rather, it is to show how concentrated this life style is to one area. Dubai has been able to become a center hub for the Middle East and Euroasian continent and has welcomed all individuals to come. However, I have also noticed that some expatriates are more welcomed than others and I have begun to see that Dubai is more than just one dimensional… to be continued…

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

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 that it will be impossible for me to see everything in this city. There is no downtown. Originally everything was near the airport, then as things began to expand and the government came to understand the true value of this precious city tucked away in the Persian Gulf, the city began to develop in all directions.

Anything you want to do, you can do. It can be expensive or it can be cheap. It can be slow or it can be fast. Walking is unheard of, as today I saw my first and only lone bicyclist. Crime is not visible, well there just is little to no crime and I have only seen one police car here.

From the minute I stepped into the first cab, I began to understand more about this Emirate that I have always read so much about. As I left the airport, I began to chat with my taxi driver- a middle aged Pakistani man who is telling me the impact of the global economy on Dubai. He tells me that as a cab driver he is a government employee yet works on commission. Six months ago it would have taken 1-2 hours to get to the Jumeriah Beach Residence because of all the traffic. Today, it took only 30 minutes. He explains to me that buildings were being built faster than they could make room for new ones. Construction was 24/7. Work would begin and a single shift would be 8 hours, then a bus would pick up the Indian construction workers, to clear the way for a new shift to begin. All the tourist websites explained how difficult it is to get a cab at a mall because it is always packed, today cabs wait outside the mall for shoppers. Things have slowed down but I don’t think it will dramatically alter Dubai unless the global economy continues in this state for another half decade.

(Jumeriah Beach Residence)

Quick history- after the Sheikh realized the prosperity that was being gained from all the continued demand of construction and development two government companies were created but run independently as private businesses. (Apparently everything created here by the government comes in pairs in order to create competition).  One was Nakheel (Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Jumeriah, Ibn Battuta Mall, Dubai World) and the other was Emaar (Burj Dubai, the Lakes, the Greens). Now these two development companies are going around the world and flexing their skills. The UAE has become so influential that is holds major shares in almost anything and everything: Securing rice fields in Thailand, major share holder in Ferarri, 75% of the Chrysler Building in NYC, MGM, and even investing in UK Soccor.

Dubai is the first Muslim country I have ever stayed in, I find it quite interesting and it  (from what I understand) is one of the most liberal of the Gulf countries. The amount of wealth that is in Dubai is beyond many places in this world. There is a unique ambiance in which class matters, what you drive is who you are and you should be prepared to spend your money. There is old money and there are the new kids on the block who work endless hours to break into a new social class. However, all of this is done in a very subtle and elegant way. There is a level of respect, Sir and Madaam are commonly used, and women are treated with respect. However this city is not as foreign as I felt it would have been. It possesses Newport Beach’s cars and lifestyle, Las Vegas’ money, and New York City’s business.

There are however boundaries from what I have seen and read. No one criticizes the government or Islam, if women are showing too much skin in magazines they are blocked off and aside form the media, the Internet is also controlled. I cannot use Skype unless it is Skype to Skype.

Tonight I walked to the Marina Mall. With the amount of construction surrounding me, I was so surprised to not even find a coke can or piece of paper on the ground. When I walked into the massive mall, the first thing I thought to my self is how am I going to walk on these floors, there is no dirt on it for my shoes to stick to- the floors were polished clean and I couldn’t walk straight without slipping. As I walked the streets of Jumeriah Beach, I quickly realized how eclectic this city is and how I only have seen such a limited perspective of what Dubai really is.

I hope to explore this city and further understand the hands that run the city to the hands that have built the city.

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

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 ‘Logic’ on TV Judge Shows

Not quite what one would expect, the professor of this course emphasizes repeatedly in the course listing that this class is “NOT a course about law or “legal reasoning.” It is instead an exploration of logical fallacies that are often presented by defendants and plaintiffs on court television shows like Judge Judy and The People’s Court. Seems right up the alley of most college students, as they are squarely in the demographic of afternoon television programming (which also targets the elderly and unemployed).

4. Simpsons and Philosophy

This one is probably predictable as you’ve got a twenty year old show with plenty of rich fairly intellectual material and a main character with the name of “Homer”. UC-Berkeley claims this isn’t at all a dumbed down class, but a fairly rigorous philosophical course. The text of the class is the book “The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D’oh of Homer,” edited by William Irwin and features weighty questions such as “Can Nietzsche’s rejection of traditional morality justify Bart’s bad behavior?”.

1. The Strategy of StarCraft

http://www.berkeleystarcraft.com/

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

Okay, so we all recognize that adults definitely laugh less than children. I mean when we  see a child, they are first to smile. Even the days I know that are going to be long and rough, its just seeing a kid crack a smile at you and essentially your heart melts.

I was sent this hilarious Cadbury commercial today-

(I completely recognize that I am doing exactly what this commercial expects me to do)

After reading an article in Nature- I read that laughter decreases blood pressure. Laughter has always been a key to happiness and sometimes just sitting in a room and forcing a laugh can make someone feel better. I think an alternative to medicine can be laughter.

So how do you tell your friends about Cadbury chocolate and promote a social cause you support?

The other day I was told about SocialVibe by a friend of mine. I think Wierd put it best, “If you’re going to advertise to your friends, you might as well get paid for it. Or at least that’s SocialVibe’s thought on the matter.” SocialVibe is a social media platform that aims to enable interaction between people, the brands they love and the causes they are passionate about. SocialVibe lets social media consumers to promote, distribute and support brands and charities via social networks like Facebook and Myspace, blogs and personal websites. However, I think one of the barriers for SocialVibe is actually getting people to adopt their badge and put it on their facebook/myspace.

If you ask me, clever business model. The concept of social cause marketing has definitely caught fire. I first wrote about it when Shepard Fairy produced his art work for the Obama campaign and Tom’s Shoes was gaining a lot of attention. Yet, there is a unique point, why not feel good in more ways than one?

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

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 late on this, but I had an opportunity to speak with Marc Bailey of Nokia last week here in Cambridge. He told me about where the future of health care communications is heading. Yet, beyond healthcare, I was introduced to Nokia’s concept phone- Morph.

Simply to see how it works ou have to watch the video:

Features of the Morph:
*  Newly-enabled flexible and transparent materials blend more seamlessly with the way we live
* Devices become self-cleaning and self-preserving
* Transparent electronics offering an entirely new aesthetic dimension
* Built-in solar absorption might charge a device, whilst batteries become smaller, longer lasting and faster to charge
* Integrated sensors might allow us to learn more about the environment around us, empowering us to make better choices

Beyond the fact that this concept is about 10-15 years away, I am still blown off my feet by the creativity and ingenuity behind this technology.

In my 4th grade elementary class we had a guest came in to speak to us about cellular phones. The class bunched together and sat on the floor as the presenter stood in front of us. He reached behind his back and pulled out what I saw as a cordless phone. This phone was definitely something from the 90s.

In any matter, what he said next would stick with me as I became part of the technology revolution- “One day cellular phones will replace every home phone and every person will own a cellular phone.”

This is already happening.

As consumers, when something new hits the market we used to immediately ask ourselves the basic who, what, why, where, and when, but with such rapid advances in technology there is only one question we ask ourselves, and that is “how long until…”

The ability for engineers to even think of  a concept such as the Morph shows that although the iPhone and Facebook may dominate society today, nothing is for certain. In the same way that AOL no longer is the main internet service provider and that a Kodak no longer implies a camera (in the early 1900s people use to say “get your Kodak” [camera]), technology and creativity will be the ultimate assessment of the fortitude of a company.

After a dinner conversation with a friend, we agreed that the best scientists are the ones who don’t ask the best questions, rather ask the right questions. I can’t wait to see what the future holds…

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P.S. Update from my 14 Janurary post on Real Mind Control…
Check out Uncle Milton Industries Jedi Force Trainer:

By wearing a headset that detects electroencephalography (EEG) signals, users can control a floating ball using the Force—force of mind, that is. By concentrating as hard as you can, you can get the ball to rise higher; concentrate less and the ball sinks. The wireless EEG headgear sends signals to a device that controls the speed of a fan, which in turn lifts or lowers the ball to various levels. This item rivals Mattel, Inc.’s new $80-$100 Mindflex, which uses similar technology to keep a ball aloft. Available in August.
Price tag: $130

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

I was introduced to Tim Harford by a professor here at Cambridge. Harford is an economics writer for the Financial Times and is known for his “Dear Economist” column. Aside from my superficial understanding of economics, below is a funny excerpt from one of his columns in the Financial Times.

Dear Economist,
Bikini waxes: boyfriends seem to like the results, but they hurt. What would you say were the costs and benefits?
Yours,
Sylvia, via email

Dear Sylvia,
Thank you for sharing your concerns. I have never had a bikini wax myself and prefer not to comment on the aesthetic qualities of the practice. Nevertheless I believe there is an important economic insight to take on board: you are making what economists would call a “relationship-specific investment”, and such investments have consequences.

Admittedly, getting a bikini wax is not as serious a business as having a child, or indeed a prominent tattoo reading “Sylvia for Tim”.

Still, it is something that only one boyfriend is likely to enjoy; should he prove insufficiently appreciative, your depilation is not something you will be able to advertise to other admirers unless you have an unusually frank flirtation technique, or a career as a pole dancer.

When businesses install equipment or learn techniques to satisfy the requirements of a particular customer, they usually do so only when protected by cost-sharing arrangements or a long-term contract; sometimes the client will even merge with its supplier. Those who do not risk being exploited: once the one-sided commitment has been made and the costs have been sunk, they find the other side reneging on the deal.

You should learn the same lessons. Cost-sharing might be a fancy weekend away; a long-term contract might specify that your boyfriend does the washing up. (Get it in writing.) And as for a merger? Marriage, of course, or an engagement assured by a suitably expensive rock.

Whatever it is you want from your boyfriend, make sure you get it before you make your own painful investment. You need to understand when your bargaining power is waning or – ahem – waxing.

So the highlight here may be asset specificity- a situation in which you can take advantage of a moment or skill, which is useful for only a small number of tasks and cannot be transferred easily to other tasks.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

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. |

… when the colors became blur(r)ed – these photos developed…

Granada, Spain

Madrid, Spain

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

However, what stands out most about his book comes from his intro when is says, “The New Web, in the hands of a technologically savvy and community-minded Net Generation, has the power to shake up society and topple authorities in many walks of life. Once information flows freely and the people have the tools to share it effectively and use it to organize themselves, life as we know it will be different.”

My fears? We live in a society where what we say can be turned around and used against us. Yet, I have spent many quiet conversations with many of my Muslim/Jewish/Christian/Hindu/Buddhist/Atheists friends about the crisis that has been escalating in the Gaza and I believe that no longer can I be silent about a situation that has brought so much hardship to this region.

Only a few weeks ago was any real crisis in the Middle East a serious concern for much of the world. However,  time revealed to the world that the Middle East is not a place that can no longer be continuously ignored.

Everyday, I read news sources: CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, Ynetnews, Haaretz, Democracy Now! but tonight I sit and read the Lancet (January 17 – 23, 2009), one of the world’s best-known and most respected general medical journals founded in 1823, and I am now convinced that my silence cannot be whispered and that any of the work in the Jewish/Muslim dialogue I had started at Berkeley would only become a faint memory.

I stand with the Lancet’s comment:

We are disappointed by the silence of national medical
associations and professional bodies worldwide in
response to this destruction and dislocation of health
services. Their leaders, through their inaction, are
complicit in a preventable tragedy that may have longlasting
public-health consequences not only for Gaza,
but also for the entire region.

The following are articles published in this week’s Lancet (Vol. 373 Number 9659 January 17 – 23, 2009) [if these links do not work please try http://www.sciencedirect.com/]

The Medical Conditions in Gaza

Gaza- a symptom of an insufficiently acknowledged cause

Medical Facilities under intense pressure in Gaza

Inside Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital

As I break my silence, I strongly believe we do have the unique ability to shake up society and check authorities and foster the dialogue and changes that are necessary. This is a time where we cannot forgot about those who are suffering and we must speak for those whose voices are not being heard.

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

Emotiv Systems is the company behind this technology which is headed and cofounded by Tan Le who has a very impressive resume. In 1998, Tan was named Young Australian of the Year (the most prestigious prize for an Australian) and voted one of Australia’s 30 Most Successful Women Under 30.

Although from what I have read about the product there seems to be limitations and the product works within the bounds of a defined context. However, the proof of concept exists in that researchers have been able to produce a technology that learns and reacts to the way your brain thinks and carries out an action that is detected.

What are the implications…massive! Emotiv Systems plans to roll this out to the gaming industry first. Of course an ideal move into a market which has over 40m users just in the U.S. and a worldwide game software and hardware industry of over $25b. Gaming systems like the Ninento Wii have certainly set a higher bar and opened up new opportunities for different industries to enter this continuously growing market. Incredibly, average age of a gamer is 28 in the UK, but the Entertainment Software Association estimates this average to be at 33 in the U.S.

Although not really gaming, take for example- Expresso Fitness, a developer and supplier of interactive, Web-enabled cardio fitness systems for the commercial health club market,  announced  that it has raised $12M in a Series C-2 round of funding by Physic Ventures (a really interesting venture fund that places emphasis on positive social impact and our ability to foster sustainable environmental solutions).

Not to diverge, but the Emotiv EPOC helmet is a freightening step towards a field of science and technology that could only have been described in a H.G. Wells’ book. Remember the last time you were with a friend and you ended up reading his/her mind? Does this technology essentially bring us a step closer to understanding the phenomenon of Extra-Sensory Preception (ESP)? I believe the unique technology behind the device is rather interesting and comes to show how far we have progressed in the fields of science and technology. Yet, we live in a society where mind control is often times related to watching too much TV and now it is us who can control what would possibly be displayed on the monitor in front of us.

I can only imagine what comes next: living in a society where people walk around without speaking to each other and some how understand what everyone is expressing to one another. Except I would call this device an ipod.

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

It begins with-

1984, East Berlin, Glasnost if nowhere in sight,
The Stasi, the East German Secret Police, keeps the population under strict control,
The Stasi declared goal: ‘ to know everything’

Glasnost was a policy introduced by the last Soviet Union General Secretary, Mikhail Gorbachev. This was a policy of openness and transparency, which was to be a means of combating bureaucratic distortion. 1985 was the commencement for the fall of a wall on November 9, 1989 that would be written in the history books as one of the most powerful times of the 20th century. For anyone who is a writer, a patron of the arts, a scholar of history or just someone who appreciates a movie that completes your thoughts but still leaves you yearning for more- although I am two years late- I would absolutely recommend for you to go out and rent/watch/download(itunes ☺) The Life of Others.

Das Leben der Anderen (The Life of Others) was written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and received the 2007 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. The movie is filled with drama, excitement, love, sadness, and happiness. Any summary I give about this movie would be a disservice to it. However, the general synopsis of the movie is about Georg Dreyman, an East-German Western educated playwright. Loyal to his country and uncritical to the Party, Dreyman knows the truth about his corrupt Soviet government, yet continues to live his life doing what he is good at. What Dreyman does not know is that Stasi Captain Gerd Wiesler begins to secretly supervise him due to a suspicious tip off from a minister. From here the story of these two opposite individuals evolve and the audience comes to see how the world of Dreyman and Wiesler merge. This movie simply takes you to a world that existed on a side of the wall that many generations of Orwell readers could only imagine. A movie is art when it converges your feelings all together and this is what Donnersmarck was able to do.

Next movie: Slumdog Millionaire

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |

The Buzztracker widget on my desktop has been a useful tool which has uniquely mapped out different incidences going on in the world in real time. I decided to look through the archives and compare the first of some months. Here is what I saw:

January 1

March 1

August 1

October 1

November 1

December 1

What my eyes saw, What my Mind Thought -

USA

Schwarzenegger Declares Fiscal Emergency In Calif.

California not only just had a major budget crisis, to a point that the budget approval was beyond the deadline, but cut majorly across important sectors of the state, including education. By the way, California ranks amongst the 10!

Barack Obama nominates Hillary Clinton for secretary of state
One minute we down play her foreign policy and now we empower. This isn’t so much of a crisis, but more of a situation that will need control with effective communication. As both President-elect Obama and Clinton’s strategically foreign policy do differ,  a powerful combination indeed if executed properly. Similar to President Lincoln, Obama has a collected “a team of rivals.” As said by the Washington Post, meaning that he hired some advisers who did not agree with him on many issues. He did that so he could hear conflicting views.

Oil plunges below $50 after Opec fails to cut
During the summer, Oil was at nearly $150 per barrel, now has plunged to below $50. Forecasters had predicted either a continue rise that would top at over $200, or that it would drop to all time lows. The last time oil was below $50 was before I even had a car

Bush wants history to see him as a liberator of millions
(no comment)

EUROPE

Britain thinking of joining euro: Barroso
When I was in London over the summer, conversion rates for every 1 GBP, I would get about 2 dollars. While in Europe, for every 1 Euro, I would get about 1 dollar. Now the GBP is where the Euro was during the summer. Many analysts had speculated that the euro was already over inflated, but I have not seen the GBP so low in a very long time. My initial thought- I hope my loans convert at this conversion come January.

Africa

Pirates attack cruise ship off Somali coast
In a series of attacks in the Gulf of Aden, pirates no longer are blockbuster movies but realities. This situation is completely absurd and we might be facing a time where cargo ships will increase fees for transportation in order to have heavy armor protection.

Deadly Nigeria Clashes Subside
Tomorrow night I will have to privilege to hear the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (equivalent to the Queen’s Counsel) speak. What’s worse, is that while Mumbai was under atrocious attacks , Nigeria was suffering as well. There was little news coverage about the fact that 400 people died in a bloody religious fight.  The situations in different parents of the world should not over shadow minor conflicts otherwise they have the potential to gain to much momentum that no one can do anything.

Asia

Mumbai Attacks: End of Day 2
What am I suppose to feel when the world faces such inhumane acts that last over a days worth of stress in a very adverse environment. We cannot point fingers at anyone nor accuse countries. Last time this happen we started a war that seems to have no end. My deepest condolences for the families who have been affected by this horrible situation.

Russia to complete Iran nuclear plant in 2009
As the US threatened to build a missile defense system against an unseen enemy, Russia has been busy building its on alliances. Nuclear is the direction we want to go for sustainable energy from my readings, preferably fusion when technology is capable of handling it.

Russian president visits Cold War ally Castro
This has nothing to do with Khrushchev or Kennedy, but has to do with the need for building alliances. Where does the rest of the world fall when Russia’s relationship grows with rouge countries in the West? The better question to ask is, why isn’t the relationship between the Russian Federation and the US stronger and what needs to be done to increase dialogue?

Russia To Build A Nuclear Reactor For Venezuela
(See above)

China, Cuba Tighten Bonds
Maybe China is sick of all the recalls the US is having and this sudden atmosphere that China may  be a country to fear. I find it very ironic that the major powers of the world (China and Russia) happen to go to the same places and yet to have seen any major press coverage on the relationships between these two neighbors

Mobile Phone Designed for Children Set to Launch in Hong Kong
I really wish I came up with this idea, how long until they can use a credit card

Central/South America

Venezuela, Russia to start naval exercises
All eyes on Chavez who is slowly bringing together a part of the world that has historically been isolated and defenseless against the US. Well at least Iran isn’t talking too much with Chavez.
Signs of warmth.
“We welcome his triumph in the same vein that we place the integrity of the US electoral process and the choices made by the American people in high regard. We likewise note the making of history with the election of Senator Obama as the first African-American president of the United States.”
ALI AGHAMOHAMMADI, CLOSE AIDE TO IRAN’S MOST POWEFUL FIGURE

AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI

Chavez wins Venezuela re-election

Congrats?

US Police Train Mexican Police to Torture
The torture videos surfaced the same day President George W. Bush signed Plan Mexico into law (designed to combat organized crime) I fully support the Geneva Conventions- shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever.

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There are so many global situations that I have overlooked- cuts in jobs, financial crisis, blockade of Gaza, global warming- yet these are the ones that came up in my news readings. To some these headlines may not even be issues or problems, but simply a result of the world becoming a smaller place through the expansion of the web.

For me, 9/11 was a turning point in my life where reading the news came only from understanding history and vice versa. It was in the 11th grade that I realized the importance of knowing yesterday’s events to understand today’s. The major headlines above are issues that all cross my mind as potential variables that are off setting the complacency we had enjoyed for a short period of time. These are some of the major issues that I believe are contributing to a global situation that run parallel with many other historical variables that eventually had negative repercussions.

| if I knew all the words I would write myself out of here. |