Stick No Bills

Role Model

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 01:00:33 -0500

Role Model

GlobeMed

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 00:59:24 -0500

Got to write for this week’s blog. Hope you guys like it! God Bless!

Ayra and I take our seats on the bus, four rows from the front. It has become routine that I take the aisle seat, as it is easier for me to get out on the early stop. My classmates are all discussing today’s examination and of the mistakes they have made. I sit quietly and look out the window. The weather has started to cool down in October, but still remains arid. The sun is still high up, and the tires of the bus crunch along the rocky road as we leave the school and go home.

I cannot keep my mind distracted enough from the girl sitting two rows in front of me. Amongst my friends, she is known as the Troublemaker. She frequently speaks out of turn in class and disrupts the teacher’s lesson. During lunch, she often asks us to give input about extending school hours or partaking in after school activities. Does she want to die?

Many of my friends have left school to stay at home or to go to safer towns. Mother and father cannot afford to send me away, but at their insistence, I continue to go to school. They speak of a hope that is waiting for me. I do not understand. Every morning, I wake up so afraid that it hurts to swallow mother’s food. The Taliban have placed an edict to put an end to our education. I have been threatened many times while walking home, but I do not want to worry mother and father. The Troublemaker has put all of our lives at risk. She openly discusses reforming education, and calls out to the Taliban to put an end to this edict. Many schools in the region have been destroyed, and I know our days are numbered. Through the unrest, I can only find solace in my books.

The bus comes to an abrupt stop. We fall forward in our seats. Ayra and I look around to see the other girls crouching. A man enters through the front of the bus, yelling. Ayra grabs and holds tightly onto my hand. He pulls a pistol from his pocket, and proceeds to move back and forth along the bus. We do not understand his belligerent yelling, but he is calling for her. He insists he will kill us all if we don’t tell him who she is. Malala, the Troublemaker, slowly raises her head. She boldly meets his gaze.

I’ve been privileged to write for this week’s Global Health You, but for the past few days, I was at a loss to write something profound about global health. In my head, I kept reiterating the description about the blog: “GlobeMed members reflect on an aspect of global health they find important or inspiring”. What about the global burden of disease was inspiring? What was important in my life that led me to have an interest in global health equity? Sure, we can make strides to prevent disease, but what’s to say we will be successful against re-emerging diseases? Will the Affordable Care Act deliver on its promises? How will the national deficit look like come 2019? Will the WHO meet their goals by 2015?

This is where I got it wrong. I misconstrued global health to be something that is defined by diseases, policies, and statistics, when global health refers to something much deeper than all of this. Global Health refers to humanity. Beyond what plagues a human, if it be a disease, an inequality, or grief, achieving optimal health for the global community allows each human to really value and to fully enjoy the precious gift of life.

A few months ago, a 15-month year old girl from an urban town in Northern Pakistan garnered international attention for nearly losing her life in an assassination attempt by the Taliban. It was her determination and her courage that had placed her in that situation, and even in her recovery, it is her determination and courage that drives her to ensure that her peers are given an equal opportunity to a valuable human right. Her name is Malala Yousafzai, and she is sincerely, a champion of human rights.

Under Taliban rule, an edict was placed; threatening that basic rights would be taken away. For a 12-year old schoolgirl, it was the right to an equal education that she kept near to her heart. She vied for this right to be restored to all girls, and she did this by actively protesting, blogging, and gathering communities together. Her intentions were simple, yet grand: she wanted every girl to be granted the right to an education.

When I had first heard this story, I was upset, because this girl had to face death in the eye at such a young age, but with time and the large number of tragedies, I have become somewhat desensitized to these ruthless activities. Yet, when I heard that this girl’s request was for a right that I daily take for granted, I could not help but to feel guilty. With what resources she had, she inspired those who did not have a voice. She gave hope to those who had no direction. At 15 years, Malala sacrificed security to give a glimpse of what an education meant to a woman. Having access to knowledge can unlock many doors to opportunities; it offers the potential to use talents and passions to effect change in the world.

I can’t help but to think that Malala’s recovery is nothing short of a miracle. Her calling isn’t complete, but it has already made strides. To the millions of girls who had no voice before, Malala’s story is one that resounds across the globe. A time is coming where people will stand up for equality in the face of danger, so others can enjoy this gift of life. So for that, I thank Malala for this push.

When I reevaluate global health and reflect on an inspiring aspect, it is Malala whose fight for the right to education strives to bring humanity to an optimal place. Global Health is not constricted by the label of diseases, but is manifested through the well being of others. The spread of infectious disease has only been allowed through the systemic ignorance and disinterest to a large portion of humanity. By getting at the root cause of poverty, lack of education, and severe violation of human rights, we can strive to promote global health equity. The story of Malala Yousafzai is a display of greatness, not because she is courageous and determined, but because she inspires people. Her story has inspired this public health/pre-med student to value his education and to use his talents and passions to effect change for the betterment of humanity.

GlobeMed

Machismo

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:52:00 -0500

Friendship is one of life’s greatest gifts. True friends seek a special kind of good for their friends: the highest good, which is that they might know God and love Him with all of their heart, soul, and mind. German pastor and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “The aim of friendship is exclusively determined by what God’s will is for the other person.”

Pray for your friends and ask God to give you a word “in season” to help them find renewed strength in our God and His Word.

A true friend is a gift from God and points us back to Him.

HIV has been cured in a child for the first time!

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:18:30 -0600

ziyadmd:

In a monumental first for medicine, doctors announced today that a baby has been cured of an HIV infection. Dr. Deborah Persaud, who presented the child’s case today at the 20th annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infection, called it “definitely a game-changer.”

Persaud, of Johns Hopkins University Medical School, is the lead author of a report recounting the child’s treatment. The identity of the little girl, who was born to an HIV-positive woman in rural Mississippi, has yet to be released. What we do know is that she is only the second person in the world — and the first child — to be cured of HIV in its devastating 32-year history. If the case is confirmed, it is truly unprecedented.

Read More

The path to decency involves the manifestation of humility. Sacrifices must be made in order to...

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 01:13:51 -0600

The path to decency involves the manifestation of humility. Sacrifices must be made in order to …

Photo

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 15:49:00 -0600

Jumping on the Harlem Shake fad early.

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 04:10:34 -0600

Jumping on the Harlem Shake fad early.

Leo Spaceman

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:41:00 -0600

Today, 01/31/13, 30 Rock will end its revolution on TV.

Top Places to Visit in 2013

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 09:17:01 -0600

Top Places to Visit in 2013:

Houston is listed as number 7 in the world (the top-most US city).

No place like home!

#BullsOnParade

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:03:02 -0600

#BullsOnParade

Merry Christmas!

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 01:42:00 -0600

It goes without saying that Christmas this year was pretty underwhelming. The holiday wasn’t as festive, and it’s most likely that many innocent lives have been lost the past few weeks. I have often been numb to tragedies previously because of how frequent these events happen. This is only presumptuous cynicism on my part, but I’ve now learned to value each individual life as if it is my own. The Newtown tragedy hurt, because I was once an elementary kid. The past 10 years have been fruitful and have taught me a lot, but I still have many more years to give back to God. Those kids lost a chance to really fulfill their potential and offer change to the world. For that, my condolences go out to their families.

Today, I lost my grandmother. It was really unexpected and abrupt. I am only upset because I prayed for my dad to reach the hospital in time to see her, but I guessed God found it best to call her up right when he landed. Either way, I can’t help but to reflect the time I spent with my grandparents in India, and the number of phone calls I made to her when coming home for the weekends. I would wake up at 5 am in the morning in Kerala to the sound of gospel songs, new testament passages, and unwavering prayers that both grandparents would practice so consistently. Even though I was annoyed, I began to value the discipline in her prayer. Prayer had driven their marriage for 70 years, and provided the vigor for them to carry out their daily routine activities.This is a huge encouragement to me, because it puts into perspective my complaints and wants, and has helped me to recognize that my communication with God should maintain a priority over anything else. The weekends I would come down from Austin, both parents would make me to talk to her, and I couldn’t find anything new to say other than ask her how she was, what my grandfather was doing, and if she would continue to pray for my studies. She was 86, and was the breadwinner of the house. I will surely miss her. I am not in grief, but can’t help but to marvel at how much her body has serviced her. Trillions and trillions of cells served a unique function for various organs of her body. Each cell served as a capacitor, storing charges in order to move muscles or create energy. The optics of her eyes helped to converge electromagnetic waves to create an image. For 86 years, she was able to utilize the greatest machine that God foresaw, and she used it to teach and achieve good. I am thankful for that.

I woke up Christmas morning, realizing that our Savior was born to save us. He surely was the wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. It cannot be reiterated enough, but I have been blessed beyond measure. The people I have met in my life are wonderful, the experiences are worthwhile, and the lessons are priceless. I pray that this season brings comfort and joy to all of you. Make it a priority to thank and to acknowledge the people around you. Our children, our parents, grandparents, friends, and family.

God bless.

P.S. I’m in the middle of ‘A Grief Observed’ by C.S. Lewis. If I had the intellect of that man…

26 Moments that Restored our Faith in Humanity

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 23:49:20 -0600

26 Moments that Restored our Faith in Humanity:

Andre Johnson sighting.

The streets of heaven are crowded tonight.

Evolution to the Christian (Needs work): The Beginning

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 01:51:00 -0600

I haven’t written in a long time, but felt compelled because of how much God is working in my life, and the renewed hope He continues to provide to myself and my community. This post is dedicated to the life of a friend from high school, Lester ‘LJ’ Brooks, and his ministry. I am not in grief, because I know that the two have met at an auspicious time.

I am a Christian. I believe in the power of Jesus Christ, and from my experiences and prayers, I have accepted Him as my Savior. For the past few years, being a science major has not been easy because I have been overwhelmed with the concern that “intelligent design” was just a callow way of accepting the origins of nature. Along with the trials, my conclusion about how our wonderful Father created all of the world relies heavily on faith.

I believe in Evolution. We should spend more time to deductively reason the first few chapters of Genesis. I’ll be straightforward with what I’ve developed as my ‘fresh’ belief. What is known to the human is LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor); from LUCA, developed the various kingdoms of life that teem the Earth. The random mutations are intricacies that God has so perfectly planned and has lined up to create the human. The seven days are comprised of billions of years of God continuing to work. With time, changes may continue to develop between generations, but I am still so young in this belief, that faith is what guides me. I have a lot more learning and reading to do. I have been recommended to read more from Francis Collins.

In essence, the design is most intelligent.

My belief should not be something that drives you away from the Greater Truth. We have a Father who loves us abundantly, who has died for your transgressions. Talk to Him. I guarantee He is always listening. God Bless!

Music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm to life. Pitch, rhythm, dynamics, timbre, and texture are God’s daily answers to our prayer.

Jammed. A tribute to the demise of the audio cassette.

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 22:44:00 -0600

Jammed.

A tribute to the demise of the audio cassette.

Thomas Newman.

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 18:29:44 -0600

Thomas Newman.

When it comes to taxes, there are two pathways available. One says, if Congress fails to act by the...

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 14:01:40 -0600

When it comes to taxes, there are two pathways available.

One says, if Congress fails to act by the end of the year, then everybody’s taxes automatically go up—including the 98% of Americans who make less than $250,000 a year. Our economy can’t afford that right now. You can’t afford that right now. And nobody wants that to happen.

The other path is for Congress to pass a law right away to prevent a tax hike on the first $250,000 of anyone’s income. That means all Americans—including the wealthiest Americans—get a tax cut. And 98 percent of Americans, and 97 percent of all small business owners, won’t see their income taxes go up a single dime.

The Senate has already passed a bill like this. Democrats in the House are ready to pass one, too. All we need is for Republicans in the House to come on board.

We shouldn’t hold the middle class hostage while Congress debates tax cuts for the wealthy. Let’s begin our work by actually doing what we all agree on. Let’s keep taxes low for the middle class. And let’s get it done soon.

A person who has never made a mistake has not tried something...

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 14:38:25 -0500

A person who has never made a mistake has not tried something new.

VSauce is gold.

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 20:48:24 -0500

VSauce is gold.

Oath

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 10:08:00 -0500

What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone? How else can we put ourselves in harmonious relation with the great verities and consolations of the infinite and the eternal? And I avow my faith that we are marching towards better days. Humanity will not be cast down. We are going on swinging bravely forward along the grand high road and already behind the distant mountains is the promise of the sun.

Your message is heard, Malala. You are in prayer. Am I willing...

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:11:00 -0500

Your message is heard, Malala. You are in prayer.

Am I willing to make the same sacrifice?